The path from the palace to the Buddhist temple inevitably passed through the city’s busiest market street, where crowds flowed like weaving cloth and vehicles moved in endless streams. When Yao Ying’s carriage left the palace surrounded by blue-robed and white-robed knights, even through the thick felt curtains, she could hear the massive waves of discussion from the roadside, each wave drowning out the last.

She sat cross-legged, visualizing Banruo’s horrified face.

Before it was just rumors, but now she had not only defiled their god in their eyes but would be living under the same roof as their god.

This wasn’t what she had expected.

Yao Ying rested her chin in her hands, still not having recovered her composure.

Tanmoluojia tacitly allowing her to stay in the palace had already been the best protection for her, but now he publicly acknowledged her status – forget about Banruo and the others being shocked to their core, even though she hadn’t anticipated this.

When she had shamelessly attached herself to him, the royal court’s people only saw her as a love-crazed woman. But Tanmoluojia allowing her to live in the Buddhist temple held an entirely different significance.

This was certainly good for her, but it would damage Tanmoluojia’s reputation – after Yuanjue read the decree at the guesthouse yesterday, the present envoys from various countries and royal ministers buzzed with discussion, Banruo was on the verge of tears, and even the usually warm and generous Bisuo had a gloomy expression.

Yao Ying recalled her last meeting with Tanmoluojia, his noble and otherworldly presence at the Buddhist assembly making all worldly impurities pale in comparison.

Tanmoluojia was saving her.

Hai Du Aling wouldn’t give up, and she remained vigilant day and night. This time when Hai Du Aling risked breaking into the palace at night, she realized even the royal court wasn’t safe anymore. Just as she was worrying, Tanmoluojia came to help.

At their first meeting, she had made her request to emulate the Matangi Woman before thousands of troops. Tanmoluojia had reined in his horse at the front of the formation, his jade-colored eyes sweeping over her indifferently, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Now he had given his answer.

He had agreed.

Though delayed by several months, his action was swift and decisive – the night before last Hai Du Aling broke into the palace, yesterday he made the public announcement, and today he sent people to escort her to the temple, without any hesitation.

The carriage arrived at the temple, entering through a hidden side door as central army knights led Yao Ying inside.

Her feet felt weak, with an unreal feeling as if floating in clouds.

The Holy City’s Buddhist temple was ancient, built against a cliff face, solemn and magnificent, with Buddhist pagodas and grottos everywhere, tall pavilions and halls, thick with incense smoke and continuous Sanskrit chanting.

Yao Ying followed behind the knights, walking between stone-pillared corridors. The corridors and walls were covered with murals depicting Buddhist stories, mountains and pavilions, and flying celestials. They shimmered with golden light, rich in color, brilliant and rounded, with powerful flowing lines and robust, healthy figures in a grand and unrestrained style.

The courtyards were bright and spacious, pagodas thick as forest. The deeper they went, the more cool and quiet it became, with increasingly exquisite murals and carvings on the walls, vast expanses of rich blue-gold color creating a magnificent, broad, and bold atmosphere.

Yao Ying felt dazzled.

The blue-gold and vermillion pigments in the paint were extremely expensive – even Chang’an’s most renowned painters couldn’t freely use blue-gold in their paintings, yet the temple had blue-green and vermillion murals everywhere with flickering gold leaf, showing the royal court’s wealth.

Yuanjue and Banruo escorted Yao Ying, one with a calm expression, the other looking as if his parents had died, leading her to a secluded courtyard far from the main hall and directing knights to help move her belongings.

Though the courtyard wasn’t large, it contained several flowers and trees rare in the royal court. The courtyard was deep, with the main building on high ground. The four surrounding corridors were coated with clean white mud, making the courtyard appear spacious and neat. By the yellow earth and adobe, flower walls stood grape trellises covered in vines, creating a large patch of dense shade below.

