Spring River Flower Moon Night: Set of 2 Volumes

Chapter 8
The moon is full like a plate, and the autumn leaves are falling.

On this quiet mid-autumn night, there were a few ghostly lights burning in the Gongyuan.A man rushing for an exam was lighting up the night battle under the lamp. The candlelight illuminated his clean face. He was in the prime of his life, when he was at the peak of energy in his life, but for some reason he had a sad face.

This is the third time he has participated in the autumn test, and he has been defeated repeatedly, and he failed even a single exam.Time flies, and in a blink of an eye he has reached his age, if he can't get Xieyuan to go back this time, he might be ashamed to face his wife who worked so hard for him to study.

Chilling cicadas weep slightly, and the night is hazy.

Amidst the soft chirping of the autumn insects, he seemed to hear a strange noise. He raised his head in surprise, and saw a figure standing in the courtyard, facing him.

In the dark, he couldn't see the man's face clearly, he was vaguely a man dressed as a scholar, he only heard the man ask softly: "Do you want to win fame?"

The middle-aged man nodded slightly as if his mind had been seized by a monster.

"Whatever the price?"

That was his lifelong pursuit, and it was worth the price he had to pay for the moment of being named on the gold list and the moment of supreme glory, so he nodded affirmatively again.

The man let out a contemptuous laugh, stepped through the yellow leaves, and walked towards him.

The next day when the autumn wind picked up, a middle-aged student hanged himself from the beam in the Gongyuan. His body was hanging on the beam of the cubicle and fluttered, like a dry shadow, a bald pen slipping from his fingers.

But on the desk under his feet, under the paperweight, there was an eloquent examination paper, full of thousands of words, with gorgeous words and clear arguments, as if he had written it before he died.

After the examiner carried away his body, the examiner looked at the fragmented paper and couldn't help sighing for his brilliance. If this paper was handed in, he would be Xie Yuan this autumn.

It's a pity that life is gone, and no matter how brilliant the article is, it will eventually turn into dust.

This is a strange thing that happened in the eighth year of Tiansheng.

一
Ten years later, it was also in the bustling and bustling city of Tokyo, and it was the same crisp autumn day, and it was also the time when students went to Beijing to rush for the exam.

In a luxuriously decorated inn, Wang Zijin looked out the window at the slanting sun, and couldn't wait to pull Fei Hong, who was lazily lying on the bed, out.

Fei Xiao raised her head and saw that he had changed into a water-green satin gown, a gauze cap inlaid with jadeite, and even the folding fan in his hand was hung with a pearl and jade fan pendant. He didn't look like a scholar, he looked like a wealthy family Young Master Ya Nei who came out.

"Are you going to find flowers and ask willows now?" Seeing Wang Zijin's appearance, he couldn't help laughing.

"Whoever said that he was going to the land of flowers and willows, he just had nothing to do and walked around casually."

"Since that's the case, I won't accompany you. In such a cool weather, it's better to sleep at home."

"Why don't you go, otherwise who will get the silver?" Wang Zijin was anxious immediately, and hurried out of the inn with Fei Hong.

The two walked for a while among the tiles in Tokyo City, Mingyue had already climbed up the willow branches, Fei Xiao looked at Wang Zijin's flushed face and bright eyes, she had already seen through his thoughts, pretended to be careless, and put He took to the feasting and feasting Flower Street.

I saw a flower girl selling wine on a street with a sweet smile, eye-catching red lights were hung in front of the door, and there was an endless stream of patrons, it was even more lively than in the daytime.

"Sure enough, it's a big city. It's a worthwhile trip. How can you see such a scene in your hometown?" Wang Zijin was dumbfounded and sighed, "An ancient saying: Yan Ruyu is in the book, it's true!"

Fei Xiao couldn't help being taken aback when she heard this, "How do you say that?"

"If I hadn't studied poetry and books for several years, how could I have come to this imperial examination, how could I have come to Tokyo, and where would I go to meet so many beauties? Isn't this the book's own Yan Ruyu?"

"I don't think that's the explanation?" Fei Xiao was amused by him, and she fell into admiration for Wang Zijin's idiotism.

While the two were talking, suddenly several women in floral clothes came out from the street, took the two of them by the arms, and dragged them to their respective art workshops.

