When going from the palace to the Buddhist temple, one will definitely pass through the city’s most prosperous street, where there are constant streams of people and heavy traffic.

When Yaoying's carriage left the palace surrounded by blue-shirted and white-robed knights, even through the thick felt curtains, she could hear the huge discussions on the side of the road, one wave after another, like waves.

She sat cross-legged, with Prajna's horrified face appearing before her eyes.

It was just gossip before, but now, not only did she blaspheme the God in their minds, she also lived under the same roof with their God.

This was not what she expected.

Yao Ying held her chin with both hands, still not recovering from the shock.

Tanmaraka tacitly allowed her to stay in the palace, which was the best protection for her. Now that he publicly acknowledged her identity, not only Prajna and the others were terrified, but she was also caught off guard.

She came to him shamelessly, and the people in the royal court thought she was just a love-crazy woman. Tanmaraka allowed her to stay in the Buddhist temple, which was of extraordinary significance.

This is certainly a good thing for her, but it will definitely damage Tanmaragha's reputation. After Yuanjue read the imperial edict at the post station yesterday, the envoys and princes and ministers from various countries present were talking about it. Prajna was about to cry, and the usually warm and generous Bisha also had a gloomy face.

Yaoying recalled the last time she saw Tanmarajiva. During the Dharma Assembly, he was so noble and above the dust that all the filth in the world paleed in comparison.

Tanmaraka was saving her.

Haidu Aling refused to give up, so she was on guard day and night. This time, Haidu Aling risked his life to break into the palace at night, which made her realize that the royal court was not safe either. She was worried, and Tanmarajya came to help her.

When they first met, she expressed her request to emulate the Madana girl in front of thousands of soldiers. In front of the cavalry formation of Tanmarakala, he glanced at her with his emerald eyes without making any comment.

Now he has the answer.

He agreed.

It was a few months late, but the move was immediate. The night before yesterday, Hai Du A Ling broke into the palace, and he announced it publicly yesterday that he would send someone to pick her up to the Buddhist temple today, without any delay.

The carriage arrived at the Buddhist temple and entered through a hidden side door. The cavalry from the central army led Yaoying inside.

Her feet felt weak and she felt unreal, as if she was falling into the clouds.

The Buddhist temple in the holy city is very old. It is built against the cliff. It is simple and solemn, majestic and magnificent. There are pagodas and grottoes, tall pavilions and palaces everywhere. The incense is strong and the sound of Sanskrit can be heard.

Yao Ying followed the knight and walked through the stone pillar corridor. Everywhere she looked, she could see murals on the walls of the corridor depicting Buddhist stories, mountains, rivers, pavilions, and dancing celestial beings. The paintings were golden, colorful, gorgeous, and round, with vigorous and smooth lines, strong and sturdy figures, and a gorgeous and unrestrained style.

The courtyard is bright and spacious, with pagodas like a forest. The further you go in, the cooler and quieter it becomes. The murals and carvings on the walls are also more exquisite, with large areas of rich blue-gold color, magnificent and majestic.

Yao Ying was dazzled.

Among pigments, lapis lazuli and vermilion were both extremely expensive. Even the most famous painters in Chang'an could not paint with lapis lazuli as they pleased. However, Buddhist temples were filled with lapis lazuli and vermilion murals with glittering gold foil, reflecting the wealth of the royal court.

Yuanjue and Prajna escorted Yaoying, one with a serene expression and the other as if she had lost her parents. They brought her to a secluded courtyard far away from the main hall and ordered the knights to help carry the gift.

The yard is not big, but there are several flowers and trees planted in the courtyard that are rare in the royal court. The courtyard is deep, and the main house is on a high ground. The long corridors on all four sides are covered with a layer of clean white mud. The courtyard looks wide and tidy. There is a grape trellis next to the yellow mud adobe flower wall, and the trellis is full of vines, casting a large area of ​​dense shade.

