Three Kingdoms

  Chapter 2464 The worries of the courtiers

  The early morning light, like a layer of light golden tulle, draped over the land of Sansuke in Guanzhong.

  As the light mist and sunlight gradually dissipated, the crisp sound of copper bells floated in the air.

  This kind of sound, if you have been in the Western Regions or in the desert for a long time, you will understand that it is the sound of camel bells.

There are two types of camel bells, one is hung on the camel's neck, and the other is hung on the goods carried by the camel. Experienced desert traders don't need to check it at all, just listen to the sound to know Did the camel get lost, or did the cargo on the camel fall?

  After all, there may be wind and sand in the desert at any time. When the sky is full of flying sand and dust, vision is indeed not as good as hearing.

  Amidst the jingling of the camel bells, a group of people slowly walked over on the outskirts of Chang'an City.

  The group of businessmen from the Western Regions, their clothing and attire are very Western.

  It may be a bit of a mouthful to say this, but as long as you see these people, you will naturally know what the so-called "Western Region Style" is, anyway, it is definitely not like the Qiang people.

  These people all have high noses and deep eyes, and wear pointed virtual hats with front brims, which are convenient for sun protection and farsightedness, and are suitable for long-distance travel. The clothes have lapels, double breasts, narrow sleeves, and even a large piece of silk as decoration...

What's more remarkable is that most of them are leading camels, and behind the camel's buttocks are leading a second camel. A person probably leads an average of two to three camels, slowly forming a long row. Team, move forward.

If in the past, when people like this arrived in Sanfu, Chang'an, they would definitely be watched by some curious Han people, and they would inevitably cast all kinds of curious eyes around them, but as the number of people like this arrived in Chang'an, the more and more As more and more people came, the people in Sanfu in Chang'an became completely calm.

   On the contrary, these people from the Western Regions looked at the Chang'an City of the Han people with curiosity and surprise.

  Even though there is still a long distance, everything in front of them has already surprised them.

  Different from the cities in Longyou and Longxi that were full of yellow dust and ash in their impressions, the Chang'an City in front of them was completely beyond their imagination.

This is an open city. Compared with most of those small, dusty and deserted towns, Chang'an City is like a muscular big man in the Northwest. Although it does not have a huge city wall, it shows strength everywhere. and beauty.

  On the basis of the original city walls of Chang'an City, no additional city walls were built, and then the newly planned roads and Lifangs were replaced. In the shops on both sides of the street, a variety of commodities are sold. In addition to the utensils and items of the Han Dynasty, there are also other specialties from all directions, such as bamboo products from Sichuan and lacquer boxes from Shandong. Wait.

  In these shops, not only Han people are buying, but also many people wearing other clothes hang around.

Of course, you can also see some guys whose faces are very different from those of the Han people, but they are wearing the long sleeves of the Han people's robes and turbans. They don't care about their curly hair sticking out under the turbans, shaking their fans. , Even when they meet each other, they greet each other like the Han people, and the leather pants and boots that are occasionally exposed under their feet are somewhat eye-catching and unusual.

  These people from the surrounding ethnic groups of the Han people not only started to learn Chinese spontaneously. It is also better to wear clothes of the Han family, to bow hands when meeting each other, and to comb Han-style hair buns. Even when gathering with each other, they no longer eat hummus. Instead, it is elegant to use chopsticks. Sit down and eat corn and rice.

In the beginning, these customs were only circulated among the noble herdsmen and tribal leaders, and there were quite a few old-school conservative herdsmen and noble leaders who hated it and ridiculed it, but as more and more people began to learn Chinese The culture and customs of the family have also made more and more herdsmen learn to wear Han clothes and perform Han rituals.

  The group of Semu people walked along the street according to the instructions, whispering to each other, "Sure enough, it is almost the same as what Jia Weide said, and now the Han people are really... very different from what was recorded before..."

   These Semu people come from the West farther than the Western Regions...

   That is the land of Great Qin.

  As long-term business people, they also paid special attention to one point. After entering Longyou and Longxi, and in the land of Sanfu in Chang'an, there are still checkpoints, but no tolls are charged!

   This is an extremely rare thing even in Daqin.

  As the Semu people who came to Chang'an for the first time, they must have a guarantor to stay in Chang'an City, and they cannot enter the core area of ​​the center. They can only stay and stay in some areas around the post station.

  In these surrounding areas, a large number of buildings similar to houses and pavilions were built to facilitate the living of merchants. And depending on where the merchants come from, they are also distributed in different regions.

  Like the Hu merchants in the Western Regions, they are basically in this area west of Chang'an City. There is a small elm forest in this area, which is called Yushuli.

"Look! Isn't that Javed? ! 』

   Someone with sharp eyes recognized Javed in a Han costume, and yelled loudly, which immediately caused a burst of discussion in the queue.

