[Romantic Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty Court] [83] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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Chapter 83: Emperor Dezong's Flattery of Lady Wang Leads to His Resignation and Marriage to a Beauty
At that time, there was a minister in the court named Wang Chengsheng, with whom Emperor Dezong had become very close when he was still the Crown Prince. Chengsheng loved the zither, as did Dezong; Chengsheng had a younger sister named Zhu, who was skilled at playing the zither.
One day, Wang Chengsheng invited the Crown Prince to his private residence to listen to his sister play the zither. The two sat high in the hall, surrounded by a crimson screen. Wang Zhu sat behind the screen, and the melodious sound of the zither drifted out from behind it. Dezong was drinking when he heard the melodious and pleasant music. He unconsciously put down his wine cup and listened intently; the music was sometimes like the harmonious singing of phoenixes, sometimes like the roar of stormy seas. When the piece ended, Dezong kept clapping his hands on the table, praising it endlessly. When Dezong was still the Crown Prince, he had long heard that this Miss Wang Zhu was exceptionally beautiful, and he had long admired her; now, after hearing the music, he found this beauty even more endearing. He then said to Wang Chengsheng, "I wish to meet your sister." Having received the Crown Prince's decree, Cheng Sheng readily agreed, believing his sister was favored by the prince and destined for immense wealth and honor. Overjoyed, he rushed into the inner chamber to tell his sister, urging her to quickly dress and meet the Crown Prince. He then returned to the inner chamber to drink and chat with the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, also pleased to see the beautiful woman, drank and chatted for some time, but Miss Wang Zhu still hadn't emerged. Anxious, Wang Cheng Sheng went back to the inner courtyard to urge her, only to find his sister still lying on the embroidered couch, disheveled and dressed, holding a book and reading as if nothing had happened. Wang Cheng Sheng was quite surprised and hurriedly urged his sister to quickly dress and go out to pay her respects to the Crown Prince. What a fine young lady, Wang Zhu! Her brother was in the fire, while she herself was in the water. Seeing her brother pacing anxiously around the room, she couldn't help but smile and say, "What does the Crown Prince have to do with us girls? Why are you so anxious! You men only care about fame and fortune, but we girls don't care about anything like that! It's better not to see him!" Hearing his sister say "not to see him," Wang Chengsheng hurriedly bowed to her and said, "Good sister, please, for your brother's sake, go out and see him!" Hearing this, Wang Zhu stood up with a smile, looked in the mirror, and slightly tidied her hair. Without applying makeup or changing her clothes, she took her maid's shoulder and gracefully walked towards the outer courtyard.
Wang Chengsheng rushed out, ahead of his sister, and announced his name to the Crown Prince, saying, "Your humble sister, Wang Zhu, greets Your Majesty." Wang Zhu then gracefully bowed as well. When Emperor Dezong saw her, she was indeed naturally beautiful without any makeup. Lost in thought, he stood up; intending to reach out and help her, Wang Zhu had already risen, gracefully turning and entering. The
Crown Prince stood there, mesmerized, until Wang Chengsheng went to greet him and invited him to return to his seat for drinks. Dezong, however, had no desire to remain seated, rose to take his leave, and returned to the Eastern Palace. From then on, he was consumed by longing and lost his appetite. At this time, Consort Wang, Dezong's favorite, noticed his sudden change in mood and inquired extensively, only to learn that it was because she missed the daughter of the Wang family. Consort Wang then managed to inform the Empress, who reported this to the Emperor. Emperor Daizong, who doted on Dezong, having heard of Wang Chengsheng's sister's unparalleled beauty, first dispatched the imperial minister Li Sheng and his wife to the Wang family to convey his decree, wishing to make Wang Zhu the Crown Prince's consort. Lady Chen, wife of Li Sheng, acting on the Empress's orders, led the palace maids to the inner quarters of the Wang family to serve Wang Zhu a fragrant bath. In the warm room, they removed her clothes to examine her. She saw skin as smooth as jade, a waist as slender as a willow; shoulders like jade, breasts high and firm; broad hips, a round navel, smooth legs, and tucked toes. Her face was radiant, her lips like pearls, her eyes like jade, exceptionally beautiful; her long hair flowed to the ground, glossy and lustrous.
