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In August, Princess Jinyang officially received the decree from Li Zhi, preparing to return to Tang for official matters. Lu Dongzan was busy with Tuguhun's political affairs, managing numerous tasks daily. However, he truly possessed the talent of a king's assistant, and within just over a month, he had stabilized the situation in Tuguhun. The tribes that had taken advantage of the internal strife to harass its borders had also begun to restrain their forces.
By the end of August, Lu Dongzan finally found some free time, but Princess Chizun could not withstand the ravages of illness and passed away unexpectedly, requiring him to attend to matters for a while longer.
At the beginning of September, he was finally able to meet with Princess Jinyang, who was both a Tang envoy and had been appointed as the National Master of Tubo.
The carriage of Princess Jinyang slowly traversed the streets of Tubo Royal City in Lhasa. People along the way bowed down in reverence. Dressed in her Crimson Holy Robe, she became a symbol in her own right; within all of Tuguhun, she was the only one who could enjoy such treatment.
Caesar, clad in snowy white garments trimmed with purple gold and veiled, sat beside Princess Jinyang in the carriage. As they watched the crowd kneeling in worship, an indescribable emotion surged within her.
At thirty-four years old, she still had not conceived a child with Princess Jinyang, which left her feeling regretful. She knew that Li Wushuang's child was indeed Princess Jinyang's own flesh and blood. She was aware that Zhang Suling had begun to suffer from loss of appetite and vomiting, while as an elder sister, her own belly remained silent.
The deep affection she felt for Princess Jinyang was beyond words; they had shared countless life-and-death experiences together. This bond was her greatest source of confidence compared to her other sisters.
Even though Li Mingda, a princess herself, called her sister and everyone else maintained harmonious relationships, in her heart, not having children remained an unresolved knot.
Princess Jinyang understood her feelings well; thus, she took Caesar with her wherever she went. Li Mingda and Zhang Suling shared a close bond during this time and were careful to care for Zhang Suling. Most nights were spent in Caesar's room.
She was already at an age where romantic encounters could make her feel Princess Jinyang's still intense love. Knowing that she longed for children, Princess Jinyang worked even harder at night; unfortunately, their wishes remained unfulfilled.
Thinking about this made her frown unconsciously. She was not a sentimental person by nature; she had always been cold-hearted. Yet when interacting with her sisters, she often found herself amused by the antics of Zhang Suling and Li Mingda and grew increasingly fond of them.
Princess Jinyang sensed Caesar's unusual mood and simply squeezed her hand gently while smiling tenderly at her. Caesar felt warmth in her heart and concealed her worries. She was not one to smile often but slightly curled her lips to reveal two shallow dimples. Remembering those nights when Princess Jinyang showered her with affection made some of that regret fade away.
The two engaged in quiet conversation until they arrived at the Great Discussion House. Given Princess Jinyang's status as National Master, Lu Dongzan personally came out to greet them, followed closely by Zhou Cang and Old Black.
Princess Jinyang already knew Old Black was highly skilled in swordsmanship but did not expect him to follow her. Seeing Old Black living a dark life as a jailer made her uneasy; thus, she allowed him to accompany her.
Now that Princess Jinyang had her own residence and enjoyed a reputation comparable to Lu Dongzan's, although she did not interfere in Tuguhun's political affairs, many religious matters required consultation with Princess Jinyang out of respect for the National Master. With her current identity and status, a simple greeting allowed Old Black to leave that prison behind.
He initially thought he had nothing left to live for but suddenly remembered his unfinished business upon seeing Xu Zhenzhi. He decisively chose to follow Princess Jinyang.
Princess Jinyang treated him with great respect as if he were an elder relative; however, Old Black felt somewhat out of place. He was not a weak official who needed special treatment from Princess Jinyang. Reluctantly, he continued to stay by her side.
Zhou Cang had witnessed Old Black's swordsmanship before; being adept with a large knife gave him an innate disdain for sword users. He constantly pestered Old Black for lessons, but Old Black merely chuckled innocently without ever demonstrating his skills again.
Princess Jinyang paid no mind to this; having reached such heights in martial arts meant Old Black possessed different insights and understanding. He was no longer a young braggart eager for competition; he would not engage in reckless fights unless absolutely necessary—when he did strike, it would be lethal. This was Old Black's style. Although she found his background intriguing, communication proved difficult since Old Black could not speak; thus, their interactions were limited.
Ludongzan knew that Old Black and Zhou Cang were close friends of Xu Zhen, and he did not dare to neglect them. However, Zhou Cang and Old Black still remained outside the door.
The maidservant presented various refreshments and tactfully withdrew. Ludongzan then spoke, "National Master, that matter has been prepared. Someone will be there to assist you when the time comes. May I ask when you plan to return to your country?"
Upon hearing that the matter was handled, Xu Zhen was overjoyed and quickly thanked Ludongzan. After taking a sip of wine, she slowly replied, "If all goes well, I shall set off in three days."
"So soon? In half a month, Dazhao Temple will hold a grand ceremony and wishes to invite the National Master to give a sermon... What a pity..."
