114 An Ambush (1/2)

”I…” Tie Cheng stammered, no additional words coming out of his mouth. With Meng Fuyao turning away from him, he eventually admitted defeat. ”I'll go, I'll go… fine, I'll go!”

The more he said the angrier he became, resulting in another broken tree.

Princess Lotus kept her smile all the way while giving thanks. ”You must be a man of ability. Are you, Sir, an official in Wuji? Could you tell me your name? I will have the prince thank you personally in time.”

'Have Zhangsun Wuji thank me?' Meng Fuyao wanted to laugh but couldn't.

At this time the servant girl cut in, ”Which rank do you hold? Want a promotion? If the prince learns of your heroic act he will definitely thank you with anything you want.”

Meng Fuyao looked at her before smirking. ”Oh yeah? That's great. I'd like to become the emperor of Wuji. Can I?”

Ming Ruo's face turned pale. With trembling lips, she uttered, ”You, you… rebel…”

Princess Lotus's gaze shrank but quickly transformed into a smile. ”He is making a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?” she chided softly.

Meng Fuyao glanced over at the princess, albeit not wanting any more eye contact. Extending a hand, she expressed, ”There aren't many bandits within Wuji region. You were just unlucky. With my guards, you'll have no problem getting to your destination safely. I'll take my leave, then.”

”Thank you again, dear Sir,” Princess Lotus bowed. Meng Fuyao, upon taking a few steps forward, turned around once more. ”Is it going to be a big wedding? With your honorable status, shouldn't there be members from Zhongzhou court to receive you? How did you end up in this state?”

”It is embarrassing, Sir,” Princess Lotus lowered her head, abashed, like a gentle lotus flower. ”I have been brought up to follow Buddhism. Honor and glory do not matter, and I have sworn to travel to every mountain and old Buddhist temple. I had planned to visit Mingguang Temple, in Xuan Yuan, but while passing by Wuji Nation, I had the sudden thought to… to see an old friend,” she explained, biting her lips as her face turned red.

”My princess is the reincarnation of a sacred being and was born with a lotus flower in her mouth. She is the most pious lady in the whole of Five Region Continent, and hence the name Buddha Lotus. Many would beg to catch a glimpse of her, so it really is your lucky day today,” the servant girl informed proudly, looking askance.

”I think so too,” Meng Fuyao agreed forthrightly. ”It's the blessing of three lifetimes, and this trip has been made worthwhile.”

Then, she bowed slightly before turning to leave.

'Pious? Sacred? Someone who could sit and chant her sutra so calmly while her guards shed blood outside… yeah, how god d*mn pious indeed. She was someone who could continue chanting before a severed arm that belonged to one of her guards… how god d*mn sacred indeed.'

Meng Fuyao lifted her head and shot Buddha Lotus's reddened cheeks a quick glance. 'Aish, the shyness she expressed when talking about a man, was really all shades of flirtatious.'

She walked between the jade-green forest, inwardly thinking, 'Reincarnation of Buddha Lotus… lotus flower in mouth… the lotus flower on Zhangsun Wuji's palm…'

'So that was the secret he had been unwilling to reveal. It was this pious, sacred Buddha Lotus, whose mouth contained a flower at birth and who was living deep in the palace that he had been trying to hide.'

He kept that flower on the hollow of his palm, not willing to bring it up to anyone or to allow anyone to touch it. He probably valued it as the most sacred treasure and wanted to protect it from all contamination of the world.

'Aye, a lotus born on a palm, another lotus born in a mouth. Aren't they just a perfect pair?'

Meng Fuyao proceeded down the mountain and upon locating her horse she readied herself, and the horse galloped further and further away from Buddha Lotus.

Meng Fuyao whipped her horse with much urgency, causing it to emit anxious neighs as if being chased by tens of thousands of soldiers.

Amid the rush, there seemed to be a vague singing voice that trailed along with the horse's movement.

”One's spiritual, and the other a flawless jade. One's the moon in a mirror, and the other a flower in the water…”

The sky darkened and layers of clouds accumulated to dim the moonlight. They appeared like frosted glass or a worn-out cloth, ironing itself over the metallic black sky.

Meng Fuyao looked up and around somewhat vacantly…'Where am I?'

It seemed she had already exited Wuji's border.