After the wind subsided, the rain continued for most of the night.
That night, the Dang household gave up the main tent to Ainen, and Liu Jing and Lao Nie nestled in another smaller tent next to it.
Liu Jing was thinking about the Xiongnu selling horses to the Yan State, and heard the snoring of old Nie Rulei in his ears, and he tossed and turned all night long.
In the early morning of the next day, there was only a strange silence outside the tent. Thinking that the wind and rain had stopped, he hurriedly went out to check the supplies and horses.
"Thank you Chen Quan for your thoughtfulness."
He inspected each car one by one, and while forcefully opening a corner of the tarpaulin, he reached in and touched it, while thanking Yanmen County Governor Chen Guan in his heart.
The gold and silver utensils and grain silk satins tightly wrapped in tarpaulin were almost not damaged or dampened at all. After looking at the supplies, he went to inspect the horses and camels.
At dawn after the strong wind, the sky turned bright and clear gray-blue, but the temperature dropped sharply. Liu Jing only strolled outdoors for a while, and his hands and feet were numb from the cold.
Fortunately, the animals were safe and sound.
Although their bodies were covered with specks of dried mud and water stains, they were not injured, and each of them had a round belly after eating and was in good spirits. When they saw him coming, they sniffed and stamped their hooves, and were very affectionate.
It must have been the Dang household who ordered the herdsmen to help us feed the night grass after the storm, which was really considerate.
With this thought in mind, he reached out and rummaged through the green grass piled full of small purple flowers in the trough.
In order to go to Longxi to garrison, he went from Qi to Luoyang. Later, he was ordered by the emperor to leave the fortress, and then from Luoyang to Yanzhao, but he had never seen such a plant with small leaves and thin stems.
I heard Lao Nie say that this inconspicuous grass, called alfalfa, is inexhaustible on the grassland and can be called the king of pasture.
Liu Jing knew nothing about horse politics. He even learned how to ride a horse in order to be sent as an envoy to the Huns. However, he was as meticulous as his hair and was best at observing and summarizing.
Seeing that they walked nearly a hundred miles every day and carried heavy loads. The horses and camels in the convoy only ate wild alfalfa on the grassland. However, they grew stronger as they walked, with thick necks and round waists, and strong legs and feet. No fatigue at all.
It seems that this alfalfa is different from the millet, bean, wheat and other grain and legume crops that people in the Central Plains traditionally use to feed horses. It can keep the horses well fed without having to mix it with other feeds.
More importantly, horses eat a huge amount of food. If the staple food is corn, wheat, cereals and beans, the food intake of a horse is enough to catch up with a family of five. It is simply competing with the people for daily rations.
The financial burden of raising horses in this way is huge, and how can the people of Li not complain.
"Well, the climate in the northern part of Yanzhao and the counties in Longxi is not much different from the grassland. If you want to raise horses well, alfalfa must be introduced into the Central Plains."
Since this grass grows wild and can cover all over the mountains and plains, it can be seen that planting and maintenance are quite easy, mostly depending on the climate.
Liu Jing thought about it, and took out a small bamboo slip he carried with him, and then took out a sheathed copper bookknife hanging around his waist, and carefully carved two small characters on it -
Alfalfa.
After writing, he put away his knives and slips and took out some items from different cars with ease.
***
Before setting off, he personally supervised the loading of the truck and checked it countless times along the way, so he clearly remembered where everything was placed.
At this moment, Liu Jing took out two pairs of bronze goose-foot short lamps and two three-color brocade deep clothes in turn. After thinking about it, he took out a round bronze mirror engraved with grass leaf patterns.
The copper lamp and dark clothes were naturally given to Lao Danghu and his wife. He saw that Mrs. Danghu was using a Chinese-made copper cauldron, so he obviously did not reject Han things.
Even though she is old, she still wears big earrings and colorful ornaments, and her love for beauty has not diminished. This bronze mirror is exquisitely carved, the mirror surface is bright, and the light shines on people. The lady of the household will love it.
