But the bright moon shines on the ditch

In the evening, a banquet was held in front of the Wind and Fire Temple to celebrate the founding of the new association.

The Pottery Industry Supervisory Committee has the same functions as the Three Kilns and Nine Hues. The difference is that it is political in nature and complements the official offices. It is an institution with supervisory responsibilities beyond the emperor's express orders. It can rectify hundreds of kilns at the lower level and impeach kiln officials at the upper level.

For this reason, the imperial court specially invited Yang Chenggong, the former magistrate of Fuliang County who had served in his sixties, to take charge of the Ceramics Industry Supervision Committee and serve as the imperial leader. All other positions were decided by Yang Gong.

Mr. Yang was a Qingliu, and he was a court official who came out of Jingdezhen. The people he promoted, who were familiar with kiln affairs but were not under the control of any kiln affairs, were also Qingliu.

When cutting the ribbon, Mr. Yang was elected to the center, with County Magistrate Zhou Qiguang on his left and Supervisor Tao Anjiu on his right.

It can be said that the new situation in Jingdezhen has been finalized.

/
Seeing his old friend again suddenly, An Jiu felt an indescribable sadness and joy.

I went to the state capital, but everything changed when I came back. I was already in a complicated mood. The old enemy who I thought had been lying in the coffin waiting for death actually appeared in front of me alive and took over the three kilns and nine guilds that he had promised to be the same. , no doubt a basin of cold water was poured down the head.

However, with so many pairs of eyes looking at him, he couldn't get angry and had to accept the established fact, so he forced a smile, held hands with Yang Gong, recalled the past, and introduced him to Zhou Qiguang, who was as close as a brother.

The three of them were chatting and laughing, and they looked harmonious.

During the dinner, Zhou Qiguang was called away by Yang Gong to visit the newly renovated Wind and Fire Temple. An Jiu finally had some free time and called him over to ask about what happened recently.

Seeing that his attitude was still mild, Liang Peiqiu gave him the speech he had prepared long ago.

She aimed to bring the matter to light, and everything would be settled when the Chief Envoy allocated funds. Unfortunately, An Jiu went to the state capital but there was no letter. She didn't know when it would be resolved, and Dongling Ci was already waiting. It wouldn't be too long, so for the sake of many considerations, she took the lead in attacking the old pedants of Sanyao Jiuhui.

The purpose of all this heart and fist fighting is to share his worries.

An Jiu smiled.

"Share my worries? Okay, very good! You did a good job! What happens after that?"

How could those wealthy and landowners from Sanyao Jiuhui sit back and wait to be abolished?

They did make a fuss and staged a show to force Liang Peiqiu to resolve the matter within three days.And she had three days of opportunity to secretly add fuel to the flames and ferment the matter to a fever pitch.

When the confrontation between the two sides was about to break out, internal strife broke out in Sanyao Jiuhui.

Xu Zhong was drunk all day long, and the Hutian kiln was increasingly declining. The Anqing kiln was the pioneer of reform, and Liang Peiqiu was the mastermind behind this incident. The only Changnan kiln among the three major kilns that could serve as a representative in the battle, its owner Zhangwu had several conflicts with Anqing kiln. Yao Goulian also participated in the strike at the imperial kiln factory. He had already plunged into the muddy water and couldn't wash himself out. Liang Peiqiu promised to help him enter the ancient artifact industry, and Zhang Wucai agreed not to participate in the matter.

The statements of these three forces make it clear that this matter is irreversible.

I don’t know whose family in Jiuhui was in trouble first, claiming that times make heroes, and Anqing Kiln will rule the world from now on.The old diehards couldn't tolerate anyone who undermined the morale of the army, so they cut him out of the Jiuhui. The man was so ashamed and angry that he told all the scandalous things he had participated in during the meeting.

There is a beginning, followed by countless struggles.

The complexity of the interest relationships is difficult to describe in one word.

In short, the intertwined Sanyao Jiuhui started from a broken vine and began to encroach from the outside in.The fire grew bigger and bigger, and eventually the entire tree was swallowed up in the sea of ​​flames.

That night, Duke Yang, who was supported and elected by the people, landed ashore with the emperor's order under the promotion of civil officials from far away in Kyoto. The first thing he did was to investigate the three kilns and nine guilds.

