The Human Emperor (1-200)

C179: Wang Chong's Sworn Brother!

Oblivious to Yang Zhao’s reaction, Wang Chong glanced at the《Song of Purity and Peace 2》 written beneath his brush and nodded his satisfaction.

In another time-space continuum, Li Bai had written this poem in a drunken state under the orders of the emperor. Even though his work was overflowing with talent, he was unable to think straight then and wrote ‘Who of the Great Han could match her grace? Perhaps only when the lovely swallow (Feiyan) dons her facade.”

Back then, when Wang Chong read this poem, he thought that Li Bai was praising Yang Taizhen’s beauty to as surpassing that of Zhao Feiyan. However, after looking into it, he realized that it was not the case.

In the poem, the word ‘pity’ had the meaning of ‘cute’ whereas ‘facade’ referred to the coy expression of a beauty. He was comparing Yang Taizhen to the Han dynasty’s ‘Zhao Feiyan’.

Who was Zhao Feiyan?

She was the empress of Emperor Cheng of Han.

Legend has it that Zhao Feiyan could dance on the extended hand of the Emperor Cheng of Han, granting her the title of ‘Lithe Palmtop Dancer’.

Her beauty was also often a topic of compliment.

Comparing Yang Taizhen to Zhao Feiyan was a compliment. However, how could he have known that other than her slim figure and her ability to dance on palmtop, she was also the origin of the phrase ‘swallow pecking off the royal offsprings’ written within the 《Memorial For Xu Jingye Against Wu Zhao》 by Luo Binwang. It was eventually compiled within 《Records of Ancient Text》, thus ‘leaving her mark in history’!

Even though Zhao Feiyan was known to have the beauty that could make a fish sink, a goose plummet, the moon pale, and a flower blush, and she possessed grace that none could match up to, capable of dancing on a palmtop, hidden beneath her alluring exterior was a poisonous heart.

Emperor Cheng of Han was poisoned by her, and the number of royal offsprings she killed was uncountable.

Li Bai had compared Yang Taizhen to the vile Zhao Feiyan who poisoned the emperor and the royal offsprings, was this not courting death?

If not for his superior literary skills, he would have died then.

Even though Li Bai and Du Fu did not exist in this world, Emperor Cheng of Han and Zhao Feiyan did.

Consort Taizhen was well-learned in poetry verses, and if the 《Song of Purity and Peace 2》 that Wang Chong wrote were to refer her to the vile Zhao Feiyan, he would have truly offended her thoroughly.

All of the goodwill he earned as the author of the 《Song and Purity and Peace 1》 would only be converted into hostility; Wang Chong would truly be a fool if he were to present such a work to her.

However, after a slight edit, it should be fine.

‘Xi Zi’ referred to ‘Xi Shi’, and she was on of the Four Great Beauties. The very phrase ‘a fish sink, a goose plummet, the moon pale, and a flower blush’ came from her. It was said that her beauty had truly reached the pinnacle of the world, and when she tidied herself up by the river, the fishes would suffocate upon seeing her beauty and sink to the bottom of the river. Flowers would close their petals upon her presence, not daring to compete with her.

Xi Zi’s beauty was unimaginable!

More importantly, she served was an emperor as well. As for what kind of possible allegory that could result from ‘Xi Zi’ and what kind of connections one could make, Wang Chong could not be bothered anymore.

Li Bai was still way too timid; he only dared to compare Yang Taizhen to Zhao Feiyan. On the other hand, Wang Chong went on to put her above ‘Xi Zi’. Given that, no problem could pose a problem anymore.