[Romantic Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty Court] [54] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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Chapter Fifty-Four: Lychees Presented on an Ice Platter, Fragrant Soup Bestowed at the Warm Pool
The night was deep and still, the moon high and bright; the Huaqing Palace stood nestled at the western foot of Mount Li. Along the mountainside, the palace walls meandered westward. Inside the palace walls, on the Chaoyuan Pavilion, lights flickered, illuminating five or seven figures. It turned out that since the day Yang Guifei composed the "Rainbow Feather Garment Dance," she first taught it to her two maids, Yongqing and Niannu, until they were familiar with it. Every night, she summoned the court musician Li Guinian, along with the singer Ma Xianqi, the cymbal player Lei Haiqing, the pipa player He Huaizhi, and the drummer Huang Fanchuo, to the Chaoyuan Pavilion to teach the score and lyrics, so that it could be transmitted to the Pear Garden for singing and dancing. Thus, the sounds of singing and flute playing emanated from the Chaoyuan Pavilion every night.
This had already attracted the attention of a young man in Chang'an named Shi Li Mo. From childhood, he was proficient in music, and his iron flute was famous throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River. He happened to be traveling in the capital and had learned that his sister had composed a new melody called "Rainbow Feather Robe." He longed to hear its new sound, but alas, it was a secret melody kept within the palace and unknown to the common people. During the day, he quietly went to the foot of Mount Li, circled around to the back of the palace wall, and saw a towering building with the three characters "Chaoyuan Pavilion" illuminated by the setting sun. He also learned that Li Guinian taught singing in the pavilion every night, so when all was quiet at night, he carried an iron flute in his sleeve, leaned against the palace wall, and listened to the celestial music and songs from the tower. When the music stopped, a delicate voice sang the first verse: "Pearls of Li scatter and burst into the first beat, startled clouds flutter and turn crimson, drifting snow dances lightly in the wind, drifting snow dances lightly in the wind. The graceful beauty of moths is beyond compare."
The delicate voice sang from inside the palace wall, while the iron flute echoed from outside. After the first verse was sung, the second verse followed: "Pearls gleam and emeralds reflect, phoenixes soar and luan birds pause. On the Jade Mountain's peak, on the Lantern Festival, she waves her sleeves to lead the twins, E'lu turns her shoulder to beckon Xu Qiong."
The third verse went: "The sounds are rich and varied, the silk strings crisscross; the soaring clouds suddenly still, slowly gathering the dancing sleeves, gracefully, slowly gathering the dancing sleeves, gracefully. Flying up to the Jade Heaven, she sings a song."
Li Mo, listening quietly outside the palace walls as the verses were finished, couldn't help but whisper in praise: "Wonderful music! Truly like striking autumn bamboo, like striking spring ice; clearly a celestial sound, truly not of this world.
I have stolen it all from the flute, how fortunate!" He praised to himself, then looked up and saw that the pavilion was silent, all the lamps extinguished. Looking back at the slanting Milky Way and the setting moon, the Big Dipper turning and the stars scattering, he too took his iron flute and went back.
Li Guinian received the songs in the palace and then taught them to the young musicians of the Pear Garden, meticulously instructing them on how to play them. He also taught a group of singing girls to perform the Feathered Robe Dance. He trained them diligently day and night until they were proficient, and then went to report to the Emperor. Because the first day of the sixth month was Yang Guifei's birthday, Emperor Xuanzong specially ordered a banquet to be held in the Hall of Longevity. Li Guinian and his singing and dancing girls also waited in the hall to await the imperial decree to perform.
