Yaoying trusted that Mengda Ti Po meant her no harm and followed the disciple out. Just as they descended the stone steps, the courtyard gate was already blocked by a crowd.
Someone shouted loudly in the Hu language, while monks tried desperately to stop them. The intruders berated the monks and pounded on the wooden gate with thunderous force.
Seeing that the gate was about to be broken down, the disciple panicked and hurried Yaoying back into the room: "It’s General Xue Yanna outside! He’s forcing his way in with his men!"
Frowning, Yaoying asked, "How did General Xue get in?"
During her days confined to the palace’s side hall, she had conversed with the monks and learned much about the Royal Court. She had heard of Xue Yanna.
The Royal Court had been ruled by the Tanmo family since ancient times. Decades ago, as the Tanmo clan declined, powerful families seized control of the court. When Tanmoroqie was five, the Zhang clan brutally massacred the Tanmo family in an attempt to usurp the throne. Public outrage forced the Zhang clan to spare Princess Chima and her younger brother Tanmoroqie.
Tanmoroqie ascended the throne as a boy emperor but was imprisoned by the Zhang clan in a Buddhist temple to study the Buddhist Dharma. At thirteen, when the Northern Rong invaded on a large scale and the noble families abandoned the city, the puppet emperor, known as the Buddha Prince, led the central army to repel Wahan Khan. His fame spread across the Western Regions, and his prestige soared, allowing him to reclaim royal power in one swift move.
Since then, Tanmoroqie had suppressed the noble families, consolidated authority, and appointed his confidant Su Dan Gu as Regent. While deepening his study of Buddhist teachings, he governed the people with compassion, steadily rising in reputation.
However, the major families of the Royal Court refused to accept their loss of influence.
Chancellor Kang Mo Zhe, General Xue Yanna, Right Army Commander An Yule, and Minister Meng Yunhan, along with their allied clans, resented Tanmoroqie’s favorable treatment of other tribes and often grumbled in private.
As the Buddha Prince, Tanmoroqie could never marry or have children. With only him and Princess Chima left in the royal bloodline, the court lacked an heir. In recent years, his health had deteriorated significantly. Though he tried to conceal it, rumors spread, stirring ambition among the noble families.
Among them, Xue Yanna was the most brutish and impulsive, hardly hiding his disloyalty. Known for his predatory behavior toward women and frequent abuse of female slaves, he had clashed with Tanmoroqie several times over his cruelty toward Han Chinese slaves.
Somehow, Xue Yanna had learned of Yaoying’s stay in the palace. A few days earlier, he had come uninvited, loudly demanding to see the legendary beauty.
Fortunately, Yaoying had been alert. While taking air in the pavilion, she spotted a burly, bear-like Hu man prowling outside and sensed trouble. She immediately alerted the monks to summon Mengda Ti Po.
Mengda Ti Po arrived in time to persuade Xue Yanna to leave and ordered heightened security.
Xue Yanna had returned several times since but refrained from forcing entry due to the monks’ tight guard.
Today, however, General Xue Yanna barged into the inner courtyard with his men and was on the verge of breaking in.
The disciple wiped sweat from his brow: "I don’t know how he got in!"
With a loud crash, the wooden gate gave way. The shouts of the Hu soldiers grew closer.
The disciple trembled in panic: "The Master went to the medicine storage room and won’t be back for at least half an hour!"
Yaoying made a quick decision: "Let’s head to the pavilion. There’s a well-hidden room there. We can hide for a while."
From her first day of confinement, she had explored the area and familiarized herself with the layout—precisely for emergencies like this.The personal guards followed Yaoying, climbing up to the attic and hiding in the secret chamber. This room was originally used as a watchtower but was later abandoned. The corridor leading to other floors was concealed in a cramped corner, unnoticeable to ordinary people unless they looked carefully.
Xie Qing stood guard by the door, listening intently to the commotion downstairs, her fingers resting on the hilt of her sword.
Yaoying pressed her hand down. "We are currently in the Royal Court palace. Unless absolutely necessary, do not harm anyone."
Facing Xue Yanna alone, they could defend themselves. However, Xue Yanna was a high-ranking official of the Royal Court, and the Xue family commanded tens of thousands of cavalry from the Left Army. As foreigners in the Royal Court, they must not provoke any conflict.
