Chapter 79 Wu

The Marco family settled down in China.The Polo brothers chose Yangzhou as their residence because it resembled their hometown, Venice, the city of water.Marco returned to Dadu with Kublai Khan and studied Chinese language and culture at the Imperial Academy.Kublai Khan did not misunderstand the person, and Marco was indeed smart. In less than a year, he mastered Mongolian and Chinese proficiently, to the extent that he could not only talk and communicate with people fluently, but also read without effort. All Mongolian and Chinese classics.Kublai Khan was satisfied with Marco's rapid progress. As a reward, he fulfilled his promise and sent real gold to accompany Marco to visit Shangdu.

Zhen Jin and Ma Ke came to Shangdu in August, the most beautiful season of the golden autumn grassland. The slightly humid air is filled with the faint scent of wild flowers and weeds, which is a strange and warm feeling, as if you are on the bank of the river passing through the city of Venice, the water city, and the breath of water plants blowing through the water surface with the wind It may be a bit salty, but it is a unique gift from nature, which makes people feel refreshed.Marco stretched his arms hard, took a deep breath of fresh air, and then let it out gently.At this moment, probably because of intoxication and longing, his blue eyes sparkled.Zhen Jin walked side by side with him, looking at him with a smile.To be honest, Zhenjin likes Marco very much. This blond and blue-eyed young man has first-class understanding. Since he came to Dadu, he quickly learned how to ride horses, wrestle, and archery. No less than the Mongolians who were born and raised on the grasslands.Not only that, under the careful guidance of Guozi Jijiu Xu Heng, Ma Ke quickly mastered the use of Mongolian and Chinese, especially Mongolian. His spoken language is so fluent that others can hardly hear any foreign accent.

The mounts of the two were parallel on the green grass like a blanket, calm and light.The soft morning breeze carried the scent of wild flowers and brushed over the tip of the nasturtium. Immediately, the sea of ​​flowers set off waves and rushed forward row by row.The Lightning River right in front of us is clear and emerald green. Under the sunlight, it looks like a ribbon covered with colorful gemstones, shining brightly and drifting away. "It turns out that this is the Golden Lotus River, and this is the Golden Lotus Flower. It was recorded in the book, and the text is so beautiful that it makes people think about it. I have to think about it. How did you say it? By the way, it's like this: Nasturtium, the color of the flower is golden, with seven petals surrounding its heart. There are several flowers on one stem, which are as small as lotus. When the nasturtium is in full bloom, you can see all over the field, with brilliant light and color, dancing with the wind, like golden waves. In autumn, the flowers dry but do not fall. The seeds are like corn and black. Its leaves are green, thin and long, with five or seven points. The taste is very cool. Drinking it with tea can cure fire diseases. This is this text, I like it, so I specially memorized it This time, I really saw the Jinlian River that I have been longing for for a long time. I must pick more nasturtiums back, dry them and save them, and make tea as described in the book. Wait for a day When I return to Venice, I will pick more and distribute them to my relatives and friends. It’s a pity that I’m not good at fine brushwork, otherwise if I draw the beautiful scenery in front of me, wouldn’t I be able to accompany the beautiful Jinlian River wherever I go.”

Zhenjin smiled slightly. "Prince." "Ok?" "I feel honored." "why?" "His Majesty the Emperor actually asked you to accompany me on a tour of the capital. I can't imagine that a majestic king of a country like His Majesty, who has the wealth of the world and enjoys visiting from all directions, would be so amiable and approachable! , we only heard that there was a giant in the east named Genghis Khan, and he wanted to turn all the places his horses hooves stepped on into his territory. Later, when Batu Khan started to attack Europe, we also thought he was Genghis Khan, even the current emperor. , we still thought he was still Genghis Khan. It was not until my father and uncle returned to Venice that I knew many things about the mysterious Great Eastern Empire for the first time. My father and uncle brought back many rare treasures, which dazzled and amazed people, However, when they mentioned the burning black stone and the vast territory and wealth in the east, everyone stubbornly refused to believe it. Maybe my father and uncle didn't need others to believe them. They returned to their hometown with the mission of His Majesty the Emperor. The most urgent task at the moment is to present His Majesty the Emperor’s autographed letter to His Majesty the Pope. But when I witnessed everything I saw, I felt a strong sense of mission. Introduce what the country has seen and heard to people in Europe and the world. People living in different regions should understand each other instead of hating each other. Before that, of course, I have to travel and learn constantly, as Mr. Xu said That way, thick accumulation and thin hair. Am I right? Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

"You speak very well, Marco. It's rare that you have such a heart at such a young age. I will definitely help you with all my strength." "You are already doing this. Your Highness, are we going to enter Kaiping City?" "Yes. Marco, what do you know about Kaiping City?" "Before I came to Shangdu, Mr. Xu gave me a detailed introduction to the construction of Kaiping City. Mr. Xu told me that at the beginning of the construction of Kaiping City, His Majesty the Emperor was still a vassal. He was ordered to stay in Jinlianchuan. In order to meet the needs of the development of the situation, he decided to accept the suggestions of his courtiers and build a city in Longgang. In this way, his courtiers who have followed him for many years but have always been accustomed to living in a settled life will feel more at home. , At the same time, it is also beneficial for His Majesty to adopt and promote Han law according to his ideas. As for why His Majesty chose Longgang as the site of Kaiping Mansion, Mr. Xu told me that it is because Longgang is close to Nanping Mountain in the north. , facing Jinlian River in the south, and boundless vast grasslands to the east and west, the terrain is flat and suitable for building a city."

