Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Acknowledgment

Yaoying returned to the courtyard.
Xie Qing and Xie Chong immediately rushed to her. They had subdued Haidu Aling’s men together with the guards and were just about to go out to find her.
Yaoying went back to her room first to put on her shoes—the royal palace’s roads were mainly dirt and mud, and she had gone barefoot the whole way. The soles of her feet were about to be worn out.
Xie Chong growled, “I did not expect that Haidu Aling still has not given up. Princess lives in the Royal Court’s royal palace, yet he still dares put himself in danger to come here.”
Yaoying changed into a thick, double-layered robe and said, “Buddha’s son rarely lives in the royal palace. The royal palace is not guarded well.”
When Haidu Aling appeared at the scripture debate, she knew that his presence boded nothing good, so she stayed deep in the palace and did not set a single foot outside the gate. After the Northern Rong’s delegation had departed, she waited for two days before she dared to go out of the palace. Unexpectedly, Haidu Aling was more patient than before, waiting until tonight to carry out his plans.
Yaoying remembered the white falcon Abu that Haidu Aling personally tamed. He reveled in the feeling of conquering his prey; it was unlikely for him to let her go easily.
“At present, we have to find a way to get the news back to the Central Plains as soon as possible…” Yaoying murmured, “I don’t know if Elder Brother’s injury has healed… He is impatient… No matter who, he will not listen to anyone’s advice…”
She missed Li Zhongqian but was afraid that Li Zhongqian would run into Haidu Aling, and the tragedy would come true.
After being out in the cold nighttime wind, Yaoying’s face was pale, her lips faintly blue. Her body was gently trembling.
Xie Chong and the others looked at each other. Unwilling to scare her, they laughingly said: “Rest assured, Princess. Qin wang will certainly be safe and sound! Princess has been frightened tonight, so rest early. If Haidu Aling dares to come again, we will chop off his hands.”
Yaoying reined in her despondency. Smiling at everyone, she sent them out, and sat alone in the dark room, gently rubbing her bruised and battered feet while she quietly pondered.
Xie Qing did not dare let Yaoying leave her sight this time. Guarding in the corner of the room, she sat cross-legged, closing her eyes to sleep.
The next day, Ashina Bisha came to visit Yaoying and assured her repeatedly that the palace security had been tightened, that Haidu Aling’s men had died or been arrested, and that he would absolutely not dare to break into the palace again.
Yaoying thanked him for bringing his troops to her aid last night and asked straightforwardly, “General, did you know that Haidu Aling would come?”
Bisha froze.
Yaoying’s eyes watched him and she looked at him calmly.
Bisha stared at her for a moment, put away his joking look, and nodded, “Correct. The regent knew that Haidu Aling was still lurking in Holy City and instructed us to strengthen our vigilance so as to prevent Haidu Aling from kidnapping the princess.”
Yaoying was stunned.
She thought the person who arranged the ambush last night was Bisha, but it turned out to be Sultan Gu?
As expected of the regent who was in charge of military affairs and deterred several nobles. He was truly meticulous and secretly watched out for Haidu Aling.
Bisha touched the back of his head: “Princess, I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I was simply afraid of scaring you, so I did not warn you beforehand. The regent did not know when, or even if Haidu Aling would come. If we told the princess in advance, you would have trouble sleeping and eating, and you would be worried day and night.”
Yaoying shot him a carefree smile and shook her head, “I wouldn’t be angry at you over this…”
Her words took a turn, “But I hope that General Ashina will not hide matters from me in the future. The person Haidu Aling wants to kidnap is me. I am the best bait; if the general informed me earlier, I could have worked alongside the general. We may have been able to catch Haidu Aling.”
Bisha’s face was shaken, and he went silent for some time.
Yaoying smiled at him, her appearance gorgeous.
Bisha avoided her gaze and asked, “Has it ever occurred to Princess that if we acted together to kill Haidu Aling, then Princess will no longer have worries.”
