The Tang Dynasty in the Sand Table: Starting by Feeding a Small Rhinoceros

The sun slowly moved from the east toward its zenith.

Empress Zhangsun did not step out of the threshold of the side hall of Lizheng Hall today.

She hadn't even taken off her phoenix-embroidered robe, and had Qinglan bring over a folding chair. She sat down beside Xiao Sizi's soft couch. Her deep eyes never left the area within three feet of her daughter.

She refused to see anyone who came to pay their respects, and even the green plaque sent by the Imperial Household Department was returned unopened.

"Qinglan, bring me the red thread."

Empress Zhangsun looked at the little Sizi who was playing with an empty milk carton and suddenly spoke up.

She stood up and, relying on her amazing memory, walked to the spot where the chilled watermelon had originally fallen the day before.

"Using this as a base, measure outwards."

Qinglan dared not ask any more questions and quickly took the red silk thread from the sewing basket. Two eunuchs held it and gestured on the gold brick floor.

Empress Zhangsun walked to the silver bell where the second lollipop had fallen that morning and gently tapped the floor tile with her toe.

"This is the second landing point."

She closed her eyes, and the images of the two strange phenomena flashed through her mind.

Just as the watermelon fell, Si Zi was lying on the tatami mat complaining of the heat. The watermelon landed precisely on the low table in front of the tatami mat, only an arm's length away from Si Zi.

This morning, the candy landed right next to Silver Bell, and its placement was absolutely perfect—it avoided the swarming palace maids and landed perfectly in a gap that only Si Zi could reach with her little hand outstretched!

Empress Zhangsun suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with a mixture of horror and understanding.

Immortals are not blind!

Those divine objects that fell from the sky were not randomly thrown at the human world; they had eyes!

"Your Highness..." Qinglan looked at the red net stretched out on the ground and lowered her voice, "The landing point is entirely within the Princess's reach."

"The immortals only recognize the rhinoceros." Empress Zhangsun held onto these words tightly, and a huge weight was finally lifted from her heart.

They're not after the Tang Dynasty; they're after her daughter.

"Wang Mama." Empress Zhangsun turned her head, her eyes becoming extremely sharp. "Go, set out the offerings and incense table in the courtyard. Choose a time when no one is around."

She wanted to try one last time.

Red candles burn brightly, and the air is filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Empress Zhangsun, accompanied by several trusted confidantes, stood under the scorching sun for over an hour, silently reciting the most orthodox sacrificial prayers.

However, the sky remained a deathly, deep blue.

There was no strong wind, no giant pillars, and nothing fell.

As the sun began to set, the ashes in the incense burner were scattered by the wind.

Empress Zhangsun's tense shoulders relaxed instead.

She waved for the incense table to be removed, strode back into the hall, and turned to face all the palace servants.

"Listen up, everyone!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"From this day forward, three new rules shall be established for the Hall of State Affairs."

"Firstly, no one is allowed to touch anything that falls from the sky; it must be placed in the sandalwood box! Anyone who dares to extend a paw will have it chopped off and fed to the dogs!"

"Secondly, the time, direction, and weather when the immortals descended upon the object were all meticulously recorded by me in a top-secret file!"

"Thirdly, and most importantly..." Empress Zhangsun's gaze swept over everyone, "Once Princess Jinyang opens her mouth to speak to the heavens, no matter how absurd it may be, no one is allowed to interrupt her! Even if the sky were to fall, everyone must wait until the princess finishes speaking!"

This is not worshipping a god.

This is the Empress Dowager of the Tang Dynasty using the coldest and most rigorous court methods to forcibly impose a controllable execution order on this ethereal miracle.

Outside the sand table.

In a rented room in Jiangcheng.

Li Mo had just closed his laptop, twisted his sore neck, and held a half-cup of cold coffee as he approached the corrugated cardboard box.

Through the invisible barrier, he could see clearly the figures in the sand table that were smaller than a fingernail.

He watched as the miniature figure (Empress Zhangsun) in a magnificent robe drew red lines on the ground, then watched her set up an incense burner and burn incense in the courtyard, and finally gave a speech in the main hall, with someone even taking out bamboo slips and small calligraphy brushes to frantically take notes.

Li Mo couldn't help but rub his temples.

"Isn't the Empress of this Tang Dynasty a little too decisive?"

He gave a wry smile.

Sometimes, the ancients on the other side are too clever and too meticulous, which is not a good thing.

If I continue to only send watermelons, milk, and candy, this communication method that relies purely on "guessing" will inevitably lead to big problems sooner or later.

Empress Zhangsun has clearly begun to "over-interpret" his casual throwing of things. If the prince were to suddenly fall ill or encounter an assassin, and he were to throw something down, the other side would have to record, analyze, and consult first, by which time all the trouble would be over.

We must establish clear and accurate two-way communication.

Li Mo turned around, opened the drawer of his computer desk, pulled out a stack of A4 printing paper, and then took out a black, thick-tipped marker.

He spread the paper on the table and uncapped the pen.

The pen tip hovered above the white paper, but hesitated to fall.

He hesitated.

If a modern office worker's character suddenly appeared in the deep palace of the Tang Dynasty, what would the person opposite him react?

Would you think it's a demonic possession? Would you be so scared by the wrong font that you kneel down and refuse to read the content?

"If we throw it down and cause panic, it will only frighten the Sizi..." Li Mo frowned slightly.

Just as he was struggling with this decision, a very faint murmur came from the sand table.

Li Mo lowered his head.

The afterglow of the evening sun shone on the windows of the Rissei-den Hall.

Little Sizi was hugging the empty red box of Want Want milk, her little head nodding as she dozed off.

The little one's rosy lips twitched slightly, as if even in a dream, he was still smacking his lips, preoccupied with something.

"Fairy brother...come again tomorrow..."

That soft, almost inaudible child's voice was like a feather, gently brushing against the softest part of Li Mo's heart.

Li Mo looked at that small figure, and his eyes softened completely.

Screw the panic!

No matter how strict the rules of the Tang Dynasty were, they could not surpass his determination to protect this little dumpling.

Li Mo turned his gaze back to the table.

He gripped the marker tightly, his eyes becoming incredibly determined.

This time, he's not just delivering things.

He wanted to clearly and explicitly state his intentions to the Tang Dynasty court!