Chapter 19 The Shuangcheng in Western Liaoning (19)
Asking Liu Rengong to shamelessly ask for help from Li Keyong of the Hedong Army is a big deal. It cannot be decided in a hurry, and it is not something that Li Chengzhong can control at this time. After all, he is still just a member of the Pingzhou Army's front camp.
He is just a small commander, and his rank is no more than Captain Xuejie, the eighth grade.
When we came out of Jiedu Mansion, it was already evening, and the sun was about to set, but Li Chengzhong had not eaten yet. Zhou Zhiyu was left to eat by the commander Liu Rengong. There must be many things to talk about, so he had to be alone
go back.
At this moment, his stomach was empty. He hadn't eaten anything all day, and his stomach was already grumbling with hunger. He hurried to Zhang's house and seemed to have smelled the odor emanating from the noodle soup made by the young lady Lan'er.
Fresh fragrance.
As soon as he entered the gate, he heard the excitement in the courtyard. When Li Chengzhong saw it, he saw that Zhang Xingzhong and Wang Sili were competing in moves in the courtyard. Lao Dutou and Rhee Chengwan were watching. However, there was no sign of Wang Dalang, and it seemed that he had not returned yet.
Seeing Li Chengzhong enter, Zhang Xingzhong and Wang Sili both received their sticks.
"How? How was the competition?" Li Chengzhong asked with a smile.
"Ashamed, I am no match for you!" Zhang Xingzhong gasped.
"Zhang Dutou is a good gun and stick..." Wang Sili blushed and didn't know what to say, so he muttered a compliment to Zhang Xingzhong.
When asked what he meant, Wang Sili still looked coy, but Syngman Rhee was much more forthright. Without his brother Li Chengyu around, the young man relaxed a lot: "I've been very busy these two days of the festival. I'm waiting for someone to come."
Please celebrate the festival and drink. Originally, the elder was also coming, but the adults in the family called him to talk about something, so they asked a certain generation to pay their respects."
Li Chengzhong also wanted to get acquainted with his two future subordinates, so he agreed and invited Zhang Xingzhong to come with him. However, he wanted to spend more time at home with his parents, so Li Chengzhong said nothing more.
Unlike Chang'an and Luoyang, Youzhou has night curfews and closed streets. At night, there are still many places to relax. When Li Chengzhong asked where to go, Rhee Chengwan happily led the way and said with a smile: "Xuan Xuan"
Haven't you been to Mingyue Fengfeng Pavilion yet? I'll accompany Xuan Jie to have a good drink later!"
Hearing that it was Mingyue Songfeng Pavilion, Li Chengzhong couldn't help but think of the very beautiful dancer Wan Zhi, and he also had more expectations in his heart.
Youzhou's Jiaofang is located in Dengma Hutong in the east of the city, not far from Dongshi. Although it is an alley, it is wider than a serious street. Of course, in Li Chengzhong's eyes, the streets of this era are different from the small streets of the past.
The lanes are no different. The widest part can only accommodate two carriages passing side by side.
In houses of this era, except for a few main roads, the doors generally did not open to the outside. The streets were lined with earthen walls of varying heights, and there were not even a single window. Anyone who could open the door facing the street was
The homes of high-ranking officials and ordinary people must turn into small alleys from the street.
Except for the regulated market, there are no shops in the entire city. Of course, there are also people doing business in each village. They sell some daily necessities needed by the neighbors in their own homes. They can trade with money or exchange items.
, in Li Chengzhong’s opinion, it is very similar to Soho in later generations.
The reason why this pattern is formed is not only to facilitate blockade management and arrest of criminals, but also because of the extremely important military functions of cities in this era. A city is a fortress, and each area is a line of defense in the fortress. When the enemy
After entering the city, once the gates between the squares and squares are closed, lines of defense can be formed for the defenders to make subsequent resistance.
Li Chengzhong walked along the dark streets with Rhee Chengwan and Wang Sili for a quarter of an hour. After turning several times, he entered the Jiaofang and his eyes suddenly lit up. The first thing in the Jiaofang was a Yamen, which was the Jiaofang Si.
A long line of lanterns of various colors line the street behind Jiaofangsi, making Dengma Hutong a bright red light. The names of shops are written on the lanterns everywhere. More than a dozen brothels with hooked bars are lined up in a row, and the doorways are shaking.
