The bitter cold wind howled, making the military banners snap and flutter loudly.

Yaoying slept in a daze, struggling free of the brocade quilt in her dreams. Feeling a bit cold, she stretched out her arms, turned over, and her fingertips touched something—warm and solid beside her.

The familiar scent made her feel secure. She hugged him tightly, burrowing into his embrace, nuzzling her head against his chest.

The person beside her stiffened slightly, gently pulling her hands away and tugging the brocade quilt up to cover her shoulders, pressing it down.

Yaoying mumbled unconsciously, her tone fierce.

That person went still.

A low, barely audible soft laugh sounded by her ear, like ripples spreading across a calm lake surface under the moonlight—no sound could be heard, only the flickering silver light could be seen.

Yaoying lifted her leg and with a “pat” draped it over him before falling back asleep.

When she next awoke, it was still dark. A lamp was lit beside the couch, casting soft, rippling light throughout the room.

Before she was a face with sharp features, lean and thin, with deep-set features as if outlined in ink. Between his brows lay a faint cold bluish tinge, his jade-green eyes slightly downcast, candlelight flickering softly on his eyelashes, his warm breath falling on her neck with each exhalation.

He bent over looking at her, the brocade quilt between them messily bunched in the corner of the couch. She felt chilly, and glancing around, discovered her clothes were half-undone, her legs and arms exposed, and her socks removed at some unknown time. His clothes, however, were neat and orderly, still wearing his kasaya. His fingers brushed over her sleeve as he slowly sat up, his other hand moving downward, lifting her gauze skirt.

A strange sensation with waves of heat traveled across Yaoying’s legs as his callused fingertips brushed against her delicate skin. Goosebumps rippled across her body—she felt cold all over except where his fingers touched, which burned like fire. Her whole body trembled, toes curling tight.

Yaoying froze, a pained moan escaping between her teeth.

The person above her stopped moving, his breathing growing heavy as he withdrew his hand.

Yaoying’s mind was fuzzy. She stared at him blankly for a moment before raising her hand to hook around his neck, pulling him down. Her soft lips pressed against his slightly furrowed brow, her hands caressing his neck before cupping his face.

“Master, I missed you so much.”

She murmured, as if in a dream.

Tanmoluojia’s body tensed as he gazed at the drowsy Yaoying. His usually emotionless eyes now churned with dark currents, his gaze deeper than the night outside as he pressed down toward her.

A flush rose to Yaoying’s cheeks.

Soft lips fell on her forehead, slowly moving downward, lingering on the tip of her nose before claiming her lips in a tender, lingering kiss. The cool scent of agarwood invaded her mouth as he took from her with restrained greediness, their tongues entwining as if he couldn’t get enough, sucking and tasting.

Spring waters flowed rippling, gurgling gently.

Yaoying felt dizzy as she raised her arms to embrace Tanmoluojia’s shoulders. Her collar slipped, half her chest exposed.

In the candlelight, snow-white and smooth, red buds beginning to bloom, flower branches trembling in the wind, alluringly beautiful.

Tanmoluojia’s entire body froze for a moment before he suddenly released Yaoying, pulling the brocade quilt over her as he rose from the couch and turned his back to her.

This fully awakened Yaoying. She sat up, rubbing her hair, her moist lips glistening. She glanced at Tanmoluojia, then at her slightly hitched skirt, her eyes slowly widening in shock.

The Master had actually while she was sleeping…

Just as she was stunned, Tanmoluojia turned around and sat back on the edge of the couch, his hand covering her bare calf as his fingers gently massaged.

A wave of soreness and pain struck, making Yaoying furrow her brows in discomfort.

Tanmoluojia raised his eyes to look at her, his gaze returned to its usual calm serenity. “Where else does it hurt?”

Yaoying started, catching an unfamiliar scent. She sniffed, realizing it came from her body. Looking down, she saw a layer of pale green ointment where his fingers had just touched her legs and arms.

So Tanmoluojia had been applying medicine… she had overthought it.

Yaoying remained dazed for a moment before the corner of her mouth lifted. Hugging the brocade quilt, she smiled: “How did Master know my legs hurt?”

