Yao Ying stood outside the military tent, letting the wind blow against her for a while. The sand-filled wind violently whipped the military banners, creating a fluttering sound inside the tent. She called for her guard to look after Li Xuanzhen while she went to the main tent to find Tanmoluojia and Bisuo, informing them that the Khan of Wahan’s main force might be heading toward Sam Valley.
After hearing her report, both men’s expressions grew serious.
“The Crown Prince can be trusted,” Yao Ying said. “However, what the Crown Prince saw might have been a deception. The true situation needs to be confirmed by scouts.”
Tanmoluojia stared at the sand table in silence.
Not wanting to disturb his contemplation, Bisuo led Yao Ying to a corner, shook his head, and said quietly, “We previously considered where the Khan of Wahan might engage us in a decisive battle. We suspected it might be Sam Valley and had already sent scouts to gather intelligence. The scouts reported everything was normal, so I didn’t deploy additional forces. The Regent and I discussed that if the Khan of Wahan marched through the night, they could reach the foot of Ku Mountain and launch a surprise attack on the royal court from there. From that position, they could either attack or defend, and they wouldn’t need to worry about water supply—it would be more advantageous for them. That’s why we planned to position our front and rear armies before they reached Ku Mountain…”
“However, the Crown Prince mentioned that the Khan of Wahan has serious conflicts with the nobles, and there are constant disputes among the Northern Rong tribes. Therefore, the Khan’s marching speed won’t be that fast, and his main force might truly be hidden in Sam Valley.”
Bisuo wiped his forehead, still feeling the lingering fear: “Fortunately, we made preparations early… No matter where the Northern Rong’s main force is, we can adapt immediately.”
As the two spoke quietly, Tanmoluojia raised his head after a moment of contemplation, glanced at Bisuo, and his gaze lingered briefly on Yao Ying.
Yao Ying smiled at him and left the tent.
Bisuo hurried forward as Tanmoluojia continued staring in the direction of the felt curtain.
“Regent?” Bisuo called out.
Tanmoluojia withdrew his gaze, and the two discussed briefly before continuing to dispatch scouts and summoning commanders for a council. Advisers and commanders arrived successively, and soon the main tent was filled with intense discussions, the atmosphere tense.
Yao Ying rode to check on Yang Nianxiang and the others. Though their injuries were severe, their spirits remained high, eager to join Yang Qian on the battlefield to reclaim their homeland.
In the afternoon, she returned to her tent. Her guard informed her that Li Xuanzhen had been sleeping the entire day, and the military doctor had come to change his bandages.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is covered in wounds—his arms, legs, waist… all have cut down to the bone. The military doctor said the Crown Prince must rest properly these few days and shouldn’t be moved.”
The guard’s tone carried unmistakable admiration. Li Xuanzhen was tenacious, always leading from the front in battle, fair in rewards and punishments, and strict in military discipline, consistently earning the love and respect of the Wei army soldiers.
It was precisely because he seemed like a person of great righteousness… because when they first met, he appeared silent and stern but was an upright young man who would stand up for justice, that she had held such high hopes for him.
If she had treated him as just a character from a book from the beginning, she wouldn’t have tried again and again after each disappointment.
Because she had invested true feelings initially, her later disappointment was complete.
Yao Ying responded with a sound of acknowledgment and lifted the curtain to enter the tent, which was filled with the mixed smell of blood and medicine.
She glanced at the unconscious Li Xuanzhen and sat down at the writing desk to handle documents.
Soon after, Li Xuanzhen woke up and seemed to want to move. His arm hit the small table beside him, causing him to let out a groan of pain.
Yao Ying watched coldly and called for the guard to enter.
The guard asked, “What does the Crown Prince need?”
Li Xuanzhen struggled to sit up, looking at Yao Ying who was still sitting at the long table reviewing documents, his eyes dark as he said softly, “Water.”
The guard helped Li Xuanzhen drink some water and asked if he needed anything else. He shook his head, and the guard left.
