Chapter 391 Guangxi Pre-Qin Orthodoxy, Heartbeat
Chapter 391 Guangxi Pre-Qin Orthodoxy, Heartbeat
The monkey trainer Zuo San opened a wooden box beside him.
A clever and somewhat cute little monkey jumped out.
The third person on the left holds a thin bamboo pole and swings it gently.
The little monkey's eyes rolled around and he climbed out of the box.
The little monkey walked nimbly to another wooden box.
He gently picked up a small, delicate hat with his front paws and looked it up and down.
He put it on his little head in a playful way, and his movements were so skillful that Liu Heiying couldn't help laughing.
Then, the little monkey quickly took out a mini version of clothes.
With his seemingly clumsy but actually deft hands, he slowly put the clothes on himself.
She didn't forget to tidy herself up, and she looked so cute.
Zuo San nodded with satisfaction, walked forward quickly, and quickly wiped the little monkey's mouth.
The little monkey's eyes narrowed instantly.
Then, Zuo San pulled out a pair of short wooden sticks from his waist.
The little monkey ran forward and pulled out one of them.
He immediately became serious, his eyes sparkling, as if he had really become a knight with great martial arts skills.
Zhang San tapped the bamboo pole lightly, and the little monkey began to dance with the stick.
Sometimes it spins quickly, sometimes it jumps and chops, its movements are smooth and powerful.
It actually had some martial arts flavor, which made Liu Heiying praise it again and again.
The air in the study seemed to come alive with the cheerful rhythm.
This caused the personal guard Feng Yunfang, who was standing quietly at the side, to open his eyes wide and watch intently.
Lu Yunyi also smiled and nodded slightly.
Seeing that they liked it, I made a decision in my mind.
He leaned closer to Liu Heiying and whispered:
"Give him some silver and let him perform in the army."
"it is good."
Liu Heiying turned his head symbolically.
Suddenly I realized that this was a cure, and then I turned around:
"Brother Yun'er, no effect?"
Lu Yunyi smiled bitterly: "As a dignified third-rank official, do you really want to learn how to perform monkey tricks?"
Seeing the disappointment in Liu Heiying's eyes, Lu Yunyi comforted him:
"As a pastime, it's great."
At this time, Zuo San's performance had also ended.
According to him, some tasks such as jumping through fire hoops cannot be performed.
Liu Heiying waved his hand:
"Go out and get the silver, and wait on the side.
Go to the military camp to perform tomorrow, and you will be rewarded if you perform well."
There was an indescribable excitement on Zuo San's face.
He fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowed repeatedly, and shouted "Thank you, sir."
Seeing Lu Yunyi's strange expression, he asked:
"How much silver did you give to invite them?"
"Twelve taels per person."
"Twelve?"
Lu Yunyi's voice rose a little and his eyes widened.
Liu Heiying quickly comforted him:
"If I can help Brother Yun'er's illness get better, I'd be willing to lose everything I have.
Besides, if I only spent one or two taels of silver to get the person here, I would have a hard time explaining myself when my sister-in-law asks about it."
"What's wrong with that?"
Lu Yunyi still felt that ten taels of silver was too expensive.
"My sister-in-law was born rich and has never lacked money.
One tael of silver is just like a few coins to her, how can I feel safe using it to do things?"
Lu Yunyi showed some realization, but still shook his head:
"I'd better do less of this in the future. This is not the way to spend money.
Hurry up and call the next one, the words have been spoken and can’t be wasted.”
Liu Heiying quickly called out, "Next."
Soon, a man and a woman walked in, dressed in funny clothes.
The man is strong and muscular, while the woman is tall and has an energetic look.
The two men held sledgehammers and large stones.
The next two hours were an eye-opener for Lu Yunyi.
There were judo, pole climbing, animal taming, kicking, knife swallowing and fire spitting, puppetry, and ancient magic tricks, which made Lu Yunyi dazzled.
There were also some courtesans playing musical instruments, singing, and dancing.
