Legend of the Demon Cat Page #3

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but you trust everything that cat says.

This time you fell for it, not me!

Who said you could come in?

The door was open.

I told you- Juyi doesn't receive guests!

What good is that?

The cat saw these drawings

and made Chunqin your vision of Lady Yang.

From palace to brothel to Yunqiao's house-

he has been guiding you towards the truth.

But why me?

Because of your poem.

I also understand

that if Lady Yang was buried alive

then your years of toil were wasted.

Understand?

You just get here and you understand?

Cold nights agonizing over a single word-

what do you know of "toil"?

Because you are Juyi.

Because thirty years have passed,

and only you keep Lady Yang in your heart.

Her death is recorded in history!

The rebellion, Emperor Li's escape,

and the mutiny of his troops,

forced him to order

Eunuch Gao to strangle her.

You know

a scribe can falsify records.

That's why

I risked my life to steal the evidence.

Oh?

From the palace? Let's see it!

'Jade Girl' was her baby name.

A lock of hair- it was a token of her love.

Emperor Li died years ago,

leaving behind countless treasures.

But his most secret treasure chest

held only this silk pouch.

If he didn't adore her,

why keep a lock of her hair there?

You're in love with her too.

You're as obsessed as him.

I want justice for her.

The dynasty's decline wasn't her fault.

She shouldn't be buried alone.

So I'll do what Emperor Li could not-

I'll bring her back to life!

But as you wrote,

you had doubts.

Aware of this,

the demon cat is trying to tell you

you didn't get the story right.

Sure, I'll never write as well as Li Bo.

I'm happy to live in his shadow.

Just don't say my poem is a lie.

Speaking of lies,

I'm a fake myself.

You're not a monk?

I'm an ordinary shaman.

Japan's top exorcist is my master.

But he is unwell,

so sent me in his stead.

I'm here for the Tantric teachings.

Kukai-

In all my years, I've yet

to find enlightenment.

I suffer in mind and body.

China has obtained the Tantric teachings

for release from the cycle of life and death.

Kukai,

please,

you must bring back these teachings.

And so I resolved to come here.

Those were his last words.

Master.

Goodbye.

The journey tested my pride and confidence.

Aren't you afraid?

With my baby asleep, I'm at peace.

The waves pushed me under. I was terrified.

I struggled to stay alive.

In the face of death,

I forgot every prayer.

But I'll never forget her words.

Why couldn't I stay as calm as her?

Since I survived,

I must seek answers in those teachings.

I found a witness to Lady Yang's death.

Back then, in the palace,

I was Lady Yang's morning maid.

Ask me anything you like.

Were you there when she died?

Yes.

The emperor gave the order.

I wove the silk execution cloth

and gave it to Eunuch Gao.

See?

And then?

When they called us in,

Lady Yang was already dead.

So you didn't see Gao strangle her.

I couldn't bear it.

I'm sorry.

Even the emperor turned away.

So how did you know she was dead?

Captain Chen of the guards checked.

He held incense under her nose.

The smoke didn't waver,

proof that she'd stopped breathing.

How did she look after death?

Like she was sleeping,

even lovelier than when she was alive.

So you wove the execution cloth.

She looked like she was asleep?

That's strange.

If she'd been strangled,

she'd be in terrible pain.

I don't get it either.

Who was Captain Chen?

I told you before.

Yunqiao is a third-generation guard.

Captain Chen was Yunqiao's dad,

the instigator of the mutiny.

It's clear now-

the cat attacks anyone involved in her death.

So then why spare the old woman?

What!

Hurry!

I shouldn't have brought you here.

Bai-

Who else survived the mutiny at Maweiyi?

Catch.

Did any escape?

Chao Heng? Who's that?

A Japanese, like you.

A senior envoy. He was here a long time.

Abe no Nakamaro?

That's the one!

Oh.

He was at Maweiyi too?

Yes, but he died a long time ago.

Because he's Japanese,

he had no records in the archives.

So I wrote "to be completed".

Did Abe have a home here?

Yes, his widow Bai Ling is still alive.

Shhh...

Hurry!

You again.

And who is this?

Pardon us.

I'm Kukai, a shaman from Japan.

This way.

Did Mr Abe ever wish to return to Japan?

He changed his mind at the last minute,

watched his ship sail, and returned.

then returned to Chang'an.

Why?

Because of a woman.

He didn't know if she was alive or dead.

Did he ever find out?

I never asked.

He was here a long time.

Did he leave behind a journal?

Yes. He asked me to burn it.

But you couldn't do it?

No. Regretfully, I read it.

That's how I knew he loved another.

Yet you stayed. Aren't you lonely?

(Here lies Abe no Nakamaro)

Why not give me the journal?

Maybe I can release his soul

and salve his troubled heart.

Thirty years have passed.

I still remember the first line-

I'm a heartless man.

I'm a heartless man,

besotted with the emperor's woman.

(Thirty years earlier...)

Today is her birthday.

All of Chang'an is astir.

To allow them a glimpse of her,

the emperor came up with this idea.

Her exotic looks

had won his love.

It was an enlightened age,

and she was its pride and joy, its symbol,

to which all eyes were drawn.

I will profess my love to her

at her birthday feast tonight.

(The Pavilion of Swirling Petals)

(The Pavilion of Swirling Petals)

Everyone says,

all this is her idea.

It's her vision

of the Tang in all its glory.

What a marvelous woman!

M'Lady, the emperor wants to know-

do you like his gift of this red robe?

Do you like it- or not?

Where is the emperor?

M'lord, M'lady. Watch this!

A tiger for M'Lord, flowers for M'lady!

I still prefer my cat.

The illusionist was Yellow Crane,

the realm's most famous magician.

White Crane.

Coming!

I want to catch those flowers!

Go

How rude!

No rules tonight!

Catch!

I'd never seen the two boys before.

They were Yellow Crane's disciples-

Red Crane and White Crane.

So there really was a cat?

You reek of wine,

you don't wash, your robes are filthy.

Even dirty, I'm cleaner than you.

Get off.

Li Bo,

wealth and rank is yours at last.

Who are you?

What do you want?

My name is Gao Lishi.

His Majesty wants you to write a poem.

What about?

A great beauty.

There aren't any.

Sure there are. It's not so hard.

No one tells me what to write.

Can't do.

The Emperor isn't 'no one'.

If he tells you to write, you write!

Take off my boots and I'll do it.

I only do that for the emperor!

Lady Yang said

at her birthday feast, all are equal.

This is a test. So it's not true after all.

Gao Lishi-

Yes.

You're disobeying her and the emperor!

It's Lady Yang's hairpin.

No!

What are you looking at?

So you're the Flying Cranes?

Amazing.

It's an illusion.

It's nothing-

Just "now you see it now you don't".

Am I wrong?

No.

Give Lady Yang her hairpin.

Keep it.

Now you see it now you don't.

You're older?

I am.

Dad found him by the river

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