"Protect the young eunuch!" "Protect the owner!" In an instant, the sound of harmony sounded around the carriage, and the generals and the family members quickly put out a swallowtail formation according to the usual drill, and firmly protected the carriage that Zhang Qian was riding in. And Guo Nu, Ren Cong, Wang Maobo and others also drew their swords and horizontal knives and waited for battle.

"Don't get me wrong! Don't get me wrong, we sent cattle here. Deliver cattle to the Zhuangzi in front! "The group of Hu men who rode their horses were extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, they were within eighty paces. Before the family in Zhang's mansion opened his bow and arrows, he raised his hands high, "I am Tubo Onion Ben (Commercial Officer) Lala Wanwang, and I had an agreement with the owner of the Zhuangzi in front of me last year to exchange yaks for his things." This year, I drove yaks over! Guo Zhicheng, is that you?! Is Young Eunuch Zhang here? I've brought him a yak! ”

The last two sentences were specifically said to Guo Nu. Obviously, this Tibetan business official, Lala Wanwang, not only has excellent eyes, but is also well-informed.

"Lalawan!" Guo Nu finally saw clearly, the Hu man who led the team was a familiar face, and quickly put away his sword and commanded loudly. "Don't let the arrows go, let him come."

The hearts of the generals were relaxed, and when they looked closely, they found that in the distance, rolling along the harvested wheat field, it was not a dark cloud at all, but a large group of strange-looking animals. There were eight or nine hundred of them, and they looked like cows, but they screamed like pigs, and their bodies were covered with filthy hair!

The Tibetan onion bin Lala Wanwang also ordered the Tibetan warriors around him to stop their mounts. He himself jumped off his horse, walked quickly in front of Guo Nu, laughed and opened his arms. "Guo Zhicheng, long time no see, are you okay?!"

A strange smell of mutton fat mixed with sweat came to the face, and Wang Maobo and others held their breath and turned their heads. But Guo Nu was not to be outdone, and got off the horse, hugging each other like good brothers with Nala Wanwang, and at the same time patting each other's backs with his hands.

After shooting three times in a row and hugging three times, the two finally finished the ceremony. Immediately, they dragged each other's hands and both came to Zhang Qian's carriage.

"In the lower Tubo onion Ben Lala Wanwang, meet the secretary of the Tang Dynasty, Young Eunuch Zhang!" There was no need for anyone's guidance at all, so Lala Wanwang changed to another style, let go of Guo Nu, crossed his hands on his chest, and bowed deeply to the car window.

"Lala Wanwang is polite!" Since the other party has indicated his official identity, Zhang Qian is inconvenient to hold up, so he pushed the door and got out of the car, and shook it with one hand, "How is the commercial officer good this year?" Bringing so many yaks from the Tibetan side, the road is hard! ”

"It's good, it's good, it's not hard!" Lala Wanwang followed Zhang Qian's support movements, quickly straightened his waist, and smiled all over his face, "It's just that the road is too hot, and the yak is not adaptable, and a small half of it is dead." However, there were still 999 left, and the young eunuch was asked to send slaves to count and receive. ”

As soon as Zhang Qian heard the number of nine hundred and ninety-nine, he knew that the number of yaks that Lala Wanwang had actually grazing all the way to Chang'an was far more than that. still pretended to be shocked, and exclaimed in a low voice, "Wouldn't it take ten years for Zhang to finish eating?" It's so hard for a business officer. ”

"Not much, not much. Zhang Shaojian can be slaughtered to make braised meat, jerky, sausage and meat powder. Lala Wanwang smiled and waved his hand proudly, "You can also transfer the yak to relatives and friends, so that everyone can taste it fresh." The only thing that can't be raised, the yak is not suitable for water and soil, and it must be killed as soon as possible, otherwise, the more it is raised, the thinner it will be! ”

Speaking of several ways to eat beef, Zhang Qian is not sleepy. nodded with a smile and responded in a low voice, "In this way, Zhang will thank Lala Wanwang Commercial Officer." According to the agreement, two boxes of jack-of-all-trades for one yak, right? Lala Wanwang is a real person, so Zhang will not send someone to count it. Later, you follow my junior brother to my house, and I will ask the housekeeper to exchange two thousand boxes of gold oil for you!" ”

"No, no, no!" When Lala Wanwang heard this, he immediately put his hands into a windmill, "This batch of yaks is given away for free, for free!" Congratulations to Zhang Shaojian for his successive promotions and the title of viscount. As for the golden oil, the envoy said, "Let me buy it in the market with gold and copper coins when I return to Tibet!" ”

