It is becoming more and more difficult to live in the capital, not only the foreign businessmen are so emotional, but also the capital officials are so worried that they will tear off a few beards. In the first 20 years of Tai'an City in this dynasty, the land per mu was only 600 taels of silver, and it is still Precious silver and cheap copper have risen to a jaw-dropping 2,500 taels per mu. No wonder Sun Xiji said that a square inch of land is the same price as gold. A small courtyard, even in the most fringe of the capital, costs nearly a thousand taels. Scholars who entered the capital for the examination complained endlessly. Fortunately, there are fellow village halls that have flourished due to the times, so that most of the cash-strapped Scholars are not desperate, and there are monasteries available for rent, and ordinary scholars can afford the rent, so there are no complaints. Only those big writers with empty reputations and no gold and silver have no money to buy a residence in the capital for the rest of their lives. I will often chat and write a few poems with self-deprecation, which can not only express my feelings, but also win the sympathy of poor people, killing two birds with one stone. Some guild halls that have been out of the Yellow Gate or the Hanlin often display a signboard with a daily rent of 1,000 ren in auspicious places for Jinshi. These treasured places of geomantic omen are in short supply.
There are a total of 600 guild halls in the capital, most of which are adjacent to each other. They are located in the southeast of Tai'an City. Every time the imperial examination is held, it is very lively. People are not in vain for young people. Kao Shizi was also worried about the unfamiliarity of the people and the place. The locals in the capital cast aside their accent for that accent. After entering Tai'an City and living in the guild hall, they found that they were surrounded by people from their hometown. Those who had no money were also happy. , I can't wait to spend a lot of money to have fun, really think these kids are stupid with a lot of money? Of course not. Most of the fellow scholars who are eligible to go to Beijing to catch the exam are studying hard in the cold window. They only missed the last layer of window paper. Or a few taels of silver for a full meal, and he will flourish in the future. As long as he can do what he can, wouldn't he not be happy to support his fellow countrymen who were kind to him in the past? Therefore, in this guild hall area, which is known as fish and dragon slices, the business of almost all stores is particularly good compared with other markets, and many outsiders who have already been officials in the capital also like to come here to call friends every now and then. Invite friends to gather together to cheer up the younger generation from the same hometown or teach them face-to-face opportunities.
This scene is just a microcosm of the struggle between the four parties of the Liyang Dynasty. Unfortunately, as one of the deadliest parties, the Qing Party, gradually withered, the Qingzhou scholars who were rich and powerful in the past became rootless ghosts. The voices in this area of Pian'er are getting smaller and smaller.
The White Lion Tower was originally called Tianxiang Tower instead of this name. Its business was mediocre at that time. It has made a lot of money this year, and it can be regarded as making a lot of money. It is attributed to the fact that Li Baishi, the leader of the brothel, lived in a nearby big Goulan last year. Needless to say, the beauty is the only prostitute in Rouge's review. For men in the capital, this alone is enough. Li Baishi is known as a sensual and sensual double armor, and has a very good reputation. Several famous and upright officials in the dynasty were once funded by her. She was born as an official in East Vietnam, and her family background is very impressive. Many restaurants nearby are well-known and overcrowded, all of them are wealthy sons who come here for their fame. Baishilou also has a few specialty dishes, which are extremely spicy. For diners with heavy tastes, it is undoubtedly a good place to feast on the food without spending a lot of money. A group of guests came today, but there were not many people. There are only three of them, but their wealth is not the same as in the past. The owner of the restaurant still gives enough face and cooks and serves himself. There is no other reason. The Mr. Zhao who leads the way knows how to be a man. appetite. The shopkeeper surnamed Lu is not blunt at all, he not only cooks, but also serves the dishes by himself, besides the love he has accumulated with Mr. Zhao for many years, and the two friends around Mr. Zhao do not look like ordinary people. One, a woman disguised as a man, with immature techniques, how could she escape the piercing eyes of shopkeeper Lu, she could be seen as a great lady from a great family, could it be Brother Zhao who fell in love with the daughter of a dignitary? Hey, this is a good thing. It would be even better if I could drink a few glasses of wedding wine and meet the big shots in the capital in the future. As for the other white-faced and beardless man, Shopkeeper Lu didn't dare to take a second look. He was wearing a suit of strange satin that couldn't be described as exquisitely handcrafted. The rich man's clothes he had seen before, after comparison, seemed to be that of a local rich man. Small style.
