Soldiers come to the world

Liu Jing came out of Guhuai Mansion and went to Longwang Lane. After casually looking at the house, he turned to Chang'an East Market not far away. Han Chang'an is not Tang Chang'an, and there is no large-scale East Market and West Market. For a long time, Chang'an's business was in decline, and its trade was bleak.

After the Han army occupied Guanzhong and deliberately developed trade, the commerce in Chang'an gradually began to recover. The first to come was the Sogdian Hu merchants. Travel east to Luoyang for trading.

But they also have a keen business sense. When the Han Dynasty specially reduced the Chang'an business tax from [-] tax to [-] tax in order to support Chang'an business, these Hu merchants no longer went to Luoyang, but traded in Chang'an. A well-known Hu merchant with strong financial resources even bought a large shop in Dongshi, opened a jewelry store and a Hu man's residence.

Driven by Hu merchants, Chang'an business gradually prospered, and Dongshi gradually developed from more than [-] shops to hundreds of shops, dealing in various commodities from grain to livestock, from jewelry to ironware.

On the streets of Dongshi, there are bustling people everywhere, ox carts full of goods, rich merchants sitting in carriages, elephants from the south carrying goods in front of the Cao River, and large camel caravans from the Western Regions.

It was noon at this time, and there was a flood of people in the East City, including Qiang people wearing black hats and loose leather jackets; Guishuang people with dark skin, high nose and wide face; Wusun people; Sogdians wearing wide-brimmed pointed hats and shrewd faces; of course, most of them are Han people from all over the country and speaking with various accents.

When Liu Jing arrived, he happened to meet a well-regulated Sogdian caravan, with more than 1000 camels alone. This was a huge team composed of dozens of merchants. The merchants also rode on camels, behind them , each followed by dozens of camels fully loaded with goods.

The arrival of this caravan made the East City even more lively. Many merchants ran out of the shop and reached out to bargain with the Sogdian merchants on the camels. As long as the price was negotiated, the Sogdian merchants would naturally deliver the goods to Come on, now their goal is the Hu Rendi, that is, the Hu Ren's hostel. Take a good rest, have a big meal, and do business tomorrow.

Liu Jing was quite curious all the way. He walked into a barbarian jewelry store. The owner of the Sogdian store greeted him, bowed his hands and said in fluent Chinese: "May the light bless you!"

Liu Jing thought for a while and smiled, "I want to buy a gold hairpin."

"Guests please sit inside."

Sogdian people pay attention to privacy when doing business. Guests will be taken to a private room when they arrive, and there will be no other people around them. This not only protects the privacy of the guests, but also gives them dignity. Send it out politely, without any discrimination.

Liu Jing was a single man, and the person who received him was a young Hu Niang of seventeen or eighteen years old. Although she was not very beautiful, her big eyes were very lively, flickering, as if she could talk.

Hu Niang can also speak Chinese. Although she is not fluent, she can barely communicate. She invited Liu Jing to sit down and offered sweet milk tea. Then she took out a gold-painted ivory box and opened it in front of Liu Jing. There are thirty kinds of golden hairpins, and you can choose one."

Liu Jing was dazzled by all kinds of bright golden hairpins in the box, he was dazzled for a while, Hu Niang was understanding, she pursed her lips and said with a smile: "I don't know if you want to buy it for your wife or your lover?"

Liu Jing couldn't help laughing, "Why don't you buy it for your sister, mother, or daughter? It must be a wife or a lover?"

Hu Niang blushed and was speechless for a long time, her big eyes looked at Liu Jing pitifully, and Liu Jing asked with a smile, "What's the difference between buying it for your wife and buying it for your lover?"

Only then was Hu Niang relieved, and laughed again: "Wife values ​​reality and wants to buy hairpins with heavy gold, while lovers value styles and wants to buy hairpins with unique jewelry, so as to win their favor."

"That's right. I want to buy a hairpin set with sapphires."

Hu Niang didn't even find Liu Jing five hairpins inlaid with sapphires. Either she thought the gems were too small or the style was too fancy. At this time, Hu Niang thought for a while and said with a smile: "My lord, please wait a moment!"

She took the box and went into the back room. The shopkeeper came out with her after a while. The shopkeeper had a long ivory box in his hand. The shopkeeper sat down and pushed the ivory box to Liu Jing with a smile. will be satisfied."

Hu Niang next to her added: "This is the best sapphire hairpin in the store."

Liu Jing opened it slowly, and his eyes suddenly lit up. This is a hosta. The dark green chalcedony is as delicate as fat, about three inches long. shape, flawlessly inlaid on the hosta.

Liu Jing couldn't put it down because of this hairpin. The shop owner saw Liu Jing's love and said with a smile, "Young master has a good eye."

Liu Jing nodded, "That's it, I want this jade hairpin."

Coming out of the East City, the carriage turned around and returned to Hanwang Mansion. Hanwang Mansion is located on Changyang Street in the south of the city. When the carriage reached the intersection of the street, Liu Jing stopped the carriage. He stared at a mansion beside the street. After a moment, he pushed it away. The car door goes up the steps.

A guard realized that the King of Han was going to visit this family. The guard rushed up the steps and patted the door knocker vigorously. After a while, an old man opened the door, wearing a flat scarf and thick linen clothes, holding a bamboo broom. This person was Qiao Xuan. When he saw Liu Jing, he couldn't help being stunned for a moment. He quickly put down his broom and came out to meet him, "I don't know His Highness is coming, but I am sorry to welcome you. I hope you will forgive me!"

Liu Jing smiled, "I'm passing by here, so I came to see Mr. Qiao."

"Your Highness, please come in!"

