Chapter 54: There is a Phoenix in the Tower of Observing Phoenixes
After riding the carriage out of the city, Xiao Yu'er and his eldest brother were preparing to cross the river by boat. When they got on the boat, they could see the majestic tall buildings on the top of the mountain from a distance.
The river is passing by. On a hill close to the river bank, you can see overlapping pavilions from a distance. The green hills are dotted with a huge eight-sided building on top. It has five-story cornices and glazed gold tiles that are dazzling in the clear sky. The pointed roof is
Each floor below is made up of several exquisite brackets and cornices. The tops of the cornices in all directions are carved into beautiful phoenixes. The golden tiles are the feathers and the cornices are the body. They stretch out and appear whenever the breeze blows.
It makes people feel that this golden phoenix is crowing and spreading its wings. The octagonal main building is surrounded by four sides. Under the eaves of the fifth floor on the front of the main building is a huge black lacquered and gilded plaque. On it are the three characters "Guanfeng Tower" that shine in ancient and modern times.
!" Under the eaves of the bottom floor is a four-character plaque written by Emperor Wuzong himself - "Qi Swallows the Clouds and Dreams".
The main building is surrounded by archways, corridors, pavilions and other buildings. The straight green brick avenue directly in front is lined with various vendors setting up stalls. Pedestrians come and go and it is very lively.
Climb the tower and look into the distance. Nine sects flow to the sky. Pavilions stretch for thousands of miles around the city. Birds fly through the clouds and sing loudly. Cars and horses go back and forth. You can have a panoramic view of the prosperous world. All kinds of things grow into a harmonious world. The green mountains are towering at your feet. The river runs across your eyes.
Qingfeng leaned on the railing and understood, and only said one sentence: In the world, this is the best!
………………
"Brother, how are they? Do they dislike me for being a girl?" Xiao Yu'er, holding her skirt tightly with her little hands, followed her brother and asked uneasily.
Shen Ye smiled and said comfortingly, "Don't worry. Brother Miao, who is hosting our banquet today, they are all easy to talk to. Besides, your reputation is a bit louder than that of your brother. You have never met them, and they have already
I know you, don’t be nervous, just say hello and sit down as usual later. Today, all the Jinyiwei brothers who are here are on duty like us, so don’t worry."
After receiving the affirmative reply from the elder brother, Xiao Yu'er felt a little relieved and started to climb the stairs with the elder brother.
Miaomu is hosting a banquet for colleagues from Jinlin today, so he has already reserved a table of food and drinks here a few days in advance. The grandeur of Guanfeng Tower does not allow you to delay for more than a moment. If you come a little late or during the banquet,
If there is no one in charge, the person in charge will directly rent it out to other people in need. The building is as big as the partitions on each floor and as small as a set of tables and chairs by the window, which are all priceless. It is for this reason that seedlings are not available.
Instead of going downstairs to greet guests, he came over early to greet and prepare.
Counting that the time was almost up, he was about to ask the waiter here to get the wine and serve the food. However, he felt that there was sudden silence downstairs, and the originally lively floor suddenly stopped and became silent. Not only did he feel this way,
The strange silence instantly infected everyone like a plague. Everyone was shocked. Could it be that someone special had arrived today? Everyone stuck their heads out and headed towards the stairs.
I listened carefully and didn't hear anyone talking downstairs.
A commoner scholar sitting by the window whispered, "There is no flattery. I guess he is not a high-ranking official."
Although the voice was soft, the floor was not wide. Everyone nodded slightly when they heard this sentence, with a promise in their hearts.
But after a few steps, there was no dull sound on the mahogany stairs as expected, only slight footsteps, which if you didn't listen carefully, would be almost inaudible.
"The sound of footsteps is faint, so he must not be a wealthy merchant. Could it be that he is a talented and famous person from where he came from?" An old man said again, stroking his beard.
This makes sense, but everyone is becoming more and more confused.
The footsteps came closer and closer, and everyone could tell that the person coming was not alone, but the sound was not noisy, but rather harmonious.
This time, a prostitute-type man with a knife across the table and a wine bowl spoke, "Listen to this pace. The steps are silent and subtle. There is no disorder in walking. I have reached the fourth floor and my breath is still so steady. Okay, here comes someone."
Maybe he has extraordinary skills and is a master of martial arts!"
