On both sides of the Bian River, willows sway in the moist wind, the clear river water sets off the beautiful pavilions and towers, and the two banks are bustling with traffic.
The newly promoted Commander Wang of the Tiger Guards was congratulated by several friends and felt a little proud. He patted his chest and said: Today, my brother will take you to taste the delicious food.
Several men immediately laughed mockingly. One of them said, "We don't know what General Wang likes."
Commander Wang said: Today is different, I will pay for you guys to taste the tenderness of Qin Jinghong, the top star of Zui Honglou
Good, good. Everyone agreed.
The group immediately headed straight for Zuihonglou by the Bian River. As soon as they entered the front hall, they saw several people dressed in futou and robes. The brothel owner recognized Commander Wang at a glance and walked up to him, smiling and greeting him warmly.
The brother next to him joked: Brother Wang is indeed a frequent visitor
Commander Wang smiled and asked the brothel owner: Is Lady Qin
The procuress was stunned: You are talking about Madam Jinghong. Unfortunately, she has been feeling unwell these past two days. I am afraid
Commander Wang said: There are several of us here, we just want her to pour some wine and sing some songs, nothing else.
The brothel owner whispered: General Wang, it would be unlucky if you choose someone with a better voice.
Commander Wang became a little hesitant when he heard this.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Commander Wang looked up and saw a graceful young woman and a man going out of the small door. Commander Wang's face suddenly changed, and he pointed to the front and said: "That guy is unlucky!"
The procuress looked unhappy.
Commander Wang asked: Who is that guy? What does he do
The brothel owner said: I am not sure, but I heard from Madam Jinghong that he is an official in Kaifeng Prefecture, his surname is Tao, and he is generous. Madam is willing to accompany him. Mr. Tao will come first.
Damn, you woman, you still want to be commanded by me, Wang. I am furious. I have 500 brothers under me. If you piss me off, I will bring you to smash your entire building.
No, no. The brothel owner waved her hands and said, "Please understand my difficulties. We are all guests and I cannot afford to offend anyone."
Commander Wang called a few people and went over to take a look.
Oh, the brothel owner stamped her feet, and she was about to cry. Something bad was going to happen.
A tortoise next to him said: I'll go call the servants.
The brothel owner said: "What's the use? You dare to let the servants beat him? He is a warrior of the imperial guards. Warriors are not afraid of anything. Who among us ordinary people can afford to offend us? Report to the authorities immediately."
Commander Wang led a few people out of the door in a menacing manner. They entered a spacious courtyard with a pond in the middle. Lotus roots were planted in the pond and fish were raised. There were many pleasure boats floating on the water, and the sound of stringed instruments and women singing floated on the water, creating a joyful scene. In the boats with carved windows, the guests were drinking while watching the women singing, or whispering with the girls, which was very elegant.
Commander Wang was furious. He looked at each ship and finally found Qin Jinghong. She was talking to the man opposite with a smile on her face. Commander Wang immediately jumped from the shore to the deck.
The bow of the boat swayed violently. The man and woman inside were startled, and the woman frowned and looked at him.
The man said: Who are you, the hero outside the boat? What do you want from us? I am your host today. Come in and have a drink. How about telling us
The man was polite and calm. Commander Wang was no longer angry. He walked into the cabin and saw the lady with a look of disgust on her face. The man was also very pretentious and pretended to be elegant.
Seeing that you were pretending to be in command, I became furious and went up to him and grabbed him by the collar.
The guy was very anxious: "What can't we talk about it in a nice way? I have no grudge against you, brother."
The woman asked anxiously: Where did this rough man come from
Bang! Commander Wang punched him, and the guy screamed. Commander Wang grabbed his hand and pulled him back, and the guy screamed like a pig being slaughtered, unable to fight back. Screams and noises were heard outside. Qin Jinghong was frightened and huddled in the corner of the cabin.
Call me daddy and I'll let you go, Commander Wang laughed.
The fellow screamed and said angrily, "If you want to kill me, then kill me. A soldier can be killed but not humiliated."
This guy is still stubborn, Commander Wang cursed, twisting him like a chicken, and then holding his head, forcing him to kowtow three times, then picking him up and throwing him. With a bang, the man's head hit the thin paper-covered carved window, making a big hole, and the whole person flew out.
There was a splash outside and the guy fell into the water and started struggling.
Commander Wang jumped onto the deck, pointed at the water and laughed, then turned to Qin Jinghong and said, "Come out and see the drowning dog."
The men at the table clapped their hands and laughed, saying, "Brother Wang is a real hero!"
Commander Wang shouted: If we hadn't fought with our lives on the line in Hebei, you would have been captured by the Khitans long ago. What's the point of pretending
Commander Wang returned to the cabin, twisted the woman out, held her waist with one hand, and heard a scream, and he jumped onto the shore.
Finally, a brother asked: "We can do this, will it be okay?"
Commander Wang laughed and said, "No one was killed, it's nothing. That guy came out to have fun, he didn't even have a follower, it's hard to tell how high his position is. Anyone who dares to touch the commander of the imperial guards will just have to pay some money and the matter will be settled."
General Wang is right, you are already the commander.
