Chapter 388: Chief and Venerable

Chapter 388: The First Seat and the Venerable One

The next morning, Tang Wanzhuang received the newly appointed prefect sent by the court. Too lazy even to feign courtesy at a luncheon, she took Baoqin and Zhao Changhe with her, departing the city and heading north straight for Hongnong.

“Isn’t it a bit improper, not giving the new prefect any face?” Zhao Changhe couldn’t help asking on the road.

Tang Wanzhuang wore a blank expression and said nothing.

Last night, it was all whimpers and murmurs, and now she was putting on airs again. Zhao Changhe found it both exasperating and amusing. Well, let her pretend—it was rather endearing...

Then Baoqin muttered softly from the side, “Idiot. The lady has always been aloof and silent in public, never attending any social gatherings. Everyone’s used to it. You think it’s the same as when she’s with you?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Tang Wanzhuang gritted her teeth inwardly. “Baoqin.”

“Ah, miss...”

“Ride ahead at full speed, scout the way, and see if there’s a place to lodge for the night.”

“...” In broad daylight, why look for lodging? Besides, everyone knew this road well. Baoqin dared not call her out, sniffled, and spurred her horse forward, not wanting to be a nuisance.

She only hoped this gloomy phase would pass quickly. When would the lady finally drop that mouth, tougher than a duck cured in the Great Zhou style? Everyone would feel much better...

Zhao Changhe could roughly understand Tang Wanzhuang’s mood. Before that forceful kiss, what lay between them was merely mutual fondness, far from romance. She had been content watching the prince she helped ascend take the throne, feeling she could die with a smile. Before that moment, Tang Wanzhuang had truly never thought of love.

Then he confessed, plainly saying he did all this for her, and if she died, he’d quit. What must she have felt then?

No matter how he thought about it, it was too complex for words.

Taking the excuse of treating her illness, he stole a kiss. She hadn’t reacted in time, and afterward, shame and anger overwhelmed her. But she couldn’t bear to kill him—what else could she do?

Only domestic violence remained...

Now it seemed she had grown accustomed, but in truth, Tang Wanzhuang had never understood whether what she felt was love. What showed on the surface was just stubbornness. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even stubbornness—she genuinely believed she hadn’t thought that way.

That was why she insisted on being his master, trying to push the relationship back.

Zhao Changhe felt he was almost touching the Heavenly Ranking in this regard. Look at what he’d done these days: companionship, playing the zither, reading together, secret garden rendezvous.

He did everything lovers should do, and over a dozen days, slowly gave her the feeling of being in love.

He didn’t actually need Tang Wanzhuang to go to Hongnong. She would have been better off resting in Xiangyang. So why did he still invite her along? To spend more time together. Besides staying at home, traveling together and doing something meaningful was an excellent shared experience.

If not Heavenly Ranking, at least Earth Ranking, right?

He sighed. A man’s growth in such matters was truly rapid.

Speaking of which, he’d never seen Tang Wanzhuang ride a horse before. She always used lightness skills, gliding like a fairy with flowing robes. Now, riding alongside Baoqin, she suddenly looked spirited, full of youthful vitality—a different kind of beauty.

“What are you staring at? You, can’t you even ride a horse without gawking at people? Watch the road!”

“I have eyes in all directions and ears that catch every sound. I don’t need to watch the road.”

“Then don’t look at me!”

“You are my road.”

“Ugh...”

If there were no feelings, cheesy lines would only make one think, “Who can stand this guy? So cringey.” But if she liked you, no matter how corny the words, she’d be happy inside. No matter how much she wanted to vomit on the surface, her flustered, embarrassed eyes gave everything away.

The catch was having to endure Baoqin’s look, like she was watching a bear. She really wanted to throw up.

Luckily, Baoqin had been sent ahead to scout... Wait, why hadn’t she returned yet?

Dust rose in the distance. Tang Wanzhuang’s expression shifted. “Whoa,” she reined in her horse.

Zhao Changhe followed suit, reining in and looking ahead, his heart leaping.

Amid the dust, someone in fiery red robes, with a firebird mask covering her face, came riding the wind. In an instant, she was before them. Baoqin was held in her hand like a salted fish swaying in the breeze.

The Vermilion Bird Venerable One.

Tang Wanzhuang took a deep breath and said coolly, “Vermilion Bird, since when did you stoop to bullying a maid?”

Vermilion Bird looked her up and down, her eyes brimming with a mix of emotions too rich to describe.

What’s so strange about me picking on this maid? When I fought you, this sharp-tongued girl annoyed me so much I’ve wanted to slap her for ages.

Unfortunately, Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang were too worried about Baoqin to analyze that telling gaze. Zhao Changhe cupped his hands. “Venerable One, I don’t know how this girl offended you. Please don’t hold it against her.”

Hold it against her? I don’t care about her! I care about you!

Huangfu Qing’s anger flared at the sound of his voice. What do you think I came for?

I knew you were coming to Hongnong for Yang Jingxiu’s birthday banquet, so I happily waited on the road to go with you!

