In the Moonlight

Ashina Bisha packed his belongings, arranged the carriages and horses, and went to the Buddhist temple to see Yaoying.

The courtyard's flower walls and wooden frames were entwined with lush vines, their emerald tendrils heavy with clusters of fruit. Though the grapes were not yet ripe, each berry was plump, round, and translucent.

Bisha reached out and picked two clusters of grapes, bringing them into the room.

Yaoying knelt before a long table, her brow slightly furrowed, with a large pile of scriptures stacked in front of her.

Bisha couldn't help but chuckle softly: "Did the King ask you to read these?"

Yaoying nodded, smiled, pushed the scriptures aside, straightened up, and gestured for Bisha to take a seat.

Xie Peng, who had been standing guard in the corner of the room, bowed his head and withdrew.

Bisha sat on the felt rug, his eyes quickly scanning the room. The furnishings remained as they were before, with no added silk curtains, brocade drapes, precious couches, or soft quilts—only a few large chests filled with books.

Princess Wenzhao was a princess who could endure hardship, adapting to any circumstance with ease.

This was precisely what worried Bisha. Possessing peerless beauty, the charm and delicacy of a young maiden, the radiant boldness of a royal princess, and an unyielding spirit—he admired such a woman, which made him all the more fearful of Princess Wenzhao approaching Luojia.

Lost in thought, he was startled when Yaoying glanced at him and asked, "General, is the Regent unable to see me?"

Bisha snapped back to reality, cleared his throat, and said, "The Regent is occupied with important matters and cannot meet with you, Princess. If there is anything you wish to say, I can relay the message for you."

Yaoying pondered for a moment. Su Dan Gu's whereabouts were mysterious, and important decrees were always conveyed by his personal guards. If she waited to meet him, it might take forever. Speaking with Bisha would serve the same purpose.

"Have the Northern Rong men you captured that night been sent back to Northern Rong?"

Bisha shook his head: "Not yet. I will depart for Northern Rong tonight to escort them personally."

Yaoying was taken aback: "You're escorting them personally?"

Bisha's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not mention the state letter written by Luojia himself: "Yes, I will personally escort them back to Northern Rong. Their prince's guards appeared in the Royal Court's palace—the Northern Rong Khan must give the Royal Court an explanation."

Yaoying did not press further and said, "I was just about to discuss this matter with you, General. Those Northern Rong men could be put to great use."

Bisha raised an eyebrow.

Meeting his scrutinizing gaze openly, Yaoying replied, "When I was trapped in the Northern Rong camp, I heard many secrets about the Northern Rong royal family. Haidu Aling is an outsider adopted by Wahan Khan. Wahan Khan's sons have long been at odds with him, and the Khan himself has grown wary of him. The royal family is riddled with internal conflicts. If you can make good use of those Northern Rong men, General, you could deepen the rift between Wahan Khan and Haidu Aling."

Bisha narrowed his eyes, his gaze toward Yaoying now markedly different from before: "How does the Princess know that a rift has already formed between Haidu Aling and Wahan Khan?"

Yaoying smiled faintly: "When the Buddha Prince urgently needed Water Mang Grass, and you personally went to Northern Rong to demand the return of my dowry, did Wahan Khan immediately agree to return it and reprimand Haidu Aling on the spot?"

Bisha stroked his chin and said, "That's correct."

Yaoying stated with certainty, "If it had been another prince who seized my dowry, and you went to Northern Rong to demand its return, Wahan Khan would not have agreed so readily."

Bisha recalled the events of that day and nodded: "Indeed, Wahan Khan was very courteous to me and even publicly scolded Haidu Aling..."

His eyes lit up, and he chuckled softly, clapping his hands."Wahan Khan is deliberately using our Royal Court to suppress Haidu Aling!"

The Northern Rong people worship strength and remain uncivilized. It's common for the Khan's position to change hands within a single day—whoever is stronger becomes the new Khan, even among fathers, sons, and brothers. Thus, familial bonds within the royal family are weak. Whenever an old Khan dies, the tribe experiences intense turmoil due to power struggles. A powerful empire can rapidly expand and conquer the grasslands within a few years, yet it can also collapse overnight and never recover.

As Wahan Khan grows older and Haidu Aling remains young and vigorous—and not his biological nephew—the old Khan has begun to guard against Haidu Aling.

After a moment of excitement, Bi Suo frowned and said, "But this is just our speculation. Perhaps Wahan Khan is trying to deceive me."

