Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 378: Qujiang Pond Gathering of Beauties

Dusk fell and the city gates were closed.

On ordinary days, the evening drum would have sounded, announcing the end of the day, and the people of Chang'an would spontaneously return to their neighborhoods.

However, today is different. The sound of evening drums has disappeared, and only the sound of evening bells can be heard from the major temples.

Looking down from the sky, people from every household in Chang'an City were holding lanterns and walking out of their homes, as if the day had just begun.

This is no wonder. Although there were many holidays in the Tang Dynasty, only the Lantern Festival was not subject to curfew. People naturally wanted to enjoy this rare night!
Some people started to enjoy the festival, while others started to make money.

The streets are already lined with stalls selling all kinds of colorful lanterns.

Most of these people are not traveling merchants, they just take advantage of the business opportunity of the Lantern Festival to make a small fortune.

The main streets of Chang'an were crowded with people, causing Li Zhi's carriage to move extremely slowly.

Li Zhi didn't care. He opened the car curtain and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the street.

In fact, he wanted to take a walk on the street, but Wang Fusheng and Wang Jishan tried to dissuade him, saying that there were too many people today and it was easy for sudden danger to occur.

Li Zhi stopped making things difficult for them, as it would be the same if he just sat in the car and watched.

Wu Meiniang next to her was holding a pair of golden scissors and concentrating on cutting a paper lantern.

The carriage was moving aimlessly on the street when suddenly, Li Zhi heard a conversation between two people beside the carriage.

"Dance battle? Where?"

"Of course it's at Qujiang Pond. Pingkangfang's top courtesan, Wang Xiaoxian, Kangguo's dancing queen, Yaoru, and that recently famous Tian Shuixian, will all be participating!"

"Why don't you go and take a look?"

"Haha, let's go, we must feast our eyes today!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi ordered, "Go to Qujiang Pond."

Wu Meiniang raised her eyes and glanced at him, as if she had heard what had just been said.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Mei Niang, are you interested in dance battles?"

Wu Meiniang said, "It doesn't matter to me whether I go to see it or not. Since Jiulang wants to see it, then go ahead."

Li Zhi coughed and said, "Mei Niang, is that a dragon you cut out?"

Wu Meiniang said, "Yes, it will be done in a little while. Please wait a moment, Jiulang."

After more than half an hour, the carriage arrived at Hibiscus Garden.

Furong Garden is a royal garden and is only open to the public on special days. It happens to be open today, so there are a lot of people in the garden.

The Qujiang Lake is filled with pavilions and pleasure boats. Lanterns of various shapes are hung on each boat, and the lights are brilliant, like trees of fire and silver flowers.

On the south bank of Qujiang Lake, there is a Wangchun Pavilion, facing the Ziyun Pavilion on the north bank across the river.

The structure of this Ziyun Pavilion is similar to that of the Ziyun Pavilion in Taiji Palace, but there is a platform more than three meters high underneath it, making it look even more magnificent.

Ziyun Pavilion is a royal building and is not open to the public. Common people can only stand on Wangchun Pavilion to admire the royal grandeur.

Between the two buildings, there is a wide area of ​​water with seven or eight pleasure boats moored on it.

These pleasure boats are different from those elsewhere. They all have a ten-foot-high wooden platform on the top, with colorful flags and lanterns hanging around them, and each flag has a name written on it.

This is where the dance battle takes place, and the names on each colorful flag represent the candidates who will participate in the dance battle.

Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang had been to Furong Garden before, and they always went to Ziyun Pavilion.

So this time they went to Wangchun Tower and went up to the top floor.

Although it does not have the advantage of Ziyun Pavilion's high vantage point where one can take in all the surrounding scenery, it is quite enjoyable to hear the laughter and chatter of the people around.

At this time, the dance battle had already begun. The first person to dance was a man named Shijia, who was from the Shi country.

The dance he performed was called "Hu Teng Dance". He was seen walking around in circles quickly, with various dance steps, sometimes strong and unrestrained, sometimes soft and chic.

Compared with women's dance, this dance is more vigorous and lively, as fast as the wind, and its style is characterized by rapid and varied leaps, kicks, and spins, showing a bold and unrestrained character.

After the dance was over, everyone applauded.

The second person dancing was also a Hu person, a woman named Kang Rou, a native of Kang.

These Western dancers were all sent by the kings of various countries in the Western Regions to spread culture to Chang'an, enhance their country's influence in Chang'an City, and thus promote relations between the two countries.

The dance Kang Rou performed was the Hu Xuan Dance, which was the dance that An Lushan was best at.

The Hu Xuan dance requires light and quick steps and high-speed rotation. The dancers must roll and step on a small round carpet called a "dance mat" and are not allowed to go outside.

The blanket is only about one meter in diameter, which shows how difficult this dance is.

