Man Tang Huacai

Chapter 8 Homecoming

On the outskirts of Chang'an, the sun shines on the Bahe River, and willow trees line the banks.

After walking along the river for a long time, Xue Bai was exhausted.

He stopped, looked down on his knees, saw that Qing Lan was still wearing the same pair of ill-fitting boots, and asked, "Are you tired?"

Qinglan hid some thoughts all night, but when he cared about her, her eyes turned red.

"What's so tiring about me as a slave? That's right, I just feel wronged. I said last night that we kept our names incognito, but it seemed that I was ruthless to the master and wanted you to be handsome. But it's not easy for you to say 'go back to Chang'an to reverse the situation' What? We two are very important? Those people drove us in a carriage for half a day, and it was difficult for us to even go back to Chang'an, and we didn't even know where we were..."

As she spoke, she turned her back and wiped away her tears.

Xue Bai pointed to the river, and said: "Everything is done little by little. There must be someone who walks along the river. Let's find someone first. Okay?"

"Ah."

Xue Bai was very patient, and asked again: "I found the family, asked the way back to Chang'an, and pawned this fox fur when I went back, settled down, calmed down, and then talked about the next step, okay?"

"it is good."

Since the accident, Qing Lan only complained a moment ago, and nodded when she heard the words, but stepped forward to support Xue Bai, and said in a low voice: "Fortunately, I have you."

Xue Bai nodded.

The two supported each other and walked upstream for a long time, and finally saw the bridge ahead.

"Look!" Qing Lan was overjoyed, pointing to the front and said: "There is a small market!"

"Are we rich?"

"Yes, I have 26 coins left in my purse."

Although there is only some small change, Qing Lan is still very happy when she thinks that she will have something to eat.

Xue Bai smiled and watched as he walked.

There is a small market next to the official road, and porters waiting to be hired squat with their arms folded beside the stalls selling mustard cakes to keep warm.Next to them was a tea stand, and opposite was a carriage and horse shop, which smelled like horse dung.

An old man with a dark face had already harnessed his donkey cart early, and was trying to turn his stubborn donkey around with straw.

A few children around were making jokes, running around the donkey cart and yelling, "Old Zhuangtou's stupid donkey doesn't turn around!"

The coachman, Lao Zhuang, had a sharp eye. When he saw someone coming, he immediately shouted: "Young gentleman, pretty envoy, you can tell at a glance that you are a nobleman going to Chang'an. Can you hire a carriage? The carriage is too expensive, and the donkey cart is just right!"

The children around shouted: "Donkey carts that don't turn around are not good!"

"Go, go, don't make trouble with this little old man."

The old Zhuangtou waved away the urchins, and rushed to talk to Xue Bai, saying: "Your Majesty, are you going to Chang'an? It's a long way to go from here. If you need to walk thirty miles, you'll have to walk for a day. It's night It's so cold... Hey, the maid's shoes don't fit well either."

"Dare to ask how much is Chang'an East City?"

"Lang Jun's words are too polite." Lao Zhuangtou stretched out his hand and said with a smile, "Three hundred dollars."

"So expensive?" Qing Lan took out her purse and quickly covered it again.

"How can you say it's expensive? It takes a whole day for the little old man to go back and forth, even if it's a full load of luggage, it's the same price."

Xue Bai asked: "This is the fee for a chartered car. Are there any cheaper cars?"

The old Zhuangtou smiled and said: "Yes, Mr. Lang can wait for other merchants to share the travel expenses, and take the big carriage, sixty yuan per person."

"Thank you fellow, let's go on foot." Xue Bai said, "Where is there a shoe seller?"

"Lang Jun is too polite, just call me Lao Zhuangtou." Lao Zhuangtou was still cheerful, pointing: "If you buy shoes, you can go to the big market in front of you, and there is also a three to five miles away..."

"Old Zhuangtou!"

