Chapter 173: Restrictions and Shackles

Chapter 173: Bans and Shackles

Zhao Changhe went to wash his face in misery, cursing himself for being an idiot who had taken his teasing too far. Now she was embarrassed, and the pleasant prospect of having her by his side as he worked was gone.

This wasn’t something that composure or self-cultivation could easily smooth over—this remark had touched on the very topic they should have avoided most.

It could be said that one of the major reasons Tang Wanzhuang wanted Zhao Changhe to become a prince was precisely because he had clearly rejected that marriage alliance, aligning with her own wishes. A little flirtatious banter could be overlooked; the twenty-eight-year-old woman was not one to be easily flustered and could even tease back. But this kind of remark was truly off-limits.

As he sorted through his thoughts, Zhao Changhe’s regret deepened. He felt he had not only lost this chance for her company but feared that in future interactions, she would once again put on a stern face.

Sighing, he finished washing and returned to continue his writing. Just as he sat down at the table, a waft of fragrance passed by, and Tang Wanzhuang came in again.

Zhao Changhe: “?”

“Can you draw?” Tang Wanzhuang asked with a straight face.

“…No.”

“A sword manual must have diagrams and examples, not just written instructions. Since you can’t draw, how do you plan to handle this?”

“I drew examples for the Blood Fiend Blade Technique before—crooked and ugly, but there shouldn’t be any major errors.”

“A slight deviation leads to a great mistake. What do you mean by ‘shouldn’t’? This is to be exchanged with the Guling tribe for their sorcery. If there’s a mistake, it’s a serious matter. Are you confident you can draw without flaws?”

“Uh…” In truth, Zhao Changhe thought that the Heavenly Book’s recognition would likely prevent errors, but he wasn’t entirely sure. Besides, he couldn’t explain it, so it was better to keep quiet.

Tang Wanzhuang tossed him a sword: “You demonstrate. I’ll draw.”

Zhao Changhe sniffled and obediently got up to demonstrate.

Perhaps he could have taught her how to draw hand in hand, but that chance was gone now, woe is me…

Tang Wanzhuang sat at the table, turning sideways to watch Zhao Changhe wield the sword. Her pretty face remained stern, but gradually, the amazement in her eyes could no longer be hidden.

This guy—learning to play the zither like a clumsy bear, and wielding such a delicate weapon as a sword, she had thought it would be like a bear embroidering flowers. But unexpectedly, his movements were quite graceful. Apart from some unfamiliarity, there were no major issues. At the very least, he had thoroughly grasped the surface-level movements of this basic Sword Emperor technique, capturing its form.

As the saying goes, even if it was just a basic sword technique, and even if someone had broken it down and fed it to him bit by bit, for someone who had only practiced a broadsword to learn the sword in a single night like this was nothing short of a prodigy.

Given ample resources and a stage, he might truly become the next Xia Longyuan, whether in martial prowess or position.

The basic sword technique wasn’t long, and Zhao Changhe finished demonstrating it soon after. Tang Wanzhuang snapped back to reality and realized she hadn’t drawn a single stroke.

Zhao Changhe leaned in to take a look.

Tang Wanzhuang subtly covered the paper and said calmly, “Drawing isn’t that fast. Demonstrate it again… no, twice more. I’ll continue drawing.”

Zhao Changhe looked at her suspiciously. Tang Wanzhuang felt a bit warm in the face; she knew this cunning bear wasn’t easy to fool—he was also extremely sharp at solving mysteries. She hoped he wouldn’t think she had been staring at him in a daze…

Fortunately, Zhao Changhe didn’t dare to take advantage of the situation to tease her this time. He obediently stepped back and began demonstrating again.

Tang Wanzhuang breathed a sigh of relief and swiftly began to draw.

By the time Zhao Changhe finished demonstrating twice more, she had just completed the drawing, the timing as precise as if it had been programmed.