Several walls of the main house were also covered with white mud. The furnishings in the house were simple, with a felt carpet on the floor, a couch, a sitting desk, a writing desk, a screen, and a curtain hanging in front of the couch. There were no other decorations.

Yuan Jue pointed to the main house and said, "Princess, every year at the turn of spring and summer, strong winds rage and the nights are cold. The side windows of the houses here are not opened, only the front windows. There is no well in the yard, so someone will bring clean water to you every day. Please see if you need anything, and I will bring it to you."

He added, "Princess, you are just practicing. You don't have to strictly follow the rules of the monks in the temple. But you can't just sit there doing nothing. The monks will bring you scriptures and explain the daily morning and evening lessons to you later."

Yao Ying thanked him, thought for a moment, and asked, "Is it convenient for Buddhist disciples to see me?"

Prajna next to her immediately widened her eyes and glared at her fiercely, her lips trembling, but she did not dare to scold her. She sulked for a while and then walked out.

Yaoying was picked up by Tanmarajiva, so he didn't dare to say anything bad about her.

Yuanjue nodded and said, "The king has ordered me to take the princess to the meditation room to see him after she moves in."

Yao Ying left Xie Qing and a few others to return home and pay their respects, then went with Yuan Jue to see Tanmarajiva.

The meditation room of Tanmaraka is paved with blue bricks, which is deep and solemn. The arches, corridor domes and stone pillars are painted with blue flowers and green leaves, and the surrounding borders are decorated with patterns of pomegranates, camellias and honeysuckle, which are beautiful and elegant. In front of the corridor, there are lush pines and cypresses, and tall poplars. The deepest courtyard is planted with sand date trees, with silvery white flowers hanging down in abundance, exuding fragrance.

The courtyard was silent, and the guards stood with their hands hanging down, like clay puppets.

Tanmarajiva was sitting at the desk in the meditation hall, writing something, his back looked gaunt.

Yuanjue went in to report. Yaoying was waiting in front of the corridor. Her eyes fell on Tanmarajiva and she was stunned.

It was the hottest time of the day at noon, and Tanmarajika was wearing a monk's robe that exposed his right shoulder. The skin exposed on his right shoulder was honey-colored, with distinct texture and a soft and bright luster.

Yaoying averted her eyes and looked at the branches of flowers swaying in the wind in the courtyard, remembering the night before when Sudangu staggered back into the jujube trees, leaving silvery-white flowers all over the ground.

Under the moonlight, the moment she looked into Sultan's eyes, she suddenly felt a strange feeling in her heart.

She didn't know why, but she always felt that there must be something hidden under Sultan's ferocious face. For a moment, she even felt that Sultan looked a bit like Tanmaraka.

However, Tanmarajava was bedridden and needed the help of his guards to dismount from his horse. Sultan Kumarajiva was strong and heroic, and his sword was domineering and fierce. One of them was a compassionate Buddhist, and the other was a ruthless regent.

Yaoying's suspicion is totally unfounded.

And when Sultan Kumar rescued her, she leaned tightly against his chest and could feel the strength hidden in his arms. The muscles around her were strong and full of tension.

The only thing that is similar is the pair of green eyes.

Come to think of it, Bisha also has green eyes...

Yao Ying came to her senses, shook her head and laughed.

She really had wild ideas. When Tanmarajiva was seriously ill, Sudanguru appeared and scared Xueyanna away. How could the graceful Tanmarajiva and the murderous Sudanguru be the same person?

Yuanjue walked out of the inner hall and motioned Yaoying to come in.

Yaoying calmed down her thoughts, lifted her skirt and walked into the meditation room.

The room was clean and tidy, without any incense. The desk was piled with scriptures. Tanmarajiva was still writing with his head down. His fingers were long and thin, but they gave people a very powerful feeling.

Yao Ying knelt down opposite him, subconsciously straightened her back, sat properly, and said straight to the point: "The ghost of the Northern Rong prince is still lingering, and the master issued an edict to protect me and let me live in the Buddhist temple. I am very grateful in my heart, but will this be detrimental to the master's reputation?"

