The scorching summer sun blazed outside, its fierce rays beating down on the yellow sands.

Li Zhongqian wore a brown narrow-sleeved brocade robe with a double-sparrow pattern and sash. His disheveled long hair was tied up, wrapped in a headcloth as he sat in the cool cave dwelling reviewing military reports.

The desert city endured harsh winters and brutal summers with raging winds. Residents built underground cave dwellings when constructing their homes, which stayed warm in winter and cool in summer while protecting from the windblown sand.

He had been reading from morning until afternoon, his brows furrowed in concentration, consuming only a few pieces of dry nang bread during that time.

A servant brought him a plate of translucent iced yogurt molded into the shape of snow-capped mountains, saying eagerly, “Young Master, this is an excellent summer refreshment, sweet and tangy. It’s called ‘Drunken Princess’ – please try some.”

Upon hearing the words “Drunken Princess,” Li Zhongqian’s eyelid twitched. He glanced at the snow-white, rose-tinted, and emerald-hued mountain shapes on the plate, set down the military report and lightly tapped his fingers on the desk.

“What’s the story behind it?”

The servant set down the tray and explained with a smile, “I heard it originated from the royal palace. They say that during the hot season, the Buddha Son had no appetite and fell ill after giving dharma talks for half a month straight. When Princess Wenzhao saw this, she was deeply worried and searched the markets for fruits, trying everything until she created this soft, sweet, and refreshing iced yogurt. After the Buddha Son ate it, his appetite improved considerably. Since then, whenever the noble families of the Holy City hold banquets, they always serve a large plate of iced yogurt. Because its white and rosy appearance resembles a tipsy beauty, they named it ‘Drunken Princess.'”

Li Zhongqian’s expression darkened.

Had the palace people seen Li Yaoying drunk?

The servant then brought out a colorful, fragrant plate of pilaf, each grain of rice glistening with golden oil. “This is Princess Wenzhao’s adaptation of the Indian monks’ vegetarian pilaf. It’s rich with meat juices, spicy and flavorful, with raisins that only grow in Old Qi’s estate. It’s refreshing and tender to eat in hot weather. Please help yourself, Young Master.”

Li Zhongqian’s mouth twitched.

He had heard many such stories along his journey – about women’s elaborate makeup styles, exquisite silk fabrics, wines that men eagerly sought after, religious texts and papers that monks, artists, and scholars couldn’t stop praising, a new style of light and warm cotton robe that quickly became popular among common people, ingenious agricultural irrigation tools… Behind each was a story of “the Han Princess Wenzhao going to great lengths to please and seduce the Buddha Son.”

Many were far-fetched tales and gimmicks invented by foreign merchants, but the common people spoke of them with such conviction, as if they had witnessed everything firsthand. Having heard so many, even Li Zhongqian sometimes couldn’t help wondering if they were true.

He had asked Yaoying about it, but she always shared only the good news and kept the bad to herself, telling him only trivial matters. All the guards followed her orders and wouldn’t tell him the whole truth either.

Li Zhongqian looked at the servant, who was one of the merchant group’s men working with Old Qi and others, traveling between the royal court and Gaochang to run errands and do manual labor.

He took out several silver coins and casually patted the long sword beside his desk, his arm muscles tensing as his gaze grew cold.

“I have some questions for you. Answer truthfully, hide nothing.”

The servant quickly replied, “This lowly one would never dare deceive Young Master.”

Li Zhongqian’s phoenix eyes slanted upward, his gaze sharper than the fierce sun outside. “How do the people of the royal court view the princess?”

The servant broke out in a cold sweat.

…

Half an hour later, the servant left with the untouched iced yogurt, drenched in sweat.

Li Zhongqian closed his eyes before the stack of military reports.

In the royal court, while the Buddha Son was revered by all, the people here saw Yaoying as nothing but a complete joke.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs as Yaoying came down to the cave-dwelling to organize letters. Seeing the barely touched dry bread by the desk, she said, “Brother, please eat something before continuing to read.”

Li Zhongqian concealed his gloomy expression and waved his hand, indicating all was well.

Last night, Yaoying had explained to him in detail about the formation of the Western Army and the entanglements between various noble families. This morning, he began reading the military reports sent to her from different sources. After reading most of them, he finally understood what that large circle she had drawn in the sand yesterday represented.

