The distance from Xining City to Qingtang Zongge City is not long, but the road is very difficult.
In order to avoid mountains and ravines.
The group walked along the Huangshui River to the northwest, passed Miaochuan City and Zhilong City, and walked for five days before reaching the capital of Qingtang, Zonggecheng.
During the Han and Tang Dynasties, traveling to Shazhou didn't need to be so troublesome.
During the Han and Tang Dynasties, you left Qinfeng Road, followed Wuwei and Zhangye to the northwest, exited Yumenguan, and then walked westward for a while to reach Shazhou.
Unfortunately, this road is now controlled by Xixia.
If Kou Ji and his party wanted to enter Shazhou, they had to borrow Qingtang, cross Qinghai Lake, and cross Huangtouhuihe to reach Shazhou.
The journey is more than half, and it is very difficult.
When Kou Ji and his party arrived in Zongge City.
Qingtang Zanpu Cape Siluo, led Qingtang's ministers and workers, slowly walked out of Zongge City and greeted him for nearly six miles.
Kou Ji looked at Zonggecheng carefully across a long distance.
Zonggecheng is the largest city in Qingtang.
The wall is two feet high.
Both the length and the width have reached the scale of the inner city of Bianjing.
Except for the city walls built with bricks and stones, most of the buildings in the city are rammed with loess.
There are round and square, and many flat tops.
Very characteristic of the Western Regions.
Many people gathered on the avenue leading to the city.
There are many camel horses, each carrying goods.
Among the crowd, Kou Jiyin also saw many believers with distinctive clothes.
Those figures are also very common in the Song Dynasty, but they are far less numerous than those in Zonggecheng.
In the eyes of most Song people, the Western Regions are the land of bitter cold.
The people of the Western Regions live in tents, and everyone is nomadic.
Fighting endlessly, chaos.
This is not the case.
There are cities in the Western Regions.
There are many cities.
Some were built by the people of the Western Regions themselves, and some were left over from the Han and Tang Dynasties.
Many people from the Western Regions live in it.
Kou Ji looked at Qingtang City from a distance with a lot of emotion. Liu Heng walked up to him slowly and said in a low voice: "Qingtang Zanpu Cape Siluo, six miles outside Qingtang City, waiting for me."
Kou Ji retracted his gaze, and instructed the guard leader beside him: "Order people to hold the honor guard..."
Qingtang Zanpu Cape Siluo, welcoming Liuli personally, naturally was not to welcome Kou Ji.
But to welcome the identity represented by Kou Ji.
Although the officials who have been granted the title by the Song Dynasty court, Kou Jike Qingtang Zanpu Cape Siluo is equal.
But because he is the master of the first episode, and he doesn't have any deep friendship with Kou Ji, how can he welcome him personally.
The leader of the patrol guard led the people to open up the honor guard given to Kou Ji by Zhao Zhen.
Kou Ji took off his armor and put on his official uniform. With the sword of the emperor hanging on his waist, he led a horse guard, three thousand Japanese soldiers, and sixty thousand civilians, and escorted the food cart. Under the guidance of An Ziluo, he straddled the horse to Qingtang Six miles outside the city.
As he approached Qingtang Zamp Cape Siluo, Kou Ji took a close look at him.
A thin and tall middle-aged man, wearing a wide Tubo costume, wearing a round-bottomed pointed hat with a lot of gems, looks very precious, with a handle on the waist symbolizing identity Golden knife.
Eagle eyes, eagle hooked nose, and beard with two-handed back patterns are very eye-catching.
When Kou Ji and his party approached.
Jiao Siluo hammered his chest with one hand and bowed respectfully, "Qingtang Zanpu Jiao Siluo, welcome the heavenly envoy..."
Jiao Si Luo's Chinese language is not standard, and it sounds a little awkward.
But Kou Ji could barely understand what he meant.
Behind Jiao Si Luo, the civil and military men in Qingtang bent down unwillingly.
Kou Ji straddled his horse and smiled indifferently: "The general does not need to be polite."
Jiao Si Luo slowly got up.
Kou Ji stretched out his hand.
Liu Heng handed a scroll of imperial decree to Kou Ji's hand.
Kou Ji picked up the imperial edict and said loudly: "Jiao Si Luo listens to the edict..."
Jiao Siluo learned from Song Chen's appearance and bowed his hands to salute, "Chen Siluo, listen to the decree..."
Kou Ji launched the imperial edict, "The edict said..."
The imperial edict is full of thousands of words.
Kou Ji read it aloud.
Generally speaking, the meaning is very simple.
Qingtang, as a subordinate of the Song Dynasty, cooperated with the Song Dynasty in fighting in the Western Regions, and made great contributions to the Song Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty would reward Qingtang with some money and food, and promoted the official rank of Jiao Si Luo.
Jiao Si Luo used to be just a jockey.
Now he is named Qingtanghou.
Among the many family members, the status is equal to that of Xixia.
