After rebirth, I made the princes cry

The Han River surges, Xiangcheng towers, the demeanor is refreshing, and the eyes are shining. Zhou Chang stands with his hands behind his back, feeling contented. He lets his eyes fly and looks around. Suddenly, his eyes focus on the gangway, where a woman is walking towards the bank. She is wearing a royal blue brocade dress, a moon-white long skirt, and a plain silk leather waist, which makes her look heroic. She wears a five-inch crown with a pair of magpies holding a ruby ​​​​gold plated on it. She does not wear tassels and step-shaking ornaments. Her makeup is refreshing, without goose yellow or makeup. It is hard to tell whether she has painted eyebrows or not, and her dark eyes are more like the eyes that have been touched by a magical brush.

Zhou Chang had met the Lord of Shenyuan Palace.

Last year, when Lord Shenyuan was rescued and the Fourth Prince ordered his soldiers to escort him to Jiankang, they boarded the boat in Xiangyang. Although he could hardly remember Lord Shenyuan's appearance now, he was certain that she could not be such a beauty. And the crown and clothes of this woman were obviously not something that an ordinary palace maid could wear. This woman could only be the granddaughter of Duke Linyi, Wang Wuniang, who was appointed as Shangshu Lang because of her close relationship with the prince!

The rumors were true, Wang Wu Niang lived up to the reputation of "the reincarnation of the goddess".

It seems that Your Majesty is really not interested in women. With such a beauty in the harem, he is willing to serve as a female official and is determined to marry her to the prince in the future.

Zhou Chang almost couldn't help but rush to the gangway, but he saw two men also walking onto the bridge. They were both wearing brocade clothes but no crowns. One of them even had a long sword on his waist. They must be the two princes. Zhou Chang hurriedly bowed and saluted from a distance.

He had finally convinced his grandfather to give him the opportunity to visit the envoy today. It was not important whether he could meet the Lord of Shenyuan Palace or not. He had never thought about getting to know the female minister. Even the fifth prince... was not certain whether he could see him or not. However, the third prince had a great chance of winning the battle for the throne, so he should not miss the opportunity to make friends with him.

It was shocking enough that the Third Prince actually recommended himself to be an envoy to Han, but now Zhou Chang felt that he understood why the Third Prince was so excited. If it were him, he would be willing to accompany Wang Wu Niang through fire and water. It was just a trip to Northern Han. As long as he completed the task successfully, he would not only accumulate more capital to seize the throne, but also have the hope of winning the heart of a beautiful woman.

Zhou Chang resisted the urge to strike up a conversation with Ying Shu, and maintaining his "celebrity" demeanor, he made his purpose clear in a few words.

"My grandfather knew that the mission could not be delayed, so he asked me to come here to present these medicinal herbs. The mission must have prepared enough medicinal herbs, but it is always appropriate to prepare more in case of emergency. I also hope that the mission can stay in Xiangyang City for three or two days on the way back to Beijing."

The two princes were silent, so Ying Shu responded on their behalf: "Please also ask General Zhou to convey my gratitude to Lord Deng Ling. This time we are anchored here only to replenish the food and drink needed to reach Hanzhong, so we cannot visit Lord Deng Ling. However, it will take some time to replenish the food and drink. Although the prince has decided to stay on the boat to rest, the two princes and I plan to have a breakfast near the ferry. Does General Zhou have any restaurant recommendations?"

"Guanting Ferry is an official ferry, and the restaurants nearby are relatively clean. However, since it will take some time to resupply, I suggest that you three go into the city. There is a Hongyun Restaurant not far from the Little North Gate. The specialty of the restaurant is smoked duck, which is extremely delicious."

Yingshu let Zhou Chang take them to Hongyun Tower diligently.

