The moonlit night was like water, and the pavilion was on the water. The winding bridge was connected to another bamboo pavilion in the distance. The male and female guests each had their own place, so that they could look at each other from a distance without losing etiquette. Li An was very meticulous and thoughtful.
Yang Ling was dressed in a light robe, and his hair was simply tied up with a purple ribbon, making him look elegant and handsome. Zhu Xuanyi sat opposite him with a faint smile on his face. He was as light as a chrysanthemum, but also as proud as a green bamboo. Although he did not have the dignified temperament of Yang Ling who had been in a high position for a long time, he gave off the feeling of a spring breeze.
Above the mirrored lake in the bamboo forest, it was as elegant as a paradise. In such an environment, Zhu Xuanyi's temperament was clearly more suited to the environment. Everyone present was of extraordinary status, but when he sat casually, he still gave off an extraordinary feeling.
"Haha, anyway, it's not a beauty contest … Even if it is, isn't there still this brother at the bottom?" Yang Ling glanced at Lu Shijie with a smile.
Lu Shijie's appearance was not ugly, but his eyebrows were always hanging down, and he seemed to roll his eyes at everyone, making people feel uncomfortable. He liked to be arrogant, and his arrogance made him famous, but this kind of arrogance also destroyed his career.
Those who truly achieved greatness all knew how to judge the situation. For someone like Lu Shijie who was full of grievances, if he was really given all the conditions, he would just be an arrogant and conceited person, so Yang Ling did not take him seriously at all.
The people he really looked at were Zhu Xuanyi and Yang Shen. These two young people occasionally showed their extraordinary abilities, and their knowledge was much better than many of the learned scholars that Yang Ling had met, which made Yang Ling very surprised and pleasantly surprised.
He really wanted to recommend these two outstanding talents to the capital to be officials. In the court, there were frequent changes in personnel, and there was a lack of people who could be used, especially people who had the same political views as him. Now, Yang Ling really felt that he was in need of talent.
Therefore, although his purpose of tonight's banquet was to connect with the magistrate and her husband, the greater purpose was to find out what Zhu Xuanyi and Yang Shen had to say. If they could join the inner court, it would naturally be a pleasant surprise. If not, he could recommend them to the court, and they would certainly be able to help in the future.
Most importantly, it was to alert the enemy. The investigation of the king's rebellion involved a lot of people. Before entering the Shu territory, Yang Ling tried his best to avoid arousing the king's suspicion. But as the intelligence from Chengdu came, his mind changed.
Liu Biao led a large number of people to move around Chengdu. After several months of investigation, he still could not find any concrete evidence of the King of Shu's rebellion. As an imperial envoy, everywhere he went in Chengdu, he would be like the moon surrounded by stars. Under the watchful eyes of so many people, how could he find out such a secret?
The grass was lush and the leaves were thick, making it difficult to find the snake. Thus, he could only use himself as bait to alert the snake and make it move on its own. The magistrate of Lu County was the daughter of the Commandery Prince of Huiping. The Commandery Prince of Huiping had a close relationship with the king of Shu. As long as he deliberately leaked some information, it would definitely reach the ears of the king.
Whether the king of Shu had the intention to rebel or not, he would definitely make an appropriate response. Under the premise that he did not know how much information he had, or whether he had conclusive evidence, the king would not take the risk of taking action in advance, nor would he dare to expose his identity to murder the imperial envoy. The most likely thing he could do was to destroy the evidence of the rebellion, so that he could take advantage of it.
Of course, the premise of this situation was that the king of Shu did have the intention to rebel, so he had to leak the information cleverly. He had to make people feel that he had revealed it unintentionally, but he had to say it ambiguously, so that no one could really catch him.
If the king of Shu really had the intention to rebel, a specious sentence would be enough for him to ponder. If he said it too directly, not only would it arouse suspicion, but once the king's rebellion was groundless, the court would be forced into a passive position.
The cool breeze brought a burst of fragrance, causing a small boat in the middle of the lake to sway. The smooth surface of the water was shaken into circles of ripples, and within the ripples, the maids were like butterflies flying through the flowers, and they began to serve the dishes.
Zhu Zhongba was very concerned about his children and grandchildren. The salary of a first-rank official in the court was 87 dans, while the royal family not only had a salary of 50,000 dans, banknotes of 25,000 strings of coins, silk, cloth, salt, tea, and horses, but also had their own provisions. Even the lowest position, 'First Lieutenant of the Kingdom', had 200 dans of grain. Those with fiefs had even more indescribable wealth. Therefore, the life of the royal family was still very good. The magistrate of Lu County and his wife had a salary and fiefs. In addition, they were rich and had a way of making money. Naturally, the dishes that they had carefully selected were even more expensive.
First-grade bear paw, home-cooked sea cucumber, dry-roasted shark fin, peacock spreading its tail, muslin watching the moon, and landscape hibiscus. Each of the dishes looked, smelled, and tasted good. Sichuan cuisine had many flavors and a wide range of flavors. There was a saying, 'each dish has its own style, and a hundred dishes have their own flavor'. Very few dishes used a single flavor. Even though at this time, chili peppers had not been introduced, it still had its own style.
This was the first time that Yang Ling had tasted the authentic Sichuan cuisine of the Ming Dynasty. It was quite to his taste, especially the medicinal cuisine, Cordyceps duck, which was cooked with caterpillar fungus and old male ducks. There was also the 'boiled beef', which was delicious and tender.
