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墨書 Inktalez
Previously, it was mentioned that Murong Hanzhu and Changsun Wuji conspired together to advise Prince Li Zhi to propose to the Sovereign the idea of holding a grand Marriage Trial competition to showcase Tang National Prestige, while feigning generosity by entrusting the preparations to King Wei Li Tai.
Li Chengqian was also someone who wanted to accomplish something significant. He was quite enthusiastic about cultural education and rituals. After discussions with Honglu Temple, they finally settled on the major event.
The Xu Zhen feared that Tuguhun's great Luo Dongzan might fail in the Marriage Trial, so she accepted his generous gifts and sent Moya to communicate with him, discussing the details of the Marriage Trial while she continuously recalled Historical Records, hoping to remember the topic of the Marriage Trial.
These Historical Records were not necessarily detailed; for instance, regarding this Marriage Trial, they were only found in unofficial histories and legends. Some said there were five marriage envoys, while others claimed six or seven, all asserting their versions with certainty, making it difficult to discern the truth.
After recalling various accounts, the Xu Zhen understood about seventy to eighty percent of the rumored topic of the Marriage Trial. However, she felt quite anxious since it had been a long time and many details had likely been added or omitted.
Just as she was in a dilemma, King Wei Li Tai came to visit, sending a steward to deliver an invitation for the Xu Zhen to come to his residence. The Xu Zhen was initially reluctant to have too much interaction with King Wei Li Tai, as she already knew of his fate.
However, considering that Murong Hanzhu and Changsun Wuji had already joined forces and might manipulate the indecisive Li Zhi, the Xu Zhen felt she needed Court Influence to suppress them. Thus, after hesitating for a moment, she decided to visit Wei Wangfu.
As the host of this Marriage Trial, King Wei Li Tai naturally knew the topic of the trial. If she could gather information from him, she would be able to search for answers more effectively. This way, she would not have to worry about Tuguhun's envoy team led by Luo Dongzan being defeated.
With this in mind, the Xu Zhen changed her usual aloof demeanor. When she saw King Wei Li Tai come out to greet her, she hurriedly acted surprised and honored. Once inside his residence, they took their seats separately and engaged in pleasant conversation.
Li Chengqian was handsome but rather overweight; he could not endure kneeling or sitting for long periods. The residence had footstools and supports set up for him. After arranging a banquet, he began discussing matters with the Xu Zhen in detail.
It turned out that he had heard about the Xu Zhen's Illusion skills. The foreign envoy teams were composed of individuals who believed in supernatural beings and included followers of Zoroastrianism. The identity of Xu Zhen as a Zoroastrian Envoy was genuine; if she could perform her Illusion during the opening ceremony of the Marriage Trial, it would be a splendid affair.
The Xu Zhen did not wish to take center stage; however, since a Sage had entrusted this matter to King Wei at court and ordered officials and related parties not to evade responsibility, she was unsure if her standing had diminished due to Li Mingda's influence on the Sage. If there were any further mishaps at this critical moment, her position would become even more precarious, leaving her with little chance against Changsun Wuji and Murong Hanzhu.
Under pressure from circumstances, the Xu Zhen reluctantly agreed but kept an eye on her interests. She seized this opportunity to inquire about the content of the Marriage Trial so that her Illusion performance could align with its theme. King Wei did not suspect anything and thus revealed all details about the Marriage Trial to her. The Xu Zhen felt secretly delighted but chose not to mention it.
Having agreed with King Wei, the Xu Zhen carefully planned a performance. She discussed it thoroughly with Moya and Caesar, finalizing what Illusions would be performed and privately trained until she felt confident.
On the day of the Marriage Trial, officials gathered, and the Imperial Daughter and Court Ladies were as radiant as spring flowers. Delegates from various nations arrived in droves, and after the Assassination of the Han Prince, Taiye Pool welcomed another splendid occasion.
There is a poem to attest to this: "The waters of Taiye are clear, the pavilion cool; boats disturb the resting mandarin ducks. The emerald brows cannot compare to the willows by the pool; petals fly into the Jianzhang Palace. The imperial seat is adorned with a single curtain, like an ice mountain piled high with treasures; jade-clear and distant, free of dust, the corners of the palace are cold in May."
King Wei was busy managing affairs, ensuring everything was orderly. A grand venue was set up at Taiye Pool, not luxurious but grand and magnificent, which intrigued all attendees.
Many delegations had already bribed court officials, and with Murong Hanzhu scheming to leak the exam content while blocking the Tubo Envoy Group's information, if not for Xu Zhen's preparations, it would have truly allowed them to succeed.
King Wei donned purple and gold attire, dignified and graceful, attending to all matters with great care, winning people's hearts.
Amidst the commotion, an eunuch announced the arrival of the Holy Presence. Tang Emperor appeared in a Black Dragon Robe (black being a color of nobility in Tang), wearing a Heavenly Crown adorned with twenty-four beams and twelve cicadas, complemented by a golden mountain and pearls, showcasing the Sovereign's dignity.
Once the Holy Presence arrived, various departments paid their respects in a wave of reverence. Witnessing such a scene brought joy to the Sage, who grew increasingly fond of King Wei.
Li Mingda followed closely behind the Holy Presence, searching for Xu Zhen among the crowd but unable to find her. Confused, he instead noticed his Young Brother Li Zhi beside him, accompanied by an elegant middle-aged scholar in addition to Old Uncle Changsun Wuji.
