Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Going to Beijing
Seeing that there were fewer and fewer brothers around him, and many Song soldiers and Khitan soldiers surrounded themselves with bows and arrows, Lu Yicheng sighed and dropped the steel fork in his hand.
"Yan Jiu is your biological brother? Can you tell me, one of you brothers is a slave in a wealthy family, and the other is a bandit outside the Great Wall, why did you come here?"
Lu Yisheng sneered and remained silent.
Yang Hao smiled: "This stuffy gourd can't be solved, and I have no loss at all. If you want to keep a secret, then take it into the underworld."
As soon as Yang Hao raised his hand, the bowstring trembled, and countless arrows aimed at Lu Yisheng. Lu Yiyi's eyes flashed, and he suddenly shouted: "Wait a minute!"
Yang Hao shook his head and said, "I won't forgive you. I have lost many brothers, and you too. Don't ask for mercy at this time. They will look down on you. If you want to die, you will die like a man."
"I don't know how to beg for mercy. As early as 30 years ago, I should have died. Lu Mou escaped from death and survived until today, all of which were picked up!" Lu Yisheng proudly puffed up his chest: "Yang Hao, I just want to know, Ding Chengye How is it? Where is he now? Do you have any news about him?"
Yang Hao looked at him with a strange look in his eyes. Lu Yisheng said excitedly: "I'm going to die, and now I just want to know his whereabouts. If you know his news, please feel free to let me know. Lu... Lu I beg you..."
Yang Hao asked slowly: "What does Ding Chengye... have to do with you?"
Lu Yisheng kept silent.
Yang Hao sighed and said, "Ding Chengye is dead."
"What?" Lu Yisheng stared at one eye, jumped forward two steps in panic, and hissed, "What did you say? What did you say? He's dead, is he really dead?"
Yang Hao said indifferently: "Yes, he really died. Just before the battle against Tang, he... died in a ditch in Wuni Lane, Jinling..."
Lu Yiyi's face turned pale, and he cried out in pain: "He's dead? He's dead! The last root of my Lu family, the last root, you killed him? I, Lu Yisheng, will never let you go, my surname is Yang! !"
Lu Yisheng roared and rushed forward, "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Countless sharp arrows shot out, Yang Hao heard him screaming about the last root of Lu's family, suddenly felt something strange, and quickly shouted: "Stop!"
It was too late, Lu Yisheng was shot into a porcupine in an instant, a porcupine with countless sharp arrows stuck in its head opened its teeth and danced its claws, You Zi rushed in front of him, the two guards beside Yang Hao had sharp eyesight and quick hands, before he could get close, two The sharp knife was swung out like a horse, and the two arms of Wuzhiji were chopped down to the ground amidst Lu Yisheng's screams.
Blood gushed out, and Lu Yisheng fell to the ground with a "boom" sound, his arms broke off shoulder to shoulder, and his body was full of sharp arrows. He roared in his throat, wriggled, his resentful eyes filled with endless hatred, struggling, He squirmed forward vigorously, seeing that he could no longer pounce on the enemy of the extermination of the clan, he yelled, and suddenly poked his head, biting the hem of Yang Hao's shirt, gnashing his teeth loudly, as if it was Yang Hao's. Flesh and blood.
Yang Hao didn't move, he squatted down slowly, and said softly: "Ding Chengye... didn't die on me, his sister killed him with her own hands, killed this disobedient son who murdered his father and brother, and cleaned up the house..."
Lu Yisheng's eyes were confused for a moment, he slowly opened his teeth, and murmured: "He didn't kill his father or brother, he didn't..., my elder brother Lu Jiushi is his father, and I'm his only uncle , apart from our brothers, he has no relatives in this world, no relatives anymore, he...is the only descendant of my Lu family..."
A line of tears flowed down his cheeks slowly, flushing out a tear streak from the fine blood spots splashed on his face.
"The civet cat for the prince!" Yang Hao instantly understood what their brothers had done, his eyes flashed, and he asked suddenly: "Where is the real child of the Ding family?"
Lu Yiyi showed a treacherous smile on his face, and said: "He... died a long time ago, and was sunk...to the bottom of the well with his mother, and has long... turned into a pile of dry bones. Dead, all dead, My Lu family is also finished. Jisitang, seven clans and five surnames, the revenge of the extermination of the family, can never... never avenge..."
Yang Hao never expected to hear the name of the mysterious organization from the horse thief outside the Great Wall. He asked in surprise: "Ji Si Tang? Seven clans and five surnames, who are you?"
Lu Yiyi's arms were gushing with blood, his body was pierced with countless sharp arrows, he was on his deathbed, and he could no longer hear anything from the outside world, so he murmured to himself: "I, Fanyang Lu, have been a top-notch sect since the Han Dynasty. ..., our branch... so far... and the end..."
"You are also a branch of the successor hall, aren't you?"
Yang Hao asked but didn't see an answer, and looked again, Lu Yisheng's eyes were wide open, and he was completely out of breath...
