Chapter 44 The First Famous General of the Tang Dynasty
Pingyang County Government House is located in Chongyifang.
Because Xue Rengui was stationed in Longxi, four of his five sons were stationed in the border areas. Only the eldest son, Xue Na, stayed in Beijing and served as Zuo Yulin Langjiang to accompany and take care of his sister.
Arriving at the Duke's Mansion, Xue Yujin rushed out of the mansion shortly after the announcement and said excitedly: "Zhiying, you're here. Let's make an agreement first. Last time, I accompanied you to give porridge outside the city. It's your turn to accompany you this time.
It's me!"
Li Zhiying glanced at her and said angrily: "Isn't it good to give out porridge? Haven't you seen how happy those poor people are eating?"
"I'm not saying it's bad, but it's a bit boring."
While talking, the two of them entered the lobby holding hands. Xue Yujin said to a handsome young man beside him: "Tian Cang, go and cook the purple bamboo shoot tea sent by my second brother."
The young man responded and turned around.
Li Zhiying asked curiously: "You, the bodyguard, can make tea?"
"That's right! Not only can he make tea, but he can do everything in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, he can do everything in washing and cooking, and his martial arts skills are better than mine!" Xue Yujin said, raising her chin.
"Where did you find such talents?" Li Zhiying asked in surprise.
Xue Yujin smiled and said: "He was originally a lieutenant of my fifth brother. My fifth brother sent him to the mansion to serve me specially!"
Li Zhiying secretly shook her head: "This kind of people are so bad, Xue Jiawulang is so ignorant." She stopped continuing the topic and asked: "Yu Jin, have you heard of the name Cui Baosheng?"
Xue Yujin frowned and said, "It's a bit familiar, let me think about it." He walked back and forth a few steps, shook his head and said, "I can't remember, why did you suddenly ask about him?"
"Do you still remember Mr. Su mentioned that he met a group of Koreans? This name just came to his mind."
Xue Yujin pursed her lips and said coldly: "Really?"
The day before yesterday, she returned to the British Duke's Palace from Duke Zhou's Palace. She was scolded by Su Dingfang for not handling the matter well. She immediately became angry and returned to her own mansion, not wanting to meddle in other matters anymore.
Li Zhiying said: "There is another matter. Regarding Yingzhou, the record of participating in the performance of General Su has been handed over to His Majesty. There will be a small meeting in the court this morning to discuss the matter."
"Yes, I was just about to ask you about this. I heard that this court meeting is of a very high level, and my brother is not even qualified to enter. Please tell me what the discussion was like!"
Li Zhiying briefly told what she knew, and Xue Yujin said happily: "That's great. Li Sikong personally went to Yingzhou to deal with the Koreans. It couldn't be better. I just don't know if Your Majesty and the Queen will transfer my father."
Li Zhiying smiled and said: "If we really go to war with the Koreans, it will definitely be a protracted war. Your father is the most famous general in the imperial court. I don't think the imperial court will forget him."
Xue Yujin laughed and said, "Stop talking nonsense. How can my father compare to your grandfather and General Su?"
After a while, Tian Cang entered the lobby with the cooked tea and poured it for the two of them. Li Zhiying took a sip and felt the delicious taste. She thought to herself: "Yu Jin doesn't seem to be bragging. Tian Cang is really proficient in making tea."
The two sat and chatted for a while. Li Zhiying stood up and said, "It's getting late. I have to go back home."
Xue Yujin took her hand and said: "Why are you in such a hurry to go back? It's a rare trip to the city, let's go and have fun together. By the way, I heard someone said that there will be a fight between a lion and a tiger in Liyuan today, let's go and watch it together
What do you think?"
"What kind of liger fight?"
Xue Yujin smiled brightly: "Do you know Xu Ziran and Li Cheng?"
Li Zhiying thought for a moment and said: "I remember that Li Yifu had a nephew who was impeached by a censor for corruption and bribery. He seems to be named Li Cheng."
Xue Yujin glanced at his friend with admiration: "You have a good memory. I am talking about Li Cheng, Li Yifu's nephew. Xu Ziran is the son of Xu Shizhong. Both of them are famous dandies in the capital."
"Why did you mention them suddenly?" Li Zhiying frowned slightly.
Xue Yujin said with a smile: "Listen to me, Xu Ziran recently bought a lion from a businessman from the Western Regions, and Li Cheng won a tiger during a cockfight with a Khitan noble. The two learned from others that the other party had After seeing the fierce beasts, he had the desire to fight, so he made an appointment to have a fight in the Li Garden."
Li Zhiying shook her head and said: "I don't like to see these, and Mr. Bai is coming to Fuzhong to teach me music in the afternoon, so I have to go back."
Xue Yujin curled his lips and said: "Is it that old man Bai Mingda? I think the music you play is better than him, why should you ask him to teach you?"
Li Zhiying covered her mouth and smiled: "You don't understand music, how can you understand Mr. Bai's cleverness? I won't tell you anymore, I'm leaving. When your brother comes back in the evening, remember to help me find out about Cui Baosheng."
