The rain had just stopped, and a tender yellow mist curled up from the willow branches.
On the blue waves of the Luo River, there were already pleasure boats and merchant ships coming and going.
Standing at the bridgehead of Tianjin, one could see many people taking advantage of the beginning of the rain to move about in high spirits. Besides businessmen, there were even more people going out of the city for a walk. Scholars and poets, noble ladies and daughters, after a stifled winter, were like little animals awakening from hibernation, eager to immediately see the green world.
Some willow trees had sprouted earlier, while others were still fluttering with catkins.
The catkins were like the snow drifting through the air, while the pear blossoms were like the snow frozen on the branches.
Because the rain had stopped not long after leaving the house, Yang Fan did not put on a straw raincoat, nor did he hold an umbrella. He only held his hands behind his back and stood between the falling snow and the frozen snow, on the embankment of the Luo River.
The spring rain had just stopped, and the river water had risen slightly and was somewhat turbid.
The boat passed through the river, the water lapping against the banks. A few ducks swayed left and right in the shallow water along with the surging water.
There were two or three women washing clothes by the river.
There was a little girl, only twelve or thirteen years old. Afraid that her shoes would get wet, her snow-white feet were bare. The surging river water would occasionally splash against the smooth surface of the large rocks, submerging her feet.
There was also a young woman who was using a wooden mallet to strike her clothes. Probably because her child was breastfeeding, she often unbuttoned her collar in order to breastfeed, causing it to be rather loose. As she struck with the mallet, from the high ground of the embankment, one could clearly see the two perfectly round snow-white lumps on her chest rising and falling.
Yang Fan took a few glances and realized that there were a few idling people on the embankment, pretending to look out over the water. The angle of their gazes was clearly …
Yang Fan couldn't help but laugh. Unwilling to be associated with them, he slowly turned around and stood under the tender yellow willow branches, gazing in the direction of the bridgehead.
The clear spring rain had just stopped, and Yang Fan was in the midst of the bright red and emerald green, watching the poetic fairy leisurely walk over.
Taiping had just come out of the palace and was wearing the palace dress for an audience with the Son of Heaven, so she had also tied a pine crane cape over her clothes.
"It's done?"
"It's done!"
The two stood side by side under the willow embankment, turning towards the surging river and watching the thousand sails sail by.
"When do you plan on doing it?"
"Tomorrow!"
"Alright! When the time comes, I'll help you. I'll take care of the follow-up arrangements! "
"Yes! Does this count as me doing you a favor? "
"Cough! Do we still need to differentiate between us? "
Princess Taiping looked at him, her lips were smiling and her eyes were sparkling, "Is that so? You really don't distinguish between us? "
Yang Fan touched his nose and changed his words with a smile, "Alright! You've done me a favor! "
Princess Taiping curled her lips and turned her head to one side.
Yang Fan was thick-skinned and didn't care at all. "There's one more thing. Do you want to do it with me?"
"Or to help you?"
"I guess so …. However, just like this time, you will also benefit from it! "
"What advantage did I get this time?"
"You helped the Emperor solve a big problem, the Emperor will love you even more."
"Forget it, I don't care!"
Yang Fan sighed and said, "Then forget it. I'll ask Wan 'er for help. She can do this as well!"
Princess Taiping immediately said, "Good! I'll do it with you. What's the matter? "
Yang Fan smiled and said, "Let's work together to plot against a person!"
"Who?"
"Lai Junchen!"
…
Lai Junchen raised his glass with a fake smile on his face. "You're too polite. I should give you a toast!"
Zhang Changzong smiled as he raised his cup to his lips and took a small sip. Seeing this, Lai Jun Chen also took a sip before putting down his cup.
Zhang Changzong frowned slightly when he saw this. Unfortunately, Lai Junchen didn't see it. He had turned his head to look at the leading dancer. On the red carpet, the leading dancer was moving gracefully and slowly twisting her slender waist. She was dancing to the music.
This dancer was almost thirty years old, but her dance was graceful, far from those young girls. Her face was full of smiles, bright and enchanting, like peach blossoms in the spring. Her dance was light, graceful and graceful, making one's heart race like a monkey.
Lai Junchen pondered, "This dancer is enchanting. Unfortunately, she is a dancer in Yang Zaisi's residence. It's not good to force her."
