In the Moonlight

The nobles and ministers had already departed, leaving the corridor empty and silent.

Monk soldiers lifted the felt curtain, gesturing for Yaoying to enter.

As Yaoying stepped into the hall, a wave of warm air greeted her. The tent was carpeted, and her footsteps sank soundlessly into the soft fabric.

Bi Suo waited for her beneath the felt curtain, rubbing his hands together with barely concealed excitement.

Yaoying asked in confusion, "What has happened?"

Bi Suo grinned. "The Northern Rong are in chaos!"

Yaoying looked up in surprise, her fingers trembling slightly, heart pounding wildly.

Had Haidu Aling launched his rebellion after all?

As Bi Suo led Yaoying further inside, he whispered, "We received news this morning—the Northern Rong Khan has moved his court to the Orda."

Yaoying pursed her lips.

In the Turkic language, "Orda" meant palace tent. Previously, Wahan Khan had named a small earthen town Orda, but it was merely a place for raising cattle and horses, far inferior to Yi Province. Wherever the Khan's tent stood became the Northern Rong's royal court—why would Wahan Khan suddenly relocate?

Bi Suo's eyes sparkled, his excitement barely contained. "They say Haidu Aling returned to Yi Province, severely wounded Wahan Khan, and replaced him as the new Khan! That's why Wahan Khan fled to the Orda!"

After Haidu Aling's return to the Northern Rong, it was inevitable the royal house would erupt in turmoil—brothers turning against each other, kin slaughtering kin. At best, both sides would be gravely wounded; at worst, complete collapse would follow.

Yet the Northern Rong had remained unusually quiet during this period, with no rumors leaking out. The Royal Court continuously sent scouts but learned nothing. Bi Suo grew increasingly impatient; if not for Tanmoroqie forbidding it, he would have gone to the Northern Rong himself.

Now news had finally arrived: Haidu Aling had clashed with the other princes, with unknown casualties. Wahan Khan, seriously injured, had fled in panic to the Orda, while Northern Rong nobles proclaimed Haidu Aling the new Khan.

Bi Suo relished the schadenfreude: with the Northern Rong in disarray, the Royal Court's opportunity had come.

Yaoying's eyes shifted thoughtfully. "Then why were your ministers arguing earlier?"

If things were truly this straightforward, why had those ministers been shouting and cursing?

Bi Suo's shoulders slumped, his smile freezing as he frowned slightly. "The King forbade the ministers from sending troops to attack the Northern Rong."

When news of the Northern Rong's chaos reached the Royal Court, the ministers—setting aside Su Dan Gu's "funeral affairs"—immediately petitioned for war. Tanmoroqie rejected them. Dissatisfied, the ministers rolled up sleeves, pounded tables, drew sabers, demanding immediate mobilization against the Northern Rong. Tanmoroqie remained firm in his refusal. The ministers raged furiously, but through all the arguing, he stood unmoved, until they stormed off in anger.

Yaoying suddenly understood—no wonder she'd faintly heard someone earlier accusing Tanmoroqie of being cowardly and timid.

Rounding the screen, they found incense smoke curling before a censer, a faint fragrance slowly permeating the air.

The hall was utterly silent, save for the soft scratching of a brush on parchment. Tanmoroqie was bent over his desk writing, clad in loose crimson Kasaya robes. Daylight filtering through the felt tent cast a shimmering halo upon his robes, accentuating his slender frame and profound features, as if enveloped in Buddha's radiance.

The earlier ministerial uproar seemed like nothing but Yaoying's imagination.

Hearing their footsteps, Tanmoroqie continued writing without pause. Only after completing a full passage of scriptures did he set down his brush, gesturing for Yaoying and Bi Suo to be seated.

Yaoying approached and knelt before the long table, presenting the Northern Rong delegation's confession.

Tanmoroqie accepted it.Yaoying's gaze fell upon the bodhi rosary encircling his wrist. At first glance, the rosary appeared ordinary, its color dull and aged from a distance. Only upon closer inspection could one discern the pale gray hue of each bodhi seed, smooth and cool as condensed moonlight.

After reading the confession, Tanmoroqie passed it to Bi Suo.

Bi Suo skimmed through it rapidly and sneered, "The Northern Rong delegation has been sneaking around with ill intentions. Detain them first and see how Northern Rong explains this."

