Chapter 19: The Greatest City of the Future

Lu Chuan understood all too well the difficulty of building a city. With the help of his system, it had taken him a full five years to slowly develop Lu Family Village into what was now Lu County.

Although he now had Lu County as a foundation, which lowered the barrier to entry significantly, he still would not be able to complete the construction of the outer city without several years of work. Considering that he could not possibly provide all the funds for the construction at once, nor could he mobilize such a massive labor force—not to mention the astronomical quantities of materials required—he wisely divided this colossal project into four phases.

He planned to spend two years and invest two to three billion coins to construct the northern outer city. During this process, Lu Chuan intended to find ways to monetize the northern district, such as selling houses and shops, and establishing workshops to stimulate economic growth as construction progressed.

If all went well, he would prepare to build the eastern outer city in the third and fourth years, followed by the southern and western districts. Over the course of eight years, Lu Chuan aimed to expand Lu County to more than six times its current size. By then, the city he built would be capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people, rivaling even Luoyang.

Well, actually, that was not quite right. According to the historical timeline, Luoyang would be burned to the ground by Dong Zhuo in just a few months. Thus, once Lu Chuan’s four two-year plans were complete, Lu County would inevitably become the preeminent city in the land; even Chang’an would pale in comparison.

It was a grand ambition, one that required vast amounts of time and capital. Fortunately, time and money were the two things Lu Chuan lacked the least.

He simply outlined these four two-year plans, painting a magnificent picture for Miss Mi. She was completely enthralled, unable to tear herself away. She had never imagined that there could be someone in this world with such lofty aspirations. A city larger than Luoyang! If the Mi family could participate in the construction of such a place, they would surely leave their mark on history.

Although the Mi family were the wealthiest merchants in Xuzhou, they could not shed the stigma attached to their status. Merchants had always been looked down upon. The Mi family had long sought to spend their wealth to acquire greater influence and higher status, but the results had been lackluster.

What if they shifted their strategy? If the Mi family participated in—or even spearheaded—the construction of a massive city, could that not earn them higher standing? At the very least, in Lu County, Miss Mi had yet to see any merchant suffer from such discrimination.

"Master Yun, what do you think of what I have proposed?" Having said his piece and painted his vision, it was now up to Miss Mi to decide.

She had already made up her mind, but she did not commit fully. After all, the head of the Mi family was Mi Zhu. As a woman, even though she was doted upon, her voice in the family was limited. She believed that if she presented the situation of Lu County to her eldest brother, he would surely be tempted.

"Magistrate Lu, I have learned enough about the state of Lu County. However, building an outer city is a massive undertaking, not something that can be achieved overnight. I cannot make a decision easily, so I ask for some time."

"Of course! When evaluating a project, one must always return to deliberate before reaching a conclusion."

"Ah? What was that?" Miss Mi found Lu Chuan’s choice of words strange. What did "evaluating a project" mean? And what was an "official meeting for deliberation"?

Lu Chuan chuckled, "It is nothing. I simply mean that this matter is of great importance, and your family certainly needs to consider it carefully. Let us stop here for today. I have other matters to attend to. The carriage outside is at your disposal; just tell the driver where you wish to go."

Lu Chuan believed the shock he had delivered today was sufficient; he only needed to wait for the results. If the Mi family lacked the foresight to invest in Lu County, he would not be disappointed, for he had other options—such as the Zhen family, or the many merchants who frequently traded in Lu County. While they might not be as wealthy as the Mi or Zhen families, they were numerous and held him in high regard. Once he announced that he was accepting investments for the outer city, he was confident that these merchants, who had already made a fortune in Lu County, would be eager to contribute.

Furthermore, under his governance, the continuous development and economic value of Lu County would inevitably attract even more investors. By then, it would no longer be Lu Chuan begging others to invest, but others bringing their money to beg him.

"Magistrate Lu, wait!" Miss Mi, who had been contemplating the investment, grew anxious as he turned to leave. "Um, there is one more thing..."

"The candied haws, is it? I will have someone send the recipe to you." Lu Chuan didn't even need to ask to know what she wanted. From the moment she entered the city, her every move had been under his watch.

Miss Mi’s face turned slightly red as she added, "And... and that floor heating..."

Lu Chuan turned back, surprised but prepared. Why else would he have installed floor heating in the inn if not to showcase it? His true goal was to sell the technology. Only the truly wealthy would want to install such a system to be comfortable during the winter. For them, money was no object, so Lu Chuan had specifically organized a professional installation team. Although few were truly willing to install it, it was a monopoly, and the profit margins were staggering.

"Is Master Yun also interested in floor heating? I can send a professional team to accompany you back. After they conduct a site inspection at your estate, they can provide a tailored installation plan. How does that sound?"

"Er, well... Magistrate Lu, can you not simply tell me the method of installation?"

Lu Chuan smiled without answering and walked away.

What a joke! That was a trade secret; how could he just give it away? With the Mi family's wealth and influence, charging five hundred thousand coins for an installation was hardly excessive. If Mi Zhu was willing to spend two billion as a dowry to bet on Liu Bei, would he really care about a mere five hundred thousand?

While Lu Chuan was not desperate for the money, he enjoyed the process of earning it—especially from a super-wealthy merchant clan like the Mi family. As he had said before, he was not interested in money itself, but he certainly enjoyed the act of making it.