The personal guard, unaware that the bronze statue had been sold by Yaoying, marveled, "No wonder those Persian merchants praised it so lavishly—this Buddha statue is truly exquisite. I’ve never seen such a style before."
Yaoying closed the jeweled box and asked, "Are all the tribal chieftains and princesses in the city now scrambling for treasures?"
The guard nodded. "Even the silk at our fabric shop has risen in price, and they’re still clamoring to buy it!"
He stole a glance at Yaoying but didn’t dare voice the rest: the reason for the silk’s soaring price was the rumor in the city that Yaoying had worn garments made from fabric brought from the Central Plains while performing a dance for the Buddha Prince.
Yaoying gazed at the jeweled box, her eyes sparkling with a sudden idea. "Return the bronze Buddha to Old Qi and tell him to give it to those Persian merchants to sell—let the highest bidder win."
Since even Persian merchants claimed the bronze Buddha was rare, why not sell it at a high price while the nobles, chieftains, and princesses in the city were eager to acquire it?
The guard looked regretful but respectfully assented. He then asked, "Then what will you present to the Buddha Prince for his birthday?"
Yaoying waved a hand. "Don’t worry about that."
The guard hesitated, wanting to say more.
Noticing his expression, Yaoying frowned slightly. "What are you all concerned about?"
The guard faltered before mumbling, "Old Qi and the others are afraid the other princesses might offer better gifts…"
Yaoying was caught between laughter and exasperation. "Why compete over this?"
It wasn’t a birthday gift contest.
"Don’t bother with this. The merchant teams to Samarkand, Kesh, Northern Land of Brahma, and Tubo will return soon. Focus on receiving them."
The guard scratched his head and sheepishly withdrew.
…
Wang Temple.
Bi Suo followed Yuanjue to the Zen room. As they crossed the long corridor, a young man strode toward them—wearing a brocade cap, a half-sleeved leopard-skin robe embroidered with flowers, and long boots.
As they passed each other, Bi Suo noticed the young man was as tall as he was and casually glanced at him.
The youth appeared seventeen or eighteen, with sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples, a straight nose, sharp features, and sturdy, thick arms. The embroidered robe clung tightly to his frame, and a long, fierce scar ran down his cheek—yet it did not mar his handsomeness. Instead, it lent the young man a mature steadiness, reducing any boyishness. He exuded a heroic vigor, tall and agile, clearly a tribal warrior raised on horseback since childhood.
Despite his youth, he showed no fear of Bi Suo’s imposing presence. His brown eyes met Bi Suo’s directly, sharp as a silver sword slicing through the air.
Without a word, the two nodded to each other in acknowledgment.
After the young man walked away, Bi Suo asked, "Who is he?"
Yuanjue whispered in reply, "General, that is Prince Mobi Duo."
Bi Suo suddenly understood. "So it’s him."
On the night when tens of thousands of private soldiers camped outside the Holy City, a tribe of ten thousand cavalry descended as if from heaven. Coordinating with the Royal Court’s central army hidden among the four armies, they shattered the enemy formations, driving back the broken remnants with unstoppable force.
The young man leading them charged fiercely, swift as thunder, commanding his tribe with the authority of a seasoned general. Only when the battle ended and he led his tribe to pay respects to Tanmoroqie at the city gates, removing his helmet, did everyone realize he was merely a youth—to their great astonishment.
Overnight, Mobi Duo’s name spread throughout the Royal Court.The nomadic tribe that Mobi Duo belonged to was called Wujili Bu. They had once herded sheep and horses for the Persian dynasty, but after Persia fell, Wujili Bu fled to the Pamir region and frequently raided passing merchant caravans.
The Royal Court was prosperous, and the nomadic tribes along the trade routes repeatedly plundered its caravans. The Regent, Su Dan Gu, led troops to clear the trade routes. The army nearly reached the outskirts of Samarkand, east of the Caspian Sea. Within three months, twenty-eight tribes were pursued and cornered by the Royal Court’s forces, leaving them with no escape but to surrender as entire clans. Among them was Wujili Bu. From then on, the trade routes became unimpeded, and the Royal Court’s caravans no longer had to worry about being robbed by small kingdoms or tribes along the way.