After Mr. Zhao sat down in the elegant room separated by himself, he smiled at the poorly concealed woman and asked, "My Mr. Sui, how is this place?"
She snorted coldly: "Extremely shabby!"
Mr. Zhao was not surprised by this answer, and said with a smile: "The dishes made are not good-looking, just one feature, spicy. But don't you always say that you can eat spicy food, and then don't drink a sip of water if you have the ability."
She rolled her eyes and said: "I'm thirsty, I can't drink water, Zhao Kai, what can you do to me?"
The young man named Zhao Kai leaned against the back of the chair and stretched out his thumb, "Princess Sui Zhu has a real temperament, I admire her."
The woman raised her brows upside down, slapped the table, and said angrily, "Your surname is Zhao, call me Mr. Sui!"
Zhao Kai said helplessly: "Yes, who told you to be my sister. The eldest son of Sui is the eldest son of Sui."
The woman didn't know whether she was angry or sincere, and said very hurtfully: "Anyway, I don't think you are my brother, why do you think it's your business."
Zhao Kai had a sad face, and the woman made it worse, and said with a sneer: "Still pretending to me!"
Zhao Kai didn't take it seriously, he laughed, but was very happy.
The man who was the most official among the three stood with his hands tied, respectful. Watching the two young men and women bickering, their faces were expressionless.
Zhao Kai turned his head and said with a smile: "Master, come and sit down, this is not a palace with strict rules and regulations, let's come here as you feel comfortable."
The man near the chest with two strands of white hair drooping shook his head and said, "Our family is very comfortable without kneeling."
The homophony of "We" is mixed, and it has always been the eunuchs of this dynasty who call themselves, and those eunuchs with some status and power have the qualifications and courage. However, since the young man is Zhao Kai, the illegitimate son of the emperor, and the woman is Princess Sui Zhu, whom the emperor loves so much, then the identity of this eunuch whom Zhao Kai respectfully called Master Master will be revealed, the first eunuch of the dynasty, Han Diao Temple. This old eunuch who can't be called a man, nicknamed Renmao, if he hadn't been the palace's Dinghaishenzhen, obstructing him again and again, Cao Zhangqing of Xichu would have taken off the emperor's head long ago. To be able to wear the red armor of Fu Jiang, one of the four great masters of the previous generation, to live armor and skin, Han Diao Temple's Zhixuan Realm is too mysterious. Such a damned eunuch that all the courtiers feared, every time the shopkeeper Lu knocked on the door and served the food, he would say apology, and then tasted it first, before letting the two little masters put down the chopsticks.
After eating two dishes, Princess Sui Zhu suddenly put down her chopsticks and said sullenly, "Eating like this is no different from being in the palace, Zhao Kai, let's go downstairs and choose a lively table!"
Zhao Kai said with a smile: "Listen to you. Master, today the words of Mr. Sui are the most useful, we all listen to her, okay?"
For the first time in history, Han Diaosi twitched the corner of his mouth and nodded slightly. Ren Mao is not making fun of Princess Sui Zhu's childlike nature, but is grateful for the little master's gift of deliberately arranging him to sit at the same table. In this world, Han Diao Temple has seen too many people who you treat well but don't miss. When Han Diaosi was just an ordinary eunuch, he traveled with the great master in low clothes, and met that humble woman, and she sincerely invited him to sit down for dinner, even if she knew his eunuch status, she would still be the same as before. Han Diao Temple will remember the rough dishes and light meals for a lifetime.
If people respect Han Shengxuan for one inch, I will respect him for one hundred feet. If someone deceives me Han Shengxuan for a while, I will deceive him forever. I don't know how many civil servants and military generals who were tortured and killed by this man-cat Manchu, before they died, they all rejoiced that there was no afterlife to suffer again.
Since it is a film of fish and dragon, of course there is a mixed bag of fish and dragons in Baishilou. There are scholars and scholars, gentry and wealthy businessmen, and some rogues who live in brothels as thugs. Shopkeeper Lu has no objection to changing tables. How to be happy how to act.
The business of the restaurant was good, and it was a place to eat. The shopkeeper managed to vacate an empty table and asked the waiter to clean it up quickly. Zhao Kai and the three of them sat down when they heard a man with his chest bared at the next table step on the table. On the bench, he gritted his teeth and cursed: "Fuck, a few days ago we decided to make a scene with the little boy who prostituted a woman. We didn't have any money in our pockets to pretend to be a uncle, so we just used a few nonsense articles to fool around. Poetry is not like poetry." , Words are not like words, listening to croaking, I'm going to use a stick to deal with this itchy little bastard on the spot."
