Chapter 841: Trip to Guanzhong!
Before preparing to enter the Central Plains, Luo Su reviewed his journey.
Between the Greater Khingan Range and the Langjuxu Mountains (called Kent Mountains by the grassland people), the Modong grassland is irrigated by Hulun Lake, Beiler Lake and numerous rivers. During the Xiongnu era, this was the territory of Zuoxian King.
He was now standing in the vast area where the Dong Turks lived. There was a fertile grassland between the Langjuxu Mountains (Kent Mountains) and the Yanran Mountains (called Hangai Mountains by the grassland people), irrigated by the Selenge River. The northernmost end of this grassland was the North Sea, where Luo Wuji and Huo Qubing killed the Xiongnu Chanyu.
The unrivaled Wuxiang Marquis Luo Shi killed the last Xiongnu Chanyu here. This grassland is called the Mobei grassland, which is an insurmountable natural barrier in the Central Plains.
Only the most powerful dynasty could cross the vast desert, which has always been the core of grassland nomads and the location of almost every grassland Khanate.
To the west of Yanran Mountain, there is a grassland called Moxi Grassland. In the Xiongnu era, it was the territory of the Right Wise King. The Altai Mountains were used as a dividing line between the power of the Winter Turks and the Western Turks. It was an area that Luosu had never set foot on. When he went to the Western Regions, he could just pass by the Western Turks on the way.
There are not many people in Luo Su’s group, especially the spiritual soldiers, who are not human beings but more like weapons.
So there were only three people he needed to take care of, one was himself, one was the coachman who drove him, the third son of the current head of the family Luo Chengxian, Luo Xuanye, and the maid who took care of his daily life, the eldest daughter Luo Xuanjing.
"Grandfather, where do we go from here?"
Luo Su pondered for a moment. To go south from Dong Turkestan, one would naturally have to cross the desert. But even if one crossed the desert, it would be some ways away. The best way would naturally be to cross the desert and reach Hetao directly. However, the current location was not very convenient. So another way was to reach the four counties of Hexi.
Why is Hexi called a corridor? Because there is a plateau to its south and a continuous Gobi desert to its north, with only this narrow oasis.
But in the continuous desert Gobi, there are two protruding oases, one called Juyan Lake and the other called Xiutu Lake. Juyan Lake, in particular, almost connects the Hexi Corridor and the grassland.
"We will take Xiutu Lake and Zhuye Lake, then turn east from Wuwei County and enter Guanzhong."
After Luo Su pointed the way, they began a long journey. However, Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing did not feel tired at all. On the contrary, they only hoped that the journey could be longer.
Being by Luo Su's side made them feel as if they were bathed in glory. If Luo was worshipped as a god by others, then Luo Su was worshipped as a god by Luo.
It is a great opportunity to follow Luo Su and learn by example. The two of them are lucky and naturally want to seize this rare opportunity.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Luo Xuanye, who was a little dizzy from walking in the scorching desert Gobi, took two breaths and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Luo Su handed him a kettle and asked him to drink. "There is no rush to study."
Luo Xuanjing's fair and smooth forehead was slightly sweaty, and her smooth face was a little red from the sun. She was waving a small fan in her hand and fanning Luo Su. Luo Su asked her to stop and rest, and she raised her little face and smiled, "Grandpa, I'm not tired. It's a little hot, I hope you can cool down a little."
As she spoke, the fanning hand quickened a little. Luo Su knew that the little girl was a little stubborn and he couldn't persuade her, so he took out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat off her face, which made Luo Xuanjing wave the feather fan even harder.
They walked neither fast nor slow. It took them four months to cross two oases in the territory of Dong Turkestan and finally enter the traditional Guanzhong.
From the lonely desert to the bustling Guanzhong, Luo Xuanjing and Luo Xuanye had never seen so many people. All they knew about the big city came from the pictures and texts in Winter City.
Luo Xuanjing and Luo Xuanye both put on hats to cover their faces, and most importantly, to cover the extremely obvious holy mark between their eyebrows.
