Heaven is the shore of mortal dust

Chapter 147

“There are so many infatuated people in this world.” Gongsong Gongzan stared at her face. “I never thought that Nangong Que would be one of them. If he hadn’t given you all his true energy when he was dying, you would probably be traveling with him to the Ninth Heaven long ago.”

Wei Zijun took a deep breath. That man, on his deathbed, kissed her and transferred all his life's inner strength to her, helping her mend the broken meridians throughout her body. Thinking of him, a faint pain welled up in her heart.

Nangong Que, in this life, we never knew who owed whom. Regardless of who owed whom, let's let bygones be bygones in this life, and hope that in the next life, we will not be entangled again.

She reached out and discreetly picked up a bright green vegetable leaf.

"Wei Feng—" Gongsong Gongzan angrily stepped forward and snatched her chopsticks away. "Are you that hungry?"

Wei Zijun glanced at him, said nothing, picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea. She stretched lazily and leaned back.

"Is it really impossible for you to speak?" Gongsong Gongzan walked up to Wei Zijun and sat down next to her.

Wei Zijun closed her eyes and turned her face away; she didn't want to see his face.

Gongsong Gongzan turned his head to look at the woman in front of him, looking her from head to toe and back to head.

She wore a long white woolen robe, the sleeves of which, though reaching the ground, were torn off at the wrist. The female slave who had offered to braid her hair was said to have been kicked away by her, simply because the slave had vowed to give her a Tibetan hairstyle. Now, her long, black, silky hair lay loosely draped over her shoulders. The casual attire made her appear even more refined. Her fair, clear face remained unchanged, her lips still vibrant red, and even her closed eyes remained clear and radiant. It was as if no stain could corrupt her soul; even the greatest suffering and the deepest heartache would be filtered by her clear gaze into a clear spring, flowing gently into her heart… Pain resided in her heart, love resided in her heart, wounds resided in her heart, longing resided in her heart, yet none of these ever tainted her eyes… She had been in a coma for a year, yet she remained unchanged, not only in appearance but also in temperament. This woman was ultimately untamable.

He looked at the sleeve that she had torn off more than half of and smiled. Originally, he had only given her a thin gauze dress, intending to humiliate her, but he didn't know where she had gotten such a robe. The robe was thick and stuffy, yet she preferred to wrap herself up tightly in it in this sweltering heat. Looking at her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from being wrapped in the robe, he chuckled and curled his lips into a smile.

"How long have you been unconscious?" Gongsong Gongzan examined her expression, but she didn't even twitch her eyebrows.

"Do you know who has been bathing you for the past year or so?" He was pleased to see her eyelashes flutter slightly.

"Do you know why your lips are still so red and full after all this time?" Gongsong Gongzan whispered in her ear, "Because I moisten them with my saliva every day."

Wei Zijun suddenly opened her eyes because she heard those words right next to her ear. She felt his hot breath and moved her body away from him with some effort.

This action angered Gongsong Gongzan, who grabbed Wei Zijun's arm and said, "Do you remember how you humiliated me back then?" He pulled her over and then pushed her down onto the couch.

He gazed at her lips, the lips he had secretly kissed during her coma. Each kiss deepened a strange emotion within him, despite the pain in his shoulder and chest that constantly reminded him of the humiliation and hurt she had inflicted upon him. The feeling returned; he loved again. There was hate, and there was love.

He couldn't remember when this love began. Perhaps it started the moment he was first struck by her arrow, the moment she plucked all his beard, the moment he hated her. Love and hate were intertwined, and that tangled feeling of love and hate had been tormenting and corroding his heart.

He kissed her lips, his fiery kisses washing over her face. Wei Zijun felt utterly humiliated. She struggled to resist, but her strength was like that of a kitten. Unable to move, her body was held captive by him. In her shame and anger, she bit his ravaging lips hard.

The stinging pain on his lips enraged Gongsong Gongzan. He grabbed her collar and ripped it open with all his might. The sound of tearing fabric rang out, revealing her snow-white chest.

A surge of blood rushed to her head. Wei Zijun struggled desperately, but having lost all her martial arts skills and feeling utterly powerless, she could not budge despite her efforts. She was both ashamed and anxious, and a metallic taste rose in her throat.

