Chapter 270

Le Xu likes musical instruments.

Everything related to music and songs,

Whether it is the elegant music for ceremonies and ancestor worship, or the popular music for banquets and dances, he likes them all.

The flowers and trees of Shangyang Palace have never known autumn, and the Luo River flows through the palace everywhere.

This is a palace in the northwest corner of Shangyang Palace, named Ganlu Hall.

Near a tributary of the Luo River, the rare cool river breeze of midsummer blows,

Stirring the robes of Le Xu and his fellow palace musicians on the long corridor.

Under the gaze of a stern and withered-looking supervising palace lady in front, they held their zithers or kongs-hous, lowered their heads and eyes, and walked into the empty main hall with small steps.

Everyone sat down one by one behind the curtains at the edge of the hall and tuned their instruments.

This Shangyang Palace is located in the western suburbs of Luoyang, also known as the West Palace, the royal back garden.

Inside Ganlu Hall, Le Xu and his companions sat down together. He put down the ancient zither in his arms and skillfully tuned the strings, preparing for the ensemble in a while.

Zhifash

Le Xu is an official title, not his real name.

As for his real name, few people have called it since he entered the palace, and it has gradually been forgotten.

And what cannot be forgotten is only the zither music.

He and his companions are all Le Xu officials, managed by the palace lady in charge of music in Shangyang Palace, playing music for emperors and nobles.

Today, the stern and pedantic music lady suddenly urged these music officials to set off, separately heading to the music stations in various palaces and water pavilions.

Le Xu didn't need to guess to know that it was that Empress who had moved to the West Palace again to play.

As for whether Her Majesty the Empress would stroll and happen to favor this relatively remote Ganlu Palace, who knows?

Shangyang Palace is too big, with many palaces, luxurious and extravagant, and the emperor does not lack places to play.

Le Xu has been a musician in Ganlu Palace for nearly three years, and the number of times he has welcomed Her Majesty the Empress is few.

However, Le Xu did not complain. He lowered his head and tuned his zither, preparing to perform. A touch of joy gradually emerged in his eyes.

Being a musician in the palace, the monthly allowance is not much, and he is often made difficult and deducted by some palace ladies above.

And I heard from companions that if you find a vermilion building or public house by the Luo River in Luoyang city and perform for a few nights, you can earn a lot of money, and you can also meet romantic and suave great poets, or have the opportunity to spend a spring night with some ignorant top courtesans who admire music.

But Le Xu is not like his companions, longing for the bustling world in Luoyang city.

In Shangyang Palace, the monotonous life accompanied by the zither has already made him feel at ease and content.

I remember an old musician who taught ritual music once told him that if you want wealth and stability, you can go to the marketplace restaurants or noble mansions to be a private musician.

But if you want to make progress in the way of ritual music, there is only one way, which is to stay in this boring and dull palace and hone your musical skills.

Le Xu has always remembered this sentence.

However, the old musician who taught him this sentence found an opportunity to leave the Luoyang palace a few years ago. Before leaving, at the simple farewell wine, the old man drank several cups, laughed and went away, without any nostalgia.

Le Xu was quite puzzled.

Inside Ganlu Palace, Le Xu and his companions finished tuning their instruments and played a grand and elegant melody.

Outside the hall, on the long corridor, a group of pedantic palace ladies stood with their heads bowed, motionless.

It seems to be welcoming the favor of some Empress.

Le Xu quietly used his peripheral vision to look at the palace ladies outside.

In Shangyang Palace, the most numerous people are these palace ladies.

It is said that their strict hierarchy and harsh requirements are even more cumbersome and strict than those of their musicians.

Being in the palace, such hearsay has naturally been heard a lot.

Originally, positions like Le Xu who are in the palace and can contact the emperor should be castrated like eunuchs.

However, fortunately, the owner of Shangyang Palace is a female emperor, and her requirements for eunuchs are not strict. Instead, she occasionally favors male beauty.

Whether some musicians are castrated or not is naturally irrelevant. Of course, in the standards for selecting such close attendants, a decent appearance and a tall figure are indispensable, and there must definitely be no ugly ones.

Looking at the palace ladies that the Empress selects and trains, one can see a glimpse; she is an emperor who loves beauty.

Not being castrated, Le Xu is quite fortunate, but he also increasingly does not understand the departure of the old musician who taught him ritual music.

Le Xu looked at a big Buddha outside the hall door in the distance.

That is the Great Buddha Hall.

In Shangyang Palace, one of the most conspicuous buildings, on the square of the Great Buddha Hall, stands a tall Buddha statue, a hundred-foot building, rising from the ground, magnificent and spectacular.

