Northern Dynasties Imperial Industry

Early the next morning, when Li Tai got up and went out, he saw the villagers busy moving goods. The yard was already filled with two large trucks. He Basheng was still directing the inventory and continuing to load the goods.

"It's hard to avoid being tired after traveling for days. Let's stay in the city for a few days. Ah Pan will go with me. I will also introduce you to my two sons. You and other young and brave men will naturally have similar interests when they get together."

Seeing Li Tai coming over, He Basheng said with a smile.

After He Bayue passed away, he left his sons He Bawei and He Bajing, who have been living in Chang'an City. Li Tai heard this matter mentioned by He Basheng and his subordinates. He also learned at Baishui Manor that the relationship between He Basheng and the two nephews did not seem to be very good.

But no matter whether the relationship is good or not, it is always embarrassing for him to watch when his relatives are reunited, not to mention that he also has relatives in Chang'an.

So he shook his head and said with a smile: "My cousin came to the hometown to inform his elders about his whereabouts. Now that he has entered the capital, it's time to pay him a visit. My uncle is going to a party. Please forgive me for not having time to accompany him. I will visit the famous Kunzhong family again one day."

"I was negligent. I only cared about my own affairs, but I forgot that your family members have not seen each other for a long time."

After hearing this, He Basheng patted his forehead and waved to Li Tai to follow him into the room. He rummaged through and found some books, a bow and some fashionable goods and put them into the box: "They each have their own vocational department. I'm too lazy to bother you, so I'll give you all the mundane things you need. Although I want to stay in the city for a few days, I don't like to be harassed. After seeing you, you can go to the city to meet me."

After hearing this, Li Tai nodded and said that he had taken note of it.

Due to the security environment around Chang'an City, no one dared to go out when there were not many people around. He Basheng assigned a few soldiers to follow him. Together with Li Tai's own entourage, a group of more than a dozen people left the manor for Chang'an City.

Today's Chang'an is still the ancient city of the Han Dynasty. It is not as grand as the Chang'an City of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, but it is also much larger than the Huazhou City where Li Tai traveled. There are many military cities and forts around, like stars over the moon.

But the city is also somewhat dilapidated visible to the naked eye. The walls in many places have collapsed, and some have been replaced with fences. In others, the gaps are simply exposed, and there are many traces of people and animals walking around. It has become a convenient door.

Chang'an City in the Han Dynasty was dominated by palace buildings, such as Weiyang Palace, Changle Palace and other large palaces and gardens. These palaces and gardens were surrounded by city walls, and the inner palace city and the outer city walls together constituted the imperial city.

However, with the development of history, the internal and external layout of Chang'an City has also been greatly damaged. Various wars such as Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han Dynasty, the warlords' melee in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and the Wuhu rebellion in the late Western Jin Dynasty all greatly damaged the ancient city of Chang'an.

Today's Chang'an City has been reduced in size to just the palace city of the Han Dynasty. The outer Guocheng has long since ceased to exist. It has been replaced by various garrison towns and forts, and some have simply been reduced to farmland.

Li Tai and his entourage entered the city from the east gate of the city. It was originally the Changle Palace in the Han Dynasty, but now it has become a Guocheng where citizens live together.

In the old days, the so-called swallows flying in front of Wang Xietang and flying into ordinary people's homes refers to Jiankang City in the south of the Yangtze River, but it is also quite appropriate to apply to Chang'an City today.

The original forbidden gardens became civilian residences. In addition to the chaotic layout of common people's houses and alleys, there was also a military city set up in the city. They were isolated from the civilian areas by walls. The military residences were called squares and the civilian residences were called luli. There was little communication with each other.

In addition, there are many Buddhist temples scattered in the city. It is still early in the morning, and the sounds of various chanting and Sanskrit chants can already be heard.

But what interests Li Tai most is that there are many kiln workshops scattered among residential houses, Buddhist temples and military cities. Some kilns are still producing with billowing smoke.

What is drying near the kiln is not products such as ceramic dishes, bottles and jars, but Buddha statues of various sizes and shapes, and many craftsmen are carefully painting them there.

As the capital of the Western Wei Dynasty, the largest handicraft industry in Chang'an City today has nothing to do with food and clothing, but the firing of Buddhist statues. Forty-five out of ten people in the city are practitioners. This is really a wonder.

At the moment, Li Tai is just an ordinary passer-by in Chang'an. Even if he has any emotions, he does not have the ability to make changes.

But seeing so many skilled workers in Chang'an City, he couldn't help but be moved. The workmanship of his kiln was only limited to firing bricks and simple pottery. If a group could be recruited and sent to Baishui Manor to collect local materials and specialize in the firing of ceramic ritual vessels, there would undoubtedly be a huge market.

The current Chang'an City is close to the Wei River, and the terrain is high in the south and low in the north. Therefore, when the city was planned in the Han Dynasty, important palaces such as Weiyang Palace and Changle Palace were located in the southern area of ​​the city.

Nowadays, these palaces and gardens have long ceased to exist and have been reduced to civilian areas. The pattern of the dignitaries in the south of the city has also changed. The palace gardens had already been moved to the depression in the northeast corner of the city, and the residences of the dignitaries were naturally moved to the north of the city.

This is because the groundwater level has sunk due to living in Chang'an City for many years. The higher you go, the harder it is to get water.

The address Lu Rou left for Li Tai was in the northwest wing of Ji'an Temple in the city. Under the leadership of He Basheng's personal soldiers, Li Tai and others successfully found Ji'an Temple after entering the city, and then sent his troops to inquire about nearby residences.

This Ji'an Temple is of medium size among the temples in the city, and the incense is very strong. In the morning, there is already an endless stream of worshippers.