The main building’s walls were also coated with white mud. The interior was simply furnished with felt carpets, a bed platform, a sitting table, a writing desk, and a screen, with curtains hanging before the bed and no other decorations.

Yuanjue pointed to the main building, saying: “Princess, every year during late spring and early summer, fierce winds rage and nights are cold, so the rooms here don’t open side windows, only front windows. There’s no well in the courtyard; someone will bring clean water for the Princess daily. Please let me know if anything else is needed, and I’ll have it brought for you.”

He continued, “The Princess is only here to practice, not strictly following temple rules, but you also cannot be idle. Soon monks will bring scriptures and explain the morning and evening lessons to you.”

Yao Ying thanked him, then after some thought asked: “Would it be convenient for me to see the Buddhist Prince?”

Beside her, Banruo immediately widened his eyes, glaring at her fiercely. His lips trembled but he dared not rebuke her out loud, instead nursing his grievance before stepping out.

Since Tanmoluojia had sent people to bring Yao Ying here, he dared not speak harshly.

Yuanjue nodded: “The King instructed that once the Princess moved in, I should take you to his meditation chamber to see him.”

Yao Ying left Xie Qing and the others to arrange her belongings as she followed Yuanjue to see Tanmoluojia.

Tanmoluojia’s meditation chamber had blue brick flooring and was deep and solemn. The arched doors, corridor domes, and stone pillars were covered with paintings of blue flowers and green leaves, while the surrounding borders were decorated with intertwining pomegranate and camellia patterns, and honeysuckle designs, elegant and graceful, flowing and dignified. Before the corridor stood strong pines and cypresses, tall white poplars, and in the deepest courtyard grew jujube trees, their silver-white flowers hanging heavily in clusters, releasing waves of fragrance.

The courtyard was silent as the grave, with guards standing motionless like clay figures.

Tanmoluojia sat at the meditation hall’s writing desk working on something, his figure leaning from behind.

Yuanjue went in to announce her while Yao Ying waited in the corridor, her gaze falling on Tanmoluojia and pausing slightly.

It was the hottest time of day, and today Tanmoluojia wore monk’s robes with the right shoulder exposed, revealing surprisingly honey-colored skin with clear muscle definition, gleaming with a soft luster.

Yao Ying shifted her gaze to watch the flower branches swaying in the wind before the courtyard, remembering the night before last when Su Dangu had stumbled back into the jujube grove, silver-white flowers scattered all over the ground.

At that moment of meeting Su Dangu’s eyes under the moonlight, a strange feeling had suddenly risen in her heart.

For some reason, she always felt that something must be hidden beneath Su Dangu’s fierce face, and for an instant, she even felt Su Dangu somewhat resembled Tanmoluojia.

But Tanmoluojia was confined to his sickbed, needing guards’ support even to dismount a horse, while Su Dangu was fierce and martial, his sword style tyrannical and violent – one was the compassionate Buddhist Prince, the other the ruthless Regent.

Yao Ying’s suspicion had no foundation.

Besides, when Su Dangu saved her, she had pressed tightly against his chest, feeling the power contained in his arms, his embracing body solid with muscle, full of tension.

The only similarity was those jade-colored eyes.

Come to think of it, Bisuo also had green eyes…

Yao Ying came back to herself, shaking her head with a smile.

She was truly letting her imagination run wild – when Tanmoluojia was gravely ill, Su Dangu had appeared to frighten away Xue Yanna. How could the ethereal Tanmoluojia and the mass-murdering Su Dangu possibly be the same person?

Yuanjue came out of the inner hall, gesturing for Yao Ying to enter.

Yao Ying collected her thoughts and stepped into the meditation room.

The room was clean and bright without incense, the desk piled with scripture scrolls. Tanmoluojia was still writing with his head lowered, his fingers long and slender – though thin, they gave an impression of great strength.

Yao Ying knelt opposite him, unconsciously straightening her back in a proper sitting posture, and spoke directly: “The Northern Rong prince haunts me like a ghost. Master issued a decree to protect me, letting me live in the temple – I am deeply grateful, but won’t this damage Master’s reputation?”