In Shangyang Palace, besides palace ladies, the most numerous are some people in strange clothes, dealing with some strange objects all day long.

Le Xu can't tell whether they are Daoist priests or alchemists, but he once heard people say that they seem to be called something like Qi-watchers.

Le Xu doesn't quite understand what they are doing, but Her Majesty the Empress seems to like them very much and often summons them.

So... these Qi-watchers are the same as their musicians, are they the ones who please the emperor and nobles?

Le Xu guessed quietly, and even felt a little unconvinced.

Ritual music is so beautiful and unique in the world. These Qi-watchers look unreliable. I don't know what kind of strange tricks they use to please Her Majesty the Empress, causing the Empress to not pay much attention to ritual music.

However, these Qi-watchers mostly appear near the Great Buddha Hall and the Buddha statue, and the two sides don't have much interaction.

Le Xu once accidentally saw many Qi-watchers step into that hundred-foot-high Buddha statue one night, and didn't know what they were busy with inside.

Le Xu shook his head and continued to play the zither. Among the many musical instruments in the world, he only loves the ancient zither.

I remember the old musician once said when he was drunk that there is actually a zither in this Shangyang Palace that is unparalleled in the world, and there is also a peerless zither sound. Finally, the old musician sighed something like "the zither is not a zither."

Le Xu kept it in his heart, but he has been in the palace for ten years, yet he has never seen or heard it, and he increasingly feels that the old musician was talking nonsense after drinking.

All the zither players in this Shangyang Palace, Le Xu has already known them all, but they are just so-so, or slightly inferior to him, and he couldn't help but feel a little proud in his heart. His zither sound is the best in Shangyang Palace...

Le Xu suddenly restrained his mind and lowered his head to focus on the strings with his fingertips.

At this moment, he vaguely heard a dense but rhythmic sound of footsteps coming from the long corridor in the distance outside the hall.

It is the holy carriage of Her Majesty the Empress!

He was almost certain in his heart, and could even vaguely hear the familiar old voice of that Empress.

Solemn and with a hint of hoarseness.

Le Xu was overjoyed.

Although he had only seen her a few times in these few years, Le Xu had already firmly remembered this voice.

Because his ears can distinguish every note, remember most sounds, and simple melodies, Le Xu can remember them after listening once and play them out.

I remember the old musician once sighed that this is God feeding him by hand. This is called top-grade pitch, which is hard to find for musicians.

Le Xu also heard that during the Taizong dynasty, there was a palace female musician who, relying on this talent, in the Great Ming Palace in Chang'an, only listened to foreign music once, and then, in front of countless foreign envoys who came to worship, used an old pipa to play the song without any difference...

It immediately made Emperor Taizong Wen's dragon face very happy, and the foreign envoys were all surprised, kneeling and singing praises, convinced... winning the reputation of a heavenly dynasty and a state of etiquette for the Great Qian in those years.

It's a pity that the scene where all walks of life were thriving when the Great Qian was just founded no longer exists, and the scene of the heavenly dynasty and prosperous ritual music seems to exist only in dreams.

In Chang'an and Luoyang today, all the passion seems to have gradually slowed down with the growth of the empire's age. The nobles and the people of the two capitals have begun to be content with the days in front of them, not caring about idle matters, and many things have become accustomed to.

Even this Great Zhou Dynasty, which has not been "founded" for long, does not show the scene when the Great Qian was first founded...

Le Xu is just a small musician and doesn't quite understand the change of dynasties, but he can feel that this Empress really doesn't pay much attention to ritual music.

Or rather, she only listens to a small part of it, not to mention that there are those strange Qi-watchers who snatch away part of her favor and attention. Where is it the turn of a small person like Le Xu to stand out, even if his zither sound is the best in Shangyang Palace?

Le Xu mocked himself and sighed.

The old musician said that his talent is good, but also not good, fortune and misfortune depend on each other.

He also said that most musicians in ancient times were blind, because shielding one sense could enhance the remaining four senses and pursue the ultimate.

But now musicians, especially those in this palace, should not only be blind, but also deaf, if they don't need to distinguish sounds and listen to music...

Le Xu didn't understand the old musician's sigh at all. How can a zither player be deaf? Instead, he was proud of his top-grade pitch. The only pity is that no one appreciates it.

And now, the opportunity seems to have come.

The companions playing music around him noticed the movement outside the hall a little later than Le Xu.

Le Xu and his companions looked at each other tacitly, their eyes bright, and they all brought out their best state.