"Young master, please come to my house. My elder sister Jinse's piano skills are very good."

"Come and have a look at our place. With this year's Xinfeng fine wine, you will not be disappointed."

A pungent aroma wafted in the night wind, making it hard to breathe.

Wang Zijin had just arrived here for the first time, but he had never seen such a gentle maze before, a few soft words touched his ears, and even his heart was fluttering, so he was about to follow them away.

But when I look closely under the lamp, the faces with heavy makeup are extremely mediocre. With the flowered dress, it looks like a piece of dough sandwiched between colorful purples and reds. color.

He looked back at Feixiao's handsome face again, it was as white and transparent as jade, the eyebrows were black but not drawn, and the lips were not painted with Zidan, it was a difference between cloud and mud.

"Thank you girls, let's forget it, Feixiao, let's go..." He shook his head in fright, pulled Feixiao and ran away.

"Oh, why are they all vulgar fans? Is Tokyo's level like this? I have traveled all over the world, where do I go to find a beautiful woman?" Wang Zijin's words were full of disappointment, afraid that it was him. The failure of the scientific examination is not so sad.

"You don't understand this. In the whole world, there are only a few people who are extremely beautiful. If you encounter them so easily, they are probably spirits or ghosts who want to take your life..." Fei Xiao replied gloatingly.

When the prince saw his jade face as bright as a bright moon, emitting a faint and hazy brilliance under the light, he was indeed so beautiful that ordinary people couldn't help shaking his head and sighing, "What you said is very..."

At the moment, my heart is like stagnant water, and I no longer have any expectations for meeting a stunning beauty on the road.

The two walked forward for a while, but there were suddenly more people in front of a door not far ahead.The ten zhang road in front of the gate is covered with red lanterns, like strings of coral agates, emitting a faint light in the night, leading the way for literati and poets.

In front of the gate, dozens of people gathered to watch.

Wang Zijin squeezed into the crowd, looked from a distance, and saw an exquisite plaque hanging on the gate, with the words "Peony Garden" written on it, the words were actually water red, revealing a hint of ambiguity.

"I heard that Miss Shen Xing is going to perform singing and dancing again tonight."

"It seems to be performing on the bridge in the middle of the lake. I don't know how much money it will cost to get a seat."

When the prince heard this, he was immediately elated. It seems that this Shen Xing girl must be a beauty!He hurriedly pulled a businessman next to him and asked, "What does Miss Chen Xing look like?"

"Hey, don't you know that Miss Shen Xing is the first-class oiran in Tokyo? She is both talented in sex." The man was surprised, as if he couldn't believe that there were such ignorant people.

"Okay!" Wang Zijin seemed to have taken a reassurance, and pulled Feihong's sleeve, "Let's go in and have a look." After saying that, he took the lead and squeezed into the peony garden before everyone else.

two

The garden is a beautiful scene, with flowers planted on both sides of the winding path, and even the trees are hung with purple and pink curtains. At first glance, it looks like entering a fairyland.The gentle sound of silk and bamboo flutters in the air, and more romantic men and charming girls are drinking and flirting under the willows in front of the flowers.

As soon as the two came in, a tortoise ran out to greet them enthusiastically and said, "The two young masters are handsome and handsome, which girl do you want to accompany you?"

"Just ask your girl Chen Xing to come over." Wang Zijin straightened his waist and said loudly.

"Hehehe..." The tortoise covered his mouth and snickered, "You two are newcomers, don't you know that Miss Shen Xing is the number one oiran in Tokyo? How come you can come here just by calling?"

"Then tell me, how does Miss Shen Xing see the Fa? We'll go see it now."

"The two of you are here, please, tonight there will be her singing and dancing, and you can get a seat number with silver taels." The tortoise took the two of them into a pavilion. Incense fine silk full of words.

"Look, ladies and gentlemen, Miss Shen Xing is going to perform in the lake in the back garden today. In the gazebo by the lake, it is ten taels of silver per person, and in the corridor in the lake, it is 50 taels of silver per person. There is no top price if you watch it in the painted boats in the lake, because the seats are limited, so the one with the highest price will get..."

"Fei Xiao, Fei Xiao, do you have a lot of silver taels? Let's go and buy the best seats?"

