Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 788: Xu Niangzi's Little Tune
On the upper floor of the Jiaofangsi,
In the elegant rhyme,
Seeing the distinguished guest nod in agreement, Yunniang's face lit up with joy and she quickly agreed.

"Okay, sir, wait a minute. These two are rare women. You don't know that when they first came, they were desperate, but now they are very well-behaved. Not only do they have a good voice, but they also learn Jiangnan Kunqu Opera the fastest."

As the saying goes, Wang Po sells melons and brags about them. Even in a brothel, it is the same. While eating the meat in the bowl, Zhang Jinyu asked casually,
"Since you can sing Kunqu Opera, can you sing Jiangnan Ink Opera?"

He couldn't remember any other accents, but at the wedding banquet of the Prime Minister, many officials praised the Shuimo accent, which was very famous, so he only remembered this.

When Yunniang heard this, her face fell and she smiled;
"Master, look at what you said, how can someone who has just started learning know these things? Shuimoqiang is difficult to learn. Even in the capital, the number of people who can sing it can be counted on one's ten fingers. And they are all kept in the mansions of important people. If you really want to listen to it, you have to wait for a year or so."

"Why is that?"

The second prince's cheeks were bulging from eating. Although he was enjoying his meal, he was not oblivious to the noise. He asked curiously,
Yun Niang watched the four people, who had no manners at all, wolfing down the food. They looked as if they had been hungry for days. She had never seen anyone like them before, but their aura was unmistakable. They were not arrogant, and it seemed as if their arrogance was engraved in their bones.
I dare not neglect it. After all, there are many people to receive. I have never missed this pair of eyes.
"To answer your question, don't all songs need practice? We have invited everyone from the Jiaofang Division to come here to teach what you said. Even those with talent will need half a year, and those without talent will not have the time, so just wait for a year and you will be able to do it."

"Oh, so that's how it is. Mm, this is delicious."

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei took a few bites of the meat and spoke incoherently.
Zhang Jinyu waved her hand. Well, I don't have to do anything. I'll just sing a song to relieve my boredom.

"Okay, let someone come over and sing a song for us."

"Okay, everyone, wait."

Yunniang was so happy that she turned around and went out to call for help.

Afterwards, there was only the sound of a few people swallowing at the table.
At this moment, there were whispers coming from the next table, and a man said in a low voice;

"Brother Hu, don't just focus on eating. I want to ask you something. Is there any news from the south?"

"Ahem, you guys are really annoying. You all come here to have fun and ask those questions. It's useless to ask. Only the imperial court can get the news. Let's forget about it."

Hu Shoucheng took a bite of meat and drank a sip of wine, not caring about it, but Yin Renchang was different and asked;
"Eat slowly, it's not like you need anything. We brothers are not outsiders, so we can ask whatever we want. This trip south is a rare opportunity, but unfortunately, General Wang Jie didn't need us to wait, and only brought two lieutenants. The people in the Beijing camp didn't move much, so the nobles lost their great opportunity."

Complaining all the time,
Zhang Jinyu's eyes lit up when he heard this. Wow, this guy must be a general from the Beijing camp. He quickly winked at the three princes, stretched out his finger, and flicked it to his lips, signaling them not to make a sound.

The three of them also saw and heard it, nodded, moved their mouths a few times, and pricked up their ears.

there,

Hu Shoucheng slammed the table and said angrily;

"'What else', it's just that grandma doesn't love us, uncle doesn't love us, and they took their trusted followers with them, so naturally they won't take us. Besides, there are so many generals in the government army, how can we get a turn? I just don't know if those Taiping sect villains can hold out for a few days. Maybe they will surrender when the army coming south arrives. Let's not talk about these troubles, come on, do it."

Then there was the sound of wine glasses clinking, and the sounds of eating and drinking were heard again. As the saying goes, the sky is big and the earth is big, but it is not as big as filling your internal organs, let alone in the military camp, serving a group of soldiers.

Zhang Jinyu was not in a hurry either. It seemed that the morale of the generals of the Beijing Camp was still good, and they had the leisure to talk about these things. If the generals of the Beijing Camp were all lifeless, let alone wiping out the Taiping Sect and the White Lotus Sect, even if they were to practice martial arts with the government army, they would probably be useless and that would be the end of them.

