Far above the Yellow River, among the white clouds, there is an isolated city called Wanren Mountain. Why should the Qiang flute blame the willows? The spring breeze does not pass through Yumen Pass.
Liangzhou City was renamed Wuwei County in the first year of Tianbao (742), and returned to Liangzhou in the first year of Qianyuan (758).
It is the largest city in the northwest of the Tang Dynasty after Chang'an. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Sixteen Kingdoms period, Qianliang, Houliang, Southern Liang, Northern Liang, and Great Liang in the early Tang Dynasty all established their capitals here.
It is also a hub for economic and cultural exchanges with the Western Regions and the core of the western section of the "Silk Road".
During the Wu Zhou Dynasty, Liangzhou was known as one of the three major cultural centers of the Tang Dynasty. By the time of Xuanzong, it was also the largest commercial center in the northwest of the Tang Dynasty.
Zhou Jun was riding on his horse, looking at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. He saw snow-capped peaks piled with jade on the mountain, all white; the peaks were towering to the sky, surrounded by white clouds.
Hedari, who was walking beside him, opened his arms and let out a long breath, his face full of contentment.
Zhou Jun looked at Hedari and asked, "It's been more than half a month since you left Chang'an. Do you feel better?"
Hedari smiled and said: "Although Chang'an is good, it is still bustling and noisy after all. It makes people feel uncomfortable after living there for a long time. It is the northern land that makes people feel more at ease."
Zhou Jun nodded and glanced back. This group of people totaled about forty people.
Among them, there were ten people assigned to him by Pang Gong from the tribe he controlled, led by the old soldier Qiu Yong; there were twelve Hedari guards, who were Uighur elite cavalry; the rest were all accompanying servants and
slave.
The team continued northward, passing through Shenwu County, and could already see the walls of Wuwei City in the distance.
After passing the official examination and entering the city gate, Zhou Jun walked into the city gate of Wuwei City, and immediately had the illusion that he had arrived at the water town in the south of the Yangtze River.
Although Wuwei is located in the Gobi desert, it has abundant water resources.
Every year, the snow water in the Qilian Mountains flows into rivers and lakes.
Sufficient water sources penetrate downward to form underground rivers, which gush out as springs around Liangzhou, forming rare spring rivers.
Therefore, the rivers in Wuwei City are as dense as a spider web and the lakes are dotted like a water town in the south of the Yangtze River.
Walking forward into Fang Street, Zhou Jun was even more surprised.
In the city of Wuwei, there is endless music. If you listen carefully, you will find that the music of the Central Plains, the music of the Western Regions, the music of the northwest ethnic minorities and the foreign music influence each other and merge with each other in the city of Liangzhou, forming the very distinctive Liangzhou music.
Zhou Jun couldn't help but think of what the history books say: "Xiliang Prefecture has good customs and good music, its music and dance are known all over the world, and its dance theater is famous for its popularity."
On the street, Zhou Jun could see scenes he had never seen in the Central Plains.
The green-eyed beard plays the jade flute, and the jasper pupils shine brightly.
Sogdians, Turks, Tuyuhuns, Uighurs, people from the Western Regions, Tubos, Dacans, and even Europeans, all races gathered in the city.
Although the street area and architectural planning are not as good as Chang'an, in terms of commercial prosperity and population density, they are even better.
Zhou Jun and his entourage came to Dongyan Street in Wuwei City, found an inn, and stayed there first.
Then, after washing and tidying up, and putting on his official robe, Zhou Jun went to the Governor's Mansion of Wuwei County and reported himself.
Liangzhou is a central state, so there is no separate chariot. According to the regulations of the Tang Dynasty, when the governor is absent, the two "superior assistants", Chang Shi and Sima, handle state affairs on their behalf.
Sima belongs to a prominent family in Guanzhong. He is over sixty years old and frail. He only holds an official position and does not care about political affairs. He is a veritable "senior official".
As a result, Wuwei County Magistrate Shi became the actual person in charge of state affairs.
As the Supervisor of the Mutual Market, Zhou Jun met with the officials in the Dudu's Mansion. When he went out, he saw two generals waiting there.
One of them, whom Zhou Jun knew, was Li Guangbi.
The other one was a little older, but he was a Hu.
Li Guangbi waved to Zhou Jun and said with a smile: "Zhou Jun, you are finally here."
Zhou Jun was surprised and said: "Why is General Li here?"
