Although Han Yunong also looked around, he rarely spoke, and his brows were not as relaxed as Du Hongsheng's.
"So, there are no Hujias from the Western Regions in the West Market now?" Qin Xiao asked: "After the Wutuo Incident, the Tang Dynasty cut off trade with the Wutuo Khanate, but there were many Wutuo people.
After many requests, the empire finally reopened trade with them. When I went to Wutuo, there were many merchants from the Tang Dynasty doing business in the Wutuo Khanate, and even some brave ones would go to the Western Regions. Why did the Hu merchants in the Western Regions not continue?
Come to Datang?"
Han Yunong finally said: "In the final analysis, it is still the skill of the Wutuo people. The Wutuo people have fought against each other for many years and destroyed several countries, which has frightened the countries in the Western Regions. The people of the Western Regions like our goods from the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty's products from the Western Regions
The goods are also very interesting. The Wutuo people control the only way to trade. The unique geographical advantage has long given them the idea of taking advantage of it. The goods of the Hu merchants in the Western Regions have not yet entered the Kunlun Pass, and the seven achievements have been taken.
The Wutuo people bought the goods, and after they entered the customs, they sold them at high prices, and the profits were ten or even dozens of times in a blink of an eye. Just like the merchants of the Tang Dynasty leaving Jiayuguan, unless they paid a heavy fee to follow the trading house of the Xiling family to leave the customs, the goods would also be lost.
The metropolis was purchased by the Xiling Chamber of Commerce, and they then transported it to Wutuo and sold it for a large sum of money."
Du Hongsheng nodded and said: "Han Duwei hit the mark. Back then, the trade routes were smooth and the Tang Dynasty and the countries in the Western Regions traded directly. Even if the price of goods at that time was lower than now, both sides still made huge profits. But now there is Wutuo in the middle.
The Khanate and even the Xiling family were like two monsters blocking the road, eating people without spitting out their bones. Most of the profits fell into their hands. The merchants of the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions slept in the open and almost died while doing business, but the profits were not
It's getting lower and lower." He shook his head and sighed: "Even so, the trade between the two sides has continued over the years, and the treasury still has some income. Now that Xiling has fallen into the hands of the rebels, the treasury can only make things worse.
.”
"Lord Captain, shall we go directly to the Ministry of War?" Qin Xiao will naturally not forget the main mission of this trip to Kyoto.
Before Han Yunong could speak, Du Hongsheng had already said: "There are 108 squares in Kyoto City. When the Youshi hour comes, each square will be blocked and no movement between each other will be allowed. The Military Department Yamen is on Suzaku Street in the east of the imperial city. If you go there now, you have to cross
After passing at least a dozen neighborhoods, the sky has turned dark, and every neighborhood will be sealed off when we reach halfway."
Qin Xiao knew that the capital city was very grand, but he didn't expect that there were as many as 108 buildings. He was surprised and asked: "Is the capital city so strict?"
"This is the capital after all." Du Hongsheng said sternly: "After dark, officials from the Kyoto Prefecture will patrol the streets. Unless you are a relative of the emperor, no matter who is found wandering around at night, they will be caught without saying a word.
Let’s talk about Kyoto Prefecture.” Xiang Han Yunong said: “Han Duwei, let’s go a little further to Sipingfang. There are many inns in it. Many people who come to Beijing from other places will stay in Sipingfang. Let’s
Let’s go and stay at an inn there first. The inn will be opened at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. I will go to the Ministry of Personnel to report on my work first, and then we will go to the Ministry of War to report together.”
Han Yunong knew that once officials dispatched from Kyoto enter the capital, the first place they go to is the Ministry of Civil Affairs and they are told in detail the reasons for entering the capital. Otherwise, they are leaving their posts without permission. If they really need to be investigated, they may be fined in light cases, or dismissed from office in serious cases.
thing.
Therefore, the officials who are sent abroad conscientiously abide by this rule. The first dock they visit after entering Beijing must be the Ministry of Personnel.
Du Hongsheng was sent to Xilingzhen County as the county guard many years ago. He was sent by the Ministry of Personnel, so naturally he did not dare to violate this rule.
The three of them rode to Sipingfang. As expected, there were many inns here. Qin Xiao was not short of money, so he found a large Changle inn and asked for three guest rooms. Naturally, the horses were led and fed.
Qin Xiao sold treasures in Wutuo and got three hundred thousand taels of silver. This was an extremely huge fortune. Qin Xiao always carried hundreds of thousands of taels of silver notes with him. In addition, he also had a few
Scattered silver, even if you are in Kyoto, with this money on your body, you won't have to worry about anything.
The three of them traveled day and night from Xiling to Kyoto, but they were all very tired.
Qin Xiao ordered a table of good wine and delicious food. After having enough wine and food, Qin Xiao went out and bought three new sets of clothes. Although he could not leave the workshop, he was very free in the workshop, and there were many people in Sipingfang.
It is not difficult to buy a few new sets of clothes in a store.
Tomorrow they were going to the Ministry of War. The three of them were dusty along the way and their clothes were dirty. Qin Xiao thought that since he was going to the Ministry of War, he had to change his clothes to be more decent.
The three of them also rested early that night to recuperate their energy. Du Hongsheng got up early the next morning and asked the two of them to wait at the inn. He would go to the Ministry of Personnel to report on his duties first, and then go to the Ministry of War together after returning.
Han Yunong was born in the military and had little contact with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. When he was sent to the Duwei Mansion in Zhen County, it was arranged by General Heiyu behind the scenes. In fact, he is still a member of the military now. There is no need to go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to report on his duties. It is just because of his military position.
