On the gold list, I occasionally miss the leading position. The Ming Dynasty has temporarily left a virtuous man, how can he go? If he fails, the situation will be easy, and he will not fight wildly. Why should he talk about losing? A talented poet is naturally a prime minister in white clothes.
Fireworks fill the alleys, and the promise of painting is a barrier. Fortunately, I can look for the person I like. I can nestle in the red and green, and have a romantic life, and my life is smooth. Youth is all the same. I can bear the false reputation and exchange it for a shallow drink and sing in a low voice!
——"Crane Soars to the Sky·On the Golden List" Liu Yong
…
During the Lantern Festival, the sky is full of fiery trees and silver flowers.
On both sides of the Qujiang River, colorful lanterns are reflected in the water, and the richness cannot be dissolved. The water surface is like a canvas, dyed with ink, and the carved pavilions and pavilions in the daytime are transformed into a misty Jiangnan.
There is a small stone arch bridge in the street and waterway. The small bridge has a long and graceful charm. One after another, the awning boats with exquisite palace lanterns pass through the arch bridge and shuttle back and forth on the river, making ripples in circles.
The full moon hangs high, the lights are dim, the smoke is in the cold water and the moon is in the sand.
Diagonally opposite the arch bridge, there is a restaurant facing the water. There are few guests tonight, and the waiters are standing at the door, looking at the lanterns on the cruise ship.
On the second floor of the restaurant, there was only one person, dressed in white, looking wild and unruly.
Bai Fu leaned on the pillars, looking at the small stone arch bridge infatuatedly. He raised his head and poured the strong wine from the gourd into his mouth.
Taifu Xu’s sigh back then lingered in my ears:
"Breaking apart the word loneliness, there are children, melons and fruits, puppies, and mosquitoes and flies. On a midsummer night, in the ordinary alleys, children hold melons, and dogs chase butterflies. Such bustling and noisy things have nothing to do with you -
—This is called loneliness.”
How wonderful it would be if the years were quiet and the light and shadow solidified...
…
"Da da da da", someone came upstairs.
The man walked to sit opposite Bai Fu and said with a smile, "How boring is it to drink alone on such a good night?"
Bai Fu was immersed in his own world and turned a blind eye to the visitors.
The man didn't take it seriously and said: "Your Excellency, I wonder if you can lend me a taste of the wine in your gourd?"
Bai Fu didn't even look back and handed the gourd to the visitor.
The man uncorked the wine, took a sip, sipped it twice, and said, "This wine of yours is too strong, and it makes your mouth slit. Is it the cheapest one in this wine shop?"
Bai Fu finally spoke and said: "The one that's the easiest to get drunk on."
The man smiled appreciatively.
The visitor looked at the table and saw it was empty. He frowned and said, "Why are there not even any snacks to go with the wine?"
Bai Fu said leisurely: "Reminiscences are like wine."
The visitor couldn't help but smile and said with a smile: "What you are drinking is not wine, but loneliness, right?"
Bai Fu remained silent.
The visitor opened the food box he had brought, took out a jade pot and two wine cups, poured a glass and handed it to Bai Fu: "Try my wine?"
Bai Fu drank it all in one gulp and said: "Good wine! Kunlun Shang?"
The visitor praised: "You know the goods! But how can someone who can taste Kunlun's death drink it and burn it with a knife?"
Bai Fu said: "Kunlun war cannot happen every day. Burning knives can be found everywhere."
The visitor asked: "You don't ask me who I am, and you just drink it all. Aren't you afraid that the wine is poisonous?"
Bai Fu said calmly: "We haven't talked about the real thing yet. If we want to poison, I'll probably take a drink."
The man clapped his hands and laughed, saying: "As expected of Taifu Xu's disciple, he has the same courage and arrogance!"
Bai Fu turned around when he heard the words Taifu Xu.
The man who came was in his late seventies, with a majestic appearance, a gray beard, triangular eyes, deeply sunken decree lines, and a knife in his smile. At first glance, he looked like someone who held great power and could take life and death away from him.
The visitor had a smile on his face and introduced himself: "I, Li Linfu, have some connections with you."
Bai Fu was startled and pressed his right hand to the hilt of the sword involuntarily.
Li Linfu smiled, waved his hand and said: "I don't know martial arts. Bai Shaoxia, please be patient."
Bai Fu's face was ashamed, and he thought to himself: "As expected of the Prime Minister, he is unarmed, but powerful. Compared with this old Jianghu, I am still too young.
But why did he come to me uninvited?"
Li Linfu seemed to have insight into Bai Fu's thoughts and said with a smile: "I came here this time to discuss a business deal with you. If we can negotiate, we will be allies."
Bai Fu snorted coldly and refused to comment.