Lady Chen, admiring her, exclaimed, "This girl is so beautiful, I feel pity for her! She is truly a rare beauty!" Poor Wang Zhu, a girl, so delicate and shy; now, being played with and manipulated by a group of foolish women, she was already overcome with shame and tears streamed down her face. Later, upon hearing that she had been summoned to the palace and given the title of Consort of the Crown Prince, she began to weep sweetly, saying, "I would rather die than go to the palace!" She added, "Throughout history, all emperors, except for Emperor Xuanzong, have been fickle men. A girl who enters the palace will never have a good ending." Her brother also came in to persuade her, saying, "Today's emperor is tomorrow's emperor; if my sister enters the palace and gains his favor, I'm afraid she won't be able to become an empress in the future." Wang Chengsheng repeatedly spoke, persuading and comforting her. Pressed by her brother, Wang Zhu had no choice but to say, "I am still young and don't understand etiquette. If I go to the Eastern Palace and do something impolite, wouldn't that implicate my brother? Since His Highness has favored me, please ask him to plead with the Crown Prince. It won't be too late to enter the palace after he ascends the throne and makes me a Consort. If you force me to go to the palace today, I might commit the crime of disobeying the imperial decree, and even if you tear me to pieces, it will be useless!" Wang Chengsheng knew that his sister was strong-willed and would really take someone's life if he disobeyed her. He immediately went to the Eastern Palace and told the Crown Prince what his sister had said. The Crown Prince was indeed a romantic, and when he heard that Wang Zhu was willing to be his Consort, he was willing to patiently wait for her.
In the blink of an eye, Emperor Dezong ascended the throne and became the emperor. There was a Consort Wang, whom he had always favored. However, in the third year of Zhenyuan, she fell ill and was bedridden for the rest of the year. During her illness, she only thought of her own son, urging Emperor Dezong to make him crown prince. Dezong, wanting to appease Consort Wang, made the prince crown prince and then made Consort Wang empress. On the day of the investiture ceremony, held at Kunde Palace, the poor Empress Wang, exhausted, closed her eyes and died. Dezong was deeply grieved. Even after the funeral and temple ceremony, he still missed the empress, his face constantly clouded with sorrow. The imperial relatives and ministers, including Li Sheng and Hun Jian, seeing the emperor's distress and fearing it would harm his health, took turns keeping him company, drinking, laughing, and playing in the imperial garden. Chancellor Zhang Yanshang and Liu Hun composed music for the palace maids to sing and dance. Dezong's grief gradually eased. Suddenly remembering the beautiful Consort Wang, he ordered the Hanlin Academician Wu Tongxuan to take the imperial edict to Wang Chengsheng's home to read aloud, establishing Wang Zhu as the Noble Consort Yi.
At this time, Wang Zhu had grown even more beautiful; Emperor Dezong summoned her to the palace and treated her like a precious jewel. From then on, he forgot about the important affairs of court, spending his days accompanying Consort Wang in laughter and play; he forgot all the three thousand beauties in the harem. Every night, he would visit Consort Wang's palace, and seeing her skin as white and fair as jade, he would take pearls and jade from his treasury, string them into a garment, and bestow it upon her; her powdered face and fragrant perfume, combined with the glittering jewels, made her appear even more beautiful, like a celestial being. Emperor Dezong was at a loss for how to best favor her. Consort Wang was also naturally fastidious, requiring herself to bathe, comb, and change clothes three times a day; whenever she sat up, a palace maid would be there with a cushion to change her clothes. For every meal, eight palace maids would be on either side to inspect the food and drink. Therefore, every move Consort Wang made was accompanied by hundreds of palace maids, protecting her from front to back. Emperor Dezong then built a crystal pavilion for Consort Wang, with crystal walls throughout, so that the shadows of those who walked within were cast on the walls. On the day the crystal pavilion was completed, Dezong held a grand banquet downstairs, summoning the wives of ministers and noblewomen, as well as the concubines of the six palaces, to stroll and enjoy themselves. Amidst the revelry, music filled the air, and dancers sang and danced. Suddenly, Consort Wang disappeared. When Dezong inquired, a palace maid replied, "Her Majesty has gone upstairs to rest." Dezong, unable to bear being away from Consort Wang for even a moment, hurriedly ordered the maid to go upstairs and summon her; the maid returned after a long while, but Consort Wang did not return.