From Yelu Zongheng's mouth, Yang Hao learned that King Qing's rebel army had continued to march westward, and Yelu Xiuge personally led the army to chase the main force of King Qing to the west.Knowing Yang Hao's identity, Yelu Zongheng didn't dare to neglect, and sent additional manpower to escort him all the way to Beijing. Yang Hao once heard Cui Dalang introduce the experience of Ji Si Tang, and heard some news from Lu Yisheng, and he has vaguely grasped the ins and outs of the Ding family's grievances. tool, that's why it ended up like this.He knew that although Ding Chengye deserved to die, but Ding Yu had been killing his flesh and blood brothers, he was always lonely and unhappy in his heart, thinking that if he told her the truth, he would be able to untie a burden in her heart. Along the way, with Yelu's heavy troops to protect him, Yang Hao was very peaceful, and no accidents happened again. After passing Guihua Prefecture, you will arrive at Tianling. When it was still under the rule of the Central Plains, it was called Cixiang Ridge.Ridge Township and Ridge stretch from east to west, with yellow clouds and white grass. If you look at it, you will not be exhausted. When you get here, people who travel far will feel at a loss. Thinking of the long distance between the world and the earth, I am sad and weep alone. But Yang Hao didn't have so many emotions, Guihuazhou and Cixiangling seemed to be at the ends of the earth, isn't it Zhangjiakou, where did he go, as for the sad wind and autumn.This time, he was going to pick up Dong'er, and he longed to fly to Khitan to go to the capital, so he didn't care about such a tiring journey. After walking on the vast grassland for another three or four days, we arrived at Heiyulin. Although Yang Hao didn’t feel how far this place was, the terrain at this time was quite different from that of later generations. It was not an endless grassland. It is barren mountains and remote mountains, sparsely populated, and there is not much difference from the desolate desert in later generations, but the feeling in my heart is still very different. Going further, it is the inclined valley, crossing the high cliffs and valleys that stretch for more than 50 miles, crossing the Huangshui, Heishui, and Musk Rivers. After walking for five or six days, they finally entered Shangjing, the capital of Khitan. Yang Hao began to feel a little anxious when he arrived here. On the one hand, he was unavoidably anxious because he would see Dong'er soon. On the other hand, he had not contacted Dong'er so far. Er, Dong'er didn't know that Yang Hao was Ding Hao, and when he saw him suddenly, he would inevitably show his feet. Although this is not a shady identity, and it will not lead to any fatal disaster, but once Xiao Hou knows the identity between them, it is fine if she is willing to let them go, otherwise her plan to steal people will definitely be difficult. Shi Xing, as long as Dong'er loses her whereabouts, she will be the first to be the target of suspicion, how can she take her away? But it was useless for him to be anxious. He was protected by the Khitan people along the way, and his every move was under their surveillance. If he suddenly sent a person to go alone to look for Yuluo, they would definitely arouse their suspicion. He is not sure whether he will see Dong'er or not. When we arrived near Shangjing, the population gradually became denser, and the town became more prosperous. When we entered Shangjing, the market became more prosperous.There are houses everywhere, but there are also tents. The buildings here have concentrated the original characteristics of the Khitan people and the characteristics of the Central Plains after they settled down, and they are full of exotic flavor. There is also a square market here, just like Bianliang in the Central Plains, with a dense population and a large number of merchants. Khitan warriors and scholars in Hanfu walk on the streets, sumo wrestlers and jugglers perform hard in the Goulan to attract customers, monks, nuns, Taoist priests also shuttled among the pedestrians. Since the founding of the Khitan state, they have minted money, but bartering with cloth as currency is still the mainstream of inter-market transactions. To make up for the lack of currency circulation, and the value preservation effect of silk and cloth is more obvious than that of currency. Fortunately, after entering the capital, the Honglu Temple and the Courtyard came to greet them, and the envoys from the Song Dynasty discovered that the official system and etiquette of the Khitan people were basically the same as those of the Central Plains, and they were not barbarians without ignorance of etiquette. They did not bring Yang Hao into the palace right away, but went to the Courtyard first. What surprised Yang Hao and other envoys from the Central Plains was that there were envoys sent by the Khitan Emperor in front of the Courtyard to "welcome labor" with bundles of silk. It is generally the same as the Central Plains. Now living in the Concierge Courtyard, Khitan General Shi Sheren and Yang Hao sat opposite each other with a smile, and said: "Your envoy has come from far away, and the journey has been hard. Today, let's take a day off. Tomorrow, the Japanese officials will come to welcome your envoy into the palace. My emperor Occasionally contracting minor ailments and feeling unwell, the empress will receive the envoy." This Khitan official Sheren is a Han Chinese, surnamed Mo and given name Shuihen.Because the Khitan people admired Han culture, and the upper class prided themselves on being proficient in Chinese, he naturally did not let go of his mother tongue, so even though he had settled in Shangjing since his grandfather's generation, his Chinese was still well-spoken. Seeing that he did not enter the palace right away, Yang Hao calmed down a little, smiled and cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Mr. Mo. Yang has been escorted and taken care of by your country during his journey. There is no lack of it. , always bathe and change clothes to show grandeur, then enter the palace tomorrow to submit credentials." The people of Moshe laughed and said, "That's very good, then I will first talk about the interview with the noble envoy tomorrow, so as not to make mistakes in the busy schedule and lose etiquette." "There is Mr. Laumer." Mo Hen coughed and said: "Early tomorrow morning, I will come to welcome your lord, guide you through the Chengtian Gate, and wait