There will be no danger in Xiangyang City, but the envoys of the Northern Han will not go ashore. The Xiaobei Gate is separated from the ferry by a moat of dozens of feet. There is no enemy attack, and the trestle bridge is lowered for pedestrians to pass. Compared with the relatively deserted Guanting Ferry, after entering the Xiaobei Gate, the bustling sounds of the market hit you in the face. As expected, Hongyun Tower is not far away. It has three floors. It is not yet the busiest noon, and there are only three or two tables of diners in the hall on the first floor. They are wearing armor. They should be the soldiers responsible for escorting official goods, and they come to patronize this restaurant during the mediation.

Zhou Chang led the distinguished guest directly to the third floor.

The third floor was full of private rooms, which were particularly spacious. The seating tables and dining tables were made of larch. Servants were already waiting in the private rooms. Zhou Chang only ordered a few dishes: "The rest of the side dishes can be prepared by you. Don't make them too greasy. Tell the chef to be quick."

Immediately, another servant came over to serve wine and side dishes, as well as goat's milk and fragrant drinks, and quickly poured out four cups of each.

"My younger brother is in Jiankang and seldom sends letters to Xiangyang. Since the New Year, my brother's wife arranged for the family to send two carts of New Year gifts, and they have not reported their safety again. My mother is very worried about them. The female minister is highly trusted by Madam Xie, so she should know about my two younger brothers' recent situation, right?" Zhou Chang finally found an excuse to talk more with Yingshu.

This woman is no ordinary woman. After all, she is an official appointed by the imperial court. Moreover, Prince Linyi has a close relationship with Xie of Chenjun. Although Xie of Chenjun is a relative of Deng Lingzhou, the bond between them is Zhou Jing, not him. Not to mention that both the Fifth Prince and even the Third Prince are obedient to the female minister. Who knows, the female minister may "fall" in Jiaosu Mansion in the future and replace the Crown Princess, or even become the mother of the country.

Zhou Jing did not contact his family frequently.

This is the news Zhou Chang told Yingshu.

"General Zhou and his wife are in good health." Ying Shu gave a very concise response. Seeing that Zhou Chang was still staring at her, she added a few more words: "Not long ago, I met Xie Shaojun in Zhaoyang Palace. She said that General Zhou was mostly in the military camp. Deng Lingzhou also had some clansmen in Beijing, but General Zhou was not often at home, and Xie Shaojun was not convenient to entertain the clansmen. He was really not familiar with the people in Deng Lingzhou's clan, and was worried that it would be inappropriate because he did not know how close they were to each other."

"It's understandable that my sister-in-law has such concerns. Now, all the clansmen in Jiankang are five generations away from Han Zhentang. My brother is now a general of the central army, which is different from when he was in Xiangyang. If the clansmen have difficulties, I can help them. There is really no need to visit them frequently." Zhou Chang smiled.

Yingshu understood that none of the Dengling Zhou clan members in Jiankang had a close relationship with Zhou Chang. It seemed that Zhou Jing's staying in Jiankang was in line with Zhou Chang's wishes. At least for now, he had no intention of harming Zhou Jing.

Brothers who share the same mother should not harbor any hatred towards each other.

But in his previous life, because Zhou Ke valued Zhou Jing very much, he was obviously going to hand over the military power of Xiangyang to Zhou Jing. Although Zhou Chang was still a clan grandson for the time being, he did not have military power and certainly did not have a position of final say in the clan. His greed for power made him jealous and resentful, and after being instigated by the spies planted by Sikong Beichen, he poisoned his compatriots and brothers.

Zhou Jing not being in charge of Xiangyang tribe not only posed no threat to Zhou Chang, but was even of great benefit to him.

Zhou Chang is no longer a person that Sikong Beichen can incite, but without Zhou Jing in charge of the military power in Xiangyang, there is no way to rule out the hidden danger that Zhou You, under the instigation of Zhou Chang, would focus on power struggles.

Yingshu and his party were only delayed briefly in Xiangyang City.

When the ship was heading west again, looking out from the half-open window of the cabin, Zhou Chang could be seen waving goodbye. Nan Ci was sitting facing east, and even saw Zhou Chang standing at the ferry for a long time. He smiled and said, "I didn't spend a penny but had a table full of sumptuous dishes, all thanks to my third brother."

