chsdbacks Chapter 53 Silent Thunder
Chapter 53 Silent Thunder
Li Lizhi held the tablet wrapped in a handkerchief as she walked back to her bedchamber. Along the way, her fingertips could feel the cool, smooth texture of the object through the silk.
She gently pushed open the door to her bedchamber, dismissed the palace servants, and sat down alone on the couch by the window. Li Lizhi untied her handkerchief, revealing the black board once again.
She recalled how Xiao Qingyi operated the screen—her fingers gliding and clicking on the smooth surface. Li Lizhi tentatively touched the screen with her finger, and the screen lit up instantly.
She studied them for a while and found that most of the characters were similar to those used in the current dynasty, but the strokes were much simpler and the structure was slightly different. She recognized some of the characters, while others were completely unfamiliar to her.
"Photo album," "games," "children's literacy," "videos..." Li Lizhi softly read out the words she could recognize. Her gaze was drawn to one of the icons—the two characters below were clearly visible: "Tang Dynasty."
Tang Dynasty?
Li Lizhi's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated for a moment, then gently tapped the icon with her fingertip.
The screen went dark for a moment, then a new image appeared. At the top were four large characters: "Records of Ghostly Affairs in the Tang Dynasty." Below was a line of smaller text: "Chang'an Red Tea, Human Face Flower, Yellow Plum Killing..."
Li Lizhi frowned. She couldn't understand any of the words, but she recognized the characters "Chang'an". Filled with increasingly strong curiosity, she clicked on the first episode.
The opening music begins—not the upbeat tune of *Zootopia*, but one carrying a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere. The scene unfolds: the city of Chang'an at night, lanterns swaying, shadowy figures moving about. The architectural style certainly has the flavor of the Tang Dynasty, but upon closer inspection, the details differ from modern Chang'an. The characters' clothing… at first glance, appears to be Tang Dynasty style, but the styles, patterns, and accessories have subtle differences.
This is not the current dynasty.
Li Lizhi immediately realized this. She was intimately familiar with Chang'an during the Zhenguan era, and while the Chang'an depicted in the painting resembled it in form, it possessed an inexplicable sense of "later." Was it the painter's imagination? Or...?
The story begins. Two protagonists appear, investigating the disappearance of a bride. Li Lizhi initially views the case with a critical eye, but she is quickly drawn in by the fast-paced plot. The bizarre cases, meticulous reasoning, and the sharp exchanges between characters all immerse her in the story.
When she saw the official titles such as "Golden Guard," "Dali Temple," and "Prefect of the Capital" appearing in the drama, her brows furrowed even more. While these titles were indeed consistent with those of the current dynasty, the division of functions and the structure of the government offices differed subtly. What bothered her even more were the occasional mentions of "the late emperor" and "past events" in the drama…
As the first episode ended, the credits rolled. Li Lizhi didn't exit; instead, she involuntarily clicked on the second episode.
This time, the plot delves deeper into the "Chang'an Red Tea" case. The characters reveal more information through their conversations: court intrigues, border conflicts, and historical events she'd never heard of before. Li Lizhi watched with increasing focus, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the edge of the couch—a habitual gesture when she was deeply absorbed in thought.
When the title "Di Gong" appeared in the drama, she paused slightly. Di Gong? A high-ranking official with the surname Di in the current dynasty… She thought carefully, but there was no such person. Was he from a later era?
At the end of the second episode, a key character mentions in a conversation: "Since the late emperor ascended the throne, the winds of change in Chang'an have shifted..."
The late emperor?
Li Lizhi pressed pause. The sun was setting in the west, and the light and shadow in the hall gradually dimmed, the light from the tablet screen reflecting on her solemn face. She stared at the subtitle under that line of dialogue, then rewound and listened to it again.
That's right, "the late emperor".
The story takes place during a time when the emperor has changed. Judging from the timeline of the plot, the death of this "former emperor" should not be too long ago.
Li Lizhi continued playing.
In the play, civil and military officials stand on both sides, while the emperor sits on his throne. Li Lizhi carefully examines the emperor's attire: the style of the imperial robes generally conforms to the rites, but some details differ from those worn by her father, the current emperor. Has the rites changed in later generations? Or is the costume production not meticulous enough?
Midway through the story, two officials were talking in hushed tones under the eaves. One of them said, "Although the late emperor was a woman, her methods and decisiveness were no less than those of men. Since ascending the throne, she reformed the bureaucracy and expanded the territory, showing some of the style of Emperor Taizong of the past..."
Li Lizhi's fingers froze.
Female stream?
His Majesty?
Ascension to the throne?
She abruptly pressed pause, the image freezing on the faces of the two officials conversing. The hall was silent, save for the pounding of her own heart. She stared at the subtitle, confirming each word carefully.
"Although the late emperor was a woman..."
Empress?
Will there be a female emperor in the future of the Tang Dynasty?
Li Lizhi felt a wave of dizziness. She put down her tablet, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm herself down. No, this couldn't be. This was just a play, a story made up by later generations. Just like the "Zootopia" that Qingyi brought, wasn't it also about talking animals? It was all fiction.
But... why "Tang Dynasty" in particular? Why are the official titles, place names, and local customs in the drama so realistic? Why are those details so lifelike that even she, a real Tang Dynasty princess, is startled?
She picked up the tablet again, her fingers trembling slightly as she fast-forwarded through a few minutes. The plot reached a scene of court controversy, where an old minister lamented, "Since Empress Wu's regency, it's been like a hen crowing at dawn, yin and yang turned upside down. My Great Tang..."
Empress Wu.