The first rays of dawn gilded the snow-capped peaks on the horizon with a brilliant golden sheen. An eagle swept across the azure sky, leaving behind a faint, cloud-like shadow. Just as the morning bell had rung three times, the market district on the south side of the Holy City was already bustling with crowds of people moving to and fro.
Yao Ying, wearing a gauze dress adorned with beast and scroll patterns, her face veiled, walked into the market accompanied by Ashina Bisuo.
Though the main street of the market wasn’t particularly long, it was crowded with merchants. Shops packed tightly together lined both sides, with colorful felt curtains behind which stood countless people, leaving barely enough room to squeeze through. Merchants of different skin colors, speaking different languages, wearing different clothes, and hailing from different tribes moved about. Goods from various Western Regions were traded and sold here, creating a unique prosperity and bustle different from Chang’an’s markets.
The air was filled with a cacophony of voices, with Sogdian and Hu language merchant calls mixed with the clear, pleasant sound of camel bells.
As Yao Ying walked, she carefully observed everything. Most shops sold jewelry, furs, spices, silk, and felt carpets. The dazzling array of exquisite goods was almost overwhelming to behold.
However, she noticed there weren’t many goods from the Central Plains.
Ashina Bisuo explained to her: “The trade routes to the Central Plains not only cross treacherous mountains and deserts, making travel perilous, but in recent years, constant warfare has left the routes abandoned. Ordinary merchant caravans dare not risk the journey. Most merchants here travel three routes: the Northern Route crosses the Tianshan Mountains via Suiye City, through Kangju, Shi Kingdom, and Rai, reaching as far as Fulin; the Middle Route follows the desert’s edge westward from Kucha and Kashgar to Gandhara, then either north to Kangju or south to Tianzhu; the Southern Route follows the desert’s southern edge through Loulan, Qiemo, Khotan, and Yarkand to Kashgar.”
“After reaching Tianzhu, some merchants head south through Kanyakubja and Rajagriha to Tubo, or from Pyu to Yongchang, reaching the southern borders of the Central Plains. Others take the sea route around Tianzhu to trade with Central Plains merchants who arrive here after months of sea travel, mostly from southern ports like Guangzhou, Mingzhou, and Yangzhou.”
Yao Ying listened with deep emotion.
The three trade routes Bisuo described perfectly matched the western routes of the ancient Silk Road, except the starting segment from Chang’an to Dunhuang and Yumen Pass in the Central Plains had been cut off, as the Central Plains had long lost control of the Hexi region, blocking the path and preventing travel.
Merchants who dared brave the vast deserts and endless snow-capped mountains spanning the continent, breaking through natural barriers to travel between the Central Plains and Fulin, wouldn’t easily be discouraged by blocked trade routes. With the flourishing of shipbuilding, more and more merchants chose sea travel for trade, with its huge cargo capacity and lower costs.
This maritime trade route departed from Central Plain’s ports like Mingzhou, Yangzhou, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou, crossed the South Sea past Kalinga, reached western Tianzhu, then continued by land to the Western Regions, Persia, and as far as Fulin and Jerusalem. Later generations would call this the Maritime Silk Road.
Yao Ying had heard Li Zhongqian mention that goods transported from the Central Plains to the West via the maritime route were mostly porcelain, tea, silk, and copper and iron items, while items brought back to the Central Plains included rare spices, plants, and precious treasures. Those goods were often bought up by noble families of Southern Chu as soon as they reached port, reflecting Southern Chu’s prosperity.
Back then, Li Zhongqian had joked with her that if he captured the Southern Chu capital, he would take her to browse the royal treasury.
After briefly losing herself in thought, Yao Ying continued observing the Holy City market.
For the Wahan Khagan of the Northern Rong to unify the Western Regions, they would need to capture the Royal Court and ensure control over all countries along the Northern Route. But as long as Tanmoluojia held the Royal Court, the Wahan Khagan couldn’t take the northern Western Regions. During the standoff between the two countries, small states like Gaochang and Yanqi had room to breathe.