Emperor Dezong couldn't bear it any longer and went upstairs to see for himself. He found Consort Wang sitting on her bed, head bowed, wiping away tears. Dezong was filled with both sorrow and astonishment. Strangely enough, Consort Wang had never smiled since entering the palace. No matter how much Emperor Dezong tried to coax and comfort her, she remained silent with her head down. Seeing such a beautiful woman who never smiled was the greatest regret of Dezong's life. He often muttered to himself, "If I could see Consort Wang smile, I would gladly abandon the throne." But Consort Wang refused to smile. In fact, the more she saw the Emperor's affection, the more her brows furrowed. Dezong mistakenly believed he had failed in his duty of affection and began to lavish extra attention on her. He showered her with tenderness and love, indulging her every whim, but this only made things worse. All he heard was Consort Wang's constant sighing. Emperor Dezong, fearing he might wrong this beauty, built this Crystal Tower, extravagantly luxurious; he hoped that on the day the Crystal Tower was completed, the beauty would smile. Who would have thought that today Consort Wang would burst into tears, and the more she saw Emperor Dezong standing before her, the more heartbroken she became. Emperor Dezong wanted to go forward to comfort her, but suddenly saw Consort Wang kneeling on the ground, pleading, "Your Majesty, please spare this lowly servant! This lowly servant knows her fate is unkind, unable to bear Your Majesty's boundless favor, and even more unable to bear the constraints of the palace; since entering the palace, I have been tormented by longing for home. Moreover, the palace etiquette is cumbersome, and my movements are constantly monitored, making me feel like a prisoner. Your Majesty's lavish favor is like thorns in my back, needles on my thigh, making me lose my appetite and my soul restless. If Your Majesty has pity on this lowly servant's unfortunate fate, please release me from the palace and restore my freedom; then I will be eternally grateful for Your Majesty's boundless kindness!" Emperor Dezong was not expecting Consort Wang to say such words, and was very disappointed. He was about to reprimand her, but seeing her weeping like a pear blossom in the rain, looking so pitiful, he silently went downstairs and went to drink and make merry with his concubines.
But Emperor Dezong's most beloved concubine was Consort Wang. Now that she was no longer by his side, he felt utterly desolate, too listless to drink, listen to songs, or watch dances.
At that time, Lady Li and Consort Zuo were serving him, eager for Consort Wang to fall out of favor so they could climb the social ladder. Lady Li, feigning charm, urged the Emperor to drink. She added, "Your Majesty truly dotes on Consort Wang. It's said that favor breeds arrogance; no wonder she behaves so rudely before Your Majesty." Consort Zuo chimed in, "It's no wonder Consort Wang is unworthy of Your Majesty's immense favor. Born of humble origins, she is incapable of enjoying wealth and glory.
When I lived at my mother's house, I had a maid named Xihong, who was later given to my uncle as a concubine. My uncle was just about to die..." Seeing that Xihong was quite beautiful, he intended to make her his principal wife.
However, this concubine was born of lowly nature; seeing her master's favor, she felt like an enemy and refused to be with him. The master, having no other choice, took another wife. Because Xihong was young and lovely, he occasionally bestowed upon her fine silks and jewels. But this concubine refused to use them, spending her days in disheveled hair and coarse clothes, mingling with the maids, doing mundane tasks, laughing and joking as if nothing had happened. Was this not born of lowly nature? Emperor Dezong, upon hearing this, couldn't help but laugh heartily. That night, after the banquet, Emperor Dezong visited Consort Zuo's palace.
The next day, upon rising, he still couldn't forget Consort Wang, and went to the Crystal Tower to see her. There he saw Consort Wang, also disheveled and coarsely dressed, mingling with the palace maids. Emperor Dezong suddenly remembered Consort Zuo's words from the previous day and couldn't help but laugh. Consort Wang, upon seeing the Emperor, still begged to be released from the palace.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Dezong sneered and said, "Truly born with a lowly nature, beyond redemption." He immediately ordered the chief eunuch to issue a decree stripping Wang Guifei of her title; Wang Zhu was to be dressed in her original palace attire, carried in a small carriage, and escorted out of the palace gates to return to her family home. He then conveyed an edict to Wang Chengsheng: "Your sister is truly a poor woman; I cannot defy fate and force her to stay. She is destined for poverty and will never enjoy wealth and honor. She should be married to a military officer; she must not be allowed to marry into an official family." Wang Chengsheng received the emperor's decree, feeling deeply unhappy. Seeing his sister return home, smiling and cheerful, charming and pitiful, he wanted to scold her, but seeing her innocently chasing after him, calling him "brother" repeatedly, he couldn't bear to say anything more. Wang Zhu spent her days at home, frolicking in the back garden with her maids and servants. Sometimes, under the flowers and moonlight, she would play a tune on the zither, which would make the maids and servants dance with joy.
