CHAPTER 1440: CHAPTER 1388: SPIRIT AND MATTER

Even before reaching Fenggao, from a distance they could see the impossibly tall and magnificent city walls. The Roman envoys became noticeably silent.

When they finally arrived in Fenggao, seeing the bustling commoners and the children running about, and hearing the ceaseless cries of vendors, the Roman envoys felt immense pressure.

Watching the endless stream of goods being transported in and out, everyone understood without any need for words what this scene signified.

Serali slowly stepped down from the carriage, finally realizing the meaning behind Wux Xi’s earlier words: "You’ll understand once you get there."

Perhaps in a time when manpower cannot yet depart from the land, commerce truly should not be overly developed, but if there is anything in this world that can make a country appear prosperous, it is undoubtedly commerce.

Currently, Fenggao is almost the central hub of commerce for the Great Han Dynasty, where more than fifty percent of the major transactions, not involving contraband, occur. This is the center of commerce under heaven.

If one only looks at the level of prosperity, in this era with several years yet before the dawn of the second century AD, no city can surpass it. It is the most prosperous city in the mortal world.

"Let’s go, this is Fenggao." Wux Xi said proudly to everyone as he mounted his horse.

Anyue also accurately translated this sentence, "This is Fenggao, which, if taken literally, means the highest place embraced by the earth."

Serali and the others uncommonly did not reply, or question why no one came to welcome them, as the sheer prosperity of this city truly shocked them.

"The highest place embraced by the earth? Selesian, oh, the Han Empire is indeed proud, but rightly so, as empires always are." Serali rode his horse closely following Anyue and entered the city, amazed at the bustling, clean scene.

"General Wux, Marquis Chen is here, Prefect Wang has already gone to receive him, so it falls upon me to greet you, please forgive us." Qin Qi cupped his fist in salutation, as did a squad of the city management unit that followed tightly behind him in greeting Wux Xi.

"No need, no need, these people have mocked us several times on the road, but now Fenggao has finally astonished them." Wux Xi spoke in a dialect that the envoys definitely wouldn’t understand.

"Prefect Wang means for me to first show you around, and if Marquis Chen is interested, he may come too." Qin Qi said with a smile, noting the curiosity of those green-eyed people.

"Anyue, ask if they’d like to tour the city first." Wux Xi turned back to Anyue, but before Anyue could translate, the envoys, who could understand, had already expressed their intention to look around. After all, they weren’t here solely to connect with the Great Han Dynasty, but also to learn about it.

"Is there any place that can truly impress them?" Wux Xi asked quietly.

"No problem, you came from the south, I can take you to the north where there are a few buildings in Fenggao that are must-sees." Qin Qi said with a smile.

"That’s good, brother, I’m relying on you then." Wux Xi cupped his fist in salutation, immediately revealing his military demeanor.

"Brothers from Xiliang are our brothers too." Qin Qi also returned the gesture of cupping his fist.

Qin Qi led the group through Fenggao Central Street, where people occasionally pointed curiously at the People of Great Qin, and the shops they passed displayed a dazzling array of goods, leaving Serali and the others dazzled.

But after passing the clock tower at the central division, they could see from afar the two buildings reflecting dazzling golden light under the sun, and just those two buildings alone brought back all the Romans who had occasionally strayed to shop before.

"What is that...?" Wux Xi too was astonished, his mouth agape.

"The lord’s residence, one of the most famous buildings in Fenggao, although the lord no longer lives there now." Qin Qi said with a smiling face, "Every time I pass by here, I feel dazzled, no matter how many times I pass by, it’s always dazzling."

At this moment, a fully staffed city management unit passed by the Romans.

Noble Salivi, who came with Serali, looked significantly more solemn after seeing the well-equipped, strong, and visibly experienced veterans pass by. These soldiers’ quality was not inferior to the Xiliang Iron Cavalry of the previous Central Asian Plain battle.

The average height and robustness of the Han Empire’s people had an advantage over the Romans. Tallness signifies strength!

"Such a splendid building." Upon approaching Liu Bei’s residence, Serali mumbled to himself as he gazed at the resplendent building, "May I ask what this building is?"

"This is our lord’s residence." Qin Qi explained with a smile after Anyue translated.

Anyue translated accurately, but when the term lord was translated over, it essentially meant emperor in Rome, Serali nodded silently, and another noble began to speak of Rome’s great republican system. With no match in material wealth, they could only compare in spirit.

"In our Rome, to construct such a building might require a vote by the entire senate, and even if built, it wouldn’t belong to an individual, it should belong to the state. Though it is indeed a very lavish building, it should also be shared with the citizens." Lakrilayke explained in great detail about Rome’s republican system and senate, showcasing its high level of spiritual civilization.

Of course, Anyue translated faithfully, although Qin Qi didn’t think much of such a system, he still saw the pride in their expressions.

"Oh, there’s another one, which everyone can enter," Qin Qi pointed at the Library Pavilion and then led everyone over.

"You mean the books here can be read by everyone?" Lakrilayke raised his voice by eight octaves. Although this building, like the previous one, gleamed with radiance, it housed not people but wisdom, and allowed everyone to enter and read.

[Only wisdom and emperors can reside in such glorious places, implying wisdom is as important as an emperor?] Serali thought silently, considering it important intelligence.

"No, only those with our registration can read after meeting certain requirements." Qin Qi denied the notion, but the Roman nobles were still shocked.

"May I take a look inside?" Serali spoke in halting Chinese, and Wux Xi and others were completely surprised that this man who had remained silent all along actually could speak Chinese.

"I can take you in, but the time can’t be too long." Qin Qi nodded and said, as flipping through books was prohibited, but taking a look was allowed, Wang Xiu had given him all the instructions.