Chapter 135: The Manifestation of Auspicious Omens

Yang Yuhuan leaned against Li Longji’s chest with a coquettish murmur. As she listened to his heartbeat, a faint crimson blush bloomed on her cheeks, lending her a thousand charms that left Li Longji utterly entranced.

She was draped in a pale pink gown of fine fabric, layered with a translucent white silk cloak that revealed her gracefully curved neck and clearly defined collarbones. The folds of her skirt cascaded like moonlight flowing upon the ground, trailing over three feet behind her, which only served to make her gait more elegant and fluid. Her three thousand strands of raven hair were gathered with a ribbon and adorned with a butterfly hairpin, with a single lock resting against her chest. Her light makeup only enhanced her natural beauty; the faint, ethereal flush on her cheeks rendered her skin as delicate and alluring as flower petals. She appeared like a butterfly dancing in the breeze, or perhaps a spirit of pure, crystalline ice.

Her hair fell like silk across her shoulders. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were arched like crescent moons, tinged with a faint trace of melancholy, while her deep, dark eyes were slanted slightly upward at the corners. When she smiled, they shone as brilliantly as the night sky. "Does Your Majesty know what the auspicious omen presented by Luquan County is?"

Every New Year, prefectures and counties across the Great Tang would send various rare treasures. In previous years, these so-called "auspicious omens"—bamboo shoots growing in wells or mushrooms appearing on roof beams—had been so numerous that Li Longji had grown weary of them.

This year was no exception. Several regions had offered their own omens, and Li Longji, without even glancing at them, had intended to have them tossed into the storehouse. Possessing the world as he did, he sought only true wonders to satisfy his vanity and confirm the peace of his golden age.

Just as one who dwells in an orchid chamber eventually loses the scent, or one who works in a fish market grows accustomed to the stench, Li Longji had been desensitized by the endless parade of bizarre oddities. Unable to speak his mind, he simply let the noise wash over him.

Forty years had passed since his ascension in 712. With his achievements in civil and military affairs, his diligent governance, and his reliance on virtuous ministers, he had ushered in a rare era of prosperity that few emperors could hope to match. Yet, he remained a man, subject to the full range of human emotions, desires, and vices; he loved all things beautiful and was prone to indulgence and comfort.

Though he had long ceased attending court, Emperor Xuanzong had not neglected the government. On the contrary, he had tightened his grip on power, marginalizing even the Crown Prince and the imperial clan.

Li Longji smiled faintly. "Is my beloved consort referring to the glass mirror presented by Luquan County?"

"Has Your Majesty not seen it?"

Yang Yuhuan did not know that Li Longji had simply tossed the mirror aside without a second look. There were countless such mirrors every year, and it was impossible to personally inspect every gift sent by the provinces; it was usually just a formality to demonstrate the ministers' loyalty.

"If you like it, keep it, my love."

"I thank Your Majesty for the favor!"

Li Longji noticed a strange excitement on Yang Yuhuan’s face and couldn't help but wonder. Ordinary gifts rarely stirred her heart. Last year, when the Anxi Protectorate sent a Khotan jade statue of Guanyin worth tens of thousands of strings of cash, she hadn't been this joyous. Could a glass mirror really be more precious than the Khotan Guanyin?

"If you are so fond of this glass mirror, shall I have all the mirrors in the treasury brought for you to choose from tomorrow?"

A beauty's smile was worth more than gold. Provided it wasn't a matter of plucking the moon from the sky or catching a sea turtle, Li Longji would not blink or frown even if Yang Yuhuan desired lychees from thousands of miles away.

"I only want this one. It is priceless; all other mirrors in the world are worthless in my eyes!"

Li Longji grew interested. Few things could make Yang Yuhuan so possessive. "Oh? There is such a mirror? May I see it?"

Yang Yuhuan took a package from a treasure box on the table and carefully unwrapped the silk. A brilliant light erupted from within, suddenly illuminating the tent so brightly that even the luminous pearls hanging inside seemed dim by comparison.

Li Longji gasped, steadying himself. He could no longer tear his gaze away from the object in her hands. "My love, is this the glass mirror you spoke of?"

"Does Your Majesty not recognize this item?"

"Gao Lishi..."

A gaunt, elderly eunuch stepped to the outside of the beaded curtain and said softly, "What is Your Majesty’s command?"

"I ask you... is this the glass mirror presented by Luquan County? Why was I not informed?"

Gao Lishi peered into the tent, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. He bowed his head and said, "It is my fault. There were so many gifts from the various prefectures this year that they have not all been registered. Some oversights were inevitable."

Even though it was Li Longji who had failed to look closely, Gao Lishi naturally took the blame upon himself. This was the classic practice: take the blame yourself and leave the credit for the master. Li Longji, after all, wielded far more power than any leader of later generations.

"You..." Li Longji was about to lash out, but seeing Gao Lishi’s humble figure and recalling his own indifference toward the tributes, his anger largely dissipated. "Do you know why Luquan County presented this glass mirror? Where is the memorial? Bring it to me."

Gao Lishi turned and left the hall, soon returning with a scroll, which he presented to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, this is the congratulatory memorial accompanying the mirror. I have already dispatched men to investigate the matter and will have more detailed intelligence shortly." Securing the Emperor's favor through a tribute was no small matter; one had to know who presented it, what their background and intentions were, and even the significance of the item itself, all in preparation for the Emperor’s inevitable questions.

Auspicious omens, or *furu*, were defined by Confucian scholars as natural phenomena that expressed the will of Heaven and benefited mankind. There were many kinds, with the "Five Spirits"—the Qilin, Phoenix, Tortoise, Dragon, and White Tiger—being the highest, as the saying went: "The Qilin and Phoenix are the auspicious omens of a true king." Below them were the Great, Superior, Middle, and Inferior omens.

If this were truly an auspicious omen, it was a significant event. Gao Lishi was well-versed in these matters and understood the workings of Li Longji's mind.

To falsely claim an omen was a crime punishable by two years of penal labor.

Simply put, Great omens were usually celestial events, Superior were beasts, Middle were birds, and Inferior were plants. During the Tang Dynasty, the variety of omens continued to expand; ritual vessels like bronze tripods, bells, and jade discs were also classified as "miscellaneous omens."

Auspicious omens were tools for rulers to soothe themselves and fool the populace, allowing them to sing their own praises while pinning the rise and fall of the world on the ethereal will of Heaven.

Li Longji held the memorial. "...Your subject, Feng Wannian, fortunate to encounter a Holy Emperor, observes the peace of the world and the reverence of the people, fearing he has nothing worthy to offer in return! ...Now, a commoner of Luquan County, Zhen Qian, has chanced upon a glass mirror to present to the Holy Emperor. This is a manifestation of the Emperor’s divine will and a blessing for all people... Your subject is overwhelmed with awe and gratitude, and respectfully submits this memorial to convey his congratulations."

Following the congratulatory text was a memorial detailing how Zhen Qian had supposedly obtained the mirror. This was, of course, a fabrication by Zhen Qian, claiming that after finding the treasure, he was so filled with awe and terror that he dared not keep it for himself, and thus presented it to the county authorities to express his gratitude for the Emperor’s grace.

"Feng Wannian... Zhen Qian! My own subjects, their hearts are worthy of use... Gao Lishi, do you know who this Feng Wannian and Zhen Qian are?"