Chapter 52 The beginning

Spring goes to summer solstice, and when the weather warms up in April, the busy farming season outside Jiangning City enters. If you are in this, the whole world gives people a feeling of vitality. For people of this age, summer and autumn are probably the best days to live. There is no softness of spring, no coldness of winter, the sun is in full swing, and white clouds are like catkins, everything is bright and refreshing.

The Su family is also busy, and the first batch of spring silk has been released. This silk is the heaviest batch of the year. The small workshops distributed in the Su family are already operating in full swing. Although ordinary people don’t care much, things like new goods are on the shelves and diversion of old goods are still needed. Su Tan'er continues to be busy since the beginning of spring, and is often busy until very late at night. Every few nights, she feels a little free. Seeing Ning Yi on the second floor opposite, she quietly goes over, chats, and eats some fruit snacks - she doesn’t usually eat these - sometimes she wants to say something, but Ning Yi is not there, and she feels a little disappointed.

After the New Year, she also noticed some things. Sometimes, based on the news from various places, she thought about the next thoughts, or sorted out some accounts, and dealt with problems from some places, and would be busy until very late. Xing'er would come in to add a cup of tea to her, Chan'er and Juan'er played go-to chess outside, and sometimes she would take a nap. But even if it was too late, the lights were on in her bedroom and living room, and there was a window in the small building opposite, and Liheng would read books and write there. If she had dispersed and Xiaochan also went to sleep, the lights would go out quietly.

At first she thought it was a coincidence, but later she took care of herself to make sure things were settled. A few days later, she deliberately stayed until very late, and then blew out the lamp. Soon after, the figures on the other side were also printed in front of the window and blew out the oil lamp.

She found that she didn't say it, nor did she think about why the other party did this. There were some things she didn't need to be asked about. Every time she was about to go to bed, she was used to looking at the opposite side. In the darkness, she went to bed and rested after seeing the lights on the opposite side. She felt warm.

For Ning Yi, it may be just a casual thing. He no longer intends to get into many troubles, nor has any ambitions. Of course, besides becoming the number one master in the martial arts world, but with his personality, since everyone lives in the same yard, he lets him see a girl with more than his shadow of the past busy until late at night every night, and sleeps casually, he still feels helpless after watching the lights on the opposite side go out, and it is just a casual act for him. As for Su Tan'er, it is her business, and he does not intend to dissuade him.

As summer approaches, Mr. Qin has also started to set up chess stalls. Sometimes he plays chess with people of this kind and that. He is older than Ning Yi, who is twenty-one this year. There are several famous people, and of course there are more ordinary chess lovers. Ning Yi has already met several people last year. This year, he came to ask him if he was the talented man who wrote the water tune song head and the Qingyu case. Ning Yi only smiled and nodded.

The relationship with Li Pin has been closer. After class at noon, I occasionally go to the restaurant to eat with him. The main reason is that after all, I owe him a favor to the Songhuadan business - although there was Gu Yanzhen's incident later, it was not his fault after all.

Li Pin is very sensible. Over the past few months, Ning Yi has probably understood the character and experience of this person. He went to Beijing for the exam a few years ago and passed the Jinshi. However, because his policy theory was too radical, he offended a senior official of the Ministry of Personnel and could not make up for the actual shortcomings, so he returned to Jiangning. Although he looked humble, if he was put in a thousand years, he would probably still be the type of angry young man. He would not talk about it when chatting, but when it comes to knowledge, some ideas could not be covered up and could be clearly seen at a glance.

Simply put, this guy is well-off, proficient in Confucianism, mathematics, and is also somewhat proficient in the art of shooting and shaking. A gentleman knows all the six arts. He is already very good in this era. He treats people and deals with advances and retreats appropriately. However, because he thinks too much, he basically hates corrupt scholars, likes to work hard but never leave the great way. He wants to establish a life of life for the heaven and earth, establish a life of the people, and inherits his unique knowledge and brings peace to all generations. However, he cut off his path for a while. Ordinary Confucian scholars offend high officials and are afraid that they will be depressed for life. He has also been depressed for a while, but now he is cheered up, thinking about Confucianism, thinking about the Wu Dynasty, and thinking about the road ahead. He is a person who can take it and let go. After all, he is still young.

