The dawn was just breaking, coating the snow-capped peaks in the sky with a layer of brilliant gold. A hawk flew across the clear blue sky, leaving behind its shadow as light as a floating cloud. The morning bell had just rung three times, and the market town in the south of the holy city was already bustling with people moving about.
Yao Ying wore a colorful gauze skirt with animal and grass patterns and a veil on her face. She walked into the market accompanied by Ashina Bisha.
The main street of the market town was not very long, but it was crowded with merchants. Both sides were crowded with shops that were densely packed and lined up in rows. The colorful felt curtains were filled with people, and there was almost no place to put one's feet. Merchants of different skin colors, speaking different languages, wearing different clothes, and coming from different tribes came and went. Goods from various countries in the Western Regions were traded here. Compared with the market town in Chang'an, it was quite prosperous and lively.
The place was bustling with noise, and the sounds of hawkers in Sogdian and Hu languages were mixed with the clear and pleasant sounds of camel bells.
Yaoying walked along the way, looking carefully. Most of the items sold in the shops were jewelry, furs, spices, satins, and felt carpets. The dazzling array of goods was so exquisite that it dazzled the eyes.
However, she found that there were not many goods from the Central Plains.
Ashina Bisha explained to her: "The trade route to the Central Plains is not only full of mountains and deserts, but also has been abandoned due to the wars in recent years. Most caravans dare not take risks easily. Most merchants here take three trade routes. The northern route goes north over the Tianshan Mountains, passes through Suiye City, passes Kangguo, Shiguo, Laiyi, and reaches Fulin at the farthest. The central route goes west along the edge of the desert, from Guizi and Shule to Gandhara, then north to Kangguo or south to Tianzhu. The southern route goes along the southern edge of the desert, passing Loulan, Qiemo, Khotan, Shache, and reaches Shule."
"After arriving in India, some merchants went south, passing through Qunu City and Rajagriha to Tubo, or from Pyu Kingdom to Yongchang, and then reached the southern border of the Central Plains. Another part of them went by sea, bypassing India, and traded with merchants from the Central Plains who arrived here after a few months of sea voyage. Most of those merchants came from Guangzhou, Mingzhou, Yangzhou and other places in the southern part of the Central Plains."
Yao Ying was deeply moved after hearing this.
The three trade routes mentioned by Bi Suo actually completely overlapped with the western route of the former Silk Road, except that the starting section from Chang'an in the Central Plains to Dunhuang and Yumen Pass was cut off because the Central Plains had long lost control of the Helong area, and the roads were blocked, making it impossible to travel back and forth.
Merchants were able to brave the dangers and cross the vast deserts and continuous snow-capped mountains that ran across the east and west continents, breaking through the natural barriers and traveling between the Central Plains and Fulin. Naturally, they would not be easily discouraged by obstructions in their trade routes. With the prosperity of the shipbuilding industry, more and more merchants chose to conduct trade by sea voyages, which had huge carrying capacity and lower costs.
This maritime trade route started from the ports of Mingzhou, Yangzhou, Quanzhou, Guangzhou and other places in the Central Plains, crossed the South China Sea, passed through Cologne, and reached the western part of India, and then took the land route to the Western Regions and Persia, and as far as Fulin and Jerusalem. It was later called the Maritime Silk Road.
Yao Ying had heard Li Zhongqian mention that most of the goods shipped from the Central Plains to the West on the Maritime Silk Road were porcelain, tea, silk, and copper and iron objects, while those brought back to the Central Plains were rare spices, flowers, and precious treasures. Those goods were often snapped up by the noble families of Southern Chu as soon as they arrived at the port, which showed the wealth of Southern Chu.
At that time, Li Zhongqian joked with her that if he captured the capital of Southern Chu, he would definitely take her to visit the storehouse of the Southern Chu Palace.
Yao Ying was distracted for a while and continued to observe the Holy City Market.
If the Wakhan Khan of the Northern Rong wanted to unify the Western Regions, he had to capture the royal court and ensure that all the countries along the northern route were under the control of the Northern Rong. However, as long as Tanmaraga firmly defended the royal court, the Wakhan Khan could not take the northern route of the Western Regions. During the confrontation between the two countries, small countries such as Gaochang and Yanqi had some breathing space.
