Chapter 94: Meeting the old friend again

When he first arrived in Chang'an, Li Qing lived in the Yizhou Jinfengyuan in Chongrenfang. The so-called Jinfengyuan is the long-term resident in various places located in the capital. It is equivalent to the current Beijing offices of various provinces and cities. Eating and accommodation are convenient for local officials to live in Beijing. Generally, local officials are willing to live in Jinfengyuan. What they see and hear here are the local accents of the villagers. Not only is it comfortable to say, but the food and accommodation are free, so that the business trip allowance can be filled into their own pockets. But it is more important that there are many officials here, and it is easy to meet a governor, a chief, or a minister. If you get in love, it will be very beneficial to your future career.

Yizhou has thousands of miles of fertile land, and has a wealth of treasures and a hundred years of operation. Therefore, regardless of the grade and living conditions of Yizhou Fengyuan, it has always been the best among all Fengyuans in the capital, which is comparable to the highest inn in Chang'an, Wankelong.

Li Qing was in the seventh rank and should live with others according to the system, but the manager who entered the Fengyuan was the one who was a high-ranking idle position, who was a low-ranking important position, and a white-clothed aide, he knew everything. Therefore, although the title of the military officer of the governor of the Li Qing was low, his position was important. Although the specifications could not be preferential, he could be adapted. In the end, he was the only one living room where the two lived.

Li Qing was lying on the bed at this time. The loss of his first arrival in Chang'an grabbed his joy. His dry and distracted eyes were staring blankly at a black and ugly spider on the beam, busy repairing the broken net, and a simple and familiar sound of the huqin drifted from the streets and alleys. The string sound was swaying. He shot a deep arrow on his almost numb heart. He gently stroked his face. The whip on his face no longer hurt, but his heart ached faintly.

It has been three years since he fell from the mountain in the first year of Tianbao. After several ups and downs, his first ambition has been worn out. Only then did he realize that the Tang Dynasty was still the Tang Dynasty and that it had not changed anything because of his arrival. He lived in a daze, becoming a pawn in the hands of others, step by step, and he couldn't help himself.

But today's whip woke him up.

Strength! Only with strength can he not become a chess piece in the hands of others, only with strength can others not dare to whip him with a whip at will. If with strength, the princess will not treat him as a piece of wood. Without strength, everything is nonsense! In his opinion, what is strength is power, money and knife.

At this time, the door knocked gently, and Li Qing turned over and opened the door, but saw a thin man standing outside, at the same age as himself, with an extremely pale face, as if he had just sneaked out of the dressing room in the theater.

"In the chief clerk of Chengdu County, Li Changyou, does Li Dongzhu still remember me?"

Li Changyou is a branch of the royal family. He is the opposite of Li Qing. Although his position is low, his rank is high. He attacked the county baron of the fifth rank of his ancestors, and relied on his father to get the real shortage of Wang County's chief clerk. He had a good relationship with Yang Zhao and went to Wangjiang Tower to taste the snow mud several times, so he knew Li Qing.

Li Qing scratched his head and had a vague impression of him. Oh! He said, bowed and smiled, "So it's Brother Changyou. Why, are you here to do business in Beijing too?"

"That's not. My family is in Chang'an. I went home to visit relatives during the Chinese New Year. I was tired of living, so I came to the Fengyuan to stay for two days to see if I could meet an acquaintance. I happened to see Li Dongzhu in the registration book. No! Li Zongjun is here too."

He leaned his head and looked inside the house again, and asked with a smile: "Does Li Zhanjun live alone?"

"That's right! That's right!" Although he was kind to the steward of the tent, Li Qing did not appreciate it and lived alone. The loneliness of the New Year really suppressed him.

"Brother Changyou is willing to move in with you?"

Li Changyou had heard Yang Zhao say that Li Qing was very tough in the backstage. Why didn’t he want to do so, so he patted Li Qing on the shoulder and laughed, “I’m just thinking about it, but it’s getting late now. I’ll take you to drink first and move in tonight.”

Chunming Street, close to Chongrenfang, is another important street in Chang'an City after Zhuque Street. It connects to Cao Canal in the west and crosses the East City. Therefore, there are many merchants living along the road. At the other end of Chunming Street is Pingkangfang, which is a gathering place for candidates to enter Beijing. Therefore, another feature of Chunming Street is restaurants, brothels gather, noisy day and night, and lights are endless.

Li Changyou is from Chang'an Township and is familiar with the roads here. He took Li Qing to Chunming Street in just a few turns.

