Chapter 52: First Encounter with An Lushan at Huaqing Palace

In the third year of the Tianbao era, spring.

At the foot of Mount Li, Huaqing Palace was already a mass of blooming flowers, warm and cozy.

From the Divine Capital Luoyang to Chang'an, and then to the foot of Mount Li, the official road along the way had been freshly repaired; the Imperial Guards' ceremonial procession stretched ten miles, banners fluttering, drums and gongs sounding together.

Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji, accompanied by his most beloved Yang Guifei and the full complement of civil and military officials, arrived in grand style at this luxurious temporary palace.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu), as a Fifth Rank Gentleman of the Court, naturally joined the entourage. He rode in an unremarkable carriage, lost among the vast convoy, silently watching the prosperous scenery outside the window.

He knew this might be the last time the High Tang would see such a massive collective outing.

The banquet was held in the largest hall of Huaqing Palace, the Changsheng Hall.

Inside the hall, lights blazed bright as day. Thick Persian carpets covered the floor, and palace maids, like fluttering flower‑butterflies, trays of exquisite dishes and fragrant wine in hand, weaved through the seats.

The lingering melody of the 'Rainbow Robe Feather Garment' piece echoed in the hall; the dancing women unfurled their supple waists, their long water sleeves tracing graceful arcs in the air.

Li Longji sat high upon the dragon throne, embracing the plump, radiantly beautiful Yang Guifei in his arms. He watched the peaceful song and dance below, listened to the officials' flattery, and wore a look of utter contentment.

He had not felt this happy in a long time.

Wang Hui's (Wang Xiu's) seat had been placed relatively far back. This suited him just fine; he did not want to attract anyone's attention, and today he had come merely to be a quiet observer.

He lifted his wine cup, yet his eyes silently scanned the crowd.

Soon he found his target.

At a seat near the hall door sat an extraordinarily burly man whose belly was as big as a pregnant woman's, sweating profusely as he attacked the food before him. He ate crudely, snatching a roasted lamb leg with his hands and devouring it clean in a few bites, then lifted a wine bowl and gulped down its full contents, not even having time to wipe the grease from the corners of his mouth.

His bearing clashed with the graceful demeanor of the surrounding civil and military officials.

Many people shot him looks of contempt and ridicule.

But Wang Hui's (Wang Xiu's) gaze froze.

An Lushan!

Although it was the first time seeing him in person, Wang Xiu recognized him at a glance.

This man, who now looked like a rough warrior and even a somewhat comical fatso, was the very architect of the future cataclysmic disaster.

He forced himself to look away, daring not to glance again, lest the other notice.

After three rounds of wine, the hall's atmosphere grew ever more heated.

Li Longji was clearly drunk with joy; he clapped his hands, and the song and dance in the hall ceased.

"Today sovereign and subjects rejoice together; though the music and dance are fine, they always seem to lack some amusement." Li Longji laughed loudly, "I have heard that the soldiers of our Great Tang not only excel in conquest but also include many who can sing and dance. Which beloved official would care to step forward and add some merriment for me and the consort?"

No sooner had these words been spoken than the hall fell silent.

The civil officials naturally could not bring themselves to do such a thing, while most of the military officers were rough men—letting them go to battle and kill the enemy was fine, but making them dance in public would be worse than killing them.

Just as everyone stared at one another, no one daring to respond,

that big fat man, An Lushan, nevertheless staggered to his feet.

He walked to the center of the hall and first gave an awkward bow to Li Longji and Yang Guifei; his enormous belly made bending over extremely difficult, drawing a ripple of suppressed laughter from the hall.

"Your…… Majesty," An Lushan said, his speech thick with a non‑Han accent and somewhat slurred, "I…… I, An Lushan, am willing to perform a Barbarian Whirl dance for Your Majesty and the Empress."

"Barbarian Whirl dance?"

Upon these words, the laughter in the hall grew louder.

The Barbarian Whirl dance is famed for its rapid spins and light steps; its performers are usually slender Hu women. Asking a two‑or‑three‑hundred‑pound fat man to do it—isn't that a huge joke?

Even Li Longji found it somewhat amusing: "Lushan, can your body even spin? Just don't tear a hole in my carpet."

"Have no fear, Your Majesty!" An Lushan patted his huge belly and laughed earnestly, "This belly may look big, but inside it holds not fat, but my utter loyalty to Your Majesty!"

"Hahaha!"

This crude yet utterly frank flattery instantly amused Li Longji and Yang Guifei.

"Good! Good, a heart of pure loyalty!" Li Longji roared with laughter, "Approved! Attendants, strike up the music for General An!"

The urgent, fervent strains of Hu music immediately rang out in the hall.

Everyone watched An Lushan in the arena with the mindset of seeing a joke.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) also stared fixedly at him, knowing that a famous scene was about to unfold.

Only see An Lushan draw a deep breath; his bulky body, to the music, began to spin in an astonishing manner!

He spun extremely fast, as fast as a giant top; his wide military robes flung out into a circle, whooshing in the air.

His body, which seemed clumsy, now displayed agility and coordination utterly at odds with its size; his steps, sometimes unrestrained, sometimes swift, each movement precisely hitting the drumbeat.

The entire hall fell silent, not even a sparrow's chirp.

Everyone was stunned by the astonishing sight before their eyes.

The mockery on their faces had vanished, replaced by shock.

Yang Guifei's beautiful eyes shone with delight; being herself an expert in the Barbarian Whirl dance, she could tell that An Lushan's skill was not inferior to hers!

When the dance ended, An Lushan stopped steadily, though drenched in sweat and panting, his honest smile still on his face.

"Well done! Well danced!"

Li Longji was the first to react; he rose to his feet and clapped vigorously.

"Reward! A generous reward!"

An Lushan hurriedly knelt to give thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty! To dance for Your Majesty and the Empress is my greatest fortune!"

Yang Guifei also smiled and said, "General An, you danced wonderfully; I, the palace, enjoy watching it. I am merely curious—does your huge belly get in the way when you dance?"

An Lushan lifted his head, his face showing an innocent, naïve expression, pointed at his belly, and earnestly replied, "Your Highness, this belly of mine is specially meant to hold my loyalty to Your Majesty, so it poses no problem!"

"Pfft…"

Yang Guifei could no longer hold back; she laughed until her whole body shook, collapsing into Li Longji's arms.

Li Longji laughed even harder, doubling over, pointing at An Lushan, unable to speak for a long while.

The entire hall once again filled with a joyous atmosphere.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) sat in the corner, coldly watching this scene.

He couldn't laugh at all.

He looked at the fat man kneeling on the ground, simple and honest, using the crudest performance, yet winning the emperor's favor.

He knew, the death knell of the Tang Dynasty had already sounded.

After the banquet ended, Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) returned to his residence, lost and dispirited.

He spent the night sleepless.

The next day, he used poor health as an excuse to ask the Court for leave, and did not participate in any further activities at Huaqing Palace.

He immediately wrote a secret letter, sent via the Wang Family's fastest channel to Jiangnan.

The content of the letter was very simple.

"Accelerate the pace, spare no expense; within three years, the relocation of all industries and personnel to the south must be completed. Moreover, in Jiangnan, secretly recruit retired veterans to form a guard unit—the more, the better."

He knew, the time left for him was not much.