In the Moonlight

Moonlight cast a silvery, frost-like glow, the wind chiming softly along the corridor.

Tanmoroqie stood at the stone steps, his face as cold as the wintry moon, emerald eyes icy. He listened to the intermittent voices of Yuanjue and Yaoying from the room behind him, then closed his eyes.

She was safe.

A chill slowly seeped into him as he stood in the shadows untouched by moonlight or lamplight, suppressing the coppery taste rising in his throat until his thoughts gradually settled.

The ripples of turmoil in his heart slowly smoothed into calm.

With a loud crash, the courtyard gate was violently thrown open. A tall man burst in, surrounded by guards, his sword-like brows furrowed and expression frantic. He swept through the front courtyard like a gust of wind, mounting the stone steps. His anxious gaze met Tanmoroqie’s, and his steps faltered slightly.

“My lord!” a guard rushed out from the house. “Seventh Lady is fine now!”

Li Zhongqian’s face was full of agitation. He withdrew his gaze and strode quickly inside, asking, “What happened? How did Bright Moon Slave fall ill so suddenly? Did that scoundrel Li Xuanzhen do something?”

The guard replied, “The Crown Prince didn’t do anything—in fact, he took a blow for Seventh Lady and was injured. We don’t know why, but Seventh Lady suddenly fell gravely ill. The Regent summoned many physicians, but none could help… Fortunately, she just turned the corner.”

“The Regent?”

Li Zhongqian glanced at the man standing outside the door, then strode into the room, heading straight to the long couch.

Yaoying was listening to Yuanjue recount what had happened below the platform after she fainted. Seeing her brother’s stormy expression, she froze for a moment.

“Elder Brother.”

She spoke softly, a hint of guilt in her voice.

Li Zhongqian’s face was as dark as a pot, his gaze stern. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.

“I’m fine now,” Yaoying said quickly. “Today was just an accident.”

Li Xuanzhen had taken a blow for her—the punishment had come swiftly and left just as fast. She remembered nothing now.

Li Zhongqian remained silent, sitting by the couch and studying her for a long moment. He touched her forehead and her palm.

Her forehead was still cool, her palm slightly warm, her pulse steady. His fingertips could feel the steady thrum of her heartbeat.

“Are you still unwell?”

His anxious heart finally settled. He asked in a low, hoarse voice, strained from the cold wind he’d breathed during his frantic ride here, as if scissors were twisting in his throat.

He would never forget the time she had fallen ill before. He had sought out every physician, even begged Li De for help. All the doctors had shaken their heads and sighed, telling him medicine was useless and advising him to prepare for her funeral. He had stayed by her side, calling her name, begging her to come back, until she finally woke.

Her uncle was dead, her mother had gone mad—Bright Moon Slave was all he had left. If she were to leave him too, what would be left for him to cling to?

Yaoying shook her head. “Elder Brother, I’m much better. The Regent took care of me all day today.”

She remembered watching the dance performance below the platform before fainting. Tanmoroqie was supposed to be recuperating at Wang Temple—she hadn’t expected to see him when she woke. And he was dressed as Su Dan Gu again, which puzzled her.

She had just asked him about it, but he remained silent, stood up, and left.

Baffled, Yaoying exchanged confused looks with Yuanjue beside her, then asked him what was going on.Yuanjue quietly wiped away his tears and told her what had happened after she lost consciousness. He also informed her that she had been asleep until dusk after her injury, during which her pulse had grown increasingly faint. Bi Suo had summoned all the physicians and tried many methods, nearly resorting to bloodletting. Tanmoroqie had been caring for her all along.

Yaoying was stunned for a long moment.

When the assassin attacked her, how had Tanmoroqie appeared so promptly?

Had he been near the long street as well?

He rarely left Wang Temple, and he was still ill, bound by the precept against music and dance—why would he go to the market district?

A guess flashed through Yaoying’s mind like lightning, but she didn’t dare confirm it.

Regardless, Tanmoroqie had stayed by her side all day today.

On his way back, Li Zhongqian had already heard a rough account from his guards: when Yaoying fainted, Su Dan Gu was by her side.

Upon learning that the assassin was from the Royal Court and that it involved political strife within the court, Li Zhongqian’s brow furrowed deeply as Su Dan Gu’s scarred face surfaced in his mind. “You’re still weak—rest well,” he said, rising to his feet.

