I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 274 "The Song of Rainbow Feathers"

"What is this?"

Ao Bai followed Jiang She's gaze.

The huge bronze mirror was trembling slightly, and water rippled across its surface, spreading out in circles of soft light.

He smiled and said to Jiang She:

"This mirror was left behind many years ago, before the previous Suijun."

"It can reflect countless objects."

"Mountains and rivers, the bustling city and the mundane world, are all contained within it."

Would you two like to take a look?

Jiang She was quite interested.

Zhang Guolao was also very surprised, "This thing is somewhat like one of Master's previous notebooks."

Ao Bai smiled and gestured.

Two demons respectfully stepped forward and slowly moved the life-sized bronze mirror closer. The mirror's surface was as smooth as new, and as its brilliance shimmered, it made the entire Crystal Palace even more dazzling.

As soon as the Water Lord had a thought, many scenes were reflected in the water.

The mountains are shrouded in mist, and the streams flow.

The scene shifts to a bustling market, where vendors carry their goods and sell them.

It was amazing.

Jiang She could even see the bells jingling at the vendor's waist and the towel draped over his shoulder.

Ao Bai raised his glass and took a satisfying sip of the wine.

After everyone had looked around for a while, Ao Bai, holding a wine cup, said from the side, "I just remembered that today is the emperor's birthday banquet."

Would you two like to take a look?

"This is the first time I've ever seen an emperor celebrate his birthday like a festival. I heard that Chang'an is very lively."

Laughter and flattery filled the air, and the comings and goings were filled with gods, ghosts, and monsters. Fish swam like a tapestry, and pearls were scattered everywhere.

The harp, flute, chime, long flute and pipa played leisurely, the melody and rhythm were ethereal, and the sounds of metal, stone and silk rose one after another.

And there was an immortal, a dragon, and an old man.

But they used this huge bronze mirror as a reference.

From this underwater palace, one can glimpse the mortal world.

The mirror surface rippled.

……

The pavilion, adorned with blooming flowers, is a place of celebration for a thousand autumns.

At the emperor's birthday banquet, princes, princesses, and other members of the imperial family would present gifts first. Then would the empress and concubines, followed by civil and military officials and local dignitaries, and finally, foreign envoys.

The crown prince was bowing as he offered wine, reciting a prayer that had been carefully considered by his officials. His voice came through the bronze mirror, carrying a deliberately solemn tone.

Jiang She looked through the mirror.

Suddenly, he saw the servants carrying over tall statues of Lao Tzu and Buddha, and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

Ao Bai was curious upon seeing this.

"Sir, do you recognize these two statues?"

Jiang She shook his head and chuckled: "There are so many statues of gods in the world, all cast by craftsmen. How would I know them?"

He turned to Zhang Guolao.

"However, Master Guo should be familiar with the aura emanating from that Buddha statue."

Zhang Guo sighed.

Holding his wine cup, Zhang Guolao quickly suppressed his regret.

He said, "He's a stubborn monk."

Ao Bai was puzzled. Zhang Guo then told him about the monk's three brushes with death in his life, and Ao Bai listened with astonishment, "Is that so?"

Zhang Guo sighed.

“It’s very troublesome. My husband and I came to Chang’an just to wait for him to die. It will be difficult to save him then. Oh well, things will work themselves out.”

"From now on, the old man will not drink water from other people."

"It could kill someone."

Zhang Guo was quite resentful, and Jiang She, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but laugh.

He used clean chopsticks to pick out a piece of shrimp for the cat to eat. It was the cat's first time eating this kind of thing, and its eyes widened in amazement.

"what is this?"

"It's shrimp."

"Kasuko?"

The cat tilted its head; it had a very good memory and still remembered Yuan Danqiu's handwriting.

"It's shrimp meat."

Jiang She chuckled and showed the cat a whole shrimp.

The cat's eyes then fell upon the shrimp spirit trembling beside it, holding the food tray and awaiting its fate. Its round eyes stared intently, convinced that the shrimp spirit looked exactly like the cat.

For some reason, the shrimp spirit shuddered.

Jiang She laughed.

He patiently explained, “It’s different. Like a mouse, if it is enlightened and enters the path of cultivation, it becomes a fellow practitioner, a companion and friend, and cannot be eaten.”

"Moreover, the shrimp at the banquet are different from these; they are spirit shrimp that are specially raised for consumption."

The cat seemed to understand, but not quite.

Jiang She gave a reminder.

"It's very offensive of you to stare at people like that."

The cat pondered for a long time, then hesitantly opened its small mouth and spoke softly to the trembling shrimp spirit.

"I'm sorry~"

Ao Bai, laughing heartily, raised his cup and drank his fine wine. Sitting opposite his master, he was in high spirits and forgave the shrimp spirit who had knocked over the food, letting him leave. The shrimp spirit, relieved, repeatedly thanked him before departing.

