Chapter 16: Volume of Progress (2)

Zhao Mingyu stood there in a daze. A candidate came over and shouted in fuss, "Oh, Brother Mingyu, do you really know the people around Lord Di?" Zhao Mingyu was confused: "The people around Lord Di?" "Why? The young general who was handsome just now is Master Di's chief guard? I have heard someone's introduction, but unfortunately I can't get along." "Master Guard?" Zhao Mingyu muttered in a low voice, touched his head again, and said to himself: "That person is clearly Yang Lin, why don't he recognize people? He is still in the same place with Lord Di's chief guard?... Could it be that he has good luck, and is afraid that we old friends will get entangled?"

After leaving for more than a month, I returned to Tingzhou City. The sky has completely changed. The sky is blue and clear, almost transparent. Straws of white clouds float lazily in the air, gently surrounding the ice and snow that never melts on the top of the Tianshan Mountains. It is like a woman with entangled emotions. Facing the cold and arrogant lover, I can only turn my love that cannot be expressed into a shallow kiss, and I want to give up, as if I am close and separated. Even if there are thousands of tenderness, I will eventually become helplessness and integrate into a heart of sorrow.

The long mountains and ridges of the Tianshan Mountains have long been green, and the grassland is like a cover. The spring breeze has sparked wild flowers all over the mountains overnight. The gurgling clear spring flows among the flowers of various colors. The sunlight draws brilliant golden edges from these red, white and yellow nameless flowers inch by inch. The spring breeze outside the border is still stirring, and the violent gusts blow by, and the sea of ​​flowers on the hillside rolls up the exciting waves. The spring in the wilderness outside the border is far more unrestrained, wild and passionate than the blooming land on the Central Plains.

In Tingzhou City, the streets covered with dark snow more than a month ago have now been dressed up in colorful colors, filled with strange passers-by. When I walked towards the busiest street in the city, I saw a caravan with red and green hangings flowing in the air, and the sound of interracial Hu language and music was endless. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of flowers and trees, mixed with the rich aroma of pepper spices, so why don’t you make people dizzy and dizzy?

Li Yuanfang and Di Jinghui took Han Bin to Tingzhou from Yibotai. After walking on Shatuochi for three days, they stepped on the central street of Tingzhou City again. They felt as if they had fallen into a large dyeing vat, and the dazzling colors were smashing in front of them, which made them dizzy. The Hu people originally liked bright colors, and with the arrival of spring, the colorful purples and colorful buildings of nature made them look more and more embarrassed.

Han Bin held "Yanfeng" in his hand, and looked around with his eyes wide open along the way, and he couldn't see it. At this time, he pulled Li Yuanfang's clothes and asked quietly: "Brother, why are everyone watching us?" Before Li Yuanfang could speak, Di Jinghui curled his lips and said, "Hmph, just look at monsters. Look at everyone, who is not glamorous and beautiful, and energetic. Unlike us, it's just a native chicken that just came out of the sand." Han Bin glared at him: "You are a native chicken, I'm not!"

Li Yuanfang smiled and patted Han Bin on the shoulder: "Well, now you'll just give us some face." What he said was the truth. Han Bin was wearing the red clothes of a Turkic warrior, holding the flame horse with his head raised and his chest held in his hand, and was indeed quite majestic. As for Li Yuanfang and Di Jinghui, although they were usually men who paid attention to appearance, they had been running around in the desert for three days, one black military uniform and the other gray cloth clothes, now covered with a thick layer of yellow sand, which was really a bit unkempt. These two people were tall and elegant, and they could not hide their chic demeanor throughout the body, making them particularly eye-catching on the streets of the city outside the border.

Di Jinghui stood at the intersection of the street and looked around. Walking forward was the governor's office. There was a buzzing noise from the front of the right. There was the largest bazaar in Tingzhou City. He looked around and asked Li Yuanfang: "Hey, where are we going now?" "Governor's office." "Oh." Di Jinghui was a little disappointed. Li Yuanfang ignored him and walked straight forward a few steps, saying, "Let's see what Lord Qian said first. If you want to go to the market, there is time."

Waiting for a while at the gate of the governor's mansion, Wang Qian, whom he had seen last time, hurriedly greeted him out. Several people greeted each other. Wang Qian smiled and said, "Oh, it's a coincidence that Lord Qian is not in Tingzhou because of official duties." "Oh?" Di Jinghui frowned and opened his mouth carelessly and asked, "Where has Lord Guild been?" Wang Qian's eyes were disdainful, but there was still a smile on his face: "This... is a confidential military service, and it is inconvenient to tell him. Haha, please forgive me, both of you."

Li Yuanfang changed the topic: "General Wang, I returned to Tingzhou because Lord Qian had a transfer order to Yibotai. Now Lord Qian is not in Tingzhou, but I don't know how he plans to resettle us?" Wang Qian clasped his fists at him: "Don't worry, Master Qian has made arrangements before leaving. I have a military order from Master Qian to Li, please read it."

