The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

Chief Tuoba's question hit the mark exactly as Tang Youyou was hoping. She smiled faintly and replied calmly, "Chief Tuoba, my visit not only represents the Tang Dynasty's desire for peace, but also brings with it an opportunity for mutual benefit. Our Tang Dynasty is vast and rich in resources, possessing tea, silk, porcelain, and other products that are scarce on the grasslands. Meanwhile, the grasslands are rich in cattle, sheep, horses, and furs, which are also in demand here. We can engage in trade, exchanging what we have and what we don't. This way, we can not only meet the needs of the people on both sides, but also promote the development of both regions. Isn't this a win-win situation?"

As soon as Tang Youyou finished speaking, a buzz of discussion sounded in the tent.

"Trade with them? Then won't we be dependent on them?"

"But...the things they talked about seemed pretty good..."

"Shut up! What do you know! This is their conspiracy. They want us to become their subordinates!" General Hu Han slammed the table, interrupting everyone's discussion, and stared at Tang Youyou with wide eyes, as if she was the eternal sinner of the grassland.

Leader Tuoba didn't say anything, but stared at Tang Youyou with burning eyes, as if he wanted to see through her true thoughts.

Facing the doubts, Tang Youyou remained calm. She met General Hu Han's gaze calmly, her tone firm and powerful: "General Hu Han, you said that we would make the grasslands dependent on the Tang Dynasty, but does true strength come from isolation and rejection? Only by learning to communicate and complement each other can we learn from each other's strengths and make progress together. We in the Tang Dynasty are willing to open our doors and sincerely trade with the grasslands. As for whether to accept, the decision is in your hands."

"You!" General Hu Han was speechless after hearing Tang Youyou's words. His face flushed red, but he couldn't utter a word to refute.

The tent fell silent again, and you could hear a pin drop. Tang Youyou knew that although these words temporarily suppressed General Hu Han's arrogance, it would take more time and effort to convince everyone.

"Leader Tuoba..." A clear voice broke the silence. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Aina standing up, looking at Leader Tuoba with a determined gaze...

Despite her noble status, Ayi Na disliked fighting and her voice was relatively weak within the tribe. She spoke slowly, her tone pleading, "Chief, Madam Tang has come all the way here, demonstrating her sincerity. Furthermore, mutual trade would indeed bring us many benefits..."

"Benefits?" General Huhan sneered, interrupting Ayina. "I think they've taken all the benefits! Their silk is exquisite, our wool is coarse and rough, their porcelain is as smooth as jade, our pottery is heavy and fragile... In the end, it's unclear who's dependent on whom!"

General Hu Han's words resonated with some people in the tent. They whispered to each other, looking at Tang You You with eyes full of suspicion and vigilance. The Tuoba leader couldn't help but frown. Although he admired Tang You You's courage and boldness, he also understood that General Hu Han's concerns were not unreasonable.

Tang Youyou took in everyone's reactions, but her heart remained calm. She knew that when faced with these people who had lived on the grassland for a long time and had never been exposed to the outside world, it would be difficult to get them to accept new things.

"General Hu Han," Tang Youyou said calmly, "You're right. The goods of the Tang Dynasty are indeed more exquisite, but that doesn't mean the things on the grassland are worthless. Your cattle and sheep are strong, your horses are as fast as the wind, and your furs keep us warm. These are all what we need in the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, the meaning of trade is to exchange what we have and what we don't have, to learn from each other's strengths and to make up for our weaknesses. We have brought you exquisite silk and porcelain, and we hope to exchange them for equally precious things from you, rather than just asking for them."

Tang Youyou paused, her gaze sweeping across the people in the tent, finally landing on Chief Tuoba. Her tone was firm and sincere: "Chief Tuoba, I believe you are a visionary leader. You must be able to see that trading with the Tang Dynasty will be a rare opportunity for the development of the grassland."

The tent fell silent again. Chief Tuoba frowned, as if he was weighing something. He looked at Tang Youyou, then at General Hu Han, his heart filled with struggle.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the tent, and an old voice came closer: "Chief, we don't agree! We don't agree to do business with the Tang people!"

When Tuoba leader heard this voice, his expression changed slightly. He opened the curtain and saw a group of people coming towards him aggressively...

