Chapter 49: Mid-Autumn Poetry Party

  On this Mid-Autumn Festival day, Suzhou city's atmosphere is somewhat different, and the flow of people in the city has suddenly increased.

  It wasn't until later that Song Kai found out that on this day, not only was there no curfew in Suzhou City, but the city gates were also left open, and villagers from nearby towns could come into the city to watch plays and listen to music for free.

  It's worth mentioning that during the Lantern Festival last spring, the city gate was also open to all, but at that time, the crowd wasn't necessarily larger than it is now. After all, it was still cold winter then, whereas now it's autumn with crisp air and pleasant weather, plus the bright moon in the sky, making it the most lively time of all.

  Around dusk, Song Kai and others had already closed up shop. By rights, there should be guests staying overnight today, but Song Kai was unwilling to receive them.

  A Fu changed into new clothes, Zhao Tie Shan also put down the meteorite knife, holding a paper fan, pretending to be a scholar, and walked towards the city center with Song Kai and Nie Lingzhong.

  Nie Ling Tong was dressed in men's clothing, but without any bandages. Upon closer inspection, it could still be discerned that she had the appearance of a woman.

  "We should get a horse-drawn carriage," Zhao Tieshan said, shaking his fan. "In the old days when I was at the Shangshu Mansion, every time we went out, there were three carriages."

  Nie Ling Tong's sullen face.

  Ah Fu's nose was running again. He wanted to wipe his nose with his sleeve, but then he remembered that he was wearing new clothes and didn't want to get them dirty, so he had to sniffle on the ground instead.

  Nie Lingdang felt a wave of nausea, and she leaned tightly against Song Kai, muttering to herself: It's really not worth knowing, this comparison makes Song Kai seem like a decent guy after all.

  Wiping his nose, Ah Fu spoke up: "Zhao Er, be content with what you have. Think back to the time when I and Da Lang almost starved to death. Back then, not even flies were willing to fly into our shop..."

  Muttering to himself, Ah Fu began a lengthy and sentimental reminiscence of the past, lamenting the recent changes in the guest house.

  Nie Ling Tong didn't want to listen anymore and pulled Song Kai away: "Let's go first, or we won't have a place."

  "One post, one location, where can there be no location?" Song Kai burst out laughing.

  "Then... where's my invitation?" Nie Lingdang stared at Song Kai.

  "This isn't... Meng Han gave me two tickets in total, and of course one is for you," Song Kai patted his own chest.

  "You'd better have a conscience," Nie Lingdang said with a smile, pulling Song Kai's arm and walking quickly.

  Zhao Tieshan was fuming behind, pointing at the two people, "Fu Bo! Fu Bo, look! What a spectacle! Two people... pulling and tugging each other, shoulder to shoulder, it's too indecent! Think back to when we were in the Shangshu Mansion, even if our young mistress wanted to say something to us men, she would have one of her maidservants relay the message. Not just the mistress, but those maidservants too, they walked with such elegance and refinement...

  A Fu hehe smiled, his old mouth straight, although he was somewhat dissatisfied with Nie Ling's ferocity, but this woman looked good, if she really got along with Da Lang, it wouldn't be bad.

  Song Kai and Nie Ting naturally did not bring Zhao Tieshan and A Fu, these two people one loves to boast, the other is sloppy, too embarrassing.

  Walking forward is the Mid-Autumn Festival Garden Party.

  The center of the Garden Party is on a lake in Suzhou City.

  At this moment, hundreds of boats are connected on the lake surface. In the center is a three-story large boat that is exceptionally luxurious. The big boat is surrounded by a circle of slightly smaller boats, and further back, it forms a road of connected boats.

  Entering the park is free, and although it's late at night, there are an unusually large number of small vendors selling handicrafts.

  Nie Ling Tong found it interesting, holding a sugar gourd in his left hand and a pinwheel in his right hand, very excited.

  "You don't look like a man at all!" Song Kai sighed helplessly.

  "This is my first time out, okay? I've been working hard in your store for so long, and this is the first time I'm taking a break," Nie Lingdang muttered with a pout.

  Song Kai was stunned for a moment, and suddenly discovered that Nie Zhong had a feminine side too.

  "What? What kind of pastry is this? Song Kai, let's go try some," Nie Lingdang didn't wait for Song Kai to respond, and pulled him along as she squeezed over there.

  It's mooncake, of course. At this time, the mooncake is not very popular, but it has become a characteristic pastry. It's made round and sprinkled with sesame seeds and the like. If it's made more exquisite, they'll even add a few poems by Li Taibai.

  Nie Ling Tong ate happily and walked for half an hour before arriving at the entrance of the Lake Poetry Meeting.

  To get on the boat in the center of the lake, you need to buy a ticket. After all, there are limited seats, and it's impossible for everyone to get on.

  Those who can get the invitation are either wealthy merchants, officials' relatives, or scholars. After all, it's a poetry and music gathering, which is also a good opportunity for scholars to make a name for themselves.

  Nie Lingdang, although a noble lady, was accustomed to the grandeur of the border regions, with their gold, silver, and precious horses. However, upon witnessing such a magnificent gathering, with lanterns and streamers galore, she couldn't help but feel some astonishment. This kind of scene was unique to Jiangnan; even the mighty Khan of the Turks, who commanded an army of 100,000 horsemen, had never laid eyes on such a spectacle.

  After boarding the ship, Song Kai found the No. 2 boat and took Nie Zhongtang over.