According to the confession, Yiqing Grand Princess using Zhu Lvyun to persuade Yaoying was merely a pretext. Their true objective was to approach Wang Temple through Yaoying and seek opportunities to assassinate Tanmoroqie.

Bi Suo muttered several curses in his tribal language under his breath, set down the confession, and looked directly at Tanmoroqie.

"Your Majesty, since Northern Rong is in chaos and they also attempted to assassinate you, why don't we seize this chance to attack them?"

Tanmoroqie didn't answer but instead asked, "Have any unusual movements been detected near Sand City?"

Bi Suo shook his head. "Northern Rong hasn't harassed Sand City's garrison recently. I initially thought it was because heavy snow blocked supply routes and their cavalry couldn't penetrate the desert. Now it seems certain their quiet behavior stems from internal disorder!"

Tanmoroqie remained silent, gesturing for guards in the corner to bring the sand table.

Yaoying immediately stood to withdraw when a gaze swept toward her.

Tanmoroqie looked at her and shook his head.

Meeting his eyes, Yaoying felt puzzled. Weren't they discussing military deployments of the Royal Court? Shouldn't she excuse herself?

Tanmoroqie motioned for her to observe the sand table on the long table.

Reluctantly resuming her seat, Yaoying recognized the sand and gravel formations representing the general topography of the Pamirs and the Tianshan regions. The northern area showed only flat yellow sand without markings, likely indicating the Royal Court and its subordinate tribes. The southern terrain was clearly delineated: Kucha, Qiuci, Yanqi, Gaochang, and Yi Province from west to east. Zhu Lvyun had come from Yi Province, where Northern Rong's main tent was currently located.

The sand table revealed no information about the Royal Court.

Yaoying felt reassured—Tanmoroqie was considerate enough not to place her in an awkward position.

Beside them, Bi Suo scratched his head in agitation. After staring at the sand table, he asked, "What concerns you, Your Majesty?"

Calmly, Tanmoroqie produced several pieces of parchment. "These were intercepted from Northern Rong scouts."

Bi Suo took the documents, scanned them briefly, and his face lit up.

Yaoying took the parchments from him. After reading, her brows furrowed slightly.

These were distress letters sent by several Northern Rong princes, addressed to Northern Rong princesses in Gaochang, Qiuci, and chieftains of northern desert tribes, pleading for military support to rescue Wahan Khan.

"The intelligence is true! Haidu Aling has truly rebelled!"Bi Suo exclaimed joyfully, then grew confused: Since Luojia intercepted these pleas confirming the scouts' reports, why hesitate to deploy troops?

Yaoying reacted differently. She remained silent, deep in thought.

Gritting his teeth, Bi Suo declared, "Your Majesty, these letters confirm Haidu Aling's attempt to assassinate Wahan Khan. Northern Rong wouldn't relocate their main tent without reason! They must be in complete disarray—this is our perfect opportunity to strike! Grant me permission to lead the troops!"

Eagerness radiated from Bi Suo's entire expression.Dharmaraga’s expression remained calm. “What if these letters are fake?”

Bi Suo trembled all over, his mouth agape and hands shaking uncontrollably.

Dharmaraga pointed his slender fingers at the sand table. “Yi Province connects to the grasslands. Wahan Khan rose from the northern deserts. If he flees east, he can rally scattered troops and grassland tribes to reclaim his throne.”

“Look at where the Orda is located in Yi Province and what it’s close to.”

Bi Suo scrutinized the sand table and murmured, “The Orda is to the northwest, near the garrison east of the Royal Court…”

That was why the ministers were so restless—it was too close. Surrounding the beleaguered Wahan Khan would require only a military dispatch. Who could resist such a temptation?

Dharmaraga turned to Yaoying and asked softly, “The princess understands Haidu Aling. Who does the princess believe will prevail—Wahan Khan or Haidu Aling? Who currently holds power over the Northern Rong—Wahan Khan or Haidu Aling?”

Yaoying hesitated briefly.

Dharmaraga said, “Speak freely, Princess. There is no need for restraint.”

His tone was gentle, his serene green eyes watching her like a statue of the Buddha.

Though his expression remained neutral, it brought her a sense of reassurance.

Yaoying looked at him, gradually relaxing. After a moment’s thought, she spoke her mind honestly: “In my opinion, if Haidu Aling were the victor, he would press his advantage and immediately attack the Royal Court. Therefore, it is likely that Wahan Khan still holds power over the Northern Rong.”

