Xiao Yan returned to Fuzhong in the afternoon and went to the temple with his uncle and cousins who had arrived in Hezhou to worship his ancestors.

Every December, Uncle Xiao, who served as a thorn in Hexi Province, gathers in Hezhou at this time to worship his ancestors and participate in family banquets. Present at this feast were the lord of the five branches and the eldest son of the eldest son. It was the first time for Xiao Yan to participate in this kind of family banquet, as one of the children who went to Beijing, and sat with a group of cousins.

After the feast was dispersed, they were divided into two groups, the uncles spoke in the east pavilion, and the cousins spoke in the west pavilion.

The so-called West Pavilion speaks that before going to Beijing, the cousin who has already entered Beijing and is "experienced and old-fashioned" reminds him of the precautions for entering Beijing.

The cousin in charge of mentioning this year is Xiao Xuan, the eldest son of the eldest uncle Xiao Hui, and Xiao Si, the eldest son of Xiao Xu, the fourth uncle of the three branches.

Xiao Xuan and Xiao Si talked separately about Chang'an's circle of influence, today's popularity and taboos, who has grudges and suspicions with whom, how to deal with various invitations or provocations, which Bosai and entertainment can participate and which cannot participate, and so on. Everyone understands these matters on a daily basis, but they are not as detailed as the current detailed explanations, and they all listen attentively.

The children of the Xiao family will take turns to follow the uncles into Beijing every year for a "long experience", not to cause trouble, not to be afraid of things This is the principle, but not to lose Xiao's face, tarnishing the honor of the Xiao family in Lanling, all the children who returned to Beijing for the first time are both excited and nervous, sitting on the couch and paying attention and not daring to miss a word.

The two cousins took turns to finish speaking, both of them were a little dry, drank half a cup of tea, and looked at the cousins below who were talking about their feelings, Xiao Xuan's gaze swept over everyone and fell on Xiao Yan's face.

Xiao Yan had already removed the mask during the sacrifice, and he amazed the uncle and brother on all sides, and he would sit on the couch in the west pavilion, which was also like the bright moon in the stars, attracting people's attention.

He remembered his father's instructions, so he put aside the teacup, and said that there were good nobles in Beijing with Longyang and broken sleeves, and asked his cousins to pay attention when they went to Beijing to socialize.

The eyes of all the cousins looked at Xiao Yan in unison, and they all revealed: "Oh, cousin Yuezhi is in danger!" "Fortunately, with Yuezhi's cousin, we are safe." "Brother Yuezhi, if you don't go to hell, whoever goes to hell, the brothers will be saved by you!"

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes one by one, and said what about good brotherly love?

Xiao Ji and Xiao Yan sat on the same case, he also entered Beijing this year, and only came from Quzhou a few days ago, patted her shoulder with his palm and smiled, "Brother, don't worry, at a critical moment, Brother will set fire to the curtain!" ”

The cousins snorted and laughed.

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes.

Xiao Xuan couldn't help but smile and said, "There are still relatively few good ones with Longyang. When you meet those who toast with a glass in your left hand, remember to raise your glass with your right hand and drink only half a cup, which is a euphemism to express your refusal. With the exception of a few people, most people will be deterred. After all, it's consensual. ”

The cousins laughed again, and some cousins said, "Yuezhi, don't remember to take the wrong hand." ”

Xiao Yan snorted, "You think you're safe?" Haven't you heard of 'Miscellaneous'? Maybe people will take a fancy to you, and your brothers are also radiant. ”

The cousins looked at each other, and the two cousins with small blue glass mirrors had already taken them out to look at them, and they really felt that they were as beautiful as a crown of jade, chic and handsome, and suddenly had an expression of "I'm so handsome and worried".

Xiao Yan laughed and fell on the case.

The cousins laughed for a while, Xiao Xuan looked at Xiao Yan and said with a smile: "Yuezhi should not take off his mask lightly when he enters Beijing, especially those princesses and county lords, hehe......"

