Shangguan Pei Hui blushed when Gao Buyi looked at herself in the mirror.
Gao Buyi laughed and said: "Let's go, let us also see the scenery of the prosperous Tang Dynasty!"
Gao Buyi and Shangguan Pei Hui walked out of the palace from the harem. There was a carriage parked at the door. Gao Buyi said nothing, and he and Shangguan Pei Hui got on the carriage. The carriage turned into a secluded street and stopped. Gao Buyi and Shangguan Pei Hui got off the carriage. At this time, Chen Xuan, Wang Sizhong and nearly a hundred guards were waiting here in plain clothes.
Gao Buyi nodded towards them: "Let's go."
Chen Xuan waved his hand, and all the forbidden troops disappeared into the market.
Only then did Gao Buyi, accompanied by Shangguan Pei Hui, Chen Xuan and Wang Sizhong, blend into the crowd of people on Zhuque Street.
Gao Buyi never dreamed that Chang'an during the prosperous Tang Dynasty would be so prosperous. Not to mention the bustling traffic, lights of various colors illuminated several streets as if they were daylight, and the effect was not much different from the street lights of later generations.
At this time, Gao Buyi and others were walking slowly behind the two Imperial Guards who were opening the way, while Shangguan Pei Hui was guarding them at all times.
"Look at this crowded scene, it's full of fireworks. Sizhong, you haven't celebrated the Lantern Festival in Chang'an for a long time, right?"
"Yes! It has been five years and it is more prosperous than before."
"It's true. There are a lot of foreigners. Not only are there camels, but there are also lions and elephants. This won't hurt anyone, right?"
"No, these are all domesticated. There has not been a single incident of hurting anyone in many years. If they dare to pull them out, they must be sure. Otherwise, if they hurt someone, they will be caught and held accountable even if they escape to the end of the world."
This is said with great energy, and he is worthy of being a general who always controls the border.
"Hui'er, don't be so nervous. It's been a long time since you visited Zhuque Street. Take a good look at the shops on both sides. There are lantern riddles hanging on them. Show off your talents and win us a free late-night snack. Even a bowl of glutinous rice balls will do.”
Shangguan Pei Hui smiled and shook his head, still staying close to his side.
Gao Buyi saw that he couldn't help but stopped trying. He didn't know what kind of spices were used on Hui'er. The light fragrance smelled quite good.
Arriving in front of a three-story red building decorated with lights, Gao Buyi asked curiously: "Why are so many people gathered around here? What are they looking at?"
"Hu Xuan! This is a brothel, and there should be a performance by Hu Xuan inside."
"Oh! Go take a look. I heard that Hu Xuan is very famous."
Gao Buyi watched the scene with satisfaction: "Why didn't you see Li Bai and Du Fu?"
"Then we have to go to Qujiang Pool. There is a Qujiang Restaurant opened by wealthy Hu merchants. There are performances by various exotic women, which are most attractive to the so-called prodigal talents." Shangguan Pei Hui frowned slightly.
"Qujiang Pool? What does it have to do with the Qujiang Banquet?"
"It was a gathering place for the entire Chang'an literati and poets. It was also a frequent place for dignitaries and wealthy ladies. The royal garden stood there. Whenever there was an encore, the imperial court would hold a Qionglin banquet there, which was also called Qu by the world. Jiang Yan.”
"I see, then let's go to Qujiang Pool!"
Along the way, Gao Buyi saw an elephant show, a Hu Ji show, and ate a lot of snacks. In the end, it was Shangguan Pei Hui who persuaded him because he was afraid that his spleen and stomach would be too much.
Qujiang Pool is located in the Yanta District of Xi'an in later generations. Qin Shihuang initially built a palace in Qujiang Pool, named Yichun Palace. Later, it was continuously expanded through the Han, Sui and Tang Dynasties. By the time of Xuanzong, the area of Qujiang Pool reached 700,000 square meters. .
