Chapter 101 The First Encounter in Qinghe Ancient Town...
Aiden sat atop a high corner tower in Luoyang, the eastern capital, his legs swinging leisurely in mid-air as he looked down at the unimaginably magnificent city awakening in the morning light.
This feeling is amazing!
He could clearly feel the cold, hard blue bricks beneath his buttocks, carrying the slight chill of the morning; he could feel the strong wind blowing against his cheeks and hair from above, carrying a damp coolness from the Luo River; he could even smell the lingering scent of tung oil and earth from the corner tower, and the distant... hmm? It smells like baking cookies?
"It smells so good," Aiden wrinkled his nose.
Aiden entered the VR experience on a corner tower of this capital city.
Yuwen Kai was standing on the city wall below, also looking down at the city.
He stood there expressionless, the wind blowing his robes billowing. After a long while, he finally turned and walked down the city wall.
Aiden had thought he would be taken away with him, but he found out he wasn't.
"Huh? Don't I need to go with him this time?"
Aiden scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. In this VR segment, his freedom seemed to be greater than in the previous one? He quickly realized what was happening and was overjoyed!
Wow! That's awesome!
He cheered, instantly forgetting all about Yuwen Kai and the historical background. His childlike instincts took over—before him lay a huge, vibrant, and explorable ancient city! This was a million times more exciting than any theme park!
He teased the soldiers, examined the huge crossbows on the city wall, and slid down the ramparts of the city wall like a slide...
He is now very disappointed that this VR experience center does not have a multiplayer mode. He wishes he could enter this world with Li Mingxuan or other classmates!
You can form teams to explore this place together!
Maybe we can even have a competition to see who can find the treasure first!
Aiden started parkouring on the city wall. After climbing to the top of the corner tower, he found that it was the highest point in the entire city, where he could see everything in front of him. So he climbed onto the railing and sat down, enjoying the pleasant feeling of being blown by the wind. In the real world, he would not dare to sit on such a high place without any protection.
But in VR experiences, he has endless possibilities!
Before his eyes, the capital city of Luoyang lay spread out before him.
Countless square neighborhoods of varying sizes are neatly arranged, separated by streets as straight as if drawn with a ruler. These streets are wider than imagined, especially the enormous Sky Street that runs north to south and seems to stretch all the way to the horizon. The entire city is like a huge, meticulously divided chessboard, full of a rigorous and orderly beauty.
A wide river, like a shimmering silver ribbon, meanders gently, bisecting this vast chessboard. Numerous boats already ply the water, from massive cargo ships with their sails billowing to small sampans. Sunlight dapples the sparkling surface, creating shimmering golden fragments. Several majestic stone bridges, like the spines of dragons, span the Luo River, connecting the two banks.
Aiden could even see the bustling crowds on the bridge, moving like ants.
Is this what ancient cities are like?
Looking further ahead, the undulating, imposing palace walls resemble a lurking dragon encircling a magnificent golden world. Countless palace complexes stand within, layer upon layer, their flying eaves and brackets pointing straight to the sky. The tallest main halls, their glazed tile roofs reflecting dazzling golden light under the morning sun, appear as if celestial palaces have descended to earth.
He could clearly feel that from the corner tower where he was sitting, to the neighborhood streets beneath his feet, to the straight Heavenly Street, and finally to the highest hall of the Ziwei Palace, an incomparably clear central axis that runs through heaven and earth was formed!
This axis seems to possess a magical power, drawing people's gaze and minds firmly to that heavenly palace that symbolizes imperial power.
This is Luoyang, the capital of China!
According to his female classmate who was a top student, this was the capital of China more than a thousand years ago, and it was one of the most magnificent capitals in the world at that time. It was planned and built by Yuwen Kai.
When Aiden was in America, he had heard about China's five thousand years of history, and his mother often mentioned it. But to him at that time, "five thousand years" was just a distant and vague number, as empty as "ten thousand light-years," and it didn't stir any waves in his mind.
But now, seeing Luoyang, the capital city before him, and looking at this living, thousand-year-old miracle composed of countless blue bricks, gray tiles, golden roofs, and flying eaves, his young heart felt a sense of awe for the first time:
Could such a powerful and magnificent city have been built more than a thousand years ago?
Aiden's little brain struggled to process this concept.
More than a thousand years ago, Europeans lived in the dark Middle Ages, and the indigenous people of the Americas were still using stone tools... But here, in the East of the world, people had already used wood, bricks, and unimaginable wisdom and strength to build a city with such exquisite planning, such a grand scale, such rich details, that it seemed like a miracle!
A complex emotion, unprecedented in its kind, mingled with shock, awe, and a touch of bewildered understanding, churned within his young heart. Aiden murmured unconsciously, his blue eyes reflecting the golden dome's light, filled with genuine awe:
"China... seems... to be really pretty awesome!"