Jiao Si Luo received the imperial decree very humbly.
Kou Ji jumped off his horse, leaned in front of Jiao Si Luo, and said with a smile: "I have seen Qingtanghou..."
Jiao Si Luo put away the imperial decree, and bowed his chest to Kou Ji.
"Kou officials are polite..."
Although Jiao Si Luohan dialect is not standard, it is familiar with Han Li.
In order to deceive more benefits from the Song Dynasty, he did not study the etiquette of the Song Dynasty less.
Kou Ji smiled again: "Hou Qingtang, you and I are ministers in the same palace, so don't stick to those customary rituals, how about?"
When Jiao Luo Luo heard this, he laughed aloud: "I have heard that the clerk's department is eclectic, but I didn't expect it to be true."
Kou Ji smiled indifferently: "You and I are both discerning people, and have been entangled in those rituals, it's meaningless."
"Hahaha... The Kou staff is justified."
Jiao Si Luo smiled heartily, showing a boldness that didn't match his body shape.
Jiao Luoluo smiled and said to Kou Ji: "I have heard of the name of the Kou official department for a long time. I saw it today and it was really extraordinary."
Kou Ji smiled indifferently: "Qingtang Hou Miao praised it."
Jiao Luo Luo shook his head and said, "It's not a falsehood, but a fact. The angels who came to my Qingtang in the past are not as easy-going as the officials."
According to Kou Ji's understanding, what Jiao Si Luo said was the truth.
When Qingtang was in chaos, Da Song had always been the target Jiao Si Luo wanted to make friends with and woo him.
So every time the envoy of the Song Dynasty came to Qingtang, Jiao Si Luo received him with the most humble attitude.
Over time.
Those envoys who were used to it were a little uncomfortable, and when they arrived in Qingtang, they became very domineering.
They always feel that Qingtang is a rural place, and they have a nose and eyes at Qingtang, and Qingtang has nothing they can see.
however.
It is incredible.
Those envoys of the Great Song Dynasty like to travel to rural areas like Qingtang the most.
Because the envoy to Qingtang was a beautiful mission for the envoys of the Song Dynasty.
An envoy to Qingtang is not like an envoy to Xixia and Liao.
The envoys of the Song Dynasty arrived in Liao, if the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu admired the envoys enough, then the envoys would receive a certain degree of courtesy.
But if the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu didn't appreciate the envoys, then the envoys would be unable to do anything in the Liao State, and they would suffer a lot of difficulties.
When the envoy of the Song Dynasty arrived in Xixia, Li Deming, the lord of Xixia, was very submissive on the surface, but he did not fail to make difficulties for the envoy of the Song Dynasty. He even frequently asked Song for benefits through the negligence of the envoy of the Song Dynasty. .
It's not like Qingtang.
When the Song Dynasty envoy arrived in Qingtang, he only had to put on the air.
Qingtang people will give them enough courtesy and generous bribes.
Not only will not embarrass them.
It will also help them conceal some of their mistakes.
Before Jiao Si Luo had completely cleared Qingtang, Jiao Si Luo was really good to Da Song's ally.
But Song has always looked down upon this ally.
One thought to win Xixia.
Even in order to win over Xixia, he decisively rejected the strategy of Da Song and Qingtang proposed by Jiao Si Luo to jointly deal with Xi Xia.
The final result was that Da Song did not win Xixia, but turned against Xixia.
And Qingtang sits big step by step.
Now he has the power to wrestle with Xixia and threaten Da Song.
Kou Ji is not the minister of civil and military affairs who only knows to stare at himself one-third of the land.
He is very aware of the situation of the Song Dynasty today, and he also knows the situation outside the domain of the Song Dynasty.
Qingtang Zanpu Cape Siluo has now cleared the entire Qingtang and completed the true unification of Qingtang.
His ambition also began to gradually be exposed.
He is very ambitious.
But his strength is not enough to support his ambition.
So he must rely on Da Song.
So he must give Kou Ji enough courtesy.
So Kou Ji can use this to take advantage of Qingtang's power.
Kou Ji smiled and said, "Qingtang Hou Yan is heavy..."
Although Kou Ji could not understand the virtues of the civil and military ministers in the court.
But he didn't have to be in front of Jiao Si Luo, to be aspiring to others, to destroy his own power.
Jiao Si Luo smiled and made a please gesture to Kou Ji.
"Follow... I... into Qingtang City..."
Jiao Si Luo seems to be very unfamiliar with the term'I', so when it comes to'I', he pauses specially.
Kou Ji glanced at Si Luo's very gorgeous carriage, and smiled: "That should be the frame of Qingtanghou, I won't go up. Qingtanghou just leads the way, and I will follow behind. "
Jiao Si Luo was taken aback, and smiled: "An Ziluo said, you are a very assertive person. Since you don't want to ride with me. Then I deserve you to ride a horse?"
The voice fell to the ground.
