In the Moonlight

The flames roared fiercely, thick smoke billowing into the sky.

Judging by the intensity of the fire, the entire courier station had been reduced to ruins. Amid the raging inferno, desperate, piercing screams echoed—agonized and hysterical.

Yaoying thought of Xie Qing and the other personal guards left behind at the station. Dizziness washed over her, and a cold sweat broke out on her back.

A night breeze swept by, and she shivered slightly.

A voice sounded beside her ear: "The people from the courier station have left the city. The fire was set to warn us—there’s a night attack."

The tone was detached, devoid of any emotion, yet carried a calmness that could soothe the heart.

Yaoying’s chest eased abruptly, and she let out a slow breath. She trusted Su Dan Gu. He spoke little, but if he said so, he must be at least seventy to eighty percent certain.

He and the guards must have had some prearranged signal.

Gradually collecting her thoughts, Yaoying asked, "Is the night attack aimed at us? Did Yuchi Damo leak the information?"

Su Dan Gu shook his head.

A flash of insight struck Yaoying, and she jolted. "They’re after Jin Bo! Could it be that Haidu Aling has already arrived in Gaochang?"

Yuchi Damo only knew they were envoys sent by Tanmoroqie and was unaware of their true identities. As a shrewd and adaptable man who sent humble diplomatic letters to the Royal Court year after year, he wouldn’t risk offending Tanmoroqie without reason—at least not before their secret meeting. The attackers must have a different mastermind.

The only person Yaoying could think of was Haidu Aling.

Su Dan Gu said, "It may not be his direct doing."

Yaoying nodded, recalling the arrogant and aggressive guards around Jin Bo. A thought quickly formed in her mind. "It’s possible that Haidu Aling planted assassins with Jin Bo before he set out. Once Jin Bo reached Gaochang, the assassins struck immediately. With Haidu Aling remaining in Northern Rong, he not only clears himself of suspicion but can also frame Yuchi Damo."

Wahan Khan valued the honor of his wolf-descended descendants and disdained underhanded tactics, but Haidu Aling had no such scruples. Moreover, Jin Bo and his brothers had repeatedly set traps to kill him. Had it not been for Haidu Aling’s exceptional bravery, he would have long fallen victim to their schemes.

A flicker of horror crossed Yaoying’s eyes, and she murmured, "What if Haidu Aling has placed assassins beside every prince…"

The princes were secretly seeking reinforcements to eliminate Haidu Aling behind Wahan Khan’s back, but Haidu Aling was turning their scheme against them. By staying in Northern Rong and covertly positioning assassins near the princes, he could eliminate his rivals unnoticed and use the situation to force allies like Yuchi Damo to cooperate. By the time Wahan Khan realized what was happening, it would be too late to intervene.

The more Yaoying pondered, the more her heart raced with dread.

Haidu Aling was ambitious. If he replaced Wahan as the new Khan of Northern Rong, he would surely lead his armies to conquer the Central Plains. She could only hope Xie Qing remembered her instructions and managed to save Jin Bo. Though foolish, Jin Bo was still Wahan’s own son and might prove useful in some way.

Su Dan Gu turned his horse and led Yaoying through one empty alley after another. His reflexes were sharp, always evading the patrols of the imperial guards.

From the direction of the courier station, the roaring fire continued, illuminating half the sky. The snow on the walls and rooftops glowed with a deep crimson hue. Yaoying felt as if she could sense the distant blaze, her cheeks burning from the imagined heat.

Worried about Xie Qing’s safety while pondering whether Haidu Aling had other sinister plots, her mind drifted in a daze. She had no idea how much time had passed when the sound of hoofbeats suddenly ceased.They stopped before a secluded residence, two lanterns hanging from the porch.

In the flickering lamplight, a figure stood within the shadows. Hearing the clip-clop of hooves, the person swiftly emerged—one of the guards who had remained at the posthouse.

The guard first bowed respectfully and murmured a few words in Brahmi.

Su Dan Gu grunted in acknowledgment and dismounted first.

Yaoying had been sharing the horse with him. As he moved, the support behind her vanished abruptly. Her body swayed, and she tumbled downward.

The guard’s jaw dropped.

Yaoying, dazed and weak all over, struggled to steady herself but was already falling. A hazy thought crossed her mind: With such a thick layer of snow on the ground, the fall shouldn’t hurt, right?

