Out of the sand city, there is a vast desert in front of you.
With the scorching sun and the steaming heat, a caravan full of rewards headed towards the prosperous holy city. The bells of the camel and the fiery pipa swirled in the sandy sea.
Li Zhongqian looked back on the horse and looked at the sand city standing in the yellow sand. The heavy armor of the defenders on the tower was shining in the bright sun.
Outside the city gate, the flames of war are permeating, and the major forces are intertwined and chaotic.
Inside the city gate, there are singing and dancing, merchants flock together, and trade is prosperous.
One city gate, two completely different worlds.
Every time you pass through a town, you can see the towering pagodas almost everywhere.
Li Zhongqian pondered for a while, in the troubled times, Mingyue slaves fled away from their homeland and fled to a strange country, and it was not easy to get the protection of Wang Ting Buddha's son.
He doesn't believe in fate, he doesn't believe in ghosts and gods, he only believes in the law of the weak, but at this moment, his heart is still a little gentle.
I just hope that the world will treat her kindly and not make her suffer too much.
Li Yaoying had her hair braided and beaded on her shoulders. She was dressed in a light gauze shirt and skirt with narrow sleeves that dimmed even the sunlight. Her face was covered with a veil.
Li Zhongqian listened for a while, then frowned and asked, "You also want to redeem Beirong prisoners of war?"
Yaoying explained: "Many of the Beirong prisoners of war were civilians who were forcibly recruited from various tribes and were unwilling to fight for the Beirong. We bought them, and we would not let them return home immediately, but let them guide us on the way. , cooperate with us to recover the various oases scattered in the desert, and then find a way to settle them. If we buy more people, we will have more comrades in arms and fewer enemies."
"I have bought a few groups of people before. Those who want to continue to join the army and join the Western Army, and those who want to go back to their hometowns, let them go back to their hometown together, and shepherd sheep or farm the land honestly."
The number of the Western Army is still too small, and the terrain of the Western Regions is limited, it is difficult to completely calm down all the chaos in a short period of time, only to win the important town first, and then stabilize the situation. After winning the important town, in order to prevent Beirong from counterattacking in the future, the soldiers must settle on the spot, while recuperating, resuming production, and supplying the needs of the army, while maintaining drills and preparing for battle.
As the Western Army gradually regained lost territory, a large-scale migration of the population would soon be carried out. At this time, every labor was precious—to calm the troubled times, this is for people. If everyone could live and work in peace and contentment, there would naturally be fewer wars.
After Gaochang's recovery, Yaoying instructed Lao Qi to make a roster and let him start preparing for the resettlement of prisoners of war and refugees, so as not to be in a hurry and make mistakes in the future.
Li Zhongqian nodded slightly.
He thought about it later.
The situation in the Western Regions is complicated. The Western Army cannot rely on the imperial court, let alone fall into the hands of Li De. It must take root on the spot to adapt accordingly. Therefore, the food and grass weapons must be raised by the Western Army itself. The field can reduce the army's food and grass pressure and solve the problem of long-distance transportation. It is a big problem, omitting layers of levels and avoiding deductions, but soldiers who are busy with farm work will lead to a decrease in combat effectiveness.
It is a good way to buy people to fill the borders and fill the fields.
"Is there enough money?"
Lao Qi smiled and said: "Alang doesn't need to worry about this, it's enough. Not to mention that we are making money every day, we don't have to worry about expenses. The Western Army is what the people want. When General Yang just raised the banner of the uprising, the wealthy family and the The people were all scrambling to donate money and materials. Before the uprising, the princess found some Sogdian merchants and told them their interests and interests, and the merchants also generously donated money to the Western Army."
Li Zhongqian raised his eyebrows, thinking of the generations of the Xie family.
She has helped him manage the accounts of the Xie family since she knew how to manage accounts. In order to save him, she took out half of it to pay for the ministers in the court and the middle.
Yaoying sent away the radiant old Qi, smiled wryly at Li Zhongqian, and whispered: "Brother, it's true that the people send money and food, the wealthy and Sogdian merchants are the most shrewd, they donate money to plan for the future. It will be repaid later.”
Aristocratic families and Sogdian merchants hoped that they would be able to control the trade routes and grab profits from them after the trade routes were unblocked. That would be a lucrative business. When Beirong was strong, they depended on Beirong, and when Beirong lost power, they immediately complimented the Western Army.
Li Zhongqian looked at Yaoying who was covered in sweat, with a complicated expression on his face, and said, "It's human nature to have no advantage. It's human nature. You can tell this clearly, don't be like Yang Qian, who is full of righteousness. ."
