Hong Gu smiled and said, "Wrong, after this people will either admire you or fear you, but won't hate you, because you didn't force them, you gave them a choice, whereas I used to force them. Now after seeing the way you managed them, I realize that forcing people to achieve their own goals is the lowest way.”
I thought for a while and said, "Tomorrow have Fang Ru learn the new play, have him and He Xixi study the princess together, and have Qiu Xiang and Zhi Lanxue sing the general's role, who is the best may go on stage. First, because of getting under pressure they will try their best, secondly, if later there is a problem, there will be a replacement person". Hong Gu nodded in agreement.
"Regarding the details of this ballet I leave it to you to discuss with the music teacher, the outline of my thoughts I have already told you all, therefore, if there are parts that you think are not correct, then change them according to your wishes! If there is nothing else important I will go home first."
After finishing speaking, I surprised myself, 'home'?
Since when did I learn to use that word?
As he escorted me out, Hong Gu said with a smile, "Actually it's much more comfortable for you to stay here, our sisters also play a lot, what do you bother going back and forth for every day?
I smiled and pouted at him, regardless of his tone, I got on the train myself and left.
When I accidentally saw the round moon from the carriage window, I realized with surprise that tonight was a full moon night. At this time Lang Xiong was certainly walking around under the full moon, and maybe howling at the moon sometimes. Does he miss me? I don't know, I don't know if wolves can be homesick. When I get home, I'll ask him. Maybe now he already has a partner who accompanies him looking at the full moon.
Chang'an is very different from Xiyu, here when looking to the front, the view is always blocked by endless houses or towering walls, whereas in Xiyu, we can always see all the way to the horizon where heaven and earth meet, However, right now I'm sitting on the roof and can look up at the sky, everything seems vast and boundless.
I was stroking the bamboo flute in my hand, being kept busy with the dances and songs composed by the music teacher, I haven't held the flute for a long time, and still don't know how to play the Baitou Yin song to the end.
With lots of mistakes, and with halts, I played the song in disarray, but I was so excited myself, I couldn't howl at the full moon, but I really enjoyed singing it to him. I repeated it, and my game became much smoother, I was more satisfied.
While I was standing before the moon full of self-satisfaction, a flute sound slowly reverberated, his voice was melodious, like an angel flying with her sleeves fluttering, so sweet, like a beauty who was crying somberly.
Jiu Ye sits in the courtyard playing the flute, she plays the same song, my playing is like a hungry eighty year old woman, but her playing is like a young Xi Shi washing silk by the river, the sound of her flute attracts the moonlight that makes her whole body glittering and accentuating her extraordinary charm.
The song was over, from self-satisfaction, I sank into depression. Jiu Ye lightly played with the wooden flute in his hand, looking up he said, "Even though Baitou Yin is loud, it depicts the sadness of a woman. Your mood doesn't match the feeling of this song, so it's hard for you to follow it. This is my first time hearing this Baitou Yin song being played so happily, it's a good thing your breath is long".
I stuck out my tongue, then smiled and said, "I only know this one song, tomorrow morning I will learn it again. You played it very well, play it one more time! Play it again with a bit of joy". I pointed at the moon in the sky, then said seriously, "The moon is bright, the sky is beautiful, and by your side there are emerald green bamboos waving, everything is so pleasant". Humans often lose to wolves, wolves can feel happy just because of the full moon, but humans often see the full moon but don't really see it.
Jiu Ye stared at me in astonishment for a moment, then nodded and said "You're right, this whole thing is fun". He looked up at the full moon, then picked up his flute and resumed playing a song.
I don't know what song it is, but it sounds joyful, like spring rain, people smile, grass smiles, trees smile too.
I looked intently at Jiu Ye who was playing the flute, I didn't understand the faint sadness on your face, but I wished I could disperse it.
Under the black-blue sky and the pure white moon, the moonlight is like water, the two of us, one sitting in the yard, the other sitting on the roof tiles hugging his knees, emerald green bamboo like the dancers, and the sound of a flute as the music playing. accompany them.
Fang Ru accompanied the great general who was about to go to war, his heart was filled with a thousand and one words, but as soon as they reached his lips he was unable to say them. Fang Ru gracefully smiled, but tears filled her eyes. On the stage there was only the faint sound of a flute, the sound was intermittent, as if the princess was about to break the ropes of her love.
From below the stage came shouts of praise, the ladies accompanying the guests to watch the drama wiped away tears with silk handkerchiefs, Hong Gu sighed and said, "I had no idea Fang Ru could sing it so beautifully, before I was a bit worried, but now everything is going well." smoothly". I nodded and said, "That's right. The atmosphere I wanted, which is where silence is more meaningful than sound, turned out to be well acted".
Hong Gu drew back the curtains and looked at the audience, then said, "In less than ten days, Luoyu Fang will definitely become the most lively entertainment house in Chang'an." I smiled, then climbed down from the attic.
