Qingtang City has been prosperous since ancient times.
After the founding of Xixia, heavy taxes were levied on business travelers traveling through the Hexi Corridor. Soldiers even acted as bandits, killing people and stealing goods. In order to avoid the looting and exploitation of Xixia, tribute envoys and merchants obtained a stable and peaceful trading environment and earned more gold and silver. In order to save money, they began to change their way to Qiangzhong Road and go to Qingtang City.
At that time, the people of Qingtang City set up many post stations on the road to receive passing tribute groups and merchants. They also restricted the tribes to treat the transit merchants well and provided them with food and accommodation. The merchants only had to pay the corresponding fees or Just the goods.
Not only that, in order to protect the safe passage of tribute missions and caravans carrying large quantities of goods, Qingtang City also specially sent troops to escort foreign merchants who stayed in Qingtang to do business, allowing them to exchange and exchange goods at will, and also specially allocated a piece of land. , specifically for foreign businessmen to build houses and warehouses, which attracted a large number of foreign businessmen to settle down and do business.
At that time, merchants gathered in Qingtang City, which was full of exotic customs. There were not only Han people, Tubo people, but also people from Central Asia, West Asia and Europe with high noses and deep eyes.
There are also many merchants from the countries in the Western Regions, including merchants from the Uighurs, Khotan, Gaochang, Qiuci, Nuoqiang and other countries, as well as Tianzhu and Nibalo merchants from South Asia and the Xindu River Basin, and even Dashi and Nibalo merchants from the two river basins. Great Qin merchants from Persia, and Europe.
The merchant envoys traveling between the Western Regions and the Mainland via the Middle Qiang Road are willing to stop here to rest, relieve fatigue, replenish supplies, and then continue their journey. Many merchants even stay here for a year or several years before leaving, and some simply leave. Build houses in the city, settle down and do business.
After years of continuous war, Qingtang City was once in depression, but now that it has been stable in the past few years, trade routes have been opened again, and Qingtang has shown signs of prosperity again.
Zhao Tong led everyone forward. There was a gate next door between the West City and the East City that could be passed through. There were soldiers guarding the door. Yang Zhishijin and Yang Zhishijin were wearing official uniforms, and the soldiers greeted them one after another.
Yang Zhi sighed in his heart, it seems that being an official is not difficult, you just need to follow the right person.
When he came to the East City, it was a lively and prosperous scene. Zhao Tu looked around and saw that many of the houses and towers were not made in the Song Dynasty. They had spiers and domes, and some were painted in various colors.
Many of these houses were built by business travelers back then, which shows how lively and prosperous the Qingtang was at that time.
Walking on the central market avenue, there are not only shops on both sides, but also a variety of goods on the street stalls outside. It can be seen that businessmen of various skin colors are selling in various accents in the rather exotic shops. At a glance, There are a wide range of products and the crowds are very lively.
Zhao Tong led everyone to watch, because both Yang Zhi and Shi Jin were wearing official uniforms. Every time they passed a stall, people saluted, even the patrolling city soldiers stopped.
Zhao Tongguan saw that the large items included horses, oxen, timber, grain and other items.
Small items include musk, cinnabar, bezoar, river beads, mountain coral, raw gold, mercury, woody incense, Sanya brown, flower core cloth, Douluo brocade, velvet, antelope horns, bamboo horns, red and green leather and other local products. .
There are even swords, guns, iron armor hand-forged by craftsmen, and some other weapons.
Zhe Hanmei smiled playfully and said: "Your Majesty, you didn't expect that there are armors for sale, right? If you were in Tokyo, let alone buying and selling, I'm afraid you would be charged for hiding one."
Zhao Tong smiled and shook his head: "Xiao Qingmei, don't deceive me into not leaving Kaifeng for a long time. I know that the border regulations are loose and there are many preferential treatment for foreign merchants."
