Chapter 23: Sending Off the Soul (I)

At dusk, in Fanyang, the governor’s mansion.
On the main seat at the center of the hall, a corpulent man was reclined. He carefully handled a jade cup, looking quite pleased. He was An Lushan, the governor of Fanyang, Pinglu, and Hedong.
“Chengsi, you did well today. Come, let this cup of wine be my tribute to you!”
With that, An Lushan narrowed his eyes and pushed a jade cup toward him as a gesture of respect.
Tian Chengsi downed the wine in one gulp, bowed to An Lushan, and declared loudly, “A true man born into this world should strive to become a noble or a prime minister. Though I know I’m not destined to be a noble, I also refuse to live in subjugation all my life. With such a great opportunity now, how could I pass it up? The greatest fear in warfare is cowardice. In battle, it’s courage that counts. If you fear death and war, you’ll be the first to lose your head. I may not have read many books, but I understand these principles. Today, the governor acts on behalf of heaven to punish this traitor. Following him, our future is bright—how can we be cowards who fear death? Since ancient times, wealth and honor have come from taking risks. I’m willing to take that chance; if I succeed, it will make this life worthwhile.”
Seeing him speak so boldly and proudly, many felt resentful, but knowing he was in high spirits and might ask for favors in the future, they poured wine for him in return.
Sitting on the high platform, An Lushan overlooked the crowd below. From his elevated position, he felt as though he ruled the world, and this sense of power made him drink more and more wine.
In the center of the hall, elite dancers from the imperial music troupe performed passionately, their sleeves fluttering and scents filling the air—truly a scene of vibrant beauty.
After killing Pei Jin, An Lushan had removed the last obstacle placed by the court in Fanyang. From then on, he held complete military and political control over the three regions, becoming the supreme leader of that area. Turning the jade cup in his hand, his eyes grew misty. Through the swirling perfume and decorations, he seemed to see his cavalry breaking through Hedong and marching straight toward the two capitals…
A true man should wield a sword to achieve great feats! Emperors come and go—next year it could be my turn. Why should the Li Tang family monopolize the throne for nearly a hundred years?
This treacherous heaven believes in strength—those who are strong can crush the weak and trample them underfoot. The current Tang emperor neglects state affairs, indulging in wine and women, engaging in debauchery with Concubine Yang—how can he possibly possess the dignity of an emperor?

He did this for An Lushan as an act of carrying out heaven’s will, acting in accordance with fate… His gaze gradually became blurred, lost in the lingering fragrance… In the center of the hall, a young woman dressed in green gauze stood out sharply. Her sleeves swayed gently, and with each graceful turn of her body, she captivated countless admiring eyes. Her performance of “Green Waist” was light and elegant, exuding beauty and refinement—like a delicate fan and white orchids, with a slender waist and a jade belt dancing through the air. It seemed as if a fairy had descended from heaven, her smile more radiant than the stars. Suddenly, the drums and music became faster, and the melody shifted from gentle to vigorous. She spun her waist swiftly, switching to a dance called “Zhezhi.” Her steps were rapid, accompanied by the drumbeats; she lifted her sleeves lightly, and the golden bells she wore emitted a clear, resonant sound. It was as if the drums signaled the start of “Zhezhi,” with three rapid beats urging her on. Her waist moved softly with each beat, and sweat soaked her gauze robes like raindrops on flowers. With a clear sound marking the end of the music, the woman in green gauze bent her slender waist and collapsed onto the velvet carpet. After a moment of silence, thunderous applause erupted. An Lushan narrowed his eyes, carefully observing this charming girl. He had been preoccupied with politics all day long, with no time for personal affairs. Now that his career had achieved some success, it was time to think of himself. Clapping his hands lightly, An Lushan stood up and said loudly, “Your dancing skills are truly remarkable. I wonder what your name is and where you learned to dance.” His question was extremely rude and carried an undertone of probing. But under the circumstances, the dancer couldn’t care too much. She bowed deeply, her red lips parting as she spoke in a melodious voice, “I am named Lan Er, and I am a dancer in the Fanyang Music Bureau. My teacher was originally a dancer from the Kang Kingdom in the Western Regions. During the Tianbao era, she came to Fanyang and settled there. She taught me all the skills she had mastered, which is why I have developed some dancing talent. It is a great honor for me to perform for the military governor today.” Seeing her manners and grace, An Lushan was greatly impressed. In his opinion, for a woman from the Music Bureau to possess such refinement, her background must be extraordinary. Nodding slightly, An Lushan signaled his men to give Lan Er gold, silver, and jade treasures. After receiving the gifts, Lan Er bowed deeply and prepared to leave, but An Lushan suddenly called out, “Wait. Your dance today truly captivated me. I have some knowledge of music as well. Please stay and talk with me for a while. I hope you can teach me a thing or two.” Though his words were polite, his tone was firm, clearly leaving no room for Lan Er to refuse.