Xie Qing nodded.
Downstairs, chaos and shouting erupted. Soon, Xue Yanna’s furious roar echoed: "Where is the Han princess?"
No one answered.
The monks stood under the corridor, palms pressed together, silently reciting Scriptures.
The Royal Court revered Buddhism. As monks, even Xue Yanna, bold as he was, dared not raise a blade against them.
Xue Yanna and his soldiers searched the courtyard but found no trace of Yaoying. Enraged, he slashed a wooden door to pieces and bellowed, "Whoever dares to hide the Han woman, I’ll wring their neck!"
Up in the attic, Yaoying’s heart tightened.
They couldn’t hide for long, and there was no telling when Mengda Ti Po would arrive.
Xue Yanna paced back and forth, gripping his long blade, his sharp eyes scanning the area until they settled on the attic.
A young disciple of the monks trembled involuntarily.
Xie Qing sneered and charged up to the second floor.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from the direction of the courtyard gate.
Yuanjue, a central army guard often seen with Bore, strode quickly into the courtyard. He cast a cold glance at the searching soldiers before fixing his gaze on Xue Yanna on the stairs.
"General Xue, the King summons you."
Xue Yanna continued ascending.
Yuanjue raised his voice: "General Xue, do you remember how the Regent dealt with your uncle?"
The atmosphere instantly froze. The soldiers in the courtyard exchanged uneasy glances.
Xue Yanna’s steps halted abruptly, his furious demeanor receding slightly. He turned and descended the stairs, scanning the area before locking eyes with Yuanjue.
"Has the Regent returned from Gaochang?His tone carried a hint of probing.
Yuanjue replied coldly, "How could we inquire about the Regent’s whereabouts?"
A look of apprehension crossed Xue Yanna’s face. After a moment’s thought, he resentfully sheathed his blade. "The King, as the Buddha Prince, actually hides a beautiful Han woman in the palace—his devotion to Buddha is insincere! I will go see the King and demand an explanation!"
With that, he strode away.
Yuanjue remained behind. Lifting his head, he called out clearly, "Princess Wenzhao, the King requests your presence in the main hall."
Yaoying emerged from her hiding spot and looked at Yuanjue. "Have Bore and General Ashina returned with the medicine?"
Had Tanmoroqie summoned Xue Yanna because his condition had improved?
Yuanjue shook his head, his face tense, though his slightly trembling voice betrayed grief and panic. "There has been no news. The monks from the temple have all arrived."
The monks had gathered to prepare Buddhist rituals for their ruler.
Yaoying sighed softly—not out of distress over losing protection, but simply out of sentiment for Tanmoroqie.
He was gifted and renowned throughout the Western Regions, originally destined to be a reclusive eminent monk. When the Northern Rong attacked the Holy City, the noble families abandoned the city and fled. In the chaos, he escaped the monastery. The monks urged him to flee and avoid the disaster, but the young man resolutely refused. Instead, he led the central army to defend the Royal Court, saving tens of thousands of civilians.Yaoying saw shadows of many people in Tanmoroqie—she thought of her uncle Xie Wuliang, of the Zhu family from her past, of all those benevolent souls who had thrown themselves into the fray one after another during these troubled times.
Whether in the Central Plains or the Western Regions, whenever mountains and rivers shattered and common people suffered, heroes would always step forward without hesitation, using their flesh and blood to carve out a sliver of hope for the vulnerable.
Tanmoroqie was a true eminent monk—not only profoundly versed in Buddhist Dharma, but also devoting his entire life to practicing his faith, protecting the masses, and delivering all beings from suffering.
Yet he was plagued by a strange illness, destined to die young.
Before meeting him, Yaoying hadn't felt much, but now that this person who had recently saved her was nearing death, an inexplicable melancholy stirred within her.
She covered her face with a veil and followed Yuanjue to the main hall.
Xue Yanna and his soldiers walked ahead of them, ascending the steps.
The main hall's doors were tightly shut, with only a side door slightly ajar. Monks in full-length and half-sleeved kasayas filed into the hall from both corridors.
Xue Yanna climbed onto the high platform in one breath and roared, "Since the King has summoned me, why aren't the doors open?"
