At the break of dawn, sharp and mournful horn blasts abruptly echoed through the camp one after another, battle flags fluttering in the wind, the thunder of hoofbeats shaking the ground.
Yaoying jolted awake. In the dim light of the tent, a figure sat motionless beside the long table, fully dressed, intently identifying the distant horn calls.
After a moment, he lowered his gaze to her.
"Today I will lead a central army to break camp. Bi Suo and Mobi Duo will remain to manage provisions and supplies, escorting the baggage train. The princess should stay in the camp. Yuanjue will come to find you—discuss any matters with him."
His tone was grave.
Yaoying acknowledged softly, not yet risen, as he picked up the long sword resting by the blankets and strode out.
"General, your wounds haven’t fully healed—don’t forget to change the dressings. Be cautious in all matters."
Wrapped in her felt blanket, Yaoying murmured the reminder, her voice still soft and husky from sleep.
Tanmoroqie paused mid-step, his back to her, replying with a quiet "Mm" before lifting the felt curtain and exiting.
Outside the tent, the sounds of relayed orders, footsteps, neighing horses, and the dull clatter of armor and blades rose and fell in a busy yet orderly rhythm, accompanied by the howling wind.
Collecting herself, Yaoying quickly dressed and rose. Yuanjue arrived in haste, escorting her to another camp.
On the long road below the hillside stretched a dark mass of soldiers, their shoulders bathed in the morning glow as they advanced northward. They were too far to distinguish the figure leading them.
After eating some naan bread and handling documents on the allocation of warhorses, Yaoying was approached by Bi Suo’s personal guards.
"The commander inadvertently captured scattered soldiers from a small tribe. They attempted to attack the Kake tribe but were besieged for days. The commander captured them alive—among them are two to three hundred Han Chinese. The general is unsure how to handle them. Could Lord Bayan come to take charge? No one else understands the Han language."
Yaoying agreed immediately.
The Royal Court moved with swift efficiency. To prevent leaks about the main army’s location, captured prisoners were strictly guarded. In the current tense situation, with prisoners, refugees, and tribal cavalry mixed together in confinement, conflicts could easily erupt and had to be managed properly. She had already helped resolve several disputes in recent days.
Accompanied by her guards, Yaoying hurried to the prisoner camp. The deputy general, busy, barely glanced up as she arrived, pointing out two junior soldiers to her.
"A bunch of Han slaves—why should General Ashina bother? In my view, killing them is simpler."
The faces of Yaoying’s guards tightened. She shook her head at them, remaining silent, and followed the soldiers to the cattle pen.
"Remember, this is the Royal Court. How the Royal Court deploys troops and makes strategies is not for us to question. These Han prisoners fought for the Northern Rong—in the eyes of the Royal Court commanders, they are enemies."
Once outside the tent, Yaoying quietly reminded her guards.
The guards stiffened respectfully in acknowledgment.
Approaching the cattle pen, the foul stench of blood, filth, and excrement assailed them from a distance. The pen was sunken, forcing the prisoners inside to look up at their guards.
The junior soldiers shouted a few commands at the pen’s entrance, ordering the guards to pull out several Han prisoners for interrogation. As the guards randomly pointed at a few, Yaoying stepped forward, stopping them with a gesture and signaling her guards.
Her guard looked down at the crowd and asked clearly, "Why did you attack the Kake tribe? Why were you fighting for the Northern Rong?"
His fluent, native Han speech left the Han prisoners stunned into silence.Yaoying stood to the side observing their reactions, noticing that after the initial shock, the Han captives instinctively glanced toward the corner. She pointed at several men in the corner: "Bring them forward."
The soldiers singled out three captives, pressing down on their shoulders to force them to their knees.
Yaoying waved her hand, signaling the soldiers to release them. "Where are your ancestral homes? How did you end up fighting for the Northern Rong?"
The three captives glanced around, seeing the tall, sturdy personal guards standing behind her—a mix of Han and Hu soldiers—indicating she likely held considerable status in the Royal Court army. They exchanged looks.
Crack! Crack! The soldiers grew impatient and lashed out with several whip strikes, shouting sharply, "Answer the question!"
