Zhang Yanling slept until three o'clock in the morning the next morning. After getting up, she felt comfortable all over and felt that her energy and energy had recovered a lot.
After washing, I didn't see Zhu Qingyi or anyone else around, nor in the room. Catherine's room was also empty. I couldn't help but feel strange.
After asking Changshun, I found out that early in the morning, Zhu Qingyi and Catherine had made an appointment to leave the castle and go wandering around the ancient city.
Zhang Yanling was speechless. Women really like to go shopping and go shopping wherever they go. However, Guli City is not peaceful now. There are only five to six hundred Ming soldiers in the city, and perfect management has not yet been established.
With the public security system, it might be dangerous for them to go shopping.
Although Changshun said that there were more than a dozen of Zhu Qingyi's bodyguards accompanying them for protection, Zhang Yanling immediately took Changshun and more than a dozen of his bodyguards to the market to look for the two of them on horseback, in case something unexpected happened.
After leaving the central castle, I asked the sentry at the gate of the castle and learned that Catherine and Zhu Qingyi were going west along the street. So Zhang Yanling rode west along the street.
There is a commercial street market inside the West City Gate, called the West Market, which is one of the two major markets in Guli City. Guli City is an important cargo distribution port established by the Folangji people. Sea goods are collected and distributed in the East Market, and then exported through the West Market
The West City Gate is sold to the interior of Garo. The specialty products of Garo Kingdom enter the city from the West City, enter the West City for distribution and distribution, and leave the city through the East City for shipment to the sea. Therefore, these are two hubs for the distribution and transportation of materials at Siguli Port in the east and west cities.
Such a market is naturally where merchants gather. The East Market is mainly where foreign merchants gather, while the West Market is where locals and some foreign merchants set up shops and do business. Zhu Qingyi, Catherine and the others wanted to go shopping, so they naturally went to the West Market
.
Zhang Yanling rode his horse and walked on the streets leading to the West Market. This was the first time he walked seriously on the streets of Guli City, and it was also the first time he took a serious look at the streets of this city.
Franji people have been operating here for more than ten years and have brought a great influence to the streets of this city. Although most of the shops on both sides are low and simple, there are occasionally tall and glorious ones with Christian
The ornately decorated houses and pavements are mixed in with the style.
There are several Western-style squares mixed in among the market shops. The statues on the flower beds in the middle of the squares are all images of Buddhist figures wearing armor and crowns, riding horses and whipping whips.
This Guli city, which has been ruled by colonists for more than ten years, has been marked with the shadow of colonists in the appearance of its streets. Later Zhang Yanling once visited Macau, which was also a city colonized by the Francois, and
There are some similarities here.
Small churches with steeples can also be seen everywhere. It can be seen that the Francois really hope to penetrate into the minds of local people with their religious beliefs. Large-scale missionary work is a large-scale brainwashing operation. Not only in terms of material, but also in terms of
To control mentally.
To Zhang Yanling's surprise, there were quite a lot of people in the market, and it was quite bustling with people coming and going. Seventy percent of the shops next to the market were open for business. Some street vendors and snack stalls were also open, and the food was hot.
Steam is rising from the iron pot. The strong and pungent smell of curry and spicy smell fills the streets, and it also feels like the smoke of human beings.
It seems that the previous notice to calm the people has had an effect on stabilizing people's hearts. After I attacked Guli more than 20 days ago, the people here fled in large numbers, and now it seems that they have come back one after another.
Ordinary people actually don’t have many choices. Their livelihood in Guli City may be the guarantee of their entire survival. Unlike the rich, who can be cunning and live away from their hometown, many people do business in Guli City and own all their belongings.
They are all here. If they leave here, they can only beg or even starve to death.
Therefore, under this situation, as long as they feel a little sense of security, they will immediately work for their livelihood. Open the business, start their normal life, and work hard to provide food and clothing for the whole family.
As for who rules this city and who is occupying it. Whether it is the Folanji people, the Jialuo people, or the Ming Dynasty people, it is actually just a concept to them. As long as these people do not threaten their lives
If it is safe, they will continue their lives honestly and accept this arrangement.