Luo Su simply wiped the holy mark with two fingers, and the unique Phoenix Feather Holy Mark disappeared immediately.
Luo Xuanjing and Luo Xuanye, who were direct descendants of the Luo family, were envious of this scene. Luo Xuanjing, relying on her status as a woman, said with starry eyes, "The ancestor is so amazing."
After entering Guanzhong, the flow of people increased dramatically. The Sui Dynasty was at its peak, and the Eastern and Western Turks were in civil strife. Yang Jian had adopted Zhangsun Sheng's strategy to split the Turks, with remarkable results. According to Luo Su's judgment, the Sui Dynasty would soon be able to obtain a Hu Khanate guarding the border like the Han Dynasty.
There were a lot of merchants coming out of Chang'an, and many of them were carrying weapons and heading to the Western Regions. Although the road to the Western Regions was now blocked by Western Yan and Western Turks, Western Yan had already recognized the suzerainty of the Sui Dynasty and accepted the enthronement.
The Western Turkic Khanate would not intercept the caravans. These grassland people loved the arrival of the caravans because they could collect a lot of taxes.
The carriage rolled forward and entered Guanzhong. It was autumn, a relatively suitable climate. Luo Xuanjing had her hair tied up in a lady's bun, like two small buns, with two golden bells hanging on them, which jingled as she walked. She knew very well that the purpose of her coming out was to entertain Luo Su, so she was very energetic.
Luo Xuanye was much calmer, his young and handsome face was full of seriousness, as if what he was holding in his hand was not a horse whip, but a sword in the hands of a general to kill the enemy, or a tablet in the hands of a minister when attending court.
Luo Su lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked at the people flowing on the street. He suddenly asked Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing, "During this journey, did you feel that there were some problems with the administrative divisions of the Sui Dynasty?"
Along the way, Luo Su often tested the two of them like this. When they heard this question, the two of them began to recall what they had seen and heard along the way.
Luo Xuanye hesitated a little and said, "Grandfather, aren't the prefectures and counties in the Sui Dynasty too small and too many? The prefectures and counties in Guanzhong have almost doubled compared to the pre-Han period. The number of officials will naturally increase greatly, which will greatly increase administrative costs."
Luo Xuanjing then added: "The states and counties of the Sui Dynasty were completely consistent, and there was no higher administrative agency set up above the states and counties. The court had to manage nearly 200 states and counties, and the central government also needed to add a large number of officials."
Luo Su nodded with satisfaction when he heard this. After nearly three years of his teaching, the two have made great progress. They no longer think about problems superficially, but go straight into the depths to explore the underlying principles.
As long as an official has this awareness, his governing ability will definitely be improved.
Luo Su pondered and explained: "When the emperor of the Sui Dynasty ascended the throne, the prefectures and counties in the world were in chaos. Some prefectures were not as big as counties. The prefectures and counties were in chaos, and even the people could not rule each other. This situation inevitably led to the expansion of the government, with more officials than people, so he abolished the counties and used the prefecture-county system.
Moreover, this method can also curb the power of local officials. In the traditional county system, the county governor was an official with a salary of two thousand stones, which was also a high-ranking official in the Nine-Rank System, while the provincial governor was an official with a salary of six hundred stones, which was a middle-lower-ranking official in the Nine-Rank System.
This can curb the power of local officials, but as you two just said, he has gone too far. Local governments cannot simply decentralize power, but must centralize power when necessary, otherwise the ability to resist risks will be too low. "
After getting Luo Su's recognition, Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing became even more excited. After hearing Luo Su's teachings, they each kept them in mind.
Luo Xuanye raised his whip and said loudly: "Grandfather, we have reached the border of Qizhou. Going forward is Yongzhou, where Chang'an, the capital of the Sui Dynasty, is located."
Qizhou?
Upon hearing this, Luo Su quickly lifted the car curtain and looked into the distance, and then he saw the familiar mountain.
Qishan, the birthplace of the Zhou Dynasty.
