Zhu Houzhao sat for a while and felt somewhat bored. The sun was rising higher and higher and his stomach was also feeling somewhat hungry. He was about to call someone to bring Yang Ling back when he saw a group of QING: Five Cities Warlords hurriedly running over. In their hands were not sabers or spears, but brooms and dustpans. Several of the officials flaunted their military might and shouted, "Irrelevant people quickly leave, the Emperor is coming to inspect the examination venue."
Hearing that his father was coming, Zhu Houzhao jumped in fright and hurriedly stood up. The scurrying officials swept their brooms in all directions, causing dust to fly everywhere. There was no need for them to rush, the commoners waiting outside the examination venue had already hurriedly retreated into the forest across the street.
The tea vendor cursed his bad luck and quickly ordered his wife to pick up the tea set and chairs and quickly move away. Right at this moment, a black-faced Yang Ling came out from the other side of the curtain. Zhu Houzhao was delighted and quickly said, "You came back just in time. Ma Yongcheng, you often go out of the palace to buy things. Quickly recommend a decent restaurant, let's go and have a good meal."
Gu Daeyong heard that his tone was rather loud and jumped in fright. He quickly lowered his voice and said, "Crown Prince, watch your voice, don't let anyone hear it." Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and the others were used to reading other people's expressions and could see that Yang Ling was very upset. But no matter how hard they thought, they could not figure out what had happened to him.
Yang Ling did not expect that his moment of kindness would actually help a famous treacherous official in history. Now that he heard that Zhu Houzhao was going to eat wine, he scratched his head even more. He quickly moved closer to Zhu Houzhao and said in a low voice, "Crown Prince, we have been out of the palace for a long time. If we stay too long, I'm afraid His Majesty will find out. In this official's opinion, let's go eat some tea and then quickly go to the Ministry of War."
Zhu Houzhao also laughed in a low voice, "Yang, don't worry. Imperial Father will be inspecting the examination venue in a moment and will not return to the palace for a while. Let's find a place to eat some tea and wine. After I have filled my stomach, I will hire a carriage to go to the Ministry of War to move things. " In his opinion, he was the Crown Prince and Liu Daxia would have to give him some face. Wouldn't it be easy for him to ask for some things?
Ma Yongcheng listened to Zhu Houzhao's instructions and hurriedly led the troops back to the main street. The ten of them rented two horse carriages and traveled along the main street. Zhu Houzhao knew that his Imperial Father was coming to the Education Palace and was really afraid that he would discover them, so he ordered Ma Yongcheng to go as far as possible. The carriage passed through the streets and alleys. After quite a while, Zhu Houzhao saw from the carriage that there was a very busy alley by the side of the road. There was a restaurant at the end of the street, the banners were fluttering, it was very lively. Thereupon he knocked on the carriage railing to call Ma Yongcheng to stop.
Ma Yongcheng saw that the alley was Bai Shun Alley, a famous brothel in the capital. He couldn't help but groan in his heart. The Emperor of Hongzhi only had this one son and he doted on Zhu Houzhao a lot. In addition, the Emperor often sneaked out of the palace. So even if the Crown Prince were to leave the palace, the Emperor would just beat them a few times. That was why these eunuchs dared to persuade the Crown Prince to leave the palace. But if the Emperor knew that they brought the Crown Prince to a brothel, the punishment would be heavy.
But he didn't dare to tell Zhu Houzhao. This Crown Prince was too curious. The more you don't let him go, the more interested he will be. Luckily, he only had his eyes on the restaurant at the end of the street. He could go in and eat something and leave as soon as possible.
Ma Yongcheng stopped the carriage and paid the fare. He took the opportunity to say a few words to Liu Jin, Zhang Yong, and the others. The old eunuchs nodded. They quickly chased after Zhu Houzhao and escorted him to the restaurant. They were afraid that this wild horse would get excited and wander around the alley again.
They went upstairs. Ma Yongcheng ordered a table full of the best dishes. The ten of them ate and drank in a private room by the window. Zhu Houzhao was young, but he liked to drink a few cups. But he was still young and couldn't hold his liquor. After drinking a few cups, his face turned red. He asked Wei Bin to open the window to breathe.
It was March. The sun was bright and the air was fresh. When the spring wind blew, Zhu Houzhao felt refreshed. He excitedly got up and poured wine for Yang Ling and the others. He forced them to drink a few cups as well.
Zhu Houzhao was drinking happily when he heard a faint sound of string and bamboo music coming from outside the window. Zhu Houzhao loved music, so he couldn't help but listen attentively.
He had no interest in the traditional official music of the palace. He preferred folk songs and exotic sounds. At this time, he heard the charming and gentle song coming from afar. Although it was a string and bamboo instrument, the style was very different from the music of the palace. He couldn't help but stand up and look into the distance. He excitedly pointed to the rows of two-story courtyard houses below and said, "Dacheng, what is that place?"
Ma Yongcheng and Liu Jin looked at each other and stammered, "Uh … the Old Slave doesn't know either. I think it's the musicians that the merchants hired to sing."
