Unger, a Mongolian with a shy belly, walked into the largest restaurant in Xuanzhen arrogantly. He didn't need to be greeted by the shopkeeper, but went straight to the kang mat at the end, which was covered with brocade mattresses and was heated brightly.
He liked the Han people's fire pit so much. It was much more effective than the best kumiss for keeping warm.
Sutai Dafujin, Lin Dan Khan's favorite, once said that Jurchens also burned Kang. At that time, Unger, who was standing next to his brother, expressed a Mongolian's admiration for the Jurchens. However, Sutai Fujin curled up his thin red lips and said sarcastically: "Oh, the Jurchens are not only responsible for tree branches. , can be picked up to make a fire to keep warm, what else can compare with Mongolia and Ming Dynasty?"
At this moment, Unger was like a beast king walking into the forest, shouting at the waiter in a rough voice to bring the mutton and pancakes.
Behind him, the woman named "He Zhuo" was more like a cautious fox, looking left and right, carefully sizing up this restaurant that she had been to several times.
He Zhuo's eyes quickly fell on another woman.
The other party was wearing an ocher-colored fur-collared robe often worn by Mongolian merchants, but her black hair was not tied into braids. It was still tied up like a Ming Dynasty woman, with a "heart bun".
The woman got down from the kang on the other side in a generous manner, and walked to He Zhuo with a young man in gorgeous fur clothes.
"Simbasa Womojiak, Vologon Qinni." A string of syllables came out as the woman saluted.
He Zhuo's eyes were filled with surprise.
She didn't expect that what the other person said when he spoke was neither Mongolian nor Ming dialect, but Jurchen dialect, which meant "I'm very happy to see you."
That restrained vibrato came out lightly from the base of the tongue and was quite authentic.
He Zhuo tilted his head and asked, "Are you a Jurchen?"
Zheng Haizhu glanced at the three-eyed forceps dangling from He Zhuo's earlobe, which was the symbol of a Jurchen woman.
"I am from Ming Dynasty, but my most effective assistant comes from Ye He Jurchen." Zheng Haizhu resumed Chinese.
Xu San on the side was about to translate in Mongolian, but He Zhuo nodded to show that he understood. The surprise of "meeting an old friend in a foreign country" instantly faded in his eyes, but he did not immediately return to a vigilant look.
"What's the matter with you?" He Zhuo narrowed his eyes and asked in Chinese with a not too strong accent.
Zheng Haizhu smiled modestly and said straight to the point: "I am a tea merchant, my surname is Zheng, and I want to do business with you."
"Oh," He Zhuo raised his chin, his tone finally showing a hint of arrogance, "You are mistaken. We are not a Mongolian caravan. We want your Ming Dynasty's official tea, and we don't have to spend money to buy it."
The "official tea" she refers to is the "brick tea" favored by the Mongolians. After the tea farmers of the Ming Dynasty picked the black tea and dried it, they pressed it into the size of a green brick with wooden tampers to facilitate long-distance transportation.
The food of the northern nomadic people is mainly meat and naan, with almost no fruits and vegetables. Brick tea, which is good for supplementing vitamins and helping to digest meat, has naturally become the highlight of border trade commodities like horses. It was also given to Lin Dan every year by the Ming court. One of Khan’s gifts.
Zheng Haizhu looked at the arrogant He Zhuo and said calmly: "I know that you are the right-hand man of Su Tai Dafu Jin. You come to receive the Ming Dynasty's market reward. In addition to silver, there is also official tea. But today, I want to treat you to a taste. Try another tea.”
He Zhuo raised his eyebrows.
As a trusted maid who was married to Chahar with Sutai, Hezhuo was originally a noble of the Yehe tribe. She could not only advise her mistress in fighting for favor in Lin Dan Khan's harem, but also follow the Mongols to and from Dabian Town. She He is young and has already read countless people.
He Zhuo clicked his finger and saw that the woman in front of him was obviously waiting here deliberately. Her appearance and demeanor were not like those of an ordinary merchant, but she was not dangerous.
Unger, who was behind him, also poked his bear-like body out and asked questions in Mongolian, wanting to know what happened.
He Zhuo replied a few words, then turned to Zheng Haizhu and said: "Our nobleman has agreed, you can serve him."
Xu Sanchong waved to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper, who had already received money, went to the kitchen in person and brought two copper pots.
The waiter served the stewed mutton, which was fully stocked every day, and the special oil cake from Xuanzhen to Zhangjiakou - "Yi Wo Silk".
Xu San went to pick up the copper pot. Zheng Haizhu said "I'll come", then picked up the pot handle and poured tea into the bowl.
"Two noble ladies, does our tea have a color like amber or agate? It's called black tea."
He Zhuo and Unger both looked at the bowl. Sure enough, it was very different from the soup cooked after prying off a few pieces of brick tea. It was indeed like the color of jewels described by women in the Ming Dynasty, and also like the red rocks in the sunset in the desert. Looking at It's warm and pleasing to the eye.