Yaoying nodded. "Perhaps, as you suspect, General, Wahan Khan is cunning and was only deceiving you at the time. However, things may have changed later. Haidu Aling's recent mission to the Royal Court confirms my speculation is not unfounded."

Bi Suo narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Why does the Princess say so?"

Yaoying smiled. "General, if you were Prince Haidu Aling, commanding a powerful army, conquering lands north and south, and filled with ambition, would you repeatedly provoke the Royal Court over a woman like me after the alliance between the Royal Court and Northern Rong was established?"

Bi Suo was taken aback, his gaze settling on Yaoying's face. "The Princess is as beautiful as a goddess. Haidu Aling is determined to have you."

Yaoying remained calm. "Yes, Haidu Aling sees me as his prey. However, he is an experienced hunter. A calm hunter would not risk everything alone for the sake of prey."

As Bi Suo looked at Yaoying, his expression gradually shifted. He straightened his posture, his demeanor growing more serious.

"What does the Princess mean?"

Yaoying spoke slowly. "I know Haidu Aling to some extent. He is rough yet meticulous, with grand ambitions. He is definitely not the type to disregard the bigger picture for a woman. He is deceiving Wahan Khan and the Khan's sons, making Wahan Khan let down his guard."

She had reasons to be so certain.

In the records, Haidu Aling was brave and skilled in battle, rising rapidly, which aroused the jealousy of other princes and the suspicion of Wahan Khan. The princes set a trap to frame Haidu Aling; he fell into it and nearly died under a flurry of blades, losing most of his most trusted guards.

After recovering from his injuries, Haidu Aling bided his time, pretending to be crippled and wallowing in self-pity. For over a year, he insisted on walking with a limp. Later, during a campaign, he captured several beauties from the northern deserts, one of whom was renowned as the foremost beauty—enchanting and skilled in the arts of the bedchamber. He spent his days indulging with her in his tent, neglecting military affairs. When his subordinates advised him, he would kill them on the spot.

Seeing Haidu Aling reduced to a wreck, living in a drunken stupor, abandoned by his followers, and unable to go anywhere without beautiful women, Wahan Khan and his sons gradually relaxed their vigilance against him.

Later, Haidu Aling led his troops into the main tent, personally killed Wahan Khan, slaughtered the entire Northern Rong royal family, and became the new Khan of Northern Rong.During her time at the Northern Rong camp, Yaoying had already witnessed numerous overt and covert struggles between the Northern Rong princes and Haidu Aling. She simply added fuel to the fire by enticing other princes to seize Haidu Aling's spoils, intensifying the conflict. Later, when Bi Suo sent a letter to Wahan Khan demanding the dowry, she embedded subtle traps in the message, making the Northern Rong Khan wary of Haidu Aling.

Now, tensions within the Northern Rong royal family must be at a breaking point.

Yaoying said softly, "Haidu Aling is not a man easily swayed by beauty. He and Wahan Khan must have clashed, which is why he deliberately took on the mission to the Royal Court and broke into the palace at night—to make Wahan Khan think he is a fool who loses his head over a woman."

After saying this, she smiled faintly. "These are merely my speculations. Since you, General, are heading to the Northern Rong main tent, you can observe carefully and see if Haidu Aling and the other princes are already deeply at odds."

Bi Suo was deeply shaken. He remained stunned for a long while before nodding.

"If everything is as the Princess suspects, I can start with those subordinates to disrupt Haidu Aling's plan of feigning incompetence and make Wahan Khan even more wary of him."

Yaoying clapped her hands softly with a low laugh—this was precisely what she wanted to discuss with Bi Suo. "Whether Haidu Aling truly acted impulsively by breaking into the palace or had other motives, you can seize the opportunity to stir up trouble. If my guess is wrong, you can adapt accordingly—for instance, make Wahan Khan believe that Prince Haidu Aling has reached some agreement with the Royal Court. That way, even if Wahan Khan has never been suspicious of Haidu Aling before, he will start to doubt him."

Bi Suo's eyes widened abruptly.

Princess Wenzhao could actually devise such a ruthless scheme!

If the Northern Rong royal family was calm, they would sow discord between Wahan Khan and Haidu Aling.

If the Northern Rong royal family was already turbulent, they would add fuel to the flames, making the fire burn even fiercer.

In short, regardless of why Haidu Aling came to the Royal Court, Princess Wenzhao intended to drag him into the mud, tear a piece of flesh from him, and thoroughly disrupt the Northern Rong royal family!