Inside Ganlu Hall, the sound of silk and bamboo pipes and strings suddenly rose, melodious and pleasant, among which the zither sound stood out.

The footsteps outside the hall approached, and a group of palace attendants escorted two figures into the hall.

Le Xu lowered his head and played the zither, not daring to look up at all.

Only with his peripheral vision could he vaguely see the trailing robes and boots of the Empress and another noble.

For this noble who followed, the Empress was surprisingly caring and considerate.

"Is the State Elder's health okay recently? I heard that the State Elder has been buried in state affairs in the Phoenix Pavilion, working day and night, and has broken eight sets of counting rods."

This is the voice of the Empress, the speaking speed is relatively slow, but it gives people a sense of great weight:

"It is better for the State Elder to rest more. These cumbersome trifles can be left to the people below."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have had no appetite recently, reading official documents, reading a thousand volumes a day, which is good for the body."

This is an unfamiliar old man's voice, the speaking speed is steady. Can he be called State Elder by Your Majesty? In the whole court, it is only Master Di.

Master Di is a great scholar of the Confucian school, with unparalleled talent. He should be proficient in ritual music and be able to appreciate his zither sound... Le Xu played the zither with excitement.

In the main hall, the zither sound became more and more melodious, sometimes turning sad, sometimes generous and impassioned.

Amidst the melodious zither sound, the Empress's sigh sounded again:

"Only by reviewing official business and state affairs can you have a little appetite... The State Elder is truly the jade pillar of the Great Zhou, the pillar of the country."

"I dare not." The master's voice was neither humble nor arrogant.

The voice belonging to the Empress suddenly changed the topic:

"Yesterday, a group of ministers jointly submitted a memorial, saying that the country cannot be without an imperial heir for a day, and requested me to establish Prince Wei as the imperial heir. What does the State Elder think of Prince Wei?"

The firm voice of this master who would not be shaken immediately rang out in the hall:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I observe that the people of the world still miss the kindness of Emperor Taizong. If an imperial heir is to be established, it must be a descendant of Taizong, the flesh and blood of Your Majesty and Emperor Gao Zong."

The hall suddenly became quiet. Le Xu, who was playing the zither behind the curtain at the edge of the hall, heard the sound of fingers tapping on some jade product from the front.

De de de... one after another, ringing rhythmically.

The Empress seemed to be displeased and did not speak again, as if enjoying the ritual music.

After a long while, the tapping stopped, and she turned to ask:

"Yesterday, a palace maid went out of the palace to purchase, and heard some rumors in the marketplace, which she told me. I heard that there is a seventh-rank minor official named Ouyang Lianghan who resigned from the imperial edict to be promoted to Investigating Censor. Has the State Elder heard of this?"

"I know, the edict once passed through the Secretariat."

"Oh, I also know this little guy. He is the third-place graduate I personally selected, tall and handsome, but his temper seems to be quite stubborn...

"Heh, now he has resigned again. How does the State Elder plan to deal with this?"

"I will not manage it, I will not deal with it."

"Oh?"

The Empress made a voice of interest and seemed to chuckle:

"Then the State Elder also thinks that he is not a talent? Just fishing for fame and reputation?

"Alright, that's just right. Today, here, the State Elder recommends a talent to me. The State Elder is old, and state affairs need people to share the worries. You can recommend a talent of the country who can be entrusted with important tasks."

Master Di said lightly:

"Your Majesty, if you want a talent with literary talent and romance, then I can recommend many people, such as Li Qiao, a member of the Ministry of Rites, Su Weidao of the Censorate... these are all suitable candidates.

"However, if Your Majesty must find an outstanding talent at this moment, then it is only Ouyang Lianghan, the Magistrate of Longcheng, Jiangzhou. Although Lianghan is young, he has the bearing of a chancellor."

"Hey, didn't you say you wouldn't manage this child?" The Empress's tone was surprised, and she asked suspiciously: "Why did you suddenly recommend him so solemnly?"

Master Di's tone remained unchanged:

"I don't manage him because his official position can only be bestowed by Your Majesty, and it must be promoted by you. I dare not replace you."

After speaking, the hall was silent for a while.

The Empress suddenly laughed: "If I directly issue an edict to promote him, with the specifications of a decree, wouldn't that be promoting him directly to an official position above the fifth rank?"

"I have no intention of asking for an official position. What is important is Your Majesty's personal promotion. The official rank is irrelevant."

She made a light "um" sound, and the Empress did not speak again, as if noncommittal.

Shortly after, the monarch and minister changed the topic. The Empress asked a few words of concern and bestowed some tribute pastries. The fat old man bowed and retreated.