On this day, Emperor Xuanzong went to the Hall of Longevity after the morning court session. Because it was still early, two groups of palace maids were busy setting up the banquet. Li Guinian was already waiting for the decree in front of the hall. Emperor Xuanzong then ordered Gao Lishi to check whether the concubine had finished her morning makeup. Not long after Gao Lishi left, a group of palace maids surrounded Yang Guifei, gently moving palace fans as they walked up into the hall. When they saw the concubine, she had changed into a brightly colored cloud dress; she approached the Emperor and bowed gracefully. Consort Yang proclaimed, "Your Majesty, I, Yang, pay my respects and wish Your Majesty a long life! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Emperor Xuanzong quickly reached out to help the consort up, saying, "I wish to share this longevity with you, my lord." Once the consort was seated, Xuanzong said, "Today is your birthday, my lord. I have specially prepared this longevity banquet for our joy throughout the day." Consort Yang quickly rose from her seat to thank him, saying, "On this unfortunate birthday, I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's favor. I wish to offer Your Majesty a toast of longevity." As she spoke, a palace maid brought over a golden cup, which she presented to the Emperor. Xuanzong drank it, then had Gao Lishi fill his jade cup and hand it to the consort, saying, "May this add to your longevity, my lord." Consort Yang thanked him, and the two sat down facing each other. Celestial music played before the steps, and cups were passed around the hall. Just as the festivities were in full swing, Gao Lishi stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty and Your Majesty, the Imperial Uncle, Prime Minister Yang, along with the ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin, have presented birthday gifts and congratulatory letters outside the palace gates." Emperor Xuanzong took the gifts and handed them to his concubine. He then turned and issued an edict: "Please accept their gifts. Prime Minister, you may excuse yourself from the formalities and return to court. The ladies of the three kingdoms, await my return to the palace with Your Majesty for another banquet." Gao Lishi, having received the edict, returned to the table and reported, "Your Majesty, fresh lychees from Fuzhou and Hainan have arrived." Emperor Xuanzong quickly ordered them to be brought forward.
Three eunuchs carried three large ice platters on their heads, piled high with bright red lychees.
Upon seeing the lychees, Yang Guifei beamed with joy. It turned out that the concubine, who had grown up in Sichuan, loved lychees; after being selected as Empress, she received regular tributes from various regional military governors. The lychees produced in the Fuzhou area of the South China Sea were exceptionally beautiful and delicious, surpassing even those from Sichuan. Local officials were ordered to prepare a continuous supply route with post horses. In early summer, when the lychees ripened, they were harvested, stored in ice packs, and delivered by fast riders at each station. The riders and horses galloped tirelessly, many dying from hunger and exhaustion along the way, trampling countless pedestrians to death. When the lychees were finally presented to the palace, their beauty, color, and taste remained unchanged, costing hundreds of thousands of taels of silver and costing hundreds of lives, all for the sake of a smile from the imperial concubine as she ate them. Emperor Xuanzong's favor towards Yang Guifei was truly unparalleled. Du Mu's poem, "A rider in red dust, a concubine's smile; no one knows it's lychees arriving,"
vividly depicts the situation. Later generations wrote the "Legend of the Palace of Eternal Life," a chapter on the delivery of fruit that describes this scene well; I have appended it here for readers to refer to, to see the toil of the tribute envoys, the suffering of the postal workers, the loss of life, and the devastation of crops. This single act of delivering lychees serves as a warning for all time.
