The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 362 Meeting friends with a fan
“Yesterday I came back from the city with tears streaming down my face.
There is no earth in front of the door. There is no tile on the house."

The lobby on the first floor of Huiying Yayuan, not far from Hongfu Building, was packed with seats. The head singer of Yayuan, Lady Ling, stood on the stage, wearing a plain white dress, holding her heart in her hands, with tears in her eyes, and she sang softly and softly from her mouth. Singing slowly, accompanied by the accompaniment of several musical instruments such as pipa, Hujia, and Qiang flute, it really made a "song of all living beings" full of sorrow and desolation.

Hundreds of guests gathered at the edge of the stage. Those who had reserved seats early sat and drank tea and listened to the music. Those who did not grab a seat could only stand in every possible way, standing on tiptoes and stretching their necks to look forward.

At the end of the song, Lady Ling bowed in all directions. There was a moment of silence in the hall, and then there was a roar of applause and thunderous applause. The lively scene brought the atmosphere to its climax.

"do it again!"

"Miss Ling, please sing again!"

"When you first listen to the song, you only recognize the people in the song, but when you listen to it again, you know the business of all the people in the song! This song tells the story of all sentient beings in the world. It is really a good song!"

Some scholars shook their heads and commented, which also attracted a burst of applause.

The guests upstairs leaned on the railings and looked down, listening to the song "All Living Beings", which made the entire elegant garden intoxicated.

Lady Ling stepped back gracefully amid the thousands of calls, and then several girls who played the piano and drums came on stage. The piece they played was the popular song "The Guest of the Wild Goose" in Jiangning City.

This piece has typical characteristics of court music, with complex tunes and various types of instruments. The tune sounds gorgeous and elegant, and it also incorporates the brisk and melodious rhythm changes of Jiangnan music. It can be regarded as representative of the popular tunes in Jiangning today.

The music has already started, but many guests are still immersed in the desolate mood of the sentient being song just now.

"Ms. Bizhu from Xiancuifang is also singing the song of living beings. Brothers and sisters, you might as well go and join in!"

I don't know who shouted loudly, and many guests in the lobby responded one after another. A large number of people stood up and poured out of the door, rushing towards Xiancuifang not far away.

The lobby of Yayuan was immediately mostly empty.

The dancers on the stage were well-trained and were not surprised by this situation and were still playing the music attentively.

Zhu Xiu sat in a corner of the lobby, shaking his folding fan and enjoying the dance music leisurely.

Zhou Xian stood behind him, head lowered, like a well-behaved maid.

It's not that Zhou Xian is shy, it's just that the black mark on her face is really scary. Many customers were startled when they saw it and pointed at her.

Zhu Xiu turned to glance at her and said with a smile: "Huang E is indeed a master of pipa. His song "The Path of All Living Beings" has captured the bitterness of the world and sung out the hardships and helplessness of ordinary people."

Zhou Xian rolled his eyes at him and murmured in a low voice: "There is no need to exaggerate. Whether a song is good or not, the composition and lyrics are equally important. Only when the lyrics of the song of all living beings are well written and matched with the melody can it be popular among guests, and it is not just mine. Credit.”

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "What does Ehuang mean by saying that it is you and I who can compose this music by playing the harp and the harp?"

Zhou Xian was so embarrassed that his face turned pink and he glared at him fiercely.

Those crystal clear cheeks were so tender that they could squeeze out water. Zhu Xiu couldn't help but reach out and want to pinch them.

Zhou Xian was about to run away in panic when a scholar in blue came over and bowed to him: "This official, my Excellency Li Deming, you are so polite!"

Zhu Xiu was startled, retracted his sinful hand, stood up and saluted, "My little brother Chu Xun, I have met Brother Li. I wonder what Brother Li can teach me?"

The scribe named Li Deming hurriedly said: "I see the exquisite folding fan in Brother Chu Xian's hand. Can I borrow it for a look?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and handed over the folding fan.

Li Deming thanked him, took it with his hands, played with it, and looked through it, with a look of fondness in his eyes.

"Dare to ask my dear brother, where did you buy this fan?" Li Deming asked.

"Haha, Suzhou Xianyuanzhai."

Li Deming was stunned and frowned: "Suzhou? Isn't that within the territory of Zhou Kingdom?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "I also asked someone to buy it from Suzhou, but I heard that Xianyuanzhai will open a branch in Jiangning City soon. Brother Li can go and have a look."

"Oh? That's great!" Li Deming was overjoyed. "This folding fan is exquisitely and uniquely made. I really like it when I see it. I took the liberty to come and ask about it. I'm disturbing my dear brother."

"Where is it!" Zhu Xiu saluted, and after thinking about it, he offered the folding fan with both hands: "Since Brother Li likes it, I will give this fan to Brother Li!"

Li Deming hurriedly backed down: "It's impossible! How can you win people's love? When Xianyuanzhai opens a store in Jiangning City, Brother Yu can go shopping."

