Yao Ying was taken to a tent and placed under strict guard.

When she tried to check on Xie Qing’s injuries, the Hu women wouldn’t let her approach, and they dragged away the barely conscious Xie Qing.

Yao Ying felt anxious inside.

Pretending to know Tanmoluojia had been a good escape plan.

The Khan of Wahan was wary of Tanmoluojia but admired how he had guarded the royal court for over ten years despite his frail health. This time, he not only established a non-aggression pact with him but also swore that regardless of what happened in the future, the Northern Rong would never harm his family members—Tanmoluojia had a sister.

In the book, even Haidu Aling, who showed no mercy in killing his uncles and brothers, kept this promise.

After the royal court fell, Tanmoluojia’s sister survived.

It was a good plan, but Haidu Aling was too perceptive. The lie Yao Ying told in her panic couldn’t possibly fool him.

Haidu Aling was now rushing to Sand City to meet with the Khan of Wahan, so he hadn’t dealt with her yet. But how would she handle it when he returned?

She didn’t know Tanmoluojia at all.

No, she didn’t even need to wait for Haidu Aling’s return. If he met Tanmoluojia in Sand City and asked about her, her lie would fall apart on its own.

Yao Ying sat cross-legged on the felt carpet, calculating quickly in her mind.

She couldn’t panic. The safety of Xie Qing and the others depended on her. She needed to stay calm and think of a way to deal with Haidu Aling before he returned.

Or find a way to escape the camp.

This place was close to the royal court. If she could just escape to the royal court, the Northern Rong people wouldn’t dare to capture her there.

She couldn’t stay here any longer.

Tali entered the tent bringing Yao Ying’s lunch: several flatbreads and a bowl of meat soup.

Yao Ying asked her to send some medicine to Xie Qing.

Tali shrank back, afraid to agree. She had already returned to her homeland as she wished and didn’t dare to take risks easily.

Yao Ying didn’t force her.

Tali left with a face full of shame, hesitating before advising: “Princess, you’ve already come this far, where else could you escape to? This place is eight thousand li away from the Central Plains. Even if you escape, you can’t return to the Central Plains. Why not stay with Prince Aling? He’s very skilled in warfare, and other princes all fear him. Although it’s not as prosperous as the Central Plains here, you can still live a noble life like before.”

She knew the princess had been secretly observing the troops’ arrangements along the way, planning to escape.

Yao Ying didn’t speak, lowering her head to eat the bread.

Haidu Aling had a cold and dark nature. She couldn’t truly submit. Once she submitted, he would have more ways to torment her. She would become like his tamed divine eagle—even with strong wings, she could never escape his palm.

Moreover, he wouldn’t show mercy to Xie Qing and the others.

Yao Ying felt uneasy and had no appetite, but forced herself to finish the meat soup and flatbread.

If she wanted to escape, she would need enough strength.

For the past half year, she had been constantly trying to escape—escape from the Yelu tribe, escape from the wilderness, escape from Haidu Aling’s control. Half of her fifteen years had been spent in fear, planning escape routes every night before sleep, and giving herself courage every morning upon waking, telling herself she could return to the Central Plains.

She missed her brother dearly.

Yao Ying’s nose tingled with emotion as she lowered her head and took out the night-luminous pearl from her sleeve.

The Wusun horse had died, and this was the only gift from Li Zhongqian that she still carried with her.

Whenever she felt scared and anxious, she would take out this pearl. Thinking of her brother made her brave again.

Yao Ying gently caressed the night-luminous pearl, lost in thought for a while, then sighed and called over one of the Hu women guarding her, handing over the pearl.

When the Hu woman had helped her cross the Flowing Sand River on horseback, she had accidentally noticed the night-luminous pearl on her person and had shown an obvious desire for it.

She had heard from Tali that such a night-luminous pearl could be exchanged for a small tribe from a ruler.

The Hu woman was startled, her eyes showing joy as she took the pearl and immediately tucked it into her clothes, saying in the Hu language: “I will only help distract the others. Whether you can escape depends on you.”

Yao Ying nodded, replying in the Hu language: “If you don’t keep your promise, I will tell Haidu Aling about this and take you down with me.”

A fierce look flashed across the Hu woman’s face. After weighing her options, she turned and left.

Yao Ying looked down at her empty palm, feeling as empty inside.

Then she smiled bitterly to herself.

As expected of the treasure from the Kingdom of Fulin that her brother had mentioned—it could still be useful in times of crisis.