Instead, he had to report to the Ministry of War.
Qin Xiao was originally a jailer in Xiling and was a minor official. Naturally, there would be no files among the six departments. Even if he later followed General Heiyu, before the Three Horses of Xiling were fully on the right track, the Ministry of War had not yet established a registration. Qin Xiao
There is no military establishment yet, so naturally you are not qualified to report to the military headquarters.
Du Hongsheng went out early in the morning, and the two of them waited at the inn until noon, but Du Hongsheng did not come back.
Han Yunong suddenly felt uneasy, and Qin Xiao also felt that something was wrong. The two discussed it, and Han Yunong said: "I will go to the Ministry of War to check the situation. The incident in Xiling must be reported to the Ministry of War as soon as possible. We cannot delay it any longer. You stay here
In the inn, if I haven't come back when Mr. Du comes back, you can go to the Ministry of War to find me." He paused, pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, "That's all, after he comes back, you and he will stay here, waiting for news from me.
.”
Qin Xiao felt a little uneasy, but when he first arrived in Kyoto, it was not as good as the Western Frontier, so he could only follow Han Yunong's instructions.
After Han Yunong left the inn, Qin Xiao waited alone in the inn for the two of them to come back. Bored and lazy, he closed the door and practiced martial arts alone.
Ever since he learned that [The Ancient Intention and Qi Jue] was one of the three major internal skills of Taoism, Qin Xiao cherished this set of mental methods even more.
According to the young aunt, in this world, it is not easy to reach the realm of the Great Heaven. Not only does it require extraordinary talent, but it also requires great opportunities.
Having talent is only one of the conditions for breaking into the Great Heaven Realm. Only by acquiring the appropriate internal skills and mental methods and practicing diligently can you break into the Great Heaven Realm. The so-called suitable internal skills and mental methods are only a handful in this world. If you want to get them,
This kind of mentality is actually more difficult than reaching the sky.
When Hongye presented the [Immortal Spirit and Qi Jue] as a gift, Qin Xiao had no idea that it was a Taoist mental technique that countless people in martial arts dreamed of. Only after receiving some advice from his little aunt, did Qin Xiao suddenly become aware of it.
He also knew in his heart that even if he really had talent in martial arts and had the [Ancient Inspiration Art] in hand, it did not mean that he would definitely become a master in the Great Heaven Realm.
These two things are indeed indispensable conditions on the road to the Great Heaven Realm, but it does not mean that having these conditions will guarantee success.
For Qin Xiao, practicing martial arts and protecting his own safety is more practical than reaching the Great Heaven Realm.
Now he is only at the third level of cultivation, and is still in the Small Heaven Realm. He only wants to reach the Middle Heaven Realm as soon as possible. If he reaches the Middle Heaven Realm as soon as possible, his own safety will be a little more guaranteed.
Until dusk, not only did Du Hongsheng never come back, but Han Yunong also left forever.
Qin Xiao felt increasingly uneasy and didn't know whether to look for them. When it got dark, the market closed, and the two of them didn't return. Qin Xiao couldn't leave Sipingfang either.
He knew that if everything went well with Han Yunong, even if something delayed him and he couldn't come back in person, he would have someone come over to inform him. However, after leaving, there was no news, so something must have happened.
I couldn't sleep that night, and when the next morning I couldn't stay any longer, so I left Sipingfang and asked around along the way, and finally found Zhuque Street.
Suzaku Street is an important place in Kyoto. Half of the six government offices are located on this street.
Qin Xiao rode to Zhuque Street and looked for the Yamen of the Ministry of War. On both sides were grand and solemn government offices, with soldiers guarding the doors. Qin Xiao, dressed in commoners, rode on Zhuque Street. The guards at the government offices on both sides were wide-eyed.
Looking at Qin Xiao riding on horseback, he felt a little weird.
Zhuque Street is where the government offices are located. On weekdays, most of the government officials come in sedans. Of course, there are also officials who come on horseback, but they are all wearing official uniforms. Even the government officials who come on foot and come to work on errands will also
Dress neatly and don't dare to be careless in the slightest.
Being disheveled and slovenly is not a big deal to ordinary people, but to officials in government offices, it is considered rude and will not only lead to contempt from colleagues, but even rebuke from superiors.
There are government offices on both sides of Zhuque Street, and the people coming and going are government officials. Common people almost never appear on this street. They wear common clothes and ride tall horses. They walk slowly on Zhuque Street and look around. This is not the case in Zhuque Street.
The street is definitely a rare sight.
Qin Xiao was ignorant and only wanted to find the Yamen of the Ministry of War, but he didn't know where he had gone. Both eyes looked at him with strange eyes.
"This is it." Qin Xiao rode his horse to the middle of Zhuque Street, and suddenly saw a high-gate courtyard. There were six armored guards in front of the door. The three words "Soldier Deployment" were written on the plaque above the door. He got off his horse and led the horse.
Before he could get close, two guards turned around and pressed their hands on the hilts of their knives. They stared at Qin Xiao without saying a word.
Qin Xiao let go of the horse's reins. He came to the Ministry of War Yamen for the first time. He didn't know the rules here at all. He wanted to reach out to avoid hitting the smiling man, so he raised his hands and smiled at the guards: "Hello, my surname is Qin. I'm here to ask about someone."
People, do you know Lieutenant Han Yunong? He came to your military headquarters yesterday and has not gone back. May I ask if he is still here?" A smile on his face, very cordial.