Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

The dawn of dawn has coated the snowy peaks in the sky with a layer of brilliant gold. The goshawk flicks from the clear blue sky, leaving behind a glimpse of light like floating clouds. The morning bell has just rang three times. The square in the south of the holy city The city has become lively, crowded, and bustling.

Yaoying was dressed in a colorful veil skirt with beast curls and grass patterns, and with a veil on her face, she walked into the market accompanied by Ashina Bisuo.

The main street of Fangshi is not long, but there are crowds of merchants. The two sides are packed with densely packed and row upon row of shops. The colorful felt curtains are full of people. You can hardly find a place to stand. They have different skin colors and speak different languages. While merchants from different tribes dressed in different costumes came and went, goods from various countries in the Western Regions were sold and sold here. Compared with the market in Chang'an, it was quite prosperous and lively.

The vocals were full, and the chants of Sogdian and Hu were mixed with crisp and sweet camel bells.

Yaoying walked all the way and took a closer look. The shops sold most of the jewelry, fur, spices, silks, and felt blankets. The array was dazzling and exquisite.

However, she found that there were not many goods from the Central Plains.

Ashina Bisuo explained to her: "The commercial road leading to the Central Plains is not only high mountains, full of deserts, and difficult and dangerous journeys, but also in recent years, the business roads leading to the Central Plains have been deserted, and ordinary caravans dare not take risks easily here. Most of the merchants in the country took three commercial roads. The North Road crosses the Tianshan Mountains to the north, passes through Broken Yecheng, passes through Kangguo, Shiguo, and Lai, and reaches Fulin as far as Gandhara will go north to Kangguo or south to Tianzhu. The southern road runs along the southern edge of the desert, passing through Loulan, Qiemo, Khotan, Shache, and to Shule."

"After arriving at Tianzhu, some merchants went south, passing through Qunv City, Wangshe City, to Tubo, or from Piao State to Yongchang, to reach the southern border of the Central Plains. The other part went by sea, bypassing Tianzhu, and passing through the sea for several months. The merchants of the Central Plains who sailed to reach here traded, and most of those merchants came from Guangzhou, Mingzhou, Yangzhou and other places in the southern part of the Central Plains."

Yaoying was deeply moved.

The three commercial roads that Bi Suo talked about are actually completely overlapped with the former western route of the Silk Road, except that the path from Chang'an in the Central Plains to Dunhuang and Yumen Pass at the starting point was cut off because the Central Plains had already lost control of the Helong area and the roads were blocked. , No communication.

Merchants can not be afraid of hardships, crossing the vast deserts and rolling snow-capped mountains that traverse the east and west continents, breaking through the moats, and traveling between the Central Plains and Fulin. Naturally, they will not be easily discouraged because of the obstacles to business. With the prosperity of the shipbuilding industry, more and more Merchants choose sea voyages with huge carrying capacity and low cost to conduct trade.

This maritime commercial road departs from the ports of Mingzhou, Yangzhou, Quanzhou, Guangzhou and other places in the Central Plains, crosses the South China Sea, passes through Golofusha, to the west of Tianzhu, and then from land to the Western Regions and Persia, and reaches Furin, Jerusalem, etc. Land is called the Maritime Silk Road by later generations.

Yaoying heard from Li Zhongqian mentioned that most of the goods shipped from the Central Plains to the West on the Sea Silk Road were porcelain, tea, silk, copper and iron artifacts, and the rare spices, flowers and plants, rare and exotic treasures brought back to the Central Plains were often just arrived at the port. It was snapped up by the aristocrats of the Southern Chu, and it was evident that Nanchu was rich.

At that time, Li Zhongqian joked with her. If he captured the capital of Nanchu, he would definitely take her to the warehouse of Nanchu Palace.

Yaoying was out of God for a while, and continued to observe the Holy City Fang City.

If Wakhan Khan of Northern Rong wants to dominate the Western Regions, he must conquer the royal court and ensure that all countries along the northern road are under the control of Northern Rong. Western Region North Road. During the confrontation between the two countries, small countries such as Gaochang and Yanqi have room to breathe.