Li Guangbi: "I am the military envoy of Chishui, so naturally I am here... I almost forgot to introduce you. This is An Sishun, the envoy of the Great Dou Army."
Zhou Jun couldn't help but be in awe after hearing this.
The Hu man named An Sishun in front of him belongs to the ninth surname of Zhaowu and is a Sogdian. He is highly respected in the Northern Fan.
Zhou Jun sang a song, and then said: "Jun has heard about Anjun Envoy's reputation for a long time, and today we finally get to meet him."
An Sishun had a Central Asian face, but his speech was in standard Tang Dynasty mandarin: "Zhou Shicheng doesn't need to be more polite. He has already heard from the Protector that you are a talented person and have a good way of making money. Guang Bi
I even gave you a nickname - Zhou Caishen."
Zhou Jun was stunned when he heard this. An Sishun was indeed a Sogdian, and he always spoke about business.
Also, the nickname Li Guangbi made really made Zhou Jun quite helpless.
Li Guangbi came out quickly at this time and said: "When Lang came to Wuwei on Tuesday, the governor wanted to recruit you to meet at Longyou, but the war was tight and the military situation was dangerous, so we had to give up."
Zhou Jun asked: "I heard that Tibet invaded in a large scale, how is the current situation of the war?"
Li Guangbi: "Qinghai and Shangqi have won several battles, but the Tibetan army has not retreated."
Zhou Jun nodded.
At this time, someone from the army came to look for An Sishun, saying it was military affairs.
An Sishun said to Zhou Jun: "Look for a day when An will be the host and Mr. Zhou will come as a guest."
Zhou Jun agreed.
Seeing An Sishun walking away, Li Guangbi pulled Zhou Jun to a deserted corner and said: "The first and second batches of cloud tea this year total 3,500 kilograms, and they are sold at the price of five kilograms of tea per horse.
Went to Mobei."
Zhou Jun heard and said: "The price seems to be much higher than last year."
Li Guangbi nodded and said: "Yes, firstly, all the ministries bought Yuncha last year, and tea drinking has become popular; secondly, the Huihe tribe originally joined forces with the Mobei tribes to jointly lower the price, but this year it failed."
Zhou Jun: "Failed? Why?"
Li Guangbi: "Last year, various tribes in Mobei received thousands of kilograms of cloud tea at a low price. Unexpectedly, when they were sharing the tea on the road, bad blood arose between them. It was originally agreed to divide the tea equally, but the Uighur tribe suddenly went back on its word and took half of the others.
All departments dare to be angry but dare not speak out."
"So, when the various tribes in Mobei came to buy cloud tea this year, everyone was careful, deliberately avoided the Huihe tribe, and secretly sent caravans to trade with each other. The price naturally went up."
Zhou Jun: "What about Huihebu? They don't know about this?"
Li Guangbi: "I didn't know it at first, but when I came to trade, I naturally found out. The Yuncha that I saw was intercepted by other tribes in Mobei. The Huihe tribe was so angry that they issued orders to other tribes in the name of the Khan. Order.
The book requires that all trade caravans in Mobei must obtain the approval of Huihe before they can go south."
Zhou Jun: "Other parts of Mobei are in conflict with Yin and Yang?"
Li Guangbi: "Yes, on the surface, other tribes in Mobei obey the Huihe Khan, but in fact, in order to purchase a sufficient amount of cloud tea, they either take long detours or dress up in disguise to trade cloud tea with each other in the Tang Dynasty."
"After the Uighur tribe learned about this, they sent out cavalry to intercept the caravans of various tribes on their way back. They also confiscated Yuncha and made it their own on the grounds that they did not respect the Khan's order."
Zhou Jun shook his head and said: "The Huihe tribe has offended the public by doing this."
Li Guangbi: "That's natural, but it's no wonder the Huihe people. The profit of cloud tea is really too high. I heard that last year, when the price was high, a pound of cloud tea could even be exchanged for a rogue horse. The Huihe tribe worked hard to graze for a year
The harvest is not as easy as reselling cloud tea."
Zhou Jun: "Then the other ministries didn't take any action?"
Li Guangbi: "The Uighur tribe is powerful and has the reputation of the powerful Peluo Khan. Even if the other tribes are dissatisfied, there is nothing they can do but swallow their anger. Fortunately, the cloud tea supplied this year is much more than last year. The Uighur tribe
If you take down the big head, the other parts can be more or less evenly distributed."