The three people spoke one after another, and everything they said was reasonable. Several possibilities could be ruled out, but everyone was still not sure who it was. Once the curiosity in people's hearts was aroused, it would be like maggots that can't stop it. Everyone stood together.
He stopped what he was doing, held his breath, and focused his eyes on the stairwell that was so ordinary on weekdays.
One step, two steps, there was a sound of needles falling in the building, and the footsteps seemed to be stepping on the hearts of everyone, and the people couldn't breathe. The stairs eventually have an end, and the first thing that jumped out of the eyes was the golden hairpin with beautiful hair.
Her beautiful cheeks are as pink as snow-covered cherry blossoms, her big eyes are as bright as stars, and her unpointed cherry lips are set against the green skirt. Step by step, you can see your whole body, just like autumn lotus growing on the ground.
The whole body seemed to be filled with the spirits of heaven and earth, which made people marvel at what a handsome porcelain doll. However, what surprised people even more was that the man who followed behind him had a majestic body, and he walked slowly with clear and refreshing movements.
When I met everyone's eyes, I smiled brightly in response to the sentence "The waves are like willows in the spring moon, and the sky is like the morning glow." At this moment, everyone in the audience realized that the ancients were sincere and did not deceive me. It turned out that there really is such a handsome man in the world. Look at his appearance.
After being given a jade crown, and thinking about the legend here, people can't help but wonder if the person here is not a banished immortal from the sky.
There was a sound of pindrops in the building, and everyone in the cubicles, tables and chairs looked towards this side.
"Hey, it turns out that here is a pair of fairy boys and girls."
Everyone was stunned until the old man spoke again and woke up.
Looking back, everyone was amazed and couldn't help but praise.
"I've been here a few times, and I've seen many dignitaries and talented people. But this is the first time I've seen a golden boy and beautiful girl with an air of immortality and a wonderful temperament!?"
"It's so good, it's so good, nothing could have been more perfect than it was designed by heaven and earth."
"..."
On this side, everyone in the building also understood why there was a sudden silence downstairs just now. Since ancient times, there has been a saying about talented people and beauties, heroes and beauties, but in reality, those beautiful women have either turned into canaries in high-ranking officials and wealthy buildings, or they have fallen into deep love.
Either they were locked up in the palace walls and never saw the light of day, or they were unattainable courtesans. According to the stories in the classics, they have never been seen with their own eyes until today!
With everyone's blazing eyes focused on her, especially seeing that they were judging her and her eldest brother, Xiao Yu'er's face felt hot and she quickly pushed her eldest brother.
Shen Ye understood, and the two walked quickly towards the direction of Naegi and others.
Miaomu, who had been dazed for a while, finally reacted and stepped forward to greet him. The relationship between the Jinlin Town Office Secretary and Wu Dingwei was extraordinary. He had long heard about the reputation of Shen Ye, a handsome man with golden scales, and was even more amazed when he saw it with his own eyes.
He couldn't help but never thought that he would be even more astonished when he took off his uniform, and the little girl who was walking with him was also a heavenly spirit. The two of them walking together were so stunning, how could he not be shocked by this?
"Shen Ye (Shen Xiaoyu) is late, I hope Brother Miao and all brothers will pay attention! This is my sister Shen Xiaoyu."
"Xiao Yu has met Brother Miao!"
"Hahaha, okay, Miaomu has heard of you, sister Xiaoyu, for a long time. When I saw you today, I was shocked. Come on, come on. The food and wine have just been served. Please take a seat."
…
Several people exchanged greetings and the banquet officially began, and in response to everyone's request, Miaomu began to tell the guests the story of this famous building through the ages.
In the 18th year of Xuantian, Qi Pinghai, the general of the Li Dynasty at the border, once thought that the new troops would respect themselves. He rebelled on August 15, broke through the Yanmen Pass and entered the pass, defeated the famous Li Dynasty general Zhao Shu in Jincheng, and attacked all the way to the east. , plundered land and captured more than a hundred cities, and went straight to the holy capital of Luoyang.
On November 19th, Li Xuanzong and his ministers abandoned the city south and fled across the river. The government and the public were shaken, and the world was frightened. The rebels swept across both sides of the Yellow River, plundering the people and massacring the Li Dynasty royal family. Since the rise of the dragon in Shaanxi, all nations have surrendered, the world is peaceful and prosperous. After nearly 153 years of existence, the Le Empire's fortunes took a sharp turn in just three months. The Le Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline, and the Yuan family lost half of its empire.