In order to develop agricultural production during the Ming Dynasty, it was strictly forbidden to slaughter cattle without permission. However, according to Li An's explanation, this beef was slaughtered from the old draft cattle that had been eliminated by the imperial court. Therefore, it was not illegal to use it to entertain the imperial envoy.
Although the veal melted in Yang Ling's mouth and was incomparably fresh and fragrant, it was clearly a newborn cow. However, it would be a little embarrassing to pretend to be innocent in this kind of matter. Therefore, Yang Ling pretended to be ignorant with his mouth full of grease.
Suddenly, there was a burst of cheerful laughter from the table of female guests. The laughter was slightly louder and the table of tipsy drinkers could not help but look over. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yang Ling picked up his wine cup and took a sip. He smiled at Yang Shen and said, "Brother Yang is brimming with talent. I wonder if you have participated in the imperial examinations and achieved any scholarly honors?"
Yang Shen bowed and said, "Because grandfather was ill, I have always been by his side to fulfill my filial duties. As a result, I missed the provincial examinations. Now, I am only a scholar."
Yang Ling felt slightly disappointed. He had wanted to immediately recommend Yang Shen to enter the imperial court. When he heard that Yang Shen did not even attend the provincial examinations in order to serve his grandfather, he could not help but feel disappointed. At that time, fulfilling filial piety was more important than passing the examinations. Therefore, he could not bring himself to invite him to the imperial court.
He sighed and said, "With brother Yang's talent, the provincial examinations are just a small test. If you enter the capital to take the imperial examinations, you will definitely be a person on the golden roll. Since you have to serve grandfather, will you also delay next year's provincial examinations?"
Yang Shen smiled and said, "Grandfather has recovered from his illness and is now in good health. I am thinking of first obtaining the title of High Scholar in the next provincial examinations and then entering the capital to take the imperial examinations."
Upon hearing this, Yang Ling was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "I will wait for one year for the provincial examinations and three years for the imperial examinations. If I can pass the imperial examinations, I will stay in the Hanlin Academy for a few years and then become an official. By the time I can realize my ambitions, who knows how many years will have passed. Brother Yang's talent, I admire it very much. The imperial court is in need of manpower and is thirsty for talent. I am willing to recommend you to enter the imperial court. What do you think? "
"This …" Yang Shen's heart palpitated.
The Recommendation Department was different from Yang Ling's Enfeoffment Department. The Enfeoffment Department was for outstanding talent and had a reputation in the imperial court. It was recommended by more than three of the most important officials in the imperial court. The Emperor would issue a special edict to promote him. In other words, not only would he not be looked down upon by the officials who came from the right path, he would also be highly respected.
Historically, those who had this honor were all erudite scholars. If they did not have a head full of white hair, they would not be qualified. In addition to true ability, one had to wait for age. Now that there was such an opportunity, how could Yang Shen not be tempted?
Lu Shijie was indifferent as if he did not hear anything. He raised his head and drank the wine in one gulp. He laughed at Zhu Xuanyi and said, "Good wine, good wine. You and I have been begging for this precious wine for a long time. Even Li An could not bear to take it out. Today, we have benefited from the Imperial Envoy. Haha, Xuanyi, why don't you drink a few more cups?"
Zhu Xuanyi knew his good friend's character. He seemed to be impetuous and carefree, but in fact, he could not let go. Now that he seemed to be open-minded, he must not be in love. Zhu Xuanyi hurriedly poured a cup for him and the two of them chatted and drank.
Yang Shen lowered his head and thought for a moment. Finally, he raised his head and smiled with some embarrassment. He said, "This … I am very grateful for your kind intentions, but … my identity is special. If you recommend me, I am afraid … it will affect your reputation."
Yang Ling was surprised. "What's so special about your identity?"
Yang Shen had no choice but to stand up and bow to him. "Please don't blame me, Sir. I admire your reputation and agree with your political actions in the court. That's why I took the liberty to make friends with you. My surname is indeed Yang and my name is Shen. I am from the new capital. However … there is something I have not told you. My father's name is Tinghe. He … he is the current … "
"Ah! You are the son of Grand Secretary Yang? "Yang Ling slapped his forehead and said with a smile.
If that was the case, he could not recommend him rashly. He was not afraid of people saying that he was buying Yang Tinghe's favor and expanding his own power in the court. However, although he had a good relationship with Yang Tinghe and they had some mutual appreciation for each other in the court, there were some differences in their political views. If he were to recommend someone else's son and his father did not agree, wouldn't that be a big joke?
Yang Ling thought for a moment. Shaking his head, he said, "Yang Laodi, with your talent and learning, if you insist on walking the right path, I can't tolerate wasting more than ten years of your life. The current Emperor strives hard to rule the country and is thirsty for talent. As the saying goes, when one is recommended internally one does not avoid relatives, when one is recommended externally one does not avoid enmity. Besides, it's only your father who is an official in the court. "
He calmly said, "I won't hide it from you. Your father and I have some differences in political views. Sometimes in the court we can't help but have a dispute. However, we are both doing it for the common people of the world, not for personal selfishness. I believe that Yang Laodi, when you enter the court as an official, will also put the country first. You won't do anything like father and son forming factions. However, when you and your father have the same political views, will you not, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, approve what you should approve and disapprove? "
The tip of Yang Shen's eyebrows rose, a trace of arrogance appeared on his usually easy-going face. In a clear voice he said, "Naturally I won't. If I become an official, although my father and I are father and son, I will still be an official of the court. What I should insist on, I will insist on, what I should oppose, I will oppose. How can I be soft on one's own slander, constantly calculating gains and losses between advancing and retreating?"