An old woman came running from the south of the official road and shouted: "A big customer is traveling from Lantian County to Chang'an. On the way, a car broke down. Half of the books have to be loaded separately. Can a donkey pull it?!"

"How can I not move it? I am fed every day! Is the price fixed?"

"Go quickly, there are rewards."

The old Zhuangtou was overjoyed, and he didn't want that stubborn donkey to turn around again, and he hurried away.

Xue Bai and Qing Lan went to buy Hubing.

Hubing in Chang'an City is two yuan a piece, but here it is three yuan a piece.

The two hoped to buy six with sixteen dollars, so that they would have some money left over to buy shoes.The old woman who sold the mustard cakes was quite kind, and gave them an extra one.

From being buried alive to finally holding the warm pancake, Xue Bai took a deep breath before taking a bite.

He walked on the snowy official road, looked back several times, until he could no longer see the old woman...

~~
"Xiao Langjun, we meet again!"

When the old Zhuangtou saw Xue Bai and Qing Lan who had avoided the side of the official road, he quickly pulled the donkey cart and greeted them with a smile.

"Hi fellow."

"Mr. Xiaolang, wait a moment." Lao Zhuangtou got off the shaft in a hurry, bowed his hands to a horse rider behind him, and said, "Mr. Dalang, can I give them a ride?"

It was a middle-aged man over forty years old, with a beautiful beard of three lines, clear face, indifferent expression, eyes like an ancient well, wearing a plain gown, wearing a scarf on his head, holding a rein in one hand, and a A string of Buddhist beads, although not luxuriously dressed, has an excellent bearing, obviously from a famous family.

Xue Bai looked at this person, but before he could speak, a boy rushed up and said, "The donkey cart is full of my master's rare books..."

"Wuchen." The middle-aged man stopped the boy, nodded to Xue Bai, and said, "If you don't mind, young man, how about going together?"

"Thank you, sir." Xue Bai imitated the cross-hand salute, and said, "Xue Bai, do you dare to ask Mr. Gao's name? I can repay you later."

He thought about it carefully, although Donggong wanted to bury him alive, he was not a fugitive, and he was not afraid that people would know his name, and he even planned to let more people know his name.

"There's no need to talk about repayment." The middle-aged man refused to give his name, saying: "It's inconvenient to go out, and it's right to help each other."

"That's exactly what you said, sir."

Xue Bai only felt the inconveniences of living in this era today, and he was able to understand more and more the meaning of the words "helping each other", and also understood the reason why people at that time lived in groups with their families and neighbors.

The middle-aged man nodded with a smile and urged his horse to leave.

His eyes were still indifferent, and this smile was not joyful, but rather compassionate.

Seeing that this big customer doesn't like to talk, even the old Zhuangtou didn't dare to talk too much on the way to Chang'an.

Fortunately, the road was flat and easy to walk, and we arrived in Chang'an after half a day.

~~
In the east of Chang'an City, there are three gates, Tonghua Gate, Chunming Gate and Yanxing Gate, which are collectively called "Qingmen".

Qingmen area is densely populated with wine shops, which is a good place to drink freely, so there is a poem that goes, "If you haven't drunk Qingmen wine, you will feel like a drunk dream."

The convoy entered Chunming Gate.

Xue Bai looked around and saw restaurants everywhere, flagpoles swaggering, curtains hanging high, and red curtains fluttering.There are performances in every restaurant, kabuki playing the flute, musicians beating the owl, acrobatic sumo wrestling, and drinkers throwing pots or performing wine orders, playing various games.

What is more eye-catching is the orchid in front of the door.Most of them have blue eyes, slightly curly hair, rouge lips, thin clothes, revealing white muscles, twisting waists, frequently waving bare hands to invite people into the store.

Half of the city's high-rollers drunk and sang.

"Mojie!"

Suddenly there was a shout, several people from Kang's wine shop ran out, and rushed towards the middle-aged man in plain robe who took Xue Bai along.

