293, Pingzhou
293, Pingzhou
After the winter months began, the wind and snow grew stronger the further north one went, and the number of caravans traveling to and from the north became fewer and fewer. However, on this day, the weather suddenly improved. The snow that had been falling for several days miraculously stopped, and a little sunshine appeared.
The sunlight shines on the snow, making it look like it is coated with a layer of golden light, and this winter seems to have become a little warmer.
On this day, two caravans arrived at the gate of Pingzhou city together.
Pingzhou City is an important military city. The inspections for entering the city are particularly strict, especially for caravans carrying goods into the city.
Seeing the caravan coming, the general guarding the city personally led his soldiers to check.
The guard got off his horse, took out the token and identity documents given by their prince and showed them to the general guarding the city. He quickly passed the general's test.
Even the things loaded on their carriages were just glanced at by these people before putting down the oilcloth.
After confirming that they could enter the city, Guard Ma turned around and said to Lord Lu who was sitting in the carriage, "Second Young Master, we can go in."
"Well, let's go." Lu Mingfei sat in the carriage. He lifted the curtain and looked out. What caught his eye was the towering city wall.
There is a plaque hanging on the city gate with the words "Pingzhou" written on it.
There are many mottled marks on the city wall, which seem to tell them that this city wall has stood here for hundreds of years, guarding the people of this city and resisting countless enemy invasions.
At this moment, Lu Mingfei felt as if he saw an old general standing here. Even though this old general was old, he still used his old body to guard this city and its people, which touched his heart.
The carriage started up again, but he didn't lower the curtains. Instead, he kept looking outside. He wanted to see what the city where Zhao Lang was born and raised was like.
After the carriage entered the city, it was a straight road. The road here was very wide. The ground was sandy and not as spacious as the blue brick road in Kyoto.
On both sides of the road, people set up stalls to sell things, and the shops on the street were open for business. Most of these shops were made of mud bricks and thatched roofs, and looked very low.
Perhaps because it is so windy and cold here in winter, there is a curtain hanging on the doors of these shops, so you can't see inside the shop from the outside.
[Maybe they can find time to go out shopping someday? I just wonder if the young master will be free to show his hospitality after returning home?] Thinking of someone he hadn't seen for a long time, Lu Mingfei actually felt an urgent desire to see someone.
After they left the base, they headed towards Beijun.
However, due to the heavy snow and wind and the difficult roads along the way, they arrived in Beijun many days later than they had originally expected.
Pingzhou is the most important military town in Beijun, and it is the place where food and supplies are provided to the army.
This city is also home to many soldiers' families, as well as soldiers stationed in the fields and their wives, children and descendants, as well as many ordinary people who have lived here for generations and many merchants who come here to do business.
There are also a small number of Hu people and descendants of intermarriage between Hu and Han people living here.
In the past, when there was no war between the Hu and Han peoples, the Hu people could come to the interior to do business, and many Hu people came to the city to exchange the supplies they needed.
Their Great Yan's policy towards the Hu people was also very relaxed. If the Hu people wanted to settle down inside the Great Wall, they only needed to marry a Han person, register their identity and name with the government, and become Yan citizens from then on, and they could stay and live inside the Great Wall.
So there are many people living in Beijun, including Han people and Hu people.
The large population here meant a high demand for supplies. However, due to constant warfare, normal farming and commodity production were impossible, so many goods had to be transported here by caravans for sale. This, in turn, led to a flourishing trade.
However, this place is also affected by war and climate. After winter, the number of caravans coming and going here has decreased a lot.
In addition, with the wars of the past two years, I'm afraid many caravans have stopped going this way. The caravans that still dare to go this way at this time are either those who are desperate for money or those who are strong enough to not be afraid of bandits on the road.
Beyond Pingzhou, heading north, one reaches the grasslands inhabited by the Hu people. If the Hu people captured Pingzhou, they would march southwards into the heartland of Dayan, where countless nobles and ordinary people lived. Therefore, the soldiers at the border also shouldered the responsibility and obligation to safeguard the rear.
Prince Ding was born into the royal family and was a half-brother of the late emperor. After the late emperor ascended the throne, Prince Ding requested the title of Northern Commander and came here to garrison the border. Over the years, Prince Ding had fulfilled his promise, defending Northern Commander and preventing the Hu troops from even briefly crossing Pingzhou.
Over the years in Kyoto Prefecture, Lu Mingfei had heard many stories about Prince Ding. However, these stories about Prince Ding, in addition to stories about battles, also included episodes about Prince Ding encountering various beauties on the way to battle.