This boy was soft on the outside but hard on the inside, a man with a needle hidden in silk floss. It's just that he was still young and could not be provoked.
Yang Ling snickered inwardly. Listening to him finish, he clapped his hands and applauded, "That's right, a gentleman is magnanimous, he doesn't care about lowly people's wind and rain. In the future when you become an official, you will know that no matter what you do, no matter how open and aboveboard you are, there will always be slanderous words accompanying you. Lowly people using their own heart to measure other people's heart will never stop. Why worry about them? Is the opinion of this kind of trash worth caring about? "
Yang Ling's words were full of the heroic spirit of doing things his own way. Seeing this, the blood in Yang Shen's chest churned. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Well said. Seek my own path, let him be. I was too obvious."
He paused, then said, "I will write a letter tonight to inform my father of my thoughts. Once I receive a reply, I will report it to you."
Of course, this matter had a lot to do with Yang Tinghe, so Yang Ling could not force the father and son without first discussing it, so he nodded and said, "Alright, then I will wait for your good news."
Zhu Xuanyi had been listening to the two of them with a smile. At this time, he raised his cup with a beaming face and said, "Congratulations to Brother Yang Shen for being recognized by the Imperial Envoy. You are able to brave the wind and waves at this time, and hang your sails straight to the sea. Hahaha, congratulations to the Imperial Envoy for obtaining such a fine talent. If Brother Yang Shen can be sculpted and supported by the Imperial Envoy, he will become a pillar of the country soon. Come, come, come, let's drink to our hearts' content."
Yang Ling was also full of joy. He raised his cup to the crowd and then drank it in one gulp. He raised his sleeve and showed the bottom of the cup, looking very happy. Some of the people at the table drank the wedding wine, some drank the sour vinegar, but no matter what, they drank together.
What Yang Ling did not know was that today's speech had made Yang Shen a lifetime of achievements, but the Ming Destiny Dynasty was about to be freshly baked. The fertile land of Bashu had spent more than a hundred years to cultivate the one and only Zhuangyuan seedling, but it had been poached away by him just like that.
After taking care of Yang Shen, Yang Ling turned his attention to Zhu Xuanyi. He said with a smile, "Brother Zhu is one year older than me. Hey, don't stand on ceremony. At our banquet, we don't care about official positions, we only talk about age. Brother Zhu is an outstanding talent, and you are as handsome as jade. Today, when talking about the state affairs, your wisdom and foresight are admirable. I wonder where Brother Zhu is from?
Haha, Brother Zhu, you must not learn from Yang Shen and bring up a father with a great background. I have already been scared awake by Brother Yang just now. If I am scared by you again, I will jump into the lake to fish for the moon. "
As soon as Yang Ling stopped laughing, a woman's mellow voice suddenly laughed and said, "Li Taibai is fishing for the moon in a drunken stupor. Imperial Envoy Yang is not drunk yet he wants to jump into the water. Who gave him the soup?"
Before Yang Ling turned around, Magistrate Wang stood up and bowed. "Greetings, Magistrate Wang, Madame Liu, Miss Tuoba, and Miss Fang."
During the banquet, Yang Ling had already heard Li An introduce them. Madame Liu was the new wife of the Sichuan Administrative Envoy, and Miss Fang was the beloved daughter of Minister Fang of the Sichuan Department of Personnel in the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel. Minister Fang was not a high official, but he was in charge of the performance evaluation of the officials. Naturally, the personnel officials were the ones who everyone wanted to curry favor with.
Tuoba Yanran was the young lady whose voice he had only heard in the bamboo house but had never seen. Although she was the daughter of a chieftain, she was treated with great courtesy among the Han officials.
It was just like when Song Ai led a few thousand soldiers to fight the Japanese pirates in Zhejiang, and Emperor Zhengde personally gave her the rank of commander-in-chief to show his imperial favor. Influenced by traditional culture and the national policy of Ming Destiny, the chieftains throughout the country were all extremely powerful during the Ming Dynasty. In all fairness, the Han officials actually looked down on the chieftains from the bottom of their hearts. However, in order to stabilize the political situation and win over the hearts of the people, the imperial court not only treated the chieftains with great courtesy, but also indulged them.
At this time, the western countries were opening up colonies, but they only wanted land and gold. The natives who surrendered would either die or become slaves. The policy of governance was extremely cruel. On the other hand, Ming Destiny adopted a policy of conciliation and was extremely friendly to the natives who surrendered. The chieftains had such great power that even the fifth-rank magistrate had to kowtow to them. The standard of etiquette was close to that of the nobles.
These ladies were the families of high-ranking officials and eunuchs. In addition, Yang Ling had never had the concept of a man, so he hurriedly stood up and looked back. He saw four ladies coming up from the winding bamboo path. The one in front was Magistrate Zhu Panpan. She was relatively heavy. As soon as she stepped on the bamboo pavilion, the bamboo bridge behind her suddenly bounced back.
The one who spoke just now was naturally Magistrate Zhu Panpan. If one only heard her voice, it sounded like she was really a beauty. He stroked his beard and slowly raised his cup. He smiled at the three ladies behind his wife and said, "There's no need to drink the intoxicating soup. Aren't I here by myself?"
