The next day, when Bisuo heard that Yaoying would be departing for Gaochang in two days, accompanied by Sudan Gu, he firmly opposed it: “I do not agree!”

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became, struggling to get up.

“I must see the King!”

The maids exchanged glances, not daring to stop him.

The gauze curtain fluttered lightly as Princess Chima entered the room carrying a plate of fresh fruit. Seeing his state, she tossed aside the lacquered tray and rushed to support Bisuo at his bedside, angrily saying: “Have you gone mad? You’re injured, how can you go see Luojia?”

Bisuo gritted his teeth and said: “I must see the King. The weather is too hot now for travel. In a month it will be cooler, and my wounds will have healed. The Princess can wait another month!”

Princess Chima pushed him back onto the bed, sneering: “You care this much about that Han princess?”

Bisuo’s brows furrowed slightly: “Chima, the diplomatic mission to Gaochang is a major state affair, don’t overthink it.”

Princess Chima narrowed her eyes, a hint of disdain flashing in her light brown pupils: “You think Gaochang will agree to an alliance just because of one Han woman?”

Bisuo glanced at her and shook his head with a bitter smile.

The alliance was secondary…

He pushed Princess Chima away and called for his guard, asking to be helped into a carriage to go to the Buddhist temple.

Princess Chima couldn’t stop him. Furious, she stood at the courtyard gate watching his figure stumble into the carriage, nearly grinding her silver teeth to pieces.

Bisuo took the carriage to the Buddhist temple. His attendant went in to announce him but returned shortly after.

“General, the King entered closed-door meditation last night and is in deep contemplation. He will not see anyone. The temple master said the King will be in seclusion for several months.”

Bisuo clenched his fists and closed his eyes briefly.

“To the Beast Garden.”

The attendant acknowledged and drove the carriage away from the temple, circling past the northern extending wall to arrive before a sprawling compound shaded by pine and cypress trees.

Within the compound, buildings and pavilions stood atop terraced earthen cliffs, artfully arranged. Dense shade covered the ground, with a stream of living water winding through the courtyard. The riverbank was thick with flourishing, lush woods.

The attendant helped Bisuo down from the carriage.

Anxious, Bisuo pushed away the attendant, disregarding his injuries as he hurriedly climbed the stone steps two at a time.

Footsteps suddenly rang out as the guard on duty drew his sword and approached.

Bisuo took out a demon-faced bronze token and said: “I must see the Regent!”

Seeing the demon-faced token, the guard examined it carefully for a moment. After confirming it was genuine, he immediately sheathed his sword and cleared the path.

From the long corridor came the faint sound of deliberately lightened footsteps as all the hidden guards silently retreated to their original positions.

Bisuo put away the token and passed through a courtyard lined with two rows of white poplars thick with climbing vines. He went around a long, gloomy corridor to reach a hidden side door.

He pushed open the door and felt his way down the cramped stairs in darkness, entering an airless, deeply shadowed dungeon.

The cell was utterly silent and unlit, so dark one couldn’t see their hand before their face. It was like a giant beast’s gaping maw, lurking in the shadows, waiting to devour its prey.

Bisuo had feared this cell since childhood. The deeper he went, the more afraid he became, and he couldn’t help but shudder.

A dark arc flashed in the corner as a leopard stepped out of the darkness, its eyes gleaming with phosphorescent light.

Bisuo cried out in fright and retreated, accidentally pulling at his wound and grimacing in pain.

The leopard gave him a contemptuous look before turning and running away.

Ignoring the pain, Bisuo followed the leopard through a long, narrow, winding passage. They circumvented a narrow stone crevice and suddenly emerged into an open space where shallow daylight filtered into the tunnel, illuminating the rough outlines within. By the stone platform, shadows flickered hazily in the mist.

In the coiling mist stood a tall figure with his back to Bisuo, wearing a dark robe, his frame tall and graceful, proportioned and solid.