"Huh?" Zhang Qian's brows furrowed, and he also smiled and waved his hand, "Give it away for nothing?" Zhang didn't dare to accept such a heavy gift! Lala Wanwang Commercial Officer, let's drive the yak elsewhere! In case someone impeaches Zhang for accepting bribes, Zhang will have a hundred mouths, and he can't tell clearly. ”

"It's not heavy, it's not heavy, on our side, it's not worth anything with fur!" Lala was anxious, blushing and continuing to wave her hand vigorously, "I should have given the young eunuch some more precious gifts, but my special envoy said that the young eunuch is the richest person in the whole Tang Dynasty, give you a yak, and you can still eat meat." Send you something else, you will definitely disdain! ”

"Then I can't take your yak for nothing. And the panacea oil sold on the market in Chang'an is all green and low-grade goods. For you to worship the Buddha, it is a golden version, a high-end product, and the formula is completely different. If you don't change it with me, I'm afraid it will be a little troublesome when you go back. Zhang Qian added with a smile while speculating on the other party's intentions at high speed in his heart.

When he signed a contract with Lala Wanwang last year for two boxes of gold oil for a yak, he asked for a bit more ruthlessly. However, later, in order to distinguish between the "special" panacea for worshipping the Buddha and the ordinary version of the panacea that the people rubbed to relieve itching and refreshment, he specially blended the latter into the same emerald green as the wind oil essence. In this way, even if someone finds that the price of the panacea on the market is far lower than the special version for worshipping the Buddha, they cannot accuse him of being black-hearted. In addition, it is not possible to convert the ordinary version of emerald green into a special version of golden yellow by dyeing or purification.

This was originally a common business routine for mobile phone merchants in another time and space, and it was not ahead of its time in the eighth century to get the Tang Dynasty and Tubo. When Nalalawan heard this, his face suddenly became bitter, and he was stunned for a long time before he groaned and said, "It's really different? So why the same name? Smells and tastes similar? ”

"Of course it's different? The green one, originally called the essential oil, was falsely spread by people, and it became the golden oil. Zhang Qian has been depressed recently, but at this moment, he was amused by Lala Wanwang and shook his head and laughed, "As for the taste, ordinary people who have never seen the world can only look and smell with their eyes." But if you really use aristocracy, you can feel the difference between the two in soul. ”

This belongs to the category of "Thirteen Studies", and the complexity is no less than that of a famous wine tasting in another time and space, or a great dance. Immediately, Lala Wanwang realized that he was a little ashamed of himself. After hesitating again and again, he whispered again: "Then, the gold oil is too expensive." Yaks can't work in the field, so I sell them as pigs, and they can be sold for five or six hundred wen in the Chang'an market. And a box of green essential oil is only a dozen dollars on the market. ”

The golden oil and the wind oil essence are both by-products of the Liushen Workshop in the production of flower dew, of course Zhang Qian knows how much this thing is worth on the market now? Therefore, he immediately smiled and shook his head again, "It's different, you can see it from the box." And the amount of gold balm I sell you here is more than the three boxes of green ones on the market. If you are afraid of losing money, in this way, I can't accept your gifts, this batch of yaks, or give you 2,000 boxes of gold oil. And when you go back, you can buy the green ones in the market again, and I won't interfere with buying as much as you want. When you bring both kinds of panacea back to Tibet, the monks and nobles over there will naturally tell you which one they prefer. ”

"Really?" Lala Wanwang couldn't believe his ears, and his eyes immediately widened.

The last time he signed a contract with the Six Gods Trading Bank, he decided that he had suffered a big loss. And in view of the fact that Zhang Qian has now entered the ranks of high-ranking officials, it is not appropriate to offend. Therefore, he would rather give Zhang Qian 999 yaks to invalidate the contract between the two parties.

After Zhang Qian accepted the yak, he gave him 2,000 boxes of gold oil according to the original contract, and did not prevent him from selling the remaining yak and buying green and low-cost essential oil himself. Inside and out, it is equivalent to making him earn a lot of money, how to make him overjoyed?!

"Really! You can be with my junior brother for a while, and he will settle it! Zhang Qian nodded without hesitation, and then pulled Guo Nu and looked at Lalawanwang, as if he didn't know how to do business at all.

In fact, he firmly believed that as long as Lala Wanwang brought two different colors of panacea back to Tibet, the poor and extravagant Tibetan nobles and monks would definitely not choose the low-cost version of green in order to save money. This kind of "aristocratic" consumption psychology has been fully verified in another time and space, and no one can overturn it at all.

