Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 523: Awakening

But Zhao Changhe did not give in to indulgence.

It was not the right time, the right place, or even the right mood. Moreover, dual cultivation was not some divine art, so it would not really help right now.

His rough kiss was more of a... punishment, a form of chastisement even though he knew she was not really at fault.

Baoqin heard her young miss’ muffled groan from inside the room. Even though she was beyond a thick wooden door, she instinctively covered her eyes.

In reality, the two inside had pulled apart, both breathing heavily. Tang Wanzhuang’s lips had been bitten, a trace of blood evident.

They exchanged a complicated look. After a moment, Tang Wanzhuang spoke softly, her tone calm. “I thought you were going to force yourself on me.”

“That would mean I’ve given up and I just want to have my way with you.” Zhao Changhe turned his head, avoiding her gaze. “Wash yourself up and wait for me—I’m planning to have you for many years.”

Despite his crude words, Tang Wanzhuang remained calm, staring into the flickering flames with him. She replied quietly, “If that day ever comes.”

The calmness of her statement left it unclear whether she was agreeing or being sarcastic.

Zhao Changhe did not respond. He watched the fire until it gradually died down.

He stood up, true qi enveloping his hand, and grasped the boiling hot clay pot directly, pouring out a bowl of medicinal broth.

Tang Wanzhuang inhaled sharply, unsure if it was because of her sore lips or her amazement at Zhao Changhe’s strength.

He’s grown so strong...

It was not just about him being able to endure the heat. The true qi around his hand had tangible solidity, appearing like a physical barrier that would not dissipate. Such power would rank him far above most within the Ranking of Earth. Indeed, his power had already surpassed the Ranking of Man.

Zhao Changhe took a small sip of the broth himself, gauging its properties and potency, then nodded and turned to Tang Wanzhuang. “Do you need me to feed you?”

Tang Wanzhuang pursed her lips. If you want to feed me, just do it. Why even ask?

But since he asked, of course, she had to respond. “Yes.”

Zhao Changhe froze for a moment, and he couldn’t help but blink a few times as he held the bowl.

Tang Wanzhuang huffed, sitting in her chair in silence. Her lips were badly hurt, making it difficult for her to move them.

Zhao Changhe could not help but ruffle her hair. Tang Wanzhuang tried to pull away, so Zhao Changhe simply kneeled before her, scooping up a spoonful of the broth, blowing on it, and offering it to her lips. “Ah~”

Tang Wanzhuang took the spoonful into her mouth, mumbling, “When you see His Majesty, try to convince him to send reinforcements to Hebei.”

Zhao Changhe scooped up another spoonful of medicine, blowing on it, listening as she spoke.

Tang Wanzhuang continued, “The Wang Clan has been plotting their rebellion for a long time. The situation in Qinghe is different. The Cui Clan’s private soldiers are not enough. Right now, they’ve only just managed to gather all the local government troops from their territory to defend Puyang. But how many can that be? Moreover, this leaves the rest of Hebei vulnerable. If Puyang falls, there will soon come many disastrous consequences...”

Zhao Changhe handed her another spoonful of the medicine. “If this medicine doesn’t shut you up, I’ll find something else. Maybe I should bite you again.”

Tang Wanzhuang pouted and obediently drank the medicine, deciding not to say anything more.

Zhao Changhe continued feeding her silently. It was hard to tell if they were flirting or bickering. When the bowl was finally empty, Zhao Changhe stood up and said, “I suddenly think that having a clever strategist by my side, someone who gives me their wholehearted support, might actually be quite an experience.”

After speaking, as if feeling a bit embarrassed, he turned and left the room. “The medicine is pretty strong. Get some rest. I’ll come check on you again tomorrow.”

Tang Wanzhuang stared at his departing figure, mulling over the meaning of his words. After some reflection, she realized what he meant.

It sounds as if he might actually have ambitions for power... but it might not be as the crown prince. And... wait, did he just try to recruit me?

For a moment, Tang Wanzhuang was stunned, blankly watching Zhao Changhe ruffle Baoqin’s hair into a bird’s nest as he left. Baoqin jumped up, shouting insults at him. The scene seemed distant and surreal, yet strangely comforting as if it existed in a different time and space.

So much so that she did not even catch what Baoqin was yelling. “He looks like a big bear, yet he’s done so fast? If you take the time to get undressed and dressed again, did he even last half the time it would take to brew a cup of tea?”

Thankfully, Zhao Changhe had run off quickly enough that he did not hear her...

* * *

“Please inform Huangfu Shaozong that Zhao Changhe is here to visit.”

Zhao Changhe had hurried to the Huangfu estate, but this time he did not receive the same warm reception as he had at Tang Clan. Instead, he was left at the door.

Even after giving his name, the gatekeeper barely paid him any attention, simply raising an eyelid and saying, “The young general is not at home.”

Zhao Changhe glanced around, quickly understanding the situation, and cupped his hands in farewell before leaving.

He then slipped into a nearby alley and climbed over the wall into the mansion.

Sure enough, as he approached the inner courtyard, he heard Huangfu Shaozong’s voice. “Why on earth should we provoke Zhao Changhe like this, sister? Refusing to see him like this is very disrespectful.”

