As soon as they got on the carriage, Yaoying wanted to see the wound on Tanmarajiva's back, so she raised her hand to lift up his underwear.

"It's OK."

Tanmaraka held her hand and spoke softly, with a thin layer of sweat on his face.

Yao Ying frowned: "It's all bleeding..."

She stood up and let him lower his head. When her fingers just touched his shoulder, he shuddered. The next moment, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by him and she fell into his arms.

Tanmaraka hugged her tightly, put his hand on the back of her neck, and closed his eyes.

"Don't move, let me hold you for a while."

He said with a sigh, as if he had finally stopped to take a breath after a long journey.

I don't know when it started, but whenever I see her, I can't help but want to get close to her and touch her.

There were a few times when she fell into his arms accidentally. He knew he should push her away immediately, but he did not move and let her get close to him unconsciously.

He wanted to hold her so carefreely.

Don’t think about anything, don’t do anything, just hold me.

Tanmarajiva was sweating all over, her thin undergarment was soaked by sweat, her whole body was hot, and the scent of agarwood seemed to become even stronger and more arousing.

Yao Ying raised her hand, carefully avoiding his wound, hugged his waist, and listened to his heartbeat through his clothes.

The wheels of a horse-drawn carriage rolled along the long street, and behind them came the sound of footsteps like a tide.

The imperial guards, generals, and court officials also rode up.

Yaoying lifted a corner of the car curtain and looked out.

The long street was bustling with people on both sides. The road from the royal temple to the royal palace was packed with people. They came from different tribes and had different faces. They knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the carriage, calling out for the king.

More than 20 years ago, not long after Tanmarajiva was born, he was forcibly abducted from the palace by ministers and imprisoned in the royal temple.

Many years later, he left the royal temple and returned to the palace surrounded by ministers and people.

After more than twenty years of hard work and exhaustion, he struggled to maintain the royal court in the chaotic times, which was on the verge of collapse due to internal and external troubles.

Thinking of the ups and downs that Tanmarajava had experienced over the years and his ending in the book, Yao Ying felt a slight pain in her heart.

Before she knew him, she just thought of him as a stranger, admired him, and felt sad for his early death. He saved her when she was desperate, and she lived with him day and night, and shared life and death with him several times. He was no longer just a Buddhist son in the legend... How lucky she was to meet him, to know him and to be with him.

Feeling a warm touch on his head, Tanmarajika bent down and kissed Yaoying's black hair.

The two hugged each other quietly.

…

The palace was in ruins, with broken wells, broken walls, and scattered tiles and stones.

The attendant led people to clear the square outside the palace, set up a felt tent on the long platform, and set up a long table in the tent, which was filled with flowers and treasures.

The carriage stopped in front of the steps, and the ministers and the people knelt on the ground.

Tanmarajiva got off the carriage, turned around, stretched out his hand, and helped Yaoying down.

The whole place was silent, not a single cough could be heard, only the rustling of clothes could be heard.

Yaoying took Tanmarajiva's hand and got off the carriage. Seeing Li Zhongqian and the generals of the Western Army following them, she raised her foot to walk over, but her hand tightened.

Tanmarajika grabbed her and led her up the long stairs step by step, and stood in front of the felt tent on the high platform.

Below the stage, all the ministers stood up.

Bisha walked forward, holding a gilded treasure box in her hand. Inside the treasure box was a golden leaf crown that shone brightly. In the sunset, the lapis lazuli, agate and amber inlaid on the crown were dazzling, elegant and luxurious.

He presented the treasure box, clenched his fist, placed it in front of his chest, and saluted to Tanmaragha.

Tanmaraka took the crown from the box and put it on his head.

Bells and drums rang out, ceremonial music sounded, and on the long stairs, court officials and common people once again knelt on the ground in respect, and the cheers were like thunder and sea, reaching high into the sky.

Tanmarajiva stood in front of the steps, a ray of sunset light shone on him, outlining his deep and handsome features. There were bloodstains on his clothes, and his figure was as majestic as a mountain.