Tanmoluojia looked at her, his brows slightly furrowed: “You said in your sleep that you were in pain.”

She had been utterly exhausted, falling asleep almost immediately after lying down. He couldn’t bring himself to sleep, quietly holding her as he listened to the howling wind outside. In the middle of the night, she suddenly turned restlessly, kicking off the brocade quilt. When he helped cover her again and touched her arm, she immediately frowned.

“I hurt.”

Tanmoluojia’s heart quivered slightly: “Where does it hurt?”

“My legs hurt, my waist hurts, my back hurts… everything hurts…”

She had hugged him in her dreams, whining softly.

In that moment, even the hardest vajra heart would have softened. He pushed back her sleeves and skirt to find several bruises and scabbed wounds on her arms and legs.

She looked very tired. Not wanting to wake her, he lit a lamp to apply medicine and massage her injuries.

He had asked her retinue—to avoid the Northern Rong allied army’s scouts, they had taken a mountain path known only to shepherds. She had to climb mountains and ford streams like her guards, and these past few days had barely dismounted for several days and nights. Her body was covered in injuries that needed proper massaging, otherwise she would be complaining of pain for the next half month.

Yaoying didn’t remember what she had said in her sleep. She tried moving her arm and said: “It doesn’t hurt that much. After a night’s rest, I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Tanmoluojia remained silent as he finished applying the medicine, put her socks back on, smoothed her clothes, and continued massaging her calves through her skirt.

Yaoying’s bright eyes stared at him intently.

Tanmoluojia said softly: “Alright, go back to sleep.”

Yaoying made a sound of agreement and lay down, turning to face him as she closed her eyes, feeling the soreness and numbness where his fingertips pressed with just the right amount of pressure, very comfortable.

She wanted to talk with him, not wanting to sleep. She opened her eyes again, meeting his gentle gaze directly.

He had been watching her the whole time.

“Was the journey very difficult?”

Seeing she wouldn’t sleep, Tanmoluojia asked.

Yaoying shook her head on the pillow, saying lightly: “It was a bit difficult crossing the mountains.”

Tanmoluojia fell silent.

The guards had told him that when the royal court troops ambushed the Western Army and raided several tribes and estates, the noble clans of Gaochang were quite enraged, but her first thought was that something had happened to him.

“As long as the Buddhist Son holds power, the royal court would never break the alliance and ambush us. Something must have happened to him—the garrison troops at the royal court’s border cities must be out of control.”

Yaoying had been extremely anxious, and in just a few days had pacified the Western Army commanders, gathered troops, organized provisions, and deployed forces.

Everyone knew that Haidu Aling’s hundred thousand troops were approaching the holy city, and any military force that drew near would be attacked by the allied army. The Western Army was blocked in the east, unable to approach. She made a decisive choice, having the main army continue to wait for an opportunity while she hurried to the holy city with several hundred retainers.

These days she had argued forcefully with the Western Army commanders, quarreled with Li Zhongqian, mobilized every available troop, rushed through wind and snow for so many days, using diversionary tactics under the very noses of a hundred thousand troops…

How could it have been just “a bit difficult”?

Tanmoluojia closed his eyes for a moment before saying: “Tomorrow Haidu Aling will gather his routed troops and regroup. His forces hold all the key routes—any large reinforcements that try to come will be surrounded and destroyed by his divided forces. Reinforcements can’t get in, and he can wait at his leisure. The city has run out of arrows. At this rate, the city gates will eventually be breached… Tomorrow, while he hasn’t had time to react, you and your guards should lead everyone in breaking out.”

Yaoying froze, as if cold water had been poured over her head: “What about you?”

Tanmoluojia said flatly: “I’ll hold back Haidu Aling. As long as I remain in the holy city, he won’t dare personally lead troops to pursue you. You should head east directly without stopping to join up with Li Zhongqian and the others.”

Yaoying’s expression darkened slightly: “Then what? You’re letting the garrison troops break out with me—won’t that leave hardly anyone in the city?”

Tanmoluojia lowered his eyes: “The holy city is easy to defend but hard to attack. It can hold out for some time yet. I’ve already given orders—after you break out and join Li Zhongqian’s main force, find a way to turn back and harass the Northern Rong allied army.”

