In the Moonlight

Princess Yi Na is the niece of Wahan Khan and the wife of Yuchi Damo.

Last night, Su Dan Gu, Yaoying, and Yuanjue left Wang Temple separately. Yuanjue took the Gaochang attendant along, intending to interrogate him thoroughly once they reached a safe place. Unfortunately, their luck ran out—they failed to escape before the curfew was imposed and had to return to Wang Temple to take shelter.

Fearing Yuanjue might silence him permanently, the attendant wept and wailed, swearing oaths that Yuchi Damo would never dare set a trap to harm anyone.

Annoyed by the attendant’s noise, Yuanjue knocked him unconscious, changed into his clothes, and scouted around Wang Temple for information. By noon, the people from Wang Temple had withdrawn to the royal palace, which was now heavily guarded by Lady Yina’s personal troops, layer upon layer. Only then did Yuanjue seize the chance to escape from Wang Temple.

Hearing this, Yaoying frowned slightly.

When she first arrived in Gaochang, she had deliberately visited the marketplaces to gather information from well-informed Hu merchants. They told her that Yuchi Damo and Lady Yina had a strained relationship.

The Northern Rong cavalry excelled at raiding and attacking but were poor at defending cities and even worse at governing territories. Given Gaochang’s unique terrain, Wahan Khan believed that capturing Gaochang would require stationing troops there—a effort yielding half the results for double the labor. Instead, he preferred to control Gaochang through marriage, imposing heavy taxes to sustain the Northern Rong Royal Court. Thus, he dispatched twenty thousand troops to besiege Gaochang, forcing Yuchi Damo to marry Yi Na.

At that time, Yuchi Damo was already married to a noblewoman of high status. The couple respected each other and shared a deep bond. In contrast, Lady Yina was older than him and had previously been married to several Turkic nobles. With the Northern Rong army at his doorstep, Yuchi Damo had no choice but to divorce his first wife and marry the new one.

It was said that on his wedding night, Yuchi Damo confided to those around him, "The humiliation of today will be repaid in the future!"

Lady Yina, relying on her status as a Northern Rong princess, acted tyrannically, indulging in extravagance and allowing her subordinates to plunder rare treasures from passing merchants. The retainers and arrogant slaves she brought with her oppressed the people of Gaochang, throwing the royal household into chaos and stirring widespread resentment among the populace.

The relationship between the couple was tense. Lady Yina had publicly mocked Yuchi Damo as weak and useless, a defeated subordinate of Wahan Khan. Servants had even witnessed Yuchi Damo storming out of her room in anger, his face scratched in several places.

Yaoying asked Yuanjue, "What is the current situation in the royal palace? Why did Lady Yina send troops to guard Wang Temple?"

Yuanjue replied, "The palace guards are all Lady Yina’s personal troops. I suspect Yuchi Damo may have been placed under house arrest."

Yaoying’s frown deepened. "Has Lady Yina discovered us?"

Yuanjue shook his head and whispered, "I interrogated the attendant. He said Lady Yina and Yuchi Damo have been quarreling frequently over the past year. Yuchi Damo has a son and a daughter from his previous marriage, and Lady Yina wanted to send them to the Northern Rong Royal Court as hostages. Yuchi Damo refused. Not long ago, Lady Yina secretly sent the siblings away without his knowledge. Enraged, Yuchi Damo pursued them, brought them back to the palace, and had a fierce argument with Lady Yina, calling her a venomous serpent. Lady Yina was so furious she whipped a slave girl to death."

"During the curfew last night, Yuchi Damo did not appear. This morning, several carriages left the palace, heading straight for the Northern Rong headquarters. The attendant recognized the people in the carriages—they were the crown prince’s close attendants and wet nurse, all weeping and wailing, escorted by Lady Yina’s servants."

Yaoying pondered for a moment, and everything became clear to her.She understood what had happened last night.

Lady Yina, in order to send her husband and his children from his first wife to Northern Rong, had not hesitated to stage a palace coup and place her husband under house arrest. The day they had arranged to secretly meet with Yuchi Damo happened to be the very day Lady Yina made her move.

They had arrived too coincidentally, stumbling right into Gaochang's court coup.

From this perspective, the incident at Wang Temple had nothing to do with Haidu Aling. He had always been marginalized in the Northern Rong Royal Court and had little connection with Lady Yina.

