Chapter 229: A Thousand Songs, Ten Thousand Dances—Uncountable, Yet One Dance of the Rainbow Robe Shakes Chang

Another gaze from beside the Emperor fell upon Brother Qian Chen; Brother Qian Chen turned his head and saw Consort Mei, Jiang Jiang Cai Ping, her expression calm, bowing slightly to him. Her bow was minimal, unnoticed by the Emperor beside her, for unlike the Imperial Consort, Consort Mei lived up to her title—always dignified and quiet, like a plum blossom.

The Imperial Consort was dazzling as a peony, flamboyant and radiant; all the bright maidens in the palace paled before her.

Thus, the quiet and elegant Consort Mei had won the Emperor's favor.

But this moment was not unseen; the Crown Prince, who had been watching Consort Mei closely, noticed that glance toward Brother Qian Chen. There was also the recent disturbance at Chenxiang Pavilion, yet in the Crown Prince's eyes, Li Bai remained merely a common scholar with decent poetry.

He offered not the slightest aid to his consolidation of power.

"What is this Li Bai's origin?" the Crown Prince asked those around him.

Those around him were young, capable officials; the Crown Prince had the authority to establish his own court, and his Eastern Palace was a miniature imperial court, its ranks deeply accumulated. The Tang Crown Prince's position was hard to hold, yet his power was immense. When the Emperor was still Prince of Linzi, he launched the Tang Long Coup, killed Tianhou Niangniang Wei, and enthroned his father Li Dan as Emperor.

When Princess Wei Taiping controlled the demonic arts and held supreme power, the Emperor launched the Xiantian Coup, eliminating Princess Wei Taiping. He made Li Dan Grand Emperor and ascended the throne himself.

He was the only Crown Prince in history to successfully stage two coups.

Although Li Heng lacked the breadth of connections and court influence his father had as Crown Prince, his own wings were fully grown—he had many young officials loyal to him, and even clashed repeatedly with Chancellor Yang Yang Guozhong.

Someone quickly replied: "He's merely a common scholar, without even the title of Metropolitan Graduate. He's said to be from Jiannan Circuit, arrived in Chang'an only recently, and gained an introduction from Pei Min. He wrote a poem titled 'Ode to the Immortal of Princess Princess Yuzhen,' flattered Princess Princess Princess Yuzhen, won her favor, and thus gained an audience with His Majesty!"

"Who would have thought this man is truly reckless—even before His Majesty, he acts so brazenly!"

"Poets and wild scholars are always like this!" Li Heng frowned. "He wrote poems for Consort Mei, and poems for the Imperial Consort… such scheming clearly aims for official rank. He desires worldly glory, yet cannot shed his wild scholar's arrogance, scorning the powerful… Did he ever submit a petition to the Eastern Palace?"

The Assistant Director of the Crown Prince's Court paused, then whispered: "He did not."

Li Heng grew even more dismissive of Brother Qian Chen, shaking his head: "Even if he uses his poetry to secure an official post, he'll never rise beyond Hanlin."

Li Bi remained silent beside him. Though the Crown Prince had signaled him, he chose silence. Li Heng simply could not fathom what talent this Li Bai possessed that made Li Bi, whom he himself deemed a man of great ability, hold him in such high regard?

At that moment, Yang Yang Guozhong was also inquiring about Brother Qian Chen.

His face was thin, his voice slow and deliberate: "Li Bai—isn't he the one who killed four-tenths of my agents in Chang'an last night?"

His attendant, Tianhou Niangniang Guo, raised her eyebrows slightly; the spirit ornament on her forehead trembled faintly. She chuckled softly: "Didn't you say one of the big men who showed his face resembled the swordsman Pei Min? This man is peerless in both poetry and sword. The swordlight that blazed three thousand zhang over Daci'en Temple last night, reducing all your guests to ash—wasn't that the same sword aura?"

"Besides, Yang Taizhen is paying close attention to him."

"Anyone who draws Yang Taizhen's notice cannot be ignored!"

"Last night's affair was surely stirred up by Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen—he attempted to assassinate An Lushan this morning," Yang Yang Guozhong murmured.

