Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 29: Taking Off Half Arms and Sharing Soup Noodles

Of course, getting a piece of the pie is just a fantasy. He can only eat as much as his bowl can hold. Zhang Luo is not so arrogant as to think that he can do whatever he wants in this world.

However, after hearing this incident, he seemed to have a more concrete understanding of the operation of the Tang Dynasty regime, so that some related knowledge became vivid in his mind.

After entering the market, he came to Wang's Shop and took a look around. Just as he stood at the door, someone came to greet him. After recognizing him as the distinguished guest who was personally received by the owner yesterday, the shop assistants became even more enthusiastic.

Zhang Luo asked if Wang Yuanbao was still in the store, but was told that he had already traveled east to Bianzhou. Combining this with the information he had just received from Wei Lin, Zhang Luo guessed that the interruption of the canal transport had made Wang Yuanbao so anxious that he could no longer sit still in Luoyang.

As expected, life is full of disappointments, and even the rich have their own worries. Zhang Luo's mood brightened when he realized that he didn't need to worry about the tens of thousands of strings of cash he had invested going down the drain.

In fact, he really hoped that Wang Yuanbao would use the wealth of the Chang'an rich to continue to hold on, and just maintain it for three to five years. He had no chance to get a share now, but who knows what would happen in the future.

Right now, he just needs to spend the money he has, and then find a place to hide, observe the court disputes and personnel changes, especially the situation of their Zhang family in the upcoming turmoil, and then consider the issue of whether to stay or leave.

Having said that, Zhang Luo also knew that his situation in the Zhang family was already quite delicate, and that returning would be almost impossible if he left. However, even if he stayed with the Zhang family this time and shared the hardships, he would not end up with anything good.

Moreover, he opened a business writing epitaphs for people. Although his clients were mainly envoys from other states coming to the capital, which could greatly avoid being exposed, how could he keep his deeds secret? If Zhang Shuo really found out in the future, it would be a big trouble.

He was feeling a bit conflicted right now, simply because of a desire to have it all. Deep down, he still hoped to find a way to retain his current status while avoiding being dragged down by teammates like his father, Zhang Jun. If he couldn't find one, the safest option would naturally be to proceed with the original plan.

So Zhang Luo went on a shopping spree in the South Market, buying some of the popular luxury goods such as Dingzhou colored silk, Yangzhou bronze mirrors, Shannan lacquerware, etc., and by the way, he got a general understanding of the market prices of the popular light goods in the neighboring Henan, Hebei, Shannan, Hedong and other places. As for the more distant Longyou, Shuzhong or Lingnan, he had no plans to go there for the time being.

This also reflects Luoyang's geographical advantage as the center of the world. It has close ties with the core geographical blocks within the Tang Dynasty. In fact, it is more suitable to serve as the political center of a unified regime than Chang'an, which is located in Guanzhong.

However, due to the well-known Guanlong origins of the Tang Dynasty, although the Tang Dynasty also regarded Luoyang as the eastern capital and carried out certain operations, it ultimately did not replace Chang'an. Before the Anshi Rebellion, it could still move in both directions, but after the Anshi Rebellion, it did not move frequently to Shuzhong and the northwest.

After shopping for an entire afternoon, Zhang Luo decided to buy a few more sets of clothes because he found that ready-made clothes, especially high-end ones, were actually a relatively good commodity.

The clothing stores sell clothes of various grades, ranging from a few hundred coins to tens of thousands of coins.

The prices of more high-end camel-skin and sable fur cloaks, fur hoods, colorful beaded shirts, feathered clothes, etc. are even more staggeringly high, and the money Zhang Luo has is not even enough to buy them.

Like his predecessor, the young Zhang Luonu, Zhang Luo was not particular about clothes. He only wanted clean, tidy clothes that wouldn't be embarrassing to wear. His previous clothes had all been tailored by Yingniang. After moving to Jicui Tower, Zhang Gu, the head of the government office, had several sets of winter and summer robes prepared for him. While not fancy, they were decent enough.

However, buying a few sets of fancy clothes can help you look good in daily life, and you can pawn them for emergency use when you are in trouble. Pawnshops run by temples in particular like to pawn robes the most, so it is not a loss if you calculate it this way.

Zhang Luo selected for himself two sets of round-necked, crotch-less robes, two leather belts inlaid with gold and jade, and a brocade half-sleeve.

"Take off half your arms and share the soup and noodles, begging Sanlang to remember Ah Zhong."

While trying on the brocade half-sleeve, Zhang Luo suddenly recalled a line from a poem. It was about how, when Emperor Xuanzong was about to depose the empress, Queen Wang wept and said, "Sanlang doesn't appreciate the kindness Ah Zhong showed me when he gave up his purple half-sleeve to make a bowl of flour for his birthday soup noodles?" Ah Zhong was Queen Wang's father, Wang Renjiao.

Many people in later generations took the words literally and said that Emperor Xuanzong was poor in his childhood and couldn't even afford a bowl of soup noodles. This statement is a bit unwise. Although Emperor Xuanzong had a difficult childhood and even his biological mother died in an unclear manner, his main reason was that he was in a difficult political situation. His living conditions were beyond reproach.

What Queen Wang wanted to express was the old love of being together in adversity and sharing weal and woe. For example, when Emperor Xuan of Han ascended the throne and issued an edict requesting the sword he had used during his youth, it was definitely not because the Western Han Dynasty's forging technology was so backward that it could not forge a new and useful weapon for the emperor.