outside the Wufeng Building. The envoy's entourage will hold coins, jade and 'Tingshi' tributes. The drums and music will be played together, and the queen will be promoted The imperial seat, facing south and facing north, received the noble envoy. The noble envoy ascended the tower, and my lord bowed to the empress. In front of you, the noble envoy submits the letter of credence, and the servant puts the letter of credence in the case and submits it to the queen. The honorable envoy then delivers the tribute to the ceremonial officer, and leads the entourage to salute again. After the audience, the honorable person and his entourage salute and exit, and return to the protocol guests Courtyard. The next day, my queen will hold a state banquet again, and invite your envoys..." When Yang Hao heard Luo Dong'er read out the book and announced the order, he couldn't help being excited: "Dong'er, my little Dong'er, you have suffered so much for me, the official is here, the official is here to pick you up, We will never be separated again..." After Mo Sheren finished speaking, he saw Yang Hao's strange smile, as if he was lost in thought, and couldn't help being puzzled. He coughed and asked, "Master Yang, do you understand everything about this arrangement?" "Understood, I understand," Yang Hao nodded frequently, elated: "My lord said that I saluted the empress of your country, and then Lord Luo, the official of the Sixth Palace of your country, announced the book, haha, yes, what else are you talking about?" coming?" Mr. Mo raised his cup to drink tea just now, he almost choked his throat after hearing this question, he coughed for a long time, then blushed and said: "I said, tomorrow morning, I will come to greet you , Your Excellency wears formal attire, and I lead you through the Chengtian Gate, waiting outside the Wufeng Building. The envoy's entourage holds coins, jade and "Tingshi" tributes. The drums and music are played in unison, and the empress ascends to the throne, facing south and facing north, to receive the noble envoy. Your envoy goes upstairs..." He said it again in detail and asked, "Does your envoy remember everything?" Yang Hao had spent a long time in Honglu Temple, so he understood these etiquettes. He thought about it carefully and said, "The empress of your country sits facing south and facing north, so the envoy is going to worship north?" Master Mo smiled and said, "What's wrong with that?" Yang Hao said: "Naturally, it is not appropriate. The minister of a big country is just like the king of a small country. How can I, an envoy from the Central Plains, treat the queen of your country as a minister? This should be compared with when this envoy went to Jiangnan and handed over the letter of state. The lords of your country, one east and one west, stand facing each other, and it is only right to present the letter of credence." The people of Moshe suddenly said: "Master Yang, how is this possible? My emperor is not a vassal of your country, and the two countries are equal countries. How can the king stand opposite you? Such a request is too unimaginable. Master Yang, we He is also a Han, and he knows what the people of the Central Plains think. The center of the world, the kingdom of Huanghuang, and barbarians everywhere, isn’t this arrogant? The China of the past is the same as the China of today, but the Sibari of the past are no longer the Khitan of today. Our country has been established for a long time, and it is no longer the barbaric tribe that herded horses and herded sheep in the past. Speaking of the vastness of the territory and the strength of the country, it is even more powerful than the Central Plains. Does your envoy think that this request is too much?" He smiled slightly, and said again: "Speaking of which, at the beginning Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself a son and a vassal to my Khitan, and begged my lord to send troops to help him get the throne. Half of it was called emperor, which was the Han Dynasty. After that, Guo Wei, the Tianxiong Jiedushi of the Han Dynasty, split the land and established the country, which was called Zhou. After that, the emperor of your country won the country and called it Song. To narrate the origin, It is not an exaggeration for our country to treat each other with the courtesy of a vassal, but now it is not enough to treat foreign envoys with hospitality?" The old master Confucius once said, "It is better for barbarians to have kings than to have none in Xia." The literati and bureaucrats of the past dynasties really thought so, but the era of Confucius was indeed when China was powerful, and the barbarians didn't even understand slash-and-burn farming. Like a group of savages, with no sign of civilization at all, there is nothing wrong with saying that. However, times have changed, and it must be faced squarely that they are gradually becoming stronger, and from time to time, foreign races enter the Central Plains.The old master Confucius once said, "It is better for Yi and Di to have a king than for all Xia to have none." A little bit at a loss, the master said to be good at barbarians, and also said to respect the king.Now that the barbarians have become kings, should they honor the king or reject the barbarians?Who is the most important of the two? If another envoy came, I'm afraid they would fight head-on over this issue, insisting that Khitan regard Song as the orthodox state and treat it as a superior state, but Yang Hao, a latecomer, did not have such shackles in his heart.Not to mention that the Khitan regime is not weaker than the Song Dynasty now, even if it is a small and weak country, he thinks that it should be treated equally, instead of arrogating to the Celestial Dynasty, asking for some benefits in etiquette, but appeasing others with huge economic benefits. What's more, this world is not a round place, we are the only ones, and we are not the only ones in the great empire.Not to mention, after thousands of years of development, the first powerful Khitan regime that is close at hand and can compete with the Central Plains Huaxia Empire has emerged. Today's Khitan is no longer a tribal alliance like the Huns and Turks. They are already a powerful country, and their culture, administration, territory, and governance are all on track. Moreover, the Central Plains has gone through more than a hundred years of wars, so that the influence of the Central Plains in Asia and Europe is far less than that of Khitan. It is impossible