Gaochang’s prosperity largely depended on open trade routes.
This point could be used to persuade the Yuchi royal clan of Gaochang to agree to an alliance.
The market offered a dazzling variety of goods.
While deep in thought, Yao Ying continued browsing, seeing Persian carpets, Fulin crystal cups, Buddhist relics from Tianzhu, Gaochang wine, and Egyptian scriptures written in gold ink.
Xie Qing, Xie Peng, and Xie Chong followed beside her, their eyes struggling to take in everything.
Seeing Yao Ying staring at colored brocade hanging in a Sogdian merchant’s shop, Xie Peng immediately reached for silver coins: “Princess, what would you like to buy?”
Yao Ying shook her head, saying, “We’re not here to shop today.”
Xie Peng looked completely puzzled.
As the weather grew increasingly hot, the Royal Court’s climate proved perfect for growing fruits and melons. Hu merchants pulling carts full of fruits were everywhere. The group bought some fruits and grain, then passed through the market to reach a mud-brick courtyard outside the city.
The Han people in the courtyard, young and old, all came out to greet them, kneeling and weeping profusely.
An elderly man with a graying beard cried, “Princess, we can never repay your lifesaving kindness. We wish to serve you as beasts of burden.”
Yao Ying gestured for Xie Peng to help the old man up, then looked around.
The men, women, elderly, and children in the courtyard gazed at her hopefully.
These people were thin and pale, wearing tattered clothes—Han slaves she had purchased from Hu merchants. Their ancestral home was Hexi; some were born in the Western Regions, and others had migrated there. When the Western Regions fell into chaos, they became lower-class citizens in miserable circumstances, captured and sold here.
The old man wiped away his tears and asked what everyone hoped to know: “Princess, will the Central Plains emperor send troops to reclaim Hexi and Beiting?”
Everyone looked up at Yao Ying, their eyes burning like two flames.
Yao Ying shook her head: “The Central Plains currently lacks the strength to send troops to reclaim Hexi and Beiting.”
The light in the old man’s eyes instantly dimmed.
Yao Ying looked at everyone, raising her voice, her expression solemn and determined: “However, the Central Plains has never forgotten its people. The court officials all eagerly await the day we can reclaim our lost territories. The Great Wei has pacified the Central Plains, promoted talent, and trained its army. We will surely recover our lands soon!”
Hearing these words, the old man grew excited again: “The Princess speaks true. We’ve waited so many years, we’ll surely live to see the day we return east!”
Everyone nodded tearfully in agreement.
Xie Peng distributed the fruits and grain, and everyone gave profound thanks, coming forward to kowtow to Yao Ying.
The old man was the only one among them who could read. Xie Chong brought forth the name register he had written for Yao Ying to review.
“Princess, we have taken in one hundred and eleven people here: fifty-one men and sixty women, mostly elderly, weak, sick, or disabled. They were sold cheaply because they could no longer do hard labor.”
Yao Ying nodded after reviewing the list.
Xie Chong asked: “Princess, how should we settle them? Should we take them back to the Central Plains with us?”
Standing on the elevated platform, Yao Ying watched the crowd voraciously devouring coarse flatbread, her brows slightly furrowed.
“We’re returning to the Central Plains and can’t risk taking all these people with us. We’ll surely rescue more people in the future—should they follow us wherever we go?”
Xie Chong scratched his head; this was indeed a difficult problem. They couldn’t take these Han people wherever they went. The Princess could support a hundred people, but as numbers grew, they couldn’t all rely on the Princess alone.
Yao Ying spoke slowly: “Better to teach someone to fish than to give them fish. Find out what skills they have—who can dye fabric, who can embroider, who knows craftwork, who can read… Any skill will do, and those without skills can learn. Those in poor health can stay to care for the children and elderly.”
Xie Chong acknowledged this, asking: “Does the Princess want to help them find work?”
