The night was dark, and the front porch of the grotto was dark. Occasionally, one or two caves revealed a dim yellow light. Against the halo, the frescoes on the porch appeared sharp and angular.
Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps broke the silence.
Wang Tingzhong's guard, Prajna, hurriedly climbed up the grotto on the top floor, a shadow flashed in the slanted ground, and the dark guard in the corner swooped forward with a cold long knife against his throat.
"The king is in retreat, and intruders will be killed without mercy."
Prajna quickly took out a bronze talisman, "I am the personal guard Prajna, this bronze talisman was given by the king, I have something important to report to the king."
The dark guard took the bronze talisman and looked at it for a while, took off the lantern and took a photo of his face, put away the long knife, and the figure quickly disappeared into the darkness.
Prajna walked through the empty front porch, came to the innermost cave, stopped, tapped the stone wall lightly, and whispered: "Prince Prajna asks to see the Buddha."
There was no response for a long time.
Prajna didn't dare to urge and stood outside waiting.
During Tanmaraga’s retreat, only one guard was guarding the Dharma in the grotto, and the rest were not allowed to take half a step. Even the monks who delivered food and water only put their food baskets under the mountain wall to avoid disturbing the Buddha’s meditation. Prajna Tanmaraka's personal guard also abides by this rule. If it wasn't for the bad news of the regent, he would never come to disturb the Buddha.
After a while, the guard's voice came from inside: "The king already knows what you want to report."
Prajna looked anxious: "The news of the Prince Regent's death has spread all over the Holy City, and people in the city are panicking. The princes and ministers will definitely take the opportunity to make trouble. Today, the little novice found that there are many slaves of the noble family with suspicious behaviors wandering around the Wang Temple, as well as Kang, Xue, The private soldiers of the An and Meng families, will Wang go out tomorrow?"
There were footsteps inside, and the guard seemed to have gone to the meditation room to report. After a while, the footsteps returned, and the guard said, "Wang will leave the gate tomorrow, and the order will go on. The monks in the temple are not allowed to go out from tomorrow, and the same goes for the temple owner and the Zen master. For example. If anyone dares to break into the King's Temple, they will be arrested directly."
Prajna was worried, and responded with a sound, and went to communicate the news with the temple owner.
The death of the sultan in ancient times meant that a new regent had to be elected to act as his deputy. This night, inside and outside the holy city, many people, from princes and nobles to commoners, will stay up all night.
In the grotto, the guard sent Prajna away and returned to the innermost meditation room.
This grotto is very large, and the walls leading to the square hall are excavated with niches dedicated to the Buddhas, which are dense like honeycombs.
Tamara, who had already taken off his dark clothes and black gloves, walked slowly along the wall of the cave, holding a gilded candlestick in his hand, his blue eyes lowered, his expression calm, and the candles for offering to the Buddha were lit one by one.
On the felt blanket under the cave wall in the south of the Zen room, Yaoying sat cross-legged, her face still covered with black cloth, a soft warm yellow halo fell on her, and her jet-black hair trembled with dazzling golden light.
With an embarrassed look on his face, the guard looked away, not daring to look at her again.
Whenever the Buddha needs to go out or is too ill to show his face in front of others, he is the guardian guard who stays in the grotto to hide from others. This secret passage in the grotto leads to the animal garden, and only the most trusted people around the Buddha know. .
Prajna doesn't even know.
Tonight, the Buddha actually brought Princess Wen Zhao back from the secret way, and the guards were so shocked that he still hasn't recovered.
Yaoying couldn't see the blushing face of the guard, and sat quietly, waiting for Sultan Gu to call her.
There was a faint swaying light hanging on the black cloth. She felt that she should have entered the Wang Temple. There was a faint fragrance mixed with spices in the air. It was not incense, but the smell of books and papers. The scriptures were copied in the temple. The paper was a scented Zhongyuan paper and parchment, and she remembered the smell.