As the Sage took his seat, King Wei stood tall and proclaimed: "Heaven favors the majestic Tang Dynasty as a superior nation among all; it displays grandeur and commands respect from all people while encompassing four seas without harm—benevolence towards all under heaven and educating across eight directions..."
Li Chengqian delivered an eloquent speech that garnered rounds of applause. The Sage nodded frequently. Once he finished his lengthy address, the ceremony officially commenced as Xu Zhen appeared in a scarlet robe and gracefully ascended the platform.
Changsun Wuji felt displeased at Xu Zhen's appearance. Although her attire was not inappropriate, she wore a bright red cloak that did not align with court etiquette. Had he not known that King Wei wanted him to perform an Illusion, this cloak alone could have provided grounds for many Censors to criticize Xu Zhen.
Seeing Xu Zhen take the stage made Li Mingda lean forward slightly with anticipation. To him, that scarlet cloak added to her elegance, causing his eyes to shine. Li Shimin frowned slightly at his daughter's demeanor.
Though Xu Zhen shared a deep bond with Li Mingda, their differences were stark. At this moment, she was merely a fourth-rank Colonel Murong Xiao from the upper court; her title as Loyal Martial General was just an honorary position. Moreover, old ministers like Changsun Wuji were cautious about royal etiquette and repeatedly criticized Xu Zhen for entering restricted areas without permission, making Li Shimin's expression sour.
Thus, regarding Xu Zhen's relationship with Li Mingda, Li Shimin had to be more cautious. Noticing Li Mingda's lapse in decorum, he signaled him with his eyes to behave properly.
The members of the delegation came from countries such as India, Gesa, Arabia, and Hall. They had long heard of Xu Zhenzhi's name, and today, seeing the Xu Zhen so young, they were secretly astonished.
Zoroastrianism has a long history and is widely spread in the Western Regions, having a significant influence. Therefore, upon hearing that the Xu Zhen had the reputation of being the Son of Ahura and was a formally recognized Yarbo, many in their hearts held some doubts.
However, when they saw the Xu Zhen facing east and chanting loudly, her words fluent and pure, it was a passage from the Avesta. As soon as she began reciting, many Zoroastrian followers in the audience knelt down, and surprisingly, more than half of this delegation ended up kneeling!
Once the scripture was finished, those who had knelt no longer held any doubts about the Xu Zhen's identity; instead, they regretted why they hadn’t made more effort to connect with her earlier.
After finishing the chant, the Xu Zhen looked around at the audience and bowed towards the Holy Presence before officially starting her performance.
She slowly removed her scarlet cloak from behind her, holding each corner with both hands. She spread it out and turned it inside out to show that there was nothing concealed. Then she held the cloak in front of her chest to cover her lower body. After murmuring some incantations, she began to gently shake the cloak, and a cloud of smoke gradually rose from beneath her feet!
The ability of the Xu Zhen to summon fire from thin air was no secret; however, performing such a feat at such a grand ceremony was unprecedented. Individuals like Zhang Liang and Wei Chi Jing De, who deeply believed in spirits and gods, were already overwhelmed with shock!
As the smoke rose higher, the Xu Zhen slowly lifted her cloak. Strangely enough, her feet seemed to have vanished entirely; she appeared to be suspended in mid-air!
The crowd erupted in waves of astonishment and continuous applause. The concubines in the inner palace turned their heads in surprise; having lived in seclusion within the Inner Palace, they had never witnessed such supernatural events!
Li Mingda had long been accustomed to such spectacles; instead, he jokingly recounted stories about the Xu Zhen to several Court Ladies with a proud expression that drew envy from many.
The Xu Zhen gently lowered her cloak. When she lifted it again, she was firmly on the ground. Then she slowly squatted down half an inch and lifted the cloak once more to reveal a large vat filled with water that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere!
"Hiss!"
Everyone gasped in amazement as if they had seen a deity in broad daylight. Many superstitious individuals had already regarded the Xu Zhen as a divine master; they trembled with awe and wished to capture her likeness to create a golden statue for worship at home day and night!
The Xu Zhen reached into the vat and scooped up a handful of water. Facing the Sage, she sprinkled it outwards, transforming it into a shower of golden flakes that seemed to offer tribute to the Sage. This spectacle caused Li Shimin's eyes to widen in surprise and delight!
The world is filled with tales of the magical art of turning stone into gold, yet few have witnessed it. Today, seeing the Xu Zhen turn water into gold was truly eye-opening, leaving the entire audience in shock!
However, the performance of the Xu Zhen was not over yet. She grabbed her cloak again, covering the water urn, and chanted a spell. When she lifted the cloak once more, the water urn had transformed into a large fire basin!
The charcoal in the fire basin was somewhat dim, but as a gentle breeze blew, the smoke quickly dispersed, and small flames danced around before igniting into a roaring fire!
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
Zoroastrianism is renowned for its fire worship, and the Xu Zhen's mastery of flame spells has long been celebrated. Today, as she conjured up the fire basin again, how could the Zoroastrian followers remain indifferent? Upon seeing the fire basin appear, many followers fell to their knees, calling out Xu Zhenzhi's name, completely captivated by the Xu Zhen!
As the audience was in awe, the Xu Zhen lifted her cloak to shield herself and pointed at the fire basin. The flames erupted dramatically, and a thick cloud of smoke enveloped her. When the smoke cleared, her cloak lay limp on the ground, with no trace of the Xu Zhen to be seen!
"Another instance of that clone technique!"
Changsun Wuji and Zhang Liang were greatly alarmed; this was already the second time the Xu Zhen had performed this technique by Taiye Pool!
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