The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

More than a decade is but a brief moment in the long river of history, but for Yi Xiaochuan, it seemed like years of suffering prolonged by endless hatred.

Yi Xiaochuan once thought that he could make a difference in the troubled Qin Dynasty with his knowledge of history, but reality poured cold water on him.

The power of the Qin State was growing rapidly under the rule of Zhao Gao, and the people were becoming prosperous. However, in Yi Xiaochuan's eyes, all this was incompatible with his hatred.

When he heard the news that the cannon had been invented, he was shocked beyond words. The deafening roar ruthlessly trampled on the faint hope of resistance in his heart.

Yi Xiaochuan knew very well that in this era, if he wanted to fight against the powerful Qin State on his own, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

But how could Gao Yao know something that he himself couldn't do?
Yi Xiaochuan even suspected that Gao Yao had been possessed by someone. Once this absurd idea took root in his mind, it spread like wild weeds. He carefully recalled every detail of his time with Gao Yao, trying to find a hint of something strange in the gaps in his memories, but in the end he found nothing.

It was not until later that I heard that Zhao Gao had a sister named Yilan, who was known as the "God of Craftsmanship". Yi Xiaochuan suddenly realized that it was not Gao Yao who was possessed by another body, but most likely Yilan was also a person who traveled through time. To be called the "God of Craftsmanship", she must have a background in engineering. In this Qin Dynasty, with modern knowledge and skills, she could naturally create many amazing inventions. The cannon might have come from her hands.

But new doubts loomed in Yi Xiaochuan's mind.

Why would such a woman with modern knowledge and ideas help Zhao Gao to commit atrocities? Didn't she know that Zhao Gao was notorious in history and was a treacherous minister who brought disaster to the country and the people?

"Husband, we're here, let's get off!"

Songzhi patted Yi Xiaochuan gently to wake him up, then she opened the curtain, took Xiaoyue's arm, and got out of the carriage.

It was getting close to evening, and the originally deserted and lonely street seemed to be slowly awakened by an invisible force, gradually regaining its vitality and bustle.

One after another, carriages and horses, decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, like small moving palaces, drove into the street, and then stopped in an orderly manner at the doors of the red buildings with gorgeous red windows.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted slightly, and merchants and officials dressed in bright clothes and riding fine horses stepped out one after another, with an arrogant look on their faces. Some were potbellied, with the brocade clothes on their bodies trembling slightly with their steps, and the jade pendants and sachets on their waists colliding with each other, making crisp sounds; some were stern, walking with their heads held high, and the accessories on their official uniforms sparkled brightly in the afterglow, showing their noble status.

At the same time, the streets were instantly enveloped by an enchanting atmosphere, with the chirping of women interweaving into a unique movement. Some women's voices were gentle and melodious, like the spring breeze blowing over the strings of a musical instrument, stirring the heartstrings; some were charming and beautiful, like the blooming poppies in the summer night, exuding a fatal attraction; and some were soft and coquettish, like the drizzle in the autumn night, dripping and making people's bones numb.

When the lights come on, the streets are decorated with stars, and people are surging, shoulder to shoulder, with noise, laughter, and shouting, which converge into a noisy but lively ocean.

Although the laws of the Qin Dynasty are strict and harsh, and there are strict regulations on various behavioral norms, as long as there are men in the world, there seems to be a natural tacit understanding and need, which makes the Red Mansions and Chu Halls like tenacious weeds. Even under strict laws, they still take root in the land of the Qin Dynasty and are difficult to completely eradicate.

After all, this seems to be an irresistible part of human nature, and it still stands firm after years of baptism. Moreover, in recent years, Qin has been strong, the weather has been good, and the people have lived and worked in peace and contentment. Almost every family has some spare money, not to mention those wealthy merchants and well-paid officials.

Yi Huawei holds a rather subtle attitude towards this phenomenon, that is, he does not advocate it but he does not oppose it either. In his opinion, no one is perfect, and everyone needs some hobbies and pastimes to relieve stress and relax the body and mind. As long as they do not go beyond the rules and do not violate the bottom line of the law, there is no need to be too harsh.

