This is the fourth capital Jiang Heng has visited. Luoyang, Jeju, Xichuan, and now Luoyan City.
In just over ten years, he and Geng Shu have visited more king cities than most people in the world, even more than Juicong, Juiciao, and ministers of the Yong Kingdom. Ordinary people can't go to a few places in a lifetime.
"How is it?" After entering the city, Geng Shu deliberately slowed down the speed of his horse and asked Jiang Heng.
"Strong soldiers and horses, majestic and glorious." Jiang Heng thought for a while and replied, "Under the foundation stone, there is a lot of blood and sweat."
Since Geng Shu came to Luoyan, he has loyally regarded himself as a Yong person. If anyone speaks ill of Yong Guo, Geng Shu will be angry, but the words come out of Jiang Heng's mouth, and Geng Shu is speechless. . Not only was he speechless, but he also thought that what he said was very reasonable, and he was convinced.
There are eight horizontal and eight vertical lines in the city, and the large obsidian stone bricks are built. Under the black stone bricks leading to the Lama Temple, the blood of an unknown number of people is indeed soaked. To build such a magnificent capital in the north where five months of the year are winter, the hardships of the people can be imagined.
But this is also what the Yong people are proud of - they moved from the Central Plains to Saibei, and it took 109 years to build a huge city and become the center of the north, which is simply a "miracle" to describe.
Jiang Heng was not in a hurry to enter the palace. First, he strolled around Luoyan City for a few times, headed to the East Market and West Market, and then went around the city's Eighty Square to observe the lives of the people. When people along the way saw the two of them, they recognized Geng Shu, and they all bowed and saluted Geng Shu with uniform etiquette.
Jiang Heng smiled at them, but no one met their gaze.
"Why is everyone's head bowed?" Jiang Heng asked Geng Shu.
"Rules," Geng Shu said, "common people must have rules when they meet nobles. Yong Kingdom is divided into kings, princes, officials, scholars, people, and five."
"I know," Jiang Heng said, "this is the etiquette of the Central Plains, but even in Luoyang, it will not..."
"They decided." Geng Shu replied.
Jiang Heng: "Yeah."
Geng Shu seldom had contact with the common people. In his life, apart from fighting wars, he led troops to perform exercises when he was busy, and lived in the palace when he was free. Everyone respected him. The royal family had long been accustomed to all of this and didn't even notice it. abnormal.
"You don't like this?" Geng Shu said.
Jiang Heng dismounted and led the horse across the West Market. When the merchants and the people saw Geng Shu, they hurriedly saluted, and the market was silent for a while.
"Brother, don't you think something is wrong?" Jiang Heng said to Geng Shu.
"What?" Geng Shu was reminded and found out.
Yongguo has an extremely strict management of commerce and trade. The east market is for domestic needs, and the west market is for foreign goods transactions. This place is directly under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. The prices of circulating goods, the residences of merchants, the opening and closing times of the market, taxes and stalls And so on, to prevent the Central Plains scouts from infiltrating through business. At first glance, everyone is well behaved, with vigilance on their faces, and eyes full of caution.
Geng Shu said: "It is indeed different from Daiguo. There is no storytelling or juggling."
The Chamber of Commerce in Daiguo is full of people. Although there is only one market, it is always full of loud hawking, bargaining, restaurants, restaurants, pawnshops and so on.
In Yongguo's market, there are very few people talking loudly, and there is no dispute. Everyone behaves in a well-behaved manner, walking from one stall to another like a queue.
Jiang Heng asked: "Is it illegal to argue in the market?"
Geng Shu replied: "Forget it, any private fight in Luoyan will be punished, and the ears and nose will be cut off."
Jiang Heng said, "Is the pawnbroking run by the official?"
Geng Shu said "um", Jiang Heng saw his lifeless appearance and knew that the pawnshop could only exchange it at the official price.
"Don't discuss politics here," Geng Shu reminded. "Although we won't be imprisoned, it's not good to be heard."
Jiang Heng nodded and turned back to the workshop. He saw that the faces of the common people were disheveled. A woman was wearing a suspender behind her back, carrying her child, and was sitting in the alley fetching water to wash clothes. Seeing that Geng Shu and Jiang Heng were well-dressed, No greetings, and hurriedly hid in the door.
The doors are closed all around the alley, and people occasionally look out through the cracks in the windows.
Jiang Heng turned around and left, and said to Geng Shu, "I don't seem to see any big children."
"How old is a big kid?" Geng Shu asked, "Like we used to be?"
Jiang Heng nodded and asked, "Where have the children gone?"
In the afternoon, it was supposed to be the time for children to play, but the shops were very quiet.
Geng Shu said, "I went to study."
This made Jiang Heng very surprised and said, "Have you all gone to study?"
Geng Shu: "Some people study, some don't, should we go to the school to see?"
Geng Shu led the horse and followed Jiang Heng out of the road connecting the squares. Jiang Heng asked, "Who reads and who doesn't?"