Most of these people were merchants from the grasslands, who regularly engaged in small-scale trade with foreign tribes. Upon hearing rumors that their leader was considering large-scale trade with the Tang Dynasty, they became distraught, fearing their own interests would be harmed. They gathered here to express their concerns to the Tuoba leader.

The leader, an elderly man with graying hair and a weathered face, was one of the most respected merchants on the grasslands. Leaning on a cane, he trembled as he approached the Tuoba leader, his cloudy eyes filled with anxiety. "Chief, we have lived on this grassland for generations, conducting simple trade with the surrounding tribes, and that's enough. The Tang Dynasty is too powerful, and we cannot defeat them!"

"Yes, Chief!" another merchant echoed. "Their goods look bright and fancy, but who knows if they're really worth the money? What if they're trying to trick us with some flashy, superficial stuff? Wouldn't that put us at a huge disadvantage?"

Seeing this, Wang Jin quickly stepped forward to explain, "Please rest assured, everyone. The merchants of the Tang Dynasty all operate with integrity. We come here with the utmost sincerity, hoping to establish long-term trade relations with our friends on the grasslands, for mutual benefit and common development."

"That's easy to say!" a merchant retorted. "Everyone knows that you Tang people are the best at business. How can we, the rough folk, be your rivals?"

"That's right, we don't want to be exploited by you!" Another businessman also joined in the fun.

The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became more tense. The suspicions and worries of the foreigners hung over everyone's heart like a dark cloud, making it hard to breathe. Li Huaiyong looked at Tang Youyou anxiously, but saw that she remained calm and composed, as if she had a plan in mind. He leaned close to Tang Youyou's ear and whispered, "Madam Tang, it seems..."

Li Huaiyong looked at Tang Youyou anxiously, but saw that she remained calm and composed, as if she had a plan in mind. He leaned close to Tang Youyou's ear and said in a low voice, "Madam Tang, it seems that convincing them won't be easy. These people have lived on the grasslands for generations and know very little about the outside world, so it's inevitable that they will have resistance. In my opinion, why don't we come up with a more specific trade plan, let them understand the benefits, and dispel their doubts."

Tang Youyou nodded slightly in agreement. She looked around and saw that everyone's weathered faces were filled with anxiety and suspicion. She couldn't help but sigh in her heart that this trade route was even more difficult than she had imagined.

"Leader Tuoba," Tang Youyou stepped forward and said in a clear voice, "I understand everyone's concerns. I'm not here to force you to trade with the Tang Dynasty, but I hope to build a bridge of friendship so that both sides can benefit from it."

She paused and continued, "To show my sincerity, I'd like to first display a portion of the goods we've brought, as well as a list of items we're willing to exchange. I believe that once everyone carefully examines this, they'll understand that this is a rare opportunity for both of us."

The Tuoba leader pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, let's do as Madam Tang says. Ayi Na, take Madam Tang to make some preparations."

Ayi Na responded and walked forward, leading Tang Youyou and Li Huaiyong to a nearby tent. Along the way, Li Huaiyong frowned, "Madam Tang, time is running out. We only have three days. How can we come up with a plan that satisfies everyone?"

"Do your best," Tang Youyou sighed softly, "This is not just a matter of exchanging goods, but also a collision of cultures and a clash of ideas. What we have to do is not just to display the goods, but also to show our sincerity and dispel their concerns."

As night fell, the cold wind howled across the grasslands, and the candlelight in the tent flickered. Tang Youyou sat at the table, spread out a piece of white paper, and began to carefully consider every detail of the trade plan. She knew it was a huge challenge, but she had to succeed, because it was related to the future of both places, as well as her own destiny.

Time passed by minute by minute, and Tang Youyou's thoughts were like flying snowflakes, sometimes clear, sometimes confused. She would write and draw on the paper, and then she would hold her chin and fall into deep thought. Li Huaiyong watched her busy figure, with both admiration and worry in his heart. He knew how heavy the burden on Tang Youyou's shoulders was.

"Madam Tang," Li Huaiyong couldn't help but say, "It's late at night, you..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Tang Youyou: "Master Li, do you think this will work..."