The fourth month has arrived, when the willows are fluttering, peonies are blooming and cherries are ripening, the atmosphere is full of lush life. Just now in front of Hong Gu I hid my passionate feelings, what awaits me in the future? Will the purpose behind this ballet be smoothly achieved?
Apart from the door guards and the people on duty, the maids were all silently watching the ballet. The entertainment house which was quiet at first suddenly became uproarious, and after a while it still hasn't calmed down either. I frowned and walked over to them.
The orchestra leader Chen Er was pushing a young man out, as soon as he saw me, he immediately stopped and saluted, "This fellow asked if we would like to hire a musician, I said no, but he kept pestering me, asking me to listen to him play a song". As soon as he heard Chen Er's words, the young man immediately lunged at me.
His long robe was very old, the wide sleeves were torn, but very cleanly washed.
My impression of him was very good, I couldn't help asking, "Are you from out of town?"
He said, "That's right. Caixia Li Yannian, I've never been to Chang'an. I'm good at qin and can sing and dance, I hope Luoyu Fang will accept me." I smiled and said, "Whether you can be accepted or not depends on how good you are at playing the qin. Play a song first! Chen Er, find a good qin for him!"
Li Yannian said, "Never mind, a qin is the soul of a qin master, caixia carries it". As he spoke, he picked up the qin tied behind his back. I waved to let him play.
Li Yannian unwrapped it, then very carefully placed the qin on the table, without saying anything he looked down at it, unmoving. Chen Er felt a bit impatient, when he was about to speak, I glanced at him, so he immediately restrained himself. After a while, Li Yannian's pair of hands slowly lifted up.
The mountain rivers turn green, the waves of green are roaming, the flowers rain, the birds sing. When I heard Li Yannian's qin's voice, I unexpectedly felt myself in the middle of a beautiful spring landscape painting. Although I don't know much about qin, as soon as I heard it, I knew that her playing was extraordinary.
After the song ended, I still wanted to continue listening to it. When I was about to ask Chen Er's opinion, I saw his face full of shock and disbelief, so I knew in my heart that no matter how much money was spent, this person had to be hired.
I sat up straight, then respectfully said, "Qin Tuan's skill at playing qin is extraordinary, if you want to work at the most famous entertainment house in Chang'an, Tianxiang Fang, you can too, why are you looking for me here?"
Li Yannian seemed to be a little reluctant to accept my respect, he bowed his head and said, "Caixia doesn't want to hide it, actually Caixia has already gone to Tianxiang Fang. Caixia is the eldest daughter, my parents have passed away, so Caixia brought my younger siblings to come to Chang'an to look for her." livelihood, actually Tianxiang Fang has been willing to accept me, but yesterday my sister heard people talking about Luoyu Fang's new dance, Hua Yue Nong, and suddenly she didn't want to enter Tianxiang Fang, then asked caixia to try to apply here, she said that the composer must hear the qin playing caixia".
I looked at Li Yannian in surprise, "As soon as hearing about Hua Yue Nong, your sister then asked you to refuse Tianxiang Fang's offer?"
Li Yannian said, “That's right, your Hua Yue Nong entertainment house is really amazing.”
I smile. Hua Yue Nong is a ballet full of tricks. This song is actually the same way, 'absolutely extraordinary' can be heard by a lute master like you. But the younger brother really made me very curious. The meaning behind my ballet could not be guessed by Hong Gu and Master Wu, but apparently it could not be hidden from him. Since I was young, I have memorized strategic knowledge. What A Die taught was worldly tricks. After that, I myself experienced a big disaster. entered Chang'an he knew it all. He was so brilliant that it made me shudder. His way of acting was also firm. When he was loitering in Chang'an under difficult circumstances, he actually dared to refuse Tianxiang Fang's offer, and chose an entertainment house whose name had just started to be heard. He already knew what I meant, but he deliberately sent his older brother into Luoyu Fang, what does that mean? Why did he also want to know Princess Pingyang?
I watched Li Yannian closely, his features were the handsome features rarely seen among men, if his younger brother's features were also extraordinary, then. then i
gotta get it. "No matter how much money Tianxiang Fang offers, we will double it."
Li Yannian's face was straight, and he didn't look excited either, he just stared at me and said, "Many thanks, miss." Chen Er who was by his side smiled and said, "Next time you should call him fangzhu".
"Everyone in this house calls me Yu Niang, after this you just call me Yu Niang!" Li Yannian said, "Yu Niang, don't call Caixia master". I said, "Then, I'll call master Li Shifu! Where are master's brothers living now?" Li Yannian said, “When we first arrived in Chang'an, we stayed at an inn, after that……after that…we moved to an empty hut outside the city.”
