Chapter 114 Sweet pastry People cannot or at least should not act like ostriches. Tao Tie did not stay in the Cangyunzhou Guild Hall just because going out would increase the chances of running into trouble. Instead, he walked out of the guild hall after healed his wounds and digested his insights. read more, walk more. The purpose of traveling is, firstly, to verify what you have learned from books, and secondly, to increase your knowledge and experience, to see different people, different places, and different things. Now that I have come to the capital, of course I must take a good look at the splendor of this capital city. There is a poem that goes: Hundreds of thousands of houses are like a Go board, and the twelve streets are like vegetable plots. In the distance, I can see the faint morning glow, and a line of stars is west of the five gates. The layout of the capital city is neat and symmetrical, with wide and straight streets, neatly arranged neighborhoods and uniform shapes. Canals crisscross the city, green trees shade the city, and altars surround the suburbs, making the capital look like the heaven. In the eyes of Tao Tie and countless others, the four words "Xiang Tian Set Up the Capital" best embody the spirit of the Celestial Empire. The so-called heaven on earth and the heavenly kingdom on earth came from this.
There are four cities in the capital: the palace city, the imperial city, the inner city and the outer city. If the towns extending beyond the outer city are included, there will be five cities in total. The Cangyunzhou Guild Hall is located in the inner city, a neighborhood close to the imperial city but not very lively. The original name of this block is rarely mentioned nowadays, and it is generally called Jinzou Block or Guildhall Block. The reason is the same as why it is close to the imperial city but not lively. All the guild halls of the twenty-seven states are located here, with few residential houses! Tao Tie left the house at the hour of Mao, and the capital was already bustling with activity. I didn't set a goal or route for myself. I just went wherever I wanted, and took in whatever I saw. This walk took the whole morning. We walked from the inner city to the outer city, and then wandered around the outer city for a long time. At noon, the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Although he was not afraid of the glare or the heat, Tao Tie still found a teahouse, sat on the second floor, and ordered a pot of tea and two plates of snacks. The lobby on the first floor of the teahouse has scattered seats and a small stage, where performances are often performed. It could be juggling, singing, ventriloquism, or storytelling. There was a storytelling show at noon today, which was very attractive and the seats were immediately full. The waiter had a white towel draped over his shoulder, holding a long-spouted teapot or a tray in his hands, and was shouting and singing as he walked among the seats. Before the storytelling began, the guests in the scattered seats on the first floor, the elegant seats on the second floor, and the private rooms on the third floor were drinking tea, eating snacks, and chatting. It was noisy and bustling, but not annoying. I just feel that this is how the world should be. There was a snap.
At some point the storyteller who had stepped onto the small platform banged the gavel, and the sound echoed throughout the teahouse. The clapping sound is loud but not harsh. The guests on the third floor immediately quieted down. The storyteller has a stool, a table, a folding fan, a gavel and a cup of tea, and then he begins to tell the story eloquently. The first paragraph is a classic old story, a must-learn for storytellers from all over China: Taizu drew his three-foot sword in anger and wiped out all the evil spirits of the chaotic world. This program is a whole series with hundreds of segments, telling hundreds of stories. From Taizu's childhood, to his adolescence, to his youth, to ending the troubled times and establishing the Celestial Empire, to passing the throne to the crown prince and ascending to the upper realm, everything is included. If a storyteller really wanted to tell the story from beginning to end, it might take him ten days or half a month to finish. So they are usually excerpts. The storyteller in this teahouse today did the same, and he selected an excerpt about how Taizu cleared the water monster in Canglang River and made a pact with the old turtle. A past event, told by the storyteller, is full of ups and downs, suspense and twists, and is full of excitement. Even though it was an old joke, it still did not disappoint the guests, but instead they listened to it with great interest. In the elegant seat on the second floor, Tao Tie was listening attentively and thinking intently. It is true that there is no wind without waves. He's just a playboy, just a farce. There's a reason why Lao Bie cares so much about him. Tao Tie later recalled that the black snake should have a very deep meaning. However, Tao Tie did not think about these things too deeply. No matter how profound the meaning is, it is Old Turtle's business and he will consider it himself. The storyteller then finished the first part of his program, took a short break, and drank some tea to moisten his throat. Several waiters took advantage of every opportunity, holding empty trays, walking between the seats on the first floor and the private seats on the second floor, and waiting outside the door of the private rooms on the third floor. None of them shouted, just walked or waited. The guests are not disturbed nor morally blackmailed, so they are naturally in a better mood. Do a good job and take it as a reward, and be more generous when it comes to spending money. Tao Tie took out five copper coins according to his own wishes and placed them on an empty tray held by a passing waiter. Compared with other guests' tips which ranged from a dozen coins to several taels of silver, his tip seemed quite shabby. However, in front of all the customers, several waiters took the trays of tip money to the small platform and handed them over to the storyteller. The storyteller immediately spotted the five coins given by Tao Tie from among the pile of copper coins. After a moment's pause, the storyteller did not hide his feelings. He solemnly took out the five copper coins separately, held them in his palm, stood up and bowed to all directions, saying, "Thank you very much for your generous gift!"
