After passing Chaoge, you have officially entered Qingzhou.
The border between the two places is actually not very clear. At the junction, there are no dense fortresses and beacon towers, and there are no border soldiers guarding the border full of murderous intent as if facing a powerful enemy. There are only a few sentries in the border area.
Ma Dai was a little nervous at first, and was secretly prepared to be questioned by the other party. Unexpectedly, although the sentries were dressed in bright clothes and looked energetic, they were completely careless. Only when someone came up to talk to them would they
Answer, otherwise, even if someone passes directly by them, they will ignore it.
Ma Dai keeps his identity in mind and will certainly not take the initiative to seek trouble.
In fact, the most obvious sign of the dividing line can be seen from some aspects that have nothing to do with military affairs. The most important thing is people...a lot of people!
Ma Dai once thought that the march of 300,000 troops was spectacular enough. But when the group arrived in Yanjin and saw the huge crowds of people moving around the pier, he was so shocked that his scalp went numb.
It wasn't that he was afraid, it was just that he had never seen and never expected to see such a dense crowd.
Surrounding the pier, a market-like place has been formed here. The overall layout is a bit scattered, but the first thing anyone will notice is the wide street connected to the Chi Road and running parallel to the river.
This street is almost three times wider than Chidao, and its length is even longer than a street in the ordinary sense. There are all kinds of shops on both sides, and many of them are buildings with two or even three floors, and there are waiters at the door.
He Zhike was greeting the guests loudly.
The pedestrians on the street can even be described as "crowded". Looking up, they are all crowded with people. In addition to these shops, a circle is drawn on the street for performers and stalls.
Those selling specialties and selling snacks carrying bamboo baskets only added fuel to the lively atmosphere.
Ma Dai came from Wuwei, which was one of the most desolate places in the Han Dynasty. Just a few months ago, he entered Chang'an City. Even though it was Chang'an City after the war and fire, what he saw and heard still impressed him.
It's an eye-opener and awe-inspiring. But even the most prosperous Suzque Avenue in Chang'an City is not as popular as one-tenth of this nameless wharf.
Ma Dai and the guards were stunned and almost forgot to dismount. Ma Yunluan in the car also stared at the scene in front of him with his eyes wide open. After being stunned for a moment, the little girl made a gesture with her brother and others.
With a completely different reaction, she cheered. She jumped out of the carriage and rushed towards the rolling crowd in front.
Ma Dai was also too shocked, and his reaction was half a beat too slow. When he came to his senses and wanted to stop drinking, he saw that the girl's smaller figure had disappeared into the crowd. Where could she find her?
He just complained in his heart, and quickly ordered a few people to stay behind and chased after him. If he didn't meet the enemy while exploring the military situation, but ended up losing one of his own people because of watching the fun, it would be a big joke.
Squeezing into the crowd, Ma Dai quickly lost his way. There were too many people and scenery that dazzled him, and too many noises that made his ears buzz. There were too many people in this place, and every day
Everyone spared no effort to show off themselves, which created an effect that made him dizzy.
"Lotus seed soup, fresh lotus seed soup, pure West Lake lotus seeds, it clears fire and improves eyesight and is delicious!" In addition to the sound and color effects, there is also fragrance. Ma Dai doesn't know what the specialties of West Lake lotus seeds are, but the rich fragrance is
Qi can really whet one's appetite.
"Brother, come and try my crabs. They are live sea crabs. You can't easily eat them in this inland area!" Another vendor held up a strange-shaped so-called 'crab' in one hand. Ma Dai had never seen it before.
Having seen something like this, I am skeptical about whether something so vicious-looking can be eaten.
"Shaobing, Lanzhou Shaobing..."
Most of the food sold by street vendors is food, which is very attractive to those who look like coolies in short-sleeved clothes. From time to time, people dressed like this will gather around them in groups.
If it were in Liangzhou, no matter how greedy the poor people were, they would just watch or just grab it. But here, Ma Dai was surprised to see that those people dressed as coolies didn't care at all.
I paid the bill, squatted on the side of the road with a bowl in my hand, and ate heartily.
According to legend, Qingzhou was extremely wealthy. Looking at it now, it turned out to be true. Even these coolies could buy and eat whatever they wanted, and the food they ate looked very valuable.