Bisuo sighed and knelt on one knee.

“My King, do you truly intend to personally escort Princess Wenzhao to Gaochang?”

The man turned his head, his face covered in ugly scars, his jade-colored eyes peering through the mist like looking across the waters of three lifetimes, cold and noble.

“I have made my decision,” he said softly.

Though each word was gentle, they carried the weight of an entire majestic mountain range, bearing the force of thunder and lightning.

All of Bisuo’s words of persuasion caught in his throat. After a long silence, he kowtowed and said: “Your subject understands.”

…

As early autumn approached, the days remained hot while the nights suddenly turned cold. One night fierce winds howled, scattering grape vine leaves across the courtyard, leaving the steps in disarray.

The next morning, Yaoying discovered a thin layer of frost on the ground.

The guards who had risen early to practice martial arts gathered around the frost, all amazed.

Seeing this, a palace attendant explained with a smile: “Though the days are hot, frost can still form when it gets cold at night. After another spell of wind, we might need to wear fur robes! Every year the snow starts falling before the leaves are fully gone. People say there’s no autumn in the royal court – summer is followed directly by winter.”

He rubbed his hands excitedly, “The Regent has already issued an edict. In a few days, we’ll celebrate the Begging for Cold Festival. Since we won a great victory this year, the festival will surely be grander and more lively than last year!”

Yaoying started: “The Begging for Cold Festival is coming?”

The royal court was an oasis kingdom where summers were dry with little rain. Going a whole month without rain was common. The water source for irrigating farmland and nourishing the soil mainly came from seasonal rivers formed by melting snow from the Tianshan Mountains. Therefore, before winter arrived, they would hold grand celebratory activities begging for a colder winter and more snowfall to ensure abundant water for the coming year.

Yaoying had heard Bisuo mention that the Begging for Cold Festival was one of the royal court’s grandest festivals. Sudan Gu was also from the royal court – why wouldn’t he wait until after the festival to depart?

The attendant nodded enthusiastically: “This year’s summer has been longer than usual, everyone has been waiting eagerly!”

Yaoying smiled lightly.

No wonder the attendant was so excited. The Begging for Cold Festival typically lasted seven days, featuring not only grand music and dance performances but also ceremonies for praying for blessings and averting disasters. The city’s inhabitants would turn out in full force, singing and dancing, creating a particularly lively atmosphere. On the final day, men and women, young and old would dress in their finest clothes and don masks, splashing water on each other for blessings – both fun and auspicious.

She asked the attendant: “Did the Regent attend last year’s Begging for Cold Festival?”

The attendant thought for a moment and shook his head.

Yaoying continued: “What about the Buddha’s Son?”

The attendant smiled: “Princess may not know, but the Buddha’s Son is a monk. Monks must observe the precept of abstaining from song and dance, so they cannot watch such performances. The Buddha’s Son has never attended the Begging for Cold Festival.”

Yaoying pondered this thoughtfully.

The Buddha Image Festival was a Buddhist holiday where Tanmoluojia held dharma assemblies. The Begging for Cold Festival was a secular holiday he never attended… Why would Sudan Gu also not participate in the Begging for Cold Festival?

Could it be that he was also a lay disciple like Yuanjue and Bore?

In the afternoon, Xie Peng returned from outside the city and told Yaoying that preparations for the Begging for Cold Festival had indeed begun. All the major government offices were cleaning their courtyards and setting up high platforms for music and dance performances. Musicians and dancing girls hired by Hu merchants from the Kucha region had also arrived, and the courier stations outside the city were full of people coming to attend the festival.

With questions in her mind, Yaoying went to visit Ashina Bisuo the day before departure and tentatively said: “I hear the Begging for Cold Festival is approaching. The Regent is from the royal court and surely wishes to celebrate with family and friends. Perhaps we could delay a few days and depart after the festival.”