Liu Heiying's saliva was about to flow out.
Slowly, the sky gradually darkened and no one came in the door anymore.
Puzzles flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes. He looked at Hu Xiaowu standing at the door and asked:
"Is there anyone else? Where is Mr. Xue?"
Hu Xiaowu rushed in:
"Sir, the Xue family does not fight or compete, and ranks last.
The instruments are being tuned now and will be in soon. "
"She's the only one left?"
Liu Heiying felt a little unsatisfied. In his opinion, enjoyment was much more interesting than fighting.
"Reporting to the Lord, she is the only one left."
"Okay then, let her come in."
Hu Xiaowu ran out in a hurry, Liu Heiying turned back,
Looking at Lu Yunyi, whose complexion had improved a little, he introduced him with a beaming smile.
"Brother Yun'er, this Mr. Xue is incredible, his ventriloquism is excellent!"
"Voice tricks?"
Lu Yunyi, who was eating melon seeds, froze and looked over.
Seeing Liu Heiying's evil smile, he cursed:
"Hurry up and tell me, why are you keeping me in suspense?"
"Hehe, Mr. Xue is good at playing various musical instruments and has a very nice voice. He is quite famous in the city.
The Miaoxin Building where she is located is always crowded with people, and one needs to draw lots to enter."
As he spoke, Liu Heiying raised his eyebrows and smiled wickedly:
"Brother Yun'er, this Xue family is extremely beautiful.
Take a look. If you like it, stay. You can listen to music on weekdays. Why not? "
Lu Yunyi smiled and shook his head:
"Black Hawk, I appreciate your kindness, but please finish it quickly.
There are still many military matters to attend to tomorrow, and the sugar issue must also be taken care of as soon as possible.
Yunnan Province has just experienced a great war.
This is the time when we need to recover our strength and recuperate, so we cannot slack off.
Sweet potatoes and sugar, as long as they are the same,
Yunnan will be able to recover most of its natural resources next year, which can be considered a good deed.”
Liu Heiying slumped in his chair in annoyance.
He wiped his face vigorously with both hands and let out a long sigh:
"Brother Yun'er, what's wrong with enjoying the battles?"
Lu Yunyi didn't say anything, but grabbed a handful of dried fruits and ate them with great interest.
For him, such a leisurely life is already great.
At this moment, the moonlight coming through the door was gently blocked by a beautiful figure, and the light in the room suddenly dimmed.
Ok?
Liu Heiying, who was sitting there with no hope in life, opened his eyes.
He looked at Mr. Xue who slowly walked into the house, uttered a light exclamation, and slowly sat up.
Lu Yunyi on the side also looked over, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Black Hawk was right. The woman in front of him was indeed very beautiful.
A white dress flutters gently, somewhat ethereal.
Her beautiful hair swayed gently as she walked, bringing a hint of coolness.
She walked in square steps on the soft carpet and stood in the middle of the study.
His slightly cold eyes swept over the two people in front of him and he bowed slowly:
"My humble daughter Xue Lan greets the two generals."
The voice was a little cold, but it matched the cold moonlight perfectly.
Liu Heiying adjusted his sitting posture again, looked at the woman in front of him, and asked as usual:
"Seeing that you have nothing in your hands, what talent do you have?"
Xue Lan's face was calm, and she spoke calmly:
"I am proficient in musical instruments. I can play whatever the two generals want to hear."
Liu Heiying turned his head to look at Lu Yunyi and asked in a low voice:
"Brother Yun'er, what do you want to hear?"
"Whatever you decide, I'm fine with it." Lu Yunyi said as always.
Liu Heiying nodded, looked at Xue Lan, and said readily:
"Play what you do best."
Xue Lan nodded slightly, bowed to the two of them, and gently touched the back of her head with her slender hand.
A bright silver hairpin appeared in his hand.
The hair that was originally neatly tied up was scattered in an instant, flowing down like a black waterfall.