Haidu Aling had gone to Sand City, taking some of his close followers, but the camp’s defense remained tight.

Two nights later, the Hu woman brought Yao Ying Northern Rong clothing to change into and led her to where the captives were held.

The captives had no tents to live in. Most were simply confined in grass cages holding about a dozen people each, left to sleep exposed to the cold wind.

Xie Qing had tried to assassinate Haidu Aling and received a whipping. She was carried back, but others feared being implicated and dared not approach her. These past days, other guards had been taking care of her.

Yao Ying entered the grass cage and knelt beside Xie Qing, lowering her voice: “It’s me.”

The others immediately recognized her but didn’t call out. With lowered eyelids, they said, “Princess, we couldn’t stop Xie Qing. She feared Haidu Aling would mistreat you and wanted to die together with him.”

Yao Ying sighed.

Earlier when news came that the Khan of Wahan had fallen ill, she thought it was a heaven-sent opportunity and had already been secretly coordinating people to prepare for escape, but Haidu Aling hadn’t left, so she didn’t dare to meet with Xie Qing and the others rashly. Not knowing what she was planning, Xie Qing suddenly tried to assassinate Haidu Aling, disrupting her plans.

Now even though the plan was hasty, they had to run.

Yao Ying couldn’t blame Xie Qing for being impulsive and ruining things. Xie Qing just wanted to quickly save her from danger—for this, this loyal guard was ready to die at any moment.

She helped Xie Qing up and gave her several sips of clean water.

Xie Qing was strongly built with proper features. Because of this, when she wore men’s clothing, no one had ever doubted her identity. Even these past days, the Northern Rong people hadn’t discovered she was a woman.

She was covered in wounds but didn’t make a sound as she lay in Yao Ying’s arms.

Yao Ying called softly: “A’Qing.”

Xie Qing’s eyelids trembled slightly.

Yao Ying carefully avoided touching the bloody wounds on her body: “Haidu Aling has left. There will be chaos in the camp these two days. Stay alert at night. When we hear movement, we’ll find a chance to escape. Can you hold on?”

If they missed this chance, they wouldn’t find another opportunity to escape before being sent to the Northern Rong’s royal tent.

Xie Qing made some muffled sounds in her throat and tightly clenched her fist.

She could hold on.

Yao Ying didn’t dare stay long, leaving behind a jar of medicine and a dagger.

The Hu woman took her back to the tent. The next day, Tali brought her flatbread and meat soup as usual.

Yao Ying hid the flatbread, and at sunset, changed into a small-sleeved shirt, gathered everything she could take, sat cross-legged in the tent, and quietly waited.

As night fell, the camp gradually grew quiet.

Yao Ying’s heart was pounding as she listened carefully.

Outside the tent came chattering voices—the Hu woman who had taken her night-luminous pearl was leading the other Hu women away.

Yao Ying patiently waited a while longer.

Suddenly in the quiet night came several questioning shouts, followed by chaotic hoofbeats. Someone shouted to gather people, flickering firelight cast shadows on the tent, and then came the crackling sound of burning carried by the wind.

Shouts arose: “Enemy attack!”

Half the guards rushed to fight the fire, half rushed to stop the attackers. With Haidu Aling absent, the guards were headless dragons, not as orderly as usual.

Some captives crouched holding their heads, trembling like sieves, while others looked around before running off into the vast night.

The camp was in chaos.

The guards used the dagger Yao Ying had given them to cut the shackles on their feet, carried Xie Qing, and escaped from the grass cage in the confusion, finding Yao Ying’s tent.

Yao Ying pointed east: “There are horses in the east!”

The guards picked up weapons dropped by dead sentries, surrounded Yao Ying in the middle, and ran east.

The Northern Rong people were busy fighting, the Hu women were nowhere to be seen, and Yao Ying had already tied up her hair and changed clothes. The guards didn’t notice her right away as she and her guards mixed in with the fleeing captives, slowly approaching the east.

Several Northern Rong people came killing them, shouting and yelling, and attracting more than ten guards.

The guards drew their swords, gritted their teeth, and fought their way through. Sure enough, they saw more than ten horses tied up in the eastern corral.

The guards caught up, and her guards didn’t dare delay. They helped Yao Ying and Xie Qing onto horseback, each grabbed a horse, dug their heels hard into the horses’ bellies, and charged out of the camp.

The night was deep, and they galloped wildly for several hours, not knowing how far they had run. As the sky gradually brightened, behind them was an endless expanse of yellow sand, and ahead were undulating low dunes. Apart from rock piles long eroded by wind, there was only sparse, withered vegetation.