Yang Qian is a stunned young man. Although he is full of courage, he lacks prudence and prudence. He thinks that with a sword, he can achieve justice and show his ambitions. It was betrayed by other wealthy families.
Yaoying chuckled: "Yang Qian is full of courage, I think he is very good."
Li Zhongqian raised his brows and said thoughtfully: "Yang Qian has not yet married, he is only a few years older than you, but he is suitable, and his appearance is not bad. "
Yaoying couldn't help laughing: "Brother, do you think I need to get married now?"
Li Zhongqian was silent.
Yaoying hurried the horse and walked side by side with him: "Brother, you used to worry that Li De would arbitrarily marry me in order to win over other forces, but now he can't force me to marry, I can decide my own marriage. Brother, you don't have to think about finding a good marriage for me like before. Yang Qian and I are just friends."
Li Zhongqian raised his eyes to look at her with deep eyes: "You are married, I can rest assured."
Yaoying snorted softly and wrinkled the tip of her nose: "You just want me to get married? Once you get married, everything will be safe? What if you don't get along with me, will it be bad for me?"
Li Zhongqian's face sank.
"Then I'll dig his heart out and serve you a drink."
Yaoying laughed: "then why don't you get married! I don't want to get married now."
She raised her face, glared at Li Zhongqian, and said, "Brother, you have never married, but I have never nagged you."
Since Li Zhongqian was fifteen years old, the old servant of the Xie family advised him to start a family as soon as possible, and also helped him find a few daughters of the right family, but he categorically rejected it.
"With my status, disaster will happen at any time. As my wife, I won't have a good life for a few days, so why hurt others?"
The old servant persuaded him a few times, but he was unmoved, preferring to sleep on the flowers and the willows, let go of the waves, and communicate with those flower girls who only recognized money and silk but not people.
Most of the concubines in his mansion are cheap, knowing that he has no intention of marrying a wife, and begging him to enter the mansion, he said: "I am alive, you can leave if you want, I have an accident, you all find your own way out."
So when something happened to him, Yaoying gave each of his concubines a sum of money and asked them to leave on their own, so as not to be implicated, and they left simply.
"The elders are orderly. Brother A hasn't married yet, so I'm not in a hurry to get married."
Yaoying spoke word by word, with a threatening meaning.
Li Zhongqian glanced at Yaoying, the corners of his mouth curled up, "Okay, I won't talk about this today."
There are so many aristocratic family members in the Western Army, and she can always find a few who are pleasing to the eye.
They continued on their way.
Passing through barren grass, rolling sand hills one after another, and a towering cliff of dangerous rocks in front of them, the team climbed over the mountains and over the mountains, walking all day and night, the whistling wind slowly disappeared, and the eyes were bright and bright, and a large fertile field reflected in the crowd. eye.
Under the vast sky, several rivers meander and flow, sparkling. The riverside is shady with green trees, flocks of cattle and sheep, the valley is full of greenery, and the pavement is green, where houses and villages are located, and the smoke is curling.
The blowing wind became cooler.
Cotton, mulberry, and wheat are planted all over the mountains and fields. The fruit trees on the hillside are full of fruits. In the vineyard, bunches of grapes hang on the branches, and the fruity fragrance is overflowing.
Li Zhongqian secretly said that it is no wonder that the royal court is rich and prosperous. There are also large stretches of fertile oases here and there, and trade with Persia, Tianzhu, and Fulin countries is frequent and commerce is developed.
The caravan wanted to stay in the city square in the river valley to trade with local merchants. Li Yaoying and Li Zhongqian were in a hurry and separated from the caravan.
A few days later, the two and their personal soldiers arrived in the holy city.
The weather is hot, the fruits are ripe, and the hawkers push the carts to sell sour plums, cucumbers, apricots, and pears in the streets. The shelves are full of dazzling array.
Yao Ying and her party were dusty, hot and thirsty. When they saw the shelf of the car, two lights flashed in their eyes.
The crowd dismounted and surrounded the hawkers.
Yaoying took some melons and fruits for Li Zhongqian to taste: "The melons and fruits here are sweet and juicy, brother, eat some to quench your thirst."
As she spoke, she saw a cane basket of golden-yellow fruits in the shape of amber and crystal clear on the cart, and she took out silver coins and bought them.
The personal soldier was full of melons and fruits, heaved a sigh of relief, wiped his mouth, and clasped his fists and said, "Princess, will you go to the Wang Temple to report the news when you are young?"
Li Zhongqian shook his head: "Find a place to change clothes first."
