Mohetu was still at an impasse with Zhang Xiong. He rode his horse in circles below the city walls, hurling insults: “Qu Wentai! Qu Wentai! How dare you destroy my King David vase! I’ll never forgive you! Sooner or later, I’ll lead a great army and trample your Gaochang kingdom!”
Zhang Xiong remained unfazed and calmly replied, “Grand Setu, even if you hadn’t mentioned this, we would still have to take this dispute to the Khan’s court and ask Tong Yabghu Qaghan to judge!”
“Hmph, you think I’m afraid of him?” Mohetu sneered. “Tell Qu Wentai to come out and face me!”
“Grand Setu, I’m here. Sorry to keep you waiting.” Qu Wentai suddenly appeared on the city wall.
Mohetu was surprised: “Qu Wentai, you’ve finally shown yourself! Hmph, what’s become of the King David vase now?”
“Thank you for your concern, Grand Setu.” Qu Wentai cupped his hands. “The genie in the bottle has appeared and revived my son. The King David vase is now useless.”
Mohetu was both jealous and hateful: “Well, well! Qu Wentai, aren’t you afraid of my revenge?”
Qu Wentai sighed deeply: “Grand Setu, I believe in Buddha. In the eyes of Buddhism, the rise and fall of nations is merely a cycle of reincarnation. If it’s heaven’s will for Gaochang to perish, it will perish even without you. If Gaochang is not meant to fall, even if you bring a million troops, you cannot overcome heaven’s will.”
“In the grasslands, deserts, and snow-capped mountains of the Western Regions, I am heaven’s will!” Mohetu roared.
Just then, a Fuli soldier came galloping up: “Grand Setu!”
Mohetu was irritated: “What is it?”
The Fuli soldier said, “There’s been a change at Jiaohecheng!” He then whispered something in Mohetu’s ear.
“What?” Mohetu was greatly surprised. “How can this be? I need to preserve my strength. Withdraw!”
“Yes!” The Fuli soldier acknowledged, then asked, “Where to? The Khagan’s Pagoda City?”
“Nonsense! There’s a good show to watch, how could I bear to leave? Back to the guesthouse for wine and meat!” Mohetu didn’t say more, he turned his horse around and galloped towards the main street.
The Fuli cavalry turned their horses and followed him up the street, leaving a group of people behind to deal with the bodies of the fallen. Mohetu shouted from afar: “Leave them there, let Qu Wentai bury them in fine coffins!”
Faced with this roguish behavior, Qu Wentai could only shake his head, but he was also curious. He asked Zhang Xiong: “Why did Mohetu leave?”
Zhang Xiong was also puzzled: “I’m not sure either. Should I send men to guard the area around the guesthouse?”
“Forget it. This grudge has already grown too large, why provoke him further?” Qu Wentai looked at the bodies strewn across the ground below and sighed, “Do as he said, bury them in fine coffins!”
By the time Mohetu withdrew his troops, the day had already broken.
There was no need to leave through the water tunnels now. Zhu Gui prepared all the necessary supplies, loading them onto three large carts. One cart was for Qu Zhisheng and Long Shuangzhi, one for Ashu, and the third was filled with gold, silver, jewels, and precious spices that Qu Wentai had brought from the palace for Qu and Long’s expenses in the Great Tang.
After everything was prepared, it was already the Chen hour (7-9 am), marking the start of a new day.
Xuanzang accompanied Ashu in the second cart. Zhu Gui rode on horseback, leading more than a dozen palace guards to escort them. They left directly through the north gate and set out on the official road towards Shengjin Pass.
The morning sun was bright, illuminating the distant Flaming Mountains, and casting a brilliant glow ahead. This was usually the time when merchants setting out on long journeys would leave the city, making the road quite lively. After traveling several li out of the city, they suddenly encountered many merchants hurriedly rushing back towards the city.
For some unknown reason, these merchants all looked terrified, as if they were fleeing for their lives. Xuanzang found this strange, so he jumped down from the cart, intending to stop a group of merchants. Zhu Gui, who was guarding nearby, quickly ordered the caravan to stop.
“Amitabha, please slow down, good sir,” Xuanzang called out to an old man among the merchants.