At the same table are a few foreign scholars who are not too well-to-do. They have been hanging out in that brothel named Dingfengpo for a long time. Living in a high place, thinking about the past is not a problem, so I wondered if I could get along with the head of the nursing home in front of me, not to mention the extravagant hope that the price would be lowered, and after entering the yard before going to bed, I could at least get rid of some unnecessary rewards, brothels Goulan, there are many ways, and it takes a lot of money to save face. The extra expenses on maids and slaves add up bit by bit, and the amount of broken money is also scary.
A scholar with a stiff face and not a smart person hesitated for a while, and said in a daze: "I heard about this man, and he recited three poems. Now I know all the fish and dragon pieces, and they are all pretty good. "Lonely light shines on itself, the liver and gallbladder are full of ice and snow", "East wind and spring, let the small peach branches first" are good sentences."
The complexion of the strong man in the nursing home changed drastically, he pouted mercilessly, got up and was about to leave, the scholar in the lead was well-versed in the world, so he pulled him back to his seat after he said something, and said: "No matter how good the words are, they are just small stories. Xu Weixiong, the poet of Shangyin School, also said that Ci is just "poetry". Most of the poets in the contemporary literary world are just picking up the leaks from the old poets of the predecessors, and they can't be called real talents, let alone stand on their own. Let me come Look, what kind of daring, if it's really cold, will you go to the brothel and yell? Isn't this a low-level gimmick, and in terms of character, it's far less straightforward than Hong Jiaotou!"
The strong man liked to hear this, and took a bite of the fatty and spicy chicken leg. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a young man who looked like a son on the nearby table, and he glared and said, "You kid, what a joke?!"
Zhao Kai said with a straight face: "The strong man is right, those scholars who are trying to gain fame should be punished."
The man saw that his expression didn't seem to be fake, and he didn't seem to be ironic, so he smiled and said: "You boy is on the right track, someday you will go to settle the storm and report my name as Hong Sanlong, and the girls' prices will be fair!"
Zhao Kai cupped his fists in thanks.
Princess Sui Zhu lowered her head and rolled her eyes.
That man should have some influence in this area. After talking too much, he talked more and more freely, very rough and harsh, "I have lived a hard life since I was born, and you want me to speak good things for those rich kids? Who care if they are Good or bad, it's better than Lao Tzu's reincarnation, and I wish I could chop them to death, not to see that they are any better."
"If those wealthy children are diligent in studying and being kind to others, they will be even more damned. Will they give us a way to survive?"
"Haha, Mr. Liu, don't worry, the Sa family is not talking about you. You are kind and unambiguous in your actions. It's a good job. Since there will be fly droppings in a pot of porridge, there may be a few grains of rice in a pile of shit."
The scholar surnamed Liu who was slapped on the shoulder smiled awkwardly, and being praised was worse than being scolded.
Han Diaosi squinted his eyes and said softly: "Shengdou common people dare to carry a dragon character."
Zhao Kai, who was very familiar with the master, quickly smiled and said, "Ignore these small things. Let's go, wait for the eldest son of Sui to drink enough tea and no longer thirsty, then go and meet that Li Baishi."
Princess Sui Zhu, who was so hot that she stepped on the back of Zhao Kai's shoe under the table, did not forget to give it a hard twist.
Zhao Kai put on a bitter face.
After paying the bill and leaving the White Lion Tower, Zhao Kai cautiously reminded: "When you get there, you must wait. Don't be angry. Since you are sneaking out of the palace, you can't do anything according to your temper. Otherwise, you can hang a sign on your body. Said that she was Her Royal Highness Princess."
Princess Sui Zhu said unhappily: "Why don't you hang a prince's sign? Wouldn't it be more useful?"
Zhao Kai smiled lightly and said with a playful face: "How many people outside the palace know that I am such a prince, it's useless to talk about it."
She froze for a moment, turned her head and said, "It's because you can still laugh."
Zhao Kai clasped his hands behind his head and walked down the street, "Master said that standing is better than kneeling, and you don't think about sitting. This is contentment. Then I think being able to smile is better than crying." It's festive and less annoying, isn't it?"