In the hall, only the sound of pipes and zithers remained, and the ritual music atmosphere was solemn.

The old woman in the dragon robe turned her head and looked at a memorial and a picture book neatly placed on the desk.

It was exactly the "Ten Memorials on Water Control in Jiang Nan" and the "Map of Viewing Water Systems in Jiang Nan" submitted by Ouyang Rong.

There were faint traces of red pen circles and annotations on the memorial.

"Mistress Miao Zhen."

The Great Zhou Empress Wei Zhao suddenly spoke.

The eight colorful palace ladies accompanying the carriage, in scarlet palace costumes, with makeup and painted lips, all stood on both sides of the hall without looking sideways.

At this moment, among these eight women, a palace lady in palace costume immediately stepped out and knelt down to salute:

"The slave is here."

This palace lady in palace costume had two small dots of rouge between her dimples, and she was the sixth-rank palace lady Mistress Miao Zhen who had delivered gifts to the Su mansion for Empress Wei Zhao.

However, at this time, her arrogance was gone, and she knelt humbly on the cold marble floor.

"Tell me again carefully what Ouyang Lianghan said in front of the Su mansion when he delivered the jade pendant that day."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Mistress Miao Zhen buried her head and repeated it word for word.

The old woman in the dragon robe and phoenix crown supported her chin with the back of her hand, closed her eyes and listened, without changing her expression.

After about half an hour, the Empress with closed eyes waved her hand lightly.

Mistress Miao Zhen and the other seven colorful palace ladies, along with the palace maids in the hall, all retreated together. Only the music officials remained in the hall.

Just at this moment.

Suddenly, a vermilion-robed Qi-watcher rushed from the Buddha Hall, walked into the hall, and bowed to report:

"Saint, last night I observed the celestial phenomena, and there is the Qi of the Son of Heaven in the southeast."

Wei Zhao opened her eyes, looked at him, closed her eyes again, picked up a round and dark green jade Maitreya Buddha on the table, and played with it carefully.

In the hall, the sound of pipes and strings suddenly became chaotic.

The Empress with closed eyes used the jade Maitreya Buddha in her hand to point lightly to the front:

"Kill him."

The vermilion-robed Qi-watcher nodded and walked towards the group of music officials in the hall. Wherever the vermilion robe passed, the figures fell to the ground one by one, including a musician who was holding a zither tightly.

The sound of pipes and zithers in the hall was completely cut off.

The Empress suddenly opened her eyes: "And you?"

The vermilion-robed Qi-watcher was suddenly terrified, his figure like a hurricane, rolling out of the open hall door, desperately trying to escape.

But in this silent hall where the musicians and other music officials had died early, in an instant, a zither sound rang out:

"Zheng."

The zither sound was very slight, like the sound of nature, coming from afar, but it was close at hand.

After the vermilion-robed Qi-watcher heard this zither sound, it was as if he had been pressed the pause button.

His face was ashen, and he stopped any means of escaping or resisting with Qi. The vermilion-robed Qi-watcher turned around, knelt down and kowtowed. At the last moment, his head faced the distant Mount Zhongnan, and his forehead kowtowed until it bled:

"The minister thanks Your Majesty for granting death by Emperor Wen Huang!"

The vermilion-robed Qi-watcher's kowtowing movement stopped abruptly. His kneeling body, like a watermelon being cut, split into two halves. The cross-section in the middle was neat. The two halves fell to the ground one left and one right. The wine-red blood flowed out from the cross-section of each half in hindsight, staining the clean and dust-free floor of the hall.

The old woman in the dragon robe slowly opened her eyes and did not pay attention to the bloody scene in the hall.

"Is there the Qi of the Son of Heaven in the southeast..."

She turned her head and looked at the direction of Jiangzhou in the southeast, playing with the jade Maitreya Buddha in her hand, and said softly:

"The Great Zhou is not Qin, and I am not the First Emperor."

Afternoon.

In the hall where the emperor had long since left.

Mistress Miao Zhen led a group of beautiful plum-makeup palace maids and walked into the empty hall full of corpses.

They looked as usual, their hands and feet were agile, carrying water buckets, rags, mops, wooden buckets, etc., splashing water and mopping the floor, cleaning up the corpses and blood one by one.

Opening doors and windows, lighting incense, the bloody smell in the hall gradually dissipated.

The colorful palace ladies and clever palace maids walked away.

In Ganlu Hall, it was clean and spotless, everything was as before, but... the zither sound was gone.

(End of this chapter)