The guards looked at each other.

They could tell direction by the sunrise, but they didn’t know where to escape.

After some discussion, they decided to continue east.

Soon after, they discovered they were lost.

Yao Ying lifted the light gauze covering her face, looked at the undulating dunes in the distance, and sighed.

She knew Haidu Aling and the Khan’s sons didn’t get along, so she had secretly spread word making other princes suspect Haidu Aling’s camp held many gold, silver, and jewels plundered from the He-Long region, as well as weapons.

Haidu Aling had long been secretly training men and indeed had embezzled many valuables. Several princes had heard about this earlier, and upon hearing the rumors, became suspicious and sent men to investigate.

Yao Ying was imprisoned by Haidu Aling, but those men’s spies thought she was an ordinary Han woman and approached her for information. She deliberately spoke vaguely, directing them to find the treasures Haidu Aling had plundered from the Yelu tribe.

Several princes became convinced Haidu Aling was hiding weapons and jewels and decided to send troops to raid while he visited the Khan’s tent, planning to divide everything among themselves once they got it, leaving Haidu Aling unable to complain.

The Hu woman who took her night-luminous pearl not only benefited from her but was also an inside agent for the other princes. The Hu woman thought she couldn’t understand the Hu language and spoke freely with other spies. She had overheard the other princes’ plans to raid the camp.

According to Yao Ying’s original plan, if Xie Qing hadn’t been injured, they wouldn’t have had to escape so desperately and could have captured a minor leader to force him to guide them.

Now they were lost.

Yao Ying patted her horse’s neck and said: “Heaven never cuts off all paths. Let’s keep going. This place is close to the royal court, there’s a small oasis city every hundred li. We’ll eventually find somewhere with people.”

The guards agreed, roused their spirits again, and continued galloping east.

After another few dozen li, as brilliant clouds began burning in the western sky, a guard suddenly pointed ahead excitedly: “That looks like an earthen city! And there are people!”

Yao Ying looked where he pointed. Sure enough, in the southeast stood a high earthen city that showed signs of human carving.

Outside the earthen city was an east-west road where they could faintly see figures riding camels and horses.

Where there were people, they could ask how to get out of the desert.

Yao Ying and her group’s spirits were lifted.

A guard rode ahead to scout and returned to report: “That earthen city seems to be a rest stop for merchants. I didn’t see any Northern Rong people.”

Yao Ying let out a breath and told the others: “Let’s approach slowly. When we meet people, don’t speak. I’ll ask where we are.”

The various cities and tribes of the Western Regions each had their language. She had been learning the Hu language from Tali along the way. Though her accent wasn’t proper, she could at least converse with Hu merchants.

The guards agreed, covered their faces with headcloths, and rode toward the earthen city.

As they approached, gradually came the sound of camel bells and talking. Merchants driving large carts stopped by the road to discuss how long the covenant between the royal court and Northern Rong would last this time, and whether it would affect their business.

Yao Ying didn’t dare enter the city. She found a youth feeding camels for Hu merchants on the main road outside to ask directions.

The youth looked at her beautiful eyes exposed above her veil and stutteringly gave her directions, telling her this was under the royal court’s jurisdiction.

Yao Ying thanked the youth, took out the Persian silver coins she carried, and exchanged them with the merchant caravan for some food.

That night they rested outside the earthen city. Xie Qing woke several times. The guards took turns standing watch, jumping up nervously at the slightest sound.

Fortunately, the night passed without incident.

The next day, Yao Ying and her group headed southeast following the youth’s directions.

Many merchant caravans traveled in the same direction. On the main road came the sounds of horse hooves, camel bells, and human voices and laughter. A Hu merchant wearing a brocade robe felt hat, and sporting a small mustache sat in his carriage playing a pipa, the melody lively and spirited.

Yao Ying hadn’t seen such peaceful scenes for a long time. Listening to the pipa, she couldn’t help but think of that merchant caravan in Liangzhou who died tragically under the Crown Prince’s blade.

The Western Regions were ravaged by war. Wherever the Northern Rong went, nine out of ten homes were empty. Perhaps only in the city-states under the Buddha’s Son could one see such prosperous scenes, and only his subjects had such leisure to carry pipes, flutes, and hand drums while traveling for trade.

But sadly, that Buddha’s Son wouldn’t live many more years. The Holy City would suffer a terrible massacre, and this last peaceful place in the Western Regions would also be reduced to ruins.

