I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 56 Wang Wei begins reciting Taoist scriptures
The next afternoon, the broker came with money and greeted Jiang She.

"Did you rest well last night, my lord?"

He placed the money on the table and added the Qingyuan ice cream he had mentioned yesterday, wrapped in banana leaves. This was a free ice cream provided by the Qingyuan Taoist Temple, and it contained a very small amount of cinnabar, meant to ward off evil.

Although the food is free, you'll probably have to stand in front of the gate for a long time before you can get a turn.

Jiang She expressed his gratitude.

He added, "You're too kind, sir."

The broker's face lit up with joy. He waved his hand and said modestly, "Oh, it's nothing. You are a generous man, trusting me, Qiu Nei, and willing to come again today. You're not afraid I'll run off with the money. I will definitely repay you."

Jiang She was sitting under a tree with a teacup in front of him.

It's very hot these days, and he saw that the dentist was covered in sweat, so he asked him a question.

"Would you like a cup of tea, sir?"

The broker glanced down at the tea. The tea was clear, and it didn't smell like it had any spices or salt added. You could see the bottom of the cup at a glance, and there wasn't a single grain of rice in it, so it wouldn't fill you up. It was still steaming.

The Lesser Heat solar term just passed a few days ago. Who wants to drink hot tea on such a hot day?
The broker smiled and said, "Thank you, sir, but I won't drink. I have other work to do this afternoon, and I have to get there now."

Jiang She did not insist.

"Well."

The broker wiped his face with the towel at his waist.

He said warmly, "If you have any problems staying here, please come and find me, Qiu Nei."

After everyone left, the cat came over, sniffed the untouched teacup, licked it, and then hissed as if it had burned its tongue.

Jiang She quickly picked up the teacup and waited for it to cool down before letting the cat drink it.

This cat always seemed to be very greedy, as if it was never full, but in reality, it had never been hungry. Jiang She stroked the cat's back and ran his fingers through its fur.

It's smoother than before, so it seems he's taking good care of it.

Li Bai returned from outside and saw someone sitting at a table, enjoying the cool breeze under the tree. He turned and walked into the courtyard.

"gentlemen!"

Jiang She looked up.

The cat also raised its head.

Li Bai asked, "There's a Liuxia Pavilion nearby. I've heard their wine is quite good, called Chichengxia. It's said to be a secret recipe from Ge Hong. Are you perhaps looking for traces of immortality, sir? Shall we go there for a drink tonight?"

As he spoke, he added:
"His family also has roasted camel hump, which is camel hump meat that is roasted and seasoned, and it has a special flavor."

"If you're going to eat it in the evening, you'd better hurry, as this dish sells out very quickly."

……

Half an hour later.

Jiang She, the Old Deer Mountain God, Li Bai, and Yuan Danqiu sat in the Liuxia Pavilion. It was actually a two-story building. The lower floor was normal, while the upper floor was an open pavilion, covered by gauze curtains. Sunlight streamed in, and a gentle breeze blew in, making it very comfortable.

Sitting at the table, Jiang She immediately understood why Li Bai wanted to dine at Liuxia Pavilion.

The singer was actually singing a poem he had written.

It is the poem in which the poet dreamt of wandering in the clouds and was invited to a banquet by the mountain gods and earth spirits.

The musicians played the pipa, the sound like scattered pearls and broken jade, intertwined and harmonious, echoing the songs sung by the singers about the fine wine, fierce tigers, giant pythons, demons, and monkeys at the banquet.

Meanwhile, the people in the tavern were enjoying a banquet.

Facing sliced ​​fish, steamed buns, cherry pies, and roasted meat.

The diners held their wine cups, listening to music and the ghosts, gods, and Taoist practices described in the poems.

They mistakenly believed they were at a feast of ghosts and gods.

For a moment, I was lost in a daze and forgot the mundane world.

At the table in front of Jiang She, a middle-aged man dressed in a blue official robe was listening to the sound of a pipa, his hand resting on his wine cup.

He asked sadly:

"Could this be a banished immortal?"

There were also young scholars who gathered together to drink, recite poems, and compose verses. They were making a ruckus, ordering a table full of dishes, and toasting each other. It was quite lively, and their conversation could be heard throughout the entire restaurant. Jiang She and his group also looked over.

