Yangzhou is located at the heart of the canal, and the prosperous economy traveling from south to north has given rise to a prosperous entertainment industry. Whether it's an official brothel or a private prostitute, business is booming, and it really lives up to the comment that "everywhere in the brothel sings every night." It is precisely because of his special position that the prefect Zhou Song has perfected his ability to welcome and deliver people. After the official matters were settled, Zhou Song invited Wang Yehao to the designated reception unit the next day - the Moon Picking Tower by the Slender West Lake in the north of the city for a banquet.
Strictly speaking according to court regulations, officials were prohibited from having sex with prostitutes, and the prevalence of masculinity in the capital was largely an unintended product of such regulations. However, many years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the laws have long been abolished. I remember when "San Yang" teamed up to recruit the famous prostitute Qi Ya to show off the wine. The elder of the pavilion ridiculed her as "Mother G is rude". The famous prostitute was clever and clever and said to her, "I am the mother G, and you are the male H (hou)" , it became a good talk for a while. During the Xuande period, Zhao Lun, the censor of Huguang, was sentenced to garrison in Liaodong for "having an affair with a lewd woman". Therefore, everyone understands in their hearts that those who are impeached for such things are those who have no one at the top and are looking for people at the bottom.
In the face of overwhelming power, a few skinny horses really don't mean anything, so Wang Yehao focused on taking care of Mr. Zhou's feelings this time. After the formal meeting, Wang Yehao indirectly instructed the prefect Zhou not to arrange for scribes to treat guests. As for the singers, they did not need to pay too much attention to their singing voices. The first thing was "beautiful appearance". To put it bluntly, they just went to the pornographic scene and did not engage in too many peripheral programs. After understanding the demand, Prefect Zhou was very surprised. Mr. Wang, who was also a Jinshi, could act like a hungry ghost. However, scholars have many strange habits, so this hobby is nothing. Prefect Zhou immediately expressed his understanding of Mr. Wang. I just wanted to find Mr. Tian Ba, a local veteran of the entertainment industry, to accompany me.
The boss in the Ming Dynasty was different from the Qing Dynasty, and it was not a humble position in the military. Therefore, although Mr. Tianba cannot be said to be rich, he still has some wealth. She loves to enjoy herself, loves beauty, and is good at dancing. She is a well-known romantic figure in Yangzhou. Daughter Tian Xiuying was selected as the concubine of King Xin, and she was also considered a royal relative.
In fact, Wang Yehao has no interest in appreciating a thin horse. He just wants to please Mr. Zhou. Recently, he has become more and more trusting of this "god". In fact, he had seen many such gods in the capital. They were all monks and Taoists who claimed to be able to channel spirits and summon gods and predict good and bad luck. However, most of them were vague. They were either set up in advance or far-fetched afterward. A "prophet" like Mr. Wang who has no fairy-like appearance but whose judgments are accurate to the day is really an anomaly.
With Mr. Zhou, he has a clear view of the situation. There is a vague feeling that the general trend is within grasp. God helps me! Wang Yehao was secretly proud. This is really a treasure for me! The next step is to see whether his prophecy of defeat at nine thousand years old can come true. If it really succeeds, it will be within the palm of my hand to enter the cabinet and worship the prime minister, and become a highly respected minister!
But after all, he is an official who has been practicing for many years, so he still makes two preparations, continues to deal with the eunuchs, and secretly leaves a way out in advance. When he returned to Shaoxing this time and discussed with the prefect Zhang Luwei about writing a poem for Nine Thousand Years Old, he cunningly avoided the step of writing: The current situation is unclear, so the idea of creating a temple can be agreed, but documentary evidence must not be left behind. . It's easy to ask for credit, but it's troublesome to write it off.
This person who joined the team inexplicably was one of his back-up players. This man's name is Jin Wenchi, and he is an aide to Wei Dazhong, one of the "Top Six Gentlemen" of Donglin.
After Wei Dazhong was arrested and subsequently killed in prison, most of the people behind the scenes were persecuted by the eunuchs, and most of them remained anonymous. Jinwenchi is one of them. Although he was a scholar, he did not dare to return to his hometown to reveal his identity. He only set up a stall in Anchang Dutou, Shaoxing to represent others.
Because he was so poor, he had no choice but to get involved in a property dispute case, and he wrote forged documents for others. He was discovered and taken to the county, and his true identity was found out.
Wei Dazhong is dead, and Jin Wenchi is not a ranked "backbone". So Wang Yehao got this person in his hands in just a few words.
For the eunuchs, Jin Wenchi is of little use, but for Wang Yehao, Jin's status as "Wei Dazhong's staff" is remarkable. Once the world is reversed, it can also be used as a chess move.
Therefore, although Jin Wenchi was shackled along the way, he did not suffer much. When we got to the border of Yangzhou, the shackles were even removed, and we were treated to delicious food and drinks. It's more comfortable than usual. When he arrived in Yangzhou, Wang Yehao took advantage of the time to rest and win over again.
Of course Zhou Lezhi didn't understand Mr. Wang's hard work. He just heard from Wang Liang that the prisoner was an aide that the master planned to recruit. Because he had a case against him, he had to wear shackles when he went on the road.
"If you are a prisoner, how can you be a master?"
"You're still young!" Wang Liang sneered and laughed, "Guilty or not, isn't it the prefect's word? Who does the prefect listen to? He can't listen to us adults."
On this day, when the lanterns were first lit, the guests and hosts were seated, delicacies and jade liquid were laid out, and the orioles and swallows were surrounded by pink and pink flowers. As the landlord, Zhou Zhifu first introduced the guests to each other.
