Chapter 305 Volume C: Poetry, wine, cloth and clothes in one's prime, marriage

The Feng family's feudal lordship may not be too touching in the eyes of civil servants.

After all, it was the custom of the Zhou Dynasty to be awarded a title for military merit, and it was well known at the time that Feng Qin died in Hulunsai. I only think about it now, probably because Feng's children were ranked second in high school and became Shujishi. The follow-up effects it brought about were even considered incidental in the minds of many civil servants.

  But for the martial arts community, this is quite unusual.

It is a common practice for Lord Wu to be demoted by force. Unexpectedly, Feng Qin was promoted to a higher level after eighteen years. However, this was earned in exchange for his life. No one thought he could say anything about it, but this was Doesn't it mean that the Feng family will start to have good luck again?

At that time, Feng Qin and Feng Han died in battle, but the real seal was replaced by a virtual one. In the past few years, Feng Tang was even dismissed as the chief military officer of Datong Town. It can be said that he suddenly fell to the lowest point, even if Even when he was appointed as the chief military officer of Yulin Town the year before last, he was far less prosperous than when he was in Datong, so no one thought too highly of the Feng family.

But things are different now. The Feng family's legitimate son Guan chose a commoner, and Feng Qin named him Marquis of Hulun. This means that the Feng family suddenly became famous.

Facing the incoming congratulations from the Wuxun family, Feng Ziying fell into panic again.

This kind of thing was indeed an accident for him. If the selection of Shujishi by the pavilion was really heartbreaking, then it was a complete accident that the uncle was awarded the title of Marquis of Hulun, and it brought all kinds of consequences in the aftermath. It’s really hard to judge the impact.

"Ziying, why are you worried so much? Do you still dislike the fact that the title of marquis fell on you? If your uncle hadn't fought to the death to save the then King Zhongxiao, he would be the current emperor and King Zhongshun. Do you think Does the imperial court really remember this? Of course, it’s also because your court chose a commoner and your uncle is still serving as the commander-in-chief in Yulin Town. Humph, few people in this family really repay kindness, they are all mean and unkind. Well, Brother Yu has seen through these cruel people."

When Liu Xianglian came, Feng Ziying was wielding a big gun. Seeing the situation, he joined the battle group. There was a burst of swords and spears, killing everyone with great joy and sweating profusely. The two of them stopped.

Feng Ziying was happy, "Brother Xianglian, you're not so exaggerated, are you? Why are you so touched all of a sudden?"

Although Liu Xianglian's father was once a soldier in the army, he was just an ordinary military attache. He died of illness when Liu Xianglian was still young, and her mother also died a few years ago, so this has nothing to do with the Tian family. .

“Brother Fool, you’re not talking about myself. Do you know about King Zhongshun?” Liu Xianglian’s face turned even colder.

“Who doesn’t know Prince Zhongshun?” Feng Ziying frowned.

"Then King Zhongshun bought Mingyue Tower, and with Jiang Qiguan as the lead, he immediately gained fame. Over there, Yanzi Tower and Yaoliang Pavilion were not to be outdone, and they also recruited a lot of famous actors. Now the three of them can compete with each other. It's amazing. Many small teams and teams from other places have been suppressed and bribed by these companies. Some of the team leaders have been poached. Originally, Yanzilou had taken a fancy to the corner of Sun Jiaban, a team from outside the city. He had already said Okay, but I never thought that I was injured on the road and I am still being treated in the hospital. If I don’t get better, I’m afraid I will be dead..."

Liu Xianglian spoke with indignation, which made Feng Ziying a little wary: "Brother Xianglian, please don't get involved. King Zhongshun is not someone else..."

"Brother Yu will not go, but the people behind Yanzi Tower are not easy to mess with. They will definitely come back with revenge." Liu Xianglian snorted softly: "It's just that the capital city has become so smoky, and Shuntian Mansion actually turns a blind eye... "

Those who can open such a famous building in the capital city must have a good background. Feng Ziying doesn't like to listen to dramas, so she never cares about it, but she never thought that it would rise to this level.

 “Who is behind Yanzi Tower?” Feng Ziying couldn’t help but ask. It’s probably not easy for anyone who dares to fight with King Zhongshun.

"I'm not sure. Some say it's a businessman named Wang from the Shanshan Guild Hall, and some say that Wang Shuirong of Beijing has a stake in it, but the person who came forward was a steward named Liang." Liu Xianglian was also concerned about these situations. not very clear.

