The imperial guards waited for Yao Ying outside the royal temple. Seeing her pale complexion and distracted demeanor, they worriedly said, “Princess, if you’re unwell, perhaps we should rest for a few days before departing?”

Yao Ying held the reins, glanced at the sky, and shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’ll take medicine along the way… Elder Brother took the trade route through Wuquan. I’m worried about him, so I’ll go wait for him in Sha City.”

She had dispatched imperial guards along all possible routes Li Zhongqian might take, including stationing guards along the trade route to Wuquan. While this route wasn’t typically dangerous, the situation was now critical. Wuquan belonged neither to the Royal Court nor to Gaochang. Without Royal Court troops stationed there, no one knew if the Northern Rong’s scattered soldiers might pass through.

The Royal Court’s army was now partially under Mo Biduo’s command pursuing Khan Wakhan, with other units distributed across various garrisons to prevent Northern Rong raids and intercept their fleeing soldiers.

The main force had returned to the Holy City with Su Dangu. No matter what happened, the central guard couldn’t leave the Holy City for too long, or enemies might exploit the weakness. In the Battle of Samgu Valley, Tanmoluojia deployed almost all the elite imperial guards, taking an enormous risk. If the noble families had discovered this vulnerability, or if Khan Wakhan had managed to pin down all the imperial guards, the court could have faced upheaval.

If not for Tanmoluojia being the Buddha’s son, having defeated Khan Wakhan several times, and being the subject of widespread folk tales, his strategic decisions wouldn’t have gained such ready support from the military commanders.

Therefore, after the great battle, he had to quickly withdraw his troops, venture beyond the passes to stabilize public sentiment and handle court affairs.

At such a crucial moment, Yao Ying couldn’t conveniently borrow troops from the Royal Court. She would have to personally handle Western Army matters from now on. She should have left earlier.

She had returned because she worried about Haidu Aling breaking through to the Holy City, and because she wanted to confirm his safety with her own eyes.

The Holy City had faced danger but remained safe, and he was secure.

Yao Ying pulled the reins. “Let’s go.”

The imperial guards stopped trying to persuade her and escorted her directly toward Sha City.

They rode out of the city without stopping, pressing on for several hours. As darkness fell, the group rested at a relay station. While they were drawing water from the well, hoofbeats approached from outside. A rider on a swift horse caught up with them. Before the horse had fully stopped, the rider tumbled from the saddle, rushed forward, and knelt on one knee before Yao Ying.

“Finally caught up with the Princess!”

Yao Ying recognized the rider as Bayi, one of the royal temple guards. She stood up abruptly and asked in surprise, “Has something happened to the Buddha’s Son?”

Bayi shook his head and said with clasped hands, “His Majesty ordered me to deliver medicine to the Princess and escort her to Sha City. The Princess left a message when departing but didn’t specify which route. I had to ask the gate guards to learn which courier road the Princess took.”

Yao Ying was startled.

Bayi pulled out a prescription and a porcelain bottle from his sleeve, saying, “His Majesty said that while the Princess is taking the physician’s pills, other medicines might conflict with them. Even for cold and fever, medications must be used cautiously, not like usual medicines, or they could harm your health. His Majesty wrote the prescription himself, and the temple’s medical monks prepared the medicine. Please remember to take it, and don’t treat it lightly.”

Yao Ying took the prescription and examined it carefully. It was indeed Tanmoluojia’s handwriting. Perhaps worried she might need to obtain medicine in towns along the way, he had written several copies of the prescription in Sanskrit, Chinese, Sogdian, and Persian.

The night wind blew beneath countless stars. In the courtyard, grape vines grew thick over the trellises. The imperial guards sat around a fire stove baking naan bread, while a subtle fragrance wafted through the night.

Yao Ying held the porcelain bottle, remembering how Tanmoluojia had wiped her wet hair – solemn and reverent, compassionate and devout. It seemed less like drying hair and more like performing a serious ritual.

