Going all the way from the north to the south along the Tongji Canal, the scenery on both sides of the river changed from the original withered yellow to the green before his eyes. When he stepped off the boat and stepped on the solid ground again, Bai Chun felt as safe as if he had returned to the human world. feel.
She had never been on a boat for such a long time. Fortunately, she did not get seasick. However, it was just because the time was too long and the replenishment time was short, so she was always in a shaky stage.
At this moment, after taking just two steps, she felt that her legs seemed to be involuntarily. She always felt as if she was swaying when walking. Before she could react, a big hand was already around her slender waist: "Let you Practice more when you are in Luoshui, but you just don’t listen. Do you still think riding on a boat is fun?”
"Why don't you hang around?" Bai Chun didn't care to look at the other ships at Yangzhou Pier. What he could see in front of him were officials and followers. As for the people, and even the labor and goods on the wharf where ships came and went. , is completely invisible.
"I have a good character." Li Hong put on his trademark evil smile, which naturally attracted Bai Chun's eyes.
This was the first time for Li Jingye, Du Qiuren, Li Zongchen and others to see Bai Chun. Looking at the beautiful, fairy-like, white and delicate cheeks, they couldn't help but secretly marvel in their hearts, His Highness the Crown Prince is so lucky to have such a beautiful face. A human fairy accompanies him.
And then he seemed to realize something! Dressed in white, with hair hanging down behind her like a waterfall, she has the most beautiful appearance in the world. She is loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince. And most importantly, she has been accompanying His Highness the Crown Prince for many years. The only one who has always been a slave is the woman named Bai Chun.
Bai Chun had no idea that he was already famous now, because after following His Highness the Crown Prince for many years, he had almost become half of His Highness the Crown Prince's clone.
The luxurious carriage stopped a hundred steps away from the Five-Tooth Battleship. Li Hong supported Bai Chun and nodded to Li Jingye, and then got on the carriage.
"Your Highness... your personal guards..." Li Jingye did not expect that Li Hong would be so cheerful. He directly got on the carriage and gave himself full power over everything behind him.
"When we come to your territory, it's naturally up to you to make the decision." Li Hong glanced at the city wall in the distance, which stretched like a green mountain. He thought it was the legendary Yangzhou City.
Li Jingye's expression was stunned for a moment, and then he suddenly disappeared again, asking for instructions: "In that case, Your Highness, I will take it upon myself to arrange the arrangements for your personal guards and others."
Li Hong said nothing and got into the luxurious carriage prepared by Li Jingye. As for the driver, he was naturally controlled by Mang Zhong and Cheetah, while the people escorting him behind the carriage were lawless.
As for the personal guards, they were naturally led by Yu Tuqi, but he didn't want to worry about how Li Jingye would arrange them.
Bai Chun looked at the carriage and listened to the conversation between the two people. After Li Jingye left, he said weakly: "Your Highness, is this inappropriate? After all, there are only so many of us. If..."
"Don't worry, Li Jingye is not a fool. He insists on keeping me in Yangzhou for one day. I "happen" to need supplies. No one is a fool. They are just pretending to be confused. This is just a preliminary test. Give him He wouldn't dare to act recklessly now if he had the courage to do so." Li Hong smiled and touched Bai Chunruyu's forehead. He was just a little weak because he had been on the boat too much, but it wasn't a big deal.
The curtains on both sides of the carriage were lifted up by Li Hong. This was the first time he came to Yangzhou in this life. As for today's Yangzhou, he relied more on his memory. As for what it was like, he had never seen it with his own eyes, so he still dared not make a conclusion.
Moreover, the Tang poetry he knew about Yangzhou made him feel that the credibility was not high. After all, the talents of poets are the same as their choice of words and sentences. Most of them like to sublimate to an extreme level.
There are two docks in Yangzhou City. One dock is outside the city. Naturally, it is used to dock large ships such as the Five-Tooth Battleship. The other is a small awning-like boat on the river on one side of the road. It is responsible for docking from the waterway. Then deliver the goods to the city.
Compared with the inner city rivers of Chang'an and Luoyang, Yangzhou's waterways are naturally much more developed. The ships here are more like horse-drawn carriages in the north, carrying a large amount of materials in a city.
Under the escort of Yangzhou officials, Li Hong's carriage slowly passed through the city gate made of bluestone and entered Yangzhou City. Contrary to imagination, there were not as many bluestone roads as recorded in history books.
Except for a few main roads, the other small streets and alleys are still made of loess. However, the people coming and going, the noisy cries and noises, actually promote the prosperity and prosperity of this city of nearly 400,000 people. Wealthy.
Most of the houses on both sides of the street are mainly one-story, built with blue bricks and loess. The two-story buildings on a street can be clearly counted. From a distance, you can see a building. Two- and even three-story buildings come into view.