In February of the nineteenth year of Xuantian, Luoyang, the sacred capital of the Li Empire, fell.
In June, half of the country north of the Yangtze River was almost completely lost. After Li Xuanzong escaped south across the river, he established Wu as his new capital and defended it against the natural dangers of the Yangtze River, confronting the rebels across the river.
In the summer of the 21st year of Xuantian, there was a severe drought in the Li Dynasty, the sun was scorching the earth, and there was no rain in April. The water level of the Yangtze River dropped by more than three feet, all the grains were withered, and people died of hunger on both sides of the river. One day, it was extremely hot, and there were people suffering from heatstroke in the city. Those who died, there were countless fish floating in the river.
On June 15th, dark clouds rolled over the city, fierce winds roared, lightning and thunder ripped through the clouds, shook the ground, and shattered the dome. Suddenly, a cool breeze hit the city and spread into the streets and alleys. The scorching heat disappeared. The people in the city were all surprised and cheered in the streets. Go up, stand under the eaves, look up, and wait for the rain to fall.
At a quarter past noon, a thunder was heard that shook the heaven and the earth, and a golden stream of light suddenly appeared in the dark clouds covering the sky. The stream of light came from the southeast and passed through the sky, accompanied by a cry, and the dark clouds illuminated were golden. The light was like tomorrow, It shines brightly, but it is like the moonlight, shining without burning, and can be seen directly. In the faint light, there is a shadow of a bird, which lingers in the sky above Wuding City for a long time. Amidst the sound of cries, heavy rain falls, and the rain curtain is thick, and it is faintly visible. Its bright figure was flying and circling, and its cry penetrated the sky and echoed in all directions. Seeing this vision, all the people in the city knelt down and worshiped devoutly and exclaimed, "Phoenix comes to this world to protect our people!"
Reports of the war in the north came, and Li Xuanzong, who was anxious about the war, was eagerly discussing the future of the empire with the civil and military officials. The temporary palace built in March, including the Xuanzheng Hall where political affairs were handled, was even more simple and poor. It was bright and well-located. In the high hall, Li Xuanzong and the ministers all witnessed this incredible scene with their own eyes. They saw with their own eyes that golden shadow cut through the sky and disappeared on Wushan Mountain in the rain.
The phoenix descends from the sky and the rain saves the world.
The last moment, the war reports on paper brought the bad news of the successive falls of the northern cities. At that time, the empire was as stormy and uncertain as this simple hall. But the next moment, a sudden miracle shook the hearts of the people who were about to disperse. Gathering together again, the people in high positions in the palace saw another possibility.
At the right time, Li Xuanzong and his ministers heard a guard outside the palace exclaiming, "Urgent report! Urgent report! Sui Yang is fine! Sui Yang is fine! Prefect Zhang Xu and Xu Yuan have defeated the rebels! Defeated the rebels!"
After the miracle was revealed and the good news was heard, all the ministers in the originally silent hall were whispering to each other, unable to conceal their excitement. Li Xuanzong's gloomy face finally showed a hint of joy since the rebellion swept the empire.
With joy overflowing on his face, he straightened up his appearance and coughed, beckoning the ministers to be silent, then straightened himself on the dragon chair and said:
"read!"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, after Zhang Xu led his troops to retreat to Suiyang, he and Xu Yuan, the prefect of Suiyang, jointly defended the city. Yesterday, they defeated the rebels outside the city! Killed five thousand enemies, a great victory! A great victory!"
"Okay! Good! Good! Well done! Rewards, no, orders: Zhang Xu is granted the title of Censor Zhongcheng; Xu Yuan is appointed as the Censor;..."
It’s no wonder that Li Xuanzong applauded three times in succession for using seven thousand soldiers to fight against one hundred thousand rebels. Not only was the city defended unharmed, but thousands of enemies were killed. This was a great victory in the true sense. Especially with the constant bad news about the war in the north, this A piece of good news undoubtedly brought a glimmer of light to the gloomy eyes of the soldiers and civilians of the Li Dynasty.
After the reward was over, Li Xuanzong asked about Sui Yang's situation again, and all he got was "very difficult!"
The joy of the miracle and the good news passed. After Li Xuanzong's mood calmed down a little, the hall gradually became quiet.
