Dunhuang is an important commercial town on the Silk Road since ancient times, the Silk Road from Chang'an, after arriving at Guazhou Yumen Pass, it is divided into two lines, north and south, and the north line continues along the north of the Tianshan Mountains to Yiwu and Luntai to the west.

The southern route is to go south to Dunhuang from Yumen Pass, then take Puchanghai to Gaochang, go to Shule along the south of the Tianshan Mountains, and then cross the Green Ridge from Shule to the west.

Because of the extremely important geographical location of Dunhuang City, it is not only a transit city for goods from the Western Regions and the Central Plains, but also a meeting point between the Western Regions and the Central Plains culture, and the Mogao Grottoes are the most outstanding representatives.

The culture of the Central Plains and the Western Regions are organically integrated together in this historical city, Dunhuang is also the same as most cities in the mainland, with a chessboard structure, the north-south central axis is Ganquan Avenue, and the east-west central axis is Sanwei Street, and the whole Dunhuang City expands around these two central axes.

Ganquan Avenue is lined with shops and a dazzling array of goods, including silk, porcelain, paper and all kinds of exquisite utensils from the Central Plains, but more than that, there are all kinds of goods from the Western Regions, carpets, silverware, and glass from Persia, spices and precious stones from Sogdia, furs and medicinal herbs from Tocharo, and so on.

In addition, there are various specialty shops, and at most there are various schools, and there are schools for language training, where you can learn Chinese, Turkic, Sogdian, Persian, as well as music workshops for learning musical instruments, and dance workshops for learning dance.

In addition, there are schools for learning painting, sculpture, and calligraphy, as well as martial arts halls for learning martial arts and practicing riding and archery, all of which can find good jobs in Dunhuang.

What's more interesting is the guide shop, a bit like the travel agency of later generations, as long as you are willing to spend money, you can hire a guide in the store, take you to Gaochang, Qiuzi and other places to play, all kinds of travel equipment are readily available.

Living in such a thriving commercial city, Li Zhen felt that he could make use of the experience and knowledge of his previous life to make a fortune in Dunhuang.

In a few months, Li Zhen will officially end his studies in the state school and be completely free, but he is anxious and can't wait to start implementing his career tomorrow.

Near noon, Li Zhen sent Sisi to the dance studio, and he led the horse through the lively street back to Sanxian Lane, where his home was located, and Sanxian Lane was named because of the three lush locust trees in the lane.

Li Zhen's house was at the entrance of the alley, facing the city gate, and the entrance to the market was very good, and ten years ago he was rented half of the street by a Sogdian merchant who sold spices, and this Sogdian merchant was Consince's father, Kangmaid.

Li Zhen's grandfather died the year before last, and this old mansion was left to Li Zhen, but now it is run by Li Zhen's sister Li Quan.

"Ah Zhen, the practice of archery is back!" Sisi's father, Kang Maide, stood at the door of the store and greeted him with a smile.

He was about fifty years old, very thin, like a short, yellow bamboo pole, with a sharp, thin nose and a sly glint in the deep Sogdian eyes, a shrewd merchant and a devout Zoroastrian.

Perhaps because he traveled on the Silk Road for many years to do business when he was young, he didn't marry a wife until he was thirty years old, and his wife was ten years younger than him, but she grew tall and strong, and now she is middle-aged, and she is even more fat.

Although they were really asymmetrical, they had a very good relationship between husband and wife, raising two sons and a daughter, both of whom looked like their mothers, and the eldest son, Constantly, turned 20 years old last year, and took ten camels along the Silk Road according to Sogdian tradition.

The second son, Kang Dazhuang, is eighteen years old this year, and he is extremely majestic, but he doesn't like to do business, but likes to practice martial arts, and wants to do great things, and he has the best relationship with Li Zhen.

The youngest daughter is Kang Sisi, who is only 14 years old this year, dances very well, and her biggest dream is to leave Dunhuang for Chang'an and Luoyang.

"Hello Uncle Kang, Sisi has gone to the dance workshop. ”

"I know, I heard Da Zhuang say that tomorrow you are going to participate in the Wuju Township Test, and you must win the championship this time!"