Bi Suo's expression was too horrified. Yaoying looked at him, baffled, and explained, "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. The next best is to disrupt their alliances. To defeat the enemy without resorting to battle is the highest strategy. By warning Wahan Khan to guard against Haidu Aling and intensifying their conflicts, we weaken the Northern Rong, keeping them too preoccupied with internal strife. This is also a military tactic to avoid war."

The Northern Rong had sown discord and incited wars among the Central Plains states, hoping to seize opportunities for plunder. She was merely repaying them in kind.

After speaking, Yaoying straightened up and bowed solemnly to Bi Suo. "I am not from the Royal Court and am merely a guest in the Holy City. I should not interfere in such important matters. It is only because my homeland, like yours, faces the threat of the Northern Rong that I dared to voice my thoughts. I hope you will not take offense, General. Please regard my words as the ramblings of an ignorant youth."

Bi Suo's palms grew slightly sweaty. After a moment of silence, he stood and helped Yaoying up. "The Princess is an honored guest of the Royal Court. These words will remain between you and me—no one else will know of them."

Yaoying smiled faintly.

She did not care how Bi Suo viewed her, as long as her suggestions proved useful.

Bi Suo suddenly asked, "Why doesn't the Princess advise the King directly? I am only a Central Army General. All decisions must be approved by the King."Yaoying blinked, her eyes sparkling with a maiden's sly playfulness. "To be honest, General, the Dharma Master is such a noble figure. In his presence, these kinds of conspiracies and schemes... I find them somewhat difficult to voice."

Tanmoroqie was like a lotus standing against the wind—aloof and noble. Would discussing such matters with him cause him to frown and expel her from the monastery?

Bi Suo stared blankly for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.

"What do you take the King for? He is the ruler of the Royal Court..."

After laughing for a while, the worries in Bi Suo's heart dissipated somewhat.

Luojia was right—Princess Wenzhao held no romantic feelings for him, only pure admiration and gratitude.

Luojia was always so clear-headed and rational, never deceived by appearances.

Whether he was Luojia or his other identity.

Bi Suo rose to leave, but as he reached the corridor, he suddenly turned back, leaning into the room. "Princess, there's one thing you said wrong."

Yaoying looked up. "Hmm?"

Bi Suo said seriously, "Haidu Aling has fought battles north and south, ambitious and relentless. The Royal Court and the Northern Rong have established an alliance, yet he repeatedly provokes the Royal Court to seize you. It may not be entirely an act."

Yaoying shook her head with a wry smile.

Naturally beautiful, she had been a stunning beauty since childhood. As a daughter of the Li family, even without frequent public appearances, her fame had quickly spread throughout the Central Plains. Admirers among the frivolous young nobles were as numerous as fish in a river.

Whenever she rode out, scions of prominent families would vie to chase after her on horseback, just to catch another glimpse of her.

Zheng Jing, the fifth son of the Xue family, the young masters of the Pei, Lu, and Cui families... Li De's subordinates, the Xie family's personal guards...

Many were captivated by her beauty.

Yaoying believed their admiration was sincere, but what did it matter?

Born in turbulent times and raised among powerful aristocratic families, she understood that some things could stir a man's desire for conquest far more than beauty—and that was power.

To climb to the pinnacle of authority, men could abandon everything.

This was an era of rising heroes and emerging talents, where men were busy contending for power and influence. Beauty, to them, was merely an embellishment—a pleasant diversion amid their struggles.

If one could don the imperial yellow robe and hold the world in the palm of their hand, what was a beautiful woman in comparison?

Li De posthumously honored Tang Shi as his empress, and the world marveled at his deep affection for his humble wife, completely forgetting how he had once abandoned her to consolidate his power.

Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lvyun were entangled for years, willing to die for her, yet he still married Zheng Biyu, a daughter of an influential family, for the Crown Prince's position.

A man like Haidu Aling would never halt his conquests for a woman.

Every move he made was for his ambitions.

Seeing Yaoying's dismissive expression, Bi Suo grinned.

"Princess, I may not understand Haidu Aling, but I am a man."

When a man is determined to possess a woman, he can throw caution to the wind and take desperate risks.

Yaoying spread her hands.

She didn't care what Haidu Aling was truly thinking. Even after being held captive by him for half a year, even when he occasionally showed a gentler side, she remained clear-headed: she had been seized by Haidu Aling, and he wanted to tame her.

Bi Suo grew intrigued, clinging to the doorframe as he looked Yaoying up and down.

