The Changqiu Palace in Luoyang, the Han Dynasty.

Empress He stroked the stack of paper that Liu Wei had just presented, the smooth surface of the paper was unusually soft. She raised her phoenix eyes slightly, looked at Wei Yi, who was kneeling obediently below, smiled slightly, and said: "The color of this paper is snow-white, the paper surface is smooth and soft, and it is several times stronger than Cai Hou paper. ”

Wei Yi hurriedly bowed down to thank him, and said flatteringly: "Thanks to the emperor and the queen, and His Royal Highness Shihou guiding from the side, Weichen can reform papermaking and take on a new look." The birth of this paper is the result of the emperor and the empress dowager Debu. ”

Wei Yi himself was a little ashamed of his flattering words, he was a little resistant before coming to Changqiu Palace today, but Liu Wei repeatedly told him to give half of the shares of the paper mill to the queen the night before, and to flatter the queen today, in exchange for the queen's favor and support for them.

In fact, Wei Yi also understands that he is a small official, and he opened a paper club in Luoyang City that makes money every day, and it is inevitable that he will be jealous and coveted by some dignitaries and powerful ministers, and those people kill themselves as easily as killing an ant. And His Royal Highness Shi Hou wants to implement the plan of pretending to be a pig and eating a tiger in Taoguang, and he will not come forward at all, so it is very important to tighten the protective umbrella of Queen He.

But such a strong flattery is really contrary to the way of the saint I yearn for. And what Wei Yi couldn't accept the most was that when he first walked into the Changqiu Palace, he was still struggling desperately in his heart, and heaven and man were fighting, but as soon as the queen opened her mouth, her flattery immediately blurted out, and she gushed endlessly, did she really have the potential to be a traitor in her bones?

Seeing that Wei Yi's expression was a little unnatural, Liu Wei understood that he was struggling in his heart. He laughed evilly in his heart, and thought gloatingly: You Wei Yi has the name of a big traitor, and I think it will be difficult not to be a traitor in this life.

Empress He's heart was moved by Wei Yi's words, and she gently patted Liu Bian's head, who was nestled next to her lap, and said with relief: "As soon as this paper comes out, it will benefit Shilin, and Bian'er can even participate in it, Wei Shangfang can talk about how Bian'er pointed out from the side?" ”

Empress He's words really shocked Liu Wei's heart, and the meaning of her words seemed to be to let him take this paper-making work, so as to expand his influence among the world's corporals. After all, all the literati and writers who can write articles in the world will use his new paper.

In fact, this new papermaking technique is indeed researched by Liu Wei based on modern papermaking technology combined with ancient papermaking technology, but in order to keep a low profile, he deliberately gave this credit to Wei Yi, so that people would not pay attention to themselves so early. But when Queen He did this, wouldn't she give the credit back to herself.

This really didn't match his plan, seeing that Wei Yi was in a dilemma and didn't know how to answer, Liu Wei hurriedly interjected: "Erchen has any guidance, it's just nonsense." The new paper is all thanks to Wei Shangfang's work alone, what reward does the queen mother have for him? ”

Seeing that Liu Wei was unwilling to take advantage of this paper-making work, Queen He did not insist. Although papermaking benefits Shilin, it is a small way in the eyes of those Confucian scholars, and some mean people will say that these are whimsical and obscene.

Queen He thought indignantly: Hmph, these sour Confucians are all ungrateful and cowardly. While using the paper you made, I also cursed your name. Just like those courtiers and scholars, on the surface, they used their elder brother and their position to deal with the eunuchs, but secretly despised their origins and scolded them as butchers. It was still those eunuchs who were intimate, not only did they not look down on them, but they also helped them many times, and they also had real respect for themselves.

Thinking of this, Queen He was full of good feelings for Wei Yi, who was also a eunuch in front of her, and when she heard Liu Wei begging for her reward, she smiled and said: "Wei Shangfang's improvement of papermaking is a great achievement, and tomorrow I will present it to the emperor and promote you to Shang Fangling." ”

Wei Yi has been appointed as Shang Fangcheng for less than a month, and he will soon be promoted to Shang Fang's order of 600 stones, which is already a great favor. But Liu Wei smacked his lips in dissatisfaction next to him, and felt that Wei Yi had reformed papermaking technology, so he had to be a marquis like Cai Lun. In fact, Liu Wei misunderstood history, Cai Lun was not made a marquis because of papermaking, but took refuge in Queen Deng at that time, and was favored and knighted. In a country with Confucianism as the political system, everything is inferior, but the idea of high reading pervades every corner of society, and the invention of the craftsman is not valued by those in power, even if his invention promotes the progress of society and the process of civilization.