The one in front was wearing a bright scarlet silk dress. Her appearance was very beautiful and her hair was styled like that of a married woman. She must be the second wife of the administrative envoy. Behind her were two young ladies walking hand in hand. One was tall and the other was petite. The three of them walked gracefully. With the 'pearls and jade' of the magistrate in front of them, they seemed even more graceful.
The bamboo pavilion was surrounded by red lanterns. The three ladies' faces were as beautiful as peach blossoms. It was a different kind of moving.
The few ladies walked into the pavilion and smiled at Yang Ling. "Greetings, imperial envoy, Mr Yang."
"Ladies and ladies, please rise. Dispense with the formalities, dispense with the formalities." As Yang Ling spoke, his gaze swept across the three of them. Only then did he see Miss Tuoba clearly.
He originally thought that since she was the daughter of a chieftain, even if she was pretty, she would be valiant and have a strong physique like Song Ai. He did not expect the young lady to have a graceful waist and a slender body like bamboo. She wore a white dress with silver embroidery. Her whole body was clean and neat. She looked like an orchid in an empty valley.
Yang Ling's first impression was not that she was stunning or beautiful, but that she was clean. This lady must be very clean and had a strong obsession with cleanliness. She felt so clean. Her whole body was crystal clear, like a freshly peeled egg white. Even the gaps between her nails were spotless. She was unbelievably clean.
At this moment, she just raised her head. Her fair forehead was plastered with a few golden flowers, sparkling under the light. Her slightly smiling face was especially delicate. Under her oval face, her neck was slender and long. The lines were soft but not thin.
The magistrate introduced them one by one, "This is Madam Liu, Miss Tuoba, and Miss Fang."
With the guidance, the three of them stepped forward to greet one by one. When Tuoba approached, there was a faint fragrance. Although it was faintly discernible, it would not disappear no matter what. Looking under the light, her slightly transparent skin was as smooth as jade. When she retreated lightly, she did not make a sound, as if she could dance on the palm of her hand.
People in Ming Shichuan liked to draw distant mountain eyebrows. They were shaped like curved mountains, green and black, beautiful. Yang Ling noticed that the three young women all drew distant mountain eyebrows. Miss Fang, who was only 16 or 17 years old, actually removed her eyebrows and directly drew a pair of light eyebrows. Yang Ling had never seen such a dress before. He could not help but secretly admire Ming Destiny for leading the way.
With the arrival of these beautiful women, Yang Ling's plan to attract talents had to be put aside. He first exchanged greetings with the madams and ladies. Under the urging of the magistrate, he was forced to drink three cups of wine as punishment. Only then did the beautiful women let him go with a chuckle and gracefully returned to their own bamboo pavilion.
Beautiful women were always men's constant topic. As soon as they left, Li An and his friends began to comment on the girls and madams. Except for Zhu Xuanyi, who smiled and did not speak much, not only was Yang Shen, a young boy, also very interested, even the donkey-faced Qingcheng Arrogant Scholar also chimed in from time to time.
These people talked about all kinds of things. First, they talked about several famous beauties in Chengdu, then talked about Zhuo Wenjun and Xue Tao in ancient times, and then naturally talked about Yuan Zhen and Sima Xiangru. Since they talked about Yuan Zhen and Sima Xiangru, how could they not talk about poetry and songs?
Yang Ling was most afraid of talking about these things. He couldn't cut in and it was also inconvenient for him to disturb everyone's interest and continue to ask Zhu Xuanyi if he had any desire to enter politics, so he could only endure it for the time being.
Seeing that everyone was in high spirits, Yang Ling waved his hand to call over a page boy and had him lead him away from his seat to go to the toilet. As he was walking back along the quiet bamboo forest, he suddenly heard the sound of a flute. At this time, the shadows of the bamboo swayed, the branches and leaves rustled, and the sound of the flute was melodious and mellow. Together with the sound of the swaying bamboo leaves, it was unhurried and made one's mind clear.
Yang Ling stopped to listen for a moment, then waved his hand at the page boy and said with a smile: "You go back first. This official is drunk and will take a short walk in the forest."
The page boy quickly agreed respectfully. Yang Ling brushed away the leaves and stepped on the dreamy, gauze-like moonlight, following the sound of the flute.
In front of him, the light of the lake was reflected on the bamboo poles, which were covered with scales. A beautiful and slender figure was standing in the middle of the bamboo forest, a long flute in front of her lips. The melodious sound of the flute was currently coming out of her mouth.
When Yang Ling saw that it was a woman, he felt that something was not right. Just as he was about to turn and retreat, the woman had already put down the bamboo flute and turned around with a smile. "You've come?"
The bright moonlight shone on her body, the bright and dim moonlight accentuating her perfect and moving curves. It was Miss Tuoba Yanran that he had seen earlier.
When Tuoba Yanran saw that it was him, she was also stunned. The rippling mist in her eyes disappeared. She was quiet for a moment before saying with a smile, "Who is the guest of the bamboo forest beyond the clouds, playing the flute from the crane in the moon. So it is Lord Imperial Envoy. This lowly girl has been presumptuous and disturbed Lord's drinking mood. "
Looking at a beauty under the moonlight, what entered one's eyes was more than just beautiful. That atmosphere, that mood, it was as if even tempered steel would become soft. After a moment of surprise, Yang Ling also revealed a joyful expression and hurriedly said, "Not at all. This is the first time I have heard such a pure and tender celestial music. This official … this lowly one, to have such a fated chance to hear Miss Yanran's celestial music, it is this lowly one's fortune."
