On the third floor of the Xiuyun Pavilion's north building, the guests Yang Lun entertained were either the elders of the court or the elites of various aristocratic families. The annual review of the imperial court and the upcoming streamlining of the military government, All involve the interests of their families and factions, so everyone has their own thoughts and worries, and there is no such high spirits and laughter as when they visited the brothel in the past. The more pure Confucian scholars and madmen were as chic as ever. While drinking, they commented on the artists sent by various brothels to compete.
Yu Wenshiji sat at the same table with a Confucian scholar in his thirties. This man's name was Chen Shuda. He was the son of Chen Xu, the emperor of Chen Kaoxuan. He was the seventeenth among forty brothers.
After the Sui Dynasty destroyed the Chen Dynasty in the ninth year of Kaihuang, Chen Shuda followed Chen Shubao to surrender to the Sui army and moved to Daxing. Yang Jian was also very generous and did not embarrass or execute the Chen brothers. Except for Chen Shubao who was under house arrest, the others either went out to work as prefects, county magistrates, governors, county magistrates, or served in the central government. Chen Shuda was first granted the title of Neishisheren, and later went to Jiangjun County under the rule of Bingzhou to serve as the magistrate of Taiping County. However, in the second year of Daye, Yang Guang transferred him back to the center and resumed his position as the Neishisheren of Neishi Province.
Chen Shuda was very knowledgeable, clear about right and wrong, gentle and elegant, and became good friends with Yu Wenshiji, who was also in the center.
After all, Chen Shuda was once a prince, and his brother Chen Shubao was also a famous literary emperor. His vision was beyond human reach. Looking at the dancing woman on the stage who looked like stars holding the moon, he finally shook his head. , Xiang Yuwenshiji said: "These young girls from Feixianglou, with willow-slender waists, can dance in the southern Wu Yue style, but they only have the shape, but they don't have the charm of Wu Yue dance. They can barely be seen."
Yu Wenshiji picked up the wine cup, took a sip of wine, and said: "It is said that the Lanting Pavilion invited Shen Yue, a famous Jiangnan song and dance master from the south, to represent the Lanting Pavilion in the competition. This girl's dance must be in line with Zicong's taste. .”
"Chen Yue?" Chen Shuda smiled, with a hint of leisurely fascination in his eyes.
Seeing this, Yu Wenshi asked curiously: "Do you know Zicong?"
"It's not that we know each other. When Mrs. Pei passed her birthday, she asked this woman to perform several dances." Chen Shuda said: "This woman's dancing skills are indeed the essence of Wu Yuefeng. I have seen this woman's dancing posture during the banquet. Fang I know that what Cao Zijian said, 'as graceful as a startling giant, as graceful as a swimming dragon', is actually true. It can be said that he has the charm of southern feng shui. If she comes to dance, she will be the leader."
"Hearing what Zicong said, I really want to have a good experience later." Yu Wenshiji smiled and said: "But when it comes to the leader, I am more optimistic about Ming Cuixuan inviting him from Guanzhong. Gongsun Xi, this girl's sword dance is like an illusion, and her sword dance makes people involuntarily think of the legendary sword fairy."
Chen Shuda became interested and said, "Why don't we have a bet?"
Yuwen Shiji was also very interested: "What are you betting on?"
"A small bet will make you happy, just bet ten altars to burn knives!" Chen Shuda said.
Yu Wenshi felt confident that he had no problem, he smiled and nodded and said: "Yes!"
Speaking of burning knives, Chen Shuda couldn't help but turn his head and look at the seat assigned to Yang Ji, only to find that the seat was empty. He immediately asked curiously: "Brother, why is King Wei missing?"
After hearing this, people on both sides looked at Yuwen Shiji in unison. In the eyes of everyone, Yang Ji is a person who especially likes to toss and is very good at tossing. He should like this kind of occasion, but he is not here at this time, which seems quite unexpected.
Yu Wenshiji seemed to understand what everyone was thinking, and said with a smile: "King Wei is different and very special, completely different from what everyone thought. In fact, he has a quiet and peaceful temperament, and he is not at all He likes to be lively, and if nothing happens, he can stay at home for a year and a half. The reason why people mistakenly think he likes to do things is mainly because of his responsibilities."
"He is a talented but quiet hermit. If the court assigns him a job, he can do things safely. But if nothing happens, he goes home quietly and becomes a hermit."
After a pause, Yuwen Shiji said with certainty: "For him, going to a brothel is not as good as sleeping comfortably at home, or having a good fight. Today, he is definitely not showing mercy to Prince Teng, so he Come. Otherwise, no one would have seen him in the brothel."
When a Confucian scholar next to him heard this, he couldn't help but said: "I can't believe that King Wei, who said he 'loves the most beautiful girl', is actually such a person."