In fact, before leaving, Ma Dai had already been mentally prepared for the prosperity of Qingzhou, but he believed that no matter how prosperous Qingzhou was, it would not be too popular in the border area where military disasters could occur at any time.
.
The scene he saw before him was even worse than what he had expected in Gaotang. Even the small border port was like this. What would the legendary Gaotang be like?
?
Ma Dai simply didn't dare to think about it.
After all, he was calm by nature and was not blindly surprised. He finally remembered the business. However, there were probably thousands of people on this street. How easy was it to find a little girl among the crowds?
Drifting with the crowd, Ma Dai searched hard, and finally saw the familiar figure in front of a stall. He breathed a sigh of relief and walked forward quickly. Before he could say anything, Ma Yunluo said.
As if seeing a relative, he turned around and rushed towards him.
Ma Dai was greatly surprised, thinking that this little troublemaker was afraid of getting lost, but when he heard Ma Yunluan's cry, he immediately felt familiar.
"Second brother, you are here. You must have money with you, right? Come on, come on, buy some mutton skewers to eat!" Ma Yunluo urged with an impatient look.
"..." Ma Dai was speechless for a while and said depressedly: "Why should we eat mutton in the Central Plains? If we want to eat it, we should also eat something that is not available in the border areas, such as lotus seed soup..."
He is now learning and selling, but what he says is not unreasonable. Xiliang is barely a part of the grassland, and the local people, regardless of Han or Hu, mostly live as nomads. Mutton is to the people of Xiliang what corn is to the people of the Central Plains.
The same thing, although not everyone can afford to eat it every day, it is the main food.
"Second brother, I'm not talking about you. You are too old-fashioned. How can the mutton in Qingzhou be the same as the mutton in Guanzhong?" Although he had just arrived in Qingzhou for less than a moment, Ma Yunluo put his hands on his hips and looked serious, which was exactly the same as before.
Yang Chao is quite similar, he looks like a native of Qingzhou. "Smell it, smell it carefully, are these mutton skewers the same as the mutton you have eaten?"
No matter how much they try to hide it, the words and deeds of Ma Dai and his party cannot be concealed, so they present themselves as Guanzhong merchants. Anyway, they are very far away. How can Qingzhou people tell the difference between Xiliang people and Guanzhong people?
Ma Dai didn't have a definite goal when he came this time. He didn't have to spy on the military situation. He was just acting as eyes and ears. To see for Ma Teng whether Qingzhou is the same as the legend. The customs and customs are also part of it. Otherwise, even if Ma Yunluo meets again
If he pesters someone, he won't be able to take him with him.
Therefore, after arriving in Qingzhou, in addition to trying to avoid military inspections, his mentality was quite relaxed. Even if Ma Yunluo was not missing, he also planned to take a stroll in the market. From the words of these traders and pawns,
Find out some information.
In fact, Ma Dai had already smelled the fragrance. From the moment he entered the market, he was surrounded by various fragrances. However, there were too many unfamiliar things and he was in a hurry to find someone, so he had no time to distinguish them carefully.
After Ma Yunluo reminded him, he realized that the aroma of the so-called mutton skewers in front of him was indeed different.
"This meat... is weird. Why doesn't it smell bad? It smells so good?"
"Really, right?" Ma Yunluan pointed to the fat boss on the other side of the charcoal stove and explained: "The uncle said that there is something called pepper in the seasoning, which was brought back by the merchant fleet from Qingzhou when it went to the South China Sea.
After eating this, the mutton will not only lose its smell, but also have a special aroma." As she spoke, her voice suddenly became a little sweet: "Second brother, can you buy me a bunch?"
"Then let's have some skewers." Ma Dai could never refuse his cousin's request, not to mention he was also very curious about this so-called spice brought from overseas.
"That's good. Please wait a moment." The owner of the kebabs was very lively, smiling and kind. He answered while flipping the kebabs quickly. Ma Yunluo stared at the charcoal fire without blinking.
With the meat skewers showing off the oil and aroma, Ma Dai just lamented in his heart that no one recognized him here.
Not long after, the meat skewers were grilled.
The boss didn't even ask Ma Dai what he wanted. He divided out ten skewers and handed them over. The rest were handed over to other diners who came earlier than Ma Yunluo. Then, under the urging of others, he grilled new ones.
.