"More than 1,500 years ago, a phoenix sang on Mount Qishan, and our Zhou Dynasty was able to replace the Shang Dynasty and rule the world, creating a millennium dynasty. As far as I can remember, grand ceremonies are held here every year to pray to the heavens.
I didn’t expect that after so many years, this place has become so desolate.”
Things are different and people have changed.
When Luo Su was born, he had tried his best to eliminate those things that did not belong to this era, but deep down, he was an ancient man from 1,500 years ago. What he loved and cared about were completely different.
Even the descendants of the Luo family cannot understand this complex emotion.
Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing both felt Luo Su's depression, looked at each other, and finally decided to keep still and accompany Luo Su here to reminisce.
Luo Su did not dwell on this too much, and the group soon set off again. Qizhou was near the imperial capital, and the straight roads there were wide and flat, making them extremely suitable for carriages.
Another day of traveling. Passing by a tea stall at an inn, Luo Su asked the two to rest. He got the latest news about Chang'an City from the travelers coming and going. Perhaps it should be called Daxing City, but people are used to calling it Chang'an.
Because it is close to the capital, the public security is naturally very good at the feet of the emperor. Not to mention the taxes on the people in the Sui Dynasty, under the rule of Yang Jian, the government was extremely powerful. Most of the wanderers, rogues and gangsters who roamed Guanzhong during the turbulent times did not dare to act recklessly. The common people only needed to worry about being bullied by the powerful.
Good public security will lead to prosperous business. At this moment, there are many merchants and errand boys coming and going, but very few of them carry weapons. Usually, these merchants will start to prepare a large number of weapons when they enter Longzhou, and then head west.
Luo Su and the other two sat at a table. Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing had a black ribbon on their foreheads and drank tea quietly. Because of their outstanding looks, they naturally attracted a lot of attention.
Not to mention Luo Xuanye, although Luo Xuanjing only has a charm of 95, in reality, she is already a peerless beauty. When she appears in front of passers-by, she is naturally extremely eye-catching.
There is no need to say more about Luo Su. There is a layer of glow flowing on his skin almost all the time. With his looks, he can attract both men and women.
Luo Su chatted casually with the merchants and travelers passing by. He was knowledgeable and spoke slowly and steadily. His hands were long and slender without any calluses, and his skin was moist and glowing. Anyone could see that he came from a wealthy family.
Someone couldn't help but ask with a smile: "I haven't asked your name yet, I wonder which family you are from?
"Today, I am honored to meet you in person. One day, when you ascend to the Nine Heavens and rule the world, we will still be able to talk and laugh with you. Have you ever discussed the Dao with you?"
His words were full of compliments, and with just a few words he was able to gain everyone's praise, making the heroes gathered in the teahouse of the inn unable to help but feel envious.
Chang'an is where heroes and scholars all over the world pursue their dreams. Any ambitious person dreams of being appreciated by nobles in Chang'an and ascending to heaven.
Luo Su smiled, raised his teacup, and said with a smile: "My name is known in the white mountains and black waters, and people in the world always call me the Saint."
hiss.
Although I didn't quite understand it, I knew it was very powerful and related to a saint. I don't know which saint it is, but nowadays, the most prominent saint family is the Gusu Luo family, who have many literary and martial saints as ancestors. Or it is the Linzi Lu family, which has the martial saint Taigong Wang, or the Longhushan Zhang family, who is considered half a strategist, or it is the Huaiyin Han family, which has the military genius Han Wumu, the god of war.
These were the people who were about to be deified in history. No one knew which family they came from, but everyone already believed that Luo Su must be a descendant of some powerful family in Kanto.
There were several people across a table from Luo Su. The leader was a middle-aged man with a handsome appearance, raised arms, sharp eyes, and looked like a sharp shooter. Even in casual clothes, he couldn't conceal his fierce aura. He was definitely an extraordinary person.
Sitting on his side was his wife, who was accompanying him to take up the new post and was resting here.