Xiao Yan's face darkened when he thought of Li Yuzhen, and he snorted coldly, his eyes shining sharply, "Do they dare to use it?" "She's been fascinated once, will she be fascinated a second time? Whoever dares to think crookedly, don't blame her for drawing a knife.

Xiao Xuan covered his sleeves and coughed, "That's not it." However, there are a few who have already lost their horses and county horses, and they are more ...... Cough...... Not too scrupulous. As he spoke, he gave her a "you know" look.

Xiao Si laughed next to him and said, "Cousin Yuezhi doesn't have to be frightened. Most princess county lords are still polite, and at most they will laugh at you. Besides, as the son of your family, no one will be rude to you; What's more, you are still the third aunt's concubine. The third aunt in his mouth is Princess Anping.

Xiao Yan smiled and raised his glass to the two cousins, "Thank you two brothers for the point." ”

Early the next morning, Xiao Yan went to his parents' courtyard to ask for peace, then went to his grandmother's courtyard to meet him, and left letters to Xiao Cheng and Xiao Ying respectively, and talked to his fourth brother at night.

Xiao Cong said of the second great-great-uncle, "...... When I was young, I was very arbitrary. At the age of twenty-five, she entered the realm of Dongzhen, a rare genius of the Xiao family, and her great-grandfather doted on her very much, and she came by her temperament. I haven't married a husband seriously in my life, and there are more than a dozen handsome and beautiful servants in the backyard, and I gave birth to two sons and a daughter, all of whom are in the same sex as the two great-great-uncles, and they are chic and romantic, and they have caused a lot of peach blossom debts. …… Who knows, after the second great-uncle entered the congenital and changed his temperament, he raised Mei Ji. Now there are two more on the mountain, which are said to have been brought back when they traveled to Jiangnan more than ten years ago. ”

Xiao Yan was dumbfounded when she heard it, dare to love her, the second great-uncle, or is it both male and female?

Xiao Cong coughed, "Ah Yan, don't follow the master's learning." ”

Xiao Yan held his forehead, "I can't learn this, it's so difficult." ”

Xiao Cong glared at her, and then couldn't help laughing.

The brother and sister talked for a while, Xiao Yan hesitated again and again, and finally couldn't help but ask the sentence that Pan Huan had been in his heart for a long time: "Brother, do you like Wei Niangzi?" ”

Xiao Cong: "......"

Brother and sister, you are glaring at me.

After a long time, Xiao Cong was defeated, sighed and stroked his forehead: "Maybe, a little." ”

Wei Zijing is gentle and quiet, and very talented, and she can talk about poetry and fu, painting games, and history and scriptures, the two have similar interests in many aspects, and what is even more rare is that Wei Zijing knows how to be measured, and he did not lose his advance or retreat because he was pregnant with his first child, nor did he show the meaning of power because Shen Qingyi was not in the house. This made Xiao Cong have a good impression of her, saying that it was false to say that she didn't like it, but when it came to love, it was still a little worse.

Xiao Yan looked at his brother Qingjun's face, "Mrs. Wei should like you, brother?" ”

Like Brother A, with a handsome appearance, a noble and elegant temperament, talented, and characterful, and the background of the Xiao family of Lanling, it is difficult for a lady not to fall in love with him, right?

Xiao Cong turned his head, his eyes drifting a little, "Maybe, maybe." ”

remembered Wei Zijing's soft and tranquil eyes when he stared at him, not the kind of love that lingered to the bones, but like the warm jade of Khotan, which once warmed his hands, it was warm and moist into his heart little by little.

His eyes softened.

Xiao Yan sighed silently in his heart, feeling sad for his sister for a while, and happy for his fourth brother for a while - it is not easy to get someone who likes him and likes him in life, many times it depends on fate, and it is necessary to meet at that time.

Xiao Yan sighed again in his heart, raised his glass to the fourth brother, and silently blessed him.

