Although no one from the Northern Rong delegation was injured, they were thoroughly frightened nonetheless.
Yuanjue summoned the posthouse officials and ordered them to escort the delegation back to the posthouse for detention.
The officials hesitated, saying, "If we detain the Northern Rong people without cause, what if they cause trouble?"
Yuanjue produced the testimonies of the personal guards and Zhu Lvyun, sneering, "Let them cause trouble. With these in hand, even if Wahan Khan himself comes to the Holy City, these people must be locked up!"
Seeing his confidence, the officials complied with a respectful "Yes."
All the personal guards were bound and led away. When they realized their hands were unharmed and they had been deceived, they began to clamor, claiming that Yaoying had coerced their confessions through torture.
An official lifted the guards' robes and inspected them, then said coldly, "There isn't a single scratch on any of you. Where is the torture? This is the Holy City, with the Buddha Prince presiding. We won't tolerate your excuses!"
At the courtyard gate, Yaoying descended the stairs surrounded by her personal guards, adjusted her veil, and mounted her horse.
Zhu Lvyun rushed forward, holding up her skirt. "Seventh Lady... Li Xuanzhen, he..."
Before she could approach, a guard stepped in to block her, lightly pushing her back with his scabbard. She staggered and fell onto the snowy ground.
Yaoying, gripping the reins tightly, sat on her horse and turned to look at Zhu Lvyun on the ground.
"Has the Fukang Princess forgotten what I just said?"
Zhu Lvyun lifted her head, her face filled with humiliation and resentment.
Yaoying spoke slowly, word by word, "Remember this well, Princess: stay away from me from now on. It's best if you walk around me. My guards won't always be this polite."
A guard stepped forward, making a gesture as if to draw his blade.
Zhu Lvyun glanced at the long sword in the guard's hand and shrank back fearfully.
Yaoying urged her horse forward a few steps, letting her soft whip droop. With a snap, it hooked around Zhu Lvyun's arm and pulled her to her feet.
"Zhu Lvyun, do you understand?"
Zhu Lvyun struggled, trying to free herself from the whip, her face dark with anger.
A clear, sharp sound slowly rang out as the guard drew his sword, its cold gleam intimidating.
Zhu Lvyun stopped struggling, gritted her teeth, and nodded.
Yaoying said calmly, "What exactly have you remembered?"
Zhu Lvyun abruptly raised her head, glaring at Yaoying.
Yaoying looked down at her, her vermilion veil covering her face, her eyes clear as autumn water, calm and steady.
A surge of inexplicable shame and anger rose in Zhu Lvyun's heart. Her face turned ashen as she suppressed her rage and said, "I will not pester Seventh Lady anymore. When I see you, I will keep my distance."
Yaoying smiled faintly. "You'd better remember that firmly."
Zhu Lvyun let out a sigh of relief.
Yaoying glanced at her and suddenly changed the subject. "Just now, were you about to say that Li Xuanzhen would avenge you? Like that Mid-Autumn Festival years ago, when Li Xuanzhen vented his anger for you and killed my fine hound?"
Zhu Lvyun shuddered, her lips pressed tightly together, her face pale.
That had happened several years ago.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival was the hunting season. The young nobles of Wei Commandery, dressed in bright clothes and riding fine horses, would gather to hunt in the mountains, while the young ladies followed on horseback to enjoy the autumn scenery. Zhu Lvyun, seeing the lavish entourages of the wealthy youths galloping across the plains, was reminded of the tragic decline of her own Zhu clan. Overcome with sorrow, she got into an argument with the Li family ladies and was taunted for living on others' charity. Hurt and angry, she shook off her attendants and rode into the forest, where she happened to run into Li Yaoying, who was out with Li Zhongqian to relieve her boredom. Terrified by Yaoying's fine hound, Zhu Lvyun fell from her horse and injured her hand.Later, Li Xuanzhen arrived and, right before Li Yaoying’s eyes, drew his bow and personally shot her fine hound to death.
At the time, Zhu Lvyun was overwhelmed with bitterness and sorrow. She only remembered that after her wounds healed, she had stubbornly ignored Li Xuanzhen for several months out of anger, having long forgotten about the hound.
It was just a dog, after all.
It wasn’t until Yaoying brought it up that Zhu Lvyun recalled the dog.
Her face turned deathly pale.
Yaoying tightened her grip, pulling Zhu Lvyun close to her horse. She leaned down, locking eyes with her: "Zhu Lvyun, when you see Li Xuanzhen, tell him I’m waiting for him to avenge you."
There had to be a final reckoning between them.
Zhu Lvyun slowly widened her eyes—how could Li Yaoying not fear Li Xuanzhen?
Yaoying released her whip, turned her horse, and rode away.
Behind her, Zhu Lvyun staggered a few steps and collapsed onto the ground.