"Tsk..." Seeing Javid's smug face, Sbollis, the leader of the camel queue, first clicked his tongue softly, not knowing whether it was to express disgust or contempt, and then put on a smile on his face. He waved his arm, revealing his yellow hair, "Hi! my friend! it's here! 』

  Great Qin itself has language and characters, and language and characters are basically the foundation of a civilization. When most of its people abandon the writing of this civilization, it means that this civilization is about to collapse...

Looking at Jarvis's appearance, Sbolis already felt that Jarvis was like a guy infected by the virus, especially when he saw Jarvis using awkward Chinese and Chinese rituals to communicate with other Han people, It was like swallowing a fly, the indescribable response.

  Many countries or tribes around Daqin have no language or writing at all. Sbolis was once proud of Daqin's own culture, but now he suddenly finds that his pride has been challenged.

  Daqin people are a culture formed by letters...

  Han people are the culture formed by strokes...

  Words are subtle, and have a great influence on a nation's civilization and thinking.

In the Western Regions, Han culture seems to wake up early, but catch up late. Although this is related to the differences between the languages ​​​​of the Western Regions and Chinese, the Han court is extremely careless in terms of ideological output. It also matters.

   And now everything is different...

  Is it possible that the position of propagating ideology and culture is waiting for others to bring it to you? If you don't take the initiative to occupy it yourself, others will take the initiative to occupy it!

Hence, under the promotion of Fei Qian, the cultural diffusion of the great Han to the outside world was advanced. In the process of enlightening the surrounding nomadic peoples, the Southern Huns, Qiang people, etc., who benefited from it, became the latest spokespersons of Han culture. . The tolerant attitude displayed by the Han people, at least on the surface, has attracted more people...

  If Fei Qian had chosen to raise the butcher's knife at every turn and kill those who refused to accept it, perhaps the current situation would not exist.

  Every peck and drink has its own cause and effect.

  After being registered, and after explaining the precautions and various rules, the Daqin people who have just arrived in Chang'an are under the guarantee of Jarvis. They joined together and were allowed to enter a house in the west of the city.

  『You don’t need to turn in your sword or gun? Muttering, Sboris took off the pointed hat on his head, revealing a head of cropped tawny hair.

  Jarvis nodded and said, "No need...You guys rest here first this year...The goods can be stacked over there first...The camels are taken to the backyard...the fodder is in the backyard..."

When Sbolis saw that someone was moving the goods a little more vigorously, he couldn't help screaming. After all, these goods were transported from Daqin with great difficulty. In other words, they were not the producers of the goods, they were just silk Porters on the road...

  The reason for working tirelessly is of course more for profit.

  Jarvis smiled slightly, without saying anything. There seemed to be no difference in the smile from before, but there was also an indescribable flavor.

  Sbolis is in Daqin, and his level is higher than Jarvis.

   In the early years when Sbolis was in Caesar, his family was already a rich and powerful businessman, and they were once honorable guests of the Anxi nobles and Yuezhi, but now...

  In the Great Qin Kingdom, class suppression is very severe, and ordinary people have no chance to climb to the top in their lifetime. After all, the period of Caesar’s conquest and expansion has passed, and the expansion has finally become an involution.

  Although the Daqin people can also make profits by trading gems, spices, livestock, etc. with the Western Regions, for hundreds of years, in their family history, they still remember that the biggest profit in trade was by reselling silk...

  Han silk!

So when I heard that this golden road was reopened, not only Jarvis was moved, but also the old nobles of the Great Qin Dynasty like Shi Bolisi, who went to Handi to buy silk, so that the Shi Bolis family could continue The top priority of expanding business, especially re-monopolizing the silk of the Han people into the hands of his family...

  But Sbolis' idea was frustrated.

  Sbolis originally thought that as long as he had a good relationship with the Han Chinese in the Western Regions, he could continuously obtain special silk supply rights from there...

   After all, according to his family's records, his grandfather's grandfather's grandfather did this before.

  But now, Sbolis discovered that the general in the Western Regions cannot decide the exclusive right to sell silk...

  The one who really has the power should be this general in Chang'an.

   General Hussars, oh, now it is General Hussars.

  Jarvis glanced at Shi Boliss, and then lightly threw a sentence, "The Han general has no time to see you..."

"why? ! 』Subliss subconsciously began to wonder if Jarvis had stumbled.

   After all, colleagues are enemies. Although Jarvis is mainly engaged in the lowly trade of smuggling slaves, it does not mean that Jarvis will not smuggle some silk by the way.

  Jarvis's smile remained the same, "The Han generals are busy these two days..."

   Sbolis was a little breathless, isn't this nonsense? But now that he was unfamiliar with Chang'an, he could only bear with it, and asked again: "What are you busy with?" 』

  Jarvis tilted his head, "This... how could I know? I am not the general of the Han people...」

  『Then how do you know he won't see me? ’ Sbolis frowned. If this is the land of Great Qin, he will definitely let Jarvis know what the dignity of a superior citizen cannot be violated!

