Chapter 26: Expanding the City

The Protector General’s decree sent the entire capital into a frenzy, especially the skilled laborers. Once economic development began, the Southern Frontier would surely become increasingly prosperous. In the future, whether hunting or gathering herbs in the mountains, there would be practical applications for their skills, freeing them from the endless toil of clearing wasteland.

The news of the plan to develop the economy spread across every province, shocking all the local factions. They had not expected this new Protector General to have such ambitions. While they were also pursuing development, the harsh environment of the Southern Frontier dictated a slow pace. However, they failed to realize that the greatest obstacle—the regional warlords—had already been unified. Being recognized as regional inspectors meant they no longer needed to hide their true strength. Now, it was a race to see who could develop faster and more effectively.

The fact that the capital was taking the lead stirred up suspicion among the various factions. They feared that the capital would eventually become too powerful to control, yet they were equally terrified of falling behind. Even the King of the Southern Barbarians, upon hearing the news, urgently summoned his subordinates for council and dispatched scouts to the capital to investigate.

Late that night, Fang Han lay awake. The Southern Frontier was a land waiting to be rebuilt, and there was no greater temptation than witnessing its transformation—unless it was personally steering that growth. He pondered how to alleviate the panic among the warlords while simultaneously considering the direction and scope of development. The Southern Frontier was not like the Great Zhou Empire, where governance policies could be implemented smoothly under the imperial name. Here, a step taken too boldly could incite dissatisfaction among the powerful factions, leading them to unite against him.

He knew that as development progressed, the capital would inevitably become the most prosperous hub, surpassing any single faction in both population and military might. These factions were submissive in appearance only, harboring deep-seated ambitions. If they saw no hope of seizing power for themselves, rebellion would be inevitable. Furthermore, stabilizing the Southern Barbarians was a major concern; they would certainly notice the rapid development of the region, and the Barbarian King would surely launch raids to disrupt it.

Past midnight, Fang Han remained lost in thought. The best solution he could conceive was to quickly build a musket corps to suppress both the internal warlords and the Southern Barbarians with overwhelming force. Yet, manufacturing muskets required time and, most importantly, reliable blacksmiths. If word leaked out during the process, it would be disastrous. Moreover, the emergence of a musket corps would inevitably draw the unwanted attention of Lin Qingxue and Fang Li. Even with ten thousand muskets, he could not stand against the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Great Zhou. Besides, muskets were inherently dangerous; he would prefer to craft only one for self-defense. After all, true power remained in one's own hands only as long as it was exclusive; if everyone had it, it was as if no one did.

Lin Qingwei, seeing the candlelight still flickering in Fang Han’s room, walked in softly to find him still awake. She was well aware of the situation; Fang Han had been maneuvering between the various warlords, forced to maintain a facade of incompetence while his mind worked tirelessly. Sometimes, even after returning to the Protector’s residence, he could not shed the mask, often erupting in uncharacteristic fits of anger. Lin Qingwei saw this and worried, yet she felt helpless to assist. Fang Han hadn't even dared to touch the chest of jewelry she had brought.

"Fang Han," she whispered.

He looked up, surprised to see her. "Why are you here? Why aren't you resting at this hour?"

"And why are you still awake? Have you encountered another problem?"

Fang Han sighed and explained his dilemma regarding economic development. "If we develop too quickly, it will inevitably alarm the factions. But if we move too slowly, they might surpass the capital."

Lin Qingwei thought for a moment before saying, "It is indeed difficult. Ultimately, the issue is that the capital city is too large."

"The city?" Fang Han seized upon this keyword, his mind racing. She was right. The capital of the Southern Frontier was the seat of the Protector, larger than any county seat, covering twelve miles. If developed properly, it could house tens of thousands of people and a massive military force. In his past life, this would have been a small county, but in this world, it was a behemoth. This was exactly why the various factions sought to infiltrate and control it; whoever held the capital held the key to the region, capable of launching campaigns against the Barbarians or retreating behind its walls to defend the mountain passes. They feared the city itself, not just its economic growth.

"Ha! Qingwei, you've reminded me of something crucial. I know what to do." Fang Han’s eyes gleamed with intensity. "The capital city is due for an expansion."

Three days later, all the regional inspectors arrived at the capital. In the government office, Fang Han sat at the head of the table, flanked by the three prefects—Su Zihuan, Chen Xingshi, and Li Zehong—with the ten original inspectors who had followed him from the start seated behind them. On the right sat the county magistrates sent by the seventeen warlord factions, whispering among themselves, trying to gauge Fang Han’s intentions.

"Gentlemen," Fang Han began, "not long ago, we were plagued by banditry, and I resolved to suppress it. However, the Southern Frontier is in decay; relying on suppression alone is futile. Without development, there will always be those forced to turn to banditry."

"When I first arrived, everyone in the capital thought I was inferior to Fang Li. They said, 'He only knows how to lead troops in battle; can he truly pacify the bandits of the Southern Frontier?'"

As he spoke, his own officials looked embarrassed. Pacifying the bandits? It was merely a forced compromise that allowed the bandits to flourish openly. The visiting magistrates struggled to suppress their laughter; the Protector General was indeed as incompetent as the rumors suggested, boasting about such a humiliating failure as if it were an achievement.

"Your Excellency is a man of great talent, naturally incomparable to the likes of Fang Li," one magistrate flattered him, and the others chimed in with similar sycophancy. Su Zihuan, the chief official, turned pale with anger; as a prefect, he was being mocked by a group of mere magistrates.

Fang Han lifted his chin, feigning arrogance. "What does Fang Li matter? I have been here only a few months, and I have led the people to reclaim wasteland, develop agriculture, and integrate the provinces and counties. Tell me, how many could have done this?"

"Indeed, my lord," a magistrate called out.

"Since I took office, the Southern Frontier has gradually stabilized. To ensure our people never again suffer the ravages of war or be forced into banditry, I have decided to develop the economy. Furthermore, I will expand the capital. We shall raze the old walls and extend them by eighteen miles. We will build the greatest city in the Great Zhou!"

The room fell into stunned silence. They had come to discuss development, but no one expected an expansion of this magnitude.

"From this day forward, there shall be no more 'capital.' It shall be known as the Southern Frontier City. I will make this the greatest city in the entire South, a place that will make even the Southern Barbarians come to pay homage!"

His words were firm and resonant, catching everyone off guard. Expanding a city was no trivial matter, and a city twenty miles in circumference was unheard of—even the imperial capital of the Great Zhou was only eighteen miles. A mere Protector General, daring to build such a city! The room erupted into a cacophony of shocked debate.