"Mojie! Hahaha, I said that Mojie moved to be a member of the treasury department, Wailang, and it's time to return to Chang'an to take up his post in these two days."

"Brother Yuan?! I haven't seen you for many years."

"Has your Wangchuan Villa been cleaned up?"

"At the beginning of the year, I started to tidy up a little, and wrote a few poems for it."

"Mojie has a new poem?! Haha, read it quickly."

"It's not until Dongshan is one year away, and it's not time to plant spring fields when I return. The grass is green in the rain, and the peach blossoms are red on the water."

"Okay! What a peach blossom on the water."

"..."

Xue Bai looked at the middle-aged man in the plain robe again, he was surprised for a moment, and then he couldn't help but smile suddenly.

This person is called Mojie, and it is very likely to be a person-Wang Weiwang Mojie.

Listening to their conversation, it turned out that Wang Wei had a Wangchuan villa in Lantian County, so he moved from Lantian County to Chang'an as an official.

Xue Bai thought it was a coincidence at first, but then thought it might not be because of a coincidence. Given the brilliance of the poetry circle in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, who knows how many great poets are still alive in this Qingmen restaurant today?

He suddenly raised the corner of his mouth and smiled to himself.

The prince sent someone to send him out of the city to be buried alive, but Shifo Wang Wei sent him back to Chang'an City.

This journey allowed him to finally begin to understand this era.

It has the darkness of arrogance and extravagance and struggle for power, as well as the splendor of rich warehouses and brilliant articles. They are intertwined and constitute the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

Such a prosperous Tang Dynasty will not dampen Xue Bai's fighting spirit, but only make him more excited.

~~
On the street, the conversation between Wang Wei and his friends continued.

"By the way, why isn't Brother Chu here?"

"Isn't it because of He Jian's poem that Mo Jie knew that something happened in Chang'an?"

"What's the matter?"

"The case of Wei Jian was repeated, and the prince reunited again... He Jian died of illness the year before last, but Ge Nu spread his poems everywhere, and deliberately misinterpreted the poetry. It was said that the prince was dissatisfied with this poem, which was joyful to see the scenery of his hometown again. But who doesn't know that Wei Jian's case was at the beginning of the year, and He Jian's poem was written the year before last, so the time is wrong..."

"Shut up, don't talk about state affairs in the street."

The drinker named Yuan Er was a little drunk, but he said loudly: "Why don't you dare to mention it?! Haha, others are afraid of Brother Nu, but I am not!"

"Shut up, shut up...Wuchen, take your luggage and go home, and I'll have a little reunion with you gentlemen."

"Here."

Xue Bai got up, crossed his hands again and said, "Thank you sir."

"A trivial matter is nothing to be concerned about."

"Not only Mr. Xie gave me a ride, but also Mr. Xie's poems inspired me."

"Oh? Which poem?"

"Despite death, I still smell the fragrance of chivalrous bones."

Wang Wei was stunned for a moment when he heard the words, and there was a little melancholy in those ancient well-free eyes.

Even if he died, he still heard the fragrance of chivalrous bones, and even he forgot that he used to have such a poetic style.

When he turned around again, he saw that the young man had gone with the donkey cart.

……

The convoy passed Daozhengfang.

Ahead, children were heard singing again.

"Jasper is made up to the height of a tree, and thousands of green silk sashes hang down. I don't know who cut the fine leaves, but the spring breeze in February is like scissors."

Xue Bai had heard it once in Xingningfang, and combined with the conversation he had just heard, his view of the current situation became clearer.

Once this poem has subjective feelings, it seems that the first two sentences can be understood as the image of the prince in the hearts of the courtiers.As for the last two sentences, it seems to be complaining that the sage who is better than Yao and Shun cut his branches and leaves?
~~
"Shut up!"

When we arrived at the east gate of Dongshi, the old Zhuangtou pulled the donkey cart and said with a smile: "The little old man still needs a sports car. Next time, Mr. Xiao Lang, remember to take care of the little old man's business when he goes to the east of the city!"