The slight doubts that had just emerged in her mind instantly dissipated completely.

He had always been so meticulously caring toward her, without other intentions.

An imperial guard approached Yao Ying with a bowl of steaming mutton soup. “Princess, yesterday you said you wanted to return to the city to ask the Buddha’s Son something. Did you ask?”

Yao Ying came to her senses, took the mutton soup, put away the porcelain bottle, and smiled slightly. “I suppose I did…”

She originally hadn’t wanted to ask, feeling it unnecessary. After leaving the city, she wavered repeatedly before deciding to return to the temple to ask him in person. It happened that Prajña had invited her back, so she returned.

Tanmoluojia had rejected it very decisively, his tone cool, without the slightest unusual hint.

She had overthought things.

Yao Ying sipped the rich mutton soup bit by bit, shaking her head and forcefully pushing all the jumbled thoughts in her mind into its deepest recesses.

Now was not the time to think about such things.

The next day, the group continued their journey.

Yao Ying was still ill, and the imperial guards wanted to slow down, but she was eager to see Li Zhongqian. Even after taking medicine, she insisted on pressing forward. The imperial guards knew persuasion was useless and had to give up.

Riding day and night like this, they finally reached Sha City several days later. Yao Ying dismounted and headed straight for the city’s courier station.

The station was crowded with envoys from various countries. She made a round and found where the Gaochang envoys were staying. “Where is the Duke of Wei?”

The Gaochang envoy replied bewilderedly, “Princess, the Duke of Wei isn’t here. We were ordered to wait here to receive him, but we haven’t seen the Duke of Wei. He might still be on the road.”

Yao Ying’s heart tightened involuntarily. “He hasn’t arrived?”

Li Zhongqian’s letter had been hastily written before departing, saying he would come to meet her and instructing her to wait at the Royal Court, not to go anywhere else.

After receiving the letter, she had set out from the Holy City to Sha City. By travel time calculations, he should have reached Sha City by now!

Yao Ying found a map and frowned while studying it. She asked the envoy to produce documents, tokens, and other items, and then located the Sha City garrison.

A soldier led Yao Ying to the military headquarters.

Yao Ying looked around, her brows slightly furrowed. The camp’s atmosphere was oppressive and tense. Soldiers hurried about, all crossbows and siege vehicles had been moved onto the city walls, presenting an imposing sight of military preparedness, as if the garrison might go to battle at any moment.

With Royal Court troops pursuing the Northern Rong’s remnants, who would dare attack the Royal Court now?

The garrison commander “recognized” Pisha’s advisor Young Master Bayan, but didn’t recognize Yao Ying in women’s clothing. Seeing her produce tokens and knowing she was the Han Princess from rumors who had entangled with the Buddha’s Son, he first gave her a few contemptuous glances, though his tone remained fairly polite: “Princess, you’ve come at an inconvenient time. Recently more and more refugees have been fleeing outside Sha City. The city might need to be placed under martial law. I cannot spare troops to help the Princess search for someone.”

Yao Ying said, “I wouldn’t dare trouble the Commander to help me search. I have one matter I don’t understand and hope the Commander can explain it to me.”

“What matter?”

“Which country’s army is the Commander guarding against?”

The garrison commander hesitated for a moment. Behind Yao Ying, Bayi stepped forward, about to say something, but she shook her head at him. Bayi understood and returned to his position.

The accompanying Gaochang envoy said, “Princess Wenzhao is the Western Army’s commander. Our Western Army and your noble country are allies. The Princess has come to Sha City, and surely the Commander has received instructions from the Holy City. Right now the Western Army is resisting the Northern Rong alongside Royal Court troops. Please tell us the truth, Commander.”