One of the first courtiers took a step to the left and bowed down, reporting, "Your Majesty, I saw the phoenix descending from the sky today. It can be seen that God is blessing Dali. The rain has fallen and the worry of severe drought has been resolved. The great victory of Suiyang ahead is a big setback. The rebels are vigorous and defeated, and there should be no major war for a while. This is a God-given opportunity. We should inform all the cities to follow Zhang Xu's method, hold on to the city, build up troops and store up strength, and deplete the rebel forces. After the autumn harvest, replenish the army and move the army northward. Recover the Northern Territory."
Before Li Xuanzong could speak on the dragon throne, a veteran general interrupted him.
"This is nonsense! Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
The courtiers had different opinions. Li Xuanzong hesitated for a while and then asked, "What do you think the old general has to say? Please elaborate."
The veteran general got the order, went out and looked around, and said, "Your Majesty, the victory of Sui Yang is a great victory. There are hundreds of thousands of rebel soldiers, and they intend to capture Sui Yang to break our defense line in the north of the Yangtze River and then go straight to the south of the Yangtze River. Sui Yang controls the north. Heji and Nantong Jianghuai are key areas. If the rebels failed to attack the city this time, they would definitely not retreat and they would besiege the city and increase their troops. The city of Suiyang was already the key to the battle. The rebels attacked with all their strength, with seven thousand soldiers. , even if the soldiers are fierce and the generals are brave, it is impossible to destroy a hundred thousand people in the end. If everyone can't get out of the city and do nothing, Suiyang will be an isolated city. Even if Zhang Xu and other troops can still hold on for a period of time, the city will be destroyed and the army will be defeated. Sooner or later, when the rebels move south, the country of Dali will be in danger. Therefore, defending the city and waiting for repairs is nonsense, but it is really the worst strategy. What's more, Your Majesty saw the auspicious phoenix today. This is a sign of the apocalypse, and the rain is falling. Our army has no worries anymore. God bless Dali, and destiny is mine. We should immediately send troops to assist Suiyang, fight with the rebels in Suiyang, and annihilate the main force of the rebels in one fell swoop. Your Majesty, Suiyang, you must not miss it! destiny is mine, Our army will surely win, and the last general is willing to be the vanguard!"
Li Xuanzong had long lost his desire for victory due to long-term failures, but this sentence "My destiny is mine" inspired his dignity as an emperor.
Clapping his hands on the dragon chair, he stood up and murmured to himself, "The destiny is mine! The destiny is mine! The destiny is mine!" Then he shouted, "Okay! What the old general said is true. Sui Yang must not lose it. Since he is an old man, If the general asks for a battle, I will order you to be the commander-in-chief. I will order the troops and send the generals to follow you immediately to send troops to Sui Yang. At the same time, I will convey my order and order the defenders around Sui Yang to fully assist Sui Yang. They must hold fast to the city until the army arrives. Annihilate the rebels!"
The imperial edict was issued, and the battle to defend the city in Suiyang turned the tide. It allowed the Li Dynasty to regain the initiative in the war to quell the rebellion, and finally ended the rebellion that nearly overturned the dynasty three years later.
And everything originated from the auspicious phoenix that suddenly appeared in the sky above Wuding City. The rain from the sky reversed the national destiny of the Li Dynasty, ended the Qi-Zeng Rebellion, and restored the glory of the empire for the Li Dynasty, which lasted for 350 years of rule.
.The empire was at its peak, and all the people in the country called themselves Limin, and the term common people was spread from there. In order to commemorate the auspicious phoenix descending from the sky, after the end of the counter-rebellion, Li Xuanzong specially issued an order to recruit capable people from all over the world. On the day when the phoenix finally disappeared.
On Wushan Mountain, the mountains were dug up and the land was expanded to build this magnificent Guanfeng Tower.
In the following dynasties, Guanfeng Tower was devastated by many wars, but was rebuilt many times. Today, the Guanfeng Tower outside Wuding City is a new building ordered to be rebuilt after Emperor Wu destroyed the Jin Dynasty. The country changed hands and the world changed drastically. Guanfeng Tower's fame and prosperity
But it is increasing instead of decreasing.
After the completion of the new Yellow Crane Tower, in line with Emperor Wuzong's will to enjoy the happiness of the people, it has been operated by a special agency set up by the Wuding local government and has always been open to all people. The five-story building has four floors except for the ground floor hall.