Gongsong Gongzan's eyes burned with fury as he stared at the patch of snow-white skin on her chest. His voice, low and husky with heavy breathing, said, "If you hadn't been so motionless like a log, I would have humiliated you countless times. But I like tormenting things that resist, I like seeing fear in their eyes. Think of how arrogant you were back then, and now you can only be bullied by me. See, that's the look in your eyes, that's right." He lowered his head and kissed her neck, his fiery lips traveling down to her breasts.

"Gongsong Gongzan—" Wei Zijun swallowed the sweet and metallic liquid and called out weakly, "I suppose you would disdain to use such methods against someone who has lost his fighting ability."

"Disdain?" Gongsong Gongzan laughed loudly, his laughter hoarse from lust. "You're wrong. This is the kind of method I like best. When you had martial arts skills, I was no match for you. Now is the best time... Now, you are no match for me." He tore off his robe and covered her body with it.

"My son..." Just as Wei Zijun was about to despair, a deep male voice rang out from outside the door.

A moment later, heavy footsteps sounded. "My son, you are too rude. It's not good to treat a woman like that." Songtsen Gampo slowly walked in. "A truly charming man will make his woman willingly submit."

Gongsong Gongzan turned his head in surprise to look at the newcomer, unable to react for a moment.

"Aren't you getting up?" Gongzan Gampo walked to their side. "She's so weak, and you're still forcing yourself on her? Aren't you trying to kill her?"

Gongsong Gongzan awkwardly stood up, and Wei Zijun hurriedly pulled her disheveled clothes to cover her exposed body. She struggled to sit up, and the exertion caused her to cough weakly.

Gongzan Gampo stepped forward and gently patted Wei Zijun's back. He then turned to Gongsong Gongzan and said, "My son, women are only fun when they are willing. This woman should be left to your father to train."

Gongsong Gongzan stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "Father, she is my woman."

Gongzan Gampo smiled gently, “My son, you are still inexperienced and do not know how to train a woman. You cannot subdue a woman like this.”

“Father, do you think you can subdue her?” Gongsong Gongzan almost roared, “Father—you stole my woman.”

"Shh—" Songtsen Gampo laughed, "Don't say such unpleasant things. Let's bet that if she's handed over to me, she'll definitely listen to me obediently."

"No—I won't agree. I've poured so much effort into healing her, just waiting for the day she wakes up."

"So you're just waiting for her to wake up so you can take advantage of her the first thing you do?" Songtsen Gampo nodded. "That's not a bad idea. You've always been her defeated opponent on the battlefield, so it's not unreasonable for you to try to find your dignity in bed."

“Father, I know you look down on me, but she is my woman now.” Gongsong Gongzan turned to stare at Wei Zijun. “She is my woman, and I can treat her however I want.”

Songtsen Gampo's face turned cold. "My son, do you know that she is not an ordinary woman? You cannot treat her like an ordinary woman. Such a person will never be your woman, never. If you treat her like this, how can you expect her to help Tibet? You will ruin her and ruin Tibet. It was wrong to hide her in the first place, and it is even more wrong to try to make her your woman now. You have been wrong all along, always wrong."

Gongzan Gampo glanced at the stunned Gongsong Gongzan and said, "From now on, you must not treat her like this again. Put away your delusions and go find another woman to relieve your lust."

Gongsong Gongzan turned and rushed out, his injured figure lonely and desolate.

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Songtsen Gampo looked at Wei Zijun with his narrow eyes. "I will protect you from being bullied, and you will protect me from restoring my kingdom. What do you say?" His narrow eyes shimmered with a captivating light. This man was quite charming.

Wei Zijun raised an eyebrow at him, a smile playing on her lips. "Deal!"

Songtsen Gampo laughed heartily, "Khan, you answered so readily, are you just giving me a perfunctory answer in hopes of escaping?"

Wei Zijun continued to smile, "If the Zanpu is so suspicious, why bother offering your terms?"

Songtsen Gampo stared at Wei Zijun, noticing her fair hands tightly clutching her torn clothes, and a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes. "So, it's settled then."

Volume 4, Chapter 135: The Princess

The long corridor seemed to have no end, and the distant palace stood tall like a majestic castle. After passing through layers of pagodas and climbing the steps, a gust of wind blew by, stirring up a few strands of hair.

A thin silk robe danced lightly in the wind, and brocade boots pattered lightly on the stone steps. Long hair was parted on both sides and hung down, revealing a smooth forehead. An amber bead necklace adorned her forehead, connected to a jeweled garland that was coiled behind her hair. Only a red veil covered her face, obscuring her features. Only her clear, azure eyes shone with dazzling brilliance.