No one answered. The sudden patter of footsteps echoed as two teams of blue-robed, white-cloaked imperial guards emerged from all directions, descending the corridors to surround Xue Yanna and his retinue.
Xue Yanna sneered, "What crime have I committed?"
The guards remained silent.
Xue Yanna snorted coldly and pressed forward. "Step aside!"
A flash of golden light—a lean, agile black shadow descended from above, pouncing on Xue Yanna like lightning.
The platform fell silent for a moment, then erupted with piercing screams.
Nearby, Yaoying flinched, instinctively stepping back half a pace.
On the platform, Xue Yanna looked terrified, his left hand dripping blood. Surrounded by his retinue, he staggered backward, only to be forced forward again by the blue-robed guards behind him.
Gritting through the pain, he scanned his surroundings, his face twitching twice in panic before he raised his blade and swung wildly.
The shadow leaped up, nimbly dodging his long knife, then opened its blood-stained maw and clamped down on one of his attendants.
The attendant was thrown to the ground. Before he could even scream, his body convulsed several times, blood gushing from his throat. In an instant, he lay lifeless.
The other attendants nearly dropped their blades, huddling tightly around Xue Yanna, their faces pale.
The shadow on the ground released the attendant and lifted its blood-soaked face.
Standing at the foot of the steps, Yaoying's heart raced.
It was a golden leopard, its coat glossy and patterned with ancient coin-like spots. After severing the attendant's throat, it flicked its tail, crouched beside the corpse, and glanced toward the pagoda beside the main hall. Then it extended its crimson tongue to lick its blood-stained forepaw.
A deathly stillness fell over the steps.
Xue Yanna broke into a cold sweat, glancing at his follower killed by the leopard before turning his gaze to the pagoda.
The setting sun cast golden rays between the halls and towers. Before a window adorned with gold leaf stood a tall, gaunt figure in a dark brocade robe—slender and poised like a leopard lurking in the shadows.
Xue Yanna bellowed, "Su Dan Gu! You killed my man!"
The figure stood with hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of authority, as if Xue Yanna were beneath his notice.
Veins bulged on Xue Yanna's forehead.
A thought stirred in Yaoying's heart.
Su Dan Gu—the man who governed in place of Tanmoroqie?Tanmoroqie was the deity in the hearts of the people in the Western Regions, while Su Dan Gu was the Regent who held the military and political power of the Royal Court in the secular world. Unlike the tolerant and compassionate Tanmoroqie, he was autocratic, ruthless, and merciless. The people privately joked that he was the Vajra Asura guarding the Buddha Prince.
Asuras and Yaksas were fierce, combative, grotesque, and terrifying enough to stop children from crying at night.
Su Dan Gu’s whereabouts were unpredictable; it was said he had gone to Gaochang. Yaoying had often heard the monks mention him these days.
The central army guards hoped Su Dan Gu would return soon, while the court ministers felt the opposite—they feared his return. No wonder they were afraid of him: on his first day back at the Royal Court, he had crippled Xue Yanna’s hand.
Xue Yanna’s left hand was a bloody mess, but he forced himself to stand firm and roared toward the main hall, "Su Dan Gu, how dare you kill before the hall? Where do you place the King?!"
The man in the tower seemed not to hear, turning to leave. The leopard on the ground leaped up, bounded onto the corridor, and in a few flashes, its mottled figure disappeared beyond the palace walls.
Behind it, trails of crimson paw prints remained.
The hall doors opened, and the central army guards emerged.
Xue Yanna’s left hand throbbed with pain as he angrily shouted, "Didn’t you see what Su Dan Gu just did? His beast killed my man!"
The guard glanced disdainfully at Xue Yanna and declared loudly, "General Xue, you have repeatedly trespassed into the palace these past days, disturbing honored guests. The Regent has merely delivered a slight punishment as a warning. The King is already aware and has decreed that if anyone trespasses into the palace again, the Regent may execute them on the spot!"
Each word was firm and resolute.
Xue Yanna trembled with rage, his face turning ashen.
The central army guard slowly drew his long blade and took a step forward.
The gleam of blades flashed before the steps.
The guard said, "The King must discuss matters with the Regent. General Xue, you may withdraw."