I nodded understandingly, "When I just arrived in Chang'an, I slept in the huashu forest outside the city!" Li Yannian raised her head and looked at me, she didn't say anything, but a hint of warmth appeared in her eyes.
I said, "There are lots of empty rooms in this house. If your younger siblings are willing, they can move here." Li Yannian looked thoughtful, and didn't say anything. I said, "Li Master can invite the younger siblings to come and have a look first, after consulting a decision will be made. If you don't want to stay here, I will have someone help you rent another house. It's not dark yet, there is still time for Li Master to take the younger siblings around the room."
Li Yannian looked up and said, "Many thanks, miss." I got up and gave an order to Chen Er, "Please escort Li Shifu out". I again said to Li
Yannian, "I still have business, so don't take Li Master out." After speaking I turned and left.
I had the maids clean the room, and also had a servant girl call Hong Gu. Hong Gu came over quickly, "I'm watching a ballet. Why don't you guys join in? Why clean the room? Who's going to live here?"
I grinned while looking at the servant girls who were wiping the doors and windows. "I just hired a qin player". After being stunned for a moment, Hong Gu said, "A qin player doesn't need to live in such a big room? After all, shouldn't a qin player live in a qin player's place?" I turned my head and said, "Wait until you see it, and you'll understand. By the way, have someone tell Wisma Shi that today it seems I won't be able to come home".
Dumbfounded, Hong Gu looked at me, "Just who is this person, until you wait here? If you see him tomorrow wouldn't it be the same?"
I tilted my head and smiled, "Have you ever heard of the story of Bo Ya and Zi? A song made them best friends for life and death. I and this person can be said to be destined. I want to see that very smart woman."
When it was dark, Li Yannian brought his younger siblings home. Me and Hong Gu stood in the doorway while waiting for the maid to bring them inside. Although Hong Gu's face was calm, his heart was full of curiosity.
Li Yannian walked in front, a young man who looked similar to him, but not as handsome as himself, and much more rugged than him, followed behind him, while the woman who was beside him……
Her clothes were completely white, her stature was tall and slender, her walk was graceful as if she was dancing, her body tended to be thin, but her sleeves, which fluttered with her graceful steps, made her look elegant. Hong Gu muttered, "It turns out that walking can also be like dancing".
Her face was covered by a thin silk veil, I couldn't see her face, but her eyes were enough. Beautiful, cold and warm, swords and machetes seemed to glisten. In an instant, his eyes had swept across everything, but I didn't know anything about him yet. The shine of swords and machetes? Interesting! A smile grew on my lips. Hong Gu exhaled slowly, then took several deep breaths again. With just her figure, she had made Hong Gu who had seen countless beautiful women speechless.
Li Yannian saluted, "This is my younger brother, his name is Guangli, this is my younger sister, his name is Yan." They both saluted me, I got up, returned their respects.
I took Li Yannian and his younger siblings to see their room. Li Guangli looked very satisfied, his face was radiant, he was incessantly walking in and out. Li Yannian's face was expressionless, but he seemed to be observing the room carefully, it seemed that he was also satisfied. But Li Yan didn't come into the room, his eyes just swept blandly around the house, then fell on my face.
I got up and smiled at him, he said, "Although my brother's qin playing skills are excellent, but after all it's his first time coming to Chang'an, he doesn't deserve to be treated like this by Fangzhu." Her voice is not at all melodious like a girl's, but deep and deep, if you listen carefully, you can hear it clearly, besides, you will also feel as if someone is whispering in your ear in the middle of the night, and faintly - faintly tickles your heart.
I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I really don't want to attract people's attention, but I really want to make you feel at home, all of you, not just Li Master.
Besides, I'd rather have everything over with right away, and not wait for you guys to just move house in a few days, this is a pain for me, and it's also a hassle for you."
Li Yan said, "All of us?"
I smiled and said, "Your sister's qin skills are outstanding and her face is beautiful. The younger sister from my ballet has already tried to guess what I mean. How can I disappoint a friend who understands my heart?" I deliberately emphasize the words 'meaning' and 'friends who understand my heart'.
Gradually, a smile appeared in Li Yan's eyes, "It turns out that Fangzhu's thinking is indeed brilliant".
I don't know whether among women there is mutual admiration among talented people, but these are the only words I can use to describe how I felt at that time. I tilted my head and said "We are alike, my name is Jin Yu".
She gracefully took off her veil, "My name is Li Yan".
I can't help but sigh, my heart is full of awe, it's not that I've never seen a beautiful woman, but it's not enough just to call her beautiful, it turns out that in this world there is a beauty that makes people forget the mainland, if the stars fall because of her, and the sun and moon don't shine because of him, I'm not the least bit surprised.
***
All vacant venues are full, the upcoming two days show is also sold out.
