The west wind makes the bamboos rustle, and the autumn rain falls outside the window.
Qu Duan was already impatient, so he used the autumn rain as an excuse to leave first. Seeing this, Lin Jingmo also apologized to Zhang Jun and left with Mei Li. After leaving Zhang's house, Qu Duan immediately thanked Lin Jingmo for his help. The young Minister Lin just shook his head and chuckled: "Mao Xiu once mentioned to me that since he entered the court, he always felt that the Minister of War had a murderous heart. I only hope that Yan Xiu can change his temper a little." Qu Duan looked up and down at Mei Li again, turned around and smiled at Lin Jingmo: "This is your Xun Ling." After that, he rode away in the autumn rain without an umbrella.
Liu Ziyu lingered here for a while longer with Zhang Jun. When he was the last one to leave the mansion, the autumn rain had become heavy. The drizzle fell from the eaves beside the road like silk threads. The streets stretched out in a blur, like smoke and fog in the distance. Liu Ziyu waved his hand to send his servants away, and did not take a carriage. He opened an oil-paper umbrella that was the same green as the rain, lightly gathered his brick-red robe, and slowly walked on the deserted street. After a moment, he suddenly laughed: "The lyrics are about me!" The paper umbrella moved slightly, and the person under the umbrella looked up at the rain curtain covering the sky, shook his head, and then lightly swung his left sleeve behind his back. During the movement, a faint rose fragrance blended into the rain, which inexplicably reminded people of "The red makeup lying on the late branches with no strength."
"The clouds are still and hazy, and the rain is drizzling... I wish we could sit down together and talk about his life." The chanting voice became lower and lower, and finally disappeared at the end of the long street along with the figure that was as straight as a sword.
Nine three: Being strong but stubborn will bring disaster; the gentleman walks alone and gets wet when it rains. He will be upset but without blame.
A few days later, the wildfire of street gossip that had been calmed down reignited, but the content was changed. It was talking about how Qu Duan, as one of the ten great military governors and the commander-in-chief of an army, had close private dealings with Zhang Jun, the prime minister of the Western Palace, and Liu Ziyu, the minister of the Ministry of War, and suspected of collusion between civil and military officials. Xiahou Yuan rarely lost his composure. He walked around the study anxiously, making a fist with his right hand and hitting the palm of his left hand in anger, "How come these censors don't even let go of the absurd remarks from the ignorant people! Military governor, they just can't get along with you!" Qu Duan sat behind the desk and sneered, wiping a precious sword in his hand. Xiahou Yuan recognized that the sword was made in Guanxi in the past. "Mingzhu Yiyi, in the end, it all depends on the king's thoughts. Xiahou, you are too concerned. The current emperor's mind is so broad that even the ancient sages cannot compare to it. You don't have to worry too much, just wait and see!"
As expected, the memorial reached the emperor's desk, and he confiscated it, and the matter was settled.
Nine and five: Amaranth and Lu are in pairs, and there will be no fault in the middle line.
Autumn passed, winter solstice came, spring came, March 3, the Shangsi Festival. The emperor granted a day off, and specially ordered Yang Yizhong, the inner palace, to accompany him.
Qu Duan did not go out that day, but entertained a rare guest in the study, who was none other than the Minister of Revenue Lin Jingmo. The two talked for a long time, and only when the pot of tea was finished did Lin Jingmo get up to say goodbye. Qu Duan sent the guest out in a daze, and returned to the study again. He was silent for a long time when he remembered that Wang Sizong, who was "strict in governing his subordinates and especially arrogant and cruel" at the beginning of this dynasty, was specifically pointed out by Minister Lin during the conversation. Lin Jingmo's parting words, "I'm afraid General Qu has gone in the wrong direction. I'm afraid he has other intentions. General Qu is also good at writing, and he should know the allusions used by Captain Xiahou." made Qu Duan even more thrilling.
With a sigh, Qu Duan knocked heavily on the stack of letters on the table, frowning even more. The information in the letter was quite detailed and complete. There were mostly civil officials and Buddhist temples near Shenwu Gate, but there was no news of any "green bamboo and flowing water family" with women of marriageable age. He turned around and looked at Xiahou Yuan, who had been standing there pretending to be a wooden man from the beginning, and sighed again.
The room is filled with silence, and the heavy doors are hidden by spring willows and flowers.
It was the arrival of the two Zhangs that broke the pervasive awkwardness. Perhaps because of the festival, the two Zhangs also changed into civil servant attire today. Zhang Zhongfu glanced at the words on the desk, and he understood a little. He glanced at Xiahou Wooden Man, shook his head and smiled to save the situation: "Why don't you take advantage of this festive occasion to go out with my two brothers and play, so as not to waste the beautiful spring scenery. We'll talk about Xiahou later!" Qu Duanzheng wanted to refuse because Xiahou was distracted, but suddenly he thought of the willows in the breeze and the red apricots on the branches, and his heart moved. He agreed when the words came to his lips. But before leaving, he gritted his teeth and asked Xiahou Yuan to follow him: "Go to the stable and pick a good horse by yourself, and rest the poor mule!"
As he spoke, a civet cat seemed to jump through the bushes and flowers.
The four men rode their horses slowly along the Bian River. They saw the wind and dew carrying the scent of flowers, the spring waves reflecting the sunshine. On the left side of the road, they met a prostitute singing a new tune on a pipe. The song went like this: "Although the cups and plates are casual, the wine is good and the plums are sour, just right for people's arms. Don't laugh at me putting flowers in my drunken state, for it's a pity that spring is like a person who is about to grow old." The four men stopped their horses to listen. When the song ended, Qu Duan clapped his hands and exclaimed: "Master Yi'an has excellent poems and such a broad mind. No wonder officials often use his name to write their works." While chatting and laughing, Qu Duan also He did not forget to observe his guards' attitude towards the numerous beauties in the Bian River. However, every time he turned his head, he would meet Xiahou Yuan's sincere eyes. The more he looked at him, the more suffocated he felt. Finally, he could not help but whispered, "You have wasted so much time. You are over thirty years old and have no children. If that person does not respond to you, what will you do in the future?" Xiahou was bold enough to pick a flower and handed it to Qu Duan, smiling and saying, "This flower is in full bloom. Do you want to wear it as a hairpin?"
Qu Duan took a closer look at the branch of lilac that looked like a pile of brocade, and his heart sank. He hurriedly refused Xiahou Yuan's offer to wear the flower in his hair. The two Zhangs pretended not to see it, leaving Xiahou Yuan feeling aggrieved: "It was me who wore the flower in the hair for the governor in Guanxi, why is the governor becoming more and more restrained when I come to the capital!"
At the same time, in a restaurant on the Bian River, the former Imperial College trio actually took advantage of this holiday to have a small gathering. They also heard this new poem from afar and praised it: "No wonder the emperor would rather mention Yi An Jushi than the two concubines." Zhang Jun shook his head and said, "This is the emperor's private matter, we should not mention it again." Zhao Ding personally poured him a glass of wine and asked earnestly, "Although the street talk storm in late autumn last year was a false alarm, it is not appropriate for Deyuan to invite me and Hu Mingzhong to a banquet today with great fanfare."
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