for the subject to claim itself.It is rational behavior to face up to other countries and treat them equally. Yang Hao first made a request that the other party would never agree to, but he just wanted to make it easier for them to agree to the next bargaining.So he pretended to be embarrassed and thought about it, and then he said: "Master Mo's words are also reasonable, and the emissary did not mean to belittle your country. However, the empress of your country was promoted to the throne, and when the envoy had an audience, she would also be the bell." Drums beating together, ceremonies and music are played to welcome each other. This is a salute to the ambassador of a great country, and it must never be discarded." Mo Sheren thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "This makes me." Yang Hao said again: "Although this envoy is a foreign minister, he is visiting the emperor on behalf of me. The foreign minister is sitting in a ceremony, and is talking to the empress of your country on behalf of the emperor of our country. How can you bow down at the bottom of the steps? Set up a seat to treat each other, this envoy will sit down and have a conversation with Your Majesty the Empress." Before Momohen greeted him, he had consulted the queen face to face about the reception specifications and etiquette.Since ancient times, the Central Plains has been self-respecting, and respecting China as orthodox has become a habit for the four barren countries. Although Khitan has become a powerful country today, it wants to seek the dignity and national dignity of a country, but it can do it They are complacent when they are on the same level as the Central Plains. After all, it is not so easy to catch up with the five thousand years of cultural heritage in the Central Plains. The Siyi countries still have deep respect, inferiority and awe for the Central Plains culture. Empress Xiao had also carefully instructed him about the idea of suppressing Song Guo. Mo Sheren is also an experienced negotiator, pretending to be in a dilemma for a long time, he said: "Okay, I will report this matter to your empress as soon as possible, and ask your empress to make a decision. I will definitely try my best to make your empress agree to the conditions of your envoy. Hehe, Yang My lord, don't ask for any other conditions, or I will be really embarrassed." Yang Hao laughed and said: "That's natural. You and I have established diplomatic relations. This time, this envoy also has the purpose of peace. It's not just to provoke disputes with your country. Okay, just these two, The envoys go up and down the hall, and they should greet each other with joy like the monarch of your country. When talking in the hall, they should sit for the envoy. For the rest, there is nothing else. Oh, yes, the envoy is here, Seeing that the capital of your country is very prosperous, department stores are piled up like a mountain, and there are countless rare treasures, if you want to go for a walk in the street, is it convenient?" Seeing that he didn't make any other requests, the people of Moshe secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and when they heard that he was going to go shopping, they hurriedly said: "Please come, please, please, do you need me to send someone to accompany you?" Yang Hao smiled and said: "No need, I came all the way here, and it's rare to see many foreign objects that I have never seen in the Central Plains. I just want to buy some and send them back to my friends and colleagues. It's better to be casual." After seeing off the Moshe people, Yang Hao, Zhang Tongzhou and others had a bite to eat, and then took a few trusted guards to the street.He expected that Yuluo must have heard about the news that he had arrived in Shangjing, and only by finding a chance to leave the posthouse would she have the chance to meet him. Yang Hao went to the street and walked to the lively street.Shangjing is divided into the North City and the South City. Most of the people living in the North City are Khitan people, while the people living in the South City are mostly Han people.Although the palaces and pavilions in the Han Chinese settlements are not as splendid as the imperial capitals like Kaifeng and Jinling, they are still much better than many small cities. As for Beicheng, it was the settlement of the Khitan people and the royal family.Compared with the south city, the north city is more beautiful. The imperial city is divided into inside and outside. Even in the inner city, there are many open spaces specially used to build felt tents. , the royal family should also check in from time to time, so as not to forget their roots. Therefore, their imperial city is very different from the imperial city in the Central Plains. There is no high palace wall at all, and the boundary between the inner city and the outer city is just an invisible boundary. There is not a single fence, and the territory of others that should not be set foot will never step a step. The Concierge Courtyard where Yang Hao lived was actually very close to the imperial palace. He wanted to find Yuluo, but he went to Nancheng where the Han people lived.Seoul is not a refugee area. On the contrary, it is the most prosperous place in Beijing. There are many shops in Seoul, fine wine, silk, vegetables and fruits, food, tools and all kinds of rare goods are sold, and there is also a "night market" here. Usually, many Khitan royal families and nobles will wear Hanfu and go shopping here. Even the sleeping king who was assassinated by Empress Xiao’s father Xiao Siwen used to wear Hanfu to drink and watch the market here. He didn't return to the palace until he was very drunk. In the street market, jade beads, rhino horns, frankincense, amber, glass, agate, and weapons are all for sale, as well as silverware from Japan, ginseng from Korea, mink fur from Jurchen, and honey, pine nuts, and dried mushrooms sold by hunters, etc. Wait, crowded and lively.Yang Hao walked all the way, looking at thin men and young women, wondering if Yu Luo would appear suddenly. On the side of the road, a few big men in traditional leather robes of the Khitan people were pushing small carts, buying vegetables and food.The Han people in the Khitan territory were initially inferior, and the Khitan people would get angry, killing people in the street was a common occurrence, but after several dynasties, facing the huge Han people, for the sake of domestic stability and development, the Khitan rulers gradually