Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 403: Blood Will Have to be Shed

The trip to Hongnong was a complete success.

Zhao Changhe was escorted back to his guest courtyard residence by the Yang Clan with the highest honors, a treatment even the formidable First Seat Tang, who had actually saved the day, did not receive.

But Yang Jingxiu knew that in the eyes of a subject or minister such as Tang Wanzhuang, showing respect to the one they wanted to follow or were following was more important than showing respect to them. And in fact, Tang Wanzhuang did appreciate it more.

What’s with all this His Highness, Your Highness talk? We might as well just connect your two guest houses. You can even sleep together if you want. Zhao Changhe is already calling her Wanzhuang, and I don’t see her saying anything about it.

Yang Jingxiu no longer planned to head to the capital to finish off Wang Daozhong. He had decided to simply leave Wang Daozhong’s fate to Xia Longyuan’s judgment.

He was already making arrangements for his clan and preparing to head south to confront Maitreya. This had been Zhao Changhe’s main objective all along.

It was unclear what kind of power was behind Maitreya, as it was something beyond the scope of the Ranking of Troubled Times and could not be measured. Zhao Changhe had always wanted to gather all the strength he possibly could to achieve victory in one decisive strike. Compared to Jiangnan, dealing with the Wang Clan was not an urgent priority and could be set aside for the time being. He could easily get back to dealing with them later when he had the attention to spare for Langya.

The Wang Clan could become a hindrance in this matter, so the Cui and Yang Clans needed to stabilize the north. This was not the time for them to sit on the fence—they had to take a stand, and they had to do it now.

If you don’t stand on my side, I won’t treat your sword. You can calculate for yourself if it’s worth it. The same goes for the Cui Clan.

“Yangyang.” Zhao Changhe sat on a lounge chair in the courtyard, rocking Cui Yuanyang on his lap. “How about you go back and convey my thoughts to your father? And about the Qinghe Sword, you can tell him not to worry. I’ll treat the Qinghe Sword as soon as I figure out how to.”

Cui Yuanyang pouted. “You’re trying to send me home.”

“Ahem, we’re going to fight Maitreya, and you...”

“Okay.” Cui Yuanyang smiled. “I’m not a silly girl who recklessly insists on doing things beyond her ability.”

Zhao Changhe breathed a sigh of relief and pinched her nose. “A little fool who ran away from home.”

Cui Yuanyang leaned in his arms, turned her head to look at him, her eyes sparkling. “Isn’t it your fault?”

They both laughed.

“Big brother Zhao...” Cui Yuanyang rubbed against him again.

“Hmm?”

“You’re on the Ranking of Man now.”

“Mm-hm...”

“So you’re officially my fiancé!”

“Mm-hm...”

“It wasn’t easy coming all the way to Hongnong to see you, only to be surrounded by a shameless imperial noble consort and a scheming bureau chief. I didn’t even get to talk to you properly.”

“...”

Cui Yuanyang huffed, “But then I realized, why should I be sneaky and secretive like them, climbing over the walls in the middle of the night? Is that even necessary? I went straight into your arms right in front of Uncle Yang, and he only stroked his beard, nodded, and smiled. All they could do was grit their teeth in silence.”

Zhao Changhe instinctively looked around, making sure that Tang Wanzhuang and Huangfu Qing were not nearby.

Fortunately, they aren’t. Otherwise, I feel like you’d end up getting either stewed or roasted...

Of course, they could not just rush over to hide in a man’s courtyard right after everything had happened, like Cui Yuanyang. They still had to maintain an appearance of independence. At this moment, Tang Wanzhuang was discussing plans for the campaign south with Yang Jingxiu, and who knew where Huangfu Qing had gone.

As for Zhao Changhe, he was not well-versed in matters of large-scale war; he only really knew how to fight. So he took the opportunity to hide in his courtyard with the little rabbit, making what he believed to be the most of his time.

Although Cui Yuanyang spoke boldly, she also glanced around. Seeing that no one showed up, she grew even bolder. “Big Brother Zhao...”

“Hm?”

“Everyone has important things to do. You’ll soon be heading south to fight Maitreya, and I’ll have to go back and act as your envoy to my father...”

Zhao Changhe smiled.

“So... after the kiss in Langya, I’ve forgotten what it felt like...” Cui Yuanyang murmured, her eyes filled with longing. “I am an adult now. I turned eighteen at the end of last year... I’m old enough now...”

Her words were more than just asking for a kiss—they were practically a plea for intimacy...

Though at the beginning she was young and did not fully understand what came next after a kiss, now that things were more or less official and she was betrothed to Zhao Changhe, the sex education in aristocratic families was far more thorough than one might expect, even compared to those in modern times.

By now, Yangyang had seen countless instructional diagrams, with the household maids and nannies educating her in more detail than Zhao Changhe could imagine.

At this moment, the little rabbit’s cheeks were flushed as red as a ripe peach, looking so soft that just a light squeeze seemed like it could make juice come out. Zhao Changhe could not resist the urge to take a bite.

