In October of the same year, Anxi Cheshi, Yanqi, Qiuzi, Shule, Shanhe and Khotan'an, invited the king of Ming to turn his ministers, and the accompanying merchants were nearly 10,000.

At this time, Xun Ping saw several people who looked like Hu people walking past him, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "Isn't this Hu Ren?" ”

Xun Ping's voice was sharp, and the people around him heard it all at once, and they turned their heads one after another, and those few Hu people also heard it, and their faces couldn't help but change greatly, and they hurriedly took out a booklet from their pockets, held it high, and shouted: "We are not Hu people!" We are the car masters, the Anxi car masters! ”

Xun Xian stepped forward curiously and took the booklet in the man's hand. Maybe it was the kind of official elegance exuded by Xun Xian, those Hu people actually obediently handed over their booklets.

"Identity, Su An, male, twenty-nine years old, from Fucheng, Anxi Cheshi," Xun Xian couldn't help but read softly, "Yonghe entered in June of the seventh year. Qinghai General Bai Lan Lieutenant Mansion Seal, Hezhao Lieutenant Mansion Seal, Qinzhou Customs Defense Four Seals. Hey, what are these prints? ”

A driver hurriedly said: "This is my finger impression, as soon as I entered the jurisdiction of Captain Bailan, I printed it, there are a total of four fingerprints, and the government can confirm our true identity." Moreover, the entry materials and fingerprint prints of our others have already been handed over to Qinzhou and Yongzhou by the Bailan Captain's Mansion, and we definitely dare not fake them. ”

The official words of the driver stammered and were wild, but he finally made it clear.

"Why don't you go from the Qinghai General's District, why don't you go from Liangzhou?" Huan Huo asked.

"There are taxes to be paid in Liangzhou, and they are very heavy taxes. There are many bandits on the road. Our hundreds or thousands of local guards can't stop them, and sometimes they are officials and bandits, so how can we stop them? The Qinghai General Jurisdiction is very safe, and the Anxi Metropolitan Protectorate can be unimpeded as long as you pay taxes once. There are no bandits there, and even if there are, they are also small groups that secretly crossed the border from Liangzhou, and we can all send them. And as long as we report the case to the local government, the school captain's office and the general's office will send troops to exterminate it. Even if they chase to Liangzhou, they will hang these damn bandits. ”

It may be that the official language is too difficult to say. This time the answer was answered by another driver.

"How many of you are here this time?" Xun Xian also asked.

"More than 100 of us chariot merchants came. In addition, there were more than 300 envoys and officials, and more than 1,000 guards. There were also merchants and envoys in Yan, Qiuzi, Shule, Shanhe and Khotan, probably more than 5,000 people. ”

"So many people? What are you here for? Xun Xian asked in surprise.

"We are here to meet the Lord of Anxi Daduhu, since last year the Dadu Protector sent troops to declare the power of the imperial court, the countries of the Western Regions have sent envoys to visit the Anxi Dadu Hu, and asked him to pay tribute to the court. And I and other merchants came with me, so that I could buy some goods and sell them back. ”

Xun Xian understood. Since Zeng Hua received an Anxi Grand Protector, he frequently sent the Qiang cavalry under the jurisdiction of General Qinghai to the Western Regions to declare his existence as the Anxi Grand Protector, repeating the previous 10,000-mile exercise, but the scale was much smaller. Coupled with the defeat of the Liangzhou Zhang family's power in the Western Regions, these countries in the Western Regions naturally knew that Anxi Daduhu was a real boss, so they all sent people to pay tribute. However, these things will not be ignored by the Jiangzuo court, as long as Zeng Hua sends a table from Chang'an, saying how many Western Regions countries are vassals. Send a few more envoys around. Those court bigwigs will be so happy that they can't find the north. And the real benefits were all taken away by Zeng Hua.

At this moment, more than a dozen people dressed in narrow sleeves and tight clothes walked over, and they were all equipped with waist knives. And there is a square patch cloth on the body, which reads "Chang'an Patrol". They walked over, took the identity sticker of the driver, and after a careful look, confirmed their identity.