Suddenly, her arm tightened. A pair of gloved hands gripped her shoulders firmly, halting her descent.

Yaoying felt Su Dan Gu’s lean, strong fingers clasping her shoulders, his chin resting against the top of her head. A faint, cool medicinal scent emanated from him.

The next moment, she collapsed into his embrace.

Su Dan Gu thought she had slipped again. After helping her regain her footing, he immediately began to withdraw his hands from her shoulders, but she leaned forward once more with his movement, her delicate frame pressing entirely against his chest. She struggled to rise but felt limp and boneless, utterly feeble.

Su Dan Gu frowned slightly and looked down at Yaoying, meeting her slightly reddened eyes.

Her cheeks were flushed, her gaze hazy, and her shoulders trembled faintly, like a pear blossom adorned with spring rain—a sight so pitiable it tugged at the heart.

The guard stole a glance at Yaoying, stunned: "Regent… Princess Wenzhao, she…"

Su Dan Gu swept Yaoying into his arms horizontally and turned to enter the courtyard.

"She’s ill."

He had thought this was yet another test.

The guard stood dumbfounded for a moment, but Su Dan Gu had already hurried inside with Yaoying. Snapping back to attention, the guard led the horse into the porch, closed the gate behind him, and followed into the main hall. After a moment’s thought, he did not enter the inner chamber but stood waiting respectfully outside the screen.

Su Dan Gu strode quickly into the southern room’s inner chamber, laid Yaoying down, and glanced down before gently pulling back the sleeve from her wrist. His fingers rested on the exposed, snow-white skin.

Yaoying alternated between fever and chills, shivering lightly.

Observing the fine beads of sweat on her forehead, Su Dan Gu withdrew his fingers, stood up, and walked around the screen to the outer room. He asked the guard, "Has everyone left the city?"

The guard clasped his fists and replied, "Reporting to the Regent, earlier at the posthouse, Jin Bo’s guards and dancers suddenly attempted to assassinate the young prince. The centurion followed the general’s instructions and escorted the young prince to safety. Fearing there might be more assassins in the city, they have already exited the city. Only I and Alan Ruo were ordered to wait here for the Regent."

…

Before entering the city, Su Dan Gu had instructed that if the situation changed, everyone should withdraw from Gaochang’s royal city first. If the city was placed under curfew and there was nowhere else to go, they could regroup at this courtyard. Alan Ruo was the caretaker of this residence.

After Su Dan Gu and the others departed that evening, the dancers performing in the posthouse hall suddenly shook their arms, revealing gleaming daggers from their sleeves, and lunged at the heavily intoxicated Jin Bo. Jin Bo’s guards reacted swiftly, drawing their blades to confront them. Instantly, blood splattered, and the hall was filled with the flash of steel. The Hu merchants watching the performance fled in terror, screaming, shouting, cursing, and roaring—chaos erupted.

Just as Jin Bo was about to be slain by the Hu dancers, Xie Qing immediately drew her sword and rushed out, saving Jin Bo. Xie Chong and the other guards assisted in subduing the Hu dancers.Jin Bo narrowly escaped being splattered with blood, his heart still racing with fear, yet his drunkenness hadn't subsided. He clung to Xie Qing's hand, shouting, "Thank you, brave warrior, for saving me!"

Xie Qing scowled and shook Jin Bo off, while several guards nearby burst into laughter.

At that moment, another upheaval occurred—one of Jin Bo's guards actually swung his blade at his own master!

Everyone on the scene stared in stunned disbelief. Then, several Northern Rong guards suddenly erupted into violence, taking advantage of the others' dazed state to behead their companions with swift strikes. Heads rolled across the ground, tumbling everywhere.

Jin Bo was slashed, blood gushing from the wound. This time, he sobered up completely, screaming in terror.

Outside the posthouse, the sound of hoofbeats and the twang of bowstrings echoed.

The Hu merchants had already scattered and fled.

Exchanging glances, Xie Qing and the others suspected that Jin Bo's personal guards might have all betrayed him, and that they had accomplices. Realizing the posthouse was no safe haven, they wasted no time, grabbing Jin Bo and rushing out.

The retainers stayed behind, warning the Royal Court's people to flee the city before setting the posthouse ablaze as a signal to Su Dan Gu and his men, lest they return and fall into the enemy's trap.

...

Only a single oil lamp flickered in the main room, its dim light too faint to reveal the patterns on the screen.

