Chương 557: The Results of Plan 15

Five years ago... Five years later, the country is prosperous and the people are content. People live and work in peace and contentment. No one picks up lost items on the road, and doors are left unlocked at night. Luoyang is bustling with activity, and Luojing is even more prosperous.

"My beloved ministers," his voice was calm yet powerful, echoing throughout the hall.

"Five years ago, I stood here and said that I would make sure that all the people of the world had land to cultivate, food to eat, clothes to wear, and books to read. At that time, many people thought I was talking big and that it was an impossible dream."

"But today, you have done it for me."

He paused, then continued, "The achievements of these past five years are not solely my doing. They are the result of Minister Xun Yu's tireless efforts, working day and night to oversee the overall situation... It is the result of Jia Sixie's tireless work in the fields, teaching the people how to farm, his calluses thicker than those of the old farmers... It is the result of Song Yingxing's tireless research..."

It was Jia Xu's impartiality that ensured every penny was spent wisely. It was everyone present, and countless ordinary people across the land, who created this miracle with their own hands.

"I thank you."

With that, he bowed deeply to the assembled officials.

The officials were shocked and knelt down one after another.

"Your Majesty! We dare not!"

Liu Ce raised his hand to signal everyone to rise, and continued, "The completion of the First Five-Year Plan is just the beginning. In these five years, we have solved the problem of food and clothing for the people; in the upcoming Second Five-Year Plan, we will enable the people to live a better life."

"We want to build more roads, extending cement roads to every county and township, so that people in the mountains can also get out; we want to build more factories, producing more ironware, cloth, and porcelain, so that people's lives become more and more prosperous."

We want to build more schools so that every child can attend school, regardless of gender or wealth; we want to build more hospitals so that every citizen can afford medical care and no longer be impoverished by illness.

"We will build bigger ships to explore the ends of the sea and see what lies beyond; we will also build more powerful weapons to defend our country and deter our enemies from invading."

We must also ensure that the banner of the Han Dynasty flies high throughout the four seas, so that all people under heaven know of the might of the Han Dynasty and come to pay homage to it.

"My beloved ministers, the road ahead is long, and much awaits us. Are you willing to join me in creating an unprecedented golden age?"

The entire court of civil and military officials shouted in unison, their voices shaking the palace and even causing the snow outside to fall in a soft rustling sound.

"We, your humble servants, are willing to serve you with utmost loyalty! Long live Your Majesty!"

...

After the court session ended, the officials left the Taiji Hall.

The snow has stopped, and the sunlight shines on the snow, glittering and dazzling, making it hard to open one's eyes.

In the distance, in the city of Luojing, newly built houses stand side by side, with blue tiles and white walls, arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians and carriages, the cries of vendors, the laughter of children, and the clatter of horses' hooves blending together.

A child was building a snowman on the street. He rolled a big snowball for the body, a small snowball for the head, stuck twigs for the arms, used lumps of coal for the eyes, a carrot for the nose, and wrapped it with a red scarf. It was so cute!

Laughter and cheerful voices could be heard.

Looking at the bustling scene before him, Xun Yu softly said to Fang Xuanling beside him:

"Xuanling, I used to think that the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing, and the restoration under Emperor Guangwu, were the pinnacle of a prosperous era. Now I realize that compared to the era Your Majesty has created, those are nothing. Your Majesty is right, this is not the end, but the beginning."

Fang Xuanling nodded, his eyes shining: "Yes. Your Majesty is right, this is just the beginning. Things will only get better from here on out. Five years from now, it will be a new world. We may get old, but the young people will take over."

Not far away, Cao Cao and Liu Bei walked side by side.

Looking at the people on the street, Cao Cao sighed, "Xuande, I used to think that a great man should roam the world, achieve great deeds, and leave his name in history. Now I understand that enabling the people of the world to live a good life is the greatest achievement. What use are those empty titles?"

Liu Bei nodded and smiled, "Mengde is right. It is our good fortune to be able to follow Your Majesty and witness this era. It is our blessing to be born in this era. We have caught up with a good time."

Cao Cao laughed heartily, "Indeed! Back when we were in Luoyang, who would have thought we'd be where we are today? Let's go, it's my treat today. Let's go to Shen Wansan's restaurant for a couple of drinks to celebrate!"

"Alright! Let's drink until we drop!"

The two smiled at each other and continued walking forward.

Sunlight shines on every corner of Luojing City and on every person.

...

On the third day of the first month of the sixth year of Shenwu, in Luoyang.

The festive atmosphere of the New Year has not yet dissipated; the red paper couplets on the streets and alleys are still bright and eye-catching, and the "Fu" character on the lintel of every household is still pasted upside down.

People flocked to visit relatives and friends, carrying large and small bags of New Year's gifts, their faces adorned with the lazy smiles unique to the New Year. Upon meeting, they would cup their hands and greet each other with "Happy New Year."

Children, dressed in new clothes, set off firecrackers at the alley entrance. The crackling sounds echoed everywhere, making the dogs on the street bark. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and the sweetness of candy, and everywhere was filled with the festive atmosphere of fireworks.

...

Imperial City, Liangyi Hall.

In the very center of the main hall, a giant "Complete Map of Luoyang City" was laid out on a large sandalwood table, its four corners firmly fixed by warm jade rulers, not allowing it to move an inch.

This city map took the Ministry of Works half a year of painstaking effort. More than a hundred craftsmen traveled to all 108 neighborhoods of Luoyang to measure and accurately map the city, finally producing this precise map with an exact scale, which is a hundred times more detailed than the rough hand-drawn maps of the past.

On the blueprint, the chessboard-like streets and alleys are straight and orderly, as neat and precise as if carved with ink lines. The 108 neighborhoods are arranged in a square and staggered manner, creating a magnificent atmosphere.

Zhuque Avenue, running straight through the entire capital, stretches from north to south like a golden spine lying on the earth, supporting the vast and magnificent capital.

Looking at this picture is like looking down at Luojing from the sky; everything is clear at a glance.

After several years of hard work, the first five-year development plan of the Han Dynasty has come to a successful conclusion.

The world is at peace and stable, and all industries are booming. It is no exaggeration to say that things are changing rapidly.

In the past, people worked from sunrise to sunset, living in poverty. They were extremely frugal, even with lamp oil and candles. After dark, they couldn't bear to light lamps and could only close their doors early to rest, talking in the dark.

Today, people are well-off, with surplus grain in their granaries, extra money in their pockets, and new clothes on their backs. People's mindset has changed dramatically. Who would want to crawl into bed as soon as it gets dark? In the past, people thought about "what to eat tomorrow," but now they think about "where to go tonight."

Nowadays, Luojing Night Market is thriving, with restaurants and teahouses along the street welcoming guests all night long, and theaters and music halls playing music every night. Erhu is played, gongs and drums are beaten, the stage is lively, and the audience is mesmerized.