The endless flow of people was such a lively scene! Li Chengzhong's mind immediately came up with a word - red light district.
The sound of silk and bamboo orchestras is lingering, and the sound of singing and dancing birds is overwhelming. What a place for enjoyment!
Mingyue Songfeng Pavilion is located at the bottom of the alley. Opposite is a courtyard specially designed for guests to tie their horses and park their horses. As soon as the three of them arrived at the door, a servant came up to salute them, shouting "Three distinguished guests, please come inside the building" while going up.
Li Chengzhong took the reins from the front and stuffed a small piece of silk into each of the three hands. Li Chengzhong looked at it under the light of the door and wrote "Xuan San". It was obvious that this was the evidence to take the horse when the time came.
An old bustard with half-covered breasts and splendid flowers had already come out. He grabbed Rhee's hand and pulled him toward the door. He kept smiling coquettishly: "Why hasn't Qilang been here for so many days? I want to kill Nunu!"
Rhee laughed loudly: "Hui Niang, don't be anxious, Li Lang is the distinguished guest today." After saying that, she nuzzled at Li Chengzhong, and Hui Niang happily stepped forward and hugged Li Chengzhong's arm: "The distinguished guest is really strong, slave.
I just wish I could get to know this distinguished guest earlier!"
Just the involvement at the door made Li Chengzhong feel happy, secretly thinking that the ancient service attitude was more important!
Originally, Rhee had reserved a private room, but this was the first time in his life that Rhee visited a prostitute and he was very curious about all this. He also saw the crowds in the lobby and it was very lively, so he wanted to take a look in the hall first, "to observe the customs."
". Rhee Chengwan asked the madam to find a seat in the hall, spread out wine and fruits, and the three of them sat down in the hall.
Syngman Rhee leaned over and said with a smile: "Today is the Tenth Day of the Proclamation Festival, and the leaders of the procession have to come out to perform, so it is very lively."
After saying this, Li Chengzhong understood that the relationship had hit the performance season, and his interest became a little higher.
After a while, there were more and more guests, and the hall was packed. Hui Niang was busy and added many tables and footstools at the corners of the hall. She also took the time to bring a few female prostitutes.
I came over to accompany him and went back to work.
Rhee was a regular customer here, and he also knew the female prostitutes. He warmed up the atmosphere at the table while joking. Wang Sili stayed by the side in a polite manner, and didn't talk much. Instead, there were a few
The female prostitute took the initiative to tease him.
Li Chengzhong asked who were the leading oirans performing tonight. Several female prostitutes were chattering away. After a burst of birds singing and the fragrance of flowers, he understood clearly that the three major oirans in Mingyue Songfeng Pavilion were Ru Niang, Du Qingqiu, Wanzhi, and Ru Niang.
Du Qingqiu is good at singing, and Wanzhi is good at dancing. The performers tonight are Ru Niang and Du Qingqiu. Wanzhi is unwell, so another dancer will dance on her behalf.
Speaking of this, Rhee Chengman winked at the side, making Li Chengzhong a little embarrassed.
Just as he was talking, he heard several bamboo clappers ringing, and the hall gradually became quiet. The curtain on the stage was opened, and a woman in gorgeous clothes was sitting on the stage, holding the music board in her hand, and with a slight click, the musician behind the curtain
Then he started to have fun.
The music was very cheerful. The woman spoke softly and sang along with the tune very quickly. Li Chengzhong couldn't understand what was being sung, so he listened to the woman singing faster and faster. At the end, she didn't even stop to take a breath, and the lyrics were long.
It went on continuously, but each word was extremely clear, as if the words had nothing to do with each other. By the end of the song, the guests in the hall all cheered loudly, and there was a roar of cheers.
This was just the opening tune, and it was finished after half a cup of tea. The woman stood up to salute, and immediately the person in charge began to roll the name loudly, as if a wealthy man was offering a reward for a lot of money.
After a pause, the woman began to sing again, this time it was a slow song, her voice was mellow and distant, with a hint of sadness.
The female prostitute next to Li Chengzhong sighed: "Ru Niang's kung fu has reached its peak, and she sang "Su Mu Zhe" to express the feeling of farewell to the cold."
