The rain washes away the spring face, and dragons are already seen in the plains.
Sacrifice fish to Yingpu Island, and return geese to cross the mountain peak.
The clouds are light and heavy, and the scenery is light and thick.
As spring enters February, the flowers are full of colors and shadows.
——"Ode to the Twenty-Four Qi Poems: Rain in the First Moon" by Yuan Zhen (Tang Dynasty)
…
Bai Fu led the navy to defeat Liu Zhan's rebels, defeat the Japanese pirates, and pacify the Jianghuai River. The news spread to Chang'an, and the people rushed to tell each other, and every house was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.
The children of the Qiwang family with the fifth surname were extremely depressed, because this meant that Bai Fu would soon return to the capital with his troops, wearing bright clothes and angry horses, and the days of flying eagles and lackeys were coming to an end.
The children of these aristocratic families have restrained their domineering attitude and behaved in a low-key manner.
Unlike the folk singing and laughing, and the aristocratic families closing their doors to thank guests, the Daming Palace remained silent and noncommittal about the victory, forcing the civil and military officials of the court to guess Suzong's thoughts.
Yan Zhenqing, the Minister of Punishment, Liu Yan, the Minister of Hubu, and others wrote letters one after another, requesting the imperial court to commend Bai Fu and other generals who countered the rebellion. However, these memorials were suppressed by the Zhongshu Province and would not be forwarded.
At the same time, memorials pouring into the court to impeach Bai Fu for deducting military pay and exaggerating the results of the war...
The veteran minister with rich experience could see some clues from these clues, and was not too busy to express his position, waiting to watch the evolution of the situation.
During the Jianghuai War, the government and the public were able to unite as one and share the same hatred of the enemy. Once the crisis was resolved, the complex and subtle side of human nature was immediately revealed.
…
On this day, the women's courtyard of the Daming Palace was filled with laughter and excitement.
Empress Zhang summoned a dozen female relatives with five surnames and seven looks to embroider a beautiful picture of the country and mountains as a birthday gift for Suzong. Princess Qingluan, Wang Xingchen, Cui Xunyan and other legitimate daughters of the aristocratic family were all present.
After the embroidery work was completed, Empress Zhang held a banquet in Jixian Hall to entertain everyone.
During the banquet, the opera musicians and dancers sang and danced.
Bronze cymbals, big drums and the Western Region musical instruments konghou and 筚篥 were combined to play cheerful Qiuci music and interpret the vast scenery beyond the Great Wall.
At the end of the song, under the leadership of the bell editor, the chime, sheng, bamboo flute, guzheng, and pipa played together, and it was like a misty rain in Jiangnan.
Each song and scene is like a dream.
…
The female family members were in high spirits and laughing constantly. The maids carried food trays and wine bottles between the banquets. Braised venison, charcoal-roasted deer meat... Dings of delicacies from the mountains and seas were brought to the table. They were fresh, sweet and delicious, and the aroma was overflowing.
At the banquet, the topic of conversation among the girls was naturally inseparable from the Jianghuai victory.
Empress Zhang smiled tenderly and said to the female relatives: "Suppressing the Battle of Jianghuai is certainly a great achievement of my Tang Dynasty man, but why didn't our daughter's family not make the contribution?
If General Bai is the first to contribute, then our Qingluan also has a share of this merit.
According to my wishes, Your Majesty must also give Qingluan heavy awards."
All the female relatives echoed in unison, smiling happily as they teased Princess Qingluan. Princess Qingluan was extremely shy and extremely sweet in her heart.
…
After three rounds of drinking, the climax came one after another.
Empress Zhang said to the female relatives: "How can we live up to such a good occasion? I think that today's banquet is still missing a finale.
My uncle's youngest son, Dou Qian, was proficient in music. He was already astonished as a man of heaven when he entered Chang'an, and was known as the Second Music Saint in Li Gui's year.
However, he usually only entertains himself and rarely plays to entertain himself at banquets. For my sake, he is reluctant to appear today."
After saying that, Queen Zhang stood up and clapped her hands towards the side hall.
I saw a figure dressed in light blue slowly emerge from behind the gauze curtain in the side hall. A young man knelt down quietly and elegantly, burning incense and playing the piano in a posture like listening to the cold wind in the pines.
All the young girls felt the wind blowing in their ears, and a wisp of music penetrated the beams and entered their souls.