Zhao Changhe tried to lean in for another look, but Tang Wanzhuang didn’t let him. She gathered the papers and organized them into a booklet, then walked out expressionlessly: “I need to take this to Sisi first to ease her mind.”

Zhao Changhe was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Mm, otherwise she might be worried.”

Tang Wanzhuang suddenly stopped and turned back with a faint smile: “Is this why you stayed up all night studying the sword seal?”

Zhao Changhe sighed: “Why be so petty? Since I promised her I’d give her the sword techniques in exchange for sorcery, I have to keep my word.”

“That wasn’t apparent earlier. Every time I mentioned Sisi, you changed the subject.”

“Doing what needs to be done is enough. What’s the point of dwelling on it? Especially with what you were saying—it seemed like you were trying to evoke my sympathy. Even if kids say they’ve broken off a friendship, they don’t make up that quickly. What were you thinking? Were you really trying to shove a wife at me just to distance yourself? I already have a girlfriend; it’s unnecessary.”

Tang Wanzhuang: “…”

Actually, that wasn’t it. Even if she wanted to give Zhao Changhe a wife, her first choice would be Cui Yuanyang, not a foreigner.

But her behavior did invite such speculation, and Tang Wanzhuang couldn’t be bothered to argue.

“Go on, go on. I’ll try to put together a couple of higher-level sword techniques,” Zhao Changhe said, shifting the topic. “I think writing them down won’t be a problem, but I’m afraid I can’t demonstrate the advanced ones.”

Tang Wanzhuang gazed at him for a long moment, then said slowly, “You can… as long as you don’t treat this as a task, but as part of your own learning process. Don’t rush to say you don’t want to learn the sword. You once integrated my Spring Water Sword Intent into your blade intent. Why can’t the Sword Emperor’s techniques become part of your blade arts? You have too few signature moves. If you can transform the Sword Emperor’s techniques into your own blade moves, no one in the world will recognize them, and it will fill your gaps.”

Tang Wanzhuang left, and Zhao Changhe felt a headache coming on.

He had thought about this before, but the difficulty was immense. Merging a trace of sword intent was one thing; integrating a full technique into blade moves was another entirely.

But what Tang Wanzhuang said made sense. No matter how hard, he had to overcome it.

Even if the Divine and Buddha Dispersion had been modified by the Heavenly Book, techniques at the Triple Mystic Gate level were no longer considered top-tier. Now, aside from activating a berserk buff, he had no ultimate moves. Once he had a true trump card, his combat ability could double.

Decided, Zhao Changhe locked the doors and windows and took out the gold leaf again.

He didn’t jump straight to advanced sword techniques but started from the basics, learning step by step.

This kind of thing couldn’t be skipped. Without mastering each level, he couldn’t understand the higher ones.

For the moment, Zhao Changhe didn’t realize that while he only intended to transform sword techniques into blade moves, this systematic learning process meant he was actually learning the entire sword technique from start to finish—directly inheriting the complete Sword Emperor system. By the time he could transform sword into blade, he would have thoroughly understood all the sword moves, sword intent, and sword principles.

By then, he would truly be the Sword Emperor’s heir.

And Tang Wanzhuang, though a swordswoman herself, had never even considered touching the sword seal, all to ensure the Sword Emperor’s legacy remained concentrated in him.

…

Inside the Sword Emperor’s mausoleum, Sisi sat hugging her knees by the dog hole, gazing absently at the Demon Suppression Bureau personnel carefully surveying the area. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

The dog hole was no longer a hole; it had been widened into a proper passage. It was no longer dark either, as some bans had been lifted, and at least the light from luminous pearls made the place less daunting.

In truth, Tang Wanzhuang had placed no bans on her. The door was right behind her; she could leave anytime.

But Sisi was waiting for the sword techniques.

She had ventured alone into the Central Plains for a year, enduring countless hardships, all for this. How could she leave now?

Zhao Changhe had promised. He wouldn’t deceive her.