As I said earlier, apart from the percent that everyone gets from the guests, at the end of the month, everyone gets paid according to their respective roles in the dance, the ladies' faces are beaming, even Fang Ru is smiling. He had become famous because of that song, and the fee to meet him now was already higher than that of the most famous singer in Tianxiang Fang. Besides the cost going up, they also had to wait whether Fang Ru would accept guests or not, for the average person, the only chance to see him was at the Hua Yue Nong stage once a day.
In the theatre, apart from the seats at the tea table below, in the attic there were small private rooms, outside of which hung curtains of silk or bamboo which could be opened or closed, making it more comfortable for ladies and distinguished guests to watch ballet.
I invited Li Yannian and her sisters to sit in one of the small rooms, Li Yannian said, "Miss Yu, we can sit downstairs, there's no need to use such a nice place".
I smiled and said, "This is the stash I didn't sell. It was deliberately emptied, Li Master, don't hesitate."
Li Yan glanced at me, his eyes flashed, as if asking, who did you save this place for? I tilt my head while smiling, you guessed it.
A servant girl opened the door and entered, without greeting Li Yannian and her sisters, she quickly said, "Hong Gu beg fangzhu to come quickly, we have an honored guest, Hong Gu feels fangzhu should greet him personally."
I suddenly got up, after calming down for a while, I sat back down, the maid looked at me in surprise. Li Yannian smiled and said, "The person you've been waiting for has arrived?"
I nodded, "More or less, Hong Gu grew up in Chang'an since he was young, he knows all the esteemed people, if there isn't anything extraordinary, he won't call me".
Li Yan said, "Should we go out?"
I shook my head "There is still an empty spot". After speaking I drank a sip of tea, calmed my mind, then got up, tidied my clothes and stepped out. Hong Gu was walking two people in the foyer, when he saw me, his face was relieved.
Xiao Huo, no, Huo Qubing, who had his hair pulled back into a matted bun and was dressed in luxurious brocade, was walking with an indifferent face. As soon as he saw me, he immediately stopped in his tracks. A smile spread across my lips, I gracefully stepped forward and saluted, “Huo Gongzi to pay a visit to Luoyu Fang, what an honor.”
He studied me for a while, suddenly raised his sharp eyebrows, and he smiled, "You really came to Chang'an!" Hong Gu looked at me, then looked at him, his face was confused.
At first I wanted to play a little trick on him, but he smiled with an innocent face. I felt a little irritated and moved aside, allowing him to enter.
Before she could take a step, a servant girl ran over like a fly, and Hong Gu coldly scolded her, "What's this? Even if you're in a hurry, you still have to be polite".
The little servant girl immediately stopped her steps, with a bit of embarrassment she glanced at me, I asked, "What's wrong?"
He took a deep breath and said, "Master Wu is here, and there is also a young man in his twenties who has a graceful face, Master Wu calls him Third Master Shi, then in the carriage there seems to be people too."
Ah! I immediately said to Hong Gu, “Have Huo Gongzi sit down first.” After speaking I quickly ran outside. From behind the servant girl called out, "At the side door!"
Jiu Ye was pushing his wheelchair inside, Master Wu, Tianchao and Shi Feng trailed behind him. Before I arrived, my voice had reached, I happily asked, "Why didn't you have someone come to tell me first?" Jiu Ye smiled and said, "I also just decided to come, came to see what you're really busy doing, so I didn't come home all day yesterday."
I wrinkled my nose and laughed, then stepped to his side, "Last night I wasn't busy, but was looking at a beauty. I'll take you to see that beauty later." He smiled and said nothing.
I led them down the hall, smiling broadly I said “Both gentlemen please come up the stairs, young master Shi also please come along”. Tianchao and Mr
Wu looked at each other but did not move. Seeing the two of them unmoved, Shi Feng was forced to just stand still. Jiu Ye gave the order, "You two leave first!"
The three of them saluted, then walked towards the stairs, I took Jiu Ye into a narrow room, the room was actually nothing more than a wooden box, just enough for me and Jiu Ye, besides, I couldn't even stand up straight. , so that I seemed to kneel by his side.
I apologized "For safety, I dare not make it bigger".
After closing the door, I pulled out a bronze bell, not long after, the small room slowly rose to the top. After a moment of silence, Jiu Ye asked, "It's a bit like a hanging basket, did you make it on purpose?" I cleared my throat.
In the darkness, there was silence, so quiet that it seemed as if I could hear the sound of my own heart skipping. Actually the candle was within reach of my hand, but I didn't want to light it, Jiu Ye also didn't mention it. In that narrow room we both silent each other. The medicinal smell that faintly wafted from Jiu Ye's body wafted through, piercing my nose, and imperceptibly entwined my heart.
When we arrived, the ballet had already started. While I was brewing tea, Master Wu whispered by my side, "You better see how Hong Gu is doing, you've made it hard for him!"