Geng Shu explained: "When the children grow up to the age of six, they will be inspected by Shaofu's House Middle School, and they will be divided into three places: the work house, the school, and the Weiwei House, and they will be trained separately."
"Who decides? Shao Fu's house has the final say?" Jiang Heng asked again.
"Well." Geng Shu nodded and said, "They sent very experienced old gentlemen to observe the children and come to conduct assessments. The state will nurture them."
Jiang Heng nodded and said, "When I grew up, I followed my skills and became a civil servant, military officer, or craftsman. I would prefer those who are strong and strong to join the army, and secondly, to be a blacksmith with ingenuity, which is useless. , send it to read."
"The smart ones go to study," Geng Shu said, "the ones that are useless, keep them as farmers."
"It's a good way to raise whatever you lack." Jiang Heng laughed to himself, "I don't think Yong Kingdom wants to learn from the people of the Central Plains, but it has to call on the whole world to learn from Yong Kingdom."
Geng Shu felt that Jiang Heng's words were meant to be sarcastic, but he couldn't tell the difference for a while.
"Are you freaking out?" Geng Shu asked.
"No." Jiang Heng said with a smile, "One more question, how many couples will a couple have, does Dayong have a contract?"
Geng Shu said: "Not yet, but I heard from them that a new law will be promulgated this autumn, and many births will be rewarded, or fewer births will be punished. It has not yet been decided... Don't talk about this, go back to the palace."
"I don't have 'politics'," Jiang Heng said. "Is it okay to ask?"
Geng Shu said, "OK, let's go back and explain to you slowly."
Jiang Heng originally wanted to see other places, such as the workshops, military camps and schools in Yongguo, but Luoyan City had already known that Geng Shu was back and had already sent someone to greet him. Jiang Heng couldn't insist, so he followed Geng Shu and returned the palace.
"You're back?" Juicong stood outside the main hall and glanced at the two of them.
Geng Shu saluted Juicong, Jiang Heng wanted to kneel, Juicong smiled and said: "You don't have to kneel, you are the Grand History of Jin, I am the king of Beidi, court officials see the princes, and they bow their hands, if you kneel me, let me Where is the Son of Heaven?"
"Dead people don't mind." Jiang Heng said with a smile.
Juicong: "Dead people not only mind, but also get angry. Lingshan loses again and again, and I will never forget it in this life. When you see the royal family, you will do the Jin ceremony."
"Father." Geng Shu said.
Juicong said, "Take Heng'er to meet them. After waiting for you for a long time, you are still wandering around the city."
Saying that, Juicong glanced meaningfully at Jiang Heng. Jiang Heng knew his whereabouts in the city, and naturally someone had reported to Juicong long ago. Everyone is smart and knows it well.
Geng Shu took Jiang Heng and walked into the harem.
Geng Shu said: "The Queen Mother is Madam's aunt and lives in the Peach Blossom Palace. Let's go see her first; Juicy is in the Hongshu Palace in the East Palace, and Princess Wuying is still on the front line at Yubi Pass..."
"Not at Yubi Pass," a woman said, "I've been back long ago! Waiting for you to have lunch! If you don't go home when you arrive, why are you wandering around in the city?"
As soon as Jiang Heng and Geng Shu turned around the palace corridor, they almost bumped into the angry Princess Wuying. Jiang Heng laughed when he saw her. That year in Luoyang, the capital city, in a hurry, this female Ying would leave him behind very impressed.
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Jue Ling was wearing men's clothing and looked at Jiang Heng up and down. She was originally angry, but when she saw Jiang Heng, she restrained her expression.
"His Royal Highness Princess." Jiang Heng behaved well and bowed to Jue Ling.
"No gift." Ju Ling's face softened a little, but her face was still sullen, "I thought you were missing earlier, so I searched Lingshan for several months. It's not the same as it was back then, and I've grown a lot taller."
Jiang Heng smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
"You're welcome," Ju Ling said lightly, "If you should, come in." Then she turned and went into the hall.
"Auntie." Geng Shu suddenly said.
He noticed that when Princess Juling saw Jiang Heng, her attitude was completely different from that when she came here. In the past, on the day Geng Shu arrived at the Lama Temple, everyone was crying, laughing, and nostalgic. Everyone held his hand and asked him warmly.
But when Jiang Heng came here, it could be seen that there was an imperceptible hostility in Jue Ling's eyes, what was going on
Geng Shu faintly felt that maybe it was because of the previous sword Jiang Heng stabbed at Juicong, he wanted to explain a few words, but Jiang Heng smiled and pulled Geng Shu's sleeve, waved his hand, and indicated that it was all right.
"You are Jiang Heng?" Mrs. Jiang sat in the deep palace with majesty and aura, but today, for some unknown reason, Jie Gui was by his side and did not accompany Prince Taki, but came to the Peach Blossom Palace.