"It is estimated that there will be two or three months before the Xianyuanzhai store opens. Since Brother Li likes it, he will take the fan to play with for the time being. When he buys a new one, you can return it to me." Zhu Xiu said with a smile.

Li Deming thought for a moment and took the folding fan happily: "Then Brother Yu, it's better to be respectful than to obey! How about this, when Xianyuanzhai opens the store, Brother Yu will buy a new one and give it back to Brother Xian."

"Very good! Very good! I exchanged the old one for the new one. This is a good deal!"

The two looked at each other and laughed loudly.

"I don't know why, as soon as the foolish brother saw the wise brother, he felt very attached to him!" Li Deming said with emotion.

"My younger brother feels the same way. I wonder where Brother Li will be promoted?"

Li Deming said with a smile: "I am making you laugh, Brother Yu is currently a Hanlin Bachelor."

Zhu Xiu raised his hands in surprise and said: "No wonder Brother Li has an extraordinary temperament and looks like a noble scholar. He turns out to be holding such a noble and important position!"

"Haha, it's just a false position in name only." Li Deming disagreed.

"Brother Li can enter the Hanlin Academy, so he must be the first in the imperial examination to become an official, right?" Zhu Xiu asked tentatively.

Li Deming smiled and said: "After seven years of protecting the university, thanks to the officials, I was appointed the number one scholar."

Year 949?Wasn't that two years ago?

Zhu Xiu suddenly thought of something and said in surprise: "Is Brother Li the only disciple recognized by Master Han?"

Li Deming humbly held his hand in his hand and said, "If Brother Yu is not as talented as his teacher, he will be embarrassed by his teacher."

No wonder the name sounds familiar, he turns out to be Han Xizai’s apprentice!

Zhu Xiu swallowed his saliva and looked at Li Deming again.

Zhou Xian, who was huddled behind Zhu Xiu, also raised his head and peeked curiously.

Of course Zhou Xian knew about Han Xizai's reputation. He had visited Master Han with his father a few years ago, but she was young and ignorant at that time and had no idea who the kind-hearted old man was.

There are many people in the government and the public who claim to be Han Xizai's disciples, but only Li Deming has admitted it personally.

To be favored by Master Han and accepted as his disciple, Li Deming must have something special about him.

He was the number one scholar two years ago, and his future in the Tang Dynasty court is limitless.

Zhu Xiu also wanted to get close to Li Deming, so Pan Mei came to him and whispered a few words in his ear.

"I originally got to know Brother Li today, but it suddenly dawned on me that I have something important to attend to, so I can only invite Brother Li to drink and listen to music another day." Zhu Xiu bowed apologetically.Li Deming hurriedly said: "My virtuous brother is busy when he has something to do, so he doesn't need to pay attention to him. Listening to his accent, he doesn't look like a native of Jiangning. I don't know where is the fairyland? Where does he stay? How can I get in touch with my virtuous brother? "

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "My ancestors were from Haozhou. Later, I followed my elders in the family to do business, and traveled back and forth between Kaifeng and Huainan all year round. I don't have a house in Jiangning City, so I live in Hongfu Building temporarily. If Brother Li wants to find me, just go there Hongfu Tower is it.”

"Okay, Brother Yu will definitely come to visit us one day!"

Li Deming glanced at Zhou Xian who had his head lowered, frowned and said, "Brother Xian, this maid looks weird. I'm afraid she might get seriously ill, so it's better not to take her with you. Brother Yu has a few well-behaved and smart ones in his family." Servant, if my dear brother needs me, just take him away and stay with me to serve you."

Zhu Xiu glanced at Zhou Xian, and said with a smile: "Thank you, Brother Li, for your kindness! This servant girl is ugly, but her hands and feet are quite diligent, so I will keep it for the time being, and if I don't like being lazy in the future, I will change it." It’s not too late to drop it.”

Zhou Xian lowered his head more and more, clutching the corners of his clothes tightly, unable to see the expression on his face clearly.

Li Deming nodded and didn't know what to say. He cupped his hands and said, "See you another day!"

"Brother Li, say goodbye!"

Zhu Xiu took Pan Mei and Zhou Xian out of Huiying Yayuan in a hurry.

