"Qianzhong Road" is one of the fifteen major official roads of the Tang Empire.
It is also the only large-scale official road in Tanzhou that leads directly to Gyeonggi and Tanzhou.
In addition to this official road being carried out by professionals all year round, there are also some large-scale post stations set up by the central government on this official road, which are responsible for delivering documents and valuables to the imperial court.
Theoretically, on these official roads, there is a small official post station every twenty or thirty miles.
These inns generally do not accommodate outsiders. They are specially used to receive servants and visiting officials delivering official documents, allowing them to have a place to rest and change horses along the way.
In addition to officials, some well-known scholars can also stay in these inns.
In addition, in some larger areas, there are even some inns and restaurants near the inns specifically for passers-by and traders to rest.
These inns and restaurants complement the official inns, forming a small settlement independent of the township.
However, in Pei Wende's impression, the most famous thing about the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty is Du Mu's sentence, "When a concubine riding in the world of mortals laughs, no one knows it's a lychee."
It is said that before the Anshi Rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty wanted Concubine Yang to eat fresh lychees.
He once specially ordered someone to cover the lychees picked in the morning with ice cubes, and then quickly delivered them to the palace.
In this way, when the lychees were delivered to Concubine Yang, the fresh lychees looked like they had just been picked from the tree, which naturally won the beauty's heart.
Is this line of Du Mu's poem an exaggeration, or is it because Tang Xuanzong's practice of trying to win a beauty's smile actually cost so many people and horses to death?
Pei Wende didn't know and had no intention of commenting.
The only thing he knew clearly was that it was precisely because of the existence of these official channels that the Tang Dynasty could be called a unified empire rather than a few scattered states.
Take the "Tianbao Rebellion (Anshi Rebellion)" a hundred years ago as an example. An Lushan launched his troops from Fanyang. The two places were three thousand miles apart, but the news reached the capital in just six days, which shows how fast the efficiency was.
It is no exaggeration to say that these official ways, which have been unified and regulated since the Qin Dynasty, are the cornerstone of the unification of the entire Chinese civilization.
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"'Anxiang Station' is one of the stations connected to the nearby 'Jiuxiang Eighteen Stations'..."
"According to the old monk, this inn can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty. It was specially built by the First Emperor for his expedition to Baiyue."
"Legend has it that in addition to the inns along the road, the First Emperor also ordered a large number of migrant workers to dig the Ling Canal to connect the water systems of the Xiangjiang River and the Lijiang River, ensuring the transportation of grain and grass for the Qin army."
While quietly introducing Qin Shihuang's great achievements to the little green snake, he slowly approached this huge inn...
In the process, Pei Wende discovered that this inn was just like what Li Yanran had said before. Most of the people who came in and out of it were officials and scholars.
Therefore, when they saw Pei Wende carrying a long bow and a short sword, they all cast a surprised look at him.
Several post officers responsible for protecting the post drew their weapons one after another and looked at the young man dressed as an Orion with vigilance.
Since the Anshi Rebellion, the prestige of the central court has been greatly weakened, and banditry and chaotic parties in various places have become one of the most troublesome troubles for local governments.
Especially for states and towns far away from the center like Tanzhou, almost every post station will have a dedicated combat post officer to ensure the safety of the post station.
Fortunately, Pei Wende is young enough and doesn't look too threatening.
Therefore, the post officers who were ready did not start fighting directly, but surrounded Pei Wende.
"I'm here to find someone!"
Seeing this situation, Bui Wende decisively raised his hands, using this international gesture that has been used throughout the ages to express his harmlessness.
"Who are you? Where do you come from? Why are you approaching this place?"
Three questions were asked in a row from the head of the post officer, and the post officer behind him took the opportunity to run into the post station and called out the official responsible for managing the post station.
"My name is Pei Wende, from Tongqing Temple in Weishan. I'm here to find someone!"
After answering the post officer's three questions honestly, Pei Wende immediately turned his attention to the old man who was slowly walking out.
Pei Wende's intuition told him that as an old man, he should be the real manager of this inn, and he was also the "Old Man Cao" he was looking for.
"Weishan? Tongqing Temple?"
With a flash of surprise in his eyes, the old man who walked forward slowly stretched out his hand to signal the nearby post officials not to be nervous, and then turned to look at Pei Wende, who looked calm.
"You said you came from Tongqing Temple in Weishan. Do you have a road guide issued by the government? Or other certificates?"
He did not believe Pei Wende's words easily. Although the old man's actions were a little slow, the sophistication revealed in his words was far beyond what those young boys could match.
"Certificate? Is this what you mean?"
Pei Wende, who was well prepared, nodded, and then took out a gold-encrusted jade pendant from his arms.
This was specially given to Pei Wende by Li Yanran before he left.
He said that he took out this jade pendant when he found Old Man Cao, so he naturally knew what to do.
"Well, this young man is a junior relative of mine, so don't be nervous."
Hearing what Old Man Cao said, the post officials around him completely relaxed.
But from the way these post officers looked at Pei Wende from time to time, we could still see the curiosity in their hearts.
In their impression, old man Cao seems to have always been a loner except for one child he adopted?
And although Pei Wende is not very old, judging from his performance of carrying a sword and a bow and walking as fast as flying, it is obvious that he is not an ordinary junior.
Fortunately, out of curiosity, these post officials still had the qualities they should have, and they did not ask too many questions, but returned to their posts.
"Come with me!"
Waving to Pei Wende to follow him, Old Man Cao turned around and walked towards the inn.
He did not have much communication with Pei Wende during the whole process, nor did he ask where he got the gold-encrusted jade pendant.
[What a strange old man...]
Keeping up with Old Man Cao, Pei Wende looked at the old man in front of him who was leading the way, and he couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in his heart.
After just one glance at the gold-encrusted jade pendant, he no longer asked about his origins and purpose.
As an old man, his trust in Li Yanran is too high, right?
Isn't he afraid that he is an important criminal in the imperial court, a rebel bandit, or the like?
"hiss!"
At exactly this moment, the little green snake that had been hiding in the collar raised its head at the right time, looking at everything around it curiously and cautiously.
—Recommendation ticket—/—Monthly ticket—