Tianhou Niangniang Guo's eyes snapped open: "He failed?"

Yang Yang Guozhong sneered: "Look at An Lushan—does he look wounded?"

"Even a Daoist Heavenly Master couldn't harm him. It seems the rumors that he's close to achieving Daoist Yangshen are true," Tianhou Niangniang Guo whispered.

Yang Yang Guozhong sighed: "Our plot concerning Chang'an's great array must have been discovered by the Daoists. That's why they slaughtered so many temples last night. An Lushan entered the capital, and Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen struck directly. And this Li Bai? He must be one of theirs."

Yang Yang Guozhong glanced at Brother Qian Chen a few times, then dismissed him. Though his cultivation was decent, compared to true players who could sway the situation—An Lushan, Crown Prince Li Heng, Yang Yang Taizhen, even Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen—he was merely a pawn.

Even Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen, having failed to assassinate An Lushan and now refusing the Emperor's summons, was being quietly sidelined.

He was already fading into irrelevance.

Yang Yang Guozhong saw that the Daoists' pawns had all been played. They had disrupted his arrangements in Chang'an and even attempted to kill An Lushan—but their strike had backfired: Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen was gravely wounded, and now faced the Emperor's reprimand.

Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen had fled. What other hidden moves could the Daoists possibly have?

"This time, when An Lushan comes to Chang'an, we must keep him here… Once he leaves the Three Towns of Hebei, he's a dragon out of water—fierce and wild, but we can slowly wear down his ferocity and ultimately eliminate him. This demon is our greatest obstacle to controlling the demonic arts!"

"As long as he lives, my position as Heavenly Demon Chancellor will never be secure!"

"What of the Crown Prince?" Tianhou Niangniang Guo sneered. "Yang Taizhen has no child, so she doesn't wish to remove him. But his wings are full—if we don't act now, he'll act against us."

"Not yet," Yang Yang Guozhong said. "His Majesty is still vigorous. The fuller the Crown Prince's wings, the more dangerous he becomes. We need only pressure him—he'll pressure His Majesty. When His Majesty finally moves to cut the Crown Prince's wings, only then will he truly panic."

"How did Wu Wu Sansi force Li Chongjun?"

Tianhou Niangniang Guo frowned: "By forcing him to rebel?"

Yang Yang Guozhong nodded slightly… They did not believe tonight's Grand Autumn Banquet would hold anything extraordinary.

An Lushan had entered Chang'an. This venomous dragon had left his deep pool. Yang Yang Guozhong was busy countering the Crown Prince's schemes to pit them against each other, while simultaneously devising ways to trap An Lushan in Chang'an, slowly suffocating this venomous dragon.

First, sever An Lushan from the Three Towns of Hebei; then confine him in Chang'an; finally, eliminate his loyalists and supporters in Hebei.

Then, without claws or wings, how could An Lushan resist being manipulated? The key was to make the Emperor suspect An Lushan. This was Yang Yang Guozhong's plan.

Others in the banquet also noticed Brother Qian Chen. An Lushan glanced his way several times, feeling an inexplicable unease—but what he truly feared was the unseen Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen. Brother Qian Chen was too insignificant: a newcomer with no background, singing twice in Chang'an, hoping to catch the eyes of great men—it was simply too difficult.

Now, aside from the hidden serpent, Master Miaokong, ready to strike at the right moment, no one knew what storm Brother Qian Chen would unleash the moment he moved.

August 5, Luoyang, Hour of Xu.

After leaving Chang'an, Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen flew swiftly over the last glow of sunset across the fields. He passed over the Eight Waters of Chang'an, now reddish and murky as blood. Even the ancient, towering Tongguan Pass opened part of its seals for him, shielded by Daoist forces within the army. Under cover of night, Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen slipped through Tongguan and arrived in Luoyang at the first watch of Xu.

Inside Jialan Temple, the old abbot had waited half the day. As darkness fully fell, he began gathering the chessboard left behind by Wu Wu Daozi.

As he picked up the pieces, he sighed: "Wu Wu Daoxuan never returned."

"This game… will never be finished."

The old abbot heard a faint sound beside him, but when he looked up, he saw Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen, his face slightly pale, his wounds aggravated by the journey.