Seeing this scene, the guests with poor eyesight were curious, while the guests with good eyesight were amazed. There are five copper coins, one contains the meaning of gold and heavenly thunder, one contains the meaning of earth and ground thunder, one contains the meaning of fire and divine thunder, one contains the meaning of water and water thunder, and one contains the meaning of wood and demon thunder. With the meaning of the five elements and five thunders, these five copper coins have become the embryos of magic weapons. Even if you don't use it to refine weapons, it will be very beneficial to just wear it with you or keep it at home. What is lavish spending? Now that's called being generous! What was Tao Tie thinking when he acted like that just now? It’s nothing more than verifying what I have gained from my own insights. As the saying goes, one thing leads to another. The depressions near the lake in Dianzhou were used to attract mines to devour the Na Ren. Later, he fought with a female dragon, and there were thunder and fire. He also comprehended the thunder from heaven, thunder from earth, thunder from gods, and thunder from demons. During the past few days in the Zhai Club, Tao Tie's main focus was on the in-depth study of [Mastering the Five Thunders], and his proficiency has reached the level of (Mastery, progress: 87%). It is indeed a model of blessing and disaster. The unexpected benefits of [Knowing Everything] have also become apparent. The Yin God "Taiyi Great Emperor" is already pure Yin, and the next step is to transform into a Yang God. Generally speaking, there are only two ways, sitting by the fire, or basking in the sun. In addition to sitting by fire and bathing in sunlight, Tao Tie can also add a method of inducing lightning to refine himself. Adding the five elements and five thunders to the five copper coins is an attempt to apply this method. On the small platform on the first floor, the storyteller solemnly took the five copper coins, asked the waiter to take the tips from the guests to the back, banged the gavel, and began to tell the second joke. This time it is a new piece, telling about the scenery overseas and the ups and downs of a young man's treasure hunt at sea. The changing depths of the sea, the surging waves, the boundless expanse, the turbulence of wind and rain... There are all kinds of strange plants on the uninhabited island, man-eating beasts, nuggets of gold that can be found easily, pearls that can be easily picked up, and exotic flowers and fruits that can greatly increase your cultivation level when eaten... As the story went on, the style of painting became a little strange. In the passionate young man's treasure hunt, there are so many natural treasures in the ups and downs of the adventure. It seems that the storyteller is not telling a story, but a way to make a fortune. After listening to this, Tao Tie felt that this routine was very familiar. The saying that there is gold everywhere is indeed true everywhere. After the second joke was told, there was no reaction from the guests in the private rooms on the third floor and the elegant seats on the second floor, but the guests in the scattered seats on the first floor started talking about it. The residents of the best place under the feet of the emperor have a characteristic, which is that they like to discuss world affairs. There are many smart people among them. Someone just laughed and said, "The imperial court is going to vigorously develop overseas enclaves and islands. I bet that not only here, but all the storytellers in the teahouses in Beijing are telling similar stories. It's the same in all states in the world. Hehe... overseas, making a fortune, tsk! Bluffing..."
Before he could finish his words, his companion next to him reached out and covered his big mouth. If you come out to listen to storytelling, just listen to storytelling, don’t talk about national affairs! The storyteller probably didn't want the guests to talk too much, so he rested for a short while, then banged the gavel and told the third joke. This is also a new paragraph, and a very new one. I only heard the storyteller say: “It is said that in the southwestern Cangyun Prefecture there was a sword fairy named Huang Junshi, who first taught the Neon Phoenix Fairy Dao Xiaofeng, and later taught a young sword fairy Tao Tie. It is said that one day, the young swordsman traveled to Mochou Lake in Dianzhou. He was moved and practiced magic in a depression beside the lake. Somehow, he provoked a female dragon lurking in Mochou Lake. The female dragon jumped out of the water, stirred up huge waves, and flew over to attack..." Hearing this, Tao Tie put down a piece of silver, stood up and left. I was stopped as soon as I left the teahouse. The visitor was very polite and courteous. After stopping Tao Tie, he immediately bowed and apologized: "Please forgive me, Mr. Tao. I didn't mean to block the road maliciously. Please don't blame me, Mr. Tao." Tao Tie replied calmly: "Just say it if you have something to say. No need to be polite." The visitor solemnly took out a business card and an invitation: "I am Xie Ruoyu, honored to be the guest of the Third Prince. On the orders of the Third Prince, I invite Mr. Tao to Jinming Lake at the beginning of the evening of the evening to enjoy the beautiful night scenery together." Tao Tie took the invitation with both hands, performed with all courtesy, and said politely: "Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince. Please tell the Third Prince that if I have nothing to do tomorrow night, I will definitely attend the banquet." Hearing this, Xie Ruoyu glanced at Tao Tie deeply, and then said, "I will definitely pass on your message. Oh, by the way, the Third Prince has also invited talents from various states, the pride of the capital, and several fairies to the Jinming Lake banquet tomorrow night." Tao Tie smiled, said nothing, and looked at Xie Ruoyu quietly without saying a word. Seeing this, Xie Ruoyu didn't stay any longer. He bowed and turned away. Tao Tie also returned the salute and watched Xie Ruoyu leave. There were people coming and going on the street outside the teahouse, but only a few people noticed what was happening here. One of them walked over after Tao Tie put down his hands. This person didn't waste words and got straight to the point: "My name is Pan Ran. I am honored to be the guest of the Fifth Prince. Mr. Tao, please meet me at Taibai Tower at the beginning of the evening." Tao Tie also took the invitation with both hands and was about to respond. Pan Ran did not give him a chance and said directly: "The Fifth Prince attaches great importance to Mr. Tao and invites him very sincerely. Please come tomorrow night." Pan Ran turned around and said, "I still have to invite other geniuses, so I won't bother Mr. Tao anymore." In just one sentence, Pan Ran had already walked quite far. A voice sounded faintly: "Isn't this person very rude? A glimpse of the whole picture shows Pan Ran, what about the fifth prince?" Tao Tie looked in the direction of the voice. I saw a beautiful, graceful and suave young lady standing there, fanning herself with a folding fan in her hand, with a sense of elegance and aura. This is a rather contradictory, yet wonderfully harmonious combination.