tightened the law. Don't talk about killing people in the street, relying on racial advantages to forcefully buy and sell Han people's goods, and those Khitan big men want to buy some cheap goods, and they have to bargain. The fat man in traditional Khitan clothes, but spoke the authentic northern dialect of the Central Plains, said: "Old boss Liu, we have taken care of your family's business, and the meals for hundreds of thousands of people in the prison are not at your disposal. Buy here, if your price is too expensive, then we have to find someone else." The vegetable vendor was a skinny old man with a wrinkled face and gray hair. He nodded and bowed to the fat man with a smile and said, "My lord, you often buy our products, so why don't Lao Liu give it to you?" Cheap price? But now that spring has just started, the price of this dish is high. If it is cheaper, the old man will lose money. My lord, the old man also has a wife and children to support, right? My son, congratulations, the prince is such a big happy event, and he still cares about these two small money with the old man? Come on, this bag of dried vegetables, I will treat you as an old man's filial piety, congratulations on getting a small gift from your precious son, this vegetable money , the prince raised his hand, but don’t tell the old man any more.” The man who was honored as the prince was short and fat, with a huge head on his almost invisible short neck. His face was round, his mouth was flat, and his eyes were narrow and long. As soon as the dough was ready, someone slapped the steamed buns like sesame seed cakes. When I smiled, all the lines were picked up. It was festive, no makeup, the whole baby of a Fuwa. Hearing the old man's words, Fuwa's eyes disappeared from laughter, and he said with a chuckle: "Old Liu, how fine is your abacus beading, do you think I don't know? Come on, see you are so good at talking, I won't argue with you, let's just pay this price, Wu Yan, give him the money." When the old head Liu heard this, he grinned and grinned: "Thank you, my lord, thank you, my lord. My lord is the chief prison officer in the sky prison. Those family members of the criminals, who doesn't honor you with gold and silver? How could they like me?" An ordinary person has ordinary knowledge. Hehe, you look like a Bodhisattva, and look at this blessing, you are the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha..." Wang Peng laughed and scolded: "Stop f*cking flattery, this time it's cheaper for you, when the fresh vegetables come out, you have to give me a little bit cheaper." As he spoke, he turned his head away with a smile, his gaze turned inadvertently, and suddenly he saw Yang Hao who was walking slowly towards this side accompanied by several guards. Like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, they trembled rustlingly. Old Liu was counting the money with a smile on his face, when he suddenly looked up and saw his expression, he couldn't help but be surprised and said: "Oh, my lord, you... what's wrong with you?" At this time, Yang Hao looked around and walked over, the fat man turned his head hastily, with tears streaming down his face, and said hoarsely with a choked voice: "It's nothing, the sand... blinded my eyes..."
From Yelu Zongheng's mouth, Yang Hao learned that King Qing's rebel army had continued to march westward, and Yelu Xiuge personally led the army to chase the main force of King Qing to the west.Knowing Yang Hao's identity, Yelu Zongheng didn't dare to neglect, and sent additional manpower to escort him all the way to Beijing. Yang Hao once heard Cui Dalang introduce the experience of Ji Si Tang, and heard some news from Lu Yisheng, and he has vaguely grasped the ins and outs of the Ding family's grievances. tool, that's why it ended up like this.He knew that although Ding Chengye deserved to die, but Ding Yu had been killing his flesh and blood brothers, he was always lonely and unhappy in his heart, thinking that if he told her the truth, he would be able to untie a burden in her heart. Along the way, with Yelu's heavy troops to protect him, Yang Hao was very peaceful, and no accidents happened again. After passing Guihua Prefecture, you will arrive at Tianling. When it was still under the rule of the Central Plains, it was called Cixiang Ridge.Ridge Township and Ridge stretch from east to west, with yellow clouds and white grass. If you look at it, you will not be exhausted. When you get here, people who travel far will feel at a loss. Thinking of the long distance between the world and the earth, I am sad and weep alone. But Yang Hao didn't have so many emotions, Guihuazhou and Cixiangling seemed to be at the ends of the earth, isn't it Zhangjiakou, where did he go, as for the sad wind and autumn.This time, he was going to pick up Dong'er, and he longed to fly to Khitan to go to the capital, so he didn't care about such a tiring journey. After walking on the vast grassland for another three or four days, we arrived at Heiyulin. Although Yang Hao didn’t feel how far this place was, the terrain at this time was quite different from that of later generations. It was not an endless grassland. It is barren mountains and remote mountains, sparsely populated, and there is not much difference from the desolate desert in later generations, but the feeling in my heart is still very different. Going further, it is the inclined valley, crossing the high cliffs and valleys that stretch for more than 50 miles, crossing the Huangshui, Heishui, and Musk Rivers. After walking for five or six days, they finally entered Shangjing, the capital of Khitan. Yang Hao began to feel a little anxious when he arrived here. On the one hand, he was unavoidably anxious because he would see Dong'er soon. On the other hand, he had not contacted Dong'er so far. Er, Dong'er didn't know that Yang Hao was Ding Hao, and when he saw him suddenly, he would inevitably show his feet. Although this is not a shady identity, and it will not lead to any fatal disaster, but once Xiao Hou knows the identity between them, it is fine if she is willing to let them go, otherwise her plan to steal people will definitely be difficult. Shi Xing, as long as Dong'er loses her whereabouts, she will be the first to be the target of suspicion, how can she take her away? But it was useless for him to be anxious. He was protected by the Khitan people along the way, and his every move was under their surveillance. If he suddenly sent a person to go alone to look for Yuluo, they