The prosperity of Gaochang depended largely on the smooth flow of trade routes.
By then, we can use this point to persuade the Wei Chi royal family of Gaochang to agree to an alliance.
The goods in the market are varied and colorful.
Yao Ying walked along the way while thinking deeply, and saw Persian felt carpets, Fulin glass cups, Indian Buddha's teeth, Gaochang wine, and Egyptian scriptures written in gold mud.
Xie Qing, Xie Peng and Xie Chong followed her, and she could hardly keep her eyes open.
Xie Peng saw Yao Ying staring at the colorful brocade hanging in a Sogdian merchant's shop, and immediately took out a silver coin: "Princess, what do you want to buy?"
Yao Ying shook her head and said, "I'm not here to buy anything today."
Xie Peng looked confused.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter. The climate in Wangting was very suitable for the growth of fruits and vegetables. There were Hu merchants pulling carts of fruits and vegetables for sale everywhere. Several people bought some fruits and vegetables and food, walked through the market, and came to an adobe courtyard outside the city.
The Han people in the yard, including the old and the young, all came out and knelt on the ground crying bitterly.
An old man with a gray beard cried, "Princess, I have no way to repay you for saving my life. I am willing to serve you like a slave."
Yao Ying signaled Xie Peng to help the old man up and look around.
Men, women, young and old in the yard looked at her expectantly.
These people were pale, thin, and ragged. They were Han slaves she bought from Hu merchants. Their ancestral home was in Hexi. Some were born in the Western Regions, and some migrated to the Western Regions. When the Western Regions fell into chaos, they became pariahs and suffered a miserable fate. They were captured and sold here.
The old man wiped away his tears and asked the question that everyone hoped for: "Princess, will the Emperor of the Central Plains send troops to recapture Hexi and Beiting?"
Everyone looked up at Yao Ying, and there seemed to be two flames burning in her eyes.
Yao Ying shook her head: "Central Plains is currently unable to send troops to recapture Hexi and Beiting."
The light in the old man's eyes dimmed instantly.
Yao Ying looked at the crowd, raised her voice, and said with a solemn and firm expression: "However, the Central Plains has never forgotten its own people. All the civil and military officials in the court are looking forward to recovering their homeland as soon as possible. The Great Wei has already pacified the Central Plains. As long as we cultivate talents and strengthen our military, we will surely be able to recover our homeland as soon as possible!"
After hearing this, the old man became excited again: "Princess, you are right. We have been looking forward to it for so many years, and we will definitely be able to look forward to the day of returning to the east!"
Everyone nodded in agreement with tears in their eyes.
Xie Peng distributed fruits and food to everyone, and everyone expressed their gratitude and kowtowed to Yao Ying.
The old man was the only one among them who had ever been educated. Xie Chong took out the list he had written and asked Yao Ying to take a look at it.
"Princess, there are a total of 111 people here, 51 men and 60 women. Most of them are old, weak, sick and disabled. They were sold because they can't work anymore."
Yaoying read the list and nodded.
Xie Chong asked: "Princess, how should we place them? Should we take them back to the Central Plains?"
Yao Ying stood on the high platform, looking at the people in the courtyard who were wolfing down the cheap naan, with a frown on his face.
"We are going back to the Central Plains. We can't take these people with us on this adventure. We will definitely save more people in the future. Do they have to follow us wherever we go?"
Xie Chong scratched his head. This was indeed a difficult problem. They couldn't just take these Han people wherever they went. The princess could afford to support more than a hundred people. As the number of people increased in the future, she couldn't possibly support them all by herself, right?
Yao Ying said slowly, "It is better to teach people how to fish than to give them fish. Ask them clearly what skills they have. Are there any who can dye cloth, embroider, do craftsmanship, or know how to read... As long as they have a skill, it's fine. It doesn't matter if they don't know anything. They can start learning now. Those who are not in good health can stay to take care of the children and the elderly."
Xie Chong responded and asked, "Princess, will you help them find some work?"
