As you can tell from the name, the shipping route here is not easy. The Japanese country in the early Tang Dynasty was very backward. In the eyes of the Central Plains people, it was even more backward than the barren land of southern Xinjiang. There were also many Japanese people who appeared in the Tang Dynasty.
It was a humble gesture, which led to the fact that few people in the Tang Dynasty looked down upon the Japanese people.
However, the nature of the Japanese people has always been to take things seriously. When the Tang Dynasty was stronger than the Japanese country, the Japanese people would lower their eyebrows and not dare to raise their heads. But when the Tang Dynasty was weak, the Japanese people would show their faces.
, everything can be done.
Naturally, the Japanese country at this time did not have any capital. When they saw a ship approaching the shore from a distance, the Japanese people found it incredible. It was always Japanese ships rushing out, and I have never seen anyone who couldn't imagine coming to the Japanese country. Moreover, they
It was also recognized that this kind of ship was not a ship that went to sea from the Japanese country. It looked very unfamiliar. It took an old fisherman to recognize it. One was a Central Plains style and the other was a Silla style.
The Japanese didn't care much about Silla. They were very close to Silla, and there was still a dispute over an island in the middle. Fishermen often fought over the right to stay on the island, so the Japanese never cared about the Silla people.
They all have no favorable impressions. However, the Japanese people did not dare to be negligent in the slightest when it came to the ships in the Central Plains. Even if it was just a fishing boat, it was a fishing boat belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven. If something went wrong, the Kingdom of Heaven would blame them.
But I can't afford the sin.
Before the ship could dock, local officials from Namba launched their boats and came to greet them.
Li Mu's identity naturally made it impossible for him to come out and talk to them. It was even more inconvenient for Li Zhien, so the communication with these Japanese people was left to Li Chongyi. Li Chongyi could not speak Japanese, and when he was in trouble, he discovered that these Japanese people
, I can actually understand Chinese and speak it well, which is a lot more convenient.
Li Mu listened in the cabin, puzzled. He originally thought that these Japanese people must be savages, like monkeys, but he did not expect that their "foreign language" penetration rate was quite high. In a country where there are no teachers and poor transportation,
Under such circumstances, it is not easy to learn Chinese, even if the pronunciation is a bit weird.
Of course, Li Mu would not reveal his true identity. He just asked Li Chongyi to tell the Japanese that he was the envoy of the Tang Dynasty. He was ordered to go to Silla. When he returned, he was brought here by the ocean current. He wanted to make supplies and needed something.
I will pay according to the price, and I would like to ask the local government to make it easier.
When the Japanese officials who came to communicate heard this, they immediately agreed. In the hearts of the Japanese, it was a great honor to have a relationship with the Tang Dynasty. The Japanese officials also invited Li Mu several times, hoping that he could land and entertain him.
, but they were all rejected by Li Mu on the grounds of integrity. Li Mu asked Li Chongyi to represent him and land for the transaction with a box of gold and silver vessels that Li Zhien brought from the Goryeo Palace. When the Japanese saw the eight-foot-tall Li Chongyi, they were frightened.
They dare not tell it. They have only heard of the Tang Dynasty and have never been to the Tang Dynasty. They only got the descriptions of the characters of the Tang Dynasty from the descriptions of the envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty. The information they got from other people's mouths has never been seen with their own eyes.
Really?
This time they saw living Tang people. They all thought that all Tang people were so tall, and they were even more frightened. When preparing supplies, they didn't dare to make any mistakes. They quickly prepared the supplies according to Li Mu's request.
.
Of course, they didn't dare to ask for money. But Li Mu told them to accept it, and he didn't want to owe the Japanese people any favors. After only staying in the Japanese country for one day, Li Mu and others set sail again and followed the ocean current back.
The officials repeatedly tried to persuade him to stay, but Li Mu didn't take the time to meet him. In the end, he couldn't stand the enthusiasm, so he wrote a few words. Unexpectedly, it became an important material for Japanese historians to study more than a thousand years later.
A month later, Li Mu finally set foot on the territory of the Tang Dynasty again, but it was hundreds of miles away from where he came out. Navigation skills are limited these days, and it is already very good if he can come back alive with all his beard and tail intact.
.
Li Mu immediately asked Li Chongyi to send someone to contact the government, and the news was quickly delivered to Qizhou through the inn. In the early morning of the next day, when Li Mu was still sleeping, Mrs. Lu had already arrived with people. To Li Mu's surprise, the bearded guest turned out to be
Also there.
"Who is this?" Mrs. Lu's eyes lit up when she saw Li Zhien next to Li Mu, and she looked at him questioningly. Although Li Mu didn't want to admit Mrs. Lu's identity, the facts were there and he couldn't deny it, so he had to give it to his mother.
