In the southern suburbs of Kaifeng, the wide avenue is like a piece of fine silk laid flat on the ground. It is a real straight road. No matter which direction you look at, there is no end in sight. There are no twists and turns or ups and downs.
The road is ninety-nine feet wide, which can accommodate seven or eight carriages running parallel. On both sides of the road, every three feet, there is a tree planted in a straight line. Because it is winter, the branches and leaves are dull, but in summer and autumn, the road is green. , the beautiful and spectacular scenery of Dahan.
This is the "highway" of the Han Dynasty. In terms of grade and specifications, it is a third-class road. The highest-level roads in the Han Dynasty are still in Kaifeng City, especially Tokyo Tianjie, which is more than a hundred meters wide.
The imperial court spent a huge amount of money on transportation. Digging rivers and building roads began during the Qianyou period. Every time there was a slack season, money, food, and labor were allocated.
As we enter the Kaibao Year, the enthusiasm for road construction has not diminished. This is something that benefits the country and the people. With the opening and improvement of roads, all parts of the country are becoming increasingly connected. Over the years, the transportation system around Kaifeng has been perfected, and the central hub's influence and control over local areas, especially the prefectures around Gyeonggi, has become increasingly significant.
Most areas are still dominated by dirt roads, but with Kaifeng as the center, within a radius of 500 miles, the main roads connecting all directions are made of bluestone slabs.
It can be said that as the capital, Kaifeng's various conditions have been perfected, and the imperial court has also invested a lot of manpower. Therefore, the reason why the ministers of the DPRK and China were not interested in moving the capital was not just because of the prosperity of Kaifeng.
However, not long ago, Emperor Liu once again issued an edict to recruit 100,000 civilians between the capital and the capital, and continue to build it westward along the existing bluestone straight road, with Luoyang as the end point, with the intention of further connecting the east and west capitals. With Murong Yanchao, the king of Changli, as the director, and Song Yanwo, the chief envoy of Gyeonggi Province, as his deputy, taking charge of this matter, it can be seen that Emperor Liu attached great importance to it.
It was late winter, and the sky and the earth were desolate. Because of the cold, the roads, which were usually densely populated by cars and horses, were also deserted. It had just snowed. It was not heavy and even difficult to accumulate. Only some sporadic white patches could be seen on the sparse shrubs and vegetation on the left side of the road.
Against the background of the cold winter months, a small group of knights galloped down the road without any hindrance, running wildly. There were not many of them, less than ten riders, but they were all tall and tall, wearing military robes.
Look at the color markings on the uniforms, this is an official cavalry, and more importantly, everyone is wearing armor. In the Han army, except for the imperial city guards and those with special duties, under normal circumstances, including the Forbidden Army, soldiers do not wear armor. Armor and weapons are usually sealed in the barracks arsenal.
Nowadays, the only ongoing war in the Han Dynasty is the attack on the Jiaozhi area. Pan Mei also endured her temper and asked for support from the imperial edict. After returning to Guangnan, she still suppressed it for nearly three months. On October 1, The troops were launched in early January.
And this group of knights were the ones who had returned from the Annan battlefield to report on the battle situation. The leader's status was not low. This time Annan recruited the deputy envoy and the military governor, Murong Chengtai.
The aristocratic libertine back then, after more than ten years of experience, has become a general who can be entrusted with important tasks. Today, Murong Chengtai is only thirty-one years old. His skin is still the same as his father's, his face is dark, his beard is getting thicker, his appearance is lean, but his ass is strong, and his eyes are particularly bright.
In the past few years after Pingnan, Murong Chengtai has been stationed in the south. He was first the commander of the East Route of Guangnan. Pan Meinan conquered Jiaozhi and partnered with him as deputy.
It's just that this clan general's condition doesn't look very good at this time. His nose is running freely, and he shakes it from time to time, and it's just a big lump.
"I never thought it would be so cold!" Murong Chengtai stopped to stop and couldn't help but sneeze. He wiped his nose without caring about his appearance and complained, with a bright red color appearing on his dark face. .
Obviously, Murong Chengtai caught a cold. The commander who was following him couldn't help but said: "General, you are not feeling well. Can you find someone's house or a post station to rest for a while, and then find a medical officer to take a look?"
It is already in the outskirts of Kaifeng, and the villages and post stations are densely packed, making everything convenient. However, Murong Chengtai shook his head and looked north. The straight road was still empty, but Murong Chengtai knew that it led directly to Tokyo.