Ma Yunluan has been here for a while. Judging from her title, she is obviously familiar with the conversation with the boss. She may have already made up her mind to get credit first.
"It's hot, it's hot, it's hot..." After getting the meat skewers, Ma Yunluan eagerly took a bite, but was immediately burned. He screamed "hot, hot, hot..." "Well, well, although it's hot, but
It's also very fragrant, second brother, don't just look at it, eat it quickly, it won't taste good when it's cold."
Ma Dai shook his head. There was nothing he could do to her, so he picked up a bunch and ate it. The taste in his mouth made him understand how the girl felt. His tongue was numb, but the aroma melted directly. In the West, where salt is very scarce,
Liang, where can I eat such finely prepared barbecue?
After eating this, Ma Dai felt endless aftertaste. He immediately summoned a few guards and planned to finish lunch here.
The fat boss was not in a hurry to ask him to pay the bill at first, but when he saw how tall his companions were, and when he heard Ma Dai say that he was going to open up and eat, he couldn't help but become worried, and asked: "This little brother
, have you brought enough money? These meat skewers are not expensive, but they are not cheap either."
"Isn't it just a few skewers of meat? Are you afraid that we don't have money? You really look down on others!" Ma Dai didn't say anything, but the hot-tempered one among the guards was annoyed. He turned over the robe beside him, revealing a lot of
The five baht coins were yellow and orange, and he said in a 'hey' voice: "Did you see it? Are you a freeloader?"
Although their wealth is not exposed, they are pretending to be Guanzhong tycoons who come to Qingzhou to purchase goods, so they naturally have to pretend to be a bit more like them. Ma Dai is not a showy person, so the guards will probably come out to support the scene.
The money in this bag was not too much, but it was still hundreds of thousands. I thought that even if I couldn't calm everyone down, I could still scare a vendor who was setting up a stall on the roadside.
As a result, the diners dressed as coolies glanced at it and turned their heads indifferently. The boss also rubbed his hands. He said a little embarrassedly: "Guys, this money is really not enough..."
"No way? These few skewers of meat are so expensive?" Ma Dai was surprised. Hundreds of thousands were not much money. When prices in Guanzhong were at their highest, they could only buy a few buckets of rice. But even then, how much money could it cost?
Skewers of meat aren't more expensive than a few buckets of rice, right? What's more, those people dressed as coolies obviously have dozens of skewers. They are shouting about dozens of skewers, and the boss doesn't see anyone questioning who can't pay the bill.
"It's not that the meat is expensive, but the money is not good..." The boss explained a few words. Seeing that Ma Dai and others were still confused and a little embarrassed, he thought for a while and suddenly asked: "Is this your first time coming to Qingzhou?"
?And also avoided the guard posts on the road?"
"What...what do you mean?" Ma Dai suddenly became vigilant. Several guards also subconsciously put their hands on their waists. Qingzhou is indeed not a kind place. It seems that the guards are lax. But even a roadside vendor is so vigilant.
Sex, this is tight on the inside and loose on the outside!
The guards of the Ma family are all elites in many battles. When they became nervous, murderous intent suddenly filled the air. The fat boss was startled, and quickly shook his hands and explained: "Don't, don't get excited. I just want to tell you that the guard post
It is specially used to exchange money, as everyone who often travels in and out of the country knows!"
"What?" There were too many new terms in this sentence. Although Ma Dai thought he had done enough homework beforehand, he was still confused.
"Fat Zhang, it's unnecessary for you to ask this question. Isn't it the first time for this young man to come to Qingzhou? How many people from Qingzhou who have never been there will not hide when they see the official sentry? Especially they are still
Came from Hanoi..."
The diners were eating by themselves, and even the murderous look of the Ma family guards did not affect them. On the contrary, they found it interesting to see the confused and surprised look on Ma Dai's face, and then someone interrupted.
"Look at my memory, didn't I just not notice it?" The fat boss slapped his forehead, and when he turned his head, he put on his previous smile: "Recently, there are fewer and fewer new faces coming, even if they come back for the first time
Yes, most people will inquire carefully, but the war in Guanzhong has just ended, so it’s no wonder..."
After listening to his explanation, Ma Dai gradually understood.