In the past three days, as more and more insiders were exposed, their corruption triggered a mutiny, and the investigation could not be ignored.

At this time, facing An Jiu's airtight interrogation, the thin piece of letter hidden in Liang Peiqiu's sleeve constituted her only way to survive.

It could also be a dead end.

It was not at this moment that she realized that the decision was not in her hands.

"I didn't expect so many things to happen in just one month. It was really full of twists and turns and excitement."

An Jiu couldn't help but applaud, and the officials at the Imperial Kiln Factory at the same table also joined in. Liang Peiqiu suddenly stepped back and knelt down to apologize. An Jiu put a hand on her shoulder to stop her movement.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I took it upon myself to reorganize the three kilns and nine guilds and caused trouble for you. After Yang Gong investigated, I'm afraid, I'm afraid..."

"I'm afraid it will affect me, right?"

An Jiu spread his fingers and pinched her thin shoulders. His voice became warmer and warmer, "Isn't it too late for you to think of the consequences now?"

Liang Peiqiu endured the pain and looked at him. There were roaring people and noisy banquets on both sides. He had a smile on his face. Who could see that he was in a good mood tonight without saying a word?But only Liang Peiqiu knew what kind of wind and rain was hidden under that gentle face.

Before she could open her mouth to argue, An Jiu loosened his hand and helped her stand up.

"Well, the matter has come to this, and we can only cover it up with the help of soldiers. You don't have to blame yourself. Didn't you accomplish this for me? You even invited Mr. Yang who retired from old age and returned to his hometown... Liang Peiqiu. , you are so capable!"

Liang Peiqiu's shoulder still hurt, her face turned pale, and she tried her best to squeeze out a smile.

She sat back down and secretly clenched her sleeves.

In the envelope sent by Wu Yin, the man said that he had given her a big gift when Yang Gong arrived.If that person hadn't had a plan in advance and secretly communicated with Beijing officials to jointly promote the Ceramics Industry Supervision Committee, how could Mr. Yang have arrived in such a timely manner?

She finally understood that whether it was because of personal grudges to make things difficult, or whether it was because An Jiu was involved in Lian Si, she was just a pawn in his hands.

An abandoned piece that can be used to abandon the car to protect the commander.

So, at such a juncture, he still had time to talk about romance with Mr. Yang, didn't he?Liang Peiqiu couldn't help but want to laugh. She raised her hand and drank a glass of wine. She called it self-punishment and confessed to An Jiu.

An Jiu looked at the swaying drink and fell into some distant memory.

Once upon a time, a similar scene seemed to have occurred. He and Yang Gongming had a secret fight, and were framed and framed for the identity of a large dragon vat.It was also winter, and it seemed that the New Year was approaching. Hutian Kiln, as the leader of the folk kilns, was the first to come out to perform, and the Fenghuo Temple was very lively. The doors were not closed at night, and they were having fun until dawn.

That night he was invited to drink, and he heard gossip behind his back before he even entered the door.

In fact, he had heard such words countless times. He had already seen the ugliest and most disgusting things in the world when he was in the inner court. He was completely uneasy and even warned himself repeatedly that he was here to seek peace this time.

If a person wants to stand in this world, how can he be alone?Isn’t that a lonely ghost?

He didn't want to be such a powerful official, and deep down in his heart he still yearned for peace, harmony, reunion and warmth.Even if he lost face and had only the slightest possibility, he still lowered his head and begged the young master of that family. He sincerely agreed to take the position next to him, and he was willing to turn conflicts into friendship and share the mountains and rivers with him.

Who would have thought that the young master was so arrogant and had so little eyes that he couldn't give him any chance to repent, so he just refused to accept his offer and get rid of his hangover.

He was being roasted on the fire like that, and his mind was filled with the struggle of humiliation and forbearance, as if he had returned to his youth.He couldn't figure out why he had to face the same choice after working hard for so many years, doing all the bad things, and being in a high position?

Are the prosperity and worldliness, the support and loyalty necessary?

So what if we give it up?

Wouldn't it be nice to be a devil?

So, when the song "Fishermen and Killers" sang in the streets and alleys of Jingdezhen, the blood of evil spirits also stained Wuyi Alley red.