Yaoying frowned slightly but did not intervene. "As long as you truthfully explain yourselves and cease serving the Northern Rong, I can plead with the general to spare all your lives."
The oldest of the captives sneered, "How can you guarantee that? We're Han—the lowest of the low among the Northern Rong. Arriving at the Royal Court would be no different."
Yaoying replied calmly, "It is different. The ruler of the Royal Court is the Buddha Prince. You have been defeated and become his captives. He never kills prisoners indiscriminately and will pardon you. No one dares question his decisions. In the Royal Court, people of all tribes are subjects of the Buddha Prince, and he treats everyone equally."
Her gentle, steady gaze rested on each of their faces for a moment.
"If you refuse to submit, you will be considered spoils of war, awarded as slaves to nobles and meritorious generals, with no chance of redemption in this lifetime."
The man exchanged glances with the other two, skepticism in his expression. "If we submit, will the Buddha Prince truly spare us?"
Yaoying said, "Haven't you heard of the Wujili Bu? Their tribe once made a living by raiding Royal Court caravans. After they submitted to the Buddha Prince, their tribe was preserved."
"I am Han. If I dare make this promise, I have full confidence in it."
She paused, her tone deepening slightly.
"Provided you are willing to submit."
The man narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "We can submit, and we can even tell you what the Northern Rong forced us to do—but we have one condition! If it is met, we will serve the Royal Court with utter devotion!"
Yaoying replied, "Speak freely."
The man stared intently at her. "We beg the Buddha Prince to bestow all of us to Princess Wenzhao! The nobles of the Royal Court and the Northern Rong are all the same; only Princess Wenzhao would treat us well."
Yaoying: "..."
Nearby, Yuanjue was gradually understanding some simple Han language. Hearing the terms "Buddha Prince" and "Princess Wenzhao," his eyes lit up, and he shot her a questioning look.
Yaoying quietly explained to him.
Yuanjue thought for a moment and said, "Princess, you can agree to this. The King is compassionate and strictly forbids killing captives in the army. As long as you pay the customary ransom for these individuals, the King will surely grant them to you. The court officials and military generals will not object."Wherever Yaoying's merchant caravan went, they did their utmost to rescue the descendants of the Central Plains dynasty who had fallen into slavery. As the number of rescued people grew, to avoid incurring the hostility of the local Royal Court, she used rare and extraordinary treasures to purchase two oasis towns from the rulers of two small city-states. She relocated everyone out of the Royal Court, allowing them to learn farming and business from Old Qi and the others who were rescued earlier. She also encouraged them to gradually form armed forces, training all who could wield a blade, regardless of gender.
She carried out all of this openly and without concealment. Her caravan maintained close ties with foreign merchants, often using novel and exotic items to win over influential officials and nobles. The ransoms she paid enriched the aristocrats of various kingdoms, and the rescued people were gradually sent out of the Royal Court. The Royal Court nobles were pleased with this arrangement and even hoped she would rescue more descendants.
Yaoying smiled faintly. "No wonder Bi Suo asked me to handle the handover of these Han captives. He already knew what their demands were."
"Yuanjue, go inform the deputy general."
Yuanjue saw no need for this, but seeing Yaoying's insistence, he had no choice but to comply. He found the deputy general, explained the situation, and presented his seal. As a close guard of Tanmoroqie, the deputy general dared not object and readily agreed.
Only after receiving the deputy general's consent did Yaoying tell the Han man, "As long as you pledge allegiance, Princess Wenzhao will do her utmost to find a way to ransom you."
The man's eyes lit up with sharp intensity. "Do you know Princess Wenzhao?"
Yaoying nodded, enunciating each word clearly, "Indeed, my guarantee is Princess Wenzhao's guarantee."
The three men stared at her, their expressions shifting with emotion, and joy flickered across their faces.
"We trust Princess Wenzhao!"
