Chapter 33: A Dragon Trapped in Shallow Waters (Part Four)

A hundred birds took flight at once. Wu Yueling and her two companions, riding through the forested mountains, looked toward the crest from which the flock burst forth in a flurry of panic. The birds screeched and scattered, splitting into seven or eight groups as they fled.

“Is there some ferocious beast ahead?” Li Wan’er reined in her horse and glanced at the sky. Their days in the wild had greatly broadened her experience and skills.

“Probably so. But I hear the sound of running water ahead—there must be a river. We can wash up properly when we get there,” Wu Yueling said, looking every bit the wild woman, hair tangled and face begrimed, speaking to Hua Chuer and Li Wan’er, who were in no better shape.

“That’s right, little lady. We’ve been wandering outside for another whole month. Are we going to miss Chang’an again, like last time? Have we lost our way?” Hua Chuer, cradling a small lynx in one arm and a white tiger cub in the other, spoke plaintively.

Wu Yueling quickly produced a compass at this, making sure their direction was northwest. “No mistake here!”

“Then why haven’t we reached Chang’an yet? How much longer will we have to travel? We’re almost out of salt.” Hua Chuer, cuddling her little companions, looked as if she’d lost all hope. She was thoroughly tired of wild fruits and game.

“Sister Chuer, don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll arrive soon,” Li Wan’er said with a gentle smile.

“Let’s keep going,” Wu Yueling said, squeezing her horse’s sides and moving on.

Soon, a staggering deer appeared on the slope, tumbled down, and lay still. Wu Yueling rode over; Li Wan’er dismounted to examine the wound—an arrow stuck in the deer’s rump, blood streaking its hide. The little lynx poked its head out and meowed, as if anticipating venison for supper.

Then, amid the sound of water, Wu Yueling heard a horse’s panicked whinny. Curious, she rode up the hill to look toward the riverbank. There, a fat man in yellow robes clung to his horse’s neck, his face drained of blood, wild with terror.

His horse, burdened by his bulk, galloped uncontrollably toward the river’s shallows. Suddenly, its front hooves sank into a bog, and it pitched forward, flinging the yellow-robed man onto the sandbar.

The man rolled in a great arc, landing amid splashing water and muddy spray. His headscarf fell away into the rushing current, and his black hair tumbled loose, leaving him in utter disarray. He struggled to rise, but fear made his legs limp, so he could only flail at the water, splashing helplessly.

Wu Yueling couldn’t help but laugh. She spurred her horse over to help, for this was the first time she’d seen anyone in yellow robes.

Just then, another rider burst from the woods, but what sat astride the horse appeared, at first glance, to be a huge bear. Wu Yueling’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. Then she saw the axe in the bear’s hand and realized—it was a man dressed in bear fur.

She rode to the riverbank, drew the revolver from her belt, and with a quiet cough, prepared to question the stranger.

But the man spoke first, though Wu Yueling could not understand a word of his guttural, blustering speech. Judging by his fierce appearance, he was no decent person.

Zang Batu raged, telling Wu Yueling not to interfere, boasting of his own invincible might and titles. With that, he charged toward the still-terrified Li Longji on the sandbar, axe held high, his face contorted with murderous intent, determined to slay this dog of an emperor—no, this Li Longji, Son of Heaven of the Tang.

Wu Yueling would not stand for this. So he was a bandit, then, in bear pelts, raising an axe at the hapless fat man? She would not allow it.

Hua Chuer and Li Wan’er had reached the hilltop in time to see their little lady confronting the bear-man, but they too could not understand his words.

Hua Chuer, however, immediately recognized the fat man in yellow robes. In this world, only the emperor could wear such a color. Her eyes widened—no matter! She spurred her horse to help.

Zang Batu, seeing two more appear, sensed trouble. Where had these three strange Han come from? Still, to complete his mission, he kicked his horse and charged at Li Longji.

Wu Yueling raised her revolver and fired. The bullet pierced the bear-man’s skull.

Zang Batu’s eyes widened, and he toppled backward off his horse, landing not far from Li Longji. His great axe fell, striking his bear-hooded head as he hit the ground.

