The concept of festival economics among Tang Dynasty people clearly had not yet taken deep root. The academy had already earned money to the point of public outrage, yet Chang’an’s eastern and western markets still maintained their own old rhythm. Making money during the New Year would be laughed at by others. Even donkeys needed two extra handfuls of bean fodder to gain weight after a year’s work, let alone the shop assistants who had worked hard all year.
The academy students who had earned money were naturally very happy, but deep in their bones, they were still scholarly people. They also felt that earning money this way was really quite unconscionable. What should be done? To prevent their souls from being tainted by money, they decided to provide relief to the poor. There was no place near Yushan for them to display their kind hearts, so a compromise plan was produced. For three consecutive days, the Dongyang River would be opened to commoners—no fees charged, but the attractions must remain the same.
Yun Ye stood in front of his own gate watching the bustling crowds, somewhat annoyed. Hadn’t those students predicted that the entire city of Chang’an would rush over? With over a hundred thousand people standing on the Dongyang River, the entire river would be packed solid. How could anyone enjoy anything? Mass gathering activities were a great field of learning. It wasn’t something that could work just by gathering people together. Hygiene, safety, eating and drinking all had to be considered. Especially since the exit of the Dongyang River was exceptionally narrow—if trampling occurred, it would absolutely be a great disaster.
“How could such a situation possibly occur? The marquis is overthinking. The lantern festival in Chang’an City is also crowded with people like mountains and seas, and hasn’t it been fine? This old slave thinks this is very good. The more people there are, the more prosperous the land becomes. With so many people coming over, Yushan’s land prices should rise again.”
Yun Ye looked at old Qian without good humor. How wide was Vermillion Bird Avenue? Could a road surface over twenty zhang wide be compared to Yushan’s narrow mountain path? He must notify Pang Yuhai—good students couldn’t be ruined by this matter.
Facts proved that Yun Ye was overthinking. The common people of Chang’an, long accustomed to Chang’an City’s strict military management system, clearly knew what to do in such situations. Without anyone directing them, following the principle of first come, first served, they entered Yushan one ward at a time. The order was so impeccable it was outrageous. Children who couldn’t ride panda carts were satisfied and delighted for half a day just from being able to touch a panda.
The only bad thing was the problem of relieving oneself anywhere. The entire northern mountain became inaccessible. Next year, this place would certainly have flourishing vegetation. Under the brilliant lamplight, old people and children, men and women all wore cheerful expressions. They bowed to Buddha, to Laozi, and also to dragon lanterns and phoenix lanterns. Some piously bowed to every ice sculpture they saw, regardless of who it was or which deity—as long as it could fulfill their wish to worship.
Because it was during the holiday period, Yushan Academy permitted commoners to lodge overnight. Strangely, except for having children stay overnight at Yushan Academy, the rest of Chang’an’s people—even old people and women—would rather endure a night in the open ground than go inside. Later, those students finally understood—the common people sent their children inside because they believed children were the purest and wanted them to absorb some scholarly aura. As for the other common folk going in, that would be like base feet trampling noble ground and would shorten one’s lifespan.
With so many people, what scenery could anyone see? They all just hurriedly glanced and went down the mountain. Even so, they were extremely satisfied, loudly proclaiming the trip was not in vain. Dozens of large pots lined up in a row made nothing else—just one dish of braised pork at three large coins per bowl, accompanied by a huge bowl of rice. One egg could make a large pot of egg-drop soup, and there was enough for everyone. Not a single Chang’an person failed to stop here. Cooking smoke lingered for three full days. All the pork near the Yun Family estate was eaten up. The potatoes stored at the Yun Family estate were all eaten up as well. Only then did they extinguish the cooking fires. The cooks really wanted to continue cooking, but unfortunately, there were no more ingredients. They kept cupping their hands in apology to those who hadn’t eaten, and vowed that next year they would definitely prepare ingredients early.
One dish could make half of Chang’an’s people eat with such reluctance to part. The cooks believed this was their greatest achievement in life. Although exhausted to half-death, they now walked with a swagger.
Huang Shu regretfully watched the departing crowds, sighing continuously. These past few days, even pot-washing water could have been sold. Such a good opportunity had been wasted by himself through failure to prepare sufficient ingredients.
The people who came to Yushan to see the ice lanterns didn’t disappear until government offices unsealed and the markets opened. The day of unsealing was customarily a grand court assembly. The Censors had already spoken—no absences permitted. They prepared to call names according to the roster.
Returning to work after the festival was as boring as could be. When the sky was still pitch black, they squatted in front of the palace gate one by one and began yawning. Yun Ye was the most excessive—lying in his carriage and refusing to get down, insisting on sleeping until the moment the palace gates opened wide.
He entered the palace in a daze, paid obeisance to the emperor in a daze, then found a secluded place and had Xue Wanche block him while he leaned against his back and continued sleeping.
Not until Xue Wanche grabbed Yun Ye by the collar and took him out of the palace did he realize the grand court assembly had ended. Strangely enough, just after coming out of the palace, he immediately became spirited and energetic. He randomly grabbed an unlucky dandy to treat them, and a group immediately set off in carriages and horses toward Yanlai Tower.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone. I wonder if the young ladies there are still flirtatious.” This was the sigh issued by that refined scoundrel Zhangsun Chong. Xue Wanche thought that his spirits were excellent today—he could take all the ones his brothers didn’t fancy. This drew endless admiration from the dandies, who even opened betting on what kind of woman old Xue would be defeated by.
