Chapter 194: Gai Jia Yun Jing Festival Enters Qiuci
Entering summer, the city of Qiuci also has some summer weather. The thorn willows and poplar trees on both sides of the streets have put up green umbrellas. The streets are full of people and the market has resumed its bustle.
The heavy city gates of Qiuci are wide open on both sides, and dozens of flag bearers are lined up on both sides of the road on horseback holding crimson tooth flags. All of these flags have the word "Gai" hollowed out on a white background.
Censor Zhongcheng and Beiting Jiedushi Gai Jiayun were wearing a vermilion robe without a crotch, carrying a dragon and phoenix ring around their waists and riding into the main street. The soldiers behind them were carrying a large banner symbolizing the dictatorial power of the Jiedushi, still with a red background.
The words are written in white, but they are huge and eye-catching, causing all the pedestrians on the street to avoid them.
Anxi and other officials were standing on both sides of the gate of the Duhu Mansion, waiting to welcome Qixi Jiedushi to announce his appointment and dismissal.
Six cavalry behind Gai Jiayun went in a wrong way. In front were three generals, behind were two commanders and a secretary-general, followed closely by the Jiedushi Guards. They were all light cavalry wearing thin scale armor, and the reflective armor was shining brightly in the sun.
Shining like silver fish scales.
Arriving outside the gate of the square, Gai Jiayun raised his palm and the long queue quickly stopped. He looked behind him sideways and ordered: "Xuanzhao."
The marching Sima moved forward slowly with his legs tucked under the horse's belly, unhooked the barrel box from his back, took out the yellow silk, held it in his hand and shouted: "Heading Ceremony!"
All the officials in Anxi prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.
The marching Sima slowly opened the silk cloth with his hands, and his voice was as loud as gongs and drums:
"Under the sect! Beiting Jiedushi Gai Jiayunzhu was granted the emperor's order. He was appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng and Qixi Jiedushi. He was in charge of the military and political affairs of Anxi and Beiting. He was given a banner and a six-year-old tree. He was appointed under the fifth rank.
No memorial, those above the fourth grade will be appointed first and then memorial. On June 19, the twenty-sixth year of Kaiyuan, the official Zhongshu Lingchen Li Linfu announced... The book is made as shown on the right, and the talismans will be followed!"
"I will obey the rules!"
The marching Sima closed the book, but Gai Jiayun did not speak. Everyone had to continue lying on the ground. The atmosphere became more solid in this scorching summer, and beads of sweat fell from some people's foreheads.
Gai Jiayun whipped the horse and moved forward slowly. He lowered his head and looked down at the Anxi military and political officials kneeling on both sides. He raised his riding whip and poked the buttocks. He said with a smile: "Comrades, I have prepared a letter of prosecution for you. Continue reading.
!”
During this march, Sima took out a piece of yellow paper from his sleeve, unfolded it and continued to read loudly: "My orders are here! Appoint Yang Zhilie as Deputy Envoy of Jiedu, Deputy Protector of the Four Towns, and Military Envoy of the Four Towns! Yang Xiu Ming surrenders.
As the governor of Kucha Governorate! Appointed Zhou Yi as the envoy of Kucha Town, Gao Xianzhi was demoted to the deputy envoy of Khotan Town, and appointed..."
Gao Xianzhi, who was at the back of the official queue, raised his head slightly, then lowered it slightly, his forehead touching the ground. His two palm clasps grabbed the loess on the ground, and the palms of his hands felt as hot as burning. The loud recitation
The sound turned into the buzzing of flies in his ears, and he felt unspeakably wronged. Maybe someone around him secretly cast sympathetic glances at him...
He pushed open the courtyard door with both hands, walked into the Persian-style round-arched flat-roofed house, took off the armor from the armor rack, hugged it tightly in his arms for a while, and then threw it to the ground. Then he knelt down on the felt carpet and remained silent for a moment, holding his hands
Fold up the quilt, put it together in your hands and tie it repeatedly with hemp rope.
The old servant at home pushed the door into the house and asked him in surprise: "Alang, what are you doing?"
Gao Xianzhi didn't look back, and continued to pile up quilts and said: "Pack your things and leave Kucha to take office tomorrow."
The old servant was surprised: "Is that true?"
He raised his head and let out a long sigh: "I have accepted it. I will follow Li Siye's example and find a remote place to stay for a few years."
He had already made a plan in his mind to take a long detour to visit the cities around the four towns, pay a trip to Diaocha City on the way, and finally go to Kucha to take office.
…
Li Siye also arrived at the foot of Biahuan City on this day. This place is located at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. Standing immediately by the road, he could see the rolling snow peaks in the distance.
