Langjuxu Mountain looks far away, but if you really start walking, you can reach it in one day.
According to their habit of coming all the way, Liu Jing and his entourage waited quietly beside the carriage and horses, watching Nie San greeting everyone in the spring breeze and quickly disappearing among the large tents.
Seeing that no one was paying attention, Liu Jing raised his eyes and looked around. He saw large and small felt tents scattered throughout the valley as far as the eye could see. He couldn't count the number. He estimated that there were at least tens of thousands of tents, far away from the white clouds floating in the sky. echo.
The felt tents are actually not very close to each other, but because of their huge number, they seem to be crowded together.
Outside the felt tent, there are stretches of alfalfa pastures stretching as far as the eye can see.
According to Lao Nie, the Huns planted alfalfa in the same way as sporadic crops. They only managed the fields roughly every spring and summer, and then allowed these crops to grow freely as the large groups of people moved away.
Right now, the alfalfa meadow is full of small purple and blue flowers. It looks like a sea of flowers, thick and dense, and pleasing to the eye.
Thinking that the plants that bring beautiful scenery are also excellent pastures, this pleasant scene also contains extremely practical stability.
This is a gift and nurture from nature, and it is the most harmonious way for grassland people to get along with all things in the world.
***
Most of the Huns herdsmen riding horses, driving sheep, leading cattle or camels were dressed as ordinary people.
They generally wear wooly narrow-sleeved short tops on their upper body, a kind of hakama (kù) on their lower body with their legs separated in the middle, and short boots, which look very neat.
Occasionally, there are a few people wearing gold and silver, with glittering gold belt hooks hanging on the leather belt around their waists. They look like nobles, and they will be very particular about wearing a long coat on top of their short coats.
Liu Jing could tell the texture of these long clothes at a glance. They were basically made of brocade and silk, and were carefully edged with precious furs of various colors at the hem and skirt. They were a fusion of Han and Hungarian styles, beautiful and solemn.
After coming for a few days, he had gradually seen the clues. The higher the status of the aristocratic leader, the longer the clothes he wore were newer, the patterns of the Han fabrics used were more complicated, and the number of other Han accessories they wore also increased. .
Since they know the goods so well, then persuading the Huns to open and close the market, half selling and half giving away, can be regarded as doing what they want.
Just as he was thinking about it, Lao Nie came out from nowhere, led the group of them to several small yurts on the side, and said,
“You guys live here, you can start unloading the goods and make some repairs.
Food and drink will be brought to you, so don't run around.
I live next to you, if you need anything, just come to me. "
"When can we see Chanyu and Dalan clan?"
Liu Jing asked hurriedly.
"See that big white felt hat?"
Lao Nie pointed to a giant felt tent in the distance that seemed to rise out of the ground, surrounded by a group of felt tents.
“That’s Modun Chanyu’s yurt.
He is very busy these days and has a lot of government affairs to deal with. Just wait, he may summon you when he will. "
"Is the Dalan family busy too? How about I follow you to pay homage to the Dalan family first?
I also have a bracelet here that the Queen ordered me to bring, specially for the Dalan family. "
***
"Oh, what's this rare thing, show me?" Old Nie also became interested.
Liu Jing reached into his arms and fumbled for a long time. He took out a small and exquisite lacquer box with a red background and black patterns of three beasts and clouds. He opened the top cover with a silver buckle and found a bunch of yellow, purple and white colors inside. Alternate crystal bracelet.
Under the sunlight, the entire bracelet shone brightly. Each bead was the size of a human little knuckle and was polished to be clear and crystal clear.
Lao Nie looked carefully and saw that the beads were crystal clear. They were polished from the finest crystals regardless of cost, and did not contain a trace of impurities.
"This is really a good thing. Even the Huyan family of the Dalan family cannot produce such exquisite objects."
"Just take a look."
Liu Jing was afraid that he might have ruined the bracelet, so he quickly closed the lid and put it back in his arms.
