Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 26
The Lantern Festival is here!This is a festival that belongs to Chang'an people. Not only does the whole city have fun, from the emperor to servants, but also the curfew is cancelled!

It started on the Lantern Festival and continued for three consecutive days, day and night, with non-stop activities!The city gates are not closed at night, and there are no forbidden troops patrolling the night, so you can have fun as you want!Chang'an residents can move freely within the city.

The Shangyuan Festival in Chang'an is completely different from the Shangyuan Festival elsewhere in the Tang Dynasty.

There may be a lantern hanging elsewhere, and the family can finish it off with some good wine and food in the yard, but there are so many activities in Chang'an City, it can be called "the city that never sleeps".

The poems about Chang'an Shangyuan Ye are shocking from ancient to modern times, and there are many famous ones.Not only that, but in history, on the day of Shangyuan Festival, there have been many bloody things.

During the Tang Zhongzong period, a certain Shangyuan night celebration.

At that time, Emperor Li Xian, at the instigation of Empress Wei, also participated in the celebration and paraded through the streets.That's not to mention, at that time Li Xian had a whim, so he ordered the palace gate to be opened, and let the maids in the palace wear casual clothes to come out to play together.

Li Xian might be thinking at the time, these court ladies finally came out once, and they should all be grateful to me!
However, the ideal is full, and the reality is super skinny.

One night passed, and when the team returned to Daming Palace and counted the number of people, they found that there were more than 3000 fewer palace ladies traveling!
So from then on, the maids in the palace no longer have the right to parade in the Lantern Festival.After all, no emperor would be able to bear such humiliation if he was slapped in the face by a court lady again.

This year, on the night of the Lantern Festival, which was celebrated in Chang'an City, Li Longji watched the various lights in Chang'an City with great interest in front of the Qinzheng Building of the Xingqing Palace where he lived.

The various behaviors of the people and the lights of thousands of houses condensed into a beautiful scene of a prosperous age at this moment.

At this time in Chang'an, the gates of all the squares and the east and west cities have been opened, and the crowds of tourists are rushing in the city without a break.Tang Ren's passionate and confident character is vividly displayed at this moment.

In the distance, at the entrance to Anfu Gate, the west gate of the south gate of the palace, there is a huge "lantern wheel" with [-] lanterns of all kinds lit on it.The outside of the lamp wheel is covered with brocade silk, and in many places there are crystal clear colored glazes hanging on it, making them dazzling under the light.

This "lamp wheel" looks like a towering tree, tens of feet high.No matter where people are in Chang'an City, as long as they look up, they can see the outline of this lamp wheel.

Under the lamp wheel, there are loud singing and graceful dancing.A team of hundreds of "Tage people" formed the luxurious lineup of Tage people.Wei Qing, who went to deliver news to Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing, was the leader among them.

Tage is a mass entertainment song and dance activity that uses feet on the ground as a festival, singing and dancing.Participants danced and sang together, which was very lively.

However, although this kind of program is called "the public", it must not work without a leader.

As a royal institution where the artistic elite of the Tang Dynasty gathered, the Liyuan was naturally not absent from national celebrations such as the Lantern Festival.Li Longji sent Wei Qing here to control the scene. Wei Qing had a loud and long voice and played the role of "lead singer".It brought the atmosphere to a climax.

After the performance of the dancers, thousands of singers, in the moonlight, held hands, shoulder to shoulder, flicked their sleeves, tilted their bows, lowered their heads, bent over, and turned around. The formation kept moving and changing. Non-stop dance.

These programs made the people in Chang'an cheer loudly and enjoy themselves.

The lamps and the moon complement each other, lighting up the night of the capital.There are also a lot of acrobatics such as rope games and poles in the city. The east and west cities are full of goods, and pedestrians visiting the city, and the sound of bargaining can be heard endlessly.

Zheng Shuqing hurriedly wanted to return to Chang'an, just to have fun during the Lantern Festival, but he didn't expect that they still didn't catch up.

Of course, Li Longji couldn't see the performances under these lights, but he was still very happy because these things all came from the 40 yuan sent by Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing.And this money was obtained by Li Longji at the expense of his dignity.

In other words, this is his "treat" by the emperor, to make everyone in Chang'an City feel good.

Otherwise, without this money, the government would not be able to hire singing girls, build lamp wheels, or buy drinks.This Lantern Festival celebration was much inferior to what it is now.

"Lishi, you see that the Tang Dynasty is flourishing under my rule. Is this grand scene still as you wish?"

Li Longji turned around proudly, pointed at the lights outside the window, and asked Gao Lishi, who was calm and silent behind him.

"A saint is one emperor through the ages, and his achievements are not inferior to those of Emperor Taizong."

Gao Lishi said softly.

"Huh, that's natural. I have always followed Taizong as an example. I just want to conquer a big world and let the flag of the Tang Dynasty be planted everywhere.

