Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 800: Talents Are Hard to Come By
The noise at the street corner grew louder and louder.
More and more people came. Fan Wenhai sat there leisurely and poured another bowl of wine. He took a sip slowly. It tasted sour and astringent, with a hint of sour plum. In the eyes of ordinary people, this was considered good wine.

"Sir, I am not bringing you to watch Marquis Luo Yun get married, but to see the imperial list of this year's special examination. My informant reported that Marquis Luo Yun got the imperial list today, and the list of top-ranked candidates in the special examination is not simple."

"Oh, it's not simple? It's just a provincial examination, what difference can it make? The results were announced today, which means they reviewed the examination papers overnight. I heard that Marquis Luo Yun asked for a lot of censors, so it's not surprising that they can be so efficient."

Zhou Zhengbai was not too surprised. As long as there were enough people, the papers could be graded even if it took half the night. As long as the examiner marked the places, everyone could be on the list. It was that simple to watch him announce the results today.

"Haha, what the prince said is absolutely right. There is no problem with marking the papers, but there is a problem with the number of places when announcing the results. With so many people, who can Marquis Luo Yun put on the list? Haven't you heard that those Taoist priests in the market secretly sold the test questions, and many people bought them? For example, I couldn't help but bought a brocade bag."

finished,

He drank the wine in one gulp, took out a brocade bag from his bosom and placed it on the table.
Prince Zheng opened his eyes. He didn't expect that the teacher actually sent someone to buy this. Didn't he say that the one who sold the test questions was fake? He was just a liar.

"Teacher, we also know about this matter. Many people did buy it, but the students we arranged said it was fake?"

This matter is not a secret. Many powerful people have bought more than one copy. Unfortunately, the examination questions this year are completely different. It is hard to guard against those swindlers.

"Haha, don't worry, Prince. Take a closer look. I heard from my subordinates that it was because Marquis Luo Yun had never presided over the special examination, and had never seen the test questions sealed with paint. It was half sealed, not fully sealed. He thought there was something wrong with the test questions, so he used the backup test questions. People who knew the situation said that Marquis Luo Yun made up this matter by mistake, but in my opinion, Marquis Luo Yun knew it very well."

Fan Wenhai stroked his beard, and he was not so arrogant. Those who could stay in the capital were all good at calculating.
The prince understood what had happened. Marquis Luo Yun had known about this for a long time, and then he set up a trap to change the test questions. He then looked at the brocade bag on the table. It contained the finest Jiangnan silk and colored thread. Not everyone could have it. Who was so bold as to sell the test questions behind the scenes? Those people in Wuying Palace shouldn't have done that.
"Teacher, can you find the person behind the sale of the exam questions? This trick is not something that ordinary people can do."

"That's a good question, my lord. Ordinary people can't afford this silk. The person behind it is hiding too deeply. There are no clues. We only found out that this Taoist came from the west, but the clothes he wore were from the south of the Yangtze River. After that, there are no more clues. Now, the person has already escaped."

Fan Wenhai was particularly surprised. To be able to escape from the hands of those guests in Prince Zheng's Mansion, he must not be an ordinary person in the martial arts world. Not only must he be very skilled, but he must have someone to help him.
"Teacher, that's interesting. The first person that comes to mind when coming from the west is the Gong family. Silk from Jiangnan can be bought, but most people would not be willing to use such colorful brocade. Who could it be, the Zhen family from Jiangnan, or the East Palace?"

After some random guessing, I mentioned a few noble families, but I didn't really doubt any of them. After all, to have the status I have today, wouldn't it be a waste of time to do these things?
"Teacher, who do you think it could be?"

Fan Wenhai drank another bowl of wine. No matter what kind of wine he drank, he just wanted to feel comfortable. Who could it be?

"Your Highness, don't worry. It all depends on how the palace investigates. No matter how deep the secret is hidden, clues will eventually show up. The only people who can access the test questions are the cabinet and the Imperial Household Department. It's not easy to get involved with these two places."

It is obvious that the problem is in the palace. Maybe it is in the harem. It has been a long time since His Majesty has had any children. Those ladies and concubines have doubts in their hearts. Maybe Concubine Wu knows about it, but she cannot ask about it.

suddenly,

There was a loud sound of firecrackers.
In front of the gate of Luoyunhou Mansion,

The troupe from Taoyuan had all arrived, the stage had been set up, and the troupe was in place. Many people found tables and benches from somewhere and sat down on the spot. Some people even sat on the roofs of shops along the street to watch the excitement.