It was the first time he had an audience with the monarch of the royal court. He wanted to thank the Buddha on behalf of Yaoying, and he had to solve the matter of the modern girl. He couldn't enter the palace with such a dusty face.
"The yard of Wang Temple must have been cleaned up long ago. Go to the silk and satin shop in Shifang. There are our people there."
The crowd led their horses to the market place. The market place was exceptionally deserted. The shopkeeper Hushang of the silk and satin shop was dozing off on the second floor and went downstairs to greet him.
Li Zhongqian carefully groomed and put on a brocade robe with a hunting pattern of beaded beads, with his hair wrapped around his head and his feet on brocade boots. A short dagger studded with gems.
He heard the personal soldiers say that in the royal court, the more jewels and jades on the body are piled up, the more elegant it will be.
Yaoying also went to change her clothes. Li Zhongqian frowned slightly when he saw her: "Why are you dressed so plainly?"
She was wearing a long grey dress, her long hair tied up in a hosta, clean from head to toe, nothing else.
Yaoying said, "I'd better be plain when I want to go to Wang Temple."
After seeing Li Zhongqian, she was relieved, in a good mood, and dressed up brightly. Now that she is back in the holy city, she must not be able to dress as usual.
Li Zhongqian frowned: "You will no longer be the modern girl of the Buddha. Don't be afraid, go and change your clothes."
She is not yet eighteen years old, so she should dress up beautifully every day, surrounded by pearls, just like when she was in the Central Plains, and don't care about anyone's eyes.
Yaoying thought about it for a while, but still shook her head: "Forget it today, I'll talk about it later when I officially finish the matter of the modern girl."
Li Zhongqian had to follow her.
After leaving the market, the personal soldiers who went to the Wang Temple to report the letter turned back and said, "The Buddha is not in the temple. Today, during the ceremony, the Buddha is traveling."
Yaoying frowned lightly: "No wonder the market is so deserted today..."
She remembered that after the war, Tanmaraka would preside over a dharma meeting, chanting sutras to save soldiers who died in battle, and to appease the hearts of the people.
I don't know if his legs are any better...
Li Zhongqian motioned for his personal soldiers to lead the way: "Where is the ceremony? Let's go and see."
…
The ceremony was held in the square in front of the palace, and the group walked towards the palace.
There were more and more pedestrians on the road, and in front of the long street, it was even more crowded, the water could not get through, and there was a dark crowd of believers under the high platform.
The guards in white robes and blue shirts were stationed at the entrances of the long street. Yaoying and her party arrived too late and were stopped by the guards outside the square.
They stood with other people who could not squeeze in, looking out at the square.
The wind roared, the prayer flags fluttered, and the atmosphere was solemn.
Although there were many people in and out of the audience, all of them reverently lined up and stepped forward. Except for the monks chanting sutras, they could not hear a single voice.
Yaoying stood in the crowd, looking up at the high platform.
More than a dozen monks dressed in gorgeous robes stood on the high platform, one of whom was wearing a crimson cassock with half of his shoulders exposed, leading the crowd to burn incense.
After the incense was finished, he slowly turned around, facing the people, holding a bead in his hand, and reciting a series of scriptures, the tone was reverberating, and the rhythm was elegant and calm.
For a while, on the square, there was a masterpiece of Sanskrit music, drums lingering, and fragrance mist curled. He stood in it, tall and tall, with calm and indifferent eyebrows, handsome and cold, and his whole body seemed to be shrouded in Buddha light, unlike people in the world.
In the solemn and solemn atmosphere, all the people in the audience were deeply moved. They put their hands together and recited the Buddha's name in unison. Some people were sobbing softly.
Neither Li Zhongqian nor his soldiers believed in Buddhism, but when they saw the scene in front of them, they couldn't help but feel awe.
At the end of the ceremony, the monks and guards surrounded the Tamara Ka and left.
Yaoying looked around on tiptoe, and there was no difference in his actions when he stepped down from the high platform, it looked like nothing was happening.
The believers began to leave the square one after another under the command of the guards, and Yaoying and Li Zhongqian turned and left.
"Brother, did you see the Buddha just now?"
Li Zhongqian nodded: "I see... it really is outstanding."
After meeting people, he knew why Yaoying was full of praise for the Buddha all the way.
Yaoying's eyebrows are slightly curved.
The two were talking when a black shadow suddenly passed through the air and smashed straight towards Yaoying.
Li Zhongqian was quick-witted, grabbed Yaoying and stepped back.
