Wanqingsi

Chapter 72 Out of the fortress
The sky is green and the fields are vast.

I read this famous folk song of the Northern Dynasties in a low voice, looking at the vast grassland in front of me, I couldn't help but be infatuated.Spring outside the pass comes earlier than inside the pass, and the green grass has already emerged from the rotten grass of turmeric. At a glance, the yellow and green interlaced, deep and light colors are continuous, and the vigorous vitality seems to extend to the end of the sky.The sky is blue, and the eagle spreads its wings in the air. On the gentle ridge in the distance, the hardy seabuckthorn forest is still lush and shrouded in misty mist.Herds of cattle and sheep run happily on the grass, enjoying the gift of spring, and the meandering stream spreads like a jade belt on the grass with white flowers, which is too beautiful to behold.I was overwhelmed by the incomparably beautiful scenery in front of me. The faint fragrance spread all over the mountains and fields. I took a deep breath and felt slightly smoky. This grassland is so colorful, even the air is colorful.

This is the prairie, the prairie that I never had the opportunity to go to in my previous life. I stared at the extremely beautiful scenery everywhere, and my heart was so soft that it seemed to return to my long-lost spiritual hometown, the home of the soul.I remember watching Jiang Yuer’s "Traveling in a Hurry" before. There was a sentence on the cover that fascinated me for a long time. He said: "If you really want to, then go on the road!" But I have always clearly known in my heart that the word "road" has a great attraction for me. Maybe under the appearance of a duck, I also have a heart that belongs to a donkey.

"The wind blows the grass and sees the cattle and sheep..." The man beside me whispered the sentence that I blurted out just now unconsciously. I turned my head and smiled softly at him.An Yuanxi looked at me steadily, with a rare smile on his serious expression.

"Isn't it beautiful? This grassland." I turned my head and looked ahead.Our caravan lined up on the grassland, including the tributes made by our Xiuzhuang to the royal family of Yaoyue Kingdom.Two months ago, I received a business. Chi Bei, a man from the Yaoyue Kingdom who had been in and out of Lao Futou’s house before, entered the customs to purchase tributes for the royal family of the Yaoyue Kingdom. He was attracted by the cartoon dolls and new embroidery products in our embroidery shop. , Ask me to sign this big contract immediately.In order to open up the overseas market for the embroidery shop, I asked An Yuanxi to arrange for thirty girls to rush this batch of goods. All of them wanted the softest, smoothest and most delicate skin on their hands, and they were not allowed to do other work besides embroidery at all.An Yuanxi was very puzzled at first, but sister Xiu understood a little bit, and said with a smile: "No matter how good the silk material is, it will lose some of its luster after being rubbed dozens of times by hand. Miss Ye did this to ensure that this batch of tributes the quality of."

Now these high-quality embroidery products are being transported to the imperial capital of Yaoyue Kingdom.We set off from Cangdu nine days ago, and today we finally set foot on the land of Yaoyue Kingdom.Originally, the embroidery shop did not need to be responsible for the escort of the goods. This was the responsibility of Chi Bei, who purchased the tribute, but Chi Bei said that since it was the first time to do business with us, I, the owner of the embroidery shop, must be escorted there with him. In the imperial capital, the other half of the payment will not be paid until the tribute is checked and accepted.For the sake of Xiuzhuang's reputation, I agreed to Chibei's conditions. Anyway, I was bored in Cangdu, so it was a trip.An Yuanxi is the manager, so naturally I have to follow. Yu Die'er was rushing to follow, but I stopped her and said with a smile: "The boss and the manager of the embroidery village are gone. If even the shopkeeper is gone, do you still want to do business?" gone?"

Yu Die'er bit her lip, pouted her lips and said, "But Huahua will take a month to go back and forth, and it will take eight or nine days from Cangdu to Guanwai, and it will only take five days from Guanwai to Huangdu. In case something happens along the way, we will Knowing martial arts can protect you."

I laughed and said, "What's the matter? Chi Bei brought so many people to escort him, and even invited the bodyguards of the bodyguard bureau. This is a tribute from Yaoyue Kingdom. Who dares to make a move? Besides, Director An is with me, it's not Go alone."

"That person was blown down as soon as the wind blew, how can I be strong if something happens?" Yu Die'er said: "In short, I don't worry, Huahua, just let me go with you , or you let Manager An stay and look at the shop."

"What nonsense?" I was angry and funny, "Director An must go with me, and he will go alone next time to deposit the goods. This time it is to accumulate experience, how can we not go?"

"Huahua..." Yu Die'er acted like a spoiled child, I thought about it, and said with a smile: "Why don't you go and pick us up outside the pass in ten days." We're all back, just in time to meet.Yu Die'er was still unwilling at first, but it happened that the old bustard of "Fengyue Tower" in Cangdu came to him and twisted him to discuss business. Even Yu Die'er couldn't handle him, so An Yuanxi and I were able to escape smoothly.

