It was almost dusk, and Pingkang Square was still busy with traffic, but no pedestrians were seen. Although Chang'an City has a curfew that prevents pedestrians from walking outside the square at night, there are not many restrictions inside the square.
Especially in Pingkangfang, where there are many dignitaries and dignitaries, the Jinwu Guards who are responsible for patrolling the city and keeping watch do not dare to offend and intrude, so there is often the sound of singing and dancing here all night long, and the bustling level is far better than other places.
To the east of the north gate of Pingkangfang is where all the prostitutes live. Starting from the wall of the square and going south, there are three rows of houses and courtyards. They are called "Sanqu". Among them are the tall buildings and halls of Nanqu.
Zhu Diancui is the most eye-catching.
I saw a water channel leading from outside the house to Nanqu, and was dug by skilled craftsmen into a winding waterway, which can be used for small boats and tents. Some houses even demolished half of the courtyard walls and opened them up as stages, where a group of dancers raised their sleeves and danced to the sound of drums.
, silk ribbons fluttering, snow skin shining, these scenes are heart-stirring.
Cheng Sanwu followed Afu closely on horseback. Looking around, he saw that there were many young people on the road. They were nobles in the capital, with luxurious servants and horses, and beautiful clothes. There were also beautiful prostitutes who went out to board the carriage and spent the night elsewhere with their patrons.
The three of them came to the door of Tianxiang Pavilion and dismounted. In the vast mansion in front of them, there was a three-story black and red building. Colorful gauze curtains hung from a high place, fluttering in the wind, and bursts of refreshing fragrance blew in. As they passed by,
Everyone stopped and craned their necks to get a glimpse of the scenery upstairs.
Qin Wangshu took the initiative to hand over the name card, and the gatekeeper looked at it and went inside to report. Seeing this, Cheng Sanwu came closer and asked: "Are the rules here so big? It's like a government office."
Afu replied in a low voice: "Otherwise? Do you think anyone can enter a place like this if they want? There are several large mansions in Nanqu, which are not only used for the enjoyment of dignitaries, but also for private discussions on important matters.
I've booked Tianxiang Pavilion today, so don't worry."
Cheng Sanwu nodded as if he understood, and then a servant came out from the courtyard to take away the horses, and a maid in a light crimson skirt welcomed the three of them into Tianxiang Pavilion.
Tianxiang Pavilion is located near the water. There are nine meandering streams in the courtyard, rockeries like screens, and dense tree shades, creating a beautiful scene of Wushan and across the water in Chang'an, Guanzhong. And just a few steps inside, the noise of Pingkangfang is hard to hear.
This is not the work of magic, but it can only be the ingenious arrangement of the house builders.
Walking in the quiet courtyard, even Cheng Sanwu did not dare to shout randomly, and there was the faint and elegant sound of the piano in the distance, like flowing water.
"It's a good song 'Welcome the Immortal Guest', Miss Jiangzhen has given us enough face." Afu recognized the music and clapped her hands in praise.
Walking around a lake stone rockery, the three-story Zhulou is right in front of you. One of the floors has no walls, with pillars on all sides. It is like a pavilion, with screens and hanging gauze tents. You can vaguely see a pretty figure sitting next to the table, playing the piano.
play music.
The maids on the left and right stood waiting. When the sound of the piano stopped, they took the initiative to open the heavy smoky purple gauze curtain. The woman playing the piano stood up and came out to greet her. She was wearing a pomegranate red chest-length skirt, tied with a silk ribbon at the waist, and covered with a goose-yellow gauze gown.
Sleeve shirt, lotus color shawl hanging on the arm.
This woman has bright almond eyes, a beautiful nose and cherry lips, and a thin layer of makeup. She does not imitate the heavy makeup of today's ladies, and there is no trace of kitsch. She has an exquisite figure, a lotus step, half draped and half bunched like a waterfall of blue silk, and her head is decorated with beads.
The steps were swaying slightly, not too much. Just by taking these short steps, Cheng Sanwu judged that this woman had a lot of light skills.