The old man, who was leading a camel, stopped when he heard Xuanzang: “Master, what can I do for you?”
“You’re a merchant, aren’t you? Why are you returning after leaving the city?” Xuanzang asked.
“Master, don’t you know?” The old man looked at them in surprise.
“This humble monk doesn’t know. What’s happening?” Xuanzang was puzzled.
“Hey!” The old man stamped his foot. “I saw you had cavalry protection, so I thought you were deliberately heading north. That’s why I didn’t warn you! Master, hurry back! There’s a large cavalry force coming this way!”
“What?” Xuanzang was shocked.
Zhu Gui also sensed trouble and quickly dismounted to inquire further: “Old sir, where are these cavalry from?”
Qu Zhisheng and Long Shuangzhi lifted the curtains of their cart to look over.
The old man said, “From Yanqi, of course. They say there are no less than five thousand troops, and they’re almost at the royal city!”
Zhu Gui’s face turned ashen, and he instinctively glanced at Qu Zhisheng and Long Shuangzhi: “Yanqi… Weren’t the Yanqi forces outside Jiaohecheng? Have they broken through Jiaohecheng?”
“No. I heard they somehow bypassed Jiaohecheng and are launching a surprise attack on the royal city.” The old man hurriedly finished speaking, not daring to delay. He bowed to Xuanzang and quickly left, leading his camel.
Xuanzang wanted to ask more, but Zhu Gui, looking ahead, said bitterly, “They’re coming.”
Xuanzang turned around abruptly. In the direction of the Flaming Mountains, a cloud of dust obscured the sky, like a wall of sand rising from the desert, forming a wave nearly ten li wide, surging towards the royal city. It was as if a mountain range had suddenly risen from the flat ground! Xuanzang and his group seemed like ants at the foot of this mountain range!
In just an instant, everyone felt the trembling of the earth. The rumbling vibrations were like rolling thunder, the momentum as if heaven and earth were collapsing!
Zhu Gui suddenly became furious. He strode over to Long Shuangzhi and shouted, “Was it you? Did you call them here?”
Long Shuangzhi sneered, “Eunuch, you’ve been so meticulous, watching me since we entered the family temple. How could I have had a chance to notify them?”
Qu Zhisheng couldn’t stand by and quickly shielded Long Shuangzhi: “Eunuch, have you gone mad? Shuangzhi is coming with me, why would she notify the Yanqi people?”
“Ha!” Zhu Gui gritted his teeth, glaring at Long Shuangzhi. “Third Prince, look! Why would a force of five thousand men advance in a single line? It’s because they’re searching! Intercepting! They know you’re leaving, and they’ve come specifically to intercept!”
“Sanlang,” Long Shuangzhi embraced Qu Zhisheng and began to cry, “It wasn’t me. I want to go to the Great Tang with you.”
“Still acting!” Zhu Gui sneered. “Princess, it’s time for your charade to end!”
“Eunuch!” Qu Zhisheng was furious. “Don’t you dare suspect Shuangzhi!”
Zhu Gui’s face turned iron-gray. He had no choice but to turn away and shout at the palace guards: “Hurry and retreat! Back to the royal city!”
Xuanzang looked up. By now, he could vaguely see the silhouettes of the Yanqi cavalry. It was a vast, dark mass, with no visible beginning to the left or end to the right. Five thousand men advanced in a single line, riding through vineyards, trampling grape vines. In the sunlight, there were constant flashes of blades as the cavalry cut down the obstructing grape vines. Xuanzang felt a heaviness in his heart. It seemed Zhu Gui was right; they were indeed here to intercept. With such a dense search, not even a mouse could escape.
Everyone quickly boarded the carts and horses. The drivers turned around and raced back towards the royal city.
By this time, Qu Wentai and Zhang Xiong had also received the news. Both were beside themselves with fear and immediately ordered the entire city to be on alert. The whole of Gaochang’s royal city was mobilized, with cavalry and infantry rushing from all directions to the northern Xuande Gate. Even Qu Wentai’s central troops began to move out.