A lowly envoy, carrying a basket of lychees on a pole, whips his horse and gallops swiftly along the winding willow-lined path: "A journey of ten thousand miles, a hardship endured to bring lychees; ordered by the emperor, I have no choice but to go; what is fame and fortune but leisure? I long to reach Chang'an, just to see the Imperial Concubine. I am an envoy from Xichuan, sent annually to Fuzhou as tribute because the Imperial Concubine loves fresh lychees. The weather is hot, the journey is long, but I have no choice but to brave the hardship and ride swiftly." The envoy, dressed as a lowly official, carries a basket of lychees and whips his horse, galloping swiftly along the mountain path. "The lychees from the south are sweet and delicious, especially for the Imperial Concubine Yang. They are wrapped in leaves and sealed in a small bamboo basket. I ride day and night without stopping, afraid of delaying, rushing from one stop to another." Bai, an envoy from Hainan, was sent because Empress Yang loved fresh lychees. He believed Hainan's lychees were superior to those from Fuzhou, and thus ordered them to be delivered along with those from Fuzhou. However, the journey to Hainan was longer, and the lychees' fragrance diminished after seven days, so he had to rush to their destination. He whipped his horse, singing a few lines each time, then dismounted to play the role of an old farmer, raising ten drums. "Farmers toil so hard, worrying about drought and rain; they rely on these few seedlings, half of which goes to taxes. Alas, how many lychees they can eat! They wait daily for them to ripen, praying to heaven and gods for help!" Old Bai was a farmer in the eastern part of Jincheng County, with a family of eight, living off his meager land. He had heard that the envoy delivering fresh lychees had taken shortcuts, trampling countless crops, so he went to his field to guard them. "
Look over there, two fortune tellers are coming!" A young man, disguised as a blind fortune teller, holds bamboo clappers; a woman, disguised as a blind musician, plays the erhu. They travel together, a young man from Baocheng, heading towards Xianyang. He carefully observes the changing seasons and the five planets; he can clearly discern life and death, his iron tongue renowned far and wide. "Blind fortune teller, you are truly a saint; your name is better than a god's, come and tell my fortune!" "Old woman, I've walked quite a distance, but my feet hurt today, I really can't walk anymore; if it weren't for fortune telling, I'd be struggling to survive here!" "Mother, there's someone speaking over there, let me ask him." "Excuse me, sir, where is this place?" "This is Jincheng East Township, bordering Weixi Township." "I bow slightly, thank you for your guidance, sir." "The bell rings, look outside, oh, a group of horsemen is coming!" "Sir, take the main road, don't trample the crops." "Mother, I'm glad we're not far from the capital, let's go forward and hire a donkey for you to ride." The blind fortune teller sang three lines, then whipped his horse. He sang three lines again, then suddenly rushed forward, trampling the young scholar. The young scholar, now a clown, whipped his horse again. He sang three lines again, then suddenly trampled the young scholar to death. The young scholar stumbled and cried out towards the ancient gate, "Heavens! Look at this field of crops, all trampled to death by that scoundrel, clearly useless. Not to mention the lives of my family are in danger, now the government's grain is urgently needed, how will we pay it? So bitter!"
The young scholar crawled on the ground, crying, "Oh dear! He's trampled! Old man, where are you?" He touched the young scholar, "This is the old man, why isn't he making a sound? Did he knock you unconscious?" He touched him again, crying, "Oh dear! His head is wet!" He touched his hand again, "Oh no! His brains have been trampled out!"
He cried out, "Heavens! I'm doomed!" Turning around, he saw that it was a fortune teller, trampled to death here. The young scholar rose and prayed, "I only beg the local magistrate to come and pay with his life!"
Oh! That horseman! He's carrying fresh lychees to pay tribute to Lady Yang. He's trampled countless people along the way, and we dare not demand his life! What about you, a blind man? What can be done? I, your old man, cried! I foresaw your fate—to die on the road; but how can we dispose of your body now? Fine, wherever you go, I'll help you carry it and bury it! Thank you so much, I'll follow you and become your family, wouldn't that be good? (The story then shifts to a different scene: a young man dressed as a clown, acting as a messenger, leading a group of people to the post station. The post station official flees! The horse is dead, only the horse's clogs remain. There's a post station attendant, without a penny of money or provisions; he endures beatings and curses, braving them, braving them. He himself is a post station attendant in Weicheng.) Because Lady Yang loves fresh lychees, and June 1st is her birthday, envoys from Fuzhou and Hainan, who are offering tribute, are all rushing to the post station. The route passes through Muyi, but alas, the post station is penniless, and the only remaining horse is a skinny one. I, fearing a beating, don't know where it has escaped. So I'm temporarily leaving it at this post station. But how to deal with the envoys when they arrive? Let them be! I hastily order my horse, Huang Chenying, to hurry, hurry, hurry! We're nearing Chang'an. Dismount at the post station, quickly change horses! The clown takes the horse, puts down the basket, straightens his clothes, and rides on, drenched in sweat, limbs limp. