Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 136: Afterglow of the Jianghu

Zhao Changhe headed to Gusu together with Tang Buqi. However, he rode on Snow-Treading Crow behind their huge caravan, while Tang Buqi hid inside his own carriage, drinking wine and munching on grapes fed by the fair hand of a young maid.

Zhao Changhe felt really jealous of him. In the end, he simply chose to move further away so that he would not get the urge to punch the kid.

This eldest nephew of his had left home to get experience in the jianghu. Although Zhao Changhe had no idea why this brat, who was already twenty-four, married, and the 120th Hidden Dragon, was only at the fourth layer of the Profound Gate. It seemed pointless for him to be seeking experience...

It would be better for him to just wait another year or two, secure a position in his family’s business, and stop occupying a spot on the rankings.

In fact, Zhao Changhe had a good idea of how this situation had come to be. Namely, Tang Buqi must have reached the fourth layer of the Profound Gate a good while before he turned twenty-four. It was highly unlikely for him to make it onto the Ranking of Hidden Dragons if he had only reached such a cultivation at twenty-four. He had probably gotten the ranking fairly early on, but he had simply not bothered to raise it in recent years.

Starting out with youthful ambitions but then becoming complacent due to overprotection from the family, as well as the lack of experience in the outside world, often led to such stagnation or even regression. This was fairly common for children from large clans.

It was true that the Tang Clan could not match the power of the Cui Clan. However, they still had Tang Wanzhuang on the Ranking of Earth and Tang Buqi on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, so in comparison to other clans, this already placed them on a high pedestal. There were many clans who had nobody on the rankings at all, and those clans were only going further and further down the road of decline without realizing it, still indulging in the glory of their ancestors.

In a way, the Tome of Troubled Times was not entirely useless. It could often serve as a wake-up call for these kinds of people when there was nobody in their clan ranked anymore. Without the encouragement from that shabby tome, I’m afraid that the Tang Clan and Cui Clan may have also begun declining.

In fact, Tang Buqi’s situation was still fairly promising. With the solid foundation that he had, if he were willing to work hard once again, he could still achieve great things. This journey for experience was probably for that very purpose.

Unfortunately, while that may have been the goal of this trip of his, they had not even left Yangzhou when news of Zhao Changhe planning to head to Gusu came. Tang Buqi thought about it for some time, and felt that this may end up having some impact on his family. As such, he decided to return with Zhao Changhe.

On the surface, he claimed that he did this to show hospitality to a distinguished guest like Zhao Changhe. However, in reality, he had not even said a word to Zhao Changhe this entire time.

Zhao Changhe was irritated but knew that he would need the Tang Clan’s assistance on this trip to Gusu, so he could not just beat Tang Buqi up. He could not help but feel like it truly was a huge mistake on his part to give Tang Buqi the opportunity to boast like this.

Hmm... Maybe it would be better for me to just leave the group and go on my own before this idiot nephew of mine causes me to die of rage?

Just as he was thinking this, a figure flashed in front of him, heading straight for Tang Buqi’s carriage.

Zhao Changhe spurred his horse and drew his saber, racing over, subconsciously intending to lend a hand. Despite his irritation, he had to admit that the guy was actually capable enough.

However, he was quite a distance from the caravan just now. As soon as he got close, the figure had already walked out of the carriage, waving a dudou in his hand as he strutted away with a big smile on his face. “Hehehe! The dudou worn by the young master of the Tang Clan should fetch a good price!”

Tang Buqi rushed out of his carriage in frustration, holding up his pants. “Ji Chengkong! When did I offend you?!”

“You’re a friend of Zhao Changhe and Wan Dongliu, and while I can’t afford to offend them, I can’t say the same about you.”

Tang Buqi: “?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Facing Tang Buqi’s furious gaze, Zhao Changhe silently drew his bow and arrow. A moment later, an arrow nailed itself into the tree trunk right in front of Ji Chengkong.

Ji Chengkong broke out into a cold sweat and said angrily, “Zhao Changhe, do you really want to become mortal enemies with me?”

Zhao Changhe sighed speechlessly. “Hey, was I the one looking for trouble with you that day? Who told you to get greedy for my stuff? You can only blame yourself for getting punched and thrown into the river. Even now, I shot that tree when I could’ve put the arrow through your head instead.”

Ji Chengkong leaped up, somersaulted in the air, and somehow fell lightly on the shaft of the arrow. He said coldly, “Yeah, and I just took his dudou rather than stabbing him.”

“So neither of us bears a grudge against the other, can’t we just write off all scores? Also, I don’t know if Wan Dongliu told you, but I even asked him to let you go back then.”