After listening to his retainer's brief account of the night's events, Su Dan Gu asked, "Are there any maidservants in the courtyard?"

The retainer paused in surprise, then shook his head. "This courtyard has always been guarded by Alan Ruo. Besides him, there are only a few horses and two camels—no one else."

Su Dan Gu fell silent for a moment. "Fetch some hot water."

With that, he turned and walked around the screen into the inner chamber.

The retainer stood dumbfounded before understanding: Princess Wenzhao had fallen ill and needed care, but her attendants had all fled the city in the chaos. That was why the Regent had asked about maidservants.

He went to Alan Ruo to fetch a pot of hot water and delivered it to the main room.

"Regent... I just asked Alan Ruo. The fire at the posthouse has been extinguished, but no one knows the situation at the royal palace. Earlier, imperial guards went door to door issuing warnings. The city is now under curfew—anyone seen outside will be arrested and imprisoned."

In other words, Li Yaoying had to endure the night. In the dead of night, not only was it impossible to summon a physician or find a maidservant, but even the sound of a door unlocking might draw the imperial guards.

Su Dan Gu acknowledged with a grunt and took the copper pot. "Find a set of clean clothes as well."

The retainer said, "Regent, the residence has spare clothes, but they are all men's garments."

Su Dan Gu had already turned back into the inner chamber, his hoarse voice carrying through the screen. "Bring them."

The retainer assented, gathered fresh clothing, clean bedding, and towels, boiled several large buckets of water, and carried everything with Alan Ruo into the main room and then the inner chamber.

Behind the screen, the faint lamplight wavered like a bean.

Su Dan Gu stood before the bed, his figure lean and erect. The bed curtains were drawn tightly, obscuring Princess Wenzhao's condition, though the delicate silhouette of the woman on the bed could be vaguely discerned, and her frail, intermittent gasps drifted out.

Alan Ruo couldn't resist glancing toward the bed, only to be met by an icy gaze.

Su Dan Gu shot him a look.

It felt as if a basin of snow water had been dumped over his head. Alan Ruo shuddered, immediately bowed his head, and withdrew with the retainer.

The door closed from the outside.

Inside the room, Su Dan Gu turned to face the bed and reached out to draw aside the bed curtains.The dim lamplight fell before the bed. Yaoying lay sideways on the pillow, tightly hugging her arms, curled into a small ball. Her collar was disheveled, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin. The innermost layer of her clothing was soaked through with sweat, clinging to her pale complexion. Her hair at the temples was damp, strands sticking to her cheeks with a glistening sheen.

Her consciousness was hazy. Sensing the light, she opened her eyes, her thick lashes trembling as she weakly murmured, "I've troubled General Su... It's just an old ailment acting up, nothing serious."

Even in this state, her voice remained gentle and composed, dignified and calm.

"Has the Princess forgotten to take her medicine?"

Su Dan Gu asked.

Yaoying shook her head on the pillow. "It's not yet time... I've calculated it..."

She had been frail since birth and took the Concentrated Dew Pill every month. She remembered clearly the last time she had taken it—on the way to Gaochang, just ten days ago. Tonight, she had felt dizzy and feverish, thinking it was just guilt from her secretive actions. She hadn't expected it to be her old illness flaring up.

Su Dan Gu continued, "Does the Princess have the pills with her?"

Yaoying hugged her arms tightly, her body trembling slightly, and said nothing.

Su Dan Gu leaned forward and sat by the bed. "The Princess has always been cautious. You must have brought the pills with you."

Yaoying remained silent.

Su Dan Gu asked, "Is the Princess afraid there will be no one to care for you when the medicine takes effect?"

Yaoying's heart trembled. She lifted her gaze and looked at Su Dan Gu.

Their eyes met. His gaze was deep and serene, as if looking down at her from the clouds, seeming to see through all her thoughts.

A faint smile bloomed on Yaoying's pale face. "It's alright. I'll be fine after a night's rest... I just need to endure tonight."

Su Dan Gu looked down at her. "I have some knowledge of medicine. There is no need for the Princess to conceal it."

Yaoying was taken aback.

Su Dan Gu said calmly, "Though men and women are different, to me, the Princess is merely a patient. I am a disciple of Buddhism and can attend to you. There is no need for hesitation. Take the medicine."

His tone was cool and detached, each word spoken like a clear, cold stream flowing over stones—chilling and serene.