However, perhaps it was because Kang Rou’s level was not good enough or Hu Xuan dance was not well-known at that time, but after she finished dancing, there were not many cheers.

Li Zhi felt that Kang Rou and Shi Jia each had their own merits, but he didn't know why others reacted this way, so he asked Wu Meiniang.

"Mei Niang, what do you think of this Huxuan dance?"

Wu Meiniang was wearing a veil at this time, her brows slightly furrowed. She pondered for a moment and said, "This dance is very strange. I think it is not as good as Hu Teng's dance just now."

When Li Zhi heard her use the word "strange" to describe it, he immediately understood.

The ancients had little exposure to dance, so they tended to adopt a wait-and-see attitude towards new dances.

He was different. He had already seen various types of dance in later generations, so it was easier for him to accept it.

The third person to compete in dance was finally Tangren, and she was a very beautiful woman.

As soon as she appeared on the stage, before she even started dancing, there was a burst of cheers from the crowd. This shows that the people of the Tang Dynasty still supported their own dancers.

The woman's name was Wang Xiaoxian, a famous courtesan in Pingkangfang. The dance she performed was called "Singing of Spring Orioles".

Wu Meiniang suddenly glanced at Li Zhi with a smile in the corner of her eyes.

It's no wonder she was like that, because this dance was created by Li Zhi. To be more precise, it was created by the musician Bai Mingda at the order of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.

"The Chirping of Spring Orioles" is a soft dance, the style of which is centered on dancing sleeves, moving the waist, seeking lightness, and emphasizing softness. It is like a lotus swaying on the water.

Although Wang Xiaoxian dances well, her level of dancing is only average among the dancers in the harem. She is not as good as Yang Cairen, let alone Concubine Zheng Guifei.

Naturally, the others' vision was not as high as Li Zhi's, and they all cheered and applauded, with the momentum far greater than before.

The next person to compete in dance was a Hu girl named Yaoru. Li Zhi was also very familiar with the dance she performed, which was the Tuozhi Dance.

During this period, the most popular dance in Chang'an was the Tuozhi dance, so the applause she received was far greater than that of the Huxuan dance just now.

The fifth dancer was Tang Nu again. As soon as she stepped onto the stage, the men around her started shouting frantically, "Brother Tian Shuixian! It's Brother Tian Shuixian!"

Li Zhi felt a little strange. The woman was wearing a veil just like Wu Meiniang, so her face couldn't be seen at all. Why was she so popular?

"Hey, brother, who was Brother Narcissus that day?" he asked a man next to him.

The man glanced at him, looking very surprised. He said, "You don't even know Brother Tian Shuixian? Could you be from another place?"

Li Zhi coughed and said, "I am from Chang'an, but I seldom go out on weekdays."

In Chang'an City, men who rarely went out studied hard at home in order to pass the imperial examinations.

The man immediately showed him more respect and smiled, "This Tianshuixian is a remarkable woman. She came to Chang'an from Tianshui at the end of last year. She is proficient in various dances and musical instruments. I hear she is beautiful, not inferior to the third lady of the Zheng family."

Li Zhi had also seen the third wife of the Zheng family. She was indeed beautiful. It seemed that this woman was indeed extraordinary.

The man continued, "This Tian Shui Xian is different from other courtesans. She is naturally arrogant and doesn't show any respect to dignitaries. It is said that she came to Chang'an to find someone."

Li Zhi asked, "Who are you looking for?"

The man shook his head and said, "That's unclear, but one thing is certain, her background is not simple."

Li Zhi asked, "How do you see that?"

The man said, "Think about it, in a place like Pingkangfang, even the proudest courtesan would have to curry favor with the sons of the rich and powerful. But Brother Tianshuixian disdains them."

"It is said that once, a young man from a noble family named Qin paid a large sum of money to ask the Fangzheng of Pingkangfang to lead the way to Beili to find Brother Shuixian that day. However, she refused to even give the Fangzheng face and turned them both away."

Although the Fangzheng was only a high-ranking official, he had great power, especially when he was in charge of a wealthy neighborhood like Pingkangfang. This required not only skill and ability, but also a deep background.

In the small area of ​​Pingkangfang, offending a high-ranking official of the third rank or above may not necessarily lead to any trouble, but if you offend the head of the ward, you will usually not end up well.

The reason is very simple. A third-rank official may not necessarily bother with a commoner like you.

It is different for the Fangzheng. He needs to establish his prestige in order to manage the neighborhood well. Otherwise, everyone will dare to challenge his authority, and he will not be able to stay in office for long.

While the two were talking, Tian Shuixian had already started dancing. She was dancing the Xiliang music and dance, which was a fusion of Tang and Hu styles. Her dance moves were indeed moving.

