Chapter 59:
Shen Liufeng has no hobbies on weekdays, except for a sip of wine.
Jun Huailang's alcohol capacity is very good, and she can accompany Shen Liufeng to drink every time. After discovering this, Shen Liufeng liked to be with him even more. Whenever he took a break and Jun Huailang had nothing to do, he would ask Jun Huailang to come out to drink with him.
As time passed, Jun Huailang got used to it.
The carriage swayed all the way, and it didn't take long for it to arrive at a restaurant where Shen Liufeng frequented. It was almost noon at this time, and the restaurant was very lively. Standing outside, I could vaguely hear the voice of Pingtan singing inside.
"Listen to this voice, like Su Xiaoqian." After getting off the carriage, Shen Liufeng said to Jun Huailang. "She is especially good at Pingtan and singing. You are blessed with ears today."
Jun Huailang couldn't help but be surprised: "You can tell who sang it just by listening to the sound?"
Shen Liufeng opened the fan with a clatter: "Naturally. There are so many Jinling singing Pingtan, but few have such a clear voice."
The two of them walked into the restaurant, Shen Liufeng waving his fan and gossiping with Jun Huailang: "This little girl came here to sing Pingtan when she was fourteen or fifteen years old. Her grandmother was sick and had no money for medical treatment, so she came to sing songs to make money. But in the past two years, things seem to be getting better, so she came here less. I always come here to drink, teach her to keep her ears sharp, and then listen to others sing Yes, I'm not used to it."
Jun Huailang has never heard of Pingtan. He only heard that storytellers are not popular in the taverns and teahouses in the south. Their books are all played and sung.
The two are also regular customers. When they entered the restaurant, they were led by Xiao Er to a place with an excellent view beside the fence on the second floor.
After Jun Huailang sat down, he glanced down, and saw a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl sitting on the bottom, with long hair in a bun, and wearing an apricot-colored spring shirt. , holding a lute in his hand.
She was born beautifully, and she is the only light and graceful girl in Jiangnan. The pipa in that hand is also good, although Jun Huailang can't understand her lyrics, but he can still hear it.
After ordering the food and drink, Shen Liufeng did not forget to instruct Xiao Er: "It's the same today, give Miss Xiaoqian three more rewards, which will be counted in my meal money."
Jun Huailang heard the words and said in surprise, "Three hanging rewards? This is not the style of your son Shen."
Shen Liufeng sighed and said, "Naturally it's not my style. It's rare to hear her sing a song, I can't wait to give her all the money in my pocket."
Speaking, Shen Liufeng poured a cup of tea for Jun Huailang and said, "But this girl doesn't accept it. She has rules. She only accepts money for three hangings, and any more money must be returned. ."
Jun Huailang was puzzled: "What's the rule? Her family is poor, how can there be a reason not to receive reward money?"
Shen Liufeng said: "If she is a man, naturally she doesn't have to refuse."
Jun Huailang understands.
This woman has an outstanding appearance, and she also plays the piano and sings. She spends every day in the restaurant and restaurant, which naturally attracts the coveted man. If the visitor refuses to refuse, and receives too much gold and silver from others, it will inevitably be sold at a price and become a plaything for others.
"It does have a vision." Jun Huailang couldn't help sighing.
"This little girl is not only good at commenting, playing and singing, but also of high quality. I appreciate her in vain."
Jun Huailang laughed and listened with him quietly.
This girl sang "Yingying Playing the Qin", which was quite tactful and lingering. Jun Huailang has been in Jiangnan for a year, and he knows that the folk customs here are open, and that such excerpt dramas that praise love can be sung at will.
Not long after, their wine and dishes were delivered.
This wine is made of peach blossoms in spring, sweet and refreshing, with the aroma of peach blossoms. The late spring wind was blowing slowly from outside the window, soft and gentle, but it was a bit more intoxicating than wine.
At this moment, there was a clang from the audience, interrupting the clear sound of the pipa.
Jun Huailang was taken aback, looked down, and saw a young man in brocade standing in the room, smashing the silver at Su Xiaoqian's feet.
"Do you still want the money? It's just a sing-along, who do you play with?"
When she heard that it was a northern accent, Jun Huailang couldn't help frowning and squinting, to take a closer look at the man's appearance.
Although I don't know him, but listening to him speak, I feel like someone from Chang'an.
There was an uproar in the restaurant for a while.
There was a little Er who came up to persuade him and taught him to push away.
Happy booing.
Hearing this, Shen Liufeng immediately stood up angrily.
"Who is this, who speaks wild words here?" He pushed away the chair and was about to go downstairs to reason with him.
But immediately, the shopkeeper of the restaurant hurried over.
"You wait." Jun Huailang raised his hand to stop him. "Let's see how the store solves it, don't make things bigger and cause trouble for the store."
Shen Liufeng had to stop in place.
It didn't take long for him to deliver wine and food to appease the man.
The money on the stage was also picked up and returned to him. After a while, the girl went on to play the piano and sing.
The restaurant returned to calm, but Shen Liufeng's interest in listening to Pingtan was disturbed.