With a bang, a piece of cucumber smashed into the place where Yaoying had just stood, shattering into several pieces, and the flesh and juice of the melon splashed.
Yaoying's ears were buzzing, and before she regained her senses, a loud cry came from an unknown corner of the crowd: "She is a Chinese woman who is entangled in the Buddha's son!"
"She has been looking at the Buddha just now!"
The bustling crowd immediately exploded, and countless gazes, either disgusted or contemptuous, looked at Yaoying, as if a thousand arrows were fired, they could turn her into a hedgehog in a blink of an eye.
"Shameless!"
"shameless!"
Soon, there were shouts of scolding, and the melons and fruits were flying all over the sky. The believers grabbed their fists and snatched their sleeves, grabbed the street vendor's baskets and the fruits and melons on the shelves, and threw them in Yaoying's direction.
Li Zhongqian's color changed suddenly, and he spread his arms to protect Yaoying in his arms.
There were too many believers in the square, and layers of people poured up, blocking the intersection, shouting and cursing and asking questions loudly, creating a mess.
Li Zhongqian's muscles stretched out, and he drew his sword in anger.
Yaoying hurriedly held his hand: "Brother, don't make things too big, let's get out of here quickly."
If things got bigger, Tamara would definitely be in trouble. She did pester him and ruined his reputation. It is normal for these believers to hate her.
Li Zhongqian's phoenix eyes glanced around coldly, his face was gloomy as water, he held Yaoying's hand and protected her from the crowd.
…
Deep in the long street.
Guards knights in white robes and light armor rode ahead to clear the way. A carriage decorated with seven treasures of coral drove slowly through the deep alley. Amidst the sound of rolling wheels and the sound of neat hoofs, there was suddenly the sound of rapid footsteps. .
A guard rushed forward and said to Bi Su who was guarding the carriage, "General! Princess Wen Zhao is surrounded by believers!"
Bi Suo was shocked, and suddenly pulled the reins: "What did you say? Who is surrounded?"
Before he finished speaking, the curtain of the car swayed, and a hand with sharp joints pushed aside the gauze curtain, and two cold eyes shot out and landed on the guard.
The guard rolled over with a shudder, clasped his fists and said, "Wang, Princess Wenzhao appeared in the square just now to watch you preside over the puja. The believers recognized her and surrounded her... Now the square is in chaos. General, do you want to drive the people away?"
Bi Suo hesitated for a moment, looked at the carriage, and said, "Wang, I will handle it myself..."
"go back."
The people in the carriage whispered and interrupted him directly, with a calm tone, as if very calm.
The next moment, he said again: "Turn around."
It was clearly urging.
Bi Su should have ordered a U-turn, the carriage speeded up, no longer as slow as before.
By the time they hurried back to the square, the riot had almost subsided, and the guard Bayi hurried over to report the news, saying, "Princess Wen Zhao was afraid that something big would happen, so she separated her personal soldiers and diverted the most excited believers away. Now, the crowd has dispersed."
Bi Suo breathed a sigh of relief, but fortunately nothing happened: "Where's the princess?"
Bayi pointed in the direction of a corner: "The princess is hiding over there. She said that she will leave when everyone is gone, so as not to have another right and wrong..."
Before he could finish speaking, his mouth opened wide and his expression surprised.
The curtain of the car was raised, the crimson cassock swept across the carriage, and Tamara walked straight out of the carriage, frowning slightly.
Everyone was stunned, and hurriedly went to get the golden carpet and other items on the floor.
Tamara was silent, and his blue eyes looked around.
The place where the long street exits is a mess, and there are rotten melons and fruits everywhere.
Today's Fa will gather thousands of believers, and just now, thousands of people surrounded her...
He squeezed the Buddha beads tightly with his fingers, and the monk's shoes stepped over the dirt, and walked step by step in the direction of Bai's finger.
In the corner, a few personal soldiers were guarding a young woman. Her hair was messy. Her plain grey dress was stained with melon juice and juice. One of her boots had fallen off, and one side of her sleeve had a big cut. His snow-white skin was exposed, and there were a few reddish marks on his elbows.
Hearing the footsteps, she looked up and saw Tamara in a cassock, her expression was stunned, she was stunned for a while, slightly embarrassed.
"I'm sorry." She smiled at Lorgar, "I've caused trouble for the mage."
Tamara looked down at her for a long while, and glanced at the red marks on her hand that had been bumped.
Does it hurt
He wanted to ask.
The prayer flags that have not been taken down from the high platform are flying wildly.
His chaotic thoughts subsided little by little, and said lightly: "Get on the carriage and go back to the temple."