  Shanshan Guild Hall? This surprised Feng Ziying. There are also shadows of the Shanshan-Shaanxi business gang behind these theaters? And this guy, Wang Shuirong of Beijing?

 He ​​doesn’t quite believe in these superficial things, but he can’t say that they are groundless. If the Shanshan Merchants Gang is not involved in it, they will certainly not tolerate others borrowing their name.

However, Feng Ziying also knew that the Shanshan Merchant Gang was not monolithic within itself. It was divided into several factions and had conflicts of interest. However, it was still able to maintain unity externally.

However, Feng Ziying was surprised that King Zhongshun would get involved in such things.

It makes sense to say that King Zhongshun likes to sing and listen to operas, and it is normal to even spend money to support his favorite actors. However, it would have been possible ten years ago to be so competitive and ruthless. King Zhongshun was not that person in the first place. He was a good person, but it was different now. It was unlikely that he would act so recklessly after the emperor ascended the throne.

Especially because the Yanzi Tower also involves the Shanshan Business Gang and Beijing Wang Shuirong, it is even more intriguing.

Seeing that Feng Ziying remained silent but was squinting in thought, Liu Xianglian was also curious as to why this wise brother was also interested in such things.

He just said it casually. He also knew that Feng Ziying didn't like these relationships, but he didn't expect that Feng Ziying could think about it so seriously.

 “What’s the matter, Ziying?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Feng Ziying retracted her thoughts, “Where did this Yao Liang Pavilion come from?”

Rao Liang Pavilion is where Liu Xianglian often goes now. It is said that he is very popular in Rao Liang Pavilion. Many dignitaries in the capital like Liu Xianglian's performance very much.

It's just that Liu Xianglian is so willful that she can perform three shows in a row if she's in a good mood. But if she's in a bad mood, it's normal for her not to show up for ten and a half days.

"Brother Yu is not too sure. There should be several bosses. One of them should be a wealthy businessman from Jinling. It seems that another one is from Songjiang Prefecture. Jingzhong should have some connections with Mr. Fan, the right minister of the Ministry of Industry." Liu Xianglian thought for a while before adding: "But it should be more than that, but who else is behind this is not something Brother Yu can know."

The Rao Liang Pavilion has three floors above the ground, with a stage in the south and bleachers on the northeast and west sides. It is particularly grand. Although Feng Ziying does not like opera, she has heard of such luxury.

Every day, dignitaries, wealthy businessmen and businessmen in Beijing come in an endless stream. Even if you want to make a reservation, you need to make a reservation in advance. The situation of Yanzi Tower is similar to that of Yaoliang Pavilion. They are both first-class and prosperous places.

“Brother Xianglian, these lofts are funded by wealthy businessmen. I wonder how profitable it is?” Feng Ziying also wanted to know what this kind of business is like. Is it because everyone joins in to add to the fun, or is it a good business in itself.

"Well, I didn't ask about this." Liu Xianglian was stunned for a moment and then shook her head, "If you don't care about the cost of this pavilion, just talk about the daily life, it must be a big income. Both Yaoliang Pavilion and Yanzi Pavilion have their own teams. Yes, the cost is naturally much smaller, and usually some outside teams are hired to find famous actors to set up the stage to add to the entertainment, in order to make people more popular, but these expenses are not worth mentioning when compared with the daily expenses of guests. Already..."

"…, just for an ordinary private room for an afternoon or a night, it costs two taels of silver. This does not include the expenses for tea, snacks and other things. Breaking it down, a private room with a private room will cost three or four taels. Only taels of silver can stop it. There are ten or twenty private rooms in Yaoliang Pavilion. The daily income alone is probably one or two hundred taels. Not counting the people in the lobby on this floor. A special Accord may cost ten taels of silver..."

Hearing what Liu Xianglian said so eloquently, Feng Ziying couldn't help but ask: "Is it so busy every day? Are there so many such generous guests?"

"Didn't Brother Yu say it before? Even if the private rooms are fully booked every day, they basically have to be booked three to five days in advance. The lobby on the first floor may not necessarily be there, but most of the time, 70% to 80% of the guests will be there. , if it’s the end of the year, you may not be able to make a reservation even ten days in advance. As for guests, dear brother, do you know how many officials and families there are in the six ministries and nine ministers in the capital city, plus the five army governor’s office and various yamen? Family members? How many merchants and scholars are there who rely on these people to make a living? How many people can a mere Yaoliang Pavilion accommodate? "

Liu Xianglian said this, which really made Feng Ziying come back to her senses.