The hairpin's true appearance gradually emerged. It was a small and delicate mouth harp.
Normally it is hidden in the hair and is not visible to others.
Xue Lan bowed gently:
"My two generals, this is called a mouth string.
In ancient books before the Qin Dynasty, it was called "huang", and it was also known as mouth harp.
I am a musician who travels around the world, and I cannot be without musical instruments.
So I asked a craftsman to make it into a piece of jewellery and carry it with me.”
As soon as the words fell, a gleam of light flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes.
Lu Yunyi on the side also slowly raised his head and looked at the woman in front of him.
Liu Heiying was slightly surprised: "Miss Xue also knows ancient books from the pre-Qin period?"
Xue Lan spoke calmly:
“I am from Guilin Prefecture in Guangxi. I have been humiliated by countless people when I went out. They called me a Baiyue border dweller and a barbarian.
I then read history books and ancient texts.
Finally, it was confirmed that Baiyue was incorporated into the territory of Qin in the 33rd year of Emperor Qin Shihuang's reign, and Guilin County, Xiang County, etc. were established.
From then on, Guilin was the orthodox Chinese, not the barbaric. "
At this point, a trace of sadness appeared on Xue Lan's cold face:
"However, I have been traveling to many places.
I have told this story to many people, but they all treated it as a joke.”
Liu Heiying looked at Lu Yunyi strangely and they both saw the surprise in each other's eyes.
The First Emperor led 500,000 troops to conquer the Baiyue.
The two of them read it countless times in order to familiarize themselves with the many precautions of fighting in the mountains.
At that time, the Qin army was divided into five routes. One route marched eastward from present-day Jiangxi to capture Dong'ou and Minyue.
Two routes attacked Nanyue, and the other two routes entered Guangxi and attacked Xiou.
The Qin army conquered Dong'ou and Minyue in the same year and established the Minzhong Prefecture.
However, when the other four Qin armies attacked Lingnan, they were unable to reach the destination due to the high mountains, dangerous roads, and crisscrossing rivers.
Marching, fighting and transporting military rations were extremely difficult.
In addition, due to the tenacious resistance of the various tribes in Guangdong and Guangxi, they were unable to win after three years of stalemate.
Later, Wei Tu Sui marched into the area around Guilin in present-day Guangxi.
They were attacked at night by the Yue people from Guangdong and Guangxi, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties. Wei Tu Sui was killed in the battle and the two sides entered a state of confrontation.
Later, the Qin army was able to win the battle only after the grain transportation channels were completely improved.
This situation is very similar to the current situation in Yunnan, except that the offensive and defensive sides have switched.
This type of war was one of the few mountain wars that emphasized logistics and transportation, and it served as a great warning to the Yunnan war.
I didn't expect that a musician today could know such things.
Lu Yunyi leaned back in his chair.
He looked at the woman in front of him quietly and said in a deep voice:
"Since Guangxi was conquered by General Liao Yongzhong in the first year of the Hongwu reign, it has been part of the Ming Dynasty.
The three ministries were set up, and the aboriginals were replaced by officials.
They are all the vassal states of the Ming Dynasty, so how can they be called frontier barbarians? "
At this point, Lu Yunyi chuckled:
"If Miss Xue is a barbarian, then the two of us are not even border barbarians."
Xue Lan showed surprise on her face, and the mouth harp was turned back and forth between her slender jade fingers.
"Where are the two generals from?"
Lu Yunyi laughed: "Qingzhou, the northernmost place in Ming Dynasty,
Before the imperial army defeated Nahachu, it was unclear whether Qingzhou was still part of Ming territory. "
"Hahaha, our backgrounds aren't more miserable than Miss Xue's?
Now, aren’t you sitting here, eating delicious food and drinking spicy drinks? "
Liu Heiying suddenly felt some emotion and laughed a few times.
"If Miss Xue can become a famous music master in the Ming Dynasty in the future, no one will talk about this matter anymore.