"Nobleman, Young Eunuch Zhang, you are a real nobleman!" Finally determined that he had taken a huge advantage for nothing, Lala Wanwang was so moved that he opened his arms and directly gave Zhang Qian a big hug.

"No, no, we're in business. I still have something to do, so I won't accompany you. For the rest, you can contact my junior and junior brothers! Zhang Qian jumped out of half a zhang away, and returned the salute with palpitations.

Immediately, he ordered Ding Xiduo to go to the herd, first picked two yaks that looked the fattest and healthiest, and quickly brought them back to his yard.

Datang is not allowed to slaughter cultivated cattle, so even wealthy families like Ren and Guo rarely eat beef. And the generals at the bottom are not even qualified to drink beef soup. Therefore, when they found that there was yak meat to eat that was not afraid of being held accountable by the government, everyone was elated, and they quickly arranged everything for him without Zhang Qian's order.

And when the first yak turned into beef and beef bones, the crowd discovered a huge problem. It's too hot, and the yak meat is too much. A cow can hold at least two large fat pigs, and if you can't eat them all that day, the remaining beef and bones will probably stink the next day. And the weather in Chang'an is not suitable for the survival of yaks, and if the rest of the yaks are locked in Zhuangzi like ordinary livestock, I am afraid that half of them will die within a month.

"Kill ten heads first, and make sauce meat and jerky. Then send two yaks to Uncle Zhang, Imperial Doctor Sun and Senior He, and each family sent two yaks over. The rest was handed over to the firms of the second and third junior brothers for consignment. Zhang Qiancai didn't believe that the huge Chang'an City couldn't even consume a thousand yaks, so he waved his hand decisively and ordered.

Guo Nu, who had just sent away Lala Wanwang, and Ren Cong, who was in a daze in front of the cow bones, heard this, and immediately came to their senses. Agreed, and went to assign tasks to the family. In a short time, more than 900 yaks were completely divided.

Around Zhuangzi, I can no longer hear the cow barking like a pig. The first batch of meat was also marinated. Zhang Qian personally went down and commanded the cooks at home and the servants who knew a little about cooking. Soon, a series of beef-related delicacies such as grilled steak, beef stew, stir-fried beef tenderloin, and fried beef tongue were served on the table.

The housekeeper Ren Quan took the chrysanthemum white that had been aged for seven or eight months, and instructed the servant woman to diligently pour it for the guests. Guo Nu, Wang Maobo and others first toasted Zhang Qian together, and then collectively ate a tribute from Zhang Qian. Then, everyone can't wait to eat!

Before the first meat could be swallowed, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps in the courtyard. But after receiving the yak, Zhang Ruoxu didn't know what to do, so he pulled Bi Gou, who was playing chess at his home and was about to go to Yizhou to take up his post in a few days, and looked for him excitedly.

Among the two old men, one has a good relationship with Zhang Qian, and the other has the grace of recommending Zhang Qian, of course, none of them can be regarded as outsiders. The tradition of the Tang Dynasty is to eat at separate tables. So, Zhang Qian immediately ordered the servants to set up two more low tables, invited the two elders to the table, and toasted each other.

Since he was young, Zhang Ruoxu has loved food, wine and beautiful women, and he has not changed much when he is old. The meat comes to move the chopsticks, the wine comes to raise the glass, and the food is very happy. And Bi Gou, who has experienced two derogations in a year, has become a little disheartened with the imperial court, so he no longer cares about his own image, grabs meat with big hands, drinks a lot, and is profligate.

Just when he was drunk, the housekeeper Ren Quan suddenly hurriedly ran in to report. Zuo Xiaowei General Niu Shi Award, came to visit. Immediately, Zhang Qian was slightly stunned, put down his wine glass, and asked in a low voice: "General Niu?" He's coming for me? Did you hear it right? He took a few people with him and said what was the matter? ”

"Proprietor, this is his name." There are many big people in the housekeeper's reception, and he has already had some experience. He bowed down and gently displayed a name card in front of Zhang Qian, "I only brought four guards, and I didn't have any honor guards." He said that there was one thing he didn't understand, and he wanted to ask the proprietor for advice in person. ”

"Excuse me?" When Zhang Qian heard this, he felt more and more confused, frowned, and muttered quietly.

He and Zuo Xiaowei's General Niu Shi Award only met a few times in total, and most of them were still in the last dynasty. And in private, it can be said that there is no contact. This person didn't even say hello in advance today, and suddenly broke into the Zhuangzi outside the city to ask for advice, which was too abrupt.