Yaoying stared at him blankly as the tender smile in her eyes gradually faded away.

“Luojia, are you making me leave again?”

Tanmoluojia remained silent, candlelight diffusing on his profile, his features cold like a Buddha statue.

Yaoying looked at him, her expression growing colder.

He had already arranged everything… When she was bathing and eating, he had disappeared for a while—that was when he went to arrange the breakout. She had just arrived at the holy city, and he was already planning to send her away. He had kissed her before thousands of troops and held her hand without hesitation under his followers’ gaze, but in his heart, he was considering how to make her leave the holy city!

Just like last time, when she had been overjoyed, believing Mondatipa could cure him—it had all been his lies!

He had instructed Mondatipa and the physicians to deceive her, not letting her remove the blindfold, making her think he was improving.

He had secretly revealed his identity to Li Zhongqian, provoking him so that Li Zhongqian would urgently press her to leave the holy city.

He had even had Yuanjue write all those letters about “everything going well,” keeping her in the dark.

Since that night when he had chased out of the holy city to save her from Li De’s men, she hadn’t doubted him again. She had naively thought everything was getting better. After handling the Western Army’s matters, she had even eagerly gone to browse the tribal markets, buying many things to give him.

All the resentment and frustration from that time came surging up at once, like mountain waves crashing, each wave bigger than the last.

Yaoying was furious enough to grind her teeth, yet also felt a piercing sorrow. Her eyes ached as tears suddenly filled them.

“Luojia, do you know when I was excitedly packing my trunks, preparing to come back to see you, I heard you were in trouble… I rushed here to find you, and the royal court people said you were isolated and friendless, whereabouts unknown, possibly dead in the turmoil caused by the noble houses…”

That day, snow had been falling heavily as she stood on the great road outside Sand City, her heart twisting like a knife.

He had left alone, and she would never see him again.

Yaoying’s face was taut. Remembering the moment she confirmed his troubles still made her whole body feel cold, tears glinting in her eyes.

“Every time you deceive me, have you ever considered how I feel?”

“I don’t want you to be alone…”

Her voice carried a hint of tears.

The room grew quiet, the candlelight dim.

Yaoying suddenly sat up, pushed Tanmoluojia away, and got off the couch with a laugh.

“Fine, I’ll leave right now…”

She was trembling with anger as she reached to open the door. A cold wind rushed in, extinguishing the candle. Shivering, she raised her voice to call someone.

Two quick, heavy footsteps sounded behind her as his tall figure caught up. His presence suddenly erupted as his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, holding her tightly.

He held her very forcefully, as if afraid of something. Her back pressed against his chest as she struggled several times, but he held her tighter, firmly gripping her wrists to prevent her from moving.

“Mingyue Nu.”

A soft sigh brushed her ear as his cool lips fell on Yaoying’s neck.

She froze.

Tanmoluojia held her from behind, lowering his head as his lips grazed her cheek and neck.

He had wanted to call her this many times. Among all the princesses in the world, to him, only she was different.

“Mingyue Nu, I won’t deceive you again.”

He whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against her earlobe as he spoke.

Yaoying’s body softened.

Tanmoluojia’s fingers gripped her chin, making her look up as his kisses fell on her curled eyelashes, kissing away her tears.

“From now on, no matter what happens, I won’t hide anything from you.”

Yaoying met his gaze, turning in his arms to embrace his waist.

“You’re a high monk—you must keep your word.”

Tanmoluojia looked down at her, making a sound of agreement as he kissed the top of her head.

They held each other quietly for a while until a gust of wind made Yaoying shiver. Tanmoluojia lifted her and carried her back to the couch, then turned to close the door before returning to the inner room.

Yaoying tugged his sleeve: “Luojia, I must stay. Haidu Aling fears you and wants to capture me. If we both remain in the holy city, we can hold him back. These few days we can keep sending people to attempt breakouts, drawing Haidu Aling’s attention so he can’t guess our true intentions.”

Tanmoluojia’s brows furrowed as he pondered for a long while before nodding.

In the past, once she had made up her mind about something, he had no way to change it except by deceiving her. Now he couldn’t deceive her anymore, nor could he lie.