Ludongzan sighed lightly but felt happy inside. He was the Great Minister of Tuguhun, yet Xu Zhen's reputation overshadowed him. If Xu Zhen continued to stay here, all public attention would be focused on her. No matter how much good he did for the country and its people, it would go unnoticed.
After receiving the imperial decree, Xu Zhen clearly intended to delay her return. Ludongzan kept a close eye on the situation in Tang and had already received intelligence from Chang'an.
It was said that currently, Li Zhi and Changsun Wuji were not on good terms, and court disputes had reignited. The Langzhou White Water Barbarians had rebelled and attacked Massachusetts. Li Jue, the old fox, was still wary of Li Zhi and had withdrawn from all official positions except for the position of Chief of the Three Departments, refusing even the title of Chancellor.
Xu Zhen's identity was sensitive, and she had never been on good terms with Changsun Wuji. Although she had gained fame far and wide, her influence abroad only highlighted Li Zhi's inability to recognize her value. Until a proper strategy was devised, Xu Zhen could not rush back to Tang.
When Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozong escorted her to Tuguhun, it took nearly two years on the road. Therefore, it was understandable for Xu Zhen to delay her return by a year and a half.
By then, people would likely gradually forget about her affairs; at least after this fervor passed, it would be easier for her to establish herself in court.
Moreover, Xu Zhen did not wish to participate in court struggles. If Yan Lide and Li Chunfeng made progress smoothly, her ultimate plan should be nearing completion. At that time, she could distance herself from all this. Thinking of this made Xu Zhen eager to return to Tang as soon as possible.
Regaining her composure, Xu Zhen smiled and asked, "Great Minister, recalling our enmity during the Battle of Songzhou years ago when we were life-and-death enemies; now we sit here chatting happily. Life is indeed unpredictable. To be honest with you, Great Minister, my delay in setting off has some difficulties. Do you have any good ideas to help me postpone my journey?"
Xu Zhen understood Ludongzan's thoughts well; Tuguhun was not his final destination. Although he held an esteemed title as National Master, over time it would inevitably provoke Ludongzan's jealousy. Without a foundation here in Tuguhun, despite being popular among the people, once she rallied them together it would surely cause unease for Ludongzan. In that case, it would be counterproductive; knowing when to retreat is wisdom— Xu Zhen was self-aware in this regard.
Upon hearing this, Ludongzan revealed an understanding smile. He wished for Xu Zhen to leave sooner and was more than willing to assist her. This wise Great Minister of Tuguhun pondered for a moment before speaking.
"As National Master representing Tang Dynasty and having rendered great kindness to our Tuguhun people, if you wish to return home, we will certainly not let you leave empty-handed. We will prepare many tribute items along with servants for your journey and an escort team for your protection. The scale will be no smaller than Prince of Jiangxia's wedding procession. With such a large convoy on the road, it will inevitably take at least a year and a half longer; what do you think?"
Ludongzan worried about his reputation being threatened by Xu Zhen but also felt somewhat guilty about sending her off empty-handed. This assistance could be seen as compensation for her. Xu Zhen read between the lines of Ludongzan's words and gladly agreed.
After finalizing their plans, Xu Zhen took the opportunity to visit Ludongzan's named grandson. The little one had yet to be given a name; Xu Zhen secretly resolved to give her child an identity.
"Great Minister, I want to take him with me; I will do so like this..."
Ludongzan already knew that Xu Zhen intended to take the child away but felt reluctant upon hearing her mention it. However, after listening to her subsequent plans, he felt a flicker of joy arise within him.
Seeing the Xu Zhen so graceful, Lu Dongzan felt much more at ease and led the Xu Zhen to the study, leaving Caesar to play with the little one who was babbling.
Once they arrived in the study, Lu Dongzan took out a beautifully crafted box and presented it to the Xu Zhen.
"This item was obtained by my son during his campaign in the Western Regions, found among the treasures of a temple. It is likely a sacred object of Zoroastrianism, and there could be no better gift for the National Master..."
The Xu Zhen did not feign modesty; Lu Dongzan had chosen this moment to present it after hearing her plans, which showed how precious he considered this item. How could she refuse?
Upon opening the box, the Xu Zhen's eyes lit up. Beneath the soft silk cloth lay an ancient gold cylinder as thick as an arm. Intricate and profound Zoroastrianism incantations were engraved on it, which the Xu Zhen could not decipher at that moment, but it was evident how ancient this object was!
"This is a Cipher Tube!" Xu Zhenxin exclaimed in surprise. For the Xu Zhen, who was obsessed with crafting tools, nothing could be more exciting than an ancient Cipher Tube.
The Cipher Tube was undoubtedly a genius design. Although historical records from both East and West are extremely scarce, during her time in the present world, the Xu Zhen had learned from a descendant of a Pharaoh in Egypt that Cipher Tubes truly existed, albeit with different principles.
As early as the fifth century BC, the Greeks used a type of Cipher Tube called Spartan. Its principle involved writing confidential information on a long bronze strip; only by wrapping that strip around a suitably sized rod could the information be arranged into readable text.
However, it was clear that this Cipher Tube in the Xu Zhen's hands was even older and more complex. One could imagine that within this Cipher Tube lay great secrets of Zoroastrianism!
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