The imperial court's decision to move the capital to Luoyang and Yang Ji's suggestion to settle the land caused an uproar and chaos in the wine shop. This sudden "tide" of checkouts made the wine shop busy, causing their young proprietor Yang Ji to wait for his old age. It's been a long time, but the food hasn't been delivered to him yet.
Yang Ji was not in a hurry. He was thinking about himself while silently thinking about personnel appointments and moving the capital.
In both incidents, Pei Ju played a crucial role and gained huge political benefits and influence afterwards. The Pei family itself is a luxuriant behemoth. If you add Pei Ju's power and the peripheral forces who are willing to surrender, then within a few years it will be able to replace the five surnames and seven sects that are in a period of weakness and become the leader of the Shandong gentry. sheep.
After drinking down the wine in his hand, Yang Ji said with deep feeling: "This Pei Laoxie is really cunning."
"Brother Wenhui, are you talking about me?" Standing beside Yang Ji's table was a beautiful girl with a tall figure and elegant steps. She was wearing an emerald short jacket and a red square skirt. A grass-green embroidered ribbon tied her slender waist, and the hem of her diagonally curved skirt was exposed from the knee-length green gown, making her look like a graceful lotus.
Her soft voice fell into Yang Ji's ears. Yang Ji couldn't help but follow the sound and saw that the girl next to him turned out to be Pei Laoxie's daughter Pei Shuying. She was a very beautiful woman. When she saw Yang Ji reunited after a long separation, The expression of joy that could not be concealed gave her a unique beauty.
"It's you! We meet each other everywhere in life, what a coincidence." Yang Ji also didn't expect that Pei Shuying was here, and her sigh was actually heard by her. Fortunately, she didn't mention her by name just now, and in her heart I don't feel embarrassed at all.
"Actually, I've seen Brother Wenhui a long time ago." A blush flashed across Pei Shuying's pretty face. In fact, this was not a natural coincidence at all, but a coincidence she "created" artificially.
She heard in the mansion that Pingkangfang was very lively recently, so she sneaked out with her maid. While shopping, she happened to see the tall and powerful Zhu Can knock down a thief who tried to get close to Yang Ji. She couldn't help but take a few more glances at the eye-catching scene, but she suddenly saw Yang among the guards. set. She screamed a few times with joy, but there were too many people on the street and her voice was not loud enough, so it naturally could not reach Yang Ji's ears, so she stopped shopping and followed him all the way here.
On this lively street, people were coming and going, but Yang Ji and Zhu Can didn't notice that there was a beautiful tail behind them, so Yang Ji thought it was a beautiful encounter.
After hearing her words, Yang Ji couldn't help but laugh, thinking that fairy tales were indeed lies. Seeing that she was only bringing the maid he had seen last time, he knocked on the table and invited with a smile: "I ordered it. The food hasn’t arrived yet, why don’t we share a table?”
Pei Shuying's heart was pounding when she heard him invite her. She wanted to be reserved, but her legs walked over uncontrollably, and then she sat down uncontrollably.
The waiter who followed him saw that they had formed a table, and with his sharp eyes, he noticed that this girl was obviously focused on Yang Ji, and was afraid that he would not order, or add a few simple dishes like before. , hurried forward and said to Pei Shuying first: "Madam, the braised Weishui carp in this small shop is a specialty in the capital. It also has hot deer tongue, braised venison breast in sauce, golden dragon and phoenix crab..."
The dishes he ordered were all expensive. This method they used to deal with young guests with women has almost never worked. After he finished reporting, he looked at Yang Ji humbly, as if to say, "You have a beautiful woman in front of you, you won't take things lightly, right?" '
Yang Ji was angry and amused when he heard this. He was the one who came up with the salesman's marketing method of using customers' girls to promote expensive things. Unexpectedly, it was his first time dining in a restaurant at home, and he would be treated like this by the salesman. He ignored the waiter and asked Pei Shuying, "What does Shuying like to eat?"
Pei Shuying said softly: "I'll just eat some vegetables."
"Master! My little lady likes hot deer tongue, she can eat three at a time; braised carp, she can eat two at a time; and dragon and phoenix crab, she can't get enough..." The maid next to her not only knew Yang Ji , and also knows what his girl likes to eat, but the Pei family has a very strict family tradition and has always advocated simplicity, diligence and thrift, so it is difficult for Pei Shuying to eat what she likes at home.