would definitely arouse their suspicion. He is not sure whether he will see Dong'er or not. When we arrived near Shangjing, the population gradually became denser, and the town became more prosperous. When we entered Shangjing, the market became more prosperous.There are houses everywhere, but there are also tents. The buildings here have concentrated the original characteristics of the Khitan people and the characteristics of the Central Plains after they settled down, and they are full of exotic flavor. There is also a square market here, just like Bianliang in the Central Plains, with a dense population and a large number of merchants. Khitan warriors and scholars in Hanfu walk on the streets, sumo wrestlers and jugglers perform hard in the Goulan to attract customers, monks, nuns, Taoist priests also shuttled among the pedestrians. Since the founding of the Khitan state, they have minted money, but bartering with cloth as currency is still the mainstream of inter-market transactions. To make up for the lack of currency circulation, and the value preservation effect of silk and cloth is more obvious than that of currency. Fortunately, after entering the capital, the Honglu Temple and the Courtyard came to greet them, and the envoys from the Song Dynasty discovered that the official system and etiquette of the Khitan people were basically the same as those of the Central Plains, and they were not barbarians without ignorance of etiquette. They did not bring Yang Hao into the palace right away, but went to the Courtyard first. What surprised Yang Hao and other envoys from the Central Plains was that there were envoys sent by the Khitan Emperor in front of the Courtyard to "welcome labor" with bundles of silk. It is generally the same as the Central Plains. Now living in the Concierge Courtyard, Khitan General Shi Sheren and Yang Hao sat opposite each other with a smile, and said: "Your envoy has come from far away, and the journey has been hard. Today, let's take a day off. Tomorrow, the Japanese officials will come to welcome your envoy into the palace. My emperor Occasionally contracting minor ailments and feeling unwell, the empress will receive the envoy." This Khitan official Sheren is a Han Chinese, surnamed Mo and given name Shuihen.Because the Khitan people admired Han culture, and the upper class prided themselves on being proficient in Chinese, he naturally did not let go of his mother tongue, so even though he had settled in Shangjing since his grandfather's generation, his Chinese was still well-spoken. Seeing that he did not enter the palace right away, Yang Hao calmed down a little, smiled and cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Mr. Mo. Yang has been escorted and taken care of by your country during his journey. There is no lack of it. , always bathe and change clothes to show grandeur, then enter the palace tomorrow to submit credentials." The people of Moshe laughed and said, "That's very good, then I will first talk about the interview with the noble envoy tomorrow, so as not to make mistakes in the busy schedule and lose etiquette." "There is Mr. Laumer." Mo Hen coughed and said: "Early tomorrow morning, I will come to welcome your lord, guide you through the Chengtian Gate, and wait outside the Wufeng Building. The envoy's entourage will hold coins, jade and 'Tingshi' tributes. The drums and music will be played together, and the queen will be promoted The imperial seat, facing south and facing north, received the noble envoy. The noble envoy ascended the tower, and my lord bowed to the empress. In front of you, the noble envoy submits the letter of credence, and the servant puts the letter of credence in the case and submits it to the queen. The honorable envoy then delivers the tribute to the ceremonial officer, and leads the entourage to salute again. After the audience, the honorable person and his entourage salute and exit, and return to the protocol guests Courtyard. The next day, my queen will hold a state banquet again, and invite your envoys..." When Yang Hao heard Luo Dong'er read out the book and announced the order, he couldn't help being excited: "Dong'er, my little Dong'er, you have suffered so much for me, the official is here, the official is here to pick you up, We will never be separated again..." After Mo Sheren finished speaking, he saw Yang Hao's strange smile, as if he was lost in thought, and couldn't help being puzzled. He coughed and asked, "Master Yang, do you understand everything about this arrangement?" "Understood, I understand," Yang Hao nodded frequently, elated: "My lord said that I saluted the empress of your country, and then Lord Luo, the official of the Sixth Palace of your country, announced the book, haha, yes, what else are you talking about?" coming?" Mr. Mo raised his cup to drink tea just now, he almost choked his throat after hearing this question, he coughed for a long time, then blushed and said: "I said, tomorrow morning, I will come to greet you , Your Excellency wears formal attire, and I lead you through the Chengtian Gate, waiting outside the Wufeng Building. The envoy's entourage holds coins, jade and "Tingshi" tributes. The drums and music are played in unison, and the empress ascends to the throne, facing south and facing north, to receive the noble envoy. Your envoy goes upstairs..." He said it again in detail and asked, "Does your envoy remember everything?" Yang Hao had spent a long time in Honglu Temple, so he understood these etiquettes. He thought about it carefully and said, "The empress of your country sits facing south and facing north, so the envoy is going to worship north?" Master Mo smiled and said, "What's wrong with that?" Yang Hao said: "Naturally, it is not appropriate. The minister of a big country is just like the king of a small country. How can I, an envoy from the Central Plains, treat the queen of your country as a minister? This should be compared with when this envoy went to Jiangnan and handed over the letter of state. The lords of your country, one east and one west, stand facing each other, and it is only right to present the letter of credence." The people of Moshe suddenly said: "Master Yang, how is this possible? My emperor is not a vassal of your country, and the two countries are equal countries. How can the king stand opposite you? Such a request is too unimaginable. Master Yang, we He is also a Han, and he knows what the people of the Central Plains think. The center of the world, the kingdom of Huanghuang, and