Of course, the Ming Dynasty was newly established.
It is natural for some people to be quick to talk. Miss Xue can give Daming some time."
Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice, his voice carrying a hint of heaviness.
He was not interested in Xue Lan in front of him, but he was very interested in her words.
Since ancient times, border areas have lacked a sense of belonging to the central court.
Especially since the North had been lost for nearly 400 years and returned to China only 20 years ago.
Despite the court's efforts to build water conservancy projects, reclaim wasteland, and reduce taxes year after year,
But it is still not enough. The scars of time can only be erased by time.
For some reason, Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a sense of melancholy.
Before joining the army, he never considered the affairs of the court, but only thought about his own little piece of land.
Now that I am an official in the court, I have to think about the court unconsciously. This is the change after becoming a vested interest.
With a sigh, Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Miss Xue, we invited him here today just for entertainment. After the performance, the Lu family will reward him generously."
Xue Lan nodded slightly, her expression still calm, her whole body feeling as if she was floating in the air.
She gently picked up the mouth harp and placed it to her lips.
At this moment, the world seemed to stand still.
The moonlight shone through the window lattice and fell on her soft face, making her look even whiter.
Xue Lan closed her eyes slightly, and as she blew slowly,
The mouth harp produced clear and long notes.
It is like a clear spring in the mountains or the chirping of birds in the forest, melodious and affectionate.
The melody sometimes jumps lightly, like a stream playing among rocks,
Sometimes it is low and gentle, like a whisper under the night sky, which is very inspiring.
Lu Yunyi couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
I couldn't help but immerse myself in it and forget the troubles in the outside world.
Everything around is wrapped in music.
Even the dust in the air seemed to dance gently to the melody.
The two of them sat at the top, their eyes full of surprise and intoxication.
They never thought that a seemingly simple mouth harp could produce music that is just as good as that of a piano or flute.
As the last note slowly fades away,
Xue Lan opened her eyes, the frost on her face had already melted away.
With a faint smile on his lips, he looked at the mouth harp in his hand with deep affection.
Lu Yunyi and the other two were still immersed in the vocal music.
Xue Lan then took action and gently inserted the mouth string into the hairpin again.
She tied up her long hair again, and the whole process was smooth and elegant.
It was not until this moment that the two of them came to their senses and let out a long sigh.
Liu Heiying looked at Xue Lan in front of him with a strange look in his eyes and a slightly curious expression.
He leaned slightly and lowered his voice:
"Brother Yun'er, how do you feel?"
Lu Yunyi thought about it and nodded slightly:
"Yes, you can play some music for the soldiers tomorrow."
what?
Liu Heiying's face was dull for a moment, and he said quickly:
"Brother Yun'er, I'm asking you how you feel and whether you want to stay at the mansion."
"Stay at home?" Lu Yunyi's eyes widened and he shook his head slowly:
"Miss Xue is free, why force her to stay? Pay the money, and invite her over if you want to listen in the future."
As he spoke, Lu Yunyi stood up, walked to the desk not far away, and sat down casually.
He picked up the pile of military newspapers and documents and looked through them as if no one was around.
Before Liu Heiying could react,
Lu Yunyi's face was already solemn, and he had obviously entered the state.
His lips slightly opened and closed, somewhat stunned by the situation.
But he quickly came to his senses and realized that this result was expected.
Liu Heiying stood up and smiled at Xue Lan.
He made a gesture of invitation and then took her out of the study.
When they arrived at the door, some soldiers on duty cast their eyes over.
They could also hear the music through the wall, which was indeed excellent and lived up to its reputation.
The two of them stood still not far away, and Liu Heiying took out a ten-liang silver note from his pocket and handed it over:
"Mr. Xue, this is your reward for your trouble today.
I wonder how much money you can earn in Miaoxin Tower in a day.
If it is not enough, I will give you more."
Xue Lan took the treasure note and said in a light voice:
"Ten taels is enough. I can only earn three taels on a normal day. This is already three days' earnings."