Just these few sets of clothes cost Zhang Luo more than one hundred strings of cash, and that was because he didn't choose clothes that were too high-end.

For example, the price of a brocade half-sleeve is only a little over ten strings of cash, and it is made of ordinary Shu brocade fabric. If it were made of more sophisticated and exquisite patterns such as halo or large brocade, the price would be several times higher. However, there is a reason for the high price. These are high-end Shu brocade fabrics, and every unearthed piece in later generations will attract onlookers. After the An-Shi Rebellion, it was even banned for a period of time due to its complex craftsmanship and excessive labor consumption.

In addition to his own clothes, Zhang Luo also did not forget Yingniang and her daughter, Ding Cang, and Ding Qing who followed him. He bought two new sets of clothes for each of them and some hairpins and jewelry. This not only made the family happy, but also allowed them to be sold for emergency use when they were short of money. Why not do it?

Finally, Zhang Luo bought two iron swords in the iron shop. Although the society is stable nowadays and one does not need a blade when traveling thousands of miles, it is not illegal to carry a blade with him, so it is better to carry it with him for safety.

The Tang Dynasty's control over short blades and swords was not strict; private individuals could buy and sell them. However, legitimate knife shops would mark the blades, making it easier to trace their origins if they became weapons or had quality issues. Furthermore, knife sales were generally recorded in the city government, and buyers were required to provide identification.

However, if strict adherence to regulations were adopted, market management and transaction costs would remain high, so in actual trading situations, some flexibility would inevitably be employed. A high-quality horizontal sword in the South Market cost three strings of cash each. Zhang Luo paid seven strings of cash for the two swords and took them away directly. The extra string of cash was simply a convenience fee.

If Zhang Luo bought the knife and went out to kill someone, the shop owner would also be in trouble. If nothing happened after that, then the money would be safe in his pocket.

"With this sharp blade, I won't be afraid when I go to Yichuan with Alang to hunt bears and wolves in the future!"

Ding Qing held a sword in one hand, his eyes filled with excitement. Although the village had swords and guns, they were poorly maintained and rusted. They were nowhere near as cold and breathtaking as these two swords!
Finally, Zhang Luo returned to the herbal medicine shop where he had made his purchase and collected the pass he had entrusted them to process. A pass was a document that allowed people and goods to pass through customs. Normally, this would have required the person to go to the prefecture or county government office to obtain it. However, Zhang Luo had casually purchased goods worth 1,800 guan (approximately US$2,000), making him a major customer. The shop was naturally happy to assist him.

Two thousand strings of cash and silk may sound like a lot, but if used to buy and sell these high-end luxury goods, it wouldn't buy much. The money and silk that once filled the house finally filled only three boxes and baskets, weighing only a hundred or so pounds.

Zhang Luo also bought some medicine for treating rheumatism and sent it to Mrs. Zhou. He left the light goods he bought here for the time being and only took the clothes back to the farm.

"Ah Lang, Madam Zheng's servant Zheng Yuannu brought a few servants here this afternoon to ask for help. They said they could help with the madam's stele repair, but I declined."

As soon as they returned to the village, Ding Cang came forward to complain. Zhang Luo frowned and said, "Don't pay any attention to them. If they dare to cause trouble, kick them out!"

Zheng must be unhappy with his recent improvement in status in the family and his act of building a monument for his biological mother. He didn't know what bad things she was thinking, but Zhang Luo wouldn't have to worry about it in a few days.

I had originally wanted to bring the light goods I bought back to the village, but seeing the current situation, I decided to leave them at Zhou Liang's house for the time being and move there directly after Ding Cang found a temporary hiding place.

At the same time, the new tombstone for his mother had been completed. Before Buddha's Birthday, Zhang Luo took the villagers to Wan'an Mountain Cemetery to erect a new tombstone for his mother.

Because the nearby temple was preparing for the Buddha's Birthday, it refused to help with the vegetarian gathering and only agreed to send a monk with two novices to the scene to chant sutras to comfort the deceased, and charged 30 strings of cash for this.

After erecting the monument for his mother, Zhang Luo had nothing else to do and could leave at any time. Ding Cang had found a hiding spot at the southern foot of Xiangshan Mountain and had already taken a few farmhands to explore the area. When they returned, they could pack up their belongings and flee.

Because he was not sure about the exact time when the crisis of the Zhang family would break out, Zhang Luo specially arranged for a farmhand who was willing to follow him to stay in the city so that he could report in time when the crisis occurred to avoid missing the best opportunity to escape.

Of course, this is just in case. Although he is no longer a nobody in the Zhang family, he is definitely not a core member of the family. He will definitely not be regarded as the main target for control and attack by the Zhang family's political enemies.

At this moment, he should have felt relieved and just waited patiently for his escape, but instead of feeling relaxed, Zhang Luo felt a little melancholy and reluctant to leave the village.

He didn't know whether he was reluctant to leave the prosperous Luoyang City, or the people and things he had come into contact with during the past period of time, or perhaps he was confused and hesitant about the future, so that he had a vague expectation in his heart, hoping that some people and things would appear to make him stay.

Just as Zhang Luo was still lost in this melancholy, Zhou Liang's son, Zhou Lang, hurried to the farm. Upon seeing Zhang Luo, he fell to his knees and cried out in grief, "My dear, I've been murdered! My mother was taken away by a group of officials..."

(End of this chapter)