The cultural and entertainment life of this era is so pale and barren, especially if there is no war in the Great Zhou Dynasty, there will be no curfew. There are many kinds of entertainment and entertainment at night. Listening to and watching opera is probably the most popular one that can be enjoyed by both young and old. Door entertainment activities.

Moreover, this capital city is different. Many officials' families may not have been brought to the capital, so they have nowhere to go at night. Naturally, they like this kind of occasion. It is more dignified than going to the building. .

"Brother Xianglian, if you are interested, you can actually find someone to run a team yourself. As for the balcony, find a place to go and find more people to work together. There is probably a lot of profit in this kind of business. …”

Feng Ziying didn't just say it casually. He saw that Liu Xianglian seemed to be stuck in this situation and didn't want to get out, but it was a bit inappropriate to ask him to do this specifically. It was a bit inappropriate to find an outsider to support him. It is not bad to create a countertop and then find a few people to be the owners. It can not only satisfy your preferences, but also make a living.

In addition, he also has some other thoughts. This kind of occasion is a place where three religions and nine streams gather, and officials in Beijing also like this kind of occasion. So if it can be used as a suitable platform, no matter from any angle, it should be a very good one. Useful place.

Liu Xianglian was slightly moved, "I have never thought about this, and it is not easy to make a living like this. I have seen that all the social activities in Yaoliang Pavilion are very difficult, and I don't understand the inner skills... "

"Brother Xianglian, no profession is easy. How can you know the secrets inside if you don't do it?" Feng Ziying patted the other party's shoulder, "Think about it, you can also take a look at the situation in Yaoliang Pavilion. There is no rush. At this moment,..."

While the two were talking, they saw Ruixiang running over, "Sir, there is someone from Mr. Qiao's house. Please come over and talk to me."

Feng Ziying was quite surprised. Master Qiao had found someone to recruit her so early?

Feng Ziying went to visit Master Qiao and Master Qi after the election at the Shujishi Hall a few days ago. It had only been two days. Why did Master Qiao come to recruit her again?

After saying goodbye to Liu Xianglian, Feng Ziying hurried to Qiao Yingjia's mansion.

 Qiao Yingjia lives in Tianshuijing in Nanxunfang, which is also the main area where dignitaries live. It is separated from Fengcheng Hutong where Feng Mansion is located by a palace city.

"Ziying, your uncle was granted the title of Marquis of Hulun. What is your family's plan? I remember that your Feng family has no close relatives in Beijing. They should be distant relatives in Linqing, right?"

Qiao Yingjia's direct inquiry made Feng Ziying stunned. When did she become concerned about such things? It should be said that Master Qiao is not very interested in this kind of title.

"Yes." Feng Ziying quickly replied: "The disciple has already sent a letter to my father. As for the attack on the knight, I probably have to wait for my father's reply. However, I think the attack on the knight is not a recent thing, right? I have no intention of attacking the king. , it’s just my uncle’s branch, my mother intends for me to take over the family, so that I can inherit the incense of my uncle’s house, and by the way, I can also inherit the title..."

"Asking for a title has nothing to do with you taking the path of being a scholar and civil servant. Of course, there may be some criticism. If you don't go for a title, won't your father's general Shenwu also go for a title?" Qiao Yingjia asked with a frown.

The civil and military paths of the Great Zhou Dynasty were divided, and civil servants were never knighted. However, it was not uncommon for the children of Wu Xun to take the path of civil servants after taking the title. However, most of them took the initiative to give up titles to their brothers or to their sons to take the title, like Feng Ziying. It is really rare for someone with a single pulse to be so young and have no heirs, not even a concubine brother, and now he is also faced with the problem of his uncle having to seize the title after he pursues the title.

“What the disciple means is that if possible, when we get married and have children in the future, the disciple’s heirs will inherit the title.” Feng Ziying paused, “The disciple feels that it would be unsightly if the disciple himself takes the title.”

Qiao Yingjia still hopes in his heart that his disciples will not take the title, because if a civil servant takes the title, he will easily be rejected by the entire civil service community and regarded as an alternative. As a disciple of Wu Xun, it is difficult for him to pass the Qingtan Academy and pass the exam to be a scholar and a scholar. It has been downplayed, and this is going to attract attention.

But it would be a pity to give up. Not every child will be able to pass the examination in the future. Even if it doesn't work out, you can still give up the title to your concubine to inherit it, which is also a good thing.

"You can think about this after your father replies to the letter. Then have you considered the issue of marriage and marriage?" This is probably the core issue that Qiao Yingjia asked Feng Ziying to talk about today.

 (End of this chapter)