"Anyway...... I hope my brother is doing well. ”

Xiao Cong raised his cup and took a sip, his mood was a little complicated, speaking of Wei Zijing, he thought of Shen Qingyi again, and felt astringent in his heart, he drank a few more wines with his sister tonight, and suddenly the wine was a little high, and there was a sense of parting, so he couldn't help but say something to his sister: "Your sister-in-law and she...... Possible...... There is someone in my heart. ”

When this sentence was spoken, Xiao Cong was stunned, and then exhaled again. It's also uncomfortable to keep the secret in my heart. He wouldn't say a word to anyone, including his mother, but now that he said it to his sister, he suddenly felt relaxed.

Xiao Yan's eyes were glazed, and he turned his head for a long time, only to feel that his neck was stiff, and his voice was a little difficult, "Brother, you say...... What'......"

Does my sister have someone she likes? Yes??

How is this possible??

“…… Ahem, just my guess. Xiao Cong looked at Xiao Yan's unbelievable eyes, closed his eyes, and recalled the night before Shen Qingyi went to the door, he saw her thin figure standing next to the laurel tree under the moon, and looked at him with a lonely look, and a sentence suddenly appeared in his mind: "Who is it for, the wind and dew are in the middle of the night?" ”

At that moment, there seemed to be a white light flashing in his mind, and he instantly remembered all the things that Shen Qingyi had estranged from him, and he had doubts in his heart. There are some things that can't stand the scrutiny in your mind, and once you have doubts, the more you think about it, the more you feel that it is.

Xiao Cong felt that he shouldn't doubt his wife so much, but he couldn't help but think about it.

This mood tormented him for a while, and any husband would not be comfortable knowing that his wife liked someone else. But he just guessed, and he couldn't conclude that it was because of his own guess. However, just a few days ago, that is, on the tenth day of the twelfth month, Shen Qingyi sent him a letter from the Daomen, which was an ordinary greeting between husband and wife, but a lotus seed was attached to the letter.

Lotus seed......?

He held the lotus seed in his hand for a long time, and then smiled bitterly.

The lotus seed represents innocence, and Qingyi has not done anything sorry for him so far; However, there are only lotus seeds without lotus leaves, which is an expression of the meaning of "lotus separation"!

But, Qingyi, how can I reconcile with you?

Xiao Cong only felt a headache, this incident made him uncomfortable for a long time, but the discomfort in his heart was far less difficult than the difficulty of this matter.

He has not yet sued his father.

When my father found out, he would definitely take action. But Xiao Cong was unwilling to use Qingyi's mother to blackmail her. What's more, with his understanding of Shen Qingyi, if he can bring this matter up to him, he must have already made arrangements for her mother. Moreover, if Na Qingyi's mother threatens her, the couple will definitely turn against each other. As a last resort, Xiao Cong is unwilling to come to this point, and Ah Yan will be sad first.

He sighed in his heart, reached out and touched Xiao Yan's head, and said something to cover up: "This is just a guess from my brother." Don't tell Qingyi. ”

Xiao Yan responded in a trance, was stunned for a while, and said with a worried brow: "This is a matter of brother and sister-in-law, I don't get involved." ”

Xiao Cong touched her head again, stretched out his finger to remove her eyebrows, and said with a smile: "Okay, don't worry." The boat is naturally straight to the bridge, and there is a road in the sky and the sea. Come, I'm leaving tomorrow, hurry up and worry about yourself. "Don't be coaxed by sweet words." Also, the royal family and the Jingzhong family have several famous peach ...... Don't let them find out who you are. ”

There are some hidden words in the Tang Dynasty, such as "dividing peaches" refers to the broken sleeves between women, which is said to have originated from Emperor Zhaozong, when he hooked up with the queen, he gave her half of the peaches.

Xiao Yan thought of Li Yuzhen, his eyebrows twitched, and he said with a smile: "Brother, don't worry, no matter which peach you share, I won't eat it." ”

Xiao Cong was amused by her words.

The brother and sister did not disperse until two or three o'clock.