Yao Ying shook her head: "Even if we help them find jobs, they will still be bullied. I have asked Bi Suo to help me buy two satin shops and hand them over to these people to run. I have seen the Central Plains brocade satin patterns sold here today. They are still the styles from a few years ago, and cannot compare to the exquisite and novel ones we brought from the Central Plains."
Xie Chong suddenly realized: No wonder the princess wanted to give silk to the monks in the Buddhist temple!
After the ceremony, the royal nobles asked around to find out from which Hu merchant the materials were purchased. Bi Suo spread the word that the gorgeous brocades came from the Central Plains. In the past few days, many Hu merchants came to inquire about the prices, and the demand could not meet the demand, even at a price of one hundred gold coins.
Xie Chong asked in confusion: "Why didn't the princess sell it directly to the nobles in the royal court?"
The princess's dowry included tea, silk, jewelry and other rare goods that were extremely popular in the Western Regions. The princess only sent some of the scriptures, gold and jade Buddha statues, and silk to the Buddhist temple, and the rest remained in the warehouse. Since the royal nobles were so eager for these silks, why didn't they sell them directly to the nobles, but bought them from a shop and then sold them?
Yao Ying explained to him: "We are outsiders after all. If we sell directly to the nobles, we will offend the merchants here, it will be difficult to set the price, and it will easily arouse jealousy. It is better to follow the rules here. This will not only avoid disputes, but also give these people a way to make a living. Even if we leave in the future, they will still have enough to eat."
The dowry is too eye-catching and inconvenient to carry and transport, so it must be sold as soon as possible, but not all of it can be sold from her. The Western Regions are different from the Central Plains. The nobles in each country are powerful and the trade is controlled by the nobles. If you are not careful, you will offend the nobles. When the transaction fails, it will bring disaster. It is better to cooperate with the local nobles, lean on the big tree to take advantage of the shade, avoid disputes, and leave a way out for the future.
Xie Chong, Xie Peng and the others looked at each other and said, "The princess is really thoughtful!"
They thought that all they had to do was sell the goods and exchange them for gold and silver.
Yao Ying called the old man over and asked, "What did you do for a living?"
The old man said respectfully: "Princess, we all know how to make a living! Some of us can farm and plant trees, some can raise cattle and sheep, collect sheep dung, weave felt, sort wool, braid woolen ropes, and some can weave brocade!"
Although the royal court was located deep in the desert, it also had large tracts of fertile land and pastures, nourished by the melting water from the icebergs and snow, where mulberry, hemp and fruit were grown. Like Gaochang, there were large vineyards, and herds of cattle and sheep on the hillsides. The old man used to herd cattle for his master, and would help weave felt during the busy season.
Yao Ying told the old man about the satin shop. "I will ask the Hu merchants to help run the shop. You can pick a few people who can read and write to help behind the counter, and pick a few people who have skills to be apprentices in the workshop. I brought a lot of patterns from the Central Plains, enough for you to use for several years."
The old man used to be a manager. After hearing this, he immediately understood that Yao Ying was making plans for their future. He was so excited that tears flowed down his face and he knelt down and kowtowed.
Yao Ying had already seen that the old man was quite prestigious among the crowd, and chuckled: "Now it's just two shops, you guys just take care of them, don't rush to make money, find a way to make a living first."
The old man nodded and cried, his expression becoming more respectful.
Yao Ying asked: "Where were you sold here from? How many Han people are there in the area?"
The old man replied: "Some of us were captured from Hexi, some are from Shazhou and Guazhou, and some are locals... Some Han people from various places work for the nobles like us, some are subordinates of the nobles, and some are from aristocratic families and have intermarried with the nobles."
Yao Ying hesitated and asked, "Are there any big families that control the army among them?"
The old man was stunned for a moment, then he understood Yaoying's intention. His face suddenly became solemn and he bowed to Yaoying, touching the ground with his head, making a loud bang.
"I am an old man of Qi age, a descendant of the Hexi Qi clan, and I am willing to serve as the princess's chariot driver!"
Yao Ying smiled and motioned for Xie Chong to help Qi Nian up, but did not respond to his words.
Qi Nian did not dare to ask more questions, his face was full of excitement and enthusiasm that could not be concealed, and he whispered: "Princess, there are still big families in various places who are interested in the Central Plains, and there are families who secretly train volunteer armies in order to help them when the royal teacher arrives. Unfortunately, they are not strong enough to start an uprising. The royal court is peaceful, and other places have been occupied long ago. They are too far away from Shazhou and have no news."
