Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 270 Official Road Post Station

The pilot program for the military government system was gradually taking shape on Chen Wei's and the Ministry of War's desks. The land survey and equal distribution in several counties of Guanzhong and some counties of Bianzhou were entering the final stage. The provincial examinations for the special imperial examinations were drawing ever closer, and the drafts of the legal provisions of the "Enlightened Governance Code" had filled several rooms in the compilation office... In the height of summer of the first year of the Enlightened reign, every new policy of the empire was like a fine and heavy loom, making regular and continuous sounds in its respective position. However, standing in front of the huge map of the territory in the Wenhua Hall, Chen Xing saw not only the progress of each department and office, but also the connections between these new policies that had not yet been woven into a net.

"The Equal Field System required land grant documents to be delivered to every village, the Imperial Examination System required examination notices to be posted in every county, the Tax Reform Pilot Program required the new tax rules to be communicated to every village, and the Military Government System required the roster of soldiers to be compiled in every military prefecture..." Chen Xing's finger moved along the sparse lines on the map, which were the official road network left over from the previous dynasty, which had been damaged by war, and the equally dilapidated post station system.

"If government orders cannot leave Chang'an, or if they do leave Chang'an but are distorted, delayed, or even fail to reach their intended destinations," his voice was not loud, but it made Jia Wen and the Minister of Works, who were standing to the side, hold their breath at the same time, "then all that I and you gentlemen have painstakingly formulated here is nothing but empty talk on paper."

Jia Wen bowed deeply, his expression solemn: "Your Majesty's concerns are extremely wise. This old minister has recently received reports from various circuits, and I am deeply moved. The experience of the pilot program in Bianzhou took more than a month to reach Chang'an; the secret report from the Suzhou delegation was delayed by as much as twenty days; and some remote prefectures and counties have not yet received the full text of the amnesty edict, and are still spreading rumors, causing widespread panic. This is not due to local negligence, but rather to the obstruction of roads and the collapse of the postal system."

The Minister of Works immediately stepped forward, his face slightly embarrassed: "Your Majesty, as the Minister of Works, I am well aware that when the previous dynasty fell, most of the post stations in Guanzhong were abandoned, the post workers deserted, the post horses were looted, and the post fields lay barren. The main roads from Chang'an to Luoyang and Chang'an to Taiyuan could still be barely maintained, but once they entered the prefectures and counties, they were mostly dead in name only. The newly annexed lands in the south have well-developed water systems, but the land post roads were not valued by the previous dynasty. In addition, the war has ravaged the lands, bridges have collapsed, roadbeds have been damaged, the roads are muddy and difficult to travel in the rainy season, and the carts get stuck in deep ruts in the dry season..."

"I am not pursuing guilt," Chen Xing interrupted his explanation, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable pressure. "I am here to solve this problem. Ministry of Works, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of War—within three days, jointly submit a 'Strategy for the Reorganization of Imperial Official Road Post Stations.' I want to see: how to plan, how to raise funds, how to mobilize manpower and materials, how to set standards, how to implement it step by step, and how to assess and hold people accountable."

He paused, walked to the imperial desk, and took out a sketch he had recently drawn in the evenings, spreading it out before everyone. On it, Chang'an was at the center, with several thick lines radiating outwards like arteries: northeast through Hedong to Beijing, due east through Tongguan through Luoyang to Bianzhou and Qilu, southeast through Wuguan through Nanyang to Jianghuai and Jiangnan, southwest through Hanzhong to Bashu, northwest through Liangzhou to the Western Regions, and due north through Xiaoguan to the Hetao region and southern Mongolia…

"This is my idea. I don't seek perfection all at once, but rather to establish a network of main roads within five years, with Chang'an as the core, connecting the two capitals (east and west), various provincial capitals, major military towns, and important ports." Chen Xing's finger traced the lines. "The standards for these official roads are: the main roads will be three zhang wide, with a rammed roadbed, a gravel surface, and drainage ditches dug on both sides. There will be a post station every thirty li and a relay station every ten li. The post stations will be responsible for receiving passing officials and messengers, providing food, lodging, horses, and transportation; the relay stations will be dedicated to the delivery of official documents, working day and night in a relay relay."