Footsteps sounded behind her. Tang Wanzhuang sat down beside her and handed her the booklet: “He’s very efficient. He’s already finished the basic sword technique. I’ve brought it for you to see. He should be working on the intermediate ones now. We should have at least three sets by today. Within three days, at least one complete branch should be ready. Will that be enough?”

“I don’t know. Let me see…” Sisi took the booklet and flipped through it. Her expression quickly turned strange.

The diagrams in this sword manual—why did the figure look exactly like Zhao Changhe?

“What are you doing?” Sisi asked flatly. “Humiliating me? Even though we’ve cut ties, do I have to take his face back with me to ponder day and night?”

Tang Wanzhuang smiled: “Because he demonstrated while I drew. Subconsciously, I drew his complete likeness. If it bothers you, just erase the face.”

“…” Sisi was silent for a moment, then tucked the booklet into her bosom, continuing to sit with her knees hugged, saying nothing.

Tang Wanzhuang said nothing either, sitting with her as if she had nothing better to do.

Sisi glanced at her strangely, then again, and finally couldn’t help asking: “Why… didn’t you place any bans on me?”

Tang Wanzhuang replied: “Because we’re actually similar people. I have nothing else to do anyway. Once my anger subsides, I’m no longer angry. Why hold a grudge forever?”

That didn’t really explain why she hadn’t placed bans. Wasn’t she afraid of trouble? Sisi kept staring at her, but aside from finding her very beautiful, she could discern nothing.

“What do you mean by ‘similar people’? How am I like you?”

“For the sake of the Great Xia’s goals, I wouldn’t care about the lives of foreigners. To us, aren’t you a foreigner? What essential difference is there between you and me? It’s just that I’ve eaten a few more years’ worth of rice than you, so I don’t act so recklessly without considering the consequences.” Tang Wanzhuang said softly, “From that perspective, even if you had truly seduced and deceived Changhe, it would have been understandable. But you didn’t, so it’s hard for me to dislike you.”

Sisi pressed her lips tightly.

She knew it wasn’t quite the same—their worldviews were fundamentally different… But Tang Wanzhuang’s willingness to say this still made her feel comfortable inside. Only a fool would argue.

“I’ve asked about your past actions. You’re clearly a very shrewd person, but this scheme of yours was reckless, not even considering such an obvious thing as someone being outside, thinking that mere terracotta figures could isolate us. That’s because you felt guilty for betraying Changhe’s trust, your mind in turmoil, only eager to explain.” Tang Wanzhuang patted her shoulder kindly. “In the end, you’re just a young girl.”

Sisi pouted, a little unconvinced, but this time she knew the other was right; she had indeed been in turmoil then, so flustered that she had attended to one thing while neglecting another, and afterward even she herself felt like an idiot.

Why not set up restrictions? It seemed there was no need for further words.

That kind of method was inferior; it would only provoke the other's resentment and rebellion, making them try every means to break free, and if they couldn't, they would still want to bite you back—it was especially prone to causing trouble.

And what of the superior way?

Emotion is the restriction; the heart is the shackle.

Sisi was clever; she understood very well what Tang Wanzhuang was doing, but she found it speechless that although she felt Tang Wanzhuang was overthinking, she still couldn't bring herself to resist.

After all, not setting restrictions was still a favor; being mistaken for being love-struck was better than being forcibly controlled.

Sisi could only curse indignantly: "I don't like him! If I really liked him, I wouldn't have put him in danger! I just treated him as a friend—we Guling people value loyalty, so I was flustered—unlike you Shenzhou people who are heartless and devoid of righteousness!"

Tang Wanzhuang chuckled softly: "Oh."

Sisi looked at her askance: "You're twenty-eight, but you've never had a man. What are you pretending to be a big sister who knows all about love between men and women? I think you might not even know as much as I do! I dare to kiss—do you dare?"

Tang Wanzhuang's smile froze on her face.