The next day, Yao Ying found Li Zhongqian at the horse grounds. He was playing polo with Yang Qian and others, training the selected soldiers in teamwork. Upon seeing Yao Ying climb to the high platform, he dismounted swiftly, casually tossing his crescent-shaped polo mallet to a servant at the sidelines. Taking several strides up the stone steps, his crimson narrow-sleeved robe was covered in dust, his headwrap loosened to reveal half of his crystalline sweat-dampened hair. His face was sweaty, making his phoenix eyes appear particularly dark as he asked breathlessly, “What’s happened?”

Yao Ying handed him a water flask. “Brother, I heard Xie Chong and the others have taken in a lady?”

Li Zhongqian didn’t take the flask, his expression changing abruptly: “What have you heard? Have you come to interrogate me too?”

Yao Ying was bewildered and glared at him, slapping the water flask against his chest with a “pa” sound. “I’m here to ask you, aren’t I? How could I not trust you?”

“You’re my elder brother. When something like this happens, of course, I’d come to ask you first before seeking confirmation from others.”

Li Zhongqian came to his senses, his anger completely dissipating as he smiled and took several large gulps of water, then poured the rest over his head, wiping his face.

“Don’t be angry with your brother. Too many people have been asking about this lately, all coming to interrogate me.”

Yao Ying wasn’t angry but looked at him seriously, asking, “Brother, how did that lady come to possess your token?”

Li Zhongqian’s lips curled slightly. “The token accidentally fell into her hands when I was stranded in the Northern Rong territory. We only met a few times, and I never did anything to betray my principles. You can ask Tali – she often helped me when I was in Northern Rong and can testify that I didn’t leave behind any romantic debts.”

With him saying this, Yao Ying naturally believed him. “Then how does Brother plan to settle her?”

Li Zhongqian’s brows furrowed, his wet face showing some hesitation: “Let her be. She has nowhere else to go now, so we’ll just keep supporting her for now.”

“What’s her actual identity? Why won’t Xie Chong and the others dare to speak plainly?”

Li Zhongqian used his fingers as a comb, ruffling his hair before adjusting his headwrap. He said, “Ming Yuenu. She’s the adopted daughter of the Wakhan Khan, originally meant to marry the Northern Rong prince.”

Yao Ying was stunned, a figure flashing through her mind.

“Brother, is that princess called Banar?”

The Wakhan Khan would adopt orphaned daughters of clansmen and subordinates as princesses, carefully raising them before arranging marriages to various tribes. This both won people’s hearts and allowed him to control the tribes through marriage alliances. Banar was one of his adopted daughters. When Northern Rong fell, Banar hadn’t yet married. After Jin Bo surrendered to the royal court, he inquired about her whereabouts, hoping to bring her to the court.

Li Zhongqian looked surprised: “You’ve met her? When?”

Yao Ying nodded, saying, “When we recaptured Yizhou!”

When she led troops to Yizhou, she forbade the Western army from harassing women and children. She had met Banar in the royal tent, though she was busy with official matters then and hadn’t paid much attention to others.

The reason she remembered Banar’s name was because when Banar saw her, she had a strange expression, staring at her for a long while, even calling her Ayinur, saying she knew her.

Li Zhongqian must have mentioned her to Banar.

“Brother…” Yao Ying pondered briefly, then said, “Princess Banar was raised by Princess Imperial Yiqing and holds no filial affection for the Wakhan Khan. Now that Northern Rong has surrendered to the royal court, if you and Princess Banar are truly in love, you needn’t worry about nationality and status anymore.”

Li Zhongqian snorted: “What do nationality and status matter? I don’t want to start a family, and I’ve never wronged her… She chose to follow me here herself. Her situation is pitiful, so let her be.”

The last few words carried a touch of cold irritation.

Yao Ying raised an eyebrow. She knew Li Zhongqian’s temperament – if he truly despised Banar, he would have driven her away long ago. The fact that Banar was still living in Gaochang meant he didn’t dislike her.

“As long as you know what you’re doing.”

Since Li Zhongqian hadn’t wronged Banar, she wouldn’t meddle in their affairs.

Li Zhongqian snorted, his lips curling up: “Don’t worry about my business…”

His tone suddenly turned to tease, “Better look after your monk first!”

Yao Ying was startled, “What about Luojia?”

Li Zhongqian pointed at several young men in the field, “Look at their faces.”

Yao Ying looked over. Those young men were playing polo while secretly glancing at her. Noticing her scrutiny, they hurriedly avoided her gaze. The Niu family’s third son accidentally fell from his horse, nearly getting trampled. When he got up, she noticed his face was bruised and swollen.

Li Zhongqian stroked his chin, saying meaningfully: “These men were personally selected by Dharma… Yesterday you went straight to rest after entering the city. The monk had to meet with Gaochang officials – you missed quite a show.”