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Change saddles. Dismount at the post station, quickly change horses! The clown takes the horse, puts down the basket, and greets the unseen guest! "Sir, are you also bringing lychees?" "Yes, indeed." "Post station, where is the food and drink for the next leg of the journey?" "I haven't prepared anything." "Fine, we won't eat, quickly bring the horses!" "Lords, there's only one horse left at the post station. Whichever of you chooses to ride it will do." "Hey, Deputy Jing! Such a large post station in Weicheng, how come there's only one horse? Quickly summon your corrupt official and ask him where the post horse is!" "If you mention the post horse, it's been ridden to death by the gentlemen bringing lychees year after year. The post station official had no choice but to leave." "Deputy Jing, even if the post station official has left, I'll just ask you for it." "Lord, isn't there a horse in this stall?" "I'm here first, let me ride it first." "Deputy Jing, I'm from Hainan, the journey is even longer, and you want me to ride first?" "I'm so rude, I'll just change horses first, I won't argue with you." "Deputy Jing, don't be so arrogant, you'll provoke me to fight." "I have lychees in my hand, how dare you throw them away!" "Deputy Jing, you have lychees in your hand, how dare you break my bamboo basket!" "Lord, please stop. Don't be so angry." Let's ride this skinny horse together. The second male lead, throwing lychees at the ugly man, is talking nonsense! The first male lead said, "I'll only beat you, you filthy, condemned prisoner! The second male lead, throwing lychees at the ugly man, I'll beat you, you unruly scoundrel!" The second male lead is a sycophant, with a big, oily mouth. The third male lead is a fool, with the guts of a bull! Let's beat you together, whipping and punching you until you can't take it anymore, then the horse will have its own. The ugly man kowtows, the first male lead kowtows repeatedly to the ground, then gently releases his grip on the horse below. The second male lead and the third male lead, if you want to spare him, quickly change horses. The ugly man has one horse, we have one at the post station. The second male lead and the third male lead want another. The ugly man has a second horse, it's really hard to find one. The second male lead and the third male lead have no choice but to beat him! The ugly man, hold on, please listen to my explanation, I can only take off my clothes and give them to you as a substitute for wine! Take off your clothes, who wants your clothes! The second male lead says, "I'll put the clothes on, but we need to hurry on our way. I'll ride the horse I was riding, let's change at the next station." "Take the fruit, mount the horse, and sing again. Before that, I'll ride off in three lines. Quickly, change horses, I'll ride! Ugly horse, here I am. Before that, take the fruit, mount the horse, and sing again. I'll ride off in three lines. Ugly horse, oh, Empress Yang! Empress Yang! Just for these few lychees, the iron gates and golden locks were opened all night, the yellow paper flew back with the imperial edict; the post horse's whip cracked like lightning, no one knew it was lychees that had arrived.
" This passage, though a later embellishment and conjecture, truly reflects the reality of the suffering of the people and the destruction of crops at that time. Now, let's talk about Emperor Xuanzong saying to Consort Yang: "Consort, because you love lychees, I specially ordered local officials to send them as tribute. Today, the birthday banquet has just begun, and the fine fruit has arrived. I should offer Consort Yang another cup!" Consort Yang accepted the order and drank the wine, while Yongqing and Niannu peeled lychees and presented them to the Emperor and Consort Yang. Li Guinian led a group of singers and dancers from the "Rainbow Feather Robe" melody to the palace to pay their respects to the Emperor. Guinian announced, "The musician Li Guinian, leading the Pear Garden performers, pays his respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty." Emperor Xuanzong ordered that the "Rainbow Feather Robe" melody be played immediately. Li Guinian obeyed and went down to the palace. A chorus of celestial music filled the air, playing in unison. Emperor Xuanzong was delighted. Then, group after group of dancers appeared, their graceful movements and charming songs captivating everyone in the palace.
Emperor Xuanzong repeatedly praised, "What beautiful dance!"