Xiao Yan walked out of Chenghe Courtyard, and his eyes sank.

She looked up at the sky, and the fourteenth moon was very bright and round, but the moon was not full.

Brother said that it was speculation, but if Brother A's temperament was to do something inaccurate, how could he say nonsense?

Sister, is there really someone in her heart?

Xiao Yan only felt upset in his heart, and his big sleeves swayed in the wind.

The fourth brother is about to fall in love with Wei Zijing, and the sister has someone in her heart, how do you live the life of this couple?

She returned to Qingning Courtyard all the way sadly, took off her robe, and punched in the courtyard before her heart calmed down.

No matter what, she really can't get involved in this matter.

My mother said that emotional things, such as people drinking water, cold and warm, know themselves, and the more outsiders mix, the more chaotic they become.

Sleep all night.

On the fifteenth of the next day, Xiao Yan got up early in the morning, bid farewell to his family, and went to Chang'an with the team of several uncles entering Beijing.

The leader of the team is the eldest uncle Xiao Hui.

He is the head of the second branch of the Xiao family, the same grandfather as his father, and the seventh aunt is the brother and sister of the same mother, and he is very kind to Xiao Yan, and let her accompany him all the way, telling her about the governance of the states and places in Hexi, the annual tribute to Beijing, the customs, geography, and human feelings of Chang'an, and so on. Xiao Yan felt that this uncle was elegant and generous, rich in learning, well-informed, and very funny, no matter what he said or did, Xiao Yan benefited a lot.

When the carriage and horses left Huolan Mountain, Xiao Hui took her and her cousins to ride up the mountain.

Looking down from Huolan Mountain, the east is the roaring and rushing river, from the north to the south, along the branch of Huolan Mountain Xiaoshan to the west, until the foot of Jingzhou Xiaokunlun Mountain. Xiao Yan saw this river on the map of the Tang Dynasty in the fourth brother's study, and separated Hexi, Hanoi, and Hedong with the word "several".

"West of the big river, is our west of the river!" Xiao Hui pointed westward, his face was broad, but his voice was thick and powerful.

Looking at the surging river in the east, the vast grassland in the west, and the cultivated land is thousands of hectares, all the Xiao family children are full of pride and pride in their chests:

This is our Hexi!

Let's Xiao Hexi!

Xiao Hui's gaze swept over the children, nodded with satisfaction, and the horsewhip pointed eastward, "Crossing the big river, it is Hanoi Road." From Hanoi Road to the south, after the Great Wall Pass, it is Kannai Road. Exit the Kannai Province and enter Giju, which is Gyeonggi Province. ”

On December 26, the Xiao clan's chariot and horse procession crossed Qizhou, crossed Weishui, and entered the territory of Jingzhao Mansion.

The seat of Jingzhao Mansion is the imperial capital of the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an.

At this time, the thorn history of each province has to enter Beijing, and there are many carriages entering Jingzhao Mansion from all directions, and as soon as they enter the official road of Chang'an, the carriage will go slowly. Although the official roads outside the four cities of Chang'an have been expanded seven or eight times, they can't stand the flow of cars and horses. Fortunately, there is a lacquer road line on the official road, which is divided into nine roads back and forth, and Shinong and industry have their own roads: the taxi is the carriage and horse road, accounting for three roads; followed by the non-taxi carriage and horse road, which is mainly taken by large caravans, and also accounts for three roads; Again, there is the donkey and mule cart riding path, which accounts for two; The outermost side is the road for the cloth clothes who carry the burden to walk, and the trolleys are also included in this road, and the nine avenues are clearly graded, each with its own road, otherwise so many cars and horses would have been blocked for a long time to move.