After the ministers had paid their respects, the chiefs of each tribe came forward one by one and presented their precious swords and treasures to show their submission.

Tanmarajiva signaled to the ceremonial officer beside him with his eyes.

The ceremonial officer walked up to the steps holding a piece of parchment and read aloud the contents of the paper.

"According to the king's decree, from now on, the army will add an assistant minister..."

There was total silence in the audience, and everyone held their breath, listening attentively.

Gradually, some people were sweating profusely and shivering constantly, some had looks of surprise on their faces and could not recover for a long time, and some were smiling and kowtowing to express their gratitude.

They didn't expect that on the first day after the war, Tanmarajiva started a drastic reform.

He commended those who had made contributions in this war, punished officials who took advantage of the last unrest to cause trouble, took this opportunity to promote a group of generals from humble backgrounds, and ordered civil officials to revise old laws, compile new laws, reform clothing systems, and limit the power of aristocratic families.

From today on, the power of the royal court will be in the hands of the monarch, and the aristocratic families will no longer be able to stir up trouble like before.

Finally, the ritual officials announced tax cuts and exemptions to give the people a break.

Officials are mixed with joy and sorrow. The smart ones are already thinking about how to make use of the opportunity to achieve their grand plans.

Below the stage, the common people were delighted to hear that the king had exempted taxes for several years and that their children would no longer be forced to serve as laborers on the estates of the nobles. They cheered in unison.

After the ceremonial officer finished reading the imperial edict, all the ministers stood up, bowed and took their leave.

The common people were reluctant to leave and stayed to help clean up, with happy smiles on everyone's faces: they had survived the disaster, the raging Northern Rong would never again have a chance to make a comeback, the king would continue to lead his ministers, the Western Army and the royal court would be in harmony, and the days ahead would be better and better!

Throughout the entire ceremony, Yao Ying stayed in the felt tent, standing with Tanmaragha, accepting the worship of all the people.

When the people and ministers in the audience shouted Tanmarajiva's honorable title, she turned sideways, trying to hide in a corner. Tanmarajiva raised his eyes, and his gaze fell on her face, gentle, yet with a bit of power.

"Stay with me."

He spoke softly, with the sunset glow on his shoulders.

Yaoying raised her eyebrows, smiled, and stopped moving.

…

The ceremony ended in the bright twilight.

When Tanmarajya came down the steps, the newly appointed prime minister, the commanders of the five armies, the chieftains of the tribes, Mobhido and Bhisatta followed him and surrounded him.

The chieftains looked at the ruins on both sides of the long steps and sighed, saying: "The Holy City was prosperous and wealthy, with thriving commerce. All the tribes yearned for it. We never thought it would be destroyed in this turmoil."

The ministers followed suit and lamented that after the war, a grand ceremony should be held to celebrate, but now half of the holy city has become a ruin, and the king has requested that everything be kept simple, so the ceremony was prepared hastily.

Tanmaraka, who was walking in front, paused.

Everyone stopped and several chiefs looked at each other, not knowing what they had said wrong.

"Even if the holy city is destroyed, it can be rebuilt. The safety of the people and the long-term stability of the royal court should be the first priority." Tanmaraka turned around, looked around, and said, "What I guarded was never the holy city or the royal palace, but the people of the royal court."

A look of guilt flashed across the ministers' faces.

The chiefs were stunned for a moment, then they said with a solemn expression, not without admiration: "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, and he cares about the people. He is our Khan of Khans. We will always be loyal to you and follow you!"

Others followed suit.

Tanmarajiva’s face was calm.

Seeing that he was busy discussing state affairs with ministers, Yao Ying stood aside and did not go to disturb him. She directed her personal soldiers to help clean up the palace and tidy up the battlefield. Suddenly, she felt a warm gaze looking towards her.

She looked back.

