Insufficient balance

  Zhu Houzhao sat for a while, feeling somewhat bored. The sun was getting higher and higher, and he also felt a little hungry in his stomach. He was just thinking of calling someone to bring Yang Ling back, when a team of five city guards rushed over hastily, holding not swords or guns, but brooms and dustpans. Several officials shouted loudly: "All idle people quickly disperse, the Emperor is coming to inspect the examination grounds!"

  Zhu Houzhao heard that his father was coming and was startled, hastily getting up. The brooms flew horizontally, sweeping away the dust, without needing to be urged on, the common people waiting outside the examination hall had already busily retreated to the woods across the street.

  The tea vendor cursed his bad luck and hastily invited the old woman to gather her tea utensils, table and chairs and move quickly. Just then, Yang Ling emerged from behind the curtain with a dark face. Zhu Houzhao was overjoyed and said: "You're back just in time, Ma Yongcheng, you often go out of the palace to buy things, quickly introduce us to a good wine house, let's go have a big meal."

  Gu Dazhong was startled by the loud voice, and hastily lowered his tone: "Prince, please keep your voice down, don't let others hear." Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and others were used to reading people's faces, and saw that Yang Ling looked quite frustrated, but no matter how hard they thought, they couldn't guess what had happened to him.

  Yang Ling did not think that his momentary kindness would actually help a historically famous treacherous official. Now, hearing that Zhu Houzhao wanted to go drinking, he was even more worried and hastily approached Zhu Houzhao's side, saying in a low voice: "Your Highness, we have been out of the palace for quite some time, if we delay any longer, I fear Your Majesty will become suspicious. In my humble opinion, let us go eat something first, and then hurry to the Ministry of War."

  Zhu Houzhao also chuckled in a low voice: "Yang Shidu, don't worry, the Emperor will come to inspect the examination hall soon and won't be able to return to the palace for a while. Let's find a place to drink some wine and tea, and after I fill my stomach, we'll hire a carriage to move things at the Ministry of War." In his opinion, as the majestic Crown Prince himself was taking action, Liu Daxia would definitely give him face, and getting something would be easy as pie.

  Ma Yongcheng listened to Zhu Houzhao's instructions and led the large team back onto the main street. Ten people rented two horse-drawn carriages, proceeding along the street. Zhu Houzhao knew that his father was coming to the Imperial Academy and was truly afraid of being discovered, so he instructed Ma Yongcheng to go as far away as possible. The horse-drawn carriage traversed the streets and alleys for quite some time before Zhu Houzhao spotted a bustling alleyway from inside the carriage. At the entrance of the alleyway stood a wine tavern with flags and banners flying high, looking very lively. He then knocked on the carriage railing to signal Ma Yongcheng to stop the carriage.

  Ma Yongcheng took a look at this alley, it was Baishun Hutong, a famous place for romance in the capital. He couldn't help but secretly sigh. The Hongzhi Emperor had only one son, and he could be said to have been extremely doted on by Zhu Houzhao. Moreover, the emperor himself often sneaked out of the palace, so even if he knew that the crown prince had privately left the palace, at most he would just give them a few slaps as a warning. That's why these eunuchs dared to instigate the crown prince to leave the palace. But if the emperor found out that they had brought the young crown prince to such a place, their crime would not be light.

  But he didn't dare to speak clearly to Zhu Houzhao, this young prince was too curious, the more you don't let him go somewhere, the more interested he becomes, fortunately what he liked was just that hotel at the street corner, going in and quickly eating something before leaving early would be okay.

  Ma Yongcheng stopped the carriage and paid the fare, taking the opportunity to say a few words to Liu Jin and Zhang Yong. The several old eunuchs nodded repeatedly and hurriedly followed up to escort Zhu Houzhao into the wine tower, fearing that this wild horse would suddenly become excited again and start wandering around in the alley.

  A few people went upstairs, Ma Yongcheng ordered the best dishes and filled a table. Ten people started eating and drinking in the elegant room by the window. Zhu Houzhao was not very old, but he liked to drink a few cups. However, he was still young after all, and his capacity for liquor was shallow. After drinking a few cups, his face turned red, so he asked Wei Bin to open the window for some fresh air.

  On a sunny day in March, the air was fresh and clean. The spring breeze blew gently, and Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt invigorated. He got up with great enthusiasm to pour wine for Yang Ling and others, forcing them to drink a few more cups.

  Zhu Houzhao was drinking happily, when he heard a faint sound of silk and bamboo coming from outside the window. Zhu Houzhao loved music, so he involuntarily put down his cup and listened intently.

  He had no interest in the traditional court music, but preferred folk tunes and exotic sounds. At this time, he heard a distant melody that was so beautiful and moving, although it used silk and bamboo instruments, but the style was very different from the palace music. He couldn't help but stand up and gaze into the distance, excitedly pointing at the row of two-story small buildings with four courtyards below: "Dasheng, what is that place?"

  Ma Yongcheng and Liu Jin looked at each other, and hummed: "Uh... I don't know either, probably the merchants invited some musicians to sing a tune."

