The moon rises and sets at night, the stars reflect the lights, but the Mid-Autumn Moon is lonely.
The Lantern Festival begins and Chang'an flourishes.
Li Shimin transformed into a commoner and walked among the crowd, flanked by Changsun Wuji, his father-in-law, and several escorts in civilian clothes.
At the time of this annual national event, it is rare that the people are more prosperous than the palace.
Li Shimin used it to observe the people's sentiments and enjoy themselves with the people, so as to get some fresh air.
Like today, it is quite rare to have less than ten people accompanying you when leaving the palace.
Li Shimin also liked this. In the past, when he went out to inspect the palace, everything he saw and heard along the way was arranged by the ministers in advance. How could he be so casual tonight? What he saw and heard was unknown, which was even more exciting.
"It's better to be among the people. It's been a long time since I heard such noisy life."
Changsun Wuji bowed and smiled: "It is all thanks to the emperor's good governance that today's Tang Dynasty is prosperous."
Ahead is the East Market, the most crowded place. The accompanying father-in-law was a little worried: "Sir, there are too many people over there, shall we move to another place?"
"I rarely come out, just to see the excitement? How can I avoid the crowds? I heard that the merchants in the East Market will hold a unique party. It's a coincidence that I came here, so naturally I want to see it."
"Chestnut! Chestnut!"
A crisp voice came from behind Li Shimin on the noisy long street.
When Li Shimin turned around, he saw Princess Runan, who was leaving the palace, looking for something in the crowd. The little eunuch in disguise behind her was sweating profusely.
Li Shimin frowned and called to his attendants: "Go and see what's going on?"
One of the guards resigned and turned around, walking to Princess Runan's side. Just as she was about to ask, a little girl of eleven or twelve years old suddenly emerged from the crowd and shouted: "Sister, I'm here!"
Princess Runan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her, pulled the little girl to her side, and smiled at the escort: "It's nothing, Lizi disappeared just now."
After receiving the order, the guard returned to Li Shimin and responded: "Sir, it was Princess Changle who ran to the side to look at something strange. Now she has returned."
"Call someone over here."
After Li Shimin gave the order, the two precious princesses who followed him came to Li Shimin one after another.
Seeing his father's indifferent expression, Li Xiangnan quickly admitted his mistake: "Father, it's my daughter's fault. I didn't take my sister seriously."
"This is not a royal palace, don't act wild, lest you cause trouble."
"Father, what's this?"
The immature little princess beside her didn't care and said seriously, "Under the rule of my father, the Tang Dynasty was peaceful and peaceful, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, every family had food to eat, and everyone could wear warm clothes. I heard it all in the palace
, the people in Chang'an city stay open at night, they are all good people. Besides, the world belongs to the father and the emperor, what is the difference between being in the palace and outside the palace?"
"Hahahaha..." Li Shimin laughed out loud and rubbed the little girl's head lovingly, "You are a brat. When did you learn to say such beautiful words?"
"Father, it's rare for people to come out once, so just let us go and play by ourselves. With my sister here, Changle will not be lost."
"Your Majesty, this... this is impossible!" Changsun Wuji quickly interrupted.
The little girl angrily stamped her feet: "Uncle! You let me go play, you are walking so slowly, there are so many lanterns in front of you! How can I see them all?"
"Okay, okay!" Li Shimin was so coaxed by his daughter that he felt happy and stopped worrying about it. Then he removed the most powerful guards around him to follow him.
Li Lizhi shouted happily: "Thank you, Father!"
Saying that, she took her sister's hand and ran into Dongshi.
Li Xiangnan looked back at his father, but was pulled unsteadily by his sister, so he could only follow and said vaguely: "My daughter must be optimistic about her sister."
Seeing his two daughters disappearing into the crowd in front, Li Shimin's eyes were full of doting.
Among the many princesses in the palace, Li Shimin only brought these two out, which shows that these two princesses have an extraordinary status in his heart.
But Li Shimin also had some subtle differences in his feelings towards the two princesses, which only he knew clearly.
After walking slowly all the way, Li Shimin arrived at the gate of Dongshi.
When entering the East Market today, everyone has to pay a penny to buy a lantern.
Li Shimin was a little curious about this: "Why is this?"