After the patrol returned the documents to the driver, he waved his hand and said loudly: "Okay, okay, it's not Huren, it's the driver, it's okay, everyone is gone." ”

After understanding the situation, the patrols checked the driving posts of Xun Xian and Huan Huo and others by the way, and saw that it was the imperial court and Jingxiang envoys, so they arched their hands and said: "Both of them are envoys who came to Beifu, I don't know the joints, if it is abrupt, please don't be surprised." Just ask you not to call others nonsense in the future, it will scare people to death. ”

Speaking of this, the young patrol band chuckled: "I have 39 large and small Hu human heads in Guanlong, with a total of 61,769 Hu human heads, so these people in the Western Regions are not willing to say that they are Hu people, but only that they are from Anxi countries, and I also ask the two envoys to be clear." ”

Xun Xian and Huan Huo finally knew the reason, and hurriedly apologized to the patrol and the car master, and a storm was resolved.

After coming out of the market, everyone squeezed out a stinky sweat, but everyone felt that they were still unsatisfied, it was too lively, and there were too many things. After seeing it, I realized that there are so many strange things in the world, and there are people so far away in the sky, the people of the Western Regions turned out to be like that, and the disgusting people, Persians, and Tianzhu people were all different, and they were originally like this.

Just when everyone was talking, Xun Xian noticed a strange phenomenon on the side of the street outside the market. Several young monks, led by an old monk, went door-to-door to distribute stickers, and met a few Taoist priests who were also handing out stickers. But none of them were as popular as the robes.

These people are all dressed in white robes, with a cloth belt tied around their waists, and a yin and yang fish pendant hanging on their chests, looking solemn and solemn. When they came to a house, the host respectfully greeted them, and after a few cordial conversations, they left the happy host and walked away and continued to the next house. Xun Xian took a closer look and found that the cloth belts on their waists were of different colors, including white cloth belts, red edge white cloth belts, and red cloth belts.

Huan Huo, who was familiar with the situation in Guan Long, said: "These are the missionaries of the Yellow Sect. ”

Xun Xian nodded, looked at it for a while, and then signaled to continue walking.

Soon, everyone quickly walked to the new Chang'an Xicheng District. At this time, everyone noticed a huge group of buildings appearing in front of them. I saw an archway standing in the middle of the avenue at the front, and the stone plaque on it was engraved with a line of words: "Chang'an University Hall".

I saw hundreds of young scholars walking in and out under the archway. Holding a book in his hand, all of them are handsome and elegant, with extraordinary demeanor, and their faces are full of irrepressible pride.

Xun Xian stepped forward and saluted several scholars who were walking in groups: "Dare to ask if you are all students of Chang'an University?" ”

When these scholars saw a handsome and elegant scholar saluting them, they hurriedly returned the salute one after another, and then the leader, Lei Lei, replied generously: "Exactly, we are the students of Chang'an University." ”

"That's right. We are the scholars from Jiang Zuo. I don't know the details of Guan Long and Chang'an University Hall. Please give me some advice. Xun Xian continued to salute humbly.

"This Chang'an University Hall is the highest institution of learning in the northern province of Wuchang Gongding, and all Yong, Qin, Liang, Yi, and the counties and counties of Yong, Qin, Liang, Yi, and Prefecture can apply for the exam, but this exam is directly presided over by Chang'an University Hall and the questions are issued. Every time, tens of thousands of scholars come to apply for the examination, but each time there are only more than 1,000 places admitted. Right now

There are more than 3,000 students studying in the university hall, and the prince of Wuchang is the chief teacher, the deputy Mr. Wu Ziche, and the director is Mr. Jiang Daozaijiang. And the professors who gave lectures for us included Che Wuzi, Mao Wusheng, Wang Jingluo, and Fan Wenchang. Xie Wenming, Rong Cunxi, Li Zhiai, Peng Qingshan, Liu Zizhan, Jiang Daozai, Mao Zhongzu, Hao Long, Luo You and other celebrities. Gong Wu Chang also gave lectures to us from time to time. "The head of the student said.

"I see, can I visit this Chang'an University Hall?" Xun Xian asked again.

"It doesn't matter! This Chang'an University Hall welcomes scholars from all over the world. The leader replied loudly.

It's really a device Xuanang, and his bearing is extraordinary, and the characters here are afraid that they will all be the elite in the future. Xun Xian said goodbye to all the scholars, and then walked slowly into the archway with Huan Huo.

Walk into the archway. The first thing I saw was a large stone monument. The words on it are not beautiful, but the words on it make Xun Xian moved: "There is nothing else in this except for learning and teachers and students." "The signature is Zeng Hua.

"My brother once said. Zeng Zhenbei's most hated thing is his stinky hand. Huan Huo smiled.