Yao Ying bent over her writing, while Li Xuanzhen silently gazed at her. She despised him to such an extent that she wouldn’t even pour a bowl of water for him despite his severe injuries.
A series of heavy footsteps sounded outside the tent, and the guard entered to announce: “Princess, the messenger says General Ashina and the others will be here shortly.”
Li Xuanzhen struggled to sit up and said, “They want to discuss the alliance with me.”
Yao Ying put down her brush and said, “When the General arrives, please show them in.”
“Wait,” Li Xuanzhen called to the guard, raising his eyes to look at Yao Ying. He took several breaths and said haltingly, “I am the Crown Prince of Wei, representing Wei in allying with the royal court. I cannot lie down while speaking with them.”
The guard looked troubled.
Li Xuanzhen raised his hand to wipe his temples and quoted Yao Ying’s own words: “Relations between two nations are no small matter. Even when I was alone and captured in enemy territory, Wei could not lose its dignity, and it’s the same when allying.”
Yao Ying said to the guard: “Help the Crown Prince up and find an outer robe for him to wear.”
The guard supported Li Xuanzhen as he painfully sat up and moved to the edge of the long table. He tied back his hair, put on the outer robe, and sat formally with a composed demeanor. If not for his extremely pale and haggard face, sunken cheeks, and the pungent smell of medicine about him, he would have looked like a collected and strategically-minded envoy.
He looked up at Yao Ying: “Will you stay?”
Yao Ying turned and left.
Li Xuanzhen watched her leave, his lips trembling with a bitter smile.
…
Tanmoluojia and Bisuo entered the tent one after the other.
Bisuo first quickly scanned the tent, noticing a man’s leather belt hanging on the rack and a pair of tall boots placed near the charcoal basin to dry. His heart skipped a beat as he silently sighed.
The belt and boots belonged to Tanmoluojia.
Though he spent every night sleeping in the same tent as Princess Wenzhao for good reason, in the past he would rather have worn heavy armor and patrolled the military camp all night than agree to share a tent with Princess Wenzhao…
Li Xuanzhen couldn’t suppress his pain and coughed, covering it up.
Bisuo came back to his senses and carefully examined Li Xuanzhen. Though wearing brocade robes and looking pale and somewhat fatigued, his eyes were sharp with a contained inner light, emanating a kind of unyielding spirit—no ordinary person.
Li Xuanzhen was also observing Bisuo and Tanmoluojia.
Bisuo wore silver armor and was imposingly handsome, while beside him Tanmoluojia wore common soldier’s clothing and had removed his face covering to reveal a scarred face. Since entering the tent, Bisuo hadn’t looked at Tanmoluojia once, appearing to be in charge.
But Li Xuanzhen knew Tanmoluojia was the one making the decisions.
Bisuo had already learned from Yao Ying that Li Xuanzhen was only her half-brother. After exchanging greetings, he got straight to the point: “Pardon my rudeness, but with the Crown Prince’s severe injuries, how can you return to Liangzhou in time to command the Liangzhou army in battle?”
Li Xuanzhen looked at Tanmoluojia and replied calmly, “I have already sent someone to deliver orders to Liangzhou. The Liangzhou army is under the control of my trusted subordinate who has campaigned with me in the south and north. He is loyal and reliable, capable of issuing orders on my behalf. Once my injuries improve, I can immediately set out for Guazhou to join my subordinates.”
Bisuo nodded: “The royal court can tie down the main Northern Rong forces. We hope the Crown Prince will keep his word and intercept all reinforcements from the east.”
Li Xuanzhen said: “I will certainly do my utmost.”
Bisuo spread out a map. Tanmoluojia lightly pointed at several routes marked on it and said, “The Northern Rong tribal cavalry excels at surprise attacks, while the Central Plains Wei army excels at defensive formations. The Crown Prince should not divide his forces. If the Northern Rong tribes come to aid the Khan of Wahan, they will likely take three routes.”
“The Keji tribe will go west, the Wanglie tribe will head south through Guazhou, and the Waman tribe will cross the mountains to deploy forces from Yizhou… The Crown Prince’s Liangzhou army only needs to hold Guazhou and Shazhou and send troops to ambush along the main road to Yizhou. You can wait at ease to intercept the reinforcements.”