The prosperity of Gaochang largely depends on the smooth flow of trade routes.

At that time, we can persuade Gaochang's Yuchi royal family to agree to form an alliance from this point.

The goods on the market are diverse and varied.

As Yaoying was meditating, she wandered all the way, seeing Persian felt carpets, glazed lamps in the forest, Buddha teeth from Tianzhu, wine from Gaochang, and Egyptian scriptures written in golden clay.

Xie Qing, Xie Peng, and Xie Chong followed her, almost unable to see them.

Seeing Yaoying staring at the colored brocade hanging in a Sogdian merchant's shop, Xie Peng immediately took out the silver coin: "What does the princess want to buy?"

Yaoying shook her head and said, "I'm not here to buy things today."

Xie Peng looked blank.

The weather is getting hotter, and the climate in the palace is very suitable for the growth of melons and fruits. There are huskers selling melons and fruits in carts everywhere. An adobe courtyard.

The Han people in the yard, taking the old and helping the young, all greeted them, kneeling on the ground and weeping bitterly.

An old man with a gray beard cried and said: "The princess's help is nothing in return. I am willing to be a bull and a horse for the princess."

Yaoying motioned to Xie Peng to lift up the old man and looked around.

The men, women and children in the yard looked at her expectantly.

These people have thin faces and ragged clothes. They are Han Chinese slaves she bought from Hushang. Their ancestral home in Hexi, some were born in the Western Regions, and some were moved to the Western Regions. The Western Regions fell into chaos. They became untouchables, and their situation was miserable. They were looted and trafficked here.

The old man wiped away his tears and asked everyone's expectations: "Princess, will the emperor of the Central Plains send troops to recover Hexi and Beiting?"

Everyone looked up at Yaoying, there seemed to be two clusters of flames burning in their eyes.

Yaoying shook her head: "Central Plains is currently unable to send troops to recover Hexi and Beiting."

The light in the old man's eyes dimmed instantly.

Yaoying looked at the crowd, raised her voice, and her expression was awe-inspiring and firm: "However, the Central Plains has never forgotten his people. The Minister of Military Affairs of the People’s Republic of China hopes to regain the homeland as soon as possible. The Great Wei has calmed the Central Plains. The rivers and mountains can be recovered as soon as possible!"

Hearing this, the old man became excited again: "What the princess said is that we have been looking forward to it for so many years, and we will definitely be able to look forward to the day when we return to the east!"

Everyone nodded in tears.

Xie Peng distributed the fruits and grains, and everyone thanked Yaoying with great gratitude.

The old man is the only one who has read a book. Xie Chong takes the list he has written and asks Yaoying to go through it.

"Princess, there are a total of eleven people, fifty-one men and sixty women, mostly old, weak, sick and disabled. They were sold cheaply because they couldn't work."

After reading the list, Yaoying nodded.

Xie Chong asked: "Princess, how should we settle them? Shall we take them back to the Central Plains?"

Standing on the high platform, Yaoying frowned as she watched the people in the courtyard gorging themselves with crude naan cakes.

"We are going back to the Central Plains, and it is impossible to take these people on an adventure. We will surely save more people in the future. Where we go, will they go with them?"

Xie Chong scratched his head. This is indeed a difficult problem. They can’t take these Han people wherever they go. More than a hundred princesses can afford to raise them. There will be more and more people in the future, so they can’t rely on the princess to raise them all alone. Right?

Yaoying slowly said: "Teaching people to fish is worse than teaching people how to fish. Ask them clearly what skills they have, whether they can dye cloth, embroider, work craftsmanship, or can read... as long as they have It doesn’t matter if you have one skill, you can learn from now. If you are in poor health, you can stay to take care of the children and the elderly.”

Xie Chong responded and asked, "Does the principal help them find some work?"