Tanmoluojia’s presence was contained yet carried an all-knowing pressure. Before him, she needn’t be indirect or circumspect – she could just say whatever she thought, as she couldn’t hide anything from him anyway.

After speaking, Yao Ying widened her eyes, staring unblinkingly at Tanmoluojia.

Tanmoluojia set down his brush and raised his head, his gaze cool yet gentle: “Princess need not be concerned, it’s just some criticism. In a year, when the Princess safely leaves, the criticism will naturally dissipate.”

His tone was composed, as light as clouds and wind.

Yao Ying suddenly found she couldn’t express the grateful words she’d thought about all night.

Tanmoluojia was very clever, never taking her words at face value. He didn’t need her gratitude, nor did he need her to pay any price. He helped her simply because she was one among all living beings who needed help and had saved him before. He could help her, and seeing her in danger, he did so.

She had met a good person.

Yao Ying smiled, her whole being finally relaxing, the lingering shadows in her heart seeming to disperse.

Her eyes curved gently, bright with crystalline light as she said softly: “Thank you.”

The fifteen-year-old girl, in the prime of youth, temporarily unburdened, bloomed with radiance, her spirit soaring.

The entire meditation room seemed to brighten somewhat, spring beauty rippling through.

Tanmoluojia set down his brush and picked up several Buddhist texts to hand to Yao Ying.

Yao Ying straightened up to receive them, discovering they were Chinese versions of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Mahāyānasaṃgraha, Abhidharma, and similar texts.

Her head immediately felt twice as large.

Well, monks don’t lie – when Tanmoluojia issued the decree saying she would come to the temple to study Buddhism, he meant for her to seriously study Buddhist principles, not only setting her morning and evening lessons but even preparing the texts.

This person was so honest.

Yao Ying held the heavy texts, thinking about how she would not only have to handle the trivial matters of establishing the merchant caravan but also read these texts. Her scalp tingled, and she suddenly remembered something else, raising her head to look intently at Tanmoluojia.

“Master…” she asked seriously, “Will I need to shave my head too?”

Tanmoluojia’s face showed a moment of bewilderment.

Yao Ying looked embarrassed.

The Matangi Woman had shaved her head and practiced to marry Ananda – did she need to shave her head too? Though compared to her life, hair wasn’t worth mentioning and she shouldn’t hesitate over this, but if she could avoid shaving, she’d rather not. Her hair was thick and dense, carefully maintained for so many years!

In the height of summer heat, golden sunlight streamed through the skylight into the meditation room, falling beside Yao Ying’s rich black hair. Her skin was like snow, wearing a pale green long dress with vermillion half-sleeves, as gorgeous as flower branches blooming in the spring breeze, lush and brilliant.

Tanmoluojia lowered his gaze, saying: “The Princess has not yet taken refuge in Buddhism, you may practice while keeping your hair.”

Yao Ying sighed in relief, looking at Tanmoluojia with eyes full of reverence and trust, smiling as she said: “Thank you, Master.”

Her voice was bright and light, much more natural than when she’d first entered.

Tanmoluojia said nothing, glancing at Yuanjue standing outside the door.

Yuanjue understood and escorted Yao Ying back to her courtyard.

The young woman’s pale green skirts swept across the felt carpet, her passing figure bright and beautiful, a faint fragrance lingering in the air.

Tanmoluojia resumed writing.

Soon, footsteps sounded in the long corridor as Ashina Bisuo’s tall figure appeared at the door.

“The King just met with Princess Wenzhao?”

Tanmoluojia made an affirmative sound without raising his head.

Bisuo entered the meditation room, bowed to Tanmoluojia, sat cross-legged, and said, “King, why do you help Princess Wenzhao so much? Letting her stay in the palace was already breaking precedent, now you even let her move into the temple – the city is buzzing with discussion. In all these years, she’s the first woman to step into your meditation room.”

