The shepherd girl had eaten her fill and fallen asleep in the warm pavilion, her outstretched arm tightly gripping the corner of Yun Ye’s robe. These past days she’d suffered terribly. Bound to the wooden board, she’d constantly fantasized that the handsome Han man would come save her, just like the sky god Tengri saved the goddess Wuyi – severing the great serpent’s head and rescuing her from its belly. Then there would be ninety-nine lambs as white as clouds surrounding her, and ninety-nine lambs as black as rain clouds surrounding her beloved. He would dance the sword dance, each time using his blade to cut the most beautiful flowers and toss them to her. She didn’t like white morning glories, only liked crimson maulas. Each time he danced a segment, she would lightly whip him once with her whip…

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost forgot the cold and the danger, until those two terrifying men were about to chisel open her skull and she awoke from her fantasy. A daughter of the grasslands didn’t fear death, only worried about not seeing her most beloved. She struggled with all her might, hoping to give her beloved more time to rescue her. She never despaired – her beloved was fighting outside and would come save her the next moment. Only her strength grew weaker and weaker. She wanted to cry out: “My love, hurry! You’re about to lose the beautiful Na Rimu!”

Na Rimu felt somewhat proud. The heavenly god heard her call – her beloved’s face appeared above her head. He was extremely angry. Well yes, anyone would be angry seeing their beloved bound. Poor villains, killed by her beloved – that was the fate of all villains. Who told them to try chiseling open Na Rimu’s skull?

The young girl curled up behind Yun Ye, sleeping incredibly sweetly. Though her features weren’t beautiful, her natural maiden charm still made one’s heart flutter.

Yun Ye looked at the sleeping girl and picked up the cloak the serving girls had folded neatly beside him, covering her with it.

“Marquis Yun has quite a tender heart for cherishing beauty. I just wonder what Marquis Yun thinks of his own situation? Your brothers are already searching the entire grassland for you – only ten men surprisingly. I’m somewhat tempted to send people to find them and bring them back as well.”

Thinking he held the upper hand, Yetuo began toying with Yun Ye like a cat with a mouse.

“Brother Yetuo clearly doesn’t want my life. I just don’t know what instruction you have. Speak frankly. If little brother can do it, I’ll do my utmost. If I cannot, killing me would be useless. Little brother is someone who fears death, so Brother Yetuo need not beat around the bush. Speak directly – little brother is all ears.”

“No rush. You listen to Yetuo finish speaking before deciding. In any case, Marquis Yun is my honored guest. Yetuo dares not show the slightest neglect.”

“In fact, from the moment I received the military dispatch, I knew someone wanted to see me. From the forged documents, I could see shadows of some ancient families, but I don’t know which family Brother Yetuo represents. Forgive my directness – you’re descended from the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu. Though brave and martial, you absolutely don’t have such subtle methods. So you need not conceal anything for others. Just speak plainly.”

Yun Ye didn’t want to give him room to think. He just wanted to cut through the tangled mess quickly and resolve matters. Cheng Chumo had already gone mad – if this wasn’t resolved soon, unexpected changes would occur.

“I heard Marquis Yun drew a map for a monk. Is this true?” Yetuo began his questioning.

“It’s true – for Monk Xuanzang. He was determined to go to Tianzhu to obtain Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, wanting to remedy the shortcomings and deficiencies of Great Tang Buddhism. Poor man didn’t know how to reach Tianzhu, so little brother drew him a route map. Though crude, reaching Tianzhu shouldn’t be a problem.”

He didn’t know why Yetuo would bring up Xuanzang. Could his wish for the “Great Tang Records on the Western Regions” be about to shatter?

Yetuo clapped and called out: “Please welcome Great Tang’s eminent monk, Master Xuanzang!”

Yun Ye jumped in alarm. Xuanzang was here? In half a year, he’d only gotten this far?

A serving girl lifted the door curtain. Sure enough, a dark, thin monk in tattered robes entered from outside. Seeing Yun Ye, he too startled momentarily, but instantly recovered his unperturbed composure. He raised one palm before his chest and proclaimed the Buddha’s name: “Infinite Life Buddha. The world turns – I didn’t expect to meet Marquis Yun again in this wilderness. This poor monk doesn’t know whether to rejoice or grieve.”

“Master is a monk – where do all these joys, angers, sorrows come from? Meeting an old friend in a foreign land can only be joyous. I wonder if Master will drink a cup?”

Yun Ye rose smiling to greet the guest, completely ignoring Xu Jingzong’s frantic eye signals. He simply didn’t want Yun Ye getting entangled in the Xuanzang affair again.

Yetuo also stood up, but his greenish印堂 foretold his life wouldn’t be long. Whether the aristocratic families behind him did this deliberately or truly meant well for him – that was unknowable.

“I met Master Xuanzang in Kangguo. He was inquiring about the route to Tianzhu. I was somewhat curious, and since I was coming to the grasslands to find Marquis Yun anyway, I brought him along. Rather than asking strangers for directions, better to ask someone knowledgeable like Marquis Yun.”

Ignoring Yetuo’s nonsense, Yun Ye addressed Xuanzang again: “I wonder if after encountering such hardships, Master’s heart for seeking Buddha remains unchanged?”

Xuanzang put his palms together, paying respect to the Three Jewels: “This poor monk once made a great vow – not to turn back without obtaining the true scriptures. My heart remains the same, my will unchanged.”

“Master’s Buddhism has advanced further. Congratulations!”