They are all equipped with screen partitions and tables, chairs and wooden stools where people can drink tea, enjoy the scenery, and entertain guests. After the completion of Guanfeng Tower, Emperor Wuzong personally inscribed the inscription and set the rules. Noodles are served in Guanfeng Tower.
Nothing should be too different from the market price. This beautiful scenery in the world belongs to our great people.
Therefore, Guanfeng Tower has always been a popular place for dignitaries and ordinary people. Even on rainy days, there is an endless stream of tourists.
However, although the rules are set, they are still quite particular. There are many long hanging displays in the hall on the ground floor, on which are the poems and songs of famous figures in the past dynasties. The second to fourth floors have murals recording legends and stories.
Embroideries and paintings by famous poets are decorated in it. This is also the floor where ordinary merchants, literati and officials can normally visit. As for the fifth floor on the top floor, only famous scribes or high-ranking officials can be opened to receive guests.
"Well, Brother Miao, since the food and tea upstairs are all at the same market price, and the cost of repairing the floors and nearby pavilions every year is a lot of money, wouldn't the Wuding government office that runs the Yellow Crane Tower have to
How many losses are there?" Xiao Yu'er rested his chopsticks and listened with interest. When he heard about the management of Guanfeng Tower, he became suspicious and couldn't help but ask.
Hearing Xiao Yu'er's question, Miaomu smiled and did not answer, but asked, "Sister Xiao Yu, look, there is something missing from our table today?".
The talented and intelligent Xiaoyu'er immediately reacted and said in surprise, "I know Brother Miao, one of the three specialties of Wuding is the wine at Guanfeng Tower. The main thing sold here is wine! The main thing you earn is wine money!"
"Yes. That's it. On the fifth floor of this building, you can only go up to the building with your first name. And in the Guanfeng Building where you can go up, you can get all you want to drink and order all the dishes. As for the remaining three floors, if you want to stay here
When entertaining guests, the tables, chairs and booths are all priced but not marketable. You are not allowed to bring your own drinks to the Guanfeng Tower. More importantly, the wine in the Guanfeng Tower is a century-old tradition.
The old workshop brews it according to a unique secret recipe, which is called Jiangshan Zui. Guanfeng Tower has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, but the inheritance of this exclusive brewing workshop has never been cut off. This taste can be said to be unique in the south of the Yangtze River! Now that you are here
Now that you have seen this, there is no reason not to try it. These two are the ones who really make money. You have already seen the prosperity of Guanfeng Tower." Speaking of this, Miaomu lowered his tone and added in a low voice, "Here.
Ah, after excluding the repair and maintenance fees and all kinds of capital, the money paid to Wuding government office every year is still a lot of money, but the treasure in the palm of our prefect is a real hen that lays golden eggs.
.”
After listening to the story of Guanfeng Tower, Shen Ye completely understood the value of this banquet and hurriedly said, "Ah, Brother Miao spent a lot of money today. I am ashamed of myself!"
Miao Mu's face turned upside down and said, "As for Brother Shen, if you don't spend money on anything, you have to spend the money you earn. Besides, this land is under the control of our Jinyiwei. If you give him ten thousand courage, he will not do it." Don’t dare to accept too much. Oh, just in time, the wine we asked for is here, come on, brother Shen, sister Xiao Yuer, you have to savor this drunkenness today..."
……………
At night, the tourists disperse, and the bustling Guanfeng Tower is also extremely deserted. Although there are bright lights upstairs, the Mingzhu Tower on the top of the mountain can be seen far away in the city. It is like a hub of heaven and earth. You can take a closer look inside the five-story building independently. But only a few servants responsible for cleaning were still busy.
At the foot of the mountain, the black man who had given the folding fan during the day ran to the Guanfeng Tower. After passing the "No. 1 Tower in the World" archway, he ducked under the night and came downstairs. He raised his eyes. After checking the height for a while, he gathered his inner strength and stepped on the column supported by the bottom floor. He then jumped directly to the cornice of the first floor. In this cycle, he was like a monkey, climbing in three steps and two steps. When I arrived at the eaves of the top floor of Guanfeng Tower, I didn't know when a figure had already stood on the pointed roof.
"It's the middle of the night, and people are sleeping and birds are sleepy. Giggling, giggling, Brother Ma, you made it easy for me to wait!" This chapter has been completed!