Silver light exploded above their heads, illuminating the entire battlefield. Snowflakes drifted gently as the heavy rumble of hoofbeats rolled across the earth.
Tanmoroqie held Yaoying tighter and tighter, his embrace so forceful it seemed he wanted to press her into his very being.
Generals, soldiers, common folk, and monks stared dumbfounded as their Buddha Prince drew the Han princess into his arms, their expressions even more stunned than when they had witnessed the divine wrath-like celestial phenomenon moments before.
Thunder rumbled incessantly.
The night wind swept through with biting cold, military banners flapping fiercely amid whistling sounds that rose and fell across the sky.
Tanmoroqie came to his senses, released Yaoying, then pressed her against his chest as he turned his horse around.
Their personal guards immediately followed. On the city walls, Bi Suo commanded soldiers to shoot arrows at the pursuing cavalry, preventing them from approaching.
Several hundred people quickly retreated into the city.
Yuanjue approached, his face slightly flushed, stammering for a long while without knowing what to say.
Tanmoroqie dismounted, turned, and in full view of everyone, extended his arms toward Yaoying.
The night breeze swept past, stirring his Kasaya.
Yaoying stared in astonishment.
Gasps of surprise rippled through the surroundings as common people stood at a distance, whispering among themselves.
Tanmoroqie remained composed, supporting Yaoying by the waist to help her dismount. His jade-green eyes watched her quietly, his gaze lingering on her lips for several breaths.
That fierce kiss earlier had not been a momentary lapse.
Yaoying's heart pounded wildly, her legs still weak. Leaning on his arm to steady herself, she caught sight of the approaching guards from the corner of her eye. With a jolt of alertness, she regained her composure and said, "Haidu Aling has seen my people use gunpowder before. These small tricks won't frighten him. While other tribes panic, he won't. The cavalry chasing us must be his subordinates. But now that night has fallen, as long as we create momentum on the city walls to disrupt their morale, he won't know how many reinforcements we actually have. He won't risk attacking when reinforcements have just arrived."
"He may not be afraid, but his soldiers will be!"
As she spoke, she waved her hand, signaling her guards to ascend the city walls.
The personal guards acknowledged the order, carrying, hauling, and bearing improved weapons as they climbed the battlements. Working in groups of seven or eight, they began assembling the equipment with practiced agility honed through repeated training.
Bi Suo came forward to meet them and asked, "How many troops does the Princess have?"
Yaoying answered, "Over five hundred..."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than she felt Tanmoroqie's gaze suddenly turn severe.
This man was like a Buddha statue—solemn and majestic. Even when his expression appeared gentle, he somehow exerted an intangible pressure. Under such intense scrutiny, Yaoying first felt a subconscious guilt, then remembered their last parting scene. Anger surged within her, and she lifted her chin, meeting his gaze with righteous defiance.
She hadn't even settled accounts with him yet!
His brows furrowed slightly, but he remained silent.
"This was too risky!" Bi Suo followed closely behind Yaoying, breaking into a cold sweat of belated fear. "What if the Princess had been caught by Haidu Aling?"
Yaoying explained, "Yi Province is garrisoned by the Western Army. The Northern Rong remnants have been scattered, and Haidu Aling has no other allies. The allied forces he leads this time consist of different tribes with divided loyalties. Few chieftains truly obey him. As long as their main camp falls into chaos, they won't be able to mount an attack. I sent people to raid their camp under cover of darkness precisely to trigger panic among them."
Bi Suo worried, "Then those who raided the camp won't be able to escape, will they?"Yaoying shook her head: "It's fine. They're far enough away. Once I take advantage of the chaos to enter the city, they'll withdraw immediately and won't be pursued by the Northern Rong Allied Army."
Without waiting for Tanmoroqie to respond, she stepped up onto the city wall.
Tanmoroqie followed close behind her.
The Royal Court soldiers, exhausted though they were, had already cleared a position for Yaoying's troops. By torchlight, the soldiers swiftly assembled simple ballistae while others drew their double-curved bows to full draw, nocking arrows tied with hollow tubes. They focused intently on the approaching iron cavalry below the walls.
Xie Chong watched the dark battlefield patiently. When the iron cavalry drew near, he raised a signal flag and waved it.
Whooshing sounds filled the air as a volley of arrows descended.
The Royal Court soldiers gasped in astonishment.
With several booming explosions, sparks erupted where the arrows landed, followed by thunderous detonations echoing through the night air.
The iron cavalry's momentum faltered.
Soldiers continued drawing their bows, releasing wave after wave of arrows as flames crackled and spread wildly.
After observing for a while, Tanmoroqie took a double-curved bow from a soldier and fired several arrows in rapid succession.