The gunshot echoed like thunder. The horse on the sandbar reared in fright and galloped away.

Wu Yueling descended to the riverbank and helped the yellow-robed fat man up. “Who are you? Why were you being chased?”

Only then did Li Longji recover himself. Looking at Wu Yueling, he suddenly recalled she had saved him, and resumed his former dignity. “I am the Son of Heaven of the Tang. What is your name?”

“The emperor?” Wu Yueling was astonished. Wasn’t this Li Longji, the old emperor? How had he grown so fat! She coughed, trying not to stare at his broad frame. “My name is Wu Yueling. I was merely passing by. Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Indeed. I must thank you for saving me. What was that thunderous weapon?” Li Longji asked, straightening his hair.

Supporting him, Wu Yueling replied that it was a hidden weapon, and helped him up the bank to where Hua Chuer and Li Wan’er waited.

As soon as they saw the emperor, Hua Chuer and Li Wan’er knelt and cried in unison, “Your humble servants greet Your Majesty!”

Wu Yueling supported Li Longji, thinking she herself would forgo kneeling, and busied herself brushing mud from his robes and helping him remove his wet boots.

At that moment, hoofbeats sounded from the slope. A general led a troop of soldiers to the riverbank. Seeing the emperor unharmed across the water, he breathed a long sigh of relief. Glancing at the corpse on the sandbar, he burned with anger, realizing this had been a planned assassination.

After a while, Wu Yueling and her companions followed Li Longji to the Valley of Flowers. The valley was in full bloom, fragrant with blossoms, the mountain crests bathed in a rosy glow.

Wu Yueling, seeing the fluttering banners and armored soldiers, realized she had unwittingly saved the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. A flicker of excitement stirred in her heart.

She glanced around, catching sight of a beauty who stood like a peony in bloom, dignified and mature, the most beautiful woman she had ever seen—outshining Hua Chuer and Li Wan’er by far. Tears streamed down the woman’s cheeks as she pitifully supported Li Longji onto his imperial carriage, tending to him as he changed his clothes.

Hua Chuer walked with her head bowed, tightly holding Li Wan’er’s hand, still amazed to have met the emperor in such wild, remote country.

Once Li Longji had changed, Wu Yueling and her companions were summoned. It was only upon further questioning that it was learned the other two girls were Wu Yueling’s attendants. The officials whispered among themselves, commenting on the trio’s wild, disheveled appearance.

Wu Yueling was helpless—after all, they’d been roaming the mountains for a month. She thought, “If I threw you lot into the wilderness, let’s see how long you’d last before starving.”

“Wu Yueling,” Li Longji called from his lofty seat atop the imperial carriage, now resplendent in his finery. Having heard the full story, he had regained the bearing of a ruler. “You saved me in a time of peril. I wish to adopt you as my daughter. Will you accept?”

Standing at his side, Gao Lishi opened his mouth as if to speak, glanced at Wu Yueling’s wild appearance, then silently furrowed his brow and held his tongue.

Wu Yueling’s eyes sparkled. She knelt on one knee and cupped her hands in salute. “Gladly. I greet my foster father!”

Li Longji broke into hearty laughter. “You have saved me—and thus saved the realm of Tang. I name Wu Yueling as Princess Protector of the Nation! Do any of my ministers object?” His stern gaze swept the assembled courtiers by his carriage.

Gao Lishi pondered briefly, then bowed his head and kept silent. Prime Minister Li shot Wu Yueling a furtive glance, frowned, but found nothing to protest.

“My deepest thanks, Your Majesty!” Wu Yueling bowed again.

A few days later in Chang’an, the emperor issued an edict. On the eighteenth day of the ninth month, second year of Tianbao, Wu Yueling was granted the title Princess Protector of the Nation and awarded five thousand households. The emperor wished to build her a new residence in the imperial city, but at the urging of Gao Lishi and the two prime ministers, the Hibiscus Garden east of Qujiang Pool was instead converted to serve as the Princess Protector’s palace.