Xiao Yan found it interesting, when he went to the official road of Chang'an, he saw a man on horseback Lang Jun with two servants on horseback guarding a mule cart from a distance, and the family members were sitting in the car, but they had to part ways when they got on the official road of Chang'an, because the "scholar carriage and horse road" was a carriage and a horse riding track, and the mule cart had to take the donkey and mule lane. That Lang Jun was the first time to enter Chang'an, and he didn't know that there was such a rule, so he complained in a hurry, "It's ridiculous, do you want to let someone go separately from his family?" The guard rolled his eyes and said, "Lang Jun, you can take the donkey and mule lane." Slow riding does not enter the fast riding lane, but fast riding into the slow riding lane is possible. Of course, if you slow down and startle the donkey and mule cart, you will be fined copper. ”

Xiao Yan thought, this road is not graded by people, but by riding?

She was following her uncle's carriage, and she thought of this and told him.

Xiao Hui smiled through the glass window, and said meaningfully: "It's still divided by people." ”

The status of a person determines the level of riding.

Xiao Hui's fifth son, Xiao Yan, entered Beijing with his father this time, and happened to ride a horse in front of Xiao Yan, so he turned around and took his father's words: "The child thinks that it is divided by wealth. ”

Didn't you see that the merchant had money and also accounted for three chariots and horses? The farmer or craftsman had to have the money to buy a horse, and he could also use the carriage and horse path.

Xiao Hui smiled in the car, "I still want to be heavy." ”

Therefore, there is a distinction between "taxi carriage and horse road" and "non-taxi carriage and horse road", but the latter has gradually become a special road for merchants, after all, merchants have more money, and farmers and craftsmen have less wealth.

Xiao Yan thought for a moment and said, "If a scholar walks, which way should he take?" - Cloth Walk or Taxi Carriage Path? ”

Xiao Yiha laughed, turned his head and replied, "The scholar didn't walk, right?" - There are those who ride donkeys and mules, poor men. He thought it was interesting, and beckoned one of the guards to him, and told him to go back to his horse and ask the guards at the crossing.

After a while, the guard came back and said: "According to the Taoist laws of Jingzhao Mansion, if a scholar walks, he can use the 'taxi carriage and horse road', but if he obstructs the movement of the chariot and horse on this road, he will be fined copper, and he can also take the cloth cloth walking path. In the same way, the same is true for scholars riding donkeys and mules. ”

Xiao Yi burst out laughing, "If you block the road, you will be punished with copper, this is really ......" The scholar is only afraid that he would rather go to the non-Shidao than be so embarrassed, right? He raised his eyebrows, "So, it's better to divide the way with wealth." If you want to really pay attention to the scholars, you will divide it into a scholar's donkey and mule road and a scholar's walking path. ”

Xiao Hui glanced at his son with a smile, sat in the car and said in a voice that was not slow: "Jingzhao Mansion has 21 counties under its jurisdiction, and more than 300,000 agricultural and industrial households enter Chang'an City by land and water every morning and evening to deliver, buy and sell, and seek food. There are 260,000 households in Chang'an City, with a total population of 1.3 million, of which slaves and maids do not enter the household, and there are more than 100,000 people. How many people, horses, carts, and livestock enter and leave Chang'an City every day? How many of them are there on the streets of the city? If, as Ah Mo said, there are three kinds of priestly roads outside the city, then at least five roads must be built, and the same must be true for the large and small streets in the city. ”

Xiao Yi was dumbfounded.

After a while, he muttered, "...... It's still a matter of money. ”

Xiao Yan chuckled, this, even if the imperial court has a lot of money, it won't spend any effort on the division of the people, right?

"Brother Yi, in fact, there is no need to be so detailed." Xiao Yan smiled and said to his cousin, "Even if the scholars ride on donkeys and mules on the donkey and mule paths, those workers, peasants, and businessmen still have to give in respectfully. ”

Xiao Jian had already come to his senses, and nodded with a smile, "It's me who wants to fork." ”

As long as the status of the scholar is high, even the merchant who rides a small donkey and sits in a big carriage with two horses has to give way.

The author has something to say: this parting of the road is very interesting, of course, it is not completely reasonable, but its appearance in the capital of this empire shows some ideas and trends of the country's governance from the side, and it is very interesting to think about it carefully.

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