Ji Chengkong hesitated for a moment. When Wan Dongliu released him, he had actually mentioned Zhao Changhe’s request, implying that it was thanks to Zhao Changhe that he was being released. He had initially doubted it, thinking that he was being released because Wan Dongliu was simply afraid of the Thieves Guild and did not want to lose face.

But now, hearing Zhao Changhe say so himself, it seemed to actually be true rather than Wan Dongliu merely making up a random excuse.

The truth, as it often happens, was somewhere in between: Zhao Changhe had indeed said something along those lines, but Wan Dongliu had in fact released Ji Chengkong because he was wary of the Thieves Guild behind him.

He hesitated slightly before asking, “We’re strangers, and as you said, I was the one who provoked you first. Why would you speak up on my behalf?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Firstly, it was because I had just arrived, and I had no idea who you were, so how could I judge who was in the right? Maybe you were the good guy and Wan Dongliu was the bad guy... Secondly, if I say that it’s also because I’m interested in remarkable individuals and wanted to make friends with you, would you believe it?”

Ji Chengkong was even more surprised. He then pointed at himself and said, “Me? A thief? I’m a remarkable individual?”

Zhao Changhe chuckled and said nothing.

In the modern world, if he were to encounter a thief, he would only want to beat them up, especially if they had touched him.

But in this martial arts fantasy world, his criteria seem to have subtly changed.

After all, there also existed thieves like Chu Liuxiang[1]. Such characters were often not the antagonists of their story; rather, they were righteous characters who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. This made Zhao Changhe feel that the thieves of this world were different from the thieves he knew in the modern world.

Of course, he was also well aware that most of them were probably about the same. However, he really found this Ji Chengkong quite interesting. This time was a great example of that, with the man stealing a dudou of all things, out of nowhere.

Seeing Zhao Changhe’s attitude, Ji Chengkong was really surprised. He laughed and said, “Interesting, interesting. I didn’t expect the Bloodthirsty Asura to be such a person. Now that our grievances are settled, I’ll treat you to a drink when the I have the chance!”

After saying that, he casually tossed the dudou, which spun in the air and flew back. While Tang Buqi was distracted trying to catch it, he swiftly disappeared into the distance.

His movement art is truly formidable... If I had not interfered back then, I feel like Wan Dongliu really might not have been able to catch him.

Tang Buqi returned, holding his dudou resentfully, and said with a sullen face, “Just because I ignored you along the way, you’re going to buddy up with the thief who stole my underwear?”

Zhao Changhe retorted, “Even if I were to help out, would we really be able to catch him? Even Wan Dongliu doesn’t want to offend the group behind him to the point of no return. They come and go without a trace, so they’re a massive headache for anyone who goes against them. What’s wrong with resolving such minor grievances?”

“Indeed, your words are very reasonable and make a lot of sense,” said Tang Buqi expressionlessly. “However, I have no grievances with him, yet why was it my dudou that ended up getting stolen?”

“...” Zhao Changhe tilted his head slightly. “That’s because Wan Dongliu detained him for so long, and you have a fairly good relationship with him.”

“Huh? Well, what about you?” Tang Buqi sneered. “I don’t care what your relationship is with the Demon Suppression Bureau, but I want to remind you of something. Ji Chengkong and his master, Ye Wujiang, are both wanted criminals in the eyes of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Do you still intend to make friends with such ‘remarkable individuals’?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

“Regardless of what these thieves originally plan to do, even if their motives are noble or whatever... You still have to choose one side between the officials and the thieves,” Tang Buqi said seriously. “Do you really think that you can just stay in the middle? In the eyes of the officials, you’re no different from a thief, and in the eyes of the thieves, you’re meddlesome.”

Zhao Changhe looked at him in surprise. Is this actually Tang Buqi? It isn’t Tang Wanzhuang disguised as him, is it?

Tang Buqi said calmly, “In the world of books, everyone admires the heroes. However, in the current jianghu, at least among the younger generation, there is only Yue Hongling. Why is her sword intention said to be like the setting sun? That’s because she represents the last rays of light in the jianghu.”

Zhao Changhe stared at him in surprise for a while, then suddenly laughed and said, “Then when the magistrate was assassinated, why did you say that the real culprit was not worth investigating because what they did was a righteous act anyway?”

Tang Buqi was taken aback and fell silent.

Zhao Changhe patted him on the shoulder. “Chivalry is still alive, and even you yourself are proof of that sometimes.”

He rode his horse forward for a while, then suddenly chuckled. “Remember not to say such serious things next time, it really doesn’t suit you. It’s incredibly weird to hear you spout that kind of wise musings.”

“Fuck!” Tang Buqi angrily threw his dudou back into the carriage, then leaned out and shouted, “Don’t ride out there on your own. Come in and have a drink.”

1. Basically Robin Hood, but more of a thief. This is a reference to The Legend of Chu Liuxiang. ☜