Seeing Wei Yi leaning over to thank him, although Liu Wei was a little dissatisfied, he didn't say anything. After all, things have not exceeded his plan, and seeing that Queen He was happy, he said his next step:

"Queen Mother, Wei Shangfang still has a matter of asking his children to explain to his mother."

"Oh, what's the matter with Wei Shangfang?" Empress He asked.

Liu Wei replied for Wei Yi: "Wei Shangfang built a paper mill outside the city, and in order to thank his mother and sons for their kindness to him, he was willing to give 30% of the shares of the paper mill to his mother and sons, while he himself only accounted for 40%. The monthly profit will be paid on time, and we don't need to pay any capital. What does the queen mother think? ”

Originally, Liu Wei and Wei Yi initially agreed to give half of the shares to Queen He, but Liu Wei suddenly thought that he worked so hard and there was no benefit, which would definitely make people suspect that he had something to do with the paper mill, so he temporarily changed his words to divide each into three shares with Queen He and himself. In this way, you can not only take money from the income of the justifiable paper mill, but also avoid people's eyes and ears, so that others think that they are just bribed by Wei Yi like Queen He and make money from it, which has nothing to do with papermaking and the establishment of the paper mill.

"Paper mill?" Empress He listened to Liu Wei's words and groaned for a while, unable to make up her mind.

It was not illegal for officials to do business during the period of Emperor Ling, after all, there was also a merchant emperor above everyone's head, who not only opened a market in the court, but also let the palace maids and concubines dress up as merchants to buy and sell, and make fun of it. Although the upper beam is not correct and the lower beam is crooked, there are few officials who really do business, mainly due to the influence of the social atmosphere at that time, believing that doing business is a cheap business, and does not want the doctor to do it.

Empress Ho was not concerned with the business of officials, but with Shang Fang being the department responsible for the manufacture of court utensils, and since the new papermaking technique came from there, the manufacture of new paper should be hosted by the imperial palace. But if Wei Yi opened a paper mill privately and sold new paper, he would inevitably be impeached for using power for profit.

After hesitating, he was about to refuse, but Liu Wei didn't wait for her to speak, and said in advance: "Wei Shangfang also brought a gift this time, which can be regarded as a share of the profits of the paper mill. Can the queen mother see if it is pleasing to her heart? ”

"Wei Shangfang?" Liu Wei motioned for Wei Yi to take out the things he had prepared.

Wei Yi hurriedly held the brocade box that had been prepared next to him above his head, and said: "The thing in this box is the glass cup that his subordinates purchased from Hu Shang, and the name is 'Dragon and Phoenix Chengxiang'. I hope the queen will smile. ”

The little yellow door next to him took the brocade box in Wei Yi's hand and presented it to Queen He. Empress He opened the brocade box, and a pair of crystal clear glass cups appeared in front of her. The body of the cup is transparent and can reflect the human figure, and it is also painted with dragon and phoenix patterns, which can be said to be ingenious, if it is in the people, I am afraid it will be worth millions of dollars. Not to mention, it may not be possible to buy it.

Although Empress He was shocked in her heart, she was unimpressed with her expression. Smiling slightly, he took out a glass cup, and said while playing with it: "I didn't expect that the business of Wei Shangfang's paper mill was so good?" ”

Wei Yi replied: "The new paper is much better than Caihou paper, and the price is not very expensive. So as soon as it was launched, people rushed to buy it, and the bulk business alone received several orders. However, at this time, most people want to be fresh for a while, and when this rush of buying has passed, sales will also be stable. However, paper is being consumed all the time, and I think even if it is not as good as it is now, there is still no problem with making money every day. ”

Although Empress He couldn't understand the large number of sales terms Wei Yi said, (in fact, they were all taught by Liu Wei Yi.) But she still understands the last day of Jindoujin. She played with the glass cup in her hand, but her eyes gradually showed a greedy gaze.

In fact, the business of the paper mill is not as good as Wei Yi said. The main reason is that the paper mill has just been established and has not yet made a name for itself in Luoyang City. Although I have received a few orders, it is far from reaching the input of millions of dollars. But Liu Wei is not worried, as the fame of new paper grows, the business of the paper mill will definitely get better and better.

As for this pair of glass cups, they were not purchased by Hu Shang. It was fired by Liu Wei himself. Pretending to be the profit of the paper mill to arouse Queen He's greed for the profit of the paper mill.