Li Linfu was not impatient and poured a glass for himself and Bai Fu respectively. After clinking glasses with Bai Fu, Li Linfu drank it all in one gulp, with blood on his pale face.
Li Linfu said with a smile: "In the officialdom, there are no permanent friends, only eternal interests. In the final analysis, there is no real hatred between us, and mere conflicts can be completely resolved."
Bai Fu's eyes were like lightning as he glanced at Li Linfu.
Li Linfu spread his hands and said with a smile: "Isn't it?
First, the person my son Mu Sheng offended was only the daughter-in-law of King Yong Li Lin;
Second, although I have deprived you of the qualifications of the Huben Military Examination, in the final analysis, the Huben Army is just a royal guard of honor and a whitewash for His Majesty. It is not as beneficial as you and the Taifu studying in the Hongwen Hall.
From this perspective, you should also thank me."
Bai Fu was about to get angry, but when he thought about it carefully, he realized that although Li Linfu's words were harsh, they were also true. They were rough and unreasonable.
Bai Fu smiled faintly, played with the wine glass in his palm, and said: "You are the prime minister, but I am just a commoner. I really can't think of any use value?"
Li Linfu chuckled and said, "Young Master Bai, please don't be humble. To be honest, I have been observing you for a long time. You are the best candidate for this matter."
Bai Fu remained silent and stared at Li Linfu.
Li Linfu smiled broadly, poured another glass of wine for Bai Fu, and said, "I want to ask you to come out of the capital and kill someone for me."
Bai Fu laughed dumbly and said: "Master Li, if I remember correctly, you and I don't seem to have such a deep friendship, right?"
Li Linfu smiled and said: "Those who achieve great things do not care about friendship, only about interests. For a ranger, do you need a reason to kill someone? If so, you at least have a reason to kill him."
Bai Fu's eyes were cold: "Who?"
Li Linfu dipped his finger in wine and wrote two words on the table: "Yang Zhao"
Bai Fu was stunned and said: "If you want to kill him, why not in Chang'an?"
Li Linfu was fascinated and said slowly: "Everything is different from political affairs. The game of power is the bloodiest, most cruel, and most exciting game in the world. The struggle for power can be life-or-death, no matter how vicious or cunning it is. But even in a power struggle, there is a rule. There is an unwritten unspoken rule - assassinations are not allowed in the capital.
Assassination is the bottom line of power struggles. If this bottom line is broken, everyone in the court will be in danger, and no one will be the winner.
But every rule has its scope of application. This unspoken rule is no exception and is limited to the capital. Outside of Chang'an, powerful officials no longer have this amulet.
Therefore, when cliques are fighting against each other, if political opponents cannot be thrown directly into prison and their homes confiscated and their families destroyed, they must find ways to demote their opponents out of Beijing.
Yang Guozhong only left briefly to fight in Nanzhao. As long as Yang Yuhuan is favored, he will make a comeback. Transferring him out of Beijing this time is the best time to take action."
Bai Fu drank the wine in his glass and asked, "Why are you looking for me?"
Li Linfu had a good time and said with a smile: "If Yang Guozhong dies, I will be the biggest beneficiary among the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. Therefore, I am also the biggest suspect. Therefore, the assassin cannot be one of my men. Yang Guozhong's trip to Nanzhao was guarded by the Huben Army.
, I only have a few masters who can kill him. Therefore, on the day of the assassination, they must have evidence of alibi.
Secondly, the enmity between you and me is well known to everyone. If you take action, no one will suspect that you are joining forces with me.
Thirdly, you are also the beneficiary of the whole thing. Yongwang Li Lin is so ambitious that he would condescend to marry your junior sister, and his intention is to sleep with the imperial concubine. If Yang Zhao dies, the connection between Yongwang Li Lin and the imperial concubine will be severed.
.When the time comes, he will definitely find reasons to regret the marriage. With your junior sister’s character, she will definitely find you and throw herself into your arms.
Of course, just play around with this kind of woman, and I advise you not to take it seriously. You can take revenge on her by offering help in times of need. Or you can just stand by and watch her become desperate and regain your lost dignity.
In the end, Yang Guozhong was willing to demote you as a servant of Hongwen Hall for his daughter. The enmity between you and him was forged. As long as he was promoted to Shangshu Zuopushe, you would never have a chance to get ahead.
Therefore, getting rid of him is in our common interests and is also the basis for our alliance.
For you, it is killing two birds with one stone.
After a polo match, you became famous in the capital. But you have peerless martial arts skills, but you are bullied. Aren't you aggrieved? The hatred of seizing your wife is something a scholar can tolerate, but no one can tolerate it!
In my humble opinion, instead of sighing and sighing alone at the scene, it is better to give it a try, tooth for tooth, eye for eye, and kill him without leaving a trace!