The snow-white silk blouse with subtle patterns, devoid of any adornments, was as ordinary as could be. Yet, it was worn with extraordinary grace by her slender and delicate figure, exuding elegance, refinement, and radiance. One could not take their eyes off her simply by looking at her, and no longer care about her appearance beneath the veil.

Songtsen Gampo turned his head to look at Wei Zijun beside him, a slight smile playing on his lips. He had never seen such a stubborn person. She refused to have her hair braided, refused a head full of ornaments, refused elaborate jewelry, and chased away all the women who wanted to apply makeup for him, emerging with a bare face. Despite her simple attire, she still looked beautiful. For some reason, even in such an ordinary robe, she could wear it so beautifully, her refined elegance unmatched by any other woman.

He scrutinized her closely. A morning breeze blew by, causing the thin silk dress to cling tightly to her slender body, revealing her ample bosom and outlining its perfect shape. He pursed his lips, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light, and stared intently at that sight.

Wei Zijun was completely unaware. Her eyes appeared calm and undisturbed, but her mind was in turmoil. Since she had agreed to Songtsen Gampo's request, she had to show some reciprocation. Although it was a delaying tactic, she couldn't let anyone see through her. If she really slipped up, he wouldn't let her off the hook.

The agreement reached with Songtsen Gampo wasn't for her own protection, but rather to uncover Tibet's conspiracy. Tibet remained powerful; the fact that Li Tianqi's 600,000-strong army couldn't conquer it demonstrated their strength. Songtsen Gampo's offer of submission was merely a pretext to preserve his power, intending to launch another attack while Dayu was off guard. Therefore, she needed to know Tibet's plot. Participating in political discussions was her first step; only through this could she learn of Tibet's scheme. But even if she did, what could she do? How could she inform her second brother?

With these thoughts weighing heavily on his mind, just as he was about to reach the gate of Puntsok, several female slaves dressed as maids rushed up in front of him, surrounding a beautiful woman.

The woman wore a dark blue pleated skirt, over which was an imperial blue outer robe. The blue wavy pleats were adorned with peacock-shaped collars and flowers. A jewel-encrusted belt cinched her waist, and her neck was adorned with numerous red amber necklaces and a long chain of coral, jade, and amber. Her long, flowing braids were further embellished with gold, silver, pearls, and gemstones, truly a dazzling display of opulence. Clearly, this was Songtsen Gampo's most favored concubine.

As the woman approached and her face came into view, Wei Zijun was taken aback. She hadn't expected to meet an old friend here. In fact, she should have realized it sooner. The woman was Princess Supi, who had come to the Western Turkic Khaganate to discuss a marriage alliance. Now, she was the queen of Songtsen Gampo.

In that instant, her mind raced. If she could be recognized, if the news of her being here spread, and He Lu and her second brother knew she was alive, they wouldn't have to search the world for her. In the past few days, she had heard that they had searched all over Tibet, even the Potala Palace, in their search for her. Now they were extremely heartbroken and almost desperate, believing she was dead. She was truly worried that they would not live on. She had to let them know that she was still alive.

As her thoughts raced, her long fingers brushed against her ear, as if to gather the wind-blown strands of hair behind her ear. With a gentle flick of her fingertips, the veil suddenly fell, fluttering softly in the morning breeze.

Then, as Wei Zijun had hoped, Princess Su Pi, who had just arrived, froze for a moment. She locked her clear face tightly, her expression one of astonishment.

Wei Zijun smiled slightly, staring directly into Princess Supi's eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that, young lady? Do you think I look familiar? Or do you think I look like a man?" Her gentle, magnetic voice rang out, and the person in front of her was visibly startled.

Upon hearing this, Songtsen Gampo looked at Wei Zijun, picked up the fallen veil, and handed it to her, saying, "How could you be so careless?"

Seeing Princess Supi's shocked reaction, Wei Zijun pursed her lips, lowered her eyes with satisfaction, and accepted the veil. "What is the king worried about? Who would recognize me?" She raised her long eyebrows and gave the woman in front of her a meaningful look.

Songtsen Gampo looked at his queen and saw that her gaze was fixed on Wei Zijun, with a look of astonishment as if she had seen an old friend. He was startled and asked, "My beloved queen, do you know each other?"

