Li Zhongqian patiently discussed official matters with Yaoying for a while, then tilted his chin and asked, "Who is in the inner room?"
Yaoying rolled her eyes and said, "He's the one who saved you at Asa Fort."
Li Zhongqian was taken aback. "That personal guard named Abi?"
Yaoying shook her head. "Brother, he's not a personal guard. He's a friend of mine. I'll tell you his identity when we reach the Holy City."
Just as Li Zhongqian was about to rise to check on the person who had saved him, he paused mid-step upon hearing this, then frowned, his expression growing more wary.
When he was in danger at Asa Fort, with arrows raining down like a storm, this masked man had risked his life to save him, then offered strategies and advised him to wait for Mobi Duo's reinforcements. From his speech and demeanor, the masked man indeed didn't seem like an ordinary guard but more like a commander leading troops into battle. After the Northern Rong remnants were wiped out, he saw Yaoying approach Mobi Duo to inquire about the masked man's injuries. Mobi Duo said the man had already left, and she seemed somewhat unsettled, standing in the corridor for a long time.
Now this masked man had appeared in Yaoying's room, indicating they had known each other all along. His sudden appearance at Asa Fort was specifically to save him, as Yaoying's brother.
Yaoying said the man was her friend...
Their relationship was not simple.
Li Zhongqian narrowed his phoenix eyes, frowning as he scrutinized the man in the inner room, his gaze filled with assessment.
This masked man was highly skilled in martial arts, having traveled a great distance, and despite his injuries, he fiercely beheaded the enemy commander on the battlefield. He was both brave and resourceful, remaining calm in crisis. However, his temperament was too reserved—taciturn and always masked, so his appearance remained unknown... Judging by his conversations with Mobi Duo and others in the Hu language, he was likely a Hu tribesman.
Li Zhongqian stroked his chin, wanting to take a few more looks, but Yaoying stood up and pulled him out of the room.
"Brother, he's recuperating."
Li Zhongqian's frown deepened, feeling inexplicably irritated. He whispered accusingly, "Does he have to recuperate in your room? You're not a physician!"
Yaoying smiled cheerfully and shook his arm. "He can't be recognized right now. Staying with me is more discreet. Besides, he saved you, brother. For your sake, I must take good care of him."
Li Zhongqian's eyes slanted upward. He ruffled her hair, feeling somewhat mollified.
In the inner room, Tanmoroqie opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the siblings, his green eyes as cold and still as stagnant water.
The next day, Yaoying no longer followed Bi Suo but joined the envoy group to travel toward the Holy City.
Li Zhongqian reminded Yaoying, "Since you shouldn't appear publicly, there's no need for you to pay respects to the Buddha Prince when we reach the Holy City. I will handle all matters."
He didn't want Yaoying to have any further contact with the Royal Court's Buddha Prince. If it weren't for that insidious Li Xuanzhen arriving in Gaochang, he would never have agreed to let Yaoying accompany him on this mission to the Royal Court.
Yaoying blinked and gave a vague agreement.
On the journey, she shared a carriage with Tanmoroqie and stayed in the same room during overnight stops.
Perhaps because he was taking more elixirs, he was even more silent than before, his aura sharp and cold, speaking only when necessary.
Yaoying didn't disturb him. Back in the canyon, she had talked to him so much that her voice grew hoarse, and she had been coughing ever since, prompting Li Zhongqian to ask several times. These days, she focused on recuperating and tried to speak as little as possible.Li Zhongqian had originally intended to probe into Tanmoroqie's identity and assess his character, but he never found an opportunity to speak with him, leaving him inwardly muttering.
This man was far too solemn—could he be much older?
At any rate, he was certainly better than that Buddha Prince from the Royal Court.
Li Zhongqian thought to himself.
With the Northern Rong suffering a major defeat, celebrations swept the land, and the people of the Royal Court rejoiced over the victory.
On the day they arrived at the Holy City, a grand song and dance festival was underway. A high stage stood at the head of the long street, with colorful tents stretching for miles. Performers in bright costumes and floral crowns sang, danced, and performed acrobatics on stage, while the audience below packed the area, creating a lively scene.
Yaoying leaned against the carriage window, watching the dancers on stage with keen interest for a while, until a guard came to report: "The Royal Court's ceremonial official has arrived. The young master is to accompany them to the Wang Temple for an audience with the Buddha Prince."
She glanced at Tanmoroqie, who sat cross-legged in the corner, and nodded. "Tell my brother I've gone to the silk shop. If anything comes up, send someone there with a message. For urgent matters, the eagle keeper knows what to do."
The envoy delegation was staying at the posthouse, but they were not lodging together.
As the chief envoy, Li Zhongqian had duties beyond formally presenting the state letter and gifts, and informing the Royal Court that the Wei Dynasty had reclaimed various provinces. He also needed to negotiate matters of trade and diplomatic exchanges between the two nations. While other issues might be manageable, trade discussions were contentious, with neither side willing to give the other an advantage, inevitably leading to disputes.