Today, Yang Zaisi had invited the Zhang brothers to the banquet. In addition, he also invited several ministers. In fact, the others were just there to make up the numbers. The real person invited was only Lai Junchen.
On Dragon's Gate Mountain, Lai Junchen had a dispute with the Zhang brothers. Although Lai Junchen blamed everything on Yang Fan, the Zhang brothers kept hearing news that Lai Junchen harbored a grudge against them and intended to take revenge.
Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were now favored, so they were naturally not afraid of Lai Junchen. However, being targeted by such a person was really troublesome. They were now trying their best to develop the Zhang faction's power and did not want to fight Lai Junchen to the death. After thinking about it, they could only reconcile. So Yang Zaisi played the role of peacemaker.
Unfortunately, Lai Junchen's six senses were developed and his sense of smell was sensitive only when he was messing with people. He had always been a solitary official in the court and did not have much contact with other officials. Therefore, he did not understand the hidden rules of the officialdom. He only thought that Yang Zaisi invited him to the banquet and did not think about the deeper reason.
Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi had repeatedly expressed their goodwill and toasted each other. If it had been anyone else, they would have long since understood the other party's intentions. If they had accepted it, all they would have had to do was laugh and laugh, and the unhappiness between them would have been forgotten.
But Lai Junchen did not understand the reason why the Zhang brothers attended the banquet. Seeing the three brothers Zhang Tongxiu and Zhang Changqi, who had made him lose face, he was already a little uncomfortable. He was not interested in the boring social interaction between these officials, so he just stared at the enchanting dancer.
In the eyes of the Zhang brothers, this action was a clear signal: Lai Junchen did not accept their reconciliation.
Because the two brothers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were favored, Zhang Tongxiu disdained the so-called reconciliation. When he saw Lai Junchen's indifferent expression and did not want to accept the reconciliation, he was secretly angry. Although Zhang Changzong repeatedly gave him a look, he did not want to toast to Lai Junchen. Instead, he raised his cup to thank Yang Zaisi.
Yang Zaisi smiled and drank a cup. Zhang Tongxiu said with a smile: "I see that Minister Yang is not tall, flat face, round head, narrow eyes, high cheekbones, very much like a Goguryeon. Is Minister Yang from the north?"
Yang Zaisi stroked his beard and said with a smile: "I am from the Wu family of Zhengzhou, not a northerner."
He saw that Lai Junchen was staring fixedly at the dancer, seemingly giving the Zhang brothers the cold shoulder. As the mediator, he had to liven up the atmosphere, so he said, "Although I'm not a northerner, I do know how to dance the Goguryeon dance!"
Zhang Tongxiu deliberately ignored Lai Junchen and said happily: "Oh? Then we would like to see it. "
Yang Zaisi took advantage of the alcohol and stood up. He untied his purple robe and tied it in front of his chest. He also asked someone to cut some paper strips and put them on his hat. He pretended to be a Goguryeon and began to dance. The host took advantage of the dance and the group of dancers retreated, making room for him.
Yang Zaisi really looked like a Goguryeon. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his hands, dancing the Goguryeon dance. He looked charmingly naive, making all the guests in the hall laugh. Lai Junchen saw that the dancers retreated and his attention returned. Seeing Yang Zaisi's funny dance, he could not help but smile. Yang Zaisi saw that the atmosphere had turned for the better and was happy. He danced in front of Zhang Changzong and made a gesture to invite him to dance.
It was common for high officials and nobles to dance at banquets and banquets. Li Shimin often dragged his ministers to dance. Zhang Changzong didn't turn down the invitation. Instead, he stood up with a smile and joined in the Goguryeon dance. Zhang Changzong was multi-talented and was especially good at singing and dancing. He also knew this kind of dance.
With this dance, it was obvious who was better than Yang Zaisi. Seeing this, Yang Zaisi simply retreated to the back of the table and gave the space to him. After Zhang Changzong finished his dance, the whole hall cheered. Someone from the Zhang family complimented: "Sixth Lang's face is like a peach blossom and he is dancing so beautifully. It is really pleasing to the eye."
Yang Zaisi shook his head: "No, no, how can Sixth Lang look like a peach blossom?"
Zhang Changzong liked people praising his beauty the most. Hearing this, he felt embarrassed and looked at Yang Zaisi with a dark expression.