The leader glanced back at his clansmen in the cattle shed, then made up his mind. Clasping his hands in salute, he answered Yaoying's earlier question: "Our ancestors hailed from Hexi, but we were born in Yi Province. Our fathers were all captured and brought to Yi Province. We intermarried with the locals and were forced to serve the Northern Rong like beasts of burden, paying heavy taxes—whether in livestock, cloth, furs, or even women. Whatever they demanded, we had to provide. Not long ago, during the internal strife among the Northern Rong, our tribe was conscripted, and all able-bodied men were forced onto the battlefield. We were originally tasked with transporting supplies for the Northern Rong. This month, the commander suddenly ordered us to split up and join several cavalry units to attack all the smaller tribes. Disobeying meant death."
Yaoying frowned.
The Northern Rong were indeed coercing their vassal tribes to attack those aligned with the Royal Court.
The Han man caught his breath and continued, "I can also tell you another piece of news—Prince Haidu Aling has secured reinforcements for the Northern Rong!"
Yaoying's pupils contracted sharply, her mind racing through countless conjectures in an instant.
"What reinforcements?" she asked calmly.
The Han man shook his head. "No one knows who the reinforcements are. We happened to be transporting supplies for Prince Haidu Aling. The prince took a detour north with his personal guards, and one of them, drunk, boasted that the prince would bring tens of thousands of reinforcements for the Northern Rong. He claimed that when these divine troops descended from the heavens, even the Buddha Prince, blessed by the gods, would not win this war. But no one believed him."
Yaoying remained silent for a long while, slowly steadying her emotions. She left one of her guards to handle the remaining matters, instructing the soldier to treat the Han captives well, then turned and departed.The Royal Court was already short on troops, so they had to concentrate their forces to confront the Northern Rong. If the Northern Rong truly managed to secure a powerful reinforcement, the Royal Court would face a coalition army several times their size.
She feared the Han man was a spy deliberately sent by the Northern Rong to disrupt the Royal Court’s morale. Though inwardly tense, she maintained a calm expression. As she walked, she mentally reviewed the sand table she had studied earlier. If the man’s words were true, where would Haidu Aling go to seek reinforcements?
After taking only a few steps, the Han man remembered something and called out to her, "Young master, if you happen to meet Princess Wenzhao, please pass a message to her!"
Yaoying halted.
The Han man approached her, glanced around, and whispered, "Please tell Princess Wenzhao that someone from the Central Plains is inquiring about her."
Yaoying was still preoccupied with thoughts of reinforcements and responded distractedly. It took her a moment to process his words, but when she did, her mind went blank. Her body stiffened, and her heart began to pound wildly.
Her lips moved as if to speak, but no coherent sound emerged. It felt as though all the blood in her body had reversed its flow, and she could almost hear it rushing turbulently through her veins.
In this chaotic era of war and turmoil, the only person who would brave such risks and travel thousands of miles to the outer regions to seek news of her…
Could only be Li Zhongqian.
Her elder brother had come.
He had come to take her home.
Her intuition had been right—the Han man whom Wahan Khan had sent troops to capture was likely Li Zhongqian.
Why had he gone to the Northern Rong?
Had he managed to escape danger?
In his desperate rush to save her, he might have lost his composure. If he were captured by the Northern Rong…
A cold wind, heavy with dust, swept across her face. Yaoying’s eyes grew moist, and her nose tingled with emotion. Finally, she heard her own trembling voice ask, "Who is this Han man?"
The Han man shook his head. "I don’t know who it is… I only heard it was a Han from the Central Plains. They were inquiring about Princess Wenzhao in the Northern Rong."
Yaoying closed her eyes.
It had to be Li Zhongqian.
On the way back to the camp, Yaoying remained silent, her heart torn between joy and anxiety.
She recalled her dream from two nights before—Li Zhongqian, dressed as a herdsman, riding toward her, only to be pierced through by a long blade.
Yaoying shuddered.
…
Upon returning to the camp, Yaoying organized the intelligence she had gathered from the Han man and delivered it to Bi Suo’s tent.
After reading it, Bi Suo frowned and asked, "Princess, can these Han men be trusted?"
Yaoying shook her head. "I can’t be certain. This information is only their account. It’s possible Haidu Aling deliberately sent them to mislead us and disrupt the Regent’s military strategy."