Mopido stood behind the crowd, wearing silver armor and a white robe, looking very imposing. He smiled at her, walked over, clasped his fists and said, "Princess, this time the turmoil was caused by the help of the Western Army. We were able to gather troops when Haidu Aling was unprepared."

Yao Ying returned the greeting, "The Western Army and the Royal Court are allies, as it should be. I haven't congratulated the prince on his promotion yet."

Previously, Mobito cooperated with Bisuo to lure out the snake and deliberately let himself be captured by the Guards. The original plan was to find out the person behind the scenes and cut off the fire. Unexpectedly, Bisuo abandoned the whole plan. He heard that the Guards betrayed Tanmaraga, and knew that his identity was sensitive. If he stayed in the royal court, he would definitely be eliminated by the ministers who hated the Ujiri tribe. He escaped while the guards were not strict, intending to return to the Ujiri tribe to lead the tribe to relocate - if Tanmaraga was forced to death, the Ujiri tribe would no longer be loyal to the royal court. If they did not run away, they would immediately be treated as cattle and horses by the nobles.

Soon, the news that Tanmaraga had died in the turmoil spread throughout the royal court. Mobhido's father did not dare to delay and led his people to migrate that night. Therefore, when Mobhido heard that Tanmaraga was still alive, the Ujiri tribe had already fled hundreds of miles away.

When Mobiduo received the handwritten letter from Tanmo Luojia sent by the eagle, he was discussing revenge with his father. The father and son were overjoyed and quickly led the tribe to turn around and contact various tribes and gather troops according to Tanmo Luojia's instructions. All this had to be done secretly so that Haidu Aling could not hear any news. In order to prevent the news from leaking out, he deliberately let some of the tribes continue to go west, but in fact he had already rushed back to the holy city with the elite.

In this battle, Mobhido fought brilliantly and was promoted again, and this time there was almost no opposition.

Mobiduo grinned and said, "It is because the king commands like a god, values ​​and trusts me, and gives me important tasks that I can achieve such great achievements..."

The king valued him and taught him how to lead troops, how to defend the country, and how to get along with colleagues.

Princess Wen Zhao did not laugh at him because of his accent and the strange customs of the Ujiri tribe.

The king and the princess looked so well matched when they stood on the platform.

Only a king is worthy of a princess.

Mobiduo paused for a long while, concealing his melancholy and loss, scratched his head, crossed his legs, and performed the most formal salute to Yaoying.

"Princess, I am convinced that I have lost to such a great and kind hero like you. I wish you and your king a happy and harmonious life together."

Yao Ying's eyebrows relaxed and she smiled. The skeins on her hair trembled with joy. Her smile was bright and beautiful. "Thank you for the blessing, Prince."

The two of them bathed in the sunset and smiled at each other.

One is vigorous and handsome, the other is radiant and dazzling.

The conversations around stopped and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

When Mobhido heard Bisa's cough, he looked over in confusion, and Bisa winked at him.

A sharp gaze swept over him. Tanmaraka, who was talking to the minister, raised his eyelids and glanced at him over the crowd.

Mobido couldn't help but shudder.

The red sun set in the west and the sky quickly darkened.

Most of the people in the city had no homes to return to, so Tanmarajiva ordered his soldiers to set up felt tents outside the city and temporarily house the people in them.

Felt tents stretched out in the snow, with lights flickering.

Tanmaraka instructed the officials: "The houses and streets must be cleaned up. You should personally lead the imperial guards to spread lime water everywhere. After the war, you must pay attention to epidemic prevention. If there are sick people, move them to a centralized place for diagnosis and treatment."

Officials should be.

Bisha followed him closely, and when the others left, he frowned and asked, "King, why don't you wait a few days before issuing the edict?"

Tanmo Luojia looked at Yao Ying, who was standing in front of a felt curtain not far away and talking to his personal soldiers. "Do you think the current reform of the civil service system is too radical?"

Bi Su looked solemn and nodded.

