"Under the moon and willow branches, a rendezvous after dusk..." Zhang Xiaojing repeated the poem, his eyes brightening slightly.
"The county magistrate is not only resourceful and brave, but also exceptionally talented in literature. Zhang Xiaojing admires him greatly."
"Come on, Zhang Xiaojing. You're not the kind of person who flatters others. Tell me, what do you want me to do here?"
"I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted you to see Chang'an... the real Chang'an..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a flute came from the other side of the bridge.
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Chapter Forty-Six: Rotting Internal Organs
"His surname is Xue, and he's a musician. He comes here to play the flute whenever the sky is clear and cloudless. I once arrested him because of the curfew. I asked him why."
He said, "I want to use the moonlight to cleanse my flute music. Only in this way can I play music untouched by worldly concerns." From that day on, I stopped arresting him. Instead, I helped him cover up his curfew violations. As he said this, a peculiar glint flashed across Zhang Xiaojing's fierce face.
"Is this the Chang'an you've been talking about?"
"Yes, this is the real Chang'an. The real people of Chang'an. He was a very ordinary person, the kind of person who was bullied by the Xiong Huo Gang. I was the head of the Bad Guys for eight years. I never truly liked this city. Those families driven to desperation, those children who mysteriously disappeared, those girls forced into prostitution who could only resign themselves to their fate. All of these are the original sins of this city. Sometimes, I even feel that I hate this city far more than I love it."
"Didn't you ever think about changing him?" Lu Xuan took a few steps forward, stood on the bridge, and gazed at the distant river.
"Of course I tried. But I failed. The Five Kings of Hell can only intimidate some petty villains. I can't change this city. Over the years, I've struggled to hold on, barely managing to avoid being swallowed up by it."
"Being able to stay true to yourself in this quagmire is already quite an achievement."
"But that's not enough. There are some things I can't do, but you can, sir. Today, the Bad People received a new batch of weapons. It's a gift from the Crown Prince's residence. Sir, you now have an opportunity to change this city. If you can destroy the Bearfire Gang, you can do even more."
This was probably the only time Lu Xuan had shown genuine emotion since he met Zhang Xiaojing. It was clear that the Xiong Huo Gang incident had deeply affected him. Perhaps he had once hated this city. But Lu Xuan had no doubt that he actually loved this city more than anyone else. He loved it more deeply than anyone else; it's just that his way of expressing it was different.
"Change this city? Do you really think a lowly county constable like me can do that?"
"Your Excellency possesses strategic acumen and knowledge far surpassing those in the imperial court. Furthermore, you are favored by the Crown Prince, and your future is destined for great success."
"Maybe. But perhaps in the process, I will be swallowed up by the city you mentioned and become a part of it. You have to know that there are not many people in this world who can fight against their surroundings at all times like you. People always have to adapt to their environment."
However, Zhang Xiaojing stopped getting excited when Lu Xuan said this.
"No, I believe you can definitely do it, sir. I, Zhang Xiaojing, have never been wrong in judging people. You are the most out of place in this city. No matter how many novel dishes you make or how popular your liquor is, deep down, you have never truly integrated into this city, or even into this country. I can feel your loneliness just by looking at your back. I don't know where that loneliness comes from, but I'm certain that this city can't make up for it."
Lu Xuan had to admit that the protagonist of the original novel possessed a sharper insight than he had imagined. Although he only had one eye, he was the kind of person who could truly see through the fog and discern the truth. He could even keenly sense Lu Xuan's incompatibility with this world. It's worth noting that Lu Xuan had gone to great lengths to integrate into this world.
The distant sound of a flute gradually rose higher. Its melodious tune pierced the tranquility of the moonlight, mingling with the moonlight and spilling onto the Tianjin Bridge beneath our feet. A scene as beautiful as a poem, as picturesque as a painting.
Lu Xuan stood on the bridge, gazing at the lights of the imperial city in the distance.
"Chang'an... the Tang Dynasty... changing all of this won't be easy. It will take a long time. Are you sure you can wait that long?"
"Until death."
"Until death? Once a person dies, nothing can be changed. Haven't you noticed? I'm already doing it. I'm trying to change some things. If domestic pigs can grow fatter and bigger, then the people will have more meat and more oil. If hens can lay more and bigger eggs, then the people will have more food. If the rice in the fields can grow better and more abundantly, then the people will have more to eat."
People, if they're hungry, nothing you say matters, because they can't hear you. Conversely, if they're all well-fed, they'll start to think. They'll think about what they should do next, and what they deserve. When people learn to think for themselves, some things will naturally change.