When the singing and dancing ceased, Consort Yang rose from her seat and said, "Such vulgar and common dances are not worth watching. I have a jade plate set; please allow me to try dancing on it to please Your Majesty." Upon hearing that his consort could dance, and even dance on a jade plate, Emperor Xuanzong was overjoyed, his face beaming with delight. He then said, "The concubine's dance is exquisite; none of us have ever seen anything like it." Turning around, he summoned Yongqing and Niannu, instructing them, along with Zheng Guanyin and Xie Aman, to assist the Empress in bringing the jade platter. Yang Guifei temporarily withdrew to change her dance attire.
About twenty eunuchs carried a seven-foot-tall jade platter: the platter was round like the moon, smooth and vibrant; its base was carved in the shape of a lotus flower, supported by a pillar; and four jade fish were carved at its feet, their heads raised in support. Emperor Xuanzong was pleased and summoned Gao Lishi to convey his decree that Li Guinian lead the Pear Garden performers to play music according to the score. He also ordered the Jie drum to be brought to the palace so that he could personally play it. Yang Guifei wore a white embroidered robe with a floral crown, adorned with brocade tassels and a cloud-patterned shoulder, and a bright red dance skirt with green sleeves. Zheng Guanyin and Xie Aman, each dressed in a white dance costume, carried colorful rainbow-colored peacock fans, shielding the Empress as she entered the palace. Yongqing and Niannu escorted the concubine onto the jade plate. As the music began, the banners and fans slowly moved aside. Emperor Xuanzong beat the drum, and Yang Guifei danced gracefully on the plate. Her waist was slender and supple, swirling and tumbling; the music rose higher and higher, and her dance became more and more rapid. On the jade plate, the tips of her shoes dotted the surface, and her sleeves swirled in the wind; the more she spun, the less discernible her figure and the glint of her hairpins. Just as the scene was chaotic and dazzling, the music suddenly stopped, the dance ceased, and the banners and fans closed again. Yongqing and Niannu went forward and helped the concubine down from the plate. She walked before Emperor Xuanzong and bowed deeply. Emperor Xuanzong held the concubine's waist and praised, "Wonderful dance! So graceful and elegant, so full of charm, like swirling snow in the wind, like a swallow in flight or a dragon in flight, truly unique and unparalleled for all time!" He then turned and called for the palace maids to bring wine, so that he and his wife could drink. After Guan Jie received the wine, Emperor Xuanzong issued an edict: "Quickly bring me ten bolts of my precious brocade adorned with mandarin ducks and a purple-gold hairpin from Lishui, to be given to my concubine as a small gift." He then personally untied a precious brocade sachet made of agate and eight treasures from his waist and handed it to the concubine, saying, "This will help you with your dancing." The concubine accepted it.
Seeing the concubine's face flushed and slightly damp with fragrant sweat, Emperor Xuanzong ordered a warm bath to be prepared, so that he and the concubine could bathe together. He then took the concubine's hand and led her towards the Huaqing Pool.
At that moment, in the Dragon Spring Pool, fish, dragons, ducks, and geese carved from white jade, a tribute from Fanyang brought by An Lushan, floated on the surface. Emperor Xuanzong and the concubine undressed and entered the water. The fish and dragons seemed to fly, their scales and wings flapping. In the pool, there were small silver boats, in which the emperor and concubine sat naked, moving back and forth. She then sewed brocade into various flowers, which floated on the water for her concubines to play with. Emperor Xuanzong swam for a long time before finally helping the concubine out of the water. Seeing her limp and weak waist, Xuanzong felt great pity and took her to his bedchamber to sleep.
Now, let's talk about An Lushan. Originally a Hu (non-Han) from Liucheng, Yingzhou, his original surname was Kang. His mother, Ashide, possessed sorcery and lived in the Turkic country. She entered the Yaluo Mountain, had an affair, became pregnant, and gave birth to An Lushan. At the time, it was claimed that she had prayed to the God of War in the Yaluo Mountain and conceived a child.