After Wujili Bu submitted, they expected to be enslaved or slaughtered. To their surprise, Tanmoroqie only punished the bandits and did not hold the common people accountable. He allocated them a territory where they were permitted to herd and farm. Men, women, and children of the tribe were deeply grateful, and Wujili Bu converted to Buddhism.
A few days ago, upon receiving a message delivered by falcon, the old Chieftain immediately led his troops to the Holy City overnight, joining forces with other tribes along the way. Mobi Duo accompanied his father on the expedition and volunteered to serve as the vanguard, a request the old Chieftain gladly granted.
During the recent rewards for merits, the old Chieftain made a request to Tanmoroqie: he hoped his son Mobi Duo could remain in the Holy City to broaden his horizons and receive the teachings of the Buddha Prince.
Tanmoroqie agreed.
Bi Suo thought to himself that Mobi Duo’s stay in the Holy City was likely motivated by a desire to become one of Tanmoroqie’s personal guards, thereby securing his future succession as leader of Wujili Bu.
Over the years, nearly all the subjugated tribes had converted to Buddhism. If a successor Chieftain gained Tanmoroqie’s recognition, regardless of his origins, he would be accepted by the tribe and his position solidified.
Once unruly tribes, under Tanmoroqie’s gentle yet firm governance, had become a force loyal to the royal family, steadfastly guarding the Royal Court.
Was this what Luojia meant by combining kindness and authority, strength and flexibility?
As Bi Suo pondered silently, he entered the Zen room, clenched his fist, and bowed in salute.
The long table in the room was piled high with scrolls and parchment. Tanmoroqie was bent over the table, writing. Hearing Bi Suo’s greeting, he lifted his chin slightly.
Understanding the gesture, Bi Suo stepped forward and picked up a piece of parchment from the corner of the table to examine closely.
Yuanjue, standing nearby, explained, “Your Highness, General Ashina went out of the city with Princess Wenzhao today and has only just returned to Wang Temple, hence the delay.”
Bi Suo’s eyelids twitched, and he immediately looked at Tanmoroqie.
Tanmoroqie remained silent, head bowed, his writing uninterrupted.
Yuanjue withdrew.
Feeling somewhat uneasy, Bi Suo waited a moment. Seeing that Tanmoroqie showed no intention of speaking, he suppressed his thoughts and focused on the parchment. When he reached the final lines, his expression changed dramatically.
Northern Rong had sent a state letter, beginning with formal pleasantries and ending with a proposal: their First Prince wished to marry Princess Chima to foster goodwill between the two nations.
Bi Suo exclaimed angrily, “What do the Northern Rong mean by this? They know perfectly well that Princess Chima cannot marry outside the kingdom.”
Princess Chima would only marry a noble of the Royal Court.
“Wahan Khan is testing me,” Tanmoroqie set down his brush and said. “The four armies have just been reorganized and are not ready for battle. Send orders to the garrisons in Sand City and other regions: if anyone provokes them, whether Northern Rong troops or small tribal forces, they are to hold their positions. Those who violate this order will face military justice.”
Bi Suo acknowledged the command. With Northern Rong blocking information, they had to proceed with caution.
After discussing a few other matters, Bi Suo took his leave.When retreating to the doorway, he suddenly stopped, lifted his head, looked at Tanmoroqie, and said, "Your Majesty, when Princess Wenzhao invited me out of the city today, it was to discuss official matters."
Tanmoroqie remained silent.
Bi Suo couldn't tell whether he cared about this matter or not. After standing for a while, he silently withdrew.
Incense smoke curled before the brocade curtains.
The brush in Tanmoroqie's hand paused, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he removed the rosary from his wrist. His fingers gently turned the Buddhist beads while silently reciting Scriptures.
Wind blew through the open door into the Zen room, stirring unseen undercurrents in the chamber.
After a moment, he slipped the rosary back onto his wrist, picked up his brush, and continued reviewing other memorials.
Just then, deliberately softened footsteps sounded at the doorway. The guard Bore saluted outside the door, his face flushed red with anxious urgency.
"Your Majesty, while accompanying the protocol officers in receiving envoys from various countries, I heard some rumors."
He entered the room, knelt on one knee, his voice tinged with anger.
"You must discipline Princess Wenzhao! We can't continue indulging the princess's reckless behavior like this!"
Tanmoroqie set down his brush and raised his eyes.