The sound of the strings is soul-stirring, like the spring dawn in Huawu, and like the chirping of hundreds of birds. Like the wind whistling in the canyon, and like the light clouds that are unsteady. Sometimes the strings are intricate, trying to break and connect again; sometimes it is sonorous and passionate, and unrestrained; sometimes it is sad and euphemistic, and circuitous; sometimes it is full of twists and turns.
Stars travel through the clouds and rivers flood the plains.
…
This song is supposed to exist in heaven, and is rarely heard in the human world.
As soon as the song was over, the moon was bright and the stars were shining brightly, and everyone in the audience was shocked.
Cui Xunyan was pleasantly surprised and thought secretly: "Could it be him?"
Cui Xunyan tugged at Princess Qingluan's sleeves and whispered: "Sister Luan, could you please trouble me and let this person come out to meet you?"
Princess Qingluan smiled slyly and said: "Damn girl, are you excited?"
Cui Xunyan spat lightly and said angrily: "Can you help me?"
Princess Qingluan smiled and said: "Help, of course I will help."
After saying that, Princess Qingluan stood up, bowed to Empress Zhang, and said with a smile: "Mother, this musical skill amazes everyone. Can you please invite the master who plays the piano to come out and say something about it? Sister Xunyan will propose a glass of thin wine on behalf of us sisters to express your feelings.
.”
Empress Zhang nodded happily and said to the Qingsha tent: "Qian'er, since it's hard to refuse such hospitality, please come out and say hello to everyone."
The man in the gauze tent, Dou Qian, nodded, wiped his jade fingers with a silk handkerchief, stood up, and walked out through the curtain.
Dou Qian's figure was as thin and slender as a jade tree. His originally loose light blue hair was pulled back by a jade hairpin, half tied and half tied behind his snow-white neck. The rest of his hair hung down to his waist, fluttering slightly.
Dou Qian's face is like a crown jade, and his skin is like gelatin, with a faint luster and flow. His cut pupils are like water or mist, and there is a lingering melancholy that cannot be resolved.
This person was sickly, graceful, and extremely charming, unlike ordinary people. As soon as he appeared on the scene, the entire Jixian Hall fell into silence.
Dou Qian seemed to have long been accustomed to others being shocked by his appearance. He looked around nonchalantly at the girls present and smiled casually, with a cold and arrogant look that made everyone drunk.
Cui Xunyan pinched himself and said to himself: "It's over, it's over, I'm stuck."
Princess Qingluan chuckled in Cui Xunyan's ear and said, "Why don't you go make a toast? Don't say I didn't help you."
Cui Xunyan stood up in a daze, picked up the wine and came to the man's side.
Dou Qian turned a blind eye to Cui Xunyan, but he had a good impression of Princess Qingluan. He nodded slightly to Princess Qingluan and said with a smile: "I have seen this sister before."
Empress Zhang smiled and said: "But that's nonsense again. You have been in Chang'an for less than ten days, and today is your first time entering the palace. Have you ever seen Her Highness the Princess?"
There was confusion on this person's face, as if he was recalling something, and then he smiled freely, showing his white teeth, and said: "As the empress said, I have never seen your highness. But I always see your highness being kind, and I naturally regard your highness as a
We are old acquaintances, so it’s okay to meet again today after a long absence.”
Having said that, Dou Qian walked directly to Princess Qingluan, stared deeply at Princess Qingluan, and said: "When the golden wind and jade dew meet, they will conquer countless people in the world."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.
The words that came out of his mouth were certainly stunning, but the naked display of love in front of everyone was even more audacious.
Princess Qingluan was stunned at first, then she felt ashamed and annoyed. Her face darkened and she said angrily: "Young Master is too rude, please respect yourself."
After saying that, he left the table and walked away.
…
After this dinner, the Queen's cousin publicly pursued Princess Qingluan, which quickly spread throughout Chang'an.
Is this peerless and beautiful young prince sincerely in love with the princess, or is he openly challenging Bai Fu? There are countless versions circulating in the market, some are sexy and exciting, or some are treacherous.
After the Jianghuai victory, Bai Fu once again became the focus of Chang'an.
Note:
"When the golden wind and jade dew meet, they will conquer countless people in the world" is a poem written by Qin Guan in the Song Dynasty in "Magpie Bridge Fairy Xianyun Nongqiao". This article made its appearance hundreds of years earlier.