Yao Ying pondered this for a while. The pipa music reached her ears, its pleasant melody seeming to vibrate in her heart. Her mood couldn’t help but rise and fall with the tune, and following it, she hummed a little song.

Suddenly, two piercing eagle cries came from high above, and the pipa music faltered.

Yao Ying pulled her horse to a startled stop and looked up.

A snow-white falcon flew past overhead, its soaring form unmistakably familiar.

A shiver ran through Yao Ying’s body.

The guards also noticed the falcon overhead and their faces changed dramatically.

For these past few months, they had often seen this falcon following their group. One look at those grey-white wings and they knew it was Haidu Aling’s divine eagle.

“Haidu Aling is here!”

The guards gripped their reins, their voices trembling slightly.

Yao Ying forced herself to stay calm.

It couldn’t be such a coincidence, she couldn’t be this unlucky…

Her gaze followed the white falcon, looking into the distance. The falcon flew lower, and suddenly a hint of black appeared on the dunes north of the road.

The black slowly moved—it was a dark flag being whipped by the fierce wind, followed by another.

More than ten black flags waved in the wind, like the descent of night.

Haidu Aling’s battle flags.

As the dark flags appeared, rows of riders in black armor appeared on the western side of the earthen city. Their mounts stepped in perfect unison across the flat sandy ground, charging toward the main road.

Yao Ying pulled her horse around to look back.

On the dunes on the other side also appeared more than ten dark flags, black-armored riders holding long sabers, slowly approaching.

The man at the front wore a gold-threaded brocade robe, his figure large and sturdy on horseback.

The pipa music stopped. The merchant caravan’s people discovered the soldiers hidden behind the dunes, recognized Haidu Aling, and turned pale with fright. They abandoned their goods and tried to flee, but the black-armored warriors were already closing in from the other side.

The Hu merchants cried out in chaos: “The Northern Rong are here! The Northern Rong is here!”

The guards clustered tightly around Yao Ying to prevent her from being swept away by the rushing crowd and carts.

Yao Ying gripped her reins tightly, months of torment suddenly surging up all at once.

Time after time of careful probing, time after time of living in fear, time after time of despair.

All that was nothing… she could bear it, but why did they have to plunge her back into despair just when she had started to feel a rare moment of peace and freedom?

How could Haidu Aling have come so quickly?

On the hillside, Haidu Aling unhurriedly raised his longbow, nocked an arrow aimed at the panicking crowd, and in the blink of an eye shot five arrows. The arrows flew with fierce power, whistling through the air.

Several screams rang out as people fell from their horses one after another.

Yao Ying came to her senses.

Haidu Aling hadn’t recognized her—were his targets these merchants?

No, his targets were all living people on the main road.

Yao Ying’s thoughts raced as she spurred her horse forward: “Flee with these people, they know where it’s safe!”

Though Haidu Aling hadn’t recognized her now, after he finished killing most of the people, she would still fall into his hands.

This time Haidu Aling wouldn’t let her go.

She knew how he punished disobedient women.

The guards quickly agreed and protected Yao Ying as they fled.

The Hu merchants abandoned their camels and carts, fleeing on horseback. The servants responsible for guarding the goods could only run behind them. Dust rolled up, filling the sky.

Yao Ying coughed repeatedly from the dust. Looking up around her, she noticed Haidu Aling wasn’t rushing to kill people but rather held his bow and drove them from behind.

He was shrinking the encirclement, like hunting—first driving the prey into a pre-set trap, then killing them one by one.

This time she really couldn’t be captured again.

Yao Ying’s heart pounded wildly.

Northern Rong soldiers were on three sides. They galloped frantically along with the Hu people. Haidu Aling occasionally shot five arrows into the air, and several people would fall dead. Everyone was desperate to escape, fighting for a path, until finally all were forced to flee toward a low-lying depression in the ground.

Battle flags waved at the only gap ahead—they were surrounded.

The merchants huddled together, trembling all over, hair standing on end.

The black-armored riders drove toward the valley, the encirclement growing smaller and smaller.

Yao Ying was protected in the very middle by her guards, her ears filled with rising and falling screams, curses, sobs, and pleas for mercy.

Different languages, same despair.

She suddenly remembered when she was five years old, facing the dark mass of enemy troops, how the guards of the Xie and Li families had held firm in front of her, falling one after another, while she hid under mountains of corpses until Li Zhongqian found her.

She wondered how her brother was doing.