Bore immediately restrained his anger, complaining quietly, "Your Majesty, rumors about Princess Wenzhao whipping the Northern Rong princess have spread throughout the Holy City."
Today, when Bore went to the guesthouses to pacify envoys from various countries, he was surrounded by servants of foreign princesses asking endless questions. Not only was he greatly annoyed, but he also heard a disturbing rumor.
On the day Yaoying met with Zhu Lvyun, she deliberately left spies behind. Those spies witnessed how she dispensed with formalities and directly seized Zhu Lvyun and her guards, tormenting them on the spot before finally threatening Zhu Lvyun. Shocked, the spies rushed back to report to their masters—who happened to be the various foreign princesses.
Bore wore an expression of frustrated disappointment as he said, "Now the rumors have spread everywhere. They say Princess Wenzhao is arrogant and domineering, cruel and merciless. They claim she fears other princesses might steal you away, so she took people to capture the Northern Rong princess and forced her to return to Northern Rong. Since the Northern Rong delegation was preparing to leave anyway, all the other foreign princesses believed it!"
As he spoke, his voice rose slightly: "Those princesses asked me whether Princess Wenzhao is truly as they say—all charm and obedience before you, but actually venomous as a snake with a vicious heart. They even said that anyone who approaches you will have their face ruined by poison from Princess Wenzhao, that she'll stop at nothing for your sake, employing any malicious method..."
Shaking his head at the end, Bore concluded, "The princess is too willful. The rumors are growing more exaggerated with each telling. How will the people of the Royal Court view you? Your Majesty, you must discipline Princess Wenzhao."
Tanmoroqie set aside the memorial and summoned Yuanjue, asking if he had heard the rumors.
Yuanjue replied, "I have heard them. The Northern Rong princess is leaving the Holy City so soon after arriving. The common people are saying... that Princess Wenzhao acted out of jealousy, which is why she forced her to leave."
Tanmoroqie's brow furrowed slightly.
...
A rebellion was quelled without bloodshed, and the court situation gradually stabilized. The Buddha Prince Tanmoroqie's birthday and the gathering of foreign princesses in the Holy City once again became the most frequent topics of conversation among the people.
After the lockdown was lifted, the streets and alleys of the Holy City bustled with continuous streams of pilgrims coming to worship.
Amid this peaceful atmosphere, Zhu Lvyun and her party departed the Holy City in disgrace.
Zhu Lvyun had been forcibly sent to the Royal Court by her aunt, the Yiqing Grand Princess, and was more than eager to leave early.
Her guards, however, were reluctant to return empty-handed. Unfortunately, the Royal Court directly dispatched troops to escort them back, leaving no room for negotiation. With no alternatives, they could only return without accomplishing their mission.When they came to the Royal Court, they traveled by day and rested at night, staying a few extra days at post stations during snowstorms. On the return journey, the Royal Court soldiers kept urging them onward. Unable to send messages to inquire about the next steps, they had no choice but to abandon the carts. Everyone rode horses, traveling day and night without stopping, and soon reached the border.
After completing the border crossing documents, the Northern Rong guards suddenly detained several of them.
The personal guard angrily said, "We were ordered on a mission to the Royal Court and now must rush back to Yi Province to report. Here is the decree, personally written by the judge. You detain us without reason—are you defying authority?"
The soldiers burst into laughter but offered no explanation. They inspected everyone's travel permits and, after confirming they were valid, ordered their release—but not to Yi Province.
Confused, the personal guard asked the escorting soldiers where they were being taken, but the soldiers remained silent.
Three days later, the anxious group was brought to a small earthen fort used for sentry duty. The personal guard happened to know one of the fort's guards and sought him out for help.
Upon hearing they wanted to return to Yi Province, the guard said, "You don't know? The main tent is no longer in Yi Province! The judge and Yiqing Grand Princess have likely followed the Khan to the Orda. If you go back to Yi Province to report, you'll find no one there."
The personal guard was stunned: After Zhu Lvyun arrived in Yi Province, Yiqing Grand Princess's husband had secured a princess title for her. The Grand Princess then sent personal guards to escort her niece to the Royal Court. When they left Yi Province, Northern Rong was peaceful. Later, when they lost contact with Northern Rong, they assumed it was due to the long distance and didn't think much of it. It turned out that during their mission, Northern Rong had been turned upside down—the Khan had actually gone to the Orda!
