Bai Juyi shook his head, "Master Gu's rules are very strict. All students are not allowed to drink in Hongwen Hall. Violators will be punished with thirty sticks. Last time, Du Xiangguo's grandson Du Shaokang did not believe in evil and secretly brought a bottle of wine from home and hid it."
In the dormitory, it turned out that he was found out. The owner of the library took it upon himself to beat Du Shaokang until he couldn't get out of bed for ten days. No one dared to have any evil thoughts anymore. It was very boring to be in the Hongwen Library. I would rather sit in the newspaper office."
"Gu Gu Gu is your benefactor! When we were in Jiangnan, wasn't he the one who recommended you to Mr. Hange, and you still say that about him?"
Bai Juyi poured a glass of wine for Xue Qing and said: "I didn't say anything bad about him, I just said that he was strict in discipline and rigorous in his studies, so His Highness the King of Jin valued him very much. Of course I respect him very much. Don't talk about me, let's talk about you!
How are you now? I heard that you were transferred to establish the Hydraulic Research Institute, what is that?"
Xue Qing ranked first in law in the imperial examination. He worked as a teaching assistant at Taixue, specializing in criminal law, and was a ninth-grade official. Although his character was gentle, he yearned for a free life in his heart. He did not want to be restrained by his father and eldest sister, nor did he want to be restrained by his father and elder sister.
He too liked the peaceful teaching life and preferred to go to local places to settle cases and judge cases. However, at the insistence of his eldest sister Xue Tao, Xue Qing finally joined the Imperial College to teach, which made him quite helpless.
Xue Qing took a sip of wine and smiled bitterly and said: "It is to use water power to make various items. Take flour grinding as an example. At first, people grinded flour, and later they used animal power to grind flour. However, animal power is also limited and cannot pull a few wheels.
A thousand-pound millstone, so driven by water power, a donkey can grind up to two stones of wheat a day, while a water-powered millstone can grind hundreds of stones of wheat a day, which is very suitable for large workshops. The Hydraulic Research Institute specializes in this."
"What does the donkey grinding noodles have to do with you?" Bai Juyi winked and smiled.
"I don't care if your sarcasm is unqualified!"
Xue Qing drank the rest of the wine in the cup and continued: "I went in because I wrote an article about using water power to make tea cakes. Lu Yu said in the Tea Book, 'The process of making tea is to collect tea cakes.
Pound it, steam it, pound it, pat it, bake it, wear it, seal it, and the tea is dry! The most difficult part here is pounding and patting, which requires a lot of manpower. If water power is used to pound it, it can be alleviated.
After half of the hard work, Han Gao saw my article and dragged me into the Hydraulic Research Institute, which has nothing to do with criminal law."
"It sounds interesting. Please write an article! I'll put it in the people's livelihood column to promote the hydraulic flour mill."
"Let's talk about it in a few days! Now that the river is frozen and the water power is suspended, there is no use writing it. I can first write an article to promote the bellows, which can be used to replace the leather gourd. Whether it is smelting, blacksmithing or cooking, the effect will be the same.
Very good, every household will have one in the future."
Speaking of this, there was a commotion outside, and then, a clear-throated song came from the Cao River, attracting everyone. Xue Qing and Bai Juyi leaned over and saw a man wearing a pomegranate dress standing on a flower boat.
The red-colored young woman is about seventeen or eighteen years old. She has an unrivaled beauty, skin like snow, and a voice as sweet as an oriole.
This woman is called Shi Hongxiu, and she is the number one popular actress in Chang'an. Ji means actor, which is equivalent to the queen of singing in later generations. She is not a prostitute. Shi Hongxiu is extremely talented, proficient in music, and can sing extremely well. She is known as 'Little Liu Caichun'
', students from Taixue and Guozixue are basically her fans.
Bai Juyi was no exception. He had always been a die-hard fan of Shi Hongxiu. For a moment, he was deeply attracted by Shi Hongxiu's singing and appearance. After singing, thunderous cheers erupted from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Bai Juyi sighed softly and said: "This song can only be heard in heaven, how many times can people hear it!"
Xue Qing lowered his voice and laughed: "I heard that she will hold a poetry and music competition the day after tomorrow. Please sign up later! Today is the last chance to sign up."
Bai Juyi was a little tempted. Of course he knew about Shi Hongxiu's poetry and music party. It was held every two months and invited some talented young men to participate. It had been held for four times. Some people said that this was Shi Hongxiu's husband selection party. She had never
She falls in love with the man who makes her heart beat.
"But I have to go to the newspaper office in the afternoon, I'm afraid I don't have time." Bai Juyi hesitated and said.
"Hey! You're so stupid, just say you went to visit people's livelihood, just say... go to Taixue to learn about hydraulic power, and I'll explain it to you later, that's all."
Bai Juyi finally nodded, "Okay! I'll go to the newspaper office and sign my name first, and then I'll go and have a look with you, but I really want to go to Taixue to have a look, otherwise I'll feel guilty!"
"That's okay, come on! Let's have another drink."
.........
Shi Hongxiu's official identity is the music professor of Tianlai Music Studio. Tianlai Music Studio was still the property of Gongsun Auntie. It used to be part of the Hidden Sword Tower. The shadows of swords and swords back then have dispersed. Now it is the largest singing and dancing school in Chang'an, cultivating music, dance
Talented people, many officials and daughters of wealthy families also study music here.
According to Gongsun's will, Tianlai Lefang was passed on to her nephew Guo Song. Guo Song later handed it over to Liu Caichun. Liu Caichun immediately carried out reforms, mainly stripping away its commercial attributes and turning it into a
It is a pure school that no longer participates in commercial performances, but they participate in the flower boat parade.