"This is Mr. Wang. He patrolled Guangdong last year to provide disaster relief and bring peace to the people. His hard work has made great achievements. When he returns to Beijing this time, he will definitely be promoted!"
"I've admired you for a long time." A middle-aged man with a stocky physique next to him said with his hands.
"This is Master Tian, who used to be General Manager Qinyi, but is now idle at home. When it comes to the benefactors of this Yangzhou Fengyue place, General Manager Tian ranks second, and no one dares to take first place!" Prefect Zhou obviously has a close relationship with him. They are familiar with each other, so they speak without hesitation, "The string that Tian Ba Zongxu played back then was Miss Xue, the top luthier in Zhaiyuelou. This kind of fortune is really enviable to others! Originally, the daughter of the family also learned it. She is a good player on the piano, but she was selected as a princess and entered the capital a few years ago, so I will no longer be blessed with her."
"Master Zhou is joking." The middle-aged man was very relaxed and had already picked a girl to hold in his arms.
As the saying goes, the speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional. After hearing the introduction, Wang Yehao asked, "General Tian, is the concubine Tian who was previously trusted by Wang Na, your wife?"
"Haha, it's my little girl Xiuying." Mr. Tianba said happily, "That little girl is also lucky. Her mother was originally the best at playing the piano. I originally wanted to teach her some piano skills, but I was hoping that some master would be able to do it. I like it. I never thought that if I could be chosen to be admitted to Prince Xin’s palace, I would be able to live without worries for food and clothing for the rest of my life.”
Wang Yehao thought to himself that this was more than just having enough food and clothing. If Mr. Zhou’s prediction was true, this person here would be the future head of the country. If he doesn’t flatter him now, then when will he say: “I have heard for a long time that General Tian’s bravery and chivalry are comparable to Meng Chang, when I saw him today, he was indeed very impressive and disrespectful."
Although Tian Hongyu could be regarded as a royal relative, in fact, his daughter was just married to a prince who had not yet entered the feudal clan as a concubine, so few people came to light the cold stove. Today, Wang Yehao's flattery made him feel quite useful, and he started to say more good things: "No, no, Mengchang has three thousand guests. How can we compare with her? I'll be content with raising her three or five thin horses."
"When it comes to raising thin horses, field handlers are better than raising soldiers!" Magistrate Zhou said with a smile.
"General Tian is a real celebrity!" Wang Yehao continued to praise.
"When it comes to raising soldiers, Tian really doesn't dare to talk about it." After a few glasses of wine, Tian Hong became more interested. "When it comes to raising thin horses, Tian really has some experience."
"I'm lucky enough to ask General Tian for advice today."
"It's easy to talk about." Tian Hongyu took a sip of the drink handed by the girl and continued, "The skinny horse pays attention to seven words, thin, small, sharp, curved, fragrant, soft, and upright. Be sure to start from six to seven You enter the industry at a young age, and no matter how old you are, you will be tainted by the fireworks. No matter how you train, you will never become a first-class product."
He spoke enthusiastically, and Master Zhou and his disciples listened with rapt attention. Strictly speaking, this is the first time for the two of them to visit a romantic place. The luxury of this hotel is beyond imagination for Zhou Lezhi, a poor boy from the Guangdong countryside. In contrast, Mr. Zhou's eyes are more curious than surprised.
The president at the table today was an eye-opener for him. Huaiyang cuisine is famous for its fresh ingredients and fine craftsmanship. Although the specific dishes are different from those of later generations, the essence is the same. I wanted to taste the musty smell, but no one moved their chopsticks. We had no choice but to continue sitting and complimenting each other.
At this moment, after listening to Tian Hongyu's explanation, his desire to investigate was aroused again, and he asked: "General Tian, forgive me for my shortcomings, but does this skinny horse still have a rating?"
"Of course, this brother doesn't know something." Tian Hongyu knew at a glance that this person was a novice, so he acted like an old man and said, "This thin horse is divided into three grades, and the lower ones are trained as women. Red needle and thread, cooking and blending, are not something that a wealthy person cannot save; the average person learns arithmetic, writing, folk arts, accounting and management, and can be called a house help; the upper-level person learns poetry, poetry, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and has all kinds of little things and thousands of customs. You can be called a beautiful person."
Zhou Lezhi was fascinated after hearing this, thinking that he would never be lucky enough to share this "thin horse" girl in his life. However, the gentleman next to him felt that these were not the point. With his own ability, even a top-notch thin horse would not be able to talk to each other at all. It would be better to have a romantic bath directly than to talk about sex.
But after just two rounds of wine, his perspective was refreshed. The hotel is not just a place to serve people, but more like an entertainment center. The girls who accompany the wine and sing songs are all highly professional and can serve no matter what kind of guests they are. So no matter what nonsense the husband was talking about or whether he started talking about "what is physics" after a few drinks, the girls could seriously play the role of enthusiastic listeners and applaud him from time to time, which greatly satisfied his vanity.
The banquet lasted for nearly two hours. Driven by Tian Hongyu, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves to the fullest. Seeing that the game was almost over, Prefect Zhou said to Wang Yehao, "Sir Wang, there is an oiran in this Moon Picking Tower, called Miss Youqing. She is a coquettish and unique woman, with both sex and art. She usually doesn't see people easily, but tonight I know you are visiting. I'm waiting in the pavilion. Why don't you go and have a cup of fragrant tea, Mr. Wang?"
(End of chapter)