Princess Supi snapped out of her daze and immediately smiled radiantly. She coquettishly said to Songtsen Gampo, "Your Majesty, I couldn't help but glance at her a few more times because she's so beautiful. You already have five Möngkes, why are you bringing another woman back? Are you going to marry another one?" With that, she pouted, her face full of jealousy.

Songtsen Gampo laughed happily upon hearing this, teasingly saying, "Lianbi, are you jealous? However, I do intend to take another wife, so you'd better be prepared." He pointed to her chest, then turned to Wei Zijun and smiled, "Come and get to know her, she is my queen, the princess of Supi, Lianbi."

Wei Zijun was startled upon hearing this. Was this Lianbi? The Lianbi who later became the Queen of the Eastern Kingdom of Supi? This woman was truly a hidden talent.

Wei Zijun feigned surprise, opening her lips slightly. "Your Highness, please forgive me. I am from the Western Turkic Khaganate, a poor and remote place. I am not good at reading people and did not know Your Highness's identity. I apologize." She deliberately reminded her that she was from the Western Turkic Khaganate, hoping she would recognize her. She did not refer to herself as a commoner, hoping that she would not be mistaken for a woman. It was no wonder that she went to such lengths, because Songtsen Gampo had forced her to dress as a woman, precisely because he was worried that she would be recognized. In this appearance, even old acquaintances would probably not dare to recognize her without permission, let alone someone they had only met once.

She lowered her arm and nodded slightly in return, then looked away from Wei Zijun and took Songtsen Gampo's arm, saying coquettishly, "Your Majesty, if you marry a new queen, will you stop lowering your arm?"

Songtsen Gampo laughed heartily, "How could that be? Of all these concubines, my most treasured one is Lianbi. Be good, go back first, I still need to go to the East Hall."

He lowered his arm, glanced at Wei Zijun again, and wisely released his arm, then left with several female slaves.

As she walked away, Wei Zijun smiled and said, "Your Majesty, are you going to take a new concubine again? I wonder whose daughter she is, such a fortunate woman." She wondered if Songtsen Gampo was going to take the middle one as his concubine, but then she thought again, probably not. They had an agreement, so it was unlikely.

Songtsen Gampo smiled slightly, turned his head close to Wei Zijun, and whispered, "Today I have summoned my ministers to Tsoqingxia Sixi Pingcuo. How can you face them dressed so shabbily?"

Wei Zijun smiled faintly, "Why should the Tsangpo care about my attire when he is discussing state affairs?" Then, as if remembering something, she raised her long eyebrows and stared directly at Songtsen Gampo, "The Tsangpo is not going to marry Wei Feng, is he? You'd better not have such thoughts. Wei Feng is fine as a subject, but not as a wife."

Songtsen Gampo did not answer. He reached out and twirled a strand of her hair. “So soft, so smooth. She is indeed a woman of Dayu. Her charm is truly different. Even her scent is so intoxicating.” He brought the strand of hair to his lips, took a deep sniff, and gently kissed it.

Wei Zijun turned her head, amused by his actions. She hadn't expected Songtsen Gampo to be such a flirtatious man, not forgetting to flirt even for a moment. She curled her lips and chuckled, "If the Tsangpu likes it, how about Wei Feng gives this burden to the Tsangpu? I suppose Wei Feng will become a bald lama, sitting in the Sasong Langjie Palace chanting scriptures every day, and no one will recognize me anymore."

Songtsen Gampo chuckled, "She's quite a pretty lama too."

Wei Zijun subtly tugged at a strand of hair. "So, Wei Feng would rather be a lama than a queen. Surely the king hasn't forgotten our agreement? Wei Feng knows the Dayu army's formations, combat habits, strengths, weaknesses, and advantages perfectly. Hasn't the king long coveted the Central Plains? With my help, wouldn't the Central Plains be as easy as taking candy from a baby? Surely the king won't pass up such an opportunity to seize control of the world."

Songtsen Gampo narrowed his long, narrow eyes, scrutinizing Wei Zijun. "Do you really think I would believe you?"

Wei Zijun chuckled and sighed, "How much does the Zanpu really know about Wei Feng? Zanpu, don't forget, Wei Feng has always been a traitor. First, he betrayed Da Yu and defected to the Western Turks, then he became a traitor to the Western Turks and defected to Da Yu, even offering up the entire Western Turks. Do you think it's possible for someone like that to betray Da Yu again?"

Songtsen Gampo stared intently at Wei Zijun, as if assessing the credibility of her words. "But your allegiance to Dayu was out of necessity, just as my submission was a temporary expedient."

