After entering the boundaries of Gyeonggi Province, the scenery is very different from before. Not only the number of villages and towns along the road has increased greatly, but the official road has also been widened a lot, which is enough to allow five or six large vehicles and horses to run parallelly. It is also very different from the main roads of the city a thousand years later. Coupled with the increasing number of pedestrians, Sun Tu and the others did not even have to worry about wild beasts coming out at night and could make the journey at night.
As a result, their journey was much faster than before. In a few days, they had passed Changyuan, Fengqiu and other places, and arrived at Chenqiao Town, which played a decisive role in the history of the Song Dynasty.
Just over a hundred years ago, Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin was forced to wear a yellow robe here by his soldiers. He transformed from a courtier in the Later Zhou Dynasty to the founding king of the Song Dynasty, thus creating this centuries-long empire. Zhao and Song dynasties.
Now a hundred years have passed in a blink of an eye. The monarchs and ministers who started the uprising here have all turned into a pile of loess, but Chenqiaoyi remains the same. Many people who have passed by can't help but stop here to remember and whisper about those old events. .
Sun Tu and his donkey cart also stopped briefly in front of the inn that covers an area of several acres. He also told this story to Ya'er, which made the little girl a little surprised: "There is actually such a thing. Something? But third brother, how do you know these stories? "
"Well, of course I heard it from others." Sun Tu then remembered that the original Sun Sanlang was not a knowledgeable person, so he casually brushed it off. They didn't stay here too long, because Bianjing City was still half a day's journey away, and it was getting late.
Hurrying slowly, they finally arrived at Bianliang City in time before sunset. At this time, the setting sun shines on the towering city wall, as if it has been coated with a layer of golden light, which is dazzling.
Ya'er poked her head out of the car curiously. When she saw the city wall, which was more than five feet high, she couldn't help but admired from the bottom of her heart: "The capital is so tall and big..." Yes, all the way with them. Compared with the ordinary prefectures and counties that I passed through, this towering city wall alone is enough to make people marvel, because the walls of small counties like Yuncheng County are only more than ten feet high, which is really far behind in comparison. .
In fact, it was even worse than that. The capital of the Song Dynasty had a circumference of more than fifty miles, and there were more than a million soldiers and civilians in the city. You must know that the current population in the world is only tens of millions, and a city can actually accommodate more than one million people. It goes without saying that it is prosperous. Chang'an City in the prosperous Tang Dynasty can be compared with Kaifeng.
However, all this did not surprise Sun Tu too much. After all, coming from a thousand years later, he was used to seeing all kinds of tall buildings, city walls five feet high, and a wide moat with a width of thirty steps in front of him, and it did not make him lose his composure. , only raised his head slightly to look at the sky, and then followed the line of pedestrians in front of him to the city gate.
Naturally, there were soldiers guarding the city gate, but they did not carefully check the things brought by various people as expected. As long as the people were not bringing large quantities of goods into the city, they had no intention of stopping them, and even the city did not want to stop them. The gate tax is only twenty coins.
This is the spirit of the Song Dynasty. In later generations of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties, apart from officials' cars and sedans, ordinary people who wanted to enter or leave the city gates would be carefully searched to prevent any prohibited items from being hidden. But Kaifeng City does not have such cumbersome things at all, and welcomes every citizen who comes here with an open and inclusive attitude.
This may be the reason why the Song Dynasty was able to create wealth far exceeding that of the two dynasties with a land far smaller than the later Ming and Qing Dynasties - mercantile and open!
Although Sun Tu didn't have such profound thoughts, after entering this first city in the world, he still clearly felt its prosperous and free atmosphere.
Passing through the city gate is a long and wide street that extends as far as the eye can see. People of all kinds walked on the street, their pace may be fast or slow, but their expressions were full of pride and joy. On both sides of the street, there are many shops and restaurants, and customers come and go from time to time.