"Thank you, Suijun!"

"Thank you so much, sir!"

The shrimp spirit hesitated for a moment, glancing at the little black cat staring at him.

"Thank you, Cat Fairy."

The cat's tail quietly stood up.

"You're welcome~"

Jiang She, holding his wine cup, ignored the gazes of everyone in the hall and examined the bronze mirror with great interest. Just then, the Crown Prince finished offering his birthday greetings, and another prince stepped forward carrying a brocade box.

Zhang Guolao leaned closer to examine it closely and made his guesses with great interest.

"Which prince is this? What treasure is he presenting?"

No sooner had the words been spoken than a long string of congratulatory messages was heard: "Your subject Li Heng, with utmost humility and fear, bows his head repeatedly, and respectfully presents this memorial to His Majesty the Kaiyuan Divine Martial Emperor..."

Patiently wait through a long string of blessings.

The prince opened the box, and inside was a pearl about an inch in diameter, its brilliance dazzling.

The entire room was filled with shock.

The courtiers were abuzz with discussion.

The prince who presented the pearl bowed and said, "I humbly pray that the cranes carrying the year's mark will add to the years of the Jade Calendar, and that the imperial family's fortune will increase, ensuring the eternal prosperity of the nation."

……

Zhang Guolao stroked his beard, somewhat surprised.

"Is it a pearl?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Bai looked over and, with a quick glance, recognized the pearl.

"Weren't these pearls from the garden? I didn't even notice when one was missing. Turns out they were dredged up."

"Alright, let's drink."

Ao Bai pulled them to drink together, saying:

"Such music is rare; you should savor it carefully, sir."

The music of string and wind instruments continued, and they drank fine wine and nectar. They tasted the spiritual fruits that grew in the water, which had a different texture than those that grew on trees.

The feast of the water spirits is different from that of mortals.

It was a rare opportunity for everyone to gather together, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely. The banquet lasted for more than a month before finally coming to an end.

At the end.

Everyone got very drunk, especially Wei Shui Shui Jun, who was quite intoxicated. Zhang Guolao also found a place to rest.

The various water lords were staggering about, while the aroma of wine lingered in the palace.

Li Bai drank heartily, squinting his eyes, and recounted his previous experiences. He said that a few years ago, there was also a grand feast, where mountain spirits gathered together, along with a magnificent, striped tiger.

And those apes that haven't made any progress in thirty-six years, I wonder if they've improved at all, they're probably dead too...

As the conversation progressed, it became increasingly vague and unclear.

Sanshui and Chuyi listened and then fell into a deep sleep.

The Serpent River Lord barely remembered to stay away from people. Halfway there, he saw people all over the place who were drunk and still drinking, and shook his head with a smile.

He was also somewhat reluctant to leave behind the intoxicating aroma of wine in the air. He wondered what kind of wine the Water Lord was drinking, but the scent made him feel much more comfortable and light. The Serpent River Lord found a corner in the main hall to rest.

The old tortoise and the crab were so drunk that they could barely open their eyes.

Only the sounds of string and wind instruments could be heard from inside the hall, continuous and subtle.

Jiang She was also a little drunk. He patted the cat's head and planned to find a place to rest.

Her wide sleeves brushed across the table, accidentally knocking over the remaining half-cup of wine.

It splashed onto the bronze mirror.

……

……

The bright moon is in the sky.

In the Daming Palace, the emperor drifted into a deep sleep, when suddenly he heard a piece of music in his dream. The melody was beautiful and ethereal, with a mystical quality, as if it came from the heavens.

It is so beautiful that one forgets worldly concerns.

The emperor suddenly awoke.

The palace servants on night watch noticed the commotion and quickly lit lamps and candles, then went forward to inquire.

The emperor waved his hand.

The music still echoes in my heart.

What I heard in my dream was like a feast of immortals; how delightful it was!

He immediately ordered the eunuchs to summon musicians to transcribe the music from his dream. Everyone composed the piece together, but the celestial melody was too distant; the emperor only remembered most of it. Relying on his memory, he repeatedly refined the composition, and together with Li Guinian, managed to complete the remaining melody.

By the time the score was finally finished, the eastern sky was already beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The attendants and several musicians offered their congratulations.

"The sage's melody is beautiful; I wonder how he came up with it. It must have been a gift from heaven."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Pear Garden has acquired a new song."

"What is the name of this piece?"

"Then it was called..."

The emperor paused, thinking of the music he had briefly heard in his dream. Magnificent and elegant, its melody expressive and moving—it was not of this world.

I thought about it for a long time.

"Then it became the 'Rainbow Feather Robe Dance'."

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)