Gaochang was just a small stronghold. The noble families of Shazhou and Guazhou had also begun uprising during the Northern Rong’s chaos. Li Xuanzhen’s Liangzhou army coordinated with the Western Army while the royal court pursued the Northern Rong Khan. This massive web stretched thousands of miles from east to west and south to north, encompassing countless large and small oases.

If the military campaign went smoothly, they could join forces with the royal court to attack the Northern Rong from both sides and eliminate this powerful enemy.

When that happened, the Hexi Corridor region could return to their homeland, displaced refugees could fulfill their wish to return east, and the Western Regions, which had lost contact with the Central Plains dynasty for decades, would end their years of warfare and fragmented chaos to reunify in peace and stability.

The Central Plains Wei Dynasty would regain vast pastures and a stable source of excellent warhorses, solving their northern security concerns. What could then stop them from unifying all under heaven?

In a few more years, with the Central Plains stable and prosperous and several routes through the Western Regions open, the ancient desert trade routes would regain their glory, with inns standing in close rows and camel bells echoing melodiously as merchant caravans traveled shoulder to shoulder.

All people, whether Hu or Han, could live peacefully away from the flames of war.

Li Zhongqian sat in the cool cave-dwelling, gripping the military reports, unable to calm himself for a long while.

He could see the long-term implications behind Yaoying, Li Xuanzhen, and the royal court Buddha Son’s alliance, understanding what massive changes this alliance would bring.

Because of this, he hoped Yaoying could withdraw early.

The Northern Rong tribes would surely counterattack later. The complex scheming between Western Region noble families, the royal court people’s hatred of Han people, and Wei having the ruthless Li De… all were troublesome matters.

The Xie family served the country and people, but by Uncle Xie Wuliang’s generation, they were almost completely wiped out.

People praised Xie Wuliang and sighed whenever mentioned the Xie family, but faced with Li De and Li Xuanzhen’s fury, no one cared about the survival of the mother and children.

Such was the way of the world.

Li Zhongqian had long understood life’s cold realities. Li Yaoying was his only sister – he didn’t want her bearing these heavy responsibilities, walking Xie Wuliang’s path again.

But Yaoying had made up her mind, and he couldn’t dissuade her.

He could only proceed gradually.

Li Zhongqian set down the military reports and looked up at Yaoying writing letters nearby.

“Before going to the Holy City, I want to write a letter to the Buddha Son.”

Yaoying looked up: “I’m writing to the Buddha Son right now…”

Li Zhongqian shook his head, walked to her side, and took the paper from under her brush, crumpling it into a ball. “This letter should be written by me to show sincerity. Can the Buddha Son read Han script?”

Yaoying made a sound of acknowledgment, “His Han script is very good.”

Li Zhongqian took up the brush and laid out the paper, saying, “I’ve heard many stories about you two.”

Yaoying hurriedly said, “Brother, those stories are just rumors. It’s because of me that the Buddha Son’s reputation has been tarnished.”

“I understand. I’ll apologize to the Buddha Son on your behalf.” Li Zhongqian wrote a few characters. “Has the one-year term arrived?”

Yaoying thought for a moment, then nodded.

She had tried discussing this with Tanmoluojia, but he had appeared completely unconcerned. She thought he probably didn’t care about such trivial matters, which was why he had never pressed her about it.

Li Zhongqian asked, “What are your plans?”

Yaoying’s expression grew serious. After a long silence, she said softly, “I don’t want to cause any more trouble for the Buddha Son.”

Li Zhongqian nodded: “Don’t worry about it. Leave this matter to your brother.”

He finished writing the letter and called for the guard knight Bayi.

“Please deliver this to the Buddha Son.”

Bayi immediately returned to the Holy City with the letter.

Shortly after he left, several eagle cries reached the cave-dwelling – the black eagle General Jin had returned with military intelligence reports.

Yaoying couldn’t wait. Lifting her skirts, she ran out of the cave-dwelling, took the bronze tube handed over by the guard, and read the message. She let out a long breath.

“Brother, yesterday you asked where A’qing went…”

She handed the letter to Li Zhongqian, who had followed her out.

“She’s helping me guard White City.”

