Chapter 317 Lovesickness

When he walked into Anyifang, Xue Chongxun felt an inexplicable happiness. The thing that made him feel most uncomfortable was doing things that he could not grasp in a place that was unfamiliar with his life; on the contrary, the more familiar he was, the more he felt at ease. Pursuing stability is what many people want, but some people say that pursuing stability is a manifestation of weakness and incompetence. If so, Xue Chongxun is actually weak.

When Zhang said that when he accompanied him into the Shuiyunjian on South Street of Anyifang, although they were wearing common clothes, Du Jie'er immediately recognized Xue Chongxun. She immediately put down all the social events in her hands, and smiled with a friendly smile as if Xue Chongxun's mother, she shouted respectfully and enthusiastically: "Oh, the big guy is here!"

Du Jie'er was also a person who had seen the world, but she was so excited that she was a little out of control that she swung the handkerchief in her hand because she knew who Xue Chongxun was. When Xue Chongxun was having a big banquet for guests, she even asked the singing girl from Shuiyun to come to the mansion to make some fun. At this moment, she was vulgar and could not stand the vulgarity and could tell at a glance, but Xue Chongxun felt very intimate. He was not disgusted with him when he met a familiar person in a familiar place.

Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "Sister Du, don't be impatient. Let's just come here to have fun, don't make everyone's fun."

"That's, that's..." Du Jie'er's head dressed in heavy makeup was like a chicken pecking at rice.

Zhang Shuo smiled teasingly and said, "Xue Lang is a regular customer."

Xue Chongxun didn't explain anything, and the law did not prohibit powerful officials from doing this, and there were even official prostitutes raised by imperial grain. He still asked with a smile, "Will Meng Xiaoyu be there?"

"Here, here!" Du Jie'er answered hurriedly, and turned around to ask the person next to her, "Are there any guests in Xiaoyu's room?"

The man said, "I just received Xu Jiasilang."

Sister Du said directly: "I have returned the money, at least I will be dismissed."

"yes."

Xue Chongxun turned to Zhang and said, "Look at how righteous Sister Du is."

Du Jie'er laughed when she heard the prince's praise, and the thick powder on it almost fell down because of her too tense smile. After a while, she took Xue Chongxun and others to the pavilion. Several followers stood at the door, and only Xue Chongxun and Zhang said to go in. Because it was two people, Du Jie'er asked, "Do you want Xue Lang to call a few more girls to come in and serve?"

Xue Chongxun said: "Let's just listen to Meng Xiaoyu sing the song, so let's avoid it."

At this time, Meng Xiaoyu walked out quickly from the inside. It can be seen that she was rushing to dress up just now, and her clothes had changed into new shapes. The folding marks on the sleeves of the plain and elegant skirt had not disappeared. She must have just changed. She understood the tastes of these powerful and bureaucrats, and specially tidied them up elegantly without being ostentatious. As for how she dressed up before changing her makeup, she had no idea. It was mostly the big red and green silk skirt that the market liked.

She gave a bow with a smile, "I have met Xue Lang, Ming Gong."

It's almost a year since Xue Chongxun hadn't seen her, but she saw that although her oval-shaped oval face had not changed much, the woman still had some changes when she was older. Her childishness on her face had almost been removed, and her figure seemed to be taller, and she became closer to a slim girl. She didn't call her Xue Chongxun Hei Tan. If she was as unrestrained as before in front of Zhang, she would probably be joking with her again by Zhang.

The courtesy was much more comprehensive, but Xue Chongxun could feel that her kind trust in her has not changed much. Compared with other common people, Meng Xiaoyu had less awe and more sincerity in front of him. After all, she was an old friend.

Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "I haven't found an opportunity to see you for a long time. Today, my colleague, Mr. Zhang, was resting and going out for a walk together. I missed the music that Xiaoyu sang. I wonder if you are unfamiliar?" He talked casually, and at the same time he casually introduced Zhang Shuo.

Meng Xiaoyu had probably seen Zhang Shuai when she came to the palace before, but she might have forgotten it over time. This brothel is not very famous in Chang'an, and Zhang Shuai probably has never been here.

Zhang Shuo also greeted casually: "I have long admired the name of my little lady."

"Mr. Zhang is joking. I am not the most popular among the water and clouds. Not to mention that you have been hiding in Chang'an City for a long time." Meng Xiaoyu laughed lightly and then turned around to answer Xue Chongxun's words, "I can still sing. Isn't it popular with the Moon Palace Yushang Dance recently? That's how I can do it."

Xue Chongxun walked to the table, gave in to Zhang Shuo, and then sat down. As soon as he sat down, he said, "Okay, let's sing us a song "Sweethearts" first. I can't wait to hear it."

Meng Xiaoyu said sweetly: "That song, it's so old."

Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "It's just the old songs that taste good enough."

"Then you guys wait, I'll go get things out." After Meng Xiaoyu said that, she turned around and walked into the warm pavilion. After a while, she took out a pipa, then she leaned down to sit on the cork chair beside her, lowered her head to debug the strings. Xue Chongxun sat upright, looking very ear-washing and listening. Zhang Shu stopped laughing and sat with a smile when he saw this.

After a while, after a few high and low pipa sounds, Meng Xiaoyu's pure and crisp voice started singing, and she did have a good voice.

"Was the blue feather cleared, the sea was falling, how could the Taozhou be reluctant to leave love, the lovesickness of the green willow camp. People are floating, shadows are lonely, books are broken, and the ruler is light, and it is in vain to add suffering to the dream. Desire to love, and is difficult to express love..."