Zhu Houzhao clapped his hands and said, "How can there be wine without music? Quickly call one over, I also want to listen to some songs. " Ma Yongcheng had a bitter expression on his face as he continued to eat, unwilling to move. Just at this time, the innkeeper saw that this table of guests was generous, so he personally brought a big carp into the private room to add some dishes. Zhu Houzhao turned around and called out to him, "Innkeeper, I heard some music over there, it's very interesting. Quickly go and call someone over, I want to listen to some music."
The innkeeper saw him sitting in the main seat and knew that although this young master was young, he was the leader of this group of scholars. He looked out the window and said with a smile, "Sir, the musicians there don't go out. If you want to listen to songs, you'll have to go there."
Zhengde was curious and asked, "Oh? Is it a musician? Why are you so arrogant? It's not like you don't want to pay him money, why do you have to be so arrogant? "
The innkeeper saw that he was young and guessed that he didn't understand. However, the scholars next to him all had strange expressions on their faces, so perhaps they were regular customers of this place. He laughed and said, "Sir, you may not know, but the girls in this alley are all people of high status. Normally they only receive high officials, nobles, or young masters from rich families. They won't easily show their faces in public.
The place where the string and bamboo music is coming from is called the Silk Flower House, and it's one of the best in our Bai Shun Alley. There are the most beautiful girls in that house. The madam there pays a lot of money to train the girls, and each one of them is proficient in the four arts. Usually the people who come and go are distinguished scholars of high status, high officials, and nobles. My restaurant is still small, so I can't invite the girls from there. "
Zhu Houzhao, who had always been known as a romantic and absurd person to the later generations, was still an ignorant child at this time. He had no interest in women at all, he only wanted to invite someone to sing a song. Hearing that the musicians there did not go out, he immediately lost interest.
The innkeeper continued, "If Xiao Gongzi wants to see the world, the Silk Flower House is indeed a good place to go. Right now the most popular girls there are Xiang Bao 'er and Ke Qing' er, they are the most beautiful girls in the crowd. With Xiao Gongzi's handsome character, they will definitely be very happy. There are also three even more beautiful girls in the house, they haven't even combed their hair, they are all very beautiful.
Although these three girls are young, they are all beauties. One is called Sheridan, she can play the flute very well. Another is called Tang Yixian, she can play the zither very well. There is also a Sister Yu, she can sing and dance very well. These three girls' talent and appearance are very outstanding. Their ages are also similar to Xiao Gongzi. "
When Yang Ling heard the names Sheridan and Tang Yixian, he felt that they were vaguely familiar, as if he had heard them before. He remembered that in his nine lives of reincarnation, in his last life he possessed the body of a popular singer. He had once played a cameo role in a TV drama about the Ming Dynasty. He vaguely remembered that he had heard these names from that time.
Yang Ling thought to himself, "For these musicians to be able to leave behind their names in the future, they must be famous prostitutes of the present age. Could it be that because Zhengde once visited a prostitute, they became famous? However, in the original history, Zhengde should not have left the palace this time. Taking advantage of the fact that this fellow is still not aware of women's charms, I must change the topic, don't let him fall into this path. "
Yang Ling did not have the time to ponder over these familiar names, he promptly said to the innkeeper, "Go, go, go, don't talk nonsense, what kind of world have we not seen? Our Xiao Gongzi is a noble person, how can he condescend to see a singer? Quickly leave. "
He originally wanted to flatter Zhu Houzhao and make him dispel the idea of listening to the music, but Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. Of the three people you mentioned, one is good at playing the flute, one is good at playing the zither, and the last one is good at singing and dancing. These three people are a perfect match, but I heard that if the song was written by them, the music theory is only so-so."
Liu Jin and the others were on tenterhooks, afraid that Zhu Houzhao would really go to the door to listen to the music, but after hearing his words, they relaxed and all agreed, "That's right, that's right, what hasn't Xiao Gongzi seen? Don't worry about it, let's drink. "
The innkeeper saw that Zhu Houzhao was very easygoing, he added, "The one playing at this time may not be these girls, if you don't go and see their talent, in the future when you want to see them, there will be one less."
Zhu Houzhao asked curiously, "Why is there one less?"
The innkeeper said, "I heard that a merchant surnamed Yan has taken a fancy to Sister Yu and spent a lot of money to make her his concubine. These days Sister Yu has been washing her face with tears, she is very unhappy."
Yang Ling was very surprised and couldn't help asking, "What? How can there be such a thing? Being a concubine is better than living a life of making a fool of herself, what is there for her to be unhappy about? "
The innkeeper said, "You don't often come to this place, so you don't know the customs here. If it was an ordinary girl, someone would be willing to buy her freedom and get her out of the fire pit. But Sister Yu is still young, but she is already a famous prostitute here. In the future, she will definitely be very famous. All famous prostitutes are proud of marrying officials or scholars. If anyone is engaged by a merchant, they will end up being a good-for-nothing, how can she be willing? "
Zhu Houzhao was very interested, he excitedly slapped the table and said, "Come, let's go and see what's so special about these three musicians."
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