To this day, An Jiu was once again laughed at by himself.What is a joke if an evil ghost still desires companions?A puppet can reach the step where he is good at what he is today, only if he has a big heart.

The only thing to blame is his cowardice.

He picked up the underglaze red goblet specially made to celebrate Xinhui and raised his hand to signal Liang Peiqiu.

Liang Peiqiu didn't know what he meant and hesitated whether to touch him.The atmosphere was deadlocked for a moment. Someone bumped into her arm beside her. She suddenly reacted and leaned forward.An Jiu took his hand back first, drank the wine in the glass alone, and then burst into laughter: "What? Are eunuchs so dirty in your eyes?"

Liang Peiqiu immediately put down her wine glass, lowered her head and said, "Sir, are you...are you drunk?"

"Really? I think I'm drunk too. Otherwise, how could I sit here and listen to your bullshit prevarications? Liang Peiqiu, I once said that I hope you are not the second Xu Zhiliu and don't let me down again. Otherwise, I guarantee that you will die uglier than him. Do you still remember this?"

"I, I remember. Sir, it's my fault for causing trouble by doing things without authorization. Please punish me."

"Punishment? Tell me, how should I punish you?"

Something unexpected happened at this moment. When An Jiu stood up, the government soldiers broke in and drove out the rest of the people.Without noticing, he carried the wine flask, staggered to the stage, hugged the actors running around in panic, and laughed loudly.

Smiling, he held up his sleeves and tucked his eyes.

For whom did he shed tears?Xiao Jiu is not a soft-hearted person. He didn't even shed tears when the old man An Qian rode on him. He didn't even shed tears when the palace maid who accompanied him day and night in the clothes bureau disappeared. tears.Why are you feeling sad today?

The more he smiled, the more arrogant he became. With a finger, he called the famous Jiangxi concubine who came back with him today and whom Sun Min had selected from thousands of people to come on stage.

The female concubine did not know what was going on at the moment. She only felt danger and wanted to run away. However, An Jiu's tall and short bodyguards were already cheetahs that had been watching for a long time. They had already stepped forward and picked them up with their hands. The female concubines were thrown onto the stage like baggage. superior.

They cried for help to the guests below.

Liang Peiqiu stood up subconsciously. Zhou Yuan grabbed the corner of her clothes and shook his head silently.

She looked to the opposite side. After being cleared by the soldiers, all the officials of the imperial kiln factory were left behind. None of them dared to go against their immediate superiors. They just watched with cold eyes. The female concubines were pulled off their clothes by An Jiu, revealing their snow-white fragrance. Shoulders and thighs, on the stage, kept crying and begging to escape.

At this moment, she suddenly understood that Zhou Qiguang and Yang Chenggong's early departure was a long-planned show.

They expected that an attack would occur if An Jiu was betrayed by someone, so they left some space and made it clear that they did not care, in order to calm the situation.After tonight, they can still live in peace and enjoy the bell-ringing feast of Jingdezhen together.

This is called beating the stick with a little sweetness. Officials have long been playing with the remaining rules.

Liang Peiqiu was suddenly swept away by great disappointment, her whole body became cold and she couldn't help but tremble.Zhou Yuan sensed something was wrong and lowered his voice: "I felt something was wrong when you used the name of the Ceramics Industry Supervision Committee to ask the court for money. Although getting rid of the constraints of the Three Kilns and Nine Associations is beneficial to the development of Anqing kiln, all parties can exercise the power of supervision. Responsibility can also limit the actions of adults to a certain extent...but have you ever thought about how you can ensure that the Ceramic Industry Supervision Committee will not be the next Three Kilns and Nine Committees?"

How could Zhou Yuan, a former member of the court, not be able to understand the affairs of the officialdom that she could understand?Moreover, he became a sinner due to family changes and had been relying on others for many years. His heart was as clear as a mirror - Jingdezhen today is like the Changjiang River in flood season, with undercurrents surging and friends and foes indistinguishable.

These people act with one purpose in mind.

Profit.

"My lord is just angry. If you force yourself to stand up for the female concubine, do you know what the price will be?"

The idea of ​​killing three birds with one stone was proposed by him in order to prove his innocence. It was he who personally pushed Liang Peiqiu to the position of "puppet". Over the past year, he had seen the changes in every moment of An Jiu's judgment on her life and death, and was deeply moved by it. She knew what she was facing at this moment.

