Chapter 296: Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet (2)

Qin Wanlan asked, "What happened to those five scholars?" ”

"They are very modest, and then they started to study with Na Zhe, and now they are making rapid progress and improving their knowledge a lot.

Cao Yongxian planned to build a academy on Qishan Island, and their Cao family would fully fund it, and they were ready to gather some scholars from poor families to study there.

This time, Cao Deshun has recruited more than 80 scholars, and after preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival, he will set off with us to Qishan Island. ”

At this time, the carriage shook a few times and stopped.

Zhai Xiaoshan's voice came from outside: "Sister Jiuniang, the palace has arrived, and there are carriages in front, so crowded that no one can pass." You'd better get out of the car and walk. ”

Qi Jiuniang lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage. She saw that the square leading to the palace gate was full of carriages and horses, and many women in costumes, accompanied by men in official uniforms, walked slowly towards the palace gate.

Qi Jiuniang turned around and helped Qin Wanlan down, and the two looked behind.

Na Zhe, Cui Daoshu, and Cao Deshun also got out of the car and walked over here.

The other two carriages also came down with four women, all of them carrying various musical instruments, and also walked this way.

Everyone gathered together, Zhai Xiaoshan and Pang Xu took more than 20 guards, surrounded them in the middle, vigilantly observing the situation around them.

Cao Deshun said with a smile: "Zhai Xiaoshan, you can't enter the palace, so let's all go to Quanjude and have a good meal." I've asked them to leave a few tables, enough for you all to have a seat. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, let the brothers relax. Everyone has worked hard these days, guarding us day and night. ”

Zhai Xiaoshan shook his head and said, "No, we can't let our guard down. If everybody drinks, there will be no one to protect you when you come out of the palace. ”

Cao Deshun said: "You don't have to worry, I will mobilize our Cao family's guards to come over, you don't have to worry about it today, let's all go play for one night." ”

Zhai Xiaoshan still didn't agree, Cui Daoshu came over and said: "Xiaoshan, Mr. Cao is kind, you can go to Quanjude to play once." The Cao family's security ability is also very strong, and they will protect us well. ”

Na Zhe also beat the side drum next to him: "Yes, don't be stubborn, take the brothers to have fun, eat some roast duck, drink some wine, and listen to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" casually." Everyone has been in Jinling for so long, and they haven't had a chance to relax, so don't you spoil the fun, okay? ”

Zhai Xiaoshan saw that the guards around him showed expectant expressions, looked at him pitifully, and said with a reluctant smile:

"Everyone, it's not that I'm unkind, before I came out, Mr. Zhao gave me a death order, and I can't leave Cui Gongzi and Mr. Na Zhe for half a step. This is a military order, and if I don't obey it, I will be beheaded when I go back. Don't embarrass me. ”

Na Zhe smiled and said, "Zhai Xiaoshan, don't take it too seriously. Cui Daoshu and I entered the palace, how many steps are you away from us? ”

Zhai Xiaoshan shook his head and said, "This is an accident, we can't enter the palace, so it won't be counted." But as soon as you leave the palace, we will not leave you. ”

Cao Deshun said: "Zhai Xiaoshan, you see if this will work, so many of you stay in front of the palace gate, it's not a thing."

It's heavily guarded, and there are palace guards patrolling everywhere, so everyone's safety is definitely fine.

You stay with a few people and wait for us to come out. I will mobilize a group of Cao family guards to come over, and there will be no omissions.

Let everyone else go to Quanju Dele for a while, everyone has a good Mid-Autumn Festival, what do you think? ”

Zhai Xiaoshan thought about it and agreed. He picked out five guards, all of whom were outstanding in martial arts, and asked them to stay.

Then let Pang Xu take everyone else to Quanjude for a big meal.

Pang Xu arched his hand with a grin: "Thank you Captain Zhai, we're welcome." Brothers, let's go, let's have a good time today, hahaha! ”

Pang Xu and the guards disappeared into the flow of people in a blink of an eye, running faster than a rabbit.

Qin Wanlan asked curiously, "Sister, what does 'Hi Pi' mean?" ”

"Girl, 'Hi Pi' means happy and happy. This word is often said by Du Dalei, and now many people on the island have learned it. He and Na Zhe often say some inexplicable words, and everyone can't understand them. Both of them say that these words are a Western language called 'English'. ”

The two women muttered quietly, and behind them, several luthiers were also chattering and communicating, very curious about the scene in front of the palace gate.

At this time, a handsome guy with a long figure walked over, and these pianists all had a sparkle in their eyes, and they all threw flattering eyes at this handsome guy.

The handsome guy nodded to the girls with a smile, and then said loudly: "Everyone, you came too late, so Xiaosheng waited for almost half an hour." Han Shangshu had already gone in, and he asked me to wait here so that I could take you in. ”

Everyone looked back, and the handsome guy Shu Ya was standing there with a smile.

Na Zhe hurriedly said: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, the traffic jam in Jinling City is very serious, so we are late." ”

Shu Ya couldn't help but be stunned: "'Traffic jam'? It's a very chic word. The streets are crowded with people tonight, and it can indeed be said that there is a traffic jam. ”

Everyone greeted Shu Ya one after another, and then walked towards the palace gate together.