"Only three or two?"
Liu Heiying frowned slightly. With such a big name, only three or two taels of silver a day?
He knew that those famous courtesans could earn at least a hundred taels a day.
"I don't wear a turban."
No wonder.
Liu Heiying suddenly realized that the head wrapping was a form of reward.
Some women in brothels and folk artists make a living with this money.
"In that case, please invite Master Xue to join the military camp tomorrow.
Played for some soldiers suffering from hysteria to relieve their condition.
I will still offer you ten taels of silver as I did today, okay?"
"Hysteria?"
Xue Lan's pretty face showed some curiosity, and he murmured:
"I have read some history books and know that after a war, some soldiers may suffer from hysteria due to the cruelty of the battlefield. May I ask, General, is vocal music useful?"
“Whether it’s useful or not, always give it a try.”
Xue Lan suddenly understood: "No wonder so many extraordinary people gathered in the palace today. It turns out that they are here to treat the soldiers."
Liu Heiying felt that this kind of woman was extremely smart, and his attitude became a little more friendly:
"Mr. Xue, what happened in the mansion today is a confidential matter. Please don't disclose it to others.
Otherwise, the commander would not be as easy to talk to as I am."
Sensing a hint of warning in the words, Xue Lan nodded slightly:
"I will keep this in mind. General Liu, please rest assured."
"Ah."
Liu Heiying looked at Hu Xiaowu who was standing behind him and waved at him:
"Xiao Wu, send Mr. Xue back home."
"Yes!" Hu Xiaowu straightened his body and showed a silly smile on his face.
Soon, a carriage with an ordinary appearance but luxurious interior was ready at the gate of Lu Mansion.
When Wang Bo saw Hu Xiaowu coming with his soldiers,
He nodded gently and returned to the mansion.
Hu Xiaowu walked in front and took down the footstool attentively.
It was placed on the side of the carriage, and the curtain was lifted considerately.
"Mr. Xue, please."
Xue Lan looked at the scene in front of her with her eyes lowered.
A rare smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he looked sideways at Hu Xiaowu with gentle eyes:
"Thank you, General."
Hu Xiaowu was stunned for a moment, holding his breath.
A blush quickly appeared on her slightly dark cheeks, and her cheeks became hot.
Before I could react,
Mrs. Xue had already started walking towards the carriage, her slender figure clearly visible.
This made Hu Xiaowu feel his lips dry, and he pursed them gently.
Smiled, she smiled at me? What did she mean?
Hu Xiaowu was more confused than ever before.
As a personal guard, he saw everything clearly from beginning to end.
The Xue family in front of him was always serious and cold to everyone.
This is how he treats Lord Lu and General Liu.
But she smiled at herself? This.
bang bang bang-
Hu Xiaowu got on the carriage in a daze and pulled the reins.
Even as the carriage slowly started moving, he still hadn't recovered from the situation he had just encountered.
He could even hear the thumping of his heart in his chest.
The carriage swayed as it headed towards Taihe Street.
"General, where are you sending me?"
Suddenly, a slightly surprised voice came from the car.
Hu Xiaowu finally woke up from his trance and said quickly:
"Mr. Xue, we will take you back to Taihe Street."
flutter
I don't know if it was Hu Xiaowu's illusion.
He heard a light laugh, followed by the laughter-filled voice of Mr. Xue:
"General, now is war time,
The curfew in Kunming City has not been lifted yet, and Miaoxin Tower will soon be closed. Why are you sending me there?"
Hu Xiaowu also reacted.
Miaoxinlou is a restaurant and will close at night.
He quickly asked:
"I don't know where Miss Xue lives. I'll take you home."
"Send me there." The voice was a little hesitant.
"Let's go to Dongxia Lane."
Hu Xiaowu blinked his eyes. Dongxia Lane was not far from Taihe Street.
Some of the artist owners in Taihe Street lived there.