Li Deming watched them leave, looked down at the folding fan in his hand, and smiled on his face: "Chu Xun? He is a very interesting person."

~~~
As soon as she walked out of the gate of Yayuan, Pan Mei couldn't help laughing.

Pedestrians on the street were startled and cast disgusted looks at him.

"This young master named Li is really interesting. He gave away his maid as soon as we met."

Pan Mei laughed, glanced at Zhou Xian and laughed: "Ms. Zhou's appearance is so ugly that people can't stand it anymore! Haha~"

Zhou Xian said angrily: "As a disciple of Master Han, you can only judge people by their appearance and buy and sell slaves like animals. It is really embarrassing to Master Han!"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Jiangnan inherited the Tang Dynasty system, and the officials' families had the power to live, kill and seize slaves. Li Deming did this, which is not a moral problem. It is just that the surrounding environment is such that everyone regards this kind of human buying and selling behavior as Do ordinary things.

It is also common for officials and nobles to exchange and give slaves to each other. In their view, this is just a courtesy in communication.

Not to mention Li Deming, Master Han himself must have done this kind of thing. "

"Humph!"

Zhou Xian was furious. She also knew that Jiangnan still retained the bad custom of the Tang Dynasty, where slaves were of low status, their status was the same as livestock, and they were the private property of their owners like livestock.

But when this happened to her, she felt indignant and deeply powerless.

Zhou Xian glanced at Zhu Xiu, saw his face full of sarcasm, and asked angrily: "In the land of Jiangbei, how did the Great Zhou Dynasty divide good and bad?"

Zhu Xiu said seriously: "Since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, the officials have ordered that slaves are no longer classified as lowly, and the punishment for buying a small number of people as slaves has been increased. The relationship between slaves and the master's family has become an employment relationship, and additional A series of laws to protect slaves. If the master beats or mutilates the slave's life, the slave can even sue the government. Legally speaking, the master and the slave have equal status."

Zhou Xianming's eyes were wide open, with surprise on his face: "Seriously?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Of course it's true! If you don't believe it, just ask a businessman. Anyone who has been to Kaifeng will know."

Zhou Xian bit his lip and murmured: "The official Zhou family is really the emperor of the Holy Emperor."

Zhou Xian said angrily: "Why can't the Tang Dynasty learn from the Great Zhou Dynasty and abolish the unreasonable slave system?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "The Tang regime is generally stable, unlike the warlords in Jiangbei, so the remaining aristocratic families are powerful. These clans are deeply rooted. If you want to move their interests, it will not happen overnight."

Zhou Xian nodded thoughtfully. Just when he was about to ask something, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He looked directly at Zhu Xiu with bright eyes, full of doubts: "How do you know this?"

Zhu Xiu blinked, coughed dryly, pretended not to hear, turned around and asked Pan Mei, "Where is Liang Wazi?"

Zhou Xian was so angry that he stamped his feet, wishing he could bite this evil man hard.

Pan Mei looked around and pointed with her big hand: "Here we come!"

Hu Guangyue was seen hurriedly running in with Zhu Liang and Zhu Fang.

The eyes of the two dolls were red, obviously they had cried a lot.

Hu Guangyue said in a deep voice: "Sir, my subordinates took them to the street just now and met a few drunk guys. Zhu Liang recognized the Zhou family from them at a glance."

"Oh?" Zhu Xiu frowned and glanced at Zhou Xian. Zhou Xian was also startled and hurriedly turned around to look around. Unfortunately, the street was full of people, but he couldn't see a familiar face.

Zhu Xiu knelt down, gently pressed Zhu Liang's shoulders, and asked, "Who did you see?"

Zhu Liang wiped away his tears vigorously, and said bitterly: "I saw that day, the bad guys who kicked down the fence gate of my house, broke into the house and captured grandma and mother!"

"Are you sure you read that correctly?"

Zhu Liang nodded vigorously: "The bad guy has a black mole on his forehead. He looks very ugly. I can't mistake him! If you don't believe me, ask Da Ya, she saw it too!"

Zhu Fang cried like a little cat, speechless and could only nod.

Zhu Xiu took out a handkerchief and wiped her little face, and whispered a few words of comfort.

Zhou Xian thought of something, covered his mouth and exclaimed: "Is it Qi Si!?"

Zhu Xiu stared at her coldly: "Who is Qi Si?"

Zhou Xian didn't dare to look at him, lowered his head and whispered: "He is a subordinate of my cousin Zhou Ling, and he is the commander of the Gongsheng Army."

Zhu Xiu's face was gloomy and her eyes were as cold as ice.

Zhou Xian took a sneak peek and hurriedly lowered his head in fear. The evil man looked so angry when he was angry.

"Do you know where Qi Si went?" Zhu Xiu asked.

Hu Guangyue said hurriedly: "My subordinates have been following us all the way. I know the general idea. I am worried that they will have manpower to support them and they will not dare to follow too closely with their children."

Zhu Xiu pondered for a moment, then said: "Go and find out Qi Si's whereabouts, determine the location, don't startle the snake.

Lao Pan, go and spread the word to Zhou Tong and say that we are ready to exchange hostages. "

Pan Meidao said: "Yesterday I went to the government prison and asked about it. The prisoners taken from Banqiao Store had been picked up by Zhou Ling and I don't know where they were sent.

When Zhou Ling transferred the place of detention, he obviously wanted to play tricks on us, so we must be careful. "

Zhu Xiu sneered and said: "As long as we are prepared, we are not afraid of his tricks. Go and notify the Fifth Capital. From now on, we will be on standby at all times!"

Pan Mei and Hu Guangyue both clasped their fists and shouted: "It's your order!"

The murderous look made Zhou Xian tremble with fear. Zhu Xiu and his group became more and more mysterious in her eyes. They didn't look like gangsters running around in the world, but more like a well-disciplined army.

(End of this chapter)