Thinking of Li Zhongqian, Yao Ying suddenly felt very calm in her heart. Facing great danger, it seemed there was nothing to fear.

The guards’ headcloths had been scattered in the crowd, and their appearances, distinctly different from the various Hu peoples of the Western Regions, quickly caught the attention of the black-armored riders on the hillside.

A scrutinizing gaze fell on Yao Ying.

Yao Ying raised her head, and through the crying crowd, met Haidu Aling’s hawk-like sharp gaze. Her light gauze covered her face, showing only a pair of eyes.

Haidu Aling’s keen eyesight recognized those few guards, and seeing those bright eyes like autumn waters, he realized who she was and flew into a great rage.

How could the Han woman appear here?!

Wasn’t she supposed to be staying in the camp?

Haidu Aling’s face turned dark as water. He drew his bow repeatedly, and several more arrows whistled through the air. The Hu merchants beside Yao Ying fell from their horses one after another, instantly trampled beyond recognition by hooves.

The guards blocked Yao Ying: “Protect the Princess!”

Yao Ying withdrew her gaze, no longer looking at Haidu Aling.

Pale golden fury burned in Haidu Aling’s eyes as he drew his bow again.

Suddenly, a deep horn blast sounded.

At first, Haidu Aling didn’t notice until another horn blast came. His movements stopped, his anger subsiding as he alertly raised his head.

He had ambushed the royal court’s merchant caravans on the main road and specifically ordered his armored warriors to hide their traces—who was blowing the horn?

The horn blast paused, then sounded again. Horn blasts came from all directions, gathering in one place, and resounding to the heavens.

It made everyone’s hearts tremble.

Not only their hearts were trembling—but the ground beneath their feet seemed to shake too. The horns blew mournfully, their sound waves gathering like a tsunami and thunder exploding simultaneously, echoing in the vast boundless heavens and earth.

The dust filling the valley suddenly dispersed. The horn blasts grew closer and deeper, and in the wind came the faint sound of banners flying.

The merchants beside Yao Ying froze, their expressions caught between crying and laughing.

Some sobbed quietly, while more suddenly burst into loud wailing.

Following the Hu merchants’ gaze, Yao Ying saw a snow-white banner slowly appear on the opposite hillside, white ground with curling grass patterns in gold thread, noble and sacred.

As soon as the corner of the banner appeared, the black-clad Northern Rong warriors on the slope immediately showed fear, retreating into the valley.

In an instant, the Northern Rong people lost all their momentum.

Haidu Aling’s face turned black as he signaled his subordinates to maintain formation.

His subordinates were helpless—the armored warriors were already scared witless, only wanting to get further from that banner. Their horses couldn’t control their speed going downhill; how could they possibly maintain formation?

On the distant hillside, the snow-white banner unfurled in the wind. The lines of black-clad Northern Rong warriors seemed torn in half by an invisible hand. The warriors didn’t even look at Haidu Aling as they obediently turned their horses to clear the path.

Yao Ying’s eyes slowly widened.

Dust rose again, almost blocking out the sky.

Flowing lines moved slowly between the dunes, light, and shadow interweaving as if the hills were floating.

Looking carefully, Yao Ying discovered these lines were formed by countless riders wearing different colored clothing.

Hundreds and thousands of broad-shouldered, strong-bodied riders in light armor and long robes slowly approached the hills from different directions. Their numbers were vast, densely packed, with banners flying. Though no one galloped at full speed, their collected hoofbeats still thundered like rolling thunder, making the earth tremble.

In the blink of an eye, the hills were covered with light-armored cavalry.

They didn’t roar or charge wildly, just approached slowly.

Then, a group of riders in blue shirts and white robes with exquisite armor surrounded a snow-white banner and emerged from the crowd. At the front of the formation was a man riding a white horse.

Thousands of gazes poured like a tide toward the man.

The man’s expression was calm as he controlled his horse’s steady pace, unhurriedly riding to the top of the hill, his crimson kasaya fluttering gently in the wind.

The Hu merchants in the valley held their breath, gazing up at the man with fervent eyes.

As one person dismounted and knelt, one Hu merchant after another rolled from their horses, prostrating themselves between the hooves, kowtowing to the man.

“The Buddha’s Son has come! The Buddha’s Son has come!”

The man cast a faint glance at the valley, his jade-green eyes deep as crystal, his gaze extremely clear and detached, like a deity not of this world looking down from the clouds, carrying a kind of indifference and coldness that regarded all things as grass dogs.

The Hu merchants were so excited they could barely speak coherently.