Beside her, Bi Suo furrowed his brow, slowly calming down. “Why is the princess so certain?”

Yaoying replied steadily, “First, Haidu Aling is not of Northern Rong bloodline. If he truly became the new Khan, his top priority would be to secure military achievements to divert internal conflicts. Otherwise, he would struggle to command respect. Even if unprepared, he would have to launch attacks and harass the Royal Court to intimidate his rivals.”

Haidu Aling believed the best way to assert authority was to defeat the old Khan’s formidable enemy. Thus, in the records, after becoming the new Khan, he personally led troops to attack the Royal Court.

“Second, Haidu Aling is arrogant, conceited, and ambitious. Once he successfully seizes the throne, he would undoubtedly proclaim it to the world, prepare his forces, hunt down the old Khan’s descendants, and make preparations for conquest. It’s impossible for there to be no signs of activity.”

“These are merely my speculations,” Yaoying added. “What’s most peculiar is that news of the Regent’s death should have reached the Northern Rong. Why would Haidu Aling pass up such an opportunity?”

Bi Suo froze, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. He had nearly forgotten this detail, knowing that Su Dan Gu was still “alive.”

Wahan Khan was cautious by nature, especially when dealing with Dharmaraga, often hesitating and overthinking. The Northern Rong nobles frequently grumbled, complaining that he had grown old and ineffective, his courage shattered by Dharmaraga.

If Wahan Khan were truly dead, the impatient Northern Rong nobles would have launched a full-scale assault on the Royal Court.

Currently, the Holy City was tense, with garrisons from various regions withdrawing to reinforce it—a perfect opportunity for an attack. If Haidu Aling were the new Khan, he would have long led the Northern Rong nobles in an assault. Yet, in recent days, no battle reports had arrived in the Holy City from Sand City.

Wahan Khan had not fallen from power.

Bi Suo snapped out of his fervor, recalling the ministers’ earlier agitation with a shudder. Cold sweat trickled down his back.

If they had rashly dispatched troops, how could they possibly stand against Wahan Khan?Bi Suo rubbed his chin, his face full of disbelief: "Could it be that all of this is a trap set by the Northern Rong? They deliberately showed weaknesses to lure the Royal Court into sending troops, then catch them in a trap?"

Yaoying’s eyelids twitched, and she whispered: "We must notify Lord Yuchi as soon as possible. They don’t know there’s a trick and might dispatch troops."

Yuchi Damo harbored a deep-seated hatred for Wahan Khan, who had once led troops to humiliate him.

Tanmoroqie said calmly: "The letter has already been sent."

His tone was composed and unhurried.

As if everything was within his expectations.

Yaoying was stunned for a moment. She exchanged a glance with Bi Suo, and a flash of insight struck them both simultaneously.

Tanmoroqie’s restraint and concessions these past few days were not solely to lull the ministers into complacency—he was also testing the Northern Rong’s reactions to deduce whether they were truly in turmoil!

Bi Suo, belatedly realizing, opened his mouth wide: "Your Majesty, when you ordered me to keep a constant watch on Sand City, were you waiting for news from the Northern Rong? Did you know from the start that the Northern Rong wouldn’t be in chaos?"

Tanmoroqie nodded slightly: "Wahan Khan is not to be underestimated."

Yaoying’s heart trembled.

The highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy’s strategy, the next is to attack their alliances, and the next is to attack their troops. War is not merely about battlefield clashes.

Tanmoroqie had been dealing with Wahan Khan since he was thirteen. To outsiders, it seemed as though they had only fought a few major battles before determining the outcome, but no one knew how much effort each campaign required behind the scenes.

His confrontations with Wahan Khan were not only about battlefield clashes but also a persistent psychological game that had lasted over a decade.

Wahan Khan’s fear of Tanmoroqie was not only due to being defeated by him when he first emerged but also because, over the years, Tanmoroqie had remained steadfast and composed, resolving crises beyond the battlefield. In contrast, the old Khan had lost confidence after his defeats and become increasingly paranoid.

Beyond the battlefield’s clashes of steel, Tanmoroqie also had to deal with the obstructions of noble families, balance the court, and ensure his people were well-fed and clothed... Every command was a decision made after careful deliberation, and each small decision could influence the entire war situation.

Just like this time, another invisible war had unfolded between Wahan Khan and him.

A single decision from either of them meant life or death for thousands.

One could only imagine the immense pressure Tanmoroqie bore.