"Sister Fu is joking, how can my piano skills be compared with yours?" Miss Jiangzhen's tone was soft, bright and moving with a hint of girlish playfulness, and then she looked at Cheng Sanwu: "I wonder who this distinguished guest is...
"
"His name is Cheng Sanwu." Afu rushed to introduce: "This person is the guest of honor at Tianxiang Pavilion tonight."
Miss Jiangzhen raised her hands in front of her chest, bowed her head slightly and knelt down, and said respectfully: "Little girl Jiangzhen, I wish Cheng Lang all the best."
"Oh, you are lucky too." Cheng Sanwu giggled.
Jiang Zhen looked at Cheng Sanwu, with doubts in his eyes, but his smile was polite and not offensive.
Seeing him like this, Afu couldn't help but smile and said: "Jiangzhen, tonight, this guy will be trained by you and let him open his eyes."
"As for Sister Fu, Cheng Lang is a very talented person. I think he is a great hero who is famous in the world. Being able to meet Cheng Lang is a blessing for this little girl." Jiang Zhen has always had a very accurate eye for people. This is Pingkangfang
The essential skills of Nanqu prostitutes are that even strangers they meet for the first time can tell their specific occupation from their clothes, words and deeds.
Even if the guest deliberately conceals his identity, his temperament and demeanor cannot be changed. Jiang Zhen has seen countless people. Even if it is a certain prince who comes incognito, she can accurately identify the visitor's identity from the details of his gestures.
In Jiang Zhen's eyes, Cheng Sanwu was just a man of the world, and looking at the slightly shabby arrow-sleeved attire and untrimmed beard and hair, it was obvious that he was not from a famous family. Combined with that, it was considered vulgar.
Even with just one rude word, Jiang Zhen could tell that Cheng Sanwu was from a humble background, almost comparable to a green forest bandit.
Sensing Cheng Sanwu's aggressive gaze wandering around her body, Jiang Zhen's face remained unchanged and she smiled softly. No matter who looked at her, they would feel deeply that this Shu was extremely well-educated.
However, Jiang Zhen is used to men's ugly behavior. Even if they act polite at first, it won't take long for them to show their covetous looks. But few people will be like Cheng Sanwu, who will glance at him with naked eyes as soon as he comes up, as if
Think of this place as one of those despicable brothels along the northern wall, where as long as you pay, you can immediately take off your pants and get started.
Jiangzhen invited the three of them to go upstairs. Cheng Sanwu stared at Jiangzhen's straight back and the convex curves that were faintly visible in her steps. He leaned slightly and asked Afu beside him: "She calls you sister, is it possible that you come here often?"
here?"
"I'm a frequent visitor to Tianxiang Pavilion." Afu smiled half-heartedly, her plump lips were slightly hooked like water chestnuts.
"Wait a minute, isn't this right?" Cheng Sanwu scratched his head and really didn't know how to describe it: "But you are a woman. You are nothing like that guy when you come here."
As soon as these words came out, not only Ah Fu, but also Jiang Zhen and Qin Wangshu stopped in their tracks, and the scene fell into an awkward silence.
"Oh, I understand." Cheng Sanwu showed an expression of sudden realization, then looked at Afu meaningfully and said: "So you like this kind of tune, I really didn't realize it."
Jiang Zhen, who was walking in front, acted as if nothing had happened and quickly returned to normal and continued to climb the stairs. Qin Wangshu, who was following behind, was so ashamed that he was so angry that he wanted to draw his knife and stab Cheng Sanwu in the vest.
A Fu didn't see any anger. She picked up the kit at her waist, slapped Cheng Sanwu on the butt, and asked with a smile: "I brought Mr. Jiao, do you want to come with me?"
Cheng Sanwu was slapped so hard that goosebumps appeared all over his body. He shook his head like a rattle and waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, no!"
Everyone chatted and laughed as they came to the second floor and opened the crystal bead curtain. The furnishings here are exquisite but not too complicated. The three sandalwood couches have no carvings and are covered with brocade mattresses and embroidered pillows. There are also gauze curtains hanging behind the couches.