If he goes by a few decades, he might become like another Qin Siyuan. Ning Yi admires smart people and does not like to mess around with other literati and talented people, but he can still talk to Li Pin. Of course, you should avoid making friends with a simple and profound way. Li Pin is also responsible. Now the two of them are colleagues with good relationships in the academy. It would be too early to say that they are good friends or confidants.

Of course, there are only two of them who are a little younger in Yushan Academy. Since Li Pin came here, although he did not go through much publicity, he actually admitted more than a dozen students in the academy in the first half of this year... This is an off-topic.

As time passed, Ning Yi had already reached Jiangning for a year. If we think about it, he had not experienced much in this year. He copied two poems and became famous. He met some people and became familiar with them. He was somewhat adapted to this era. His life is still leisurely. Sometimes he heard the friction between the Jin and Liao countries in the north, and occasionally some merchants and corpses said that the roads in other places were unstable, and bandits everywhere occupied the mountains and became kings. There were several relatively large news that the court was encircling and suppressing. The rebellion was not widely spread, and in the rich Jiangning, it sounded a little unreal.

By the end of April, after the seedlings were planted, the festive atmosphere quietly rose inside and outside Jiangning. This was not like the New Year, mainly because the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching. In addition to the Qinhuai Dragon Boat Race on the fifth day of the fifth month, there is also a grand event that lasts for six days to be held on the Dragon Boat Festival. Brothels in Jiangning will take advantage of this time to hold an event to determine the pros and cons and select the courtesans.

If the annual festival poetry festivals in Jiangning, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Shangyuan are probably a carnival for talents, and the final selection of courtesans in early May should be a grand event for the beauty. Of course, most ladies or real "beauties" who have married are often not very happy in these days, which may be something worth pondering. But there is no need to criticize. This is the fashion in this era. If there are stories about the world, they will only be considered elegant rather than dirty.

As one of the most elegant things every year, like the carnival of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is actually the support of the government behind it. Poetry and talent are of no distinction between the superiority and inferiority, and the smoke among the talents is not strong, and it is more of a testimony of freedom without the first in literature. Therefore, the government only needs to maintain basic order, but this time it has the real significance of the competition. To determine the heads of the four major industries and then determine the courtesan from it, a judge who tries to be fair. This relatively fair position is actually the responsibility of the government to prevent cheating and many disputes.

The rules of the entire competition are actually simple. The courtesans are finally making money, and they can attract people to support them. If you talk about it in detail, there is a complicated side. In six days, the brothels in Jiangning almost let go of the welcome guests, cancel many drinks and drinks, or let the girls in their courtyard perform on the prepared terrace. If they like it, buy flowers and send them over. These flowers are evidence of popularity. During this period, there were actually many hype techniques, how to mobilize the emotions of the audience in the seat, how to set off the warm atmosphere of choosing a courtesan, how to add elegant elements to it, and increase the value of girls, such as letting talented men write poems and praise them... In short, it all depends on the methods of each brothel.

In the city of Qinhuai, there are about 60 to 70 brothels of all sizes in Jiangning. The first three days are actually just the beginning, which makes the atmosphere popular. At this time, each brothel will continue to promote it with tacit understanding, but the most dedicated woman on the performance stage is actually those women who are not very famous on weekdays. Some of them are just selling their skills, and some sell their skills and their bodies. Whether they have a foundation, they can always gain a lot of popularity through their performances these days.

She will remember that the customers who have supported her in the past few days will not have much literary talent or money, and it is impossible to get favored by famous women. Naturally, they will choose these women, such as the cousins ​​of the Su family. Although they think they are literary and elegant all day long, they are mostly thinking about Lu Caicai and Yuan Jiner, but in fact, their good looks in brothels are naturally women with a lower reputation. They have been evacuating money from Su Tan'er these days, and they are mostly diligent in favor of supporting the women they like in the past few days.

