Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 492 The Upright Sixth Brother, Prioritizing Romance Over Friendship

The performers from various prefectures were arranged in an open space outside the Music Hall. Tents had been set up, with men and women staying in separate tents. Each tent housed anywhere from a dozen to several dozen people.

When Zhang Dai arrived, several cooking fires were already rising. Although the Court of Imperial Sacrifices did have a public kitchen, it only provided food for officials and could not supply enough food for thousands of people. It could only provide some millet, firewood, and other necessities for these people to cook their own meals.

These performers, adorned in glamorous costumes and makeup on stage, were undoubtedly charming and captivating stars. But once offstage, they were nothing more than ordinary, unassuming people, even more humble than the average commoner.

The arrival of Zhang Dai and his entourage caused a stir, as those who used their beauty and talent to curry favor and gain access to high-ranking officials were inevitably prone to such fantasies. Zhang Dai himself was an exceptionally handsome young man, and coupled with his early success and high position, many boldly flirted with and expressed their affections during the inventory.

When he returned, followed by several servants carrying food boxes, it was clear he had come to visit a beautiful woman. The female entertainers in each tent, who considered themselves attractive, were naturally moved and came to the tent to stand on tiptoe and look around, hoping that this young official had come to visit them.

Zhang Dai, of course, had someone else in mind. He merely appreciated the alluring women by the roadside as a beautiful sight, without stopping to talk to them. He was truly "passing through a sea of ​​flowers without a single petal clinging to him."

As he strolled past, he left behind only a group of female entertainers, their faces filled with disappointment and dejection. Seeing his figure receding into the distance, with no possibility of looking back, they returned to their tents in a huff, sullenly trying to compose themselves. They then silently encouraged themselves, hoping that when they performed on stage in the future, they would win the favor of more distinguished people and turn around to laugh at the young official for being blind!
Zhang Dai was unaware that he had been like a stone thrown into a clear lake, creating ripples of resentment. After searching through the various tents, he finally found his target. Du Yunqing, the most accomplished disciple of Lady Gongsun, was standing by the stove, adding water to a vat, dressed in a plain cloth dress.

Zhao Ling followed closely behind Zhang Dai, and seeing what was happening, he immediately understood. He rushed forward and reached out to take the wooden spoon from Du Yunqing's hand.

Du Yunqing had long been accustomed to sword dancing and was naturally sharp-witted, not to mention that Zhang Daifan's every move caused quite a stir.

She had noticed Zhang Dai and his group, but she hadn't expected that Zhang Dai had come for her. When she saw Zhao Ling rushing forward and trying to snatch her tools, she instinctively looked up to kick him. But when she saw Zhang Dai raising his arm and waving at her, she realized she had misunderstood. She twisted her ankle, which she used as a fulcrum, and the kicking foot grazed Zhao Ling's shoulder before falling back down. A few blushes appeared on her fair face.

"Du Ba Niangzi, you have quite the skills. Are you still resentful about what happened before?"

Zhang Dai had already walked several feet away when he saw this scene. He immediately stopped and asked Du Yunqing with a dry laugh.

The magistrate of Yunyang County recently bought a brothel to redeem famous courtesans as gifts for him, including this Du Ba Niangzi. This woman directly refused, bringing money with her. Zhang Dai was busy trying to ascertain the magistrate's intentions and didn't have time to apologize. Judging from her actions now, it seems she still harbors some resentment?

“Young Master Zhang, you flatter me. I make a living by selling my beauty and skills. I was invited to spend a large sum of money before. It is my bad luck that I cannot accept such love. How could I dare to complain about such a generous guest!”

Upon hearing this, Du Ba Niangzi quickly gathered her skirts, bowed to Zhang Dai, and said, "Who among those who sell their art dislikes money and silk? The other day, I couldn't help but feel secretly pleased, thinking that the audience valued my art. But even though cattails are delicate, they still need a bit of resilience to live in vain. I am only grateful that Young Master Zhang is so considerate and has granted my wish. I have no resentment whatsoever!"

Zhang Dai was deeply impressed by this Du Ba Niangzi, not only because of her beauty and talent, but also because of her rare straightforwardness and perseverance. Even though she fell into prostitution, she did not feel sorry for herself. She was able to deal with everything she encountered with composure and treated people with grace and generosity.

This level of composure and self-cultivation is something even Zhang Dai couldn't match. If he were offended, he would find it difficult to remain calm and respond with neither servility nor arrogance.

"Your words make me even more ashamed. I should have explained and apologized promptly afterward, but I only came to express my gratitude today because of this chance encounter. Please don't take it to heart."

Seeing that the fire in the stove was getting stronger, Zhang Dai reached out and pulled Du Yunqing aside, whereupon a quick-witted actor naturally took her place.

The tent was mostly occupied by female entertainers, so Zhang Dai did not feel comfortable entering. He had a felt mat he had brought laid out on the ground outside the tent, and then set out the food he had specially ordered from the Imperial Censorate's kitchen. Only then did he say to Du Yunqing, "There's no need to dwell on the past. Now that I hold the position of Grand Master of Ceremonies, I am also a host. I have prepared a simple meal to entertain my old friends from the Eastern Capital. Surely you won't refuse, madam?"

“Young Master Zhang is a respectable gentleman, and you have shown me special favor among the actors. I gladly accept this honor. However, I must shamelessly beg you to allow me to share some with my fellow actors in the tent. Otherwise, I feel uneasy being treated differently from the crowd.”

Du Yunqing was not ungrateful. She had seen Zhang Dai busy receiving the performers all afternoon and had specially brought her a sumptuous meal. She was naturally quite moved. She bowed to express her gratitude and said to Zhang Dai.