"Singing meat songs? Who is this person insulting." He put the wine glass on the table and said angrily. "Who hasn't heard about this Pingtan since he was a child, how could it become a meat song in his eyes alone?"
Jun Huailang poured him a cup of tea and comforted him with a faint smile: "This person has a dirty mind, so naturally he sees everything as dirty."
Shen Liufeng said: "You're right! It's not that other people's songs are sung, it's that this person is a slut!"
He was angry and cursed hard, but Jun Huailang didn't stop him, so he could only curse. However, Shen Liufeng's mood was spoiled, and he felt uncomfortable drinking. After a while, he and Jun Huailang got up and left the table.
The two settled the bill and went straight out of the restaurant.
"He alone has money in his hand? I can't wait to smash his head with money and teach him to see that he is not the only one who has two stinky money in his hand." murmured scolding.
Jun Huailang reassured him with a gentle voice. As soon as he went out, he saw a familiar figure coming towards the restaurant.
"Master Guo?" Jun Huailang called out to him.
This person's name is Guo Rongwen, a friend of his father's who was on the same list back then, and now works in the Ministry of Households. This time, he and his father went to Jiangnan to check the accounts of the prefectures in various places in Jiangnan.
Guo Rongwen saw that it was Jun Huailang, and stopped to greet him with a smile: "It was Your Highness! Coincidentally, you came here for a drink too?"
Jun Huailang nodded and replied, "The weather is fine today, so I will go out with Young Master Shen. Master Guo, is this...?"
He has helped his father this year, and this Guo Rongwen has some intersections. This person has a gentle personality and a good-natured personality. Because of his good relationship with his father, he would also teach Jun Huailang what he did not understand on weekdays.
It's been a long time, even if his temper is as cold as Jun Huailang, he can still greet him with a few words.
Guo Rongwen nodded and said, "Come and meet a friend from other places. The wine and food here are quite unique, so I made an appointment here."
Jun Huailang nodded and exchanged a few words before separating from him.
—
This evening, Jun Huailang received a letter from home.
The thick stack, when opened, dropped many pages. Jun Huailang lit the lamp and gathered up the papers, and saw a few crooked paintings, at first glance they were painted by Jun Linghuan.
He couldn't help laughing, the candlelight reflected in his dark pupils, he looked especially gentle.
He looked at the paintings carefully. They are all flowers and birds, I think Jun Linghuan learned them. She doesn't have any talent in embroidery, nor does painting, flowers and birds, crooked and twisted, it doesn't look much different.
Jun Huailang read it all seriously.
Flip to the last page, and there is a line of childish words written on it.
"Brother, I haven't seen you for a year, Huan'er misses you very much. My second brother said that the beginning of the letter should be written like a word. I didn't think it was enough, so I drew a few more pictures. I hope my brother will be happy to see the bird."
"Seeing the birds is like meeting with joy." Jun Huailang laughed under the lamp, and repeated in a soft low voice, and then took the pile of crooked paintings into a place where they are precious and precious. closed.
He opened the drawer, and there was already a thick stack in it.
On weekdays, my mother's letters are sent to my father, and the ones from him are sent by his younger siblings.
He put those paintings in the drawer, and picked up the letter from Jun Xiaowu.
Jun Xiaowu is a chatter on weekdays, and he writes a lot every time he writes a letter. But he was impatient, and the letters were usually written in a very scribbled way.
Jun Huailang read slowly.
Jun Xiaowu wrote about trivial matters at home, and he wrote several pages. From what new things my sister learned recently, to the gossip I heard a few days ago, to the cold spring in Chang'an, the melting snow became ice on the ground, and a certain boy in the courtyard slipped and lay in bed. rested for several days.
At the end of the letter, Jun Huailang's eyes paused.
He saw a familiar name.
"...I went out to play with a few noble family sons a few days ago, and I heard from them that the fifth prince in the aunt's palace is very good now. Be the king.
But they also said that the fifth prince seemed to have a bad character and was very cruel. He is in charge of Jin Yiwei, and the ministers in the court are afraid of him finding fault, but he always finds fault, and the emperor is always facing him. They all said, maybe this person is a real evil star, confusing the emperor.
Brother, this letter will be burnt after reading it, and it must not be seen by others. They all said that the minions of the Fifth Highness are all over the place. If you let him know, I am afraid that he will trouble you. "
This short few lines, Jun Huailang read it back and forth several times unconsciously.
When he slowly accepted the letter, he suddenly came back to his senses.
Only then did he realize that he hadn't heard from Xue Yan for a long time.
He has been in the south of the Yangtze River, and he has been busy all the time. It was only during this time that he was barely relaxed, but he also knew that this was just the tranquility before the rainstorm.
He looked back and thought, this year seems to have passed very fast, as if he left Chang'an a few days ago.
But he and Xue Yan did cut off contact.
When he was in the palace, the two of them saw each other every day. After all, they lived in the same palace courtyard and listened to lectures together every day.
After a while, he slowly picked up the pen, spread out the stationery, and prepared to reply to his younger brother and sister.
However, when he dipped ink, his hand stopped.
He suddenly thought uncontrollably, wondering what Xue Yan was doing at this time.