Ning Que held the two corners of the paper with his fingers and stretched it to the window. The warm sun and spring breeze outside quickly dried the ink. After confirming that there was no problem, he carefully folded the paper and put it back into the book in the same position as before.
He stood up and put the book in its usual position on the bookshelf. Then he walked to the east window and bowed to the female professor respectfully. The female professor nodded slightly in return.
Then he should go downstairs directly, but in the process of straightening up, he suddenly thought of something. He thought that this female professor must be a great figure in the Academy since she had been practicing regular script in the old library for several years. Moreover, she seemed to be quiet and kind. Since the writer was willing to help him, maybe she would also be willing to help him?
As a poor lad who had more than two thousand taels of silver, Ning Que thought about it and felt that he could not let go of such an opportunity. After a short pause, he said respectfully, "Sir, when I was reading just now, I seemed to have learned something by forgetting the characters. I wonder if this method can still be used?"
The female professor looked at him quietly. After a long time, she smiled and said, "According to the rules of the Academy, even magic skills students can only read the books on this floor with their own power of understanding before they enter the Second floor. However, you don't have the potential to cultivate, but you managed to understand some principles with your perseverance. Even though those principles aren't necessarily correct, it's still impressive. The rules of the Academy cannot be broken. Then I have to give you a word. "
Ning Que bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance."
The female professor looked at the Hairpin-style Small Regular Script on the desk in front of her and said calmly, "Reading characters, forgetting the shape, understanding the meaning … Reading with intention and without intention."
…
…
Ning Que knew that he had not achieved the state of forgetting the shape and meaning of the words. He had used the method of disassembling the shape, which was still far from the state of forgetting the shape. As for the word "meaning", he did not know how to explain it. He could not help but shake his head and murmured the words "one can read it intentionally or unintentionally" as he walked down the stairs.
It was already late at night. Usually, there would not be many people under the old library at this time. But today it was very lively. Situ Yilan stood at the front, holding Jin Wucai's hand. Chu Youxian stood at the side of the stairs. Xie Chengyun and Zhong Dajun could be faintly seen in the depths of the bookshelves.
It seemed like they were welcoming him downstairs? Ning Que looked at his classmates at the bottom of the stairs and was slightly stunned. He looked at Chu Youxian and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
"You actually … walked down by yourself?" Situ Yilan looked at him in surprise and said.
Ning Que spread out his hands and said helplessly, "I think I also walked down last time, right?"
Situ Yilan smiled and said, "Let's get down to business. According to the rules of the Academy over the years, the freshmen will have a gathering after entering the academy. There are always some classmates from other counties or even foreign countries who have never been to Chang 'an. The so-called gathering is to show everyone around, drink some wine and gossip. Our Classroom Three will also have a gathering. Wucai and I, who have lived in Chang' an for a long time, are naturally duty-bound, so we will take the lead. It should have been held a few days ago, but because you are on sick leave, it was postponed to today. We don't want to disturb you reading upstairs, so we are waiting here."
Ning Que looked at the girl in front of him and found that she had already taken off her student robe and changed into a lavender skirt. She did not look as sharp and tough as she usually did when she wore her archery uniform, but unexpectedly showed a bit of the gentleness of a noble family.
Although he was eager to return to Lin 47th Street to tell Sangsang about today's amazing encounter, he also knew that there was no way to avoid the gathering of the Academy's classmates. Moreover, Classroom Three had postponed the gathering to today in order to wait for him to recover. No matter what, he had to attend. There were all young people around him, so he said straightforwardly, "No problem."
Situ Yilan laughed heartily and said, "Your straightforward character is not bad, unlike Chen Zixian and the others who ran away with the excuse of family matters. Who doesn't know which gambling house they are in now."
Hearing the three words "Chen Zixian", Ning Que was slightly startled. He immediately understood that she was talking about Chen Zixian, the son of a rich businessman from Classroom Three, and not the old man who fell beside the pile of firewood and could not close his eyes.
Situ Yilan looked back at the students around her and laughed heartily, "Is there any place that you want to visit, or Chang 'an food that you want to eat? If you don't have any ideas, then I'm the one. "
The students from other places all laughed and said that they had no objections. She rolled her eyes and suddenly said to Ning Que, "How about we go for a drink?"
"I still don't have any objections." Ning Que said.
Situ Yilan looked at his face and teased, "Last time Chu Youxian said that you don't need to pay to drink at the House of Red Sleeves. Why don't we go there? I believe that you don't have any objections either. "
Ning Que was startled. When he was about to say that he had a strong objection, he saw that she had already turned around to announce the news to the crowd. It was said that today's gathering would be held at the House of Red Sleeves. Hearing this decision, the crowd inside and outside of the old library suddenly became "angry".
A student from Gushan Commandery shook his head and praised, "To be able to see the real face of the world's number one singing and dancing troupe, this trip to Chang 'an is really worthwhile!"
A student from the capital of Great River Kingdom solemnly said, "Yes, this time we must see the Tang Emperor's favorite dance."
A former captain of the Tang Empire's border army from the remote Hangu Valley said seriously, "That's right. Tonight, all of you must write some good poems to record our grand occasion."
All the students shook their heads and praised, all of them seemed to be full of literary aura. But everyone knew that what these young students really wanted to see was not singing and dancing, but the famous prostitutes who were rumored to be the top of the world's brothels. What they really wanted to do was not poetry, but to make love in the brothel. Although Situ Yilan and several other ladies from official families could not really be unrestrained, it was also an excellent thing to be close to those soul-stirring beauties.