barbarians everywhere, isn’t this arrogant? The China of the past is the same as the China of today, but the Sibari of the past are no longer the Khitan of today. Our country has been established for a long time, and it is no longer the barbaric tribe that herded horses and herded sheep in the past. Speaking of the vastness of the territory and the strength of the country, it is even more powerful than the Central Plains. Does your envoy think that this request is too much?" He smiled slightly, and said again: "Speaking of which, at the beginning Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself a son and a vassal to my Khitan, and begged my lord to send troops to help him get the throne. Half of it was called emperor, which was the Han Dynasty. After that, Guo Wei, the Tianxiong Jiedushi of the Han Dynasty, split the land and established the country, which was called Zhou. After that, the emperor of your country won the country and called it Song. To narrate the origin, It is not an exaggeration for our country to treat each other with the courtesy of a vassal, but now it is not enough to treat foreign envoys with hospitality?" The old master Confucius once said, "It is better for barbarians to have kings than to have none in Xia." The literati and bureaucrats of the past dynasties really thought so, but the era of Confucius was indeed when China was powerful, and the barbarians didn't even understand slash-and-burn farming. Like a group of savages, with no sign of civilization at all, there is nothing wrong with saying that. However, times have changed, and it must be faced squarely that they are gradually becoming stronger, and from time to time, foreign races enter the Central Plains.The old master Confucius once said, "It is better for Yi and Di to have a king than for all Xia to have none." A little bit at a loss, the master said to be good at barbarians, and also said to respect the king.Now that the barbarians have become kings, should they honor the king or reject the barbarians?Who is the most important of the two? If another envoy came, I'm afraid they would fight head-on over this issue, insisting that Khitan regard Song as the orthodox state and treat it as a superior state, but Yang Hao, a latecomer, did not have such shackles in his heart.Not to mention that the Khitan regime is not weaker than the Song Dynasty now, even if it is a small and weak country, he thinks that it should be treated equally, instead of arrogating to the Celestial Dynasty, asking for some benefits in etiquette, but appeasing others with huge economic benefits. What's more, this world is not a round place, we are the only ones, and we are not the only ones in the great empire.Not to mention, after thousands of years of development, the first powerful Khitan regime that is close at hand and can compete with the Central Plains Huaxia Empire has emerged. Today's Khitan is no longer a tribal alliance like the Huns and Turks. They are already a powerful country, and their culture, administration, territory, and governance are all on track. Moreover, the Central Plains has gone through more than a hundred years of wars, so that the influence of the Central Plains in Asia and Europe is far less than that of Khitan. It is impossible for the subject to claim itself.It is rational behavior to face up to other countries and treat them equally. Yang Hao first made a request that the other party would never agree to, but he just wanted to make it easier for them to agree to the next bargaining.So he pretended to be embarrassed and thought about it, and then he said: "Master Mo's words are also reasonable, and the emissary did not mean to belittle your country. However, the empress of your country was promoted to the throne, and when the envoy had an audience, she would also be the bell." Drums beating together, ceremonies and music are played to welcome each other. This is a salute to the ambassador of a great country, and it must never be discarded." Mo Sheren thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "This makes me." Yang Hao said again: "Although this envoy is a foreign minister, he is visiting the emperor on behalf of me. The foreign minister is sitting in a ceremony, and is talking to the empress of your country on behalf of the emperor of our country. How can you bow down at the bottom of the steps? Set up a seat to treat each other, this envoy will sit down and have a conversation with Your Majesty the Empress." Before Momohen greeted him, he had consulted the queen face to face about the reception specifications and etiquette.Since ancient times, the Central Plains has been self-respecting, and respecting China as orthodox has become a habit for the four barren countries. Although Khitan has become a powerful country today, it wants to seek the dignity and national dignity of a country, but it can do it They are complacent when they are on the same level as the Central Plains. After all, it is not so easy to catch up with the five thousand years of cultural heritage in the Central Plains. The Siyi countries still have deep respect, inferiority and awe for the Central Plains culture. Empress Xiao had also carefully instructed him about the idea of suppressing Song Guo. Mo Sheren is also an experienced negotiator, pretending to be in a dilemma for a long time, he said: "Okay, I will report this matter to your empress as soon as possible, and ask your empress to make a decision. I will definitely try my best to make your empress agree to the conditions of your envoy. Hehe, Yang My lord, don't ask for any other conditions, or I will be really embarrassed." Yang Hao laughed and said: "That's natural. You and I have established diplomatic relations. This time, this envoy also has the purpose of peace. It's not just to provoke disputes with your country. Okay, just these two, The envoys go up and down the hall, and they should greet each other with joy like the monarch of your country. When talking in the hall, they should sit for the envoy. For the rest, there is nothing else. Oh, yes, the envoy is here, Seeing that the capital of your country is very prosperous, department stores are piled up like a mountain, and there are countless rare treasures, if you want to go for a walk in the street, is it convenient?" Seeing that he didn't make any other requests, the people of Moshe secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and when they heard that he was going to go shopping, they hurriedly said: "Please come, please, please, do you