Yaoying shook her head: "Help them find work, they will still be bullied. I have asked Bi Suo to help buy two silk and satin shops, and first give the silk and satin shops to these people to operate. I saw it in the Fang market today, and they are sold here. The Central Plains brocade pattern is still the style of a few years ago, and it can’t compare with the exquisite novelty we brought from Central Plains."

Xie Chong suddenly realized: No wonder the father gave silks and satin to the monks in the Buddhist temple!

After the puja, the nobles of the royal court inquired everywhere from which Husband merchants the materials were purchased. Bi Suo released the news that the gorgeous brocades came from the Central Plains. There were as many Hushang merchants who came to inquire about the price these days. , One horse of gold is in short supply.

Xie Chong asked suspiciously, "Why doesn't the princess sell it directly to the nobles in the royal court?"

The princess’s dowry included tea, silk, and jewellery that were extremely popular in the Western Regions. The princess only sent a part of the scriptures, golden and jade Buddha statues, and silk to the Buddhist temple, and the others remained in the warehouse. Since the nobles of the royal court are eager for these silks, why don't they directly sell them to the nobles, but buy a shop and sell it again?

Yaoying explained to him: "After all, we are outsiders and we sell directly to the nobles. First, we offend the merchants here. Second, the price is not good, and it is easy to attract people's hatred. Let's follow the rules here. , And we can find a job for these people, and even if we leave in the future, they will be able to eat."

The dowry is too eye-catching and inconvenient to carry and transport. It must be sold as soon as possible, but it cannot be sold entirely from her. The Western Regions are different from the Central Plains. The nobles of the various countries here are powerful and the trade is controlled by the nobles. A little carelessness will offend the big nobles. When the transaction fails, it will cause trouble. It is better to cooperate with the local nobles and rely on the big trees to take advantage of the cold. Avoid disputes and leave a way out for the future.

Xie Chong and Xie Peng glanced at each other and said, "The princess still wants to be thoughtful!"

They thought they just had to sell those goods for gold and silver.

Yaoying called the old man and asked, "What did you do before?"

The old man respectfully said: "Back to the princess, all of us will make a living! Some can plant land and trees, some can raise cattle and sheep, pick up sheep dung, weave felt, arrange wool, weave woolen ropes, and some can brocade! "

Although Wang Ting is deep in the desert, because of the nourishment of icebergs and snow water, there are also large fertile land and pastures where mulberry fruits are grown. Like Gaochang, there are large vineyards and flocks of cattle and sheep on the hillside. The old man used to graze for his master, and would help weaving felt during busy seasons.

Yaoying talked to the old man about the silk and satin shop, "I will ask Hushang to help take care of the shop. You can choose a few who can read and hyphenate and go to the shop cabinet to help, and then choose a few craftsmen to go to the workshop as apprentices, I Bringing a lot of tricks from the Central Plains, enough for you to use for several years."

The old man had been in charge. Hearing this, he immediately understood that Yaoying was planning for their future. She was so excited that she knelt down and knelt.

Yaoying has already seen that the old man is quite prestigious among the people, and she chuckles: "Now it's just two shops. You can take care of them. Don't rush to make money. Find a way to settle down first."

The old man cried and nodded, his expression becoming more respectful.

Yaoying asked, "Where did you get sold here? How many Han people are there?"

The old man replied: "Some of us were taken captive from Hexi, some were from Shazhou, Guazhou, and some were locals... Some of the Han people everywhere worked for the nobles like us, some were members of the nobles, and some were married to the nobles. ."

Yaoying groaned and asked, "Are there any clans who control the army?"

The old man stayed for a while, and then understood Yaoying's intentions, his face instantly became solemn and solemn, he bowed to Yaoying, touched the ground with his head, and banged loudly.

"The old man is Qi Nian, after the Qi family in Hexi, I am willing to be driven by the princess!"

Yaoying smiled and motioned to Xie Chong to help Qi Nian, but did not respond to his words.

Qi Nian did not dare to ask more, his face was full of excitement and enthusiasm that could not be concealed, and he whispered: "Princess, there are still big clans all over the Central Plains, and the family secretly trains the rebels, so that they can help them when the king comes. With one hand, it’s a pity that they are not strong enough to cause trouble. The Wang Court is too peaceful, and other places have long been occupied. It is too far away from Shazhou and the information is unclear."