Bi Suo pondered for a moment. "That is a possibility. But if what they say is true, we must adjust our plans quickly. Wahan Khan’s concealment of his movements might be because he is waiting for reinforcements."
Tanmoroqie had not yet returned to the camp. Bi Suo wrote several letters and ordered trusted messengers to deliver them immediately on fast horses.
Yaoying returned to her own tent.
Her guards gathered around her and asked quietly, "Princess, has the young master arrived?"
Yaoying replied softly, "Perhaps…"
The guards exchanged glances, both shocked and overjoyed.
Aside from the few foreign tribesmen Yaoying had recruited later, most of the guards who had escorted her to her marriage alliance were personally selected by Li Zhongqian. Hearing that he had come for her, they were naturally thrilled.Yaoying's hands in her sleeves were still trembling. She drank a bowl of cold horse milk, forced herself to calm down, and leaned over the desk to write a letter.
Before the letter was finished, a guard delivered a sheepskin scroll: "Princess, General Jin just sent this."
Yaoying unrolled the sheepskin scroll, breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and hurried to Bi Suo's main tent.
"Whether Haidu Aling's reinforcements are real or not remains uncertain, but the reinforcements I requested for the Royal Court have arrived."
Bi Suo remembered this matter and raised his eyebrows: "They actually came?"
Before leaving the Holy City, Yaoying had consulted Tanmoroqie. Though her forces were few, they were willing to contribute to the Royal Court. If things went smoothly with Yuchi Damo, they could also send troops to assist from the side. Such an offer was naturally not refused by Bi Suo and the others.
Yaoying nodded: "The Ale tribe has arrived and is already at White Spring."
Bi Suo clasped his hands and chuckled lightly, then frowned as he thought of something.
Yaoying smiled, "General, there's no need to be troubled. The Royal Court's military deployments involve secrets. The Ale tribe are, after all, outsiders. They don't know the army's location and will station at White Spring."
Bi Suo relaxed: "That's best. Thank you for your understanding, Princess. I can send a unit to guide them."
Yaoying hummed in agreement and said, "Ale is a suspicious man. Only if I personally appear will he lower his guard. When will your unit depart?"
Bi Suo examined the sand table. Between White Spring and the camp were Royal Court scout stations. This area consisted of vast, flat plains and low hills, with no deep forests or valleys where the main Northern Rong army could hide.
"We can depart in half an hour. I'll have Mobi Duo escort you."
Half an hour later, Mobi Duo led a unit to escort Yaoying to White Spring.
With several flapping sounds, strong winds beat against the flags as guards raised flagpoles and followed on both sides of the procession.
Mobi Duo glanced back at the flags fluttering vigorously under the clear sky.
These were not the Royal Court's military banners.
They belonged to Princess Wenzhao.
He looked toward Li Yaoying.
Dressed in a narrow-sleeved robe, she leaned over her horse's back, her posture becoming increasingly adept.
Mobi Duo smiled, turned back, and focused on driving his horse.
...
The name White Spring came from a spring pool in the desert. After sending his message, Ale led his tribe to camp by the spring pool. Just as they finished planning the camp, dust rose in the north as several dozen riders galloped toward them.
The camp scouts had already sounded the alarm. Ale rode up a hill, squinted into the distance for a while, recognized the flag fluttering in the wind, and said, "It's Princess Wenzhao."
The cavalry remained vigilant, bows drawn and arrows nocked, ready to unleash a volley at any moment.
Yaoying galloped close to the camp perimeter and stopped.
Soon after, Ale rode out of the camp, clasped his hands toward her, and said, "Princess, I've come."
Yaoying smiled and returned the gesture, then signaled to the guards behind her.
The guards dismounted, carried several large chests forward, and opened the lids, revealing a shimmering glow of gold.
Ale's eyes lit up. He had his men take the chests and laughed heartily: "The Princess is indeed straightforward."
After the pleasantries, he pulled a letter from his robe.
"A letter from Yang Qian for you. He feared his messenger hawk might be intercepted by Northern Rong, so he entrusted me to deliver it."
Yaoying thanked him, took the letter, rode to the side, and lowered her head to read it.
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