The retreating Northern Rong riders also showed fear and reverence on their faces, staring dumbly up at the man, quietly putting away their weapons.

In the valley, Yao Ying also gazed at the man’s face in a daze.

This was a man whose appearance was difficult to describe in words, with deep features, a clear spirit, and elegant bones.

Yao Ying suddenly recalled a line Xie Manyuan had recited: “His face like the autumn full moon, his eyes like pure lotus blossoms.”

These were words praising Ananda’s appearance by Manjusri Bodhisattva.

Ananda was Buddha Shakyamuni’s cousin and disciple. Legend said Ananda was handsome and proper in appearance, pure as a bright mirror, and thus although he was a monk, women were always moved by his countenance and repeatedly tried to tempt him, but his will remained firm and he never broke his vows throughout his life.

Yao Ying suddenly understood why the people of the Western Regions deeply believed Tanmoluojia was Ananda’s reincarnation.

Born so dignified and beautiful, sacred and noble, wearing a crimson kasaya that gave him an other-worldly elegance.

Such a person truly seemed not of this world.

Haidu Aling was like a precious sword just drawn from its scabbard, thirsting for human blood, with a chilling and terrifying aura.

The Buddha’s Son Tanmoluojia was neither a sword nor a blade nor any weapon. There wasn’t a trace of domineering killing intent about him. His figure was thin and tall, bright as a clear breeze, pure as the cold moon.

He was gentle and cultured, his face pale, showing signs of illness.

But the thousands of troops following him were all willingly submissive. At his single command, they would immediately rush to anywhere he pointed, tearing his enemies to pieces.

This kind of gentle yet intangible pressure was suffocating.

The Northern Rong warriors’ spirits wavered as they retreated again.

Haidu Aling looked around, seeing himself surrounded and his subordinates clearly having lost their fighting spirit, and coldly smiled: “Is the Master declaring war on my Northern Rong?”

Tanmoluojia lowered his gaze to look at Haidu Aling. “Northern Rong Prince, you are hunting my subjects.”

His way of speaking the Hu language had a very melodious quality, his voice clear and bright, like jade stones striking together.

Haidu Aling released his bow. “This is a misunderstanding. I had no intention of harming the royal court’s subjects.”

He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to withdraw.

The Northern Rong warriors had long been scared witless and immediately scattered upon seeing his signal.

The Hu merchants in the valley, having escaped disaster, were so happy they danced with joy. They kowtowed several more times to Tanmoluojia, then helped each other up, climbed onto their horses, and gradually made their way up the hill.

Yao Ying and her guards were mixing with the Hu merchants, about to leave together, when Haidu Aling suddenly pointed at her.

“Master, this woman is Han Chinese, a slave I brought back from the Central Plains, not a subject of the royal court. She escaped here, which is why I brought troops to pursue her. May I take her away?”

Yao Ying’s whole body turned ice-cold.

On the hillside, Tanmoluojia didn’t even glance at Yao Ying, already turning his horse to leave.

Haidu Aling looked at Yao Ying, his gaze colder than the perpetual snow on the mountaintop.

Yao Ying broke out in a cold sweat, his gaze making it almost impossible to breathe.

Haidu Aling was robust and would live to his seventies or eighties. As long as he remained in the Western Regions for one day, she could not return to the Central Plains.

She had to find a way to escape him, otherwise she would never break free from this man’s shadow in her lifetime.

Seeing the Northern Rong warriors rushing forward, Yao Ying steeled herself and called out to Tanmoluojia’s cold back: “Luojia!”

Before Tanmoluojia could react, the two light-armored riders closest to him immediately changed expression and turned back to glare at Yao Ying.

Yao Ying lifted the veil from her face.

The riders were stunned for a moment—how could this Han woman be so beautiful…

No, how did this Han woman know their master’s name?

Yao Ying observed Haidu Aling’s expression from the corner of her eye and forced herself to call out again: “Luojia, I have met you before.”

She seemed about to speak but stopped, her eyes reddening at the corners, infinitely alluring.

Though she hadn’t said much, this hesitant manner left even more to the imagination.

The light-armored riders’ faces immediately turned bright red as they shouted sternly, ordering Yao Ying to step back.

Hoofbeats sounded on the slope as Haidu Aling rode over in pursuit.

An arrow shot cannot be recalled. Yao Ying’s mind raced as she simply removed her headscarf and raised her voice to declare clearly: “I am not Haidu Aling’s slave. I am Princess Wenzhao of the Central Plains’ Wei Dynasty, born of the main imperial line. The Wei Dynasty has thousands of li of fertile land and powerful national strength. My father is the Emperor of Great Wei, and my brother is the Duke of Wei, commanding a million soldiers with countless fierce generals.”