At the table sat a scholar in white robes, listening to the music, slicing fish with his chopsticks, and feeling a deep sense of emotion.

"With such a story and poem in Xiangzhou, Lumen Mountain is likely to become famous throughout the region."

"His fame extends far beyond the region."

During the meal, someone said, "Hasn't this already spread throughout Luoyang?"

Someone muttered, "Why didn't I encounter any immortals?" "How do you know Li Bai did? He was just writing while drunk. My cousin also went to Xiangyang and even saw the mountain god temple on Lumen Mountain in Xiangyang, but he didn't see any immortals either."

Upon hearing this, Li Bai leaned back on the armchair, chuckled, looked at Mr. Jiang, and then glanced at the old deer immortal.

I picked up my wine cup, savored it slowly, and listened to them talk.

Among the students at this table, some were holding wine glasses, their faces flushed, already somewhat drunk.

The students laughed loudly:
"Didn't we agree to compose a poem? Wang Jin, it's your turn. Hurry up and write!"

Wang Jin, dressed in a crimson brocade robe, was eating with his head down when his classmate called his name. Reluctantly, he put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine cup, and listened to the poetry and music outside.

ponder for a moment.

He put down his wine cup again.

He said helplessly, "Unfortunately, there is no poetry to write."

The classmates burst into laughter, and someone even shouted, "Your brother Wang Wei has such great poetic talent, you should have it too, what are you afraid of?"

Wang Jin poured him wine.

"Why don't you compose a poem?"

The classmates felt awkward.

He quickly helped Wang Jin put down the wine cup in his hand and thought for a long time.

Nene said, "With pearls and jade beside me, I realize my actions are vile."

The others laughed heartily, raising their chopsticks and saying, "Drink, drink! But don't embarrass yourself. Eat this roasted camel hump quickly, and we can talk about poetry another day!"

Two zhang apart.

Li Bai, dressed in a white robe, leaned lazily against his seat, listening intently with his chin slightly raised, feeling an indescribable sense of pleasure.

He raised his hand and called over the waiter.

"Bring up all the good wine and food you have."

"Do you have a fine wine called Akagi-kasumi? Bring it up too."

The waiter, with a smile on his face and a slight bow, explained to the guest that the wine was not easy to brew and that it was made using an ancient, divine recipe, making it very precious.

Li Bai, being generous, said, "I'll pay whatever it takes."

The waiter's smile became even more friendly.

"Alright, bring them up now."

He then had fruit platters and dry dishes set out, and the wine was warmed again. He bowed respectfully and went to greet them.

Yuan Danqiu glanced at Li Bai.

He said to Jiang She, "That fellow is quite pleased with himself now."

"I wondered why we were dining at Liuxia Pavilion tonight. It turns out that his poems are being sung in this restaurant."

The old deer god sat to one side, holding a wine cup, listening to the group of young academy students discussing something not far away. He stroked his white beard, finding it amusing.

"It's really interesting to listen to them talk here."

Jiang She smiled.

The wine vessel was brought out, and it was even shaped like an alchemy furnace.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Danqiu exclaimed, "This is interesting!"

The waiter poured drinks for everyone.

The liquor is clear and has a pine aroma.

Jiang She sniffed it; it seemed to be colored with turmeric and infused with pine needles, but it couldn't compare to the pure and ethereal fragrance offered by the Earth God that night. Of course, there was no need to delve so deeply.

Having fine wine to drink is one of life's greatest pleasures.

While waiting for the food, the group overheard the students discussing the scenes described in the poem.

Most of them were from Chang'an and Luoyang. Some of them would also set off with a large number of accompanying officials to Mount Tai to observe Zen meditation this autumn and winter.

The Li Tang royal family recognized Li Dan as their ancestor and always revered Taoism.

These students had intricate connections with court officials and members of the royal family, and were also influenced by the Taoist practice.

Someone asked while drunk.

"Wang Jin, I heard that your elder brother has started reading Taoist scriptures?"

Wang Wei, a native of the Wang family, was famous in Luoyang for his Buddhist practice.

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(End of this chapter)