She hesitated for a moment, "Then Xu Fengnian snatched you a few talisman generals, are you laughing or crying?"
Zhao Kai said with a smile: "Anyway, it's my brother-in-law, a family, it doesn't matter who keeps things."
She sneered: "You have a brother-in-law and a brother-in-law, but in the end you still have to kill and kill. It's so fun, I really can't help but cry."
Zhao Kai said suddenly: "Beiliang is going to be chaotic."
Princess Sui Zhu's words were more sarcasm, "Anyway, that guy is useless as His Royal Highness, and it would be embarrassing to practice swords later. If Beiliang really messes up, he will just hide. Hmph, he's worse than you."
Zhao Kai sighed and said, "Not as good as the last sentence."
She seemed to be careless and said: "Father is quite satisfied with the red priestess Bodhisattva you recommended to enter the court. I am very interested in the dispute between red and yellow over there, and your proposal to draw lots from the silver vase to determine the living Buddha." , I may let you go to the Western Regions with her in the future."
Zhao Kai also let out a casual sigh.
※※※※
Xu Fengnian and Helian Wuwei traveled a lot, except for military affairs, they did not get involved, other important matters related to people's livelihood or trivial matters, they all watched from the sidelines, and even some military and political approval documents, old-fashioned, didn't mind Xu Fengnian looking through them, and spent five days running around , Xu Fengnian had a rough understanding of the outline of Xihezhou. One year old and one young finally took a break from the busy schedule today, and went to sell watermelons near the post road where the two met for the first time. He said directly: "From my uncle's hand about the speed of news transmission about monk Nagarjuna in Daodezong, it can be seen that Beimang attaches great importance to post stations and post roads, which is not inferior to Xu Xiao who built the post road system in the Spring and Autumn Period, especially Xihe. The eastern front where the state is located is already comparable to the western front where Liangmang confronts. I have seen many inconspicuous things along the way, but it is actually Beimang who is slowly accumulating military power."
Helian Wuwei smiled gratifiedly and said, "It's not bad, not bad."
Turning around to see Xu Fengnian's solemn face, he handed over half a watermelon in a polite manner, and said with a slight smile: "Actually, in an imperial court, even those who perished in the Spring and Autumn Period, there must be many smart people with far-sightedness, but whether It is the crux of the difficulty that you can go up to the heavens, make Longyan happy, and let those regulations and laws that contain ambitions or ambitions be implemented smoothly. You have emerged in large numbers from the Liyang Dynasty, especially with Zhang Julu at the center. I am superior to others, and to tell you the truth, I am a member of the Xihe Prefecture who is from the army. Every time I think of it, I am like you now, and I am worried. In terms of combat power and armaments, the soldiers of the twelve generals are not weak, but compared to Beiliang army, even Tuoba Bodhisattva, has no face to say that he is invincible in the world. Fortunately, Beimang realized his shame and was brave. There are butchers like Xu Xiao and Gu Jiantang who kill people without blinking an eye. After all, Bei Mang has gradually become stronger these years. On our side, when I think about it, I feel a little regretful, Feng Nian , can you guess it?"
Xu Fengnian laughed and said, "Many Spring and Autumn Scholars who fled to Beimang are qualified to give advice to the festival-holders or generals, but there is still a super-class advisor who can be an emperor's teacher."
Helian Wuwei took a bite of the watermelon, raised his head and stared, and said, "Don't be too busy laughing, kid, it's not that Bei Mang doesn't exist, it's just that he hasn't come to the stage yet."
Xu Fengnian lowered his voice and asked, "Li Mibi who weaves the spider web?"
Helian Wuwei spat on the ground with his head turned sideways, and said with a sneer, "This old dog is the best at harming people in the world, and governing the country? It's a thousand miles away. It means that old man Li knows himself well and didn't mess with the government, otherwise I have to fight him hard."
Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "If it's not him, who could it be?"
Helian Wuwei said vaguely: "It's the master of Qijian Yuefu. He has been missing for almost twenty years. He was despised by His Majesty the Empress when he was middle-aged, and disappeared completely in a fit of anger. I guess you Liyang, as for what to do, you can I have no way of knowing, probably even our Majesty doesn’t know. I don’t believe that this kind of person will die quietly in the south.”
Xu Fengnian snorted, "I heard from my master Li Yishan that this guy is very good at playing chess, almost on par with Huang Longshi."