The commander shrugged and said, “We’re guarding against the Northern Rong army, the Khanate allied forces, and rebel troops. With the Northern Rong in chaos, various tribes are taking advantage of fishing in troubled waters. The Khanate is also sending troops to annex small tribes. Countless refugees are fleeing to the Royal Court, with their pursuers following. Although they only harass and don’t dare truly attack the city, we can’t be careless. All border cities have strengthened defenses, and border troops have fallen back.”

The Khanate allied forces were a combined army composed of troops from different small countries. They were vassals of a powerful dynasty further west, mostly Persian and Turkic people. The various small tribes in regions west of the Royal Court had long been oppressed and enslaved by them. Their greed was insatiable, wanting to annex the Northern Rong’s northwestern territories.

The commander finally said, “It’s not safe outside the city. All merchant caravans and diplomatic missions have withdrawn. The Princess had better stay in the city and not wander about.”

Yao Ying thanked the commander and left the hall.

Bayi caught up with her and asked, “Princess, why didn’t you let me speak earlier?”

Yao Ying’s expression was solemn: “You are the Buddha’s Son’s imperial guard. Others will take every word you say as His Majesty’s decree. I was just now speaking with the commander as the Western Army’s leader, not as the Buddha’s Son’s guest. It’s better to be cautious and not cause trouble for the Buddha’s Son.”

She hadn’t even used her identity as Young Master Bayan, precisely to avoid provoking unnecessary disputes.

Bayi had a sudden realization and nodded in agreement.

Back at the courier station, Yao Ying was burning with anxiety. She sat before the lamp studying maps, downing several bowls of tea to calm herself.

The situation was even more dire than she had imagined.

Would Li Zhongqian encounter rebel troops on the road?

The desert was vast and empty. Previously, not knowing which route Li Zhongqian had taken, she couldn’t go searching for him and could only wait at the Royal Court for him to find her. Now that she knew he was taking the Wuquan route, perhaps she could go meet him there.

But she also feared he might change routes midway, and they would miss each other.

At times like these, one mustn’t be impetuous. Yao Ying summoned her imperial guards and ordered them to leave the city immediately for Wuquan, searching for traces of Li Zhongqian along the way. If they found any news, they were to send a swift horseback to Sha City to report.

The imperial guards complied, leaving the city in waves until only seven or eight remained by Yao Ying’s side.

When she wanted to send more people out of the city, the guards objected: “Princess, Sha City is a border town, not entirely peaceful. You must keep some guards by your side.”

Only then did Yao Ying relent. She found a group of Sha City merchants and asked them to inquire among the refugees if anyone had seen or heard of Li Zhongqian.

Several days passed without any news.

Yao Ying tossed and turned every night, having nightmares whenever she closed her eyes.

In despair, she was immersed in a bloody mountain of corpses. Young Li Zhongqian knelt before the mountain of bodies, digging through corpse after corpse, tightly gripping her hand. “Mingyue Nu, Elder Brother has come to get you.”

Yao Ying looked up with joy, but the youth before her suddenly transformed into the grown Li Zhongqian. His hair was disheveled, his body pierced with iron arrows, and blood flowed from his mouth as he lay on the ground, crawling toward her bit by bit. She reached out to grab him, caught his hand, and he looked at her, his lips curling into a smile.

“Don’t be afraid, Elder Brother is here.”

Yao Ying awoke from the nightmare in a cold sweat. She sat dazed for a while, her heart pounding.

Dreams weren’t necessarily true. The last time she had dreamed, the person she saw turned out to be Li Xuanzhen.

This dream surely wouldn’t come true either.

With her mind in chaos, Yao Ying could only light a lamp and read through military reports from Gaochang to keep herself from wild speculation.

Reading until late into the night, she grew drowsy. Suddenly, in the quiet night, a jarring, mournful horn blast rang out. Crossbow arrows launched from the city walls in unison, roof tiles shook, people shouted, and horses neighed.

Yao Ying startled, put on clothes and got up, sending someone to the city gate to gather news.

Soon, an imperial guard returned on horseback: “Rebel troops are attacking the city under cover of darkness!”