Li Zhongqian unrolled the leather scroll, which bore a line of bold, flowing characters: Qing has repelled the enemy forces, fortunately not failing the mission.

…

Several days earlier.

A thousand li away, at White City.

Clouds surged and the sun blazed fiercely.

In the desert, a series of cliffs weathered by years of wind and sand stood under the burning sun, arranged like scales, crouching like dragons and tigers.

Large swathes of intense light poured down between the cloud layers. As light and shadow intermingled, the dark shadows cast by the strangely shaped hills seemed to float and shift like living things.

Wild winds howled past, filling the air with eerie whistles.

Among the drifting, fierce shadows, a massive force of several thousand cavalry and ten thousand infantry thundered along the winding road beneath the hills, like a surging black flood.

Each soldier carried two bows, wore curved sabers and lassos, and carried water skins. Their bearing was fierce, steady, murderous, and brave.

This was an elite force forged in blood. Every soldier was valiant, led by a commander with light yellow hawk eyes that flashed with golden light when he surveyed his surroundings – none other than the Northern Rong prince Haidu Aling, who had recently escaped from the royal court.

With the Northern Rong scattered, Haidu Aling couldn’t find supplies and provisions. He had burned and plundered his way forward, sustaining his army through warfare, gathering remnant troops from various tribes until he assembled a force of twenty thousand men, heading toward Gaochang.

He had previously sent spies to gather intelligence in Gaochang. Everything there appeared normal, with Lady Yina still the consort of the ruler. He had promised the Yuchi ruler help in killing Lady Yina, and the Yuchi ruler immediately sent him a batch of warhorses and weapons.

Haidu Aling smiled coldly. He would kill Lady Yina, and he would take Gaochang too.

A wolf won’t spare a fat sheep, even if the sheep is loyal and obedient.

He had first cautiously eliminated several tribes, encountering no significant resistance along the way. During this time, the fleeing Khan Wahan had issued orders to all tribes, demanding they bring their forces east to help him escape the royal court’s pursuing army so he could lead his remaining forces back to the grasslands. He had also promoted Haidu Aling to commander-in-chief.

Haidu Aling weighed his options. Although the remnant forces he had gathered totaled twenty thousand men, distant water couldn’t quench his present thirst. Leading these men on a long journey to rescue Khan Wahan might leave them isolated and helpless. Better to take Gaochang first, then gather nearby tribes to form an allied army, attack the royal court, and reduce pressure on Khan Wahan.

But before that, they had to capture White City.

They had recently appeared at another oasis, besieging its city with a great show of force, making people think he meant to take that city. But it was misdirection – his real target was White City.

Ahead, dust filled the air as several scouts galloped back. “Commander, White City’s defenses are lax. They have no crossbow carts, and their arrows might only last seven or eight volleys!”

Haidu Aling reined in his horse and ordered all soldiers to stop and rest, drink deeply, and prepare their wooden shields that could be joined together.

The weather was stifling hot. They were about to engage in a major battle and needed to replenish their water.

Once the soldiers had drunk their fill, Haidu Aling drew his sword: “No one can stop our advance!”

The soldiers’ spirits soared as they responded with roars that shook the heavens.

The army continued forward. Soon, a fortress city surrounded by earthen walls several zhang high appeared before them at the foot of the mountains.

Under the vast blue sky without a cloud in sight, with mountains rising and falling majestically, Haidu Aling rode up a hillside. He waved his arm, and thunderous war drums began to sound, their noise overwhelming like collapsing mountains and surging seas.

When the black flood rolled over the hillside, White City’s garrison troops panicked. The outer city’s guards who couldn’t retreat in time quickly fell in batches.

Blood stained the curved sabers in the soldiers’ hands.

White City’s archers rushed to the tower walls, hurriedly nocking arrows.

Before the Northern Rong soldiers could get close, the first rain of arrows fell.

Haidu Aling smiled coldly. They weren’t even within the garrison’s shooting range, yet they had already started losing arrows. The garrison was truly unprepared – their front line was in complete disarray, and the entire force’s morale had crumbled.

The army continued advancing. Inside White City, urgent and shrill horn blasts and war drums also sounded. Several men who appeared to be war generals climbed the tower walls, waving flags. The archers gradually calmed down, waiting until the general’s flag dropped before losing arrows together.