In fact, he knew something about this. Since the Han Dynasty, the mainstream currency in the Central Plains has been the five-baht coin. Later, Wang Mang, Dong Zhuo and others issued new coins, but in the end they failed to circulate. Only Qingzhou was considered a currency.
exception.
As early as when Wang Yu defeated Yuan Shao and occupied Hebei, the shogunate began to try to create new coins. From scratch, from small to large, it became so popular.
Ma Dai first heard about this from Han Sui, who also got the news from Zhong Yao. He lamented for a while, saying that it was no wonder that the Qingzhou army was so rich that he minted money and issued it, and finally succeeded.
, how can you not be rich?
It was because of Han Sui's comments that Ma Dai had the impression that Wang Yu had a knack for amassing money.
Before traveling, for the sake of convenience, he also wanted to find someone to exchange some Qingzhou money for ease of use, but he couldn't find it after searching for it. After discussing with Han Sui, the latter said that the rumors might be exaggerated, and Qingzhou Cast
The money may be similar to what Dong Zhuo did back then. No one used those low-quality coins, so he could only brag about his success.
On the way, he met Yang Chao and others. They were all carrying ordinary five-baht coins or other bad coins. Ma Dai didn't take the coins to heart, and he made a joke.
It turned out that Qingzhou coins had only been circulated internally, and the original currency was used externally. The fat boss and the diners couldn't explain why, so they finally showed Ma Dai some Qingzhou coins.
"These are the coins minted by the General's Mansion. There are three types in total. Gold coins are the most valuable. One silver coin is worth ten silver coins, and one silver coin is worth one hundred copper coins... The quality of our money is real. Gold is gold, and silver is
Silver and copper coins are not mixed with money, even five baht coins are incomparable, let alone those white coins minted by others."
Like the five-baht coin, the Qingzhou coin is also round, but there is no hole in the middle. One side of the coin is engraved with a golden dragon pattern, and the other side has the four characters Kaiyuan Tongbao.
Not to mention that the carving of this coin is quite exquisite, and its size and weight are larger than the ordinary five-baht coins. It is no wonder that the diners and the boss felt that the Hussars General might not want the good money to leak out and make others cheaper.
Under the influence of this mentality, the local people's attitude towards foreign coins is naturally self-evident. Whether it is to respond to the call of the General's Office to unify the financial order, or simply unwilling to suffer losses, there are only two words for foreign coins.
:Reject.
Now Ma Dai felt embarrassed and retreated. Before leaving, he said that he would pay back the money later after he exchanged it, otherwise he could just stay here alone.
The fat boss waved his hand generously and said that it was just ten skewers of meat, no big deal, it was just a treat for himself. He also told Ma Dai that those outposts were not only exchange points, but also consultation points. What don't you understand?
Feel free to ask. At the end, he added, jokingly, that as long as it is not a military secret, I will answer all questions.
The diners all laughed, and Ma Yunluan thanked him sweetly, making the fat boss's bones crisp up a bit, but Ma Dai was sweating profusely, feeling as if his identity had been completely exposed.
In fact, Ma Dai's feeling was not wrong. After they left, the smile on the boss's face disappeared, and his brows were knitted together, looking very embarrassed.
"Hey, people say that getting promoted, getting rich, and losing your wife are the three greatest joys in life. What's wrong with you, head of the family? Are you thinking about trying to please someone younger than you before you get rich? Don't forget about it. That girl looks so upright, no matter what happens, she will take her turn.
You're a butcher of pigs and sells meat!" It didn't matter that he was in a daze and frowning, while he was responsible for cutting and cutting the meat. The boss's wife, who was also very round, was sour.
"Hey, what do you know?" The boss stamped his feet, pulled off his apron, and warned: "Madam, you take care of this first, I'll come back as soon as I go."
"Hey, hey, hey, your temper is really getting worse. What's going on? You're allowed to stare at someone else's daughter, and you're going to slap your face and pretend to be a fat man to treat me. I can't even say a few sarcastic words. Do you want to show off? Who are you threatening?
What? Today we must make things clear!"
"Okay, please listen to me, okay?" The daughter-in-law was confused, and the boss was dumbfounded: "Where do you think I'm going? I'm going to the Yamen..." He said softly: "Yes, it's the Red Mansion."
The landlady covered her mouth in surprise: "Isn't it right? With that girl's character, can she be...a spy?"
"Then who's right? It's only when you report it that you feel at ease."