Located in the hinterland of the Central Plains, on the shore of the Yellow River, Bianliang is a thousand-year-old city with a long history.

In the Spring and Autumn Period, Zheng Zhuang Gong built a granary city here, taking the meaning of "opening up the territory", and named it Kaifeng. During the Warring States Period, King Wei Hui moved his capital here and renamed it Daliang. In the Han Dynasty, in order to avoid the name of Emperor Jing Liu Qi, he changed his name to Kaifeng.

Kaifeng was called Bianzhou in the Tang Dynasty, and it was the capital of the Liang, Jin, Han and Zhou dynasties during the Five Dynasties. After the careful management of several emperors of the four dynasties, the scale of Kaifeng's city has been extremely large. Zhou Shizong Chai Rong built the outer city again, so that Kaifeng has a triple city wall, Bianliang is composed of the imperial city, the inner city, the outer city, the circumference of the outer city is fifty miles and one hundred and sixty-five steps, the city is high and the pond is deep, and the garrison is perfect. The buildings in the city are regular and orderly, the roads are wide, and the commerce is prosperous, and it has become the largest city in the country, quite the style of the imperial capital. After Zhao Kuangyin's yellow robe was added to Zhou Jiansong, it was logical that Kaifeng became the capital of the Great Song Dynasty, although it was rumored that the intention was to move the capital to Luoyang, but unfortunately the candle shadow was red, and the death was unknown. Kaifeng is now the place of Longxing of Zhao Er, the official family of the Great Song Dynasty, and the matter of moving the capital has been permanently shelved. Today's Kaifeng has a population of more than one million, and it is the world's largest metropolis.

Bianliang is located on the plain of Yima Pingchuan, and from the perspective of military defense, it has an absolute disadvantage. However, in terms of transportation, especially waterway transportation, it has unique convenience. During the Sui Dynasty, the Grand Canal was opened, and the canal entered the Jianghuai River through Kaifeng, making it an important place to lock and control the north-south waterway traffic. "The key to the world, the complexity of the total boats and vehicles, the throat of the control of the river, and the transportation of the Jinghu Lake", the traffic extends in all directions, and it is very convenient. The four canals of Bianjing, namely the Bianhe River, the Wuzhang River, the Cai River and the Jinshui River, are connected with the Yellow River, the Huaishui River, and the dense rivers of various water systems. A vast network of canals has been formed. Jianghuai's money and grain wealth were continuously sent to Bianliang through the canal.

Convenient transportation has also brought great economic and cultural prosperity. Bianliang is the well-deserved largest city in the Great Song Dynasty, and it is definitely the largest city in the world at this time. At this time, Europe was still in the dark ages of the Middle Ages, and the government was controlled by the Church. All the trends of progress have been suppressed by the church, the economy and culture are backward, and the cities are still in a state of dirty, disorderly and disorderly management; In the Middle East, the cities of the Arab Empire, which straddled Eurasia and Africa, were also slow to develop under the shackles of religion; And in the Americas, the Indians who later established the powerful Inca Empire. At this time, it was still in a backward state of slash-and-burn farming. The prosperity of Bianliang is unparalleled in the world at this time

When Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er sat in the big car of Xu's carriage and entered Bianliang City, they couldn't help but be deeply attracted by the prosperity and liveliness of Bianliang City.

Xu's car and horse line Bianliang branch is in the first sweet water lane of Bianliang, the two of them paid the fare and came out of Xu's car and horse line branch. It's not early to see that it's getting dark. Xu Jin'er originally planned to stay in the big car shop of the carriage and horse shop for one night, and let Liu Xu go to see Kou Zhun tomorrow. But Liu Xu finally came to the legendary Bianliang, how could he take a good stroll, and immediately pulled Xu Jin'er out, of course, he didn't forget to deposit the salute in the carriage and horse shop.

Out of the gate of the carriage and horse shop, several people immediately surrounded him. When Liu Xu asked, it turned out that they were all "taxi drivers". Specially guarded at the door of the carriage and horse shop to pick up and drop off guests from other places. Among this group of "taxi drivers", there are "donkey drivers" and "carriage drivers". The so-called "donkey's" means that the person takes the lead in the donkey rental, the guest rides the donkey, the "driver" leads the donkey to the designated place, and the carriage driver is relatively better, driving a somewhat dilapidated carriage to pick up the guests. Liu Xu looked at the short donkey, shook his head and vetoed, now we are also rich. How can you do this "motor", well, no, it's a "donkey's", naturally you have to take a carriage.

Liu Xu's later generations have heard of the name of Fan Lou. Now when I came to Bianliang, I wanted to go and see, and I said to the carriage driver at the moment: "Driver, go to Fanlou." ”

The coachman said "good luck" and immediately urged the horse forward.

The coachman was obviously an old man in Bianliang, and he was familiar with the road, and soon sent Liu Xu to Fanlou on Yujie. Liu Xu paid Wumo's fare and pulled Xu Jin'er into the Fan Tower.