"Actually, it's not contradictory at all!" Chen Shuda understood Yang Ji better. He chuckled and said, "Because the most beautiful girl in the world is in Prince Wei's palace, and there are many, many more. If he speaks to the saint again, no matter how beautiful or talented he is, There are many talented girls, plus I am self-disciplined and have no bad habits, so naturally I don’t need to come to a brothel where there are many people to watch.”
Everyone was speechless and silently sad: "..."
Chen Shuda's words are very reasonable and cannot be refuted. If we analyze his statement in detail, then in Yang Ji's eyes, these highly touted courtesans and courtesans may not even be considered vulgar fans. The women married by their close slaves may be more beautiful, virtuous, knowledgeable, courteous and talented than their "beautiful wives and concubines".
In a small private room on the same floor, Xiao Ying, Liu Rumei, Pei Shuying, Zhang Chuchen, Murong Xianyue, Xian Yufang, Liu Xu, and Hou Qiaowen were disguised as men. Under the protection of several martial maids, they were also watching from the stands. On the stage in front, there is also Taoist Princess Da Xizhen who has also had the joy of being reincarnated.
"Sister, we came here to watch the performance. If Wenhui and Xianzhen knew about it, I'm afraid they would be angry." Xiao Ying listened to Da Xizhen's lies, and was encouraged by Pei Shuying from the side. In addition, she was also not familiar with brothel culture. I was quite curious, so I ran over with my big belly to watch the excitement.
The atmosphere of the Sui Dynasty was unrestrained, and artistic brothels like Xiuyun Pavilion had singing and dancing performances every day, so it was normal for women to enter the brothels to watch the fun and performances. Today, more women came because of the Oiran Competition, so their arrival Not obtrusive. But it is extremely rare for four pregnant women to come together. However, they didn't just wander around, but they came to the place that Yang Lun had arranged.
The commander of Yang Lun's soldiers was almost frightened to death when he saw these aunts, but everyone came, and there were four pregnant women among them. He didn't dare to be negligent or let them wander around. He couldn't be held responsible if they were bumped into. I had no choice but to arrange a small private room according to their request. At the same time, someone was sent to notify Yang Ji and Yang Jing's personal commanders, asking them to send additional guards to protect them in case anything happened.
"Sister, don't worry. Not all brothels are places where filth and evil are hidden. It's not like there are no women here today. Moreover, Brother Wei Wang and Xian Zhen are not the kind of unreasonable Yi people. They won't blame us. As long as we go back after watching the Oiran competition, it's no big deal." Da Xizhen comforted the nervous Xiao Ying, and then said: "Although the singing and dancing here are not as good as those in the palace, the palace is too serious. We are not allowed to watch the singing and dancing. When speaking, you must always maintain a calm and unhurried manner so as not to miss the point.”
"However, it is extremely uncomfortable to watch singing and dancing while wearing shackles. But here we are unrestrained; we can laugh as much as we want, talk as much as we want, and can see all kinds of things in the world. I think today besides us sisters In addition, there must be many ladies from powerful families coming to watch. Maybe Prince Teng’s wife is also here.”
Hearing this last sentence, Xiao Ying's tense heartstrings relaxed, and she said with a chuckle: "If my sister-in-law comes too, I'm afraid Brother Teng Wang will be in danger!"
She thought Yang Lun was very secretive. Once she got here, she found out that everyone knew that the third, fourth and fifth floors of the North Tower were occupied by Prince Teng.
To put it bluntly, Yang Lun clearly felt that women did not dare to come to the brothel, so he dared to do whatever he wanted outside. But if these words reach Princess Teng's ears, he will be in misery.
Of course, Princess Teng may know, but she is just turning a blind eye.
At this moment, Pei Shuying's voice suddenly came to my ears: "It's offensive, it's offensive."
Pei Shuying said, but her bright eyes were staring at the stage without blinking, but a group of singers and dancers in cool clothes were replaced on the stage.
In this weather, these girls only wore gauze-like pink pockets and panties, which could not cover the flesh inside, and the outside was covered with a veil that was almost nothing. A string of copper bells are tied to the snow-white lotus-rooted arms and ankles. The "bells" in the small pockets are shaking as they sing and dance.
Xiao Ying took a look and knew that they were dances by Wu Yuefeng, but the girls' costumes were rare even in the enlightened Sui Dynasty, so they aroused cheers from the onlookers.
Looking around casually, Xiao Ying immediately looked to the side in front of the west tower stand, where several rows of old men were sitting. They were well-dressed and originally sat very upright. But as the group of girls came on the stage, these old men leaned forward in unison, He stretched his neck and looked straight at the stage, almost unable to move his eyes away.
