I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 84 Emperor Xuanzong Loses His Donkey
Even sages think so.

A few days later, when the Taoist priest Sima Chengzhen passed through Chang'an, he was summoned to the palace by the emperor.

Now that the Beginning of Autumn has passed, Chang'an is even hotter than in the height of summer, like a giant, blazing furnace. If you pour water on it, it steams and bubblees, making it both stuffy and dry. In the afternoon and evening, there are often sudden downpours, heavy and dense, as if the heavens have torn a hole in them.

There is no such trouble in the palace.

Outside the Hanliang Hall, there is a waterwheel that transports cold water to the roof and then flows around the eaves, creating a continuous water curtain and a refreshing breeze.

Sima Chengzhen was eighty-six years old, his hair and beard were completely white, and he looked very old and frail.

There were also several princes and princesses in the hall. They had all heard that the emperor had acquired an interesting trinket, and since Sima Chengzhen happened to be in the palace, they came here to see what was going on.

Princess Wan'an entered Taoism at a young age. Wearing a Taoist robe, she prayed for her grandfather, tilting her little head back.
"Father, was that donkey really made of paper?"

The emperor smiled and asked Gao Lishi to give them a performance.

Looking at Sima Chengzhen again, the emperor's surprise at the sudden transformation from a donkey to a living person was gone. His tone was calm as he said:

"What do you think, Master?"

Sima Chengzhen smiled and nodded.

Gao Lishi took the paper donkey out of the gold-decorated box and carefully demonstrated it to the assembled kings and princesses. The emperor was in high spirits these past few days and often talked about it with Consort Wu Hui at night.

The donkey landed on the spotless Hanliang Palace.

He let out a long, drawn-out cry.

The children all exclaimed in surprise.

Only Crown Prince Li Ying, being older, remained composed, kneeling upright with his eyes fixed intently on the donkey, never letting go for a moment, completely absorbed in his gaze.

The emperor was pleased and asked Sima Chengzhen.

"What does the master think?"

Sima Chengzhen examined it carefully, and then asked Gao Lishi to bring the donkey over for a closer look. He asked about the incantation and the key to its secret, and watched as the live donkey turned back into paper.

It drifted to the ground, faintly tinged with blue.

Sima Chengzhen clapped his hands and laughed, "It is indeed a fine illusion."

The emperor asked, "Is this an illusion? I wonder if the master can find out who this master is?"

Sima Chengzhen was the foremost Taoist in the world, a master of the Shangqing sect, holding a high position and possessing extensive knowledge. If he wanted to find a Taoist with high attainments, it would be extremely easy for him.

"It is an illusion, and an extremely sophisticated one at that."

Sima Chengzhen did not answer the emperor's second question, but instead began to recount the illusion in detail:

"There are several levels of illusion. The lowest level is mostly eye-catching tricks, often seen by skilled and somewhat powerful martial arts practitioners in the streets and alleys. These include things like swallowing knives and breathing fire."

"The middle level refers to the abilities found in extraordinary mountains and grottoes, which are not visible to ordinary people."

He picked up his cup and said:
“Once, a master was dining with a guest. After finishing his meal, he rinsed his mouth, and the grains of rice in his mouth turned into hundreds of large bees, flying around and making noise. After a long time, the master opened his mouth, and the swarm of bees flew back. When he chewed again, it was still rice.”

The king and princesses in the hall listened attentively.

Princess Wan'an leaned forward and asked, "Is the master referring to Ge Hong?"

Sima Chengzhen stroked his beard.

"Of course."

"Such a deity is only at the intermediate level?"

Sima Chengzhen lowered his eyes, looking at the young princess. His hair and beard were completely white, and he smiled slightly:

"That's because there are even more superior methods in the world. As for the intermediate level, it's beyond our reach; it's something that belongs to hermits, sages, or immortals in their grottoes."

Princess Wan'an pressed further:

"Is there really a hermitage? Is it on Mount Tiantai where the master resides?"