When negotiations reached a deadlock, shrewd merchants were relied upon to smooth out the issues and mediate conflicts. Merchants had extensive connections and maintained close ties with both the Royal Court and noble tribes.
If disputes persisted, matters would have to be set aside for the time being. The immediate priority for all regions and provinces was stabilizing the situation and restoring production; other affairs could be addressed gradually.
The guard acknowledged the order.
The group parted ways under the gate tower, but instead of heading to the silk shop as Yaoying had mentioned, the carriage turned into a narrow alley.
Before long, Yuanjue came to meet them. After Yaoying left Gaochang, he had returned to the Holy City, riding swiftly and arriving two days ahead of Yaoying and Li Zhongqian.
They entered the Wang Temple through a secret passage, where Bi Suo and the physician were already waiting, with all necessary preparations in place.
On the journey back, Tanmoroqie's eyes had grown increasingly dark, his muscles tense, exuding a chilling and fierce aura—clear signs that he was struggling to suppress his Cultivation method.
Bi Suo recalled his master's accounts of General Saisang'er and felt a tremor of fear. When General Saisang'er finally succumbed to Qi deviation, it had been much the same.
Tanmoroqie removed his mask and headscarf, passing by Bi Suo, his jade-green eyes fixed on him.
Bi Suo shuddered, his hair standing on end.
Tanmoroqie's expression remained impassive as he glanced toward the physician nearby.
The physician was speaking with Yaoying, who pointed to various porcelain jars, inquiring about the taboo uses of each elixir, asking what to watch for during power dissipation, and how to regulate his condition in daily life.
Understanding the unspoken message, Bi Suo hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I will take good care of Princess Wenzhao."
Tanmoroqie's peripheral gaze lingered on Yaoying, yet his eyes held not a ripple of emotion.
He ought to send her away.
When they entered the city, she had been thoroughly engrossed in watching the song and dance on the high stage. She had once said she was a worldly person, fond of the bustling mortal realm. In the past, trapped in peril, she had no heart for amusement. Now reunited with Li Zhongqian, she deserved to enjoy herself.
She was so young, in the bloom of her youth.
Yaoying happened to look up, sensing Tanmoroqie's gaze, and turned toward him.
After a moment of eye contact, she offered him a smile.
Tanmoroqie averted his eyes.When she decided to leave, she departed decisively, as if she had forgotten his existence. When she decided to return, she returned just as decisively.
She already knew his feelings, and he would no longer deny them to her.
Yet he understood he could offer her nothing.
Her current feelings for him were likely more gratitude and pity than affection. When she cared for someone, it was with genuine sincerity. Knowing he had saved her brother and worsened his injuries, she naturally returned to care for him.
Once he recovered, she could leave.
Tanmoroqie turned and entered the secret chamber.
Bi Suo led Yaoying outside to wait.
"Princess, please rest here for now. I'll have someone bring you some food," Bi Suo said.
Yaoying asked, "What about the diplomatic mission?"
Bi Suo smiled. "These matters are being handled. Your envoys will not be neglected."
He left, and shortly after, guards brought roasted mutton sprinkled with salt, lentil soup, and crispy flatbread.
Having risen at dawn to travel, Yaoying was exhausted. After eating lightly, she drowsily leaned against the couch. Half-asleep, she felt something hard pressing uncomfortably against her forehead through the pillow. Reaching underneath, her fingers touched a wrapped bundle.
Her fingertips came away sticky.
Had no one cleaned the room?
Yaoying jolted awake, sat up, and lifted the pillow.
Beneath it lay a crumpled handkerchief, left there for who knows how long, with faint stains seeping through the fabric.
Yaoying froze, glancing around before realizing this was the same room she had visited before.
The very place where she had confirmed Tanmoroqie's romantic feelings for her.
Her throat tightened as she slowly unfolded the handkerchief.
After so many days, the fine, sand-like thorn honey had congealed into a solid mass, firmly stuck to the cloth—inedible now.
Yaoying stared blankly at the handkerchief in her palm, lost in thought.
Footsteps approached as Bi Suo entered. Seeing her preoccupied with the handkerchief, his eyes flickered.
Snapping back to reality, Yaoying carefully folded the handkerchief and returned it beneath the pillow.
Bi Suo didn't inquire further, instead clasping his hands and saying, "The physicians mentioned that the King could endure until returning to the Holy City thanks to your care. We appreciate your efforts, Princess."
Yaoying frowned slightly. "After I left last time, did Dharma Master's condition worsen?"
Bi Suo hesitated. "To be honest... The King has practiced his cultivation method for years. Each cycle of channeling and power dissipation carries risks, and his injuries fluctuate. Water Mang Grass can alleviate it but ultimately can't suppress it completely. After you left, his condition did deteriorate."
After weighing his words, he added, "The physicians said if you could accompany him regularly, his improved mood would speed his recovery."