Li Xuanzhen’s gaze followed his finger, and his expression moved. The Central Plains had been in turmoil for years, and the court knew little about the Northern Rong. Yet the royal court’s Regent, thousands of miles away, understood so clearly the distribution of tribes in the eastern territories of the Northern Rong and could accurately describe their military routes, even having planned how to intercept their reinforcements!
Having spent time in the Northern Rong camp, from the old Khan down to the soldiers, they all believed the royal court was powerless to fight back. Little did they know that the royal court was fully prepared, and their goal wasn’t just to win one battle—they wanted to thoroughly weaken the Northern Rong so they could never again threaten the royal court.
The royal court’s Buddha’s Son was indeed extraordinary, using Buddhist teachings to educate the masses while using the Regent’s authority to intimidate the powerful.
Yao Ying was right—the war between the royal court and Northern Rong was truly a heaven-sent opportunity for Great Wei to reclaim the Western Regions.
The Western Regions had been in chaos for decades, with constant tribal conflicts, countless lives lost, and people treated like ants, bones bleaching in the wilderness. During his days deep in the Western Regions, he had witnessed too many separations by death. Only a unified dynasty could end the warfare in the Western Regions and let the common people live in peace.
Li Xuanzhen nodded and said, “I will hold Guazhou and prevent the eastern tribes of the Northern Rong from reinforcing the Khan of Wahan.”
Time being of the essence, they quickly settled the basic alliance matters, and Bisuo rolled up the map.
Li Xuanzhen suddenly said, “When my sister Princess Wenzhao was in danger, your country’s Buddha’s Son rescued her from Haidu Aling and took great care of her. As her brother, I am deeply grateful to the Buddha’s Son. Li Zhongqian and I came to the royal court to take her back to Wei. Earlier, I heard some rumors in the Northern Rong camp and misunderstood that your country wouldn’t let her leave. When I reunited with my sister, I spoke some offensive words in the heat of the moment. I hope the Regent will forgive me.”
Bisuo looked toward Tanmoluojia.
Tanmoluojia raised his eyes, waiting for Li Xuanzhen to continue.
Li Xuanzhen went on, “I should have gone to the Holy City personally to thank the Buddha’s Son for saving her life. Given the current situation, I must hurry to Shazhou. Please, Regent, convey my gratitude to him. She is young—to escape, she defamed the Buddha’s Son’s reputation. I apologize to the Buddha’s Son on her behalf, and Wei will certainly compensate him.”
Bisuo interjected, “The Crown Prince need not be so formal. Princess Wenzhao is the royal court’s most honored guest.”
Li Xuanzhen smiled slightly. “A guest is still a guest, and propriety cannot be neglected.”
The tent suddenly fell silent.
Li Xuanzhen paused for a moment, his phoenix eyes lifting slightly. “I heard my sister and the Buddha’s Son had a one-year agreement. Now that the year is almost up, could my sister leave the royal court early?”
Bisuo froze, secretly watching Tanmoluojia’s reaction.
Tanmoluojia looked at Li Xuanzhen, his face expressionless. “When Princess Wenzhao leaves has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
Li Xuanzhen said, “I am her brother.”
Tanmoluojia stood up. “The one allying with the royal court is not Wei’s Princess Wenzhao, but the Western Army Commander Li Yaoying. She once told me she had only one brother, Li Zhongqian. If the Crown Prince sincerely wishes to ally with the royal court, he should not interfere in matters between the royal court and the Western Army Commander in the future.”
Li Xuanzhen’s heart sank.
Sudan Gu’s words directly deflected all his probing.
In terms of identity, Yao Ying was the Western Army Commander, another ally of the royal court, not Wei’s Princess Wenzhao. He could no longer demand her release from the royal court in his capacity as a Wei envoy. Emotionally, Sudan Gu clearly understood the entanglement between him, Li Zhongqian and Yao Ying—his status as a brother had no use here.
