Lady T'ai Chên
must not be contused with the title of Empress. The real Empress lived in extravagant solitude far removed from the influence of Ming Huang. He honored her, but he could not endure her.
Henceforth Lady T'ai Chên was known as Yang Kuei-fei, the girl who matched the grace of flowers.
Invariably the Emperor bowed to her wishes. Yang Kuo-chung, her dissolute cousin, who scoffed at the classics and worshiped nothing but dissipation, was given a position at Court. He had dissipated his natural forces to such an extent that he was always cold, and so he usually kept a group of concubines clustered round him so that he might be warmed by the warmth and freshness of their youth. His nerves were jaded, he slept badly and constantly was on the lookout for new sensations. To him, flattery was a drug that he took to excess. Those who understood his frailties, found him easy to persuade. He was incapable of withstanding acclamation.
However, many of the Courtiers refused to accept him at anything but his true value. They admired the Emperor who was ever indulging in liberal thought, but in this particular appointment he had been too liberal.
One of the Courtiers voiced the sentiments of many when he said to Kuo-chung, "Men lean on Yang Kuo-chung as though he were Mount T'ai, but I regard him as a mountain of ice."
"A pretty thought," mused Kuo-chung, "akin to a