Although the road was bumpy, it was safe.Now that I see the beauty of this grassland, I really feel that the hard work is worth it.As soon as I got out of the customs, I couldn't sit still in the carriage, so I got out of the carriage and sat side by side with An Yuanxi who was driving, so that I could enjoy the beautiful scenery.An Yuanxi was quite uncomfortable at first, so he handed over the reins to me, and wanted to get out of the car and walk, I grabbed him and said with a smile: "It's your business if you want to walk with swollen feet, but I don't know how to drive, so it's not a problem for you Me?"

His face blushed slightly: "Miss Ye, this is not in line with etiquette. Letting others see it will damage the girl's reputation."

I chuckled lightly and said, "If you don't call me a girl, who would know that I am a girl? I am dressed in men's clothes, except Chibei, who would know that I am a girl?"

"Miss Ye..." He was still awkward, and I corrected him: "It's not Miss Ye, it's Boss Ye. Manager An, 'A gentleman is magnanimous, and a villain is always concerned'. The so-called secular etiquette should not be used in front of a gentleman. , can’t be used in front of villains, why bother to restrain yourself?”

He looked at me fixedly, with a trace of surprise and relief in his eyes, I smiled and threw the reins to him, looking at the beautiful scenery by myself.Unexpectedly, the prairie, which I had never had the opportunity to witness in my previous life, would appear alive in front of me today, with the most primitive and pollution-free natural simplicity in ancient times.

"It's beautiful." He sighed softly.

"Eh?" I looked back at him, and saw that he relaxed his facial expression, staring at the prairie in the distance, and realized that he was responding to my previous question.

I laughed.There was a sound of horseshoes in front of me, I looked up and saw that Chi Bei from the front of the team was riding a horse, stopped beside our carriage, and followed the horse: "Boss Ye, our king sent someone to meet this batch of tributes. They set up camp in front of Maipingba, and we will rush there to spend the night tonight."

In order to avoid unnecessary troubles, I specifically told him not to reveal my gender, so Chi Bei called me Boss Ye all the way.I smiled and said, "Then I will trouble Brother Chibei to help us."

When the sun was about to sink down the hillside, we finally arrived at the Maipingba camp, where more than a dozen large white tents were pitched, round, like the yurts in my time.The soldiers of Yaoyue Kingdom guarded the camp outside, but men and women in servant clothes shuttled through the camp. A bonfire had already been set up on the grass, and a fragrant whole sheep was roasting, and the aroma of milk tea was wafting in the air.Commander Chi Bei pushed the trucks full of tributes into several large tents, walked up to me with a smile and said, "Boss Ye, I will take you to meet the Privy Envoy who came to welcome us this time."

I smiled and nodded, and together with An Yuanxi, he stepped into the most luxurious-looking tent in the middle of the camp.I don't know what kind of official the privy envoy is, but since they were specially sent by their king, the official should be quite big.Entering the tent, I saw a man wearing the official uniform of the Yaoyue Kingdom sitting behind the first seat. Chi Bei stepped forward and knelt down on one knee to salute: "Your Majesty, see the Privy Envoy."

I was stunned, looked at An Yuanxi, walked forward to salute like Chi Bei, and sighed in my heart.Apart from kneeling before my parents and ancestors, this is the first time I kneel down in this time and space. What the hell are the rules?Although I feel angry in my heart, I do as the Romans do when I go to the countryside, so I have to follow other people's rules.

"Get up." The privy envoy's voice was deep and deep, naturally exuding a domineering arrogance.

We got up and bowed our heads, only to hear Chi Bei say to the privy envoy: "My lord, these two are Boss Ye and Director An of Jinxiu Village in Cangdu, Tianzhao Country, and the embroidery this time is provided by their embroidery village." of."

It's time for us to talk, I raised my eyes and looked at the privy envoy: "My lord, Ye Haihua, a grassroots man, is the boss of Jinxiu Village. This is An Yuanxi, the chief manager of our embroidery village."

I intentionally lowered the word Hua, and felt that the privy envoy seemed to be smiling. After a closer look, I found that his handsome face was half a smile, and the corners of his confident lips were slightly raised. This man is really extraordinary.I secretly praise him in my heart, his skin is a typical nomad's healthy and dark skin, his facial features are resolute and deep, like a knife carving, a bit of mixed blood, his hair is naturally curly brown hair, but his eyes are light blue, like a grassland on a tranquil lake.

"Chibei, is this Boss Ye the girl who solved Prince Ulei's puzzle?" The Privy Envoy asked with a smile.

Well?I was startled, he knew I was a woman?Turning to look at Chi Bei, seeing him looking at the privy envoy in awe, he said respectfully: "Exactly."