Yaoying waited for a long time, but didn't hear any words. She only felt that the atmosphere was very solemn and solemn. She didn't dare to speak for fear that her questioning would disturb Sultangu.
Tamara lit all the candles, and hundreds of candles were cast alternately. He was bathed in the golden light, folded his hands, closed his eyes and recited the scriptures.
The guard didn't dare to make a sound.
After a full cup of tea, Tamara turned around and glanced over Yaoying.
Yaoying sat upright, motionless. Although she was blindfolded, there was no trace of panic on her face, and she was obedient and trusting from head to toe.
He raised his eyes, gestured to the guards with his eyes, and turned to face the alcove.
It was the first time for the guard to encounter such a situation. His face was red and his ears were red. He walked up to Yaoying and took off the long knife and handed it to her: "Princess, I am the guard of the Buddha's son, Palmy, and the princess will follow me with the knife. The Regent ordered me to take you back to where you live, and you don't make any noise on the way."
Yaoying was stunned for a moment, then stood up and asked, "Where's the Prince Regent?"
Palmy rolled his eyes and said, "The Prince Regent has gone to see the Buddha."
Yao Ying hummed, holding the long scabbard and following the guards out of the grotto.
The lights in the meditation room are brilliant, all the Buddhas are standing, and the Dharma is solemn.
Tamara stood under the alcove, without looking back, her back was isolated.
…
The long knife is cold, and it is far more convenient to hold it in the hand than to tug on the sleeve.
Yaoying stumbled behind Palmy and walked for a long time. Palmy stopped and whispered, "Princess can take off the cloth."
She breathed a sigh of relief, took off the black cloth, looked around, and found that she was standing in an empty corridor, and a few earthen walls were her residence in the Buddhist temple.
Palmy tied the saber back to his waist and said, "Your personal soldiers have been staying in the courtyard during the time when the princess left the temple."
The few personal soldiers who stayed in the Wang Temple had been looking forward to it for a long time, waiting for the safe return of Yaoying and her party. Today, the news of the death of the Regent spread throughout the Holy City. They also heard that, and they were all anxious and wanted to go out of the city to find Yao. Ying, remembering her advice again, did not dare to leave the temple privately, so she could only sit and worry, sighing.
Yaoying suddenly appeared at the gate of the courtyard, and the soldiers were dumbfounded, thinking they were dreaming, wiped their faces, and stepped forward to kowtow to her.
"Princess, you are finally back!"
Bamir sent Yaoying to safety and turned back to the grotto.
Yaoying watched him walk away, standing in front of the door, looking at the towering cliffs to the north, the night was thick, and the grottoes on the cliffs were lit with lights. From a distance, they looked like fairy palace sky lanterns floating among the clouds. dust.
She lost her mind for a while and returned to her room surrounded by her own soldiers.
"Princess, why did you come back alone? Where are Xie Qing and Xie Chong?"
"I heard that the regent of the royal court was besieged by bandits and died, is it true?"
Yaoying said lightly: "Aqing and the others will be back in a few days, you don't have to worry about it. The matter of the regent is the affairs of the royal court, no matter what happens next, don't ask more questions. Now the situation is unstable, these days Stop going out."
The soldiers responded and reported to her that more homeless Hexi remnants were taken in outside the city this winter. According to her instructions before leaving, they helped those refugees to dig crypts one by one to live in, although the snow this year is more than in previous years. It is big, but the refugees have shelter against the wind and cold, and have enough food to survive this cold winter. The refugees are very grateful to Yaoying and vow to work hard when the weather warms up.
Sitting next to the candlestick, Yaoying looked through the account book and listened to the reports from the personal soldiers. She secretly sighed in her heart: These personal soldiers were originally rough people, but now they have led other errands, some with refugees. Some build houses, some teach children martial arts, some become teachers, some guard raisins every day, some are eloquent, fighting with shrewd Hu merchants, haggling and raising prices, and some wandering around the market all day, Buying horses, buying sheep, buying cattle... After a period of practice, all of them will be able to do their own thing.