Yuanjue sighed: "When Lady Yina married into Northern Rong, she brought over a thousand Northern Rong soldiers with her. The palace is heavily guarded—we no longer have an opportunity to secretly meet with Yuchi Damo."

With Yuchi Damo under house arrest, he lost his value as an ally. Moreover, with his two children sent to Northern Rong, would he dare form an alliance with the Royal Court?

Their diplomatic mission might end in failure.

Yaoying remained silent, glancing up at the quietly standing Su Dan Gu.

It wasn’t that there were no other options… but…

She silently calculated in her heart.

Lady Yina had confined her husband and sent away his two children. The Gaochang nobility, intimidated by Northern Rong, dared not speak out, leaving the royal city eerily calm. The city’s martial law had completely relaxed.

Yaoying and her companions remained in the courtyard. Alan Ruo prepared medicinal decoctions daily, urging her to take them. After several doses, she quickly recovered.

Two days later, Old Qi and Xie Chong, who had entered the city, finally brought news of Xie Qing.

Xie Qing had been injured while protecting the young prince Jin Bo and could not be moved for now. They were hiding in a secure location, and no pursuers had come for them in recent days.

Yaoying breathed a sigh of relief.

No matter how resourceful Haidu Aling was, he couldn’t cover every angle, nor would he have expected them to rescue Jin Bo. He hadn’t come to Gaochang himself but had sent assassins to lurk near Jin Bo—all of whom had been killed by the guards.

Confirming that Haidu Aling was not nearby eased Yaoying’s concerns. She made up her mind, sought out Su Dan Gu, and asked for his opinion.

Su Dan Gu was elusive; it took her a long time to find him standing in front of the corridor.

If not for his rigid posture, she might have thought he was admiring the courtyard’s pristine snow.

"Out of compassion, the Buddha Prince ordered General Su to escort me here. Such profound kindness is deeply engraved in my heart…"

Yaoying approached, stated her purpose, and delivered a stream of formal pleasantries.

Su Dan Gu swept a faint glance over her.

That glance made her breath catch for a moment. She smiled and asked directly, "Will what I plan to do next cause any inconvenience for you, General?"

Su Dan Gu’s gaze rested on the snow piled on the earthen wall. "The Princess may act as she pleases."

This was the answer Yaoying had hoped for, though his straightforwardness surprised her.

His tone was light, yet it carried an air of being able to shoulder any consequence. Yaoying’s tension eased slightly. She turned to leave but paused, looking back at Su Dan Gu’s silhouette.

His figure was lean and upright, standing like a towering peak among myriad cliffs—a pillar holding up the sky.

He had killed countless, yet none were innocent lives lost. The wrath of the Vajra was to subdue the four demons and protect a land of peace and stability.

Yaoying lost herself in thought for a moment, then asked softly, "General Su, the Buddha Prince doesn’t actually care whether my mission to Gaochang succeeds or fails, does he?"

The guards had said that Tanmoroqie’s instruction was merely to help her send messages to the Central Plains.

Su Dan Gu remained silent.

Yaoying stood her ground, raised her voice, and repeated the question, her tone sweet and crisp.If he didn't answer, she could ask again.

Su Dan Gu stood with his back to her, remained silent for a long moment, then gave a slight nod.

A faint smile touched Yaoying's lips before she turned and walked away.

...

The next day, Yaoying continued exploring the marketplaces under Qinian's guidance.

To avoid drawing attention, she dressed like a local Hu girl, always covering her face with a veil when going out. Her usual guards were replaced by Yuanjue, who could speak the Hu language.

For several days in a row, Yuanjue accompanied Yaoying through every shop in the marketplaces, even visiting several Zoroastrian temples and Buddhist monasteries. They mingled among the bustling crowds daily, spending gold, silver, and Persian coins like flowing water, accumulating piles of exquisite and valuable jewelry, pearls, silk, and brocade.

When other guards asked what they did all day, Yuanjue felt like crying but had no tears: Princess Wenzhao spent money lavishly, buying whatever caught her eye without hesitation, just like a pampered young lady indulging in extravagance—completely unlike someone conducting serious business. How could he explain this?

Meanwhile, Qinian and Alan Ruo operated under cover of darkness each night, delivering numerous letters.