When Lushan was born, a strange light shone into the sky, and wild beasts cried out. Those who observed the signs said it was an auspicious omen and reported it to Zhang Renyuan, the military governor of Fanyang. Zhang Renyuan knew it was the birth of a rebel and hurriedly led his troops to personally search for and capture him. Ashide took her son and fled into the Yaluo Mountain. His stepmother then married the Hu general An Yanyan, and Lushan adopted the surname An. In the early years of the Kaiyuan era, Yan Yan brought An Lushan to China, where they stayed with General An Daomai and became sworn brothers with Daomai's son. As An Lushan grew up, he became cunning, shrewd, and adept at understanding human nature. He was fluent in the languages of the six barbarian tribes and worked as a market vendor.
One day, a kind shepherd stole a sheep and was bound and taken to the military governor's office. The governor, Zhang Shougui, ordered him killed. An Lushan cried out, "Do you not wish to destroy the two barbarian tribes? If you wish to destroy them, then you shouldn't kill me!" Zhang Shougui, seeing his ambitious words and his tall, fair-skinned appearance, released him. An Lushan and Shi Siming idled away their days hunting in the mountains and by the water, becoming quite familiar with the geography of the six barbarian regions. The five of them, on horseback, could capture dozens of Khitan soldiers alive and deliver them to the governor. Zhang Shougui was amazed and assigned a small detachment of soldiers to An Lushan's command. An Lushan won every battle and was promoted to lieutenant general. Zhang Shougui then adopted him as his son, and he rose directly to the position of Deputy Military Governor of Youzhou. At that time, the Imperial Censor Zhang Lizhen came to Hebei to investigate, and An Lushan used every means to flatter him, showering his followers with gold and jewels. Upon returning to the capital, Lizhen spoke highly of An Lushan's loyalty and bravery before Emperor Xuanzong. An imperial edict was issued, promoting An Lushan to Governor of Yingzhou. Whenever officials traveled to or from the capital, An Lushan would generously bribe them. Those officials, before the emperor, all praised An Lushan as a good official. Emperor Xuanzong further promoted An Lushan to Military Commissioner of the Four Prefectures of Liangfan, Bohai, and Heishui.
In the second year of the Tianbao era, An Lushan entered the court and first paid his respects to the two prime ministers, Yang Guozhong and Li Linfu, presenting them with countless amounts of gold and silk. Li Linfu then advised that since the Khitans were now a threat, it was advisable to heavily rely on barbarian generals. Emperor Xuanzong then appointed An Lushan as General of the Cavalry. After retreating to the inner palace, Xuanzong continued to praise An Lushan's handsome appearance and imposing stature, never ceasing his praise. Yang Guifei, upon hearing this, was moved. She then said, "Your Majesty's acquisition of such a great general is a blessing for the nation; I presume to hold a banquet for An Lushan in the inner palace tomorrow. I believe that receiving such a feast from me will make him even more grateful and more willing to serve the country.
" Xuanzong, upon hearing this, repeatedly praised her wisdom. He also remarked that if the concubine were to become emperor, she would surely be a wise and virtuous ruler.
The next day, Yang Guifei indeed held a grand banquet in the inner palace, and Xuanzong issued an edict summoning General of the Cavalry An Lushan to the palace to receive the banquet. An Lushan, fully armored, strode into the palace. Upon seeing the Imperial Concubine Yang, he prostrated himself before the jade steps, addressing her as "Your Majesty, Long Live the Emperor!" The Imperial Concubine Yang, seeing that An Lushan was indeed tall and handsome, and most charmingly plump and graceful, she sweetly announced, "General, rise and proceed to the banquet." Just then, Emperor Xuanzong returned to the palace after court. An Lushan went to pay his respects; the emperor and the imperial concubine sat at the center of the table, while An Lushan sat alone at a lower table. An Lushan thanked the Emperor and took his seat to begin the banquet. Music filled the air below, and during the drinking, An Lushan boasted of his military exploits in the Youzhou region, how he had captured enemy generals, and how he had pursued fleeing enemy soldiers—his tales were so vivid and captivating that even the Imperial Concubine Yang listened with delight. Seeing his eloquence and witty remarks, the Imperial Concubine asked him questions, which An Lushan answered in detail. The concubine, seeing An Lushan's handsome features and youthful vigor, couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. An Lushan, being an astute man, immediately understood the concubine's expression; a sudden inspiration struck him, and he rose from his seat, prostrating himself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. Emperor Xuanzong, seeing this, was greatly surprised and hurriedly asked, "General, why are you being so courteous?