Yao Ying shook her head: “If we just find them work, they’ll still face bullying. I’ve already asked Bisuo to help purchase two silk shops to be managed by these people. I observed the market today—the Central Plains brocades sold here still use patterns from years ago, inferior to the fine new styles we brought from home.”
Xie Chong suddenly understood: So that’s why the Princess gave silk to the temple monks!
After the religious ceremony, Royal Court nobles everywhere inquired about where those fabrics were purchased. Bisuo spread the word that the beautiful brocades came from the Central Plains. These days, Hu merchants seeking information about prices were as numerous as fish crossing a river, with even pieces priced at a hundred gold pieces unable to meet demand.
Xie Chong asked puzzledly: “Princess, why not sell directly to the Royal Court nobles?”
The Princess’s dowry included tea, silk, and jewels—rare goods highly sought after in the Western Regions. The Princess had only given some scriptures, golden Buddha statues, and silk to the Buddhist temple, with the rest still in storage. Since the Royal Court nobles were so eager for these silks, why not sell directly to them instead of buying shops to resell?
Yao Ying explained to him: “We’re outsiders after all. Selling directly to nobles would first offend the local merchants, and secondly make pricing difficult, likely inviting jealousy. Better to follow local customs—this way we’ll have fewer disputes and can provide these people with a livelihood. Even after we leave, they’ll still be able to feed themselves.”
The dowry was too eye-catching and inconvenient to transport, so it needed to be sold soon, but not all directly from her. Unlike the Central Plains, here the various national noble forces were powerful, with trade controlled by the nobility. One misstep could offend a great noble, and then not only would the deal fall through, but it would invite trouble. Better to cooperate with local nobles—shelter under a big tree for shade—to avoid disputes and leave a path for the future.
Xie Chong, Xie Peng, and the others exchanged glances, saying: “The Princess thinks of everything!”
They had thought it was just a matter of selling the goods for gold and silver.
Yao Ying called over the old man and asked: “What kind of work did you all do before?”
The old man respectfully replied: “Princess, we all have some skills! Some can farm and plant trees, others can tend cattle and sheep, collect sheep dung, weave felt, process wool, make wool rope, and some can weave brocade!”
Though the Royal Court lay deep in the desert, thanks to melting snow and ice from the mountains, there were large tracts of fertile land and pastures. They grew mulberry and hemp, fruits, and like Gaochang had extensive vineyards, with herds of cattle and sheep on the hillsides. The old man had previously herded for his master and helped weave felt during busy seasons.
Yao Ying told the old man about the silk shops: “I’ll have Hu merchants help manage the shops. Choose several who can read and write to help at the counters, and pick some skilled ones to apprentice in the workshop. I’ve brought many patterns from the Central Plains, enough to last you several years.”
The old man, having been a manager before, immediately understood that Yao Ying was planning for their future. Overwhelmed with emotion, he knelt and kowtowed.
Yao Ying had already noticed the old man’s considerable authority among the people. She smiled lightly: “It’s just two shops for now. Help look after them, don’t rush to make profits—first find a way to establish yourselves.”
The old man nodded tearfully, growing even more respectful.
Yao Ying asked: “Where were you sold from? How many Han people are there in those places?”
The old man answered: “Some of us were captured from Hexi, some from Shazhou, Guazhou, some are locals… The Han people in various places are like us, working for nobles, some are noble retainers, and some are from prominent families who have married into noble families.”
Yao Ying pondered, asking: “Are there any great clans among them who control military forces?”
The old man froze briefly, then understanding Yao Ying’s intent, his expression instantly became solemn. He bowed to Yao Ying, touching his forehead to the ground with loud thuds.
“This old one is Qi Nian, a descendant of the Qi clan from Hexi, willing to serve the Princess!”
Yao Ying smiled slightly, gesturing for Xie Chong to help Qi Nian up, but didn’t respond to his statement.
Qi Nian dared not ask more, his face full of barely concealed excitement and fervor. He said quietly: “Princess, there are still great clans in various places who look to the Central Plains, and families secretly training volunteer armies, waiting for the royal army to arrive so they can lend their strength, but their power isn’t yet sufficient to rise. The Royal Court is peaceful, other places have long been occupied, too far from Shazhou for news to reach.”
