Yaoying followed Tanmoroqie.
Bi Suo trailed behind her.
After a night of bitter wind, the courtyard was blanketed with soft snow. As the three walked across the snowy ground, their footsteps produced a series of faint crunching sounds.
Tanmoroqie moved at a leisurely pace, not particularly fast, but his tall, upright posture and long strides caused his kasaya to flutter in the wind. In the blink of an eye, he had already covered some distance.
Yaoying quickened her steps to keep up with him when suddenly her foot sank heavily, rooting her to the spot, unable to move.
She looked down and saw that her long boot was half-buried in the snow.
With the recent warmer weather, the snow was not as firmly frozen as it had been in the depths of winter.
Yaoying tried to pull her boot out but, after several attempts, remained stuck.
Bi Suo, who was close behind her, couldn't help but laugh heartily at the sight. He stepped forward, reaching out to support her as he chuckled, "Don’t rush, Princess, let me help you..."
Just as he extended his hand toward Yaoying, the corner of his eye caught a flash of a snow-white kasaya, and his smile stiffened slightly.
Yaoying tugged at her boot a few more times, her body swaying unsteadily. As two shadows fell over her, she looked up and instinctively reached out, lightly grasping the sleeve of one of them.
All three fell silent.
Bi Suo lowered his gaze, his eyes lingering on Yaoying’s slender fingers with a strange expression.
Yaoying also stared at her own hand, feeling slightly uneasy. Slowly, she raised her eyes and met Tanmoroqie’s cool, detached gaze.
He stood before her, his face handsome and dignified, his expression almost unreadable, exuding an otherworldly aura.
Somehow, in her haste, she had grabbed his sleeve.
The kasaya was embroidered with delicate golden patterns that brushed against her fingertips, causing a faint, prickly sensation.
Snapping back to reality, Yaoying offered Tanmoroqie an apologetic smile and was about to release her grip when he gently lifted his arm, signaling her not to let go.
Understanding his intention, she held tightly to his sleeve and used the leverage to pull herself free from the snow.
"Like pulling up bamboo shoots..."
Yaoying chuckled softly, releasing his sleeve and brushing the snow from the edge of her boot.
Tanmoroqie said nothing. Once she was steady on her feet, he turned and walked away.
Yaoying followed him and, noticing Bi Suo’s bewildered expression, asked, "General, have you never seen bamboo shoots before?"
Bi Suo smiled at her and shook his head. "No, I haven’t. I’ve often heard that the Han lands are vast and rich, with many things we don’t have here..."
He then shifted the topic, "Princess, you’ve been away from home for so long—you must miss your homeland dearly, don’t you?"
Yaoying thought of her distant homeland, thousands of miles away from the Royal Court, and a wave of melancholy washed over her.
Bi Suo, his eyes fixed intently on Tanmoroqie’s retreating figure, raised his voice slightly and said, "I’ve made the Princess sad. Please don’t grieve. With the Northern Rong in turmoil right now, your family might already be searching for you. I believe it won’t be long before you can return to your homeland and reunite with your loved ones."
Yaoying nodded. "I appreciate your kind words, General."
The three crossed the courtyard and ascended the stone steps. A guard lifted the felt curtain, and Tanmoroqie stepped inside, pointing to a rolled-up piece of animal hide paper on the table. "Bi Suo, take this to the camp."
Bi Suo abruptly looked up at Tanmoroqie, his face stiff with surprise.
Such a task didn’t require him to deliver it personally.
Tanmoroqie’s expression remained calm.
Not daring to argue, Bi Suo sighed inwardly and responded in a low voice, "Yes." He took the animal hide paper and left.
Tanmoroqie turned to Yaoying. "Sit."
Yaoying glanced down at the Persian velvet carpet on the floor, hesitating over where to sit.Tanmoroqie lifted his gaze, glancing toward the long table.
Yaoying understood his meaning, walked over, and sat down cross-legged.
The brazier in the corner glowed crimson, emitting soft crackling sounds, filling the tent with spring-like warmth.
Tanmoroqie picked up a letter from the table and handed it to Yaoying.
Yaoying took the letter, noticing the elegant Chinese characters with slight surprise. Upon opening it, a smile spread across her face: "It’s a letter from Master Mengda Ti Po."
After leaving the Royal Court, Mengda Ti Po first traveled west, reached Kang Kingdom, then headed south, passing through Huo Kingdom, Hexina, and Gandhara on his way back to the Land of Brahma. The letter was written during his stay in Huo Kingdom, sharing some travel observations and reassuring her of his safety.
Yaoying quickly finished reading the letter.
"Mengda Ti Po is doing well. He also inquired about your health, reminding you to be cautious when taking medicine and not rely too heavily on elixirs."
Tanmoroqie nodded and said, "Mengda Ti Po met the king of Piluo Mo Luo in Huo Kingdom and entrusted them to deliver the letter. It was brought by the Land of Brahma envoy. Among the envoy is a Brahmin physician well-versed in pharmacology, whom Mengda Ti Po invited to the Royal Court."
