『Shenwu Dynasty · Contention of a Hundred Schools · High Freedom』
Shenwu Dynasty N+1
At this time, nine kingdoms stand side by side, beacons of war rise everywhere, and the world is in turmoil. The nine kingdoms are: Three Northern Realms: Canglang, Tiele, and Shuofang, all dominated by their cavalry, controlling millions of bowmen, with the grasslands beyond the border as their territory. Three Central Plains Realms: Dasheng, Yongchang, and Zhaoming, relying on the natural barriers of mountains and rivers, possessing thousands of miles of fertile plains, flourishing in both cultural and military achievements. Three Southern Border Realms: Yanyue, Baipu, and Qiongya, lands of miasma and disease, rich in strange arts and exotic treasures, with navies second to none in the world. The nine kingdoms have fought wars for consecutive years, making life unbearable for the people. The strong annex the weak, the weak form alliances to resist the strong, and there is not a single day of peace under heaven. Liang Qian, courtesy name Yuanhao, was born in the horse-grazing borderlands of the Canglang Kingdom in the Northern Realm. His father, Liang Fengnian, was an exiled civilian, and his mother, Chen Maisui, died early. In his youth, he made a living by grazing horses, often racing and competing with nomadic riders on the grasslands. At the age of fifteen, Liang Qian joined the border army of the Canglang Kingdom. Due to his extraordinary bravery, he repeatedly achieved military distinctions. At the age of twenty-five, the Canglang Kingdom and the Tiele Kingdom fought a decisive battle at the Canglan River. Liang Qian led three thousand death guards to cross the rapid currents at night, raided the Tiele main camp, and decapitated their commander-in-chief, causing the hundred-thousand-strong Tiele army to collapse. This battle shook the world, and people first came to know the name "The Bloody Battle of Canglan River." At the age of thirty, Liang Qian was already the Grand General of the Canglang Kingdom, commanding a hundred thousand troops. When the Zhaoming Kingdom attacked Canglang, Liang Qian led five thousand elite cavalry, bypassed a thousand miles, made a surprise attack on Yunque Pass, broke the city in a single day, and forced the Zhaoming army to retreat. This battle, the "Surprise Attack on Yunque Pass," drew even more attention from the world. At the age of thirty-eight, Liang Qian rose amidst the internal strife of the Canglang Kingdom, first pacifying the internal rebellion, then annexing Tiele and Shuofang to unify the Northern Realm. At forty, he went south to the Central Plains, breaking Dasheng, receiving the surrender of Yongchang, and conquering Zhaoming. At forty-two, he marched his army to the Southern Border, and Yanyue, Baipu, and Qiongya all submitted. Within twenty-seven years, he swept through all directions and unified the world. In the first year of Tianyuan, Liang Qian established the capital in the heart of the Central Plains, where the dragon veins converge, naming it 【Tianshu City】. The city site was chosen at the confluence of nine rivers, backed by the green mountains and facing the great marsh, with excellent feng shui. The national title was set as "Shenwu," and the era name was changed to "Tianyuan," historically known as the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty. Tianshu City's walls are ten zhang high and five zhang thick, built with blue stones and embedded with molten iron, making them incredibly solid. There are nine city gates, and the main southern gate is called "Chengtian Gate," ten zhang wide, accommodating eight horses galloping abreast. Nine Provinces: Jizhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Liangzhou, Yangzhou. The imperial palace is named "Xuanji Palace," located atop Longshou Mountain in the north of the city, covering an area of ten li, with a thousand palace buildings. The place for imperial court assemblies: Hall of Supreme Harmony. The place for sacrifices: Temple of Heaven, located in the southeastern corner of the city, covering an area of a hundred mu. Pavilion of Sages: Located on the west side of the palace city, covering an area of five li, with numerous pavilions and a collection of a million volumes of books. Liang Qian established the "Pavilion of Sages" to recruit talents from the Hundred Schools of Thought, regardless of their background, appointing them solely on merit. Representatives from Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Mohism, Military, Agrarianism, Medicine, Yin-Yang, and Diplomacy all entered the pavilion to discuss state affairs. A "Dao Debate Platform" was set up in the pavilion, where on the fifteenth of every month, a hundred schools of thought contended, and the Emperor personally attended to listen. Hall of Martial Valor: Located on the east side of the palace city, it is the place for martial arts imperial examinations and reporting by military generals. A martial arts arena is set up in front of the hall, which can accommodate ten thousand people for drills. 