Huangfu Qing’s lazy voice drifted over. “Why worry? He hasn’t planted any spies in our residence. As long as you don’t go blabbing outside, how would he know you’re here? You think he’s omniscient?”

“...I think you must take him for a fool. With his status in the jianghu now, even if I really weren’t home, the family should still send word for me to return.”

“Oh, has he really come this far? I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Sister, you... Haah! Uh, this palace maid looks unfamiliar...”

“Get out! Also, if you keep rolling your eyes, I’ll gouge them out!”

Huangfu Shaozong was unceremoniously pushed out of the room, bewildered and shaking his head as he left.

Inside, Huangfu Qing let out a cold laugh. “Truly a vixen. Everywhere she goes, she has men staring at her wide-eyed and completely entranced...”

Before she could finish, the window creaked open, and Zhao Changhe slipped in.

He, too, stared wide-eyed.

Huh? Why is Chichi here? And why is she dressed as a palace maid?

Huangfu Qing grew angrier. “See? Every man stares at her like that.”

Xia Chichi rolled her eyes. Honestly, she herself could not understand why she had such an appeal to the young men of this generation. Yue Hongling had roamed the jianghu for so long and did not have this effect on people. Maybe I’m just naturally more beautiful than that other woman who wears such gaudy red all the time.

Or maybe there was something else, something inexplicable. Whether it was Wang Zhaoling, Yang Bugui, or Huangfu Shaozong, they were all from official families, and she was a princess.

These thoughts circled in her mind as she spoke slowly in response, “If we’re talking about being a vixen, there’s no comparing to certain others... One who already has a husband yet sneaks around with her stepson.”

Huangfu Qing said coldly, “Did the venerable not tell you that while you’re posing as a maid, you need to follow my lead?”

Xia Chichi retorted, “There’s no one else here. Why should I indulge you?”

“If you don’t get into character now, you’ll make mistakes in front of others later. I might as well report this to the venerable and have the mission canceled.”

“...” Xia Chichi gritted her teeth. “Madam, there’s a thief in the house. Let me help you get rid of him.”

The little palace maid clenched her fists and charged toward the thief, only to be scooped up and embraced by the thief in the next moment.

Huangfu Qing: “?”

Damn it.

She originally planned to give Zhao Changhe the cold shoulder for going to see Tang Wanzhuang first, but Xia Chichi had gone ahead and thrown herself into his arms, making the whole idea of giving him the cold shoulder meaningless.

The Four Idols Cult has truly fallen on some difficult times.

“Why are you here?” Zhao Changhe did not have time to think about any romantic entanglements. “And why are you dressed like this? Are you planning to see him?”

“I don’t know... I don’t even know what good it would do to see him.”

Zhao Changhe also did not know what point there was, or even why he wanted to see Xia Longyuan. But he just had the urge to meet the emperor, and doing otherwise seemed unbearable to him.

Maybe this is what people called a shared connection between husband and wife.

Clang!

The sound of a teacup slamming violently onto the table startled them both. They turned to see Huangfu Qing, her face as cold as ice. “The one with the surname Zhao, is this how a man acts once he’s gotten what he wanted?”

She expressed her jealousy so openly and unapologetically that she found it surprisingly satisfying.

This is far better than when I use my Vermillion Bird identity. This is so liberating!

Zhao Changhe quickly interjected, “It’s just that Chichi’s situation is a bit sensitive...” n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Sensitive? Are you talking about some parts of her body?”

An experienced woman could be scandalously audacious, and Huangfu Qing certainly fit the bill. Xia Chichi blushed furiously, ready to retort, but Huangfu Qing continued, “It’s nothing more than an issue of lineage, right? So, are you two done pretending? Are you openly revealing that Xia Longyuan’s real child is the saintess of this cult? Or do you think you’ve won me over so thoroughly that I wouldn’t reveal such a thing?”

Zhao Changhe sighed. “Since Venerable Vermillion Bird allowed Chichi to enter the palace with you, she probably already knows. It’s surprising, though; Vermillion Bird seems to be quite magnanimous. She knows Chichi is his child yet has shown no suspicion.”

Huangfu Qing’s satisfaction grew even more. Of course, the venerable has tolerance, foresight, and magnanimity. Yes, keep complimenting me, keep going!

But Zhao Changhe continued, “To be honest, at this point, I think hiding this identity has lost its meaning.”

Huangfu Qing was genuinely curious now. “Why is that?”

Zhao Changhe replied calmly, “If he doesn’t die, there’s nothing anyone can do. If he does die, given how unstable the Great Xia is, it doesn’t matter who becomes the crown prince—no one will be able to hold the empire together. At that point, who takes the throne has nothing to do with lineage. Only those with their own strong base of power will have any right.”

Huangfu Qing stared at him in silence for a while before finally saying, “Did you awaken something in yourself after pinning down that Spirit Tribe’s saintess in Miaojiang?”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. “How... how do you know about that?”

“Ha, the Tome of Troubled Times’ judgment on Xiang Simeng. Anyone who knows you and knows you were in Miaojiang would understand what it was implying.”

Zhao Changhe remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, “Maybe that played a part... but more importantly, I can’t bear it any longer.”

Huangfu Qing beamed. “I knew it. You really were always destined to be the Fire Pig of Shi.”