Pan Ran behaved as rudely as before, saying something in a hurry and leaving in a hurry, but he didn't really mean to be that rude. But it was the appearance of this young lady that made Pan Ran rush to leave, and in his haste, he didn't care about many things. One can imagine how noble the young lady's status is, as Pan Ran has such a big reaction. After all, guests are extraordinary. The Prince's guest is ranked as the third grade, responsible for admonishing the attendants and assisting the prime minister in etiquette. Several princes established their own palaces and had positions similar to "guests" among their staff. Even though he was not promoted to a third-rank court official like the "Crown Prince's Guest" in this dynasty, he still did not have an official office, but his position was leisurely and important, and his status was not mixed. Therefore, Xie Ruoyu and Pan Ran, who called themselves "guests", had a high status among the two princes. After thinking this through, Tao Tie spoke cautiously to the young lady whose identity was obvious: "In reply to the princess, I dare not criticize the prince, nor do I like to stab people in the back." "Well……" The young lady quickly put away her folding fan, tapped her left palm gently, walked around Tao Tie, and asked abruptly, "You didn't like the last story of the storyteller in the teahouse because you didn't win?" This development is extremely jumpy. It feels like a bull's head trying to confront a horse's mouth. Tao Tie also replied seriously: "A seventh-rank person fighting a fourth-rank person, and being able to escape unscathed is something to be proud of." "Ha ha……" The young lady laughed out loud, "You are good, very much to my taste." Tao Tie remained silent. The young lady took out a waist badge from her sleeve, walked forward, almost touching Tao Tie's face, and said with a sweet breath: "Tomorrow night at twilight hour, I want to visit Hua'e Tower, and I need someone to accompany me, so you are the one." As she spoke, the young lady stuffed the badge into Tao Tie's chest and said, "If you dare not come and stand me up, I will tell my father that you molested the emperor's daughter in public, and your crime is unforgivable." Patting Tao Tie's chest gently, the young lady smiled crisply again, with ripples in the corners of her eyes, a charming smile and beautiful eyes, and turned and walked away with a smile. Tao Tie was left alone, disheveled in the wind. This eldest princess, who likes to wear men's clothes like Senior Sister Dao, is really too fierce. The main theme is "I don't care, I do what I want!" There is no logic to it. Turning the corner, the young lady got into a low-key carriage. "How about it?" Qiu Wanru, who was sitting in the carriage, waited for the young lady to sit down and immediately started asking. "It's worth looking forward to." The young lady thought about her observations throughout the morning and the close contact she had had with him before, and made a careful assessment. Then she asked, "You care about him so much. Are you attracted to him and starting to like men?"
Qiu Wanru rolled her eyes at the young lady and said unhappily, "What are you talking about? How could I possibly like a man? I just feel bad that Junior Brother Tao suffered a small disaster because of my negligence." The young lady was equally annoyed: "So you pushed me out to help your Junior Brother Tao block the troubles from my brothers?" Qiu Wanru said confidently, "You also want to compete for the position of crown prince and be an empress, so you need to recruit talents. Junior Brother Tao is just of a lower birth, but don't you Li family members like Junior Brother Tao's birth?" The young lady glanced at Qiu Wanru and said nothing more. Just thinking about the previous close encounter. And the person named Tao Tie. After a moment, the young lady made a decision. Now that you have already taken action, you might as well do it to the extreme. So when Tao Tie returned to the Cangyunzhou Guild Hall in the evening, most people in the capital knew one thing. The third prince and the fifth prince both sent guests to invite Tao Tie, the young swordsman from Cangyun Prefecture, to attend a banquet tomorrow night. The eldest princess came forward in person, and the two hit it off immediately. They had a great conversation and made an appointment to visit Hua'e Tower together the next night. There are four major brothels in Beijing: Hua'e, Qinhuai, Lanxu and Shuying. Hua'e Tower is second to none and famous all over the world! (End of this chapter)