“I once met the Master and was instantly captivated, unable to forget him. I traveled thousands of li to the Western Regions just to marry the Master. I brought with me over a thousand volumes of agricultural texts, law codes, and architectural manuals, over a thousand sutras, hundreds of boxes of Buddha statues and treasures, and ten thousand taels of gold, wishing to serve at the Master’s side and form an eternal alliance with the royal court.”

At this, not only did the light-armored riders change color dramatically, but riders near and far on the hillsides all stared at Yao Ying dumbfounded, their eyes nearly popping out.

Someone was publicly proposing marriage to their king?

Although the dowry was generous… didn’t everyone know their king had been a monk since childhood and was a renowned enlightened master throughout the Western Regions?

The light-armored riders angrily rebuked: “Han woman, our king is a monk!”

The Han woman was so shameless, actually daring to profane their Buddha’s Son!

Countless condemning gazes bore down like falling knives, making Yao Ying’s scalp tingle.

It was precisely because Tanmoluojia was a monk of firm will and compassionate heart that she dared to say such things.

She couldn’t keep hiding here and there. She had to first destroy Haidu Aling’s intentions, and then seek a way to permanently eliminate future troubles. She was a Great Wei princess—as long as Great Wei existed for one day, she could find allies for herself.

Even though she now had only a few guards by her side.

Today’s marriage proposal wouldn’t trouble Tanmoluojia for long, nor would it harm his reputation and honor. She had even offered payment—an alliance with Wei, gold and silver treasures, Buddhist sutras, and classics.

If he wanted anything else, she could try her best to satisfy his requirements.

Hopefully Tanmoluojia, as a ruler, could understand her implied meaning.

Having made her calculations, Yao Ying pushed down her shame and said slowly: “Regardless of the Master’s identity, my heart is true to him.”

The two riders looked shocked, their minds spinning rapidly as they wracked their brains before finally coming up with a very powerful rebuke:

“You have no shame!”

Yao Ying gazed at Tanmoluojia’s transcendent back, her expression grave as she thought to herself that with the King of Hell watching from the side, her face was something she could sacrifice.

“The Master practices cultivation, I am one of the mundane world.”

Yao Ying put her hands together in a proper prayer position.

“I am willing to follow Matangi’s example, becoming a nun to practice cultivation for the Master, and then see what karma brings.”

The light-armored riders were stunned, looking at each other.

They had heard the story of Matangi.

When Ananda was young and exceptionally handsome, a woman called Matangi fell in love with him and insisted on marrying him. Ananda could not shake her off and sought help from Shakyamuni Buddha.

Shakyamuni Buddha calmly told Matangi that Ananda practiced cultivation—if she wanted to marry him, she must first practice cultivation for a full year.

Matangi happily agreed and joyfully became a bhikkhuni, practicing diligently every day until gradually she awakened and recognized the suffering of attachment to the five desires.

She sincerely confessed her stubborn delusion to Shakyamuni Buddha, received enlightenment, saw through the red dust of the world, cut off her emotional attachments, and attained the fruit of Arhatship.

This entanglement of love eventually became a beautiful story passed down through thousands of years.

The light-armored riders exchanged a look.

People said the Buddha’s Son was Ananda’s incarnation, and now here came a Great Wei princess willing to become a nun to prove her love for the Buddha’s Son—could all this be Buddha’s test for the Buddha’s Son?

Whatever the case, this beautiful Han woman thinking to prove her true heart for the Buddha’s Son through becoming a nun showed she truly revered the Buddha’s Son.

The rider snorted coldly.

Yao Ying caught the softening expression of the white-robed riders and slowly let out a long breath inside.

For over ten years, Tanmoluojia had ruled the royal court through his reputation as the Buddha’s Son. The belief that he was Ananda’s incarnation was indeed deeply rooted in people’s hearts. As long as her actions deified Tanmoluojia and compared him to Ananda, these riders would naturally accept her words.

This way, her public proposal today would only elevate Tanmoluojia’s prestige further.

Tanmoluojia didn’t need to pay any attention to her at all—she was willing to sacrifice her face to be a woman pining hopelessly for a monk. To stay alive, this small sacrifice meant nothing.

Yao Ying calculated in her heart, feeling more and more that this solution would make everyone happy. But before she could look for Tanmoluojia’s reaction, hoofbeats sounded behind her.