After the personal soldiers finished reporting, one of them remembered something, patted his head, his face filled with anger, and said angrily: "Princess, Princess Fukang has also come to the Holy City!"
Yaoying raised her eyes.
The personal soldiers sneered again and again: "My subordinate is wrong, Princess Fukang is now Princess Beirong, she doesn't know how she became the princess of Beirong, and on the first day she came to the Holy City, she named her by name. See you!"
Yaoying laughed and laughed: "She wants to see me?"
The personal soldier nodded: "The envoy of Beirong came to Wang Temple in person, saying that the princess is an old friend of Princess Beirong, and asked to see the princess. The temple owner refused, saying that you were praying for the Buddha in the main hall, and no one was seen."
"They didn't dare to offend the Buddha, that's all. But when the subordinates saw the Beirong mission out and about in the Wangsi, they must have wanted to bring Princess Fukang to see you when the princess went out."
Yaoying's eyes narrowed slightly.
Why does Zhu Luyun have to see her
…
Palmy avoided the patrolling monk soldiers and returned to the grotto.
Tamara was still standing under the alcove, with candles flickering in the room. He took off his turban, tore his scar to reveal his true colors, and said, "Go and ask Master Tito."
The tone is cool.
Palmy responded, turned around and went out. After half an hour, he led an old man in a gray cassock into the grotto and backed out.
The old man's cheekbones were thin and his brown eyes looked dull, but there was a gleam in the bottom of his eyes. He walked tremblingly to the altar room, and said softly: "The poor monk is the Vina of the temple, who is in charge of the discipline and keeps everything in order. The monks strictly abide by the precepts, and the king summons the poor monk to come, what is his order?"
Tamara folded her hands together, lifted her robe and knelt down, and said, "Disciple Luo Jia violates the great precepts and should be punished."
The old monk's eyelids trembled a few times, his hands clasped together, and he asked, "What precepts did the king commit?"
"Kill the ring."
The old monk sighed, "In a chaotic world, it is unavoidable to protect the country and bless all beings. But the king is a member of the monks, and since he has broken the great precepts, he really has to be punished."
He whispered a few verses and raised his staff aloft.
…
The wand rattled one after another.
Palmy stood outside the grotto, his scalp tingling, but Tamara didn't say a word.
After half an hour, the old monk left, Palmy sighed and walked quickly into the grotto.
Tamara stood up, with a calm expression on his face, walked to another living meditation room, took off his bloody undershirt, took the crimson cassock on the shelf and put it on, picked up a string of beads, and placed it in the cage. On the wrist, circled several times.
The overly broad cassock wrapped around his slender and sturdy body, and also covered the fresh scars on his shoulders.
With a slight sound, a soft handkerchief slipped out from between the sleeves of the shirt he took off.
Bamir hurriedly leaned over and picked up the soft handkerchief, stunned: the soft handkerchief is soft and smooth, the material is fine, the embroidered landscape patterns are exquisite and rich, the smoke and clouds are vast, with a warm and sweet fragrance, and there are Chinese characters and poems embroidered with square blocks. At a glance, you can see that it is not used by the Buddha.
Princess Wenzhao is a Han girl, and this handkerchief must be hers. It is said that the princess knew a superb skill and taught it to her clansmen. Now everyone in Wang Ting knows that the Han Chinese caravan sells the most exquisite fabrics.
Bamir's face was so red that he could drip blood, and he suddenly felt that the handkerchief on his hand seemed to be heavy, and it was still hot.
Tamaroga lowered her eyes and looked at the soft handkerchief in Bamir's hand.
He was hot and cold, Yaoying guarded him from morning to night, wiped the sweat from his neck, and used this handkerchief. When he was hot, the veil was cold, and when he was cold, the veil must have been baked on the charcoal fire.
She said she couldn't help, she just wanted to make him comfortable.
I don't know how this veil is on him.
Tamara was silent.
Just when Bamir felt that the soft handkerchief had grown countless sharp thorns, which made him feel uncomfortable, his palm suddenly lightened.