So he gently nibbled her cheek.

Cui Yuanyang rubbed her cheek with a pout. “Was I inviting you to bite my face...”

“But you’re just so cute, Yangyang...”

Cui Yuanyang pointed at her lips. “Here, here!”

Zhao Changhe, going along with her wishes, kissed her on the lips.

No matter how much the young girl prepared herself and visualized it in her mind when it came to the actual thing, she was inexperienced and nervous, shyly following his lead. Her response was completely different from a flaming rose like Huangfu Qing. With Yangyang, there was a sense that whatever position he wanted her to take, she would shyly and obediently comply. She was so obedient that it boosted a man’s self-confidence beyond capacity.

Her little mouth was fresh and sweet, her small hands nervously clutching at his sleeves, her eyes tightly closed, and her eyelashes trembling slightly. The mix of confusion, nervousness, and anticipation as she prepared to taste the forbidden fruit was just too adorable.

Zhao Changhe had no desire to mock the one guy at the banquet who had voted for Yangyang because he liked her too.

What do those other people know? Her skin is so smooth and tender like milk, it’s just amazing...

While the two of them were cuddled up in the courtyard, Huangfu Qing was drinking tea in her own guest courtyard residence with a face as cold as ice.

Her attendants were trembling with fear, unsure why the imperial noble consort was so upset. When she returned earlier, she had a smile on her face and a look of anticipation in her eyes. But after a while, her expression turned icy, and the murderous intent in her eyes almost became tangible. The warm tea in her hands even began to boil. The attendants had never realized before just how terrifying the imperial noble consort’s internal cultivation was.

Huangfu Qing was feeling very conflicted at this moment.

Originally, she had expected that Zhao Changhe would come running to her afterward, eager for his reward. She had even been thinking about how to tease him, giving him a small, harmless reward just to see that adorable look of wanting more but being unable to ask for it.

But a little koala clung to him from beginning to end. Once they went into his residence, neither of them ever left.

Zhao Changhe could not really be blamed for this. He could not just toss the koala aside and walk into the imperial noble consort’s courtyard in full view, could he? And once the properly engaged couple were left alone, it was obvious how things would develop next.

Huangfu Qing was so furious that she wanted to turn back into Vermillion Bird, barge into Zhao Changhe’s courtyard, and drag the little girl of the Cui Clan out. After all, it was something that could be seen as a matter of course, and there was no way that Zhao Changhe could win against her.

But then she reconsidered. According to her earlier thoughts, letting the Fire Pig of Shi win over the Cui Clan’s daughter was a good thing, so was she not actually supposed to be encouraging it rather than sabotaging it? Should she be pushing him to get it over with?

Outrageous... Everything’s a mess, and nothing seems right.

While she was in thought, the only thing suffering was the teacup. Even when it was being made in the kiln, it probably had not endured such intense heat.

Where’s Tang Wanzhuang? She’s always infuriating when she goes up against me, but when it comes to this little girl, she backs down?

Now that I think about it, she might be even more conflicted than I am. She might believe that Zhao Changhe marrying the Cui Clan’s daughter is a foregone conclusion. She probably isn’t trying to compete for the position of main wife. Right now, she might even be deliberately avoiding the situation by discussing military matters with Yang Jingxiu.

Fuck that unreliable old woman... Still making us from demonic cults have to act like the bad guys.

Fuck that Fire Pig of Shi. Other than when he’s trying to trick me with his sweet words, when has he ever acted like the Fire Pig of Shi? He should just go to hell.

Huangfu Qing finally made up his mind and slowly said, “One of you go to Young Master Zhao and tell him that I want to see him. If he doesn’t come, the reward will be forfeited. Let him decide what he wishes to do.”

Almost at the same time, Yang Jingxiu looked at Tang Wanzhuang across from him with a rather strange expression.

This First Seat Tang claims to be here to discuss the war, but we’ve only exchanged a few words about it. Since she wasn’t in Gusu, she isn’t very familiar with the specifics. If she really wants to discuss military matters, she should be talking to Tang Buqi instead.

However, Tang Wanzhuang just sat there under the pretense of discussing the war, but she was clearly distracted, sometimes appearing angry and other times happy.

Yang Jingxiu could not help but ask cautiously, “First Seat Tang, if you aren’t feeling well, why don’t you go back and rest?”

Tang Wanzhuang held her teacup as if just coming back to her senses and said slowly, “I’ve been thinking about something...”

“What is it?”

“If the imperial court wants to subdue a demonic cult leader, is there any way to do so without using force?”

“Offer them amnesty?” Yang Jingxiu suggested. “It depends on the cult. For something like the Blood God Cult, there might be a chance. But for the Four Idols Cult, forget it. It’s impossible to avoid bloodshed.”

“...You’re right. Blood will have to be shed... I might need to fan the flames a bit more, or it might not work.”

Yang Jingxiu: “???”

Are we talking about the same thing here? Why does it feel like we’re not on the same page at all?