Xue Yanna’s aide shook like a sieve, whispering to persuade him, "General, you’re injured. It’s best to return and treat your wound first... I’ve heard the leopard raised by the Regent has venomous teeth..."
The rest of the words the aide dared not speak aloud: The Regent dared to injure someone before the hall precisely because the General, incited by Chancellor Kang Mo Zhe, had repeatedly trespassed into the palace these days! The King is the Buddha Prince and never takes life, but the Regent is a Yaksa who kills without batting an eye! The General brought this upon himself...
Xue Yanna glared furiously, panting like an ox. He swayed unsteadily, his wound growing increasingly painful, and he began to suspect the leopard’s bite might indeed be venomous. Gritting his teeth, he vowed, "One day, I will kill Su Dan Gu with my own hands!"
The aide hastily agreed, supporting Xue Yanna as they retreated in disarray.
Blue-robed knights dragged away the corpse of the slain aide, and soon slaves arrived with buckets to clean the blood from the ground.
As Yaoying passed through the corridor, she felt as if the shadowy figure in the tower still stood there, gazing at the hall steps. Recalling how the leopard had severed the aide’s throat with one bite, her palms turned cold.
Regent Su Dan Gu truly lived up to his reputation.
Yuanjue led Yaoying into the hall.
Inside, curtains hung low, and the air was thick with incense. All jewels, precious stones, and rare decorations had been removed. Behind the pillars, golden light flickered as monks in ceremonial robes sat cross-legged, softly chanting Scriptures in both Brahmi and the local tongues. Incense and candles burned at the four corners of the hall, with fresh fruits and flowers offered before the altar, filling the air with a rich, mellow scent of sandalwood.
The monks’ chants were solemn and chilling. Yaoying did not look around much and proceeded into the inner hall.Before the bed hung layers of golden-patterned silk curtains. As dusk approached, the last rays of sunset slanted through the window into the hall, casting shimmering spots of light upon the golden-brick floor, where radiance rippled and treasures seemed to float in the air.
A frail voice emerged from behind the curtains: "The Royal Court ministers have been discourteous, frightening Princess Wenzhao."
Clear and cold, as if devoid of any emotion, yet those who heard it felt their hearts tremble.
Yaoying was taken aback.
Tanmoroqie was nearing his end, yet he had specifically summoned her to say these words.
For a moment, she did not know how to respond.
From behind the silk curtains, Tanmoroqie softly asked Yuanjue, "Where is Princess Chima?"
Yuanjue requested Yaoying to step aside, then replied, "Princess Chima will arrive shortly."
As soon as he finished speaking, sounds came from the side door. Two pale-faced maids escorted Princess Chima into the hall.
Princess Chima, with her red hair, brown eyes, deep-set features, and delicate figure, walked up to the silk curtains. Her gaze swept over Yaoying—first indifferent, then suddenly registering recognition. Her icy eyes returned to Yaoying, and her expression shifted abruptly to fury.
Yaoying had already heard from the monks about the tragic deaths of the Tanmo royal family at the hands of the Zhang clan, so she was not surprised by Princess Chima’s dagger-like glare. Instead, she wondered: What was Tanmoroqie trying to do?
Princess Chima was even more astonished than Yaoying. She angrily demanded, "Luojia, why have you summoned this Han woman here?"
From behind the silk curtains, Tanmoroqie’s voice emerged, still as clear and cold as water, without a trace of fluctuation: "Chima, was it you who allowed Xue Yanna into the palace?"
Princess Chima froze for a moment, then sneered, "How did you know it was me?"
Tanmoroqie remained silent.
Princess Chima tore off her veil, lifted her head, her brown eyes brimming with tears, her expression impassioned: "Yes, I deliberately let Xue Yanna into the palace. I even told my maid to inform him that the Han princess was staying in the side palace. Luojia, why are you protecting a Han woman? Have you forgotten the hatred of the Tanmo family? Over two hundred lives of the Tanmo family… over two hundred living people! They were our elders, brothers, sisters… our kin. The Zhang clan killed them one by one before our very eyes. Every night, I dream of those who died. I hate the Zhang clan! I hate all Han people!"
The guards standing before the curtains lowered their heads.
The hall fell into dead silence.