Jia Wen and the Minister of Works bent down to examine the map closely, their hearts filled with awe. This was no simple road repair; it was a grand, systematic project, with Chang'an as its heart, to revitalize and rebuild the empire's entire body. The clarity of its planning, the specificity of its standards, and the clearness of its timelines indicated that it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a blueprint that His Majesty had carefully considered for a long time.

"Your Majesty," the Minister of Works said, his voice trembling slightly, a mixture of excitement and fear, "this plan is meticulously crafted, but the project is enormous, requiring astronomical sums of money, grain, manpower, and materials. Moreover, the five-year timeframe... It is not that I fear the difficulty, but I truly fear failing Your Majesty's trust."

"Where will the money and provisions come from?" Chen Xing seemed to have anticipated this question. "The Ministry of Revenue will establish a special 'Transportation Construction Fund' from this year's increased commercial tax revenue and the surplus from the salt and iron monopoly. Consort Su has already agreed, and the Imperial Household Department can advance part of the start-up funds, which will be repaid later after the revenue from the post stations and the newly added commercial taxes along the route are collected. As for manpower, the main approach will be work-for-relief. There are refugees waiting to be resettled in various places, pardoned returnees without permanent property, and surplus labor during the off-season. The Ministry of Works will organize skilled craftsmen to provide guidance, local officials will recruit and manage them, the people will contribute their labor to earn grain, and the government will benefit from the roads and the people—a win-win situation. As for materials—cement, lime, and timber, some can be purchased and allocated by the imperial court, and some can be raised locally."

Each countermeasure was already well-thought-out. The Minister of Works, sweat beading on his forehead, was both surprised and impressed. He offered no further excuses, only a deep bow: "Your subject... will certainly do everything in his power to plan comprehensively, implement step by step, and ensure the quality and progress of the project!"

Jia Wen added, "Your Majesty, the post stations along official roads are not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Works. Maintenance is even more crucial after construction. The rapid deterioration of the post roads in the previous dynasty, besides the wars, was largely due to the emphasis on construction over maintenance. Regulations must be established: counties and prefectures along the routes should be assigned specific sections to be inspected and repaired regularly. The operation of post stations and relay stations should be jointly managed by the Ministry of War's Vehicle and Transportation Department and local administrations, with clear responsibilities and regular assessments."

"What Prime Minister Jia said is absolutely right." Chen Xing nodded. "This 'Strategy' must include a long-term maintenance mechanism after its completion, as well as operation and management regulations. I do not want to see a major road built at great expense become a dilapidated road again in just a few years."

His gaze shifted to the vast blue waterways on the map, yet to be marked: "Furthermore, waterways cannot be neglected. Major waterways such as the Yangtze River, the Grand Canal, and the Pearl River are of immense value for grain and commerce transport. The Ministry of Works should work with Shen Qing's Jinghai Navy and inland waterway fleet to survey, dredge, and repair key waterways, locks, and wharves. This can be planned concurrently with the construction of official roads, implemented in stages, and carried out by both water and land."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" The Minister of Works' voice now carried a hint of resolute determination.

A few days later, a thick and detailed "Strategy for the Reorganization of Imperial Official Roads and Post Stations" was presented to Chen Xingyu. The strategy not only outlined the five-year construction goals, technical standards, budget framework, and implementation steps for the main road network, but also included a detailed pilot program—using the Chang'an to Luoyang section as a "demonstration road." It aimed to concentrate superior resources to complete the standard official road within one year, while also improving the post stations and relay stations, accumulating experience, training key personnel, and testing procedures, before gradually promoting it to other main roads.

Emperor Chen Xing personally approved the decree: "Approved. This is a fundamental undertaking for consolidating the nation, benefiting the people, and connecting thousands of miles. The Ministry of Works shall take the lead, with the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and relevant prefectures and counties cooperating, and the Censorate supervising the entire process. It is imperative to be meticulous in budgeting, prioritize quality, eliminate corruption, and cherish the people's resources. The demonstration project from Chang'an to Luoyang shall commence in the autumn of the first year of the Qiming era. This is the imperial decree."

With the imperial edict issued, the empire's "artery reconstruction project" was officially launched. Countless surveyors packed their bags and headed to the desolate site of the old official road; countless craftsmen began mixing cement and firing gray bricks; and countless refugees, under the organization of the government, received their first "work-for-relief" rations and began to wield their first hoes on the once weed-infested and rutted roadbed.