A troupe owner lit firecrackers and then stood on the stage and shouted,

"My dear gentlemen, at the invitation of the Marquis' Mansion, today is the auspicious day of the announcement of the results. The first song to be sung is the Jiangnan Kunqu Opera, Shuimo Opera. The mainstay of the stage, Li Ji, will present a song for you."

As soon as the words fell,
Many people in the audience cheered loudly. This was a rare performance by Master Li. The Jiangnan Kunqu Opera Water-grinding Tune sang by him was something that only the nobles could hear. How could they, the ordinary people, have ever heard of it?

As a result, there were several more people surrounding him.
Even Marquis Luo Yun, who was sitting on his horse, was a little surprised. In such a small troupe, there were actually women who could sing the Shuimo Opera. Was it true? He looked to the west and saw that there were no seats left. Only the steps in front of the Marquis's mansion had an empty space.
While thinking and looking at the east, he gave the order before it was arranged;
"Ningbian, have someone bring some stools and chairs over here so that I can listen to how this Li master sings and what his skills are."

"Yes, Lord Marquis,"

Ning Bian glanced at the west side and found that it was too crowded to move in and out, so he asked the concierge to bring in a table and chairs and put them on the steps outside the main entrance. He also put a blanket on the chairs.
Zhang Jinyu pulled over a chair and sat directly in it, with his thighs pressed on his legs, sitting on it leisurely, his official robe fluttering in the wind, his resolute face, his eyes slightly narrowed, and on his side, there were elite soldiers in armor all around him, with a very imposing manner.
I saw a stage built in the west.
A woman dressed in gorgeous clothes, wearing a phoenix crown on her head and a pair of colorful boots, walked slowly onto the high stage. The musicians from the troupe began to dub the instrument. The sound of piano and drums rang out, and the woman's long voice came, melodious and crisp.

"The moon-worshipping hall is empty, the path is crowded with drifting clouds, my bones are cold and I am afraid it will turn into an autumn dream. What in the world is as strong as love? It is a heart-breaking pain."

"it is good,"

"Well sung,"

"It's the Peony Pavilion, a famous piece of music."

The opening line drew cheers from the people below.
Zhang Jinyu suddenly opened his eyes and glanced at the person on the stage. He indeed had some skills, and his voice was no less than that of the woman from the north. There were still talented people in the capital, and it was pleasant to listen to, so he simply lay back and listened with his eyes closed.

"Master, look, Marquis Luo Yun is almost asleep,"

At a corner of the street, a woman in gray disguise stood there and said angrily,
Behind him, a disguised woman dressed in the same attire, looking towards the gate of the mansion, smiled,
"Okay, Shuyun, there is something to watch today's show, but it's not where we are staying, so we came a little late."

The person who was speaking was Princess Zhou Xiangxue. Not far behind her were guards such as Shi Tai. When they got the news, perhaps because they missed someone and wanted to have some fun, they came all the way here. They never thought that they would hear the famous Jiangnan song Peony Pavilion. Marquis Luo Yun had invested a lot of money this time.
"Master, wait a moment. I will find you a place to stay."

Wei Shuyun was not afraid of these. She turned her eyes and looked around. The stalls were already full of people. The best seats were not far away.

He rolled his eyes, walked over, coughed,
"Everyone, this seat was mine just now, how did you take it?"

The people who were listening to the opera were stunned. They looked at the man in front of them and were about to yell at him, but suddenly they saw him put his hand on the table and a handful of silver coins fell on it. The curse that was about to come out of his mouth was swallowed back by force. The people looked at each other and stretched out their hands to divide the silver coins.

"Oh, look at my memory, it's this young man, let's go,"

"Yeah, I forgot just now."

"Come on."

After taking the silver, several people immediately dispersed.
Zhou Xiangxue behind him smiled, waved, and went over to sit down.

"You still have a solution. This place is good and the view is clear. Let Yue'er practice the Jiangnan Kun Opera's Shuimoqiang more."

"Yes, I remember it,"

Wei Shuyun dragged out the words and pouted in dissatisfaction. It was all for Luo Yunhou. She didn't know what was so good about him.

Not long after,
After the song was finished, there was constant applause, and it was extremely lively. Many people were still not satisfied and clamored for another song.
"Mr. Li, please sing another song."

"Yes, Mr. Li, one more song,"

"I am so lucky to have listened to Mr. Li's music,"

There was a commotion, and the troupe leader, Qu Changwen, quickly stood up.

"My fellow men, even if you are singing, you have to let Mr. Li rest his voice. Let's switch to someone else and sing a northern folk song. Jiang Tong, you go."