Tanmaraka had a reserved demeanor, yet a kind of intimidating aura of knowing everything. In front of him, she didn't need to be evasive or roundabout. She could just say whatever she wanted to say, because she couldn't hide it from him anyway.

After Yaoying finished speaking, her eyes widened and she stared at Tanmarajiva without blinking.

Tanmarajika stopped writing, raised his head, his eyes were cold and gentle: "Princess, don't worry, it's just more criticism. After a year, the princess will leave safely, and the criticism will disappear."

His tone was calm and nonchalant.

Yao Ying suddenly felt that she couldn't express the words of gratitude that she had been thinking about all night.

Tanmaraka was very smart and never took her words seriously. He did not need her gratitude, nor did he need her to pay any price. He helped her only because she was a person in need of help among the countless people and she had saved him. He could help her, and when he saw that she was in danger, he helped her.

She met a good man.

Yao Ying smiled, and she completely relaxed. The lingering haze in her heart seemed to be blown away.

She slightly curved her eyebrows, her eyes sparkling, and said softly, "Thank you."

The fifteen-year-old girl, in her youth, temporarily put down her burdens, and her radiance and spirit were high.

The whole meditation room seemed to be brighter, and the spring scenery was beautiful.

Tanmarajiva put down his pen, picked up a few scriptures and handed them to Yaoying.

Yao Ying stood up, took the scriptures and found that they were Chinese versions of scriptures such as the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Samyuktāramitā Sūtra and the Abhidharma-samuccaya.

She was suddenly overwhelmed.

Well, monks don’t tell lies, and when Tanmarajiva issued an edict asking her to come to the Buddhist temple to study Buddhism, he really wanted her to study Buddhist principles seriously. Not only did he stipulate her morning and evening classes, he even prepared scriptures for her.

This person is very honest.

Yao Ying held the heavy scriptures in her hands. Her scalp went numb at the thought that in the future she would not only have to deal with the trivial matters of establishing a caravan, but would also have to read these scriptures. Suddenly she remembered another thing, raised her head, and looked at Tanmarajiva with burning eyes.

"Master..." She asked seriously, "Do I also want to be ordained?"

There was a moment of shock on Tanmaragha's face.

Yao Ying looked embarrassed.

In order to marry Ananda, Madana shaved her head and became a nun. Should she also shave her head? Although hair is insignificant compared to life and one should not hesitate about it, it is better not to shave it if possible. Her hair is thick and dense, and she has maintained it for so many years!

It was the hottest time of summer, the sun was shining brightly, and a beam of bright sunlight came through the skylight into the meditation room, shining on Yaoying's dark and lush hair. Her skin was as white as snow, and she was wearing a pale blue long skirt and scarlet half-sleeves. She was as delicate and gorgeous as a flower branch blooming in the wind in spring, lush and brilliant.

Tanmarajika lowered his eyes and said, "Princess, you have not yet converted to Buddhism. You can practice Buddhism with your hair uncut."

Yao Ying breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Tanmarajiva, her eyes full of admiration and trust, and said with a smile: "Thank you, Master."

The sound was loud and brisk, much more natural than when I first entered the room.

Tanmaraka said nothing and glanced at Yuanjue who was standing outside the door.

Yuanjue understood and sent Yaoying back to the yard.

The girl's light green skirt slid across the felt carpet, leaving a bright shadow, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Tanmaraka then lowered his head and wrote.

After a while, footsteps were heard in the corridor, and the tall figure of Ashina Bisha appeared outside the door.

"Did the king just meet Princess Wen Zhao?"

Tanmaraka hummed and did not raise his head.

Bisuo walked into the meditation room, bowed to Tanmaraka, and sat down cross-legged. "King, why do you want to help Princess Wen Zhao so much? You let her live in the palace, which is already an exception. Now you let her move into the Buddhist temple, and the city is talking about it. She is the first woman to step into your meditation room in all these years."