Approaching the gate, a large number of people gathered here. Everyone saw several large tents set up in front of the stone bridge of the moat, and many noble ladies lined up and entered the tents one by one. On the other side of the tent, some women rushed out and headed for the stone bridge.

Shu Ya explained: "These tents are used for searching, and they are full of palace maids, and these women who enter the palace are examined. ”

Only then did everyone understand that the women had to enter the tent for a search before they could enter the palace.

Na Zhe said: "This measure is very humane, it is true that women cannot be inspected in public." ”

Shu Ya nodded and said, "I'll go and say hello to the leader of the palace guards, you guys wait for a while." ”

Shu Ya walked to the stone bridge, and he found the junior officer in charge of the inspection and negotiated with him.

The little officer followed Shu Ya's finger and carefully observed the crowd.

He walked over quickly and asked eagerly, "Who is Mr. Nazhe?" Who is Qi Jiuniang? Guo Neishou came out just now to spread the word that His Majesty is already in a hurry, so let you go in as soon as you arrive. When you entered the palace gate, there were attendants waiting there. You give your name, and the chamberlain will take you to the palace where the performers rest. ”

So everyone took action one after another, and Qi Jiuniang took Qin Xiaolan and the pianists into the tent. The men went to line up for examination.

After about fifteen minutes, everyone crossed the stone bridge and entered the gate of the palace.

A waiter who looked a little familiar hurriedly ran over, and said a little anxiously: "Young Master Cui, that gentleman, you are finally here, Your Majesty and the Queen Mother have asked several times." If you don't come again, Your Majesty will send troops to arrest you. ”

Everyone knew that the chamberlain was joking, and they didn't care.

Shu Ya said to the attendant: "You take Mr. Na, Qi Jiuniang and the piano masters away, and the official takes Mr. Cao and Cui Gongzi to sit in the square where the banquet is held." ”

The waiter arched his hand, and hurried away with Na Zhe, Qi Jiuniang, Qin Wanlan and a few girls.

Shu Ya said with a smile: "Everyone, this dinner is held in the square in front of the Qinzheng Palace. It was very spacious and could seat hundreds of people. That's why His Majesty decided to hold a banquet there. Let's go there together. ”

So Shu Ya led the way, and several people walked towards the Qinzheng Hall with a smile and a smile.

On the way, Shu Ya kept greeting familiar officials, and then introduced Cao Deshun and Cui Daoshu to them.

These officials are all human spirits, and they all know what happened between the Seven Seas Trading House and the Prime Minister's Mansion, and they also know that Quanjude, which has been extremely popular recently, is also their industry.

Now Cao Deshun, Cui Daoshu, and Na Zhe are also considered to be the most influential figures in Jinling City, they dared to fight with the Pucheng Zhang family, and they were unscathed, and they also made the Pucheng Zhang family suffer a loss and lose a lot of money.

These officials were very polite to Cao Deshun and Cui Daoshu, the two grass people, and many people also asked about the Quanju Dejin card, and some people were very interested in the couplet of 'Smoke Lock Pond Willow', and asked Cui Daoshu if there was a couplet.

Cao Deshun and Cui Daoshu circled among the officials, chatting and laughing with them. Everyone walked and talked, and soon came to the square in front of the Qinzheng Palace.

It is a large area, and various lanterns are hung everywhere, illuminating the whole square as bright as day.

There are rows of neat tables on the square, and dozens of nearly 100 chamberlains and palace maids keep shuttling between them, placing melons and fruits, tableware, and wine utensils on them.

Some officials and noblewomen gathered in small circles and communicated with each other.

Cui Daoshu noticed that Han Xizai was standing in the middle of a circle, surrounded by many officials, and he was talking to them with a smile.

Not far away, Zhang Renyao was in the crowd, listening carefully to the words of some officials.

Cui Daoshu thought that this is the faction above the court! Since the Southern Tang Dynasty was the middle lord Li Jing, the country's situation has been going downhill.

From the thirteenth year of Baoda (955 AD) to the first year of Jiaotai (958 AD), the Later Zhou regime in the north invaded the Southern Tang Dynasty three times, and the Southern Tang Dynasty was always in an unfavorable situation of passive defense.

In the first battle of Shouzhou, Zhou Shizong Chai Rong drove the expedition in person, and the Zhou army was like a broken bamboo, so he captured Si, Hao, Chu and other prefectures, * a thousand miles of collapse, and the Huai River water army was annihilated. Li Jing said that Chai Rong asked for a biography located in Prince Hongji, please draw the river as the boundary, and the Southern Tang Dynasty dedicated the land to the north of the Jiangbei, including the fourteen prefectures of Huainan and the two counties of Ezhou in the north of the river.

At the same time, the Southern Tang Dynasty enshrined Zhou Zhengshuo and used its chronology. In order to avoid the future Zhou Feng, Li Jing moved the capital to Hongzhou, called Nanchang Mansion, since then the Tang Dynasty's national strength has been greatly damaged, and it is no longer strong in the past.