These arrows flew with fierce velocity, their whistling trails lingering in the air. Where they struck the ground, violent flames burst forth, snaking lines of fire converging into a blazing inferno that roared fiercely with the aid of the wind.
Horses whinnied in terror at the nocturnal flames, rearing and neighing in panic.
The Northern Rong Iron Cavalry fell into disarray.
Haidu Aling stared up at the Holy City towering in the night, the taste of blood filling his mouth.
If Tanmoroqie was Wahan Khan's nemesis, then Princess Wenzhao must have been sent specifically to thwart him.
She had allied with the Royal Court through treaties, secretly colluded with prominent families during the Northern Rong internal conflicts and their concentrated assault on the Royal Court, organized volunteer armies to recapture over a dozen strategic towns in one stroke, then used coercion and incentives to subjugate various provinces under her rule, pacifying the Western Regions. Subsequently coordinating with Li Xuanzhen, she severed communications between the Eastern and Western Northern Rong tribes, forcing the eastern tribes to retreat awkwardly into the deep mountains while his five thousand troops were trapped outside Bai City, unable to advance east to recapture Yi Province, compelled to flee westward through great hardship until finally finding a few Northern Rong tribes at Samarkand.
All the tribes he'd secretly subjugated behind Wahan Khan's back, the horse breeding farms he'd painstakingly developed, the craftsmen he'd maintained... every ounce of his effort had fallen into Li Yaoying's hands.
Before he could establish firm footing in Samarkand, Li Yaoying had opened the Northern Trade Route. Tempted by profits, the northern tribes refused to assist the Northern Rong restoration. Given a few more years of Li Yaoying governing the Western Regions, winning popular support, and strengthening the Western Army, restoration would become increasingly hopeless.
This was why he had endured humiliation, sworn fealty to the suzerain state near Samarkand, married a foul-smelling princess, borrowed troops, and returned east to restore his kingdom.
Unexpectedly, internal turmoil struck the Royal Court—a heaven-sent opportunity. He diverted his forces to attack the Royal Court, and fearing reinforcement from the Western Army, dispatched troops disguised as Royal Court soldiers to raid Western Army territories, burning and pillaging to incite hatred between the two nations. Judging by the Western Army's reaction, they had likely taken the bait.
Just when he was on the verge of capturing the Holy City, Princess Wenzhao had actually appeared!
The only person capable of "summoning thunder and fire from heaven" was Princess Wenzhao!Haidu Aling did not believe in so-called divine punishment or heavenly retribution, knowing it must be some new weapon developed by the craftsmen under Li Yaoying's command. Yet this weapon was truly sinister—launched against the camp in the dark of night, its power was immense. Even several chieftains felt fear, let alone the less experienced soldiers.
After the camp was thrown into chaos, there was simply no way to quickly restore morale.
The routed soldiers had scattered to who-knew-where. He had to regroup them as soon as possible and stabilize the army's spirit.
Gritting his teeth, Haidu Aling waved for his subordinates to act.
Soon, the horn signaling retreat sounded, and the iron cavalry withdrew in an orderly formation through the darkness.
Soldiers on the city walls cheered softly, asking the Xizhou troops with laughter, "What is this thing? So powerful!"
The Xizhou soldiers replied with a smile, "These are thunderbolt arrows and fire bombs."
Everyone was curious, crowding around the Xizhou troops and their weapons, marveling in awe.
Though they were still not free from the siege, after days of encirclement, they had finally seen reinforcements arrive. Everyone felt encouraged, their fighting spirit rekindled.
For now, there was no distinction between Royal Court people and Han people among them—they were comrades fighting side by side, friends sharing life and death.
Bi Suo watched the soldiers' banter with a smile, then turned his gaze to the distant Northern Rong Allied Army camp engulfed in flames and breathed a sigh of relief. But thinking that Haidu Aling would surely attack again at dawn, his heart tightened. The reinforcements numbered only a few hundred—they couldn't change the overall situation.
With the enemy temporarily retreating, everyone was exhausted and lay down to rest where they were. Some soldiers hugged their long blades and fell asleep instantly.
The fierce wind howled, cold enough to freeze water in an instant.
Yaoying stood at the wind's edge, shivering lightly from the cold, her body swaying slightly.
She hadn't slept for days and nights.
Tanmoroqie approached, bent his head to drape a cloak over her, and tightened the ties. "They won't attack again before dawn. Go and rest."
She looked at him, exhaustion unmistakable between her brows. "What about you? Are you tired?"
He lifted his gaze, studying her for a long moment.
"Tired."
He said softly.
Very tired.
But he felt nothing, completely indifferent to his physical weariness and illness.
