The Great Wei Music Bureau

Last time we talked about how Li Yi sang a song that made Yuehua cry and Zhao Hanfeng drunk, but Shiyu suffered in the end. So how does this greedy cat Li Yi plan to protect his dried fish next? Let’s take a look together.

The next day, Li Yi and Shi Yu hadn't gotten up yet when they heard Xing'er shouting outside the door, "Miss, there is an imperial decree! There is an imperial decree! It's for you! Miss, get up quickly!"

The two got up, put on their clothes, and knelt in the main hall to receive the decree. Tong Qing was the one who announced the decree. He said in a loud voice: "In compliance with the will of heaven, the empress decrees: Wan Shiyu, the wife of Li Yi, the Minister of Music of the Ministry of Rites, is intelligent and talented. She is hereby appointed as the female official of music to assist this palace in handling matters concerning the empress dowager's birthday banquet. I decree this."

After the imperial edict was announced, Li Yi and Shiyu kowtowed to express their gratitude. Tongqing handed the imperial edict to Shiyu, and then said to Li Yi: "Li Changshi, your majesty has something to tell you."

Li Yi bowed and asked, "What is your Majesty's order?"

Tong Qing smiled and said, "Your Majesty is right. You two are serving together this time. If you do a good job, you will be rewarded handsomely. If you don't do a good job, I have prepared a bottomless boat on the Bishui Lake that can accommodate two people."

Tongqing controlled his voice so that only Li Yi and Shiyu could hear clearly. They were both shocked. Tongqing smiled and turned away. Li Yi and Shiyu looked at each other and then hurried to the backyard.

Li Yi put on his official uniform, took all the music scores and drawings and rushed to the Ministry of Rites. Shiyu asked Xingyue and the others to find a few musicians and hurry to rehearse a dance for Zhao Hanfeng and Yuehua.

Li Yi arrived at the Ministry of Rites and rushed directly into the room of Minister Kong. Minister Kong looked at the flustered Li Yi and stroked his beard and smiled, "It seems that Xiuyuan, you have received an imperial decree."

Li Yi nodded, then put all the music scores and blueprints on Kong Shang's desk and said, "Sir Shangshu, please hurry up and recruit musicians and dancers to arrange the music and dance, and ask the people from the weaving bureau to hurry up and take measurements and tailor the clothes. Also, have the soldiers I'm looking for been gathered? Has the money from the Ministry of Revenue been allocated? Can we start purchasing supplies?"

Li Yi was really anxious and immediately threw out all the questions. Minister Kong smiled and said, "Don't worry, Xiuyuan. At the court this morning, His Majesty has ordered the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds. The silver is being counted now, and we can start purchasing today.

As for the 500 soldiers you asked for, they will be waiting for deployment at the martial arts arena in the northern suburbs of Shangjing City tomorrow. All the musicians, singers and dancers who will perform at the birthday banquet will go there. The imperial guards will be responsible for guarding, and all supplies and food will be transported by the imperial guards.

Xiuyuan, His Majesty is very serious about this event, you have to earn back the ticket price like you did last time."

Li Yi was shocked. He finally understood the purpose of His Majesty's oral instructions. He was betting everything on himself. If this birthday banquet was not held well, not only would Wei lose its prestige, but His Majesty would also lose face! Li Yi bowed to Minister Kong and said goodbye. Seeing the light in his eyes, the latter smiled and returned to the table to continue revising the congratulatory message.

After returning home, Li Yi called Shiyu and told Xing'er and Yue'er to pack their luggage. They were going to move to the North Suburbs Martial Arts Arena. It was a lively scene. Li Yi, Shiyu, Xing'er, Yue'er, Zhao Hanfeng and Yuehua, six people took two carriages, followed by a carriage of luggage, and moved to the Martial Arts Arena together.

The martial arts arena is actually a small city, and this northern suburb martial arts arena was specially built by the emperor for reviewing the army. It covers an area of ​​more than 50 acres, with a city wall five meters high and two meters wide, and can accommodate 10,000 people for training.

How to understand this matter? In today's terms, it is called military management, fully closed training! Li Yi and his party arrived at the martial arts arena. At this time, the martial arts arena had been taken over by the imperial guards. There were imperial guards guarding everywhere, and everyone entering and leaving had to be carefully checked.