This time they wouldn’t bring Li Chengqian or Li Tai—not a single Li family brother. It wasn’t that they didn’t like them, but bringing them to visit pleasure houses would result in being beaten severely by the empress. This kind of incident had occurred more than once or twice.
One could watch seductive dances. Who had the patience to chat with Li Chengqian? Although Li Chengqian said the seductive dances at his home were ten times better than Yanlai Tower’s, everyone still decided to go to Yanlai Tower. The dancing girls at Li Chengqian’s home were not easy to approach.
Li Chengqian shouted “Animals!” and took his younger brothers back to the Eastern Palace to enjoy his family’s songs and dances.
Too many dandies, too few ladies. Xue Wanche even carried the madam into a room. And this was still morning! Sitting in the great hall were only Yun Ye, Princess Xiangcheng’s husband Xiao Rui, and Princess Nanping’s second husband Liu Xuanyi.
Nanping’s first husband, Wang Jinzhi, who was also Wang Gui’s youngest son, had somehow gotten entangled with Hou Junji’s rebellion plot this time and was exiled by the emperor to Lingnan. The emperor specifically told Yun Ye not to show him any care.
Old Wang Gui had been so angered by this matter that he suffered a stroke. Now lying in bed, he clearly had only one breath left. The elegant and refined Liu Xuanyi happened to catch Princess Nanping’s eye. A minor Palace Attendant leaped to become Prince Consort in one bound.
Over a dozen years had passed. That blind zither master was still alive, and the small boy who used to lead him now also held a zither and walked over together. The old zither master bowed respectfully to his surroundings and said in a clear voice: “Today is the day when my young disciple completes his apprenticeship. I ask all you noble lords to show much favor. This old one thanks you here.”
The young zither master, seeing there were only three people, couldn’t help but feel dismayed in his heart, yet still bowed respectfully. It appeared he had no intention of retreating. Xiao Rui said with a smile: “Don’t be concerned that there are only three people. If your zither skills are passable, you will have succeeded in becoming famous. As long as Marquis Yun is willing to promote you with a few words, you’ll benefit from it for your entire life.”
“If you want us to speak well of you, bring out your real skill.” Yun Ye very much disliked empty words. The courtesans had all been carried to rooms by dozens of dandies, so there were no seductive dances to watch. He could only make do with listening to a piece on the guzheng.
The young zither master played very earnestly. The blind old man kept nodding, and at key points would even reach out to assist. One piece, “Eternal Longing,” expressed all the bitter and lingering torment of longing. Even someone like Yun Ye who didn’t understand appreciation at all could hear a few notes of bitter sourness. Hearing it once would have been enough, but this piece relied on repeated playing over and over to achieve the purpose of eternal longing. Thus, after drinking two cups of wine, Yun Ye began dozing off again. He hadn’t slept much last night. The spirited Na Rimu had wanted to finish telling her husband her stories from the grasslands—nothing more than stories about a few sheep, which he’d heard countless times.
To avoid torturing his own ears, he had made love with Na Rimu once. Who knew that after making love, Na Rimu still chattered on about that little black sheep that almost got eaten by wolves. Greatly angered, Yun Ye made love again. Only this time was Na Rimu’s energy completely exhausted, and she fell asleep embracing her husband. But the roosters had already begun crowing. Yun Ye had to get up to attend the grand court assembly. His earlier energy had been purely a normal reaction after getting off work. Now feeling bored, he began getting drowsy again.
A tearing sound like ripping silk startled Yun Ye so that he sat up at once, looking at the young zither master in shock. Had he gone mad? Was he no longer concerned with his life? Why were young people so reckless?
“Music is tied to my very life—how can it be neglected by vulgar people? In ancient times, when music was played, even ghosts and spirits would incline their ears to listen. Now reduced to romantic establishments is already tragic enough. How can there be further contempt? Pei Shenfu is incapable of serving noble lords and will now take his leave.”
Yun Ye sneered: “I don’t rely on it to make a living. Why should I respect it?”
The young Pei Shenfu rose abruptly: “You are a noble lord, so naturally you need not. But this slave needs to use it to exchange for daily meals. Those in the world who eat by music are countless. Do noble lords therefore hold them in contempt?”
Liu Xuanyi was about to get angry but was stopped by Yun Ye, who sighed and said: “Since it concerns another’s rice bowl, it truly is my fault. In this world, heaven is great and earth is great, but rice bowls are the greatest. I can choose not to respect your music, but I must respect your rice bowl. Any craft that can feed people must receive respect. Play again. This time I will concentrate and listen attentively. If the skill is poor, I still won’t pay.”
Xiao Rui clapped his hands and laughed: “Marquis Yun’s insights are always unexpected. This rice bowl theory is truly incisive. Xiao Rui has been taught. From now on, I will never again dare to look down upon any means of making a living.”
The reason Yun Ye showed patience was because he understood one principle—that people with talent generally have rather large tempers. If this fellow called Pei Shenfu couldn’t demonstrate zither skills consistent with his temper, he thought a sound beating would be a reasonable solution. Had this situation been with other dandies, he would have been dead already. Beating him once was actually saving him.
“Noble lord, please sit comfortably and listen to Pei Shenfu’s ‘Solitary Indignation Chant’!”