Chapter 264: Khitans
After Li Er returned to Chang'an from the hot springs of Mount Li, Li Chengqian had some free time, so he took Wang Quan and several guards to the Zhuque Street in disguise.
While strolling, Li Chengqian found that the residents of Chang'an actually gathered in one place, as if they were watching something exciting.
"Let's go! Let's go see what's going on." Li Chengqian was curious for a moment, so he took Wang Quan and others to follow the crowd.
"Sir! Be careful, there are all kinds of people here, I am worried about your safety, I think it's better not to join in the excitement." Wang Quan whispered to Li Chengqian.
This time when he sneaked out of the palace, he brought few people with him. He was worried that so many people would cause chaos. If the prince was hurt, he would not be able to bear it.
"Okay! Stop bothering my mother-in-law and mother here. Let's go and see the excitement!" Li Chengqian ignored Wang Quan's advice and walked forward with his crutches. Wang
Quan and others saw that Li Chengqian did not listen to the advice, so they had to follow closely. Wang Quan sent someone to notify the government office in charge of public security in this area and asked them to carefully maintain public security.
When Li Chengqian and others arrived, this area was already crowded with people, and both sides of the street were full of people. There were
also many people occupying advantageous positions on the second floors of the wine shops and stores on both sides, and they could look down and see the situation in the middle of the street.
Li Chengqian and his companions came at the wrong time, so they could only stay behind the crowd, stretching their necks and looking inside.
If they could not squeeze in, Li Chengqian and his companions would have squeezed in long ago!
"Here they come! Here they come!" Someone shouted in the crowd.
Everyone looked into the distance and saw a group of tall, red-haired, green-eyed Hu people riding tall horses appearing in everyone's sight.
The people on both sides of the street looked at these Hu people, pointing and talking to each other from time to time, as if they were going to the zoo to see monkeys.
These Chang'an residents have lived in Chang'an all their lives and have never left the land where they live. How could they have seen these Hu people who look different from themselves?
Since the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Xueyantuo and the Tiele tribes submitted to the Tang Dynasty, there have been many more Hu people in Chang'an, and the residents of Chang'an have some experience.
Therefore, although the appearance of this group of red-haired and green-eyed Hu people attracted the attention of Chang'an residents, it did not cause much sensation.
The people of Chang'an have seen Hu people before, so there is nothing to be surprised about. They just think that the Hu people who came this time are a little different from the Hu people who came to Chang'an in the past.
The most obvious feature is naturally their eyes and hair.
"Which tribe are these Hu people from? Why haven't I seen them before?" Li Chengqian looked at these strange foreigners and said.
"Sir, these red-haired and green-eyed Hu people are from the Khitan tribe." Wang Quan said.
The Khitans are a northwestern ethnic tribe located in the northwest of the Uighurs, in the upper reaches of the Yenisei River in modern Russia, north of the Sayan Mountains and south of the Angara River.
During the Han Dynasty, the Khitans were called Gekun, Gekun, or Jiankun. From the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui Dynasty, they were also called Hugu, Jiegu, Qigu, and Hegu. The common Chinese translation in the Tang Dynasty was Khitans or Hejiansi.
Most Khitans have red hair and green eyes, but their leader clan has black hair and black eyes. According to their self-proclaimed name, they claim to be descendants of Li Ling and are of the same clan as the Li Tang royal family.
They are from the Li family of Qianxi. According to bloodline, they all belong to the aristocratic family of the Li family of Qianxi.
However, the Li family of Linxi, one of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, would not recognize their mixed bloodline.
The Five Surnames and Seven Families have always intermarried to achieve the purity of their own bloodline. Apart from the intermarriage between the Five Surnames, the direct lineage of the Five Surnames and Seven Families would not allow intermarriage with outsiders.
They valued maintaining the purity of the bloodline within the family more. Intermarriage between cousins and cousins was the norm.
Only in this way could the purity of the family's bloodline be guaranteed. For example, the Li family of Linxi did not recognize the descendants of Li Ling.
They completely excluded them and did not recognize them as members of the Li family, but they would not do anything extreme.
This is why Li Tang has always emphasized that he is a descendant of the Li family of Linxi, but the Li family of Linxi did not jump out to accuse him.
"So it's them. They are here to submit to the Tang Dynasty. Let's go back!" Li Chengqian said with little interest. If
the Khitans wanted to submit to the Tang Dynasty, they had to write a document and send it to the local government of the Tang Dynasty, and then the local government would send it to the capital Chang'an.
During this time, the Khitans had to prepare the tribute gifts and then set off to Chang'an to meet the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
The official document of the Khitans coming to Chang'an had been sent to Chang'an a month ago. Li Chengqian had read it, but he lost interest after Wang Quan said that.
The Khitans came thousands of miles to Chang'an to submit to the Tang Dynasty. Li Er was naturally very happy and ordered a banquet to entertain the Khitans in the Tiancheng Hall.
Li Er handed the matter over to the Minister of Rites. The Ministry of Rites did not dare to neglect it. Under the leadership of the Minister of Rites, the Tiancheng Hall was set up.
After everything was set up, the sky began to darken and night was about to fall.
The Khitan people came to the banquet on time. In order to show their enthusiasm for the Khitan people, not only did Li Er appear at the banquet in person, but even Li Chengqian was notified to attend the banquet.
Most people appeared in the Tiancheng Hall early, and the banquet officially began with the appearance of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
"Your Majesty!" Crown Prince Li Chengqian and all the officials
saluted! "Your Majesty!" The Khitan people, led by their leader Shibo Qu Azhan, saluted Li Er.
"No need to be polite, just stand up!" Li Er said, and after sitting down, he motioned everyone to sit down.
"Thank you, Your Majesty (Tian Khan)!" Everyone sat down to prepare for the banquet.
The maids shuttled among the crowd and placed the prepared meals on the table in front of everyone for everyone to enjoy.
The court band played beautiful music, and the maids danced gracefully, showing the splendor of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
"Shibo Qu Azhan, I am very happy! You have come from thousands of miles to Chang'an, the Tang Dynasty, and pay homage to the Tang Dynasty. Come and drink this glass of wine." Li Er raised his glass to the leader of the Khitans and drank the wine in the glass.
"Thank you, Tian Khan!" Shibo Qu Azhan raised his glass in response and drank it all with his people.
Crown Prince Li Chengqian and ministers in the court also raised their glasses to toast the Khitan people. Everyone toasted back and forth, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
"Great Khan! To show our sincerity, I will present you with the best treasures of my tribe, and I will select the ideal husband for my tribe's beauties from among the many dignitaries in Chang'an! I hope Khan will agree." The leader of the Khitans, Shibqu Azhan, said.
This was a plan to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty. In the past, all tribes had asked for marriage with the Tang Dynasty, but this was the first time someone wanted to bring women from their tribe into the Tang Dynasty.