The horses gallop across thousands of mountains, leaving a cloud of dust in the west; the strong wind blows the wine flag.
The shopkeepers kept calling out to us, fearing that we would linger and miss our return date.
Lou Yunchun and his group traveled non-stop and finally arrived at Liupan Pass before sunset.
The mountains of Liupan Pass are rugged, with two beautiful peaks. The Jing River flows in the middle, turning and shaping, and forming a fertile plain - Liupan Post was built here.
Everyone reined in their horses and landed, shaking off the dust and wind.
Lou Yunchun looked up and saw the city walls embracing each other, tall buildings standing apart, and the flying eaves rising one after another, which was majestic and imposing.
There are platforms, smoke towers and drum towers built on the city walls, all of which are symmetrical, solemn and magnificent. There are soldiers guarding the walls above and below, and there are checkpoints in front of the city gates.
All these signs indicate that these six stations not only managed postal services but also had defensive capabilities.
Several people came to the city gate, and Lou Yunchun showed the token. After verifying it, the post guards saluted him one after another, then let him pass and asked someone to inform the postmaster.
After a while, the postmaster came out with seven or eight post officials.
"Your humble servant welcomes you, sir."
"Yi Cheng is exempt from courtesy."
After the two sides exchanged greetings, the postmaster personally led a few people inside.
"Your Excellency has had a long journey," the postmaster asked. "Would you like to change horses, get supplies, or stay overnight?"
"I'll have to trouble the postmaster to arrange accommodation."
Seeing him so polite, the postmaster was a little surprised. This man looked so stern, but surprisingly easy to talk to. He smiled and said, "Your Excellency is too polite."
After entering the city gate, you will see the front yard of Liupan Post Station. There are stables and official shops on both sides of the front yard, where officials and postmen can change horses, rest and get supplies.
The official shops were filled with a dazzling array of goods, including clothing, food, and luggage. The types of goods sold were no less than those in ordinary markets.
The postmaster ordered two subordinates to place the horses of several people in the same stable, and asked them to take good care of them and not to neglect them. Then he led Lou Yunchun to the hall.
In the center of the front courtyard stood a gatehouse, facing the city gate. To the left and right of the gatehouse were two halls, used for registration and dispatch. The postmaster led Lou Yunchun into one of the halls and personally registered him.
After registration, ask a few more people to go to the atrium.
Through the gate is the courtyard, with twenty corridors on each side of the courtyard for people to eat and stay. The corridors are connected to the Buddhist pavilion, which is three stories high. There is a meditation room on the attic for monks to rest.
The downstairs was accessible for carriages and horses to travel to the inner courtyard, which was the residence of the postmaster, post clerks, and postmen, as well as a warehouse for military supplies.
After entering the central courtyard, the postmaster instructed two subordinates to lead the officials to choose a room, and then took Lou Yunchun to the inner courtyard.
Officials of the fifth rank and above in the imperial court who came to the post station all lived in the post station chief's mansion.
As they walked, the postmaster said to Lou Yunchun, "There's a stable behind our post station. There are a hundred fine horses there, all military horses. If you'd like to ride, you can pick two from there."
Lou Yunchun declined politely, "Thank you for your kindness, Postmaster. I'll just ride my own horse."
"I was foolish. Your Excellency's mount must be a good one, so there is no need to change it."
"It's not a famous horse, but I know its temperament well, which makes it easier to use."
"Your Excellency is too modest." Lou Yunchun curled the corners of his lips and did not argue with him.
The Postmaster's Mansion is not as luxurious as the official residence in the capital, but it is also spacious, bright, grand and simple.
"This place is not as prosperous as the capital, so I have to ask Your Excellency to yield."
"The postmaster is too modest."
The postmaster was speechless, then shook his head and laughed. This man was quite interesting.
He led Lou Yunchun into the main hall and then ordered seats to be set up and tea to be made.
The two sat down, and the postmaster asked about current events in the capital, and Lou Yunchun answered them one by one. After they each had a cup of tea, Lou Yunchun also inquired about the situation at Liupan Pass, and the postmaster naturally told him everything he knew.
"This place is home to a diverse mix of ethnic groups, and it's also an important trading hub. Past our post station, towards Xiaoguan, there's a mountain town that attracts merchants from all over, and it's bustling with business. If you're not in a hurry, you can go there for a stroll. While it's not as good as the East and West Markets in the capital, it has everything you need and is unique."
"Okay." Lou Yunchun offered him a cup of tea, "Thank you, Postmaster."
The postmaster hurried to greet him, "Your Excellency is very polite."
After drinking, the postmaster saw that Lou Yunchun looked tired and didn't want to delay any longer, so he led him to the guest room and let him rest.
He then asked the kitchen to send food and hot water, which was very considerate.
When Lou Yunchun was eating, he took out the last two steamed buns from his bag and ate them bit by bit.
Before blowing out the lamp, he vaguely heard Sanskrit, which was the monks chanting in the Buddhist pavilion.
If one is in love with beauty, why should one be afraid of the temptation? Even if one is in danger of being in a tiger's mouth, one's heart is willing to surrender, and one will drown in the mud. Therefore, one is called an ordinary person. If one can penetrate this door, one will become an arhat who has transcended the world.
"I am willing to surrender, even if I throw myself into the mud and drown myself..." Lou Yunchun took out Xu Jiang's waist badge, touched it to his lips, and murmured, "With you in this world, I am happy to be an ordinary person."
Lou Yunchun fell asleep to the sound of monks chanting.
He closed his eyes and thought, he had to go to Gaoshan Town tomorrow. According to the date, Zhao Xiu should follow.
In the wilderness, under the Milky Way, Zhao Xiu was gazing at the brightly lit post station in the distance.
He looked tired and slovenly. After traveling day and night for several days, he finally caught up with the people from the Dali Temple here. He was exhausted.
Zhao Xiu couldn't help but grit his teeth when he thought about how Lou Yunchun was being well-fed and well-fed by the postmaster, while he could only sleep in the open air. Fortunately, the caravan would arrive in Gaoshan Town tomorrow, where he could rest and then stop by Lou Yunchun to discuss his affairs.
He stared at the post station for a long time, but was blown cold by the wind. In the end, he had to wrap his clothes tightly, return to the camp in dejected manner, and warm himself in front of the campfire.
When the attendant saw him coming, he handed him a bowl of batter and half a Hu pancake. This was the food for tonight.
Zhao Xiu took it and walked over to the camel that was kneeling and resting nearby. He sat down beside it and began to eat the Hu pancake, mouthful by mouthful of batter. The Hu pancake was astringent and choked him, making him cough. This coughing also aggravated the pain in his chest, making him frown.
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