Whenever the teahouse gentleman recounted the story of Prince Ding's encounter with a beautiful woman, the audience listened with rapt interest and envy. However, some scholars took this to a more radical level, and the corrupt officials in the court often wrote memorials to impeach Prince Ding.
However, Prince Ding's men were busy fighting in Northern Commandery, completely ignoring the officials at court. When the late emperor was still alive, these memorials were all held back and not dealt with.
[I just don't know, are these stories about encountering beauties on the road to battle deliberately spread by Prince Ding, or are they real?]
If it was the former, he would have to praise Prince Ding for his cunningness. But if it was the latter, he could only say that this person had both strengths and weaknesses. No one is perfect, not even a prince who is good at fighting. However, although he and Zhao Lang had known each other for many years, he did not dare to verify the stories circulating outside about Prince Ding encountering beautiful women on the road to battle with Zhao Lang, the prince of Ding.
The wind outside was a little cold, so he lowered the curtain.
Not long after, their car stopped. Lu Mingfei lifted the car window curtain and looked out. He heard someone outside say to him, "Second Young Master, don't get out yet. Let's go straight in."
Since he didn't have to go down, he would just sit here and wait.
Guard Ma dismounted, knocked on the courtyard door, and ordered the driver to drive the carriage into the courtyard. He exchanged a few words with the butler who had come to greet them, then invited Master Lu to step down from the carriage. "Second Young Master, we're here. Please get out."
"Yeah." Lu Mingfei reached out and lifted the curtain, took a look outside, then bent down and got out of the car, stepping on a low stool to get down.
The butler who was waiting on the side brought someone forward to greet the young gentleman, "My humble servant greets you, sir."
"I am the steward of this house, and these are the servants who serve here."
Lu Mingfei glanced at the housekeeper and several servants and nodded.
Seeing this, the housekeeper hurriedly made a gesture of invitation, "Sir, please come inside and sit down."
Lu Mingfei glanced in the direction he was going and started walking. When he reached the door, the housekeeper stepped forward and helped him lift the curtain blocking the door. Only then did he step into the house.
Perhaps to keep out the cold winter, the doors and windows here in the north are much smaller.
As soon as he entered the room, he felt a wave of warmth. Following the butler's guidance, Lu Mingfei sat down at the head seat. As soon as he sat down, the butler handed him a cup of hot tea and asked him with a smile, "Sir, are you hungry? I asked the kitchen to prepare some food and wine. Do you want it to be delivered to the room?"
"Wait a moment, there's no rush." Lu Mingfei took a sip of tea, then put the cup down. He looked at the housekeeper waiting in front of him and asked, "How long have you been in this house?"
"Sir, I used to work on the farm, and recently I came here to be the housekeeper." Upon hearing this, the housekeeper responded.
Lu Mingfei understood in his heart that this house was probably specially bought for him by Zhao Lang, and the housekeeper and servants here were hired temporarily. "Well, it's okay, you can go outside."
"Yes." The butler responded and bowed before going out.
Guard Ma and the butler crossed paths at the door. The butler went out, and he came in. He whispered to Master Lu, "I have sent someone to the palace to inform the prince. I believe the prince will come here later."
"Well. Ask someone to pack up all the things we brought and don't lose them." Lu Mingfei reminded.
"Yes, I understand." Guard Ma responded, and when he saw his master waving his hand, he turned and walked out.
Lu Mingfei sat alone in the room for a long time without moving. He really felt dizzy.
***
At the same time at Prince Ding's Mansion.
The banquet was still going on, and Zhao Lang didn't feel like joining in. He found an empty pavilion and stood there to take in the view. He had been away for so many years before returning, and the Ding Palace had changed a lot, but there were also some places that hadn't changed much, like this garden.
Their young master was standing inside the pavilion, while Li Qun was standing outside. Seeing someone hurried over, he asked what was going on. Then he entered the pavilion and whispered a few words in their young master's ear.
When Zhao Lang heard that Lord Lu from his family had come to Pingzhou City and was waiting for him in the house he had arranged, his eyes lit up, and his gloomy mood was swept away. A smile appeared on his face, and he turned around and walked out without stopping.
"Walk!"
"Oh, yes."
Seeing that their prince was happy, Li Qun also smiled happily and followed their prince happily. When he came out of the pavilion, he waved to the other brothers, which meant that everyone should follow him.
The other guards understood the gesture and followed their prince.
The maid who came to invite someone saw their young master hurriedly walking out, and hurried forward to ask, "Young Master, where are you going? The banquet has started in the front, and Madam asked me to come and invite you over."
"Tell my mother that I have to go out for something." After saying this, Zhao Lang strode away.
When he arrived at the gate of the palace, someone had already driven a carriage waiting for him. He got on the carriage and left with the guards.
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