Zhang Gao said, "Exactly so. Helan Jinming framed Fang Guan, and Du the Left Remonstrator was implicated as well—he has now been demoted to serve as Registrar of Works in Huazhou."Helan Jinming, once he entered the court, revealed himself to be a man hungry for quick success and petty gain. Casting aside the integrity of a true scholar, he ultimately became nothing more than a sycophant who clung to power.
Liu Yun snorted coldly and said, "Helan Jinming is truly despicable. Should I meet him again, I shall show him no mercy."
Wu Tong, though born into wealth and privilege, could not help but feel deep sorrow upon hearing of the fate of these two great poets of the age. He said, "Your Excellency's friendship with these two gentlemen runs deep. Wu admires it greatly and is willing to go in your stead to visit your old friends."Zhang Gao replied with gratitude, "Hall Master Wu, allow me to offer you a cup of wine as thanks for your kindness in visiting them."Wu Tong answered, "You are too courteous, my lord. I have long revered these two poets—if I may meet them and behold their bearing in person, it would be the honor of a lifetime."
The two raised their cups and drank them dry.Zhang Gao sighed and said, "These two friends of mine possess overflowing talent and are truly men capable of ordering the state and saving the world. Alas, though their hearts burn with such ambitions, fortune has not favored them, and their lives have been fraught with hardship."
Wu Tong felt deeply moved, his genuine emotions fully revealed. Unable to restrain himself, he recited:
"The mountain passes are hard to cross—Who mourns the man who has lost his way?Meeting by chance like drifting duckweed,All are travelers in foreign lands.I yearn for the imperial gate, yet never gain audience;When shall I be summoned again to the Hall of Counsel?"
Zhang Gao exclaimed in surprise, "I never imagined that Hall Master Wu of the Loyal Righteous Hall was also a man of such feeling!"
Seeing the two men absorbed in earnest conversation, Madam Zhang feared the fine dishes would grow cold and said with a smile, "Hall Master Li and Madam, please eat and drink freely—do not stand on ceremony."
Zhang Gao entertained Wu Tong and his family with great hospitality at his residence. Host and guests alike were filled with joy. The two families sat knee to knee, talking late into the night, cups refilled again and again, their happiness without end. As the verse goes:
Long parted, I think of you with deep affection,Sun and moon bear witness to this sincerity.In wealth and honor, we share fur-lined robes;I entrust this journey to one bound for Shu.
After the banquet, Wu Tong and his family took their leave. As they walked along the grand streets of Chang'an, a towering figure suddenly appeared ahead. The man was extraordinarily tall—so tall that even with four sturdy Tang soldiers at his side, he still stood out like a crane among chickens. Passersby stared in astonishment.
Suddenly, a voice called out, "Hall Master Wu of the Loyal Righteous Hall—how have you been?"
Wu Tong was startled and looked up. Was it not General Li Siye!Wu Tong said, "General Li, your campaign against the rebels has earned you monumental merit. Wu bows in admiration."
Li Siye, a man of immense strength, was famed for wielding the modao. In every battle he led from the front, unstoppable wherever he struck. During the campaigns to recover the Two Capitals, he attacked the enemy from the rear in coordination with the Uyghur reinforcements, fighting from noon until dusk and beheading sixty thousand foes—an achievement to echo through the ages. After the victory, he was promoted to Grand Master of the Palace with concurrent rank, appointed Minister of the Guards, and ennobled as Duke of Guo.
Li Siye said, "Had you not carried the imperial command to the Protectorate of Anxi, how could I have achieved such merit? When time allows, I shall surely pay you a visit."Wu Tong replied, "Wu will sweep the couch clean and welcome you barefoot in haste. We shall drink together and speak our hearts!"Li Siye laughed heartily. "Just so! Hall Master Wu is a hero of the age—only raised cups and deep draughts befit such men. Alas, official duties press upon me today. Let us meet again another time."
The two clasped hands in farewell and went their separate ways.
Untitled Poem / Li Siye
"I gaze northwest—Yellow sands roll endlessly beneath the vast sky.Beacon fires flare, the barbarian horsemen run wild.How can a minister sit idle and await destruction?
I gaze southeast—Rivers and mountains stretch ten thousand leagues in grandeur.If Heaven itself should tilt and the state suffer calamity,Why should I fear meeting death face to face?"
That night, Zhao Rou felt unwell and began to suffer nausea. Wu Tong immediately ordered Steward Tang to summon a physician. Before long, the doctor arrived and took her pulse. Wu Tong, deeply anxious, asked, "Doctor, how is she?"
After examining her, the elderly physician smiled and said, "Congratulations—Madam is with child."Wu Tong could scarcely believe it and asked again, "Say that once more."The doctor replied, "Congratulations—Madam is indeed with child, and already more than three months along!"
The sisters rejoiced at once. Li Qian said with a smile, "Congratulations, Sister Rou!"Though Zhao Rou had long been married to Wu Tong, this joyful news came later than Li Qian's. Li Qian teased, "Now Brother Tong will have worries indeed!"Wu Tong, however, laughed aloud. "What worries could there be in such joyous news?" As the saying goes, 'Life is but a brief lodging—why burden it with needless care?'
Ling Xian'er suddenly laughed softly and said to Liu Yun, "Elder Sister, it seems next time it will be your turn."Liu Yun blushed deeply and replied shyly, "Xian'er, you make it sound so easy—such things are not so simple."
Overjoyed, Wu Tong immediately ordered Tang Yong to reward the physician with silver. The household was immersed in happiness, which need not be detailed further.
As Wu Tong was soon to depart on a distant journey, he consulted with his wives. It was decided that Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er would travel to Shu, while Li Qian and Zhao Rou—both with child—would remain in Chang'an to rest at the Loyal Righteous Hall residence, accompanied by Liu Yun.
Early the next morning, Zhang Gao sent word, delivering Li Bai's amnesty decree along with two robes of fine silk. Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er mounted their horses. With a flick of the reins, the horses neighed and surged forward. Man and steed sped away like the wind, leaving Chang'an behind and riding straight toward the west.
ChatGPT 可能會出錯.請查核