Chang Anqing

Chapter 41: Tanabata Night Escape

When the night falls, the atmosphere of the Qiqiao Festival has already enveloped the entire Chang'an City. Looking down, the high towers, pavilions, streets and streets are all hung with colorful tassel lamps, and the green trees by the Qujiang River are also hung as beautiful as clouds. The colorful silk, because it is August, the osmanthus flowers and drunken hibiscus all over the city are blooming, and the red-colored drunken hibiscus, accompanied by the fragrant and elegant fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus, attracts passers-by for a long time to stop and refuse to leave. Under the tree and osmanthus, the children in new clothes poured the osmanthus flowers to each other, and the rice petals fell on the clothes of pedestrians, on the sleeves, the fragrance drifted ten miles.

In order to show the kindness of the Son of Heaven who shares the joy with the people, Emperor Yuancheng set off a torchlight outside the Zhuque Gate in Chang'an tonight. The sound of gold, stone and leather can be heard dozens of miles away.

With the sound of the drums playing the time in the city, the gentle moonlight is like a silver gauze curtain sloping down on the flowing water, sprinkled on the brightly lit and noisy Chang'an City, and under this quiet moonlight, the southeast corner of Daming Palace is like a A shining pearl in the night, it turns out that Emperor Yuan Cheng ordered the Ministry of Industry and Shang Gong Bureau to build a Qiqiao Building here with colorful brocade as early as half a month ago. The realistic Moon Palace Tianhe scene came out. Li Sui leaned on the railing and looked at it. The cranes spread their wings under the hot spring waterfall outside the building, and a few peacocks were stretching their tail feathers by the bamboo forest. The palace maid Yun Huan Liying shuttled in and out, with her dress dragging on the ground. It seems that he really sleepwalked to the Moon Palace.

"Chang'an is so beautiful tonight."

Hearing this, Li Sui turned his head and looked at Baoying, who was sighing at the side, smiled and then turned his eyes back to An Lefang outside the palace and muttered, "I may not have seen Chang'an like this for a long time."

In the previous life, Chang'an experienced dynasties and emperors frequently changed. It seemed that Chang'an was still the same Chang'an. However, at that time, Chang'an had already experienced a sharp decline in the treasury and people's livelihood.So when she moved into the Central Palace and stood at the top of Chang'an, the first thing she did was to issue a warrant, advocating open source and saving, and the monthly stipends were gradually reduced since the establishment of the government hall. The most important festivals are never allowed to be so extravagant.Later, she frequently recommended capable officials to Yang Yan, and advocated drastic reforms.

However, when everything is gradually on the right track, she ignores that Yang Yan, the king of a country, has an elegant nature, loves poetry, and loves music and dance. These ultimate enjoyments are also his lifelong pursuits.

Over time, the conflict between the two of them was like peeling off a cocoon, intensifying and deepening little by little. At that time, she tried to persuade and reduce Yang Yan's running costs, but Yang Yan regarded her as puzzled. The stubborn old minister repeatedly admonished Yang Yan, pointing out that her mind was far from a small harem, but in the world.

Those remonstrances piled up like snowflakes on Yang Yan's imperial case. At first, Yang Yan still trusted her, but as time went on, she again persuaded Yang Yan not to carry out major construction projects and was eager to build another palace in Luoyang. When he received the unanimous support of many new ministers, what Yang Yan received in return was the words of complaint, or the words of suspicion, that Yang Yan had spoken to his confidants in private.

"The queen's power is growing, and the courtiers are all bowing their heads. I am the son of the emperor, and the world is my own, but I can't be free."

Since then, those old ministers who strongly opposed her began to recklessly and openly attacked her with the "Lv Huo style" on the grounds of the emperor's complaint. The current Empress Lu.

However, how many people in the world know that through her efforts to increase income and reduce expenditure, after Yang Yan died and the new emperor ascended the throne, the national treasury would be filled to the point where the seven major granaries in the world were worth more than a million stones, let alone the other granaries. The money is also enough for 20 years.

However, Yang Yan couldn't see it, let alone those stubborn old officials who opposed her.

Perhaps, at that time, if she was willing to let go of assisting Yang Yan and work hard, instead of her ambition to develop a prosperous world, and was willing to retreat to the harem to be a worthy queen who raised her eyebrows, she would not have those voices of opposition, and there would be no suspicion of Yang Yan. There will be no such ending.

But if it is like that, is she like that, is it still her?

In Li Sui's heart, the answer couldn't be more clear.

"Aman-"

Hearing the low voice beside him, Li Sui followed the sound and saw Baoying glanced at the hall behind him with a smile and said, "The palace banquet has begun."

Li Sui smiled back, nodding her head and entering hand in hand with her, but after a moment, Empress Yang was supported by Jia Mo and came out of the apse. : "Aman, come."