Tuoba Yanran giggled and covered her mouth to say, "Lord is overpraising me. How can it be the first time? Didn't Lord just hear the Qingcheng Celestial Music today?"
Yang Ling's feet were floating, and he seemed to be a little tipsy. Seeing such a beautiful woman smiling and talking softly, his mood was also lifted. He said with a smile, "Miss is talking about that Qingcheng Madman? Hahaha, with his skills, how can they compare to Miss? "
"What's especially hateful is that this person is pretending to be crazy and slighted this official. When this lowly one was patrolling the provinces, no matter if it was the local governor or the various nobles, no one had ever dared to be so rude. If it wasn't for the fact that this official came to Chengdu with an important secret mission, this official wouldn't want to complicate things. Heh! Just based on the fact that he looked down on the imperial envoy, I can send him to prison. Let's see if he can still be arrogant under the whip of the prison guards. "
In front of the beauty, Yang Ling was very pleased with himself. At the end of his speech, his eyebrows raised as if he was the hero of the world. His eyes that were looking at the lady were also burning with passion.
"Oh?" Tuoba Yanran moved back without leaving a trace, the bamboo flute in her hand lightly tapping on the bamboo pole. She looked to the side and said curiously, "This little girl has long heard of Lord's awe-inspiring reputation. Lord has led the army and fought in the north and has never lost a battle. You are the number one general in Ming Destiny's army.
I heard from a few of my friends that Lord is also unconventional in court politics and has great foresight. You are truly talented in both literature and martial arts. No wonder you are so trusted by the Emperor. But Bashu has always been peaceful, what big matter could there be that would trouble an important person like you? "
As she tapped the bamboo pole lightly, she looked at Yang Ling from the corner of her eyes. Her expression was indescribably moving.
Yang Ling looked dazzled but did not dare to be rude to the beauty. He could only force a refined expression. Suddenly hearing this sentence, he could not help but be shocked and seemed to have sobered up a little.
Yang Ling composed himself and said with a forced smile, "This official has received the imperial edict to patrol on behalf of the Emperor. I have been to all the prefectures. Coming to Sichuan is just to look at the governance, civil affairs, laws and military affairs on behalf of the Emperor. What big matter could there be?"
Tuoba Yanran smiled sweetly and covered her mouth, "Daren is really drunk. Just now you said that you have an important matter. How could you have forgotten it in such a short time?"
Yang Ling's expression changed and said, "Oh … important matter? Oh … haha, Miss is talking about … about this. The new Emperor ascends the throne and has the world in his heart. This official carries the Emperor's trust and is patrolling the world to let the Emperor understand the country and the suffering of the people. Isn't this the most important matter? This official has such a heavy responsibility and naturally will not bother with a little arrogant person and lower my status … "
After Yang Ling finished, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled awkwardly, "The moonlit night in the bamboo forest is already very cool. But after drinking wine, I feel stuffy again."
Tuoba Yanran was smart. Seeing that he was trying to cover it up, she did not pursue the matter. She only smiled and said, "The magistrate's family dug a big ice cellar. There are many ice cubes in the cellar. Daren asked the servant to make a bowl of iced sour plum soup for you to sober up and relieve the heat."
"Good, good, good. Thank you for the reminder. Does Miss not want to drink a bowl?"
"Thank you for your concern. On such a beautiful moonlit night, listening to the wind in the bamboo forest and playing a song to entertain myself is also as happy as a deity. Hehe, Daren, please go ahead. This little girl still wants to stay for a while." Tuoba Yanran smiled sweetly.
"Ah, then … this official will take his leave." Yang Ling could not be bothered to admire the solitary bamboo forest and the beauty playing the flute in the night. He hurriedly turned around and left. Tuoba Yanran was calm and collected. She raised the flute to her lips and immersed herself in the beautiful scenery and the chords of the music.
As Yang Ling walked, he was still worried and turned his head to look back. Seeing Tuoba Yanran entertaining herself without any distractions, his footsteps became much more relaxed.
Tuoba Yanran used the corner of her eyes to look at his expression and actions. She was secretly curious, "What important matter did this imperial envoy come to Chengdu? Originally, he was boasting to please me. Who would have thought that he would boast too much and end up scaring himself like this. Hehe …"
Stepping onto the winding path by the lake, the bamboo bridge under his feet sank. Yang Ling relaxed, "It's done. This sentence is enough!"
There was no mediocre person in Wangzhu Villa. There were no foreign wars in Sichuan, no major corruption cases, and it had nothing to do with trade and opening up the sea. However, two months ago, the commander-in-chief who controlled the troops of a province had just been changed. He was busy mobilizing and moving the generals of various garrisoned troops.
Now, there was me, the supervisor of the inner factories who supervised the officials and was in charge of investigating the rebellion. He claimed that he was shouldering the heavy responsibility. If all these things were linked together, they would not be able to guess some of my intentions. Those with ulterior motives would not know who I was targeting. That would be worse than a big stick.
There were few women in the world who were not curious. Now that Miss Tuoba's curiosity had been aroused, she would definitely mention it to her close friends. As long as the county magistrate of Hu County knew about it, it would reach the ears of the Commandery Prince of Huiping. Then … it would be the King of Shu …
Yang Ling was relieved and relaxed. He returned to the bamboo pavilion and was about to resume his task of recruiting talents. However, he found that Li Yibin, County Magistrate Wang, Yang Shen, and Lu Shijie, who was drowning his sorrows in wine, were drinking and drinking. However, Zhu Xuanyi was nowhere to be seen.