Gaochang’s royal city currently had a force of three to four thousand men, and adding the troops scattered in various prefectures, it could be said to have the strongest military among the Western Region countries in terms of manpower. But once dispersed, it was not enough. Especially for defending the royal city – with such a large city, spreading the troops to each gate would further weaken their strength. But if they didn’t disperse, they couldn’t determine the attackers’ main point of assault. Under the attack of five thousand enemy cavalry, the situation was extremely dangerous.
Zhang Xiong, known as the Tiger of the Western Regions, immediately ordered the main force to be positioned at the north gate, while residents of the city were recruited to assist soldiers in guarding other gates. He led the most elite central troops as a mobile force, ready to support wherever needed. He further ordered the demolition of temporary stalls set up by street merchants to clear the roads for cavalry support.
Residents of the city, regardless of nationality, were in a state of panic. Even the Yanqi people had to stand on Gaochang’s side now because everyone knew that once the city fell, looting by unruly soldiers would follow. Even if one was lucky enough to escape the sword, their goods would be plundered completely. Everyone had experienced the cruelty of wars that destroyed countries in the Western Regions, and the act of massacring entire cities had been done many times by various countries. Given the deep enmity between Yanqi and Gaochang, as well as the jealousy of the other two countries towards Gaochang, anything could happen.
Seeing the general commanding with such authority, the common people felt slightly relieved. As soon as the orders came, they rushed to help the soldiers move siege equipment. The entire city became a huge war machine.
By the time Qu Wentai and Zhang Xiong reached the tower of the north gate and looked north, they both drew in a sharp breath. The dark mass of cavalry stretched along the horizon in a single line, destroying everything in their path. The dust kicked up by the horses’ hooves was like a massive storm, covering the Flaming Mountains as if the entire desert had been lifted and was pushing toward the royal city.
“Your Majesty, why would the allied forces form such a formation?” Zhang Xiong was puzzled. “It looks impressive, but the formation is too thin. Even a slight charge would create a gap. What are they trying to do?”
“Could they be trying to surround the royal city?” Qu Wentai was also astonished.
Zhang Xiong shook his head: “They’re cavalry. If they wanted to surround the city, they would only need to station troops to the south and north of the city. Anyone trying to leave from any direction wouldn’t escape their pursuit. There must be another reason.”
At this moment, a large crowd of merchant caravans and civilians had gathered at the foot of the city wall, crying and clamoring to enter the city. Zhang Xiong frowned and ordered, “Let them enter quickly. Close the city gates after half an incense stick’s time!”
“No, no,” Qu Wentai couldn’t bear it. “Tai Huan, let them all enter. These merchants may not all be citizens of Gaochang, but since they’re within our borders, they should be under our protection. I really can’t bear to let them die amidst the chaos of war.”
Zhang Xiong smiled bitterly: “Your Majesty is merciful, but if we can’t close the city gates, this cavalry will follow right behind and enter. Gaochang will face destruction.”
“Hold on! Hold on!” Qu Wentai pleaded. “Tai Huan, have the soldiers prepare their bows and crossbows. Even if we can only delay them a bit, we can save more lives!”
“Your Majesty!” Zhang Xiong didn’t dare risk the fate of the country.
“Tai Huan,” Qu Wentai wept, “Both my sons have met with misfortune. Isn’t this heaven’s punishment? Perhaps it’s because I killed too many in my youth. Please let me save a few more civilians!”
Zhang Xiong had no choice but to order: “Archers prepare! Delay closing the city gates by half an incense stick’s time!”
As the orders were passed down, Qu Wentai suddenly exclaimed, pointing into the distance: “What’s that?”
Zhang Xiong looked up and was shocked to see, at the foot of the mountain-like cavalry formation, over a dozen riders escorting three large carts racing towards the royal city!
“It’s the Third Prince and his group!” Zhang Xiong cried out. “They’ve been forced to turn back!”
Zhu Gui urged the drivers to speed up towards the royal city, but the carts were no match for cavalry. Soon they heard the thunderous hoofbeats of iron cavalry approaching from behind. Zhu Gui turned to look and his whole body nearly froze – they were close enough to see the faces of the pursuing riders!