Yaoying's face was as usual and said, "Xinghuo started a prairie fire."

She can continue to recruit people, contact the big clans who have the heart of the home country, gather the Han people in exile, use the money from the dowry as military expenses, buy the Hu businessmen, recruit people, and travel to and from the various tribes in the Western Regions in the form of caravans. These people are not. Bei Rong’s opponents, but they always have their uses: for example, to help deliver messages.

No matter where she is, she must first recruit an armour she can rely on.

It's hard to get things done by relying on Xie Qing alone.

Qi Nian looked at Yaoying and was silent for a long time. The turbid eyes burst into flames again. He was surprised, admired, excited, and excited, and his blood was boiling over.

He had already heard the guards talk about the origins of the princess. The princess lived in the Western Regions and was unable to protect himself. He didn't forget to rescue the people like them. Not only that, he even planned for their future. The princess is their savior!

It must be their prayers day and night that moved the gods and Buddhas, and the gods and Buddhas will send the princesses to save them.

Qi Nian knelt down at Yaoying's feet again, tears falling.

He had a strong hunch in his heart: The princess must be able to take them back home!

Seeing this, the people in the courtyard put down the food in their hands, stood up, kneeled one by one, like a tide, and prostrated themselves in front of Yaoying.

Ashina Bisuo's Chinese is not very good. After entering the courtyard, Yaoying was either instructing the soldiers to comfort the old and the weak, or talking to the old man. He was inconvenient to step forward and stood aside and watched.

When everyone in the courtyard bowed to Yaoying, he couldn't help but put away his slings, his back straight, staring at the Han princess who was living in the royal court.

Standing in front of the steps, she smiled at the corners of her lips, with a noble temperament, like a snow lotus on the top of the Tianshan Mountains.

So noble, so far away.

Bi Suo was frustrated for a long time.

On the way back to the palace, Yaoying asked Bi Suo to help find out where the king’s court sells land. They are better at farming in the first year of the year. She wants to buy a piece of land so that the old and weak women can find a self-sufficient camp, which is more convenient for resettlement. people.

Bi Suo promised to help her inquire, but he insisted not to pay.

Yaoying smiled and said, "That won't work."

She asked Bi Suo for help, and naturally she had to be paid.

Bi Suo stretched out his hands helplessly and said: "The princess is so polite, why bother with me? We are friends, and you are the king's guest. How can I ask for compensation?"

Yaoying smiled and said, "If this is the case, I would not dare to help the general labor. I heard that there are many Sogdians in the city who help with errands."

Bi Suo looked at her smiling face, feeling like a deer, and didn't dare to refuse any more.

A few people went to Fang City again. Yaoying had already inquired clearly about the rules of Wang Ting Fang City, paid a sum of money, bought a shop, and hired two shrewd Husbands to take care of the shop. The shop was originally selling silk and satin. Continue to operate.

She released the news that the merchants came to the shop and asked the Huren: "The silks and satin of the Central Plains princess are really distributed to us for sale?"

The owner of the Hu Ren smiled and nodded, and said, "But you all came by accident. The Kang family and the Xue family have ordered a batch of silk and satin, and there is not much left."

The merchants were shocked and swarmed into the shop, for fear that they would be snatched away by others after a step.

Some of the silk that Yaoying brought from the Central Plains was sent to Buddhist temples, some were used to buy and win over the nobles of the royal court in exchange for the care of the Fang City Office, and some were distributed to Hu merchants for sale, and the rest was left in the shop and sold slowly. .

Before long, she will be able to use the exchanged money to recruit her own staff.

Bi Suo sent Yaoying back to the palace, and then went directly to the Buddhist temple to see Tamaraga.

The Buddhist hall is quiet, Luo Jia is reading a scripture, his back is thin.

"Wang..." Bi Suo took off his saber, knelt down on one knee, and solemnly said, "I want to ask you something."