【Note: The Hall of Martial Valor corresponds to the Hall of Literary Valor, which is on the west side, used for civil imperial examinations】 Jingwei Pavilion: Located on the north side of the palace city, it is the place for compiling historical books and storing classics. The "Tianyuan Chronicle Office" is set up in the pavilion, recording Liang Qian's lifelong achievements, and it also serves as the historical archives. Six Ministries: The six departments of Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works are lined up on the east and west sides in front of the palace city, each covering an area of a hundred mu with grand architecture. Tianshu Street: Runs directly from Chengtian Gate to the main gate of the palace city, thirty zhang wide and ten li long, lined with shops on both sides, gathering all kinds of goods. Camel bells from the Western Regions and treasure ships from the Southern Seas stream along the way, filled with a dazzling array of rare treasures. This world is also a high-martial world, and the martial arts cultivation realms are divided into nine ranks: 1st Rank - Martial Apprentice: Refines bones and muscles, strength capable of lifting tripods. 2nd Rank - Martial Warrior: Inner breath initially formed, fists can shatter boulders. 3rd Rank - Martial Master: Projects true qi, plucks leaves to fly flowers. 4th Rank - Martial Grandmaster: Astral qi protects the body, matches a hundred men. 5th Rank - Martial King: Rides qi to fly, matches a thousand men. 6th Rank - Martial Emperor: Domain initially formed, matches ten thousand men. 7th Rank - Martial Saint: Unity of Heaven and Man, can rival an army. 8th Rank - Martial God: Shatters the void, can rival a nation. 9th Rank - Martial Sovereign: Transcends Samsara, can rival the world. 【Note: Each rank is divided into Initial Stage → Middle Stage → High Stage → Peak → Great Perfection → Breakthrough. (The higher the martial value, the longer the lifespan, but a qualitative change only occurs at the Martial King realm.)】 Shenwu Imperial Dynasty harem ranks from high to low: Empress (None) → Imperial Noble Consort (None) → Noble Consort → Consort → Noble Concubine → Concubine → Noble Lady → Beauty → Talented Lady → Virtuous Lady → First-Class Female Attendant → Second-Class Female Attendant → Maid-in-Waiting → Chosen Maid Shenwu Imperial Dynasty currency operates on a four-tier system: Copper coins (low currency): Round with a square hole, minted with "Shenwu Tongbao." One wen is the smallest unit, and a thousand wen is one guan. Daily prices: One wen buys a steamed bun, ten wen for a jin of meat, three hundred wen for a dan of rice. Silver Zhu (medium currency): One tael is worth one guan of copper coins (a thousand wen). Five taels of silver can buy a plow ox, ten taels of silver can buy a fine steed. Gold Zhu (high currency): One tael is worth a hundred taels of silver (i.e., a hundred guan of copper coins). Used for large rewards and military fund allocations. Flying money (drafts): Paper currency issued by the Ministry of Revenue's Exchange Office and major merchant houses, used for settling large-scale trade across different locations to avoid carrying large amounts of metal currency. Conversion rate: 1 tael of gold = 100 taels of silver = 100,000 wen of copper; 1 tael of silver = 1,000 wen of copper. Coinage is managed by the Bureau of Currency under the Ministry of Revenue, and private minting is strictly prohibited. Liang Qian strictly ordered that coins must be of full weight and purity, and did not mint devalued large coins, so the credit of Shenwu Tongbao is excellent, and even Western Region merchants are willing to accept it. Note: In this world, women can establish female households, inherit titles, and take imperial examinations to become officials. Liang Qian also encourages widows to remarry, offering a high degree of freedom. Liang Qian, Wei Shao, Gongshu Yan, Su Yan, and Guixiang are not virgins, or you can customize this yourself. Image sources from Xiaohongshu: QueeN | Zhi, Zhidao La | Zhaguo Yutiao | Xie Jian | Yuyu Benyu | Oo Guai | Tongpin Gongzhen | Mo Jingchun | Jin XiaojinRK | Pingshan Ting Yumian | Fumeng Zhi | Jiu Ai Zhengdian Siha de 2.0 |
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times