It was dusk at this time, and it was dinner time. The streets of Chunming were full of bustling crowds. Sometimes a few merchants with wide clothes and big sleeves chatted and laughed, leaving a trace of copper smell. Sometimes the frivolous boys shouted left and right and rode their horses, causing passers-by to avoid them. A team of camels from the Western Regions passed by them and swayed towards the east city. The camels were loaded with heavy boxes, and more than a dozen brown-haired and blue-eyed Hu people sat high on their hunchbacks and looked at the world's greatest city, with their eyes full of respect and yearning.

Thousands of golden rays scattered on the high walls of the distant eastern city, which made Li Qing feel a little proud, as if he was an old guest in Chang'an. But after thinking about it, he had only been here for half a day.

After the two walked for a while, Li Changyou pointed to a four-story vermilion building across the street and said with a smile: "That is Taibai Building, known as the number one restaurant in Chang'an, but not the largest in scale. It is really because of the high level of poetry written on its walls, which is the highest in Chang'an. Unfortunately, Li Bai went to Qizhou, otherwise he would have a chance to see the charm of the exiled immortal."

Li Qing looked up at Taibai Building. Although he saw that its floor was normal and much worse than his Wangjiang Restaurant, his admiration was not weakened at all. It carried the cultural precipitation of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, just like the clay pot on a half slope. Although it was simple and incredible to the eye, who dared to underestimate it?

He felt relieved and put on Li Changyou's shoulder and smiled: "Let's go! Go and drink, I'll treat you today."

The two of them stepped into the restaurant with their heads raised. A friend was in a panic and led them into the lobby. The lobby was already full and walked up to the second floor. They saw that each wall was full of poems and countless talented poets were walking to look at it. Among them, the most viewers were viewed by Li Taibai's "About Wine". They all murmured to themselves, and their eyes were filled with intoxication. Judging from that mentality, they would definitely not be drunk today.

The two walked around, and from time to time, they heard low sings and pipas. The second floor was full, so they had to go to the third floor again. They only walked to the stairs and heard cheers coming. It seemed that a poet had left ink again. Li Qing's interest increased greatly. He rushed upstairs in three steps. Sure enough, he saw a group of people surrounding the wall. The cheers had passed. Everyone whispered and whispered, and his face was filled with confusion. A man in white robe held a cup in one hand and held a pen in the other. He was drunk and was staggering, pouring ink on the wall. After a moment, the poem was finished. He drank the glass of wine and shook his head and laughed wildly, "It's better to go back! It's better to go back!" He burst into tears again, threw the glass of wine and went into the house to drink. Li Qing squeezed forward and saw a poem written on the wall:

At the beginning of thirty, one life will be lost.

I have no old karma and dare not be ashamed of my micro-officials.

The stream water swallows the woodcutter's road, and the mountain flowers are drunk with medicine.

It’s just because of five dou of rice that let down a fishing rod.

The lines are full of frustration and dissatisfaction. The following is signed by Jiangling Cen Shen.

Li Qing was shocked and looked back at the room. Although he had been in the Tang Dynasty for three years, he had never seen any other poet except Wang Changling. Today, he first arrived in Chang'an and accidentally met Cen Shen.

"This Cen Shen was the second best in the Jinshi class last year and was awarded the military commander of the Right Inner Commander. Seeing this poem, he may be a little bit of an official position. Such a scholar thought he had some ink in his heart, so he took it as his responsibility to save the people of the world. He was not familiar with the world's ways. Is it so easy to be an official?"

Li Changyou snorted coldly and patted Li Qing on the shoulder again, "Brother Yangming, let's go!"

Li Qing was speechless. What he knew and heard, Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, Wang Changling and Cen Shen, all had great ambitions, but they all ended up disappointed. It can be seen that the officialdom was not something that could be done by writing a few good poems. He was not very foolish and might eventually achieve something. He felt enlightened in his heart, and seemed to have felt the pulse of becoming an official.

He saw that Cen Shen's door was filled with admirers, shook his head and went to the fourth floor again. The fourth floor was luxuriously decorated, but there were not many people. He only sat in two elegant rooms, and the rest were empty. One of them stood with his head held high and his chest stood at the door. It seemed that the people inside had some identity. Li Qing entered the elegant room next door, and the guy quickly served tea for the two. Li Changyou was about to order food, but suddenly remembered something, and handed the menu book to Li Qing and smiled: "I forgot that you are the owner of the restaurant, you are really showing off your skills."

