Chapter 1185

The Western Regions are plagued by wind and sand year-round, so to protect against the grit and the sun, most people wrap their heads in turbans.

Much like the headgear of the Great Han, one can discern a person's general status from their turban.

The turbans of nobles and commoners are quite different.

The turban worn by the person before us is made of pure white silk and inlaid with gemstones; one look is enough to know it is something only a noble could possess.

From the hair peeking out from the sides of the turban and those blue eyes, it is clear this person is not from the Jushi Kingdom.

Although the people of Jushi also have green eyes and high nose bridges, their hair is mostly black, rarely brown, and they are generally short in stature.

Yet the person before us has red hair, green eyes, a tall frame, and skin that appears much fairer.

There are dozens of countries in the Western Regions, and the appearances of their peoples vary greatly.

Jushi, Loulan, and Yutian—the countries closest to the Great Han and on the furthest frontier of the Western Regions—are mostly populated by Saka, Qiang, and Xiongnu peoples, who tend to have darker skin and shorter statures.

Moving to the center of the Western Regions, Qiuci and Yanqi are dominated by Tocharians; the people in this region have lighter skin and are generally taller.

Further west, in Wusun, Kangju, and Dayuan, the population is primarily composed of the Greater Yuezhi and Caucasians.

To the eyes of a Han person, it would not be easy to distinguish where this person comes from.

But Chapiya had long ago traveled from Tianzhu through the Western Regions, passing through Dayuan, Wusun, and various other states before arriving in Jushi.

Seeing Chapiya return to the room, the Wusun Ambassador standing inside smiled, bowed, and placed his right hand over his chest to offer a salute.

"Respected Superior, please allow me to convey greetings on behalf of our Kunmo."

Kunmo means King.

The Wusun Ambassador standing before Chapiya is not an envoy.

In Wusun, "Ambassador" is an official rank, a position for managing other officials.

It is similar to the rank of Palace Assistant Secretary in the Great Han.

After saluting Chapiya, the Wusun Ambassador Yuan Feigui straightened his back and stepped aside to reveal the spot he had been blocking.

Behind him sat a rectangular wooden chest about half a meter high.

After stepping aside, Yuan Feigui bent down and opened the chest.

Instantly, a flash of golden light, illuminated by the oil lamp in the room, shimmered forth.

It was so dazzling that Chapiya squinted his eyes once more.

Seeing this, a smile appeared on Yuan Feigui's face.

"This is a greeting from our Kunmo; I hope you will graciously accept it, Superior."

Gradually adapting to the golden light, Chapiya slowly opened his eyes, then pressed his palms together and bowed to Yuan Feigui.

"I have already relayed the matter entrusted by your sovereign to Aoluoye; the rest of the business is no longer for me to participate in," Chapiya said cheerfully.

Yuan Feigui smiled and said, "Naturally, naturally."

"This is already enough, and I must thank you, Superior," Yuan Feigui said with a smile as he returned the salute. "Since that is the case, I shall not disturb you further."

Chapiya nodded.

As Yuan Feigui left Chapiya's room, Chapiya, standing inside and looking at the chest of gold coins, felt a glimmer of greed appear in his eyes.

Taking two quick steps, Chapiya reached the chest, crouched down, and reached out to gently stroke the gold coins inside, as carefully as if he were touching a rare treasure.

Chapiya reached out and scooped up the gold coins from the chest.

One by one, the golden coins, each stamped with a person's portrait, slipped through the gaps in Chapiya's fingers, falling back into the wooden chest with a series of beautiful clinking sounds.

Lying over the chest, Chapiya took a deep breath, as if the chest of gold coins were emitting the most alluring scent in the world.

Satisfied, Chapiya stood up and latched the chest shut.

After taking another deep breath, Chapiya turned and walked toward the door.

Standing before the door, Chapiya glanced left and right at the side rooms, ultimately choosing to enter the one on the left.

Inside the side room, a woman under twenty years of age, dressed in monk's robes, hurriedly rose from the meditation cushion placed on the floor when she heard the sound of the door.

The woman had no hair on her head; she was also a monastic.

Judging solely by her age, she should be a Shiksamana, translated as "a woman learning the Dharma."

In Tianzhu, the process for a woman to become a monastic is similar to that of a man; she must first rely on a Bhikkhuni and receive the Sramaneri precepts.

A Bhikkhuni refers to a monastic woman who is at least twenty years old and has received the full precepts.

Bhikkhuni is also translated as Bhichuni, Bihuni, Bikuni, Ni, Chunu, Dongnu, Sramani...

Upon reaching the age of eighteen, she receives the Shiksamana precepts and becomes a "Shiksamana," meaning a woman learning the Dharma.

Upon reaching the age of twenty, she first receives the Bhikkhuni precepts from a Bhikkhuni, and then from a Bhikkhu.

When the Shiksamana rose and saw that the person entering was Chapiya, her gaze immediately dropped, and a flash of nervousness, agitation, and even fear crossed her face.

Chapiya's gaze swept over the Shiksamana.

"I have come tonight to check if your understanding of the Dharma has improved and to teach you some more."

After speaking, Chapiya walked into the room on his own.

The Shiksamana standing in the room lowered her head, walked to the door, bolted it, and then, after returning inside, extinguished the oil lamp.

On the other side, the Wusun Ambassador Yuan Feigui, having left the temple, returned to the government office where he was staying in Jiaohecheng, accompanied by his attendants.

In Yuan Feigui's room, a woman of about twenty, with blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in a flowing silk gown and possessing a graceful figure, sat inside.

A streak of pale moonlight shone through a hole carved into the yellow earthen wall; from here, one could see the full moon in the sky.

Due to a lack of timber, very few buildings in Jiaohecheng had anything like windows.

Most simply had holes carved into the walls to provide lighting during the day.

The beautiful woman looked at the moonlight with a sorrowful expression.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with longing.

"My Yimei, I have returned."

Yuan Feigui's voice rang out from outside the room.

Rubbing his hands together, Yuan Feigui walked into the room impatiently.

And Yimei, who a second ago had a sorrowful and longing gaze, turned around and revealed a charming smile as she welcomed Yuan Feigui into her embrace.

PS: Are there any old readers who know who this Yimei is! ===== CHAPTER 1187 =====