Then the three days after the arrival will be the highlight. Although the daytime is no different from the previous three days, a large gathering will be held near Bailuzhou at night. The prefect and many celebrities will also attend this elegant event. According to the results of the first three days, there will be basically one to two places in each brothel. On the third day of the junior high school, there will be more than 100 women perform here, and sixteen of them will be selected. On the fourth day of the New Year, four of them will be selected. The fifth day of the New Year is the day when the birthday of the wedding ceremony is born. Most of the rich people who can attend the event in these three nights, and the wedding ceremony is naturally produced with their support.

"... The selection of a courtesan is handled by the Jiangning government every year. The bouquets are also prepared by the government. The so-called sending flowers is just a reward. In the past few years, someone even gave him ten thousand flowers. Oh, how could there be ten thousand flowers to give him... But these things are also beautiful. They can't do this by just brothels. Only by the government can they become lively. The government collects 20% of the money they buy flowers, and the monthly profit and tax are still calculated. These 20% are obtained out of thin air. The annual silver is a lot..."

At noon, Ning Yi and Li Pin were coming down from the restaurant. Li Pin was also smiling and talking to Ning Yi about the recent hottest event. Today is April 30th, and the first day of the courtesan competition has begun. Many brothels in Jiangning City are very grand. The sound of silk and bamboos from afar came. A pleasure boat was slowly walking on the river surface, with colorful silk waving, and a small boat was swaying along the bank of the Qinhuai River. In addition to the boatman, there was a beautiful woman on the boat, who suddenly waved to this side and said, "Mr. Li, Mr. Li..." But he recognized Li Pin.

"It's hot at noon. If the two young men have nothing to do, would you like to go to the boat to have a cup of tea and rest for a while?"

Ning Yi looked at Li Pin with a little strangeness. Li Pin looked at his expression, but smiled and bowed to the girl on the boat to refuse. The girl said a few words, but finally stopped forcing her. When she walked a little further, Ning Yi smiled and said, "Haha, Brother Li has a wide range of friendship."

"She wrote it down before." Li Pin smiled a little proudly, "If Li Heng had just wanted to go up and sit down, the other party would have to greet him respectfully. There is no need to spend money. If you can write a poem to praise a girl, there are even gifts with a more famous talented man, and the other party would be willing to recommend himself to the pillow table..."

"As Brother Li's name, I believe there are many people who recommend themselves, right?"

"It's true. But if Liheng is willing to say his name and enter the house, it's simple. Haha, I'm afraid there are not many women who can refuse it. Since the Chinese New Year, I have met with the girl Qilan several times. She is very concerned about Liheng. I think if Liheng is willing to write a poem for her, it's not impossible to have a kiss, haha."

In the past, Li Pin and Ning Yi did not say this often, but when they started, they would continue to talk and laugh. The poems of talented men became famous for their beauty, and beauty could not be separated from the foil of talented men. The annual courtesan conference naturally had many poems. With Li Pin's identity, if you write a poem of praise for a woman, you can immediately increase the value of the other party. Last year's four major businesses were Qilan, Lu Caicai, Yuan Jin'er and Feng Xiaojing, who became the courtesan. It is said that Li Pin was a talented man who stood on Feng Xiaojing's side and cheered for him.

"To put it, it is actually a battle of intention." Li Pin shook his head and smiled, "The year before last year, last year, the Zhishui Poetry Conference and the Lichuan Poetry Conference were difficult to distinguish. Both sides made some anger. At that time, Cao Guan was very popular and became the leader of the talented men of Zhishui. He wrote two poems for Yuan Jin'er, and the rest of Zhishui were also standing on Yuan Jin'er's side, so... Haha, a group of people from Lichuan chose Feng Xiaojing. At that time, the Qilan girl supported by the Wu family was actually the strongest, but the Wu family was a businessman and wanted to keep a low profile, so she never used money to make money. In the end, Xiaojing had the upper hand. This is really strange... It would not be like this this year. It was mainly because Liheng came out of thin air. Now everyone is empty, and I am afraid there is no battle for intention. But it is hard to say that if Liheng also has people he likes, haha, maybe everyone will attack him..."