The two made introductions.
When Li Zhien heard that Mrs. Lu was actually Li Mu's biological mother, she immediately became respectful. She didn't know what Li Mu was thinking. Even if she knew, she should be respectful. In this era, filial piety is the priority, no matter what happened in the past.
, Li Mu must abide by filial piety. As Li Mu's concubine, if she is not filial, she will be stabbed in the spine.
"I like this girl," Mrs. Lu took Li Zhien's hand and said to Li Mu, "I have the cleverness of my mother when she was young."
Li Mu ignored it, his thoughts were all on the bearded guest.
That day I saw a man with a beard from a distance, but I didn't look carefully. When I looked carefully today, I found that this man was very different from what I had imagined.
The imaginary bearded man is burly, with a long and curly beard. Generally speaking, he is somewhat similar to the Golden Retriever Lion King. He is a wild and unruly image. But now it seems that the beard is not like this. Although his beard is very long,
He is still in the exam, and he has a burly look, but his overall temperament is more like an old farmer, a burly old farmer, than a great warrior.
If he hadn't seen the Qiu bearded man's outstanding martial arts, just looking at this man, Li Mu would never have imagined that this man could know martial arts.
Maybe this is the state of returning to nature?
Li Mu couldn't think of a reason for this, so he stood up and saluted the bearded guest, saying, "Thank you for your protection back then, hero."
"Don't, don't say that," the bearded man waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I, I lost you. I'm so sorry."
Li Mu was stunned and looked at Mrs. Lu. Mrs. Lu explained: "He stutters when he is excited. He just gets used to it." Mrs. Lu said to the bearded guest again: "You talk to my son properly. Why are you stuttering?
"
"I, I -" The bearded guest was anxious and stuttered even more. Li Mu had no choice but to change the subject and said: "Has the imperial court done anything in the past month or so? Where have they gone, the prince and my adoptive father?"
What did His Majesty say?"
"The prince has returned to Chang'an. Li Ji, on the emperor's order, went north to station in Pingzhou. He said that if he couldn't find you, he would ask Goguryeo for help."
Li Mu was a little confused: "Aren't you talking about Baekje? Why did it involve Goguryeo again?"
"Excuse." Madam Lu said as if she had already seen through it: "Li Shimin has become more and more hypocritical since he became emperor. No matter who did this, he must have something to do with Goguryeo - I am now
They all doubt whether he did this!"
Li Mu didn't answer this. It wasn't that he didn't agree. On the contrary, he also felt this way. If it was Baekje or Goguryeo, why was the direction of the ship going to Japan? When he was replenishing supplies in Japan, he deliberately did not get off the ship.
Just to prevent accidents.
But he is not in a hurry now. He has returned to Datang. As long as he does not give up serious investigation, everything will come to light.
"Son, what do you want to do next?" Mrs. Lu still did not give up the persuasion, saying: "If you want to take revenge on Li Shimin, my mother has already prepared it for you. Don't worry about your family, you have three acres of land in Luoyang City.
Earth, nothing can escape from my mother's hands, even if Li Shimin asks people to surround Luoyang City, we can still find a way to get people out."
"Luoyang is my fief, where to escape?" Li Mu said angrily: "I will never do anything about rebellion. Even if it is really done by your Majesty, there are other ways to solve it. The people have just passed.
I can't do this kind of thing in a few good days." As he spoke, Li Mu sighed and said: "The Chinese New Year is about to come, and I have to rush back. When I came out, I promised Qiaoqiao,
We need to go back early, this has already been delayed, we must go back before the end of the year."
Mrs. Lu's expression dimmed and she didn't speak. Seeing this, Li Zhien asked for her: "Let mother go back with us, too, for the Chinese New Year and reunion."
Li Mu thought for a moment and said: "His Majesty has an intelligence gathering organization called the Bad Guys. The Bad Guys are not good at martial arts, but they have people from all three religions and nine streams, and they are very well-informed. The news about my appearance here is not out there.
By the end of the day, it will reach His Majesty’s ears, and I’m afraid you will be in danger.”
"You don't have to worry about this." Mrs. Lu said quickly: "As long as we are in Luoyang, it is impossible for Li Shimin to catch me."
The bearded man also said: "I, I warned Li Shimin, he, he didn't dare to act rashly." At that moment, he stammered about the assassination in the palace and told Li Mu.
Li Mu was surprised. He didn't expect that in more than a month, the bearded guest would go back and forth between Chang'an and Qizhou, and he would enter and leave the palace as if there was no one around. That was the palace, it was heavily guarded, and there was Eunuch Gao like him.