Before she could get up, Yaoying’s guards approached her, glaring coldly. "Lady Zhu, we all heard what you said just now. From now on, stay away from our princess. Otherwise, we’ll beat you every time we see you! We’re rough men—we’re not afraid to trade our lives for yours!"
With that, one of them swung his long blade sharply toward Zhu Lvyun.
The blade’s fierce wind, thirsty for blood, made Zhu Lvyun’s heart race in terror.
The gleaming, icy tip of the blade halted abruptly just inches from her nose. The guard sheathed his weapon, snorted in contempt, turned, and strode away.
Zhu Lvyun sat in the snow, shaken and unable to collect herself for a long while.
An official from the courier station stepped forward and gestured for Zhu Lvyun to follow him back. "Princess, please."
Zhu Lvyun glanced around.
Ever since arriving in Yi Province, all the attendants she had brought from the Central Plains had been reassigned by her aunt. The guards escorting her to the Royal Court were all her aunt’s people—she had no one trustworthy left by her side.
No one truly cared for her—only Li Xuanzhen had ever indulged her every whim.
Zhu Lvyun bit her lip, helpless, and could only follow the official away.
Deep in the long street, several shadowy figures peeked out, watching for a moment before whispering among themselves.
"Hurry back and report to the princess!"
One of them acknowledged and ran off toward the courier station.
…
Before leaving the shop, Yaoying selected a few pieces of Persian brocade with pearl roundel patterns and had her guards deliver them to Yuchi Damo’s children.
Yuchi Damo’s son and daughter were hidden within the merchant caravan, posing as the niece and nephew of a Persian merchant. No one in the caravan knew their true identities.
In the first few days after leaving Gaochang, Yaoying had received several letters from Yang Qian, but then communication ceased. The vast, gravel-strewn Gobi desert and shifting sands lay between them, and in the icy, snow-covered wilderness, it was impossible to discern direction. Only animal bones and camel dung served as markers, making travel difficult and messages hard to deliver.
Now, relying on merchant caravans to relay messages was the safest method, but the caravans moved far too slowly. In a rapidly changing situation, it took two to three months for news to arrive.
Thus, Yaoying still had no idea what had happened in the Northern Rong these past few days.
Whether the news was good or bad, Wahan Khan must have sealed off all information.
Yaoying frowned, lost in thought.
Yuanjue, walking beside her, noticed her furrowed brow and dared not speak.
The procession left the long street and gradually headed north.
The sounds of the crowd faded, and the roadside grew sparsely populated. A long wall stretched across the undulating rocky hills. Yaoying snapped out of her thoughts and realized that the rows of two-story buildings in the market district were no longer visible.
She turned to Yuanjue and asked, "Where are we going?"After obtaining the confession, she prepared to return directly to Wang Temple.
Yuanjue replied, "We're going to the Sand Garden."
"What kind of place is the Sand Garden?"
Yuanjue kept her in suspense: "You'll know when you get there, Princess."
Yaoying raised an eyebrow.
Yuanjue had several Royal Court guards return to Wang Temple first to deliver the message, then led Yaoying further north. They rode up a high earthen cliff and arrived before a steep precipice, where there was a flat earthen platform covered in pristine snow, with the wind howling around them.
Yaoying tightened her cloak, shivering from the cold.
Yuanjue pointed to the valley below the cliff: "Princess, look—that is the Sand Garden."
Following his gesture, Yaoying saw a river flowing through the valley below, its surface still frozen thick with ice. Along the riverbank stretched a vast, gently sloping snowfield dotted with numerous orderly rows of small, conical stone mounds rising and falling in succession.
"What are those?"
Yuanjue explained, "Those are eagle perches. Eagles only nest among cliffs and precipices, making them difficult to tame. These stone perches allow eaglets to rest and survey their surroundings. The eagles haven't returned to their nests yet, but by evening, these perches will be covered with eaglets."
Yaoying's face showed a look of longing.
Yuanjue continued, "Princess, the Sand Garden is where the Royal Court's Imperial Guards train messenger eagles and hunting falcons. The best messenger eagles and hunting falcons from both sides of the Cong Mountains are found here."
He paused, looking at Yaoying.
"You may choose an eagle."
Yaoying's eyes widened in surprise.
...
Half an hour later, Yaoying returned to Wang Temple with an eagle.
The entire way back, she tightly gripped the leg straps, afraid she might accidentally release the eagle she had chosen.
She had been worrying about how to send messages to Yang Qian and Yuchi Damo, and this messenger eagle happened to solve the problem that had been troubling her.
Yuanjue found this both amusing and exasperating. "Princess, don't worry. The eagles from the Sand Garden are well-trained. Even if you let go of the leg straps, it will fly back to you."
Yaoying thought for a moment but still didn't dare loosen her grip on the straps. She gently stroked the eagle's wings and whispered, "What if this eagle doesn't like me and really flies away?"
Her expression was completely serious.
Yuanjue was taken aback, realizing she was genuinely concerned, and couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Yaoying knew he was laughing at her. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she smiled along, feeding a piece of dried meat to the eagle perched on her shoulder.