Yaoying tugged at his sleeve. “Elder Brother, are you going to find Li Xuanzhen?”

Li Zhongqian’s expression turned icy, a cold gleam flashing in his phoenix eyes.

Yaoying held onto him tightly. “Elder Brother, Li Xuanzhen is severely injured now. If you go to him, you won’t get any answers. Leave his matters to me—we agreed on this.”

Li Zhongqian’s face darkened.

Back in Gaochang, he had promised Yaoying he wouldn’t act impulsively.

“Li Xuanzhen is gloomy and unpredictable—we must be wary of him…”

Li Zhongqian sat back down by the couch, hesitating to speak further.

Li Xuanzhen was brooding and inscrutable; Li Zhongqian suspected he intended to harm Bright Moon Slave. As early as in Chang’an, he had noticed the unusually sinister look in Li Xuanzhen’s eyes when he gazed at Bright Moon Slave. After the Northern Rong’s defeat, with Zhu Lvyun and Yiqing Grand Princess missing, Li Xuanzhen had not personally led troops to search for Zhu Lvyun, only sending his guards to inquire. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. He had brought Bright Moon Slave to the Royal Court under the pretext of a diplomatic mission, fearing Li Xuanzhen would make a move in his absence.

Unexpectedly, Li Xuanzhen had secretly followed them to the Royal Court and lurked near Bright Moon Slave.

Although Li Xuanzhen had saved Bright Moon Slave, Li Zhongqian couldn’t let his guard down—in fact, his unease grew stronger.

During the time he and Li Xuanzhen had spent together in the Northern Rong, they had faced life-and-death situations. Had Li Xuanzhen risked everything for Bright Moon Slave merely to atone for his mistakes?

Li Zhongqian didn’t believe it.

“I will be cautious of Li Xuanzhen…” Yaoying recalled Li Xuanzhen’s bloodshot phoenix eyes before she fainted, her brow slightly furrowed. “Elder Brother, I know what I’m doing.”

…

After Li Zhongqian arrived, his guards surrounded the small courtyard, and Bi Suo, Yuanjue, and the other Royal Court personnel withdrew.

Bi Suo walked over to Tanmoroqie.

He stood in the shadows, gazing at the hazy lamplight reflected in the window.

“The princess is much better… She asked about you. Why didn’t you go in?”

Tanmoroqie shook his head.

In what capacity should he enter?

She had her elder brother’s concern and loyal subordinates attending to her.

Calmly, he said, “Have the physician check on her again.”

She had just recovered and might relapse.

Bi Suo acknowledged the order and strode away, leading the physician into the room.The physician finished taking Yaoying's pulse and clicked his tongue in amazement. Li Zhongqian, still uneasy, followed the physician out of the room to inquire in detail about Yaoying's condition. The physician didn't understand Chinese, and Li Zhongqian didn't speak the Royal Court's language—they were like a chicken talking to a duck for quite some time. Yuanjue stepped in; having followed Yaoying all day, he had picked up some Chinese.

Shortly after, Bi Suo returned with another physician.

The physician spoke at length, exclaiming in astonishment, and finally said with a smile, "The princess is no longer in serious condition."

Tanmoroqie gave a hum of acknowledgment, descended the stone steps, and instructed Bi Suo, "Find out which family's descendants today's assassins are. They've been mixed into the Holy City for a long time—they couldn't have left no traces."

"Have the commander of the imperial guards come to Wang Temple to see me tomorrow morning."

Bi Suo assented.

He gave a few more orders, which Bi Suo acknowledged one by one.

The night was deep.

Tanmoroqie fell silent, his lapel bathed in silvery moonlight as he walked out of the courtyard.

Footsteps approached from behind—Yuanjue, panting, rushed up to the two of them. After bowing, he said, "Regent, the princess wishes to return to Wang Temple."

Tanmoroqie frowned deeply. "She's unwell today. Let her rest here and not get up or move around."

Yuanjue assented and said, "The princess has a message for you."

Tanmoroqie stopped, his back turned to him.

"What is it?"

Yuanjue replied, "The princess said it's time for your medicine, and she wants you to remember to take it."

Tanmoroqie remained silent for a long time.

"How is she?"

"The princess is much better. She said this ailment flares up severely but isn't actually serious, so you needn't worry. The maid just brought some food, and the princess has eaten."

