Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 63 Time is a butcher knife
In the warehouse of Lingjinfang, Wei Qing looked at Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong with an angry face, and was so angry that he couldn't speak for a long time.

His handsome face was twisted, and he wanted to open his mouth to eat people.The tightly clenched fists seemed to want to beat Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong to a pulp.

However, Wei Qing finally sighed in despair: "Last year in Kuizhou, I took good care of Zheng Shilang and Fang Xiaolangjun, and I didn't say anything bad about you two in front of the saint.

Now why bother to avenge your kindness and embarrass me? "

"General Wei, you are being polite. I heard that after you returned to Beijing, you took the position of inspector general of the Jinwu Guard. That trip is not considered to be nothing, right?"

Uncle Zheng said with a smile, and the other party Chongyong winked.

After all this is said, why are you so polite?Just show it clearly and explain it clearly.

If this matter is done well, everyone will benefit. If it is not done well, there will be more than one or two unlucky ones!

"General Wei, what do you think of the brocade in this warehouse?"

Fang Chongyong asked, pointing to the Tang Jin on the shelf next to him, hoping to get reliable answers from "industry insiders."

Hearing this, Wei Qing also woke up from his rage.

In fact, he also knew that the source of this matter came from Li Longji!Rather than Zheng Shuqing and the others deliberately looking for trouble.

"Based on my knowledge, this should be the first-class brocade in my Tang Dynasty, and I can get it anywhere.

If a saint sees its beauty, he will definitely like it. "

Wei Qing picked up a piece of cloth and stroked it over and over again, nodded slightly, and said with certainty.

He is someone who has seen the world around Li Longji. Of course he has good vision and his words have a certain degree of credibility.

But Wei Qing's words are not dead, if the "beauty" of the fabric is not shown to Li Longji, it is useless.

Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing looked at each other and nodded silently without speaking.

Wei Qing's opinion is very important, that's because as a disciple of Liyuan, people like Wei Qing, to a certain extent, have similar aesthetics to Li Longji.

Birds of a feather flock together, and people whose aesthetics are too different from Li Longji's will obviously not be able to stay in Liyuan.

If Wei Qing thinks it's okay, then Tang Jin won't have a big problem.

So the question now becomes, how to show the beauty of these brocades in front of Li Longji.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

Wei Qing asked curiously, the anger in his heart had dissipated.As a special bureaucrat serving Li Longji, Wei Qing is obviously not a person who clings to boring issues.

It's not like no one has looked for Wei Qing before, and even a situation like this happened today.

After all, Wei Qing is a manager who belongs to Liyuan, and there are not a few people who come to him for work on weekdays.

As long as the people looking for him don't enter the Liyuan of Daming Palace, there will be no problem with the procedures.

For example, it was very common for Wei Qing to be called out when he was invited to perform singing performances at the Ten Princes' Residence, or to participate in activities such as celebrating the birthday of a prince or grandson.

But today's situation is indeed different, because that Yang Yuhuan, who danced face-to-face with Li Longji, can even compose music by himself!
This is completely different from the woman Li Longji favored in the past.

Before Yang Yuhuan appeared, a beloved concubine was a beloved concubine, and a geisha was a geisha.One delights people with sex, the other moves people with art.

The two are two parallel lines and will not intersect.It's not a vicious competition to eat their own food.

Because each of them will only satisfy one of Li Longji's interests.

But Yang Yuhuan is different. She can fully meet Li Longji's psychological and physical needs, with almost no weaknesses!

Yang Yuhuan is proficient in music and can sing and dance well, allowing Li Longji to adjust his emotions through music and obtain spiritual satisfaction after releasing his body's desires.

To put it simply, it was Yang Yuhuan who controlled Li Longji.There are moves on the bed and moves under the bed. There is no cooling gap when switching skills. Every move hits Li Longji's weakest link.

As a result, the emperor of the prosperous Tang Dynasty has been unable to leave Yang Yuhuan.I am so favored that I don’t even care about the opinions of others!
This situation not only dissatisfied many concubines in Li Longji's harem, but also many geishas in Liyuan privately complained about him.

If the trees are beautiful in the forest, the wind will blow them away.Although Yang Yuhuan was favored, the risks behind his death should not be underestimated.

For example, Wei Qing himself, or Aunt Gongsun who teaches sword dancing.They all believed that Yang Yuhuan had "crossed the line."

It’s no problem if you want to be sexually pleasing, and if you want to be talented and charming, it’s no problem. Everyone is here to make a living, so how can you be both a performer and a prostitute?