After Aiden came out, he continued to discuss things with his classmates.
They all discovered that this VR experience offered a high degree of freedom, and that everyone could play from a different angle.
Li Mingxuan chose to patrol with the soldiers guarding the city wall and even saw them changing shifts. Later, feeling bored, he went to the neighborhoods of Luoyang City, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough time and ended up not even having finished exploring one neighborhood.
Their top-performing female classmate chose to search for Yuwen Kai.
“Since this is a VR game with him as the main character, you definitely need to find the main character to watch the story.” The top student girl treated it like a strategy game.
Aiden asked curiously, "So you went outside the city with him?"
The top student nodded: "I caught up with him... but what happened next was different from what I imagined..."
Her expression immediately fell.
What she saw was neither a magnificent palace nor a grand pilgrimage scene.
She followed Yuwen Kai to the outskirts of Luoyang.
The outskirts of Luoyang were a completely different world from the city itself; there were no magnificent palaces or cities, only mud-brick houses and thatched huts.
“There are so many people there, all dressed in tattered clothes…” Her voice trailed off. “And many people are lying on the ground, wrapped in tattered mats. It looks like they’re dead…”
Aiden and Li Mingxuan's smiles froze. They had just experienced the most glamorous and shocking parts.
The top student continued, "I saw Yuwen Kai, and he was with several people, who were holding account books."
"What are they doing?" Aiden asked cautiously.
“Giving out money.” The female classmate sighed with maturity and composure, revealing a melancholy that seemed out of place for her age. “It’s money for some people. There are old people, women, and children… They cried as they received a few copper coins or a small bag of grain from that clerk.”
Yuwen Kai just stood there watching, without saying a word. His face was expressionless.
She tried hard to recall the impact of that virtual scene: "But... but I could feel that he was very sad, extremely sad. The wind was strong, and the weeping people accepted that meager amount of money and food. An old woman was holding a very small child, crying so hard she knelt on the ground..."
She couldn't help but blow her nose and take a deep breath: "I just checked, and it says that the construction of Luoyang City requires 2 million people to be conscripted every month, with a total of over 20 million workdays, and that 'four or five out of ten conscripts die.'"
Aiden and Li Mingxuan exchanged a glance, both seeing the question mark appear above each other's heads: "...What do you mean?"
The top student pursed her lips and said, "Exactly, four or five out of ten people die, that's about a 50% mortality rate."
The two boys gasped!
Twenty million people, half of whom died!
They were no longer preschool children who knew nothing about numbers; everyone was stunned by the sheer number.
The previously lively atmosphere in the rest area instantly fell silent. The excitement on Aiden and Li Mingxuan's faces completely disappeared, replaced by a complex and indescribable expression.
Li Mingxuan also stopped smiling, scratched his head, and said in a low voice, "So, building such a large palace and city would cause so many people to die."
"Definitely, back then there were no machines, it was all done by hand. Such huge logs, such huge stones..."
"I heard the story of Meng Jiangnu crying at the Great Wall when I was a child."
Everyone started discussing it, and the topic suddenly became heavy, like a stone thrown into the still waters of the children's hearts, which had just been stirred by the grandeur of history. They experienced the magnificence of the miracle, and for the first time, they touched the cold and cruel price behind it.
The top-performing female student concluded with a sigh: "This is history."
History is never a one-dimensional picture. These children, who had no worries about food and clothing, unknowingly touched the complex texture of history and felt the heavy shadows beneath the glory.
Aiden unexpectedly recalled the image of Yuwen Kai, who had been looking down at Luoyang from the corner tower, his back as silent as a mountain.
He felt at the time that he didn't seem proud of it, but rather seemed a little sad... So that's why.
Looking at the magnificent city he personally planned, and then at the people who died building it... wouldn't he feel immense pain? Wouldn't he feel like a sinner?
The history of China, besides being impressive, seems to be very profound and complex...
Is this history?
That evening, Aiden had a long video call with his parents, mostly talking while they listened. He chattered away, telling them about his excitement and questions from the day.
After hanging up the phone, Aiden's mother smiled and said to her husband, "It seems that our little Aiden has really learned a lot this time in Qinghe Ancient Town."
As a parent, she would give the school's spring outing a perfect score.
The VR experience in Qinghe Ancient Town has been updated with new content. Of course, it's not just Aiden and his friends who have experienced it. You should know that on Weibo, #QingheAncientTownVR# has its own dedicated hashtag and forum, and there are many participants.
Within days of the new content's release, related discussions had already generated a buzz online. As more and more users shared their experiences, the trend completely swept across social media, even transcending its initial target audience and attracting many groups who weren't previously interested in history or ancient towns—especially the large fanbase of gamers!