need me to send someone to accompany you?" Yang Hao smiled and said: "No need, I came all the way here, and it's rare to see many foreign objects that I have never seen in the Central Plains. I just want to buy some and send them back to my friends and colleagues. It's better to be casual." After seeing off the Moshe people, Yang Hao, Zhang Tongzhou and others had a bite to eat, and then took a few trusted guards to the street.He expected that Yuluo must have heard about the news that he had arrived in Shangjing, and only by finding a chance to leave the posthouse would she have the chance to meet him. Yang Hao went to the street and walked to the lively street.Shangjing is divided into the North City and the South City. Most of the people living in the North City are Khitan people, while the people living in the South City are mostly Han people.Although the palaces and pavilions in the Han Chinese settlements are not as splendid as the imperial capitals like Kaifeng and Jinling, they are still much better than many small cities. As for Beicheng, it was the settlement of the Khitan people and the royal family.Compared with the south city, the north city is more beautiful. The imperial city is divided into inside and outside. Even in the inner city, there are many open spaces specially used to build felt tents. , the royal family should also check in from time to time, so as not to forget their roots. Therefore, their imperial city is very different from the imperial city in the Central Plains. There is no high palace wall at all, and the boundary between the inner city and the outer city is just an invisible boundary. There is not a single fence, and the territory of others that should not be set foot will never step a step. The Concierge Courtyard where Yang Hao lived was actually very close to the imperial palace. He wanted to find Yuluo, but he went to Nancheng where the Han people lived.Seoul is not a refugee area. On the contrary, it is the most prosperous place in Beijing. There are many shops in Seoul, fine wine, silk, vegetables and fruits, food, tools and all kinds of rare goods are sold, and there is also a "night market" here. Usually, many Khitan royal families and nobles will wear Hanfu and go shopping here. Even the sleeping king who was assassinated by Empress Xiao’s father Xiao Siwen used to wear Hanfu to drink and watch the market here. He didn't return to the palace until he was very drunk. In the street market, jade beads, rhino horns, frankincense, amber, glass, agate, and weapons are all for sale, as well as silverware from Japan, ginseng from Korea, mink fur from Jurchen, and honey, pine nuts, and dried mushrooms sold by hunters, etc. Wait, crowded and lively.Yang Hao walked all the way, looking at thin men and young women, wondering if Yu Luo would appear suddenly. On the side of the road, a few big men in traditional leather robes of the Khitan people were pushing small carts, buying vegetables and food.The Han people in the Khitan territory were initially inferior, and the Khitan people would get angry, killing people in the street was a common occurrence, but after several dynasties, facing the huge Han people, for the sake of domestic stability and development, the Khitan rulers gradually tightened the law. Don't talk about killing people in the street, relying on racial advantages to forcefully buy and sell Han people's goods, and those Khitan big men want to buy some cheap goods, and they have to bargain. The fat man in traditional Khitan clothes, but spoke the authentic northern dialect of the Central Plains, said: "Old boss Liu, we have taken care of your family's business, and the meals for hundreds of thousands of people in the prison are not at your disposal. Buy here, if your price is too expensive, then we have to find someone else." The vegetable vendor was a skinny old man with a wrinkled face and gray hair. He nodded and bowed to the fat man with a smile and said, "My lord, you often buy our products, so why don't Lao Liu give it to you?" Cheap price? But now that spring has just started, the price of this dish is high. If it is cheaper, the old man will lose money. My lord, the old man also has a wife and children to support, right? My son, congratulations, the prince is such a big happy event, and he still cares about these two small money with the old man? Come on, this bag of dried vegetables, I will treat you as an old man's filial piety, congratulations on getting a small gift from your precious son, this vegetable money , the prince raised his hand, but don’t tell the old man any more.” The man who was honored as the prince was short and fat, with a huge head on his almost invisible short neck. His face was round, his mouth was flat, and his eyes were narrow and long. As soon as the dough was ready, someone slapped the steamed buns like sesame seed cakes. When I smiled, all the lines were picked up. It was festive, no makeup, the whole baby of a Fuwa. Hearing the old man's words, Fuwa's eyes disappeared from laughter, and he said with a chuckle: "Old Liu, how fine is your abacus beading, do you think I don't know? Come on, see you are so good at talking, I won't argue with you, let's just pay this price, Wu Yan, give him the money." When the old head Liu heard this, he grinned and grinned: "Thank you, my lord, thank you, my lord. My lord is the chief prison officer in the sky prison. Those family members of the criminals, who doesn't honor you with gold and silver? How could they like me?" An ordinary person has ordinary knowledge. Hehe, you look like a Bodhisattva, and look at this blessing, you are the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha..." Wang Peng laughed and scolded: "Stop f*cking flattery, this time it's cheaper for you, when the fresh vegetables come out, you have to give me a little bit cheaper." As he spoke, he turned his head away with a smile, his gaze turned inadvertently, and suddenly he saw Yang Hao who was walking slowly towards this side accompanied by several guards. Like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, they trembled rustlingly. Old Liu was counting the money with a smile on his face, when he suddenly looked up and saw his expression, he couldn't help but be surprised and said: "Oh, my lord, you... what's wrong with you?" At this time, Yang Hao looked around and walked over, the fat man turned his head hastily, with tears streaming down his face, and said hoarsely with a choked voice: "It's nothing, the sand... blinded my eyes..."