He saw many riders nocking arrows, and soon a rain of arrows flew towards them. Some struck the carts, while others hit the rearguard, many of whom cried out in pain as they fell from their horses, only to be trampled into pulp by the oncoming cavalry!
Qu Zhisheng, Long Shuangzhi, Xuanzang, Ashu, and the others in the carts all lay flat, arrows whizzing past just above their heads and backs. Suddenly, there was a horse’s neigh as an arrow struck the horse pulling Xuanzang’s cart. It fell with a cry, and the cart overturned violently, throwing Xuanzang and Ashu out and sending them tumbling several zhang away.
Xuanzang had just gotten to his feet when he saw the horses pulling Qu Zhisheng’s cart also shot down by arrows. Qu Zhisheng and Long Shuangzhi embraced as they leaped from the cart, rolling to a stop by the roadside. Seeing this, Zhu Gui let out a long sigh and reined in his horse, facing the oncoming cavalry with a bitter smile as he closed his eyes.
Dozens of riders raised their bows, about to shoot them down when suddenly a shout rang out: “Don’t shoot! Stop! Stop!”
Xuanzang helped Ashu to his feet and looked up to see a rider wearing a bronze mask leading several dozen cavalry galloping up from behind, shouting as they rode. Though his identity was unknown, as soon as he spoke, the other riders quickly lowered their bows and reined in their horses, ceasing all action.
Xuanzang looked back at the royal city and couldn’t help but smile bitterly – they were now barely over a li away.
More and more cavalry gathered around them, a dark mass numbering at least a thousand. No one spoke, they just silently watched. The bronze-masked rider came up from behind, the other cavalry respectfully making way. Behind him was none other than Long Tuqi Zhi!
Long Tuqi Zhi gazed at his daughter with a complex expression but said nothing. Everyone seemed to defer to the bronze-masked rider.
The masked rider urged his horse forward two steps and stared intently at Long Shuangzhi, his eyes blazing. Suddenly he removed his mask, revealing a handsome face, and murmured: “Shuangzhi, I’ve come for you!”
Long Shuangzhi looked dazed: “Nushu…”
Xuanzang instinctively glanced at Qu Zhisheng and couldn’t help but sigh softly, seeing the mixture of jealousy and hatred on his face as he tightly gripped Long Shuangzhi’s hand, seeming somewhat fearful.
Xuanzang knew that this tall, handsome young man before them was Ashina Nushu, the pride of the Western Turks – the great-grandson of Datou Khagan, lord of the Ten Surnames tribes, and Long Shuangzhi’s as-yet unofficial fiancé!
“It’s me,” Nushu dismounted, smiling gently. “Shuangzhi, forgive me for coming to your side so late. I’ve been with Tong Yabghu Khagan at the Great Clear Lake, over three thousand li from here. As soon as I heard you’d been bewitched by the King David vase and lost in Gaochang, I rode day and night, tying myself to the saddle. I exhausted over thirty horses to reach your side by sunrise. Shuangzhi, come with me!”
Nushu’s appearance was unexpected for Long Shuangzhi. It seemed he wasn’t part of her plans, and she didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
But Qu Zhisheng flew into a rage, pointing at Nushu and shouting: “Nushu, Shuangzhi is mine! Don’t think you can take her away!”
Nushu’s face turned cold as he looked at him mockingly: “So you’re Qu Zhisheng? Where’s your King David vase?”
“Here!” Qu Zhisheng staggered to the wrecked cart and dragged out the King David vase, setting it on the ground with a thud.
The soldiers of the three-nation alliance looked nervously at this legendary vase, causing a stir in the ranks. But Nushu just sneered: “So this is the allegedly all-powerful King David vase? Why don’t you have the genie inside come out and take my life!”
“I—” Qu Zhisheng stammered, growing angry from embarrassment. “Hmph, regardless, you can’t take Shuangzhi away! She loves me!”
“Nonsense!” Nushu exploded in anger, drawing his curved sword and pointing it at him. “Three years ago, the King of Yanqi already agreed to my proposal. Shuangzhi was still young, so I didn’t marry her then. You dare use sorcery to bewitch Shuangzhi and humiliate me? We’ll settle this account today!”