Thammaraja took the soft handkerchief away.
Bamir sighed quietly.
Tan Moraga's brows and eyes were calm, and she put the soft pad aside and said, "Ring the bell."
Bamir's spirit was lifted, and he should be respectful.
…
In the small courtyard, Yaoying and her personal soldiers were still sitting in front of the lamp discussing matters.
Knowing that Yang Qian was secretly training the rebels, the personal soldiers were enthusiastic and volunteered to help him.
Yaoying already has a suitable candidate in her heart, Yang Qian is full of arrogance, and will not turn back when he hits the southern wall. The person who is sent to him must be tactful and humble, otherwise it will not be cooperation but hatred.
Several people were sitting and talking, and one of the personal soldiers suddenly frowned and made a booing gesture to everyone.
The crowd immediately quieted down.
In the quiet night, a loud and melodious bell came from afar, and the rumbling sound echoed and circled in the cold and bleak winter night.
The soldier stood up, opened the door, listened carefully for a moment, and said, "The Buddha is out!"
The entire Wangji Temple was awakened by the sound of the bell, and more and more people opened the doors and windows, listened to the sound of the bell from a distance, and recited the scriptures aloud excitedly.
The news of Tamaraja's exit quickly spread to every corner of the holy city.
The next morning, before dawn, there was a lot of traffic in front of Wang Temple, and the long and narrow passage into the temple was crowded.
Most of the people who entered the temple were dressed in brocade and robes, dressed in luxurious clothes. They were the noble children of the ministers in the court and the royal court. The common people who came from thousands of miles to pay homage to Luojia were blocked outside and could not enter the temple.
Tamara did not receive the children of the nobles. After leaving the customs, he needed to recite the scriptures in the temple for seven days to save the dead Sultan.
The ministers couldn't wait, and kept urging him to choose a new candidate for the regent, but he refused. The minister took a step back and demanded that a new regent be appointed immediately after seven days, which he did not veto this time.
With the minister's pressing step by step, the situation in the DPRK became more and more turbulent. Private soldiers of aristocratic families poured into the holy city from all over the place, and the entire royal temple was surrounded.
In order to compete for the position of the regent, the frictions and contradictions between the aristocratic families are constant.
No matter how arrogant the minister was, Tanmaraka never showed up, and a rumor spread like wildfire: After losing the regent, the Buddha's son was once again taken up by the family.
Yaoying heard the monks in the temple muttering in private: Has the Buddha really been made false
She knew that Tamaroka would never sit still, not as nervous as the monks.
When the situation was tense, the Beirong mission took advantage of the uneasy mood of the monks in the temple, and asked someone to send a letter to Yaoying before the case, asking her to see Zhu Luyun.
The letter was written in Zhu Luyun's tone, with a long and long affection, and every word was precious. First, she repented her sins and asked Yaoying to forgive her. Then she said that they were both Han Chinese and lived abroad. . Finally, he hinted that if she could reconcile with Zhu Luyun, Haidu Aling would never dare to offend her again in the future.
The soldiers were furious and cursed.
Yaoying stopped the personal soldiers, smiled, crumpled the letter paper, and said, "Okay, since it's an old friend, it's time to reminisce about the old relationship."
A few days ago, she couldn't reveal her identity, so she naturally had to avoid Zhu Luyun. Now that she has returned to the Holy City, she doesn't have to worry anymore, and she can have a good reminiscence with Zhu Luyun.
Yaoying asked the soldiers, "Have all the princesses from other tribes come to the Holy City?"
The personal soldiers replied, "They've all arrived, and now they all live in the post house. Only Princess Tianzhu lives in Princess Chima's mansion."
Yaoying nodded, picked up a pen and wrote a letter, handed it to the monk, and asked him to pass it on to Tamara.
In the afternoon, the monk returned to the courtyard and said, "The Buddha asked the princess to go to the main hall."
Yaoying got up, followed behind the monk, and went to the main hall.