Li Yuanfang took the military order with both hands and read it carefully. Wang Qian stared at him intently, but saw that the other party's face was calm and very calm from beginning to end. After reading the military order, Li Yuanfang folded the paper carefully, put it in his arms, and clasped his fists at Wang Qian, saying, "Yuanfang understands the arrangements of Lord Qian. Thank you General Wang." Wang Qian laughed: "Person Li is polite. When Lord Qian left, he specifically told me to take care of Li Zheng. Li Zheng Zheng was outstanding in his talent and cautious in his heart. Lord Qian admired him very much. Originally, this time he was transferred to Li Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng Zheng is very talented and

People wanted to hand over the Shatuo regiment under the jurisdiction of Wuxun to Li Zhengwei, but suddenly there were some changes in military affairs. The Shatuo regiment was temporarily transferred from Tingzhou, so they could only send other responsibilities to Li Zhengwei first. Although this arrangement was a little aggrieved by Li Zhengwei, it was all because Li Zhengwei knew Turkic words, so it was considered to be an urgent task to save Lord Qian. But please rest assured that Master Qian attaches great importance to your talents and will only be given to him when the time comes." After he finished speaking, Li Yuanfang did not say a word, but hugged him and clasped his fists, and wanted to get up and leave.

Wang Qian also stood up: "Ah, Li Zhengwei, let me take you over. Lord Qian has ordered a humble position. If you take care of Buzhou, you will be as good as mine when you come back." Li Yuanfang smiled faintly: "General Wang, please." "Please, Li Zhengwei." The two went out, and everyone got on the horse separately. Han Bin also rode his "Yanfeng" in a daze. Until this time, Di Jinghui was still confused. He didn't know what strange appointment Li Yuanfang had received, so he had to follow Wang Qian and Li Yuanfang on the road. After walking for a short period of time, he turned to the side and actually went on the way to Bazaar.

As soon as he arrived in front of Bazaar, he felt that it was bustling inside, with people huddled with people, and the shop was connected to the shop, and there was no sight of it. Wang Qian did not enter Bazaar, but led everyone to a path next to him. Finally, there were fewer pedestrians here, and horses could be allowed to pass through. After walking for a while, the surroundings gradually became cold. Bazaar's voice was very real, and it turned out that he was walking around behind the market. A small courtyard appeared in front of him, and Wang Qian jumped off his horse and led a few people.

When he entered the courtyard, he saw three mattressed cottages with a back door in the courtyard. Wang Qian pointed to the door and said, "As soon as he left this back door, he went straight to Bazaar." He looked at Li Yuanfang and smiled and said, "Okay, I've been sent home. Please settle here. If you have any needs, go to the governor's mansion to find me. The books of the market management are piled in the main house. Li Zheng can check it out by himself... If there is nothing else, I will say goodbye?"

"Thank you General Wang." Li Yuanfang sent Wang Qian to the gate of the courtyard. Seeing him kicking his horse, he asked again: "When will Governor Qian return to Tingzhou?" "This... I don't know much. The estimation will not last too long, at most a few days. Let's do this. Once the Governor comes back, Wang Qian will send someone to notify Li Zheng." "This is not necessary, thank you General Wang for his kindness."

Li Yuanfang watched Wang Qian disappear at the end of the road. Di Jinghui and Han Bin had each entered the dirt house and looked around. Seeing him back, Di Jinghui walked out of the main house, holding a notebook in his hand, and asked in confusion: "What's going on? Why did you get us to such a place? What exactly did the governor Qian arrange for you to do?" Li Yuanfang looked at Di Jinghui with a smile, and after a while, he said: "I can't figure it out now, why are you so lucky?" Di Jinghui was stunned: "What do you mean?" Li Yuanfang replied slowly: "Mr. Qian arranged my new errand to manage the Grand Bazaar of Tingzhou, maintain commercial order, and ensure the safety of the market."

"Ha!" Di Jinghui shouted loudly, patted the notebook in his hand, and shouted: "No wonder, no wonder! I said that the shops and products in these notebooks are all Bazaarri's shops and goods. OK, great! Now I can study the business affairs of the frontier!" He stopped and looked at Li Yuanfang carefully, and suddenly laughed: "Oh, General Li, you are getting better and better!"

Li Yuanfang also smiled and shook his head, and said self-deprecatingly: "The military order of the governor is clear. Gao Huochang, who was managing the market, was seriously injured when he was dispersing the market fight. Now he is bedridden. He urgently needs an officer who knows Turkic and is responsible for his work to replace him. So this good job fell on me!" Di Jinghui sighed repeatedly: "Okay! OK! Not ordinary! This governor Qian is deeply loved by me, and is really a soulmate." Li Yuanfang snorted coldly: "It seems that he is determined not to let me enter the Hanhai Military Department." Di Jinghui said: "The governor must have a hidden secret, so you must also understand Shangguan."