The old man said with emotion: "I have seen many people with great aspirations and talents in my life, but this master of Chess and Sword Yuefu has a big heart and talent. The Chess Mansion has a practice method of making millions of moves in a lifetime. Do you know how many moves that guy made?"
Xu Fengnian was surprised and said: "It's impossible to reach tens of millions, right? Then you can't be born and play chess in front of the chessboard. This kind of chess idiot will not have a big future, right? My master always said that playing chess on the chessboard is just a dead game. It’s nothing special to become a first-class national player in chess, it’s two different things from being a human being.”
The old man laughed heartily, "You are clever but you were mistaken by your cleverness. That guy played very few chessboards, only a handful of them. I guess the number of moves is less than seven or eight thousand."
Xu Fengnian frowned and said: "It's less than a hundred games, the majestic master of Chess and Swords Yuefu, how can playing a game of chess is like betting your life?"
The old man said slowly: "Do you know how this person played the last game of chess? After he lost to Huang Sanjia, he retreated and studied. When he mastered chess, he played against the old palace master. It was a game of life and death, whoever lost would die. "
Xu Fengnian clicked his tongue and said: "The two Palace Masters are both ruthless people."
Helian Wuwei gloated and said with a gleeful smile: "Just beg this kind of person not to return to Beimang alive, otherwise if you become the king of Beiliang by hereditary succession, if this guy is still alive, some of you will suffer."
Xu Fengnian said solemnly: "I will go to Leiming Temple tomorrow and curse this old man to death."
Helian Wuwei laughed loudly and said: "Then remember to curse me to death together. With me in Xihe Prefecture, Xu Xiao will be a little bit afraid."
Xu Fengnian was not polite to the old man, and joked: "Uncle Helian, you have thicker skin than me."
Helian Wuwei nodded and said: "People, as long as you are old, you can call Li Mibi a chicken thief like me, but you are also scolding yourself. They are rough and thick, and they are afraid of death and greedy for life. When it comes to life and death, they are not as strong as bloody I can see it like I did when I was young."
Xu Fengnian took a bite of the watermelon and thought of Xu Xiao and his master Li Yishan who were younger than Helian Wuwei.
Helian Wuwei said slowly: "I have brought you to see the political affairs of this state, and I can tell you some things directly. I can't say anything about other generals and festivals, but as far as I, Helian Wuwei, I never expect The generals under his command and the officials under his command are all saints. It’s okay to be greedy for money. Don’t be too much. In my opinion, a pedantic and upright official who earns his own reputation is not as good as a capable official who can benefit one side while filling his own pocket. Don’t cross the bottom line, I I think I'm easy to talk, but I'm sorry, it doesn't matter if you are the old man, my relative or a confidant, who should be killed, who should be ransacked, will never be soft. This is called no rules. How to know people is One difficulty, how to employ people is another difficulty, and how to make talents available for their own use is even more difficult. It is a university question, and the books of sages and sages cannot be learned, because scholars cherish their reputation and have no courage to write about the black-bellied knowledge of the city. , and most scholars don’t have the ability to write. Go and count the top scholars in your Liyang Dynasty. Except for Zhang Julu, how many of them can become high-ranking officials of the first and second ranks? On the contrary, those ordinary Jinshi are more able to go up .”
Xu Fengnian hummed, silently remembering it in his heart.
Helian Wuwei said: "When the palace master was young, he wrote a "Nine Questions", asking about the sky, about the earth, about ghosts and gods, about the emperor, about Buddhism, about beauties, about past lives, and about afterlife."
Xu Fengnian wondered: "There is one question missing."
Helian Wuwei smiled and said: "It is said that there are nine questions, but in fact there are only eight questions. I guess that guy asked himself a question instead of us stupid fools who have doubts."
Xu Fengnian laughed angrily: "This old man really has a deep mind! No, I have to go to Leiming Temple immediately."
While talking, a thirsty guest came forward, and Xu Fengnian got up quickly, eloquently helping Lao Chi to sell watermelons.
The guest didn't know who the young man was bargaining with him, let alone that the old farmer was holding a festival in the state.
Xu Fengnian also didn't know that two iron cavalry from Beiliang attacked Beimang with thunderous force.
Not to mention that Empress Beimang, who had learned about the military situation, dispelled Yu Jia's idea of going to the Southern Dynasty in person because she showed up alone.
The old Confucian scholar who carried the bookcase into the palace was followed by the number one swordsman in Beimang, with a sword aura close to him.