Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 11
Chapter 11 East Pavilion Sacrificial Wine
“Haha, Uncle Treasure! I’m not mistaken, right? Your Sanlang is indeed a rare talent!” Li Shimin smiled and said, “It’s rare to be able to write such a good handwriting even if you can brew immortal wine well!”
Qin Shubao was both shocked and delighted. He cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, you’re ridiculously praising me. If you can’t be a martial artist, then you won’t be able to enter the room with a few tricks. Who are you talking about?”
“There’s no need to be too modest.” Li Shimin asked the attendants to carefully put away the score and looked at Qin Mubai with a smile. “Qin Sanlang, you have outstanding magic skills and you are a famous official. Have you ever thought of getting your revenge in the future?”
“Answer His Majesty’s question. This lowly man has been ordered to return home to serve his sick father. I won’t let him think about it for the time being.” Qin Mubai replied.
“Unfilial son is confused!” Qin Shubao sternly scolded, “Men are ambitious. You don’t need to be filial when your father hasn’t returned to heaven. There are plenty of servants in the manor, so why do you need to serve him?”
“Father taught me a lesson. I know my mistakes.” Qin Mubai cupped his hands in response, but he secretly laughed in his heart, “Interesting.” I wanted to capture him, but my father hit the snake and helped me sing. The father and son are still playing the double role in front of the emperor.
“Haha, Hundred Elements Filial Piety comes first. Qin Sanlang can’t be considered wrong!” Li Shimin smiled and nodded. “Originally, I saw that you had a skill that I wanted to let you enter the TaiLe Department of the TaiChang Temple and become a court musician. But then I thought, you came from a superior family. How can you become an excellent actress in the Pear Garden?” Moreover, I have arranged for your other official positions, so you must always go to the palace yamen to do your duty. I’m afraid that this will affect your ability to serve your father. Therefore, even though I have the intention to promote you, I am still in a difficult position. Why don’t you tell me for yourself what kind of job you want? ”
A blank check? Qin Mubai couldn’t help but feel a little excited. Moreover, it was a blank cheque signed by the Emperor that filled in the amount!
Qin Shubao remained silent at the side. At this time, he was obviously not good at expressing any opinions. Otherwise, he would appear a little pretentious and overboard. He could only wait and let his son deal with the situation on his own.
Qin Mubai thought in his heart, “Actors and actresses are not as popular as movie and television stars in the 21st century. They are the lowliest, lowliest, and so on. They can’t even be ranked amongst the four great classes of ‘Agriculture, Industry and Commerce’.” Moreover, Li Shimin was indeed thoughtful when the Great Tang ruled the country with benevolence and filial piety. Now that he has written a blank cheque, what grade should I ask for and what kind of official is reasonable? … I’m annoyed. I’m not too familiar with the official system of the Great Tang!
Just as Qin Mubai was pondering, Li Ke, who had been listening quietly, seemed to see through his difficulties. He stood up and bowed, “Father, this son has something to say.”
“Speak.”
“Thank you, Royal Father.” Li Ke said, “I happen to have a vacancy in my son’s mansion. The seventh grade Eastern Pavilion Sacrificial Liquor should be suitable for Qin Mubai.” Dongge Sacrificial Liquor was not busy, and his son’s mansion was not far from the Qin Mansion. Qin Mubai could still return to the mansion to serve Duke Yi after his daily tidings. Moreover, father Emperor is inconvenient to learn from master, but son is fine. If Qin Mubai were to become an official of my son’s mansion, I would be able to learn wine making, folk arts and calligraphy from him. I would also be able to exchange martial arts and archery with him and listen to Duke Meng Yi’s guidance. This was better than letting my son idle all day. “Father Emperor, please grant me your grace!”
“Huh? Ke’er’s suggestion is not bad.” Li Shimin nodded thoughtfully. “However, this wine from the Eastern Pavilion of Grade Seven has a low salary. I wonder what your father and son think?”
“My son WuCai WuDe WuJian was only a soldier in the army. I thought that even giving him an official position below the ninth rank would be too flattering. It would make me feel embarrassed and uneasy.” Qin Shubao cupped his hands and bowed solemnly. “Furthermore, this lowly official is worried that with his son’s stubbornness and incompetence, he is qualified to serve wine in the Eastern Pavilion of Prince Wu’s Mansion. Please think twice, Your Majesty and Prince Wu.”
“Uncle Bao, you’re just too modest.” Li Shimin smiled nonchalantly and turned around to say, “Qin Sanlang, have you ever been willing?”
“Your Majesty has given you a decree of grace. This lowly one is deeply impressed. This lowly one is only worried that he has never been an official with insufficient experience. He is afraid that he will not be able to be competent, and that he will probably not be able to convince the crowd if he receives no merit from the officials.” Qin Mubai said.
“Haha, you really are the father and son of the bloodline inheritance. You have a common fault of being too modest.” Li Shimin smiled and said, “My merits are close to this subject. Who will have any objections to the title of the seventh grade Eastern Pavilion Sacrificial Liquor of the Prince’s Mansion? No one will be an official since they were born. Learn!”-Then it’s settled. Qin Mubai, I will personally confer you the title of the Eastern Pavilion Sacrificial Liquor of the Prince’s Mansion. As long as your father Qin Shubao permits, you can take up the post at any time! ”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. Long live my emperor, long live my emperor, long live my emperor!” The father and son bowed down and thanked each other.