Li Yi walked up to the leading commander and saluted, saying, "General, I am Li Yi, the Minister of Music of the Ministry of Rites. May I ask if you have arranged a place for me to stay?"

Li Yi looked up and saw that the commander was none other than Wang Zhong who was sitting in the chair during the singing party. Wang Zhong smiled and said to Li Yi, "It's been a long time since we last met, Li Changshi. I am Wang Zhong, and I am responsible for protecting the safety of the martial arts arena in accordance with the order of His Majesty. All matters in the martial arts arena will be managed by Li Changshi. As for the residence, please follow me."

Wang Zhong led Li Yi and his party to the main tent that had been set up in the martial arts arena and said with a smile, "Li Changshi, this is your residence. It is a little shabby, please forgive me."

Li Yi looked at the big tent with a bed, desk, and dressing table, and said with a smile: "General Wang, this is too well prepared, there is even a dressing table. This is expected that I will bring my wife to live here for a long time."

Wang Zhong smiled and said, "Oh, this was actually Brother Yu who reminded me of this."

"Brother Yu? Dugu Yu?"

Wang nodded and said, "It was he who told me that Li Changshi would definitely bring Miss Shiyu here with him, so he asked me to prepare these things."

Li Yi bowed and thanked him, "So that's how it is. I thank Brother Wang for his good intentions." Li Yi exchanged greetings with Wang Zhong, who then took his leave. Li Yi then began to arrange various matters. Being the person in charge was not an easy task, as he had to consider a host of complicated matters, such as allocating tents, planning the venue, arranging work and rest schedules, etc.

Looking at the stream of people coming in, Li Yi was full of hesitation. This was the first time he was fully responsible for a performance, and it was a crucial one. He brought out all the experience from his previous life, whether it was his student days or his office worker days, and tried his best to arrange everything. Of course, Shiyu helped him a lot.

In short, the first day was spent in chaos. Some people had disputes over trivial matters such as tents, food, and hygiene. Fortunately, officials from the Ministry of Rites and Music Bureau mediated. Li Yi thanked his colleagues from the Ministry of Rites again and again, and they all returned the greetings politely. From them, Li Yi learned that Tao Zhongwen had already sent someone to tell them to take care of themselves. This made Li Yi's perception of Tao's old silver coins improve a lot. At least he no longer called them old silver coins, but Tao's old silver coins.

After dinner, several officials from the Music Bureau came to Li Yi's tent to discuss matters. They had participated in hosting many banquets and gave Li Yi many suggestions on various processes, common problems, and matters that needed attention. Li Yi humbly accepted them and improved his own plan. In fact, Li Yi in his previous life did not believe in the saying of experience at first. It was not until he participated in the school basketball game in his senior year that he realized that his ability to control the field and interpret the game was completely different from that in his freshman year:

In his freshman year, he knew how to act recklessly, relying on his momentum to break into the paint and then being double-teamed by his opponents. In his senior year, he began to control the rhythm, patiently organize the offense, and not force shots. As a result, in his senior year, the weak team that was originally ravaged by others actually won the third place for the first time. Since then, he has attached great importance to the accumulation of experience.

These Yuefu officials also gave Li Yi a very important suggestion, which was to let him find a way to convince the people first. If he could not convince the people, he would definitely not be able to succeed by relying solely on Tao Zhongwen's protection.

Shiyu also agreed with this very much. Li Yi bowed and asked with a smile: "May I ask, gentlemen, how can I convince everyone?" Everyone smiled but said nothing. They were all literati. Since ancient times, there has been no first in literature and no second in martial arts. It is certainly not easy to convince these literati. In addition, Li Yi has the reputation of being the most talented person in the capital, so many people want to see whether he has real talent and knowledge.

Shi Yu smiled and said, "Li Lang, what the masters mean is that you have to prove that you have the talent and ability."

Shi Yu deliberately emphasized the word "talent", and Li Yi understood and smiled, "Well, please, sirs, organize everyone to sit down in the martial arts arena. Xiuyuan will find a way."

After everyone left, Li Yi talked with Shi Yu for a while. The latter looked at Li Yi with a smile and said, "Li Lang, don't let those ignorant girls bewitched!" Then she turned around to make arrangements.