Lady Yina had placed her husband under house arrest. To placate the nobility, she hosted daily banquets at the royal palace for the princes and aristocrats. Yuchi Damo made brief appearances during these events. While the palace feasts were filled with music and dance, beneath the surface, undercurrents of tension surged unseen.

On a day when heavy snow fell and bitter winds howled, Yaoying brought her guards to the marketplace and entered a shop selling grape wine, ascending to an inner room on the second floor.

Qinian and two Han Chinese waited at the door, whispering, "Princess, everything is arranged. The Zhao, Zhang, Wang, and Yang families will all send representatives today."

Yaoying nodded.

Yuanjue, standing beside her, asked in confusion, "Why does the Princess choose to meet guests in such a place?"

Having served as her guard these past few days, he knew she was trying to send messages to the powerful families of Gaochang. Most of these families were descendants of prominent clans from Hexi and Helong, who still yearned for their homeland.

Yaoying replied, "I'm not certain if they can be trusted yet. Meeting here is safer. If anything goes wrong, we can leave at any time."

Yuanjue nodded, thinking to himself that the Princess was being prudent—Alan Ruo was from the Royal Court and shouldn't be exposed.

Shortly after they arrived, three maidservants entered carrying boxes, followed by several youths from the merchant caravan lifting chests. When the youths opened the chests, the room instantly shimmered with the dazzling glow of treasures.

Yuanjue's eyes widened in astonishment—weren't these the jewels the Princess had purchased in recent days?

Yaoying signaled for Yuanjue to wait by the Gilt Screen and entered the inner chamber.

Not daring to peek inside, Yuanjue stood respectfully outside, listening to the rustling sounds within as jewelry, hairpins, and ornaments were brought in one by one. The maidservants bustled in and out, busy with their tasks.

He waited for a full hour, his back aching and head spinning, until he finally heard Yaoying's summons from inside. Immediately straightening up, he lifted his head, stepped around the Gilt Screen, and gazed into the room—stunned.

The chamber had been swept clean, beaded curtains swaying gently. The floor was spread with exquisite Makara-patterned felt mats, furnished with a jeweled couch, seating, and a Gilt Screen covered in poetic inscriptions. Before the couch stood several gilded lion-shaped incense burners, from which fragrant smoke curled upward, filling the room with a delicate aroma.A woman sat poised before the couch, her powdered face and crimson lips meticulously adorned, a pair of dimples gracing her cheeks, and an emerald floral ornament at the center of her brow. Her towering cloud-like chignon was studded with gold and jade hairpins, while a large, trembling multi-petaled peony—neither fully red nor entirely white—nestled in her loosely styled temples. She wore a narrow-sleeved short jacket of fish-roe patterned gauze, over which was draped a half-sleeved dragon veil entirely woven with red blossoms and green leaves. Beneath, she was girded with a twelve-paneled deep crimson long skirt of figured damask, and over her shoulders flowed a silk shawl painted in mud-gold and silver with birds and flowers. Her demeanor was dignified and luxurious, her radiant beauty dazzling.

The brilliance of her countenance made it difficult to meet her gaze directly.

A few strands of daylight filtered through the window lattices, spilling into the room and alighting upon the peony in her hair. It was unclear where this flower had been obtained, but dewdrops seemed to glisten on its pink-white petals, accentuating the darkness of her tresses and the elegance of her brows and eyes.

With a smile, she glanced at Yuanjue, her eyes shimmering with such light that it seemed as if all the illumination in the room had converged within them.

For a moment, it felt as though they were not deep in the desert at the Royal Court of Gaochang, but thousands of miles away in Chang’an, where the gates of the celestial palaces swung open, and envoys from myriad nations paid homage to the imperial crown.

Yuanjue stared dumbfounded at Li Yaoying, his jaw hanging slack for a long while.

Yaoying blinked at him, her long lashes fluttering. Delicate Haloed Blossoms, painted with rouge at the corners of her eyes, lent her a maturity beyond her usual appearance. Every gesture and movement exuded a radiant charm and allure.

“Did I startle you?” she asked with a laugh.

Yuanjue nearly forgot to breathe. He nodded blankly, silently reciting Buddha’s name and thinking to himself: Thankfully, the Regent did not come today.

General Ashina was right—Princess Wenzhao was far too dangerous!