After a while,
Perhaps because he was half full, he seemed to have more strength, and the voices continued to come.
"Brothers, there are some things that are not reasonable. The general's trip to the south is a happy event for our Beijing camp, but those crooked soldiers from the government army are so persistent that all the good things fall on their heads. But don't worry, as long as you can become a general of the government army, there is no hope for promotion. It's a waste of effort."

I don't know who said it, but it has a lot of meaning. Zhang Jinyu thought about it and it made sense. Being sent from the Beijing camp to the government army was obviously the highest promotion he could get. The court also gave him grace, which was also an explanation.
Especially Lü Daiyuan of Daliang City, he has reached the position of Jiedushi and there is no way for him to be promoted. Even if he is given an official position in Beijing, he will not leave. Therefore, the intention of the court is almost obvious, which is to consume their military strength. The Minister of War Zhao Ge Lao is really insidious in using troops. Tsk tsk!

"Haha, Brother Duan, from what you said, it doesn't matter if you can't get promoted, but there should be plenty of low-level titles. For families with many descendants, one more title means one more way out. Who wouldn't want it? In case a hero emerges in the family and makes a comeback in the future, it's not impossible. As for the other things, my two brothers, I think those people will definitely fail miserably."

As soon as this word comes out,
The place behind the screen immediately became quiet. Duan Wenyuan and Yin Renchang were both a little surprised. Why did Brother Hu say that? It was a joke to rely on those peasants of the Taiping Sect.

Although the two of them looked down on the imperial army, they looked down on the rioters even more. From the advantages of weapons and armor, as well as logistical supplies, the imperial army was almost invincible. The Ministry of Revenue said it had no money, but it had a lot of salary and food, which were all managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. What did those peasants have?

Yin Renchang put down his wine glass and asked;

"Brother, how can you talk nonsense? I'm not looking down on those peasants. The art of war has always been extremely dangerous. When two armies confront each other, they rely on morale and the advantages of weapons and armor. Even if the government army is not good enough, it is better than those peasants. How could they be defeated by them? Isn't it a joke?"

"Yes, brother, according to what you said, the government army was defeated, which means that the people of the Taiping Sect are almost evenly matched. Even if the Beijing camp goes south, I'm afraid it won't be much stronger. Although I look down on the government army, if we really say one or two, we are not much stronger than them."

Duan Wenyuan sighed. It is said that they have been at ease for too long. Even if they practiced weapons and battle formations, it was only to deal with the inspection of superiors. The generals were like this, not to mention the soldiers who practiced. Those who could perform the exercises were elites. Those who could form a battle formation were also considered brave warriors. Even those who lined up with weapons could be said to be good.
As for those who are even lazier, there is no such thing as laziness. After all, generals can also stand in an orderly manner.

When I heard my brother say something discouraging,

Hu Shoucheng was unhappy and replied,

"Brother, what are you talking about? Why should you boost others' morale and destroy your own prestige? Although our soldiers are not elite, they are not made of clay. The government troops look okay, but who knows if they are silver spears with wax heads?
Who wouldn't brag about his own soldiers? If you want to know the truth, pull them out for a walk. If that doesn't work, generals versus generals, soldiers versus soldiers. Anyone who frowns and dares to say a word of disapproval is not a hero."

"Why are you in such a hurry? It's just a matter of fact. With hundreds of thousands of people, even pigs can scare people."

Yin Renchang quickly spoke up to persuade them, saying that they were just trivial matters and there was no need to get angry and ruin the happy occasion.

At this time, Yunniang came down from inside, leading a mother and daughter, holding a zither and walking over. Her swaying figure and a hint of shyness were really unique, even though the ordinary brocade clothes bound her body. Unfortunately, after being used to seeing stunning faces, he really had no interest in such a woman.

"Oh, my Lord, you are so lucky. Madam Xu has just finished washing up and brought her daughter here. Today, you are her first benefactor. As the saying goes, if you are destined to meet, you will meet even if you are thousands of miles apart, right!"

"Pfft" sound,
Zhang Jinyu was still listening to the conversation between the people on the other side of the screen, but suddenly he spat out the wine in his mouth because of Yun Niang's trick. Just listen to the music, she is just a prostitute, no matter how noble she is, she is now a prisoner, and there is still fate, you think it is a blind date.