"Our queen took this off her wrist on the spot. It's so precious."
"Dalan lives in another tent, but she is not busy.
Okay, then I will take you to see Dalan clan first. "
Seeing Liu Jing's flexibility, Lao Nie deeply felt that his matchmaking was expected to be successful, and he was filled with joy.
***
Liu Jing held the small lacquer box and followed Lao Nie's footsteps into another large yurt next to Shan Yu's big white yurt.
As soon as he stepped into the yurt, he only smelled a strong fragrance that was not like flowers, but came to his face, making him dizzy.
This is not the fragrance of thatch, duheng and other spices commonly used in the Central Plains. It is probably frankincense or sandalwood bought from merchants in the Western Regions.
It can be seen that their trade route with the Western Regions is smoother and more developed than imagined.
Liu Jing was so fragrant that he couldn't blink his eyes. Seeing Lao Nie stroking his chest and bending down again, he also bowed deeply.
After hearing a soft female voice say a few words in Hungarian, Old Nie pulled Liu Jing and sat on the fur cushion on the side.
The two old women held up several large copper plates and placed them in front of them. They contained a dazzling array of dried cheese, naan and dried fruits of various colors. In addition, there was a bowl of bright red drink for each person.
"Is this... blood?"
Liu Jing maintained a fake smile on his face, but his eyes were fixed on the red liquid rippling in the celadon bowl, and he asked Lao Nie in a low voice.
Old Nie trembled when he heard his voice, glared at him sideways, and whispered,
"Don't be surprised. This is wine. Wine made from grapes. It comes from the Western Regions."
"oh."
Liu Jing was relieved and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know what grapes were, but they sounded like some kind of normal fruit.
Although he was already prepared to die in the desert on this mission, and he also understood the custom of blood-based alliances among the grassland peoples, it would still be too much to force him to drink a large bowl of blood alive.
***
Lao Nie and the Dalan family started talking in a chattering manner. Both of them looked extremely relaxed, just like relatives who chatted with each other.
He said he was tired, so he took a sip of wine from the porcelain bowl, and then an old woman helped him fill it up.
After a long while, he turned his face and said to Liu Jing,
"Your purpose of coming, the intention of the Han Dynasty emperor, and the peace talks and closing the city, the Dalan family understands it all, and she has no objection.
Their Huyan clan is considered to be a relatively peaceful and conservative group, and they don't like to mess around in the south.
By the way, take out your paint box quickly. "
"Oh well."
Liu Jing hurriedly handed the box to the old woman, and the old woman respectfully presented it to Yan.
It was only then that Liu Jing raised his eyes slightly and looked at the Dalan clan in front of him, who according to legend, even Maodun Chanyu did not dare to easily offend.
As the most powerful woman in the entire grassland, the Dalan family is not very old and looks about the same as Lu Pheasant.
She wears a brocade turban on her head. The turban is sewn with various small ornaments such as cloud-shaped gold pieces, quatrefoil-shaped gold pieces, and gold-covered shells. Below the turban, there are several thick black braids hanging down.
Her gold earrings are very large, inlaid with turquoise stones, and connected with a string of gold beads and jade pendants below, which are jewels and jewels and complement each other.
Liu Jing then remembered the clear outline of the seventh prince Ainen, with his high nose and deep eyes, and found that he looked very similar to his mother, except that Dalan's skin was fairer and his eye sockets were deeper.
Dalan took out the bracelet and put it on his wrist. He looked left and right. His big eyes showed joy. He nodded to him with a smile and said something.
Lao Nie quickly translated,
"The Dalan family asked you to say hello to the Great Empress of the Han Dynasty and say thank you for the gift. She likes it very much."
Liu Jing bowed again and said to Lao Nie,
"There are also many splendid dark clothes, gauze clothes, earrings, rings, bronze mirrors and bronze lamps, all in the car outside, all chosen by our queen herself.
If peace is negotiated in the future, I can send all kinds of good things every year. "