The coast of the land is all Tang soil. "

With his hands behind his back, Li Longji looked at the gigantic light wheel in the southwest, shining dazzling light in the night sky, just like the prosperous Kaiyuan, dazzling and dazzling.

"Where are my three unworthy sons?"

Li Longji suddenly thought of something, frowned, and sounded very unhappy.

"Back to the saint, General Chen Xuanli personally led the troops to control the East Palace. Now the crown prince, King E, and King Guang are all under house arrest in the East Palace. Xue Ruo, the brother of the crown princess, has been imprisoned. Xue Ruo has already confessed to instigating the prince to rebel. The evidence conclusive."

Gao Lishi said calmly.

Li Longji couldn't help sneering, and didn't say a word for a long time.

The prince has not conspired to rebel, so where is the evidence?

Li Longji just wanted to let Prince Li Ying know that even relatives with the strongest relationship would say and do things against their will under coercion and temptation.Xue Ruo is Li Ying's brother-in-law, so he confessed after interrogation?
How many people in the world regard death as home?

"Send the file to the East Palace and let my unscrupulous sons have a look." Li Longji waved his hand impatiently.

Seeing that Gao Lishi hadn't left yet, he asked suspiciously, "Why don't you pass the decree?"

"The sage hasn't said how to deal with the crown prince, King E, and King Guang yet, so I don't dare to deliver the decree."

Gao Lishi said respectfully.

Hearing this, Li Longji felt as sick as if he had eaten a fly.

The Thirteenth Prince Li Yan reported that Prince Li Ying had borrowed two thousand pairs of armor. Li Longji had secretly instructed him to do so.

Li Longji also knew in his heart whether the prince, King E and King Guang were really rebelling.These people want to rebel, and they are also secretly contacting and wooing foreign ministers. They are indeed plotting evil.

But if we talk about substantive rebellion, there really is no such thing.

Thinking of this, Li Longji couldn't help but feel guilty.It doesn't matter how the prince behaves, what matters is what he thinks.

Because to Li Longji, it doesn't matter whether the prince has rebelled or not. Whether he wants to rebel or not is the first priority.If Li Ying and the other two kings want to rebel, then they deserve to die. It's that simple.

As for why the prince and the second king wanted to rebel, Li Longji felt that it was enough for him to think so, and there was no need to listen to others jabbering on the sidelines.

For example, Zhang Jiuling who always talks about "the prince is the foundation of the country".

Other things, such as whether there are witnesses, whether there is evidence, whether the logical chain of the crime is clear, whether the prince was wronged, etc., are all unimportant.

You can even conduct interrogations without putting on a facade.

"Execute Xue Xiu, hand the file to the crown prince and the second king for inspection, and then let them return to the ten kings' residence to lift the restriction."

Li Longji rubbed his brows tiredly. Gao Lishi turned around to convey the order and breathed a sigh of relief.This ending was much better than he expected.

However, Gao Lishi hadn't left his room in Qinzheng Building when he heard a sentence behind him that made his hair stand on end.

"Exterminate the Xue family. Except for the prince, the two princes and their heirs, all the relevant people in the houses of the other ten princes, including masters, servants and their families, will be killed!"

Li Longji's order contained no emotion, as if what he was killing was not a human being, but a pig or dog waiting to be slaughtered.

"Well, I'm going to deliver the decree now, slave."

Gao Lishi took a deep breath and quietly left the Qinzheng Building.After walking out, I felt that my heartbeat returned to normal.In his impression, Li Longji has not been so angry for a long time!

Although the four words "Kill them all" are short, they contain a huge amount of information.

The prince and the other two kings' family members and relatives, as well as the servants and concubines in the mansion, except for the children, all the others were left behind.

"It's time to change the prince."

Gao Lishi sighed and muttered to himself.

The nobles are well-dressed and well-fed, but the nobles are walking on thin ice.

If you are not careful at all, your family will be slaughtered, leaving you with no explanation.

The shadow of imperial power hangs over everyone, and no one can get rid of it.

Gao Lishi knew that Li Ying was "innocent", and the so-called "rebellious evidence" was similar to the "crime of defamation" committed by the cruel official Zhang Tang back then.

You said you don't have it, but I think you have it in your heart, and that's all right.I don't want to hear anything you say, and I don't need to tell you any evidence.

There is no father and son in the power arena, and the prince is the one who can legitimately replace the emperor. This determines that there cannot be any kind father and son, and also determines that the prince's road will not be smooth sailing. It also proves that those who are close to the prince are extremely important. It is possible that the fish in the pond will be affected.

Who can decide what is right and wrong?Now that you have decided to participate in this game, don’t complain about the cruel rules of the game!

Gao Lishi was thinking emotionally while taking the eunuchs in the palace to the East Palace.This wave, probably a lot of people will die.

Power is more important, or life is more important, this is a question that every powerful person must answer.