Liang Peiqiu understood Zhou Yuan's reminder that he didn't want to elaborate.

In fact, based on their friendship, his words were already superficial and profound, but even if the friendship is obscure, if it can bring comfort to people's hearts, it can turn into a spark of fire even in the cold winter.

She nodded and smiled at Zhou Yuan, and looked up. On the stage not far away, An Jiu was standing in front of the majestic tiger flag, with his hands behind his back.Two female concubines in ragged clothes knelt under his soap boots and begged.

The night is deep and snowflakes are falling.

Silently.

The female concubines thought that tonight was the day of death, their legs softened, and they looked at each other sadly, sighing at Duckweed's fate of being helpless.There are so many people in the audience, except for the actors, almost all of them are men. They are the people they have been taught to treat as patrons since they were young. Maybe there are some guests they have served after a night of fun?
Why could he promise life and death if he opened his mouth when he was tender and affectionate, but now he wouldn't even say a word for them?
Their eyes as they gazed at the beautiful carcasses were either numb and cold, or wretched and crazy, making people scared and disgusted.

Maybe it would be better to die.

With this thought in mind, the female concubines gave up their struggle and stretched out their hands to touch the cold snowflakes, causing their snowy muscles to tremble. At the same time, there was determination in their eyes.

Just when their eyes met and they were about to hit the pole and die, a voice penetrated the long darkness and shed a clear light in front of them.

"Sir, it's snowing."

Tonight, if there is one person who must pay for An Jiu's rage and the power struggle of these current officials, it should be her.

An Jiu stared at her without blinking.

She smiled and said: "Kyoto is covered with auspicious snow, and the palaces are all transformed into silver palaces. I guess good things are coming soon."

An Jiu remained silent.

"Sir, this year will be a good one, right? At least this year will be. I wish you all the best in advance, good-bye and a happy new year.

After a long time, An Jiu said: "Okay, very good! In that case, we should have a good celebration! Come and bring up all the bamboo leaves and greens that I have collected!"

The soldiers obeyed the order, and soon a bowl of wine that was almost overflowing from the brim was delivered to Liang Peiqiu.Snowflakes fluttered, fell into the wine, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

An Jiu said: "I remember when I first met the little god, it also snowed."

At the end of that year, he returned home disappointed. He didn't want to go back to the deserted mansion, so he sat alone in the carriage.

The lights in Jingdezhen were incompatible with him.When he planned to kill someone to vent his anger, he lifted up the car curtain and saw a flash of white running in a hurry in one direction.

That's Jiangshui Tower.

That night was the first official reunion between Xu Zhiliu and Liang Peiqiu after many years.

He was touched by the lonely white, and asked the little eunuch serving beside him who that person was.The little eunuch stood on tiptoe and looked hard, and then answered, "He is the little god of Anqing Kiln. He has always been white and is famous among the younger generation of Jingdezhen as a beautiful lady."

Sooyoung, that’s great.

It's great that there are still people rushing to see me on a snowy night.

I really envy.

An Jiu said: "It's a beautiful time and beautiful scenery. You really shouldn't be angry with an unworthy slave, so these two people will reward you. In such a big Jingdezhen, you win my heart the most. You should know what I want and what I don't like." , set rules for them tonight for me, so that the people of Jingdezhen know that I, An Jiu, are not something that can be manipulated casually."

Liang Peiqiu said yes, took the wine, and brought the bowl to her mouth amidst everyone's celebration of a good harvest.

Whether it was caused by the sudden cold night or the hallucination caused by the cold poison entering her bones, her broken right leg began to feel dull pain again.The pain is like a gangrene attached to the bone, going straight into the bone marrow, invading all the bones, and even the scalp is torn and pricked with needles.

She only made one move before she felt a pair of sinister eyes fall on her.

She knew what this bowl of wine meant.

An Jiu was looking at her.

Her body was hurting more and more, her mind seemed to be breaking away, and she was forced to lose control.In the midst of the lightning and flint, she drank all the wine in the bowl and calmly blended into this swamp of hypocrisy.

An Jiujiu personally sent her back to Xiaoqingyuan, personally sent the two beauties into her room, closed the door for them personally, and sat down on the stone bench outside the door.

Long night.

Who will sleep?