There was a rustling sound at the front door, and Xie Qing pushed the door open and walked in with a vigilant expression. When she saw Yao Ying standing by the window, she frowned. After days of running around, Yao Ying didn't want her to stay up tonight.
She would sleep in the next room. When she heard voices here, she was afraid that something might have happened to Yao Ying and came over to check in the dark.
"A-Qing, I'm fine. Get up and have a drink of water."
Yao Ying sent Xie Qing away and let out a yawn before lying down to sleep.
She didn't have any nightmares that night, even though she knew that HaiDu Aling might be nearby.
The next day, Yao Ying got up early and, accompanied by the guards and Yuan Jue, went to stroll around the busiest market in Gao Chang.
The little prince, Jin Bo, was still asleep. Yuan Jue left a few people behind to find out the purpose of his visit to Gao Chang, and the others went to gather information separately.
When Yao Ying passed by Sultan Gu's room, she listened carefully for a moment but didn't hear any sounds. She thought to herself: his face is covered in scars, and he must wear a mask to conceal them. It would attract too much attention during the day, making it inconvenient for him to move around. Plus, she didn't know how late he stayed up last night, so he must be resting now.
She instructed the guards who remained at the inn not to disturb Sultan Gu, and they agreed.
Yuan Jue's eyes flickered when he heard Yao Ying instructing the guards. Yao Ying glanced at him, and he immediately looked away, pretending as if nothing had happened.
They left the inn through a side door, with Qi Nian and others following behind in a large carriage.
The only market in Gao Chang was a long street that could accommodate only two carriages side by side. It was much smaller than the royal court, but it was densely populated and bustling, with shops filling every inch of space. People of different languages were shouting their wares, creating a cacophony that echoed through the sky.
Along the way, Yuan Jue introduced to Yao Ying the goods sold in each shop. Yao Ying listened attentively and occasionally pointed at unfamiliar and rare items to inquire, and Yuan Jue patiently explained them to her.
There was a small food stall selling Hu pastries by the roadside. They stopped and waited for the next batch of pastries to come out of the oven.
Suddenly, Yao Ying asked out of the blue, "Is the Regent also a lay disciple like you?"
Yuanjue was stunned for a moment.
Yao Ying looked at him with a smile: "The Regent never eats with other people. All his food is sent by you. I think the Regent seems to be fasting."
She has been observing for many days.
Yuanjue's expression was stiff, he composed himself, and replied with a smile: "The guards around the king are either monks or lay disciples, and the same goes for the regent."
Yaoying asked: "Is the regent a warrior monk or a lay disciple?"
Yuan jue said: "He is a lay disciple."
Yaoying continued to ask: "The Regent is very skilled in martial arts. Who did he learn his martial arts from? General Ashina said that they are brothers and their master is the same person? How come the Regent's moves are nothing like General Ashina's, didn't they learn the same Kung Fu? When did the Prince Regent start learning martial arts? "
There was some sweat on Yuanjue's forehead and he said: "The regent's master is an expert. I heard that he once served as the chief of the imperial guard in the palace. We have never seen him. Although General Ashina and the regent are brothers, what they have learned has different technique so the moves are very different. General Ashina has practiced martial arts since he was a child, and the regent has also practiced martial arts since he was a child..."
When the Hu cakes came out of the oven, the strong aroma of sesame seeds overflowed, and the cake seller with a tall nose and deep eyes shouted loudly.
Yuan Jue didn't bother to explain Yao Ying's doubts, and rushed forward with other barbarians, fearing that they would not be able to grab the cake.
Yaoying looked at his back thoughtfully.
Qi Nian drove the cart and went to the city office to pay taxes, and then went to the market to trade with merchants.
Yaoying ignored the business of selling goods and took her soldiers around. She specifically stopped for a long time in front of the shops selling silks, satins, jewelry and jade, and asked about the favorite styles of Gaochang ladies and what kind of makeup was popular in the palace whether Yuchi Damo and the Turkic princess living in harmony.
Before sunset, she and Yuanjue went back to the post house first.
The bodyguard told her that Prince Jinbo, although arrogant, did not enter the palace in a grand manner, but instead concealed his identity like them. He had not left the house all day and only called for some singing and dancing girls to come and enjoy drinking.
"Why is that? He lives a comfortable life, why doesn't he stay in the palace?"
Currently, Gaochang is a vassal of the Northern Rong. If Prince Jinbo reveals his identity, Yuchi Dámó would have to show him respect, and he is also the cousin of the Turkic princess in the palace.
Yuanjue whispered, "Prince Jinbo must have some hidden agenda!"
This gave Yao Ying an idea, so she knocked on General Sultan Gu's door.
"General Su, it's me."
Footsteps quickly sounded from inside the room, and Sultan Gu opened the door, his gaze falling on Yao Ying's face, surprised.
Yao Ying stood in front of him, dressed as a singing and dancing girl, with a translucent robe and a pomegranate red skirt. Her hair was adorned with pearls and jade, and she held a mask in her hand, covering her small face.
It was an elders mask with kind eyes and a half-blue, half-red face, like two different faces.
Sultan Gu didn't speak for a while.
Yao Ying took off her mask, her smile appearing on her cheek, and went directly into the room from under his arm. She lowered her voice and asked, "General Su, can you deliver a message to the mage for me?"
Sultan Gu didn't rush her out. He asked calmly, "What message?"
Yao Ying lowered her voice even more, "Jinbo has come to Gaochang, and Haidu Aling has come too. The Northern Rong is afraid of chaos. Their purpose is the same as ours, they have come to find Yuchi Damo."
Sultan Gu's figure moved, and after a moment he said, "Tonight, we will go to the palace and meet Yuchi Damo at the Buddhist temple."
Yao Ying nodded, raised her eyes, and stared at the mask on Sultan Gu's face.
He was reacting so quickly, making decisions so decisively... Why did he disappear for no reason after Tumoroga's death?