Jiao Si Luo ordered the guards to take a horse, sit on the horse's back, and invite Kou Ji to enter the city with him.
Kou Ji didn't refuse any more, got on horseback, and followed Jiao Si Luo to Qingtang City.
On the way.
Jiao Si Luo deliberately slowed down, accompanied by Kou Ji, smiled and introduced the customs of Qingtang to Kou Ji.
His Chinese is not good, but he is very talkative.
The customs and customs of Qingtang he explained to Kou Ji were far more comprehensive and intuitive than what An Ziluo explained to Kou Ji.
If he hadn't frequently hinted to Kou Ji that Qingtang was poor and Qingtang was weak, and needed great support from Song Dynasty, Kou Ji would be willing to become friends with him.
Just when Jiao Si Luo hinted to Kou Ji for the fourth time that Qingtang was very poor.
Kou Ji looked at the people from Qingtang on the side of the road who were giving salutes to Jiao Si Luo and said with a smile: "Qingtang Marquis is very popular in Qingtang."
Jiao Luo was stunned, and smiled indifferently: "I didn't do anything, just to help them survive."
Kou Ji smiled and said: "The people's hearts are toward Qingtang Marquis. They must be willing to do anything to help Qingtang Marquis. Qingtang Marquis will definitely be able to lead them to make Qingtang richer and stronger."
Jiao Si Luo stunned again, and sighed: "What I have now is the people's support. My Qingtang is a bitter and cold land, and it is difficult to become rich and strong. Only by relying on the Song Dynasty can I become rich. Become stronger."
Although Jiao Si Luo is not used to Kou Ji's words of being richer and stronger, but still following Kou Ji's words, crying poor to Kou Ji.
Kou Ji smiled indifferently: "Qingtang now has hundreds of thousands of people who control the strings, and it is no longer defeated by Xixia..."
Implications.
Qingtang's current national strength is not lost to Xixia.
Da Song has already raised a white-eyed wolf, so he won't raise a second one.
Jiao Si Luo is a wise man, and naturally understands the meaning of Kou Ji's words.
On the way back, I never cried poorly again.
Jiao Si Luo felt that Kou Ji was a very unique person, a very unique person.
In the past, when the envoys of the Great Song Dynasty arrived in Qingtang, he only needed to cry for a while.
Those envoys of the Song Dynasty would promise him many benefits.
Although it can not be fully realized.
However, Qingtang can still obtain certain benefits from the Song Dynasty with the promise of the Song Dynasty envoys.
If he offered some generous gifts to the envoys of the Song Dynasty, the envoys of the Song Dynasty would help Qingtang gain more benefits after returning to the Song Dynasty.
But Kou Ji was obviously different from those envoys.
Kou Ji kept talking from beginning to end.
No matter how poor he was crying, Kou Ji did not give a promise.
The group arrived at the gate of Qingtang City.
Kou Ji made three thousand Japanese soldiers, guarding the civilian husbands who were escorting grain and grass, and stationed outside Qingtang City.
He took the men who patrolled the horse guards, and followed the horns, into the city of Qingtang.
The palace of Jiao Si Luo is right in the middle of Qingtang City.
That is a palace that is not grand, and the entire group of palaces together can be comparable to that of the Song Dynasty's hanging arch palaces.
But the architectural style and the degree of gorgeousness are more than a little bit worse than that of the Chuigong Hall.
On both sides of the palace where Jiao Si Luo lives, there are two temples.
One of the temples was even bigger and more gorgeous than the palace of Jiao Si Luo.
If it were put in the Song Dynasty, it would have been demolished seven or eight times.
But in Qingtang, it seems to be a very common thing.
The monk wearing a big red shirt and a cockscomb hat seemed to have a very unique position in Qingtang.
Even Jiao Si Luo, the king of Qingtang, had to give salutes when he met some older monks.
Jiao Si Luo led Kou Ji to his palace.
Kou Ji was about to bring in the horse guard, but was stopped by An Ziluo.
An Ziluo has seen how powerful the guards are.
During the Han and Tang Dynasties, the story of envoys running rampant in the Western Regions, rushing to palaces and killing kings, still circulates in the Western Regions.
An Ziluo didn't dare to let in the very dangerous group of guardsmen.
When Jiao Si Luo went out, there were countless guards around him.
But when he entered the palace, there were not many guards around him.
If the guards violently hurt people, then Qingtang should get a Zamp.
Kou Ji understood An Ziluo's worries, so he asked the horse guard to wait outside the palace. He took Liu Heng and waited for less than ten people, and followed Jiao Siluo into his palace.
Through An Ziluo's letter, Jiao Si Luo already knew the existence of the guard.
So when An Ziluo prevented the guards from entering the palace, he glanced at the guards.
Into the palace.
Jiao Si Luo led Kou Ji to a very tall hall.
A noble lady, leading a few beautiful women with fair skin, waited in front of the hall.
After seeing Jiao Si Luo and his party, the noble lady and the women gave salutes together.