However, Li Zhi was now more interested in Tian Shuixian herself than her dance. He asked the man, "So what happened next? Did Ping Kang Fang take revenge on her?"

The man was quite capable of multitasking, as he was enjoying the dance while answering Li Zhi's questions.

"Of course not. They were even very polite to her. That's why everyone guessed that she had a strong background and Pingkang Fangzheng didn't dare to offend her."

Li Zhi nodded and was about to ask which brothel Brother Tian Shuixian was in when he suddenly woke up and glanced sideways at Wu Meiniang.

She seemed to be concentrating on appreciating Tian Shuixian's dance, but her eyebrows were raised high, and she was obviously in a bad mood.

Li Zhi smiled slightly, stopped asking questions, and began to appreciate Tian Shuixian's dance.

I saw her dancing postures constantly changing, sometimes soft and elegant, reflecting the state of leaping, sometimes like a swan and a swallow flying, setting off the momentum of thunder.

At this time, on the other side of Li Zhi, two men were watching Tian Shuixian's dance, fascinated and forgetful.

One person sighed, "Oh, she is so beautiful! I'm afraid she is no less beautiful than the concubines in the palace. If I could see her once, my life would be worth it."

Another person seemed to still have some sense and commented, "It's beautiful, but it certainly can't compare to the Imperial Concubine in the palace. It's said that the Imperial Concubine's dance is truly a celestial dance."

"That's true. Any woman from the Xingyang Zheng clan is a rare beauty. Her Royal Highness is the most beautiful woman in the Xingyang Zheng clan, so she's naturally extraordinary. I heard that Her Royal Highness the Queen is even more beautiful than Her Royal Highness the Royal Highness. I wonder how she dances?"

The rational man whispered, "Hehe, you're mistaken. Her Majesty the Queen is beautiful, but she's not good at dancing."

"How do you know?"

"Hehe, a distant cousin of mine is in the palace..."

Although the two men were drunk, they did not dare to discuss palace affairs loudly. Their voices became lower and lower until they could no longer be heard.

However, because they were close, the previous words still reached the ears of Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang.

Li Zhi glanced at Wu Meiniang and saw that her face looked even uglier than before, so he said, "Meiniang, let's go back."

Wu Meiniang nodded and murmured "hmm".

The two of them quickly returned to the palace in a carriage.

Along the way, Li Zhi deliberately told some jokes to make her happy. Wu Meiniang seemed to have recovered a little, and she talked and laughed with Li Zhi.

However, when she returned to the palace, she broke up with Li Zhi and returned to Lizheng Hall. Her face suddenly became gloomy.

She sat on the couch without saying a word, as if she was in deep thought. The people in the hall all held their breath and dared not breathe.

Li Xian was originally preparing to come in to pay his respects, but as soon as he stepped into the hall, he realized something was wrong, turned around quickly, and ran away.

After a long while, Wu Meiniang finally spoke and said to Zhang Duohai, "Go and get me the rosters of the National Art Theater and the Imperial Music Bureau."

Zhang Duohai hurriedly agreed and left like a flash. In less than a quarter of an hour, he came back like a flash, sweating profusely.

Wu Meiniang took the list and took out the jade pen. She flipped through the list and drew on it. Sometimes, she drew a whole page at a time.

Soon, she had ticked off more than two hundred names and ordered, "Pass on my order. Have all of these people meet at Caisi Palace before noon tomorrow."

Zhang Duohai took the order and left.

For Li Zhi, the Lantern Festival and other events were just a little entertainment to relax his mind.

He did not notice that his queen, who had a very high self-esteem, was greatly upset by this incident.

The matter of Du Zhenglun has been resolved, and Li Zhi now turns his attention back to Japan.

The Japanese envoys came to the Tang Dynasty to pay homage and offer tribute. Li Zhi also agreed to send people to Japan to negotiate with them. As long as they could reach an agreement, he would not attack Japan.

Now that the Lantern Festival has passed, envoys from various countries have begun to return to their countries.

News also came from the Honglu Temple that the Japanese envoys seemed to be planning to return, and they hoped to bring the Tang envoys back to Japan with them.

Li Zhi attached great importance to the issue of war reparations, which was an important part of eliminating Japan. He was very cautious in selecting envoys.

An excellent diplomat is one who can seek the greatest interests for his country with his mouth, and his importance is no less than a war.

The best candidate was naturally Zhang Jianzhi. He was eloquent and modest, and his attitude towards barbarians was especially to Li Zhi's liking.

However, this time the envoy was to Japan, a country with no bottom line, and Li Zhi did not want Zhang Jianzhi to take risks.

Apart from Zhang Jian, Li Zhi could not think of a good candidate at the moment, so he finally issued an edict asking officials to recommend themselves.

Danger is sometimes also an opportunity. Li Zhi hopes to use this opportunity to discover more young talents.

(End of this chapter)