  Arrived at the second ship, seats can be sat casually. The first ship is a gathering place for great Confucians, high officials and famous elderly people. The second and third ships are competitive venues for literati and young juniors. The fourth ship is a concentrated area for women.

  More than a dozen round tables were set up, and by now there were already thirty or forty people seated at the tables, with maids occasionally coming forward to serve tea and pour water.

  Song Kai and Nie Zhongtang also found a corner table to sit down, on the table except for the teapot, there was indeed a delicate small tea basket, the tea leaves in the tea basket were not many, just enough for four people to soak twice.

  At this time, the full moon rose into the sky, without a single wisp of dark cloud, and the entire lake surface was shrouded in a hazy, mysterious glow under the moonlight.

  "How beautiful!"

  Nie Lingdang stood up and leaned on the ship's railing, she turned her head and looked at Song Kai, "Song Kai, I suddenly don't resent those rebels as much."

  "Why?"

  "If it weren't for this rebellion, I probably would have never seen such a scene in my lifetime, nor experienced this kind of life," Nie Lingdang smiled, bathed in the moonlight, like a saint.

  Song Kai looked stunned for a moment, then raised his hand and said, "Don't smile at me like that, are you intentionally seducing me?"

  "Don't be so proud, I've seen many handsome men before," Nie Lingdang stretched out his hand and pushed Song Kai's shoulder, "Look at your build, the handsome men in our Holy City are all tall and majestic, which one looks like you? You're only a bit taller than me."

  "Those things are just like apes, not fully evolved," Song Kai said with disdain.

  "What evolution or non-evolution, you're just jealous," Nie Lingdang was already used to not understanding the meaning of the terms that came out of Song Kai's mouth.

  Two people were talking, in the middle of the lake, on the largest pleasure boat, the sound of silk and bamboo instruments began to rise, under the lights, a pair of women wearing elegant and cool clothes ran out, dancing lightly, the Mid-Autumn Poetry Party officially started.

  The people around have obviously started to increase, under the round moon, drink a cup of rice wine, eat a piece of mooncake, or taste a pot of clear tea, and talk about feelings with good friends. If poetic inspiration is strong, compose poetry on the spot, and if it's good, you'll become famous overnight.

  Of course, by now, there aren't many people who can compose poetry on the spot. Most people have been racking their brains for two or three months in advance, and tonight is just a showcase.

  Nie Ling Tong sat back down, leaning against the railing, and poured herself a cup of tea. She smiled, "With this, our Red Dust Inn will surely become famous. It seems that spending these few taels of gold was worth it."

  "That's natural, most people who come here are from wealthy families, these people are all our potential customers, winning them over is much more useful than handing out flyers outside," said Song Kai.

  "Potential customers? Hmm, that makes sense, you've come up with a good term," Nie Lingdang nodded, realizing that she had unknowingly been completely assimilated into Song Kai's way of thinking.

  Just as they were talking, a burst of laughter came over and a young man in a white robe sat down beside Song Kai's table.

  "Song Langjun, I didn't expect you to come in too. You wouldn't be... sneaking in secretly, would you?" The white-robed man laughed loudly, his voice full of ridicule, and it was none other than Yang Huaiyan.

  Song Kai saw Yang Huaiyan, but just sneered, "Who are you? Do I know you?"

  Yang Huaiyan sneered, pointing at Song Kai with his folding fan. "Song Kai, don't think I'm unaware that you're trying to make Autumn Moon the courtesan queen, wanting to use her power to turn your fortunes around? Unfortunately, your calculations will come to nothing. Today's courtesan queen, no matter what, won't be her. As for this trick of yours... it's truly boring!"

  As he spoke, Yang Huaiyan grabbed the tea basket on Song Kai's table and pinched it flat.

  Song Kai just sat quietly.

  Nie Lingdang couldn't bear it anymore, she glared at Yang Huaiyan and said in a low voice: "Song Kai, why be polite to this kind of person? Throw him into the lake!"

  Song Kai just smiled and said, "Forget it, he wants to be a clown, why stop him."

  Yang Huaiyan sneered and threw the tea basket into the lake, "You must have given the Doctor of Economics a lot of benefits, he would only use your tea leaves at a high price at the banquet, Song Kai, you've worked so hard for this little bit of gold, it's really pitiful."

  After finishing speaking, Yang Huaiyan turned around and left, laughing and greeting people at other tables.

  "This idiot, doesn't he know this is an advertisement?" Nie Lingdang stretched out his hand with disdain and poked Yang Huaiyan's back, the silver bell on his wrist jingling.

  "Do you think everyone has our brains?" Song Kai laughed.

  "Hehe, that's true," Nie Ling Tong said with a pleased smile. She found herself to be slightly less intelligent than Song Kai, but compared to others, she felt quite superior in terms of IQ.

  "Hey! Song Daxia! Didn't expect you'd be here too!"

  A quacking sound echoed out, and then the entire boat started shaking.

  Everyone looked at him in surprise, only to see a fat man of over 200 pounds happily running towards the table where Song Kai was sitting.

  Song Kai nodded and beckoned.

  Nie Ling Tong's mouth was agape in shock, and he muttered: "Song Kai! You... you still have friends of this caliber."

  Just then, the fat man had already sat down beside Song Kai with a happy expression. With a cracking sound, his buttocks hadn't even settled when the bamboo chair beneath him split apart.

  "Hahaha!"

  Others jeered loudly.

  Nie Lingdang turned her head, Song Kai knew such a friend, it's really embarrassing.