Legend told that Tang Monk’s scripture quest encountered eighty-one tribulations – but those were legends. Yun Ye hadn’t witnessed them personally, so he was somewhat skeptical. Now seeing Xuanzang in tattered clothes, he finally believed the man had walked this journey with his life. In an instant, all the pettiness in Yun Ye’s heart swept away completely. Morality and willpower had contagious effects. Yun Ye now felt some indescribable change in himself – his heart settled considerably.

From arriving in Great Tang until now, he’d walked too many smooth roads with favorable winds. Even when there were some detours, he’d avoided them one by one using his prophetic knowledge. This wasn’t necessarily good. Human nature was to grow stronger through setbacks – like hardy pines, like wintersweet. Compared to hardy pines and wintersweet like Xuanzang, he still needed to experience more storms to grow into a towering tree, for the Academy to endure ten thousand generations without decline.

Supporting the weak Xuanzang to sit down, Yun Ye turned to ask Yetuo: “Say whatever you have to say. I don’t have much time. Master doesn’t have much time either. I believe your time is even more pressed. Say what you want – this is the last chance.”

Yetuo hadn’t yet adapted to Yun Ye’s sudden transformation. Just now Yun Ye had said these words, and with his experience, he naturally saw that Yun Ye’s words didn’t match his heart. But unexpectedly, after conversing with Xuanzang, his bearing had undergone earth-shattering changes. These words spoken again carried different meaning.

He bowed his head silently. The steward handed him a note. After reading it, he stuffed the note in his mouth, slowly chewed it to pulp, then swallowed it.

“Where is White Jade Capital? Tell me, and we’re even. From then on, we go our separate ways.”

“Knowing about White Jade Capital will only make you die faster. Are you certain you want to know? I didn’t speak of it at court because I didn’t want too many people to perish because of it. Why don’t you understand my painstaking efforts? Why persist stubbornly and insist on knowing about that damned place?”

At this moment, Yun Ye truly felt sorrowful. Because of his one joke, many had already died. To prevent more people from suffering, let those bastards obsessed with immortality all die. They were extremely selfish, extremely self-centered bastards. If they all died, the world would be quiet.

From behind the curtain extended an aged, withered hand holding a jade pendant that emitted a faint glow even in daylight.

Yetuo personally took the jade pendant and handed it to Yun Ye with both hands.

“What does it say?” Yun Ye asked. The jade pendant was covered with winding, twisting lines that he couldn’t understand no matter how he looked.

“Does Marquis Yun know that it bears three ancient characters reading: White Jade Capital? Marquis Yun doesn’t recognize them?” An aged voice echoed through the pavilion.

“You actually recognize Shang Dynasty script? This writing is also called oracle bone script. In ancient times, there was already the name White Jade Capital? Old sir, you’re not mistaken?”

Yun Ye finally remembered those strange lines – cut like with axes, chiseled like with knives – wasn’t this oracle bone script? This old man was talking nonsense. Someone in the Tang Dynasty could read oracle bone script?

“Hahaha, Marquis Yun truly has profound family learning. Your esteemed master must also be a scholar of supreme learning to actually know this is Yin-Shang script. This old man now has no doubt whatsoever that you know about White Jade Capital. For others to know about White Jade Capital might, as Marquis Yun says, harm them. Only this old man knows that White Jade Capital brings only benefit, no harm. I’m eighty-three this year. For many years I’ve been stuck at the threshold of the immortal way without advancing an inch. This old man truly wants to see the immortal land. Please fulfill my wish, Marquis Yun. As for compensation – how about this camel city?”

Xu Jingzong stared blankly at Yun Ye. This camel city was worth no less than one hundred thousand strings of cash. Especially the camels – in Chang’an they were rare items. Traveling barbarians treasured them like life itself, ordinarily unwilling to sell. With this camel city, connecting to the Western Regions wouldn’t be a dream. Yun Ye only needed to point out a route. His eyes reddened somewhat.

“If senior insists on asking, junior will tell everything I know. No need to exchange it for the camel city.”

It would be strange if Yun Ye believed their ghost stories. Such a large camel city – no one would easily let go of it. If greedy, his life might be lost here.

“In fact, junior’s understanding of White Jade Capital also comes from a poem. You should know, if junior pointed you to a clear and unmistakable highway, that would be spouting nonsense. Now everyone just listen to it as a story. My master often said: ‘I think of White Jade Capital, there in the eastern corner of the blue sea. The sea is cold with much heavenly wind, white waves connecting mountains overturn Penglai. Long whales spout surges that cannot be crossed, clutching my heart in boundless tears like pearls. Western-coming blue bird flies eastward, wishing to send a letter thanking Magu.’ He also said this place has half the year in daylight, half in darkness – I don’t know if that’s true. This is my master’s understanding of White Jade Capital. Junior only knows this much. I myself have no interest whatsoever in immortals or longevity. If anyone can ascend to immortal status, I’m happy to see it. What does old sir think?”

Long silence. Even Xu Jingzong pondered deeply. Yetuo copied these lines over and over. The old man behind the curtain also said nothing. The scene was boringly quiet. Seeing the shepherd girl sleeping sweetly, Yun Ye’s childish side emerged. He used the tip of her hair to tickle her nostrils, watching her constantly rub her nose like a sleepy kitten. Xuanzang’s face bore a serene smile, watching Yun Ye tease the shepherd girl.

Yun Ye suddenly felt immensely weary. He just wanted to cast everything aside and sleep. His head tilted, and sprawled beside the shepherd girl, he too entered dreamland…