It is not an exaggeration to say that a master is in charge and can be called an iron wall. Under such circumstances, the bearded guest can come and go at will. Doesn't it mean that if he wants Li Shimin's life, Li Shimin will not be able to resist?
"In that case, let's go back to Luoyang together." Li Mu asked about the date. There was still nearly a month left before the New Year. He hurried on and arrived in Luoyang before the new year. There would be no problem at all.
This side is close to the sea, so the temperature drops slower, and in the inland areas, it has already snowed. By the time we get to Luoyang, it will definitely be the season of heavy snowfall, and the flavor of the new year will come out.
Li Mu was eager to return home and did not waste a moment. He left the large group of people behind and put them under the control of Mrs. Lu's men, and slowly rushed to Luoyang. He took Li You, Li Chongyi, Li Zhien and Mrs. Lu, together with the bearded guest,
Driving two carriages back to Luoyang.
At this time, the canal has frozen, and the waterway is impassable, otherwise it would be faster than expected. Now there is no choice but to change horses and carriages along the way, trying to get home quickly. Fortunately, Jisi Hall has businesses in various places.
There is no need to worry about the supply of horses and carriages.
…
It is a gated building with a small courtyard. In the courtyard is a large walnut tree, which provides shade like a canopy and covers most of the courtyard.
There is a well in the right corner of the yard, with a well platform built and a well railing added. There is a chicken coop in the left corner of the yard, with a chicken coop on the lower floor and chicken coops on the upper floor, which are covered with straw.
In one of the nests, there was an egg sitting quietly inside, still warm. It is not easy to lay an egg in winter. The old hen that had just laid the egg jumped to the ground, holding its head up "triumphantly" and clucking.
It is standing, announcing its success in laying eggs.
One foot stepped out from the threshold, followed by a pretty figure, wearing a small apron of broken white floral blue cloth, her hair wrapped in a handkerchief, her face was pretty, it was Qiao Qiao. She was dressed like this on the outskirts of Luoyang City
A courtyard very similar to her and Li Mu's home in Dingxiang.
When she was in Chang'an, she also built such a yard in Xiaoyao Valley. For her, the days she spent with Li Mu in Dingxiang were destined to be an indelible memory. She liked to live that kind of life, relaxed and comfortable.
"Kekeke..."
Qiaoqiao took a dustpan and spread the millet. The roosters and hens happily gathered around and started to peck at the millet she had scattered on the ground. Qiaoqiao watched them eating and squatted next to her, with a sweet and longing smile on her face.
This was her way of relieving stress. When she couldn't hold on anymore, she would come here, stay for an afternoon, and then pick up a few eggs and go back to make egg custard for her children.
The news of Li Mu's disappearance was known a month ago. Li Mu has disappeared too many times. After Qiaoqiao heard about it, she was no longer surprised, but she was still worried. But now that she is a mother, there is a saying that goes well
, women are weak by nature, but mothers are strong. As the wife of Li Mu, Qiaoqiao has the right to be fragile. But as a mother of two children, she has responsibilities that she must bear.
No matter what happened to Li Mu, she believed that her man could save the day. And until Li Mu came back, all she could do was protect the family.
Several old hens in the yard suddenly half-spread their wings and ran away quickly to make way for Zhang Tianai to stride in.
"Sister Tianai?" Qiaoqiao raised her head and looked at Zhang Tianai and said, "Didn't you agree to pick me up in the evening? Why did you come so early? I was still thinking about picking up a few more eggs and going back."
"Why are you picking up eggs?" Zhang Tianai took Qiaoqiao's hand and said, "We have news, go back quickly."
"What's the news?" Bai Qiaoqiao suppressed the excitement in her heart. She was afraid that Zhang Tianai would gasp for breath while talking and be happy too early, and her joy would be in vain.
"Now," Zhang Tianai handed the note in his hand to Bai Qiaoqiao and said: "The enemy circled around the sea and returned to Qizhou. This is a letter from Feige in Qizhou. It is said that it was years ago
He was able to come back in time, what do you think he went to do? Ha, look carefully at the third line, he went to pick up that little girl Li Zhien, no wonder! Huh!"
Bai Qiaoqiao looked carefully and saw that Li Zhien was mentioned. The number of words in the note was limited. It only said that he had met Li Zhien, but did not say the reason. The words were indeed Li Mu's, and the last word was something that only his family could recognize.
Bai Qiaoqiao confirmed it three times before showing a smile.
"Let's go home." Bai Qiaoqiao didn't care about the eggs anymore, put the note away, took Zhang Tianai's arm and left.
Zhang Tianai teased: "Hey, hey, hey? Are you leaving now? No more picking up eggs?"
Before he finished speaking, he was pulled away by a blushing Bai Qiaoqiao.
The courtyard is not locked and is being looked after, so don't worry.