I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 54 The Lively Scene of Luoyang
His friend put down his wine cup and looked Wang Wei up and down.

I didn't notice anything wrong...

Pei Langjun asked in surprise, "Shouldn't you be asking about Arhats? Why are you talking about immortals?"

Wang Wei spoke of it casually.

"just asking."

Pei Di stared at him, sensing something was wrong, and leaned forward. "What exactly did that Lu family boy write that you're so obsessed with?"

"He even made a special trip to Xiangyang, going there in a hurry and returning in a hurry, and after returning, he was like this, unable to eat or drink."

"Mojie, what secrets are there that I cannot know?"

The last question was quite intriguing.

Wang Wei did not answer.

He asked, "Have you read Li Bai's poem? What did you think of it?"

During this time, Li Bai's poem traveled by boat from the Han River to the Luo River, and from Xiangyang to Luoyang. Many people have heard of it.

Wang Wei returned hastily from Xiangyang and attended several banquets. He heard singing and dancing on the pavilions and terraces, and indeed, some of them were singing this poem.

"The Nighttime Feast of Ghosts and Gods, Drunkenly Hearing the Wondrous Dao?" Pei Di asked.

"Yes."

"Well written, the literary talent is elegant, it has a touch of divine flair."

As Pei Di spoke, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip, stared at Wang Wei, and slowly said, "You don't actually believe me, do you?"

"How could that be?"

Pei Di didn't believe it: "Why are you asking me if you don't take it seriously?"

He said, "Not a single word in the poem I wrote while drunk is true, only the spirit within it is real. Don't overthink it."

Wang Wei nodded: "I know that."

Seeing that he seemed normal, Pei Di moved back to his seat. He took a couple of sips of wine, occasionally picked up some food, and enjoyed the music drifting from the rooftop. Through the gauze curtain, he could even see a sword dance. Gongsun Niangzi's sword dance was still the best, Pei Di watched with great interest.

Occasionally, I'll exchange a few words with friends I know.

Many people wanted to inquire about Wang Wei from Pei Di.

Wang Wei is now very famous in Luoyang.

Although he was demoted and resigned from his post, he was still highly regarded by kings like Prince Qi who were willing to associate with him, making him exceptionally remarkable.

Five years earlier, he had met Li Guinian at Princess Yuzhen's banquet. Later, he composed the poem "Red beans grow in the south...this is the most evocative of longing," which made Wang Wei famous.

It was set to music and sung by people all over the world.

These days, Wang Wei is not in Luoyang. He only comes out two or three times out of ten when invited. Many people have come to inquire about him.

Pei Di had just turned away the two people who came to inquire when he picked up his wine cup. He enjoyed the cool night breeze, the fragrance of flowers, and the rising smoke as he listened contentedly to the sheng and xiao playing on the balcony.

Then Wang Wei spoke up from the side.

"What if the encounter with the immortals is true?"

"……what?"

Pei Di now looked at the letter carefully, scrutinizing it. He realized that Mo Jie's behavior had started to deteriorate after that letter arrived. He asked:

What did Lu Xiang write in his letter?

Wang Wei pondered for a moment, then made no attempt to conceal anything: "Lu Lang has a friend named Meng Haoran, who personally experienced a great dream in which forty years have passed..."

"I've had that dream too."

Wang Wei continued, "...Seven days have passed since I woke up, but the events of the dream are still vivid in my mind."

Pei Langjun raised an eyebrow.

He asked, "Can a person survive for seven days without food or water?"

"This is the profoundness of the immortals' Taoist arts."

Pei Di thought about it carefully, "So you went to Xiangyang for this? You've seemed so lost and distraught these past few days, could it be that there was no result?"

Wang Wei remained silent.

He kept his head down, drinking his wine and listening to the songs and dances, but remained silent when Pei Di asked him several questions out of curiosity.

Seeing him like this, Pei Langjun couldn't help but laugh. He picked up his wine cup, took two sips to moisten his throat, and said cheerfully, "Well, it's not unusual not to see an immortal. Even the Qin Emperor didn't see one."