Lu Xuan's words were rather vague. Zhang Xiaojing was also completely confused. But he understood that Lu Xuan was already trying to change this city, and even this country.
Having experienced the information explosion of later generations, Lu Xuan naturally knew the problems plaguing the Tang Dynasty at that time. To be honest, the problems facing the Tang Dynasty were far more complex than the few words he had casually mentioned earlier.
By this time, the regional military governors (Jiedushi) had become powerful figures. They wielded immense power and commanded large armies, creating a situation that was difficult to control. Meanwhile, their armies, having fought for years, were incredibly brave and fierce. In contrast, the armies in the interior were utterly corrupt and ineffective. Whether it was the Sixteen Guards or the local armies, they were all easily defeated. The fact that the interior armies offered no resistance when An Lushan rebelled a little over a decade later is the best evidence of this.
This is a military matter. Lu Xuan has no chance of intervening in the short term. Secondly, there's the political situation. Li Linfu's power is growing increasingly strong. He practically dominates the entire court. This is extremely abnormal for a country. Li Longji has lost his ambition and is infatuated with Yang Yuhuan's beauty. While the country appears prosperous and peaceful, deep down, numerous contradictions exist.
The Tang Dynasty was like a giant on the surface, but its internal organs were already rotting. The only reason it could maintain a semblance of balance was because Li Longji was still in his prime, and An Lushan's preparations were insufficient. In a few years, he would petition to build Xiongwu City; such an obvious sign, and Li Longji granted it without hesitation?!
So many problems couldn't possibly be solved by one person alone. Even though Lu Xuan was a transmigrator, he wasn't a history major and didn't have a system or cheat codes. He felt rather at a loss. Therefore, the first element in Lu Xuan's plan wasn't actually the Crown Prince, but Li Longji. For this, he needed an opportunity, an opportunity that was about to arrive.
On the Tianjin Bridge, the flute music gradually softened and eventually disappeared. In the distance, the musician surnamed Xue bowed deeply to the two men before turning and leaving.
The flute music faded away, and the surroundings seemed to become even quieter.
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Chapter Forty-Seven: The First Snow
In the twelfth lunar month, Chang'an City welcomed its first snow of the first year of the Tianbao era.
Early in the morning, the door knocker of Lu Xuan's house was rudely knocked on.
"Who is it?" The old man reluctantly opened the door, still wrapped in his blanket. A rough, rugged face stood outside.
"General Cui! Master, get up quickly, General Cui is here!" the old man shouted, waking Lu Xuan.
The visitor was none other than Cui Qi. He was a little later than expected. He had originally thought he would return before winter. However, some procedures were delayed again and again, and he finally returned to Chang'an in the twelfth lunar month.
Lu Xuan had a good impression of Cui Qi, and the other man considered him a friend. The two got along very well, and Lu Xuan was very happy to see Cui Qi return.
"Old man, slaughter the pig. Call Zhang Xiaojing, Li Fushan, Chen Yunqiao, and the others over. We're going to have a good drink tonight."
Lu Xuan wasn't originally a drinker. But perhaps, as Zhang Xiaojing said, he was too lonely deep down. So he gradually developed a drinking habit. Fortunately, even his own "strong liquor" was only slightly stronger than the beer he drank in his previous life.
Aside from Lu Xuan, the rest were all from military backgrounds. They quickly became close friends. Even the usually aloof Zhang Xiaojing started calling them brothers. He also began to realize Lu Xuan's actions—consciously cultivating relationships with these military personnel.
The pig slaughtered was a half-grown pig weighing only about 100 jin (50 kg). Lu Xuan had underestimated the growth rate of pigs in this era. At this rate, it would take at least eight to ten months to grow to around 200 jin (100 kg). This wasn't something that could be solved simply by castrating the pig. Nutrition was also a crucial issue. However, Lu Xuan didn't know how to formulate feed and could only figure it out slowly through trial and error.
Although the pig wasn't large, the meat quality had noticeably improved. At least the gamey smell had been greatly reduced. Lu Xuan then used a variety of spices available at the time to create the first braised pork dish of the Tang Dynasty's Tianbao era.
He picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks. Skin and meat, alternating layers of fat and lean. The piece trembled slightly with Lu Xuan's movements, like a piece of freshly cooked tofu. It seemed as if the slightest pressure would shatter it.
This dish immediately won over several tough guys. In later generations, many people wouldn't like braised pork belly—the high calories and excessive oil would be off-putting. But in this era, its high calories and rich, sweet flavor were an explosive thrill.