Tanmo Luojia said calmly: "The northern barbarians live by the water and grass, and are barbaric and uncivilized. Haidu Aling is vicious and tyrannical and is unwilling to stop. Doing this will allow Princess Wen Zhao to get rid of Haidu Aling."

Bisha looked at him and said, "King, there are all kinds of rumors among the people."

Tanmaraka said without raising his head: "Fame is nothing but an external thing. I am the king of the royal court. After a year, the rumors will fade away."

Bi Suo was silent for a while. "After a year, can the rumors really fade away?"

Tanmaraka lowered his head and wrote: "Bisa, do you think Princess Wen Zhao admires me? Are you worried that she will not leave?"

Bi Su was stunned.

Tanmaraka said calmly: "The princess is stranded outside the country, she has no choice. After she finds her family, she will leave."

"What about the king?" Bisha asked, "Is the king helping the princess just out of gratitude and pity? The princess is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Tanmaraka frowned slightly, "Everything in the world is constantly changing, love is like dew, and beauty is like a bubble."

Bi Suo breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and knelt down to kowtow.

"I have overstepped my bounds."

It’s good that Luo Jia is not interested.

He was worried that Luo Ga would be impressed by Princess Wen Zhao. Her beauty was not enough, as Princess Wen Zhao had many more things that could attract other people's attention. Fortunately, Luo Ga was determined.

"Bisa." Tanmarajya stopped writing and looked at Bisa. "You said that you admire Princess Wen Zhao. Is that true or false?"

His eyes were gentle, and he didn't mean to press the issue.

Bi Suo was sweating profusely and was too ashamed to raise her head: "Your Majesty, I know my crime."

Everything he did was just to test Luo Ga's feelings, divert Princess Wen Zhao's attention and prevent her from coming into contact with Luo Ga.

Tanmarajya closed the written edict and said: "Don't do it again. Whether I have kept the Five Precepts faithfully is none of others' business."

Bisha responded respectfully, took the imperial edict, and her eyes widened.

This was a handwritten letter to the Wakhan Khan, equivalent to a diplomatic letter. In the letter, Luoga declared Princess Wen Zhao's status and asked the Wakhan Khan to punish Haidu Aling.

Luo Jia not only warned his own people, but also informed all other countries and announced to the world that in the future, dozens of countries and city-states in the Tianshan Mountains would know that there was a Princess Wen Zhao living in the Buddhist temple and being protected by the king!

Bisha's heart was shaken.

"You should personally deliver this letter to the Beirong camp." Tanmarajiva said in a normal tone.

Bi Suo's hands trembled slightly twice, then he clenched the imperial edict tightly and replied respectfully.

He returned to his residence and packed his bags.

The personal guard came over to report: "General, Princess Wen Zhao sent some medicinal herbs."

Bisha paused and asked, "What did the princess say?"

The guard replied, "The princess said that the herbs were for the regent king, and asked you to pass them on. She also said that she wanted to see you to discuss the return of the Beirong prince to Beirong."

Bi Su nodded and asked his personal soldiers to deliver the herbs to the witch doctor in the mansion.

The witch doctor told him that the herbs Yao Ying had picked were all rare and precious herbs in the Western Regions. Some could treat bruises, some could promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and some could relieve internal injuries. Some of them could not be found in the entire Western Regions.

Bi Suo was distracted for a while and ordered his soldiers to store the herbs in the warehouse.

The bodyguard responded and turned around to leave.

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps behind him. Bi Suo ran out and grabbed his shoulders.

The personal soldier looked bewildered, and Bi Su's face was clouded with gloom. She stared at the herbs in his hand for a long time and then closed her eyes.

"Send it to the Buddhist temple and give it to Yuanjue. Tell him that the medicine was brought back by the caravan. Remember, don't tell anyone else about this. If the princess asks, just say that I delivered the medicine for her."

The personal soldier agreed and left with the medicine.

Bishuo stood there and sighed melancholy.

I hope he is just worrying too much.