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墨書 Inktalez
The Xu Zhen had foresight and was already aware that there would be disturbances on New Year's Day. She discreetly made her plans without mentioning them. Meanwhile, Prince Li Zhi received a Secret Letter and felt anxious. He held several discussions with Zhao Gongcun and other advisors, but ultimately, they reached no conclusion, leaving him troubled.
On this day, the Xu Zhen sought out Master Yan, Yan Lide, and Taichang Doctor Li Chunfeng. The three of them gathered in the study to drink. It was rare for Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng to be invited by the Xu Zhen, so they disregarded their status and came to the Brave Duke's Mansion.
Previously, the Xu Zhen had refined quartz sand and used mercury to create the Silver Mirror, which she presented to the Current Sovereign, winning his favor. Yan Lide then took the formula and instructed his craftsmen to improve it. Now, the Silver Mirror had already entered the market and was well-received by the public.
In the open culture of the Tang Dynasty, everyone loved beauty, and copper mirrors were widespread. Once the Xu Zhen's Silver Mirror was released, it was immediately snatched up in a frenzy, becoming a sensation. Even the Sovereign was aware of public sentiment and knew that nearly all mirrors used in the palace were exquisite Silver Mirrors. Knowing it was the Xu Zhen's creation, he summoned Yan Lide to inquire about it, leading to yet another significant achievement.
Yan Lide did not seek credit for himself; he explained the details to the Sovereign and revealed all of the Xu Zhen's past ingenious ideas. Even the Sovereign couldn't help but marvel at her brilliance.
Now invited by the Xu Zhen, Yan Lide came joyfully, bringing along three or four servants with a large cart full of gifts. The Xu Zhen graciously accepted them without hesitation.
After several rounds of drinks, the Xu Zhen began discussing serious matters. Yan Lide, as Master Yan, had recently been collaborating with Craftsman Li Deqian to plan renovations around Taiye Pool for the upcoming New Year banquet for officials. Li Chunfeng was also involved in overseeing the palace's dragon veins; any alterations required his guidance as Taichang Doctor. The two were the main responsible parties for this renovation.
The Xu Zhen took out pre-designed blueprints for them to examine closely. The main idea was to construct an artificial hill beside Taiye Pool.
This artificial hill had some peculiar features: it was square like a wall with a waterwheel at the back that drew water to the top and let it flow down from the wall surface, naturally forming a Water Curtain. However, merely having a Water Curtain was not particularly remarkable; it was enhanced by having many Silver Mirrors behind it that would reflect light, creating a wondrous spectacle!
Such a concept left both Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng deeply impressed.
According to the Xu Zhen's explanation, this object was called "image," made from quartz that had been melted and solidified into glass. It could be ground into two convex hemispheres known as Convex Lenses, paired with concave mirrors which she explained were used for gathering and dispersing light.
Worried that they might not grasp her ideas fully, she elaborated further and even took out her own crafted Convex Lens for demonstration. Through this lens, Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng saw that words on paper suddenly appeared magnified before them, causing them to exclaim in surprise!
Although it was somewhat dim outside, when the Xu Zhen held the Convex Lens under natural light and adjusted its position to find focus, the light converged brilliantly and dazzled their eyes!
Such a miraculous object immediately stunned Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide, who hurried back to the Ministry of Works, mobilizing hundreds of craftsmen to carefully create and plan according to the designs of Xu Zhen.
With this matter settled, Xu Zhenxin felt somewhat at ease. He was about to seek some information from He Gan Chengji when an unexpected visitor arrived at his residence—it was none other than Li Daozong's daughter, Li Wushuang!
Li Wushuang was a close friend of Li Mingda, known for her talents in both literature and martial arts. She was in her prime, having just turned sixteen, and was quite enchanting.
After Caesar was imprisoned, Li Mingda found it inconvenient to act and entrusted Li Wushuang with the task of looking after Caesar. This young girl was not heartless; she sent several elderly maids from her household to care for Caesar in prison. The prison staff, upon seeing someone from the Li Daozong family, did not dare to make things difficult for them, thus Caesar received some care, which Xu Zhen appreciated.
Seeing Li Wushuang arrive at the residence, Xu Zhenxin felt puzzled and went out to greet her. The young girl did not put on airs; it seemed her attitude towards Xu Zhen had changed, though it was unclear what she was really after.
Li Wushuang wasted no time and said straightforwardly, "Do you know my lord is the Minister of Rites? For the New Year Banquet at Taiye Pool, he had the Brothel prepare performances early on. However, he has been unable to go out recently, so he sent me to select performers from the Brothel. I... I’m not very knowledgeable about this field... I heard from Sister Si that you understand it well, so I came to seek your company..."
Xu Zhen found her request rather presumptuous and felt helpless. Although he held the position of Deputy General of the Imperial Guard, he had daily duties and could not simply take time off.
Moreover, considering that Li Wushuang had never regarded him with any respect before added to Xu Zhen's displeasure; why should he accompany her on this task?
During the Tang Dynasty, the Brothel established by Gaozu did not have a distinction between inside and outside; it served the court directly and was responsible for training performers for the palace. Unlike later times when they were looked down upon, these establishments housed refined and elegant entertainers. Though their status was lowly in terms of occupation, their social standing was not insignificant.
Some officials and nobility privately recruited individuals from the Brothel, taking pride in associating with its talented courtesans. This already hinted at a chaotic situation within the Brothel since many officials' servants could not resist the encroachments of those in power.
However, compared to later periods, the Brothel at this time was still quite a clean place. Xu Zhen had no interest in seeking beauty and was preoccupied with other matters; thus he politely declined Li Wushuang's invitation.