There were bursts of silk and bamboo music, presumably from the musicians in the pavilion. On the tables on the couch were placed secret-color porcelain vessels from Yuezhou in the south of the Yangtze River. They were as green as willows and as crystal clear and moist as lake water, bringing a touch of the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River.
here.
Unlike the first floor, which has no walls or doors, the door leaves on the second floor are folded. After opening the carved red lacquer door leaves, you can see the scene outside Tianxiang Pavilion. Now that it is dark, the lights are brightly lit everywhere in Pingkang Square, allowing people to take a peek.
The most prosperous square inch of Chang'an.
Cheng Sanwu has never set foot in Jiangnan, but he can also feel that the owner of this place wants to create an artistic atmosphere that is very different from Chang'an.
The maids moved the staggered golden Boshan furnace placed in the center of the hall, and the quiet orchid fragrance floated. The fragrance lingered on the clothes after being here for a long time, and it was ethereal, living up to the name of "Heavenly Fragrance".
Everyone sat down one after another. Jiang Zhen and Cheng Sanwu each took a separate couch. After Afu sat down, she patted the brocade mattress on the couch and said to Qin Wangshu who was standing by: "We are just here to relax today. Let's all go and sit down."
."
Qin Wangshu couldn't suppress the joy on his face, he immediately took off his saber, sat on the same bed with Afu, and looked at Cheng Sanwu opposite with a proud look. Cheng Sanwu didn't understand why, but he just took off his saber obediently.
.
Jiang Zhen gave her a high-five, and immediately the maids came one after another, holding wine and food in their hands and placing several cases beside them.
The portions of these food and drinks were not very big. The first dish was a plate of tender white bamboo shoots. Cheng Sanwu looked confused, Jiangzhen smiled and said: "This dish is called 'Autumn Wind Thinking of Wuzhong'. You might as well start your appetizer."
Cheng Sanwu picked up the ivory chopsticks and ate one of the "bamboo shoots". At first he felt the texture was crisp, and then he found that there was fresh meat filling inside. When paired with the slightly bland "bamboo shoots", it was immediately sweet and delicious.
It seems like the soup is melting.
Although this dish was enough for Cheng to eat three or five times, his appetite was still aroused. He took off his chopsticks and ate it all in the blink of an eye.
"This is the inside of wild rice that is hollowed out and filled with seabass meat?" Afu asked after tasting a few bites.
"As expected of Sister Fu." Jiang Zhen nodded slightly: "Wild cabbage and seabass have always been known as 'gold soup and jade soup' in the Wuzhong area. Both of these are seasonal delicacies of the Double Ninth Festival, and they happened to be delivered immediately yesterday. I
I just made this 'Autumn Wind Thinking of Wuzhong' by the way."
"The bass will die when it comes out of the water. It is extremely difficult to transport it to Chang'an." Afu said while holding a piece of wild cabbage and looking at it.
Jiang Zhen bowed with a smile: "This is a fly in the ointment. I saw that the sea bass was not fresh enough, so I did not make the wild cabbage soup or sea bass dumpling according to the ancient recipe. Instead, I separated the bones of the sea bass into the meat, chopped it into confit, and filled it with wild cabbage.
Finally, boil it in pheasant soup to preserve some of the flavor."
"After all, the scenery of Wuyue is different from that of Chang'an. It is not easy to achieve this level." Afu looked at Jiangzhen and smiled: "You are thoughtful, thank you."
"Sister Fu is a master of Wuyue culture. Jiangzhen is very honored to receive this thank you."
Cheng Sanwu only realized after hearing this. If he guessed correctly, Afu should have stayed in the Wuyue land in the south of the Yangtze River for a period of time. Afu said that he was invited to Tianxiang Pavilion, but here everything from the layout of utensils to the cost of food
, basically all done according to the Jiangnan Wuyue style, Jiang Zhen clearly wanted to please Afu.