Li Tai stood next to the temple and heard the believers who were coming in and out talking about the temple's ability to promote marriage and ensure greater harmony between couples.

His soul had traveled through this life, but he could not be said to be absolutely materialistic. Hearing these words, he became somewhat interested. He was bored waiting for Bu Qu to visit the address, so he went to the temple for a walk.

Just as they were about to enter the main hall to pay their respects, Li Tai heard Li Yantou calling from behind. Turning around, he saw Lu Rou, who was unkempt and looked hungover, walking with him.

"A Pan also believes in Buddhism and worships Buddha?"

Seeing him wandering in front of the temple hall, Lu Rou walked in and said with a smile.

Li Tai shook his head after hearing this and said, "I only heard that this temple protects people's marriages. Whether it works or not, this wish is always good."

Lu Rou's expression suddenly became a little strange after hearing this. She pulled Li Tai out and walked to the side of the temple wall before saying, "Even if you have a respectful heart, you must recognize the temple gate before you can worship. Do you know who this temple worships?"

Li Tai shook his head after hearing this, and Lu Rou motioned him to come over and whisper in her ear. After hearing this, Li Tai's expression suddenly became strange, and he subconsciously stepped away from the temple.

It turns out that this Ji'an Temple was built for the wife of Yuan Baoju, the current emperor of the Western Wei Dynasty. Yifu was the empress of Yuan Baoju. In the fourth year of Datong, the Western Wei Dynasty married the Rouran. Yuan Baoju abolished the former empress and made the Rouran princess the empress. The former empress was eventually forced to commit suicide by the Rouran princess.

Later, the Rouran princess died of dystocia, and Yuan Baoju ordered people to build this temple on the high ground in the city overlooking the imperial city to commemorate his ex-wife. It can be said that it is also a long-lasting love, but the most worthless thing for people is the so-called love when they are powerless, which can be heartbreaking or even life-threatening.

This is really a case of being confused and making others clear. If you can't save your own marriage and life, how many believers can you protect?

Lu Rou first took Li Tai back home and led his wife and daughter out to meet him.

Lu Rou's wife Yuan was born in the Northern Wei clan. She was dignified and polite, and was also quite enthusiastic about Li Tai's visit. When Lu Rou expressed her intention to entertain her cousin, Yuan actually personally lifted her skirt and went downstairs to prepare meals.

Although Li Tai always had a sense of defense against the Northern Wei royal family, he had to admit that his cousin's wife was indeed gentle and respectable. He hurriedly stood up and said that he didn't need to order a meal because he had to visit another cousin, Cui's family.

"The other day, the master returned home and repeatedly praised A Pan's demeanor. Even without the support of his parents, he could still stand on his own in a distant place. I was ashamed of not taking care of him before. How can I leave without a meal when my cousin comes to visit today!"

Yuan stood in the hall and said to Li Tai with a smile, and there was an unquestionable tone in her voice.

After seeing this, Lu Rou also said: "My cousin is busy with official duties recently. He may not be at home when I visit now. Please let the servants report that I will visit with A Pan in the evening. Although your sister-in-law comes from a noble family, she is not spoiled. I don't have the ability to build a business. The food and drink in the household are all managed by my wife. If you are unwilling to witness her wifely work, she will be unhappy."

After hearing this, Li Tai could only thank him again before returning to the table and sitting down. Seeing this, Yuan bowed slightly and left the hall.

"I'm working in Beijing, my family is simple, and the supplies are inevitably shabby. I'll also set up a milk slave to entertain guests. A Pan, can you get used to it?"

Lu Rou asked the old servant at home to serve a pot of tea, and said to Li Tai a little embarrassedly.

Since Li Tai moved in, he has also seen that although Lu Rou's mansion is not small, the doors and windows are mostly shabby, and the interior furnishings are also simple. The only thing that can be said is that it is very tidy. It can be seen that although the family is not rich, the head of the family is still diligent and decent.

"I was rude and impolite for not announcing my visit. If you continue to be so attentive and polite, I will be ashamed to be a guest at the table."

Li Tai picked up the bamboo spoon, scooped a spoonful of tea for Lu Rou, and then filled a cup for himself. After taking a sip, his eyebrows raised and he sighed: "Tea has its own interest, and it is more refreshing than milk!"

Drinking tea has not yet become a custom in the north. The tea in Lu Rou's family is made from tea leaves, orange peels, dried dates and shredded ginger. It is not as rich and complicated as the ingredients of the so-called spicy soup in later generations.

This tea retains the fragrance of tea leaves and dilutes the bitter taste. It is sweet and slightly spicy. In this late summer and early autumn, it can quench thirst and make you sweat.

"My mother made the tea herself, just because my father loves to drink it. I also helped!"

Lu Rou's daughter was five years old, with red lips and white teeth, delicate and cute. She was standing aside shyly at first, and when she heard Li Tai praising the tea, she said with an excited smile.

Then the little girl turned around and ran to the inner room to bring out a pottery jar. Although she was a little reluctant, she still put it on Li Tai's desk: "You need to add a spoonful of honey to make it taste better. Just add one spoonful, it's not good to add more, not good..."

Obviously, this is the delicious food that the little girl collected herself. She wanted to entertain guests, but she was afraid that it would be wasted by the guests.

Li Tai smiled when he saw this, put the pottery jar back into the little girl's arms and said: "Uncle doesn't like sweets, little lady, put the honey away. I live in a manor in the countryside, and there is a lot of honey in the mountains and forests. When you and your parents come to the countryside to visit, I will give you a full jar and other interesting food."

"Is it a big jar? How big is it?"

When the little girl heard this, her eyes suddenly brightened, put down her little honey jar, opened her little hand and gestured: "Is it this big?"

"It's this big!"

Li Tai opened his arms and hugged her, which immediately made the little girl laugh.