"Okay." Xue Bai responded with a smile, and said, "See you again, fellow."

"Xiao Lang-jun is too polite, goodbye... 咴, 咴."

Xue Bai and Qing Lan saw off the donkey cart and walked into the east gate.

There is a bustling scene in front of you.

The wide and straight long street has no end, and you can only see the neat shops on both sides, with eaves, terraces, bars, and lanterns.

"Go, buy shoes first."

Qing Lan quickly glanced at Xue Bai and said, "This way."

The two walked for a while, and heard the sound of drum music gradually. When they got closer, they could see a stage set up in front of them, and more than ten beautiful girls were dancing on it, which was really beautiful.

Xue Bai looked around and saw no one collecting money, so he couldn't help asking: "What is this for?"

Qing Lan pulled him away, and said, "The slave girl of Silla."

Xue Bai looked back again, thinking that all the beauties in the world are sending them to Chang'an, no wonder they have met so many recently.

Going further south, the pawn shop has not yet been seen, but turned into a street selling food.

A burst of aroma came to my face.

All kinds of steaming food shops are equipped with steaming trays, which create cloud-like steam to disperse the aroma; the oil pan in the fried food shop is crackling, frying the meatballs until golden; there are also various pastries; Spice roast lamb, roast hump.

"Are you hungry?" Qing Lan now knows that Xue Bai eats a lot, so she said: "We still have ten dollars, so we are not in a hurry to buy shoes. Eat something first, and then buy something after becoming a fox fur... that's right , you know, the term 'shopping' comes from the Chang'an East Market and West Market."

"I know."

"What do you want to eat?"

"How much is a bowl of water basin mutton?"

"Mutton noodle soup? Exactly ten dollars, I'll buy it."

Xue Bai held her back and said, "Then what do you want to eat? Let's fill our stomachs first."

"Well, let me take a look." Qing Lan looked around, finally pointed to a stall, and said: "Horse hoof cake."

"Then eat this first, and then eat mutton noodle soup after pawning money."

"it is good!"

Qinglan nodded vigorously, and said again: "When the lady made winter clothes for Wulang, she spent [-] yuan on just one piece of high-quality fox fur. She also found the best craftsman in Chang'an, and added other materials. At least it’s worth [-] yuan!”

Having said that, after the two bought horseshoe crisps and visited several pawnshops in succession, they only pawned less than [-] yuan.

If this amount was converted into copper coins, it would be nearly [-] catties. Fortunately, the pawn shop was very considerate in its business, so Xue Bai made a list of the things he wanted to buy, hired someone to go around, and asked all the shops to deliver them.

When the two left the pawnshop, they had already changed into jackets and gowns, with Futou on their heads, and soft-soled sandals on their feet. They each carried a small bundle, which contained everything they needed, including daggers and wound medicine.

The rest of the money was exchanged for a piece of silver and some nice copper coins.

Qing Lan finally cheered up, pulled Xue Bai into the ear and said, "It's much more convenient to change into this men's outfit, and I'm not so afraid, otherwise I'd always be afraid of being recognized."

"Don't be afraid, if the East Palace has such power in Chang'an, they won't be going to bury us alive..."

The mutton noodle soup at Chongjia Store in Dongshi is said to be handcrafted from Weinan, and is quite famous in Chang'an.This afternoon, the two ordered a bowl each, and drank cleanly with the big bowls in their hands.

Qing Lan put down the bowl, looked at Xue Bai, with a bright smile on her face, and said, "It's delicious, isn't it?"

"Ah."

"Where are we going now?"

Xue Bai didn't even think about it, and said directly: "The ten king's house."

　It seems that I can’t see the chapters today. This kind of situation in the new book will affect my follow-up reading and cry.Ask for follow-up, ask for a monthly ticket, thank you for your support!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)