"Princess, you are a woman of the Central Plains, where etiquette is paramount. The Northern Rong do not abide by such elaborate rules, and neither do we here. In our tribes, the strongest and bravest man wins the admiration of all women. Haidu Aling is strong and heroic—are you truly not the least bit moved?"Yaoying looked up at Bi Suo with an expression as if regarding a fool: "General, by asking this, are you implying you admire someone like Haidu Aling?"

Bi Suo was left speechless by her retort.

Yaoying lowered her head to browse through the scriptures.

Li Zhongqian had raised her, cherished her, doted on her, and pitied her—how could she ever belittle herself or develop feelings for a man who saw her as a plaything?

She respected every sincere affection; even if she couldn't reciprocate, she would never casually scorn it. But as for Haidu Aling's kind of "liking," she begged to decline.

Bi Suo rubbed the tip of his nose, his face flushing with embarrassment, then turned and left.

He could now rest completely assured—the princess was so rational, she would never risk incurring the hatred of the entire Royal Court by seducing Luojia.

...

After returning to his residence and consulting with his advisors, Bi Suo compiled the proposals and delivered them to the temple.

"These strategies were proposed by the princess!"

He chattered on, repeating Yaoying's exact words, and finally emphasized with added weight.

Tanmoroqie, being so noble and pure, must surely detest women with deep scheming minds.

After reading the proposals, Tanmoroqie's expression remained calm and detached. Without a word, he lowered his gaze, picked up a brush, and wrote his comments.

Unsure if he had achieved his aim, Bi Suo took the directive and withdrew from the meditation room.

Before his departure, he went to the palace.

Princess Chima was hosting a banquet, filled with dancing and music, clinking cups and flowing wine. The guests were thoroughly drunk; everywhere, nobles and ministers were embracing singing girls in pursuit of pleasure. The melodious tunes could hardly drown out the ambiguous sounds—a scene of revelry and decadence.

Bi Suo found the half-drunk Princess Chima, pulled away the man lying over her, and tossed him aside. "Princess, I'll be away for a few days, heading to the Northern Rong."

Hearing this, Princess Chima's drunkenness faded instantly. She sat up from the couch, her snow-white shoulders exposed. "You can't go! It's too dangerous!"

Bi Suo replied indifferently, "I am the Central Army General, dispatched on a mission to the Northern Rong. What danger could there be?"

He paused, his expression growing impatient.

"Princess, let me advise you: do not do anything foolish that might harm Luojia. During my absence, I will continue to have people watch over you."

Princess Chima's face darkened.

"Luojia has let that Han woman stay in the temple," she said coldly. "He's bewitched by her beauty, abandoning his family's vendetta and violating the precept against lust. He's committed this scandal that the world won't tolerate, and the common folk are buzzing with gossip. Instead of admonishing him, you come to warn me?"

She lifted her head, staring directly at Bi Suo.

"I know you all say I'm harsh, sinister, willful... Compared to the noble Luojia, I'm a wicked woman. His magnanimity makes my hatred seem ridiculous."

"Bi Suo, after watching my family die one by one in agony, how could I not hate?"

She let out a series of cold laughs, her fingers digging deeply into her palms.

"Why does he always oppose me?! Why? Back then, I wanted to exterminate the Zhang clan, but he, with his compassionate heart, forbade me from killing the innocent. Fine! I spared the innocent! And now? Why must he show such favor to a Han woman?"

At this point, Princess Chima suddenly calmed down, lost in thought.

"Luojia always shows leniency toward the Han people... Does he know something?"

Bi Suo frowned deeply, picked up a nearby gauze garment, and draped it over Princess Chima's shoulders. "It's not what you think. Luojia is only repaying a life debt—Princess Wenzhao saved his life."

Princess Chima responded with a scornful laugh.Bi Suo let out a long sigh. "Luojia carries too heavy a burden on his shoulders. Don’t add to his troubles."

Princess Chima’s face flushed with anger, her body trembling. She restrained herself, suppressing her rage, and said coldly, "The Northern Rong are cunning and cruel. Take more people with you when you leave."

Bi Suo smiled. "Don’t worry about me. Wahan Khan fears Luojia and wouldn’t dare touch me."

He sighed again.

"I’ve heard you’ve been feasting and indulging with those corrupt officials in the court every day lately. What’s the point? Don’t harm your health."

Princess Chima responded indifferently, her expression dark. As she watched Bi Suo leave, she immediately summoned her maid: "Bi Suo is going to the Northern Rong. Keep an eye on the Buddhist temple. I don’t believe Luojia saved that Han woman just out of gratitude! They must have been involved long ago!"

