Gao Lishi said: “Your Majesty, no more ‘buts’. Leave this matter to this servant to handle. I will definitely handle it reasonably and make everyone in the world shut up and have nothing to say.”
Li Longji’s smile grew wider, and he said: “Then you go and handle it?”
Gao Lishi said: “This servant obeys the command.”
An imperial edict was issued, heading directly to the Shouking’s residence in Chang’an.
The imperial edict decreed: Consort Yang Yuehuan of the Shouking is to immediately proceed to Lishan to await the Emperor.
The Shouking was so angry he almost ran to the King of Hell’s place to tell his mother, Empress Wu Huifei. His father, Li Longji, was clearly trying to steal his wife, committing incest brazenly and openly.
However, the Shouking ultimately did not let his anger cloud his judgment. He thought to himself that since his father wanted to take his wife, he had no choice. If he said “no”, he might lose his head. His father had many sons and had just gotten rid of three, so he wouldn’t care about eliminating one more. Perhaps if he was sensible and willingly offered up his wife, she might speak well of him to his father and he might benefit.
The Shouking wiped away his tears and said to the weeping Yang Yuehuan: “My beloved consort, Father Emperor has issued an edict. We can only submit.
“But, I cannot bear to leave you and the children.”
“Whether you can bear it or not, you must. Defying the edict will bring fatal consequences, with the entire family executed.”
“But, he is your father, my father-in-law.”
“He is the Emperor, the ruler of the nation. He is also a man.”
“But he cannot steal his daughter-in-law. This is not in line with ethical morals.”
“He is the Emperor, with supreme power.”
“What shall we do?”
“It seems our marital fate ends today. If, if in the future, you are fortunate enough to win Father Emperor’s favor, I hope you can remember our marriage and speak up for me before him.”
Yang Yuehuan wept bitterly.
Perhaps Li Rui was right. The Emperor is the ruler with supreme power. If she is fortunate enough to win his favor, she can have whatever she wants. Not only herself, but her family can enjoy wealth and honor, and ensure the Shouking and her son’s safety.
Huaqing Palace’s Huaqing Pool was a bathing place for emperors throughout history, thus also known as the “Imperial Hot Spring”.
The water temperature of Huaqing Pool remains constant at 43 degrees year-round, with a light mist drifting over the pool, resembling a mythical cave.
Yang Yuhuan was bathing in a hot spring for the first time, feeling incredibly comfortable and exhilarated. Just as she immersed herself in the water, she felt a smooth sensation. The water temperature was perfectly balanced. Joyfully, she submerged her entire body except for her head. Under the warm embrace of the spring water, Yang Yuhuan gradually felt her previously tense mind and body relax.
From a distance, a melodious flute sound drifted, seeming to come from a far-off horizon. A series of musical notes swirled in the air, floating away.
Yang Yuhuan was unaware of how long she had been enjoying the feeling in the pool. Eventually, four elegant palace maids approached with towels and robes, inviting her to change. Reluctantly, Yang Yuhuan stood up from the pool and walked ashore.
In the bright candlelight, Yang Yuhuan’s face was like a blooming flower. Beneath her long eyelashes, a pair of bright and enchanting eyes glistened.
Droplets of water traced down her jet-black hair and delicate neck. Under the candlelight, Yang Yuhuan appeared beautiful, radiant, and incomparably stunning.
The flute music suddenly stopped.
Then came the sound of the flute falling.
Followed by a man’s entranced voice: “A beauty fresh from bathing, like a lotus emerging from water! Beautiful, truly beautiful!”
Yang Yuhuan was startled. She quickly turned around to look.
It was Li Longji! Her former father-in-law, who would soon become her lover. He stood nearby, motionless, staring at her, his eyes fixed.
Yang Yuhuan’s face instantly turned red. She wasn’t dressed yet. She was completely naked.
The candle on the candlestick burned in the flames, its weak light desperately swaying in the wind, finally extinguishing.
At this time, dawn was gradually approaching.
Grayish light crept in through the window, vaguely revealing luxurious curtains, a heavy bed with gold-lacquered carved flowers, a snow-white floor, a glittering ceiling, and a pale green sandalwood incense, with wisps of smoke dispersing and disappearing.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm.”
“Your Majesty, you bullied me last night.”
“Did I bully you?”
“Your Majesty, you can’t deny it.”
“I admit! I admit! How could I not admit?”
“Then, Your Majesty, what should I do? I can no longer face the Prince of Shou.”
“Let me think of a way.”
“Your Majesty, quickly think of a solution. If you can’t come up with one, I’d rather die.”
“Don’t! Don’t! Don’t die! I have fallen in love with you, I can’t live without you! If you die, I’ll die with you!”
“Your Majesty, is this real or not?”
“Of course it’s real.”
“Then, Your Majesty, quickly think of a way.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll think of a way.”
The solution was not thought up by Li Longji, but by his old attendant, the eunuch Gao Lishi, who was full of tricks. To please the emperor, he would devise any scheme, no matter how outrageous. Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger; one must be exceptionally intelligent, a master of quick thinking and unorthodox methods.
This solution was quite ingenious, flawless.
A win-win situation.
First: No need for cruel methods like silencing or killing, such as getting rid of Li Longji’s son and Yang Yuhuan’s husband Li Mao, sending him to reunite with his mother, Empress Wu Huifei. Second: It would silence everyone, allowing Li Longji to openly bring Yang Yuhuan to his side.
The plan was simple: have Yang Yuhuan become a female Taoist priest in the Taizhen Palace, temporarily adopting the Taoist name “Taizhen” as a disguise.
Those women who were jealous of Yang Yuehuan included a woman named Mei Fei.
This Mei Fei was no ordinary concubine. She had a face like a delicate flower, eyes like autumn water, a graceful figure, slender as the wind, skilled in poetry and literature, proficient in musical instruments, and excellent at singing and dancing. Before Yang Yuehuan entered the palace, Mei Fei was most likely to succeed Wu Huifei.
Little did she know, Yang Yuehuan would suddenly appear, shattering Mei Fei’s beautiful dream.
When the Lantern Festival arrived, Mei Fei, bored and idle, finally unable to bear the loneliness, took two palace maids and went to the city to see the lanterns.
In the Tang Dynasty, there was a night curfew. Once the night drum sounded, travel was prohibited, and those who violated it would be punished. Only during the Lantern Festival did the emperor permit three days of freedom, known as “night release.” Women in the deep palace were allowed to go out in groups on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
The city’s streets were bustling with people, tea houses and wine shops fully lit, with gongs and drums sounding. Thousands of colorful lanterns formed a mountain of lights, depicting various figures, dancing postures, birds flying, flowers blooming, dragons leaping, and fish swimming. The lantern lights and fireworks intertwined brilliantly.
Amidst the crowd and excitement, Mei Fei suddenly felt disinterested. What did this prosperous world have to do with her? It was all just meaningless noise. She was nothing more than an isolated woman.
“Taizhen” was a distant, formal address that created a sense of separation, while “my lady” implied wife and acknowledged their relationship.
Women all fear ending up with nothing, losing both their body and husband.
