The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

The tents assigned to the three people were located relatively far inside the camp. Although still simple, they were a warm shelter compared to the biting cold wind outside.

The tent was small, with thick felt covering the floor, smelling of animal odor and dust. In one corner were some spare leather rugs and felt blankets provided by the caravan. In the center, a small copper charcoal brazier held a few pieces of animal charcoal, which emitted limited heat, barely dispelling the chill that seeped in through the gaps in the tent.

The ordinary-looking man in a blue robe and the woman with bright eyes sat facing each other, separated by a flat wooden box that served as a low table. Neither spoke; the man's eyelids were slightly lowered, and his fingers tapped lightly on his knees. The pretty woman sat upright, her hands folded on her knees, her gaze calmly fixed on the flickering sparks in the charcoal brazier.

"call--"

The tent flap was lifted, letting in a gust of cold wind. A chestnut-haired woman bent down and entered, casually removing her heavy outer robe to reveal an embroidered cotton skirt with a Western Region style that perfectly accentuated her wild and vibrant figure. She carried a wooden tray with three rough wooden bowls filled with steaming millet porridge and several pieces of golden-brown naan bread.

"Master, have something to eat to warm yourself up first."

The chestnut-haired woman placed the tray on the wooden box with a light, cheerful voice, and her brown eyes shone brightly even in the dimly lit tent.

After putting down the food, the woman did not sit down immediately. Instead, she turned and walked outside the tent, whispering a few instructions to those outside. Soon, responses and footsteps came from outside, indicating that they were going to prepare hot water.

After making the arrangements, the chestnut-haired woman returned to the tent and sat down unreservedly beside the man in the blue robe. She rested her chin on her hands, elbows on her knees, tilted her head, and blinked her large, curious, and lively eyes, staring intently at the man's calm profile.

"Owner,"

The woman lowered her voice even further, with a hint of coquettish complaint: "Are we really going to walk slowly to Yudujin Mountain with this group of merchants who reek of mutton? If we were traveling at our pace, we would probably have arrived long ago. Why waste time here?"

Upon hearing this, the pretty woman raised her eyes and glanced at the chestnut-haired woman, but did not speak.

The man in the blue robe kept his eyes downcast, as if he hadn't heard the chestnut-haired woman's complaints. He simply reached out, picked up a bowl of porridge in front of him, brought it to his lips, blew on it gently, and then sipped it slowly.

The chestnut-haired woman pursed her lips, but she seemed to know her limits and didn't press the matter further. She simply picked up a piece of naan bread, broke it open forcefully as if to vent her anger, and took small bites. While eating, she continued to glance at the man with her expressive eyes.

The pretty young woman also silently picked up her bowl of porridge, eating with great elegance and without making a sound.

Silence fell over the tent for a moment, broken only by the crackling of the charcoal fire and the faint sounds of noise coming from outside.

A moment later, Shi Feixuan put down the wooden bowl in her hand, her clear, star-like gaze turning to Yi Huawei, and spoke softly, her voice as cold as jade chimes:
"Sir, we have been traveling from south to north for over two months. At first, Feixuan thought that you intended to observe the northern scenery or visit old friends. However, this journey has been aimless and aimless, and now we have even joined this caravan... Feixuan is foolish and may I ask you, sir, what is the purpose of this journey?"

Shi Feixuan asked directly, this being the first time in two months that she had asked this question that had been lingering in her mind for so long. Lian Rou, standing beside her, also perked up her ears, her brown eyes sparkling with curiosity, clearly very interested in this matter as well.

Yi Huawei smiled, finished the last mouthful of porridge, put down the wooden bowl, and the light and shadow of the charcoal fire danced on his ordinary face, making his overly calm eyes appear even more profound.

His gaze swept over Shi Feixuan's beautiful and refined face, then fell upon Lian Rou, who had a gossipy look on her face:

"Purpose? Does Feixuan know where we are now standing? And where did the millet we just drank come from?"

