Everyone got off the carriage and counted out the copper coins and put them in the hands of the old man in Guanzhong. When the old man saw that he was given two more coins, he was so happy that he handed them over again and again, thanking them profusely. He drove the carriage close to the base of the city wall and merged with the driver pulling the horse.
Yue Guanchao looked up at Xijing City. The city layout of the previous dynasty was still maintained here. The ancient square city was built upright with tall and thick green brick and earth walls. The city gate tower stood on the city wall, with double eaves, gray tiles, and towering masonry. There are also three large arches, two small ones, through which people enter and exit the city, which is bustling with people.
At this time, the snow has not yet melted, covering the city, and the city gate tower is silvery white, blending into the chaotic mist-like sky!
Under the city walls on both sides, countless poor people have built temporary shacks with thatch and rice straws, like straw graves, dotted not far away.
These shacks have long been dilapidated and empty, and they just serve as a place for horse and cart drivers such as the old men from Guanzhong. They wear thick black and gray coats and sheep's belly scarves. They put their hands in their sleeves and shake their legs and feet to try to warm up their bodies, leaving only He raised his head and looked at the city gate to see if anyone was leaving the city.
Yue Guanchao and the others walked into the Changle Gate in the warm air. What they saw was a smaller square city. It can be seen that the square urn city is as big as dozens of private houses. The double-eaves Xieshan Tower in the distance only has a single door, so you can only enter through a single arch door. Enter Xijing City.
The urn city is a small square city outside the city that connects the city. In ancient times, it was mostly used for military purposes. During the Republic of China, although the four-sided urn city in Xijing was no longer used for military purposes, it was preserved as a historical site and transformed into a lively street market for outsiders to enter Xijing.
Looking around, the barracks on three sides of the Wengcheng are all shop signs with a height of more than ten meters. In order to grab business, the hundreds of shops are eager to overpower others. The craftsmen and craftsmen are going upstairs and downstairs to welcome people and drink, which is full of Shaanxi. So loud and clear!
Under the wall, a row of brightly decorated rickshaws with flags were neatly arranged. The driver sat on the rickshaw, looking anxiously at the crowd, trying to find a wealthy guest inside so he could say hello and see if he would take the bus.
"The mutton steamed buns are cooked right now, and the mutton soup and pancakes are cooked over the stove. If it's not delicious, you don't have to pay for it."
They stood in Wengcheng. Apart from the colorful shop signs, the most attractive thing was the spicy and fragrant steamed buns in mutton soup.
In the distance, the Xijing Noodle House has a stove built in front of the store door, and the charcoal fire is burning brightly. The stove master and the pancake master are only wearing single clothes and are still wet from the heat. A few beads of sweat occasionally appear while kneading the dough and pasting the cakes. The stalls are filled with sesame sesame cakes that are as big as pot helmets and are browned and thick. You can see the cold wind blowing the burnt aroma into your nose from more than ten meters away.
"Gulu~"
Yue Guanchao wanted to walk forward, but when he heard the sound, he looked back. Seeing Yue Erpao's slightly embarrassed expression, he knew that he was hungry.
"Ha~ ok, I see everyone is hungry too, so let's go to the noodle shop to fill our stomachs first and wait until we are full."
After Song Siyuan finished speaking, everyone walked into the noodle shop as if they were fleeing. When the waiter saw six or seven people coming, he waved up his handkerchief with joy and said, "Oh, sir, seeing that you are coming from Changlemen, I think you are from another province. You are so busy on your journey." , you must be suffering from a lot of cold, hurry up and drink a bowl of mutton soup, our mutton soup contains a lot of medicinal materials to replenish the body and keep out the cold."
Yue Guanchao took a look at the price and made sure it was not that outrageous. He ordered steamed buns in mutton soup for everyone. For those who didn't want to drink soup, there were spicy noodles, knitted noodles, fried noodles, buckwheat noodles, dipping noodles, etc. After two taels of beef were cut and served, the sour water in their mouths could no longer be concealed, and they began to snort with great enjoyment.
The mountains and rivers in the northwest are rough and wild, and even the pasta is wild. The mouth of the bowl as big as a basin is enough to attract people's attention. Others can say that Song Siyuan cannot eat so much, so she has to give Yue Guanchao more than half. Then I barely finished eating.
After everyone had eaten and drank, Song Siyuan called the inn boy over and asked, "Brother, do you know which inn is more affordable and not a scam? We are new here and want to find a place to stay."
Seeing her asking this question, the waiter hesitated and said: "Sir, if you want to stay in a hotel, there are no inns here. The eastern half of the city is divided into two parts in the front court, and the northern corner is Mancheng with the Eight Banners Camp. Most of the people in the old Xijing city are concentrated in the western half of the city. Most of the inns are concentrated on South Street near the Bell and Drum Tower. It is the busiest place in Xijing. If you want to To stay in the hotel, we have to walk to Xicheng."
"If you ask me to choose, I would definitely choose the Love Inn in the middle of South Street. The shopkeeper is pretty good and the prices are reasonable. If you want to take a rest, you might as well go and have a look."
"Okay~"
Yue Guanchao looked at Song Siyuan. After everyone had eaten and drank, a few people came out of the noodle shop, hailed a few rickshaws under the city wall, and told them the address of Lilefu Inn. These rickshaw drivers had made countless trips to the streets and small streets of Xijing. The alley was already very familiar to me, so I pulled up my arms and ran forward.
As soon as you leave the small east gate, Xijing's private houses are clustered together, spread out like a chessboard with vegetable beds. Sitting in the car, you can see the gray tiles and black walls retreating backwards. The sameness does lack the uniqueness, but it also has more seriousness and order, a sense of time travel. It feels like a military town.