Ten thousand arrows flew at once.

The Northern Rong soldiers calmly raised their wooden shields, advancing with steady steps. Gradually some were struck by arrows that found their way through gaps between shields, but more men were already approaching White City.

Haidu Aling waited patiently for a while. The soldiers’ shields became densely packed with arrows, and the sound of arrows being loosed changed from rain-like density to sporadic fire. The archers on the city wall shouted anxiously.

“They’re almost out of arrows.”

“Charge!”

War drums thundered as Northern Rong soldiers charged forward with battle cries, like a sharp knife cutting through the air, driving straight toward White City, intent on tearing the fortress to pieces.

Dust filled the sky, the earth trembled, and White City shuddered under the Northern Rong soldiers’ unstoppable assault.

Suddenly, a series of massive explosions shook the earth like collapsing mountains. The rapidly charging cavalry fell one after another into huge pits, sending stones and soil flying, blocking out the sky.

In this sudden catastrophe, half the mountainside completely collapsed. The thunderous noise shook the clouds as countless Northern Rong soldiers, before they could even react, were swept away with their horses into an avalanche of rocks.

The Northern Rong soldiers in the rear howled like ghosts and wolves. The soldiers attacking the city didn’t know what had happened and looked back in confusion.

The battlefield seemed to freeze for an instant.

Haidu Aling’s blood surged, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets as he spurred his horse forward, watching helplessly as his rear forces were swallowed by falling boulders.

How could the mountain suddenly collapse?

The explosions continued, the earth shook, and frightened warhorses neighed in unison, rearing up and fleeing, violently throwing their riders.

Simultaneously, with strange whistling sounds, huge fireballs fell from the sky into the Northern Rong battle formation.

Screams arose as the formation instantly collapsed.

“Heaven’s Thunder! Heaven’s Thunder!”

The soldiers screamed in terror.

Haidu Aling’s hair stood on end as he clenched his fists. A gust of wind blew past, and he broke out in a cold sweat, suddenly snapping out of his shock.

With morale lost, they couldn’t take White City today.

“Full retreat! Gather the scattered troops!”

Guards blew their horns as Northern Rong soldiers screamed and retreated, all covering their heads and fleeing in terror as they passed the collapsed rubble.

Subordinates threw away their armor and weapons, fleeing back to Haidu Aling’s side, urging him to leave quickly.

Haidu Aling ground his teeth, his pupils dilating as he stared coldly at White City’s walls.

He had heard of the weapons White City’s garrison had just used.

When Princess Wenzhao Li Yaoying initially escaped from the Yelu tribe, “Heaven’s Thunder descended,” bringing divine punishment, allowing her to escape in the chaos.

He never believed in divine punishment. Li Yaoying must have used some weapon that only Han people knew how to make, something the steppe tribes had never seen and mistook for heaven’s punishment.

Rocks continued to explode and thunder, wild winds howled, and sand and stones flew through the air.

In the distance on White City’s walls, several military banners stood between the flying sand, scattered stones, and vast sky, fluttering fiercely in the wind.

Haidu Aling narrowed his eyes, looking at those unfamiliar military banners.

What small tribe dared to block his path?

On the city wall, a tall general drew a bow and arrow, pulled it to full draw, and loosed.

A sharp whistle suddenly rang out, and then a military banner in the Northern Rong formation was struck by the arrow and fell.

The Northern Rong soldiers cried out in alarm.

The general drew again, losing another arrow with impressive force. It flew through the air and struck straight into the pole of another Northern Rong banner, resonating with a clear ring.

Trembling soldiers removed the message tied to the arrow and brought it to Haidu Aling.

Haidu Aling opened the message, his eyes blazing with anger.

Gaochang had already submitted to Great Wei, and all the states of the Western Regions had been restored. Not an inch of mountain or river territory would be surrendered.

From today onward, he faced not the resistance of individual small tribes, but the entire Western Army – the Central Plains Wei Dynasty.

Haidu Aling stared at the signature at the end, rage surging as his blood boiled, his knuckles cramping from how tightly he gripped it.

The Western Army had stopped him.