"It's better to drink than to sell alcohol. This is the first time I've come to Chang'an, it's better for you to order food."

Li Changyou smiled and said, "Since that's the case, I won't save you money." He ordered more than a dozen dishes and ordered two pots of good wine.

Soon, the food and drinks ordered by the two of them arrived. The friend took the tip from Li Qing and said happily: "It's not good to drink, so I'd better ask two drinkers to come for the two guests." Without waiting for Li Changyou to speak, Li Qing waved his hand and said: "There is no need to accompany you. I don't know if there are any singers, just sing two songs."

"Yes! Yes!" The guy hurried to find someone

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Li Changyou smiled and said, "Yangming knows that Yang Zhao has been promoted and will be in the capital next month."

Li Qing was surprised. Why? In history, Yang Zhao went to Beijing after Yang Yuhuan was named the Imperial Concubine. Did Yang Yuhuan already named the Imperial Concubine? He didn't know.

“What’s the reason?”

"We don't know, and when we ask Yang Zhao, he was also confused, and only said that it was the recommendation of the Jiedushi."

Li Qing's heart was already in chaos. If Yang Yuhuan was named a concubine, he would not have known it. It must be something that he didn't know about. This matter was related to his future. Li Qing was really worried.

When his eyes slanted, he saw Li Changyou staring at him with suspicious eyes, as if he was about to find something inside out from his face. He hurriedly withdrew his mind and raised his glass and smiled: "The so-called shrimp has a way to shrimp, and crabs have a way to crabs. If you don't talk about these, drink! Drink!"

At this time, a singer in a red dress came in, wearing heavy makeup, which was quite matched with Li Changyou. She followed two musicians, holding the pipa and copying the piano horizontally. The singer gave a deep bow to the two of them, moved a stool and sat down. Several musicians also looked for the stool and adjusted the sound of the strings.

"I am a little rou, I don't know what songs the two guests want to listen to."

Li Qing smiled and said, "Whatever you want, you can do something special!"

Xiaorou smiled slightly, "Then I will sing a song to drink, this is the signature of Taibailou."

She cleared her throat and sang in a low voice, "Don't you see, the water of the Yellow River comes from the sky, flows to the sea and never returns. Don't you see, the mirror in the high hall is sad and the white hair is as dark as the morning is as snow as the night is."

The song is melodious and melodious, sometimes excited, sometimes melancholy, sometimes anxious, the pipa is like rainstorm, and the piano is like spring water. Li Changyou is drunk and Li Qing is a little restless. At this moment, the sound of "dong!dong!" knocking on the wall next door came from the sound of "dong!dong!" and a woman shouted loudly: "Who drinks next door, be quiet for me!"

Li Qing was stunned. The voice seemed familiar. At this time, he heard a young man complaining: "Sister Third Sister! You just don't listen if you ask you to drink less. This is a shame."

Li Qing suddenly jumped up. Isn’t this Yang Mo? Then, the one who called himself my mother was Yang Huahua. No wonder his voice sounded familiar.

He had no intention of listening to music anymore, and walked towards the next door. He only met Yang Mo at the door. He was still honest and had already changed his body into a brocade robe. He apologized repeatedly: "I'm sorry! My sister has drunk too much."

"Yang Mo, don't you know me anymore?"

Yang Mo was stunned, suddenly screamed, jumped up, stepped forward and hugged him tightly, "Brother Li, is it you?"

Without waiting for Li Qing to answer, he grabbed him and ran to the next door, "Sister! Third Sister! Look who this is."

When Li Qing entered the room, he saw a bright lady. Her eyes were hazy, her eyebrows were frivolous, and she was a little drunk. A fat white eunuch stood beside her, holding a wine pot in her hand, and was pouring wine for her with a charming smile on her face.

She was Yang Huahua who had been away for many years. Li Qing suddenly remembered the promise of Qingcheng Mountain. She had long forgotten it and felt a little uneasy.

Yang Huahua glanced at Li Qing with a squint eyes, and her eyes suddenly shone. She jumped down and stumbled towards Li Qing. Yang Mo quickly supported her, but Yang Huahua shook him away, put a bare arm around Li Qing's neck, fell softly in his arms, burping, and smiled as charmingly: "Your enemy, I finally caught me."

This scene was seen by Li Changyou who rushed over. He laughed and said, "I have something to do, so let's go first. You guys are busy! You guys are busy!"