Sure enough, Queen He, who wanted to run the paper mill in the palace, hesitated. Liu Wei took the opportunity to increase his efforts and said: "The paper mill usually doesn't need us to come forward, Wei Shangfang will naturally find someone to take care of it." There is no need for the queen mother to do anything. ”

Seeing that Liu Wei was so keen to say good things for Wei Yi, Queen He treated others with herself, thinking that Liu Wei must have received Wei Yi's benefits, so she worked so hard, so she scolded with a smile: "Little slippery head, I haven't seen you work so hard in your studies, go and go, don't bother me anymore about these things, you can do it yourself." ”

With the approval of Empress He, Liu Wei was happy, and took Wei Yi to retreat and walked out of Changqiu Palace.

Outside the palace, the two looked at each other and smiled. Liu Wei was in a good mood, and suddenly thought of someone, so he said to Wei Yi: "What is the matter with Zhongxian for a while?" Why don't you come with me and see ...... Take a look at the scenery. ”

Originally, Liu Wei wanted to say that he would go to see beautiful women, but thinking of Wei Yi's identity, he was afraid of causing him unhappiness, so he temporarily changed it to see the scenery.

Liu Wei shook his hand and handed over the affairs of the paper workshop to Wei Yi to do, how could he have time to accompany Liu Wei to see the scenery with his busy foot in the back of the head, so he confessed: "Your Highness, the minister still has a lot of chores to do in the paper workshop, and I really can't accompany His Highness to play, I hope Your Highness will forgive your sins." ”

looked at Wei Yi's face and tried his best to pretend to be regretful, for fear that his refusal would cause him unhappiness. Liu Wei was angry and funny in his heart. He is not the kind of person with a small belly, and he himself regretted that he wanted to go with Wei Yi, so he waved his hand and said with a smile: "Zhongxian go and get busy with you." ”

"Your Highness!" Wei Yi was pardoned, and he disappeared as soon as he slipped away.

Looking at Wei Yi's disappearing back, Liu Wei smiled helplessly and decided to continue his plan to see the beauties. Along the road leading to Nangong, I walked south.

As the political center of the entire Han Empire, Nangong was naturally heavily guarded. However, with the identity of the prince of Liu Bian, naturally no one stepped forward to stop him. It's just that Liu Wei walks like this alone, and it is inevitable that he will look alone. Although Liu Wei also has guards and attendants, Liu Bian doesn't want to use them, after all, he has too many secrets, and there must be He Jin or the eyeliner sent by the Ten Standing Servants among those guards and attendants, so Liu Bian mostly throws off those people and walks by himself.

Liu Wei was deliberating about his next plan while walking on the road to see the beauties. At this time, a pair of guards stood in front of him.

The leader of the team has a tiger on his back and a square face. looked at Liu Wei expressionlessly, and asked without humility or arrogance: "What does Your Highness want?" ”

Liu Wei was used to it, and replied casually: "Go to Nangong for a walk." ”

Shi Chang's expression was obviously stunned. Nangong is a place where the emperor and courtiers discuss politics, and it is an office that belongs to the state, and even the prince may not be able to come and go at will. However, when I thought of Liu Wei's unruly character in the palace, I was immediately relieved.

Liu Wei is favored by the queen, and the general He Jin supports him, so naturally no one dares to care wherever he goes. However, he was patrolling the South Palace today, and it was inevitable that he would come forward to interrogate, and when he was in trouble, Liu Wei smiled and explained: "I went to the South Palace to ask for my father." ”

Originally, when he was interrogated about himself, Liu Wei could have walked away, or angrily accused himself of being nosy. I didn't expect him to bother to explain, thinking of the rumors that Liu Wei was kind and had no princely frame in the palace, this chief couldn't help but admire, and when he saw Liu Wei walking alone, he said: "Your Highness can use me to escort you?" ”

Looking at the chief in front of him without any flattery, he had an expression that was completely out of Liu Wei's concern for safety, and his duty was there. Liu Wei nodded secretly in his heart. Loyal to his duties, neither afraid of the power of the prince, nor flattering the power of the prince, this person is a bit interesting.

"May I ask the general's name?" Liu argued.

Shi Chang hurriedly replied: "My subordinates don't dare to call themselves generals, my subordinates' surname is Jiang, his name is strange, and his word is Yunlei." ”

Jiang Qi, Jiang Yunlei. Liu Wei went through the name in his heart according to history, and the military generals in his impression did not seem to have this person. However, in addition to their own talents, opportunities are also very important. Looking at Jiang Qi in front of him, Liu Wei couldn't help but think that he was reborn in this era, not only to change the fate of the original Liu Bian, but also to change the fate of how many people?

He raised his face and showed an adult-like smile, and Jiang Qi was stunned.

"Generals must not be arrogant, you must know that a soldier who does not dare to be a general is not a good soldier!"