Shi Yu ordered people to temporarily build a square platform in the middle of the martial arts arena. In fact, it was a wooden box with wooden boards on it, just above the knee height, and then lit four torches at the four corners. The participants who came to the martial arts arena sat around, discussing why they were called to gather at this time.

Seeing that everyone was present, Li Yi went up to the stage and saluted to the people around him, then said in a loud voice with his talent: "Li Yi greets everyone. Everyone can come to this North Suburbs Martial Arts Field for the Queen Mother's birthday banquet. Since we are all gathered here with the same goal, we should work together to make the birthday banquet a success.

Li Yi is a humble man, but I am deeply honored to be appointed as the chief by your majesty. As the saying goes, one should share the emperor's worries when eating his salary. Li Yi naturally dares not neglect this banquet and regards it as the first battle in his life. I hope you can also treat this birthday banquet as a war like me, and win this battle with one heart! Now I am calling everyone here to mobilize before the war, so that everyone has the confidence, courage and determination to fight this battle well! "

At this time, someone came up to the stage and set up the zither and wooden stools. Li Yi smiled and said, "I believe someone has heard that I once held a singing party. It was because of this singing party that I had the opportunity to work with you. Then I will perform a piece for everyone present to boost everyone's morale!" Li Yi recited loudly:

"The city walls protect the capital, the wind and fire raise the battle flags. I am parting with you, as we are both officials on a journey.

A bosom friend is always there, and the world is as near as a neighbor. When you are at a crossroads, your children will cry for you. "

After reciting the poem, purple air rose from the four torches. Li Yi raised his hand and waved, and the purple air disappeared into the torches. In just a moment, flames shot up into the sky and turned into four pillars of fire. Li Yi played in the pillars of fire. The sound of military drums rang out on the city wall. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and then the military trumpets sounded again. People seemed to hear the neighing of war horses, followed by the shouting and the clashing of swords on the battlefield. Li Yi began to sing:

The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward, and the waves wash away all heroes

Right and wrong, success and failure, the green mountains are still there, the sunset is red

The white-haired fisherman and woodcutter on the river bank are accustomed to seeing the autumn moon and spring breeze

A pot of muddy wine to celebrate our reunion, many things from the past and present are just jokes

A pot of muddy wine to celebrate our reunion, many things from the past and present are just jokes

The song ended with the fading sounds of war drums and horns. Li Yi grabbed the purple mist that had not yet condensed in the air and drove it into the fire pillars. The four fire pillars changed color and turned into purple flames. Although the fire was still strong, it burned slowly, showing a touch of tenderness. Shi Yu came on stage and handed the guitar to Li Yi. She sat in front of the guzheng and played with Li Yi. Li Yi plucked the strings and sang leisurely:

The gleam of swords and sabers faded, the clanging of drums and horns faded

There are vivid faces flying before my eyes

The ancient road is covered with yellow dust, the border town is deserted with flames

Time, you can't take away those familiar names

Who decides the rise and fall? Is there any basis for prosperity and decline?

A page of wind and clouds dispersed and changed time and space

Gathering and parting are all fate, separation and reunion are always related to feelings

How can I take responsibility for my life and not for the comments after my death?

The Yangtze River has the intention to turn into tears, the Yangtze River has the affection to sing

A few stars twinkle in the sky of history

A heroic spirit is galloping across the world

The ancient road is covered with yellow dust, the border town is deserted with flames

After singing this song, Li Yi raised his hand and grabbed the purple energy in the torch, which gathered in his palm and then sank into his body. He saluted everyone and said loudly: "I wonder if everyone has raised their spirits and is ready for a tough battle this time!"

There was total silence in the audience, and only the crackling sound of burning torches could be heard. Everyone was stunned. The youngest among them had been in Yuefu for two years, and it was the first time for them to see someone control the flame with talent, the first time for them to see someone sing with such a strong sense of picture, and the first time for them to have such an audio-visual experience! Li Yi smiled faintly and said, "Why don't you say anything?"

At this time, Sun Yue, the commander of the Music Bureau, was standing on the city wall. He saw and heard Li Yi's performance. He shook his head, put his hands behind his back and sighed to the followers beside him: "The waves behind push the waves ahead. The young are really to be feared! Li Xiuyuan's talent is unmatched in the Wei Dynasty."

The attendant flattered, "Master, you are right. Li Changshi is indeed talented, but that is just talent. He still needs your support in the officialdom."