Yunzhou.
This is a place name that is relatively unfamiliar to later generations. People who are familiar with history can recall that it was one of the sixteen states of Yanyun that was later lost.
In fact, there are differences between Yunzhou in the Sui and Tang Dynasties and Yunzhou in the Qin and Han Dynasties.
Since the Qin Dynasty, Yunzhou has been the frontline position against the grassland tribes. From the Qin Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, and then to the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Yunzhou area has always been north of the Great Wall, showing an active posture facing the grasslands.
Since the Sui Dynasty, the area of Yunzhou has gradually shrunk. By the Daye period, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was besieged by the Turkic army in Yanmen... By the time Li Tang founded the country, the area of Yunzhou had shrunk to the south of the Great Wall, about the time of the Qin and Han Dynasties. Southwest of Yunzhou County.
After that, Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang successively raised armies. Yunzhou has not been returned to Central China for more than ten years, although most of the people living here are Han people.
Therefore, when a caravan of more than a hundred people arrived in Yunzhong County in public, the whole city was in uproar.
Both the Helou family and the Zhang family have properties in Yunzhong, mainly the Helou family. After all, Helou served as the general manager of Yunzhou for many years during the Sui Dynasty before his death. He has a lot of properties, including houses, shops, and even fields... Of course, it has not been farmed for many years and is now pasture land.
And when Yuhuchun came out in Yunzhou, not only Yunzhong, but the entire Yunzhou was in commotion.
Li Shan underestimated the appeal of strong liquor like Yuhuchun to the grassland tribes. In just three days, the shop was smashed five times...each time it was done by drunken men, because the leader of the caravan, Yilang In order to build up Yuhuchun's reputation, purchase restrictions were imposed.
After being busy until noon, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Zhou Lang found a personal guard and stared ahead. He quickly went to the backyard, grabbed a piece of sheep stick bone and gnawed on it. He said hesitantly: "I had known this, really. It’s time to bring some leek and garlic.”
Fan Shiyi on the side laughed, "It's a blessing to have meat to eat!"
In Guanzhong and Hedong, only the nobles are entitled to enjoy mutton. Ordinary people can only eat some pork, rabbit, and chicken. But in Yunzhou, mutton is cheap and ordinary people can afford it. Instead, it is vegetables, which can be eaten all year round. They are rarely eaten.
Zhou Zuorang took a few bites and muttered: "This mutton...is not as delicious as Zhuangzi's pork."
"Of course, there are no spices..." Fan Shiyi thought of the mutton skewers made by Li Shan and couldn't help but salivate.
After chewing two sticks and barely filling his stomach, Zhou Erlang dropped the bones and wiped his hands on his clothes. "What have you found during the past two days?"
Fan Shiyi was a scout in the army and had the most poisonous eyes. For the past two days, Zhou Erlang was in charge of the shop and he was wandering around in the clouds.
Turning around and seeing no one around, Fan Shiyi lowered his voice and said, "Yunzhou also produces grain. Four days after we arrived in Yunzhong, the price of grain has already increased by 20%."
Zhou Zuorang was stunned, "It's just the autumn harvest, so food prices should be lowered, not raised."
"That's the reason." Fan Shiyi smiled, "Most of Yuan Junzhang's men are from Han origin, so it is impossible to drive large numbers of cattle and sheep with the army. Once the army is sent out, grain must be stored in advance. There will be less grain on the market... and the price will naturally rise. "
Zhou Zhoulang looked at Fan Shiyi with astonished eyes and murmured: "I heard an allusion from Mr. Lang that day. I will treat him with admiration after three days of separation."
Fan Shiyi, who was once laughed at and called "skin monkey" by Li Shan, put on a calm and wise appearance, thinking that he must not let this guy know that it was Lang Jun who had told him in advance.
But after feeling proud for a moment, Fan Shiyi scratched his head and said, "It seems that Yuan Junzhang will attack Shuozhou again this year..."
"It's very possible." Zhou Lang frowned, "There was a disastrous defeat in August, and now it's mid-September... But Yuan Junzhang returned with a big defeat last time and lost his troops. Will the Turks send troops?"
"September may be possible, but I asked, and it usually snows heavily in Yunzhou and Shuozhou in mid-October."
The two people were discussing in low voices and exchanging information with each other. After summarizing this, they would turn it over to Li Shan.