Yao Ying remembered the fleeting strange expression on Tanmoluojia’s face when she saw him last night. “Did they give Luojia trouble?”

Li Zhongqian smiled: “Not exactly trouble. Just some foolish young men wanting to see what makes the monk better than them. Nothing serious happened.”

Yao Ying thought that given Luojia’s steady temperament, and this being Gaochang, he wouldn’t want to cause her difficulties. Even if others tried to make things difficult, it wouldn’t escalate into anything major.

“I’ll go check on him. Brother, continue your polo game. If you find the Princess Banar situation thorny, let me know and I’ll help you handle it. Since you want to look after Princess Banar, do it properly – don’t say harsh things that would hurt her feelings!”

With that said, she turned and left.

Li Zhongqian watched her hurriedly departing figure and softly cursed under his breath.

An attendant approached: “My lord, Princess Banar has fallen ill…”

Li Zhongqian’s brows furrowed deeply: “If she’s ill, go fetch a physician. No need to report to me – I can’t treat illness!”

He walked a few steps, then stopped and added, “The palace physicians are skilled. Take my token to summon one. Whatever medicine is needed, charge it to my account.”

After speaking, he took up the polo mallet, mounted his horse, and continued directing the soldiers in formation drills.

…

Yao Ying first went to find Yuanjue and demanded: “What happened at yesterday’s banquet?”

The Gaochang young men hadn’t composed poetry, they had only used some literary allusions. Yuanjue didn’t understand and thought they were mocking him.

Yao Ying didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Yuanjue didn’t understand Central Plains customs. To her ears, the ways the Gaochang young men tried to trouble Tanmoluojia sounded like the pranks played on wedding processions and grooms.

“How did Niu Sanlang and the others get those injuries?”

Yuanjue hurriedly explained: “His Majesty holds an esteemed position and deeply respects Her Highness – he didn’t harm anyone! Yesterday during the archery competition, His Majesty couldn’t shoot the wild geese, so he aimed at others’ arrows instead. His aim was perfect, shooting down everyone’s arrows. Because it was mounted archery, some young men competed to go first, several horses collided, and they fell like that… Also, after the banquet they set up an ambush, wanting to attack His Majesty by surprise. His Majesty was wise and astute, paying them no mind. They fell into their own side’s trap and were beaten up like that…”

Although Gaochang’s noble sons were accomplished in both civil and military arts, being far from the Central Plains, they had only secretly read some classics. Their scholarship couldn’t match Tanmoluojia’s. After a round of poetry composition and matching couplets failed to stump him, they tried to prevail through martial prowess. But when Tanmoluojia shot down everyone’s arrows in rapid succession, they suddenly remembered the Regent’s reputation.

Damo had originally joined in with the young men’s revelry, but upon meeting Tanmoluojia’s cold and dignified gaze, his enthusiasm instantly vanished. He sheepishly retreated to the side to drink, while only a few spoiled young nobles remained unsatisfied, trying various ways to trouble Tanmoluojia, though he resolved each attempt.

Yao Ying hadn’t expected so much to happen while she was sleeping. Finding where Tanmoluojia was staying, the guard bowed to her, “Your Highness, His Majesty is meeting with envoys. Do you have any instructions?”

She shook her head, gesturing for the guard to stay quiet, and waited outside for a while. Seeing the envoys leave, she deliberately entered the room quietly.

Tanmoluojia sat at his desk without looking up: “Have you eaten?”

“How did you know it was me?”

People often speak of skin like ice and snow; even in the height of summer, she carried a subtle fragrance.

Tanmoluojia held her playful hand, not laughing aloud though joy rippled quietly in his heart, like lotus flowers swaying on still waters.

“I knew as soon as you approached.”

Yao Ying kissed his cheek, “I heard from Brother that Niu Sanlang and the others troubled you yesterday. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was nothing.”

He raised his eyes to look at her.

“Does marrying me bring you any regret?”

Yao Ying laughed, leaning in to peck his lips: “What made you think of asking that?”

Her kiss was brief, and Tanmoluojia couldn’t help but lean forward longingly as she withdrew, already turning away to casually flip through the sutras on his desk.

His brows twitched slightly as he quietly pressed down on the books at the bottom. “From Chang’an to Guazhou, Yizhou to Gaochang, all along the way, many young men have sought your hand.”

All of them were spirited young men of good breeding.

She knew them, exchanging greetings when returning to the city, accurately calling out each of their names while they looked excited.

He had heard the palace maids in Gaochang discussing: “The Buddha’s son is certainly handsome, but he’s a monk, like a Buddha statue, so solemn… He doesn’t understand romance at all, the princess will soon tire of him.”

“Yes, I heard the Buddha’s son still chants sutras daily. How can the young and beautiful princess bear it?”