At this time, there was a man named Yuan Shihui, an official holding the position of Zhongshu Sheren (a high-ranking official in the Imperial Secretariat). He was very handsome and well-versed in music. Now thirty-two years old, he was a close friend of Wang Chengsheng, but because he was three years younger than Wang Chengsheng, he addressed Wang Chengsheng as his elder brother. He was married to a woman named Zhong, who was also skilled in music. The couple enjoyed playing the zither and se (another high-ranking official instrument) together in their private quarters, and were very compatible. When Wang Zhu was a young girl, she had met Yuan Shihui several times; they talked about music with great interest. However, to avoid any impropriety, they did not meet often. Wang Zhu had also boasted to her maids and servants that Yuan Shihui was the most talented man of the time. Somehow, these words somehow reached Yuan Shihui's ears, and he felt an instant connection with her, driving him almost mad. He would often sit alone in his study, sighing, "Miss Wang is truly my soulmate!" When this reached Lady Zhong's ears, it caused a quarrel between the couple, and from then on, Lady Zhong forbade her husband from visiting the Wang family again. Miss Wang Zhu was soon summoned to the palace by Emperor Dezong and made a concubine, thus ending her hopes with both sides. Unexpectedly, this Miss Wang had now withdrawn from the palace and was living at home, still a lonely woman awaiting marriage.
One day, Yuan Shihui, having not visited the Wang family in a long time, was bored at home and strolled to the Wang residence to visit Wang Chengsheng. Chengsheng was not home. Yuan Shihui was a familiar face in the Wang family, so he came and went freely without anyone interfering. Although Wang Chengsheng was not at home at the time, Yuan Shihui went into Chengsheng's study to sit idly. He had just sat down when he suddenly heard the melodious sound of a zither coming from behind the wall. This was something Yuan Shihui loved, so he couldn't help but stand up and follow the sound. Behind the study was a moon gate leading to the back garden; Yuan Shihui and Wang Chengsheng often frequented the garden for their zither and wine gatherings, so he was very familiar with the paths.
Hearing the zither music coming from the peony terrace to the east, he turned along the flower path and indeed saw Miss Wang sitting among the flowers, playing the zither. Strangely enough, Miss Wang's zither music seemed to understand the hearts of men; when a guest secretly listened, her strings were moved and produced new melodies. Miss Wang stopped playing, pushed the zither aside, and stood up with a smile, saying, "When the zither music reaches the 'Zhi' note, a distinguished guest is sure to arrive.
" Turning around, she indeed saw Yuan Shihui standing far away under the rose trellis, listening to the zither. Upon seeing Miss Wang, he hurried forward, bowed deeply, and said with a smile, "Miss, you play the zither beautifully; I've been eavesdropping." Wang Zhu, noticing Yuan Shihui dressed in mourning, couldn't help but ask, "Who has passed away at your residence, Mr. Yuan, that you are dressed in such deep mourning?" Yuan Shihui, upon being asked, sighed and said, "This is also a misfortune for my family. My wife, Zhong, passed away last year. When we were alive, we played the zither and lute in our chambers, and we were very close; now I remember her dearly. Therefore, I wear such heavy mourning clothes." After Yuan Shihui finished speaking, Miss Wang couldn't help but say, "What an affectionate husband!" But then, realizing her words were too intimate, she blushed deeply, lowered her head, and couldn't utter another word. Seeing that Miss Wang was accompanied by maids and that she had been made a concubine, Yuan Shihui, being a man, felt it inappropriate to linger and immediately took his leave. Back home, for some reason, he became restless.
Finally, the next day arrived, and he went to Wang Chengsheng's residence under the pretense of visiting him. Wang Chengsheng was home, and knowing his good friend hadn't seen him for many days, he naturally had a heart-to-heart talk. Seeing Shi Hui's melancholy expression, Wang Chengsheng knew it was because he had recently lost his wife and was still grieving; so he comforted him with kind words. He didn't know that Yuan Shi Hui had other worries, and his inability to fulfill his wishes caused his depressed expression and hesitant behavior, as he struggled to express them to Wang Chengsheng. Since meeting Miss Wang Zhu in the garden the previous day, Yuan Shi Hui had felt a deep longing; as a newly widowed man, he was looking for a companion to alleviate his loneliness. Miss Wang Zhu was someone he had long admired, and a beautiful woman with a keen ear for music; how could he not think of her? This longing caused his friendship with Wang Chengsheng to fade. His heart was now solely focused on Miss Wang Zhu in her chambers.