At this time, when she saw that her little lady had encountered someone who had taken advantage of her, she wanted her to have a good time, so she immediately reported Pei Shuying's taste.
However, the maidservant's words of caring about the young lady made the young lady Pei Shuying half-dead embarrassed. Her beautiful and fair face suddenly turned red. She was embarrassed and scolded: "Damn girl, you are greedy. Are you still embarrassed to rely on me?"
Yang Ji almost laughed out loud. He took a deep breath, carefully tried to calm down, and said to the waiter: "Two plates of vegetables, two stir-fried deer tongues, two braised carp, five pairs Golden Dragon and Phoenix Crab.”
"I don't want to eat deer tongue!" Pei Shuying shook her head and refused. Her girl is not knowledgeable, but she has received rigorous training since she was a child, and cooking is one of many talents, so she knows that hot deer tongue is a recipe. Expensive delicacies.
"It's okay, I happen to want to eat these too." Yang Ji looked at the waiter standing beside him and said, "That's it, hurry up."
"Here!" The waiter hesitated a little when he saw that Yang Ji didn't even blink. Other things are easy to say, but the ridiculous price of Hot Deer Tongue is enough to deter more than 90% of the wealthy people.
Although he promised, he didn't dare to make the decision. He called the deputy shopkeeper in charge of the building and asked him to secretly observe the diner to see if he could pay.
The deputy shopkeeper naturally knew Yang Ji. He recognized Yang Ji at the top of the stairs at a glance.
"Uncle, this is the deer tongue that this customer wants." The waiter pointed at Yang Ji and whispered: "He ordered a few simple dishes about half an hour ago, and I'm afraid he can't afford the price. "
"What did you say?" The deputy shopkeeper's eyes went straight: "You, you, you, you, you, your kid, actually made the guests wait in our place for more than half an hour?"
The waiter nodded: "I don't want to either, but there were so many people checking out just now, and they were all in a hurry."
The deputy shopkeeper's legs weakened and he fell down the stairs with a bang. He didn't care about the pain on his body and got up immediately. He yelled at the man who ran down: "Immediately" Instruct the kitchen to make this man's food for me first, otherwise I will stew you."
"Here!" The clerk had long been numb to the princes and ministers, but when he saw the deputy shopkeeper in such a frightened state, he knew that Yang Ji was an even bigger man than the princes and ministers, and he was too frightened to run towards him without thinking. The kitchen.
"Brother Wenhui, there is actually no need to spend so much money." Upstairs, Pei Shuying had recovered. She remembered that Yang Ji said, "The dishes I ordered haven't arrived yet." The famous dishes that were added later were just for herself. Yes, the reason why I said "I happen to want to eat these" was because I was concerned about my own face.
But she was just a girl after all. Seeing Yang Ji being so generous to her and excusing herself so carefully, she felt fond and sweet in her heart.
Yang Ji looked at Pei Shuying's beautiful face and said very sadly: "Do you know? In fact, I am not happy at all."
"Why?" Pei Shuying was surprised, and her attention was suddenly attracted by Yang Ji's unhappiness.
In terms of status, you, Yang Ji, can be said to be below one person and above ten thousand people; in terms of family ties, you are accompanied by a gentle and beautiful wife and concubines, and there is also a caring mother-in-law who is helpful but not caring; You are talented in both civil and military arts. You are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song. In the future, this world will be your back garden for galloping. What are you unhappy about?
Yang Ji sighed and said sadly: "You also know! My family is powerful and rich. But I have the capital to waste money, but I have no chance to waste money. I don't even have the opportunity to spend money. I can't enjoy it at all." Rich people spend money for fun. How can you make me happy? If it were you, would you be happy?"
After Pei Shuying heard Yang Ji's coquettish words, Ming Ruo Xiaoxi's beautiful eyes were filled with an incredible look, and her pretty face also showed an expression of extreme astonishment. She said numbly: "So?"
Yang Ji smiled and cupped his hands and said, "So your appearance today finally made me happy. I am deeply grateful to you for your help."
Pei Shuying's eyes gradually turned into crescent moons. There is always a process of getting to know people. In her heart, Yang Ji was a hopeless dandy at the beginning. When she found out that this person was not terrible, the rest There was nothing but dullness. Later, her life-saving rescue in Furong Pond made her heart melt quietly.
Suddenly, Pei Shuying thought of something, her heart sank, and her crescent-shaped eyes dimmed slightly: This interesting and talented person was missed by her after all. Now that he has a wife, what should he do? What to do? If her parents insist on marrying her to a stranger, she will not be happy or willing.