“That’s it. How could the Zanpu know that Wei Feng’s allegiance to Dayu wasn’t just a temporary measure?” Wei Zijun leaned against the low wall of Baima grass beside her, pulled off the amber necklace from her forehead, and tossed it into the arms of the female slave behind her. “In the Western Turkic Khaganate, I am the ruler of a country. Above me is the heavens, and below me are the vast fertile plains and millions of people. Why would I be happy to go to Dayu to be a ruler of thousands, to be manipulated by others?” She raised an eyebrow at Songtsen Gampo. “However, I am a little smarter than the Zanpu. I will not pay tribute for five years, while the Zanpu has to pay tribute every year.” After saying that, she laughed loudly.

Songtsen Gampo's eyes shone brightly, sparkling as he looked at Wei Zijun's smiling face and approached her. "Why did you throw it away?" His gaze fell on her smooth forehead.

“Bullying.” Wei Zijun curved her lips. “You Tibetan women are so cumbersome. The tribute braids take me a whole day to braid. And you have so many hanging around your necks. Aren’t you tired? I find even this one cumbersome.”

Upon hearing her childlike words, Songtsen Gampo suddenly felt unusually happy. She was indeed still a child, but a wicked one at that, one who seduced men. "Do you know why they braid so many little braids?"

Wei Zijun raised an eyebrow, asking silently.

Songtsen Gampo leaned close to her ear and lowered his voice, "Because they only bathe once in a long while, unlike you, who bathe so frequently, once a day."

Wei Zijun's face flushed crimson. She took a step back and coughed awkwardly. "However, I didn't help for nothing, Da Yu. How about we split it in half, with the Yangtze River as the boundary? The south is yours, and the north is mine. What do you say? I'm sure that if we join forces, we'll be invincible." She then seemed to recall something amusing, pursing her lips. "Why didn't you join me sooner? Why did you have to attack my Western Turks first? The result was heavy losses; it was truly a losing proposition. Alas..." She sighed regretfully.

Seeing her gloating expression, Songtsen Gampo was so angry that he reached out and pinched her cheek.

This action startled Wei Zijun, and Songtsen Gampo also sensed something was amiss; his heart skipped a beat. He quickly withdrew his hand and turned away. After a long silence, he sighed, "Then what was the point of bringing you here?" His tone was filled with undisguised disappointment.

In truth, he had intended to bestow upon her the title of concubine in front of all his ministers today, but now he knew he could not force her. He gazed upon her refined and elegant demeanor, her pure and innocent face. Even dressed as a woman, she could not conceal her untamed spirit; even her casual gestures exuded grandeur, and her simple words carried the air of a ruler who could command the world. Such a woman was not someone he could keep hidden away to advise him; she was destined to stand before the masses, to be admired by all.

Can he have such a person? If he wants to, he must give her absolute respect. Such a person disdains communicating with those who don't understand her.

"What are you doing? I'm here to introduce myself to your ministers, but not in this kind of attire. You must return my clothes and my jade pendant. That jade pendant is priceless. The Zanpu (king) is not trying to keep it for himself, is he?" Wei Zijun touched the empty hem of her clothes, which was devoid of any ornaments.

"Introduce me to my minister? I'm afraid you want to tell Li Tianqi that you are here, right?" Songtsen Gampo's narrow eyes narrowed again.

Wei Zijun said calmly, "The Zanpu has misunderstood me again. Of all the Tibetan ministers, only Gar Tongtsen knows me. Do you think he wouldn't recognize me in women's clothing? Are there people in the world who look so alike that they are indistinguishable? If you want us to form an alliance, you need to introduce me to the ministers. If I don't know your plans, how can I give you everything you need? At the same time, it will also prevent me from being schemed against."

"Do you still want to wear men's clothes?" Songtsen Gampo frowned.

“Yes, because if Wei Feng were a woman, perhaps someone would listen to her, but an unknown woman, I think, no one would listen to her. A stranger is always better than a stranger.”

Immediately, Songtsen Gampo felt he had been tricked. She was originally a prisoner, meant to live at his mercy, someone he could have whoever he wanted, someone he could force upon him. How had things turned out this way? Then he thought again, if he treated that woman that way, she would rather die than utter a word. Since he wanted her to help him, he had to make sacrifices and concessions. She was not only exceptionally intelligent and a brilliant strategist, but most importantly, she understood everything about Dayu. Any concession he made for her was worthwhile.