When he came back, he saw Wang Wenju, and Zheng Peng chatted with him while walking.

"Envoy Wang, where are we going to eat in a while?" Zheng Peng asked casually.

I have eaten breakfast as much as I can, and after standing for most of the day, I am really a little hungry.

Wang Wenju was a little surprised and said, "General Zheng rarely participated in court meetings before? ”

"Less" Zheng Peng said honestly: "A loose official like me, one more is not more, one less is not less, in the past, in order to complete the emperor's errand, I needed to meditate, and I couldn't apply for the court, and the palace came a lot, but the court rarely participated." ”

"I see" Wang Wenju pointed forward: "General Zheng, look, aren't those people setting the table?" ”

Zheng Peng turned his head to look, and sure enough, he saw a lot of guards and palace maids carrying tables and chairs, and the position was very special, just in the corridors of the palaces, there were many people who were easy to do, and after a while, a long row was placed in the corridor.

Wouldn't it, eat here?

Seeing Zheng Peng's doubts, Wang Wenju explained: "General Zheng, this is called eating under the corridor, whenever the court will be delayed, the court can not be dispersed on time, the emperor wants to eat, and the civil and military officials cannot be hungry, it is very troublesome to let the hundred officials disperse and come back, this is the forbidden place of the palace, and everyone can not move around at any time, so the banquet is set up in the corridor under the eaves of the palace, which is convenient and simple." ”

So that's the case, Zheng Peng pulled Wang Wenju and said, "I'm hungry, Wang Jiaofang, let's dine together." ”

"Slow" Wang Wenju pulled Zheng Peng, who wanted to sit nearby, and said, "General Zheng, look at what color the tableware is." ”

"Shen Scarlet" Zheng Peng looked around while responding, and quickly said with a sudden realization: "The color of the tableware corresponds to the color of the official uniform, that is, only officials of the fourth grade or above can sit at this table?" ”

"However, there are more than 1,000 officials in Chaohe, if there are no rules, wouldn't it be a mess?"

Zheng Peng said to Wang Wenju: "I have been taught. ”

In ancient times, the monarchy was divinely granted, and various rules and regulations were used to bind and deify class concepts.

Wang Wenju said with a smile: "General Zheng, please here, although the meal is divided into grades, the food is almost the same, and the taste is not bad." ”

Now is the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, the peak of the Tang Dynasty's national strength, the treasury is full, Li Longji is also a person who likes pomp, plus it is New Year's Day, the meals are very rich, there is no shortage of fish soup, lamb chops and deer breasts, as well as all kinds of famous dishes and fruits.

The dishes are not only beautiful and pleasing to the eye, but also taste first-class and make people want to stop.

Eight people sit at a table, and more than 100 tables are set up at a court meeting, which is just a meal under the corridor, and after the dynasty is dispersed, Li Longji will also invite the emperor's relatives and important ministers of the court to enter the palace to celebrate the New Year.

Most of the people at the same table as Zheng Peng are generals and waiters, and they are very polite to each other, but Zheng Peng's favorite thing is to chat with Wang Wenju.

"Envoy Wangjiaofang, this court meeting has been held for so long, and it is not over yet, is there any big deal?" Zheng Peng inquired in a whisper.

"For the New Year, even if there is something, you have to press it, that is, to report good news and not bad news, no one wants to feel uncomfortable, how can there be any big event, coax Your Majesty to be happy, as long as Your Majesty is happy, those of us who are courtiers will have a comfortable holiday."

Zheng Peng asked a little puzzled: "Two hours haven't been finished yet?" The emperor asked the imperial dining room to prepare a meal under the corridor, and there is still something to discuss? ”

Now he still doesn't let people go, it is clear that he wants to stand by himself, Zheng Peng made up his mind, next time he encounters this kind of thing, no two words, take sick leave, and Dai Lu will deduct it casually.

"The end? It will be the main drama in a while" Wang Wenju said with a wink: "It's all my own people here, it's nothing to entertain myself with closing the door, safflower needs green leaves, Datang celebrates the New Year, how can it be grand and lively without a little cheering?" ”

Seeing that Zheng Peng was still not awake, Wang Wenju took the initiative to provoke and said: "Those vassals of the Tibetan State are not allowed to pay tribute to express their expressions? ”

Yes, I almost forgot that during the Chinese New Year, those vassals of the Fan State who were courtiers to the Tang Dynasty and accepted the protection of the Tang Dynasty had not yet appeared, and the Tang Dynasty monarchs and ministers worked hard to compose a good show of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, if there was no audience to support it, it would be so lonely.