Liu Jing strolled into the gate, feeling pretty good. There are a lot of trees in this mansion, and they are thick and tall. In spring and summer, the trees should be full of shade. Although it is winter now, you can still feel the exuberant vitality.

However, the house is a bit old, and there are not many servants, only a dozen or so at most, it seems that the house is empty, it can be seen that Qiao Xuan was sweeping the ground in the courtyard just now, so he came to open the door himself.

"Mr. Qiao, do you want to sweep the floor yourself?" Liu Jing looked at the pile of fallen leaves and asked with a smile.

"Hey! It's just a kind of physical exercise. When people get old, they will get sick easily if they sit for a long time."

Qiao Xuan only had two daughters when he was 40 years old. He is now over [-] years old. He is not in good health and looks very old. He is much older than when he was a matchmaker for Sun Shangxiang.

Liu Jing nodded, followed him to the middle hall and sat down. He took a look at the hall, and found that the hall was empty, with only two tables, and the paint on the tables was also peeled off. Compared with his identity, it still looks very shabby.

Qiao Xuan seemed to understand Liu Jing's thoughts, and explained with a smile: "I'm used to a simple life, and the furniture is much better than Jiangdong's. I have no worries about food and clothing. I'm very satisfied."

"Mr. Qiao will be moving in a few days. The house is ready and not bad. It is being repaired and will be moved in a few days."

"I already know. Thank you Your Highness and Princess Wang for your trouble. Actually, there is no need to bother too much. Yesterday the Zhang family sent someone to tell me that they will not come to live in Chang'an for the past two years. Let me live here with peace of mind. If they said it earlier , don’t bother the princess.”

Liu Jing smiled, "After all, it's someone else's house, so let's move there!"

At this time, footsteps came from the back hall. The footsteps hesitated for a moment, but they still came out. It was Da Qiao. She had moved to Qiao's residence yesterday, and she was wearing a crimson fine linen skirt. Her jet-black hair was coiled up high, and a silver hairpin was inserted obliquely. She had no makeup and no makeup, and her skin was smooth and delicate, snow-white as fat, which made her look more natural, noble and elegant.

She bowed to Liu Jing and said with a faint smile, "Why doesn't Your Highness rest at home?"

"I'm bored at home, come out for a walk."

Da Qiao sat down opposite Liu Jing, the faint smile on her face was still very serene, and her tone was very soft, as if she was speaking eloquently. Talking to her made people feel an indescribable tranquility and serenity, but There is an invisible distance.

"It's been a few months, how much your family is looking forward to your return, how many things they want to tell you, how much the children long for their father's love, and there are still a few months of official duties, maybe many hungry people are still suffering. Looking forward to each other, just waiting for His Highness to sign the relief, how can His Highness be so boring?"

Although her tone was gentle, she blamed Liu Jing for disregarding her family and business affairs. Liu Jing's face was a little hot, but her heart was also a little uncomfortable. She didn't speak for a long time, and slowly drank hot tea.

Qiao Xuan beside him was a little flustered, his daughter never criticized anyone, how could he speak to the King of Han like this today, it was too rude, he hastily reprimanded: "Ahe, Your Highness came back from the battle and was extremely exhausted physically and mentally, just to take a good rest for two days God, how can you blame His Highness, why don't you apologize to His Highness!"

Da Qiao didn't seem to hear her father's reprimand, she looked at Liu Jing again and said with a faint smile, "Your Highness, did I say something wrong?"

Liu Jing suddenly realized that it was actually Da Qiao who cared about her, that's why she blamed her like this, otherwise, why would she offend the king of a country? Thinking of this, Liu Jing felt relieved, the slight unhappiness just now disappeared without a trace, and he hurriedly bowed He said: "Don't blame Elder Sister, Mr. Qiao. She is right. I am responsible for the welfare of thousands of people. How can I be idle? I will go back to deal with urgent business."

Da Qiao stared at Liu Jing, with a relieved smile in her eyes, this is the person she loves deeply, humbly accepting advice, generous and benevolent, of course she knows that Liu Jing is actually here to visit her, this makes her feel a kind of Inexplicably moved, but Da Qiao's heart is as calm as water, even if he is moved, he will not show it easily.

She smiled again and said: "Since Your Highness is here as a guest, there is no reason to chase them away as soon as you sit down. You might as well sit for a while. I happened to make a pot of hot tea. Your Highness, please judge and sit down!"

She got up and went to the back house. Qiao Xuan was a little surprised. He didn't expect Liu Jing to accept the eldest daughter's criticism so humbly. What surprised her even more was that the eldest daughter never made tea for anyone to taste. His father also drank it once before she got married, let alone outsiders, she actually made tea for Liu Jing to taste.

Not long after, Da Qiao came in with a celadon round pot and two white jade tea bowls in her hands. Qiao Xuan was even more surprised. The eldest daughter usually used a small pot to make tea, and Qia Qia poured a small cup and tasted it herself. Ming, it has been like this for more than ten years, but today she actually used a big pot, as if she knew Liu Jing was coming.

Qiao Xuan's heart was a little confused, he suddenly had a glimmer of understanding, could it be

Thinking of Liu Jing coming here early in the morning, and thinking that Da Qiao never criticizes people casually, but today he criticizes Liu Jing for being idle, and specially uses a big pot to make tea, Qiao Xuan finally understands that there may be something between Liu Jing and his eldest daughter. An unknown tacit understanding.

Thinking of this, Qiao Xuan couldn't sit still. He patted his forehead, got up quickly and smiled and said, "If it wasn't for Ah He's reminder, I would have almost forgotten that the medicine is still being decocted in my room! I have to go and see, Your Highness, please." Sit down, I'll be right back."