Crossing the desert and going to distant countries to make huge profits, for many Hu merchants, this is extremely tempting, but it is also full of dangers.

The climate in the desert is unpredictable, it is very easy to get lost, and there are also wolves and robbers. Every year, people are left in the desert forever and can never get out.

But even so, every year there are still so many Hu merchants stepping on the dead bones of their predecessors and driving camels away. They walk along the ancient business road step by step to the Tang Dynasty, bringing rare treasures and various goods from the Western Regions.

In order to welcome their arrival, the people of Dunhuang would start preparing early, and merchants from Zhangye, Liangzhou and other places also gathered towards Dunhuang.

When it was the end of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, Hu merchants from the Western Regions crossed the desert to Dunhuang. Soon, Changle County also welcomed the first caravan coming from the Western Regions this year.

The caravan is composed of more than 100 people, which looks quite large. However, they seem to be divided into several groups within, and their clothing styles are also different. It looks like a temporary team.

These people came from the Western Regions and did not stop in Dunhuang. They came directly from Changle County. Obviously, they did not intend to sell their goods in this area.

The people of Changle County were particularly happy about the arrival of this caravan. This was not just a transaction of more than one hundred people, but also a signal that told the people in the city that the peak season of the year was coming soon, and other Hu merchants would soon come to their Changle County.

These Hu merchants came to Changle County in a hurry, and the people in the city were very welcomed by their arrival, with warm food and clean bedding in the city.

But first of all, they had to pass the city gate. This year, these gatekeepers seemed to have changed many new faces, which made the Hu merchants feel a little nervous.

The young man in his early twenties looked very handsome, and compared to the people in this place, he was really too gentle and handsome.

The young man looked calmly and carefully checked the pass certificates of them, then carefully asked them, and then returned the pass certificates to them, indicating that they could enter the city.

The Hu merchants were relieved and shouted one by one, leading camels into the city gate.

They are not big commercial stocks, but just a temporary team to resist the robbers and wolves in the desert. Among them, the largest caravan has only more than 30 people, and the smallest team is even less than ten people. It can no longer be called a caravan, but it is just a small group composed of several close relatives and friends.

"Are you going to have a meal for the guests? The shop has ready-made corn porridge and all kinds of dishes can be made."

"Guest, guest, do you want to stay in a hotel?"

"Hey, come here..."

“…”

These shops in Changle County have tasted the sweetness in the first few months. At this time, they are particularly enthusiastic and proactive when they call for business. They are all very energetic, with a smile on their faces, and they look particularly friendly and easy to get along with.

In the end, the more than a hundred people were divided into three groups and entered three shops. The three shops were very close. If something happened, greet each other and the others would come here in time.

"Customers should drink some corn porridge first?"

"Please bring one bowl for each person."

"Why."

"This is the bacon sent by our magistrate of Luo County. For guests to eat it, can you please have some cold dishes? It is cheap and delicious, and it costs ten cents a large plate."

"Get a plate first."

"Why."

These Hu merchants either sat or leaned in the shop. Some people refused to enter the house. They just guarded their goods in the yard, snuggled up against camels, and drank a few sips of hot porridge with porridge bowls.

From time to time, groups of servants passed by. These people were dressed neatly and energetic. At first glance, they looked like a disciplined team. When they looked at their rosy faces and strong bodies, the officials in this city obviously did not treat them unfairly.

"Everyone said that Luo Sanlang is a rich man, it is true." A Hu Shang put down the porridge bowl, raised his sleeves and wiped the dust on his face, and said to the people around him.

The reason why these people did not stay in Dunhuang was that they would rather walk one more day than go to Changle County to rest and rectify was largely because most of them had heard of Li Shi Luosanlang's reputation and believed that people like him would not be embarrassed by small merchants like him.

Although Dunhuang City is bustling and prosperous, there will inevitably be chaos with more forces from all sides. If a small merchant like them accidentally falls into someone's hands, this trip this year will probably be in vain. If you meet someone who is cruel, you will have to lose your skin even if you don't die.

"Dadadadadada." At this time, a donkey was swaying over the street.

"Whose donkey is this? It looks really good." A Hu Shang couldn't help but praise him when he saw it.

The son of the shop was feeding water to the camels in the yard. After hearing this, he looked up and looked out of the yard, and then said:

"The donkey from the county magistrate's family was busy with spring plowing a few days ago. I saw him riding a few times. On weekdays, the donkey was just wandering around by himself."

"Aren't you afraid of being captured?" the Hu Ren said strangely.

"That's not possible. I'm just being coaxed out tofu for a few days." said the shop's son.

A child who settled in their city used to help the city's restaurants grab business and make a living at the city gate. Later, their new county magistrate rectified the situation and no one was allowed to go to the city gate to grab customers, so he lost his life.

Later, when the guy saw people selling tofu, he always wanted to do it. He coaxed a big man from another place to carry the tofu twice. Later, a cement workshop was opened outside the city, and the big man went to work there.

Later, somehow, the boy took his mind to the donkey. County Magistrate Luo didn't care and let the boy drive the big donkey to Dunhuang several times. When he heard that the donkey liked to go to Dunhuang, he would go to Dunhuang when he left the city. If you ask him to go to Jinchang, then he wouldn't like Dunhuang. Jinchang is as lively as Dunhuang.

"Don't you the county magistrate know?" The children in this city were too brave and could even hit the donkey from the county magistrate's house.

"I know, why don't you know." The camel could really drink it. In a blink of an eye, a bucket of water disappeared again. The shop's son sniffed and carried the bucket to the large water tank next to him to fetch water.