She didn't feel that the other party was old and shameless, but she thought the change before and after was quite interesting, and it was also an interesting thing that she couldn't see in other places.
Liu Rumei smiled lightly and said to Pei Shuying: "Since Sanniang said it was immoral, what else do you want to see them do?"
Pei Shuying didn't even move her eyes, and said happily: "If I don't look carefully, how can I criticize them? How can I scold them?"
Everyone: "..."
Da Xizhen, who was born in a general family, is more open-minded than Xiao Ying. She said calmly and generously: "This place is different from the solemn and solemn places, and it is also different from the poetry gatherings we participated in before. The poetry gatherings paid attention to the romantic style of poetry. Although it is also different here There are poems and lyrics, but it is mostly based on music and dance, and even mistakes are okay, so the singers and dancers are also very relaxed, and their dances are more gentle and touching."
Although Xiao Ying came to a brothel for the first time, she also knew the difference between the two: poetry gatherings and gatherings where the rich and powerful's children gathered were equivalent to blind dates for famous families. Although brothel artists were also invited to perform folk arts, their clothing was very different in all aspects. Being conservative will not interfere with the enjoyment of reciting poems and composing poems by the children of famous families.
As for the oiran competition in front of us, it is where every participating artist performs. They will give full play to their talents. If they surpass the others in skill and win the first prize in one fell swoop, they may be favored by a powerful person and be able to leave the brothel and live a stable life.
"My sister is right!" She smiled and said, "I wonder if Wenhui and Xianzhen will give away the sign."
"Xian Zhen will definitely give it away." Da Xizhen was silent for a long time, then explained to Xiao Ying: "It's not that Xian Zhen is lustful and spendthrift. It's just that he has more face."
Yang Zhongsheng had five sons. The fourth son, Yang Song, and the fifth son, Yang Shuang, were brothers from the same father and mother. Yang Song died in the battlefield before they got married during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. After Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty, he adopted Yang Zan's concubine and Yang Lun's half-brother Yang Jing into his lap, so that they could inherit the lineage of Tao kings.
The relationship between Yang Song and Yang Shuang, and the fact that Yang Jing's aunt, Yuwen, was a jealous and fierce woman, after he was adopted, he couldn't help but get close to Yang Ji, who had the same grandfather and grandmother, and his half-brother Yang Lun. , the relationship has become a lot worse. And because he had no status and was in a bad situation when he was in Prince Teng's Mansion, this also makes him still have low self-esteem, cowardice, and lack of self-confidence.
This kind of experience and temperament also made him a little cautious, sensitive and good-looking.
As the saying goes, it’s better to know your husband than your wife. Da Xizhen knows her husband very well and knows that if her husband sees others giving him a sign, he will definitely give it too; and he will neither give more than others of the same grade nor less than the other person. This way, he will You won’t offend anyone, and you won’t lose your own face. However, Da Xizhen didn't think there was anything wrong with it. After all, her husband was not as capable as Yang Ji, so what he did was in line with his temperament and abilities.
"Sister, do you think Brother Wei Wang will give it away?" Da Xizhen asked.
"Will Wenhui give it to you?" Xiao Ying also knew that a gold medal was worth a hundred guan, a silver medal was worth ten guan, and a bronze medal was a guan. These numbers may not seem like much; but if calculated based on the price of food at four qian per dou of rice, then guan. You can buy 250 buckets of rice, which is more than 3,100 kilograms of rice. And based on Xiao Ying's understanding of Yang Ji, Yang Ji probably wouldn't even give him a brand.
Seeing Xiao Ying's confident look, Da Xizhen couldn't help but asked curiously: "Sister, Brother Wei Wang used to be notorious in Guanzhong, but after signing a three-life alliance with his sister, he seemed to be a different person. Are you afraid of me?"
She was afraid that Xiao Ying might misunderstand, so she added: "I'm not saying that my sister is fierce. But the men of the Yang family have a tradition of being afraid of their wives. I won't talk about the elders and brothers, but Xian Zhen is very afraid of me. But He is not as good at martial arts as me. He was defeated by me many times, and then fear became a habit. Brother Wei Wang is known as the best god of war in the world, and his sister does not know martial arts. If he was not afraid of his wife, how could he suddenly suddenly Have you become so honest?"
Xiao Ying quickly denied: "It is said that the champion Hou Huo Qu was also very naughty when he was young; but later he had responsibilities and missions, and he suddenly became enlightened. The same is true for Wenhui, and it has nothing to do with me."
"That's right!" Da Xizhen agreed with this view and nodded: "Odd people have their own unique deeds. If Brother Wei Wang was just like everyone else when he was young, he wouldn't have the dazzling achievements he has today."