Qin Wangshu, who was on the same bed as Afu, moved her fingers slightly, trying to silently write down the method of making this dish, but after listening to it, she felt that she couldn't do it at all.
Jiangzhen signaled with his eyes to the maids, and brought the second dish to the table. It was a plate of roast goose with red and shiny sauce, placed on perilla leaves, stacked into a pagoda shape.
At the same time, the maid held a pot and poured wine. In the colorless glass cup, there was wine as red as blood, and a small piece of ice was also put in it.
Cheng Sanwu was excited when he saw the meat. He immediately took off his chopsticks before Jiang Zhen could say anything. He felt a sweet and sour taste explode in his mouth along with the fat. The roast goose meat melted in his mouth. Cheng Sanwu didn't understand it before he tasted it.
I swallowed it. After a while, a burning sensation rose from my chest and abdomen, and my throat felt slightly dry.
After A Fu and Qin Wangshu tasted it, they each showed expressions of approval. Jiang Zhen introduced: "This dish is called 'Jiu Yu Mi Bing Xiao', which uses the pounding and roasting method to cook fat goose, add melon, green onion and ginger.
Grind orange peel and Sichuan pepper into fine crumbs, mix well with good vinegar and egg white, smear the goose body, and then grill it over a high fire until the oil seeps out. This dish is spicy and hot, and it goes well with a cup of 'Kunlun Sake'."
Before Jiang Zhen finished speaking, Cheng Sanwu had already finished his plate of roast goose and drank three or four glasses of the ice-cold wine. The maid on the side had to pour the wine again and again.
"Yes, the past needs to be put away. It is useless to think about it too much." Afu shook the glass cup thoughtfully, then raised his head and drank the blood-like wine, and a blush appeared on his cheeks.
"By the way, what's the point of this 'Kunlun Wine'?" Cheng Sanwu finally understood. This place is either for filling the stomach or for the literati to have fun.
Jiangzhen smiled and replied: "It is said that hundreds of years ago, there was a Taoist in the Northern Dynasties who used the Hugo as a boat carrier and sailed up the Yellow River to the source of the Kunlun River. Later, the Taoist disappeared without a trace, and only the Hugo came back along the river.
The water from the source of the river is filled with water. After standing for a night, the clear water turns red and is used to make wine. It is fragrant and sweet and is said to be the most delicious in the world, so it is called 'Kunlun Wine'."
"This..." Cheng Sanwu looked at the others, a little confused: "Is this a myth and legend? Can the wine from hundreds of years ago still be drunk?"
Jiangzhen covered her mouth and smiled, while Afu frowned and said: "How can anyone be serious here? It's really disappointing!"
Cheng Sanwu couldn't resist, so Jiang Zhen ordered the third dish to be brought to the table, which was shredded pork porridge served in a white porcelain cup.
"This is 'Forgetting to Enter the Jianghu'. Fresh crucian carp is cut into thin strips, seasoned with green onion, ginger, and parsley, and finally boiled with japonica rice to make porridge. It is the easiest to make among the three dishes." Jiang Zhenyan said.
.
"What a 'forgetting each other into the rivers and lakes'." Afu gently stirred the porridge with a jade spoon. It tasted delicious. The fish meat was so thin that it almost blended into the porridge. It was indistinguishable from each other, just like fish entering the rivers and lakes.
The first dish, "Autumn Wind Thinking of Wuzhong", hinted that Afu had lived in Wuyue for a long time, which aroused her old thoughts. The second dish, "Old Feathers Looking for Ice to Dissolve", actually made Afumo miss the past and let it pass away like a river.
, but the Kunlun one. The last part "Forgetting each other into the rivers and lakes" is Jiangzhen's wish that Afu can be unfettered and free from the restraints.
Cheng finished the porridge in the porcelain cup in a few mouthfuls and licked his mouth, feeling that his stomach was still empty.
"How is it?" Afu asked, holding her chin with one hand: "Miss Jiangzhen is so kind and heart-warming, and she has such delicious food. It is extremely rare in Chang'an. Don't you think I have treated you badly?"