* * *
The Mystic Clothes under the Moon moved like a shadow.
Zhu Rangjin walked behind Tuoba Yanran and stood quietly with her hands behind her back. She closed her eyes slightly and leisurely listened to Tuoba Yanran play a song. Then, she smiled and said, "The nature of the flute is clear and ethereal. Clear is quiet and inaction. Ethereal is illusory. Ethereal is indifferent and ethereal. Ethereal is indifferent to worldly affairs. Ordinary people can't get rid of this concept when they play the flute.
Yanran's' Jiangnan Song 'has already transcended the limitations of the flute. Listening to it with your eyes closed, Jin's eyes seem to see white walls, rainy alleys, oil-paper umbrellas, lilacs, young girls, melancholy, small bridges, flowing water, Jiangnan people, the sounds of nature. "
Tuoba Yanran turned around and smiled, "You just came? Just now I called you with the sound of the flute, but you didn't come. Instead, you attracted that Mr. Yang who you praised so much. Haha, Yang Dan is not as good as you at coaxing people. He only knows how to say some cold celestial music. This kind of vulgar person thinks that praising women as fairies in the sky is not a big compliment. He is so vulgar! "
Zhu Rangjin smiled helplessly, "You are belittling others behind their backs again. I already said that Mr. Yang is not good at the zither, chess, calligraphy, poetry, and essays. The reason why he can have such an outstanding view on politics must be because he is focused on one thing. "
Tuoba Yanran curled her lips in disdain. She suddenly remembered something and said, "That's right. Just now, that Mr. Yang was head over heels in love and only cared about bragging to me about his power and ability. He once said …"
Tuoba Yanran told him everything. The faint smile on Zhu Rangjin's face suddenly disappeared. He pondered for a while with a serious expression and carefully asked about the entire conversation between the two of them, including every movement, every expression, and even the tone of voice of Yang Ling.
Tuoba Yanran repeated and then asked, "What is it? Did something big happen?"
Zhu Rangjin didn't want her to worry. He shook his head and thought carefully for a while. He still felt that it was more likely that this matter was targeted at his father. However, his father had always been well-behaved. When the late Emperor was still alive, he was greatly praised. What was the purpose of the court targeting him?
Was someone spreading rumors that his father wanted to rebel, or did the new Emperor want to remove the vassals? Would the removal of vassals first target the most loyal and obedient vassals? Wouldn't that be even more stupid than Jianwen? Was it possible?
Zhu Rangjin was also an extremely intelligent person. However, the more intelligent a person was, the more complicated they were. Zhu Rangjin thought of all kinds of possibilities, including the court using troops against Tibet. This kind of baseless speculation made his mind more and more chaotic. He couldn't find a single clue despite having thousands of thoughts.
Zhu Rangjin pondered for a long time before saying, "Go back and pack up. After we send off the imperial envoy tomorrow morning, we will immediately return to Chengdu. We will attack the Taoist and rush ahead of him."
Tuoba Yan 'er knew that the situation was serious. She could somewhat guess what was going on. She quickly nodded and said, "Okay. What happened?"
Zhu Rangjin shook his head and said in a heavy tone, "I still don't know. Father has been ill for a long time and is seriously ill. He can't be too worried. Imperial brother is acting as the King of Shu and is currently dealing with the attempted rebellion of the barbarians.
All these years, Bashu has been in constant turmoil, but it was all quelled by Father's kindness and authority. Is the reputation of the Virtuous King of Shu so easy to obtain? Now that the barbarians have occupied Lingxiao City, any movement will alarm the three provinces of Yun, Gui and Chuan. Father is seriously ill, and Imperial brother is dealing with this important matter. He can't be distracted. So … today's matter came from your mouth and entered my ears. You must not let a third person know! "
※ ※ ※
"This matter came from my mouth and entered your ears. You must not let a third person know!" Li Dayi, who was dressed in local attire, said to Liu Feiwu cautiously. He then considerately put a coat on her and said softly, "It's cold at night. Put some on."
Liu Feiwu sighed faintly as if she had vented all the bitterness in her heart. She closed her eyes tiredly and said after a long time, "Of course I won't let a third person know. Apart from you, when have I ever seen a third person?"
The seventeen-year-old girl no longer looked like she used to when she was an official's daughter. She wore light makeup and had a pink complexion. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed and she was very pretty. Now, her face was sallow and her hair was disheveled. Only a pair of big eyes could be seen. One could vaguely see her former beauty.
Her father, whom she depended on for survival, passed away and she was put in prison. She had suffered both physically and mentally. When Li Dayi heard the news, he brazenly returned to Datong City. After killing the officials and rescuing her, the two of them wandered from place to place and lived in fear.
Liu Feiwu's father was killed by his own people. The former leader of the Holy Church had become the enemy who killed her father. How could she be willing to leave with Li Dayi? The two of them ran away and made a scene along the way. In the end, Li Dayi's ferocious nature flared up, and he raped her in a fit of anger. Who would've thought that after Li Dayi regained his senses, although it was too late for regrets, Liu Feiwu was pregnant with his child.
What else could a woman do at this stage? Slowly, Liu Feiwu also accepted his words: As a disciple of the Holy Church, she had to be prepared to sacrifice herself at any time. If her father fell into the hands of the imperial court, he would be killed and his body torn apart. If he died in the hands of his own people, at least he would have a complete corpse.