Unger, like most Mongolian nobles, was addicted to tea. He smelled the aroma that seemed more fragrant than brick tea, and sniffed intoxicatedly. After a while, when he saw that the heat was no longer so intense, he was about to pick up the tea bowl.
He Zhuo blocked his big furry hand, raised his eyelids and said to Zheng Haizhu: "You drink first."
Zheng Haizhu knew that she was wary of Ming people poisoning her, so she didn't hesitate, picked up the bowl and took a sip.
After putting down the bowl, he said sincerely: "If you listen to my detailed explanation of my purpose, you will not suspect that we are people with malicious intentions."
He Zhuo pursed his lips: "Since you know that I am from Sutai Dafujin, and you want to get close to us, why don't you let your subordinate of the Ye He tribe come with you? It's easier to talk."
"Her name is Aya. She is dead. She was killed by spies sent by the Ministry of Construction to the Ming Dynasty," Zheng Haizhu lowered his eyes and said, "When she died, she didn't know that the entire Ye He tribe had been annexed by Nurhaci."
He Zhuo's expression froze.
When the news of the destruction of the Yehe tribe reached Chahar, she and Sutai Fujin faced the east and fell to the ground weeping bitterly for their hometown of Yehe.
He Zhuo was only distracted for a moment when he noticed Unger's face showing displeasure at being left out, and he hurriedly translated for Lin Dan Khan's cousin and favorite.
Unger actually laughed, grabbed the mutton chops, pulled them apart, and gestured: "Half body, half body."
No need to understand Mongolian, Zheng Haizhu also guessed the meaning from his demonstration.
Zheng Haizhu, who is familiar with the feud between Ye He and Jianzhou, understands that Unger, a Mongolian, has a mentality of watching the fire from the other side. When he mentioned that the leader of Ye He's Jurchens, Bu Zhai, went to attack Nurhaci's Jianzhou Jurchens, he was defeated and died. Nurhaci His body was split open and only half of the body was sent back to the Yehe tribe.
Zheng Haizhu stared at He Zhuo and said: "I don't think this is funny at all. Jianzhou is your enemy of Ye He, and also the enemy of our Ming Dynasty. A few years ago, with the help of the loyal female companion of Ye He, I The imperial court that had helped us fought hard against the Ministry of Construction in Fushun."
"Yes, it's not Chahar's turn yet. Naturally, these Mongolians still don't understand." He Zhuo made a gesture. "Zheng, please sit down and talk. You must respect Lin Dan Khan's cousin." The place is called 'Zaisang', but for me, just call me by name, my name is Hezhuo."
Zaisang was the pronunciation of the "prime minister" of the Han Dynasty that the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty imitated. However, in today's era when Mongolian ministries are fragmented, Zaisang has lost its original meaning. Many subordinate officials of the Khan and tribal leaders have been lumped together. The local name is "Zai Sang".
After Zheng Haizhu saluted, he sat down and looked at Unger, who had mutton in his left hand and cakes in his right hand. After his mouth was full of oil, he served him the newly brewed black tea.
Unger eats boldly, but when he sips tea soup, he is very elegant like a Han literati "tasting tea".
However, he was gentle for only a few breaths, and his facial expression became exaggerated again.
"Sweet tea, sweet tea, is better than official tea, which is bitter." He praised He Zhuo.
Xu San immediately translated it to Zheng Haizhu.
Zheng Haizhu raised his eyebrows, picked up another copper pot, and mixed the black tea with milk that the shopkeeper had boiled in advance.
Then he took a paper bag from Xu San, opened it, put a handful into his mouth, and explained to He Zhuo: "This white thing is very sweet, it's called sucrose, and our Ming Nanhai has begun to produce it."
He Zhuo calmly said: "Well, I believe you, it's not arsenic."
Zheng Haizhu responded with a smile, scooped up sugar with a silver spoon, sprinkled it into the milk tea, and stirred it well.
"Black tea without adding anything is best when paired with food rich in oil and meat. But let's try the second way of drinking it, sweet milk tea."
This time, He Zhuo was obviously more appreciative than Unger.
"It tastes much better than butter tea." She said, holding the tea bowl.
Zheng Haizhu nodded: "Such a good thing should also come out of the fortress. Not only can it be enjoyed by the Great Khan, Zaisai and Fujin, but you merchants in Chahar can also exchange it for horses and sell it to other tribes in Mongolia, or sell it to more places. In the north, we trade fur goods with those who fish in the sea. In fact, if Lin Danhan and our Ming Dynasty can block the interference of the Jurchens from the west in Jianzhou, the mutual trade will not only be located in Zhangjiakou, but also Chahar can open several."
He Zhuo raised his eyes, and his thoughtful gaze met Zheng Haizhu's gaze.
"Who are you?"
"I am a businessman, and can also be regarded as a member of the Ming Dynasty. He Zhuo, I can be an envoy and escort you back to Chahar with the sergeants to meet with Lin Dan Khan and Sutai Dafujin."
(End of chapter)