For some people, if they have no rights, what’s the point of living?Different people may have different answers.

Gao Lishi came to the East Palace full of thoughts and conveyed the decree to Prince Li Ying and the two kings.

When they heard that they were actually let go, the three princes cried with joy.As for other people in the house being killed innocently, that is not their concern.

If your wife is gone and you marry again, but your life is still alive, then everything is possible.

Li Longji is cruel and ruthless, how can they be compassionate people?

It's just a power game where the big fish eats the small fish.

Human life?Life counts!

Gao Lishi looked at the prince and the second king who were hugging and crying with an expressionless face. For some reason, he felt that they were like three dogs.

Returning to Qinzheng Building, Gao Lishi heard the sound of the piano coming from the room.After entering, Li Longji had changed into a Confucian shirt and was playing with his hands on a guqin.The sound of the piano is sonorous and ferocious with the intention of killing.

Seeing Gao Lishi coming in, Li Longji stopped playing, and asked softly, "How is the prince and the second king?"

"Returning to the saint, weeping with joy."

"Go and call Li Guinian, I'll go to the lantern wheel to listen to his music!"

Li Longji got up in a hurry, patted Gao Lishi on the shoulder very kindly and said.

This gave Gao Lishi the illusion that perhaps the status of Prince Li Ying and other princes in Li Longji's heart was not as good as that of a eunuch like himself.

"Sage, please wait a moment. I will go to the pear garden and ask Li Guinian to go to the lantern wheel at the south gate."

Gao Lishi said respectfully.

"Hurry up, hurry up, I'm eager for skills, I want to play with him! By the way, tell Wei Qing not to leave."

Li Longji was as excited as a child.

……

"The Lantern Festival, I still missed the Lantern Festival. My Chang'an lanterns are on the Lantern Festival!"

The spring is warm and the flowers are blooming. Sitting on the carriage from the "Changle Station" not far to the east of Chang'an, Zheng Shuqing keeps nagging and wailing. Regret endlessly.

If I had known earlier, I would have taken Wuguan Road. Climbing the mountain would be tiring, but it would not waste time.

"Shijun, can you please stop talking. On the night of Yuan Dynasty, we were almost freezing to death at the post station by the Yellow River, and there were not even any dogs. The lanterns on both sides of the post station were hung like will-o'-the-wisps. This is what you are talking about The Lantern Festival? It’s not the Ghost Festival, right?”

Fang Chongyong interrupted Zheng Shuqing helplessly.

Everyone was huddling in the crowded carriage and talking nonsense. The post station in the suburbs of Chang'an was very busy, and there was a drunk scribe traveling with them in the carriage, sleeping in a corner.If he doesn't make a fuss, Zheng Shuqing and his party will treat him as if he doesn't exist anymore, and they should talk about whatever they want.

"You yellow-mouthed kid, you know nothing! Can the Shangyuan Festival in Chang'an be compared with the dilapidated posthouse by the Yellow River? The street parades, the lanterns, and the thin and soft waist..."

Zheng Shuqing realized that he had slipped his tongue, so he quickly stopped.

Fang Chongyong seemed to have discovered Hua Dian blindly, coughing lightly and teasingly:

"Last year's Yuan night, the flower market lights like the day. The willows on the moon, and people around the dusk.

At Yuan Ye this year, the moon and the light remain the same. No one from last year, tears wet the sleeves of the spring shirt.

Mr. Zheng, you look serious, but you also seem to be very coquettish.

Is it true that there is a beautiful woman waiting for you in Shangyuan night this year, making you anxious? "

Just as Zheng Shuqing was about to defend himself, the scribe sitting in the corner of the carriage because of a hangover sat up like a spring and exclaimed, "Good poem! Great poem! Who wrote it?"

What's going on with you riding a horse?

Fang Chongyong, Zheng Shuqing, and Yan Zhuang all looked at the scribe with puzzled expressions. As for Aduan, who was sitting with the coachman, he obviously couldn't see it. Fang Laique was asleep and didn't know.The originally casual atmosphere in the carriage suddenly became awkward.

"You wrote it?"

The scribe looked at Fang Chongyong and asked.

At first I wanted to admit it, but thinking about it, it seems that such a poem written by a child is really outrageous. Fang Zhongyong pointed to Zheng Shuqing and said, "It was written by this envoy. I don't know if your Excellency is..."

"Your Majesty Li Taibai, dare to ask this Mr. Zheng is..."

Li Bai?

Fang Chongyong, Zheng Shuqing and others were stunned. This was such a coincidence!

"I, Zheng Shuqing, was the governor of Kuizhou before. Now I have returned to Beijing to report on my duties. I have admired you for a long time."

Realizing that the person in front of him was Li Bai, Zheng Shuqing felt embarrassed and retracted Fang Chongyong's words for a moment.

(End of this chapter)