Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 424: The Third Year of Jianxing
In March of the third year of Jianxing (200 AD), the snow and rain in Guanzhong had melted, the grass was growing, the birds were singing, and spring was in the air.

It was a sunny and windy day. The officials living in Chang'an took advantage of their day off and saw the beautiful scenery. So they took their relatives and went out in groups in horse-drawn carriages or donkey carts to enjoy the beautiful scenery outside Chang'an.

Princess Kehan ​​from Shanshan in the Western Regions was also among them. She followed the 300-man cavalry and brought a lot of money through the yellow sand to Yumen Pass, then along the Qilian Mountains, passing Heli Mountain, Longshou Mountain and Wushaoling, and reached the easternmost part of Wuwei County before the journey became easier.

He had been in Chang'an for a year and had paid a visit to the Han emperor in the Yunyang Palace. Through an interpreter, he wanted the emperor to send troops to the Western Regions to defeat the greedy Xianbei people. However, the Han emperor refused on the grounds that people's livelihood was in decline.

Although he could not send troops directly, the emperor was willing to confer titles on the King of Shanshan and the King of the Frontal Cheshi as "King of Shanshan in Hanxing" and "King of Cheshi in Hanchang", and gave them a tortoise-tortoise ribbon and twenty carts of precious items such as fine silk, cloth, tea, and refined salt. At the same time, he sent envoys to warn the Xianbei Chanyu Budugen that Shanshan and the Frontal Cheshi were already part of the Han Dynasty, and that the annual tribute of gold, silver, jade and other items was not to be plundered, otherwise the Xianbei would be held accountable.

However, this greatly disappointed Alana, the envoy from the Cheshi Front, and Princess Kehan ​​of Shanshan, who wanted the Han Dynasty to send troops to garrison the Western Regions.

Without the help of the Han army, the two countries were no match for the Xianbei people. Whenever the grass and water on the grassland withered, the Xianbei tribes would flock to the Western Regions to forage for grass and grain, rob food and all kinds of edible things, and besiege and massacre the nearby Shanshan people.

Every year, thousands of civilians died tragically at home because of the Xianbei.

"Your Majesty, as the ruler of all nations, isn't it the duty of the Han Empire to send troops to protect its vassal states?"

"All the countries have submitted to the Han Dynasty, and the Han army should be stationed in all directions. If there are 10,000 people, it is impossible to support them with the power of the countries alone, but we can still send thousands of elite troops to the Western Regions to provide them with food and fodder every month."

A girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a high nose bridge, a slim figure, fair skin, and a heroic air that combined both Eastern and Western elements, who was pleasing to the eye, spoke to the translator.

Liu Bei could not help but look in the direction of the voice. When the girl saw him, she immediately introduced herself in the Shanshan etiquette: "The flower of Shanshan, the favorite who is best at Kucha music and dance, the eldest daughter of the King of Shanshan, Princess Kehan ​​pays homage to His Majesty the Emperor of Han."

Liu Bei was slightly stunned after hearing this, and then looked at the tongue-tied translator. This person was also sweating profusely as he translated for the two countries, but due to his limited level, he could only roughly express the other party's meaning.

After Liu Bei heard the other party's series of titles, he felt that the scene was somewhat familiar.

Fortunately, he did not care too much, but waved his hand and smiled: "Princess, what you said is very risky for the Han family. Even if the Western Regions are willing to provide food and grass every month, I can't let the soldiers travel thousands of miles to take risks at this time."

"The countries in the Western Regions are full of wind and sand. The Han army is not good at going to the desert to fight the enemy. Moreover, the scale of dispatching thousands of people's food and weapons from Guanzhong to cross the thousands of miles of Qilian Mountains, across the desert and then to Shanshan is no less than a hundred thousand troops."

"Besides, one must be concerned before deploying troops. When going to the Western Regions, one must choose a place to station troops and cultivate land for production, otherwise one will not be able to gain a firm foothold."

"Two thousand combat soldiers and four thousand auxiliary soldiers will be rotated back home for three years to rest and recuperate. The financial expenditure involved is not something that Shanshan and Cheshi can afford."