"Stay and look after her. Don't go out with her. If there's an emergency, send a message by carrier hawk."

Tanmoroqie gave the order and strode away.

Yuanjue acknowledged and returned to Yaoying's room, saying, "The Regent has returned to Wang Temple."

Yaoying murmured, "He just left?"

She knew he wouldn't stay, but she thought he would come to speak with her before leaving.

Yuanjue nodded. "The Regent said you're weak and shouldn't get out of bed today. General Ashina will take care of him."

Yaoying was lost in thought for a moment, then summoned her guards and instructed, "My brother will return to the posthouse tomorrow. He has important matters these days and likely won't go elsewhere... Keep an eye on him. If he clashes with Li Xuanzhen, you must intervene."

The guards assented.

"How is Li Xuanzhen? Are his injuries severe?"

The guard replied, "Very severe. It's not just the wound from blocking the knife for you today... The Crown Prince has other injuries as well. When he rushed from Shazhou and Yi Province to Gaochang, he was already wounded. Old injuries haven't healed, and new ones have been added—there's hardly any unblemished flesh on his back. The Crown Prince wanted to see you, but the Royal Court's Regent had him stopped. The Crown Prince has fainted."

"Why did the Crown Prince suddenly appear in the Royal Court? Does he have his personal guards in the city?"

"Yes, I've already brought them over. They said..."

"Said what?"

"They said the Crown Prince came for you, Princess. As soon as you left Gaochang, the Crown Prince followed right after. No one could dissuade him."

Yaoying frowned.

Back then, when Li Xuanzhen and Li Zhongqian came together to rescue her, she was surprised, but that was all. She didn't want any further involvement with him.Last time Li Xuanzhen was severely injured, he stayed in her tent and returned to Sand City with her. Throughout the journey, she didn’t speak a single word to him, not even glancing his way. When he left, she didn’t see him off either.

Afterward, correspondence between the Western Army and Liangzhou Army was inevitable. Amid the official documents, his personal letters frequently appeared, almost always inquiring about her. She ignored every one of them.

She thought that would be the end of any connection between them.

When Gaochang was besieged, he disregarded his subordinates’ objections, rushed thousands of miles, and appeared outside the city with only two thousand soldiers—almost a suicidal move.

He was already severely wounded in Shazhou. If not for Li Zhongqian and Mobi Duo joining him against Haidu Aling, he would have stood no chance.

At the time, Yaoying thought to herself that Li Xuanzhen was quite loyal to his allies.

But allies don’t secretly follow her to the Royal Court, nor do they step forward to take a blade for her when she’s in danger.

Did Li Xuanzhen want to make amends?

Yaoying said indifferently, “When the Crown Prince wakes up, report to me.”

At this point, it was impossible for them to return to the way things were when they first met. She didn’t care what he was thinking, nor did she need his remorse. She just wanted to keep her distance.

After giving her instructions, Yaoying lay down to rest. Perhaps she had slept too much during the day, for she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

In the middle of the night, she got up, walked barefoot to the window, and pulled open a narrow gap to look outside.

The corridor was empty, the wind howled, and the ground shimmered with silvery moonlight.

He wasn’t here.

Yaoying waited for a while, then shook her head with a wry smile and turned back to her bed.

He was so busy, of course he wouldn’t come.

When he saved her today, he must have used his inner energy. She wondered if he had taken his medicine on time. With her not by his side tonight, would he be alright alone?

Yaoying turned over, her sleeve slipping down, the Buddhist beads on her arm cool and smooth to the touch.

She took off the beads, held them in her hand, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

…

Wang Temple.

Bi Suo stood guard outside the felt curtain, his expression grave.

In the quiet night, a series of hurried footsteps echoed as Bā mǐ ěr rushed over, dragging the physician by the collar.

The physician had just returned from Yaoying’s place and was summoned again to Wang Temple. Standing before the felt curtain, he took a few deep breaths, then lifted the curtain.

Inside the room, several candles burned brightly, illuminating the space as if it were daytime. A man lay on the bed, the candlelight casting a golden pallor over his face. His eyes were closed, his expression haggard.

The physician’s face changed. “He was fine just a while ago…”

Bi Suo said anxiously, “He collapsed like this as soon as he returned. His energy dissipated, and he couldn’t even walk.”