Jarvis laughed twice, "Two days ago, it was said that someone sent a beautiful woman to the Han general... I think, if I were the Han general, I must be very busy now... How can I see you when I have time?" ? 』

  『…』Sboris rolled his eyes, 『Beauty? Did you send it? 』

  Jarvis gestured twice on his chest, and said in a rather ambiguous tone: "Where can I find a beautiful woman?" Don't you think that you can just grab a young **** the side of the road and act as a noble girl? The difference between a real lady and an ordinary peasant woman is not just the front and back of her figure...』

This point, um, maybe two points, Shi Bolis naturally knows, but before he casually sent a beautiful woman who claimed to be a "Great Qin nobleman" to the Han general in the Western Regions, but in fact it was him who randomly caught her in the countryside. It's just a young farmer girl here, anyway, it's the same when the lights are turned off, isn't it?

  『If you don’t tell me…who would know? 』Sboris almost suspected that Jarvis would inform.

  Jarvis was not at all afraid in the face of Spolis' aggressive gaze, "Don't you think that the current Han general is still the same as the Han general in a hundred or two hundred years?" Haha, if that's the case...then it's, really...hahaha, hahaha...』

  Among Jarvis's laughter, Sbolis also echoed with a half-smile, "Since this is the case...it's okay, I'm not in a hurry...not in a hurry..."

   Jarvis nodded. He didn't expose Sboris's slap in the face to pretend to be fat.

   It is true that Sbollis was a wealthy businessman and aristocrat one or two hundred years ago, but now...

   Changes and disputes in the power of the Great Qin Dynasty, and the ups and downs among nobles are also common things, just like among the great Han, who can know what the future will hold?

Not urgent?

  If you were really not in a hurry, you wouldn't have traveled all the way here.

   But Jarvis was right about one thing, Fei Qian really didn't expect to meet Sbolis so soon.

  In the business negotiations of later generations, it is also a strategy to show off the opponent appropriately.

  Of course, what Feiqian is hanging out at the moment is not only Sbollis alone, but also a caravan from the snowy area, which is said to be a caravan from Tianzhu...

  Of course, there is also the daughter of a Tubo nobleman who is said to have come by chance...

  Hussar General's Mansion.

  In the festival hall, Pang Tong squinted his eyes and smiled, and said: "Well, I admit, this is my idea... Then Brother Wenhe, and... Actually, they all agreed..."

   Fei Qian was a little dumbfounded, and said, "How did you think of this?" 』

  Pang Tong sighed and said: "My lord, although you and your wife are in harmony with each other...but you must also consider our worries as ministers...The current lord's business is also a business..."

   Fei Qian frowned slightly.

  For Fei Qian, who came from later generations, two or three children is already a lot, but in the concept of Han people, what is two or three children?

   This is the thinness of offspring!

  For the people of the Han Dynasty, if they didn’t have a football team or something, they couldn’t be counted as having many sons and grandchildren.

  This worry, for Pang Tong and others, has actually lasted for a long time.

   I can bear to argue with Fei Qian until now, in fact, I have given Fei Qian a lot of space...

  Actually, before, Pang Tong, Xun You, and even Jia Xu had veiledly raised this issue with Fei Qian, but Fei Qian slapped him haha ​​and perfunctory.

  But as the years passed and the age increased, such worries slowly piled up. After all, in the Han Dynasty, too many people died at the age of forty.

   Speaking of the average life expectancy, Fei Qian still remembers that it seems to be a reincarnation. In the Neolithic period, the average life expectancy was only about 31, and the height was also the shortest, less than 1.6 meters. Then in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, the life expectancy reached 35, and the height also reached 1.63 meters. The Han Dynasty continued to extend and increase , an average of more than forty...

Then the most interesting thing is the prosperous Qing Dynasty. The average life expectancy was ten years less than that of the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty had an average life expectancy of more than 40 years. It has dropped sharply, that is to say, in the early days of the Republic of China, anyone with a height of more than 1.6 meters was considered extraordinary.

Fei Qian doesn't dare to say how long he can live in the Han Dynasty, but he can be sure that he should be an average person who will not hinder his legs, but for these courtiers under Fei Qian, Fei Qian is now The number of political groups in the country is constantly increasing, and it can even be said that it is almost a national system. As the most important core figure in it, it is of course impossible to sit back and watch Feiqian fall into the predicament of "scarce offspring".

  This is the worry of Pang Tong and others, and now in order to solve this worry, Pang Tong and others discussed and brought some special "flavor" feasts to Feiqian to "collect"...

"What's more..." Pang Tong looked at Fei Qian's expression and said, "This... is also beneficial... On the one hand, it can appease the hearts of the Qiang people in Longyou and the Tibetan people in the snowy area. After all, with these noble women paying tribute, they will I feel closer... On the other hand, isn't this "marriage" strategy what you said before, my lord? 』

"what? Fei Qian's eyes widened, and he couldn't help blurting out, "When did I say this?" 』

  (end of this chapter)