Chapter 8: South of the City (8)

The spring breeze brought warmth, turning the willows green, the peach blossoms red, and warming Li Kuo’s heart as well.
“Yes, I am Li Kuo, my father’s only son.”
Facing the astonished or puzzled looks of those around him, a smile appeared on Li Kuo’s lips. It seemed as though a fire burned within him, filling him with courage. At this moment, he no longer needed to hide anything—he was the only son of Li Shizhi, the Left Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, descended from the Li family of Longxi. He had the courage to face everyone’s doubts!
Gao Shi was initially stunned before gently stroking his beard and laughing loudly, “Who would have thought that my visit to Lanyue Tower today would lead to meeting a nephew? It was truly worth the trip to Xijing. Kuo, your grandfather and I were close friends back in the day; I even held you in my arms when you were young. I’ve spent most of these years outside the borders, but by seniority, it’s not too much to call you ‘uncle’.”
Li Kuo was overjoyed. He had thought Gao Shi would first verify his identity, but to his surprise, Gao Shi was so magnanimous, paying no attention to such trivial matters.
Bowing deeply, Li Kuo said, “Your humble nephew greets Uncle Gao. I wish for you to soon ride across the desert and drive away the invaders.”
Gao Shi chuckled and tapped Li Kuo’s forehead playfully, “Well, you little rascal! You’ve even learned to tease your uncle. Come, let’s drink together. Li Shizhi’s descendants surely aren’t weaklings!”
It turned out that Gao Shi had always advocated that the court eradicate the Later Turks. Li Kuo had borrowed a line from Gao Shi’s poem “Written in Jizhong” to express his respect for his uncle. Such a considerate and perceptive nephew was truly heartwarming.
After some friendly conversation between the uncle and nephew, Li Kuo noticed Zhang Yanji standing awkwardly to the side, looking embarrassed.
Li Kuo understood immediately. Zhang Yanji’s grandfather, Zhang Zihe, the Deputy Minister of Punishments, always considered himself a disciple of Gao Shi’s and enjoyed considerable respect among scholars. But after his father was framed by Li Linfu and removed from office, although Zhang Zihe didn’t abandon him like other former disciples, he gradually distanced himself from the family. Likely, Zhang Yanji, being young, was too proud to bear the shame of being humiliated by Uncle Gao.
Sighing softly, Li Kuo smiled and pulled Zhang Yanji over to Gao Shi, saying, “Uncle Gao, this is Zhang Yanji, the son of Deputy Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Works. He’s been my close friend since childhood. I hope you’ll allow him to join me in offering you a drink.”
Gao Shi was in a good mood today. Looking at Zhang Yanji’s flushed face, he said cheerfully, “Hmm, since Kuo is close friends with this young man from the Zhang family, bring him along. More people mean more fun!”

Li Kuo was secretly pleased upon hearing this and quickly nudged Zhang Yanji with his elbow, signaling him to step forward and express gratitude. But to his surprise, the dull-witted man blushed, bowed slightly to Gao Shi, then hid behind Li Kuo again. Laughter spread among the crowd, and a few troublemakers sang vulgar songs, mocking the young Zhang for having a good-looking face but being naive and inexperienced. Just as the situation became awkward, Manager Chen rushed out of the shop, smiling broadly as he bowed to Gao Shi and said, “Secretary Gao, Princess Yuzhen invites you inside for a banquet. She said she has admired you for years and that this chance encounter demands a poem from you—she certainly won’t let you walk away easily!” The more he spoke, the more excited he became, his eyebrows rising and falling, his lips moving slightly, as if afraid of missing any part of the princess’s instructions. Gao Shi was initially stunned, then burst into laughter and said, “How could I dare refuse the order of Princess Yuzhen? However, I must bring two of my nephews along. Please grant my request, Manager Chen.” Upon hearing this, Manager Chen’s smile froze instantly, and he inwardly sighed. “Secretary Gao, sir, are you trying to embarrass me? I’m just a restaurant manager who passes messages; how dare I make decisions on behalf of the princess?” But then he thought that since the princess had asked him to act flexibly, bringing two noble youths shouldn’t be a problem. As long as he delivered them to her, would she be unhappy? With this thought, his expression brightened again, and he said with a smile, “Of course, of course. Princess Yuzhen has always valued young talents. These two gentlemen are handsome and charming—surely they’ll win her favor.” Seeing his goal achieved, Gao Shi bowed to Manager Chen and said, “In that case, I rely on you, Manager Chen.” Manager Chen didn’t dare overstep his bounds. He offered his arm and bent slightly to guide Gao Shi and his companions into Lan Yue Lou.