Ning Yi doesn’t visit brothels on weekdays and doesn’t have many social engagements. Li Pin is also clear. After saying this, he smiled: “Do you have any plans in the past few days?”

"Go to Bailuzhou to watch the performance on the night of the third year of junior high school."

"My brother and sister-in-law allow you to go? Then you have to plan well..." Li Pin said hurriedly. In fact, he is teaching at Yushan Academy. In a sense, he can almost be regarded as a guest official of the Su family. The Su family also invited him to have dinner several times and met with old lady Su and Su Tan'er. Su Tan'er occasionally went to the academy. He knew that Su Tan'er was not a bad woman. But sometimes, women were women after all. At this time, the planning he mentioned was to attend a banquet for a beautiful woman after the performance. Generally speaking, if you helped a woman, there was a celebration banquet that night. The other party came out to thank him and performed extra. Many talents here were satisfied and wrote poems to make him famous and himself famous.

After hearing Li Pin say this, Ning Yi smiled and shook his head: "I went with Tan'er."

Li Pin was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "That's right, everyone took all their skills in those days of performances, and just saw it, it was quite good."

This time, it can be regarded as the highest-level performance appreciation in Jiangning. A few days ago, when Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were chatting by the railing on the second floor, Su Tan'er said that she would spare time to go and see Ning Yi. In fact, she also knew that Ning Yi liked to join in with this kind of excitement. Li Pin was a little sorry. He had wives and concubines at home, but he didn't plan to take them there. It was mainly for the banquet later. It was not just about getting close to the beauty. Make friends with some people and expanding friendship and making fame. This was his main purpose.

The two walked for a while and headed in different directions at the intersection. Ning Yi had nothing to do. Su Tan'er and several maids had already returned home. Chan'er and Juan'er chattered about the performance they saw on the road today and what they heard about, looking forward to the grand performance of the third, fourth and fifth days of the lunar calendar. However, in the evening, a letter was sent in, and then two shopkeepers rushed into the mansion and discussed with Su Tan'er for a long time in the yard next door. When dinner was received, Su Tan'er apologized and said something that could not be seen.

"Suddenly there was an urgent matter. I'm afraid I can't go with my husband. Let's go with Xiaochan." Not long after, I laughed softly as if I were upstairs: "Wen Ding and Wenfang also have dozens or hundreds of taels. I will give Xiaochan the private money. If my husband sees a girl who performs well, he will buy flowers and give it to him. I will give you more nights and have a gift banquet to eat... After my husband wins the favor of the girl's family, he is not allowed to say that I am stingy..."

"The profitable businessman..." Ning Yi sighed and laughed.

Su Tan'er smiled and wrinkled her nose: "Hmph!"

She was full of confidence in front of Ning Yi, but there were some things that she couldn't help but think about. On the last night of April, when she returned to her room, Su Tan'er was actually a little melancholy. She looked at the room with the lights on opposite sides and thought quietly for a while. She was still a girl's figure. Her face was still a unique maturity when she thought about it. When her brows were slightly frowning, she often had a momentum and stability that had been cultivated over several years. But at this time, although she was thinking and thinking, her expression was not as heavy as a lot, just like a girl, thinking about the girl's thoughts. Sometimes she sat at the table and held her chin, stretched out her hand to flip through the pages of the book boredly. In the light of the oil lamp, it was just a trouble for the girl.

Then she called Xiaochan in, smiled as usual and told her about watching the performance in the third year of junior high school, and took out some silver notes and put them outside. The little girl seemed a little depressed that Juan'er Xing'er could not go to the performance. Of course, she was happy to be able to watch it. After struggling for a long time, she said: "Miss, let me... let Juan'er go with my son-in-law, Sister Xing'er and I accompany you to deal with the workshop... Juan'er has been wanting to watch it for a long time..."

"We will finish the matter in the fourth day of the lunar month, and we can go and see it together on the fifth day of the lunar month." Su Tan'er smiled, then reached out and touched Chan'er's cheek gently, looked at the little girl's beautiful face, turned her head and looked at the window on the other side of the yard. After thinking for a while, she took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Xiao Chan, do you actually like son-in-law?"
Chapter completed!