Came to Lanzhou Mansion again, looking at the towering city wall in the distance, Yuan Feng couldn't help but think of the first time he came to Lanzhou, when he, Zhao Ding'an, Zhang Tietou and the others dragged Niu Er's body to receive the reward.
The soldiers made things difficult for them at the city gate, and later they lost their money, so the four of them shared a bowl of noodles...
The past events are still vivid in my mind. The poor boy in the past has become famous today. He is riding into the city in Master Daotai's carriage. There is still a long way to go from the gate. The servants start to drive away the pedestrians and make way for Master Daotai's carriage.
pass.
Yuan Feng opened the curtain and observed the city wall of Lanzhou. The dilapidated appearance of the city wall in the past had improved a lot. The wall had been renovated. New bricks and old bricks were staggered like painted faces. The weeds in the cracks of the wall had also been cleared away.
Even the soldiers at the gate of the city had a completely new appearance. Although they were not as good as the soldiers in Liangzhou, they at least had new war jackets. The red tassels on their felt hats and the tassels on their guns were both brand new and red.
Deng Ziming's caravan had its own subordinates. Yuan Feng followed Fan Liangchen to the Tour Merchant Yamen. The servants packed up a guest room and came out. Fan Liangchen said: "Stay with me today. I will introduce you to Mr. Liu when he comes back."
Yuan Feng said: "Is Mr. Liu very busy?"
Fan Liangchen said with emotion: "Governor Liu is no better than Governor Wen. He is a capable minister. Since taking charge of Gansu, the entire official atmosphere has changed. The people's life is much better than before. Master Liu doesn't like to sit in the yamen and criticize people."
He likes to go out to inspect official documents in person, and at the same time he also requires us officials to go out frequently, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to go to Hekou Town in the cold weather.”
Yuan Feng nodded thoughtfully: "Master Liu is a good official. You could see it when he was in Luyang. He is upright, upright and independent. The people of Gansu are very lucky to have him in charge."
"Well, having said that, how can the accumulated abuses of the past few decades be rectified overnight? There are many shady officialdoms, and the relationships are intertwined. If anyone is disturbed, a large group of people can be brought in to do it.
A governor is not like a county magistrate or a prefecture magistrate. He must coordinate all aspects of the relationship. He cannot arrest all officials who are corrupt and bend the law. If they are all arrested, the entire officialdom will collapse. Even if a new batch of new ones are appointed and dismissed, what will happen in Gansu Province?
People are poor, and officials’ salaries are so little. If they are not corrupt, how can they support them? You must know that behind every official there is a large group of people who need to be supported, and not everyone can be as honest as Mr. Liu, even his own daughter.
Wear old, patched clothes.”
Then, Fan Liangchen sighed and picked up the tea cup: "Let's not talk about that anymore. Let's drink tea and have a small banquet later. There will be no outsiders. Let us brothers have a few cups and talk about old feelings."
…
The next day, Fan Liangchen went to the governor's office early in the morning. He came back at noon and said to Yuan Feng: "It's unfortunate that Governor Liu went to Chang'an to report on his duties. I'm afraid he won't be able to come back for a while. Otherwise, you can stay with me first."
…”
"It doesn't matter, I happen to have to go to Chang'an for business. Why don't I pay a visit to Mr. Liu on the way so as not to disturb Mr. Fan."
Fan Liangchen tried to persuade him to stay for a while. Seeing that Yuan Feng was determined to leave, he asked someone to bring him a thousand taels of silver and said, "I have nothing to help you with. Let's use this little money to pay for expenses."
Yuan Feng did not refuse and readily accepted. Fan Liangchen held another banquet for Yuan Feng to practice and personally delivered it to a pavilion ten miles outside the city. The two agreed to meet again in Lanzhou next year.
The caravan set out again, targeting the famous city of Chang'an. It had unloaded some goods in Lanzhou and left some people behind. The caravan was much lighter than when it left Dunhuang, and it walked extremely fast.
Although this place is still a remote place in the northwest in the eyes of the Central Plains people, it is much better than the Western Regions. At least you can often see carriages and horses on the road. There are villages and rivers a short distance away, and the convoys go all the way east along the Wei River.
, entered the Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi Province.
Guanzhong, sandwiched between the Qinling Mountains and the Loess Plateau, is nourished by the Wei River. This land is densely populated and rich, and is known as the "Eight Hundred Miles of Qinchuan".
Chang'an is a famous city through the ages. The Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, as well as the Sui and Tang Dynasties all established their capitals here. At its most prosperous period, Chang'an had a population of one million! It was the capital of the most powerful dynasty in the world, and everyone in the world worshiped it and yearned for it.
By the time of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Chang'an was still a great city, the first important town in the west. The city was huge, the city walls were majestic and tall, and there were many temples and pagodas. People of all ethnic groups were mixed in it, and commerce and entertainment were also extremely prosperous. Every night, Chang'an would
It has become a city that never sleeps, filled with special food from the north, south, and east, fine wines, beauties from the south and north of the Yangtze River, and bohemian poets, swordsmen, and nobles.
