In the early spring of February in Beijing, by the time between Shen and You, the westward sunshine has lost its warmth.
But the molten gold-like color is far more dazzling than at noon.
This wisp of golden light passes through the peach blossom paper between the window grilles and enters the house. It blends with the hot air on the large wooden basin, making it more and more apparent that this small world is both mysterious and human.
relaxation.
Zheng Haizhu immersed his entire body in the water.
After feeling it for a moment, she said to Zhu Yuewen who was standing by the basin with satisfaction: "The water temperature is good, I can't help you."
"It's not difficult. Madam is always on time. I boil the water according to the time, which makes it much easier."
Zheng Haizhu opened his eyes and looked up at the other person: "Yes, your math is very good. Calculating hot and cold is easier than calculating the law of twelve equals."
Zhu Yuewen saw that after the woman said this, she did not continue to look at him, but closed her eyes and enjoyed the joy of bathing in hot water, so he asked: "Do you listen to the piano, madam?"
"Listen. Is that piano that the emperor's eldest son gave you good to play?"
"I used that piano to compose a new song. What the Western missionary said is true. The piano is easier to tune than the disc-type zither."
The piano they were talking about was the clavichord brought to the Ming Dynasty by the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci.
During the Wanli period, Matteo Ricci came to Beijing to meet the saint. In addition to presenting world maps, Western oil paintings, self-ringing bells and other objects, he also presented a piano that was favored by European royal families.
However, this was the predecessor of the modern piano. It was only five feet wide and had more than forty keys that could be accommodated in a wooden box.
Because it was far less eye-catching than the tall and gorgeous Ziming Bell Tower, and Emperor Wanli had no interest in music, this tribute quickly disappeared and gathered dust in the antique store north of the palace.
Last year, when Zhu Youxiao returned to Beijing from Shandong, Zheng Haizhu praised him profusely in front of his emperor father, Zhu Changluo, praising him for his courage to stand up to local tyrants and giving him most of the credit for Qingtian's initial victory.
Zhu Changluo was very pleased with Longyan. Knowing that his son liked intricate gadgets, he passed word of mouth that the eldest son of the emperor could go in and out of the antique store to choose the items he liked.
Therefore, the clavichord given by Matteo Ricci was dug out by Zhu Youxiao.
"Master Zheng, repay the favor. You gave me a self-ringing bell and this wooden box piano. Give it to the musician you brought back and let him play it for you."
At this time, Zheng Haizhu, who was in good health, soon experienced auditory pleasure.
Zhu Yuewen sat in front of the Arhat couch not far away, tapping the keys of the piano.
It's actually a light-flavored song, and the melody isn't weird at all.
After all, he was Zhu Zaiyu's disciple. Because he understood the principle of twelve equal temperaments, he quickly figured out how to play the piano.
Zhu Yuewen played four or five small songs that he had written before slowly standing up.
He was very keen on duration and had a good memory. Based on his experience, he felt that the water in the basin was not hot enough.
"No need to add more hot water, I've had enough. Let's go to the bed."
Zheng Haizhu's tone was neither condescending nor flattering, but the meaning was clear, just like the previous times.
Zhu Yuewen took the large Songjiang cotton bath towel that he had prepared, wrapped it around the woman in front of him, wiped away the remaining water drops, and then hugged her directly.
The woman naturally nibbled on the side of his neck as if she were raising her chopsticks at the dinner table.
Arriving on the Arhat couch behind the piano, Zhu Yuewen felt the lips leave the skin of his neck and softly uttered "Let me be on top."
"Yeah." Zhu Yuewen agreed, completely relaxing his back and lying on his back in the brocade quilt.
The charcoal fire in the indoor copper basin is far less able to provide warmth to each other than each other's body temperature.
The heat comes from the inside out.
The flames transformed into countless butterflies, their flapping wings forming a cocoon as if they covered the sky and the sun.
A few months ago, when this temporary cocoon house was built by Mrs. Zheng on her own initiative, Zhu Yuewen experienced obvious psychological discomfort afterwards.
His experience made him understand that it was indeed the first time for Madam.
This just frustrated him.
Because after the brief discomfort caused by the pain subsided, the lady soon showed a demand that was equal to that of the man.
Moreover, after this kind of demand is satisfied, there is no subsequent emotion at all.
The lady would look into his eyes and express her joyful feelings, but when her breath was calm, she would gently tell him that she would not be here for the next ten days because she would never conceive an heir unexpectedly.
"When you are ruthless, you will never be deeply in love." Zhu Yuewen interpreted this meaning.
Thinking of his own identity and situation, he could not help but feel that his dignity had been compromised.
Isn't it that I am no different from the queen of thousands of years ago, or the little singers that the father-in-laws like to cultivate nowadays?
However, Mrs. Zheng saw his underlying indifference and awkwardness the second time she came.
To Zhu Yuewen's expectation, his wife did not become angry or walk away on the spot, but instead expressed her gratitude to him directly.
"Mr. Zhu, it's not surprising that this woman is thinking about this matter just like you men. I won't go to Qin Lou Chu Palace, let alone choose a man who has official business dealings or a business partnership, so you
It’s really rare. You are a musical hermit who has jumped out of the three realms. You are the piano, which can smoothly change the key and solve my problem."
"So, Madam, you are not looking down on me and treating me as a plaything?" Zhu Yuewen asked.
"You are completely wrong," Zheng Haizhu said. "I will only treat enemies as prey, and will never treat harmless people as playthings. Mr. Zhu, your view of men and women should be the same as your view of music."
The view is the same, but more broad. We don’t only have two kinds of relationships: marriage or raising children.”
Zhu Yuewen calmed down: "Okay, I'll try."
So, from winter to spring, Zhu Yuewen slowly adapted to this relationship, and gradually realized that it was wonderful.
There is no deep love, no group of wives and concubines, and no future for children and grandchildren. These words in the book make the ears go numb. The good luck and good fortune. In Zhu Yuewen's place, it has changed from distant to false, and from false to false.
Not worth mentioning.
The simple and pure comfort made him feel as free as flying in the air.
At this moment, after the two of them were finally satisfied again, Zheng Haizhu sat up wrapped in a brocade quilt, tied her messy hair back into place, and then said to Zhu Yuewen: "If someone really knows about it, I won't be afraid, even if it comes to the emperor."
In front of the emperor, I can also stand on the truth. I have clarified myself that I will not marry, not that I will not find men to have sex with. This move neither harms the country or the people, nor does it break up marriages and dig graves. When political opponents point it out, it is just public revenge for private revenge."
Zhu Yuewen used his hand as a pillow and said slowly: "How can I be afraid? I am not married and you are not married. It is not written in the laws of the Ming Dynasty that you will be put in jail for this matter? If someone pokes you in the spine, just poke it.
Go ahead, if you can break your backbone just by gossiping, you won't have to send troops to fight the Tartars. You can just find a few censors to yell at them."
Zheng Haizhu smiled, remembered something, and said: "You have written a big song later, and if you want to find a band, I completely agree. Don't worry about the money, I will give it to you."
Since Zhu Yuewen understood that Mrs. Zheng supported him rather than supported him, he naturally passed the threshold in his heart, so he did not respond to the mention of money to her.
"I was just about to tell you that I want to use the huqin to match this Western piano, so I have to hire a few luthiers."
As Zhu Yuewen said this, he also got off the bed, and was about to tie up his clothes and go get the music score he had written to show Zheng Haizhu, when he heard a noise outside the courtyard.