"Oh, isn't she a beauty? After a hundred years, she will be a pile of bones. What's the point? Don't go!" Fei Xiaojun's face turned cold, he shook his head again and again, and firmly refused.

"But I'll be a pile of bones after a hundred years, I won't mind..."

"No, it's boring, I don't mind."

"Fei Xiao, I see that you only eat roasted chicken every day, without any change, do you know how many ways this chicken can be prepared?" Wang Zijin whispered in his ear.

After hearing this, Fei Xiao immediately became interested, and asked eagerly: "Quickly, quickly, what else can I eat with this chicken?" A pair of phoenix eyes shone with excitement.

"Shuangdong chicken soup stewed with winter bamboo shoots and mushrooms, beggar's chicken baked with mud, and smoked chicken stuffed with spices and wrapped in lotus leaves, all of which are fragrant in skin and tender in meat. The chicken melts in the mouth, some of the muscles and bones are connected, it is very chewy, and the taste has its own merits..."

"Ah! I haven't tried it, because the first time I ate roast chicken, I didn't know that there are so many ways to cook chicken! It's been a waste of living for so many years, let's try it tomorrow?"

"Then you have to accompany me to watch the song and dance, so I will accompany you to eat chicken..."

Before he finished speaking, Fei Xiao called out loudly: "Old man, I want the two best seats!"

Feixiao generously took out the silver, and soon a maid wearing a double-ringed bun carried a lantern to guide the two of them. The journey was full of twists and turns, and suddenly a bright lake was rippling in front of her eyes. .

"Guest officer, if you go this way, you can go on the painting boat." The servant girl said and led the two of them to a pavilion. Outside the pavilion, there was a painting boat with carved pillars and painted eaves. It was like moving a building into the lake. .

There are more than forty seats on the upper and lower floors of the painting boat, all of which are pear wood seats covered with brocade cushions, making them very comfortable to sit on, and there are servant girls serving incense burners and fruit plates beside them.

Fei Xiao seemed very satisfied with this comfortable and luxurious boat, nestled on the chair and ate grapes, while Wang Zijin couldn't sit still for a moment, stretched his neck and waited for the beauty to appear.

But after a while, the boat started slowly, like a tower in the water, sailing towards the center of the lake.I saw a few short towers standing in the center of the lake, with lamps and candles burning inside, illuminating the lake surface like daytime. A round of bright moon in the sky was projected on the lake surface, and with the flow of the water waves, it shattered and gathered again, gathered and shattered again. , beautiful and quiet.

"I don't know when this beauty will appear on the stage?" Wang Zijin was waiting impatiently, so he heard the sound of pipa from the lake, which was cold and distant, followed by the noisy sound of silk and bamboo.

"The tide of the spring river connects with the sea level, and the bright moon on the sea rises together with the tide. The twinkling waves follow the waves for thousands of miles, where can there be no moonlight on the spring river..." The melodious singing comes on the waves, but the libretto is known as a song that crowns the Tang Dynasty. Spring River Flower Moonlight Night".

As soon as the singing sounded, everyone around cheered, and the applause was endless, but the applause, the sound of silk and bamboo, and the cheers seemed to be unable to suppress the singing, and it penetrated into everyone's ears like silk and mist. Ups and downs, indescribably comfortable.

Before the end of a song, a painted boat appeared on the lake, on which a group of women were playing musical instruments, all dressed in plain white, with their skirts fluttering in the wind, like fairies descending to earth.

There is only a woman in red in the middle, sitting cross-legged, playing the piano and singing.But seeing her lowered her head slightly, she couldn't see her eyes clearly, her hair was like clouds, her figure was graceful, and her movements were like dancing flowers and branches, exuding all kinds of amorous feelings, one could tell that she was a beautiful woman at first sight.

As soon as the spectators saw the woman appearing, they immediately stopped making noise, and were all captivated by this wonderful scene.

"... I don't know how many people will return by riding the moon, but the falling moon shakes the trees in love." In the blink of an eye, the woman in red finished singing a tune, pushed away the guqin, and raised her head.

This look up, it seems that even the moon has lost its brilliance.

Wang Zijin felt that the autumn night, the lake view, and the bright moon all disappeared in his eyes, leaving only a spring face of lotus and a pair of eyes as bright as morning stars.

