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Humans are inherently lazy creatures—most of the time, sitting is more comfortable than standing, and lying down is more comfortable than sitting... Of course, lying down for too long requires a change of position, otherwise, it still feels awkward...
Dong Zhuo reveled in the pleasures brought by power and the beauties around him. For him, this was no less than a dual satisfaction of both spirit and flesh, a euphoric realization of his dreams.
The wine was the finest and most mellow, always within reach, inexhaustible...
The meat was the most fragrant and tender, always at hand, replenished as soon as it was consumed...
Although Dong Zhuo was not an emperor, he enjoyed treatment almost akin to one.
Li Ru came once, saw Dong Zhuo ensnared in a nest of tenderness, and left without a word, his face expressionless. In Li Ru's view, everyone who ascends to the throne of success must go through such a phase. However, some wake up from it, while others sink into it completely...
Li Ru understood clearly that this was a soft knife the eastern aristocrats had wielded against Dong Zhuo. But he also knew that attempting to dissuade him now would be futile. Only when the person involved wakes up on their own is it the best outcome. Otherwise, they would fall into the same tender trap again next time...
Dong Zhuo, Dong Zhongying, I hope you haven't forgotten your ambitions from your time in Xiliang!
After all, Dong Zhuo's origins were somewhat humble. He had never experienced such grandeur before, so his resistance was naturally weaker. This was understandable. But if he could wake up and extricate himself from this situation, it would be akin to undergoing a profound spiritual baptism, which would greatly aid his future development.
Therefore, Li Ru waited, observing whether Dong Zhuo could wake up on his own.
The aristocracy was well-versed in this game. Essentially, every major aristocratic family employed this strategy, as this tender trap was originally not designed to deal with enemies but to select the next family head. It had been in operation for centuries.
The larger the family, the more branches there were, and the fiercer the competition. Although the main family held an inherent advantage, a strong current family head did not guarantee a strong successor. Many family heads shared this concern, so the selection of the next generation's leader had to be handled with utmost caution.
After the family head sowed his seeds widely, several children would naturally grow to adulthood. While the legitimate son held an inherent advantage, he still had to go through the same trials as the others, often facing even greater temptations.
Typically, the family head would assign a time-bound task to these potential successors. During this period, these candidates would, like Xu Xian encountering Lady White or Dong Yong meeting the Seventh Fairy, coincidentally meet peerless beauties, fall in love at first sight, and eventually succumb to their charms...
This was the usual routine. Although it seemed simple, under the right circumstances, most people, especially young and vigorous youths, would fall into the trap with a thud. Whether they could climb out depended on whether they possessed the necessary resolve...
Later, the aristocratic families discovered that this method was also quite effective against the occasional commoner who rose to prominence through sheer luck. Since commoners usually did not have the opportunity to experience many women in their youth, they often felt invincible at the peak of their success. They would be easily bewitched by the aristocratic families' humble demeanor, only to stumble without knowing where they went wrong...
Eventually, the aristocratic families even used this strategy to sabotage the outstanding legitimate sons of rival families. Some daring individuals even applied it to the next generation of monarchs...
If they couldn't defeat their opponents now, they could at least try to turn the next generation into pigs...
As for Dong Zhuo's current situation, it was merely the appetizer served by the eastern aristocratic families. The main course was yet to come...
For the aristocracy, beauties were not only a form of wealth but also a bond and a weapon. Their skillful use depended entirely on one's intentions...
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Naturally, each beauty was unique.
Cai Yan's beauty was like an exquisitely crafted book, heavy with intellectual allure, exuding a scholarly fragrance that irresistibly drew people in...
In a corner of the room, an incense burner wafted a subtle fragrance. Cai Yan disliked strong floral scents, preferring instead the faint, almost imperceptible aroma reminiscent of green bamboo.
At this moment, Cai Yan had just finished transcribing a volume of a book she had previously read but had been sent away by her father, Cai Yong.
Returning to the Cai family from the Wei family, Cai Yan's life was simple. Her mornings were mostly spent reading and transcribing books. After a brief rest at noon, she would often play a spontaneous tune on the qin. Over time, everyone in the Cai household became accustomed to her routine. This was why, when Fei Qian came to the Cai residence to wait for Cai Yong, he suddenly noticed the entire household falling silent, and the young maid beside him hushed him.
It is said that music reflects the heart. That day, Cai Yan was suddenly reminded of her own experiences and inadvertently infused her emotions into her qin playing. When she finished, she was surprised when the young maid, Caiyi, brought her a piece of paper with two lines of poetry written by Fei Qian...
During the Eastern Han period, poetry had not yet flourished significantly. At this time, people admired the ornate prose of long rhapsodies, while poetry was just beginning to emerge. Many of the Han dynasty poems that have been passed down to later generations were more akin to songs, strictly speaking, an evolution of Yuefu lyrics.
Before the Han dynasty, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there were various local styles of folk songs, elegant songs, and hymns. Subsequently, Han dynasty poetry underwent a process of transitioning from folk ballads to literary compositions, from Yuefu lyrics to literary poems, known as "古诗" (ancient poetry). As for the various formats like four-character lines, five-character lines, and seven-character lines, those came later...
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che not only drove out the Xiongnu and established the Han dynasty's might but also formally established the Yuefu Office in addition to founding the Imperial Academy. Li Yannian, a master of music, was appointed as the Harmonizing Commandant, responsible for composing musical scores and training musicians. At the same time, there was a large-scale collection of folk songs to be set to music and performed. The establishment of the Yuefu Office allowed a vast number of Han dynasty folk songs to be preserved and developed into the embryonic form of poetry.
For example, the later handed down "Song of the Great Wind" by Liu Bang was actually written in the style of Chu songs...
Gradually, poetry as a cultural vehicle developed, and it wasn't until the Eastern Han that four-character and five-character poems began to appear. The famous Han dynasty scholar Ban Gu was the pioneer of five-character poetry.
Therefore, the poem Fei Qian hastily composed in a moment of excitement inevitably brought Cai Yan a sense of unique novelty. So, poetry could be like this.