"Thank you, uncle, I will try my best, if there is nothing else, I will go back and prepare first. ”

"Okay! Uncle will cheer you up tomorrow. ”

Li Zhen smiled and nodded, led the horse into the alley, Kang Maid looked at his back and said to himself: "Actually, it's not bad for Sisi to marry him, at least the rent can be waived." ”

Li Zhen's grandfather Li Danping is a doctor of Shazhou official school, teaching for more than 30 years, the family is poor, after his death only left Li Zhen sister and brother three properties, one is 30 acres of land outside the east city, the other is the old house where the two sisters and brothers live, and there is also a stone wall in Mogao Grottoes.

Three years ago, Li Danping married his granddaughter, Li Zhen's sister Li Quan, to his protégé Cao Wen, but Cao Wen's family was poor, and his family was in Shouchang County, with only three thatched houses.

Li Zhen's grandfather died of illness the year before last, and before he died, he asked Li Quan to move back to take care of his younger brother, and Li Quan asked her husband and mother-in-law Meng to move in together, but Li Quan said to her husband first, this house belongs to her brother, and if the younger brother gets married, they will move out to find another house.

Li Zhen led the horse to the gate, but the courtyard door opened, and his brother-in-law Cao Wen walked out of the courtyard.

However, his handwriting is very good, and he usually copies scriptures for Buddhist temples to earn a little money to support the family, and his father died very early, and only he and his widowed mother Meng depend on each other.

"Brother-in-law, are you going to the county office?"

Cao Wen liked this brother-in-law very much, and when he saw Li Zhen coming back, he hurriedly pulled him aside and said in a low voice: "I have already asked Zhang Xuezheng about the last time you asked me to inquire." ”

A few days ago, Li Zhen heard a saying that state school students could end their studies early, so he was moved and asked his brother-in-law to help him inquire.

Li Zhen was overjoyed, "What did Zhang Xuezheng say?"

Zhang Xuezheng said that under special circumstances, you can end your studies early. ”

"For example, what kind of special circumstances?" Li Zhen asked again.

"I didn't ask about this, but I think what Zhang Xuezheng said is actually meaningless, the key is your eldest sister's attitude, what do you say?"

Li Zhen suddenly became listless, his brother-in-law was right, how could his eldest sister allow him to end his studies early?

For more than a year, Li Zhen has been wanting to travel with a few good friends, and this idea has become stronger in recent months, but because his studies have not yet ended, it is difficult for him to travel, and he has a powerful big sister, which is discouraging to think about.

Cao Wen saw his disappointment, so he comforted him and said: "Don't think about this today, prepare well for tomorrow's township exam, that is the most important thing for you at the moment, if you get a place, maybe Zhang Xuezheng will allow you to end your studies early." ”

"Thank you, brother-in-law!"

Cao Wen smiled and patted him on the shoulder, turned around and left.

Li Zhen pushed open the courtyard door and entered the courtyard, he was going to feed the horses, but he faintly heard the voice of the eldest sister coming from the kitchen, "Mother-in-law, only an old widow with no children and no daughters can donate money to the woman's association, so that the woman will take care of her funeral, but you obviously have a son, why do you have to donate money to the woman's association, isn't it a waste?"

"You don't care about my business, I didn't spend your money anyway, and besides, you spent so much money on Ah Zhen's study and martial arts, I am your mother-in-law, have you heard what I said?"

"Whatever you want, donate if you want, I won't care about your business anymore. ”

Li Zhen shook his head secretly, the relationship between the eldest sister and her mother-in-law is not good, for her own sake, the two don't know how many times they have quarreled, and it seems that they are going to quarrel again today.

At this time, Li Quan came out of the kitchen angrily, and happened to see Li Zhen, which startled her, "Ah Zhen, when did you come back, isn't the door closed?"

"I just met my brother-in-law at the door, so I just came in. ”

"Oh, wash your hands and go eat!" ”

Although Li Quan was very strict with Li Zhen, he was never stingy with the cost of his practice of literature and martial arts, which made his mother-in-law very unhappy, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law always quarreled about this matter, of course, it was also related to the fact that she still had no children.

Li Quan led the horse away, and her mother-in-law Meng Shi came out of the kitchen with a medicine jar, and Li Zhen smiled at her, "Hello, Auntie!"

"Hey, let's go eat!"