Tanmoluojia said coolly: “The Northern Rong people follow water and grass to live, remaining uncivilized. Hai Du Aling is cruel and violent, unwilling to give up. This will help Princess Wenzhao escape from him.”

Bisuo looked at him, “King, there are all kinds of rumors among the people.”

Tanmoluojia didn’t look up: “Reputation is but an external thing. I am the royal court’s ruler – in a year, rumors will naturally fade.”

Bisuo was silent for a while, “After a year, will the rumors fade?”

Tanmoluojia continued writing: “Bisuo, do you think Princess Wenzhao admires me? Are you worried she won’t leave?”

Bisuo was startled.

Tanmoluojia said calmly: “The Princess is stranded in foreign lands, not by choice. After finding her family, she will leave.”

“What about the King?” Bisuo pressed, “Is the King helping the Princess truly just out of gratitude and compassion? The Princess is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Tanmoluojia’s brows furrowed slightly, “All things in this world flow without staying, love is like dew, beauty like bubbles.”

Bisuo secretly sighed in relief, rising to kneel and bow.

“Your servant spoke out of turn.”

Luojia hadn’t been moved – this was good.

He had worried Luojia would be touched by Princess Wenzhao. Beauty was one thing, but the Princess had many other qualities that attracted attention. Fortunately, Luojia’s heart remained firm.

“Bisuo.” Tanmoluojia stopped writing and looked at him, “When you said you admired Princess Wenzhao, was that true or false?”

His gaze was gentle, without any sense of interrogation.

But Bisuo broke out in cold sweat, too ashamed to raise his head: “King, I know my crime.”

Everything he had done was only to test Luojia’s feelings and divert the Princess’s attention, preventing her from contact with Luojia.

Tanmoluojia closed the finished decree: “Don’t let it happen again. Whether I strictly maintain the Five Precepts is no concern of others.”

Bisuo respectfully agreed, taking the decree, his eyes suddenly widening.

This was a personal letter to Khagan Wahan, equivalent to a state document. In it, Luojia declared Princess Wenzhao’s status and demanded that Wahan punish Hai Du Aling.

Luojia wasn’t just warning his people, but notifying all countries, announcing to the world. From now on, dozens of countries and city-states across the Tianshan and Pamirs would know a Princess Wenzhao lived in the temple under the King’s protection!

Bisuo’s heart shook.

“Deliver this state letter to the Northern Rong encampment yourself,” Tanmoluojia said in an ordinary tone.

Bisuo’s hands trembled slightly as he gripped the decree, respectfully accepting.

He returned to his residence to prepare for the journey.

A guard came to report: “General, Princess Wenzhao sent some medicines.”

Bisuo’s movements paused, “What did the Princess say?”

The guard replied: “The Princess said the medicines were for the Regent, asking you to deliver them on her behalf. She also said she wanted to see you to discuss the Northern Rong prince’s return.”

Bisuo made an acknowledging sound and had the guard take the medicines to the court physician.

The physician told him that Yao Ying had chosen rare and precious Western Region medicines – some for treating injuries from falls and blows, some for promoting blood circulation and dispersing stasis, and some for relieving internal organ damage. Several types couldn’t be found anywhere in the entire Western Region.

Bisuo was lost in thought for a moment before ordering the guard to store the medicines in the warehouse.

The guard agreed and turned to leave.

Suddenly footsteps sounded behind him as Bisuo ran out and grabbed his shoulder.

The guard looked bewildered as Bisuo’s face clouded over, staring at the medicines in his hands for a long while before closing his eyes.

“Take them to the temple, give them to Yuanjue, and tell him these medicines were brought back by the merchant caravan. Remember, don’t tell anyone else about this. If the Princess asks, say I delivered them as she asked.”

The guard acknowledged and left with the medicines.

Bisuo stood there, sighing melancholically.

He hoped all his worries were unfounded.