The betrayal of the Imperial Guards, the doubts of the common people, the accusations from the monks—none of it mattered to him.
These were consequences he had long anticipated.
Even if the entire world cursed him, it wouldn't shake his resolve.
But she had come.
She looked at him with concern, asking if he was tired.
And in that instant, all the buried exhaustion surged up from the depths. He felt utterly weary, longing to stop and rest for a while, to regain his strength before continuing forward.
On his lonely journey, a brilliant light suddenly descended, gently enveloping him, dispelling the boundless darkness—bright, warm, and soft. It seemed distant, separated by countless mountains and rivers, yet also felt omnipresent.
He grew greedy, wanting to monopolize this light. Gazing at her with lingering attachment, he finally reached out and cupped this radiance.
Tanmoroqie supported Yaoying, leading her to rest.
In the flickering firelight, the two walked shoulder to shoulder, pressed closely together, step by step into the distance. The wind lifted his monk's robes and the ribbons tying her hair, while the flames stretched their shadows long and merged them into one, inseparable.
The soldiers rose one by one, making way and watching their retreating figures.The long street bustled with activity as the common people emerged from their hiding places one after another. Pairs of eyes fixed upon the two figures, their expressions varied—some with tears streaming down like a fountain, some with dazed faces, and others with desolate disappointment. The entire city's population was gathered here, yet not a single word could be heard, only the sound of Tanmoroqie and Yaoying's footsteps.
Yaoying trembled slightly.
Suddenly, warmth enveloped her hand as another hand reached out and grasped hers, its heated palm rubbing against the back of her hand.
Startled, she looked up.
Tanmoroqie lowered his gaze and, under the silent watch of the devotees, held her hand. An innate dominance radiated from him, his eyes calm, resolute, and unwavering. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, forming an extremely faint and shallow smile, like a lotus gently swaying in the Sansheng Pond, casting shimmering reflections.
From today onward, walk this path with me like this.
Yaoying looked at him, and all the moments they had shared flashed through her mind—how he had appeared like a deity on the sand dune, saving her from Haidu Aling's grasp; how, on the brink of death, he had still strategized for the Royal Court's lasting peace; how he had endured illness alone in solitude; how he had sat at his desk studying Buddhist scriptures while she curiously tugged at his sleeve; how he had rushed thousands of miles to rescue her, only to leave alone afterward; how he had lain on the ground, seemingly mad, asking if she was leaving...
During their last meeting, he had spoken gently, promising her that he would take good care of himself.
All the accumulated worries, anger, resentment, and longing that had piled up in her heart since their separation vanished in that moment. Her nose tingled with emotion, her eyes grew warm and moist, and she smiled at him, lightly scratching his palm with her fingers.
Tanmoroqie's body suddenly stiffened and tensed, his gaze deepening as he tightly clasped her fingers.
He entered the council hall, pushed open the door to an inner room, and led her inside.
Yaoying glanced around. The room contained no grand, wide bed—only a desk, a meditation cushion, and a long couch. The desk was piled high with maps and documents, yet everything was clean and tidy, carrying a faint scent of sinking incense. It was clearly his living quarters.
He had her sit on the couch and then turned to leave. Shortly after, attendants brought food. She ate a little, took a bath, loosely tied up her long hair with a hair ribbon, changed into clean clothes, and lay down on the couch.
After several days of galloping on horseback, she felt as if she had been run over—her entire body ached, her bones sore and weak, and her thighs throbbed with pain.
Drowsy and half-asleep, she sensed a figure sitting by the couch and opened her eyes.
Tanmoroqie was leaning against the edge of the couch, looking down at her with dark circles under his eyes.
Still half-asleep, Yaoying turned to the side, shifting inward, and patted the long couch. "Master, come up and sleep."
Fresh from her bath, her skin glowed like snow, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. Lying on her side on the long couch, her lush, dark hair cascaded loosely. She wore only a light, close-fitting gown that outlined her delicate curves, the collar slightly loose, faintly revealing soft, undulating shadows beneath. Her red lips were slightly parted, and her eyes glistened with moisture.
Like a flower bud glistening with dew after the rain.
A wisp of sweet, subtle fragrance drifted through the air, reminiscent of rich floral notes.
Tanmoroqie leaned over, pulled up the brocade quilt, and wrapped Yaoying securely, bundling her up tightly before lying down himself.
Outside the city walls, a hundred thousand fierce Northern Rong Allied Army lay in wait. Their food supplies were exhausted, their weapons depleted—he did not know how many more days he had left to live...
He had much to ponder.But she had come, braving the flames of war to reach his side, lying on his couch. In this moment, he wanted to consider nothing else—his heart held only her.
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