Yao Ying looked calm and said, "A spark will start a prairie fire."
She could constantly recruit people, contact the great families in various places who missed their homeland, accept the exiled Han people, use the money obtained from dowries as military expenses, buy off the Hu merchants, recruit people, and travel between the various tribes in the Western Regions in the form of caravans. These people were not opponents of the Northern Rong, but they always had their uses: for example, they could help deliver messages.
No matter where she is, she must first recruit an armed force she can rely on.
It would be difficult to accomplish anything relying solely on Xie Qing and a few others.
Qi Nian looked at Yao Ying in silence for a long time. Then the burning flames rekindled in his cloudy eyes. Surprise, admiration, excitement, and enthusiasm flashed through his mind, and his blood boiled.
He had heard from the guards about the princess's origins. Even though the princess was stranded in the Western Regions and could not protect herself, she still remembered to save the people. Not only that, she even made plans for their future. The princess was their savior!
It must be that their prayers day and night moved the gods and Buddhas, so they sent the princess to save them.
Qi Nian knelt down at Yao Ying's feet again, tears streaming down his face.
He had a strong premonition in his heart: the princess would definitely take them back home!
Upon seeing this, the people in the courtyard put down the food in their hands, stood up, knelt down one after another, and prostrated themselves before Yao Ying like a tide.
Ashina Bisa did not speak Chinese very well. After entering the courtyard, Yao Ying was either giving orders to the personal soldiers, comforting the elderly and the weak, or talking to the old people. It was inconvenient for him to go forward, so he stood aside and watched from a distance.
When everyone in the courtyard knelt down to pay homage to Yao Ying, he could not help but put away his nonchalant attitude, straightened his back, and stared at this Han princess who had fallen into the royal court.
She stood at the steps, a smile on her lips, her temperament noble, like a snow lotus on the top of Tianshan Mountain.
So noble, so unattainable.
Bi Sa was stunned for a long time.
On the way back to the palace, Yaoying asked Biso to help find out where in the royal court there was land for sale. At that time, they were better at farming, and she wanted to buy a piece of land so that those old and weak women could find a way to support themselves, which would also make it easier to settle people.
Biso agreed to help her find out, but she refused to take any reward.
Yao Ying smiled and said, "That won't work."
Since she asked Bisha for help, she naturally had to pay him.
Bisha threw up her hands helplessly and said, "Princess, you are so polite. Why do you have to be so distant with me? We are friends, and you are the king's guest. How can I ask for reward?"
Yao Ying smiled and said, "If that's the case, I wouldn't dare to bother the generals to help. I heard that there are many Sogdians in the city who can help run errands."
Bi Suo looked at her smiling face, his heart pounding, and he dared not refuse anymore.
A few people went to the market again. Yao Ying had already inquired about the rules and regulations of the Wangting market. He paid a sum of money, bought the shop, and hired two shrewd Hu people to manage the shop. The shop originally sold silk and satin, so it could continue to operate.
She spread the news, and merchants came to the shop and asked the Hu people: "Will the Princess of the Central Plains really give us some of her silk to sell?"
The Hu shop owner nodded with a smile and said, "However, you all came at an unfortunate time. The batch of silk has already been ordered by the Kang and Xue families, and there is not much left."
The merchants were horrified and swarmed into the shops, fearing that if they were a step late, others would snatch away all the silk.
Part of the silk Yao Ying brought from the Central Plains was sent to Buddhist temples, part was used to bribe and win over the royal nobles in exchange for the care of the government offices in the market town, part was distributed to foreign merchants, and the rest was kept in the shop to be sold slowly.
Soon, she will be able to use the money she earns to recruit her own people.
Bisha sent Yaoying back to the palace, and then went directly to the Buddhist temple to ask to see Tanmarajiva.
The Buddhist temple was quiet. Luo Jia was reading a Buddhist scripture with a thin back.
"Your Majesty..." Bisha took off his sword, knelt on one knee in the corridor, and said solemnly, "I want to ask you a favor."