(4)
Perhaps because of the martial law in the city, temporary sentries and patrol officers can be seen everywhere in Cangzhou City. At the slightest sign of disturbance, guards would pop out from unexpected places.
Sometimes he jumps from a roof, sometimes he crawls out of a nearby house. As long as someone dares to sneak around on the street and is unlucky enough to be discovered, he will shout "Catch the thief"! Even if the incident happened on the east side of the city, within a short while, the garrison on the west side of the city would follow the news and arrive. Therefore, people can often see heavily armed soldiers in the streets and alleys checking around the city.
And this place happens to be fashionable and arty, with fireworks everywhere. Unlike Yuyi Town, where all people with menial jobs are driven to the same place, in Cangzhou, everyone is fond of poetry and poetry, and there are literati everywhere.
Here, literati does not refer to people with profound knowledge, and elegance does not refer to elegant people - but a type of people who know how to enjoy and are accustomed to destroying things. They equate their passion with how many banquets they throw, how many wine pools and meat forests they dig, and how many women they have affairs with.
We cannot say that their lives are corrupt, because in their fantasy, the good life is to be accompanied by wine and beautiful people every day. They have enough gold, silver and jewelry to squander, and they will not feel the least bit sad even if they see many people starving to death without food underground. pity.
The Yumantang managed by Su Qing happened to be located near the county government office in the city, and most of the guests it received were bureaucrats who came from all over the place to visit. If you walk no more than 500 steps in any direction from here, you will see another "Yumantang"-like building. You will be surprised to find that people are singing and dancing there every night, and even compared to Yumantang, there are only Worse than that.
In this city, it seems that anyone who does not build a pavilion in a wine shop will be rejected by the literati and cast aside by the refined scholars.
Therefore, it is not surprising to see two actors walking on the street. But for the pair of travelers who had just entered the city, the number of patrolling guards in front of them was truly astonishing. In order to attract as little attention as possible, they had never mounted a horse since entering the city and had been walking silently. At the market.
Those people with lofty ideals who were racking their brains to search for clues and wanted to bring to justice the two wanted criminals who had a thousand-tael reward on their heads never expected that the criminal would appear in front of them with another identity, and they didn't even know it.
In a short time, Bai Feng and Murong Yan arrived at Yumantang before sunset. At that time, the door was still heavily guarded. Everyone who wanted to enter, regardless of their status, would be severely interrogated. Fortunately, Bai Feng was able to take out the customs clearance document hidden in the big gray cloth bag to prove his identity, so he didn't have to have too many verbal entanglements with the servants.
Yumantang's waiter came and took the two horses away, leaving only Bai Feng and Murong Yan to bring their musical instruments in. I thought that I would be able to meet Su Qing in person and verbalize my request. Unexpectedly, the young man brought two actors to meet with me, the eunuch Mei Lin and Mr. Mei.
Bai Feng and Murong Yan walked through the familiar lobby, where the young swordsman had a drinking contest with Su Qing that day and won in a thrilling manner. Now, the place is still crowded with people, and they can't stop singing and playing music for a moment. When they are tired, they immediately step down from the stage and let the sisters below take their place.
"The work of the sisters is still so complicated, and the mood of the gentlemen is not good!" The waiter watched the girl playing the music coming and going, and couldn't help but sigh: "You two came here specially from Yuyi Town Did you decide to teach the art after hearing Mr. Su’s name?”
Bai Feng said: "We have heard about Mr. Su's reputation as a 'hero', but we have never seen it with our own eyes. This time, thanks to the introduction of the eldest son of the Zhao family in Yuyi Town, we have this good opportunity."
"Oh! You two, please follow the younger one this way."
After that, the boy found a way to climb up the stairs to the second floor. He looked very hidden, as if he really wanted to take them to see Su Qing. In fact, they just quietly sent the two men to Mei Lin, who was sitting in the high pavilion.
However, after a moment, Bai Feng noticed that there were suddenly more and more guards around him. It was not until the young man was stopped by several people on the road that he realized that he had reached a relatively deserted and solemn place.
"Stop! What are you doing?"
"In response to Xianggong Mei's order, if anyone comes to see Mr. Su, please bring him to Xianggong Mei first."
After that, the two soldiers holding spears let go.
"Mr. Mei?" Murong Yan whispered in surprise: "Brother A Niu, not Mr. Su!"
Before she finished speaking, Bai Feng took Murong Yan's hand and helped her up several flights of stairs while saying, "Don't panic, just listen to me later..."
Several people walked into a small pavilion that was independent from other areas of Yumantang. It was filled with white and red curtains. There was a person sitting in the center of the curtain. He had a delicate voice and spoke in a high tone. He asked: " I heard that you are actors here to teach you skills?"
"Yes, I came from Beizhen." Bai Feng bowed his hands and said, "I brought my wife Yao Gu with me to spread Xianbei songs here."
"Beizhen? The home of those rebellious people and gangs?" Mei Lin sneered. Through the layers of curtains, you could see his trembling body, fat and short.
"Mr. Mei, we are just singers. We are at home all over the world and have no fixed place. We just happened to walk to Beizhen and were fortunate enough to be appreciated by the Zhao family. The Zhao family was also familiar with Su Qing, so he recommended us as a couple to come here. Come live here.”
After finishing speaking, Mei Lin suddenly waved to her side and asked others to help her out of the pavilion.
The curtain was gradually lifted, and the shadow behind the curtain became taller and taller. Finally, what people saw was a tall and thin woman supporting an old man with gray hair and a pale face.
Mei Lin, said to be the son of Qilin, gained the trust of Emperor Gao. He was born a eunuch, neither male nor female. Even though he is now over fifty, he still has beautiful eyes and delicate skin. Coupled with all kinds of heavy makeup, it is easy for people to mistakenly think that this is a noble lady from some family.
It’s just that the aging and degeneration of limbs are irreversible. He was severely overweight and had a slight hunchback, which made him look short and ugly. His legs were straight and long, which showed that he was also a good-looking man in his youth. Now, with the woman next to him who is as beautiful as a strange flower, Mei Lin looks like a dying old man, and that girl is as kind as his granddaughter.
"Then, are you going to sing a song now?" Mei Lin tried every means to get a clear look at the actor and his wife in front of him, and to get as close as possible.
"Ah?" Murong Yan inadvertently squeaked. This was the kind of voice filled with fear and confusion. She must have never thought about what the person who has been pursuing her looks like. Then he quickly apologized and said, "I'm rude, little girl."
"Bold! What do you mean? Does Mr. Mei look scary?" The woman holding Mei Lin yelled angrily: "Someone, drive this bitch out!"
"Stop! Xinghe, don't be so arrogant, the truth is that you look strange..." Mei Lin said: "After living for so many years, I have never heard music outside the Great Wall, so let them go down and play music. "
"As ordered..."