Yang Zaisi said: "It should be a lotus blossom like Sixth Lang!"
Hearing this, everyone clapped and laughed.
Lai Junchen was used to being flattered by others. At banquets and banquets, he had always been the main character. But in front of the Zhang brothers, he had become a small character. He felt very uncomfortable in his heart. Hearing Yang Zaisi flattering the Zhang brothers, he secretly curled his lips, feeling very jealous. Zhang Tongxiu saw this expression.
After Zhang Changzong returned to his seat, everyone laughed and talked about Goguryeon for a while before the topic was shifted to the north. Everyone at the banquet was talking about all sorts of topics and they could talk about anything for a while. Moreover, something really happened in the north recently.
An official said: "Speaking of the north, I heard that the leaders of the Khitan tribe, Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong, rebelled? I wonder what the situation is like now? "
Another official said with disdain: "A small Khitan trying to rebel against our Great Zhou is no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Didn't the news of their rebellion only reach the imperial court yesterday? I reckon that before the imperial court mobilizes its troops, the army of Yingzhou Military Governor will have already crushed them into powder. "
An official retorted: "Brother Liu, that Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong are commanding the Khitan troops of ten provinces. Even if they stand there and let us kill them, they will be exhausted half to death. How can they be defeated so easily?"
The official who was addressed as Brother Liu said: "A small Khitan tribe of barbarians. They don't have enough soldiers and armor and are as poor as beggars. What can they do?"
The newly appointed Left Assistant Minister Qi Longteng said: "Sun Wanrong is the General of the Right Jade Seal Guard, the Provincial Governor of Guicheng Province, and the County Duke of Yongle Province. Speaking of which, his power is indeed not small. He can't be that poor."
An official said: "I remember that this is the official position that Li Zhaode requested for him when he was the Prime Minister? It hasn't been that long. In such a short period of time, how much power can he build up? "
Immediately, someone explained to him that the Khitan officials were very different from the officials of the Central Plains. The so-called official positions conferred by the imperial court were only conferred upon them after they had the corresponding strength. In fact, before they received their official positions in the imperial court, they already had enormous power …
Lai Junchen didn't hear any of these explanations. He only heard about Li Zhaode. When he heard that Li Zhaode requested for Sun Wanrong to be conferred a title, his eyes immediately lit up.
There were two people that Lai Junchen hated the most right now. Among the enemies that he had named, there were only two people that he hadn't taken his revenge on yet: Li Zhaode and Yang Fan.
Everyone's words at the banquet made Lai Junchen, whose lifelong dream was to mess with people, immediately discover an opportunity, an opportunity to bring down Li Zhaode. "Sun Wanrong has rebelled, and Sun Wanrong is an official recommended by Li Zhaode. At the very least, Li Zhaode will be charged with the crime of not recommending someone properly and tolerating a traitor. If he has obtained any benefits from this … "
Thinking of this, Lai Junchen was overjoyed. He hurriedly put down his wine cup and cupped his hands towards Yang Zaisi. "Inner Custodian Yang, fellow colleagues, I am truly sorry. I suddenly remembered that there is still an important official matter that I have yet to deal with. If I delay it, I'm afraid there will be great trouble. I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. I'll be leaving first! "
As Lai Junchen spoke, he had already stood up and cupped his hands towards everyone. Yang Zaisi was startled. He advised, "Prefectural Magistrate Lai, even if you have official matters to deal with, it won't take too long. Why don't you go after the banquet?"
Lai Junchen was now wholeheartedly focused on finding fault with Li Zhaode. He didn't have the leisure to talk nonsense with him. He hurriedly smiled and said, "The official matter is urgent. I dare not delay it. My apologies, I'll take my leave now! "After saying this, he hurriedly turned around and left.
As the host, Yang Zaisi had to see him off. He could only pick up the hem of his robe and chase after him. Zhang Tongxiu slammed his wine cup on the table. He sneered at Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong. "Wulang, Wulang, we are unnecessary today. Is it fun to stick our warm faces to the cold buttocks of others?"
He flicked his sleeves, stood up angrily, and walked out. Zhang Changqi and Zhang Changyi angrily pulled Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, who were also angry, and chased after him, leaving the other officials looking at each other in dismay …
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