While talking, Li Yuanfang checked the three cottages in a row. There were tables, chairs and bookcases in the main house, and thin books were piled up everywhere, which should be where to handle official duties. The two cottages in the east and west were beds, which were extremely simple and could not be accommodated. He asked Di Jinghui to live in the east and Han Bin to live in the west. There was a well in the corner of the courtyard, but it was a common style in the Central Plains. The edge of the well was higher than the ground, and the manhole cover was made of wooden strips, not the iron cover seen in Yibotaili. In the afternoon, Di Jinghui sorted out the account books, Han Bin was responsible for cleaning the room, and Li Yuanfang went to the Hanhai Military Department to apply for military salary. They were already penniless, and if they didn't find some money, they could only drink the northwest wind.

When he came out of the Hanhai Military Headquarters, the sun was about to set. Li Yuanfang did not follow the path led by Wang Qian, but went straight through the Bazaar. He was also very curious about the largest market in the northwest border of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Since he had to manage it in the future, he wanted to get familiar with it as soon as possible. Because it was close to supper time, the crowds at the market were more sparse than during the day. Li Yuanfang walked slowly and looked at the various shops, with a wide range of shops stretching endlessly, with more than a mile. Many of the products here are indeed rare in the Central Plains, such as ivory, rhinoceros horn, sable fur, and enamel.

Various utensils made of pure gold and silver, fabrics wool woven, and various spices, medicinal materials from the Western Regions, even horses, camels, cattle and sheep were all traded here. Li Yuanfang sighed in his heart that if this bazaar had to be carefully visited, a few days would probably not be enough. He stayed in front of a shop selling foreign weapons for a while, and was quite interested in several Persian sabers. Ask for the price, any knife could spend all the military salary he had just received. Li Yuanfang was secretly amused in his heart, and he looked at it late, so he planned to go home.

After walking a few steps forward, Li Yuanfang suddenly found that the pedestrians around him looked hurried and all ran in one direction. He grabbed one person in surprise and asked. The man looked him up and down, rolled his eyes and said, "You have just come to Tingzhou, right? You don't even know this. Today is the first day of April, and the annual shaman sacrifice will be held at dusk. Just ahead, go and see it!"

Li Yuanfang couldn't help but become more interested, so he followed the crowd. As expected, more and more people went in front of him. When he arrived at an open field, there were already three floors inside and three floors inside and three floors around the people of all races. It was really a mixture of men, women, young and old, and Hu and Han. Li Yuanfang picked up a gap and squeezed in. He saw a large bonfire lit in the middle of the open space, and flags of various colors were scattered on the flagpole next to him. Several wizards dressed in strange shapes were sitting around the bonfire. Some were holding divine drums in front of him, and some were holding guzhengs in their hands, playing and singing in strange tones, making a lot of fun.

The crowd gathered more and more, and soon the open space was blocked. The musical rhythm of the wizard musicians became more and more intense. Suddenly, they stopped hitting and playing in their hands together. The chirping sounds of chaotic silence among the onlookers fell, and the open space sank into silence.

The last bit of sunset slowly retreated behind the foothills of Tianshan Mountain. The bonfires in the open space crackled, and the flames stumbled around, reflecting on the faces of eager anticipation and fear, making everyone look weird and perverted. The music started again, and the tune became mysterious and desolate. A wizard wearing a sheepskin saint hat walked out of the shadows at the rhythm. Five-colored spikes fell from the brim of the wizard's hat, covering his face tightly. He covered his whole body with a wide robe, a necklace of agate and turquoise hanging around his neck, a waist bell tied around his waist, and the leather boots on both feet were also covered with copper tubes and copper bells. The wizard grabbed a small bronze drum with his left hand and held the drum whip with his right hand. He walked step by step and hit the drum. The waist bell and foot bell jingled together, and the music began to sing loudly.

As soon as the song came out, Li Yuanfang was slightly stunned. He really didn't expect that the wizard was actually a woman. The witch was singing around the open space, with a sad and sad voice. The drum beats gradually flickered, and the singing gradually grew higher. She began to shake her whole body, dancing and roaring, as if she was possessed by ghosts and gods, entering the realm of spiritual communication. Then, more than a dozen male wizards dressed up walked up to the open space, surrounded the witch, and danced and sang together with her rhythm. The witch's movements became more and more crazy and confused, and the singing was shrill and harsh, as if conveying messages from the darkness. There was a kind of terrifying power of seduction. Li Yuanfang listened intently and felt palpitations.

The sacrifice lasted for about half an hour, and it was already dark. Everyone was still focused on the wizard's singing and dancing without any sense. The witch's figure became staggering, shaking, and the singing was intermittent, and sad, and she was so sad that she was so heartbroken that Li Yuanfang could not hear it. He looked around and looked pale, his eyes were dull, and his expression was already confused. Li Yuanfang was a little stunned, so he decided to leave.
Chapter completed!