Tian Cang's eyebrows moved and he suddenly said: "Miss Li, is the Cui Baosheng you are talking about the Silla envoy to Tang?"
"Silla sent envoys to Tang." Li Zhiying was stunned for a moment and fell into deep thought.
Xue Yujin hurriedly asked: "Tian Cang, do you know the envoy from Silla to Tang Dynasty?"
Tian Cang scratched his head and said with a smile: "I didn't recognize it at first, but when I was shopping in Dongshi yesterday, I saw two people fighting. Both of them were foreigners, so no one else reported it. I asked. I know that one of them is Cui Bosheng, the envoy sent by Silla to the Tang Dynasty, and the other is the envoy sent by the Japanese state to the Tang Dynasty to guard Daeseok."
"Zhiying, do you think it could be this person?" Xue Yujin looked at her friend.
"I guess it's him." Li Zhiying said thoughtfully.
"Then what should we do?"
"Go find him!"
Xue Yujin was slightly startled, and then said with a smile: "You, the most beautiful woman in Chang'an, come to visit you, that guy is really lucky."
Li Zhiying was used to being teased by her, so she wasn't angry. She said, "This trip may be dangerous. Please bring a few more people from your "White Horse Team"."
Xue Yujin agreed and asked Tian Cang to select five capable men, and the group headed for Pingkangfang. Generally, envoys and businessmen from various Eastern countries gathered in Pingkangfang.
After entering the office, Fangzheng inquired about the location of the Silla Consulate in Beijing and went straight there. When he arrived at the Silla Consulate in Beijing, Tian Cang went in to inquire. When he came back, he said: "Miss, the guard on duty at the hospital said that Cui Baosheng has gone out!"
"Did you ask where you were?"
"I said I was going to Liyuan!"
Xue Yujin was secretly happy, turned to face the direction of the car curtain, and asked: "Zhiying, what should I do? Cui Baosheng has gone to Liquanfang. There is a fight between a lion and a tiger there, and you don't like to see it. How about we don't go there?" !”
The car curtain opened, revealing Li Zhiying's delicate face. She looked at Xue Yujin and hummed: "Just smile. Anyway, even if something happens to General Su, it has nothing to do with you."
Xue Yujin scratched his neck and said with a smile: "I'm just kidding, okay, let's set off quickly!" He waved his riding whip and opened the way first.
Each of the 108 squares in Chang'an City has its own characteristics. For example, Pingkang Square is a gathering place for brothels, Chongren Square is a concentration camp for music lovers, and Liquan Square is a gourmet square filled with restaurants. , even foreign dishes are available.
But when asked about the most famous place in Liquanfang, every Chang'an person would give almost the same answer, which is Li Garden.
The full name of Liyuan is "Liyuan Building". It is the property of Peng Zhiyun, the richest businessman in Jiangnan. Originally it was just a teahouse. Its only feature is that it is two or three times larger than other teahouses.
Later, Peng Zhiyun had a sudden idea and took advantage of the large area to open a cockfighting ring in the building. The results were amazing and the number of guests increased dramatically.
Peng Zhiyun was greatly inspired and changed the cockfighting ring into the Colosseum. Not only could he fight cocks, but he also often bought some ferocious beasts to fight with for people's entertainment.
Later, he purchased several restaurants next door at a high price and opened a polo field in the building. This move was welcomed by dignitaries. Many wealthy children came to Liyuan to fight cocks and play polo.
Peng Zhiyun knew that the children of wealthy families like to be quiet. If they are always noisy, it will be difficult to retain regular customers. But if ordinary people are not allowed to enter Liyuan, not only will their reputation be ruined, but their ancestral graves will also be dug up.
The folk customs in Chang'an City are fierce. It is said that there were businessmen who discriminated against civilians in order to make money in the past. As a result, their ancestral graves were dug up not long after.
Naturally, Peng Zhiyun didn't want to be the second person, so he had an idea and opened another "Xiao Li Garden" opposite Li Garden. Except that there was no polo field, the layout was exactly the same as Li Garden, and the price of tea and wine was half that of Li Garden.
Over time, Xiaoli Garden diverted the guests, and Li Garden successfully became one of the gathering places for the dignitaries of Chang'an.
When Xue Yujin and Li Zhiying arrived at Liyuan, there was an endless stream of guests outside the door, several times more than usual, and most of them were civilians.
There's nothing we can do about it. Who doesn't want to see something like "a fight between a lion and a tiger"?
Xue Yujin and several guards protected the two of them and entered the lobby of Liyuan. In the spacious lobby, the tables, chairs and coffee tables had been removed, and an iron cage three feet long and wide was placed in the middle.
The teahouse has three floors, and the structure is in a circle. There are four balconies on the second and third floors respectively, with tables and chairs on them. When you walk in front of the guardrail of the balconies, you can clearly see the scene in the lobby below.
The two of them didn't stay long. They asked the waiter who came to entertain them, then went up to the third floor and entered the east balcony.
There were already many guests sitting in this balcony, all of them wearing rich clothes and jade belts. The tea waiter looked at a tall man wearing green cedar and whispered: "Girl, that person is Cui Baosheng."