"In a few days, Lady Gongsun will be performing a sword dance; it will be a spectacle fit for heaven." "Will you come with me?"

After a long pause, Wang Wei nodded.

……

……

The carriages traveled for another two days, and on the evening of the third day, they arrived in Luoyang.

Luoyang had a total of 109 wards, with the Luo River flowing through the city, dividing it into north and south districts. At that time, the city could accommodate a million people, and people from all over the country gathered in the eastern capital.

Jiang She dismounted from the carriage and was greeted by a scene of bustling prosperity.

It was dusk, and the sunset was particularly beautiful. The leaves on the trees reflected the golden light.

A group of foreign merchants were lined up in front of them, waiting to enter the city.

Camels laden with crates of goods; these foreign merchants, with their curly hair and bushy beards, and silver belts around their waists, exuded an exotic charm. Many of the people queuing to enter the city merely glanced at them, continuing their own conversations as if it were commonplace.

Jiang She looked at it and thought to himself, "This is truly a metropolis."

The city's guards were all clad in iron armor and carried swords, looking quite imposing.

They checked each person entering the city to see if they were hiding copper or iron, or carrying smuggled salt.

Upon approaching, Jiang She handed over the road sign.

The guard glanced at the carriage behind him and asked, "Are you merchants?"

"Having traveled here, I'm taking a break in Luoyang."

The guard sized him up, noting the man's extraordinary bearing and the men behind him who were not to be trifled with either, though his origins were unclear. He stared at the cat in Jiang She's arms for a while.

Are there people traveling with cats?

I was puzzled.

Since they weren't traveling merchants, there was no need to charge them extra fees, the soldier thought to himself with a pang of regret.

He waved them over.

After entering the city gate, Yuan Danqiu led the horse, and he had taken care of the horses and carriages most of the way.

Originally, Li Bai had two servants with him, but they were terrified when they saw the ghosts. The two servants felt that even if the Taoist master was a great master, it would probably be very difficult to travel with him. The master would be fine, but they, as servants, might not be so lucky. They thought it would be better to be ordinary people, at least they would not encounter these terrifying ghosts.

Li Bai then told them to go back and find Master Meng.

Jiang She and the Old Deer Mountain God walked side by side on the road.

He joked, "The mountain god's escort has gone a bit too far."

The old deer mountain god stroked his white beard and couldn't help but laugh. He said slowly with a smile, "Then this little god will see you off for another stretch, just one more stretch."

Li Bai took two steps back. He was an experienced traveler and said to Jiang She, "Let's rent a courtyard to stay in first. Otherwise, staying in a mansion is always uncomfortable and it's not easy to pack our bags."

"We need to find a middleman."

"it is good."

The road was lined with taverns, teahouses, silk shops, pharmacies, and ironware shops, and there were also street vendors hawking their wares. The neighborhood had a wide variety of food, including flatbread, steamed cakes, mutton soup, and candied fruit, all with enticing aromas.

Along the way, you could see several scholars walking together, dressed in scholar's robes. Now that it was summer, the heat was intense, and they all wore gauze hats on their heads.

There were also acrobats performing "sword swallowing and fire breathing," a skill originating from the Western Regions.

This caused a stir among the onlookers, who were quite surprised.

This is Luoyang.

The Old Deer Mountain God, who had long lived in the mountains and forests, rarely saw such bustling human activity.

Looking around.

When others saw him, they saw a frail old man, and because of his advanced age, they would give him a wide berth.

Jiang She was also looking at it. Unlike others, he had a different appreciation for it, as if he were seeing the Qingming Scroll for the first time, but from several hundred years earlier.

I found it very interesting.

In the twilight, street vendors called out loudly, selling their wares from jugs. Students, released from school, headed home in twos and threes. Passersby gathered to watch acrobatic performances, their expressions filled with astonishment. Foreign merchants' caravans traveled along, chatting and trading, their silver ornaments jingling.

Bustling and noisy, the world of mortals.

Who knew there were immortals here?
　It might sound strange, but "Acacia" was indeed written by Wang Wei for Li Guinian at that time...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)