When walking along the river, the painted boats are like weaving, and the figures of warblers and swallows are shuttled on the painted boats on the river. The laughter like silver bells, the sound of pianos, and singing are clearly transmitted to the road on the bank. It is obviously a symbol of the river. A means of attracting customers.
From time to time, you can see a woman holding a silk handkerchief and letting it drift in the wind beside the windows of the moving boats, revealing half of her face, showing various expressions such as joy, contemplation, sadness, or dejection. Cups and tea cups are placed on the table in front of him, and the clear smoke from the incense burner rises, dances with the wind, and disappears. Everything is creating a comfortable environment for the wealthy patrons.
Pipa, harp, zither and other musical instruments are either touched and wiped by delicate hands, or borrowed to reflect on others, or they are quietly put aside, waiting quietly with their owners for the arrival of literati and elegant scholars when the lanterns first come on.
Li Jingye originally wanted to take His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on a banquet, by chartering a boat and then traveling freely in Yangzhou City. However, the Crown Prince just told him that there are too many boats these days and he doesn’t want to go there again. The river was swaying.
Li Jingye looked at the messenger and had no choice but to bow respectfully and answer yes. Thanks to Du Qiuren's preparation, he had to change the route halfway and go to the famous Manjiang Garden in Yangzhou.
Manjiang Garden is similar to the style of Suzhou gardens in later generations, but now in Li Hong's eyes, everything reveals a poetic and Xiaojiabiyu-like sentiment.
The vermilion windows, snow-white walls, blue-tiled houses, and dark black doors all reveal a pastoral scenery inherited from the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
"Your Highness, I wonder if you are still satisfied. Manjiang Garden is now a place for celebrities and literati in Yangzhou. Even Danyang... Oh, Jinling's romantic poets come here because of it." Li Jingye followed Li Hong on the winding path. The secluded path, the green woods, and the moist air make everything fully tainted with the poetic atmosphere.
"It's not bad. It's my first time coming to Yangzhou. I didn't expect that Yangzhou could be such a quiet and elegant place. It's rare." Li Hong looked at Manjiang Garden with appreciation and nodded frequently.
"If His Highness does not dislike it, I am willing to give this garden to His Highness. I wonder if His Highness is willing to give it to me..."
"Send it to me?" Li Hong turned to look at Li Jingye in surprise, was this a blatant provocation
"Yes, I wonder what His Highness's wishes are?" Li Jingye looked into Li Hong's eyes and said with a smile.
"In the whole world, is it the king's land? On the shore of the land, is it the king's ministers? I wonder where the British Lord got the courage to give me the things of my Li family? Or do you think that Yangzhou City belongs to you?" Li Hong's eyes didn't look back, staring closely into Li Jingye's eyes, and said coldly.
"Your Highness is joking. How dare I have such an intention? I just think that if Your Highness likes it, no one will be allowed to enter Manjiang Garden from now on. Except for you, Your Highness, even I can't step into it." "Li Jingye was still stunned for a moment and said again.
Behind the two of them, the entourage of Bai Chun, Lawless, Du Qiuren and others were already nearly twenty steps behind the two.
Mang Zhong and Jingzhe have been following Li Hong, never leaving. As the personal eunuchs of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, this has always been their duty.
"Having said that, filial piety is sincere enough. But after I leave, how will I know if anyone has come in? Or has I specially sent someone to monitor, so I can change the censor here? Now, Many ministers couldn't believe it. For example, Pei Yan, who thought he was loyal to the Li family, was even regarded as a role model for ministers by his father, but in the end he didn't want to rebel against me? The Li family wants to take over the country by itself?" Li Hong said with his hands behind his back.
Li Jingye avoided Li Hong's eyes, lowered his head and thought for a moment and said: "Your Highness, I only heard about this matter after Yuan Day, but... According to what I heard, there seem to be rumors in Chang'an now that he was raped. Framed by colleagues..."
"It's true, not only you heard about it, I heard about it too. I heard that he was deceived by others, saying that you, Li Jingye, were secretly connected with him? But is this happening?" Li Hong's tall figure Standing in front of Li Jingye, he looked down at Li Jingye's eyes and asked.
Feeling the invisible pressure brought by his tall body, Li Jingye had to put away his contempt for Li Hong just now.
I originally thought that it was impossible for Li Hong, who came to Yangzhou for the first time and had two hundred guards with him, not to know how to restrain himself, right
After all, he had just arrived in Yangzhou and had not figured out anything yet. He would not attack at will, let alone face himself with a tough attitude.
But what happened in front of him was beyond his imagination. Even if he only brought two hundred people, even if he faced his "slip of the tongue", His Highness's attitude was still the same as before, just like his style in Chang'an. There is not even the slightest change.
This reaction caught him off guard. His purpose of using the "slip of the tongue" to give His Highness the Crown Prince power was not achieved. Instead, Li Hong blamed Pei Yan's rebellion on himself.
(End of chapter)