When Xun Xian heard this, he also smiled, paused for a while and said: "The words are poorly written, and the words are simple and clear, but the meaning is profound!" ”

When Huan Huo heard this, he took a closer look, the smile on his face slowly disappeared, and finally nodded solemnly to Xun Xian.

The two of them continued to move forward with their entourage, only to see that the view here was wide, and the houses were hidden in the shade of the trees, and from a distance, they could only see faintly. When you get closer, you can see that the houses are all made of boulders and blue bricks, which looks sturdy and generous, and you can feel a sense of solemnity and atmosphere when you stand there.

Each house has four or five floors, and each floor has a window, and the windows are much larger than the other houses, and the outside is two wooden panels, which can be fully opened when the weather is fine, and the sunlight can be put into the house, and the rain can be closed to cover the wind and rain.

"It seems that Zeng Zhenbei didn't bother here." Xun Xian stood under a transplanted tree and sighed.

Chang'an University Hall occupies a huge area, in addition to the houses, Xun Xian and others also saw the magnificent, wide and bright auditorium, as well as what library, large playground and other places and equipment that they had never heard of, and all kinds of equipment that they had not seen.

In the school, there are gardens almost everywhere. Instead, there were trees, lawns everywhere, creeks and ponds everywhere, and a few students gathered together, or enthusiastically discussing something, or arguing fiercely. Although you can see people everywhere, this huge school is extremely clean, whether it is the concrete pebble path, or the boulevard under the trees, whether it is the stone pavilion by the creek pond or the lawn among the flowers, there is not a single garbage and debris, at most there are some falling leaves.

Smelling the fragrance of flowers and trees brought by the wind, Xun Xian couldn't help but sigh: "This is the place to study, I really want to resign from my official position and come here to be a student!" I can't imagine that there is such a quiet place to study in the troubled times of China, and I really want to thank Zeng Zhenbei for the world's scholars! ”

Huan Huo couldn't help but be surprised, and the eyes of the two of them were shining with tears.

After being silent for a while, Xun Ping suddenly said: "My lord, I see, there is a bamboo basket every other section of the road here, in which garbage and collected leaves are placed, you see, there is also a drainage outlet every other section of the road, which leads directly to the sewer, exactly like what we saw in the Nancheng Market." ”

Xun Xianhuan and the two looked at it carefully, and sure enough, it was so. In the end, Xun Xian turned his head and said to Huan Huo: "I don't know how much food and effort it took to make this happen." Zeng Zhenbei has a good way of collecting money, but he can invest money here like this, which shows that his knowledge is completely different from ours. ”

Huan Huo smiled and said: "I heard that Zeng Zhenbei does not take an inch of cloth and copper from the official treasury, but he is the rich lord, and I don't know how much money there is in the treasury of the Wuchang Mansion." ”

Xun Xian couldn't help laughing: "Zeng Zhenbei is better than those high-ranking officials who only know how to scrape money from the people." ”

Everyone left the Chang'an University Hall and walked towards Longshouyuan. Not far away, you can see a building with an "S" shaped sign on it, which is also a brick and stone building. The scale is small. It is very simple and solemn.

"This is the church of the Yellow Sect. I've heard that there's one in every district. Huan Huo explained.

The group continued on their way, and soon came to the house next to the church, which was tall and wide, a bit like the auditorium seen in the university hall, but much smaller. At this time, a child's voice came from the house: "One by one gets one, one by two gets two." One, three, three. "The weather is Menghong, the sprout is the beginning, then the heaven and the earth are divided, the universe is established, the yin is enlightened and the yang is sensitive, the vitality is distributed, and it is pregnant and neutralized, which is for Pangu. Dying incarnation. Anger is a storm. The sound is thunder. Left eye for the day. Four poles and five mountains. Blood is a river. The veins are in the ground. Muscles for the soil. for the stars. The skin is grass and trees. The tooth bones are goldenstone. The essence is pearl jade. Sweat for the rain. of the insects. Felt by the wind. Turned into Li Ning. ”

"What is this?" Xun Xian was surprised. But Huan Huo is not very familiar with it. So he stopped a pedestrian on the side of the road and asked for details.

"This is the church school teaching the boys, and the reading is said to have taught the arithmetic and the preface of the holy scriptures." Pedestrians saw the two of them with extraordinary expressions. Don't dare to slack off, so I came one by one.

"Church School?"