At this moment, a person from outside suddenly burst in, "It's not good!"
"Huh?" Zhou Erlang turned around and asked, "Are there drunk men coming to cause trouble again?"
The person who came was a descendant of the Zhu family, Zhu Ba’s cousin, ranked sixteenth. He also followed Li Shan on the expedition to Hebei last year. He whispered: "They are Turks..."
"What about the Turks?" Fan Shiyi snorted disdainfully.
"It's the man who discussed with Lang Jun outside Guantao City!" Zhu Shiliu jumped to his feet and whispered: "That's the Khan!"
"Ashina Sheer?" Fan Shiyi also jumped up, took the knife leaning against the wall in his hand, and asked hesitantly: "Did he recognize you?"
Zhu Shiliu swallowed, "Probably not..."
Li Shan met Ashina Sheer twice outside Guantao City that day, one time with him and Ma Zhou, the other time with him and Li Daoxuan, Ma Zhou, Su Dingfang and thirty personal guards, while Fan Shiyi, Zhu Shiliu was present at the time.
Fan Shiyi's eyes lit up and he turned to look at Zhou Erlang, "You go!"
Indeed, Zhou Erlang is the most suitable, on the one hand because he was not taken in by Li Shan until after the First World War in Wei County, on the other hand...
"Isn't it true that each person can only buy two bottles of wine?" Although Ashina Sheer is dressed as a Turk, he is not rude in his words and deeds. He smiled and said: "This Mr. Yuan is the son of Daxingtai, so he can only buy two bottles of wine." Here’s the pot.”
The young man beside him was thin, with a white face and a short beard. He looked at Zhou Erlang curiously. He was Yuan Xiaozheng, the second son of Yuan Junzhang. He originally had an eldest brother... but he was chopped up by Gao Manzheng himself half a year ago.
Zhou Zuorang saluted and said, "When a noble person comes to visit, you should treat him with all your heart."
Zhou Zuorang glanced at the corner of his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. There were not many people left in the shop. After all, most of Yuhuchun had been sold, and the children of the powerful clans in Dai County had gone out to buy cattle and horses... He was I'm really afraid that someone will let it slip.
Guantao County Duke Li Huairen serves as acting county magistrate?
Well, it doesn't matter to my group, but if the news comes out...well, it doesn't matter to Ashina Sheer, but that Ashina Yugushe will definitely draw his sword and kill Yanmen.
Ashina Sheer laughed and said, "It seems you know someone's identity."
"Yes." Zhou Zuorang took a deep breath, "The villain was originally from Yizhou, Hebei Province, and served under King Dong of the Han Dynasty."
"Liu Heita's old department?" Ashina She'er was greatly surprised, "Why are you here?"
"Weixian and Yongji were defeated in the two battles, and the king of Han Dong was defeated and died. The villain found it difficult to find a place in Hebei and defected to his relatives in Hedong." Zhou Lang said with a bitter face: "But Hedong is also in decline, so we can only go out to do business. Be a dude.”
Yuan Junzhang's son, Yuan Xiaozheng, laughed and said, "Back then, Song Jingang raised an army in Yizhou, but was defeated by Dou Jiande. He rushed west to Daizhou and Shuozhou. He must have been the old army that stayed in Hedong at that time, right?"
Zhou Erlang nodded silently, opened the wine jar, poured two glasses of wine, "Please, sir."
Ashina Sheer drank it all in one gulp, her cheeks turned red, and she praised: "It's really a good wine!"
"This wine is as clear as water and as strong as fire. His Majesty Li Tang gave it the name Yuhuchun, and it was praised as the best wine in the North." Zhou Zuilang said with excitement, "Originally it was only sold in Jingzhao, but unfortunately the prohibition on alcohol in Guanzhong was implemented. Move to the east of the river."
Yuan Xiaozheng asked curiously: "Such a good wine, but it is only the best wine in the North. Isn't it the best wine in the world?"
Zhou Zhoulang explained: "The central land is vast, bounded by the Yangtze River. The southern land is warm and moist, with less wind and harsh winds. The wine is also mild, and I don't like strong drinks."
"Middle-earth is vast..." Ashina Sheer murmured and repeated it twice, and suddenly lost consciousness for a moment, "Just now you said that alcohol is banned in Guanzhong?"
Zhou Zuorang nodded repeatedly, but saw Ashina Sheer fell into silence again.