In a trance, I just feel that the spring in this world is concentrated on her alone: ​​she moves like a weak willow supporting the wind; she smiles like a peach blossom just blooming, and she is so beautiful.

Then I saw the beauty stood up and said something, but Wang Zijin didn't realize it, his eyes just fell on her face like leeches, he was already fascinated.

Then the music sounded again, but it was not like the elegant and quiet music just now, but a chaotic and prosperous dance music like a hundred flowers blooming.

The woman in red on the boat danced to the cheerful music, revealing her slender waist and jade legs and plump white breasts under the red tulle dance dress, making all the spectators look straight.

However, she has a charming and childish temperament, and she dances without lust, just like butterflies flying, and spring swallows piercing willows, making the lake in this late autumn full of spring.

The happy time is always very short, it seems that it is only a moment, Wang Zijin is still enjoying himself, the music gradually stops, and the performance is over.

I saw the girl gracefully picking up a flower ball made of silk, and said softly: "Thank you for your support, the little girl is very grateful, but the good night will always come to an end, if you can catch the flower ball, Can you show me your face and have a drink with Shen Xing?"

As soon as the words fell, the lake immediately exploded.

"Mine, mine!"

"Hurry up and throw it this way!" Some people's arms passed over other people's heads, and they couldn't wait any longer. That curd.

"Fei Xiao, Fei Xiao, help me, I want that flower ball." Wang Zijin said while tugging on Fei Xiao's sleeve, his voice was so eager that he was about to cry.

Just as she was speaking, the flower ball had already come out of the girl's hand, and Fei Rou's phoenix eyes slanted slightly, and she blew into the air.Seeing that the flower ball seemed to have life, it rose and fell in the air a few times, and then threw itself into the prince's arms.

Immediately there was a sound of sighing around, and some people cursed non-stop. Wang Zijin hugged the flower ball ecstatically, at a loss, not knowing what to do when he saw the beauty later, and what to say to please her.

As he was thinking, the gorgeous woman in red had already arrived in front of the boat in a boat.

But she didn't look at Wang Zijin, but kept staring at Fei Hong's face. Wang Zijin held the bouquet by himself, looked at Fei Hong, and then at this beautiful girl.But I saw one in white clothes Shengxue, with an elegant demeanor; the other was as gorgeous as peaches and plums, with various styles, they were really a pair of stunning couples.

Wang Zijin's heart couldn't help but feel cold to the bottom, he knew this before, so he came without Fei Hong, and leaned against him, he was three points ugly, but now he is five points.

But the beautiful girl turned her head and winked at Wang Zijin playfully, "Why is your friend so strange, why does he have a strange aura?"

Fei Xiao's phoenix eyes were wide open, she stood up from the seat, and pointed the folding fan at the tip of her nose, "I smell like a dead person, do I still have the nerve to criticize others?"

three

"Ah!" The girl exclaimed in shock from him, and backed away again and again, "Young master, why did you say that? I'm fine, why do you say I'm a dead person?"

The spectators around couldn't help but look at each other, obviously one was Pian Pianjia and the other was Qingguomeijiao'e, why did one say that the other party was not human, but the other even moved out the dead?Is this flirting method popular recently?

Only Wang Zijin understood what was going on, and Fei Xiao's words immediately chilled his heart.How can such a beautiful person have a lifeless spirit?But seeing that girl is so bright and innocent, she doesn't seem to be pretending, but I don't know why.

Fei Xiao obviously didn't expect her to be ignorant, so she couldn't help being taken aback, and whispered to Wang Zijin: "Zi Jin, I'm going back to the inn first. Go drink with her and make her drunk and make some words."

"Fei Xiao, don't leave me alone..." Wang Zijin grabbed the hem of his clothes in fright. Although the girl is pretty and lovely now, it's hard to guarantee that she won't show her original shape when she gets drunk. something.

"I won't leave you alone, we'll go eat chicken together tomorrow." Fei Xiao winked at Wang Zijin, then shook her fan and left in a big way.

"Young master, your friend is really strange. Others are eager to drink with me, but he escapes." The girl snorted and said, her eyes rolled, "Such people are the most annoying."

(End of this chapter)