  Zhu Houzhao slapped his palm and said, "How can we have wine without music? Quickly go and call one over, I also want to listen to a little tune." Ma Yongcheng reluctantly ate, not daring to move, just as the boss saw that this table of guests was generous, he personally brought in a large carp to add dishes to the elegant room. Zhu Houzhao turned around and beckoned him, saying: "Shopkeeper, I heard the sound of silk and bamboo from over there, it's very interesting, quickly go and call one over for me, I want to listen to a tune."

  The shopkeeper saw him sitting in the main seat and knew that this young master, although young, was the leader of these scholars. He glanced out the window and smiled: "Sir, the musicians there do not go out, if you want to listen to music, you have to go to their place to listen."

  Zhengde listened with curiosity and asked: "Oh? Is it Yue Ji? Why is he so arrogant, not to mention that he wasn't paid a single silver coin, why is he so arrogant?"

  The shopkeeper saw that he was young and thought he didn't understand much, but the scholars next to him had strange expressions on their faces, perhaps they were frequent visitors to such places. He smiled and said: "Sir, you don't know, the girls in this alley are all people with status, usually only receiving high-ranking officials, rich young masters, and will not easily show their faces."

  The one that brought the elegant music of silk and bamboo was called the Lotus Pavilion, and it was the most prominent in our Baishun Hutong. The pavilion had the most beautiful girls, and the old madam's carefully selected and trained girls were all proficient in playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Moreover, those who came and went were mostly high-ranking officials and nobles with a reputation for being romantic and elegant. My wine shop is too small to invite such refined ladies.

  Zhu Houzhao, who would later become notorious for his debauchery, was at this time still an innocent child with no interest in women whatsoever. He merely wanted someone to sing a tune or two, but upon hearing that the musicians were not allowed to venture out, he immediately lost interest.

  The shopkeeper said, "If the young master wants to see the world, the Huafang Pavilion is indeed a good place to go. The current popular girls Xiangbao and Keqing are truly the most beautiful among all the flowers. With the young master's handsome appearance, they will surely be delighted. There are also three more lovely little girls in the pavilion who have not yet combed their hair, all of them are pure and innocent."

  Although these three are young, they are all beautiful and talented. One is called Xue Li Mei, who plays the flute exceptionally well; one is called Tang Yi Xian, who plays the piano with great skill; and there's also Yu Jie Er, whose singing and dancing are both excellent. These three are outstanding in terms of talent, appearance, and age, similar to that of the young master.

  Yang Ling heard the names Xue Li Mei and Tang Yi Xian, and felt vaguely familiar, as if he had heard of them before. He recalled that in his ninth reincarnation, his last life was attached to a red song star, and he had made a friendly guest appearance in a role in a TV series about the Ming Dynasty, and vaguely remembered that it was there that he had heard these names.

  Yang Ling thought to himself: "These few musicians can leave their names in history, they must be famous courtesans of this generation. Is it because Zhengde has been with them before, that's why they are so famous? However, in the original history, Zhengde shouldn't have had this outing at all. Taking advantage of this kid not being interested in women yet, I should steer the conversation away and not let him develop a taste for this path."

  Yang Ling couldn't help but hurry the shopkeeper, saying: "Go, go, go! Don't chatter on, we've seen all sorts of things. Our young master is a noble, what reason would he have to lower himself to see a songstress? Hurry up and leave!"

  He had intended to flatter Zhu Houzhao, letting him feel proud of his status and dismiss the idea of listening to the tune. However, Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "It's okay, it's okay. You said that these three people are good at playing the xiao, one is good at playing the qin, and another is good at singing and dancing. These three people are indeed a perfect match. But if I listen to this trial tune, even if it comes from their hands, the music theory is just average."

  Liu Jin and others were worried that Zhu Houzhao would suddenly take a liking to go listen to the tune, but when they heard this, their hearts finally put down, and they all agreed: "That's right, what scene hasn't the young master seen? Let's not bother with it, let's just drink".

  The shopkeeper, seeing Zhu Houzhao's easygoing nature, chimed in and said: "At this time, the ones playing music may not necessarily be these few young ladies. Gentlemen, why don't you go take a look at their talents? Later on, if you want to see them again, there might be one less."

  "How could one be missing?" Zhu Houzhao asked strangely.

  The shopkeeper said, "I heard that a merchant surnamed Yan has taken a liking to Yujie and spent a lot of money to betroth her as his concubine. These past few days, Yujie has been crying all day with tears streaming down her face, looking very unhappy."

  Yang Ling listened and felt very strange, and couldn't help but ask: "What? What's going on here? Even marrying someone as a concubine is better than this life of selling smiles to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. What does she have to be unhappy about?"

  "The patron said: 'You don't often come to these places, you don't know the customs of this circle. If it were an ordinary girl, someone would ransom her and she would be out of here in no time, that would be a stroke of luck. But Yu Jie is still young, already a famous courtesan here, destined for great fame and fortune. All famous courtesans take pride in marrying into official or literary families, who would want to be bought off by some merchant and end up with such a miserable fate? How could she bear it?'"

  Zhu Houzhao listened and thought it was interesting. He slapped the table excitedly and said, "Let's go take a look at these three musicians. What's so special about them?"