"Princess, it's not that Xu Zhen is being aloof; it's just that I am burdened with official duties. If it’s inconvenient for you, perhaps I could send a few knowledgeable individuals along instead?"
The words spoken by the Xu Zhen were somewhat indirect, but Li Wushuang's attitude was three parts haughty. This girl already had a dislike for the Xu Zhen, and seeing her wearing Li Mingda's iron ring only fueled her anger. She thought to herself that since the Sovereign had summoned the Xu Zhen, why hadn't he taken back that iron ring? She immediately scolded, "You wild girl, how can you forget your roots just because you've become an official? Back when you were still struggling, I never looked down on you. Now that I'm asking you to do something, you're putting on airs!"
"Back then, that wasn't called looking down on me?" Xu Zhen muttered under her breath. To her surprise, Li Wushuang had sharp ears and caught her words. She immediately placed her hands on her hips and glared at the Xu Zhen. The latter could only smile awkwardly, fearing that if she provoked this girl further, she would have no peace for the entire day, so she decided to compromise.
"Alright, alright. I'm not someone who forgets gratitude. Since you, Princess, have spoken up, I won't dare to be ungrateful. Let's go visit that brothel together!"
Li Wushuang's expression finally softened as she changed to a smiling face and proudly led the Xu Zhen away from the residence. They got into a carriage and set off from Wuben Courtyard where the Xu Zhen lived, passing through Chongren, Yongxing, Yongchang, and Sanfang before arriving in front of Daming Palace. They passed through Dan Phoenix Gate without entering and headed straight into Guangzhai Fang, where the brothel was located.
The brothel was not filled with virtuous women; many were associated with officials seeking better prospects and thus had a poor reputation.
The women there were ranked in various tiers based on their looks and skills. The highest rank was called "Wife," while those below were referred to as "Court Ladies," essentially meaning "lowly servants."
"Wives" resided in Yichun Courtyard and were often referred to as "frontline people" since they frequently entertained guests. Their families remained within the brothel, and other wives would refer to them as "Wife's family."
"Wives" had rice throughout the year and were allowed visits from their mothers, aunts, sisters, and other female relatives on their birthdays. They could also wear decorative fish pouches.
Although Li Wushuang was passionate about martial arts, she came from a noble background and was well-versed in poetry, etiquette, and rituals. Having Xu Zhen accompany them was merely to avoid suspicion while also valuing Xu Zhen's discerning eye for beauty.
The daughters in Yichun Courtyard had long received orders from the Ministry of Rites. Upon seeing the Minister's daughter accompanied by Inner Palace guards arriving, they hurriedly welcomed them inside. A line of beautiful women emerged one after another in an orderly fashion; there was little difference in height among them. Each had a graceful figure—some plump and charming while others slender and delicate. Despite the cold weather, they wore short outfits that accentuated their figures provocatively, leaving one parched with desire.
Li Wushuang was after all a woman who often dressed as a man; seeing this group of curvaceous beauties inevitably led her to compare herself against them. She discreetly glanced down at her own chest and couldn't help but let out a faint sigh.
Xu Zhen noticed this little girl's action without intent and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. She initially thought Li Wushuang was just an arrogant princess but found this adorable side of her unexpected.
The person in charge introduced several renowned beauties in turn and detailed various performance pieces. The Court Ladies were only allowed to perform "Yizhou" and "Five Days," with no deviation from these two pieces; all others were reserved for the Wives. If they performed "Spring Warbler's Song," "Lanling Wang," or "Crow Nightingale," it was termed "soft dance"; if they performed pieces from "Great Wei Prefecture," it was referred to as "strong dance."
The Xu Zhen had a limited understanding of Tang Dynasty vocal music and dance, but she still possessed an appreciation for the arts. After all, magic is also a form of stage art. To achieve perfection, the Xu Zhen had practiced modern dance and even explored folk dance and ballet. For social occasions, she was particularly skilled at various ballroom dances, executing the waltz, rumba, cha-cha, tango, and even samba with finesse.
Perhaps she was not familiar with the Tang repertoire, but she had an internal standard regarding the requirements for posture, difficulty of movements, and overall aesthetic pleasure. During her three years in Chang'an, she had witnessed many performances of "theater days," thus gaining some insight into the preferences of the Tang people.
The person in charge did not dare to delay the two noble ladies any longer and hurriedly called for musicians to accompany the performances. Many Court Ladies and Wives took to the stage to perform according to the repertoire for the two noble ladies to choose from.
If selected, they would have the opportunity to dance at the New Year Banquet, which could lead to significant advancements; who would not give their all?
As beautiful women danced gracefully around him, Li Wushuang took it seriously but could not discern any notable differences among them; he merely gazed at their faces and figures like any ordinary playboy.
The Xu Zhen, however, was more attentive. Upon examining their skills, she indeed identified several promising candidates. Calmly, she instructed the person in charge to take note of them, which left him quite astonished; he thought to himself that this Xu Zhen appeared young and dressed as a warrior but had surprisingly sharp insight.
When it came to the piece "Great Wei Prefecture," the Xu Zhen frowned because she noticed a concerning issue from the dancers' movements: these beauties not only understood dance but also martial arts!
(Note: The fish pouch was an accessory worn by officials during the Tang Dynasty, with its specifications determined by the official's rank. For example, first through third rank officials could wear gold fish pouches while others were limited to silver ones. Since fish pouches could be adorned by Wives in a brothel during the flourishing Tang period, it indicates their significance.)
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