Isn’t this just destroying people’s jobs?

"It's like this, are there any women in the Liyuan who are good at dancing, and use these Tang brocades to make dance costumes for them.

Three days later, the sage will hold a large banquet in the Forbidden Garden Pear Garden, and there will be singing and dancing to add to the fun.

Those dancing girls can become popular because of this, and Zheng Shilang can also use this Tang brocade to do business.

Isn't it the best of both worlds? "

It's for this!
Wei Qing was stunned, and somewhat understood why Zheng Shuqing and the others were anxious.

He sighed with emotion: "Young Master may not know the rules in the White House.

The clothes used for dancing are the public property of the palace, not privately owned by the geisha.Only use when needed.

The Tang brocade you mentioned in the storeroom, since it was produced in Lingjinfang and became the public property of the Liyuan, naturally the sage must nod.

Of course, if it's a so-called gift for those dancing geisha, that's justified.But what are these Tang brocades used for making clothes to make up for the shortfall?
The accounts of the Shaofu Supervisor cannot be altered at will. "

Wei Qing said seriously.

If Tang Jin is used as "public property", then Zheng Shuqing will not need to pay for it, nor will the other party bear risks.By the same token, if this batch of Tang brocade is to be shipped out of the warehouse, it requires Li Longji's approval procedures.By the time a set of procedures is completed, all the flowers will wither!
Wei Qing combined with what Fang Chongyong wanted to do, the other party definitely didn't want Li Longji to know these things in advance.

Of course, there is another way.That is the case of using private money to fill the shortfall and then embezzling the goods.This kind of thing happens often, and it is one of the "hidden rules" of the Shaofu Prison.

The artisan workshops under the Shaofu Supervisor, no matter what they make, are actually cruelly exploiting and squeezing labor.

These people are all working in the various workshops under the Shaofu Supervisor in the form of "corvement", not the so-called "employment relationship".Of course, it is not in vain to work here. Many farmers who lost their land came here with the intention of learning "a skill".

Since the labor force is "free", the Shaofu Supervisor has also done a lot of private work, and even signed commercial agreements with private workshops and played various tricks.

In short, it is impossible for these laborers to stop them.

If Zheng Shuqing was willing to spend his own money to make up for the money spent on making clothes for the geishas, ​​this matter would still be easy to operate within the corresponding rules.

That is to say, to accomplish this, Zheng Shuqing had to advance his own money to take the risk, and Li Longji would only buy it if the performance was a big success.

If the effect is not good, Zheng Shuqing has to make up for the shortfall by himself, otherwise a charge of embezzlement of public funds cannot be escaped.

"I need to make a few clothes, and you can take them as you like. That's how this matter is arranged."

Zheng Shuqing gritted his teeth and said.

A real man can't eat with five pots of food, but he also has to cook with five pots of food.If you don't go all out at this time, when will you wait until you make a move?

"You are crazy! These Tang brocades are very valuable, you don't think that a piece of brocade is worth a piece of cloth, do you?"

Fang Chongyong quickly grabbed his sleeve and exclaimed, and the two stepped aside to discuss.

"Gamble big. If you win, you will pave the way for the Minister of the Household Department. If you lose, you will lose your fortune!"

Zheng Shuqing's eyes were red, and the old habit of liking Stud at the critical moment was repeated.

"Oh, you are..."

Fang Chongyong was speechless. Perhaps from Zheng Shuqing's point of view, ministers like them who did not follow the scholar's path had to perform well to ensure their official career was prosperous.

And those "normal" bureaucrats in the imperial examination system are constantly adapting to the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty, changing the rules of the game in the court by playing tricks on each other.

By the late Kaiyuan period, the so-called "Qingliu" who were scholars had basically controlled the normal promotion channels for imperial officials.It was a suffocating stranglehold and blockade of power.If someone who is not a Qingliu person takes the position, they will encounter great criticism.

Such as Niu Xianke.

The promotion of civil servants has formed an unspoken rule.What kind of person should be given what kind of official title after how long after joining the official position? Which official positions are empty, which are fat vacancies, and which are positions that can only be taken up after being demoted and assigned. The dazzling official dispatch backpack, these "clean people" In fact, everything has been arranged clearly.

Nowadays, the petty officials who came up from the bottom have been gradually marginalized, so they have to hang out at the bottom all their lives.

Since you can't get promoted, let's start making money with ease, which will lead to further corruption of officialdom.