"No need, it's a minor illness, but it's nothing serious. We're almost in Tokyo. We'll have plenty of time when we get back to the city!" Murong Chengtai said forcefully.
"Rest for a while and continue on your way. Don't wait for your body to get cold!" Murong Chengtai ordered.
"yes!"
Murong Chengtai also had special feelings for Kaifeng, after all, it recorded so much of his teenage years. In the ten years since he left Tokyo, he has only returned once or twice.
This time, although he has not yet arrived in Beijing, he has already felt the changes in Kaifeng again, and the expectation in his heart has also skyrocketed, just like a wanderer returning after a long absence.
However, I had to stop when I was in Yonganyi. Yong'an Post is one of the three major post in Kaifeng, along with Xiangfu and Chenqiao. At this moment, at a glance, there is a person, an old man, standing outside the noisy post.
Hidden under a black brocade robe, only half of his face was exposed, and his gray beard and hair were slightly swaying in the north wind. There were several followers around, and no one dared to come forward to disturb him. Under the flag of the post station, the postmaster was waiting there in a dignified manner, ready to obey orders at any time.
As for the old man, his steps were very steady. The cold wind, frost, and frost had no effect on him. He was not even bothered by the excitement in the post. His majestic eyes were always looking at the open post road.
Murong Chengtai naturally noticed it. When he got closer and saw the old man, his eyes immediately turned red. He dismounted his horse and didn't rush forward. He knelt down on the cold and damp ground and kowtowed three times, mouthing Li said emotionally: "Dad!"
The frost that had condensed on the ground was smashed into pieces under the force of the force.
The old man is Murong Yanchao, the king of Changli County in the Han Dynasty. Emperor Murong is already over sixty years old. He is obviously getting older. His body is not as strong as it used to be. His face is as dark as before, but it is covered with wrinkles.
Looking at his youngest son who was kneeling on the ground, Murong Yanchao was obviously very excited. After all, this was his most beloved son. But in appearance, he tried hard to restrain himself and said in a trembling voice: "Get up quickly, the ground is cold!"
He helped Murong Chengtai up and took a good look at his son. A smile appeared on Murong Yanchao's face: "I'm finally willing to come back!"
Looking at the gray-haired old father, Murong Chengtai opened his mouth. At this moment, he had a thousand words to say, but he didn't know how to say them out. He just responded: "The battle in Annan is victorious, and I have been ordered to return to Beijing to report!"
"It's good to be back!" Murong Yanchao said, tears welling up in his eyes, but he held them back.
Then, he lectured: "Where are my two grandchildren? Why didn't they come back together? I, the grandfather, haven't even met them yet!"
"I am in a hurry to return to Beijing this time. I have sent a letter to the mother and son to set off!" Murong Chengtai said hurriedly.
In the past ten years, father and son have rarely seen each other. The most recent time was six or seven years ago. And Murong Chengtai naturally got married, and the other party's status was not low, and the third daughter of the Fu family, Queen Da Fu, was the red thread.
During the meeting between father and son, there was so much to say that Murong Chengtai didn't care about rushing. Yi Cheng finally found the opportunity to welcome them and prepared a room for them.
During the chat over tea, Murong Chengtai didn't say much about military issues. He just talked about his experiences in the south. Of course, Murong Yanchao's focus was not on the above. He seemed to be more concerned about his daughter-in-law and the grandson he had never met.
Moreover, after a brief emotional outburst, he quickly restrained himself and returned to his usual dignity. But those red eyes couldn't hide it from anyone.
"Are you in good health?" Murong Chengtai looked at his old father and asked with concern.
"I can eat, drink, and run errands for His Majesty. Do you think I'm old?" Murong Yanchao replied and looked at him: "On the other hand, you failed to treat typhoid and fever in time..."
"I have always been in good health, but I am just eager to report my victory to the court!" Murong Chengtai said, "Please wait in front of the post for a long time. As a son, I feel uneasy and can't bear it."
In this case, the Murong boy in his early years would never be able to say it. Murong Yan was relieved to hear this, but he said: "Do you think I am here to wait for you? I am supervising the construction of the two straight roads between Beijing and Beijing for the imperial court. The project is temporarily suspended and I have official business when I return to Beijing. Holy, I just heard that you were coming back to Beijing and I came to pick you up..."
Hearing this, Murong Chengtai smiled softly, not wanting to expose his father's intention. He returned to Beijing from the west, why did he go around dozens of miles to the south...