Sima Chengzhen sighed, "My dwelling place is nothing more than a place for quiet cultivation."

"What does the highest quality look like?"

Sima Chengzhen smiled and pointed at the live donkey wagging its tail:

“The best ones are like this, so lifelike that they are hard to distinguish. They will not become like this unless someone tells them the secret.”

"This paper turned into a donkey—"

"It can eat grass and bean dregs, and after eating it it can defecate. You can reach out and pull out its hair, and it can carry people on the road, all of which are just like reality."

"That means it has already achieved the transformation of the illusory into the real."

Before they knew it, the sky outside gradually darkened, and it looked like it was about to rain. The group sat in the hall, where they could feel the cool breeze from outside.

Princess Wan'an then examined the donkey.

Before, I only thought it was amazing and incredible, but now that I see it again, I don't want to blink.

She looked at Aye.

After listening to Sima Chengzhen's words, the emperor called out and saw the pale blue paper slip fall to the clean ground. The spotless floor tiles still bore a few dirty donkey hoof prints. "Could we have found such a master?"

Sima Chengzhen also felt sorry and shook his head.

"I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to see it."

One of the princes didn't believe it and laughed, "What kind of expert could be unrelated to my Li family?"

As they were talking, a sudden storm arose outside the hall, and water poured down as if the sky had burst open. In an instant, dark clouds hung low, and the rain poured down like a torrent.

A cold wind mixed with heavy rain blew into the palace.

Princess Wan'an exclaimed in surprise, "Father, it's raining!"

Gao Lishi ordered the eunuchs: "Quickly close the door, lest the cold wind blow on the Holy Body."

The emperor didn't care about the drizzle. He was in high spirits and ordered someone to bring him something. He wouldn't let anyone else touch it and carefully picked up the piece of paper himself, putting it into his treasure box.

Wiping away the raindrops from the paper, one can see the faint blue-green mottled patterns on it.

"No wonder," someone asked. "Is this paper wet?"

I felt a vague unease.

The emperor reached out and touched the paper.

Paper is still paper; nothing has changed.

"...Master?"

A deathly silence.

……

The rain stopped shortly afterward.

Sima Chengzhen looked up at the sky where the dark clouds were gradually dissipating. A hazy mist of water vapor blew in from outside the palace and landed on his face.

The rain was heavy and fast, which is quite common at this time of year.

But I always felt that its arrival was rather unusual.

……

……

Under the same sky, Jiang She withdrew his hand.

"It seems we're not meant to be..."

He said it softly.

Jiang She, along with Mao'er and Li Bai, were strolling leisurely through Wei County at the foot of Yunmeng Mountain.

It's very lively today.

Not far away, a young man dressed in a crimson robe walked happily down the road, his smile a little silly. Behind him was a large procession, with people beating drums and making a series of rhythmic sounds.

The black cat was initially startled by the drumbeat and shrank behind Jiang She.

After keeping a close watch for a while and confirming that it was safe, she crawled out from beside his feet and called out softly.

Jiang She patted the kitten's head reassuringly.

Li Bai found it amusing.

Beside the young man in red was a young woman dressed in a light green wedding gown, with a silver hairpin in her hair, having dressed up very carefully.

At this time, the customs for women getting married differed from those of later generations.

Instead of a red veil, she used a round fan to cover her face, which made her appear more elegant.

The woman did not ride in a sedan chair, nor did the young man ride a tall horse; this was the wedding ceremony of ordinary people.

A perfect match, a man in red and a woman in green.

Beside the wedding procession, several children, taking advantage of their young age, stood with their arms crossed, smiling broadly. Some idlers also stood by, bowing and scraping, constantly offering auspicious words.

Jiang She overheard it.

Congratulations!

"The bride is here—oh my, the groom is so handsome!"

"May we grow old together, our hearts forever united—"

"A loving and harmonious couple—"

Jiang She turned to leave when he suddenly heard the clinking sound of an empty bowl hitting copper coins.

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)