"That's almost it, we're just staying for one night.
If you give too much, even a big owner will not dare to accept it. "
At some point, Lao Nie also stood up and stretched behind him and said.
"There are also words engraved on the back of this mirror, okay?"
Liu Jing handed the bronze mirror to Lao Nie.
Between the patterns on the back of the bronze mirror, there is an eight-character inscription carved neatly, which reads "Light like the sun, long-term happiness is yet to come".
Old Nie smiled and said,
"It's just right. The Huns, like the Han people, believe in God, and they also believe in the sun, the moon, and so on."
The Huns had many and mixed beliefs. They worshiped nature as well as ghosts and gods, and believed in witchcraft that accompanied them.
For nature worship, "Heaven" is the core of their worship. Their Chanyu often claims to be "born of heaven and earth and placed by the sun and moon."
Like the light of the sun, the meaning is beautiful, which is in line with their beliefs. Even if it is in Chinese, there is always Lao Nie to translate it.
Since King Yan's people have been in contact with the Xiongnu for a long time in advance, Liu Jing's top priority is to use the rich supplies brought by the court and the relationship he has not yet established with the Dalan family to try to thwart them.
He was well versed in the art of negotiation, and naturally he would not expect the Huns to live in harmony with the Han court as close neighbors.
As long as they can be persuaded to remain neutral and not help each other in the war between the imperial court and the vassal states, it will be considered as getting what they want.
Thinking about it like this, he couldn't help but think of Ainen, the seventh prince of King Zuoxian in the main tent. After thinking for a moment, he fumbled and took out a gold and iron dagger and showed it to Old Nie.
***
Daggers in the Han Dynasty were often used together with long swords. They were short, easy to hide, and flexible to use. They could be used as self-defense tools or carried as accessories.
This dagger is about one and a half feet long, with a flat dagger body, sharp peaks and two blades, and a cold light. At first glance, it looks like it is made of fine wrought iron that has been carefully tempered and forged.
What's even rarer is that the dagger has a convex spine, and layers of patterns are inlaid with gold sheets on both sides of the ridge. One side is a flame pattern, and the other side is a cirrus pattern.
The blade of the blade echoes black and yellow, and the golden light flashes. Holding it in your hand is like holding a blazing torch.
Liu Jing remembered that this dagger was also an old thing from the Qin Dynasty, and was dug out by the queen from the palace treasury.
The luxury of Qin was unmatched by anyone. Even if Yan and Zhao both gave gifts to the Xiongnu at the same time, in terms of the richness of materials, the Han court would definitely have the advantage.
Although the Huns also had copper ore, iron ore and smelting technology, the high-end craftsmanship highlighted on the gold-stitched dagger in front of them was enough to make the grassland craftsmen sigh.
Nie San held the dagger up and down with one hand, indicating something.
"Ainen and the prince had more contact with the Han people because of their relationship with the Huyan clan of the Dalan clan, and their minds were also flexible.
To use your polite words, they are civilized, not barbarians.
They understand that the Central Plains is vast, with many talented people and soldiers, far beyond those of the shabby border counties. "
At this time, Liu Jing also thought of the empress's sincere instructions to him before leaving,
“These valuable items of gold are indeed much heavier than the ordinary gifts between the two countries.
Firstly, it is to show goodwill to the Huns and show our sincerity in negotiating peace, and secondly, it is also to show our strength.
China has a vast land and rich resources. Although we are not good at riding and shooting for the time being, we are short in feet and strong in inches. We have our own strengths, and we are not a weak country that allows them to take whatever they want.
As long as the Huns understand this, your affairs will be easier to handle. "
Liu Jing suddenly remembered something again and looked at Lao Nie blankly.
"In case, I mean just in case, what kind of agreement can we make with Maodun? But the Huns have no writing, how can we make an agreement?"