“No need to bow down!” Li Shimin smiled happily and said, “Come, continue the feast! I still want to hear this song. Qin Mubai, play it again!”
“This lowly official obeys the decree!”
In the blink of an eye, Qin Mubai’s self-proclamation changed from a lowly person to a lowly subject.
During the banquet, the wine was spoken and the pipa music was floating above the Qin Mansion. From time to time, Emperor Li Shimin’s hearty laughter could be heard. The guards of the Imperial Guards at the entrance of the courtyard and the people of the palace thought together, It must have been at least half a year since the death of Empress Changsun, and the Emperor probably hadn’t laughed so happily. To be so happy today, the Qin Clan would definitely receive great grace.
It was not until nightfall that Li Shimin left with Li Ke. Both father and son drank quite a bit of “Qin Xianjiu” and started to walk a little shakily.
After sending the Emperor away, Qin Shubao and Qin Mubai heaved a long sigh of relief.
“Saburo, let’s talk in father’s room.”
When the father and son entered the room, Qin Shubao looked at the rare He Xun in Qin Mubai and smiled, “Sanlang, will you blame your father for his harsh and prejudiced treatment of you in the past?”
“Where did father start?” Qin Mubai cupped his hands and smiled. “If father didn’t harshly reprimand and prejudice me in the past, then it would be wrong.”
“Oh, why?”
“As the saying goes, a son is not a godfather.” Qin Mubai said, “This child used to be naughty and unscrupulous. He has done many things that damage my father’s face and reputation. Father must correct him, or else he will indulge in doting. From this, it seems that you are a good father.”
“Haha, good! You’ve been away from home for three years. Not only has your skill increased greatly, you’ve also become knowledgeable and righteous. Good, good.” Qin Shubao stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. After some thought, he said, “I have been sick for many years. Even though I am still the general of the Left Martial Guard, I have long since left the court and ignored government affairs and military affairs. It is inevitable for people to have a cold tea.” Obviously, the emperor is here for you today, and he thinks highly of you. However, this is not because you have any great talent or ability. It is just some tricks that are not enough to enter the house. It just so happens that you can win the Emperor’s favor in private for a moment. If you really want to achieve anything big in the future, you must keep improving. “You have a lot to learn about civil and martial skills and the Dao of being an official. Do you understand?”
“Father’s teachings are engraved in my heart.” Qin Mubai cupped her hands and bowed. “This child knows that some magical skills and ingenuity alone are not enough to make a living. When this child is born into a prosperous era, he will definitely strive to advance and not dare to be a playboy in the slightest, so as not to disgrace his father’s reputation for the rest of his life.”
“A hero doesn’t mention courage back then. The so-called’prestige of a lifetime ‘is nothing worth mentioning in the past.” Qin Shubao waved his hand and said, “As the saying goes, ‘a poor family produces filial sons, and proudly raises disobedient sons’.” You used to be a shameless playboy, but for your father, you really hate it. Now that you’re so sensible, it’s a relief to be your father. Now, as father, I only hope that you can find your own way in the future, without relying on the Emperor’s protection of a little of the old friendship of father for your livelihood. “Friendship can be said to be the strongest bond in the world, and it can also be said to be the most unsafe thing. Do you understand?”
“Father, don’t worry. This child understands.” Qin Mubai smiled faintly and said, “This child will work hard to advance step by step. Not only will he have to fight for glory in his entire life, he will also have to widen the Qin Clan.”
Qin Mubai was slightly stunned. He raised his sword-like eyebrows and looked at Qin Mubai coldly. He nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, “Great ambition, good! I hope this is not just an exaggeration.”
“I will prove it with my actions.” Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, then asked, “By the way, father, what exactly does the official position of the Eastern Pavilion Sacrificial Liquor do?”
Qin Shubao chuckled and stroked his beard, “He is a rather idle subordinate official of the Prince’s Mansion. Although he is ranked as a rank seven county magistrate, he doesn’t have much real power and does not have any important tasks. He is mainly responsible for receiving guests from the Prince’s Mansion and arranging banquets, songs and dances.”
Qin Mubai was slightly stunned as she laughed in her heart, “Isn’t that a hotel manager?” … Forget it, content is always happy. No matter what, it can be said that he has stepped into an official career. Take your time! Those Shumen Shichen studied hard to participate in the exam, and even after more than ten years of hard work, they might not be able to obtain a rank seven official position in an instant.
The father and son chatted heartily and dispersed late into the night.
Qin Mubai finally experienced the feeling of a father and son whose blood was thicker than water. His mood became even more relaxed. When he returned to his room, he felt a slight burst of alcohol and inadvertently snorted a pop song. Just as he was about to open the door, a cold voice came from behind him, “Third Brother, what kind of obscene song are you humming?”
“Little sister?” Qin Mubai chuckled, “Why are you still awake at this late hour? What are you doing here?”
Qin Shuang’er got up from the stone stool in the courtyard and giggled, “I’ve been waiting for you here for a long time. I want to have a chat with you.”
“Talking exclusively about Prince Wu?” Qin Mubai laughed teasingly, and Qin Shuang’er blushed, “Bad guy!”
“Come in and talk.”
After entering the room, the siblings sat down together. Qin Shuang’er was very careful and prepared to give the wine soup to Qin Mubai to drink.
“Anyone who marries a good girl like me will be blessed with eight lifetimes of cultivation.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Shuang’er, tell Third Brother the truth. What exactly happened between you and King Wu?”