The maid hesitated. "Princess, the palace guards are lax—we can gather information there… but the Buddhist temple is the King’s residence, guarded entirely by the central army’s elite guards. Our people will be detected as soon as they approach. Moreover, the Regent has returned. If he finds out…"

Princess Chima narrowed her brown eyes, cutting the maid off sharply. "Fool! If you can’t get close, find someone who can! No matter how tight the temple’s security, there must be a weak spot! Investigate carefully and find evidence of Luojia’s affair with that Han woman!"

The maid dared not argue further and kowtowed in agreement.

Princess Chima stood up, picked up a glass of wine, and walked to the window.

Bi Suo’s figure hurried across the courtyard, his steps light.

He was utterly loyal to Tanmoroqie, yet Luojia was sending him as an envoy to an enemy state.

A wave of hatred flashed in Chima’s brown eyes, her fingers tightening around the wine glass.

The Tanmo family had more than one prince. She was a princess of the Tanmo line. Since Luojia had repeatedly disappointed her, she would seize the family’s authority for herself.

The civil and military officials at court would surely side with her.

…

…

After Bi Suo’s departure, Yuanjue was assigned to protect Yaoying.

"The Princess will need a guide when she goes out."

Yaoying breathed a sigh of relief. Although Tanmoroqie had assigned her studies, he permitted her to leave the temple and move about freely after morning lessons—truly open-minded and considerate.

The elder Qinian from outside the city sent her news: the first batch of silk in the shop had sold out completely, and he asked when the second batch would be available.

Yaoying instructed them not to rush the sale, waiting until the Hu merchants had nearly sold their stock.

Before leaving, Bi Suo had introduced a Sogdian merchant to Yaoying. She entrusted the merchant to purchase a large plot of land and, following her original plan, relocated the people living outside the city there. She also bought hundreds of sheep, seeds, and fruit trees, urging those skilled in farming to promptly plant mulberry, hemp, melons, and fruits.

Qinian, having served as a steward, managed everything in an orderly manner.

The merchant caravan cooperating with Yaoying agreed to help deliver messages. However, with the Northern Rong deliberately severing ties between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, the western trade routes were blocked. They could only cross the Congling Mountains to the east and couldn’t guarantee the messages would arrive.

Yaoying wasn’t discouraged—any hope was better than none.

After handling the shop matters, she asked Yuanjue if there were any skilled carpenters in the Royal Court. Yuanjue recommended several Persian merchants who had taken refuge there.

Yaoying sought out these merchants and commissioned them to craft the wooden items she needed.

The Persians didn’t understand Chinese, and her Hu language wasn’t fluent. After a long, confused discussion, the Persians readily agreed to make what she wanted.Yaoying suspected the Persian hadn't fully understood her request, but seeing his confident demeanor, she decided to make do.

After handling miscellaneous affairs, she began recruiting guards.

Among the tribes of the Western Regions were many forced into exile—people who would risk their lives for a single Sassanian silver coin.

Within days, Sogdian merchants had gathered a group of guards for Yaoying.

Some had black hair and dark eyes, others curly hair with brown eyes, and some red-haired with green eyes—all hailing from various fallen tribes.

Yaoying was still wary of trusting outsiders for now, so she assigned them to guard the elderly, weak, and infirm like Qinian or to travel with merchant caravans. Soldiers who pledged loyalty for silver coins could just as easily betray her for the same reason.

After several hectic days, Yaoying was exhausted, her back aching and legs sore.

Just as she thought she could catch her breath, Yuanjue informed her that Tanmoroqie would be giving a Sutra lecture during the morning session in a few days and that she needed to prepare in advance.

Yaoying inwardly groaned. What kind of preparation?

Was Tanmoroqie going to quiz her on her studies?

Why was he taking this so seriously!

She had assumed the daily practice was just for show and hadn’t memorized anything at all!

Not daring to argue, Yaoying rose early each day for the next few days and obediently sat at her desk reading the scriptures.

Early one morning, after finishing her accounts, she sat at the desk flipping through the scriptures when suddenly, with a loud thud, a bunch of grapes flew in from outside and landed on the long desk, scattering everywhere in a rolling mess.

Dazed from reading, Yaoying was startled and stared blankly at the few yellowish-green grapes on the desk.

From outside the corridor came a chorus of apologies—a few of her personal guards had been roughhousing in the courtyard, plucking grapes and tossing them around, accidentally throwing them into the room.

Xie Qing immediately drew her sword and stood up to go teach the guards a lesson.

Yaoying waved her hand, stopping Xie Qing: "A-Qing, have you ever eaten dried grapes?"