But Hu Xiaowu is also proficient in spy skills.
Hearing the hesitation in her voice, he thought for a moment and said:
"Mr. Xue, there will be a curfew now.
If you walk alone in the city, you will inevitably run into a lot of trouble, why don't I take you back directly?"
"Ugh"
A soft sigh came from the swaying curtains, and Hu Xiaowu looked strange.
"Well, send me to Qingyin Lane."
Hu Xiaowu's eyes flashed with surprise.
Although Qingyin Lane has an elegant name, it is where the poor people in the city live.
There are many carriages and horse traffic nearby, and it is very noisy both day and night.
Hu Xiaowu felt that he was too stupid.
The girl was obviously too embarrassed to say it, but he still insisted on asking.
After thinking for a while, he explained:
"Mr. Xue, please forgive me for any offense I may have caused. I didn't mean to pry into your affairs."
Xue Lan's gentle voice came from behind the curtain:
"It doesn't matter."
Hu Xiaowu pursed his lips, somewhat confused as to why Mr. Xue earned so much money every day and still lived in Qingyin Lane.
There was a moment of silence, and the carriage swayed.
Finally, we arrived at Qingyin Lane after two quarters of an hour.
Before the carriage entered, a group of ragged children rushed out of the alley.
Each of them looked terrified, holding wooden sticks and broken bench legs.
The older boy in the lead took a step forward and spoke tremblingly:
"Where did you take my sister? Hand her over!"
Hu Xiaowu was stunned, and the soldiers around him were also stunned.
At this time, Xue Lan, who had been silent all this time, poked her head out and looked at the children:
"I'm fine, put the things down!"
"Sister!!"
After seeing Xue Lan, the dozen or so children in front of them
Their eyes lit up and they all shouted at once.
Hu Xiaowu could see a glimmer of kindness in Xue Lan's eyes and stood there in a daze.
Xue Lan turned her head and showed a hint of apology:
"I'm sorry to have caused trouble to the general. I hope the general won't blame me."
Hu Xiaowu waved his hands repeatedly:
"No trouble, no trouble, these children?"
"These children are all poor people. I came here and was taken care of by them.
In return, I will give them some food, so we can live together."
In an instant, Hu Xiaowu understood.
It must be because of raising these children that the Xue family lives in such poverty.
Hu Xiaowu breathed rapidly and quickly jumped off the carriage and put down the footstool.
"Thank you."
Xue Lan lifted her skirt and walked down slowly. After she stood still,
She looked at Hu Xiaowu and smiled:
"Thank you, General. May I ask your name?"
"Uh. My name is Hu Xiaowu. I'm not a general. I'm General Liu's personal guard." Hu Xiaowu stuttered.
Xue Lan pursed her lips and smiled:
"To the common people like me, you are the general. I will take my leave now."
"Okay, take care, Miss Xue."
Perhaps because she was afraid of getting her skirt dirty, Xue Lan kept lifting it gently, walking briskly.
If Hu Xiaowu had not seen these children, he would have thought that she was out of touch with the world and pretentious.
But now...it's clear that I don't want to get my clothes dirty.
Just like that, Hu Xiaowu stood there in a daze, staring blankly at
Suddenly, Xue Lan, who was about to step into the darkness at the entrance of the alley, stopped. After a long pause, she turned around and spoke softly and vaguely.
"General, I have to go to the military camp tomorrow. Can you come pick me up?"
Hu Xiaowu's eyes widened, his breathing became rapid, and his brain went into a state of shutdown.
Soon, Xue Lan's voice came over with some disappointment:
"If the general is in trouble, forget it."
"No, no, no, no, I can, I'll come tomorrow."
"Thank you, General."
Xue Lan turned around and disappeared into the darkness with the children.
Hu Xiaohu vaguely heard a chuckle coming from the darkness, which seemed happy.
I’ll send you 6,500 first, and then I’ll owe you one chapter!
Ahhhhh! !
(End of this chapter)