After saying that, he squeezed at Li Qing ambiguously and then slipped through the overall situation.

Li Qing half-wrapped the mollusk-like Yang Huahua back to the mat, and turned around and asked Yang Mo: "Why are you here to Chang'an? Where is your mother?" What happened to the Yang family? First, Yang Zhaojin was shocked, and now he met the Yang brothers and sisters again. This is what Li Qing was eager to know.

"My mother is in poor health, she's at home!" Yang Mo suddenly said in surprise: "Didn't you see the letter we left? You're in Wangjiang Restaurant."

"I haven't seen it, tell me quickly." The day after accepting the task, Li Qing returned to Yibin again and took over his post. Then he rushed directly from Yibin to Chang'an, and never went to Wangjiang Restaurant.

"Since November last year, our Yang family seemed to be operating from time to time. Officials coming from all over the country almost cut off the threshold of my house, and even came from Beijing. The county magistrate of Daojiang County kowtowed to my mother and apologized. At first we didn't know, but later we realized that my sister might be granted the title of concubine."

Speaking of this, Yang Mo said angrily: "When we were in a downfall, who had ever paid attention to us, but now they came to please us one by one. Compared with our elder brother, hum! What is human feelings? My mother often sighed that our elder brother saved us when we were in trouble, but now he is not here. This is the person with a heart."

Li Qing's face turned red after hearing this. He was the same, but he took one step first. At this time, Yang Huahua grabbed his ear with the other hand, pulled it hard into his arms, and put his lips in his ear and said viciously: "You said that spring comes to climb the mountain with me. I have been waiting for you for a year but haven't seen you. How do you compensate me?"

"Sister Three Let go!" Li Qing took his ears back from her desperately, and handed them to her a glass of wine, saying, "A toast is considered a pity."

Yang Huahua didn't take it with her hands, stretched out her rosy lips, sucked the wine in Li Qing's hand, then opened her mouth and bit the wine glass, swung it to the side, stroked his face and smiled: "Bah! You think beautifully, can a glass of wine last year for me?" Her eyes flicked and glanced at him, "Why don't you accompany me to play in Zhongnan Mountain."

At this time, the eunuch next to him coughed twice, reminding Yang Huahua to pay attention to the influence. He should not hug him like this in front of everyone. Yang Huahua glared at her eyes and swung a plate of dishes to smash him, "You eunuch who has no eggs, why fart you!"

The eunuch was caught off guard and was patted by the cabbage. Yang Huahua laughed loudly, picked up the wine pot and drank a few more mouthfuls, muttered a few words in his mouth, tilted his head, and fell asleep.

Li Qing gently took her arm off his neck and sighed in his heart, "It seems that Mrs. Guoguo's appearance has come out."

He straightened his waist and looked at Yang Mo, and at the same time he breathed a sigh of relief, "I still have business work. I will come to see you again after finishing the business. Where do you live?"

Yang Mo thought about it, but said bitterly: "We arrived in the afternoon. I don't know the place. It seems to be the old house of Princess Taiping."

"I understand. I will come to see you in two days." Li Qing looked at Yang Huahua who was still smiling in her dream, shook her head, leaned over and carried her on her back, "Let's go! I'll take you into the car."

Saying the Yang brothers and sisters, Li Qing called a carriage back to the Fengyuan. It was already dark, and the streets of Chunming were brightly lit, and there were people who were drunk everywhere. The sound of urging drinks in the restaurant and the laughter in the brothel were intertwined in his ears. Li Qing was feeling for what he had experienced tonight. History seemed to have gone for a fork in the road. At this moment, he was like a dream, in a daze, and everything around him was not real.

The carriage turned around, and the Fengyuan was in front of him. Li Qing suddenly heard shouts and scolding from the Fengyuan. When he saw again, there were a large group of soldiers standing at the door. He suddenly remembered his mission and was shocked. He urgently ordered the carriage to stop and jump out of the carriage. With the cover of the night, he hid behind a tree and looked over, but saw Li Changyou being tied up and caught out. His mouth was blocked and he was whining. A trace of fear flashed in Li Qing's eyes. He suddenly understood that Li Changyou was also the chief clerk, who lived in his room. These soldiers must have mistakenly arrested Li Zhuan Li as Yibin and Li Zhuan Li. Things were not that simple. Li Linfu had already taken action.

Li Qing slowly left the big tree, turned around and ran away, and his figure quickly disappeared into the thick night.
Chapter completed!