“Kill him!” Long Tuqi Zhi also roared. “Nushu, first behead this arrogant boy, then we’ll break through Gaochang’s walls and use Qu Wentai’s blood to wash away this shame!”
“Kill him! Kill him!” The soldiers of the three-nation alliance chanted together, their voices shaking the earth.
Qu Zhisheng showed no fear, tightly holding Long Shuangzhi’s hand as he coldly faced off against Nushu. Long Shuangzhi remained silent, watching quietly.
Xuanzang couldn’t help but feel angry: “Amitabha, Princess, is this the outcome you wanted to see?”
Long Shuangzhi said nothing.
Amidst the soldiers’ chants and shouts, Nushu let out a roar and charged forward with his sword, its cold light slashing furiously toward Qu Zhisheng. Qu Zhisheng calmly watched the approaching blade, suddenly feeling a bit desolate. He looked at Long Shuangzhi in his arms and murmured: “Shuangzhi, I won’t be able to spend this life with you after all!”
Long Shuangzhi’s expression changed as if she was struggling intensely. By now, the blade was right in front of them. Suddenly, Zhu Gui let out a great shout, drawing a short knife from his waist and lunging at Nushu with a roar. Nushu sneered, his blade flashing as he knocked away the knife and then placed his curved sword at Zhu Gui’s throat.
Nushu was about to speak when he glanced at his sword and paused in surprise – there was a nick in the blade where Zhu Gui’s knife had struck it. “Old eunuch, that’s quite a knife you have. It seems you’re a hero too. I won’t kill you!”
He then kicked Zhu Gui away.
“Eunuch!” Qu Zhisheng was about to run over when Nushu’s curved sword was at his throat. The blade was like snow against his neck, breaking the skin and drawing drops of blood.
Qu Zhisheng looked at the blade at his throat, then gazed tenderly at Long Shuangzhi, saying softly: “Kill me then. After I’m dead, Shuangzhi still won’t love you!”
“Bullshit!” Nushu raged, about to bring his sword down.
“Stop!” Xuanzang hurried over. He picked up the short knife and gave it back to Zhu Gui, helping him up. Then he spread his arms, blocking Nushu.
Nushu paused: “Are you Master Xuanzang from the Great Tang?”
“Amitabha, I am indeed,” Xuanzang replied.
Nushu thought for a moment and withdrew his sword: “The King of Yanqi mentioned you to me these past two days. Master, I’m a sworn brother of your Emperor Li Shimin. I hear you’re on good terms with him, which makes you my brother too. I can’t kill you.”
“Oh?” Xuanzang was somewhat surprised. “You know His Majesty the Emperor?”
“That’s right,” Nushu said nostalgically. “During the Wude era, I once visited Chang’an and became sworn brothers with Shimin. He was still Prince of Qin then.”
Xuanzang hadn’t expected this Western Turk noble to have such a connection with Li Shimin. He hurriedly bowed: “Amitabha, this humble monk pays his respects.”
“No, no,” Nushu sheathed his sword and returned the gesture. “I hear you’re just passing through Gaochang on your way to seek Buddhist scriptures in India. If so, these worldly affairs have nothing to do with you. Master, please step aside. Once I’ve dealt with Gaochang, I’ll personally escort you safely to India.”
Xuanzang smiled bitterly and said, “This matter…” He glanced at Long Shuangzhi, seeing her still maintain an indifferent expression as if everything happening before her eyes was completely unrelated to her. He couldn’t help but feel angry. “Amitabha Buddha, Princess. Two princes are dead in Gaochang, and a great army surrounds the city outside. The kingdom teeters on the brink of destruction. Your scheme has been realized so perfectly. Is it not time to end this?”
“What scheme?” Ni Shu asked in utter surprise.
“The scheme of King David’s Bottle,” Xuanzang replied. “I assume Your Highness Ashina is unaware that this intricate plot revolving around King David’s Bottle was orchestrated entirely by this Princess of Yanqi. When the Third Prince obtains the bottle and makes a wish for Princess Long Shuang to fall in love with him, this humble monk is unsure whether the bottle truly possesses magical powers. However, I do know that the Princess was not bewitched by it. Upon hearing this news, she pretended to be enchanted, luring the Third Prince to bring her to the Gaochang Palace where she remained, giving Yanqi a pretext to provoke a war between the three kingdoms and Gaochang, aiming to destroy Gaochang and dominate the Silk Road.”