Li Chengzhong couldn't understand or appreciate it at all. It felt like watching TV before time travel. Occasionally, when he changed the channel, he saw some opera or bel canto being played. He usually changed the channel immediately. But when he saw people around him,
Everyone was fascinated by it, so he could only listen patiently, while sitting upright, he secretly looked at the guests at the tables around him.
Maiko Green Glaze is Wanzhi’s best friend at Mingyue Songfeng Pavilion. Today Wanzhi doesn’t want to go on stage, so she plans to dance for her. But she rarely has the chance to go on stage. She has always been a backup dancer. Now she
He was so nervous that he couldn't help but lift the curtain behind the stage and peek into the lobby. After briefly scanning the guests in the hall, Lu Glaze's eyes lit up and he hurriedly ran to Wanzhi's room.
Wanzhi was staring at the bronze mirror in a daze. The day before yesterday, out of curiosity, she went to the Young Master's Mansion to help dance, but she didn't want to lose the body she had maintained for eighteen years in a daze. When she came back, she felt as if her soul had been sucked out. In addition to being in a daze, she was still
daze.
Of course, this matter could not be concealed. Madam Huiniang was the first to learn the news, and she immediately cried and made a fuss in front of her for a long time. For no other reason than Wanzhi's broken melon did not receive any benefit, she left the Young Master's Mansion.
At that time, he didn’t even ask for reward money.
Wanzhi didn't pay much attention to Hui Niang. She just told Hui Niang coldly that she would leave Mingyue Songfeng Pavilion in a few days and that Li Xuanjie would come to redeem her life.
Hui Niang was shocked and asked her if she had lost her mind and gone crazy. Would she take the guests' drunken nonsense seriously? Moreover, Hui Niang asked her loudly, even if the guy surnamed Li really came to redeem her life, would she still return the favor?
Are you really willing to go to that bitter cold place outside the Pass? The man named Li is just a small Xuejie captain in the border army. How many prominent people in Youzhou want to take you Wan Zhi as their concubine?
Thinking of running outside the customs?
Facing Huiniang's questioning, Wanzhi bit her lip and said nothing. She knew Huiniang was doing it for her own good, but she was an extremely stubborn person and she didn't want to talk to others about this matter.
In fact, Wanzhi herself felt that she was really crazy. Li Xuangjie was not good-looking. Apart from being taller and more generous, what attracted him to him? In terms of wealth, how rich could he be as an officer? In terms of official rank, it was just
He is just a small Xuejie captain. If we talk about literary talent, how talented can he be as a soldier? Well, Wanzhi admitted that the poem Li Chengzhong recited that day was indeed domineering and unlimited-minded.
However, the rhythm of this half of the poem revealed the weakness of the opponent's lyrics and music, and Li Chengzhong showed timidity on the spot and did not finish the second half of the poem. Wanzhi even doubted whether this half of the poem was really written by Li Chengzhong.
She has been sitting in her room for the past two days, not taking a step out, thinking about this problem all day long. Is it the war outside the customs that Li Chengzhong told? Or is it his promise to redeem himself? Why is he so frivolous like a disciple?
When he was with me, he didn't feel angry? Not only did he not feel angry, but when he held him in his arms, his whole body became weak and irresistible?
Wanzhi kept thinking, and the more she thought about it, the more she thought about it. She felt that night was like a dream. She sometimes felt that the other person was a very forthright person, because he was full of a free and easy way when talking to her, and she also felt that the other person was a very generous person.
A truly great husband, because his experiences and stories have proven this, and at the same time, she feels that the other person is a child who has not grown up yet, because there seems to be a shyness and coyness in the way he looks at her...
Unable to think, guess, or understand, Wanzhi fell into her own little world, indulging in it and unable to extricate herself. She thought about it several times and fell asleep, and in her dream she felt that she was in the other person's strong and warm body.
In my arms and body is the other person's strong and powerful thrust. It feels so painful, but so fulfilling...
It has been two days. Has the other party really forgotten her promise as Huiniang said? Wanzhi is a little worried. She wants to follow the other party to the endless grassland, feel the biting wind and sand, and see what happens.
Herds of cattle and sheep danced in the vast sky, and horses rode on the battlefield with a forest of flags.
In the midst of anticipation and anxiety, Wanzhi heard Lu Yao's voice from behind, "Li Xuanye is here." She suddenly trembled and her heart was pounding.