"It was originally a gift to you, my lady, and you may do with it as you see fit."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai laughed and said that he had originally planned to go back to entertain Du Fu and the others after delivering the food, but after seeing Du Yunqing, he put the idea of ​​entertaining his friends out of his mind and decided to stay and have a meal with this lady.

As for Du Fu and the others, let them do as they please. Surely such grown men can feed themselves?
"Thank you for your generous gift, Young Master Zhang!" The dozen or so performers who shared a tent with Du Yunqing all came forward to express their gratitude. One of them mustered up her courage and said, "I am also a boatwoman from Xintan in Dongdu. Last year, when you achieved the top score in the imperial examination, I even performed for you to celebrate!"

These words immediately prompted other actors to vie for a connection with Zhang Dai. Most of these people were actors from Henan Prefecture, and although Zhang Dai had only been active in Chang'an in recent years, he had caused quite a stir in Luoyang when he first arrived in this world, so he was naturally known to others.

Hearing the performers chattering away, Zhang Dai felt a warm sense of kinship, as if he had met old friends in a foreign land. He invited them all to sit on the ground and share the food he had brought.

The performers felt deeply warmed by this care and respect. As they ate, one of them couldn't help but burst into song: "Do not waste your golden robes, but cherish your youth..."

Hearing this clear and melodious singing voice, Zhang Dai couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He recalled how he was trembling with fear and confusion when he first arrived in this world, not knowing where the road ahead lay. Now, he had established himself in this world and made considerable achievements, and he also had a group of capable helpers by his side.

Of course, those gathered around him were a group of beautiful, charming, and alluring female entertainers.

These singers and dancers were naturally full of emotions. At this moment, they were either genuinely happy and sentimental about meeting someone from a foreign land, or they were flattering and praising Zhang Dai. They took turns showing off their singing voices, singing Zhang Dai's old poems, or dancing around the bonfire. Although they were not as gorgeous and dazzling as on stage, they had their own charming style.

The joyful laughter and merriment here soon attracted the attention of the performers in the surrounding tents. Whether to vent their slight resentment at being neglected or not to let the performers from Henan Prefecture have all the glory, various songs soon rose from the other tents as well.

The people of the Tang Dynasty were passionate and unrestrained, and even the common people enjoyed singing and dancing. This gave rise to various regional styles of long songs, such as Xijiang Tune, Xihe Tune, and Wu Tune, all of which are full of local flavor.

The performers present came from all over the country, and as they performed enthusiastically, Zhang Dai was able to fully appreciate the local musical styles and customs.

Although he did not bring any wine with him, being surrounded by beautiful women who were vying to perform for him made him feel somewhat tipsy and intoxicated.

As the courtesans performed their respective arts, he naturally couldn't remain silent. After pondering for a moment while sitting on the felt mat, he stood up and said to the courtesans around him with a smile, "I am flattered by the fact that you ladies have all performed your arts to entertain me. Tonight, we meet in the imperial residence, and to enjoy ourselves to the fullest, we must sing new songs. I have no other talents, so I will offer you ladies a folk tune."

Upon hearing this, all the actors couldn't help but open their eyes wide, clapping and cheering, their faces full of anticipation as they looked at Zhang Dai standing by the campfire.

"The Weiyang Palace stands amidst crimson clouds, its twelve jade towers adorned with brocade. Clouds part, pheasant fans unfurl, beaded curtains roll up, incense smoke and dragon fragrance add to the auspicious beasts. A jade cup is raised, the music of flutes and drums plays, a thousand officials in jade pendants bow in unison. The verdant Southern Mountain echoes the lofty Northern Hua Mountain, together we offer our prayers for the Emperor's eternal life!"

Zhang Dai sang a short lyric from the Song Dynasty, a poem written to celebrate the emperor's birthday. It was not a regulated poem with strict rules, since there were performers from all over the country present, each with their own dialect and tune. Only such a short and varied lyric could be sung directly.

Even though the performers may not have been highly literate, they could still tell that this short poem depicted various magnificent, prosperous, and majestic scenes. In particular, since it was composed on the spot by Zhang Dai, a young poet, and presented to everyone present, it added a strong sense of joy to the poem. Soon, some performers incorporated the local folk songs into the melody and began to sing along.

Once one person started singing, everyone else followed suit, and the camp quickly turned into a singing competition. The singing echoed throughout the Taichang Temple and even reached other nearby government offices.

In the Taichang Temple's public canteen, Du Fu and several of his friends began their meal at Song Zhuo's invitation. Upon learning that Song Zhuo was actually Song Jing's grandson, they were all extremely excited. Their frustration at being left out by Zhang Dai gradually subsided, and they began chatting with Song Zhuo.

When Song Zhuo mentioned that he was recommended by Zhang Dai to take up this position, the eyes of the group lit up, and they gained a more intuitive understanding of the influence of this Zhang Liulang in the political situation.

Just then, the songs of the performers outside the Music Hall drifted over, and someone who listened carefully couldn't help but whisper, "What kind of vulgar tunes are these? How dare they be sung in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"

"It was a gift casually given by Zhang Xielu to Xie Qunji during their performance!"

A clerk from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices who had just returned from the Music Hall spoke up.

Upon hearing this, everyone paused for a moment, then Du Fu clapped his hands and said, "Truly worthy of Zhang Liulang! He can be solemn or humorous at will, transforming the mundane into classical allusions without being bound by convention. Poetry is his family's profession, and his artistry is reaching a state of perfection!"

(End of this chapter)