"Yes." Jiang Heng stepped forward in a proper manner and bowed to the Empress Dowager Jiang.
"You don't need to kneel." Queen Mother Jiang said.
"Yes." Jiang Heng said, "My aunt is well."
Jiang Heng's mother was the niece of the Empress Dowager Jiang. Not counting the ties of the Ju family and the Geng family, this aunt was always an elder.
Empress Dowager Jiang looked at Jiang Heng quietly, her eyes suddenly flashed a bit of shock, but it disappeared in an instant, she was silent for a long time, and finally, she sighed softly.
"It's you who stabbed His Majesty with a sword," said the Queen Mother Jiang, "you're not too timid."
Geng Shu immediately said, "Grandmother, that's all a misunderstanding."
Ju Ling frowned and shook her head at Geng Shu, telling him not to speak.
Empress Dowager Jiang snorted contemptuously and let Jiang Heng kneel.
"Raise your head." Empress Dowager Jiang ordered.
Jiang Heng raised his head and looked at the Queen Mother Jiang. She was in her sixties, but she was still well maintained. The two nasolabial lines on the corners of her mouth were full of majesty. The thin lips and slender eyebrows had Jiang Zhao's familiar majesty.
"Your mother is Zhao'er," said Empress Dowager Jiang, "your father is Geng Yuan."
"Yes." Jiang Heng's eyes suddenly became wet, and through the Queen Mother Jiang, he seemed to see his mother who had long since left.
"Is she still alive?" Queen Mother Jiang said.
"I don't know." Jiang Heng replied, "I asked Mr. Gongsun, maybe she's gone."
"Bad child." Empress Dowager Jiang sighed again and finally said, "Come up and let me see you."
Jiang Heng got up and walked forward slowly. The Queen Mother Jiang did not stretch out her hand, but just sat and watched. Jiang Heng got in front of her, knelt down on one knee again, raised his head and looked at her.
She wore two rings on her hands, and the ring surface was flashing. Jiang Heng's eyes moved from her hands, to her brocade robe, and then to her face. She stared at Jiang Heng in a trance. Look, the eyes are extremely complicated, and they all look for the shadow of the other person through each other.
She burst into tears, and the tears ran down the corners of her eyes, one drop, on her embroidered robe.
"Auntie." Jiang Heng whispered, suddenly a little distracted, his eyes fell on Jie Gui who was beside the Queen Mother Jiang.
Jie Gui looked at Jiang Heng, raised his eyebrows, and made a face.
Empress Dowager Jiang wiped away her tears and was about to stretch out her hand when a clear voice came from outside the hall.
"Brother!" Prince Taki came.
Prince Taki almost rushed in and shouted, "Brother! Brother!"
Geng Shu was about to dodge when Prince Taki threw himself into his arms and choked, "You're finally back! Brother!"
Empress Dowager Jiang retracted her hand, Jiang Heng turned her head and looked at Prince Taki, only to see that Prince Taki hugged Geng Shu tightly and buried his head on his shoulder.
"Alright, alright!" Geng Shu said impatiently, but his eyes looked at Jiang Heng. He was both apprehensive and guilty. He didn't have any intention of looking down at the prince Taki in his arms. His eyes were aimed at Jiang Heng. He knelt down, called Tian Tian not, and called the ground not working, and finally grabbed Prince Taki and got him free.
Jiang Heng laughed, and Prince Taki was also a little embarrassed, turning his head to look at Jiang Heng.
"Heng'er?" Prince Taki said.
Jiang Heng nodded, and the Empress Dowager Jiang said, "Get up, this is your cousin Juicy Taki."
"Hello, cousin." Jiang Heng brushed off the front of his robe and got up, walked down the steps, and came to Prince Taki. Prince Taki reached out and patted Jiang Heng, and said, "I'm back at last. Brother Wang misses you every day, and there is not a day when I miss you."
"Yeah," Ju Ling said sarcastically and dissatisfiedly, "Everyone is back, the family is finally assembled."
Empress Dowager Jiang instructed: "Go down and rest, I will arrange a place for you."
"Grandma Wang," said Geng Shu, "Heng'er lives with me. He just came here, I'm afraid he won't get used to it."
Empress Dowager Jiang's expression changed a little, and she seemed to want to say something, but after a second thought, she said, "Then move him to the East Palace, and the three of you live together, so you can talk."
After Jiang Heng thanked him, Jie Gui came down and said to Jiang Heng, "I'll take you to the place of residence, do you have any luggage?"
Jiang Heng shook his head and looked at Geng Shu. Geng Shu was about to come over, but Jiang Heng said, "Just stay and talk to your cousin, he hasn't seen you for a long time."
Prince Taki held Geng Shu down. Geng Shu was afraid that Jiang Heng would not be happy, but Jiang Heng made a narrow look, as if Chengri used Ji Shuang to tease him when he was in Daiguo, and Geng Shu felt Jiang Heng. Heng may not be angry, so he can only nod his head.