"What happened in Yi Province?"
The guard's expression changed slightly, and he lowered his voice: "I'm just a lowly soldier and don't know exactly what happened... I heard that several princes had a dispute with Prince Haidu Aling. Haidu Aling attempted to assassinate the Khan, who was seriously injured. Later, for some reason, the court moved to the Orda. Now Yi Province is in chaos. Those escorting you are from The First Prince's faction—they're taking you to the Orda."
The personal guard's heart raced with fear, his clothes soaked with sweat.
The judge and Yiqing Grand Princess were Haidu Aling's teachers. Since Haidu Aling had attempted to assassinate Wahan Khan, Yiqing Grand Princess must be involved. Perhaps the judge and the Grand Princess had already been killed by the Khan. Now falling into the hands of The First Prince, Haidu Aling's rival, wouldn't they be like lambs entering a tiger's den?
The more the personal guard thought about it, the more terrified he became. He returned to discuss with the others what to do.
Upon hearing that Haidu Aling had attempted to assassinate the Khan, everyone was frightened out of their wits. They all said: "This Han princess's title was secured by the judge, who is Haidu Aling's teacher. If we escort the Han princess to the Orda, we'll definitely be seen as Haidu Aling's followers. The First Prince won't spare us."
"We were ordered to protect Fukang Princess. Now that the princess has returned to Northern Rong unharmed, we've done our duty to the Grand Princess. We can't accompany the princess to the Orda to die."
"Exactly! Haidu Aling's rebellion has nothing to do with us! We need to make plans early!"
"Fukang Princess pays no attention to anything. If we stay with her, we'll be killed sooner or later!"The guard captain pondered for a long moment before sighing. "The Eldest Princess ordered us to protect the Fukang Princess. No matter what, we cannot abandon her. If we flee, we must bring the Fukang Princess with us."
The others exchanged glances but remained silent.
The next morning, the guard captain found the tent empty—his subordinates, fearing The First Prince, had taken advantage of the lax guard and escaped during the night.
The captain sighed deeply, took stock of the remaining men, and under the soldiers' supervision, continued toward the Orda.
Several days later, they finally arrived at the Orda.
The Orda was heavily guarded, with scouts patrolling back and forth along the way. Cavalry rode to and fro, their hoofbeats thundering like drums. Beneath the undulating mountains in the distance lay a dense cluster of tents, roughly housing over twenty thousand people.
The guards had no time to survey their surroundings before their hands were bound, and they were escorted into a tent. Trembling, they listened to the sharp clashing of weapons outside.
Soon after, a pair of pale hands lifted the tent flap, and a woman with braided hair, dressed in a sheepskin jacket and trousers, her face delicate and beautiful, stepped inside.
The guard stared at her in shock, then grew so agitated he could barely speak. Kneeling, he cried, "Princess! I thought something had happened to you!"
The Eldest Princess frowned deeply. "Why are there so few of you left?"
The guard’s face flushed as he explained the situation. "They thought you and the judge had fallen from power and took advantage of the chaos to flee."
The Eldest Princess sneered.
The guard said guiltily, "Princess, I failed in my mission. Please punish me."
The Eldest Princess waved her hand dismissively, her expression weary, and ordered the guard’s bonds to be removed. "Sending Yunniang to the Royal Court this time was primarily to avoid disaster, and only secondarily to test that Princess Wenzhao. Yunniang was useless, but you did well. There’s no need to ask for punishment."
The guard quickly added, "Princess, the rumors are true! The Royal Court’s Buddha Prince indeed regards Princess Wenzhao with special favor! Moreover, Princess Wenzhao is not the delicate, bookish woman the Fukang Princess described."
The Eldest Princess raised an eyebrow and hummed thoughtfully. "It seems Haidu Aling concealed some things from me back then..."
She paused.
"You’ve returned just in time. There’s someone I need you to identify."
The guard asked, "Who might that be?"
A mocking smile curled the Eldest Princess’s lips. "You once went to the Wei Kingdom to gather intelligence and stayed in Chang’an. Did you ever see their Crown Prince, Li Xuanzhen?"
The guard nodded. "I saw him from a distance a few times."
The Eldest Princess clapped her hands. "Good. Go to the dungeon and confirm whether that man is Li Xuanzhen."
OpenNovel