Not long after, the dishes ordered by Yang Ji were brought out one after another. The golden dragon and phoenix crabs were actually the Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs of later generations. In the Sui Dynasty, a dragon and phoenix paper cut was cut and pasted on the crab shell, then tied tightly with yellow thread, and steamed before being cooked. After removing the paper cutting, the pattern is placed on the crab shell, hence the elegant name of the golden dragon and phoenix crab. It is usually a tribute to the palace, but it is also available in wine shops such as Bu Zui Bu Gui, but it is extremely expensive.
When the golden dragon and phoenix crabs were served, the diners were already whispering, and when the hot deer tongue was served from downstairs, it aroused heated discussions in the wine shop. After careful calculation, Yang Ji and the others spent at least hundreds of dollars on this meal. Copper coins are equivalent to eating 2,500 shi of fine rice.
But Yang Ji doesn't care how much it costs. First of all, it's his family that keeps you drunk. No matter how much you have to pay, it's just handing over the left hand to the right hand.
Secondly, Yang Ji can make money himself, and his ability and speed to make money are even better than my mother. First of all, in order to obtain the weapons and equipment of the Sui Dynasty in the Western Turks, Ni Chuluo Khan used his army to fight against Shegui Khan, so he desperately asked his subjects to dig gold and silver mines, and then sent them to Liang in a steady stream. State, in exchange for eliminated weapons and equipment; secondly, Murongbei in the Great Lakes region also needed weapons and equipment from the Sui Dynasty, but his combat targets were Xue Yantuo and the Eastern Turks; in addition, Xue Yantuo also purchased weapons and equipment from the Sui Dynasty, and their combat targets The targets were the two great Khans Murongbei and Western Turks.
The more lively they fight, the more weapons they need, and Yang Ji can also use the excuse of insufficient supply to increase the price of weapons step by step, and in the end, the more money he will make.
In addition to the arms trade, there is the Silk Road Merchant Alliance established by Yang Ji, and the slave trade, which are also two very profitable gold-swallowing beasts. However, after all, those two major sectors are legitimate businesses with a long history, so compared with the trade between countries, In the arms trade, money comes much slower.
. . . . .
While Yang Ji and Pei Shuying were eating and chatting, ten more diners arrived. They seemed to like the window seat, so they passed by them and walked to another seat. Yang Ji happened to be facing them, so he couldn't help but raise his head and take another look. Two of them left a deep impression on him.
The reason is that these two people are tall, handsome, and graceful, and are much more handsome than the others; and their companions are also good-looking, but when they walk together like this, they become the highlight of the red flowers. Dead branches and leaves.
The handsome older man was about thirty years old, with a black beard under his chin. He was brave yet elegant, and he gave Yang Ji a familiar feeling, but after all, he was not of the same age group, so Yang Ji also Can't guess who this person is.
As for the gentle and handsome young man, he seemed to be a pure scholar. When he passed by, he looked at Yang Ji curiously. When his eyes turned to Pei Shuying, he couldn't help but reveal a moment of obsession.
The group of them crossed Yang Ji's table and sat down. One of them also opened the wooden screen on the wall to separate the two sides.
"Guest, what do you want to eat?" The waiter just came up and asked.
"Just be casual!" The handsome young man who was sizing up Yang Ji said calmly: "Just serve the food at the table next door! There are many of us, so please serve more."
"Uh!" The waiter was dumbfounded when he heard this. He knew that what Yang Ji was eating was not food and wine, but pure gold and silver. This side was even more powerful. Not only did he ask for the same, but he also asked for a few more portions?
"What? Is there no more?"
"No, no, we are the top wine shop in Daxing City. If you are willing to spend money, we can satisfy your taste."
"Isn't that enough? Go and get ready. By the way, let's cook the knives on the five altars and some dishes to go with the wine."
"Here." The waiter thought it was some kind of uncle again and quickly left.
But he really guessed correctly, this group of people really came from a historic house.
These people are all descendants of the Li family in Longxi. The older handsome boy is named Li Shirun. His father is General Youxiaowei and Duke of Xiguo Li Hun, and his uncle is Yu Wenshu of the Holy Family Zhenglong; The handsome scholar's name was Li Dewu, and he was Li Hun's nephew.