"How can you say that it must be my fault?" The Third Prince raised his eyebrows. "My friendship with General Zhou is not as good as that with my Fifth Brother. During the Autumn Hunting Ceremony, my Fifth Brother and General Zhou were in a group."

"I think that General Zhou and General Zhou have very different personalities. It must not be because of my friendship with General Zhou that I am being so hospitable today."

The third prince pondered for a while.

Although Deng Lingzhou was not as powerful as the Xie clan of Chenjun and He clan of Jiangdong, he was guarding such an important city as Xiangyang and commanded more troops than the Yizhou clan. It could be said that Duke Deng Ling was not afraid of suppression from Xie Jin, He Zhi and others. Logically speaking, there was no need for him to show goodwill to the royal family and the powerful, unless... greed was the root of all evil.

His expression was very solemn: "Xiangyang may not lose face, but if Lord Dengling has a rebellious heart..."

Yingshu had no intention of joining the discussion. She drank a cup of fresh tea that Yingdan had just brewed and looked out the window. She could still see the towering walls of Xiangyang City.

"Duke Deng Ling sent medicinal herbs as a gift today, instead of gold or silver. It can't be said that he is showing courtesy. It's just that when we were in the restaurant just now, General Zhou Lang clearly wanted to know what Third Brother likes and said a lot of flattering words... General Zhou has never behaved like this before." Nanci said.

The Third Prince was used to hearing flattery in the past, so he didn't pay much attention to it just now. He couldn't help but support his forehead with his hand and said, "Stay away from villains and stay close to gentlemen. It seems that it is necessary."

He suddenly remembered that when they boarded the boat at the ferry, Yingshu had clearly agreed to Zhou Chang's invitation, saying that she would pay a visit to Lord Deng Ling when she returned to Beijing. Could it be that even she didn't realize Zhou Chang's intentions? The third prince had doubts in his mind and asked directly: "Why did Deputy Envoy Wang agree to General Zhou?"

Although Yingshu had no intention of joining the discussion, she was still listening to it, and of course she would not ignore the Third Prince: "I originally thought of staying in Xiangyang City for two days on my way back to the capital. It would be too rude if I didn't go to visit Lord Deng Ling. I have heard many times that Xiangyang City is easy to defend but difficult to attack. It is always difficult to understand if you have never been there in person. I cannot be detained in Xiangyang on my way to the capital. This is a rare opportunity when I return to the capital, so of course I have to see it for myself."

Third Prince:...

Well, he had never thought about seeing it, and he really didn't understand why Xiangyang was easy to defend but difficult to attack.

When we finally arrived in Hanzhong, it was almost the Dragon Boat Festival.

Here they had to abandon the ship and travel by land, because they had arrived in the territory of Northern Han. The next itinerary would have to be arranged by Northern Han officials. Jiang Tai sent Taiwei Jiang Baiji to Hanzhong to greet them. Because there was a woman among the envoys from Dayu, Jiang Baiji's wife was also given a mission. She proposed to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Hanzhong before setting off for Dajing.

The present Northern Han called Chang'an Dajing.

Jiang Baiji is Jiang Tai's uncle, and Jiang Baiji's wife Gao was born in the Xiongnu tribe, and her family is now a noble family of Northern Zhao.

Gao had deep eyes, a high nose, brown skin, black eyes, a strong body, and a cheerful voice. She always advised Dianjun and Yingshu to eat more meat, and frowned when she looked at their slender wrists. She said that even her youngest daughter, who was only thirteen and a few years younger than Yingshu, had much thicker wrists.

"Does your lady also celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?" Yingshu asked.

Gao raised her eyebrows and smiled, "I grew up in Luoyang, and I know the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, racing dragon boats, eating glutinous rice dumplings, hanging mugwort, and wearing five-colored silk. These customs are still being continued in our dynasty. Although we worship the Eternal Heaven and the Golden Crow God, since we have entered the Nine Provinces, we will certainly pay homage to the gods of the Nine Provinces."