" An Lushan, still kowtowing, replied, "This humble subject deserves death, but I dare not speak my innermost thoughts to Your Majesty and Your Majesty!" As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes again. Emperor Xuanzong quickly comforted him with kind words, and the Imperial Concubine added, "General, please speak frankly. His Majesty is the most magnanimous." Xuanzong also said, "Please forgive the general's transgression, speak quickly!" An Lushan wiped away his tears with his sleeve and said, "This was merely a child's lapse of judgment. Upon seeing Your Majesty's face, I was reminded of my birth mother, whose appearance resembled Your Majesty's, causing me immense sorrow. Now, thanks to the boundless grace of His Majesty and Your Majesty, I am pardoned. I deserve death, but I beg Your Majesty to adopt me as your son. Even if I am immediately sentenced to death, my heart will be at peace!" Upon hearing this, the Imperial Concubine couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile, but dared not speak, only glancing at Xuanzong's face. To everyone's surprise, Xuanzong readily agreed, saying that he would grant the general's wish and adopt him under the Imperial Concubine's name. An Lushan was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly, proclaiming, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Mother!"
From then on, Emperor Xuanzong favored Lushan immensely. Lushan lived in the capital for a long time, freely entering and leaving the palace. He often sat and chatted intimately with Yang Guifei. Sometimes, when Xuanzong was present, Lushan would only bow to the concubine, not the emperor. Xuanzong jokingly asked, "My son, why don't you bow to your father?" Lushan replied, "This barbarian boy knows his mother but not his father, therefore he doesn't bow." Xuanzong laughed heartily. Noticing Lushan's large belly, Xuanzong pointed and asked, "My son, what's in your belly that's so huge?
" Lushan replied, "There's nothing else in my belly, only my loyal heart!" Xuanzong found Lushan even more endearing, and from then on, whenever Lushan attended court, Xuanzong treated him with special courtesy. A golden rooster screen was displayed to the west of the hall; when Lushan came, he was granted a seat within the screen. Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince secretly advised, "No subject sits or bows before the Emperor. Your Majesty's favor towards An Lushan is excessive; he will surely become arrogant." Emperor Xuanzong said softly to the Crown
Prince, "This barbarian boy has an extraordinary appearance; I will subdue him with my favor." However, An Lushan, having gained the favor of Emperor Xuanzong and Consort Yang, devised countless methods to win their hearts. Seeing that Emperor Xuanzong doted on Consort Yang, seeking pleasure day and night without ever feeling satisfied, he secretly presented her with one hundred aphrodisiac incense pellets. These incense pellets, made from herbs from the barbarian lands, were the size of rice grains, slightly reddish in color, and exquisitely beautiful. Whenever the Emperor and Consort Yang were in the inner palace, the Emperor would hold one of these pellets in his mouth, which would enhance their arousal and increase their stamina. The Emperor and Consort Yang were delighted and treasured them greatly, keeping them in their pillowcases, taking them out to use whenever the mood struck. Emperor Xuanzong often said, "This is also a testament to the prudence and care shown in the Han palace!" Even when Xuanzong was not in the palace, An Lushan would frequently visit the Imperial Concubine Yang. The Imperial Concubine granted An Lushan permission to bathe in the Huaqing Pool. After his bath, she used scraps of brocade of various colors to make a small cradle, and had An Lushan lie in it, pretending to be a child. Dozens of palace maids carried the cradle to the Imperial Concubine Yang. An Lushan called out "Mother!" Seeing this, the Imperial Concubine Yang couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. Just then, Emperor Xuanzong entered the palace, saw this, and laughed heartily. He immediately ordered a reward of 100,000 coins for the baby's bath. An Lushan jumped out of the cradle, crawled on the ground, and thanked the Emperor. Xuanzong helped An Lushan up and, hand in hand, led him to the West Pavilion. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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