Shi Feixuan was slightly taken aback, not understanding why, but still answered truthfully: "This place is north of the Hetao region and south of the Yinshan Mountains. It was originally the homeland of the Xiongnu and Xianbei, and now it is a place where the Turks and the Central Plains forces intersect. As for millet... it should have been brought from the Central Plains by caravans."

"That's true, but not entirely."

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, but then changed the subject: "Do you know that in the far west there is a vast empire called Sassanid? Its people call themselves Persians, they have established Zoroastrianism as their state religion, and they worship the God of Light. At its peak, its territory stretched east to the Pamir Mountains, west to the Mediterranean Sea, south to the Persian Gulf, and north to the steppes. Its civilization was flourishing, the Silk Road was prosperous, and merchants flocked to it."

Lian Rou's eyes lit up, and she interjected with a hint of pride, "Master is talking about our Sassanid Empire! It is the greatest and richest empire in the world! Our capital, Ctesiphon, has walls even higher than those of Chang'an, and the palaces are covered with carpets from all over the world, flowing with honey and wine! We worship the holy Ahura Mazda, and the flame symbolizes light and truth!"

"The Sasanian Dynasty..."

Shi Feixuan glanced at Lian Rou, seemingly lost in thought. She was well-read, and the Cihang Jingzhai classics also contained scattered records of distant lands:
"Feixuan had seen its name in ancient books and knew that it was a great country at the western end of the Silk Road, rich in resources, with a flourishing civilization, skilled in gold and silver casting, and worshipping the god of fire. It had competed with the Qin (Eastern Roman Empire) further west for hundreds of years. Beyond that, she knew very little."

Yi Huawei nodded slightly: "The Sasanian Persian Empire existed for over four hundred years, dominating West Asia, resisting the Hephthalites and Turks to the east, and the Romans and Byzantines to the west, controlling the trade routes between East and West, and indeed reaching its zenith. Its civilization, institutions, laws, and arts were all extraordinary. The exquisite gold and silver utensils, the gorgeous textiles, and even astronomy, calendar systems, medicine, and miscellaneous arts all influenced the Western Regions and even us further east through the long Silk Road."

His tone was calm, but Shi Feixuan keenly caught a subtle sigh within it.

“However,” Yi Huawei changed the subject, “there is no empire that lasts forever. Even the mighty Qin and Han dynasties had their day of collapse. The Sassanid Empire today, though it may seem that its territory is still intact, is actually beset by internal and external troubles and is already on the verge of collapse.”

Lian Rou's face dimmed slightly. Although she was far away in the East, she had heard some unfavorable news about her homeland from merchants and her father. Now that Yi Huawei had pointed it out, her heart tightened.

Shi Feixuan listened attentively, knowing that Yi Huawei had not brought these things up without reason.

"Internally, the conflict between the monarchy and the Zoroastrian priesthood and military aristocracy is deepening, taxes are heavy, and public resentment is simmering. Externally, the newly emerging Arabs, united under the banner of their prophet Muhammad, are unleashing unimaginable power. They adhere to a new and highly cohesive doctrine, and their iron cavalry sweeps across the Arabian Peninsula like a sandstorm, constantly invading the western frontier of the Sassanids in recent years."

"Cannibals...?"

Shi Feixuan frowned slightly; this term was completely unfamiliar to her.

“A once scattered tribal people now possess the power to change the world order.” Yi Huawei explained simply, without going into details, and continued, “To the west, a powerful enemy is knocking at our gates, and to the east, we are about to face the Turks.”

"The relationship between the Turks and the Sassanids has not always been harmonious. They have been fighting for many years for the profits of the silk trade and for control of the city-states in Central Asia. Now the Sassanids are in decline, and the Turks are eyeing them covetously. And the people who connect the Sassanids with the East, and who seek survival and profit between these two powers, are the Sogdians, the ethnic group to which our caravan belongs."

"Do you know how illustrious the ancestors of these merchants, who reek of mutton, were? And how many dynasties rose and fell along the trade route that runs east to west beneath their feet?"