"The ones who slaughtered the Tanmo family were the Zhang clan." From behind the curtains came a few intermittent coughs, then Tanmoroqie’s calm voice: "What does that have to do with Princess Wenzhao?"
Princess Chima’s body stiffened.
Yaoying lifted her gaze, unable to resist a glance toward the curtains.
Princess Chima closed her eyes, her expression caught between tears and laughter.
"Luojia, you are a sage, a Buddha Prince. Since childhood, you have studied the Scriptures extensively, compassionate and benevolent. You have severed worldly ties. Though you are a prince of the Tanmo family, in your heart, there is no place for the Tanmo royal family! No place for me, your sister! In your eyes, there is only the supreme Buddhist Dharma, only strangers who have no connection to you! The Zhang clan killed our kin, yet you still treat Han people with kindness… All beings are equal—you regard everyone as your subjects. Then what about me? What about the Tanmo family? What do we count for?"
She laughed bitterly.
"I am not like you! I am a princess of the Tanmo family! A mortal! I wish I could slaughter every Han person in the Royal Court and use their bones to pay tribute to the Tanmo family!"She rushed forward abruptly, lifted the drooping silk curtain, and threw herself before the bed: "Open your eyes and see! This woman is a Han! The very Han who brutally killed our mother right before your eyes, who slaughtered our brothers and sisters!"
As the curtain billowed up, the guards had no time to stop her. Princess Chima lunged onto the bed, only to freeze in stunned silence at the sight of her brother sitting cross-legged.
Yaoying widened her eyes.
Tanmoroqie leaned against the jeweled couch clad in a crimson kasaya, his hands resting limply at his sides. A string of dull-glowing rosary beads hung from his wrist. His face was deathly pale, his frame emaciated—only those profound jade-green eyes retained a flicker of vitality.
Princess Chima stared blankly for a long moment, the madness on her face gradually receding.
"Luojia, you're dying."
Her tone was icy.
Tanmoroqie lowered his gaze and replied placidly: "Birth, aging, sickness, and death vanish like smoke."
His voice was clear and resonant, as if chanting Scriptures.
Princess Chima retreated two steps, chuckling lowly: "You're on the verge of death, yet you still defend a Han woman against me... You're dying! Luojia, how can you be so heartless? Have your Buddhist practices truly severed all earthly ties? Have you abandoned the entire Tanmo family?"
Tanmoroqie slowly raised his eyes to gaze at Princess Chima.
"Princess Wenzhao is a guest of the Royal Court and the benefactor of the Dharma Master... Chima, swear by the Buddha that you shall never harm Princess Wenzhao without just cause."
Princess Chima stared blankly, looking at her brother as if he were a madman.
"Luojia, I am your sister."
Tanmoroqie met his sister's gaze, his voice faint as breath yet carrying immense weight: "Chima, I am your sovereign."
The surrounding guards turned their eyes to Princess Chima.
She scanned the room, let out two cold laughs, and turned to leave.
The guards stepped forward, blocking her path.
Princess Chima whirled around, glaring furiously at Tanmoroqie.
Tanmoroqie lowered his eyelids without another word.
Enraged beyond measure, Princess Chima laughed bitterly. "Fine! I, Tanmo Chima, swear today: should I ever harbor intent to harm Princess Wenzhao, may I suffer retribution, forever trapped in the agonies of samsara, never attaining liberation!"
Her eyes bulged with fury as she glared at Tanmoroqie: "Are you satisfied now, Your Majesty?"
Tanmoroqie glanced at her, sighed softly, and wearily averted his gaze.
Princess Chima trembled uncontrollably, barely containing her expression. She shot Yaoying a venomous look, then swept her sleeves and stormed away.
Yaoying stood in silence, her heart tangled in complex emotions.
Tanmoroqie's eyes remained lowered—as if asleep, or as if he had truly departed the mortal world.
Her gaze lingered on his haggard face for a long while. Just as she prepared to speak, his lashes lifted, and those deep jade eyes turned toward her.
"Princess Wenzhao, you may accompany Dharma Master Mengda Ti Po to the Land of Brahma, then return home by sea."
Yaoying's heart quivered faintly.
This had indeed been her plan—should Tanmoroqie die.
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