"You saw it when you came here. Even though the imperial court sent troops to wipe out the traitor Guo Si who was entrenched in Jiuquan and rescued the King of Donglai and the Queen, there are still rebellions by the Qiang and Hu in Yongzhou and Liangzhou, making transportation difficult."

"If we go there this way, not only will we fail to save the Western Regions, but we will also cause the Han Dynasty to lose soldiers and generals. This is what I don't want to do for the time being."

Liu Bei patiently comforted and explained a few words to the envoys, Princess Alana and Princess Kehan, and then he ordered people to set up a banquet to entertain the envoys from the two Western Regions.

Zhao Ji also asked him to bring out the music of the Han Dynasty's victory over the enemy, "Han Feng". The whole piece of music was played by 358 people, including dozens of instruments such as drums, chimes, chimes, zithers, pipa, sheng, flute, piccolo, and five-stringed instrument. It not only showed the heroic spirit of the soldiers holding spears and chasing the poor enemy, but also the lightness and softness of the dancers.

The envoys from the Western Regions opened their mouths in confusion. Even Princess Kehan, who was good at the music and dance of Kucha, was stunned on the spot. A hint of surprise flashed in the girl's bright eyes.

Liu Bei sat on the high platform and glanced at the people from the Western Regions, with the corners of his mouth slightly curved, this was the majestic and heroic style of a man.

In order to compose this music and meet his requirements, Zhao Ji spent countless efforts and it took her several years to complete "Han Feng".

Seeing the frightened looks on the ministers and princesses of the Western Regions and other countries' faces, Liu Bei thought that he must reward Zhao Ji well when he returned tonight.

Although the Western Regions delegation settled down, they were all worried and didn't know how to report to the king when they returned.

After traveling such a long distance with great difficulty, in addition to opening up the trade route, the most important thing is to invite the Han people back to the Western Regions. Otherwise, even if the trade is unimpeded, it will eventually benefit the Xianbei people who make a living by looting.

Envoys from the Western Regions wanted to see the emperor every now and then, but Liu Bei refused and only allowed them to go to Chang'an or Luoyang to take a look. It was clear that he was willing but unable to do so at the moment.

The envoy Alana discussed with Princess Kehan ​​for a long time, and finally decided that Alana would continue to live in the Barbarian Residence and wait for the emperor to change his mind.

Princess Ke Han went to Chang'an and Luoyang to see what the powerful Han Dynasty described by various countries looked like.

So Princess Kehan ​​came to Chang'an City at the end of the second year of Jianxing. Chang'an at this time was different from the dilapidated city when the rebels Li and Guo occupied Guanzhong.

All government offices have been repaired, and the rammed earth foundations of the Weiyang and Changle Palaces have been re-laid. Although one cannot see inside from outside the wall, one can hear the sounds of the laborers working busily.

The nine abandoned markets in Chang'an were reopened, and the streets were opened up and many residences were built. People could live upstairs and various goods could be sold downstairs. There were wells for drawing water every few alleys.

This attracted merchants from Guandong, Yizhou, Liangzhou and other places. Thousands of shops were filled with goods and bribes, and paper, corn, cloth, meat, cattle, sheep and horses were all sold.

And this is only the newly renovated market, and more shops are still under construction and expansion.

Princess Kehan ​​asked the Chang'an official who accompanied her. The bearded official couldn't help but say proudly, "We can only get a glimpse of Chang'an's prosperity now. When the inner and outer cities of Chang'an are built, there will be more than 50,000 shops in the East and West Markets alone, including clothing shops, bridle shops, food shops, iron shops, gold banks, silk shops, meat shops, noodle shops, pen shops, cake shops, medicine shops, and craft shops. Chang'an will have everything that is sold in the world."

"At that time, the Han Dynasty had prospered for 400 years, and it was all gathered in one dynasty. Your Majesty said: Reduce the land tax by using the commercial tax, so that the people of the world can enjoy the prosperity and great governance."

The official bowed respectfully towards the north, his eyes filled with a longing that Princess Kehan ​​had never seen before, and full of anticipation.

(End of this chapter)