When he heard Luo Su talking before, he had already wanted to make friends with him. He knew at a glance that Luo Su was of noble birth. Now that he heard that Luo Su was indeed of noble birth, the last bit of worry in his heart disappeared, and he immediately stood up and said, "I don't know your name, little brother. My surname is Li, with a single courtesy name of Yuan, and my courtesy name is Shude. I was appointed as the governor of Qizhou by the emperor's edict, and I am about to take up the post.
This is my wife, Dou.
I never thought that I would meet such a talented person like you in this mountainous area. I would like to make you my friend. I hope you will not despise me."
When Li Yuan announced his name, Luo Su hadn't said anything yet, but the people around him started to make a commotion. They didn't expect that they would meet the newly appointed official of Qizhou.
"But is it the Duke of Tang, Li Qiaozhou, who is in person?"
Someone revealed Li Yuan's identity. Li Yuan did not show it on his face, but he was very proud in his heart. This unintentional revelation could better reflect his dignity. It can be said that Li Yuan has a bright future in the Sui Dynasty.
The emperor was his uncle, the empress was his aunt, and he was a legitimate royal relative, with the hereditary title of Duke of Tang. Above him were only the prince of a county and the prince of a duke.
Luo Su's eyes seemed to pierce Li Yuan's heart. Luo Xuanye immediately said, "Please forgive me, Mr. Li. The elders in my family have told me not to reveal my identity when I'm out. This is my ancestor."
Luo Su held Luo Xuanye down to stop him from talking, then raised his teacup towards Li Yuan from a distance, and said to everyone, "My surname is Ji, and my given name is Su."
Luo Xuanye and Luo Xuanjing's eyes lit up when they heard this. Their surnames had been mixed for so long that they had forgotten to use the Ji surname to walk around in the world.
Ji?
Everyone was a little confused for a moment. They had never heard of any family with this surname in the world.
Not to mention the aristocratic families with this surname, even in slightly more prominent families, no one has ever heard of anyone with the surname Ji. As for whether it was a pseudonym, that was even more unnecessary. Even if no one said it, no one would do anything to him.
Is it really an ordinary family?
Everyone was a little puzzled, but after looking at Luo Su carefully, they still felt that it was impossible. There were countless outstanding people from poor families, but those who came from humble and poor backgrounds were not like the person in front of them.
The noble aura that was almost overflowing from his body could hardly be concealed. The woman next to him sat in a dignified posture. Some people had observed that she had hardly moved indecently during such a long period of time.
This was definitely the result of years of learning etiquette, which had become muscle memory, and could not be changed even if one changed into an ordinary hairpin and skirt.
Li Yuan was even more puzzled in his heart. Could it be that he really had made a mistake?
He was an excellent man, both civil and military, and well versed in political strategies. But there was only one bad thing about him: he liked to make friends with the children of powerful families and he also liked to employ them. It was almost non-existent for him to be humble and submissive.
Dou, the woman with a kind heart and a gentle mind who had once attracted all the men in the city to vie for marriage, frowned slightly and whispered in Li Yuan's ear: "My husband, the Ji family is the Luo family, the only family in the world that still insists on distinguishing between surnames."
Li Yuan suddenly realized and whispered, "Madam is indeed a good helper to your husband."
He was about to happily reveal Luo Su's identity when he heard the sound of gongs and drums, followed by a loud voice, "The Crown Prince's palace is leaving."
Li Yuan was shocked, and everyone looked towards the straight road. People of lower status were already lying on the ground. A trace of hatred flashed in Dou's eyes. She had a great grudge against the Sui Dynasty royal family, but unfortunately she could not take revenge for the sake of her family.
On the straight road, government officials passed by from time to time, but no one expected that they would meet eunuchs from the prince's palace today.
These eunuchs are most considerate of their masters' thoughts, and then gain their trust and favor through flattery, and these two points represent power and money, two things that people flock to.
As soon as Gao Cheng saw Luo Xuanjing, he knew that his chance had come.