Yaoying’s anger dissipated as she smiled, hugging the brocade quilt as she lay down and closed her eyes: “I feel much better. You should sleep a while—don’t exhaust yourself. Tomorrow we still need to defend the city.”

Tanmoluojia softly agreed, continuing to massage her calves. After she fell asleep, he half-leaned against the couch railing, gazing down at her while quietly turning his prayer beads inside his sleeve.

His path, his Mingyue Nu.

Everything he cared about was by his side.

…

The next morning, as expected, Haidu Aling was busy gathering the routed troops from various tribes and reorganizing his forces, not immediately attacking the city.

Yaoying had awakened at dawn. After last night’s medicine application and Tanmoluojia’s massage, her soreness had eased considerably.

She went out with Tanmoluojia. When the civilians saw him, they crowded around offering food they could barely spare themselves. When their gazes fell on her, they hesitated, not daring to approach.

The two climbed the city walls together. Tanmoluojia gathered the commanders while Yaoying led the Western troops in discussing how to assemble weapons from the holy city’s remaining equipment to maximize the effectiveness of the firebombs.

Hearing that Tanmoluojia planned to send people on false breakout attempts, Bisuo immediately stepped forward to volunteer, dropping to one knee: “My King, let this humble servant go.”

Tanmoluojia said: “The breakout forces will likely be surrounded and destroyed by Haidu Aling at any time. After one failure, we must keep attempting breakouts to deceive him.”

Bisuo nodded, his gaze determined.

He was a general of the imperial guards, son of the Tanmo and Ashina families, and the Buddhist Son’s guard. Resisting foreign enemies and protecting the holy city was his duty. He was willing to shed blood for this cause—blood was his glory. Even if the price was his life, he would not hesitate.

As long as Tanmoluojia lived, the city’s people wouldn’t despair, and the garrison troops could continue gritting their teeth to hold on. He was just a general—his life or death wouldn’t change the overall situation.

While it was still dark, Bisuo led a force out of the city, galloping eastward. When the Northern Rong allied army’s scouts discovered them, they immediately sounded their horns. Soon a cavalry force thundered out from the main camp’s direction, swift as lightning, surrounding Bisuo’s group in the blink of an eye.

Standing on the city walls, Yaoying watched as Bisuo’s forces were scattered by the Northern Rong cavalry. The two sides clashed in one spot as Bisuo’s felt cloak was dyed red with blood. Hearing the dense drumbeats, he immediately led his remaining forces back to the city.

That afternoon, perhaps fearing that Yaoying’s group might break out, the Northern Rong allied army swiftly gathered their forces and attacked the city again.

The Northern Rong cavalry led the charge, followed by other tribes and several small vassal tribe forces. The defenders fought bloody battles all day. When dusk fell, the Northern Rong allied army withdrew, leaving mountains of corpses below the city gates.

The next day, Tanmoluojia continued sending forces to attempt breakouts, still toward the east. The Northern Rong allied army dispatched cavalry in pursuit, inflicting heavy casualties as the forces fled back to the holy city in disarray.

Meanwhile, the Western Army blocked in the east also tried to break through the Northern Rong allied army’s defenses to rescue the holy city, but Haidu Aling was well-prepared. He had stationed forces at a strategic pass where one man could hold against ten thousand. Although the Western Army outnumbered that force, they couldn’t advance a single step.

As the situation reached a stalemate, morale in the city gradually declined. Unable to capture the city after a prolonged siege, the Northern Rong allied army grew restless and increasingly agitated. Their soldiers swarmed the city walls like locusts, seemingly endless no matter how many were killed.

After each battle, Yaoying would don a military dress and lead her guards to inspect the battlefield, comforting wounded soldiers and helping bandage their wounds.

This day, when Bisuo led another failed breakout attempt, he was rescued back to the holy city with his back full of arrows.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Haidu Aling led his cavalry to the city gates. Drawing his bow, he shot an arrow carrying a letter to the top of the walls.

The letter contained only one sentence: If the Buddhist Son handed over Princess Wenzhao, he would withdraw his forces.

Tanmoluojia and Yaoying exchanged a glance as a gleam flashed through her eyes.

Haidu Aling was growing anxious too.