"Invite him in for a glass of wine together, he is a descendant of the bull in Langqiang County, and the whole family is a pure general, and there is nothing to showy about. He didn't serve long as General Zuo Xiaowei, and he should have been in Anxi last summer! Bi Gou sat close to Zhang Qian, listened to the conversation between the master and servant, thought about it, and smiled and gave Zhang Qian an idea. If he comes to trouble you, the old man is here, just to help you resolve the misunderstanding! ”

"Thank you, senior!" When Zhang Qian heard this, he immediately had a plan in his heart. stood up, said with a smile: "Then I'll go and greet General Niu first, the second junior brother, the third junior brother, you two help me entertain my seniors and friends!" ”

"Yes!" Guo Nu and Ren Cong nodded in agreement, and then, holding the wine cup, continued to persuade everyone to drink. Zhang Qian took advantage of the three-point wine and walked boldly to the door of his yard with confidence.

I thought that it was better to rush early, than to be lucky, since the Niu Shi Award is here, let's make a game together, which can be regarded as lively. Unexpectedly, after meeting, just after the greetings, I heard the other party ask in a deep voice: "Young Eunuch Zhang, the old man heard that you are a child of the Mo family, can you take this seriously?" ”

"It can't be fake!" Zhang Qian came to Datang by himself, and he didn't know how many times he was asked similar questions. I already had a very safe answer in my heart. Therefore, while giving the Niu Master Award to his family, he nodded with a smile, "But it is very different from what the world says about the Mo family." He was born under the Qin Mo family, and Qin Mo was only a branch of the Mo family. Since the Qin State was replaced by the Han Dynasty, he has been living in the mountains and not asking about the world. There is no contact with other Mo family heirs! ”

After a pause, while the Niu Master Award was digesting his explanation, he continued: "Seniors, please, I just slaughtered a few yaks at home to entertain friends. Bi Beijia, who was preparing to go to Yizhou to take up his post, was also there. If the seniors don't like the simplicity here, let's have a few drinks together. ”

"Bi Longxue is also there? This guy, the old man is still worried about him, but he came to your house to drink wine and eat meat! Hearing the words "Bi Bei Driving", Niu Shi Award's face began to melt in an instant. frowned and counted with a smile!

"When I first came out, it was all thanks to Bi Beijia's recommendation!" Zhang Qian immediately saw that the Niu Shi Award had a good relationship with Bi Gou. Hurriedly added with a smile.

"The old man knows, so the old man came to you today. Unexpectedly, Long Ze is also there! The smile on the face of the Niu Shi Award was quickly put away again. Shaking his head, he added in a deep voice again: "Young Eunuch Zhang, since Long Xue is still willing to come to your house to drink wine and eat meat, it means that he has always recognized you as a person." Today, the old man will hold on to a big deal and have something to say. ”

"General Niu just said it directly." Zhang Qian paused, slowed down, and turned around to give his hand, "Or, if General Niu is willing, you can also go and have a glass of practice wine with Senior Bi first, and when the banquet is over, let's go to the study to talk in detail." ”

"Since Bi Long has chosen to be here, this glass of practice wine must be drunk. Otherwise, the next time I see him, I don't know what year and month it will be! Niu Shili thought about it, nodded lightly, and then shook his head quickly, "But, let's make it clear to you before drinking." Otherwise, the old man and you are not sure! ”

"Juniors, please speak!" When Zhang Qian heard this, he immediately knew that the problem would not be too simple, and politely surrendered his hand again.

"You Qin Mo, but you are famous for your vertical and horizontal arts?" Niu Shi Award also stopped, and asked with a serious face. "You think clearly first, don't be in a hurry to answer the old man!"

"Nope!" Zhang Qian's brows furrowed slightly, and his answer was categorical.

"Do you know the art of war?" Niu Shi Award's face became more and more serious, and he continued to ask in a deep voice.

"I don't understand!" Zhang Qian replied without hesitation.

"You've led an army to fight before? Or the martial arts are amazing, you can come and go freely among thousands of troops like the legendary Cao Mo?! "The problem of the Niu Shi Award is getting more and more outrageous, and it also makes Zhang Qian feel more and more strange things.

"Nope! In the rough fists and kicks, beat one or two ordinary people to make do, and meet more than four people, it is estimated that they will not even find a chance to escape! Zhang Qian replied in a deep voice, his brows already furrowed into pimples.

I was about to ask why the other party came. At the door of the main hall, Bi Gou's angry voice had already sounded: "Niu Shouzhong, if you are asked to come in and eat together, you don't eat, what are you doing standing in the courtyard for the younger generation?" But it was the old man who saw him go out to greet the guests, and he did not return for a long time, so he came to support him.