Seeing this, the old abbot clasped his hands and murmured a Buddhist chant: "Heavenly Master, why visit at this hour?"

Master Sima Master Sima Chengzhen whispered: "I need to examine the Heavenly Master Seal beneath the White Horse Dharma Realm's seal."

The old abbot sighed: "Heavenly Master, follow me."

Within the White Horse Dharma Realm, the old man riding the donkey backward grumbled: "Those damned Buddhist monks! The seal suppressing the Nine Heavens' rift was clearly our Daoist Heavenly Master Seal. Yet these Buddhist monks, entrenched deep in Luoyang with vast followers, seized it for themselves and created their own Buddhist Dharma Realm."

"Now we need their permission just to inspect the seal!"

"Master Sima's warning said this demonic calamity would be immense—possibly causing both capitals to fall. He claimed half of Luoyang's Buddhist sects are infiltrated by demonic forces. Such alarmist talk—how much truth is there? And now I have to use the Xuanzhen Taiyi Celestial Escape Technique just to sneak into the White Horse Dharma Realm!"

The donkey reached a pure land, where Buddha-light shone everywhere. The Four Heavenly Kings guarded the four gates; countless gods and Buddhas chanted sutras within, while heavenly flowers, Buddha-light, and auspicious clouds bathed the Dharma Realm in radiant purity, utterly free of corruption.

Zhang Guo gazed from afar, stroking his beard: "It's all serene and harmonious—where's the slightest trace of demonic infiltration?"

He had barely spoken when his brow furrowed: "Wait… something's wrong…"

August 5, Chang'an, Hour of Hai.

Li Gui Nian bowed to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I have restructured the 'Robe of Rainbow and Feathers' melody to better match the original 'Purple Cloud Melody' of the Celestial Palace. I assure you, it will be a surprise. Only such celestial dance-music can honor Your Majesty's eternal life!"

The Emperor laughed: "Li Gui Nian, Li Gui Nian—you've hidden this well. Even I heard nothing. But Yang Taizhen wishes to dance the 'Robe of Rainbow and Feathers' to honor me, comparing it to the 'Heron's Flight' and Tianhou Niangniang Tianhou Niangniang Gongsun's 'Sword Dance of Xihé.' Suddenly switching to a new melody—is that appropriate?"

Li Gui Nian replied: "The 'Purple Cloud Melody' and 'Robe of Rainbow and Feathers' differ little. With Consort Yang's insight, mastering it will be effortless."

He added: "Moreover, I composed the 'Qingping Tune' with Li Bai. I propose using it as an overture to the dance, woven into the 'Robe of Rainbow and Feathers.' Then have Tianhou Niangniang Tianhou Niangniang Gongsun perform the sword dance, Li Bai chant the 'Qingping Tune,' and finally, Consort Yang emerges to dance together—this will be breathtaking."

"Begin with 'Clouds think of her robes, flowers think of her face'?" The Emperor, with his high musical sensibility, nodded slightly: "But it's never been rehearsed. Don't let the coordination fail."

Li Gui Nian bowed deeply: "I guarantee with my head—it will not fail."

On Zhang Huai'e Xianghui Tower, disciples of the Pear Garden filed out. Two thousand musicians lined both sides of the main hall. Ning Ning Qingchen transformed her Eight Trigrams Cloud Light Silk into a long ribbon, tying it to the hilt of her Purple Xia Sword. She drew the blade, concealed it against her body, and entered the main hall with the Pear Garden disciples in slow procession.

Three hundred female performers of the Pear Garden emerged, each holding palace weapons—long swords gleaming with cold light, their sharpness piercing the air.

Ning Ning Qingchen wore a crimson long gown, exquisitely adorned. Beside her stood the two most outstanding female performers of the Pear Garden, Yingniang and Aman. Also present was Nian Nu, a singer from Pingkang Quarter, whose voice was piercingly clear and bright. The hall was now filled with a roaring crowd, drowning out the music.

Nian Nu held her clapper and sang out, her voice rising above the morning clouds, silencing the chaos around her.

Only then did the prelude of the 'Robe of Rainbow and Feathers' melody begin, slowly unfolding…