Ni Shu was instantly stunned, staring blankly at Shuangzhi, momentarily speechless. Long Shuangzhi tilted her head back, gazing at the distant Flaming Mountains, deaf to Xuanzang’s accusations.
“Nonsense!” Qu Zhisheng suddenly roared, “Master, I respect you as a virtuous monk. Why are you fabricating lies to insult Shuangzhi?”
Xuanzang looked at him with pity, “Third Prince, Buddhism speaks of the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions. This ceases, therefore that ceases; this arises, therefore that arises. Princess Long Shuang falling in love with you naturally has its cause and its effect. How can one person fall in love with another simply by making a wish, without cause and effect, without arising and ceasing, loving each other for life?”
“But I have King David’s Bottle!” Qu Zhisheng’s eyes were bloodshot. “It was Akamana who changed Shuangzhi’s heart!”
“Master!” Long Tuqizhi sneered, “This is the most severe accusation against my Yanqi. Since you slander my daughter, please provide evidence!”
“Yes, Master,” Ni Shu also questioned, “The miracle of King David’s Bottle has spread throughout the Western Regions. It’s said that when Qu Zhisheng made his wish, smoke swirled in the bottle, and a devil truly appeared and conversed with him. Many people witnessed this.”
“It’s merely an illusion,” Xuanzang sighed. “Perhaps it’s a coincidence. In the ninth year of Wude, the eminent monk Prabhakaramitra from India came to the Great Tang and demonstrated an illusion used by an Indian sect to deceive believers while preaching at Daxingshan Temple. He placed a pinch of dust in the sunlight and chanted a mantra, and suddenly the dust transformed into thick smoke, rolling into various shapes as if countless ghosts were struggling within. At that time, Li Zhongqing of Taoism was debating with the Buddhists and immediately exposed this trick. According to him, that pinch of dust was a mixture of saltpeter, mercury, cinnabar, and a peculiar Indian spice that would emit intense smoke when slightly heated. The smoke took on strange shapes and lingered for a long time. This humble monk believes that this powder must be inside the lead seal of King David’s Bottle.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Qu Zhisheng shouted, “A devil was speaking to me in that smoke!”
“Third Prince,” Xuanzang looked at him sadly, “I know a famous monk named Faya. His greatest skill is ventriloquism. Ventriloquism was introduced to China from the Western Regions. In the Western Regions, there are many extraordinary people skilled in ventriloquism.”
“Very well!” Long Tuqizhi revealed a mocking expression, “According to the Master, someone manipulated King David’s Bottle to produce smoke, and someone else used ventriloquism to pretend to be the devil speaking. Then this person must have been present at the time?”
“Correct,” Xuanzang nodded.
“But when Qu Zhisheng made his first wish, my daughter was not in Gaochang,” Long Tuqizhi sneered.
“Indeed!” Xuanzang acknowledged, nodding, “Princess Long Shuang was not present at that time. The first appearance of the devil was manipulated by someone else in secret.”
“Who was that person?” Ni Shu asked.
Xuanzang shook his head regretfully, “Actually, at Zhe Shi Slope, the Princess had already confided her entire plan to this humble monk. The reason I didn’t tell the King of Gaochang and the Third Prince was that I never found the person hiding in the shadows, manipulating King David’s Bottle. I had always suspected she was in cahoots with the Second Prince, but unfortunately, the Second Prince committed suicide a few days ago. Now, I have another suspect in mind, but I still haven’t figured out this person’s ultimate goal, so I can’t speak of it now.”
“Haha,” Long Tuqizhi laughed loudly, “I never thought there could be such a pedantic monk in this world. Fine, then let me ask you this: when Qu Zhisheng made his second wish, and the devil killed all my Yanqi warriors and those hundreds of rebels, was that also my daughter’s doing? If so, I must ask, if my daughter had such divine powers, why would Yanqi still suffer humiliation from Gaochang?”