In Fang Chongyong's view, whether it is Li Linfu who is outstanding in eliminating dissidents or the meek civil service group behind Zhang Jiuling, in fact, it is not about who is progressive and who is reactionary. They are all trying their best to demolish the prosperous Tang Dynasty. .

The only difference is that some are removing door panels and walls, while others are removing foundations.Some are opened in a hurry, and some are opened slowly and slowly.

"General Wei, if, I mean, if Yang Yuhuan continues to develop in the field of rhythmic dance in the future, Aunt Gongsun will be very dissatisfied.

She might lose her job because of it.After seeing Yang Yuhuan's dance, the saint was afraid that it would be difficult to like anyone else.

So is Aunt Gongsun interested in letting her and her disciples wear gorgeous Tang brocade, once again stir up the world with their sword energy, and please the saint? "

Fang Chongyong asked straightforwardly, without avoiding the things that many Liyuan disciples are worried about.

"I'll take you to see Aunt Gongsun, just you."

Wei Qing said to Fang Chongyong in a deep voice and glanced at Zheng Shuqing.

Fang Chongyong was right, and he also felt that it is indeed necessary to kill Yang Yuhuan's limelight now.

Of course, if it can't be done, it would be good to let Aunt Gongsun and others show their faces in front of Li Longji.

"That's great!"

Fang Chongyong held Wei Qing's hands tightly and said excitedly.

I heard that Mrs. Gongsun is also a beauty, and she has a thin waist and long legs and is good at dancing swords.Wearing this brocade robe made of Tang brocade, you will definitely be able to exert twelve points of power!

Fang Chongyong is full of confidence!This is a sure win!
……

In the Tang Dynasty, the title "aunt" generally did not refer to the "aunt" who often participated in square dancing activities in later generations, but usually referred to the eldest daughter in the family.

Moreover, the eldest daughter is often called this when she is very young.After you get married, you no longer call her that way. Only when you die and have your epitaph engraved can you call her "aunt" again.

Therefore, the woman with the combination of surname + "aunt" should not only not be old, but should be a girl in her teens.

When the sun set and illuminated the sky orange, Fang Chongyong finally saw Aunt Gongsun instructing his female apprentices in sword dancing in the Forbidden Garden to the north of Chang'an City, which was the pear garden outside the city in the past.

Then, the faith in my heart was shattered to pieces!
This is an aunt, an "aunt" who will be called respectfully in the vocabulary of later generations.

A slightly stooped back, a thickened waistline due to childbirth, and wrinkles on the forehead due to hard work.

The crow's feet at the corners of the eyes are also clearly visible.

In Fang Chongyong's fantasy, he wielded a sword and waved it like a surging storm. She had a heroic temperament, a gorgeous face, a slender and elegant lady, and was as light as a swallow.

It's all just a dream.

Time is like a butcher's knife, it shows no mercy to anyone it sees.

Today's Aunt Gongsun has a forehead full of wrinkles and looks particularly old. Her figure has deteriorated to the level of a square dancing aunt that was common in Fang Chongyong's previous life, and even her hair has turned a lot gray.

Only those eyes are still sharp, and the demeanor on his body is not angry and majestic.

The years have left a deep mark on her body, taking away her youth, but leaving behind something that others, even herself, cannot see.

Experience, wisdom, character, or something else.

"Xiao Langjun seems to be very disappointed when he sees the slave."

Aunt Gongsun said with a chuckle, and she could see Fang Chongyong's emotions almost written on his face at a glance.

From Wei Qing's mouth, she already knew the other party's intention.

"Let them try on those Tang brocade clothes. I am already old and can no longer dance with swords. Even if I put on those gorgeous brocade clothes, it will only be embarrassing."

Aunt Gongsun sighed and said, now she likes coarse linen clothes on weekdays.

Now that he is old, there is no need to take out the gorgeous clothes he used to wear when dancing swords, as a ridiculous show off of past achievements and glory.

"Li Twelve Niang, take them to have their figures measured and prepare for making clothes.

Don’t embarrass me at the saint’s feast in three days. "

Aunt Gongsun said to her disciples calmly.He turned around and left, too lazy to argue with Fang Chongyong.

It can be seen that Yang Yuhuan, who is good at singing, dancing and proficient in music, really has a great impact on Aunt Gongsun!Perhaps due to Li Longji's face and authority, Aunt Gongsun could not say bad things in front of Li Longji.

However, it is difficult to say what they are thinking behind the scenes.

"Is it really okay?"

Fang Chongyong asked Wei Qingdao with some confusion.

"I don't know either. Only a saint can give the answer."

Wei Qing spread his hands and replied helplessly.

(End of this chapter)