Yang Qingning lay at home in Beijing scrolling through her phone.
She had her own job and returned from Qinghe Ancient Town early, while Professor Yang and Professor Jin also invited their students over. However, after learning about the new VR technology, she still made a special trip to experience it.
After the experience, she had only one feeling: It was worth it! Absolutely worth it!
Moreover, knowing that her grandfather had called his colleagues and old friends again, Yang Qingning thought that perhaps soon, Qinghe Ancient Town would become the most popular gathering place for historians. Thinking about it, it was somewhat amusing.
Yang Qingning clicked on the hashtag #QingheAncientTownVR# and was instantly overwhelmed by a massive amount of discussion:
Just got back from Qinghe Ancient Town, oh my god! That 'Guanfeng Xingdian' VR experience was absolutely amazing, I felt like I really traveled through time!
Hey guys, stop staring at AAA games all the time! Go experience the VR in Qinghe Ancient Town! It'll show you what true immersion is all about. The visuals, the tension—it's more exciting than fighting ten final bosses!
[No exaggeration, Qinghe VR's 'Luoyang, the Divine Capital' is the most magnificent digital scene restoration I've ever seen! Standing on the corner tower overlooking the entire city gave me goosebumps. This part really feels like a single-player RPG game; you're given a huge map to explore freely, almost like a holographic game. The only downside is the short duration—ten minutes each time, barely enough to explore a few areas. I feel like even hundreds of tries wouldn't be enough to fully explore the map (smile) (smile)]
Please, @QingheAncientTown, use this technology to create a real holographic game!
I actually think this format is more educational, and they truly stay true to their roots and focus on history. Thanks to Qinghe Ancient Town, I learned that we had such an amazing mobile palace in ancient times. It's a pity that these wonderful things from our ancestors haven't been passed down.
[After experiencing it, I, a native of Luoyang, almost cried. My daughter came out and said to me, "Mom, I never knew our Luoyang city was so magnificent and grand!" Yes, we were once very wealthy.]
The Sui Dynasty was truly powerful in its early period, but it's a pity that Emperor Yang Guang was such a spendthrift. He was quite impressive when he first appeared, tsk!
[He squandered the entire Sui Dynasty in his attempt to show off and appear wise, and now a whole bunch of people are trying to whitewash him. It's truly ridiculous.]
Many people also liked this comment:
[No, it's just a few virtual VR clips, and you guys are all taking it so seriously? It's not real! Using scenes from a game to claim history is so impressive, isn't that ridiculous? What's the difference between you and the Koreans and Turkey?]
[Agreed. I was completely baffled; I thought there had been some new archaeological discovery.]
Soon someone came forward to explain:
Are you guys stupid? Or are you trying to stir up trouble? This isn't some fantasy game. The official Weibo account of Qinghe Ancient Town has already explained that all the VR content is based on and supplemented by historical records, not some imagined game scenes!
[Upstairs, ignore them, they're just deliberately trying to stir up trouble. Anyone with a decent grasp of history knows that the 'Guanfeng Palace' and Luoyang, the capital, are both recorded in historical texts. What? Do they think our Chinese history books are those epic poems passed down by wandering poets, filled with all sorts of fabricated details? Do they think our historians are dead?!]
[This is ridiculous! The ruins of Luoyang are still there. Are they too poor to afford a train ticket to come and see them?]
However, given the absolute superiority of technology, such arguments are relatively rare; everyone is just praising it.
However, as the days passed, the topic gradually faded away, until Yang Qingning suddenly came across a fresh piece of breaking news in the comments section of this argumentative Weibo post:
[Are you still arguing that VR isn't history? Want to guess who I've run into these past few days? Hehehehe, you'll be shocked!]
This person even thoughtfully included a nine-square grid.
Yang Qingning clicked on it and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Wasn't this her grandfather? There were also photos of Professor Jin and Professor Yi.
The photos were taken of them entering and leaving the VR experience center.
She raised an eyebrow. Hey, this is getting interesting.
Not to brag, but her grandfather and Professor Jin are quite influential figures in the field of history. They often appear on television to do popular science and are guests on various programs. In addition, they have many students, so they are bound to be recognized.
Sure enough, after she woke up from her afternoon nap, she found that the comment section had exploded again.
[Front row group photo! Holy crap, who do I see here?! Professor Yang? Professor Jin? This lineup... are they filming some new history program?!]
[Don't overlook Professor Yi! Although he doesn't appear in public often, he is an absolute authority in the field of ancient textile research in China.]
[My goodness! It really is Professor Yang! I've attended his lectures! That white hair, that aura, it's definitely him!]
A clueless passerby, who wasn't particularly interested in history, looked bewildered: "Who is it?"
Kind people explained the identities of these individuals to them.