Meng Shi sighed, slowly walked to the room, Li Zhen went back to his room to hang up the bow and arrows, turned around and came to the dining hall, the porridge and side dishes were already set on the small table, and the brother-in-law Cao Wen had just left after lunch, and the meal was still hot.

Li Zhen gave himself a big bowl of porridge and sat down, and rolled up a piece of Hu cake, which was made of minced meat and sauce, which was very delicious, which was also Li Zhen's favorite, he practiced arrows for a morning, and was really hungry, so he devoured it.

When the second bowl of porridge was served, Li Quan walked in, she sat down next to her younger brother, and also picked up the bowl and drank the porridge slowly.

"Sister seems to have something on her mind?"

"It's nothing, let's eat!"

Li Zhen knew that although it was not easy for the eldest sister to be in charge, she would not quarrel with her mother-in-law for a little money, and this time Aunt Meng must have donated a lot of money to the women's association, which made the eldest sister unhappy.

Every family has a scripture that is difficult to read, and he doesn't know how to persuade his eldest sister, so he no longer speaks, burying his head in eating, Li Quan doesn't want to think about more troublesome things, and asks: "Yesterday you went to see Master Wangchen, how is his health?"

Because Master was old, he could not teach Li Zhen every day, and Li Zhen went to see him every ten days.

"The master is only slightly uncomfortable, and the Lingyin host told me not to worry, he will take care of the master. ”

Li Quan sighed, "That being said, you can't be careless, after you finish the exam, go and take care of the master for a few days to fulfill the filial piety of your apprentice, understand?"

"Sister, I know. ”

Li Zhen hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice: "Sister, I want to go out for a walk after the township test." ”

"No way!"

Li Quan categorically refused as always, "Your task is to study and practice martial arts, I said a long time ago, before the end of my studies, you give me to concentrate on studying, don't think about going anywhere!"

At this moment, there was a knock on the door in the courtyard, and someone asked loudly, "Is this Li Zhen's home?"

"It's coming!"

Li Quan got up and came to the courtyard, opened the courtyard door, and she was stunned for a moment.

I saw four people standing outside the gate, two of them were entourage, a middle-aged man in his fifties, with fair skin, a three-foot long beard under his chin, a gauze hat on his head, a lilac robe, and a jade belt around his waist, which looked quite elegant.

Behind him was a tall young man, who could not hide the spirit of bravery in his body, although he was dressed in a scholar's suit.

Li Zhen was sitting in the room, and he immediately recognized it, and the person who came turned out to be Li Jin, the head of the Li family in Dunhuang, which really surprised him.

They are just concubines, and they are not even qualified to participate in the clan sacrifice every year, let alone the head of the family who comes to visit, in Li Zhen's impression, only the head of the family came once when his grandfather died.

Li Quan was stunned for a long time and asked, "What's the matter with you?"

Li Jin was a little unhappy in his heart, you must know that he is the head of the Li family in Dunhuang, and the fate of hundreds of people of the Li clan in Dunhuang is controlled by him.

However, he took the initiative to come to the door today, and he had something to ask Li Zhen for help, so he couldn't help but feel unhappy in his heart, and reluctantly smiled: "Can I go into the house and talk about it?"

Li Quan hurriedly said, "Please come in! Please come in!"

She ran back to the main hall with a gust of wind, cleaned up the room a little, and greeted her again, and said with a smile: "The master of the house, please come in and sit!"

After all, this is the head of the Li family, Li Quan knows a little about the world, although she is married and is the daughter-in-law of the Cao family, but she has to think about her younger brother, and her younger brother will have a lot of things to ask for in the family, and she really can't offend the head of the family.

Li Jin saw that Li Quan was very attentive, and his heart was a little more comfortable, he nodded and walked into the lobby, and the young man stood behind him, looking at Li Zhen with a provocative gaze.

The young man's name is Li Pan, Li Jin's nephew and the sister-in-law of the Li family.

Li Jin sat down, glanced at Li Zhen who was standing at the door, and saw that he refused to bow to him, and he was a little unhappy in his heart.

"Are you Li Zhen?" Li Jin asked lightly

[Note: The head of the Li family in Dunhuang should be called Li Kerang, because it is easy to be confused with Li Kerang in the Later Tang Dynasty, so he changed his name to Li Jin]

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