"Then he isn't angry?" asked the Hu man.

"Don't be angry, it's a kid who is having fun, as long as the donkey is happy, it's done." He also wanted to coax five couples to help him pull the cart, but unfortunately they are obviously not interested in this work.

Just as they were talking, another team of officers walked past the street.

The Hu people were not dissatisfied with the fact that the officers always walked around the streets, and the inspections they checked were quite strict when they entered the city just now. On the contrary, they all felt that this was safe.

A peaceful and stable environment must require someone to guard it, especially in this era when frictions often occur on the borders of various countries. In such border areas, there are often more bandits and robbers.

Qiao Junlin is a meticulous person and is very serious in doing things. Luo Yong is very relieved to leave the safety of the city to him, even more at ease than he himself.

Recently, with the increasing number of merchants and pedestrians traveling to and from Changle County, Qiao Junlin's workload has also increased a lot.

In addition to patrolling the city, he also has to follow up on the progress of liquor brewing every day. After several months of exploration, they can now basically make liquor, but the taste is not mellow enough, with some miscellaneous flavors, and they don’t know where the problem is. Those wine-making craftsmen have been brewing in small batches every day recently, trying to find out their experience. Qiao Junlin always runs there whenever he has time.

He was busy running around the two sides, and Luo had no time to spend these months, mainly because he was busy with spring plowing.

Advocate farming and teaching mulberry is a work that all local officials have to carry out every year. If farmers have any difficulties, they have to help solve them. They usually coordinate with the local landlords and wealthy families.

After working hard these days, Luo has worn out several pairs of shoes and his lips have been worn out several layers.

Today I have a rare time to sort out the housework, but I have sorted out a bunch of torn socks for him. Half of them are his own, and most of them are Qiao Junlin. Qiao Junlin's kid is more expensive than him in shoes and socks.

So that night, when Qiao Junlin returned to the backyard of the county government office from the winery, he saw that the legendary rich county magistrate Luo was repairing his socks against the oil lamp.

"Why did you sew it on yourself?" Qiao Junlin picked up a sock and looked at it. The stitches were still done, not too ugly.

"But just a few pairs of socks." With this little trick, he didn't want to bother someone else. He would make it all over again and make a bunch of people asking for his own kisses.

"Do you want me to help?" Qiao Junlin asked him.

"No, you can rest." Luo Yong said, "But have you eaten?"

"I've eaten." Qiao Junlin was indeed a little tired at this time, so he stopped saying anything and just sat aside, holding his chin to watch the Luo sew socks.

They have been living in the same house since they arrived in Changle County. They lived together along the way for safety reasons. When they first arrived in Changle County, the situation was not very peaceful. Just using this little body, Qiao Junlin was really worried that he would be taken care of by someone.

As I lived there, I gradually got used to it. The room was quite large and the earthen kang was spacious. There was a kang table in the middle, and they slept on the side of the two of them.

"There is nothing in the city these two days, right?" Luo Yong asked him.

"No big deal." Qiao Junlin said. What big deal can this small city be like, but it's all trivial matters. Recently, he has led those servants to patrol everywhere all day long. He was a little uneasy, but now he doesn't dare to cause trouble.

"There are many Hu people these days, so you can keep more gods." Not all of those Hu people are good at it.

"I can save it." Qiao Junlin knew this in his heart.

They are talking about Hu people, and Hu people are talking about them.

Some people say that Luo Sanlang has well rectified Changle County. The city looks very peaceful, so it is better to rest here for a few days. I rushed along the way, and people couldn't bear it anymore, and the camels were also very tired.

"Don't stay for too long to avoid more trouble."

"We've all got here, so I'll take it for a while. When we walk to Zhangye, we'll have a good time there."

"I heard that Liangzhou City is now more lively than Zhangye."

"It's because of those two cement roads."

"Why don't we try the cement road as well and walk all the way to Chang'an City?"

"You are very light-hearted. Do you know how far it is from here to Chang'an City?"

"Don't talk, let's take a day off here tomorrow and set off the next day."

"Hey, I'll take a break."

These people discussed this and after the leaders agreed to set off the next day, the matter was settled.

After that, everyone rested. The city was in good condition and Luo used the reputation of this person. The Hu merchants were still more at ease living in Changle County. Although they arranged people to guard the goods, they were much more worried than before.

I was so tired during this period that these people got up late the next day. When they got up one after another, there was already a lively scene of people coming and going on the streets outside.

Those who come and go basically sell tofu, including local porters and other places. The load of tofu is taken out of the city and sold in a place, and they can earn some difference in price.

At this time, a man walked past the shop with a load of milky white drinks. Behind him was a teenage lady, carrying a basket of waxed wicks, and the basket was so golden that it was not known what it was.

"That's the soy milk and fried dough sticks sold in our county. If the customer wants to eat them, I will buy them with you." The shopkeeper in this shop saw these people looking at the father and daughter, and quickly said.

"What is fried dough stick?" They could understand soy milk. Tangren liked the soy milk. The so-called soy milk must be made of beans. However, the fried dough sticks were unheard of.

"Fried pasta, eaten with soy milk, is a perfect match. This is only available in Changle County, and you can't eat it anywhere else." The shop owner said.

"Then you go and buy it with us."

"Why."

Soon, the store also came back with a load of soy milk and a basket of fried dough sticks. He was so sturdy that he didn't need two people to go to for this little thing.

The Hu people couldn't wait at this time, so they took the bowls and the fried dough sticks. For a moment, the shop became very lively.
To be continued...