Yaoying gazed toward the secret chamber. "My presence brings him comfort?"
Bi Suo thought for a moment. "Princess, in the Royal Court, no one else speaks to the King as you do. No one else sits reading at his desk from dawn till dusk."
Yaoying pondered this and nodded.
Bi Suo watched her, expression conflicted, before hesitantly asking, "Princess... that day..."
Yaoying smiled. "Are you wondering what happened in the canyon? Why the Dharma Master no longer conceals his identity around me? Are you afraid I'll pressure him to renounce his vows?"
Embarrassment flashed across Bi Suo's face."Rest assured, the Dharma Master is the Royal Court's Buddha Prince," Yaoying said. "He admitted his affection for me but did nothing more."
Even in his identity as Su Dan Gu, when faced with her response, he had only gently pressed a barely-there kiss to her hair before tearing off the disguise outright, making her completely give up hope.
She hadn’t intended to expose his identity then, hoping to spend a few more days with him as Su Dan Gu, but he gave her no chance.
His resolute honesty only made her heart ache more.
As Yaoying spoke, a faint smile touched her lips, like a pearl glowing with a soft, radiant light.
Bi Suo stared at her dazedly. "What is it that you seek by returning, Princess?"
"I’ve told you—I only want the Dharma Master to suffer less."
"What if…" Bi Suo gritted his teeth, "the King’s inner demon is you, Princess? What if only by truly having you, by experiencing the taste of love, can the King achieve complete enlightenment and cast aside all distracting thoughts? Would you still be willing to help him?"
Yaoying’s expression remained calm.
Her answer was obvious.
Bi Suo fell silent for a moment. "The King is the faith of his followers. Even if he is no longer the King of the Royal Court, he is still the Buddha Prince and cannot return to secular life."
Yaoying replied lightly, "I’ve said it before—I don’t ask him to renounce his vows. Once he is well, I will leave."
Bi Suo’s eyes widened. "Princess, you are Han… I’ve heard that Han people value propriety above all… For you to make such a sacrifice—without name or status, gaining nothing in the end, and without being acknowledged by the King… What will become of you afterward?"
Yaoying laughed. "Propriety means nothing to me. I don’t care about the opinions of the world."
Remembering a joke she once shared with Xie Qing, she spread her hands and said lightly, "Later, I can take male consorts."
Bi Suo’s eye twitched. He had almost forgotten—so many men wished to be at the Princess’s feet. A woman of such celestial beauty, immense wealth, and leadership of the Western Army—no matter how many romantic affairs she might have, there would be no shortage of admirers.
Yet for a woman, her reputation would surely be ruined. No matter how high her status, if she did not conform to propriety, she would be mocked as wanton.
Bi Suo cared about Tanmoroqie’s health and selfishly hoped Yaoying could stay by his side, but he also didn’t want Luojia to be scorned by the world because of her. So, when Yaoying returned, he felt both relieved and somewhat worried.
He had feared Yaoying would pressure Luojia to renounce his vows.
Unexpectedly, Yaoying asked for nothing. Her kindness toward Luojia came without expectation of any outcome.
"Princess…" Bi Suo’s voice trembled slightly, "Aren’t you afraid you might regret it someday?"
Yaoying smiled. "Bi Suo, you roam among flowers and have been many women’s lover. What makes you admire a lady?"
Bi Suo answered, "Because I like her beauty, enjoy talking and laughing with her…"
Yaoying let out a long breath. "Meeting the Dharma Master has made me very happy."
Having walked alone for so long, in despair and helplessness, there were times she felt disheartened. Then suddenly, she met someone—not only did he save her, but they were so well-matched. He strengthened her resolve and made her realize she wasn’t alone.
At that time, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy and wanted to tell him: So the Dharma Master thinks this way too.
So there is someone in this world who embodies everything she admires.
Only they were too far apart.
If only she could have met him sooner.
For someone like Tanmoroqie, just to have met him and known him was already a wonder.Yaoying said slowly: "When I discovered that the Dharma Master secretly saved my elder brother, left wounded, and I became his inner demon... I thought it over for a whole night... I don't want to see the Dharma Master get hurt."
She looked directly at Bi Suo.
"As for whether I'll regret it in the future... Bi Suo, I know that no matter what the outcome is, when I grow old someday and recall this period of my life, thinking back to my decision to return, I will smile. If I hadn't come back, there would only be regret. So I came back for the Dharma Master, but also for myself."
Bi Suo trembled all over, gazed at her for a long moment, then bowed to her with clasped hands once more.
This time, with gratitude.
He was now relieved - the Princess asked for nothing.
Several knocks came from outside the door, and Yuanjue entered carrying a stack of books, all moved from the courtyard where Yaoying had previously lived.
"Your Highness, what other instructions do you have? Is there anything else you'd like to add?"
Yaoying's eyes swept around the room, then she waved her hand: "Bring back my commonly used small desk!"
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