There was celebration in Tokyo and the good news from Hebei was being discussed everywhere.
The content of the official edict was that the Zhou and Liao armies had a large-scale decisive battle near Zhuozhou, in which the Zhou army won and defeated the Liao army. The Liao army retreated to Youzhou, unable to fight again, and the remnants fled north.
This statement is slightly exaggerated, but it is barely true. The main force of the Liao army did retreat in Zhuozhou. The Zhou army was mainly composed of infantry, and did not form an annihilation battle.
The main reason is that it cannot explain the real strategic victory. If it is described that the Zhou army held the defense line and left the Liao army no chance to take advantage, and after many days of confrontation, the Liao army retreated to the grassland due to logistical and food pressure, it would not be very impressive.
Moreover, the significance of this battle was far more than just forcing the Liao army to retreat voluntarily, so only people in Guo Shao's circle knew the truth.
The spring breeze melted the ice and snow, and the willow branches on both sides of the Bian River had sprouted. The good news from Hebei was floating in Tokyo like a message of spring.
At this time, several Arabs with their heads wrapped in silk cloth were looking at the surrounding scenery curiously.
Passersby and common people also looked at them in surprise. It is said that in Luoyang and other places in the Tang Dynasty, there were many Semites coming and going, and the business was endless; but after the fall of the Tang Dynasty, Semites were rarely seen in the Central Plains. Occasionally, people from the Tubo, Dangxiang, Khitan and other ethnic groups appeared, but their appearance was not as different from that of Semites.
The leader of the Arab group was Shuaiman, a tall Arab man in his thirties, with thick hair and a curly beard. His name has nothing to do with handsome, and it is pronounced like "Shaer", which starts with "Shuaiman". He couldn't hide the amazement on his face.
Walking all the way from Prince Xing's Palace and staying at the post houses in various big cities, they have witnessed the enormity and prosperity of the cities in Middle-earth. The population of the cities far exceeds what they have seen before.
Now that he was in Tokyo, he was even more attracted by the magnificent city towers, exquisite pavilions, waterside pavilions, and willow trees. There were so many people on the streets and there were countless shops. Shuai Man looked overwhelmed.
There are many dignitaries here, and the demand for luxury goods must be great. The Great Zhou Kingdom is a huge commercial treasure. Shuai Man grunted with his companions in the Arab language, with a very excited look on his face.
The civil servants who received them could not speak the Arab language. There was no official who could speak the Arab language in the entire Tokyo court. This was because they had not been there for many years. Only the Chinese translators brought by the Arabs themselves could understand.
The civil official didn't know what they were talking about, so he said politely: I will take you to the inn to rest in a while, and you should take a bath and change your clothes, because Empress Duanci will meet you in person early tomorrow morning.
The Han Chinese Lu Yongzhen next to him was mumbling as if he was pinching his nose and had phlegm that had not yet dissolved.
Shuai Man nodded to the civil servant and replied. Then he asked the Han Chinese Lu Yongzhen he hired: The emperor of the Southern Han Dynasty also lived in the deep palace, which was not seen by ordinary people, but I have seen a woman in the palace. Does China like to use women to hold power
Lu Yongzhen said: That is unique to the Southern Han Kingdom. It is not the case in most Central Plains countries. The emperor of the Great Zhou is now fighting in the north with the Great Liao Kingdom. I heard that he won a battle. He is not in the palace now, so the queen's sister, Queen Duanci, is the regent.
It is a very respectful etiquette for Shuai Man to be personally received by Empress Duanci. It seems that we will not have any trouble in Tokyo this time.
Shuai Man was very happy after hearing this, but also a little confused: Why did the emperor let the queen's sister be regent instead of the queen
Lu Yongzhen looked embarrassed and was speechless, unable to answer.
Shuai Man was very curious: Did the Queen and her sisters marry the Emperor of Zhou at the same time
Lu Yongzhen waved his hands hurriedly: You can't say that. He turned around and glanced at the civil servants. Fortunately, no one in Tokyo could understand what we were saying, otherwise it would be terrible to say that.
Lu Yongzhen frowned and thought for a long time. It was probably because the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty appointed people based on their merits, and his sister's ability was better than that of the queen, so the emperor was relieved to hand over the state affairs to Queen Duanci. After all, they were all relatives.
The handsome man looked puzzled, shrugged and spread his hands, saying that he couldn't understand. There was obviously a queen, so what was going on with the queen's sister
Lu Yongzhen said again: "Mr. Shuaiman, please don't say that you married the empress's sister in the future. It is completely against the etiquette of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The elder sister is the wife of the previous emperor, and the previous emperor is the cousin of the current emperor. In the Central Plains, brothers cannot marry their sisters-in-law.
Shuai Man nodded hurriedly and said: "After I settle down, I will record the affairs of the royal family and what I saw and heard in the capital of the Great Zhou Kingdom. It's a pity that I didn't bring a painter with me."
Lu Yongzhen smiled and said: Since Empress Duanci has summoned you personally, there will be another chance.
The civil servant asked Lu Yongzhen what the Arabs were talking about. Lu Yongzhen certainly didn't dare to say that they were discussing the royal family. He only said: The Arab commander said that Tokyo is very rich and is a treasure land full of business opportunities.
The civil servant felt quite proud after hearing this. Hearing foreigners praising their capital, he would feel proud for some reason. The civil servant kindly said: "Tomorrow when you meet Empress Duanci, you must behave respectfully, because she is a foreigner, not our subject, so you don't have to kneel down. You must be careful when you speak, and don't need to talk about serious matters. Someone will teach them later, and they can just recite them. If they want to talk about serious matters, the guest envoys and officials from the Ministry of Revenue will discuss it with them."
Lu Yongzhen said: "Thank you, Alang, for reminding me. I will explain this to the Arabs."
The group rode along the Imperial Street to the southern part of the Imperial City, where the Ceremony Hall was. Shuai Man once again stared at the grandeur of the Imperial City. The buildings of the Great Zhou were not as tall as those of the Great Tang, but they covered a very large area. On the magnificent tower, the soldiers in armor stood there motionless, guarding very strictly.
When they arrived at the Liguan, the officials of the Great Zhou treated the envoys from the Arab Empire as state envoys, with very high standards. Shuai Man ate very fine and delicious food, and the porcelain used to hold the food was also fine from the official kilns. If it were shipped to the Arab Empire, these porcelains would be very valuable. The curtains, bed curtains, and quilt covers in the house were all fine silk that could be sold at a high price in Shuai Man's eyes.
Everyone was very happy. Man Shuai checked the gifts he brought to the Emperor of Da Zhou, including some plant seeds, hats made of precious bird feathers, gold utensils, and a sharp sword for fun. Man Shuai picked up the sword and looked at it carefully, saying: This can only be made with iron produced in a special place. It has little to do with craftsmanship. It is also a rare item to give to the Emperor.
One of the people accompanying us said: The officials of Zhou State treated us very well. If it weren't for their warm reception, how could we dare to travel so far to the capital of Middle-earth