However, Liu Feiwu had lived a comfortable life and had never suffered. Even if she wanted to live with him wholeheartedly, how could she endure such restless days? Today, Li Dayi brought her to escape from the house that was built not long ago. She finally couldn't help but explode.
Her body was still delicate and timid, soft like a willow. Her lower abdomen hadn't swelled up yet, but under the moonlight, her previously handsome and radiant cheeks were so pale, and even a little rough.
When Li Dayi thought of this, he couldn't help but feel sad. He hugged Liu Feiwu and said softly, "Now you know why my father was so angry and even ordered the whole church to not lend a helping hand to me. He wanted me to bring you to the headquarters to be punished according to the church rules, right?"
He stuck close to Liu Feiwu's slightly thin cheeks and said, "Because my father had already decided that I would be the young cult master. However, the two brothers had their own factions. My father was worried that if he rashly appointed me, it would cause a split in the church. He wanted me to go to Datong because he wanted me to have the great merit of assassinating Zhengde. If he appointed me as the young cult master, the two brothers would have nothing to say.
He had already arranged a new identity for me in Jiangnan. When I heard that something had happened to you, I immediately rushed back to Datong with my trusted aides. When we broke out of the prison, there were heavy casualties. My father was naturally furious. Now, the government has drawn a picture and the whole country is after us. The church doesn't allow us to stay. You and I are together, and the target is very obvious. That's why I brought you … It's been hard on you, Feiwu. "
Liu Feiwu couldn't tell how she felt about Li Dayi. He was the father of the child in her womb, her husband, and also the son of the culprit who directly caused her father's death. However, even though she lost her chastity because of him, Liu Feiwu was well aware of Li Dayi's single-mindedness and deep love for her.
Therefore, sometimes she hated, sometimes she loved, sometimes she loathed, and sometimes she was attached to him. A seventeen year old girl, in just a few months, had already experienced all kinds of feelings in the field of love.
Hearing up to here, she recalled how Li Dayi brazenly rushed into the inspector's prison with a narrow saber in his hand. Like a mad tiger, he killed a bloody path from the swarming prison guards and rescued her from the prison. She couldn't help but hold his big hand and snuggle closer to him, feeling the dependence and warmth.
She said softly, "This bamboo forest is like a fairyland. Aren't we living well? Why do we have to leave again? It's still better now. When my body gradually becomes inconvenient, what should I do then? "
Li Dayi tightened his grip on her hand and said, "Feiwu, today a large number of soldiers came to the foot of the mountain near our residence. I was afraid that they were people who were going to harm us, so I sneaked to take a look. In the end, there was actually a master among the soldiers, a first-class master. I didn't know how many people with such skills they had, so I fled without fighting. However, with a strong enemy as our neighbor, I couldn't be at ease. Therefore, I took a big detour and asked the servants who were feeding the horses in the village. Only then did I know who it was! "
Liu Feiwu heard that his tone was strange. She couldn't help but raise her head from his chest and asked with a pair of bright eyes, "Who was it?"
Li Dayi laughed and said, "Who else could it be? It's the old friend of our Maitreya Sect, the one who ruined our dragon-slaying, political interference, and the great plan to seize the country in chaos, Great Marquis Yang Ling! "Li Dayi's eyes were black and bright. The deep and sharp light in them was like a vicious wolf that was waiting to devour its prey.
Liu Feiwu sensed danger and couldn't help but hold his hand tightly. She said with a trembling voice, "Zihao, you … what are you going to do? That person is too scary. Don't fight with him. If something happens to you, what will I do? What will happen to our child? "
Li Dayi's gaze turned gentle and he said in a low voice, "Silly girl, I originally wanted to wait for you to give birth to the child and then wait for you to return to the sacred cult. No matter how strict my father is, he already has a grandson, so how could he bear to hurt you? However … "
He looked into the boundless night and said faintly, "I have no fate with the throne of the young cult master from now on. Now is a chance. If I can help the sacred cult get rid of this great enemy, Yang Ling, it will be enough to make up for my mistake. I still have a chance to strive for the position of the cult master. This matter is worth taking a risk. "
"No, no, I beg you, don't think about the cult master anymore. Zihao, let's live our lives in peace. I don't want to live in fear anymore. Even if it's for me, for our child, you're leaving, Zihao."
"It's for you, for our child, that I must take the risk!"
Li Dayi said heroically, "I'm a dignified man, how can I be a mediocre person for the rest of my life? How can I be someone's subordinate and be used by others? If I become the cult master, our child will be the young cult master, and it's very likely that he will be the emperor of the whole world in the future! Emperor, for thousands of years, the only emperor, this temptation is worth any sacrifice, any risk! "
Seeing Liu Feiwu's anxious and fearful gaze, Li Dayi suddenly said happily, "Feiwu, you don't hate me anymore? Don't worry, I'm not a simple martial artist. If the opportunity comes, I'll try it, but if I don't have absolute confidence, I'll never take action.
If I don't take action, I'll always have a chance. Once I fail, I may be consigned to eternal damnation. This is what my father always says, and it's also the purpose of my work. You can rest assured, "Li Dayi said with a smile.
"Go to sleep, Feiwu. We'll continue our journey tomorrow morning. I'll find a safe place to settle you down, and then rush to Chengdu. Whether there's a chance or not, whether I succeed or fail, I'll definitely come back alive to see you!"