Haidu Aling’s thick arm had already reached her, grabbing her waist.

“Such nonsense!”

His expression was sinister as he pulled Yao Ying up onto his horse, lowering his voice: “It seems I’ve been too polite to the princess these days. When we return to camp, I’ll let the princess experience my methods of taming women in bed.”

Haidu Aling enjoyed taming women, especially peerless beauties like Li Yao Ying.

In the past, he couldn’t resist joining with women for even a month before discarding them like worn shoes. But this time he had been patient, discovering that Li Yao Ying’s occasional voluntary submission gave him an even greater sense of conquest. Like training a hawk—only one in a thousand hawks could be tempered into a divine eagle-like Abu. This woman was worth his patience.

Yet his patience was rewarded with absolute betrayal—she dared to say she liked a monk in front of him!

Haidu Aling gripped Yao Ying’s willow-thin waist. That fool Fumo was right about one thing—her clothes should be violently torn off.

Yao Ying’s hands were twisted behind her, unable to struggle. Under countless watching eyes, this man was kidnapping her directly!

She heard the angry roars of her guards and Xie Qing, heard the royal court riders’ quiet discussions, her heart burning with anxiety.

“Release her.”

Among countless voices, a clear voice spoke softly.

This voice seemed to float down from the ninth heaven, very cold, very light, but in an instant, all other sounds disappeared.

Only this voice remained.

Haidu Aling raised his head in shock.

Tanmoluojia reined his horse to stand on the high hill, his crimson kasaya billowing in the wind, revealing a string of dull-colored bodhi prayer beads on his wrist. His jade-colored eyes lowered slightly, his gaze falling on Yao Ying, showing neither joy nor sorrow.

Had the unworldly Buddha’s Son also been fooled by Li Yao Ying?

Impossible—he was not only a ruler but also a monk. How could he be wrapped around a young girl’s finger?

Haidu Aling couldn’t help but doubt: Could what Li Yao Ying said be true?

Taking advantage of his distraction, Yao Ying broke free from his restraint and fell from the horse. Ignoring the scrapes on her body, she immediately got up and ran toward Xie Qing and the others.

Haidu Aling gave a cold laugh and reached to grab Yao Ying.

Suddenly several screech calls sounded in the air as a fierce grey eagle dove down, its sharp talons viciously clawing at Haidu Aling, immediately drawing blood.

The white falcon circling nearby immediately flew over to protect its master. The grey eagle fearlessly spread its wings to meet the attack. The two large birds tore at each other in the high sky for a while until the white falcon gave a sharp cry and fell onto Haidu Aling’s uninjured arm, beating its wounded wings.

Haidu Aling was furious, glaring at Tanmoluojia.

Tanmoluojia held his prayer beads, his kasaya flying in the wind, and said softly: “Princess Wenzhao is a guest of the Holy City.”

Haidu Aling raged: “Tanmo! She is a female slave I captured! You have already made a covenant with my uncle—you and I agreed not to interfere with each other. Is it worth antagonizing my Northern Rong over a female slave?”

Tanmoluojia raised his eyelids, his pupils gleaming.

“I am the king of the Holy City,” he looked at Haidu Aling. “If the Northern Rong has any objections about the covenant, let the Khan of the Northern Rong come find me.”

With these words, he turned his horse.

The blue-shirted, white-robed riders immediately followed closely, surrounding him as he left.

Other riders escorted the Hu merchants and common people up to the main road. Yao Ying’s group was among them. Since Tanmoluojia had said she was a guest of the Holy City, the riders’ attitude toward her immediately became warm and polite.

Haidu Aling watched Yao Ying’s figure disappear among the dense royal court cavalry, furious beyond measure. He yanked his reins to chase after her.

His subordinates immediately stopped him: “My lord, today we only came to test the royal court…”

After establishing the covenant, Wahan had deliberately sent Haidu Aling to ambush the merchant caravans to see if Tanmoluojia would swallow his anger or bring troops to save them, using this to probe the Holy City’s military strength.

From the armor-clad riders covering the hills just now, it was clear the major clans were still loyal to Tanmoluojia.

At this time, they could not break the covenant.

Haidu Aling’s pale golden eyes were full of rage and humiliation as his hands clenched into fists.

That Han woman had escaped from right under his nose!

Did she think she would be safe and sound just by seeking refuge with that monk?

When he set his sights on prey, he had to play with it until he was satisfied. He absolutely could not just give her up like this!