During this time, the Western Army had already retaken Gaochang! The Yuchi ruler had indulged Lady Yina, sending him horses and weapons, and he hadn’t encountered any resistance along the way because Li Yaoying had been deceiving him!

Fine!

Well played, Li Yaoying!

A subordinate, covered in blood, rushed to Haidu Aling’s side, shouting, “Commander, where do we retreat to?”

Haidu Aling’s face twitched several times, his expression fierce.

The Western Region states had always been shrewd, pledging allegiance to whoever was most powerful. The local noble families had long been dissatisfied with the heavy taxes and levies. What the message said, if not entirely true, wasn’t far from it. The royal court and the Han princess had united to block him at White City, and Khan Wahan’s eastern escape route to the grasslands must also have been cut off. The old Khan was now like a fish in a barrel, falling step by step into the final trap between the royal court and the Western Army’s pincer attack.

When the Western Army and royal court forces closed their net together, the old Khan would surely die.

Half his men were dead or wounded, completely unable to turn the tide, and the Northern Rong nobles who despised him wouldn’t follow his orders.

Haidu Aling pulled his reins, decisively turning his horse around.

“Rest and restore the troops, conserve strength, and wait for the right moment.”

“The Khan is fleeing outside, the nobles govern themselves, and the enemy is well-prepared with who knows how many more traps hidden. We are the Khan’s only support – we can’t act rashly. Once we gather more forces, we’ll immediately head east to help the Khan!”

The recently scattered morale rose again as the disordered troops crowded around Haidu Aling, quickly withdrawing from the battlefield.

On White City’s walls, the generals watched Haidu Aling retreat and collectively sighed in relief. They ordered soldiers to clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded, then looked at each other, unable to suppress their excitement as they burst into laughter.

Only the young general who had drawn the bow earlier maintained a stern expression without a trace of mirth.

Yang Nianxiang removed his helmet and looked at the stern-faced general beside him: “Xie Qing, those two arrows of yours were incredibly powerful. How long have you been practicing?”

Xie Qing replied expressionlessly: “Twelve years.”

Yang Nianxiang clicked his tongue in admiration, but soldiers rushed up to report military intelligence, and everyone became too busy for an idle chat as they hurried to their duties.

When the royal court army and Northern Rong main force were facing off at Samu Valley, Yang Nianxiang and others rushed back to Gaochang with Li Yaoying’s secret message, joined forces with Yang Qian, and helped the Yuchi ruler sideline Lady Yina, dealing with the Northern Rong troops stationed in Gaochang city.

The Gaochang ruler immediately wrote to Wei, requesting that Wei officially recognize Li Yaoying and the Western Army, providing military support to the Western Army.

Meanwhile, Yang Nianxiang and Xie Qing hurried to White City, gathering troops, setting up equipment, and preparing for battle.

Li Yaoying had analyzed with them that Haidu Aling would surely gather strength before first attacking the tribes near Gaochang and then occupying Gaochang itself. They had waited at White City for a long time, burying weapons secretly transported by merchant caravans throughout the mountainside, constantly releasing false intelligence to lure Northern Rong scouts, just waiting for Haidu Aling to take the bait.

Today was only the first engagement. They had temporarily frightened off Haidu Aling and weakened his forces, but they couldn’t be careless yet. Their mission was to hold the western defensive line, preventing Haidu Aling from advancing east.

During this time, the Western Army would unite with various regions to launch uprisings, gradually restoring the Western Region states.

Xie Qing carried a longbow and led a unit of guards to patrol outside the city.

The princess had repeatedly reminded her never to be careless on the battlefield, to guard against pride and impatience.

Her current strength wasn’t enough to kill Haidu Aling in front of the armies – she couldn’t be impatient. She could hold White City for the princess, preventing Haidu Aling from taking another step east.

Xie Qing put away her longbow.

She had practiced archery for twelve years – about the same time she had known the princess.

The long wind whipped fiercely.

Xie Qing, fully armored with a sword at her side, sat astride her horse, looking down at the devastated battlefield below her hooves.

A warrior dies for one who truly knows them.

The princess was the Western Army’s leader, so she would become the most valiant general under the princess’s command.

…

Sand City.

Yaoying finished reading the detailed military report, confirming that Xie Qing and the others had repelled Haidu Aling, and explained their previous arrangements and plans one by one.