In short, they are all authoritative figures in the relevant historical and cultural research fields.
Then a new question arose: Were they going to play VR?
[That can't be it. These people are together, and they brought students... how could it be just that they want to play with VR? It feels like there's some kind of research project involved.]
The netizen who posted the picture replied: "It's definitely not just about playing VR. I secretly asked the staff at the VR center, and they've been here since after the Lunar New Year. Qinghe Ancient Town even allocated them a VR pod for research purposes."
Wow! That's great!
I also want my own VR pod! Every time I go, there's a long queue, and I only get ten minutes each time. I strongly protest!
I want to add one too!
[I'm seriously impressed by you guys. Is that even the point? The point is, these experts aren't researching VR. They're not computer science or math majors. They're definitely going to study history!]
This shows that the historical research for the Qinghe Ancient Town VR experience is definitely very well done, and perhaps...
[This is terrifying to think about...]
[To those trolls who previously said VR is just games, not history: Come out here! Feeling ashamed? Even scholars of Professor Yang and Professor Jin's caliber have personally conducted research; do you think you know more about history than them?]
But those who had been arguing or finding fault hadn't lost their fighting spirit and immediately posted: "[Studying history in a VR experience center, is that reliable?! Is academic research really this superficial?]"
Netizens retorted: "Tsk, you can actually find people online questioning the reliability of Professor Yang and Professor Jin's historical research... There are all sorts of strange people online."
Yang Qingning chuckled, then thought for a moment and decided to post a comment as well:
[A semi-insider reveals some inside information. The VR technology in Qinghe Ancient Town is indeed highly valuable. The owner possesses a wealth of lost ancient texts and materials, and AI algorithms can fill in a lot of related information, making their VR visuals extremely realistic. Therefore, if this project succeeds, it could lead to many new discoveries in the field of Chinese history.]
As for whether VR can be used as a research method, the experts value its intuitiveness and inspirational value. Do you think they're as inexperienced as you, unable to distinguish between research and interpretation?
Her reply quickly became a highly upvoted comment and was pushed to the top.
[Hiss! So, the VR experiences I've had might actually be like this historically?]
[This is chilling to think about.]
[A chilling thought +1]
+2
[I'm so excited! I want to see those lost ancient books. I'm just guessing, could it be Yuwen Kai's "Records of the Eastern Capital"? That might explain why Luoyang was reconstructed so vividly?]
Oh my god, if it's true, that's so exciting!
I was initially hesitant about going to Qinghe Ancient Town, but now I've booked tickets without hesitation. I want to see the historical capital of Luoyang and the Guanfeng Palace!
[And there's Li Bing's Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Huang Daopo's spinning machine...]
As a result of this surge in popularity, the limited number of tickets available for Qinghe Ancient Town each day were snapped up.
The promised off-season seems to have never existed.
Lu Xiaoqi was both pleasantly surprised and troubled. She could only ask Chen Yingying to hurry up and train the new employees. The pressure on the front line was enormous, and in the short term, the employees would only be able to take one day off at a time. She could only repay them with a generous bonus at the end of the month.
Along with the VR experience center, many Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) bloggers and beauty bloggers also became popular online for taking stunning photos in the ancient town during the beautiful spring weather.
Qinghe Ancient Town is absolutely perfect for taking Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) photos!
Every corner is beautiful, offering picturesque views, especially during morning or night fog when there are few people around. You can easily take great photos. It's suitable for close-ups and wide shots, and it adapts to costumes from any dynasty.
Since its opening a few months ago, there have been many amazing pictures online, so many people want to save them all with one click so they can admire them.
The young women also wrote many travel guides, summarizing the best photo spots in Qinghe Ancient Town. They've moved beyond the classic spots mentioned in their initial guides, such as Qinghe Tower and Huanyin Pavilion, and discovered many lesser-known locations, practically exploring every corner of Qinghe Ancient Town. Lu Xiaoqi sometimes found herself thoroughly enjoying reading their guides, discovering new things along the way.
Many girls, after reading their travel guides, even flew in from other places just to take their life photos.
It can be said that they deserve much credit for Qinghe Ancient Town's current popularity.
Especially now that spring has arrived and the flowers are in bloom, many people will specially invite photographers to take photos on themes such as "spring outing" and "spring picking".
However, after gaining popularity, with the influx of people, especially commercial photographers and studios, problems arose one after another—not everyone was considerate and willing to follow the rules. Many tourists reported that those taking portraits occupied a single spot for a long time, obstructing their view of the scenery, and some even went so far as to rudely block tourists from getting close.
Some tourists complained online that their tour experience was greatly affected and unpleasant, which garnered a lot of support, with many people expressing their opinions.
This is the first time Qinghe Ancient Town has encountered negative public opinion since it opened for business.
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