Yi Huawei abruptly changed the subject, and Shi Feixuan was slightly taken aback. She then lowered her eyes and focused her mind, knowing that Yi Huawei's words must have a deeper meaning. She said softly, "Feixuan's knowledge of the history of the Western Regions is shallow. I would like to hear more details."

Lian Rou's eyes widened. Although she was a Sogdian, she had grown up in the Western Turkic royal court and knew mostly fragmented pieces of her people's long history passed down orally.

Yi Huawei's gaze swept over Lian Rou's pretty face, which was filled with surprise, and he said indifferently, "You call yourself a Sogdian daughter, but do you know where the name 'Zhaowu' in the 'Nine Zhaowu Clans' originated? Do you know that your ancestors were not originally profit-seeking merchants?"

Lian Rou subconsciously shook her head.

"The Sogdians are often referred to in Chinese historical records as the 'Nine Sogdian States.' These included Kang, An, Mi, Shi, He, and so on. They were not a unified nation, but rather a confederation of city-states centered around Samarkand, scattered across the fertile oasis between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, an area historically known as 'Central Asia.'"

"As early as the First Persian Empire, during the Achaemenid Dynasty, kings such as Cyrus and Darius had already incorporated this region into their territories and established it as a province. At that time, your ancestors may have been training warhorses for the Persian monarchs or cultivating grapes."

"Later, Alexander the Great of Macedon conquered the east, his iron hooves crushing Persia, his army reaching the banks of the Indus River. His arrival brought countless killings, but also Greek sculpture, drama, and the city-state system. Samarkand, then called Marakanda, put up a fierce resistance, but was ultimately conquered. Alexander married Roxana, the daughter of a Sogdian noblewoman, there. From then on, Greek civilization permeated the Sogdian bloodline. The patterns you now carve on silverware and the designs of your architectural domes may well bear the imprint of that time."

Lian Rou listened intently. These stories, so distant they seemed like myths, she had only heard vague fragments from some Zoroastrian priests, far less clearly and coherently than Yi Huawei was recounting them. She couldn't help but ask, "Master... how do you know so much? Even the oldest elder in our tribe can't tell us all of this..."

Yi Huawei smiled, did not answer her question, and continued his calm narration:
"After the collapse of Alexander's Empire, this land was successively ruled by Hellenistic kingdoms such as the Seleucids and Bactria (Bactria), and then submitted to nomadic tribes from the east, such as the Yuezhi and the Kushans. Until... the Hephthalites, also known as the 'White Huns', rose to become the masters of this land."

"The Hephthalites were fierce and lived by plunder. The Sogdian city-states had no choice but to submit and offer up their wealth and loyalty. You must have heard of this history."

Lian Rou nodded: "Yes, according to the clan's legends, there was a dark period when they were enslaved."

"After darkness comes not always light, but perhaps another period of dependence."

Yi Huawei's tone remained calm: "The tyranny of the Hephthalites ultimately led to disastrous consequences. The Sasanian Empire of Persia in the west, together with the emerging Turkic Khaganate, attacked from the east and west, dividing the Hephthalite Empire. About sixty years ago, the Hephthalites were completely destroyed."

The Sogdians, at this juncture, demonstrated their survival wisdom. They swiftly turned to their new master—the powerful Turkic Khaganate. With their shrewd minds and unique linguistic talents, they not only preserved the autonomy of their city-state but also rose to become an indispensable ally of the Turkic Khaganate.

Yi Huawei picked up the bowl of porridge, took another sip, and continued:

"The Turks were kings on horseback, skilled in warfare but not in business and management. As a result, the Khanate's documents, archives, communications with foreign countries, and most importantly... the accumulation of wealth gradually fell into the hands of the Sogdians. They became the Turks' 'sabao' (caravan leaders, who also often managed the affairs of the Sogdian settlements), interpreters, envoys, and even advisors."

"Just like An Lushan,"

Yi Huawei gestured towards the outside of the tent: "His caravans traveled between the Turkic garrisons and the Western Regions, trading silk, porcelain, and tea in exchange for furs, fine horses, and jade. They may seem humble, but in reality, they control the lifeline of communication between East and West. They not only transport goods, but also ideas, beliefs, and technologies."

