It is a place of solitude and eternal peace, woven of intangible things such as moon mist or the down on a peach, rainbow colors, or the little rain of China gently falling. The spray-flung shore is white with foam and coral, a soft blue sea, and yellow cloudless sky. Perhaps in these fragrant Isles of the Blest, I may be able to discover Yang Kuei-fei."
Ming Huang's voice rang out in an impassioned plea, "Take me with you!"
The Priest shook his head doubtfully. "My Emperor," he said, "do not urge me to take you on so hazardous a journey. It may spoil everything. The ability to talk with spirits may be taken from me if I permit anyone, even the Brilliant Emperor, to peer beyond the curtains of reality. I beg of Your Majesty, let me proceed alone to the Isles of the Blest. Before the sun has set I will return with the precious knowledge you desire. After that, if you still insist on going to these ethereal Isles, I shall not block your way."
Ming Huang bowed his head. "Before your wisdom, I am humbled," he said. "Because of longing for my Princess, I was thoughtless. Go, good Priest, and I will wait here for your return."
"I shall not be long," the Priest assured him, "for I shall be in realms where time is impotent, of less value than a vanished sunset." So saying, he drew a gray robe about him. Ming Huang closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he was alone.
It was not easy to wait, but he curbed his impatience.
The fragrance in the garden increased. The wind in
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