The lanterns in Jiangling are gentle at night. In the early spring, with gentle wind and drizzle, everything is full of vitality.
On this night, people carry their own lanterns and wander around the market. Finally, they find a place of water, place the lanterns on it, and pray for their families. This place is filled with the fireworks of Jiangnan people and the ubiquitous humanistic atmosphere.
.
Some aristocratic families would come to the riverside, invite boat girls, go to the mountains and rivers to enjoy the moonlight, eat river fish, exchange cups and cups, sing songs on the river, and invite the moon to drink with them.
The lantern night in Chang'an is heavy and open, belonging to the category of celebration. It can be said that the whole city is moving and everyone is celebrating...
…………
Entering the Imperial City, it becomes more and more lively. If you were at the Chang'an Lantern Festival last year, you will find that there are many more people setting up stalls in the Imperial City this year than last year.
Most of them were pasta and home-brewed wine. The merchants in Chang'an City couldn't bear it anymore and set up stalls in the lantern market, selling more and more varieties of things.
The two uncles and nephews also saw a bookstall on the street, and sitting behind it was... a scholar, with his face covered, as if he was hiding his head and tail. He just sat there, looking blankly, and he didn't know which house he was in.
I came from a humble background and wanted to make some money to spend in the lantern market.
Selling calligraphy and paintings is a profession that scholars do when they have no means of living. Until that point, no one will show up in the market. It is not embarrassing enough.
Like the current Jijiu Ma Zhou of Chang'an Maritime Academy, after he was kicked out of Chang He's house, he had to go to Dongshi to sell calligraphy and painting for a few days and work part-time as a fortune teller because of his poor life. His situation was very miserable.
Hao Chujun saw that the hunter was so happy that he wanted to go over and have a look, but Master Xu Yu stopped him and persuaded him: "People cover their faces and don't want to show them to others, that's just ordinary people.
This is a scholar. If you leave, you will be driving him away. Who doesn’t have times when he is frustrated? If he can’t be considerate, who are you and me?”
Hao Chujun lowered his head and accepted the instruction. This was serious instruction, related to his own moral character, and he was not joking.
The two of them continued to move forward with the flow of people, getting closer and closer to Chengtian Gate. When they reached an intersection, Hao Chujun said with a smile: "I heard that the brothel in Caiyufang is choosing an oiran at the lantern market tonight, why don't we go and take a look?
"
Master Xu Yu didn't care. There seemed to be some time left before the announced fireworks were set off, so he followed his example and followed his enthusiastic nephew around.
After a while, both of them regretted it.
At last year's lantern festival, more than a dozen buildings in Caiyufang jointly held the Oiran Competition. The first time it was held, it was a bit hasty and not very successful. The response was somewhat inconsistent with expectations.
This year Caiyufang made great efforts and negotiated with the Chang'an magistrate's office to rent some abandoned mansions in the imperial city in advance.
With the money and effort of the brothel in Caiyufang, some houses were repaired without any major changes. They could be protected from wind and cold.
During this year's Lantern Festival, people from brothels settled in these renovated mansions, using these mansions where princes and nobles once lived as temporary brothels.
Lights are burning in each room. If you want to see them, you have to enter the house and look around.
The quality was immediately raised, and the effect was much better than setting up a shed on the street last year, but the number of people it could accommodate was limited.
Of course, this is not a problem for the "business wizards" of the day. It doesn't matter if there are many people. There are many houses in the mansion, and the ladies in the building can still show their faces.
Everyone finds a room to live in, just like in a brothel. The largest hall in the mansion is given the red card of the building, so the flow of people is dispersed.
In fact, this is indeed a bit of a mess. The majesty of the imperial city has been made a little pink by some people in the world. It is too ridiculous.
The atmosphere in Chang'an has also been particularly relaxed in the past two years, especially for businesses, and a lot of controls have been relaxed. Otherwise, the Chang'an magistrate's office would not be so bold this year and allowed these actions of brothels.
But it seems a bit too much. It is estimated that after tonight, the imperial censors in the court will have something to do.
The uncle and nephew entered the mansion and were amazed.
The mansions in the imperial city used to be decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, and were the most luxurious in the world, but now they have lost their owners and have fallen into ruin.
The Tang Dynasty was not long established, and not many people lived in the imperial city. They had the opportunity to view the ruins. Some buildings still retain the style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and they have been abandoned for I don’t know how many years. They are very valuable for research.
It's just that the weather is too cold, and it's still night. Wandering in the deserted garden, in the dark night, the grass and trees are dancing in the wind, showing their teeth and claws, which makes people panic.
After being startled by a wild cat that suddenly jumped out, the two of them were quickly persuaded by their servants to leave the remote place in panic, leaving the place to the city fox She Mouse.
The two of them were tired from walking, so they no longer lingered on the color of dust and went straight to Chengtianmen.
…………
At this time, the night was getting darker. At some point, the clouds in the sky covered the moon. It was gloomy and there were signs of snow.
On the square outside Chengtian Gate, Sergeant Yu Lin had already set up defenses, blocking all the people who came here.
There was still some distance away from Chengtian Gate, when the uncle and nephew heard loud noises ahead.
After a moment, the voices merged into one, "Long live my emperor."
The crowd in front bowed down like a wave. The uncle and nephew immediately stopped, and then followed the people around them, bowed deeply, and chanted involuntarily along with the people around them.
The sounds gradually became consistent, and the sound wave spread, shaking Chang'an.
Xu Yushi and Hao Chujun felt like boats sailing on a raging sea, becoming one of the vast number of sentient beings, small and powerful.
I don’t know how long it took, but the voices gradually disappeared.
Master Xu Yu straightened up and said in a shocked voice, "The Holy Emperor is on the throne, his virtue is spread all over the world, his power is inexhaustible, and the world is settled..."
Fortunately, Hao Chujun did not say anything sarcastic. Hao Chujun was silent and looked at the tower in the distance. He knew that the emperor had led his civil and military officials to the city at this time, otherwise it would not have been like this.
What he was thinking was, what kind of scenery can the people above see when they accompany the emperor? In the future... will there be a day when I can become one of the condescending big shots?
This is similar to Li Po's mood when he saw Yang Guang ascending the high platform in Zhuojun. He was generally envious, jealous, and resentful, but he didn't have such big ambitions to replace him.
Of course, if you haven't stood at a high place, you still can't understand what the people at high places are thinking.
…………
On the tower, rows of seats and the emperor's guard of honor had been arranged, waiting for Li Po to take his seat.