“These young lords were all specially selected by the city lord…”

Tanmoluojia lowered his head.

Yao Ying leaned entirely against him, nestling in his arms, nuzzling his chest before waving her hand with grand flair.

“I don’t like them, I only like someone like you.”

Tanmoluojia’s lips curved slightly as he raised his arms to embrace her.

She was deeply beloved by the common people. Here, no one questioned her Han identity, nor would anyone insinuate that she had seduced a monk. Wherever she went, locals would rush to welcome her.

After finding Li Zhongqian, she could completely leave the royal court. For his sake, she had returned to court, where believers insulted her, court officials suspected her motives and noble families sent assassins… She had been almost entirely alone in a completely hostile nation, enduring so much, yet never uttering a single complaint to him.

He had merely been troubled by a few impetuous young men, yet she rushed over specially to comfort him.

Tanmoluojia gazed at her for a long while.

Yao Ying lifted her gaze to meet his, smiled, and raised her hand to stroke his head.

“Why haven’t you grown out your hair yet?”

Her fingertips felt both numb and ticklish. Finding it amusing and no longer afraid of him, she stroked upward, cupping his face before leaning in for another kiss.

Tanmoluojia looked at her, remained silent for a moment, then asked: “If I grow my hair out, will you still like me?”

Was he worried she’d be disappointed once he grew his hair?

Is a monk having such concerns?

She couldn’t stop laughing, hooking her arms around his neck, fingers brushing over his deep-set brows and eyes: “I like you in any form.”

He gazed at her, suddenly leaning forward to trap her between his solid chest and the desk. His eyes darkened as one hand threaded through her hair while the other pressed against her neck, fingertips deftly loosening her silk ribbons, caressing gently. His clear, cool voice whispered in her ear: “Mingyuenu, will you keep loving me like this, always?”

Delicate kisses fell along her temples.

Yao Ying had originally intended to tease him, deliberately lounging in his arms and causing mischief, appearing boneless as she twisted about. But with his pressure, she could no longer move. Her ribbons loosened, and her long hair cascaded down to cover her shoulders.

His body was still burning hot, separated by several layers of clothes embroidered with intricate gold patterns, scorching her as his arms held her tightly.

When a gentle person becomes forceful, it’s even more heart-stirring.

Heat coursed through her entire body.

He lifted her face, drawing closer and closer, his deep jade eyes reflecting her image as he gazed silently, saying nothing, just as he had always quietly protected her. His eyes still held the vast expanse of eternal heavens and earth, but now that composed ability to see through others’ hearts had transformed into tender affection, with desire surging silently.

Though he made no movement and spoke no words, even his breathing remained steady, his gaze burned like azure flames, passionate fire concealed beneath glacial ice.

Yao Ying’s heart suddenly quickened. She pulled his neck down to kiss his lips, thinking of how he would chant sutras to help her sleep each night. Her tongue sought his, breaking past his teeth to entwine inseparably.

Their breaths merged and mingled, clothes rustling softly as her soft, full body slowly blossomed in his hands, her sweet fragrance growing more intense.

Tanmoluojia’s body trembled as his arms locked tightly around her, returning her kiss with growing passion.

After a long while, hearing her helpless whimper, he came to his senses and quickly released her lips, though his hand remained pressed against her soft neck, keeping her close to him.

Her cheeks were flushed, eyes moist and slightly dazed as he stared down at her unblinkingly, breathing heavily.

As Yao Ying gradually calmed, she remembered the guards outside and pushed herself up, hands bracing against his legs.

Tanmoluojia raised his hands to support her. The next moment, his body suddenly stiffened, and his breathing grew heavier as he closed his eyes, a suppressed groan of both pain and pleasure escaping his lips.

His cultivation had recently advanced to another realm, often causing him to run hot. She disliked the heat, pushing him away as soon as he drew close. Knowing his restraint, she would soon return to tease him again.

He feared hurting her.

“Mingyuenu…”

He called to her softly, speaking no other words, just murmuring her name as his body emanated an intensity that left her unable to think clearly.

Yao Ying’s face burned, feeling an uncontrollable heat rising within her as she glanced around guiltily.

It was broad daylight.

The room’s doors and windows were tightly shut, with no swaying shadows visible outside. The guards had quietly withdrawn at some point – these days, whenever they were alone, others would retreat.

Like last time, Yao Ying buried her face in Tanmoluojia’s shoulder, her reddened ears visible through her scattered hair.

In that moment of tender embrace, even as Tanmoluojia tried to control himself, he still trembled uncontrollably.

He shuddered in her hands, tensing, burning, finally releasing as unfamiliar waves of passion coursed through his entire body.

The sutras say that the desire between man and woman is like lacquer and glue, difficult to separate. How true indeed.

Desire makes one lose control, and he has already sunk deep within it, wanting to take more.