The West Market is quite large, with two streets running vertically and horizontally, and four small squares at the intersection. Even after a war, there were many cars and horses here. It was bustling and noisy, with people coming and going.
There were already many vehicles parked in the small square at the first street intersection, and mule carts carrying work were lined up. Dark-skinned locals with dull eyes were sitting on the carts picking their feet, waiting to be summoned to work.
Zhang Yanling could see that most people came here to wait for work. The trade activities in Guli City have not yet resumed, especially the maritime trade. A large number of coolies depended on the docks to make a living, and now they are probably facing difficulties in making a living.
.However, Zhang Yanling believes that this situation will improve soon. Before long, these people will be very busy. As long as the agreement with the Jialuo Kingdom is reached, trade can be restarted and merchant ships will gather.
Even in the current situation, Zhang Yanling can imagine how prosperous and noisy the West Market must have been when sea trade was going on normally before Guli City.
After walking two streets, I didn't see Catherine, Zhu Qingyi and others. Zhang Yanling couldn't help but feel a little anxious. These two people should be in the West Market, otherwise where else could they go?
After passing the second tic-tac-shaped small square, Changshun suddenly pointed to the street in front of him and said: "There are many people around there, shouldn't it be them?"
Zhang Yanling looked in the direction he pointed, and saw a large circle of people on the street in front of them, all seeming to be watching the fun. A group of shirtless Asans stood on their feet and stretched their necks to look in, unaware of what was going on in the crowd.
What happened.
Zhang Yanling and others rode over, and the accompanying guards yelled at the Ah Sans to get out of the way. Those guys moved slowly and reluctantly, rolling their eyes. One of the guards raised his whip and started to beat him. Obviously, the whip was stronger than the whip.
The scolding was effective, and the crowd moved out of the way.
Zhang Yanling saw the situation among the crowd and couldn't help being dumbfounded.
Zhu Qingyi and Catherine were seen sitting under the awning in front of a shop, waving their fans and talking calmly. More than ten palace guards stood in a row to block the onlookers outside from getting closer. Caiyun and another
The maid Caixia stood behind Zhu Qingyi.
A decently dressed shopkeeper stood hunched aside with a very respectful expression.
Zhang Yanling understood. No wonder people were watching. Two beauties sitting on the street in the market, wouldn't it attract people's attention? One is a stunning beauty from the East, and the other is a blond beauty from the West. They just sit in front of someone's shop and talk.
Isn’t it sensational?
The commotion caused by Zhang Yanling and others also made Zhu Qingyi and Catherine turn their attention to them. Seeing Zhang Yanling and others arriving on horseback, Zhu Qingyi and Catherine stood up and spoke in surprise.
"Why is the Duke here?"
"Why is the Duke here?"
Zhang Yanling swung his stirrup and dismounted, walked over quickly, and said with a wry smile: "I want to ask you two, what are you doing? Sitting in the open in the street, attracting so many people to watch, what are you doing?"
Catherine smiled and said: "We don't want to either. These people insist on following and stand here refusing to leave. Should we drive them away? This street does not belong to my home."
Zhang Yanling rolled his eyes and said: "You can go back to the castle to rest when you are tired. There are many people and the city is not peaceful. You should not be like this. You must pay attention to safety."
Zhu Qingyi smiled and said: "We just negotiated a deal and are waiting for delivery. Otherwise, we wouldn't be sitting here attracting people to watch."
Zhang Yanling said: "We negotiated a business deal? What business?"
Zhu Qingyi said: "Master, do you still remember the goods on my ship? I brought a few samples of the tobacco leaves from Luzon ashore. I came to go shopping today to see if there are any goods that can be purchased back to the Ming Dynasty. I took a look by the way.
Does anyone want this tobacco leaf?
, I didn’t expect that the shopkeeper was so happy to see the tobacco leaves. So I discussed the business with him. I sold the tobacco leaves to the shopkeeper named Vikas. No, the tobacco leaves were on the ship, and I hired someone to do it.
The car goes to the dock to unload the cargo, so we have to wait here."