Yaoying instinctively straightened up: "Is he here to treat you? Since Mengda Ti Po invited him, he must be capable of curing you!"
Tanmoroqie lowered his eyes to look at her.
Kneeling before the long table, Yaoying met his gaze, her face brimming with joyful anticipation, her bright eyes shimmering like water.
She rarely showed such delight.
And her current happiness was entirely for him.
Tanmoroqie remained silent, his fingers lightly brushing the rosary.
Yaoying clapped her hands together, beaming. "Your blessings truly work."
Tanmoroqie raised his eyelids: "Blessings?"
Yaoying looked at him, nodded, and said with a smile, "This morning in the great hall, when you were reciting Scriptures to bless the people, I thought: if Buddha truly manifests, the one most deserving of blessings should be you. When you pointed at me, I was wishing Mengda Ti Po could soon find a way to heal you..."
"Never thought the Brahmin physician would arrive so soon."
Yaoying’s eyes curved like crescent moons, her face radiant as morning glory.
Tanmoroqie watched her, motionless.
Embers crackled softly in the charcoal basin, filling the room with warmth.
After a moment of silence, he asked, "Why didn’t the Princess seek blessings for herself?"
Yaoying chuckled lightly, casually replying, "I didn’t think of it at the time..."
As she spoke, her gaze fell upon the gilded incense staff nearby.
"Next time you perform blessings, I’ll attend again."
She mentioned offhandedly, then recalled something and asked curiously, "By the way, when you touched my head with the incense staff, what were you chanting?"
Most of his Scripture recitations were in Brahmi or Hu language, with elegant rhythms she didn’t understand but found mesmerizing.
Tanmoroqie said, "Scriptures."
Yaoying shook her head with a wry smile and didn’t press further.
Tanmoroqie sat quietly, then suddenly asked, "Has the Princess ever considered entering the Buddhist order?"
Yaoying shuddered, eyes wide with astonishment, shaking her head repeatedly as she laughed. "I’m not as noble as you—I can’t bear to leave the mortal world. Greed, hatred, and delusion... I can’t renounce any of them."
She spread her hands toward him with a playful expression.
"Just reciting Scriptures daily gives me a headache."
Besides, she couldn’t give up meat.
Tanmoroqie fell silent, his fingers stroking the rosary.
This morning, before the hall where Buddha was enshrined, the air thick with sandalwood incense, devout followers packed the great hall, approaching one by one to receive his blessings.He had presided over many such Dharma assemblies. Men and women, old and young, children and elders, Hu people and Han people—in his eyes, all had blurred faces, with no distinction between noble and humble, no differentiation.
Yet, the moment she suddenly appeared, he saw her radiant and luminous face.
Step by step, she walked up to him, her clear eyes reflecting his image, as if revering him, worshipping him, devout and respectful like other devotees.
At that time, Tanmoroqie lowered his gaze, reciting not the usual scriptures for blessings.
What he chanted was:
May you be free from illness and calamity.
May you be safe, joyful, and at peace.
May your wisdom grow, and your afflictions cease.
May all your wishes come true, and may you return to your homeland soon.
Across layers of clouds for thousands of miles, through twilight snows over countless mountains, you shall return to your native land, never again to wander in exile in this life...
In this lifetime, you will not set foot in the snowy realms beyond ten thousand miles, nor will you linger again in this oasis in the desert.
Tanmoroqie had blessed many people: all that lives must perish, all gatherings must part, prosperity must decline, suffering flows and turns without cease, constantly assailed by various pains. People seek the refuge of the Buddhist Dharma to free themselves from these sufferings. When he taught the people and prayed for all beings, his heart dwelled on the myriad sufferings they endured in these turbulent times.
But when facing Yaoying... he thought of her pain.
He wished for her safety and joy, and also...
Tanmoroqie closed his eyes, his fingers tightening around the rosary.
Just then, a sound came from the doorway. His guard announced from outside the curtain, "Your Majesty, the physician from the Land of Brahma has arrived."
Tanmoroqie opened his eyes, released the rosary, his face already restored to complete composure. He gave a soft acknowledgment.
"Invite the physician in."
The felt curtain swayed, and a middle-aged man with a long face, thin lips, light brown skin, light brown curly hair, and dressed in white robes entered the room. He bowed to Tanmoroqie, his gaze pausing on Yaoying by the long table, studying her intently.
Tanmoroqie said, "This is Princess Wenzhao."
The physician from the Land of Brahma bowed to her in greeting.
Yaoying returned the courtesy, then turned to look at Tanmoroqie.
Tanmoroqie glanced toward the inner room's lowered brocade curtain and nodded.
Yaoying had intended to take her leave, but his expression seemed to suggest she should withdraw, carrying a hint of unquestionable authority. Wondering why he didn't simply ask her to return, she rose and retreated behind the brocade curtain.
The brocade curtain fell, cutting off the voices from outside.
The inner room also had a charcoal brazier burning, the drapes enveloping it densely, making it even warmer than outside. In front of the couch where Yaoying had slept, the desk she had used remained, with the papers, scrolls, and brush rest seemingly just as she had left them last time.