He had a strong feeling that the relationship between Yao Ying and Sudan Gu was extraordinary.
In these years, he hadn’t seen her be so close to any man except Li Zhongqian.
Although Sudan Gu was ugly in appearance and a foreigner, he held the noble position of royal court Regent, had a steady and dignified bearing, and had exceptional martial arts skills. Judging by his manner and conduct, he had an undeniable air about him, likely someone accustomed to giving orders since childhood…
Though Li Xuanzhen’s heart was churning, his face remained impassive as he said, “I worried too much. I often hear the local people praise your country’s Buddha’s Son, saying he is compassionate and sympathetic to all. If Yao Ying leaves early, surely the Buddha’s Son won’t stop her.”
Tanmoluojia turned and left the tent.
Bisuo followed, secretly watching him with a tense expression.
Tanmoluojia gave him a bland glance.
Bisuo stiffened, smiling awkwardly as he said, “Princess Wenzhao’s brother has come—she must be very happy.”
Tanmoluojia gazed at a distant figure in silence.
Following his line of sight, Bisuo saw Yao Ying standing on a hillside in the distance, talking to her guard with her back to them. To conceal her delicate figure, she had stuffed her narrow-sleeved robe with cotton, making her look not fat but rather soft, her silhouette endearing.
Tanmoluojia watched for a while but didn’t approach, instead returning directly to the main tent.
“Both armies will break camp immediately. The rear army will stay behind to escort supplies as backup.”
Bisuo let out a breath, agreed, and hurried to follow.
…
While Li Xuanzhen was talking with Bisuo, Yao Ying went to the falconer to see if there was any reply from Gaochang.
She wanted to confirm if Li Zhongqian had safely reached Gaochang.
The falconer said, “Princess, even the fastest messenger falcon couldn’t make a round trip in such a short time—it would take at least three days.”
Yao Ying could only instruct the falconer to report any news immediately.
Her guard came to relay a message: “Princess, General Ashina, and the others just left.”
Yao Ying returned to the tent, lifted the felt curtain, and saw Li Xuanzhen lying on the felt rug, his face deathly pale, breathing heavily.
He had held on for half a day but finally couldn’t sustain it anymore.
Yao Ying frowned, gesturing for the guard to help Li Xuanzhen lie down properly, then sat at the writing desk to continue reviewing documents.
Just as she finished reading one volume, a clear, resonant horn sounded outside the tent, followed by officers issuing commands. The sound spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, quickly spreading throughout the entire camp. Countless people repeated the orders, yet the sound remained clear and uniform as if only one person was calling out.
A messenger came to report to Yao Ying: “The Wujili tribe is breaking camp. Prince Bayan need not be alarmed.”
Yao Ying lifted the curtain to look outside. The Wujili tribe’s camp was breaking up in an orderly fashion, with tribal banners moving down the mountain.
The sound of hoofbeats approached, and a black horse rode against the outgoing troops toward her tent. When it drew near, the young man on horseback leaped down and strode toward her, his features deep-set, the scar on his cheek not diminishing his handsome appearance.
“Princess, I must break camp now.”
Mobiduo unsheathed a short dagger from his waist and held it out horizontally to Yao Ying.
“Princess is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, like a goddess in a painting. In my homeland, a goddess’s blessing can protect the tribe’s warriors. This time on the battlefield, I will face the Northern Rong’s elite cavalry head-on. Before departing, could the Princess give me a blessing?”
Yao Ying smiled, took the short dagger, and placed it against Mobiduo’s forehead. “The young prince is a hero among the young, brave beyond all others. In this campaign, you will surely crush the enemy forces and return safely.”
Mobiduo grinned and reached out his hand.
Yao Ying lowered her head to return the dagger to him.
In the next moment, Mobiduo’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, embracing her tightly.
Yao Ying froze.
…
Not far away, watching Mobiduo embrace Yao Ying, Bisuo, who was waiting on horseback, let out a soft exclamation and suddenly turned his head.
Tanmoluojia, like him, was staring in the direction of the tent, saying nothing.