Enduring like this day after day for ten years, it was no wonder his health had suffered.

Yaoying sighed silently.

Beside her, Bi Suo’s heart raced wildly before gradually calming down.

He had been focused on a quick resolution—to eliminate the corrupt officials at court and defeat the Northern Rong, who had long coveted the Royal Court. But Luojia had considered far more and looked further ahead. In Bi Suo’s view, the journey to Gaochang was to help Princess Wenzhao, but for Luojia, it was merely a small part of the overall strategy. Luojia had to take into account so many things.

Bi Suo let out a long sigh, thought carefully for a moment, and said: "But this doesn’t seem like Wahan Khan’s style."

Tanmoroqie replied: "Whose style it is doesn’t matter."

What mattered was that the Royal Court must not fall into the trap.

Bi Suo’s mind cleared instantly, and he nodded.

The ruler and his subject reached a silent understanding.

Bi Suo glanced at Yaoying, hesitating to speak.

Yaoying smiled, stood up, and excused herself.

Bi Suo watched her figure disappear behind the felt curtain and asked: "Your Majesty, why didn’t you tell the ministers the truth?"

Tanmoroqie looked at the scriptures he had just written: "It’s not yet time."The complaints of those ministers still echoed in his ears. Bi Suo's expression was grave—it seemed Luojia intended to resolve internal conflicts first before dealing with external threats this time.

This was different from before.

"Has the King truly made up his mind?"

Bi Suo asked softly.

The monk soldiers cleared away the sand table. Tanmoroqie continued transcribing scriptures, his brushstrokes elegant and his calligraphy exquisite.

"Someone must resolve these issues eventually."

Bi Suo fell silent for a long moment.

Luojia knew full well what the outcome would be, yet he still chose to be the villain destined to be hated, all for the lasting peace of the Royal Court.

Bi Suo closed his eyes briefly.

"The falcon was a gift from the King to Princess Wenzhao. Why did you have Yuanjue say it was from me?"

The hall fell silent for a moment after this question.

Tanmoroqie's writing remained fluid, his eyes lowered as he replied, "Because it makes no difference. The falcon was given to the Princess by the Royal Court."

Bi Suo studied his expression carefully, pondering without speaking.

Just then, startled exclamations arose outside the hall.

Guards shouted urgently: "Princess Wenzhao! Get away quickly!"

A woman's cry of pain followed.

Startled, Bi Suo sprang to his feet, hastily bowed to Tanmoroqie, and rushed out of the hall.

Figures shifted in the corridor where guards and monk soldiers crowded together with spears, charging toward the Eagle Scaffold in the corner. A powerful falcon spread its wings, repeatedly diving with its sharp beak viciously pecking at a smaller black eagle.

The black eagle was less than half the size of its attacker and made no move to fight back. Yaoying stood between the two birds, flustered as she watched the black eagle being pecked relentlessly. She gathered the black eagle into her arms, turned her back to the falcon, and carefully dodged its attacks.

The surrounding guards dared not injure the falcon, shouting loudly to distract it.

With piercing eyes fixed intently on the black eagle in Yaoying's embrace, the falcon spread its wings like a thundercloud gathering strength and swooped down again, talons sharp as hooks.

Yaoying tightened her hold on the black eagle.

Bi Suo's brow furrowed deeply as he surged forward, reaching Yaoying in an instant.

"Garuda!"

A cold rebuke sounded from the hall entrance.

Tanmoroqie stood beneath the Felt Curtain, his Kasaya billowing in the wind.

The falcon froze mid-action.

Guards immediately rushed forward, grabbing the suddenly enraged falcon and carrying it away.

Bi Suo turned back, taking Yaoying's hand and rolling up her sleeve. "Were you scratched?"

The falcon's talons could pierce through a prey's chest—it had clawed at her several times moments earlier.

Yaoying quickly withdrew her hand, smiling. "It's fine. My clothes are thick—it didn't get through."

Bi Suo paused momentarily.

Yaoying lowered her head to comfort the black eagle, which had suffered several pecks and was quite frightened.

After careful inspection revealed no wounds beyond some lost feathers, she sighed in relief. "So the Buddha Prince's falcon is truly named Garuda."

Bi Suo nearly laughed and cried simultaneously, expecting her to curse the falcon but instead hearing this remark. Then a thought struck him, and he lifted his head to glance toward the entrance.

The Felt Curtain had fallen back into place—Tanmoroqie had already turned and gone inside.