But it was hard to refute, after all, they were all women. "Okay, why are you talking so much, sit down, what song are you singing?"

Just ask casually,
But the so-called Xu Niang carefully pulled a young girl beside her, lowered her head and said nothing. This scene was a vivid villain scene, which made Yun Niang's face change. She smiled and turned back, glaring at Xu Niang fiercely. The warning was obvious.
"Oh, my lord, of course it's the Kunqu opera you want to listen to, as well as the folk tunes of the capital. All are fine. Madam Xu is from Shuoyang County, and she is unfamiliar with the customs here. Please bear with me, lord."

He turned around, twisted Madam Xu's arm with one hand, pulled over a chair and forced her to sit down. The other young lady was so scared that she dared not move, and didn't know what to do, but she still stood behind Madam Xu. Zhang Jinyu was speechless seeing this, because it was not like he was robbing a beautiful woman.

"Since you can sing and you are from Shuoyang, you should know the tunes of the northern border. If you can, you can sing them. The girl next to you can just dance with you."

Zhang Jinyu didn't know why, but she didn't like the Shuimo Opera that much. Instead, she liked those folk songs. She especially thought of the northern folk song sung by the fugitive woman. It seemed to have some nostalgic meaning, and she also missed the outside world.

Hearing the gentleman in front of her say this, Yun Niang was really confused. She had almost never seen such a nobleman like this. But Xu Niang, who was sitting down, looked up in surprise. It was rare to like this tune.

"I know how to do it. I also learned a little when I was in my hometown. Please don't despise me, Master."

The clear and melodious voice made Zhang Jinyu's eyes light up. She looked okay, although not as good as the people in his room, but much better than those mediocre women. Her voice was also okay, but it was about the Jiaofangsi that he was not sure what kind of costumes were inside.
"Well, come on."

I saw Miss Xu fiddling with the strings of the zither, testing the tone, then she held the zither in her arms and began to sing.
"The snow in the north is blowing and the wind is biting. Who is so heartless? I am drunk only today."

Like a sad and tactful tone, as well as a helpless questioning, the northern folk song is filled with feelings of separation.

Zhang Jinyu squinted her eyes and listened for a while. She had a good voice, but unfortunately, she couldn't express the woman's emotions. Most of the words were forced. Then she looked at the little girl dancing with her long sleeves. She raised her hands and spun around. She was very cute and rare.
The tune was over. Zhang Jinyu hadn't said anything, but the three princes seemed to be still unsatisfied. They had never heard of these.
I wanted to ask something, but since there were outsiders here, I couldn't speak, so I kept silent.

"Well, you sang well. I didn't expect that you are so familiar with the Northern songs. Let's try another one."

"Yes, I'll change another one."

Perhaps because of her experience, Xu was no longer afraid. She plucked the strings of her zither and continued to sing.
When Yunniang saw this, she was overjoyed and asked,
"My dear, do you plan to stay tonight, or enjoy yourself for a while before going back?"

The tentative question made Zhang Jinyu's mouth curl up, and he asked back;
"What does Yunniang mean? What are your plans?"

But Yunniang couldn't see what the person in front of her was thinking, so she could only twist her waist and gasp;
"Oh, my Lord, look at what you said. I don't have any ideas. I just want to ask you if Madam Xu is to your liking and whether you want to keep her. She is a group of people under my command. She is a top-notch person. I am not afraid of being laughed at by you. Madam Xu is also the wife of an official, and the maid beside her is also a delicate lady. If her husband's family had not committed a crime, how could she come here?"

As the saying goes, a tiger in trouble is bullied by a dog. The lady of a mansion has now become a courtesan who sings songs. How can she reason with him?

Zhang Jinyu was a little unhappy. Having fun is all about having fun. Some people just like these trivial things and talking about useless things. If it were a family of officials, it would be really miserable. However, Shuoyang County is the territory of the Niu family, the guardian of the country. It is strange that such a thing could happen.

"You just said she was a eunuch. Shuoyang County is under the border. She is a young lady. Whose wife could she be? Tell me."

Some are curious, and some are interested in exploring.