But you, damn it, brought Tang Wanzhuang?

Look at the two of them riding side by side, that hint of intimacy almost spilling from their eyes...

She could have used her Huangfu Qing identity, but now she dared not. Zhao Changhe might not be that sharp, but Tang Wanzhuang would definitely know that Huangfu Qing wouldn’t personally attend Yang Jingxiu’s birthday. Huangfu Qing couldn’t appear—only Vermilion Bird could.

And as Vermilion Bird, she could only watch helplessly as he and Tang Wanzhuang “faced the enemy side by side,” with her as the enemy.

The feeling was indescribable.

She dangled Baoqin lazily, her other hand poking and pinching here and there, then viciously slapped Baoqin’s bottom with a smack, clicking her tongue. “Young girl, small in age, but starting to develop.”

Tang Wanzhuang: “?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Vermilion Bird fixed her eyes on Tang Wanzhuang, her gaze turning fierce. “I wonder if First Seat Tang can guess that I invited Yang Jingxiu to march on Xiangyang.”

Tang Wanzhuang said, “Indeed. Xiangyang couldn’t hold against Maitreya, and the Wang family was too far to help, so they invited the Yang family south to assist in defense... using the favor of capturing Yang Qianyuan. The Venerable One’s act of helping resist Maitreya is righteous and lofty.”

Vermilion Bird was furious. Righteous my ass!

If we’re talking righteousness, this move actually helped the Wang family. After all, the Four Symbols Sect was the Wang family’s rebel alliance. Because of Zhao Changhe, they had repeatedly hindered the Wang family’s plans and even beaten up Wang Daozhong, causing cracks in the alliance. This was a chance to mend ties. Besides, the subsequent plan to shake the realm and strike from multiple points made Xiangyang a key link—it couldn’t be taken by Maitreya.

Originally, Vermilion Bird wanted to go south and beat Maitreya herself. But the Wang family planned to use Maitreya’s hand to kill Tang Wanzhuang first...

Killing Tang Wanzhuang? Vermilion Bird would be happy to see it, but with one condition: she wouldn’t gang up on Tang Wanzhuang. Even if she killed her, it would prove she was weaker. No way!

Hence the words, “My victory or defeat against Tang Wanzhuang won’t be decided by petty hands.” She didn’t participate in the entire Xiangyang campaign.

Then she heard that Zhao Changhe had ridden alone into the city, rescued the spy, and escorted Tang Wanzhuang out. Afterward, he killed Cixiu in battle and, right in front of Wang Daozhong, slew Lü Shiheng. Xiangyang had changed hands—it now belonged to Zhao.

Hearing this, Vermilion Bird felt both gratified and troubled. Gratified that her judgment was right; troubled that this little man seemed to be turning royalist. Their positions were opposed—what now?

Right, he was a prince after all.

And the Blood God Sect listened to him—what a mess. Of course, it didn’t yet prove the sect had betrayed her, since she hadn’t issued any orders in this affair. The sect had autonomy in its affairs; honoring the Holy Son and revising doctrines was perfectly normal. But it was basically one step away from betrayal.

I, I gave you that, and you turn around and poach my people?

Now she realized there was no other reason for his royalism and poaching: Tang Wanzhuang had personally seduced him with her charms!

“I have no righteousness, and even if I did, I wouldn’t use it on First Seat Tang... Does the First Seat not know that Xiangyang is what I want?” Vermilion Bird’s voice came through gritted teeth. “They tried to scheme against First Seat Tang, and I didn’t join in—that was because I didn’t want to lower myself. But I never expected the First Seat to ride out of Xiangyang alone. Do you really think I wouldn’t kill?”

Zhao Changhe raised a hand.

Vermilion Bird glanced sideways at him. “Are you going to say that with you here, she’s not alone? I’ll settle accounts with you later. Choose: flaying or pulling sinews, whichever you prefer.”

She was at the third level of the Secret Treasury... Zhao Changhe really couldn’t interfere in her battle.

Tang Wanzhuang’s expression turned grim. She thought to herself that it was quite normal for Vermilion Bird to ambush her. Fortunately, she had come out with Zhao Changhe. If he had been caught alone by Vermilion Bird, that would have been the real disaster.

She took a deep breath and said slowly, "Since you, Venerable, are still aware of lowering your status, then release the little girl first. If you still wish to instruct Wan Zhuang afterward... I will be glad to oblige!"

Zhuque hurled Baoqin at Tang Wanzhuang.

Tang Wanzhuang reached out and caught her; the next moment, Zhuque soared like a phoenix to the sky, a raging blaze plunging straight down.

Just as the decisive battle was about to begin, Zhao Changhe's voice suddenly came from the side: "Venerable Zhuque, let me show you something."

Zhuque glanced over.

It was a pitch-black token, at first glance utterly unremarkable.

But Zhuque's energy abruptly retracted, veering aside before clashing with Tang Wanzhuang, and with a "boom," the roadside trees snapped, dust and smoke filling the air.

Zhuque stood frozen in shock, incredulous: "Where did you get the Night Emperor's Token!"