Chapter 117: Leaving the Capital

June 30, 2022mich

    Li Zhongqian’s petition was quickly handed in. When the common people heard that he was going to Helong to retrieve Li Yaoying’s bones, they gathered 10,000 letters in a few days and requested to go with him.

    When Li De summoned Li Zhongqian back to the capital, it was originally for the purpose of placing this son under house arrest. Seeing the public opinion flaring up, he weighed the pros and cons and dismissed the idea.

    “He truly wants to go to Helong?” Li De was skeptical.

    Prime Minister Zheng said, “It’s true.”

    Li De gazed at the white porcelain inkstone on the desk and looked away for a while, saying, “So be it.”

    A few days later, Li Zhongqian left Chang’an under the escort of a few of his personal soldiers.

    The Chief Historian saw him off, crying, “This old slave will take care of Madam. Erlang, you must come back soon! Whether you can find Qiniang or not, you must come back! This old slave will be waiting for you!”

    Li Zhongqian sent away the Chief Historian. Riding his horse until he reached the mountain road, he looked back at the towering palace wall in the northeast.

    Unfortunately, his body had not yet recovered. Otherwise, he could have strangled Li De to death that night.

    If he had not struck that night and continued to hibernate, he could have found a more suitable opportunity. But he couldn’t wait that long: too much time had passed since he had awakened.

    Little Seventh was out there all alone. He had to pick her up and take her home first.

    When he found Little Seventh, he would come back to take revenge.

    He has already destroyed Li De and Li Xuanzhen’s ‘benevolent father and filial son’ facade. First, let them, father and son, suspect each other, and when he returned, he would make everyone pay the price!

    Li Zhongqian spurred his horse out of Great Wei and headed west without looking back.

    Little Seventh, don’t be afraid. Elder brother is coming to pick you up.

   …

    8,000 miles away, the Royal Court.

    Yaoying did not sleep well the whole night after meeting Haidu Aling at the Buddhist temple during the day.

    In her dream, the young man in silver armor and white robes sped down the hill and charged righteously into the black armor-clad enemy line of the Northern Rong.

    The young man was trapped in a heavy siege and died in exhaustion, his battle robes in tatters.

    The opposing general pivoted his horse to the front lines. In the sunlight, a pair of slender eyes glowed with a light golden light.

    “Elder brother! Don’t go, don’t go… don’t meet Haidu Aling…”

    Yaoying woke up with a start, trembling.

    She had changed Li Zhongqian’s fate. Two years ago, he should have died in a battle against Haidu Aling. At the time, she found a way to keep him from leaving.

    Now, elder brother must have come looking for her. Would he think she was still in Haidu Aling’s camp and go straight to Northern Rong to find her?

    Yaoying got up to get ready.

    She had to deliver the news that she was in the Royal Court quickly and return to the Central Plains as soon as possible.

    Outside the window, there was the continuous buzzing of talking as the personal soldiers got up early to practice boxing.

    Yaoying listened to the sound of their fights, smiled, and pushed open the window.

    Xie Peng and Xie Chong immediately rushed up to the corridor in a flurry, and talked over each other, “Princess, Venerable Master won the scripture debate yesterday!”

    Yaoying had long guessed that Tumoroga would win and was not the least bit surprised.

    Xie Chong said with a smile, “Northern Rong’s Haidu Aling specially brought a dozen senior monks over. From noon to dusk, a dozen people took turns to debate with the Venerable Master, and the Venerable Master still won!”

    They didn’t go to see the scripture debate meeting, only hearing the result from others, but now they all acted as if they had seen the conference and fought each other to tell Yaoying the result of each match.

    Yaoying leaned against the window and watched them narrate the grandiosity of the debate in great detail. Her heart gradually calmed down.

    This was Tumoroga’s Royal Court. She had nothing to fear.

    Yaoying was in higher spirits and asked Xie Chong, “Did anyone ask about the monks’ vestments?”

    Xie Chong scratched his scalp, “Not yet.”

    Xie Peng stuck his head out: “Princess, should we change our method?”

    Yaoying smiled, “There is no hurry. The scripture debate has just ended.”

    The personal soldiers resoundingly agreed and were about to continue discussing the scripture debate with Yaoying when they saw Xie Qing’s tall figure appearing from the corner of their eye in front of the corridor. With a whoosh, they jumped into the courtyard to continue practicing boxing, and shouting erupted over the courtyard.

    Yaoying shook her head and laughed, asking Xie Qing: “Have you inquired clearly?”

    Xie Qing nodded and said, “Haidu Aling is the deputy ambassador of the Northern Rong mission, and lives in the post house in the south of the city. The envoys altogether make up thirty-two people, and they came to participate in the scripture debate assembly. The deputy ambassador was originally someone else, but they were replaced last minute.”

    Yaoying’s brows were lightly knitted.

    No wonder Ashina Bisha did not know that Haidu Aling would appear in the Buddhist temple.

    Xie Qing continued, “Haidu Aling was followed in and out. He did not walk around alone, and did not behave strangely.”

    Yaoying pursed her lips and decided not to go out during the time when the Northern Rong mission was still here.

    Bisha came to visit her every day and invited her to go out to play. She explained the reason for her refusal, and Bisha could only accept. Two days later, he came over happily: “The Northern Rong people are gone!”

    Yaoying was still not at ease.

    Did Haidu Aling come to the Northern Rong just to test Tumoroga’s Buddhist expertise?

    She then sent Xie Qing out to inquire until the Northern Rong no longer appeared in the Holy City, and only then did she dare to occasionally go out of the palace accompanied by Ashina Bisa.

    On this day, the person Yaoying was hoping for finally arrived at her door.

    Xie Chong was so excited that he tripped over his own feet. Rushing into the courtyard, he said loudly, “Today someone asked about the vestments the monks of the Buddhist temple wore that day!”

    Yaoying exhaled, “Good. All the large carts of silk left in the royal palace treasury can be sold.”

    In the Holy City, the scripture debate assembly was a heavily attended occasion, a grand event. The vestments worn by the monks at the debate were sent by her. When the noble guests from various city-states saw those golden, gorgeous, and sparkling vestments, they would surely ask about how the vestments were made.

    Yaoying was waiting for today.