I suddenly realized that this man should have known me a long time ago, so I was still covering it up.I simply accepted it generously, and I smiled and said, "I'll let the Privy Envoy laugh at you. It's easier for the little girl to change into men's clothes when she's away from home."

When the privy envoy heard this, he smiled "haha", stood up and said, "Boss Ye is not only smart, but also straightforward! This envoy has prepared a welcome dinner for the guests coming from afar, let's go out and enjoy it together."

He called me Boss Ye instead of Miss Ye, which shows that he is also a considerate person, so I laughed.When the man stood up, he immediately felt an invisible pressure, probably because he was tall and straight, with strong muscles, and the power that was released from his words and demeanor.

We followed him out of the tent, and saw that a circle of small red-lacquered tables had been set up around the bonfire on the grass, and each table was filled with sumptuous food, including yellow ghee, coral-shaped cheese, and pastry-like cakes. Thin milk skin, as well as fried rice, brown sugar, fried fruit.The privy envoy took the main seat and invited me and An Yuanxi to sit on the side seats on his left. It is a beautiful small bowl, scoop a small amount of fried rice with a small wooden spoon, pour hot and fragrant milk tea, and let us drink freely.

It was the first time for me to taste this kind of milk tea, and I thought it was salty, delicious and very creamy, so I said to the girl offering the tea, "It smells so good." The girl blushed, as if she was very satisfied with my answer.At this moment, the roasted mutton came on the stage. I saw that it was pieced together by the lamb body, lamb body, shoulder bone, and four legs, and placed in a rectangular wooden red lacquered tray according to certain specifications.Chi Bei sat on the right side of the privy envoy, and smiled at me loudly: "Boss Ye, this sheep's back is a delicacy in our Yaoyue Kingdom, you must eat it to your heart's content."

"Thank you, Brother Chibei. I will definitely taste it." I smiled.Seeing the girl serving the meal distribute the beautiful meat to each guest's table, and there is a sharp knife on the table, I imitated the people of Yaoyue, cut the whole piece of meat into small pieces, and ate it with my hands. Fat and tender, the meat is very delicious.Turning around, he saw An Yuanxi staring blankly at the mutton on the table, and nudged him with his elbow: "Why are you in a daze? Eat quickly?"

"Just eat it like this?" An Yuanxi saw that I was holding the mutton with my hands indifferently, with a weird expression on his face, "There are no chopsticks."

"Do as the Romans do." I gave him a blank look, this person is really boring.

Suddenly I heard the privy envoy laughing and saying: "Boss Ye, you have come from a long way, as a token of welcome, I offer you a toast." As I spoke, I raised the wine cup, and I secretly groaned in my heart. But on this occasion, I can't refuse. Fortunately, the wine is not served in a silver bowl, so I have to bite the bullet and raise the glass, smiling: "Thank you, sir."

I drank the wine in the wine cup, and felt a fire burning from my throat all the way to my stomach. I haven't come to my senses yet, but I heard Chi Bei also raised his glass and sang to me A persuading song: "Fill the silver cup with wine, raise your hands above your head, guests from afar, please drink a glass of kumiss..."

No, if this continues, there will be a third cup soon.I bite the bullet and drank another cup, and said with a smile: "Brother Chibei, the song you sing is very nice, why don't I sing a song for everyone?"

Before Chi Bei could reply, applause was already heard, and the Privy Envoy looked at me with interest. I thought about it, I don’t know many songs related to the grassland, so let’s take Cai Qin’s "The Song of Exodus". Immediately sing it out loud:

Sing me an exodus,

In that forgotten ancient language.

Please call softly with a beautiful vibrato,
The great rivers and mountains in my heart.

The fragrance that only exists outside the Great Wall,
Who can say that the tune of Sege is too sad.

If you don't like to hear,

That's because there is no desire for you in the song.

And we always have to sing and sing,
Thinking of the golden light shining thousands of miles away in the grassland,

Thinking of the wind and sand roaring across the desert,
Thinking of the banks of the Yellow River, beside the Yin Mountains.

The hero rides strong,
Homecoming on horseback!

After singing a song, everyone applauded and applauded repeatedly.I sat down, and my eyes were already spent. The wine on the grassland was much stronger than the wine in the Tianzhao Kingdom, and the strength of the wine increased so quickly.My head was a little dizzy, and I vaguely heard the privy envoy laughing: "Boss Ye's song really sang the heartfelt voice of our Yaoyue people. I would like to offer Boss Ye a cup..."

Respect?No, I'm going to faint.I closed my eyes, and my body slid softly, An Yuanxi quickly supported me, I fell into his arms, and murmured: "I can't do it, I'm drunk, I'm drunk..." All of a sudden, my ears The sound is gone.

——2006, September, 10
(End of this chapter)