There was a faint, almost imperceptible pressure in his words, gentle yet carrying immense weight, making it hard to breathe.

Yaoying, wracked with discomfort and her eyes stinging, clenched her arms tightly and softly acknowledged with a low "Mm."

Su Dan Gu asked, "Where are the pills?"

Yaoying released her grip and fumbled shakily over her clothes for a moment before finding a small jade vial.

Su Dan Gu took the vial from her fingers, poured out a pill, lifted her chin, and fed it to her.

As the pill settled in her stomach, Yaoying gradually began to feel warmth spreading through her body.

Her clothes were drenched, and she needed to change into dry ones. Struggling to sit up, she said, "General, could you help me up..."

Su Dan Gu assisted her to her feet, supporting her to the wooden tub and letting her lean against it to stand steady before turning and stepping out.

After a few footsteps, he paused, standing by the door with his back to the screen, his posture erect.

Unable to see outside, Yaoying set aside her embarrassment. She removed her damp clothes, struggled to wring out a cloth, and wiped herself down.

The room was warmed by a charcoal fire, but she felt dizzy, heavy-headed, and weak all over. The simple act of wiping herself left her breathless. With Xie Qing not by her side and Su Dan Gu being a man... she bit the tip of her tongue, forcing herself to stay alert. Hastily, she put on the clothes hanging on the nearby screen and turned to walk back.

But as she took a step, her legs gave way, and she collapsed softly to the floor.With a heavy, dull thud, Su Dan Gu, who had been standing by the door, abruptly turned around. As he approached the screen, his footsteps paused. "Princess?"

Yaoying had fallen to the floor, her entire body aching. Gritting her teeth, she tried to push herself up, but as soon as her palms touched the ground, the world spun before her eyes, and a wave of nausea churned in her stomach. Helpless, she softly acknowledged him.

Light footsteps echoed, and a shadow shifted faintly behind the screen. A pair of black leather boots slowly drew closer to her.

Su Dan Gu bent down, lifted Yaoying, and carried her to the bed.

Exhausted and sore all over, Yaoying murmured a low "thank you." Her head had barely touched the pillow when her eyes closed, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.

Su Dan Gu laid her down, his gaze sweeping over her disheveled collar. He pulled the quilt over her, took her hand, gently pushed up her sleeve, and pressed his fingers to her wrist to check her pulse.

She had taken medicine, and her pulse had stabilized somewhat, but she still had to endure the effects of the dispersing medicine tonight.

For someone like her, who had been taking medication for years, the dispersal phase would bring alternating bouts of fever and chills. She needed to rest in bed until the effects of the medicine passed.

Su Dan Gu released Yaoying’s hand.

Her palms were feverish and slightly damp with sweat, yet her fingers were cold. Her knuckles were like scallion roots—soft, slender, and jade-like.

Su Dan Gu paused for a moment, then tucked her hand back under the quilt. He pulled the brocade cover snugly over her and pressed the edges down to keep the cold air from seeping in.

He stood up and drew the bed curtains shut.

A knock sounded at the door. A guard entered with two steaming bowls of plain soup noodles and said, "Regent, the residence only has some basic injury medicine, nothing else."

As he spoke, he rose on his toes and peered inside.

The screen blocked his view.

The guard fell silent for a long moment, then said with frustration, "Regent… I’ve never heard of the Princess falling ill… not once…"

Since Princess Wenzhao arrived at the Royal Court, he had been responsible for her protection, accompanying her from the palace to the temples. She had always been vibrant and radiant—only in the past couple of days had she seemed somewhat weary. He had assumed she was just tired; he never imagined she was ill.

Su Dan Gu took the soup noodles without a word.

Of course, the Royal Court guards would not know about Li Yaoying’s illness—not even the guards by her side were aware.

The only person who might know she had to take medicine every month was Xie Qing.

Beauty and fragility might win sympathy and affection, but they could not earn respect or awe.

In this distant land far from the Central Plains, the title of Princess of Wei was like an elusive mirage, destined to fade from its illusory brilliance. If Li Yaoying were weak and timid, even a lowly guard would not hesitate to betray her.

So she dared not show cowardice.

She had to remain forever calm and rational, forever resolute and clear-minded. Only then could she truly win over her subordinates and earn their loyalty.

Now, her guards—that newly formed merchant convoy—were all loyal to Li Yaoying herself, not merely to the title of Princess of Wei.

Step by step, she had walked this path, enduring countless hardships.