In the eyes of everyone, Li Sui stood up dignifiedly and brushed the tail of her skirt, and just now she walked to Queen Yang and knelt down and sat down. Queen Yang naturally held her hand and turned to look at everyone and said, "Today It is His Majesty’s holy grace to invite you all, you don’t need to be cautious, just enjoy yourself.”

After speaking, Queen Yang picked up the pomegranate juice in her hand and invited her from afar. After drinking one, the stage outside the building suddenly went out. Just when everyone was surprised, one after another palace lanterns were stirred up by the beauties holding the lanterns. A round of "Mingyue" stood outside the building. In the amazement of everyone, many beauties were already dancing in the middle of the moon, setting off this fairyland to the extreme. When the vocal music faded, the beauty receded, standing in a white silk yarn. The young men and women looked just like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl looking at the Milky Way, so that everyone almost forgot to touch their palms.

Only when Emperor Yuancheng and his ministers applauded from downstairs, the women upstairs came back to their senses under the leadership of Empress Yang.

"This dance is exquisite and complements the scenery tonight. Shangguan Zhaoyi, you did a very good job of today's Tanabata feast."

When she heard Empress Yang's praise, the young lady in the palace dress on the right stood up immediately, walking gracefully and dignifiedly, she leaned over and saluted: "If your Majesty and His Highness can smile, the concubine is satisfied, and tonight the concubine also borrowed flowers to offer Buddha. With this song and dance, I wish Haiyan Heqing, and I wish Your Majesty and His Highness a long life."

Listening to these well-established and pleasant words, Li Sui looked at the Shangguan Zhaoyi in front of him. She had a beautiful appearance. Although she was not as beautiful as her sister, she had a style of her own.

In this harem, Shangguan Zhaoyi, like her father, is a smart person who understands, so she can stand on the inside and outside, and stand firm.

When the banquet was over, Li Sui looked at the maids and saw the seven-hole needles and silk threads of various colors. She pretended to be indifferent and covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief and yawned quietly. Empress Yang noticed it and thought about it. Then he looked at Baoying who was seated under his seat and said, "Tonight on the Qixi Festival, Chang'an City is also lively, and the two sisters of Hongnong rarely come here, Aman, you will do your best for me, and take them to see the night in Chang'an. Square."

When Baoying and Hongying heard these words, they quickly got up to show their gratitude to Queen Yang. Li Sui heard the words and nodded, and responded with a smile.

"Tonight there are so many people, the little lady's house is always unsafe—"

Hearing the words of aunt Li who was sitting on the table, Li Sui naturally understood the meaning, and as expected, Li immediately said: "Let Erlang and Shiro accompany their sisters."

The voice fell, and before Empress Yang could speak, the county magistrate Rong'an couldn't sit still, and immediately acted like a spoiled brat.

Just like this, the trip of only three people turned into six people. If it hadn't been for Dalang Yang Jin and Saburo Yang Che to fight the rebellion in the southwest, I'm afraid there would be two of them.When Li Sui and his party left the palace, the carriage was walking leisurely in the endless stream of people, and there was a lot of noise and excitement in the ears.

When the carriage went to Changxingfang, it would no longer work. Li Sui and Bao Yingfu, who were in the same carriage, got off the carriage and saw that the county owner of Rongan and Hongying were already standing beside Yang Yan. Yang Yan was surrounded by them. He wanted to say something to Li Sui, but after seeing everyone, he finally swallowed and said, "There are many pedestrians here, so the carriages and horses have to stay here, so let's just walk over."

Li Sui naturally nodded in response. Seeing that Yang Yan, Rong An and Hongying walked to the front, Li Sui and Baoying walked behind, hand in hand with Baoying, and Yang Zhen, the fourth man, walked one step away from Li Sui, but it was always good. Yang Zhen, who has been lingering in Song and Dance Workshop, is thinking about where he is at the moment. He has already flown to Pingkangfang, but Yang Yan is here, so he can only look around absentmindedly, just thinking about how to find a speech and take a walk.

Because of this, Yang Zhen naturally didn't notice that Li Sui was inadvertently pulling Baoying to talk, but the two gradually fell behind. Just as the Baixi artist in front of them attracted everyone to stop, they were more and more rubbing shoulders, and when the water was blocked, Baoying suddenly felt Li Sui dragged her to an alley beside her. When she was surprised, Li Sui made a silent gesture and whispered, "Follow me."

When the two took Huirong and Yunu all the way to the carriage in the alley, Li Sui got on the carriage without hesitation, turned around and stretched out her hand to Baoying. Although Baoying was full of puzzlement, she saw Li Sui's smile full of joy. He seemed to have some little secrets, so he didn't ask any more questions, and happily handed it over and went along with him.

In a blink of an eye, the carriage quietly left the alley and headed in the other direction.

(End of this chapter)