This was also the time when Qujiang Pond was at its most prosperous. Pavilions and pavilions were built around the Pond, there were many palaces, pavilions, luxuriant flowers and trees, and the scenery was beautiful. It was a place where royal nobles, dignitaries, and literati hung out, calling for friends. Carrying pots and pulp, playing music, singing and painting boats, enjoying leisurely banquets on the Qujiang Pond.
If you are a Jinshi, you will come here to celebrate, drink wine and compose poems. It is called drinking in the Qujiang River. Residents from all over the world come to watch it. The previous Emperor Xuanzong often came here with his concubines to have fun. It is very famous!
"This is Qujiang Lake. It has a beautiful environment and a lot of people. Let's go back and get a small boat and let's go boating on the lake. Where is the Qujiang Restaurant?"
"There, that's the tall building built by the lake."
"Go over and have a look." Gao Buyi was a little excited. Poetic Immortals and Poetic Saints, these figures in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, were about to meet real people.
Although Qujiang is also crowded with tourists, it is not noisy because the people who come here are all literati and nobles.
Although Gao Buyi issued an order that everyone could visit the open royal gardens regardless of their status, the thousands of years of class perception was difficult to change in a short time.
Qujiang Restaurant is now brightly lit, with bursts of popping sounds coming from inside. It is not difficult to imagine the grand scene inside.
"Please come in with some guests!"
As soon as I stepped into the restaurant, I was greeted by the waiter.
"Go to the second floor!"
This restaurant is different from what I imagined. The entire middle is hollow. The first floor is a lotus pond. It is very rare for lotus flowers to bloom in winter. I don’t know how this restaurant is heated.
In the middle of the lotus pond, there is a stage near the water. On the stage, an orchid is performing, dancing gracefully and very pleasing to the eye.
There are corridors on both sides of the restaurant, connecting semi-open rooms similar to later booths, where people can enjoy banquets while enjoying the singing and dancing downstairs without any blind spots.
"Hu Ji! Hu Ji! Come on! Dance faster!" A wild voice came from upstairs.
The stunning Orchid didn't have stage fright either. Following the sound, she saw a drunken old man singing with his chest exposed on a red beam hanging in the air on the second floor.
"Look! That's Supervisor He, a regular customer of the restaurant!"
Gudong! ——
"Supervisor He fell into the pool."
"Haha! Supervisor He has gone to work on the tower near the water."
"Yes, yes! This Hu Ji is back in prison! Haha!"
Amidst the wild teasing of a group of drinking friends, a family member rescued the drunk Supervisor He.
Gao Buyi lay on the railing and admired the people on the beam. He found it very interesting. People were drinking, composing poems, and singing and dancing on it. It was very bold! I have to sigh that the ancients knew how to play.
At this time, a loud cry came from my ears, "Look! Someone is being pushed up again!"
"Who is this?"
"You don't know this? The famous Scholar Li, Li Bai!"
Hearing that it was Li Bai, Gao Buyi immediately became energetic, grabbed a bottle of wine from the tray of the waiter who was passing by, and slowly approached there.
At this moment, Li Bai's wild and uninhibited voice came: "Falling flowers are falling one after another, and the beauty is drunk with red face. There are many peaches and plums in Qingxuan, and the flowing light deceives others. You dance, the sun and the west set. At that time, the spirit was unwilling. What's the point of sighing, my hair is as white as silk!——"
Gao Buyi was listening with interest when suddenly a figure with gray temples flashed from the corner of his eyes, and he suddenly woke up.
"Is this brother thirty-five years old?"
"Brother, who is it?"
This man was Gao Shi, thirty-five years old, who came to Chang'an for a ten-year appointment with Li Bai. He didn't expect that when he came to Chang'an, he would see Li Bai in such a dissolute manner. He got drunk here for six days and seven nights and never left. He was a little waiting. If not, leave a message and prepare to leave.