Adorned with pearls and jade, Yaoying sat upright before the couch, the gauze-wrapped peony in her hair trembling faintly. “Good,” she said. “As a martial practitioner, your resolve is firm. If even you are startled, others will surely be intimidated by my presence.”

While Yuanjue continued his silent prayers, a set of armor was presented to him.

Yaoying chuckled lightly. “I’ll need you to serve as my guard today, to help me project an imposing aura.”

Yuanjue bowed in acknowledgment, donned the armor, and entered the room to stand at the lower end of the precious couch. Several other Han Chinese also changed into armor, each armed with a sword, standing imposingly at various corners of the room like him.

Maids knelt behind Yaoying, holding precious fans, incense burners, and perfume boxes, filling the room with a subtle fragrance. Outside in the corridor, several attendants brewed tea, its aroma wafting abundantly.

Yuanjue stood ramrod straight, not daring to make a sound.

Yaoying scanned the room, ensuring every detail was in place, then slowly exhaled.

Back at the Royal Court, she had dispatched Old Qi to liaise with various loyalists. The prominent clans of Hexi, long oppressed and yearning for their homeland, had responded swiftly upon learning she was a princess from the Central Plains. This included several powerful families in Gaochang.

While royal support was crucial, it was equally important to win over the entrenched and influential clans of the Western Regions. Since Yuchi Damo was temporarily under house arrest, she would first unite with these clans.

Today’s meeting with these loyalists hinged on projecting an aura of authority.

As the saying goes, “a powerful dragon cannot suppress a snake in its own lair.” Unable to offer concrete assurances for now, she needed to awe these Hexi clans, long isolated from the Central Plains, by overwhelming them from the outset.

She had to demonstrate utmost sincerity while allowing these clans to see in her what they desired.

When Yaoying first arrived in Gaochang and saw no one wearing Han attire or speaking the Han language, she had felt a twinge of concern, fearing these clans had long forgotten their homeland.Later, she would stroll through the marketplaces every day, inquiring about the popular patterns in Gaochang, what makeup styles were in vogue, and which goods were in highest demand. She noticed some peculiarities: Scriptures and books written in Chinese characters remained bestsellers, and noblewomen vied to purchase silks, fabrics, hairpins, and jewelry from the Central Plains.

Qinian told her that although many had been forced to change their customs, they still remembered their homeland. During festivals, they would secretly offer sacrifices to their ancestors, hoping for the imperial army to come to their aid.

Thus, at her first meeting, Yaoying had to present herself to the powerful clans as a noble and confident Princess of Wei, one who could bring them hope—not a helpless, pitiable young girl.

Her hairstyle, makeup, attire, the uniforms of her guards and maids, and the furnishings in the room were not in the current fashion of Chang’an but reflected the northern styles from years ago, when the kingdom had fallen.

The local elites, far removed from the Central Plains, would see this as the homeland they remembered, stirring their emotions.

Yaoying steadied herself, then signaled to the guards at the door to let the visitors in.

…

Downstairs, a group of people hurried through the bustling marketplace, gathering in front of the shop.

They were of varying ages, all wearing golden floral crowns, their braided hair hanging down their backs, dressed in round-collared, narrow-sleeved brocade robes adorned with circular patterns. They exchanged glances, their expressions grave, and kept asking one another, “Have you heard as well?”

These were relatives who had privately trained volunteer militias, all well-acquainted with one another. They huddled together, whispering, then clattered up the stairs to the second floor.

The painted curtain was drawn aside, and a maid lifted the crystal bead curtain. A subtle fragrance wafted over them, and in the shimmering light of the room, Princess Wenzhao glanced at the crowd with a smile, her bright eyes sparkling with charm.

To the elders, this scene was a vivid recollection of their youth.

In those peaceful and prosperous times, their families had thrived, the people were content, the Silk Road was unobstructed, trade flourished, and Gaochang was a place of immense wealth and vitality!

The group stood in stunned silence for a long while, overwhelmed with emotion, warmth surging in their hearts as they bowed to Yaoying.

Yaoying felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

Judging by their reactions, she had made the right choice.

…

That evening, in the Gaochang royal palace.

A secret letter written in Chinese was delivered into Yuchi Damo’s hands. After reading it, a strange light flickered in his eyes.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

Yuchi Damo turned his back, holding the letter over an oil lamp, allowing the flames to slowly consume the paper.