She walked to the desk, picked up a scroll at random, and flipped through it for a while, noticing that the bookmarked scroll was exactly where she had last read.
The voices outside the brocade curtain came intermittently. Tanmoroqie and the monk switched to speaking in Brahmi.
Separated by several layers of curtains, Yaoying could neither hear clearly nor understand. After browsing through the scrolls for a bit, she grew bored, took up a brush, spread out paper, and leaned over the desk to paint with ink.
She painted and erased, absorbed in her work, unaware of how much time had passed until Tanmoroqie's voice called to her from beyond the curtain.
"Princess Wenzhao."
Just four simple words, their tone clear and cool, his voice plain, like jade striking jade, or a secluded spring murmuring as it flows.
Yaoying set down her brush and stepped out of the inner room.
The physician from the Land of Brahma had not yet left. He approached her, smiling as he examined her for a long while, then returned to the long table and murmured a few words in Brahmi.
Tanmoroqie listened to him, his gaze lingering on Yaoying the entire time, and nodded.The physician from the Land of Brahma showed a joyful expression on his face, repeatedly bowing and chattering away in a long string of words.
Yaoying looked somewhat bewildered.
Tanmoroqie called for Yuanjue and instructed, "Escort the princess back."
Yuanjue acknowledged the order and accompanied Yaoying back to her courtyard.
After Yaoying’s figure disappeared into the depths of the corridor, Tanmoroqie asked the physician, "How confident are you?"
The physician thought for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty sent over all of the princess’s prescriptions and medical records yesterday. My colleagues and I have studied them carefully. Having served in the royal court for many years, I specialize in this type of ailment and am quite confident. After seeing the princess today, though I dare not boast, judging by her vitality, her condition is not difficult to treat. The princess was born with a weak constitution, but over the years, proper care has improved her health significantly. With further adjustments, she will surely regain strength, eliminate her ailments, and no longer suffer from the monthly need for dispersing medicine. If Your Majesty commands, I will spare no effort in treating the princess."
Tanmoroqie’s expression remained impassive as he said, "We shall trouble you henceforth, physician."
The physician hurriedly expressed his humility, discreetly glancing up at him. Sensing his usual aloofness, he cautiously asked, "Princess Manda of our humble kingdom has revered the Buddhist Dharma since childhood. She has come by order of our king to pay homage. Would Your Majesty permit Princess Manda to visit Wang Temple to worship the Buddha and pray for the people of our land?"
Tanmoroqie nodded in agreement.
The physician breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He had agreed to treat the Han princess, Princess Wenzhao, precisely to secure an opportunity for Princess Manda to approach Wang Temple.
Since Princess Manda’s arrival at the Royal Court, although the court officials had been courteous and attentive, Tanmoroqie had never made an appearance. The princess, with her stunning beauty and exceptional dancing skills, had once astonished the Land of Brahma with her Celestial Demon Dance. Yet, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the Buddha Prince, leaving her talents with no chance to shine.
With Tanmoroqie’s permission, Princess Manda would finally have the opportunity to perform for the Buddha Prince.
The physician withdrew, unable to conceal his delight.
From behind, Tanmoroqie’s voice sounded, "Please keep this matter confidential, physician. Do not speak of it to others."
The physician quickly turned back and replied respectfully, "I understand. Matters concerning the princess’s health are of utmost importance—I will remain tight-lipped."
An hour later, Bi Suo returned to the Zen room from the military camp and reported, "Your Majesty, the items have been delivered."
Tanmoroqie, bent over his desk writing, responded with a faint acknowledgment.
Bi Suo retreated to the doorway.
A series of clattering sounds followed as the falcon flew back into the Zen room, chirping incessantly. Yuanjue entered, added charcoal to the brazier in the corner, and went into the inner room to replenish the falcon’s food and water. Noticing a painting spread out on the desk, he exclaimed in surprise, picked it up, and brought it to Tanmoroqie’s desk.
"Your Majesty, it seems the princess left this painting behind."
Yuanjue’s expression was peculiar.
"Is this style of painting popular in the Central Plains?"
Tanmoroqie set down his brush and took the painting.
On the pale yellow paper, simple black lines sketched several clusters of bamboo and the outline of a man. The man was tall, clad in a Kasaya, holding a string of Buddhist Beads, and tugging at a short, plump bamboo shoot.
The painting, though crude in its simplicity, carried a certain charm. The artist seemed quite pleased with it, having inscribed a few flamboyant characters beside it: "Buddha’s Son Pulling Bamboo Shoots Picture."
So this was what she meant when she said it looked like pulling bamboo shoots.
She had drawn this while being asked to step aside.
Tanmoroqie held the paper, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
It was like a green lotus swaying gently by the Pool of Three Lives, rippling the water’s surface.Faint and fleeting, gone in an instant.
Yuanjue widened his eyes in disbelief, turning to look at Bi Suo.
Bi Suo, just like him, had his eyes wide open, his face equally astonished.
Neither dared to make a sound. When they looked toward Tanmoroqie again, he had already set down the drawing paper, his expression calm and unruffled.
OpenNovel