After speaking, Liu Wei drifted away. Jiang Qi was left looking at his back, carefully playing with his words.

Liu Wei did not go to meet Emperor Ling as he said, but walked through the Chongde Hall to a house next to the Jiade Hall. The door was open, and a palace maid was wiping the crown ornament with her back to him, humming a song in her mouth: "Pick up a smiling flower, think about the changes in the world, and in the end, what does it matter if you win or lose......"

Liu Wei stood at the door and said with a smile: "This song "Forget Each Other in Two and Two", Sister Ren is singing better and better. ”

The palace maid looked back and smiled, and Liu Bian's heart was instantly shocked. Under the thin eyebrows like a crescent moon, his eyes sparkled, his petite nose twitched slightly, and he took a small sip of cherries, and his teeth were slightly exposed.

When Liu Wei saw this smile for the first time, he was shocked as he is now, looking at the beauty of the country and the city, and hearing in his ears is the name that matches that beauty - Diao Chan.

This is the woman who will change the fate of the Han Dynasty and the direction of history in the future. She used her weak body to prop up the edifice that the Han was about to overturn, lighting the last faint light of hope for the fate of the empire.

But in the end, it failed. Qianlizhi was destroyed in the anthill, and the well-designed beauty plan got rid of Dong Zhuo, but failed in the rebellion of Li Dao and Guo Yan caused by Wang Yun's faint moves.

The Han Empire still collapsed irretrievably. In fact, this result can be said to be caused by the combination of the Huan Ling Rebellion, the government and the people's lack of livelihood, coupled with the peasant uprising and natural disasters, and the country's weakness to this day. The rebellion of Li and Guo Yan became only the last straw that broke the camel's back.

All efforts have tragically been in vain. However, what makes Liu Wei indignant is that in this male-dominated society, in this era of bright stars and masterminds, the fate of the country is pressed on the body of a woman, which cannot but be said to be the sorrow of the whole nation. What she did was enough to make the Kwantung princes, famous ministers and fierce generals who did it ashamed and embarrassed.

When the palace maid saw him standing in front of the door stupidly, she shook her willow waist lightly, walked over, and said, "Ren Hongchang of the slave family welcomes His Royal Highness Shihou." ”

Liu Wei woke up from his obsession and said curtly: "Sister Ren, didn't I say that I don't need so much courtesy? ”

Ren Hongchang smiled and said: "Everything has rules and rules, and there are rules in the palace - respect and humility are orderly. Wouldn't it be more trouble for others to see me so rude? ”

Liu Wei pursed his lips, walked in with a big grin, and knelt on the collapse.

"What is respect? What is humility? Nuwa created people, and all living beings in the world have eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, ears, limbs and torso. You and I are the same, why are we respectful and humble? He asked, dissatisfied.

From the first day Ren Hongchang saw Liu Wei, he knew that he didn't like red tape. Although he is a prince, he is a prodigal wreck, without the majesty of a prince, and likes to mingle with the yellow gate and palace maids at the bottom.

Now I see that he speaks rebelliously and fears that others will listen to him against him. knelt down at the table in front of Liu Wei, picked up the wine jug and filled the wine glass, and diverted to other topics: "Your Highness taught "The Two Forget Each Other" some time ago, I have already sung it well. I wonder if His Highness has any new songs to teach the slave family? ”

Liu Wei thought of Diao Chan's tragic life of being controlled by men, and he was moved, and he was a little speechless. Seeing Diao Chan's kind divergence from the topic, he didn't say any more, picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

Liu Wei smacked his lips, feeling that the taste was wrong. "Is this white water?"

Ren Hongchang giggled and said, "How can I have wine hospitality here, a glass of white water, and a breeze on my sleeves." ”

Liu Wei's mind moved. The two-sleeved breeze originally came out of Yu Qian's "Poem into Beijing" in the Ming Dynasty, but now it abruptly let Ren Hongchang say it, if it wasn't for a while when he didn't know her, Liu Wei would have misunderstood that she was also crossing the public.

However, since meeting Ren Hongchang, Liu Wei has always had a question lingering in his heart - that is, how did she survive in the Lingdi Desert?

His own cheap Laozi, Emperor Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty, can be said to be a model of a faint monarch who is absurd and unscrupulous. Selling officials to make money, not to mention appointing traitors. With just one color word, he has done it to the extreme. He ordered all the concubines and maids in the palace to wear open crotch pants, and they didn't wear anything inside, in order to be lucky, and once they were interested, they could just press it down.