This Lanyue Tower was originally the property of Lady Guo, Yang Zhao’s cousin, and thus was exquisitely and elegantly decorated. The restaurant was designed with three floors: the first floor served as the lobby, equipped with dozens of willow wood tables neatly arranged, capable of accommodating hundreds of people for meals at once. Those who dined here were mostly gentry and wealthy merchants who, with their vast wealth, didn’t mind such expenses. The second floor featured private rooms named after the twenty-four solar terms. Though not large, they were exquisitely crafted. Golden and stone paintings hung along the walls, along with zithers custom-made by Su Jinxuan’s guqin shop, creating a refreshing and poetic atmosphere. The patrons here were mostly officials of the fifth to fourth ranks in the capital, who would invite close friends to these private rooms during their leisure time to impress their colleagues for days. As for the third floor, it was extremely luxurious. The entire floor was divided into lavish private rooms named after the three capitals of the Tang Dynasty—Chang’an, Luoyang, and Jinyang—so much so that even imperial relatives might not be able to reserve them. Yet wealthy merchants still had the chance to host banquets in these rooms. Though they didn’t spend extravagantly, they were willing to invest heavily. Although Lanyue Tower mainly served high-ranking nobles, there was no need to turn down such generous clients. One could become a member by spending tens of thousands of coins on a wooden ID badge; accumulating fifty thousand coins allowed one to obtain a bronze badge, enabling access to the private rooms on the second floor and enjoying the treatment reserved for officials. Spending a hundred thousand coins could even grant access to the Three Capitals Pavilion on the third floor on special occasions, allowing one to experience the luxury akin to imperial relatives. The entire floor was divided into just three rooms, where one could hold a New La beauty, drink Gaochang wine, and enjoy massages from Kunlun slaves, while also listening to the music of a courtesan from Beili to create a romantic story.

Li Kuo was unaware of all this. Following Manager Chen, he felt that Lanyue Tower truly lived up to its reputation—grand yet delicate, making it an ideal place for nobles and high-ranking officials.

Manager Chen had already arranged for Captain Wang and his group to sit in elegant seats by the window in the lobby on the first floor. At that moment, he wanted to take Gao Shi back to Chang’an Xuan as soon as possible, but saw Li Kuo slow down. Urgently, he said, “Young Master Li, the princess is still waiting. If you want to explore the restaurant, I’ll show you everything after the banquet, but please come with me now to see the princess.”

Understanding Manager Chen’s urgency, Li Kuo smiled bitterly, bowed, and headed upstairs.

After a few turns and loops, Gao Shi and his group arrived at the third floor of the small building.

Led by Manager Chen, Gao Shi and his party stopped in front of a private room adorned with a plaque reading “Chang’an Xuan”. Manager Chen stepped forward and spoke briefly with the guards on either side. Soon, the bamboo door swung open, and a delicate scent of ambergris drifted out, refreshing the air and dispelling any sense of irritation.

Once inside, Li Kuo truly appreciated the vastness of the room and its luxurious layout. From the bamboo door to the central platform, Persian carpets covered the entire space. Dozens of fine nanmu tables were arranged in order according to the hierarchy of guests and hosts. Along the walls hung paintings and inscriptions from the Six Dynasties period, framed in gold threads and adorned with tassels. On one side of the room, curtains served as partitions, creating a small alcove where a beautifully carved bed with painted railings could be faintly seen, exuding a serene and enchanting atmosphere.

At those tables, only two people were seated. At the head table in the north sat a young woman with moon-like eyebrows and lips as red as sand. She wore a goose-yellow imperial robe, her hair styled in a delicate bun, her face painted with rouge, and she leaned lazily against the table. Despite her relaxed posture, her expression carried an air of noble elegance—she must surely be Princess Yu Zhen.

Sitting at the table beside her was a scholar in his forties, kneeling. His face had kind features, a broad nose, and a gentle expression, giving him a Buddha-like aura. He wore a dark blue silk robe with blue patterns, paired with a plain purple sleeveless top, which further emphasized his dignified appearance. His frequent eye contact with Princess Yu Zhen showed that he was clearly favored by her.

At this moment, Princess Yu Zhen spoke softly, “I suppose this must be Gao Shi, the renowned scholar under General Ge Shuhuan. I’ve long heard of your fame. Please, don’t be formal at this banquet—enjoy yourself to the fullest.”

Hearing this, Gao Shi stepped forward and bowed slightly to Princess Yu Zhen. “Your Highness, you’re too kind. I was rude earlier. Thank you for forgiving me. As a punishment, I shall drink three cups of wine on my own.”

With that, he poured three cups of fine wine from a table nearby and drank them all in one go.

“Haha! I told you this Gao Shi isn’t an ordinary person—he certainly won’t stick to conventional rules. Now you can rest assured,” said the middle-aged man, clapping his hands in laughter.

Gao Shi raised his eyebrows slightly before smiling and saying, “Then this must be Wang Mojie, the master of Wangchuan. I’ve long admired your reputation. Meeting you today truly makes this trip worthwhile. Coincidentally, a few days ago, Zhang Jiu wanted to exchange his copy of ‘Lanting Xu’ for your ‘Jiyu Wangchuan Zhuang’. I’ll take this chance to do him a favor!”

Note 1: Ci Ma Leng: A Shaanxi dialect term meaning unintelligent or slow-witted.
Note 2: Princess Yu Zhen: Emperor Xuanzong’s full sister by the same mother; she later became a nun at Yu Zhen Temple and was deeply loved by Emperor Xuanzong.
Note 3: Kunlun slaves: According to records, these slaves were as strong as oxen, gentle in nature, honest, and reliable, so noble families competed to buy them as servants.
Note 4: Zhang Jiu, namely Zhang Xu, the “Sage of Cursive Script.” Liu Yunchao greatly admired his calligraphy, so he asked him to come along as a figuration.