The group of people were walking and watching, and suddenly there was a noise in front of them. Zhe Hanmei heard it and said: "It seems that the Tubo people are quarreling."
Hearing this, Zhe Zhichang shook his head: "Your Majesty, these businessmen can be found everywhere in the east, west, north and south. They often quarrel and even use knives, and sometimes it is not uncommon for people to lose their lives."
Zhao Tong nodded. He knew something about this. The Song Dynasty had always given preferential treatment to the northwest Tibetan people or familiar households in the Western Regions. The laws were relatively lenient. Generally speaking, they ignored their ordinary quarrels and fights. As long as they didn't If someone loses his life, just turn a blind eye.
And these acquaintances often let it go after quarreling and fighting. There are few who pursue them, and some even call the opponent a hero when they lose and suffer losses. This is somewhat similar to the rivers and lakes in the Central Plains.
"Go over and take a look." Zhao Tong said. Since you are here, you must see everything. You should take a broad view of the scenery and be aware of all the things in the world.
They walked over and saw that it was a shop with a large front, with mottled wooden pillars on both sides and smooth steps. It exuded an ancient atmosphere. It must have some history and stories.
There were several people standing in front of the shop. The leader was a sturdy middle-aged man, wearing a traditional Tibetan robe. He stood with his arms akimbo and laughed at a young man in front of him.
The young man was wearing a similar robe, but if you look closely it was more luxurious than the burly middle-aged man. However, the robe was stained in many places, and there were even tears in two places, and the boots on his feet were also damaged. , two toes came out and were covered with mud.
The young man's skin was dark and shiny. Although he looked thin, his eyes were bright and he was arguing angrily with the burly middle-aged man.
The burly middle-aged man had a look of disdain. After smiling, he opened his mouth and seemed to curse a few words. Then he lifted the side of his robe and walked into the store.
The young man's face turned livid when he heard the other party's words. He wanted to rush forward. Seeing this, several other people in front of the shop pulled out their swords from their waists and waved them at the young man, swearing.
Both parties spoke Tubo, and Yang Zhishi couldn't understand them. Zhao Tong frowned expressionlessly, and Zhe Hanmei whispered: "Your Highness, do you want me to help you Di Tuo? But I remember..."
"Ahem, cough..." Zhao Tong coughed twice and said, "I only said that I never read the Book of Horses when I was a child, but I didn't say that I didn't learn the language of foreign countries. It's just that over the years, I have forgotten a little. , this is the first time I heard the Tibetan people quarreling, I was a little bit confused."
Zhe Hanmei's eyelashes fluttered and she said, "How about the young lady translating for the prince?"
Zhao Tong looked at her, nodded and said, "Xiao Qingmei, can you understand everything?"
Zhe Hanmei smiled and said: "There are a few people in the northwest who don't understand some of the Fan and Xia languages. Even the Fan and Xia Uighurs can understand our Song language. Otherwise, let alone doing business, even after a battle, it would be difficult to negotiate. "
Zhao Tong watched the confrontation between the young man and the people in the store and thought: "I heard that their accents are different."
Zhe Hanmei said: "That's right. That shop is a familiar household, but this person is a stranger."
Zhao Tong said: "Is it rare for a fan to be born in Xining Prefecture?"
Zhe Hanmei said: "It's not that there are none, it's just that people who come to Zhoucheng are very rare. This person should have gone to the store to sell things. Then the owner of the store said that the items were fake and took them away. This person wanted to take them back." If they don’t get anything, they start making noises.”
Zhao Tong narrowed his eyes and said, "I can vaguely tell what king this person is talking about?"
Zhe Hanmei glanced at him and involuntarily curved her lips, saying, "It's said that he is a descendant of a certain king. I don't understand the meaning of that word. It's probably just how it's pronounced."
Zhao Tong nodded and saw a group of patrolling soldiers coming over. He said to Yang Zhi, "Let them come and surround the store. No one is allowed to leave."