His unquestionable tone made Liu Feiwu unable to say anything against it. His words that were filled with confidence gave her some confidence. Liu Feiwu stared at her man for a long time before finally nodding her head slowly.
※ ※ ※
It was no wonder that Qingcheng Madman was so arrogant. The more self-abased a person was, the more narcissistic and arrogant he would be. Among his three friends, one was a prince, one was the son of a Grand Secretary, and the other was a scholar and a guest of honor of the royal family. If Lu Shijie was not arrogant and armed himself with a Mad Fighter, how could he compete with them?
Yang Ling was supported by Liu Dachui, and he walked to his residence with his head heavy and feet light. He pondered as he walked. Now he was dizzy even if he didn't drink. Zhu Xuanyi was the second son of the King of Shu, which was really unexpected.
Vassal kings and their immediate relatives were not allowed to make friends with the ministers in the court, otherwise it would be regarded as treason. It was no wonder that Zhu Xuanyi reported his title but not his name, and finally it was Li An who hinted to him that his identity was revealed. Although he was the son of a concubine of the King of Shu, he was still far from Li An, who was a distant relative of the royal family, so he naturally had scruples.
It was a pity that such a talent was limited by his identity and could not be used by the imperial court. Fortunately, he had a close relationship with Miss Tuoba. No matter how arrogant a woman was, she would always be more talkative in front of her sweetheart. She would definitely mention his strange behavior to Zhu Rangjin. With Zhu Rangjin's shrewdness, it would be strange if she did not suspect that he was here to investigate the King of Shu. In this way, the purpose of alerting the enemy would be achieved.
The next step would be to see how the King of Shu, Zhu Binhan, who was hiding in the Qingyang Palace and pretending to be a living immortal, would react when he heard Zhu Rangjin's report. No matter how insidious and cunning he was, it was impossible for him to remain calm and do nothing when it came to a major matter of rebellion and the extermination of his family. At that time, his opportunity would come.
Yang Ling entered his room and lay down on the cool bamboo couch. A refreshing breeze came in from the window, and his whole body felt comfortable. He waved his hand and said, "Pour me a pot of tea and let it dry on the table, then go and rest."
Big Bludgeon Liu complied, poured some tea for him, and left in a flash.
The candle in the room was not extinguished. Yang Ling lay on the bamboo mat and pillow and was lost in thought for a long time. Only then did he untie a specially made belt from his waist and threw the loaded gun to one side. He sat up and was about to drink a few mouthfuls of tea before going to sleep. Suddenly, there was a sound from the door and a soft voice said, "Mr Yang, are you asleep?"
Yang Ling's hand suddenly reached out and touched the gun. He quietly opened the buckle and held the gun in his hand. He asked in a deep voice, "Who is it?"
His bodyguards were stationed all around, and they were all fixed sentries. There was also Wu Hanchao commanding the wolf soldiers to patrol the perimeter. Logically, there should not be any danger, but there was no harm in being careful.
Yang Ling fixed his gaze on the door and saw Song Ai open a crack in the door. She looked around and whispered sneakily, "Sir, I'm coming in." As she spoke, she entered the room and tiptoed toward Yang Ling.
Yang Ling knew that Song Ai and Wu Hanchao were in love with each other and that she had no intention of throwing herself into his arms. But a man and a woman alone in a room at night, and Song Ai's actions were too secretive, his heart could not help but beat fast.
Song Ai walked in front of him. Yang Ling shrank back uncomfortably. He saw Song Ai's eyes bend down and she said with a smile, "Daren, are you going to sleep? I will only ask one question before I leave. Why do you think the tortoise fell from the sky and hit a bald man's head? Was it swept up by the wind? "
"Ah?" Yang Ling did not know whether to laugh or cry. He could only swallow his saliva and briefly replied to this curious baby, "It is true. Because when the vulture catches food with a hard shell, it will throw it down from a high altitude and smash it with a stone. Then it will peck the meat inside. The vulture mistook the bald man's head for a stone, so it threw the tortoise down and killed him. "
Song Ai convulsed with laughter and said, "There is actually such an unlucky person in this world. This strange way of dying is really vexing. Huff, huff, huff. Now that I understand it, I can finally sleep."
She happily walked to the door and suddenly turned back with a smile, "If Wu Hanchao asks you, you must not tell him."
Yang Ling could not help laughing. He drank a cup of tea and went back to the bamboo couch to lie down. His fingers touched the gun and he suddenly thought, "A strange and unlucky way of dying? This kind of flintlock pistol has just been developed, and the safety is not very good. When Adni carried the gun, the muzzle was aimed at the feet in front of her. In order to hide it close to my body, the muzzle was close to my lower abdomen when I sat down. This is too dangerous.
Fortunately, Song Ai's question reminded me. Otherwise, if I am not careful, I will accidentally kill myself. That would be really strange and stupid. In this trip to Sichuan, I'm not fighting with people, I'm fighting with fate. I'm fighting with the Yin Deity that is destined to live for only two years. This danger, I really don't know where it will come from. No! I must be careful of all possible dangers, external, internal, unexpected … "
It was the third watch of the night, and the candlelight was not burning. Yang Ling was sitting in front of the table in his underwear. On the table was a soft armor, two arrows in his sleeve, and a gun in his hand. He was trying to find the best safe place to place the weapons.
In Song Ai's room, the moonlight shone through the window like mist. She, who had already gotten the answer, curled up like a cat with a thin quilt around her waist. She smiled sweetly in her sleep and faintly snorted.
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