Shuilan had long lived in the entertainment district and was quite adept at understanding men’s hearts. She knew full well what An Lushan intended by inviting her to talk. Yet, despite knowing the danger, how could she refuse such a high-ranking military governor? With no choice, Shuilan could only express her attitude through silence. Seeing her lack of awareness, an officer stepped forward and shouted, “You wench really don’t know what’s good for you! The governor is of such noble status, yet he still deigns to invite you to his mansion for a chat, and you dare to be dissatisfied? Are you tired of living?” Hurt by these words, Shuilan couldn’t retort and could only cover her face and cry. Though she had lived in the entertainment district for years, she sold her art but not her body. Though her skills were unparalleled and she was the most beautiful there, she remained chaste. It was difficult for her to agree to An Lushan’s demands. Moreover, An Lushan was extremely obese and ugly—how could she possibly be interested in him? Just then, a shout came from outside the hall: “Stop! Do you eagles and hounds still want to help the tyrant?” Following the voice, a young, handsome general appeared, wielding a steel sword. He pushed aside the guards blocking his path and rushed into the hall. Dressed in silver chainmail, he looked indifferent, his tanned skin taking on an alluring coldness under the oil lamps. “Brother An, I misjudged you.” An Lushan studied the man before him, remained silent for a moment, then laughed loudly, “Yan Xu, Yan Xu, do you really have to go this far with me?” It turned out this man was Yan Xu, the deputy general of Fanyang. Dissatisfied with An Lushan’s corrupt actions, he had been ordered by An Lushan to be detained in the governor’s mansion, not allowed to leave without his permission. With a cold smile, Yan Xu said weakly, “Brother, do you still need me to explain? I thought you killed Lord Pei for the greater good of the world. You told me that only by killing him and seizing power could I command the troops of Hedong, overthrow the tyrant, and restore peace to the land. Was that not the case?” Before An Lushan could reply, Yan Xu continued, “But later I found out that you had an affair with one of Lord Pei’s concubines and planned to kill him to protect yourself in case it was exposed.” An Lushan was furious at being exposed, ready to stop him, but Yan Xu didn’t give him the chance.

“Heh, now that you’ve killed Lord Pei and taken complete control of the three towns, can’t you be satisfied with having intimate relations with that concubine every day? Yet you still want to harm this girl? True, she is a brothel woman, but you are even lower than her—a Turkic lackey who is willing to betray friends and compatriots for personal gain!”
An Lushan’s mother was a shaman from a Turkic tribe, so he also had Turkic blood in him. Being humiliated like this in front of everyone, An Lushan could no longer bear it. He suddenly stood up, threw the wine jar to the ground, and said coldly, “Enough. Since you refuse to show gratitude, why should I keep thinking of our master-slave relationship? Just say what you have to say, so you won’t blame me after you die.”
The atmosphere became instantly tense. A large number of soldiers surrounded Yan Xu, and it took only the military governor’s order for them to push Yan Xu to the ground.