When Yunniang saw the noble asking about it, she immediately became very excited and gave an exaggerated introduction.
"My Lord, look at what you said, yes or no, I dare not say anything nonsense, Madam Xu is the wife of Qian Baoshan, the governor of Shuoyang County, and this is his only daughter Qian Jiao, who changed her surname to Xu because of her hardship. Tell me, does this count as an official's wife?"

Yunniang was happy with her introduction, but she didn't notice that Xu Niang beside her had already burst into tears and her voice was trembling.
"This is strange. Even if a prefecture official in Guannei is guilty, he should be tried by the three courts and have his case files handed over. Why did he sell his wife and daughter? Um, what crime did Lord Qian commit?"

"Oh, my Lord, you don't care what crime he committed. Since he is here, he must have been convicted. I heard that he was a general named Wang in the Shuoyang Garrison. He reported to the local prefect that he embezzled food and money, causing a deficit in the camp and causing military chaos. He was then escorted back by the Ministry of Justice. As for what crime he committed, how would I know?"

Yunniang curled her lips and waved her hand, saying that it was just hearsay, who knew what was going on.

Just finished speaking,
The melody suddenly died down, and Madam Xu, looking excited, shouted;

"You are talking nonsense. My dear husband has been working diligently and conscientiously in his post. He has never been slack. Moreover, the military pay and supplies are all in the warehouse of the camp. How dare he embezzle? It is nothing but a false accusation."

The voice was excited, and it was also a helpless confession. However, as soon as the words opened, Yun Niang flashed a murderous look and glared at her fiercely. She hurried to explain,

"My Lord, don't listen to her nonsense. If she really didn't embezzle, why would she be convicted by the Ministry of Justice and sold as an official prostitute to learn how to serve men? Even if she is not guilty in the end, she has been played by men countless times in the Jiaofang Bureau. Even if you are cleared of the charges, your husband's family may not take you, an official prostitute, back as his wife. Don't dream."

It was these words that made Xu Niang unable to hold back her tears any longer.

Zhang Jinyu didn't think it was a big deal, so he slammed the table and scolded;
"Why are you saying so much? It's not your business whether you take him back or not. Shuoyang County is the head of the frontier army. That Niu, that deputy general, shouldn't be idle and impeach a prefect without authorization. Since you have been wronged, there must be a reason. Can you tell me?"

Zhang Jinyu actually understood roughly that Niu Jizong must have found a scapegoat, or this person was blocking the way to the garrison. You know, although the border troops relied on the court, they had some military and financial power, just like the local governors. It was just that the border troops were poor and could only rely on the court for blood transfusions. In addition, the border troops saved some private money by drinking the blood of the soldiers and used it for other purposes. Those who blocked the way would naturally be eliminated. It seemed that this Lord Qian had no sense of propriety and fell into such trouble.

Madam Xu wiped her tears and begged;

"Yes, my lord, please listen to my detailed story. At the beginning of the year, a supply fleet from the capital stopped at Shuoyang County and prepared to unload. The ship carried food, fodder, weapons, and silver. My husband's family was afraid of delaying things, so they brought people from the government office to count them. Unexpectedly, General Wang, who was guarding the mansion, refused to comply and wanted to take them back alone. Then they had an argument. In the end, the two of them locked the supplies in the government office warehouse and guarded them together."

At this point, Xu's eyes were filled with tears and she started to cry out.
"It started to rain that night. I don't know why, but there was a thunderstorm in the second half of the night. In the early morning, General Wang brought people to collect the supplies. But when they opened the warehouse, all the supplies were gone overnight. So General Wang said that the prefect was corrupt and reported him to the emperor."

The words sound extremely sad, as if there is a great injustice,
Zhang Jinyu laughed, it was just a trick, it must have been premeditated, that Mr. Qian was not necessarily innocent, at least he was guilty of dereliction of duty.

"You don't have to complain. Since the court gave the border troops supplies, why didn't they take them away on the spot? Besides, you can't explain who did it at night. Just because he dared to stop it, he had selfish motives. In addition, Madam Xu, you will also be charged with dereliction of duty, not to mention that Mr. Qian is not completely ignorant."

"No, he won't. My husband is an honest official. He won't do that."

Madam Xu didn't know whether she was helpless or the man in front of her was her lifeline, she held on to him tightly and kept shaking her head to deny it.

(End of this chapter)