Recently, the imperial court had a large-scale official purge involving fifty states because of Yang Liang's rebellion. At the same time, some officials were dismissed because their brothers and sons became rebel generals, which implicated them. These two major purges that followed one after another left a large number of vacancies in the capital and local governments.
Of course, the Longxi Li family would not let go of such a good opportunity, so they had long sent the Li brothers, who had been studying hard in their hometown, to the capital to wait for the imperial appointment.
As for Yang Guang, although he wanted to suppress all the aristocratic families, he also knew that the Sui Dynasty was a world dominated by aristocratic families. If he dealt with the Guanlong nobles, Shandong nobles, and southern nobles at the same time, war would break out in the Sui Dynasty, and its backlash would The strength is really incomparable to the sparse royal family. So he prepared to recruit the Shandong and Southern nobles as allies and unite to deal with the Guanlong nobles who threatened the most.
Among the more than a thousand new officials he appointed, some were descendants of the gentry, and the Li family of Longxi, as one of the giants among the gentry in Shandong, naturally got a certain seat.
But Li Dewu was not among them, mainly because he did not want to be a county magistrate in a remote place. His goal is the capital, and he hopes to become a capital official in the prosperous capital. So he took advantage of Li Shirun's relationship to join Yu Wenshu's sect, and through Yu Wenshu's recommendation, he successfully became a sect member.
Yu Wenshu recommended him to the court because he wanted to connect Li Dewu with the authentic Longxi Li family so that the two parties could establish a closer relationship. If the behemoth Longxi Li family secretly provided help to him, it would obviously affect his status. It is of great benefit.
In the eyes of the Lu family of Fanyang, Er Cui, Zheng family of Xingyang, Wang family of Taiyuan, and Li family of Zhaojun who were all Shandong nobles, Yu Wenshu was a vulgar upstart, a bastard, and a bully; but the Li family of Longxi was different. , because it has lived in Liangzhou for a long time and is inextricably related to the Guanlong nobles, even if it is included in the Guanlong gentry and Guanlong nobles.
This geographical difference also made the Li family in Longxi treat the Guanlong nobles completely differently from other Shandong noble families. Therefore, Li Dewu did not feel any shame or shame in joining Yu Wenshu. He is confident that with his family background and talent, he will have great achievements in his career.
He is serving as the host today, and on the one hand, he is paying farewell to his clan brothers who are about to travel far away. On the other hand, he drafted a document this morning. The content of the document was gorgeous and the handwriting was beautiful. After reading it, Pei Ju, the newly appointed minister of Huangmen, admired it very much and even called him over to get to know him. When Pei Ju knew that he was from Longxi When the children of the Li family saw that he was handsome and extraordinary, they immediately praised him and called him a dragon and a phoenix among men.
Pei Ju's praise and appreciation made Li Dewu ecstatic and felt that a bright future was in sight.
Soon, the waiter brought five jars of roasted knives and more than a dozen plates of side dishes to go with the wine. Everyone poured the wine. Li Dewu stood up and said with a smile: "After today, we brothers will go our separate ways. I wish all brothers I will make great achievements in my official career and add splendor to my Longxi Li family. I will have to ask for your continued care in the future!"
"Brother Dewu has been promoted to the seventh rank in just half a month, and now he has Pei Shijun to appreciate him. In a few months, won't he be promoted to a subordinate? From now on, you should be the one to take care of us, and It’s not us taking care of you, brothers, don’t you think so?”
Li Shirun specifically mentioned "from the seventh rank", which was not sarcastic, but a real compliment, because from the surface, the rank from the seventh rank, the eighth rank, and the ninth rank sounded very low. However, in fact, they are definitely not small. For example, Menxia Luoshi is like a small role that cannot be put on the stage, but Shangzhou Sima is only from the seventh rank.
Of course, official rank is not important, what is important is the issue of power. Also from the seventh rank, the power and status of Sima Sima of Shangzhou is second only to the governor and the chief historian. It is in charge of the state soldiers of a state and is like a local emperor. Even the governor and the chief historian have to look at its face; but Menxialu His duties are nothing more than writing in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and reviewing the edicts and documents of the Ministry of Internal History. How can he be compared with the Sima of a state?
Everyone laughed loudly: "That's right, that's right. I wish Brother Dewu a speedy promotion. Let's have a drink."
Everyone drank, picked up food and poured wine, chatting and laughing, and it was extremely lively.
Sui people can drink, but drink better!