Following these words, an old actor in a costume came up to the stage and performed some martial arts, which attracted constant applause. Then he seemed to have changed into a different person, singing a sad and graceful song that made people tremble. The man's voice could also reach such a level.

As expected of a person who eats this bowl of rice, Zhang Jinyu sighed as soon as he opened his eyes.
"Where did that Li family come from? Yanchun Tower and Yichun Courtyard don't have this kind of skills?"

"My Lord, this is not a big deal. Taoyuan Opera Troupe is an old opera troupe in the capital. It can be considered a family heirloom. They must have one or two unique skills. Otherwise, they can't make a living from this."

Ning Bian didn't know the details, but this theater was well-known in the capital. Without some foundation, how could it gain a foothold in the capital?

"That's true. Find an opportunity to reward them. Within three days, let them make arrangements during the day and go back to rest at night. You make preparations. Let me know when the east wall is finished."

"Yes, Lord, I will call the person over to you."

Although Zhang Jinyu didn't understand what was being sung just now, the tune and voice were indeed attractive and pleasing to the ear. He didn't know whether it was because he had been in the capital for too long or because he had accompanied many people to listen to the songs, but he always felt that the voice was pleasing to the ears. Hearing the words, he called the singer over. He was moved and thought it would be nice to meet him and give him some money.
"Okay, call the people over,"

When Ning Bian saw that the Marquis agreed, he signaled with his eyes. A captain beside him, who was very discerning, clasped his fists, accepted the order and left. When he came to the leader, he said:

"Master Jiang, the Marquis wants to invite Master Li, please come over quickly."

The troupe was sitting behind the stage. When they heard that Marquis Luo Yun had summoned them, they all turned their eyes. Many of them looked worried. Li Ji trembled, her eyes dodged a little, and she looked up at her father with a panicked look.

Boss Jiang wiped his sweat, ran over with small steps, and said with a smile;
"Sir, may I ask what the Marquis wants from my daughter?"

"How would I know? Hurry up, the Marquis is waiting."

The captain's face straightened and he scolded,
Boss Jiang had no choice but to reach out and pull up Li Ji. Under everyone's worried gaze, they stood up and walked towards the main gate. Along the way, Li Ji's hands felt a little cold, and her face, which had not yet removed her makeup, looked a little weak. More importantly, she was a little scared. In the past, many dignitaries had come to Taoyuan, all of whom wanted to occupy her, but after all, they were all minor officials. Now he was Marquis Luo Yun, and none of the people her father knew was powerful, so she suppressed her thoughts and followed him.

At this moment,
Wei Shuyun, who was standing at the corner of the street, saw everything clearly and said angrily:

"Master, you see, Marquis Luo Yun must have bad intentions. He called the singer over. Now he can't escape."

Hearing this, Princess Zhou Xiangxue immediately raised her head and looked over. She carefully examined the woman. Although she was beautiful, she was thin. She didn't know what she would look like after removing her makeup. Marquis Luo Yun didn't like her.
"What are you worried about? If he likes it, he would only choose a body like yours. A person's preferences may be curious, but it is not easy to change over a long period of time. Even if he wants a girl, he would choose someone like you."

With a seductive glance, she looked at Shuyun's plumpness. Well, it was indeed much bigger. Wei Shuyun blushed. Seeing her master was so outspoken, she didn't know how to respond. She secretly glanced at her master. How could she compare to hers? If she liked anyone, she would like His Highness.

"You can't just call someone over on the street. If someone doesn't know, they might think Luo Yunhou has taken a fancy to her."

He is not merciful with his words, and he always has something to say.

"Pedantism."

Zhou Xiangxue gently reprimanded her. Why did this girl become so talkative when she met Luo Yunhou?

In front of the main gate of the mansion,
When Master Jiang and Li Ji, father and daughter, saw the Marquis sitting there, they immediately knelt down and bowed vigorously.

"I, Jiang Changwen, and my daughter Li Ji, come to see the Marquis."

"Well, what, she's your daughter?"

Zhang Jinyu opened her eyes and looked at the two people in front of her. She would never have thought that they were father and daughter. One looked like an old man, and the other was pretty good-looking. As the saying goes, a girl looks like her father. The gap between these two was too big.

"Yes, sir, it's a daughter. She took her mother's surname."

Boss Jiang knelt on the ground and explained, not daring to move.

This made Zhang Jinyu laugh a little. He saw a son-in-law marrying into the family. However, when he thought about the fact that many of the owners of such a troupe had only one daughter, it was reasonable for them to recruit a son-in-law to inherit the troupe. It was not surprising.