The Central Plains’ festivals were viewed by other ethnic groups as a way to honor gods and Buddhas, but this was not necessarily incorrect, as sacrifices were made to exorcise evil spirits during the Dragon Boat Festival, and the emperor, his subjects, and the people also prayed for divine protection and blessing.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, Dianjun and Yingshu were accompanied by Gao for a stroll in Hanzhong City.

The festive atmosphere was not strong. There were indeed pedestrians wearing five-colored silk. Judging from their clothes, they should all be barbarians. Naturally, there was a distinction between the nobles and the common people. The nobles wore clothes made of silk and satin, while the common people wore clothes made of coarse linen and hemp. However, their clothes mostly had lapels and narrow sleeves. Men seldom wore lower garments, but mostly wore pleated hakama. Women did not wear long skirts, and a small part of their ankles was visible between the hem of their skirts and their shoes.

The ones who actually wore brown robes were all servants, with their necks bent so low that one could not see their features. They certainly did not wear colorful silks, and they even walked barefoot on the streets in the sun, like the walking corpses.

In the shops, whether it is the shopkeeper or the clerk, the first thing they speak is a language that real Han people cannot understand.

This place is truly no longer under the rule of China.

Neither Dianjun nor Yingshu were in the mood to go shopping, but they still wanted to take a closer look and see how different Hanzhong and its streets and alleys were from Jiankang today.

In the market, a piece of silk could be exchanged for a young maid.

The maid was pale and thin, with shaved eyebrows that made her eyes look particularly big, but there was no spirit in her eyes. They were clearly filled with worry, yet they seemed empty. The seller, who was wearing a lapel-collared Hu clothing, was fat and big-eared. When he heard Yingshu speaking Chinese, he quickly responded in Chinese as well.

The elegant language used is still Dayu's.

"This maid is only seven years old. She can speak Qiang and Xiongnu languages, but not Chinese, let alone elegant language. Therefore, her price is very low. She only needs one piece of silk."

"You haven't been trained either, right?" the person who asked the question was Gao.

"Your Excellency should understand the market. A maid who can do needlework will be charged ten pieces of silk at the minimum price. If she is good at embroidery, she will have to exchange it for tea."

Gao smiled and said to the Lord: "If you find this little maid acceptable to you, I will give her as a gift to you."

The palace master looked extremely sad.

Yingshu looked into the maid's eyes, and she silently pulled Dianjun around.

The survivors who can't speak Chinese must be more than just this little maid. Can buying this little maid out of pity really save her from suffering? She probably doesn't know who her parents are and was separated from her family long ago. Now letting her stay with them without being able to communicate is probably a disaster rather than a blessing for this poor girl.

If she is unwilling to become a pawn of the Northern Han court, then she will have no way out.

"I heard that servants who can understand and speak Chinese are more valuable?" Yingshu asked.

Gao nodded: "In fact, many nobles in the Northern Han Dynasty can speak Chinese, and even the elegant language. The deputy envoy may be able to tell whether the human trafficker just now is a Hu or Han?"

"Han people."

"Yes, he was originally a merchant from Luoyang. He was captured and given to the Northern Han as a slave. However, there are many merchants like him who behave well and are well behaved. After they are restored to good status, they are still allowed to do business."

"Then why did the nobles of Northern Han deliberately prevent the remaining people from learning Chinese?" Ying Shu asked again.

"It's not intentional. Take the case of the maid just now. Her parents or ancestors must have been stubborn and were executed. She grew up in Wumei Cang, so of course she had no chance to learn Chinese."

What the Northern Han needed were submissive captives.

For those who have kowtowed and surrendered to the barbarians, it doesn’t matter what language they speak, what blood they have, or what culture they have been taught.

"This is the famous Nanzheng Restaurant in Hanzhong City. I have already rented it. We will have lunch here today."

Just outside the south gate of Hanzhong City, Gao pointed to a building with painted beams and flying eaves.

"I heard that the word 'Nanzheng' was written by Emperor Gaozu of Yu himself, and it was used as the signboard of this restaurant." Gao raised her strong-featured chin.