Gradually, Xue Chongxun was intoxicated by the lingering and sad but beautiful atmosphere alone, but Zhang Shuo still looked unchanged. In his opinion, Meng Xiaoyu looked pretty and had a sweet voice, but it was just as good as the singing girl in the palace brothel. But Xue Chongxun favored this singing girl, so Zhang Shuo naturally would not say much, and he had no interest in knowing what special thing about Meng Xiaoyu that could make Xue Chongxun praise her so much.

After the song, when Meng Xiaoyu asked, "What do you two want to hear?" Xue Chongxun came back from that unique feeling and paused and said, "Zhang Xianggong ordered a song."

Zhang Shuo refused: "It's easy to be free, I don't have much to do with music."

Meng Xiaoyu really plucked the strings at will, creating a light and graceful tone. Seeing the table with crispy snacks, nuts, etc., and a pot of wine, Xue Chongxun picked up the wine pot and poured two glasses. Zhang said quickly to pick it up. Xue Chongxun said, "You and I don't have to be polite." Zhang said happily.

"The Tang Dynasty has been established for a hundred years. The first method of equalizing land has now been in name only. However, land annexation is an issue that cannot be avoided in any dynasty after too long..."

As soon as Xue Chongxun talked about state affairs, Zhang Shuo coughed softly, "This..." He looked at Meng Xiaoyu, who was playing the pipa next to him quietly. In this era, the governors and the governed common people are different. Some things are known to everyone in the court, but people outside the circle may not be clear at all.

Zhang said the hint that Xue Chongxun immediately understood, but said disrespectfully: "She may not be able to understand, and she will not say it even if she understands it."

After saying that, he turned around and asked, "Will Xiaoyu stop talking to others about what we say?"

Meng Xiaoyu stopped her fingers and said with a smile: "Don't say it."

"Listen, she said she wouldn't spread it, it's okay." Xue Chongxun said calmly.

Zhang Shuo was shocked. Can a singer be believed? But now he is in a brothel and is not good to persuade him too much. It is not good to say too much.

Xue Chongxun saw Zhang Shu's expression and said calmly: "She is more trustworthy than many of her colleagues, so Mr. Zhang doesn't have to mind."

Zhang Shuo had to nodded helplessly: "What Xue Lang said is that no matter whether it is aristocrats or merchants, they will buy land if they have money. If they don't buy land, they will buy land and make money floating, which will be transformed into water at any time. The richer people have more ways to run them. As time goes by, the land will naturally be gradually merged by some people. Therefore, the population of the world has increased year by year, but the number of households controlled by the Ministry of Revenue is gradually decreasing, and even the soldiers in the Zhechong Mansion cannot be fully filled. Two years ago, Xue Lang and I jointly proposed the official and healthy method, and then they thought of a way to supplement the domestic military preparations."

Xue Chongxun said: "So I think the current system of government troops is no longer in line with the current situation. Zhechong Prefecture recruits civilian households to Chang'an and other places to "sell the market". Because the scarcity of government troops is increasing, the time for the market to be launched will be further extended, which will intensify the dependence of local large households to flee. The household registration will be further reduced, which will also increase the burden on the people."

The soldiers who were conquered to Zhechong Prefecture were indeed a heavy burden for the people's families, because the soldiers of the prefecture had to bring their own horses, food, fodder, clothes, and the court only sent out armor, weapons and other items, which was equivalent to the family helping the country to raise a strong labor force that was difficult to bring income.

Zhang Shuo nodded in agreement and pondered: "In recent years, the market has been prosperous, the grain transportation is smooth, and the national treasury is becoming increasingly abundant. If you increase revenue and reduce expenditure and persuade extravagant people and pay military salaries to the government soldiers, you can benefit the people and win the hearts of the people in the world..."

"I have an idea, Mr. Zhang, what do you think?" Xue Chongxun took the opportunity to put out his plan. "It's better to cancel the previous method and use Guan Jian as a standing army, stationed in various governors' offices in China, and let the soldiers be garrisoned specifically for the army. If you don't do other diligent training, you will definitely greatly improve the military strength of our Tang Dynasty."

Zhang said that he soon realized something and asked, "What kind of soldiers are used to replace the soldiers in Chang'an who take turns to join the army?"

"Shen Ce Army." Xue Chongxun said slowly.

Zhang Shuo's face suddenly changed. He looked back at Meng Xiaoyu again, but saw Xue Chongxun calm and not worried at all.

Xue Chongxun said seriously: "The border troops guarding the border gradually formed a hereditary military town, and have been through the battlefield for many years. On the contrary, the domestic singing and dancing are peaceful, and the training of the military troops in the government will be deteriorating. In the long run, the military will definitely form a situation where the outside is more important than the inside, and the big tail is not a blessing for the country. Therefore, it is imperative to expand the official and establish a permanent army. If the lower part is rich today, with the reform of the tax law of the Ministry of Revenue, it can be fully equipped with a team of soldiers specifically used for military equipment. The military sources of Zhechong Mansion do not need to be promoted. They only need to be gathered together during the slack season every year and go home to farm. They will only be mobilized and recruited when a large-scale war occurs."

Zhang Shuo frowned and did not answer immediately. He understood very well that the intention of improving military strength was not to drink, because his direct lineman, Shen Ce Army, was stationed in Chang'an with justification.
Chapter completed!