Marco was beaming with joy, talking eloquently, while talking, subconsciously untied the collar of his robe with his hands.He felt a little hot, and a blush appeared on his fair face, with a nice pink color from the tip of his nose to his cheeks.For his superior memory, Zhen Jin greatly appreciated it. "I remember correctly, and what I said is correct. Mr. Xu Heng must be very pleased to have accepted such an outstanding student as you. After entering the city in a while, I will take you to eat various snacks in Kaiping City. In the evening, we will rest in the Crystal Palace. It's very cool there, and it's always been called "Who knows the Sanfu Festival in the world, and the Crystal Palace is very autumn". Presumably you have heard Mr. Xu's introduction?"

"yes." "According to Father Khan's arrangement, we will stay in Kaiping City for seven days and then return to Dadu. You have to tell Father Khan your feelings about Kaiping Mansion and the way along the way. He would like to hear a foreigner's views and thoughts on China. To be honest, Father Khan has always valued you, and I'm afraid he will appoint you to go to more and farther places in the future." "Then I can't wish for it. Your Royal Highness, I want to know, after returning to the capital city, can you continue to accompany me on tour?"

"You have been Mr. Xu's disciple in the metropolis for a year, is there any place you haven't been to?" "To tell you the truth, His Royal Highness, I can only go out when Mr. Xu is not watching closely, but the metropolis is too big. I often take repeated routes, and I haven't even walked half of the places. Chinese dynasties and dynasties Among the emperors, His Majesty the Emperor was the first to establish the two-capital tour system, and this is probably the reason why His Majesty the Emperor asked me to learn about Kaiping City in Shangdu. Then, I think, since His Majesty the Emperor has high hopes for me, Your Highness, you must also have the responsibility to satisfy my thirst for knowledge that exists in both Shangdu and Dadu."

Zhen Jin patted his forehead with his hand, hiding the smile in his eyes.For Marco's almost shameless request, he seemed to have no other choice but to agree. "Forget it, since you are so persistent, I might as well invite an expert to accompany us to visit the Metropolis. With him, it will be easier for you to understand the cultural essence embodied in the design of the Metropolis." "May I ask His Highness who this person is?" "Zhang Honglue. Speaking of Honglue, I would like to say a few more words. Honglue's father, Marshal Zhang Rou, and the current prime minister, Shi Tianze, were both the founding heroes of my great-grandfather Genghis Khan. They have been loyal to the country through five dynasties. My father Khan has always trusted and loved them, and they have always held important positions in the court. Honglue is the eighth son of Marshal Zhang, and Hongfan, the ninth son, is a military prodigy. When Marshal Zhang passed away, he gave the saber to Hongfan, I hope that his son will one day lead the army to destroy the Song Dynasty and fulfill his unfulfilled ambition of unifying the world. Brothers Honglue and Hongfan, both literary and military, complement each other. By the way, you have seen Honglue before. Hongfan Shang On the southern front, I will definitely introduce you to him when I have a chance in the future."

"I've heard of them a long time ago. There are also Marshal Boyan, General Ashu, and Mr. An Tong who became the prime minister of the Central Government at the age of seventeen. I often hear Mr. Xu talk about these people. They must all be Are you a friend of His Highness?" "Yes. It's an honor to be friends with them." "They must feel that they are lucky to be friends with you. Just like me, I am a foreigner who looks different from you, but you regard me as your brother. I remember the first time I saw you When you were there, I was thinking, to know you, to meet His Majesty the Emperor, my life is already worth it. Prince, look quickly, what is that?"

Zhen Jin looked in the direction of Marco's finger and smiled: "I'll take you to see it, follow me." At the foot of the mountain in the hinterland of the western grassland of Shangdu City, a huge palace tent was hidden among the green grass and green trees, with the breeze passing by.This is a circular building.The upper and lower floors are covered with fine white felt, the middle is woven with wicker for window lighting, and more than a thousand ropes are drawn around it. The doors, sills, and pillars are all wrapped in gold. Marco and Zhenjin got permission from the tent guards, tied their horses to the stakes in front of the palace tent, and then approached the palace tent on foot. "Is this the palace tent that will never be dismantled?" Marco's voice was full of wonder. "yes." "It's so beautiful! I've heard my father and uncle tell me about it, but it's still bigger and more magnificent than I imagined. I heard from my father that it's more than enough to accommodate more than two thousand people for a banquet! It's Was it really made of colored brocade?" "Yes. You can feel it by touching it with your hands. Marco, what association do you have when you see this white and blue pattern outside?" "I think this inspiration must come from the revelation of the blue sky and white clouds?" With a feeling of pilgrimage, Ma Ke followed Zhen Jin into the palace tent. It turns out that the yurt is also a kind of art.The felt on the top of the palace tent is decorated with eye-catching traditional cloud patterns and various variations of pangu patterns. On the red or blue brocade, various patterns are embroidered in the form of appliqués, which can be seen from afar. Eye-catching and crisp.The upper part of the curtain is painted with a unified pattern, which is smooth, flexible, clean and elegant.The wooden grid of the tent door is composed of different geometric figures, and those protruding parts are drawn with symmetrical cloud patterns and Shou character patterns.The middle and four corners are embroidered with group shapes and corner patterns, and the exquisite door curtain embroidery matches the decoration on the top of the tent, forming a very beautiful and magnificent felt tent art. "It's so beautiful!" Marco sighed loudly as if he was insane.