"Buddhist scriptures were brought to China by Sogdian monks who crossed the Pamir Plateau; Zoroastrian fire rituals were ignited along the Silk Road with their footsteps; the Manichaean doctrine of light was also spread by them; and Persian medicine, the music of the pipa and konghou, the rapid spinning of the Sogdian whirling dance... all these were able to circulate continuously among different civilizations thousands of miles away thanks to these 'merchants'."

Yi Huawei's words seemed to unfold a vast historical scroll before Shi Feixuan and Lian Rou. Dynasties rose and fell, iron and blood clashed, but the Sogdians, like resilient vines, clung to strong tree trunks, yet in their unique way, they deeply rooted themselves in the soil of cultural exchange between East and West.

A flash of understanding crossed Shi Feixuan's eyes. She began to understand why Yi Huawei had infiltrated the caravan and why he had recounted this history. What he was after was not the gain or loss of a single city or battle. His vision had long since transcended the internal strife of the Central Plains, turning towards a much broader world and the ethnic groups and civilizations that played a special role in it.

"I see…"

Shi Feixuan sighed softly, "These merchants who seem to be driven by profit actually have such a profound history and purpose. Feixuan has learned a lot. Young Master, you are knowledgeable and learned beyond compare. Feixuan admires you. But... what does this have to do with the purpose of this trip to Dujin Mountain?"

Yi Huawei raised his eyelids and looked directly at Shi Feixuan:
"Connection? To know the future trend, one must observe the changes of the past and present. Why was the Turkic Khaganate able to rise in the northern desert and repeatedly invade the south? Was it merely because of its military strength? Now the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates are divided and fighting each other. They seem weak, but is their foundation really shaken? The Tongyabgu Khan stands on the Dujin Mountain, commanding hundreds of thousands of archers. Is his ambition limited to the grasslands?"

"And the Sogdians, these seemingly profit-driven merchants, are inextricably linked to the fate of the Turks and the Sasanian Empire of Persia further west. The Sasanian dynasty is currently engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the Arabs who are rising in the Arabian Peninsula, and its national power is declining day by day. Once Persia, this western gateway, collapses, a tidal wave from the Arabs will surge in, and the entire Western Regions, and even the steppes and Central Plains further east, will face unprecedented changes."

Shi Feixuan was deeply shaken. Having cultivated since childhood, she cared for the common people, but her perspective was mostly focused on the struggle for supremacy in the Central Plains and the pursuit of imperial power. She had never imagined that beyond the Jade Gate Pass, thousands of miles away, the rise and fall of different civilizations and races would collide like dominoes, ultimately affecting the fate of the Central Plains. Yi Huawei's words opened a door to a wider world for her, allowing her to see beyond the chessboard—a world far more magnificent and treacherous.

"What does the young master mean..."

Shi Feixuan's voice was slightly hoarse: "Our trip is not just about the Turks, but also about seeing with our own eyes and judging what impact this change in the West will have on the Central Plains?"

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, his gaze profound: "The struggle for the Central Plains, though seemingly complex, is actually nearing its end. The Heavenly Alliance has already established its dominance, and figures like Li Yuan, Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong are merely minor ailments. The real challenges lie in the north and the west. If we do not anticipate these changes and prepare for the future, even if we unify the Central Plains, we may face the predicament of being attacked from both sides."

"The Turks are a major threat to the northern border of the Central Plains, and their rise and fall directly affect the fate of the world. To pacify the Central Plains, one must first examine the northern frontier. And to examine the northern frontier, one must first understand its network. Half of this network is tied to the Golden Wolf Banner of the Turkic royal court, and the other half... is in the hands of these merchants of the 'Nine Sogdian Clans.' They understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Turks, control the flow of wealth, and can even influence the allegiance of tribes. Mount Yudujin is the heart of the Turks and also the center of activity for these Sogdians."

"I am going there to see with my own eyes how this heart beats, and how these veins connect the vast distances of east and west into a single, unified whole." (End of Chapter)