Commander Wang dragged the young girl and several others into a room by the pond, found a round table to sit down at, then stood up, took out a pipa and put it in her hand, saying: Sing a song to calm the brothers down.
Qin Jinghong's face was pale and she was shaking with fear. How could she sing while holding the pipa
Commander Wang said angrily:
Qin Jinghong's body trembled, and she began to sing hurriedly: The thin silk shirt is seamed with gold mud, and the slender waist is timid. The sound of the pipa became disorderly, and two lines of clear tears slid down her face, and her voice could not be heard.
Not long after, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Bang, the wooden board was kicked open, and a group of soldiers in armor rushed in.
Commander Wang sat there calmly.
Qin Jinghong glanced at the crowd at the door, then looked at Conductor Wang and continued to play and sing.
More armored men came in amid the sound of the pipa. Then a civil servant in a green robe strode in and unfolded a piece of paper: "Look carefully, the hall master personally signed the cinnabar card. Everyone who comes, arrest them all. Those who disobey will be punished for treason and will be killed."
Haha, Commander Wang stood up and made a chopping motion on his neck. Come on, chop here and I'll let you kill me.
Suddenly, a spear stabbed at him, and Commander Wang felt a pain in his thigh, and blood soaked his robe. He ignored the soldier who stabbed him, and just looked at the green-robed civil servant behind him with an incredulous look. Judging from the color of the civil servant's clothes, his rank might not be higher than his, but the person who signed the cinnabar ticket was indeed an important official.
Commander Wang felt pain and fell to his knees on one knee, unable to support himself with one leg.
Seeing this, the other warriors did not resist and waited to be tied up.
At this time, the sad words of the brothel girl still echoed in the room.
This matter first alerted Li Dazhu, the commander of the first army of the Tiger Guard Army under Commander Wang. Li Dazhu went to Kaifeng Prefecture to ask for the person, but Kaifeng Prefecture required the signatures of three other military officials, and Li Dazhu could not get it because the other three were civil servants of the Military Equipment Supervisor of the Privy Council of the Ministry of War.
Li Dazhu was in Dadu Prefecture at that time and could neither transfer personnel nor troops. He had only half of the power to command troops, and the other half was in the hands of officials from the Ministry of War. The appointment, dismissal, and punishment of low- and middle-level military generals were not up to Li Dazhu, but required four people to discuss it together, among which the Ministry of War and himself had the direct veto power to command troops. If the two could not reach a consensus, they would report to the Privy Council for a decision.
Li Dazhu was familiar with Commander Wang and was unwilling to sit idly by, so he immediately went to the Palace Front Department to find Li Chuyun.
The Palace Front Office has ceased operations. Li Chuyun and others are sorting out files in the government office and storing them in the Privy Council, the Ministry of War and other government offices.
Li Chuyun was very surprised: Kaifeng Prefecture could actually use swords to injure the commander of the imperial guards.
Shi Yanchao also looked sideways after hearing this.
Li Dazhu said: He was shot in the leg and was tied up and taken to the Kaifeng prison.
All the former generals of the Palace Guard present were silent.
After listening to Li Dazhu's report, Li Chuyun said angrily: "He is a commander in chief at the foot of the Emperor of Tokyo. Why is he so arrogant?"
Li Dazhu said: Brothers, you are not used to being domineering. In the past, he was just making trouble.
Don't worry about him. Li Chuyun said that Kaifeng Prefecture had no right to torture the imperial guards, and they would take the initiative to hand them over to the military commander.
Li Dazhu kept begging for mercy. He was a veteran of the Tiger Guards, and Li Chuyun could not refuse. He pondered for a moment and said: I can't take care of their affairs now. Write a letter to the Shao Yin of Kaifeng Prefecture, but there is no guarantee that it will work.
It must be useful. It must be useful. Li Dazhu hurriedly thanked him.
Shi Yanchao said coldly: The title of general seems to be useless, but General Li is a royal relative, so the Shao Yin of Kaifeng Prefecture will still give him face.
Yuan Yan on the side said: People in the world are snobbish. Once they lose power, things will be different immediately. Our status will be even lower in the future.
Li Chuyun said kindly: It is not as General Yuan said.
Oh Yuan Yan said.
Li Chuyun said: "If there is a war, you and I will be the ones to fight. If there is no war, what is the point of people like us holding military power in Tokyo for nothing? We can find ways to mobilize the elite soldiers of the imperial guards. How can the country be stable?"
Yuan Yan seemed to be thinking about something.
Shi Yanchao said: Youzhou has been recovered. If we don't attack Liao, why would we use a butcher knife to kill chickens in other places
Li Chuyun pondered and said: When your majesty destroyed the Southern Tang, he planted a tree called the Empire Tree. He paused and said meaningfully, when I talked with the emperor, I heard what the emperor said, an empire is called an empire only when it expands and conquers a large area of land.
After hearing this, everyone pondered deeply and felt that what Li Chuyun said was very meaningful.
Yang Biao said: The emperor can do whatever he wants, he has not treated us unfairly.
Yuan Yan advised: General Yang, this is wrong. If we are useless and the civil officials do not bully us, we can just bear it. But if we have no say and the civil officials can really think for us, we should at least be treated as if we were in the court, otherwise we will definitely feel aggrieved.