This was the eagle she had chosen herself—its feathers were deep black with an ink-like sheen, each wing adorned with a touch of golden soft down, while the underside of its wings was snow-white. When it spread its wings, its sharp claws and powerful beak made it look majestic and imposing.
When Yuanjue took her to select a messenger eagle, she had picked this one at first sight.
The group returned to Wang Temple through a side gate guarded by Imperial Guards, with the eagle on Yaoying's shoulder drawing many curious glances.
The guards led Yaoying and Yuanjue to see Tanmoroqie.
A tall figure was pacing in front of the long corridor. When he saw Yaoying, he approached, his gaze falling on the black eagle on her shoulder, and he froze for a moment.
"General Ashina!"
Yaoying quickened her pace, smiling as she went to meet him, showing him the eagle she had chosen.
"Thank you for your generosity in gifting me this eagle, General."
Yaoying said with a smile. Yuanjue had told her that both the Holy City's Sand Garden and Beast Garden were under Bisha's jurisdiction, and this eagle was a gift from Bisha.
Ashina Bisha looked utterly confused.
Standing behind Yaoying, Yuanjue pointed at the eagle, then at the sky, made a gesture of clasping his hands together, and kept winking and signaling frantically to Bisha, his eyelids fluttering so much they nearly turned white.
The King had instructed that the princess should not be told the eagle was a gift from him.Bisha narrowed his eyes slightly, understanding dawning as a smile tugged at his lips. "As long as the princess likes it."
Under the front corridor stood an Eagle Scaffold. Yaoying placed the black falcon on it, fastened its leg restraints, and fed it dried meat.
Ashina Bisha stood beside her, reaching out to play with the falcon. As he raised his arm, he let out a soft groan.
Yaoying glanced at him and, seeing he wasn’t feigning injury, asked with concern, "I heard from Yuanjue that you were wounded a few days ago, General. Are you feeling better now?"
Bisha grinned and patted his arm. "Just a minor scrape—it’s almost healed."
He lifted his other hand to stroke the falcon.
"Has the princess given it a name?"
Yaoying pointed to the striking golden hue on the falcon’s wings and smiled. "Yes, I’ve named it General Gold."
Bisha chuckled in surprise, having expected the princess to choose an elegant name like "Windchaser" or "Cloudsoarer."
Yaoying recalled something and asked, "What is the Dharma Master’s falcon called?"
She had never heard Tanmoroqie call out to his falcon by name.
Bisha replied, "The King hasn’t named his falcon, but the Imperial Guards and the people of the Royal Court privately call it Garuda."
Yaoying smiled faintly. Garuda was the legendary king of birds, and in the eyes of the people, Tanmoroqie’s falcon was nothing less than a divine creature.
As they spoke, a clamor suddenly erupted from the front courtyard. Monk Soldiers were entangled with someone, and the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air.
The argument grew louder. An Imperial Guard hurried through the corridor, his expression grave.
Bisha stopped him. "Who’s making all that noise outside?"
The guard trotted over and whispered a few words.
Bisha’s expression shifted, a frown creasing his brow as he glanced at Yaoying.
"Princess, please wait in the side hall. The King has urgent matters to attend to."
He signaled Yuanjue to escort Yaoying away.
Without further questions, Yaoying immediately retreated with the falcon.
Just as she turned the corner of the corridor, a large crowd surged from the other end. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be nobles and high-ranking officials.
Bisha stepped forward to meet them, quietly inquiring about the situation.
The group, visibly agitated, brushed off his questions and clamored, "Where is the King? We must see him!"
"Don’t anyone try to stop me!"
"There’s no time to waste—we await the King’s command!"
"Is the King afraid? With Su Dan Gu dead, is he hiding like a turtle?"
Unable to restrain the crowd, Bisha’s face darkened.
The mob surged forward, lifted the Felt Curtain, and scrambled into the main hall.
The Monk Soldiers in the corridor did not intervene.
Yaoying withdrew her gaze and followed Yuanjue to the side hall.
Separated from the main hall by a courtyard and fortified with thick stone walls, the side hall offered some insulation from the noise. Yet, as Yaoying sat warming herself by the fire, she could still hear the uproar from the main hall.
For a full half-hour, shouts, curses, and roars pierced through the courtyard walls, echoing across the spacious grounds.
Yuanjue looked anxious, frequently rising to peer outside.
Seeing his unease, Yaoying said, "I’ll wait here and won’t go anywhere. You should check if you can assist the Buddha Prince."
Yuanjue shook his head. "The King ordered me to guard the princess. Without his command, I cannot leave your side."
He paced restlessly, hand on his sword, circling the room countless times as the commotion gradually subsided.
After a while, a knock sounded at the door.
A Monk Soldier armed with a blade entered and gestured to Yaoying. "Princess Wenzhao, General Ashina requests your presence."
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