If Li Dewu and others were in the past, they would not be drunk even if they drank a thousand cups, but after drinking more than ten pounds, their ears would be clear, their eyes would be bright, and their mind would be clear, and nothing would happen.
But today, except for Li Shirun, who had been living in the capital, this was the first time for them to drink the Shao Daozi. After only three cups, they all felt dizzy.
It is said that drunkenness makes people cowardly, but these people were originally cowardly. Now that they are drunk, they open their voices and talk loudly, talking about their proud past and their bright future.
This was nothing at first, but as he talked, he turned to women. This was nothing, but as he went on, he turned to Li Dewu's boss Pei Ju.
"Brother!" Li Dewu's young face turned red, and he said to Li Shirun with a big tongue: "I heard from my colleagues that Commander Pei has a female name Shuying, and she is now in a boudoir. Is that true?"
"Indeed! But so what?" Li Shirun frowned slightly. Pei Shuying was originally a lady raised in a boudoir, and only a few people knew her. But after the Furongchi assassination incident, she also followed Yang Jiming Yang Daxing City, some gossipy ladies who knew that Dugu Min failed to propose marriage, also told the story about the incompatibility between Yang Ji and Pei Shuying. From this, various legends of heroes saving beauties, beating mandarin ducks, and crazy men and women were derived. It was difficult for Li Shirun not to know Pei Shuying.
"Brother, tell me, Commander Pei admires me so much, does he want to recruit me as the son-in-law of the Pei family?" Li Dewu had never met Pei Shuying, and he didn't know that the beauty next door was Pei Shuying, so naturally he didn't covet her beauty; At the same time, as a fledgling, he has not yet been severely beaten by the society, and his character appears sharp and sharp. He always believes that his family background and talent can make him stand out, and he does not want to rely on "Pei Ju's son-in-law" to rise to the top. The reason why I say this is nothing more than the narcissistic nature of men at work.
He felt that Pei Ju admired him so much because he saw that he had a good family background, good looks, and high talents, and he was tempted to recruit a son-in-law and marry him.
Li Shirun reminded with laughter: "Don't you know the rumors between King Wei and the Pei family's wife?"
"Of course I know!" Behemoths like the Li family in Longxi have their own intelligence channels. Their understanding of "popular" officials is probably a bit deeper than the officials themselves, and Yang Ji and Pei Ju themselves are what they pay attention to. Object, after the assassination of Furongchi, Pei Shuying was also included in the scope of evaluating the relationship between Yang Ji and Pei Ju by the Longxi Li family. Before Li Dewu and others entered the capital, the family elders in charge of intelligence gave them a special lesson and gave them detailed information and connections about the big guys in the capital.
Li Dewu sneered disdainfully: "If Pei Shijun falls in love with me, what does it have to do with Yang Ji? My eldest brother doesn't think that he is the King of Wei and has the right to point fingers at our Longxi Li family, right?"
Li Shirun said displeasedly: "Have you forgotten the purpose of your coming to Daxing? Have you forgotten the high hopes that your elders have placed on you? How can you act like you have never seen a woman? Besides, Pei Shijun is your boss, and you are gossiping like this. , is it appropriate?"
"I have many beautiful women, but not one of them is the Prime Minister's daughter!" The Li family in Longxi came and went from famous families. As a direct descendant of the Li family, Li Dewu was surrounded by elegant, charming, pure, coquettish, plump, and slender beauties. Women, because of this, he is no longer pursuing beautiful women, but princesses, princesses, county lords, and prime ministers. Their noble origins and status have a fatal temptation for him.
Li Shirun said angrily: "Are you still enjoying it?"
"Hey!" Li Dewu smiled brightly: "Within the treasure house, in the gentle countryside, if I could get out of my quilt with a beautiful and noble prime minister, go to Wushan together, and spend the night together, don't you think this would be the greatest happiness in the world? "
"That's enough!" Li Shirun slapped his palm on the table: "If I had known this, I should have recommended A Bin to my uncle, not you!"
When Li Dewu saw his elder brother getting angry, he immediately closed his mouth angrily.
They stopped here, but the people on the other side of the screen stopped. A beautiful voice came over, but the tone was high-pitched and full of unconcealable anger: "Bold maniacs, how dare you speak dirty words in broad daylight?" Using dirty words and teasing the ministers of the dynasty, do you still have royal decency in your eyes?"
"Sorry, sorry! My little brother drank too much." Li Shirun glared at Li Dewu fiercely, got up and walked to the next door.