"Okay, get up, Ningbian, I'll give you the reward first."

"Yes, Lord Marquis,"

Ning Bian did not take more, but took out a twenty-liang silver ingot and handed it over. The troupe owner thanked him profusely.

Looking closely at the so-called Li Dajia, he has a small body and seems to be from the south.
"Boss, Li Ji's mother is from Jiangnan, they look quite similar."

"My Lord, you have a keen eye. My mother's family are all from Jiangnan. When they were in Jiangnan, they taught Kunqu Opera to the courtesans at Yuelai Pavilion in Jinling. Later, they heard that my father-in-law's family had offended someone, so they came to the capital, established a troupe, and recruited me as their son-in-law. I have been serving them ever since."

As expected, Zhang Jinyu understood clearly after listening to the explanation of Jiang Banzhu. Yuelai Pavilion was one of the two major brothels in Jiangnan, and it was not a place for good men and women. Looking at the appearance of Li Ji, it must have been her mother who caused trouble at that time. However, the old man in front of her was able to marry her, which really showed that one cannot judge a person by appearance.

Seeing the flattering look of troupe leader Jiang, and the flexible words he said, it was only because the old troupe leader took a liking to her that she was chosen. It was just a small episode, just a small talk. However, the voice of this woman was indeed extremely rare. Thinking of the major mansions in the capital, they were proud to listen to Kunqu Opera. In my mansion, let alone singing, I couldn't even find a dancer. It made me feel uncomfortable just thinking about it.
"How much Kunqu opera do you know?"

Li Ji was suddenly asked, and her body trembled, obviously frightened. She bit her lower lip and whispered,
"Yes, my Lord,"

I don't know if it's true or not, which surprised Zhang Jinyu very much. Although Kunqu Opera is rare, there are many famous masters who constantly rewrite the songs, at least dozens of them.
"What about the Shuimoqiang tune?"

This is what Zhang Jinyu wanted to ask. If you want to listen, listen to the Shuimo tune. If that doesn't work, create your own, the Yumo tune. I wonder if it can compare with those old men in Jiangnan Academy.
"My Lord, I know how to sing Jiangnan Shuimo Dialect. It's not difficult. I just changed the tune. If I change the tune, it might sound better."

When it comes to the tune of the song, Li Ji's eyes light up. She has liked these since she was a child. She has tried to modify them a lot, but to no avail. Now the water-grinding tune from Jiangnan has come, and she has been inspired by it. She has a lot of foundations for the songs she modified in the past, and she has modified a lot of them.
However, the ignorant words made the boss Jiang pull the little girl's sleeve fiercely.

"My Lord, don't listen to her nonsense. It is extremely difficult to change the tune of a song, and it is even more difficult to change the tune of an entire song. The Shuimo tune was changed by the headmaster of Jiangnan Academy. How could my daughter have such talent to do that?"

Seeing that Jiang Banzhu was trying to stop him, Zhang Jinyu waved his hand.

"You, what are you afraid of? I am not an unreasonable person. Why do the tunes of Jiangnan sound good? I didn't hear it. Um, you, Li Ji, right? Sing a part of the tune you modified."

"Yes, Lord, the tune I modified is the opposite of the Shuimo Opera. It is depressed first and then rises, and the tune is reversed. The tune I modified is first rises and then depressed, and the tune is peaceful and follows the music."

Li Ji didn't sing anything else, just the Peony Pavilion that she had just sung.
"The moon-worshipping hall is empty, the path is crowded with drifting clouds, my bones are cold and I am afraid it will turn into an autumn dream. What in the world is as strong as love? It is a heart-breaking pain."

After singing a piece of music, the aftertaste is endless.

Zhang Jinyu's eyes were full of light. Although he didn't understand what the tune was, the timbre and the echo were unique. He just didn't know if it was good or not. When he saw the owner Jiang, he was stunned at this moment with an unbelievable face. Zhang Jinyu's heart moved. Isn't there an owner? He didn't know if it was good or not.

"Master Jiang, please give us your opinion. Is your daughter's singing good or bad? How does it compare to the Shuimo Opera?"

Swallowed the saliva,
Boss Jiang was full of disbelief, and replied with a wry smile,
"I dare not expect you to do so, my Lord. My daughter's singing is no worse than the Shuimo Opera. The tune is mellow and the changes are smooth. As long as the whole tune works, it will be another brand new tune. But my daughter, how can you do these things? I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse."

For a moment, my eyes turned red and tears fell!
(End of this chapter)