Li Siye and Yu Gou were discussing the number of acres of cotton cultivated this year in the thatched hall. The chief guard ran into the thatched hall and reported: "Jinwuwei General Gayan is here. He is just outside the city. He said he wants to see him.
you."
"General Jinwuwei?" Li Siye was startled. This was a third-rank official. How could there be such a big official in a remote place like Congling?
Yu Gou stroked his beard and smiled, crossed his hands and said to Li Siye: "This must be the leader of the original Shini country. In the early years of Kaiyuan, he submitted to the Tang Dynasty. The saint made him a general of the Jinwu Guard. Today's Shini tribe has
There are five to six thousand people, nearly 400 miles away from our Congling Shouchu City. However, their main camp is on the east bank of the Penchi River. But from April to July every year, the whole family will migrate to the Bomit River to graze. Now it is estimated that
It’s less than a hundred miles away from us.”
Li Siye was very troubled by this kind of entertainment. Why do you think you, the king of the country and the general of the Jinwu Guard, came to our Congling to guard the capture? He really didn't know what etiquette to use to see this general.
According to the rules of the Central Plains, when a seventh-rank official meets a third-rank official, he must take the initiative to greet him three miles away, dress up and wear a crown, bow to the ground, and bend down with his hands crossed to show respect. But the leader of such a small country, and he is still in
Is it still necessary for him to salute him in his official residence in Congling?
Yu Gou could see what Li Siye was struggling with, so he took the initiative to say: "His title as General Jinwuwei is just an empty title, so you don't need to take it too seriously. The key is to see your attitude or how you will treat him in the future."
Ask for nothing.”
This sentence awakened Li Siye. No matter what general he was, his title was empty. The emperor promised to go out without spending money. The real strength of Gayancong was the tribe of five or six thousand people. According to the population ratio of the nomads, if
There were five thousand troops, and more than a thousand string-controllers under his command. This kind of real power was equivalent to that of a Zhechong Captain in the Tang army.
Li Siye estimated the strength of both parties and thought that he should not be too arrogant. Although he surrendered to the Hu tribe, he should not be despised and looked down upon. He should show respect appropriately. It is estimated that Gayancong did not take himself too seriously. Otherwise, he would not be too arrogant.
As General Jinwuwei, he should have ordered Li Siye to be summoned to see him.
He waved his hand and said, "Go to the gate to greet you!"
Li Siye walked quickly to the gate of Shouchu City. He saw a man with a high nose and curly hair and a silk draped across his body standing outside the gate holding a horse. The biggest difference between him and the guards around him was that he was draped in silk. This was
A symbol of noble status.
Li Siye lowered his posture and raised his hands and said, "I didn't know that Your Excellency is here, so I apologize for not greeting you well."
Gayancong just waved and smiled, and said, "Brother Li, there is no need to be formal with me. I don't know much about the etiquette of your Central Plains. Come with us to the thatched cottage to talk."
When Li Siye heard this, he knew that this man really did not adhere to the etiquette of the Central Plains, so he no longer pretended to be polite to him, and invited with a smile: "General, please come in."
Gayan stretched out his hand to hold Li Siye's arm, which seemed very intimate, making Li Siye feel a little bit intrusive.
After the two of them entered the main hall, Li Siye sat down on the main seat in the center of the thatched hall, and Gayan sat cross-legged on the upper right corner, not looking unhappy at all.
After the two parties sat down, Li Siye greeted him with a few polite greetings about his health, and then got down to business and asked directly: "I wonder why the general came all the way to Congling to guard the capture.
"
Gayancong pinched his fingernails and said to Li Siye: "I came to see Mr. Li to ask for something as trivial as a fingernail."
Li Siye waved his hand magnanimously and said: "You and I are one family, so why do we need words? The general just gives orders."
He waited for Gayancong to make a request. Unexpectedly, the general was no longer in a hurry. He looked out of the hall wanderingly and talked about it: "Actually, I came to this ancient capital of Pantuo once when I was young. That
At that time, the ruins were very dilapidated, and the grand scene when King Pantuo was there was no longer the same. This year, I occasionally heard people say that the city of Shouzuo has changed a lot. I came here to see it today, and it really surprised me.
Yeah, this is what a country’s capital should be like.”
Li Siye really didn't want to refute him. What kind of capital city does this look like? The real capital city should be like Chang'an or Luoyang. A rammed earth city wall like this only has a few bricks added to it. When the population of the city increases to thousands, it already looks cramped.
, even worse than county towns in poor counties.
"I would like to ask Mr. Li, how about leaving one of my tribe to live in Congling?"
"No, no." Li Siye waved his hand quickly, pointed outside and said, "As you can see, there is not much extra open space in the city. Before the city wall is expanded, no more people can be admitted."
Gayancong crossed his chest with one hand and said sincerely: "Li Shijun, I didn't say that I want them to live in the city. They can camp outside the city. We, the Sanya tribe, can either hunt or settle down. We only need to camp outside the city."
Set aside a place for them to place their felt tents."
"That's okay." Li Siye became more generous: "General, it's the land outside the city. You can pick whatever you want. The one you choose will be that one."
Gayancong's smile became a little more sincere: "Thank you very much, Commander Li, for your care, but I still have a request."
"Oh, please tell me."
"My subordinates can live outside the city, but I, the general, can't live outside the city. Can you allocate a piece of land for me in the city, and I will build a mansion at my own expense."
General Jinwuwei's mansion? It needs to be built in Shouzhuo City? According to the regulations, General Jinwuwei's mansion covers an area of dozens of acres. For those who go in and out of Xieshan Mountain, if you build the mansion inside, won't our city have to be emptied?
People who are half as good as they are?
Li Siye smacked his lips and said, "Why don't you think about it again? There is really no spare space in the city."
"Who said there isn't?" Gayancong immediately spoke back: "I have just chosen a piece of land. Although it is not adjacent to the main road, it is close to cloth shops and wine shops, and is under the east city wall. As long as a road is opened to access it,
Just head towards the main road.”
"Oh." Li Siye understood. Isn't this the open space at the corner of the east city wall? It only takes up eight percent of the land. It is used to build General Jinwuwei's mansion. Isn't it too shabby?
Li Siye didn't point this out. Since Gayan never cared about it, why would he talk so much and make others annoying?
"This is okay. If the general wants to build it, then let's build it."
Li Siye felt that this person should be sent away immediately, otherwise it would be embarrassing if he made any more excessive demands.
"Li Shijun, I have one more request."
Even though Li Siye has a very good temper, he is still a little impatient. Why do you keep asking for one and two requests? Why do I still have to fulfill your three wishes? Do you think of me as Aladdin's magic lamp?
"What else do you wish for...request?"
Gayan waved outside and called out: "Ruosuluo, come in!"
A young man with dreadlocks and chainmail walked into the thatched hall. This young man was handsome and courageous. He was not afraid of strangers at all. He took the initiative to salute with crossed arms, but he made the wrong move. His left and right hands were opposite.
.
Gayancong stretched out his hand and introduced: "This is my bravest and strongest son Ruosuluo. How about I recommend him to you and let him be a guard by your side."
This is strange. Other young men who have identified themselves are eager to join the Tang army. They are attracted by the iron rice bowl of Congling Shouchu and the dividends brought by making cotton quilts. Even if you are the son of General Jinwuwei,
If I can't inherit your position as chief, it's not too much to be a noble person in the Shini tribe. If I can't go to Qiuci to find the Anxi Protector as your general, with the face of General Gayan, at least I can beg for my son.