In short, Chang'an is a city full of charm and opportunities.
When Yuan Feng saw the city of Chang'an from a distance, he couldn't help but admire it. Compared with her, Liangzhou can only be regarded as a military fortress, compared with her, Dunhuang can only be regarded as a characteristic city, and Lanzhou is comparable to her.
Compared to this, it can only be regarded as a county town.
Chang'an, the great Chang'an, the magnificent Chang'an, in this midwinter season, as usual, welcomes the young people of Xiliang with her broad mind.
In a certain mile of Chang'an City, there is a typical Shanxi-Shaanxi house. The tall door is carved with various exquisite patterns. The open space outside the door is full of cars and sedans. There is a nanmu plaque hanging on the shiny black door with three words on it.
The words "Yuchi Mansion" are inscribed in pure gold.
This is the house of the world-famous Yuchi family. The New Year is approaching, and there is an endless stream of people sending New Year greetings. Mr. Yuchi is a leader in the business community of Chang'an. Regardless of the underworld, he gives some face to the white people, so even the family members at the door are very proud.
Looking at the small businessmen below who were giving gifts from a high position, they used their professional eyes to distinguish who needed to be received by Butler Tongbing, who needed Master Tongbing, and who could come in directly. Of course, at most
The kind that allows them to leave just by accepting the gift note.
Three divine horses roared towards them, and the servants of Yuchi's family couldn't help but marveled at the sight. This horse was so beautiful. It was tall and had shiny coat. Except for the different colors of hair around its ankles, it was completely pure color.
, could this be the legendary Pegasus from the far west region?
Looking at the knight on the horse, he is young, has an impressive appearance, wears a leather hat, pointed boots, and a scimitar hanging from his waist, but his appearance is that of the Central Plains. The three of them turned over and dismounted beautifully, and tied the reins on the horse.
At the horse-tying post, one of the young men stepped forward and said with a smile: "My master is from the Western Regions. He is here to pay a visit to the head of the Yuchi family. Please help him." After saying this, he handed over a name card, and then handed it over.
There is also a small silver tael on top.
Look at their style, they are rewarded with one tael of silver, and look at their clothes, although they look ordinary, but the holes in the cuffs show that they are extremely expensive silver fox skins, and look at the famous clothes, there are even
There were no Chinese characters at all, and they were all Chinese characters from the Western Regions. The servants did not dare to neglect them, so they quickly invited the three of them to sit down in the hall to warm themselves by the fire. They quickly rushed in and reported directly to the head of the Yuchi family.
After a while, Yu Chiguang actually came out in person and asked his servants to open all the main doors to welcome the distinguished guests. The servants were secretly surprised. You must know that even if the prefect of Chang'an came to visit, he would only go to the study through the side door to see the master.
He personally welcomed the distinguished guests out and opened all the front doors. God knows where they came from.
Yu Chiguang laughed loudly: "It is Mr. Zhang as expected. It's been a long time since we last met." After saying that, he stepped forward and bowed, and the young men returned the favor very politely. Yuchi Guang was a horse lover, and he could see outside at a glance.
The three divine horses in front of him suddenly exclaimed: "Bedouin horses! These are excellent horses that are hard to find for money!"
The man called Mr. Zhang was none other than Yuan Feng. He smiled and said, "The master of the house has good eyesight and it is a Bedouin horse. If the master likes it, I will give it to you."
These three Arabian purebred horses from West Asia are even better than the Ili horses and are the best racing horses in the world. Not to mention buying and selling in the Central Plains, not many people have even heard of them, that is, people like Yu Chiguang
Only then can we tell the origin of the horse in one breath.
"Then why are you so embarrassed?" Yu Chiguang greeted the three people politely and told his servants to take good care of the three horses. They should not freeze them and feed them with oats.
Yuan Feng took Ye Kai and Zhao Ziqian to the living room of the mansion under the leadership of Yu Chi Guang. The guests and hosts were seated. The servants served tea, but Yu Chi Guang dismissed them.
"Your Majesty came to Chang'an in person, and Yu Chiguang failed to welcome him from a distance. It is a death penalty." Yu Chiguang was about to kneel down to greet him. Yuan Fengxu gave him a hand, and he stood up and said, "Your Majesty is here for the purpose of locking up the imperial court?"
Yuan Feng said: "The head of the family guessed it right. We came here just for this matter. If this matter is not decided, the construction of Xiliang will be halted and war will be inevitable. This is what no one wants to see, so I think
Come and see for yourself, what does the Zhou Dynasty mean?"
When the imperial court locked the border, the person who suffered the most losses apart from Yuan Feng was Yuchi Guang. Eighty percent of his business went to the Western Regions. With this lock, a large amount of goods organized by the organization could not be sent out, and goods from the Western Regions could not be transported in, and business was slowed down.
Can't turn anymore.
"I am also inquiring about this matter, and I already have some clues. It is said that locking the pass is not the intention of the imperial court, but the opinion of some officials." Yu Chiguang said with a frown.