"It's the land, it's the church's school. The Yellow Sect gave the money donated by the believers to the merchants for profit, except for a very small amount of money for the priests and churches, that is, to build roads and bridges, and to run schools and hospitals. Regardless of whether they are rich or poor, the people can send their children to study. The infirmary, on the other hand, was given to the people by clergy who already knew how to heal, and the cost was very low. The church clinic in our district is not far away, just around the corner. ”

The man was a familiar man and quickly made it clear.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo couldn't help nodding, indicating that they understood.

The pedestrian saw the two nodding and said, "Since you two understand, then I'll go." I've got to get to the Great Temple for the Evening Prayer, and it's dusk on this day. ”

"The Great Temple?" Xun Xian was stunned for a moment, "Can you take us there?" ”

"It is best if you are willing to be baptized by God, come with me." Said the pedestrian.

On the way, pedestrians gushed endlessly: "This temple is made of donations of money and voluntary work by believers, and I once went to Nanshan (Qinling) to transport big stones for the temple, and transported ten pieces." Speaking of this, the pedestrian said with great pride.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo didn't speak, but just listened to the pedestrians talk about the hardships and speed of building the Great Temple.

The closer you get to the main temple, the more you feel the crowd of people, and countless people are pouring towards the temple like a river entering the sea. Soon, Xun Xianhuan and the two came to the Great Temple. Suddenly, they were stunned by the sight in front of them, a majestic building standing in front of them. The building is made of large stones, and in front of it is a row of large stone pillars that three people cannot hold, and the stone pillars support a building like the Taimiao Jongji Temple, and a huge "S" sign is on top of it. The temple is more majestic than the Taimiao Zongsi, but it lacks a sense of oppression and condescension.

The color of the temple in the solemn makes people feel a kind of mind that accommodates all rivers, one feeling.

In front of the temple was a huge square, the square was very wide, but there was nothing, except for the outermost part of the square, a high monument was erected against the temple. The stele is fifteen zhang high, it is a square diamond shape, the top of the stele is pointed, there is a sharp needle on it, according to the pedestrian introduction, it is a thing that can avoid lightning.

The bottom of the stele is surrounded by yin and yang fish patterns on all sides, and the front of the stele is engraved with a sentence: "God is our light in the darkness."

Just as Xun Xian and Huan Huo were looking up and down left and right, tens of thousands of people had quickly gathered in the square, and they were standing there with solemn expressions, and many people who had not been able to enter the square stood on the streets around the square, facing the temple due north.

At this time, an incomparably clear and mysterious voice was heard, and it was like a divine voice from the sky, which resonated with everyone's different hearts. It is like a clear spring on a glacier, which quiets everyone's heart.

At this moment, a voice rang out high, almost throughout the square, it was a bell.

"God has given me infinite strength and hope, inspiring me to be brave, to forge ahead and to fight with all my might. Frustration and suffering. It's just a test for me. to lead me into the kingdom of God. Darkness and the devil. Your presence has made my life feel the light and gifts of God! Under God's guidance, tempered by blood and fire, I will be favored by God in glory, given his gifts, and have eternal life in God's heavenly kingdom! ”

Tens of thousands of voices chanted in unison, looking at the temple due north, looking at the sky due north. With great reverence, he recited the words that he had memorized by heart. After reading it, tens of thousands of people fell to their knees, facing north, and bent on the ground. The whole square was silent all of a sudden, only the sound of the wind whirring over the square, bringing the echoes of the ground still hovering above to all parts of Chang'an.

In the silence, in the midst of falling to their knees, these tens of thousands of people seemed to communicate wordlessly with their gods. They silently surrendered their hearts to God, who was physically present but omniscient.

After a while. Tens of thousands of people all got up and stood in the square at the sound of a bell, their faces full of satisfaction and comfort. It's as if you've done something great and you've lost all your worries and sorrows. They saluted each other, greeted each other, and then began to disperse in an orderly manner outside the square.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo, who knelt down, were confused in the crowd that spread out, shocked but speechless in their hearts.