Being at the royal court, she hadn’t brought troops with her. The Western Army’s main force was now bravely fighting on the battlefield, recovering lost territory. She and the merchant caravans managed supplies and weapons from the rear, guiding their routes so they could avoid Northern Rong’s scattered forces and reduce casualties.

During her time with the royal court army, she had dealt with rear logistics and organized intelligence daily and now was quite proficient at these tasks.

Li Zhongqian looked at Yaoying, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

All his ambitions and aspirations had vanished after Xie Wuliang’s death. Now he would rather let down the whole world than let the world let him down.

Yaoying was different from him.

Previously in the Central Plains, due to Li De and Li Xuanzhen’s suppression, she hadn’t dared to touch these matters.

In these three years, while he wasn’t by her side, she had experienced many hardships. Before him, she was still his sweet younger sister, but in others’ eyes, she was no longer who she used to be.

Li Zhongqian’s expression darkened.

Yaoying knew his mental wound and shook his arm, acting spoiled: “Brother, you’re the bravest of all armies, and the guards and household troops all admire you. I’ll have them seek more guidance from you in the future. Can you teach them battle formations?”

He still wanted to take her back, so she needed to let him gradually take over these matters first.

Li Zhongqian put aside his thoughts and nodded: “They’ve been by your side these past few years – they’re all loyal and brave warriors and good prospects. They can ask whatever they want to know.”

Yaoying smiled and made a sound of agreement.

After talking for a while, Li Zhongqian supervised Yaoying returning to her room to take medicine.

That evening, the siblings packed their belongings, preparing to set out for the Holy City the next day.

The next morning, Yaoying and Li Zhongqian rode out from the post station, and the refugees waiting outside immediately surrounded them.

“Warrior! Take us in!”

“Leader, you can’t abandon us!”

Li Zhongqian adjusted his reins and coldly looked at the refugees rushing forward, his phoenix eyes full of killing intent: “Get lost.”

The refugees frightfully retreated.

Yaoying rode alongside Li Zhongqian, looking back at the refugees.

“Ignore them,” Li Zhongqian said. “What do their lives and deaths have to do with me?”

Yaoying thought for a moment. “Brother, we need people right now. Why don’t we check these people’s backgrounds? If they were originally herders and haven’t done anything evil, we might as well take them in temporarily. These tribal people have grown up on horseback since childhood and are skilled with bow and horse.”

Li Zhongqian frowned but ultimately couldn’t refuse Yaoying. “Very well, we’ll do as you say.”

…

While the siblings were still on the road, Bayi had already galloped back to the Holy City.

Soon, Li Zhongqian’s letter was delivered to the royal temple.

Tanmoluojia had just finished giving a lecture.

After the great battle, he had held the usual half-month of religious ceremonies at the temple. The swelling in his legs had been recurring, and he had to soak in hot springs every night to relieve the pain. The leopard had been confined, and extra guards had been posted along the corridors.

This time, no one would break in through the secret passage.

The letter was delivered directly to his meditation room. Wearing a bare-shoulder kasaya and covered in sweat, he held prayer beads and slowly sat down with Boruo’s support, opening the letter sent from Sand City.

Bisuo, standing by the door, couldn’t help turning to anxiously watch the letter in his hands.

Tanmoluojia finished reading the letter and set it aside, fingers lightly rolling the prayer beads, his face expressionless, his eyes cold and clear.

The gilt incense burner wafted curling smoke, its fragrance drifting in waves.

After a while, Boruo curiously asked, “King, what did Princess Wenzhao say in the letter?”

Tanmoluojia said flatly, “The letter says Matangi now understands.”

The one-year term was complete, time to formally conclude matters.

Boruo clapped and laughed lightly, reciting Buddha’s name repeatedly: “This is wonderful – the princess has found her brother, the one-year term is complete, and everyone is happy.”

Tanmoluojia lowered his gaze and opened a Buddhist sutra.

Yes, everyone was happy.

She must be very happy.

The wind chimed, and the Russian olive blossoms in the courtyard swayed in the breeze, their fallen petals carpeting the steps.

Light and shadow flickered along the corridor.

He sat in the dim meditation room, not speaking a word.

Bisuo silently sighed.