Shi Hongxiu's fame did not come from Tianlai Bandang, but from singing on the ceiling of Xi'an Menwai Street. Her unparalleled temperament and outstanding beauty made her very popular in Chang'an. Every time she sang,
will attract a large number of loyal audiences.
It was her private matter to hold poetry and music concerts, and the Tianlai Band never interfered, and even allowed her to use the Tianlai Band's venue.
Today is the last day to register for the fifth poetry and music competition. Many students from Guozixue have come, as well as many young men from wealthy families.
Bai Juyi and Xue Qing came to Tianlai Music Studio. A round-faced girl Yingying saluted them at the door, "You two gentlemen are here to sign up for the poetry and music competition?"
"Exactly!"
The girl pointed to a stone path next to her and said, "Please keep walking along this path. At the end, you will find Tingqin Xiaozhu. The registration is right there!"
"Thank you girl!"
Bai Juyi and Xue Qing hurried to Tingqin Xiaozhu. They thought it was very quiet inside, so they signed up and left. Unexpectedly, they were shocked when they entered. The courtyard was crowded with young scholars, at least hundreds of people.
The two looked at each other, both a little regretful. If they had known there were so many people, they wouldn't have come.
The two of them winked and were about to turn around and leave when a girl carrying a plate walked up to them, pursed her lips and said with a smile: "You two gentlemen, please draw lots."
"What...what kind of lot will be drawn?" Bai Juyi asked a bit stammering.
"Are you two here to sign up for the poetry and music competition? If so, please draw lots."
Helpless, the two of them had to draw one lot each. Bai Juyi drew Furong Hall, and Xue Qing drew Haitang Xuan. What did this mean? They were confused.
At this time, a girl stood on the steps and said loudly: "Everyone, please listen. My girl thanks everyone for coming to sign up. Now I invite everyone to go to their respective places where the lot is drawn, sit down and compose a poem, the title is "Farmhouse",
Five or seven words are enough, please come on!"
It took me a long time to take the exam, but it makes sense to think about it. With so many people signing up, how to choose who can participate in the poetry and music competition? Of course, it depends on talent.
Next to it are several semi-open schools, named after flowers. There are more than a dozen long tables in each school. This is actually a place for piano learning. These long tables were originally used to play the piano.
Everyone ran towards the school like a gust of wind. When Bai Juyi walked into Furong Hall, all the long tables were occupied, and everyone was shaking their heads and thinking hard.
At this time, Bai Juyi saw a pen in the hand of the round-faced girl at the door. He picked up half a piece of paper on the ground, stepped forward and said with a smile: "Girl, please lend me a pen."
The girl handed him the pen hesitantly. Bai Juyi took the pen, put the paper on the ground, dipped in some ink, picked up the pen and wrote four lines of poetry.
"Viewing the Cutting of Wheat"
The Tian family has few free months, but in May people are even busier.
At night the south wind blows, and the wheat is covered with yellow.
.......
He immediately left his name below, "Runzhou Bai Juyi."
He handed the pen and paper to the girl, clapped his hands, laughed and left.
The girl hurriedly caught up and said, "Sir, the list will be out at noon tomorrow. If you have time, please come here and take a look at the list."
"Thanks for letting me know!"
Bai Juyi turned around and cupped his hands, then walked out quickly.
........
When Bai Juyi and Xue Qing came to Taixue, Xue Qing was still regretting that his peasant poems had been turned into a peasant banquet, with a table full of dishes, and he probably had no chance.
Bai Juyi patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, there are only seven people selected in total. They have signed up for a month. Will it be your turn or mine? Don't worry anymore."
The two walked into the newly prepared hydraulic research institute, and unexpectedly saw Jin Wang Guo Song. Accompanied by Prime Minister Han Gao and a group of officials, he was visiting several instruments on the stage.
The two were so frightened that they were about to leave, but it was too late. Guo Song saw Xue Qing and waved to him, "Xue Qing, why are you here?"
Xue Qing pulled Bai Juyi, and the two of them walked forward. Xue Qing stepped forward and scratched his head and said: "Your Highness, I am also a member of the construction team here."
Guo Song is Xue Qing's legitimate brother-in-law, but in public, Xue Qing dare not use his family name.
Han Gao next to him said with a smile: "Xiao Xue is a teaching assistant at the School of Criminal Law. He wrote an article on using water power to make tea cakes. It was very insightful. Wei Chen invited him to participate in the preparations. Of course, it was only a part-time job. He
Let’s continue teaching criminal law.”
Guo Song nodded, and in a blink of an eye he saw Bai Juyi next to him. Of course he knew Bai Juyi, his son's best friend. Guo Song smiled and asked, "Aren't you the school calligrapher at Hongwen Hall? Why are you here?"
Bai Juyi stepped forward, bowed, and said bravely: "I have obtained the approval of the library owner for my humble position. I will work part-time at the Chang'an Express newspaper in the afternoon. Today I am here to see the impact of water power on people's livelihood."
Guo Song suddenly remembered that his son had told him that Bai Juyi had taken over his position in the newspaper and his pen name was Bai Ding.
Of course, this kind of behavior of using the time of the previous court to work part-time is absolutely not allowed, but since it was approved by Gu Kuang, Guo Song would not pay too much attention to this kind of matter. He would just ask Gu Kuang later.
Guo Song smiled, pointed to an object next to him and said, "Tell me about this! Does Bai Xiaoshu know what it is?"