Each time he visited the Wang family, he was prevented from meeting the beauty by Wang Chengsheng. He visited the Wang family three or five times, always drinking and chatting with Wang Chengsheng, repeatedly wanting to express his admiration for his sister. However, his sister had been made a concubine, and although she had retired from the palace, this beauty, having served the emperor, was considered his exclusive possession. Who would dare to harbor such a presumptuous thought of marriage? Therefore, he spoke his mind but dared not utter it aloud. Later, he devised a clever plan. Every morning, instead of going to court, he would wait at a distance outside the Wang family's gate. When Wang Chengsheng went out to court, he would pretend to visit him. The servants would tell him that their master was not home, so he would linger in Wang Chengsheng's study. The servants, knowing he was their master's honored guest, did not suspect him. This scholar would sit alone in the study, until Wang Chengsheng returned home from court and they would meet again for wine and music. This went on for another three to five days. Although Wang Chengsheng had his suspicions, he was too embarrassed to ask.
Unexpectedly, while Yuan Shihui sat alone in his study, a quick-tongued maidservant overheard the conversation and shared it with Miss Zhu. Miss Zhu, having left the palace, had already shed much of her shyness. She immediately came out of the study, supported by a maidservant, to greet the guest on behalf of her brother. The two of them, each with their own worries, unknowingly revealed their innermost thoughts during their conversation. Seeing that the maid was not around, and that Miss Zhu was turning her slender waist to play the zither, with Yuan Shihui sitting behind her, silently enjoying each other's company, Shihui couldn't help but stand up. He climbed up from behind Miss Zhu, embraced her slender waist, and whispered, "Please have pity on me, Miss! I'm all alone! I think of you every day and I'm going crazy!" Miss Zhu had long understood what he meant, so she let him embrace her waist, only covering her face with a handkerchief and sobbing softly. Yuan Shihui was so flustered that he kept calling her "Miss" to comfort her. He pressed her further, asking, "What is troubling you, Miss? Tell me! If I can ease your sorrow, I would gladly give my life!" Miss Zhu sighed softly and said, "I was once a pure and innocent girl, like pearls and jade. But ever since this wicked emperor forcibly dragged me to the palace, defiled my body, and turned me into a withered flower, losing all shame and chastity; now, how can I face anyone?" "Oh!" Yuan Shihui exclaimed, "Miss only said that, but I have always regarded you as a pure and holy celestial being!" Then, Shihui asked, "I heard that in the palace, you are deeply favored by His Majesty, adorned with jewels and draped in fine silks. Hundreds of clever palace maids have been chosen for you to serve you day and night, and a crystal tower has been built for you. With such favor, you should know His Majesty's good intentions, so why do you insist on leaving the palace?" Miss Zhu, upon being asked, couldn't help but flinch, pointing a slender finger lightly at Yuan Shihui's forehead, and said, "How dare you, a self-proclaimed refined person, ask such a question! Do you think this vulgar and wealthy place is fit for us refined people? A perfectly good girl, once she enters the palace, loses all sense of shame. Everyone acts coquettishly, trying to please this stinking emperor; those who don't receive his favor complain and blame fate. Even those who do receive his favor risk their pure, innocent bodies to be played with by this lewd emperor. As
concubines, besides dressing up and waiting for the emperor's pleasure every day, they have no freedom in their movements or words. Imagine this prostitute-like appearance, like a prisoner locked up in jail all day; can we, refined people, endure such a life of misery and humiliation?" As Miss Zhu spoke, she became indignant, her cheeks flushed red, and her eyebrows furrowed. Shi Hui, standing to the side, listened and couldn't help but bow. He then heard Miss Zhu say, "I am now a broken woman, I only ask to marry a poor but kind man, so we can live happily together; even if I become a beggar, I will be content." Miss Zhu, having forgotten her feminine modesty, seized the opportunity to grab her hand, her face flushed, and pressed close to her, saying, "Does Miss think I am barely qualified?" Miss Zhu let him hold her hand, but simply shook her head. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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[Romantic Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty Court] [83] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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