Ning Que grabbed Chu Youxian beside him and asked in surprise, "Women … can also enter the brothel?"
"There is no place in Chang 'an that these women dare not go. Moreover, the House of Red Sleeves is a singing and dancing troupe promoted by the palace. If they say they want to see the song and dance, no one can say anything." Chu Youxian helplessly said.
At this moment, a hand stretched out from the depths of the bookshelf, and a skinny student slowly moved out. It was Linchuan Wang Ying, who was known as a genius. He looked at the crowd and said timidly, "Can I go with you?"
All the students looked at this 14-year-old lad and looked at each other. Situ Yilan gently bit her lips, rolled her eyes and said with a sullen face, "Wang Ying, you can't go. You have to know that you are Ding She's."
…
…
The atmosphere of the Tang Empire had always been swaying between simplicity and toughness and open-mindedness. To be more precise, it should be stepping on both sides happily and swaying back and forth. Especially for the people living in Chang 'an, they were naturally simple and tough when talking about national affairs and morale, and they were naturally open-mindedness when talking about literature and romance. They never felt that there was any conflict between the two styles. The serious and upright civil officials in the imperial court would go to the tavern next to the mansion to play a song for the blind girl after leaving the court. The women in the brothel would also go to the brothel to donate when talking about the frontier fortress war.
Therefore, the brothel in Chang 'an was different from the brothel in other places. It was not just a place with red lanterns hanging high and full of lustful fragrance. There were also times when there were vigorous dances and clangs. Except for those censors who lived by criticizing others, no matter if it was officials or rich businessmen, they would not feel that there was anything wrong with appearing in such a place.
Speaking of brothels, the first name to be mentioned was naturally the House of Red Sleeves. For many years, there had never been a signboard outside the Musical Bamboo Courtyard, but everyone knew that it was the first signboard of the brothel industry in Chang 'an and even in the Tang Empire. It was favored by the former Emperor and His Majesty, and had a glorious past. Even though it was far away in a quiet neighborhood, its reputation spread far and wide. Tonight, the House of Red Sleeves was as bright as usual. Tonight, the spring wind was romantic. Tonight, the House of Red Sleeves sang and danced to celebrate peace. Tonight, no one slept in the House of Red Sleeves. Tonight, the House of Red Sleeves … became a little chaotic.
When more than 20 young men and women of the Academy barged into the building with their heads lowered shyly or proudly, the rich businessmen and officials who were drinking and enjoying the singing and dancing in the hall suddenly froze. After recognizing the identities of several female students dressed as men, they sighed and quickly dispersed in all directions.
Chang 'an was indeed open. It was not uncommon for women to dress up as men to visit brothels. It was not rare for a father and a son to go to a girl one after another. However, it was still a little embarrassing for two generations to appear in the same brothel at the same time. What was strange was that in such an embarrassing situation, it was always the elders who gave way to the younger generation, such as now.
Situ Yilan asked her classmates to sit down. Looking at the back of the person who slipped out of the side door of the brothel, who looked like her Fourth Uncle, she held back her laughter and waved her sleeves to sit down. She called the steward and asked, "I know there is no rule in the brothel to reserve the whole place. But there are many of us. Is it okay to fill up the front hall and watch the singing and dancing?"
The steward had already recognized the identity of this famous noble lady in Chang 'an. He did not dare to neglect her and said with a bitter face, "Miss Situ … Or should I still call you young master today? Whatever you say, of course. "
"You know what's good for you." Situ Yilan rolled her black eyes and threw a golden leaf to the steward. She said, "Bring the wine, fruits, and food quickly. Today there is a rich man paying the bill. Also … I want Lu Xue to accompany me. Last year when I came to your brothel, you said she went to the palace. It can't be so coincidental today, right?"
The steward revealed an awkward expression and smiled apologetically. "It's true that she didn't enter the palace, but you know that His Majesty is holding a banquet for the princess's return. The girls of the song and dance troupe have been practicing hard. Miss Lu Xue is the lead dancer, so everyone specially gave her a month off. Now, whether she wants to come out or not is really up to her."
Speaking of the top girls in the House of Red Sleeves, Dewdrop was naturally one of them. But Lu Xue's status was a little different. She was the lead dancer in the Song and Dance Troupe and was once praised by the Empress. If she was not willing to come out and drink with the guests, no one could force her.
After all, Situ Yilan was just a young girl. She was always curious when she went to the brothel to drink and play. She was not willing to find girls who did not mind having regular guests. But Lu Xue was very different. So when she heard that Lu Xue was on vacation, she could not help but feel a little annoyed.
Ning Que lowered his head and followed his classmates into the House of Red Sleeves. He dragged Chu Youxian to the most remote seat and quietly listened to the conversation between Situ Yilan and the steward. At the same time, he was thinking about the important problem of who would pay the bill tonight. After a while, he looked at Chu Youxian and said with sympathy, "She said there is a rich man paying the bill today. I think it will be you who will lose money again. After all, you are a landlord and a rich man in Chang 'an City."
Chu Youxian opened his folding fan and said sarcastically, "Obviously, the rich man tonight is surnamed Ning."
After saying this, he stood up and scolded the steward with a smile, "Hua Shao, are you blind? Look who's sitting beside me. Hurry up and call Lu Xue and Dewdrop out."
…
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