The current Crown Prince Yang Yong is handsome, studious, talented in writing, good at poetry, and has a tolerant personality. All these advantages basically indicate that he will at least be a good emperor who can maintain the status quo. However, he has only two weaknesses: he is lustful and loves luxury.
He asked the palace servants to collect beauties for him, and even granted them official positions as rewards. Now the chief eunuch in his palace became honored because he presented Yun Shuyi to him.
Following a master like this and meeting a beauty like Luo Xuanjing, how could Gao Cheng possibly restrain himself?
He almost immediately came forward, but was stopped by two spirit soldiers. He was a little stunned, pointing at the apricot-yellow chariot in disbelief and said, "The Crown Prince's palace is traveling, who dares to block the way?
I am a eunuch in the Eastern Palace. Miss, are you willing to follow me back to the Eastern Palace? The Crown Prince will be delighted, and Miss will enjoy endless wealth and glory, and even the whole family will become noble."
Luo Su had a half-smile on his face, and Ling Bing just moved the weapon in his hand forward a little more, which scared Gao Cheng so much that he quickly retreated. He didn't expect that the name of the East Palace could not scare these people in front of him.
Li Yuan saw that the two sides were somewhat on edge, and immediately said to Gao Cheng: "Eunuch Gao Cheng, these three are nobles of the Gusu Luo family, you must not be rude."
"Gusu Luo Clan?"
"It turns out to be someone from Gusu Luo Clan?"
"No wonder, the surname Ji, there is no family with the surname Ji in this world, it turns out that it is the surname Ji of the Luo family, this makes sense."
"If he really comes from a big family, I can't be wrong."
Li Yuan's words caused a huge uproar, and people in the field even ignored the people in the East Palace and started talking. Of course, those people of low status still didn't dare to say much, but there were many nobles coming and going, so they were not that scared.
When Gao Cheng heard the fear flashing in the eyes of Gusu Luo family, he wanted to back down. After all, they were a prestigious and large family. But then he realized that Gusu Luo family seemed to be a Jiangnan aristocratic family.
His master, the prince, hated the Jiangnan gentry the most, or rather, the Jiangnan gentry were the people of Jin Wang Yang Guang. Yang Guang's queen was the legitimate daughter of Lanling Xiao family. Her great-grandfather was Prince Chengming Xiao Tong, the protagonist of the "Witchcraft Case", one of the three major cases of the Liang Dynasty.
After the fall of Liang, the Southern Dynasty was more traditional and rule-abiding, and was not as brutal in killing as the Northern Dynasty. Therefore, the Xiao family of Lanling did not undergo a major purge. Although they lost the throne, they were still a first-class family.
Prince of Jin Yang Guang not only pacified the south of the Yangtze River, but also garrisoned Yangzhou for a long time. He had a very deep connection with the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. In addition, through marriage, most of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River stood on Yang Guang's side. Naturally, the prince was dissatisfied with the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River.
Gao Cheng has begun to use his "cleverness" and wisdom. If he can bring this noble lady from the Luo family back to the East Palace, the prince will definitely be excited.
After all, for the sake of the Jiangnan gentry, the Prince of Jin chose to marry into the Jiangnan gentry. If the prince married a daughter of the Luo family, wouldn't that divide the Jiangnan gentry?
It is ridiculous that Gao Cheng, who has never used his brain in his entire life, suddenly decides to use it today.
Luo Su was well versed in people's minds. When he saw Gao Cheng's change in eyes, he knew that he had made up his mind. The casual smile on his face disappeared completely, and then he asked softly: "Is the reputation of Gusu Luo's family so weak now?
Even a servant of the prince dared to rob the women of Gusu Luo clan in the street?"
Li Yuan was completely shocked. He was sure that this was not the prince's intention. Unless the prince was crazy, who would offend the son of a big family like this?
Gao Cheng heard the hidden meaning and asked in surprise: "Aren't you from Gusu Luo's family?"
Luo Su bowed to Li Yuan and the others and said, "Everyone, we will meet again later."
Then he said to Gao Cheng: "Where is the East Palace? Let's go."