The physician shook his head with a sigh, opened his medicine chest, took out a set of silver needles, washed his hands, and began applying acupuncture to Tanmoroqie.

Half an hour later, the physician was drenched in sweat. Tanmoroqie’s complexion improved slightly, and he opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the physician’s face.

“How much longer?”

He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

The physician replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, it will be over soon.”

Tanmoroqie shook his head, the dense array of silver needles on his bare body trembling slightly, shimmering like silver scales.

“I’m asking you, how much longer?”

He repeated the question, his tone weak yet still carrying an air of dignity.

Bi Suo, standing by the bed, shuddered.

The physician’s hand trembled, the silver needle in his grip shaking. Not daring to look up, he whispered, “Your Majesty showed improvement a few days ago. If it continues like this, perhaps you still have a few years…”

A faint ting sound echoed as the silver needle in his hand fell to the floor.

The physician trembled and knelt.

The room fell into silence, as still as stagnant water.Tanmoroqie's expression remained unchanged, his eyes fixed on the flickering candle flame as he said calmly, "Continue."

He had known this all along—the Water Mang Grass could only delay things for a few years.

The physician sighed inwardly, a mix of admiration and pity in his heart, then rose and continued applying the acupuncture needles.

A bead of sweat the size of a bean rolled down Tanmoroqie's cheek. Leaning half against the pillow, he asked, "Have you sent people to investigate?"

Bi Suo snapped out of his thoughts and quickly replied, "Yes, the captain personally led the search. There should be no accomplices left in the city."

Tanmoroqie hummed in acknowledgment. "Remember to send more guards."

There were too many people who wanted Su Dan Gu dead. If all of them directed their hatred toward her, no matter how many personal guards she had, it wouldn't be enough.

Bi Suo clasped his fists. "Rest assured, we've dispatched the royal guards. The princess's personal guards aren't familiar with the Royal Court's people, but the royal guards often interact with them and can react more quickly."

Tanmoroqie nodded slightly.

The physician inserted a needle between his fingers.

Though the fingers connect to the heart and his arm muscles trembled, he only furrowed his brows slightly, as if feeling no pain.

If she were here, she would watch him with a face full of concern, talking to him and trying every way to distract him. When he frowned, she would gently furrow her brows too.

He was accustomed to it and didn't feel the pain.

But under her gaze of such earnest care, the sensation of pain seemed to grow sharper.

...

The next morning, Li Zhongqian came to see Yaoying as soon as he got up.

Yaoying had risen even earlier, changed her clothes, eaten something, and spun around in front of him, her complexion rosy and her voice strong: "Elder brother, I'm truly better now."

Li Zhongqian still wasn't reassured and forced her to drink several bowls of tonic medicine. Only after the physician in the residence checked her pulse and confirmed she was truly fine did he feel somewhat at ease. After instructing the personal guards to keep an eye on the severely injured Li Xuanzhen, he hurriedly left.

"I'll return as soon as I finish my tasks. Be careful."

"I know."

Yaoying watched him leave, then asked Yuanjue to bring ink, brush, and paper, sitting at the desk to write a letter.

A personal guard reported: "Princess, the Crown Prince has awakened."

Yaoying set down her brush.

Li Xuanzhen lay on the couch, his shoulders, waist, chest, thighs, and arms wrapped in thick bandages, his face deathly pale.

As the personal guards escorted Yaoying into the room, his dull phoenix eyes suddenly ignited with sparks, like bright embers bursting from ashes after burning out, his gloomy gaze fixed intently on her face.

Yaoying frowned, gestured for the others to leave, and glanced toward the bedside.

A bronze basin was filled with bloody water, and a large bundle of blood-soaked bandages lay beside the couch.

She lifted her gaze and met Li Xuanzhen's eyes.

"Why did you save me?"

Her tone was flat.

Li Xuanzhen's lips twitched as he struggled to sit up, leaning against the couch.

"Because I didn't want anything to happen to you."

Yaoying's face showed no expression.

Li Xuanzhen pressed a hand to his knife wound, his lips quirking. "Seventh Lady, do you still hate me?"

No matter what he did, she remained aloof.

Yaoying shook her head, meeting Li Xuanzhen's gaze as she said, "Li Xuanzhen, I just want to stay far away from you."

Li Xuanzhen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his hands and feet turning cold.

Her disgust for him had reached such an extent that she didn't even want to hate him.