Yaoying smiled lightly and looked up at the clear blue sky: “The Royal Court and Northern Rong have formed an alliance. Haidu Aling is the prince of Northern Rong. If the Royal Court killed Haidu Aling at this juncture, the Northern Rong will definitely use this as an excuse to go to war—General Ashina need not worry. I am under the patronage of the Royal Court, and I can distinguish between the important and unimportant in this situation. Haidu Aling must die in the land outside of Royal Court. Or, there must not be evidence left behind, so that the Northern Rong can not catch a handle. Or, when the two armies face off.
“Haidu Aling did not come as a Northern Rong envoy without a reason. The regent must have noticed, so he did not kill him off.”
Bisha looked back at Yaoying, a strange look flitting across his handsome face.
The princess is right. It was not appropriate for the Royal Court to start a war against the Northern Rong right now. The Central Army was loyal to Tumoroga, but the Left, Right, Front, and Rear Armies were in the hands of the major nobles. Having just experienced several big wars, their loyalties were wavering. Furthermore, it was the harvesting season, so manpower and resources were lacking.
The grand puja after the war was to celebrate the victory but also to pacify the people, deter ministers, and stabilize the government.
The reason he did not inform Li Yaoying in advance last night was that he was afraid that the Great Wei Princess would mess up their plans in fear and drag the entire Royal Court into the mire.
Bisha sighed and cupped his fist towards Yaoying with a serious expression, “Princess, I’m sorry.”
He knew that Haidu Aling was determined to have the princess, yet he couldn’t kill that man and give the princess peace of mind. What face did he have to call himself the princess’ friend?
Yaoying stood up. Beneath the corridor, she returned the salute towards Bisha and said, “General, I am sheltered by Buddha’s son and allied with him. The Royal Court’s safety also means my safety. I will not disregard the big picture, nor will I be so arrogant as to ask your country to kill the Northern Rong prince for me.”
The alliance with Gaochang1 was for the future—for her benefit as well as that of the Royal Court. She was not naive enough to think that Tumoroga would order Haidu Aling’s death for her, an unrelated person.
What’s more, Haidu Aling was one of the Northern Rong’s top warriors. How would he be so easily killed?
She was already grateful that Tumoroga saved her and sent guards to protect her against Haidu Aling.
Bisha stared at Yaoying, his eyes flashing. Changing from his previous frivolousness and looseness, his posture straightened, said: “Princess also need not be too polite. Princess saved the King; that is akin to saving the entire Royal Court. Although I cannot kill Haidu Aling now, if I meet him on the battlefield in the future, I will definitely kill him!”
Yaoying smiled and said, “I cannot kill Haidu Aling now… but I cannot just allow him to peacefully return to the Northern Rong.”
The corners of Bisha’s mouth hooked up: “Princess need not worry. Haidu Aling broke into the royal palace at night. We did not catch him, and there is no evidence, but his people are in our hands. The regent has instructed to send those people to the Northern Rong. Wakhan Khan will definitely be furious.”
Yaoying nodded her head.
This was indeed a solution; Wakhan Khan was more trustworthy than Haidu Aling and moreover, already regarded Tumoroga as his nemesis in his heart. He did not dare to go to war with the Royal Court.
But there was a better, more vicious method.
Yaoying gestured at her personal soldiers to take out the herbs she had put together last night: “I was saved by the regent last night, and I wish to thank the regent in person.”
Bisha’s eyes flickered and he smiled, “The Regent’s whereabouts are uncertain. I do not know where he is either.”
Yaoying also smiled, “Then I would like to ask the general to pass on a message for me.”
Bisha looked hesitant. Before he could open his mouth, a guard rushed into the courtyard, practically falling in his haste, “Haidu Aling is here!”
Everyone was alarmed. The personal guards scrambled to grab their weapons and assumed a defensive posture.