Nowadays, the salary of an ordinary official in a county government is already quite generous, enough to support the daily expenses of a family of ten, and during festivals, the government will also distribute various benefits to make their lives more comfortable. The higher the official position, the higher the salary and benefits will naturally rise. When it comes to high-ranking positions such as the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, the annual salary alone is simply staggering, enough to support more than a thousand people. Not to mention, if they have made contributions to the court, they will also receive priceless rewards, such as rare treasures and vast land.

Of course, there is a time limit.

In contrast, the Qin State had extremely severe punishments for officials who committed corruption and abuse of power. Even if only evidence of corruption of a gold cake was found, the fate that awaited the three clans was exile thousands of miles away, and this was still the mildest punishment.

In this era, there was no chance of escaping or hiding, because without a household permit, no one could leave the county. No one dared to take in those who dared to hide fugitives.

What's more, all under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the world are the king's subjects. No matter where they flee to, they will find it difficult to escape the Qin law.

...............

The moment Yi Xiaochuan and his companions got off the carriage, a group of beautifully dressed young ladies immediately surrounded them like a magnet attracting iron filings.

These women had flattering smiles on their faces, their eyes were filled with eagerness and desire, and they kept calling out in tender voices:

"Sir, come to our place. We promise that you will never want to leave." Some women even reached out and pulled the sleeves of the people, trying to pull them to the brothel they belonged to.

"roll!"

Seeing this, Xiang Yu frowned, and a trace of displeasure appeared on his stern face. He was tall and strong, like a towering mountain, exuding an innate majesty. With a wave of his hand, he ruthlessly drove away the women who surrounded him to solicit customers, and his movements were quick and decisive. Seeing Xiang Yu's reaction of "keep away from strangers", Xiaoyue couldn't help but chuckle.

Walking along South Street, everyone walked at a leisurely pace. Along the way, Song Songzhi looked around curiously. The shops on both sides of the street were full of all kinds of goods. There was a cloth shop selling exquisite silk. The silk in the shop was colorful and soft, shining with charming luster under the light; there was a wine shop exuding bursts of tempting aroma. The laughter of the drinkers came from the shop from time to time, accompanied by the mellow aroma of wine in the air; there was also a grocery store with all kinds of strange little objects, attracting many passers-by to stop and watch.

After walking for a while, the group stopped in front of a building.

The building in front of us is magnificent and majestic, like a miniature palace standing on South Street. Its flying eaves, brackets and carvings are exquisite, and every detail shows luxury and nobility. The vermilion door is closed, and the copper door knocker shines with an ancient luster under the light. Above the lintel, a gold-plated plaque hangs high, with three large characters "Chuxiang Pavilion" written on it. The font is vigorous and powerful, as if telling the extraordinaryness of this red building.

Chuxiang Pavilion is one of the famous red pavilions in Daqin in recent years. It is said that there are many beauties in the pavilion, most of whom are from the old land of Chu State and Wuyue. These women are all pretty, like flowers blooming in spring, delicate and beautiful. Their faces are white and tender, and their skin is as delicate and smooth as mutton-fat jade, as if you can squeeze it out of water. Moreover, they are all versatile and good at playing the piano and the flute. For men, this is simply the entertainment sanctuary they all dream of, and it is the perfect place for them to seek a moment of joy and relaxation in the busy world.

However, although beauties are nice, the price to enjoy them here is quite high. Under normal circumstances, once you step into Chuxiang Pavilion, you can't easily come out without spending thousands of coins. And these thousands of coins are equivalent to the annual salary of an ordinary official in Qin State. Such expensive consumption has also made this place a den of money that only the rich are welcome to enter and the poor are not allowed to enter.