Bisuo froze for a moment before shaking his head with a bitter smile: “In my opinion… I should be the one to accompany the Princess to Gaochang, and delaying for a month would be best.”

But Tanmoluojia would not agree.

His expression turned melancholic as he fell into a brief trance, a faint haziness floating in his jade-colored eyes. After a while, he came back to himself, smiled, and said: “The Regent has no family and no friends. He has never participated in the Begging for Cold Festival. The departure date has been set, so the Princess need not worry about this.”

Yaoying recalled how the attendant had trembled when mentioning Sudan Gu.

To the attendant, the fierce and terrifying Regent’s absence from the Begging for Cold Festival meant the city’s people could fully enjoy the festivities.

Perhaps Sudan Gu never appeared at festivals because he didn’t want to frighten people.

Yaoying pondered this for a moment before setting it aside. Her gaze fell to Bisuo’s leg as she asked: “Was it Haidu Aling who did this?”

Bisuo had returned wounded and was taken directly to Princess Chima’s residence for her care. Knowing Princess Chima’s sensitivities, she hadn’t found an opportunity to ask Bisuo until today, when he had moved back to his residence.

“He didn’t do it himself,” Bisuo’s expression turned cold. “It was his guard.”

Leaning back on the couch, he slowly continued: “After I arrived in the Northern Rong, I saw Haidu Aling lying in his felt tent putting on an act every day, encouraging several princes to examine his wound. When the young prince saw his wound, he immediately vomited. The second prince used a dagger to scrape away the rotting flesh from his wound, cutting almost to the bone with each stroke, yet he didn’t even blink.”

Yaoying frowned: “Could his injury have been real?”

Bisuo shook his head: “No, his wound was only minor.”

Yaoying drew in a sharp breath.

Haidu Aling’s wound was just a minor injury, but he deliberately left it untreated, allowing it to fester and breed maggots, making others believe his entire leg was useless. When the second prince scraped away his flesh with a knife, he showed no reaction—all of this was meant to deceive the princes!

This man was indeed deeply calculating, capable of such cruelty to himself. No wonder the Wahan Khan and his sons had all been fooled.

Bisuo sighed: “Haidu Aling truly deserves his title as the Northern Rong’s greatest warrior, able to endure what others cannot. If you hadn’t warned me, I too would have believed his leg was truly useless! I remembered your reminder and watched his tent day and night, finally discovering some clues. I was preparing to make his act become a reality as you suggested, but he was already prepared. My first strike failed, and while trying to escape, I was cut by his guard.”

At this point, he smirked and raised his eyebrows at Yaoying.

“But I didn’t let Haidu Aling get too smug. The second prince and I coordinated from inside and out, creating diversions. We deliberately attacked his tent, and the second prince truly meant to kill him. He hadn’t wanted to expose himself, but when he saw the assassin’s killing strikes, he panicked. In that life-or-death moment, he jumped to dodge, and the second prince saw it all.”

Yaoying understood immediately and exchanged a knowing smile with Bisuo.

Now that the second prince harbored suspicions about Haidu Aling, his plan had essentially failed.

Bisuo patted his leg, saying proudly: “Haidu Aling suffered for nothing, but this cut of mine wasn’t wasted!”

Yaoying’s eyes curved in a smile as she clasped her hands and said with a laugh: “The General has achieved a great merit, Yaoying deeply admires you!”

Ready for travel, she had changed into light traveling clothes—a brocade robe with paired deer patterns in roundels, her braided hair falling over her shoulders, and a brocade sash at her waist. Her figure was delicate, her skin soft as snow. Her smiling eyes looked at him, their corners slightly upturned, radiating beauty as she glanced about.

Bisuo suddenly felt his face grow hot and shifted his gaze to the bright patches of light on the windowsill, saying: “Princess… the Regent has peculiar temperament and dislikes women near him. When traveling with him, please be patient with him.”

Yaoying nodded: “I won’t disturb the Regent.”