“Northern Rong?”

“Judging by their armor, they should be Northern Rong.”

Sha City had already strengthened its defenses, and the garrison was well-prepared. Before the enemy could approach the city gates, the defenders had sounded their horns. The garrison commander shot down one of their generals with an arrow, and the rebel troops scattered and fled. By daybreak, the sounds of battle had diminished from a thunderous roar to sporadic skirmishes, gradually falling silent.

Yao Ying hurried to the city gate, asking newly arrived refugees if they had any news from Wuquan.

After questioning many people without result, the garrison commander sent someone to summon her with dire news: “According to the prisoners, Wuquan was occupied by a band of bandits several days ago, so the road is blocked.”

Yao Ying’s heart began racing, and a cold sweat broke out.

The commander said, “Princess, my duty is to defend Sha City. I cannot send troops to Wuquan.”

Yao Ying returned to her quarters, restless. Gritting her teeth, she gathered her imperial guards and summoned the Gaochang envoy: “Gather all merchant caravans in the city, and offer a high price. I want to borrow their guards. How many of our people are in nearby cities? Send messenger birds with letters, call them all here!”

The merchant caravans were staying near the courier station and were familiar with Yao Ying’s subordinates. Hearing of the generous reward, they gradually sent over their guards.

Yao Ying assembled a force of four to five hundred men, gave them half their payment upfront, and asked them to escort her to Wuquan.

The group disguised themselves as civilians and left the city. After traveling several dozen li, suddenly thunderous hoofbeats came from the hills ahead. Figures wearing fur coats and face coverings emerged from all directions, brandishing curved sabers and charging toward them menacingly.

The imperial guards immediately drew their swords alertly, forming a tight circle around Yao Ying.

“Raise the banners!”

The cavalry raised several Western Army flags in response.

Bayi’s sharp eyes scanned the surroundings and said, “Princess, no need to panic. Looking at their bows and sabers, they don’t seem like regular troops – they’re probably bandits.”

As he spoke, he nocked an arrow and shot a whistling arrow that soared into the clouds with a sharp screech.

The guards drew their swords in unison, spurred their horses forward, and calmly formed battle formations to meet the enemy. With swift sword strikes, they broke the bandits’ first charge immediately. Only then did the enemy realize they weren’t ordinary civilians and began to show signs of retreat?

Bayi and the imperial guards escorted Yao Ying away, quickly leaving the bandits behind. From the distance came the sounds of arrows cutting through the air and guards shouting curses.

Yao Ying looked back from horseback. Through the flying dust, several isolated bandits galloped down the hills in pursuit. Their leader was tall and imposing, with disheveled hair and a beast-skin coat, radiating a fierce presence.

The guards shot several arrows at the bandits. The bandit leader deflected them with his saber, dodging the arrows, his eyes fixed straight on Yao Ying in the center of the guard formation.

Several sword-wielding guards from both flanks moved to intercept him, blades flashing.

He seemed not to notice them, spurring his horse forward wildly. As he drew near, he suddenly raised both arms, threw aside his only weapon, rolled off his saddle, and fearlessly charged forward.

The guards looked at each other in confusion.

Behind him, the guards who had been pursuing the bandits raised their bows, aiming at his back, ready to lose a volley of arrows.

Yao Ying watched the unarmed bandit leader running wildly through the yellow sand, and something stirred within her. Her throat constricted for a long moment before she called out shakily, “Don’t shoot!”

The imperial guards immediately signaled with their flags, and the sound of bowstrings suddenly ceased.

Several hundred people reined in their horses before the hills, watching that tall figure charge through the forest of long swords and dense arrows.

The guards needed only to raise their blades to easily cut him to pieces.

He ran with incredible speed, like chasing the wind. As he approached, whether from stepping into a sand pit or not, he suddenly fell heavily. In an instant, he rolled and leaped up, flying forward.

The guards were awed by the killing intent radiating from him, as if he would slay gods and Buddhas alike, leaving them momentarily dumbfounded.