It wasn't until he arrived in a place where there were few people that Xun Xian whispered to Huan Huo: "Such a Yellow Sect, even if the Buddha is reincarnated, I am afraid it will be difficult to resist its edge." Brother Langzi, you should know very well that this Yellow Sect should be related to Zeng Zhenbei. ”

Huan Huo nodded heavily and said, "In the past, I just thought it was a small fight, but when I see it today, I'm afraid that not only you and I are wrong, but my brother and the court are wrong." What are we going to do? ”

When Xun Xian heard this, his face turned solemnly into a smile: "What should I do?" Now the imperial court dares to make a move against Zeng Zhenbei, and tomorrow the five states of Beifu will no longer be surnamed Sima, and Zeng Zhenbei, who has military power in hand, naturally has a way to make the people of Beifu think that the imperial court framed Zhongliang and tried to deprive them of their land and money, which everyone knows. Now Zeng Zhenbei is a little stingy with the court, but there is no shortage of gifts from the nominal monarchs and ministers, and he does it unprovoked. Who in the court is willing to bear the big crime of forcing Zeng Zhenbei to rebel? The North Mansion in the north of Zeng Zhen is still very moist away from Jiang Zuo, but Jiang Zuo is away from the North Mansion in the north of Zeng Zhen, what do you say? It's better for everyone to turn a blind eye, after all, this Beifu is still in the name of the Jin family, that is, if something happens, anyway, the sky will fall and you Jingxiang will resist it. ”

Maybe it was because the shock he received just now was too great, Xun Xian said a lot of things that shouldn't be said lightly for a while, which made Huan Huo stunned.

It was already late, Xun Xian and Huan Huo were excited, so they simply didn't go to the guest house and went straight to Zeng's mansion.

Zengfu was easy to find, and two or three people pointed all the way to find it.

Walking to the door of Zeng's mansion, Xun Xian and Huan Huo almost didn't believe that this was the general of Zhenbei and the Wuchang County Mansion. The wall of the mansion is a little dilapidated, and the black gate is actually beginning to be painted, and there is only a plaque of "Zengfu" on the top of the gate. If it weren't for the guards in fish-scale iron armor standing around them, Xun Xian and Huan Huo would definitely think that they were in the wrong place.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo handed their name stickers to the guards sergeant, and then stood in front of the door and waited patiently.

At this time, there was a sound of the piano in the night wind, which was flying excitedly, just like ten thousand horses galloping on the grassland. Suddenly, the sound of the piano stopped suddenly, and after a while, I saw the sound of rapid footsteps coming from inside the door, and then the door creaked open, and a young man in green clothes and civilian clothes hurriedly walked out.

"Brother Lingze, Brother Langzi, it's really a long way to go!" Zeng Hua arched his hand and said loudly.

"Brother Xuping, it's rude for us to be reckless and reckless to visit!" Xun Xian replied.

"Brother Ling Ze, then you mean that you came to visit me because of rudeness, I wish you were rude every day!" Zeng Hua laughed loudly.

The three of them immediately laughed.

Zeng Hua led the way in front, Xun Xian and Huan Huo followed closely behind, and walked towards the main hall of Zeng's mansion.

"Brother Xuping was playing the piano just now." Xun Xian asked.

"Exactly, I'm afraid it stained the ears of the two." Zeng Hua replied.

"Brother Xuping is polite, Brother Xuping's piano skills are really superb, the last time I heard it in Jiankang, I can never forget it."

"In that case, I will entertain the two distinguished guests with the sound of the piano and the wine and food." Zeng Hua laughed.

That night, Zeng Hua, Xun Xian, and Huan Huoqin laughed continuously, and they talked happily about wine, and they got along very well.

On the second day, Xun Xian and Huan Huo went to Liu Nu, the ordnance supervisor, to discuss the purchase of weapons and ordnance, and Zeng Hua did not accompany him, and handled his own business.

"Mr. Su Chang, Zizhan and Cunxi, is there anything important?" Zeng Hua asked.

"Zizhan and Cunxi said first."

Liu Gu, the left member of the Privy Council, said: "Liu Wuhuan of the Tiefu Department finally couldn't help but go south. ”

"Well, this has our own Mr. Bingtai to deal with, we just need to transfer troops to guard the north of Feng and Ding'an Counties, and prevent him from taking advantage of the gap to go south to the land of Sanfu." Zeng Hua said.

"The situation in the state is stable, and the cavalry armies are being mobilized to the state in an orderly manner, and there is no reaction from all sides, thinking that we are guarding against the country. Yunzhong and Shengle began to get nervous. The Privy Council's right signatory, King Rongye, continued.

"This is the whereabouts and words of the imperial court envoy Xun Xian and Jingxiang envoy Huan Huo along the way yesterday, the whereabouts are more careful, but the words are lacking, and the spies are not very clear in some places." After the two finished reporting on the military situation, Park handed over a report.

After Zeng Hua looked at it carefully, he was silent for a while before he said leisurely: "It's really worthy of Brother Ling Ze, but it's a pity that I can't worship you as my left and right arms!" ”