"Now is the best time. Without destruction, there is no construction. Only by breaking the cage can new rules be established. When governing the royal court, we should focus on the long term. Now is the time to start reforming the civil service. Regardless of success or failure, the aristocratic families will not be able to shake the new official selection system."

Tanmarajiva said slowly.

"Bisa, don't underestimate the common people. Although the power of ants is small, they can overthrow elephants. Open schools so that the children of common people can also receive daily education. In time, they can curb the aristocratic families and make the common people rich and stable. This is the foundation for long-term peace and stability."

Biso suddenly realized and secretly sighed that Tanmarajiva did not expect the reform to work immediately. He had carefully considered every step he took. The internal strife among the royal nobles was constantly endangering the country. Only by strengthening the royal power could the aristocratic families avoid arbitrarily deposing the emperor. The royal court needed clear politics and a stable court, otherwise it would fall into endless internal strife.

As they were talking, Yuanjue came over and whispered, "King, the princess advises you to rest early. You haven't applied medicine to the wound on your back yet..."

Tanmo Luojia hummed, his eyes fixed on Yao Ying, and asked, "Where is the Duke of Wei?"

"The Duke of Wei and the generals of the Western Army have their camps in the east."

Tanmaraka nodded and said, "Take the things out and send them over."

Feeling that it was fate, he trotted back to the storeroom, put his hands on his waist and directed the guards to deliver the gilded gift boxes to Li Zhongqian's tent.

Tanmarajiva walked to his tent.

Yao Ying immediately pulled him into the tent, frowning: "If I had known that you would be busy for so long after the ceremony, I should have helped you apply medicine in the carriage. Does the wound hurt?"

"Ming Yue Nu."

Tanmarajiva raised his hand to signal his guards to withdraw, lowered his emerald eyes slightly, held Yaoying's shoulders, and stared at her.

There were candles lit in the tent, and his eyes looked particularly deep in the light of the candles.

Yao Ying looked up at him: "What's wrong?"

"I will continue to read Buddhist scriptures and study Buddhist principles in the future..."

Tanmaraka said slowly, in a serious tone and hoarse voice, "Mingyuenu, even if I am no longer a monk, I still want to practice my way... You just saw that I am the monarch of the royal court, and I will often be busy handling government affairs like today..."

Yao Ying was stunned for a moment: "You asked me to accompany you today, is it so that I can see these?"

Tanmaraj nodded and sighed, "Mingyuenu, I grew up in a Buddhist temple. I know how to be a monk and a monarch... but I don't know how to be a good lover."

He was not a young man like Mobito and did not know how to please her.

Yaoying was stunned even longer this time, as if she had drunk a few bowls of Gaochang wine. Her heart felt sour and numb, and something was secretly surging, making her feel bloated.

Roga, who knows everything, actually cares about this.

In the past, he had no worries. Now, he stepped into her world and tried his best to be a good lover for her.

Yao Ying's heart was beating fast. She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the face. She smiled and said, "You are very good now. Then, you have to listen to me and apply the medicine well. I told you to come back and rest, and you have to listen to me."

Tanmarajiva lowered his eyes to look at her and nodded softly.

She didn't mind, so from now on, he was her lover.

Yao Ying thought of the wound on his back and said distressedly, "Okay, I'll have someone bring the medicine. Sit down and I'll help you apply the medicine."

Tanmaraka shook his head.

Yaoying narrowed her eyes slightly. He had just promised to listen to her carefully.

"I have to go see Duke Wei..." Tanmaraka explained, "He is your elder brother. I should go see him now."

Yao Ying felt a little sweet, but also a little amused. She glanced at the burning candle and said, "Let's go tomorrow."

She met Li Zhongqian in the afternoon, and Li Zhongqian should have gone to bed by now.

"No." Tanmarajya shook his head, hugged her, and walked out of the tent. "I'll go see him now."

He wanted to cherish every moment and every second with her and didn't want to delay.

The author has something to say: Thank you for helping me vote last month. Leave a comment on this chapter to win a red envelope~