“Very well,” Xuanzang simply sat down cross-legged on the ground. “Since the Dragon King asks, let’s trace this to its roots. Let’s start with Princess Long Shuang’s objective. If she pretended to be bewitched and entered the palace intending to destroy the Kingdom of Gaochang, she must have had an accomplice. This accomplice must have held power within Gaochang or the royal palace and been dissatisfied with the current situation to collaborate with her and realize this scheme of King David’s Bottle.”
Xuanzang spoke eloquently, and everyone except Long Shuangzhi and Qu Zhisheng became engrossed, gathering around him. Ni Shu even took a saddle, placed it on the ground, laid his curved sword across his knees, and sat down opposite Xuanzang.
“Everyone knows that the Second Prince had long harbored rebellious intentions. To gain the throne, it’s not impossible that he would conspire with Princess Long Shuang. Therefore, I originally suspected him,” Xuanzang smiled bitterly. “Unfortunately, King David’s Bottle’s second wish led to the Second Prince’s defeat and suicide. Only then did I realize that Princess Long Shuang merely used the Second Prince and the Queen Consort. The real accomplice was not him.”
“Master, who is the accomplice?” A Shu asked.
Xuanzang ignored this and continued, “Let’s not worry about this person for now. Let’s talk about the Princess first. I know well that the Princess had secret communications with the Queen Consort because, in Jiaohe City, it was Princess Long Shuang who secretly instigated the Queen Consort to kidnap me. In other words, Princess Long Shuang had long known about the relationship between the Second Prince and the Queen Consort and knew they would certainly rebel. I even believe that the Second Prince’s rebellion had the Princess’s secret encouragement because this rebellion served Yanqi’s interests.”
“Absurd!” Long Tuqizhi laughed loudly, “Master, you just said that my daughter manipulated King David’s Bottle to wish for Qu Deyong’s defeat and suicide, and now you say Qu Deyong’s rebellion served Yanqi’s interests. This is self-contradictory.”
“It’s not contradictory,” Xuanzang said calmly. “Qu Deyong’s rebellion certainly served Yanqi’s interests because this rebellion could greatly weaken Gaochang’s power and severely strike at Qu Wentai. However, Princess Long Shuang did not want to see Qu Deyong’s rebellion succeed and him becoming the King of Gaochang. Dragon King, you must know that although Qu Wentai is a hero of his time, he is after all in his twilight years. Qu Deyong is brave and skilled in warfare, his reputation striking fear throughout the Western Regions. Do you want to see a successor to the Gaochang throne who is more ambitious, more valiant, and tougher than Qu Wentai?”
Long Tuqizhi was speechless.
“So, for Princess Long Shuang, what she needed to do was undoubtedly walk a tightrope. She had to both promote this coup and prevent its success. It would be best if both Qu Deyong and Qu Renshu died in the coup. Such a coup would best serve Yanqi’s interests,” Xuanzang said.
At these words, not only was Long Tuqizhi left speechless, but even Ni Shu nodded repeatedly. For the people of the Western Regions, the situations of various countries were well-known. Who had grudges against whom, what each country’s king dreamed of obtaining most – all was crystal clear. What Yanqi wanted, no one could hide.
“But, Master,” Ni Shu pondered, “What you just described is undoubtedly the Dragon King’s greatest dream in this life. But how easy is that? Even if what you say is true, how could Shuangzhi, entering the Gaochang Palace alone, control the degree of this coup so precisely? Frankly, Master, even if you gave me five thousand strong soldiers and let me be fully prepared, I might not be able to control a coup so perfectly.”
“Your Highness,” Xuanzang sighed, “This is precisely where Princess Long Shuang’s brilliance lies. What you rely on is military power, but what the Princess relies on is her wisdom. This is what it means to have flawless strategies.”
“Please enlighten us, Master,” Ni Shu said.
“If this humble monk were to control this coup, it would indeed be as difficult as you imagine, not knowing where to begin. But Princess Long Shuang found a way,” Xuanzang glanced at Long Shuangzhi beside him, seeing her still maintain an indifferent attitude. He couldn’t help but feel deeply emotional. “The method she found could kill all of the Second Prince’s soldiers at will, anytime, anywhere!”