Changsun Wuji explained: "Tonight's performance also involves voting. One lantern represents one vote. People who have watched the performance will choose the best performance tonight based on their own senses, and then send the lanterns out. After the lantern show, they will receive the lanterns."
The merchant with the largest number is the winner tonight. In the future, the momentum in Chang'an City will be greater, and the business will naturally be better."
Li Shimin was amazed after hearing this, and lamented that there were many talented people among the people, and he had to work harder to discover talented people among the people.
At this time, the two princesses were completely submerged in the crowd. Two eunuchs accompanied them and a guard opened the way.
"Li Zi! You walk slower."
"My name is Li Lizhi, not Li Lizi!"
"Stop first!"
"Sister, have you seen that bank?"
"Which bank?"
"It's that free money bank you always talk about. I've never seen what a money bank is!"
Li Xiangnan frowned and stared at his sister: "Are you in such a hurry just to see that bank?"
"Uh huh huh!"
"I'm afraid it's not to meet that Bai Song, right?"
"Sister, just let me see it! After all, we are all subordinates, and that is the closest and dearest confidant."
"What a bastard! You...where did you learn this?"
"Didn't you tell me yourself? You said that you were almost caught by the emperor's grandpa meeting the man under the pavilion in Xingqing Palace, and out of desperation, you asked him to hide under your sister's skirt."
"You also know that you are in a hurry, so you must not say anything nonsense!"
"Although it was a matter of urgency, it is a fact that happened. Anyway, my sister can't marry a Turkic prince for the time being, so why not recruit him as a consort? Today's opportunity is rare. I just want to see that guy and check it for my sister."
"Stop talking nonsense! Go back to your father as soon as possible!"
"Oh, okay, okay, I won't say anything anymore, okay? Let's not go see that Bai thing. Let's go to the front to watch the show. Look, it's about to start."
…
From Xu o'clock, the East Market performance begins.
The grand event kicked off with a congratulatory message from the president of the Tang Feng Chamber of Commerce.
There were more than thirty merchants participating in today's performance, and the first one to perform on stage was Li's Clothing Store.
The Li family cloth shop was well-known throughout the Tang Dynasty. The Li brocade weaved by the cloth shop was unique and could be regarded as an ancient national brand.
Naturally, a big merchant has the dignity of a big merchant, so he invited seven beauties from the Western Regions to perform an exotic dance on the stage.
The girls from the Western Regions were enthusiastic and unrestrained, and their costumes were hot and revealing. After singing and dancing, the reserved people of the Tang Dynasty were all blushing, but they couldn't help but indulge in flirtatious reverie.
Most literati shouted that it was insulting to politeness, but in their hearts they shouted: "Please increase your intensity."
The first performance was a blast.
Bai Song scratched his head and ears, feeling very dissatisfied.
He sat on the seat of Mobai Bank, stood up and pointed at Li's Clothing Store: "Isn't there anyone taking care of this? You are engaging in sex in public! It's so shameless!"
Bai Song's voice was drowned in the cheers of the crowd, and no one paid any attention to him. There were no restrictions on the scale of folk activities in the Tang Dynasty.
As soon as the performance ended, people who voted poured into the stage of Li's cloth shop like a tide, and the small stage was instantly flooded by countless lanterns.
Bai Song's protest was ineffective, and he sat back angrily and kept mumbling: "If I had known it was going to be this way, I would have just asked a group of girls to dance on the pole, and it's a far cry!"
"Sir, what is pole dancing?" Mingyue on the side asked curiously. She was a little nervous now. Seeing the popularity of the first performance, she felt even more unsure, so she took the opportunity to talk to ease her mind.
The second performance was the song and dance "Shui Tiao Ge Tou" from Linbei Jade Shop, performed solo by Min Xiner, the courtesan of Tianxiang Pavilion, a famous flower house in the west of the city.
This performance almost collides with the show prepared by Bai Song. Tianxiang Pavilion and Yingyue Tower are equally famous. Min Xiner is even more famous than Mingyue. The lyrics are also written by a young man who is quite famous in Chang'an. In addition,
It's singing and dancing, dancing and singing at the same time. It's more difficult than Bai Song's. A little analysis can tell that this performance is not only exactly the same as what Bai Song prepared, but it's even better than them.
Now, all the guys at Mobai Bank became much more nervous.