But this is not the extreme, what is more absolutely is that in the middle of the three years, that is, a year ago, Emperor Han Ling built a garden in the West Garden, which leads the canal water around the house, spreads moss on the steps, more than a zhang, the lotus flower with petals such as the cover is planted in the canal water, the day rolls the night Shu, a stem gives birth to four lotus, named "Night Shu Lotus". The whole garden is like a wonderland.

Emperor Ling of Han ordered all the ladies in the palace between the ages of 14 and 18 to move into the garden, strip naked inside, or play and chase; or clinging to the water of the canal; Or play the qin song to enjoy the coolness. Sometimes, he himself stripped naked and jumped into the canal to swim naked with them. He named this garden "Naked Swimming Hall", and Liu Wei once secretly went in to see it once, and to be honest, it was very exciting.

It was precisely because of Emperor Ling's absurdity that Liu Wei wondered why Ren Hongchang was not touched by Emperor Ling. She is one of the four beauties, even if her beauty of the closed moon and shy flowers was not noticed by the Spirit Emperor, no one else even found out and dedicated her to the Spirit Emperor.

This has almost become an insoluble mystery that lingers in Liu Bian's heart during the period of Emperor Ling. In the end, he had to explain the incident as aesthetic fatigue. Emperor Ling's pursuit of beauty has reached the extreme, and no matter how beautiful people are, they don't feel anything better.

Since no one has discovered Diao Chan, of course Liu Wei will not publicize it everywhere. If the development of history is followed, she will escape from the palace during the rebellion in the palace where the ten permanent servants were killed, be taken in by Wang Yun, and then complete her tragic historical mission.

However, since Liu Wei has crossed over, he will not let this historical tragedy be staged again. The first time he saw that intoxicating smile, he secretly vowed that he would change Diao's fate regardless of whether his fate would change or not. Even if in the end, she just existed as an ordinary village woman named Ren Hongchang in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. From now on, there will be no more sable cicadas!

Liu Wei smiled faintly. Ren Hongchang didn't know that he had already made up his mind to change her fate, and asked curiously, "Why is Your Highness laughing?" ”

"I'm wondering why Sister Ren's smile is so beautiful?" Liu Wei said with a smile.

Ren Hongchang's face turned crimson, and he said with slight disgust: "Your Highness has come to make fun of me again!" ”

Liu Wei shook his head seriously, saying that he had no intention of making fun of him.

"Sister Ren is as beautiful as a fairy, and after a thousand years, my sister's name may be tied with Xi Shi!"

Girls are shy and beauty-loving characters, hearing Liu Wei's praise, although Ren Hongchang was happy in his heart, he still bowed his head in shame, and muttered humbly: "Xizi is a stunning city, which is comparable to the slave family." If His Highness's words get out, I am afraid that the slave family will also be laughed at and ugly, the rich will see it closed, and the poor will see it and go away. (Note 1)

Ren Hongchang lowered his head and was shy, and his delicate posture caused Liu Wei's heart to ripple for a while, and he couldn't help but groan: "I love the gentleness of bowing my head the most, like a water lotus flower that is not able to overcome the shyness of the cold wind." ”

Ren Hongchang raised his head curiously, his eyes flashed, and he said curiously: "What a beautiful sentence, but the lyrics of His Highness's new composition?" ”

"En-" Liu Wei groaned for a while, and made up a lie to cover up: "A few days ago, I slipped out of the palace and listened to a scribe surnamed Xu in the countryside. ”

Ren Hongchangxin nodded in disbelief, and praised him: "Being able to make such a beautiful sentence, that Xu Gongzi is really talented, and I really want to meet him if I have the opportunity." and that Li Bai Li, everyone who chanted his poems last time, savored them every day, and they all felt that they were all very meaningful. ”

"There's a chance, there's a chance." Liu Wei agreed awkwardly. But I thought that if I could see these two great gods, unless I took you through it once. But if you can really do this, it is better to pull you directly into the 21st century and live a happy life.

Liu Wei didn't want to dwell on this topic, so he picked up other topics and said: "Sister Ren, I have made a new song called "Laughing Hongchen". Does my sister want to learn? ”

The modern songs plagiarized by Liu Bian, the style of music is very different but catchy, and it is very liked by Ren Hongchang, and when he heard that Liu Bian had a new song, he nodded happily,

Liu Wei cleared his throat and began to sing seriously......

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Note 1: The original text is taken from Zhuangzi. Heavenly Fortune": Xi Shi is sick and angry, the ugly people in it are beautiful when they see it, and they are also in the heart. When the rich people in it saw it, they closed their doors and did not come out; When the poor man saw it, he took his wife and walked away. He knows the beauty, but he doesn't know why the beauty is beautiful.