While he was talking, the ministers were urged to hurry back to their respective queues, and the imperial history of the Imperial History Observatory was also telling the ministers of civil and military affairs to pay attention to their appearance, so as not to be charged with "great disrespect" during the New Year.

Zheng Peng was a little depressed, but he still obediently stood in place and stood silently in the wind and snow.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for many people to come to the square in front of Hanyuan Hall to accompany them.

There were quite a few newcomers, the number was about 3,000, and when Zheng Peng saw it, he knew that they were envoys who came from all over the world to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty.

These missions were large and small, large and small, and were dressed in different ways, but also carried different things: some carried elaborate wooden boxes, some held gold-encrusted chests, some carried veiled beauties, and in addition to the richly decorated elephants, camels, and tigers in cages, the square was full of strange things.

Needless to say, these are all tributes to Datang.

The mission is roughly divided into three types, one is a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, which is a vassal to the Tang Dynasty, accepts the protection of the Tang Dynasty, and pays tribute to the Tang Dynasty; one did not pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty, but accepted the protection of the Tang Dynasty and came here to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty, which is regarded as paying "protection fees"; The last is to be attracted by the prosperity of Datang and hope to communicate and cooperate with Datang through gifts.

The square in front of Hanyuan Hall was crowded with people, and I don't know how many missions came, Zheng Peng knew that there were nearly 400 countries or tribes in the Tang Dynasty that were recorded as paying tribute to the Tang Dynasty, and most of them had been submerged in the long river of history by the end of the Tang Dynasty.

There are many reasons for its demise, such as the invasion of foreign enemies, such as the Persian Empire, which was destroyed by the Great Eclipse; There is his own death, such as Gaochang has always been a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan Gaochang King Lu Wentai and the Western Turks allied with the Tang Taizong in a fit of rage sent Hou Junji and Xue Wanjun to erase Gaochang from the map.

It is an exaggeration to say that all countries came to the dynasty, there was the Tang Dynasty, when the influence reached its peak, at most a year, a record 76 countries came to pay tribute, and some still rushed to Chang'an from thousands of miles away to pay tribute, in the feudal society with backward science and technology and closed information, it is extremely rare.

Of course, small tribes like those who are not recognized, small countries that are not recognized, or more.

Just when Zheng Peng's thoughts were like an electric turn, someone from the standing group whispered:

"You see, the missions are coming."

"There are a lot of missions this year, and I heard that the inn is full, and the inn will be requisitioned."

"Let me tell you, the Ministry of Rites is responsible for statistics and arrangements, and they say that there are fifty-two countries that have come to pay tribute this year."

"Yes, only forty countries came last year, so there are so many more in a year."

"That is, the battle of the Western Regions, not only won a big victory, but also went deep into the Great Food for thousands of miles, I don't know how many countries are scared."

"Ladies and gentlemen, you see, at the top of the list is the mission of the Great Food Country."

......

Zheng Peng couldn't help but look back, only to see that at the front of the line, it was the envoy dressed as a big food, and he saw them standing in the wind and snow in an orderly manner, without the slightest impatience.

I remember that when Li Longji ascended the throne, the Great Food Country sent envoys to Chang'an, and the historical records recorded that "the horses and Baodian belts and other things." The envoy saw it, but he did not worship it, and the constitutional department wanted to correct it, and the Chinese book ordered Zhang Shuo to play: The great food is very customary, Mu Yi comes from afar, and he cannot be blamed. on the concession. ”

At that time, the Great Food Country had digested the Persian Empire, and there was no one to beat in the Hezhong region, and the scenery was unrivaled for a while, and he also despised the Tang Dynasty, and arrogantly said to Li Longji that he only knelt to his own king, not the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty denounced him together, considering that the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty was on the throne, the situation was not stable enough, Zhang Shuo found a step, so that the matter was covered up.

Since then, the Great Food Envoy has become more and more arrogant, the tribute has become less and less, and his temper has become bigger and bigger, until Zhang Xiaosong has directly entered the territory of the Great Food for thousands of miles, breaking through a hundred cities in a row, and then he has become honest.

Not only are the missions of the big food country honest, but the missions of other countries are gathered in the square, waiting in the wind and snow, no one makes trouble, no one complains, no one complains, all look like good babies.

It relies on the martial arts and super national strength of the Tang Dynasty.

As a member of China, as a witness of the Tang Dynasty, a pride rose from Zheng Peng's heart, and he couldn't help but hold his head high.