"Long Weng, the old man is not embarrassed for him!" Niu Shiyu immediately changed his face and bowed to Bi Gou, "It just so happens that you are also here, just help the old man think about it, what is going on?" The old man got the news today, and the saint ordered the old man's general and led Zuo Xiaowei with 10,000 elite soldiers to mediate the conflict between the Tuqi Shi chieftain Suo Ge and the Tuqi Shi tribe leader Ashi Na Zhongjie. And the Zhongshu Province and the Ministry of War, it is said that the old man was assigned a marching commander who knew everything, surnamed Zhang Mingqian, and the words were used in Zhao! ”

"What, how is this possible?"

"Who is the one who holds the bill? His heart can be punished! ”

Zhang Qian constructed two, and Qi Qi was shocked. The words that come out are very different.

Zhang Qian had long heard that last month, at about the same time as he was intercepted, the new chief of the Turkish cavalry, Suo Ge, betrayed the Tang Dynasty and seized Broken Leaf City with the support of the Turks. And Zhou Yi, the general of the right guard of the Tang Dynasty stationed in Broken Leaf City, was outnumbered, and together with the general of the Turian Cavalry Shi who was loyal to the Tang Dynasty, Ashina Zhongjie, retreated to Boxian Town.

In this case, Datang should immediately mobilize all the forces of the Western Regions, kill Suo Ge, and deter the surrounding Xiaoxiao gangsters, how could he choose to mediate? Although the cause of the conflict was the mutual dissatisfaction between the Turkish chieftain Suo Ge and the tribal leader Ashina Zhongjie, it was the city of the Tang Dynasty that was attacked, and the people of the Tang Dynasty were killed, the Tang monarchs and ministers, how big a heart and cheek to pretend that this matter had nothing to do with him? !

And Bi Gou has long been surprised by the confusion of the imperial court, so he just asked who was plotting to harm Zhang Qian. He was sent to the battlefield thousands of miles away from Chang'an.

"The right Weiwei general Zhou Yiyi asked the imperial court to mobilize elite troops to quell the rebellion, and supported Ashina as the ten surnamed Khan, replacing Suo Ge. Guo Yuanzhen, the general manager of Jinshan Road, thought that there was no difference between Suo Ge and A Shina as a raccoon dog. As long as Suo Ge returns the broken leaves, there is no need for Datang to go on an expedition. The two sides argued, and the holy general handed over the fold to several prime ministers for discussion, and as a result, the decision reached by several prime ministers was to send the old man to lead 10,000 elites to deter and mediate, and give the Turkish chieftain a chance to repent, if not, then send troops to conscript! After a quick glance at Zhang Qian, Niu Shi Award answered his inquiry first.

Immediately, he turned his gaze to Bi Gou and solemnly arched his hand: "Long Ze, after the old man learned the news today, he came to find Young Eunuch Zhang, but it was already out of line with the rules. You don't want to make the old man more wrong! With your connections, it's easy to find out who recommended him! ”

After that, he turned his gaze back to Zhang Qian's side again, and added with a cold face: "If you entrust someone by yourself and are in a hurry to go to the battlefield to make contributions, the old man will not stop you." It's just that there are no eyes on the battlefield, and even if you have a long history of marching, you may not always be able to hide behind others. It's even more impossible for the old man, because he is old with Long Weng, so he will be distracted to protect you! ”

"Zhang didn't have a trustee!" Zhang Qian was surprised and annoyed in his heart, and denied it with a blue face. "Zhang has been busy working on the "Primary School Dictionary" in the secretary recently......"

"If you haven't asked someone to recommend you, think about why such a good thing suddenly happened to you. If you don't understand, the old man advises you to find a way to get out while the holy decree has not come down! Niu Shi Award didn't listen to his explanation, and continued to add in a deep voice, "On the old man's side, there is no shortage of someone who has never been on the battlefield to be the chief of the march." And you have a great future, so there is no need to take such a risk! ”

"Give the Holy Grace a table, ask for leave!" Bi didn't even want to think about it, and decisively made the decision for Zhang Qian, "You are in the weapons prison, and your help to the Tang Dynasty soldiers is ten times higher than being the commander of this bullshit march!" No matter who it is, I definitely don't have a good heart to recommend you at this juncture! ”

"When the holy decree arrives——, please inform Young Eunuch Zhang and let him come out to greet the Qin Cha and enter to announce the decree!" As soon as the words fell, a strange voice sounded outside the gate. It's not too sharp, but it stimulates everyone's scalp!