People did not rush home because the sky was getting dark, but continued with their daily lives. When all these things fell into his eyes, Sun Tu felt that he had traveled back to an era thousands of years later, and it also made him feel as if he was in the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".
By the way, if I remember well, that famous painting that has survived through the ages also depicts the people and scenery of Bianjing City in the late Northern Song Dynasty!
At this time, Ya'er, like many other pedestrians who had also entered Bianjing City for the first time, was completely shocked by the prosperous and majestic capital city in front of her, and could not recover for a long time.
On the way to Tokyo, the little girl imagined more than once what the imperial capital looked like and how luxurious and prosperous it was. But it was impossible for her little mind to describe the bustling city of Bianjing in front of her. Just the sight of pedestrians walking shoulder to shoulder on the street left her stunned.
And when she looked up into the distance again and saw the magnificent colorful buildings erected in front of the inner city gate, she exclaimed again: "What a tall building. Third brother, where is that place?" ?”
This time, Sun Tu was also stumped. As a time traveler, he was not omniscient and omnipotent. Fortunately, someone nearby quickly helped him out: "Little girl, that's a famous place in Tokyo called Fan Tower."
"So that's Fan Tower." Sun Tu nodded secretly. He had mentioned the name of this No. 1 building in the world from many people before. This is the largest gold-selling cave in the entire Bianjing City, whether it is fine wine or fine wine. Beauty, all kinds of tricks, whatever people of this era can come up with, Fanlouli can provide it.
After thanking this enthusiastic person for his advice, Sun Tu asked him about an important matter: "I dare to ask this uncle where is the most convenient place to stay in Tokyo." Finding a place to stay is now. top priority.
This man was easy to talk to, so he took the trouble to point out: "There are dozens of large and small inns and posthouses in Bianjing City. If you want to be good, Fanlou and the few main restaurants nearby can accommodate guests. Check in. If you want to save some money, the foot shop over there is also good." As he spoke, he pointed to the left and right.
Only then did Sun Tu realize that Bianliang City was indeed as prosperous as later generations. There were no less than ten hotels and inns in the Dongcheng area alone, which could accommodate travelers of all identities.
Although his luggage is quite rich now, and he still has no less than a hundred taels of silver and more than ten copper coins when he gets here, but thinking that this is the foothold of the emperor after all, and the prices of things must be higher than elsewhere, Sun Tu did not choose to watch. If you want a luxurious main store, go straight to a foot shop hidden in an alley.
Although this store is not as good as the regular stores around it, the environment and service are quite good. After seeing Sun Tu, the clerk immediately came up to ask about his needs. After knowing their origins, they prepared a relatively quiet guest room for them. According to Sun Tu's request, it was a suite with two beds inside and outside.
When inviting them into the guest room, the waiter took another look at the donkey drive parked in front of the door: "Guest, if you want to park the donkey and the donkey in the shop, we will naturally help take care of it, but the fodder will cost extra. But In my humble opinion, if you are going to stay in Beijing for a while but still go to Xiangguo Temple or Dongshi to sell it. When you are about to leave, buy a new one, which will save you a lot. Where’s the money?”
Sun Tu nodded and thanked this person for the reminder, but he couldn't make up his mind at the moment. After all, he came to Tokyo to pay the taxes in Yuncheng County. As long as the matter was completed and he got the receipt, he could go back.
But he didn't know that a seemingly simple thing would often turn out to be extremely complicated. As long as he is dealing with the government, various names and rules will fall on him, which ordinary people like him cannot predict and resist.
But at least tonight, after successfully arriving at Bianjing City, Sun Tu could finally rest peacefully for the night.
Also at the same evening, a tall, rough man, more than eight feet tall, with a bald head and a bearded face, strode into Tokyo from the west carrying a Zen staff.
This day is the seventh year of Zhenghe in the Song Dynasty, the fourth day of June!
&&&&&
It's not easy to live in the capital, so all book friends, please count the votes and collect them as Sun Tu's expense. . . . .