Yao Ying’s expression remained normal as she said: “A single spark can start a prairie fire.”
She could continuously recruit people, connect with great clans still loyal to their homeland, gather displaced Han people, use money from selling the dowry as military funds, bribe Hu merchants, recruit personnel, and move between Western Region tribes in the form of merchant caravans. These people were no match for the Northern Rong, but they would have their uses—such as helping transmit messages.
No matter where she was, she first needed to recruit an armed force she could rely on.
Relying only on Xie Qing and the others wouldn’t be enough to accomplish anything.
Qi Nian gazed at Yao Ying, silent for a long while, flames of passion rising again in his clouded eyes, as surprise, admiration, excitement, and elation flashed past, his blood boiling.
He had heard the guards tell of the Princess’s background. Though stranded in the Western Regions and barely able to protect herself, she still thought of rescuing common people like them. Not only that, but she even planned for their future. The Princess was their savior!
Surely their day and night prayers had moved the gods and Buddhas to send the Princess to save them.
Qi Nian knelt again at Yao Ying’s feet, tears streaming down.
He had a strong premonition: The Princess would surely lead them home!
Seeing this, the people in the courtyard put down their food and stood up, kneeling one after another like a tide, prostrating themselves before Yao Ying.
Ashina Bisuo’s Chinese wasn’t very good. After entering the courtyard, Yao Ying had been either instructing the guards comforting the weak and elderly, or talking with the old man, so he had stood watching from afar.
When everyone in the courtyard knelt before Yao Ying, he too couldn’t help but drop his casual demeanor, straightening his back as he gazed at this Han princess stranded at the Royal Court.
She stood before the steps, smiling slightly, her bearing noble, like a snow lotus atop the Tianshan Mountains.
So noble, so unreachable.
Bisuo was lost in thought for a long while.
On the way back to the palace, Yao Ying asked Bisuo to help inquire about land for sale in the Royal Court. Qi Nian and the others were more skilled at farming; she wanted to buy some land to let the elderly and women find self-sufficient livelihoods, which would also make it more convenient to settle people.
Bisuo agreed to help inquire but firmly refused payment.
Yao Ying smiled: “That won’t do.”
If she asked for Bisuo’s help, she naturally should pay compensation.
Bisuo spread his hands helplessly, saying: “Princess is too polite, why be so formal with me? We’re friends, you’re the King’s guest, how could I accept payment?”
Yao Ying smiled and said: “If that’s the case, I wouldn’t dare trouble the General to help. I hear there are many Sogdian runners in the city.”
Bisuo looked at her smiling face, his heart pounding like a deer, and dared not refuse further.
They browsed the market again. Yao Ying had already learned the rules of the Royal Court market, paid a sum of money, bought the shops, and hired two shrewd Hu people to manage them. The shops were already selling silk and could continue operating.
She spread the word, and merchants flocked to the shops, asking the Hu people: “Will the Central Plains Princess’s silk be distributed to us to sell?”
The Hu shopkeeper nodded with a smile, saying: “But you’ve come at an unfortunate time. The Kang family, Xue family, and others have already ordered a batch of the silk, and not much remains.”
The merchants were shocked and swarmed into the shop, afraid of being too late and having other people snatch up all the silk.
Of the silk Yao Ying brought from the Central Plains, some were sent to the Buddhist temple, some was used to win over and curry favor with Royal Court nobles to gain the market office’s care, some was distributed to Hu merchants to sell, and the rest kept in the shops to sell slowly.
Before long, she would be able to use the money earned to recruit her people.
Bisuo escorted Yao Ying back to the palace, then went directly to the Buddhist temple to seek an audience with Tanmoluojia.
The Buddhist hall was quiet. Rāga was reading scripture, his back thin and frail.
“King…” Bisuo removed his sword, kneeling on one knee in the corridor, and said solemnly, “I wish to ask you for something.”