Luo Su's behavior was shocking. He didn't even put up a single resistance and just followed the eunuch from the East Palace. Li Yuan had a complicated look in his eyes. He wanted to stop him, but since it was a royal affair, he didn't dare to intervene. He had already exceeded his limit by speaking up for justice previously.
Gao Cheng did not expect it to be so smooth, and said happily: "Sir and Miss, please rest assured that Miss will enjoy endless wealth and glory after entering the East Palace. Being able to connect with the royal family is a great wealth.
Even if they are not as prominent as the Gusu Luo family now, as long as they become relatives by marriage in the future, it is very likely that they will surpass the Gusu Luo family. The current Gusu Luo family does not even have a prime minister, and they are already a skinny camel. "
He kept chattering here, but he couldn't see Luo Su's calm face or the murderous intent in his eyes.
The carriage moved along and turned two or three corners. Luo Xuanye looked back and said in a deep voice, "Ancestor, we can no longer see those people."
Gao Cheng heard some of it and asked in confusion, "What can't be seen?"
Luo Su said softly: "Since we can't see them anymore, let them all die."
A sense of fear that came from nowhere instantly swept through Gao Cheng's body. He felt as if he was facing not a human being, but a beast that would choose its prey. The murderous intent on Luo Su's body made him feel fear from the bottom of his heart.
Those servants, who were not very strong, skillfully killed the guards of the Eastern Palace, even with bows and crossbows and armor, weapons controlled by the court. Gao Cheng screamed, and no matter how stupid he was, he knew that he had hit an iron wall.
"I am the prince's man, and they are the guards of the Eastern Palace. Killing them is like rebellion, rebellion!"
Luo Su seemed to have heard nothing at all. Within just a dozen breaths, amidst the tragic screams, all the East Palace guards brought by Gao Cheng were buried here.
Gao Cheng was completely stunned on the spot, like a fool. He couldn't believe what he saw. Under the feet of the emperor, all the guards of the East Palace died in front of him. "You are all crazy, all crazy!"
Luo Su smiled slightly, put two fingers together, and gently stroked across his eyebrows.
The sacred mark of the Phoenix Feather, shining with divine light, appeared between his brows.
"Stigmata!"
Gao Cheng screamed in horror.
There is no one in the Xia Dynasty who does not recognize this holy mark. Even if they have not seen it for thousands of years, as long as it appears in front of them, they will be able to recognize and confirm its authenticity!
He was so shocked that he couldn't be more horrified, and then he was completely stunned.
He never expected that the protagonists in those prophecies would appear before him.
The emperor and countless nobles sent so many people to Liaodong Winter City to look for the direct descendants of the Luo family, but they appeared in front of them without any preparation!
And what did I do?
Under the sacred mark of the Phoenix Feather, Gao Cheng's fear almost reached its peak, and he actually died of fright!
Luo Xuanye whispered in Luo Su's ear: "Grandfather, the governor of Qizhou, Duke of Tang, has caught up with us. Should we get rid of him?"
Li Yuan never expected that he would encounter such a scene when he followed. The corpses lying all over the ground were not important. What was important was the shining Phoenix Feather Holy Mark on the young man's forehead.
It is indeed the Ji family’s Luo family!
That’s right!
But this is the main branch of the Luo family!
The main branch of the Luo family has not appeared in the Central Plains for two hundred years!
Li Yuan now felt like he had seen a mythical figure. This person, who only appeared in history books and legends, suddenly appeared before him. The shock he felt was so great that it was difficult to describe.
And what is the young man next to Luo Su going to do?
The flash in those eyes must be murderous intent, right?
He witnessed the main branch of the Luo family slaughtering the guards of the Eastern Palace, and they were carrying armor and crossbows, which was tantamount to rebellion.
Li Yuan felt a chill running down his spine. For the first time, he felt that he could not escape his doom.
What now?
Li Yuan had an awkward but polite smile on his face, and he forced a smile at Luo Su with his teeth bared. His smile was uglier than crying.
(End of this chapter)
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