Li Bai writes several imaginative poems in the traditional forms, expressing the majesty of China's mountain and river landscapes, the poet's soaring flights of the spirit, his legendary intoxication with moonlight and wine, and his treasured friendships.

As the An Shi disturbances continued, Li Bai had become an adviser to one of Ming Huang's sons, who was far from the top of the primogeniture list, yet nevertheless apparently made his own bid for the imperial power.

Upon the defeat of the Prince's forces, Li Bai escapes, but is later captured, imprisoned in Jiujiang, on the southern shores of the Yangtze River, and sentenced to death.

The famous and powerful army General Guo Ziyi intervenes: this is the same general whom Li Bai had saved from court martial a couple of decades previously, when the former had been a common soldier.

Upon General Guo Ziyi's offering to exchange his official rank for Li Bai's life, Li Bai's death sentence is commuted to exile: he was consigned to Yelang (in Yunnan), in the remote extreme of the empire.

Towards the destination of Yelang, Li Bai heads with little sign of hurry, stopping for prolonged social visits, and writing poetry along the way, leaving detailed descriptions of his journey for posterity.

Notice of an imperial pardon recalling Li Bai reaches him before he even gets close to Yelang.

Forty-year-old Empress Koken, exchanging her imperial costume for nun’s robes in 758, abdicates the Japanese throne in favor of a young cousin, who ascends the throne as Emperor Junnin.

She continues, however, to wield power, advised in this the ambitious Buddhist priest Dokyo, who becomes, presumably, her lover.

Junnin’s favorite and leading minister, Oshikatsu (Nakamaro), a member of the powerful Fujiwara clan, becomes jealous of Dokyo’s increasing domination of the government, initiating a political power struggle between the two.

Duke Liutprand of Benevento attains his majority and rebels in 758.

Desiderius defeats him and grants his duchy to one Arechis, tying the duchy more closely to Pavia than it has been since Grimoald's time.

Desiderius deposes Alboin of Spoleto in this same year, and exercises himself the ducal powers here.

The Lombards also hold the cities of Imola, …

…Osimo, …

…Bologna, and …

…Ancona, which are claimed by Rome.

In 758 also, Desiderius visits Rome and compels Paul to write to Pepin asking him to concede all the Lombard Direct claims except that to Imola; another letter of exactly opposite tenor is sent by the same messenger.

Pepin finds it advisable to maintain good relations with Desiderius, and Paul apparently accomplishes little by his double-dealing.

Later, however, Pepin will give the pope some support and act as arbiter between the Roman and Lombard claims.