Fan Lou is located at the north end of the royal street of Bianliang, composed of five buildings in the east, west, south, north and middle, the atmosphere is like, the gray tile and blue brick, the carved beam and the painting building, the furnishings are magnificent, simple and elegant.

Liu Xu's later generations are also known for a long time Fan Lou's name, according to legend, Fan Lou is the first of the 72 restaurants in Tokyo in the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a poem: "Liang Yuan singing and dancing is full of style, and wine is like a knife to relieve sorrow." I remember how happy it is, and the lights are on the Fan Tower in the middle of the night. Hymns. And another hundred years later, Emperor Huizong of the Great Song Dynasty and Li Shishi, a famous prostitute in Kyoto, will often meet here. Liu Xu remembers watching "Water Margin" when he was a child, and this building was mentioned many times, and the fame of Fan Lou can be seen.

Walking into the Fan Building, although it has not yet reached the peak of the evening passenger flow, the Fan Building is already full of people at this time. A well-dressed shop guy greeted him, smiled and asked Liu Xu whether he was coming for dinner or accommodation, and whether he had booked a table, and then led Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er to a window seat in the east building.

"What do you want to eat?"

"What's the fine food here?"

The guy in the store said dozens of dishes in a row like cross talk, and it was really difficult for him, at this time, there was no menu in Bianliang Restaurant, and it was up to the store guy to remember to report to the guests. The guy in this restaurant can't be clever without a little cleverness. At this time, the shop guy must not only be able to be a cross talk actor, but also an acrobat. Sometimes, when the restaurant guy serves the food, he has to put more than a dozen dishes from the fingertips of both hands all the way to the shoulders, and serve them together, without spilling a drop of vegetable juice, which really has the potential to perform acrobatics.

Liu Xu listened to the dishes that the guy in the store said, and there were dishes from all over the world. At that moment, Liu Xu ordered a few light dishes in the Jiangnan style, and asked for a pot of bamboo leaf green.

Outside the window, the sky is getting dark, but the people on the royal street are gradually hiding, the sound of silk and bamboo is gradually rising, and the lights are gradually lit up everywhere, and the royal street is becoming more and more lively.

Several exquisite Jiangnan dishes were served, wine was poured into the glass, and Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er drank each other.

The bamboo leaf green wine in the cup is green, refreshing, cool and fragrant. Zhuye Qingjiu was very famous in the Great Song Dynasty at this time, and it was especially popular in Bianliang. To say that this bamboo leaf green wine can be regarded as the most well-known wine in the north since the Tang Dynasty. A generation of empress Wu Zetian is very fond of bamboo leaf green, every drink must have bamboo leaf green, for this reason also wrote a poem: "The mountain window tour of the jade girl, run the household to Qiongfeng." The top of the rock soars with two phoenixes, and the heart of the pond pours nine dragons. Bamboo leaves are floating in the wine, and hibiscus is written on the cup. Therefore, the mountain is rewarded, but the wind enters the pine. Since then, Zhuye Qingjiu has been popular in Datang. After the great poet Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty tasted this wine, there was a poem: "The bamboo leaves of the urn head are ripe in spring, and the roses at the bottom of the steps bloom in summer", which shows the influence of this wine. After Liu Xu came to the Great Song Dynasty, he drank soju most of the time, and when he drank this bamboo leaf green, he felt that it had a different flavor.

At this time, the Fan Building was already overcrowded, and the performance of the courtesans began.

Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er have dined, and they plan to go to the long-famous Mahang Street again.

After calling the shopkeeper and paying for the wine, Liu Xu couldn't help but smack his tongue at the high price of Fan Lou. It is estimated that the income of this Fan Lou in one day can be worth the income of many restaurants in a year. It is said that the price of Bianliang is high, "Bianliang is not easy", Liu Xu finally realized it now.

Liu Xu took out the silver taels to pay for the wine, and walked out of Fanlou with Xu Jin'er, inquiring about the location of Mahang Street by the way.

The people of Bianliang know where Mahang Street is, and it is not far from Defan Tower, and the two of them arrived soon.

The horse street of Bianliang, located in the old Fengqiu Gate, starts from the Tushizi of Panlou Street in the south, reaches the new Fengqiu Gate in the outer city in the north, is about 30 miles long, the street is full of hook fence tiles, the entertainment places are piled up, the lights are bright at night, it is one of the most lively streets in Bianliang City. It is said that at night, the oil lamps are bright until dawn, every day, and the mosquitoes are evil because there are never mosquitoes in this street, so it is also called a mosquito-free street.

When Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er came to Mahang Street, it was already brightly lit and bustling with people. All kinds of restaurants, tea shops, and Goolan tiles are already overcrowded, and the streets are also selling all kinds of food and toys, juggling and storytelling, so it is not lively.

Liu Xu and Xu Jin'er also had a good experience of the colorful nightlife of the Bianliang people.

ps: Sorry, the network was disconnected yesterday, and it was not updated, so I will make up for it later, I hope you forgive me! (To be continued......)