Fierce winds whipped the banners, howling.

Yao Ying sat frozen on horseback, unable to move for a long while. Through the howling wind, sand struck her face with fine, stinging impacts. She hurriedly kicked free of the stirrups, released the reins, dismounted, pushed away the imperial guards who tried to support her, and ran down the slope.

Her heartbeat suddenly became very slow, all surrounding sounds fading away. The wild plain, the guards, the bandits – everything disappeared, leaving only that figure running rapidly toward her in heaven and earth.

At this moment, all hardships became insignificant.

As long as Elder Brother was alive.

She ran toward the bandit leader.

Seeing her, he ran faster. Almost in the blink of an eye, yet seeming like an eternity had passed, the sound of running grew closer and closer. Then, a pair of strong arms suddenly embraced her, lifting her tightly, squeezing so hard it felt as if he would crush her.

“Elder Brother…”

Three years.

Since his last campaign, three years had passed.

Yao Ying clutched Li Zhongqian’s robes, discovering she was already in tears, crying uncontrollably.

She had imagined many scenarios of reuniting with Li Zhongqian. She had thought she would see him the next moment, experiencing joy and disappointment time and again, but none compared to the reality of this moment. She couldn’t speak a word, only clutching him tightly, afraid this was all just a dream.

Calloused fingers gently lifted Yao Ying’s tear-streaked face.

She looked up at the man before her.

He was weather-beaten, his hair tangled, disheveled, and haggard, his face gaunt, his cheeks sunken, his expression dark and profound like a snow peak frozen for ten thousand years. Even the scorching sun of the Flaming Mountains couldn’t melt those layers of ice. His narrow phoenix eyes were blood-red, flickering with a sinister light.

Yao Ying could barely recognize him.

The next instant, Li Zhongqian’s lips slowly curled up, and he gazed at her for a long time, the coldness in his phoenix eyes dissipating. “Don’t cry anymore, Elder Brother is here.”

Tears welled up in Yao Ying’s eyes as she raised her hand to wipe the dust and sand from his face, revealing his gaunt cheeks and a fierce scar between his brows.

He must have suffered greatly.

“Elder Brother.”

Yao Ying could say nothing else, just called out once more.

Li Zhongqian responded softly, “Elder Brother is here.”

Yao Ying hugged him, and lifted her face, tears still glimmering, but she couldn’t help breaking into a smile, looking at him with joy.

“Elder Brother has gotten thin.”

Li Zhongqian smiled and patted her head. “Mingyue Nu has grown taller.”

The year they parted, he had returned triumphant, wearing imposing armor. She had stood on tiptoe before him, measuring herself – then she had only reached his breastplate.

Raised in luxury and comfort like crystal and glass, then sent to the savage Yelu tribe…

These three years, how much had she suffered?

Each time he thought of it, it felt like a sharp blade twisting in his heart.

Li Zhongqian held Yao Ying, tears glistening in his eyes. He suddenly tightened his embrace and slowly closed his eyes. After a while, he opened them and said, “Elder Brother is here. Let’s go home.”

His response was several muffled murmurs and burning heat against his chest.

Li Zhongqian’s body shook as he released his grip. Yao Ying’s eyes were tightly closed, unconscious, her hands still clutching his robes, knuckles white.

“Mingyue Nu!”

His voice changed pitch in anxiety.

The imperial guards had already gathered around. Seeing this, they quickly said, “My Lord, the Princess has been traveling while ill these past days, exhausted from the journey. Her illness never improved, and she’s been worried sick about your safety for days, anxious and sleepless for several nights. Seeing you suddenly, her joy was too overwhelming, and she couldn’t bear it.”

“My Lord, let’s return to Sha City first.”

Li Zhongqian took the cloak handed to him by an imperial guard, wrapped Yao Ying thoroughly from head to toe, and carried her onto horseback.

“To Sha City.”