Bisuo made a sound of acknowledgment.

On the third day, the group departed.

The night before, Yaoying had hesitated about whether to bid farewell to Tanmoluojia, but the monks told her he was in seclusion and seeing no one, so she had to let it be.

Clouds surged at the horizon as dawn broke. Yaoying and her guards left the Buddhist temple accompanied by Yuanjue, following the same road they had first taken into the city.

At the cliff where they stopped their horses, a tremendous commotion could be heard. With the Begging for Cold Festival approaching, herders from hundreds of li around were rushing to the holy city, and the markets were packed with people.

Yaoying asked Yuanjue: “Shouldn’t we wait for the Regent?”

Yuanjue replied: “The Regent isn’t in the city. We’ll meet him directly at the Sand City.”

The weather gradually cooled, the days no longer as scorching as midsummer. They traveled in the early morning, made camp to rest during the hottest part of noon, and then continued their journey in the afternoon. After several days of continuous travel, they finally reached the Sand City.

The group stopped at the courier station to replenish their water when suddenly eagle cries rang out overhead.

Yaoying looked up, her veil fluttering in the wind.

A robust grey eagle swooped over their heads, spreading its massive wings as it flew toward a distant dune.

Yuanjue looked around for a moment before saying softly: “The Regent has arrived.”

Yaoying looked in the direction he pointed. In the setting sun, a lone rider stood on the hillside, his shoulders catching the evening light, his figure tall and imposing. Against the light, his features were unclear, but that commanding presence, taut as a drawn bow, could only be Sudan Gu.

She had thought to go meet him but remembered Bisuo’s reminder and remained still.

The group filled their water skins and rode toward Sudan Gu.

As they drew near, Yaoying’s gaze fell on Sudan Gu’s face, and saw that he wore a demon mask over his fierce countenance.

Traveling abroad, he certainly needed to cover that face—it would draw too much attention otherwise.

But why choose a demon mask?

Compared to his actual face, this mask was even more frightening…

Yaoying’s mind wandered, her grip loosening, and suddenly her mount accelerated forward, kicking up dust and sand.

The group had traveled for days and was exhausted. Before anyone could react, Yaoying had shot forward like an arrow leaving the bow.

The wind whistled in her ears as worried calls came from behind. Yaoying felt a wave of anxiety, gathered herself, and lay low against the horse’s back, gripping the reins tightly. She reached out to gently pat the horse’s neck, soothing it.

The black horse snorted several times and began to slow.

Yaoying let out a relieved breath and slowly sat up, gently pulling the reins.

A cold gaze fell upon her.

Yaoying looked up, sheepishly glancing at Sudan Gu. His dark robe was covered in sand—thrown up by her horse when it had charged past him.

It was so hot during the day that everyone had changed into white robes, yet he always wore black. Wasn’t he afraid of the heat?

Yaoying couldn’t help but smile, saying: “How have you been, Regent?”

Sudan Gu remained silent.

Yaoying looked into his jade eyes, visible through the mask, and said: “I haven’t had the chance to thank you in person for saving me last time. How are your wounds, Regent?”

The young woman’s tone was sincere, without a trace of fear, her voice gentle and soft.

Sudan Gu said nothing but urged his horse forward half a length and reached out toward Yaoying.

Yaoying froze.

Still silent, Sudan Gu bent down and used his long fingers to untangle a string of golden leaves that had become wrapped around her horse’s stirrup strap.

In the evening light, a shallow scratch was visible on the horse’s back.

Yaoying understood: her mount had been startled because the golden leaves had pricked it.

Looking at Sudan Gu’s profile, she found his demon mask not quite so ugly now, and said softly: “Thank you, Regent.”

Sudan Gu’s eyes lowered as he released the untangled cord.

Hoofbeats approached as Yuanjue and the others caught up.

Sudan Gu turned his horse and rode down the hillside, his figure seeming to gather all the evening light.

The group silently followed after him.