The foundation of the city wall of Diaohuan City is made of chiseled stone, and the upper part of the wall is made of rammed red earth, which has the heavy style of the Western Regions. However, the main building at the head of the city has a serious Xieshan-style eaves, and the wooden pillars of the city tower are mottled.
Very contemporary.
Twenty of them led the horses into the city. They saw an open space in front of them. The business houses and posthouses were separated from livestock pens by wooden fences. Groups of camels and horse teams were trampling the loess in the wooden fences. The people on both sides of the street
The houses are all made of civil engineering, with earthen walls several feet thick that can rise up to three stories, with eaves and tile ridges protruding from the walls.
There are also wine shops and brothels in the city, but they are all built with rammed earth walls and roofs with wooden beams. Even the roofs are made of unfired clay tiles.
The only building built with chiseled stone is the palace of the city ambassador. The large house in the middle has a Persian-style round vault, and on both sides, double eaves are built on top of the flat-roofed houses. It is simply a masterpiece of the combination of Chinese and Western styles.
Li Siye asked everyone to feed the horses and wait at the inn. He only took Tian Zhen and Teng Mu to the city envoy's residence.
Standing outside the round arch are Persian servants wearing white robes. Since the Sasanian Dynasty was conquered by the Great Eclipse, a large number of Persians have fled to the Western Regions and even came to Chang'an, including Perus, the last prince of Persia.
"Dear guest, why are you here at the envoy's residence?"
Li Siye turned his head and motioned to Teng Mu to take out the official letter, hold it in his hand and said: "I am the new captain of the Eighth Regiment, and I am here to see the city envoy."
The servant bowed, crossed his chest, lowered his head and said, "Please allow me to go in and report."
After waiting for a while, the servant walked out with a smile on his face, and even the beard at the corner of his mouth was raised high: "Captain Li, please come in quickly."
When Li Siye entered the large dome-roofed house, he saw carpets on the floor, and a short Persian bed for guests. Zhao Chonghuan was sitting on the bed when he saw Li Siye standing up with a smile and holding his hands to greet him.
He took a closer look and saw that the city envoy was wearing a white turban on his head, a Hufu robe with a split collar, a white linen belt on his shoulders, and beads on both wrists. If not
If you look closely at his Chinese character face, you might think he is standing in front of a foreigner.
Li Siye suddenly felt curious. Many barbarians in the Western Regions wore round collar robes and accepted Chineseization. Why are you still a barbarian?
Zhao Chonghuan smiled and fluffed up his robe: "You think this is strange, don't you think it's strange? My wife is a Sassanid. These clothes are simple and not as sophisticated as us Han people. I'm used to it."
"Sit anywhere."
Li Siye sat down cross-legged, Tian Zhen and Teng Mu sat behind him on either side.
Zhao Chonghuan ordered his servants: "Make some of our grape wine and invite our guests to try it."
Li Siye waved his hand and refused: "I am here today only for business, and I will not drink. If there is a banquet, we will meet again another day."
"Okay, in that case, I'll drink alone." Zhao Chonghuan took the wine bottle and glass cup from the servant's hand, poured the wine with his left hand, and picked up the cup with his right hand and poured it into his mouth.
"It's not easy. Colonel Li doesn't know it yet. Colonel Zhenwei Zhao Lushui has been taken to Qiuci. He has no future in his life."
Li Siye raised his hand and asked him: "There are twists and turns, please ask the envoy from Zhao Cheng to tell me."
"Actually, it's a long story. I still remember that in the 23rd year of Kaiyuan, Shi Tieqi, a sudden cavalry, invaded the city along the southern foot of Tianshan Mountain. Zhu Renhui, the captain of the Eighth Regiment, led a team of more than 200 people to retreat to the beacon fort.
After holding on for more than 20 days, we ran out of water and food. In the end, we didn't know how many people were left, maybe eight or nine. Finally, Gai Jiayun led the Beiting soldiers to rescue us. Those who survived were awarded honors and returned home."
"The real Eighth Regiment is actually all dead. The current one is just made up of newly recruited soldiers drawn from various Zhechong mansions." Zhao Chonghuan said with a teasing smile: "Most of these people are from various Zhechong mansions.
Regiment, the undesirable thorns in the ranks, gamblers, and perverts. What do you mean by having so many scum piled together? Isn’t it just a ragtag group? It is completely different from the eighth regiment led by Lieutenant Colonel Zhu Renhui.
Two different things."
Li Siye squinted his eyes and spread his hands towards him: "Zhao Chengcheng, you have said so much, but you still haven't reached the point. What does this have to do with Zhao Lushui being dismissed from his post and imprisoned, and what does it have to do with me?"