Seeing Yi Xiaochuan and his group of men and women coming in, a servant waiting at the door was stunned for a moment, then frowned, with a barely perceptible look of contempt in his eyes. In his opinion, although this group of people were dressed in extraordinary clothes, they were a mixture of men and women, and he didn't know where they came from. Maybe they just came here to join in the fun, not the real big moneybags.

However, out of professional instinct and accomplishment, the servant quickly adjusted his expression, put on a warm smile, and walked up to him quickly: "Sir, please come in, please come in!"

As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly and made a respectful gesture.

Seeing this, Xiang Yu casually took out a small piece of gold from his pocket and threw it to the servant, saying, "Give me a private room, understand?"

The servant was quick to catch the gold, and felt it was heavy. He subconsciously weighed the gold in his hand, and the smile on his face instantly became as bright as a blooming flower, and his eyes almost smiled into slits: "I understand! I understand! Master, don't worry, please follow me!"

The group followed the servant into the hall. As soon as they stepped into the hall, they saw a woman in her early thirties coming up to them. The woman's face had aged, and the years had left obvious traces on her face. The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were still faintly visible under the thick makeup. Her lips were painted too brightly, which was very inconsistent with her slightly pale skin color. She looked like a fairy who tried hard to retain her youth but failed. But she seemed to be unaware of it, and her face was still wearing her signature smile: "Oh, Master, you haven't come for a long time. I really miss you. Which girl do you want to meet this time!"

The woman's voice was deliberately delicate and artificial. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, with a long tail. No matter whether the visitor was new or familiar, this opening remark was always the same, but it always created an ambiguous and warm atmosphere in an instant.

Yi Xiaochuan frowned slightly. He had an instinctive resistance to such occasions. But he had to come here for a reason. He turned around and looked at Xiang Yu beside him. He saw that Xiang Yu had a stern face and looked around vigilantly. Others also had different looks and expressions. Some looked curiously at the decorations in the hall, while others seemed a little uneasy. After all, this was not the environment they were familiar with.

The hall was decorated magnificently, with exquisite paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls, depicting landscapes or beautiful women, all of which were by famous artists and worth a lot of money. The floor was covered with gorgeous carpets, which were soft and comfortable to step on, and every step seemed to be on clouds. In the center of the hall were several exquisite round tables, surrounded by exquisitely embroidered chairs, and the tables were already filled with various delicacies and fine wines, exuding an alluring aroma.

At this time, there were already quite a few guests sitting or standing in the hall. Some were flirting and playing with the women beside them, who were giggling and patting the guests gently with their silk handkerchiefs from time to time; some were drinking and having fun alone, with dazed eyes, immersed in their own world.

"Madam Boss, I want the top-ranked private room."

Yi Xiaochuan came to his senses, took out a black ring from his sleeve and put it into the proprietress's hand.

"...Yes! Gentlemen, please come in!"

The proprietress looked down at the ring in her hand, her eyes fixed, then she quickly revealed her professional smile and extended her hand to invite him.

Yi Xiaochuan and his party, led by the lady boss, walked towards one side of the hall. Along the way, they could hear the laughter and music coming from each room, which intertwined to form a picture full of sensuality.

Arriving at a relatively quiet private room, the proprietress gently opened the door, stepped aside to let everyone in, and smiled at Yi Xiaochuan:

"Masters, please take a rest here for a while. I will call the girls to serve you."

After saying that, he twisted his waist and slowly left.

Yi Xiaochuan and others walked into the private room and saw that the interior was decorated quite elegantly. Different from the luxury of the hall, it focused more on creating a quiet and comfortable atmosphere. On the wall hung an elegant ink painting of a quiet bamboo forest, giving people a sense of tranquility. By the window stood an ancient zither, the strings of which shone with a faint luster under the light, as if telling its story. In the middle of the room was a large low table, surrounded by soft cushions.

Everyone sat down. Xiang Yu sat near the door, with an upright and dignified posture. Yi Xiaochuan sat in the middle, with a thoughtful look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something. The others also found their seats and sat down. For a moment, the private room fell into a brief silence.

(End of this chapter)