Chapter 530: Xia Chichi Is Copying Books

Chapter 530: Xia Chichi is Copying Books

Tang Wanzhuang acted as if she hadn’t heard Xia Chichi’s sour words, her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhao Changhe, brimming with joy.

“You actually managed to convince him...”

Zhao Changhe had almost never seen Tang Wanzhuang look so delighted and full of vigor; it felt as though even the Spring Return Technique couldn't match this rejuvenating effect.

He let out a somewhat helpless sigh. “I don't even know how much of a role my persuasion played. It feels more like he wanted to make a move himself; otherwise, if Hebei were truly overrun, it probably wouldn’t be what he wants either. Strictly speaking, this matter has indeed eased our tense situation significantly, allowing us to breathe a slight sigh of relief... But my advice to you is not to harbor any illusions about the future. He cannot be relied upon; we must depend on ourselves.”

Tang Wanzhuang didn't care about any of that; in any case, this was the task she had personally entrusted to Zhao Changhe before he entered the palace, and he had actually accomplished it.

Never mind relying on him in the future—Tang Wanzhuang hadn't even counted on it this time, yet Zhao Changhe had never once let her down.

Taking the initiative to hold his hand, replacing Xia Chichi's position from moments ago, Tang Wanzhuang walked with him along the nighttime street. “Did I interrupt you and Xia Chichi?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Chichi needed to see Zhuque anyway. With the sudden change in circumstances, they have a lot of information to exchange as well.”

Tang Wanzhuang remained silent.

See what Zhuque? You two were personally brought into the palace by Zhuque herself...

Right now, Tang Wanzhuang felt that the most pathetic person in the world was Xia Chichi.

“Then where were you originally planning to go?”

“To the Tang Residence, of course, to see if your illness has improved.”

Tang Wanzhuang lowered her head with a soft smile, not entirely believing his words. Nowadays, he was increasingly adopting the air of a seasoned philanderer, sweet-talking with effortless ease. But how should she put it... hearing it made her happy nonetheless.

Zhao Changhe noted, “Weren't you in the middle of apprehending criminals? Why aren't you going anymore...?”

“There was never any need for me to go personally... Tonight, the Secret Police are out in full force, bound to arrest at least a hundred households. Which house could I possibly go to? I just couldn't sit still, so I casually accompanied one group. Since I've run into you, why should I bother going anymore?”

Zhao Changhe fell silent. Even a deaf person could hear the deep affection in those words.

And to openly walk hand-in-hand through the capital like this—Tang Wanzhuang wasn't even trying to avoid notice... For her, this might be more difficult than taking the initiative to kiss him in the privacy of a room.

However, the medicine brewed earlier was indeed effective. Zhao Changhe tried sending his true qi into her palm to investigate, and found her current state was much better, which explained why she couldn't sit still and wanted to go out and catch people.

Zhao Changhe sighed. “You, it wasn't easy for you to get a bit better, couldn't you just stay at home... I really wasn't just saying sweet things earlier. Once things here are wrapped up, I truly intended to go back and see you, first to check on your illness, and second because I have something to discuss with you.”

Tang Wanzhuang opened her mouth to speak but stopped, lowering her head to kick a pebble on the street as she led the way forward.

She had originally wanted to say that he could discuss it just the same right now, but for some reason, as the words reached the tip of her tongue, she suddenly didn't want to say them anymore.

He could stroll hand-in-hand with someone else, and now that she had finally acted on a rare impulse, couldn't they just refrain from talking about business for a moment...?

But thinking up to this point, she felt it was quite absurd... shouldn't his mind being full of proper matters be exactly what she hoped for? How could she have such thoughts instead... she must have been possessed.

No matter how much Zhao Changhe had progressed in these matters, how could he completely peer into the myriad twists and turns of a maiden’s heart?

Seeing that Tang Wanzhuang remained silent, he continued on his own, “The rebellion of the Wang family cannot be allowed to drag on for years like the Maitreya Sect did... No matter how grand the Maitreya Sect's momentum was, they failed in terms of widespread acceptance. They couldn't form alliances anywhere they went, so they were essentially fighting a lonely battle. The Wang family is different; not only might people respond to them all across the realm, but they might also forge a connection with the Northern Hu. The strength of Batu in Manna is insufficient; he might not necessarily block Temür from making a comeback.”

Tang Wanzhuang naturally understood this reasoning, so she asked, “What do you mean?”

“The longer it drags on, the more unfavorable the situation will become... If we want a swift resolution, dealing with the Wang family alone is not enough; we must first eliminate the Sea Race behind them.” Zhao Changhe said, “I want to go out to sea and take a look.”

Tang Wanzhuang was startled. “How can that be? How could you possibly be a match for gods and demons!”

Zhao Changhe said, “Don't worry... Although I just said we can't rely on Xia Longyuan, in this matter, we actually can. Xia Longyuan wants to kill that Sea Emperor of the Sea Race more than anyone. I suspect that his sending Chichi overseas was done with the intention of luring the Sea Emperor out... He is like Schrödinger's humanity, capable of shifting into a cold, god-and-demon perspective at any moment.”

Tang Wanzhuang couldn't understand 'Schrödinger', but she knew in her heart that Zhao Changhe was absolutely not guessing blindly. Especially the part about Xia Longyuan wanting to kill the Sea Emperor more than anyone was an absolute certainty—one could tell just by looking at that punch he threw during the Battle of Puyang, it was practically dripping with impatience.

“So this is a rare occasion where we share a common goal and a background of cooperation with Old Xia, it would be a pity not to use it. Letting Chichi go alone makes me uneasy... plus, I also want to go and experience the matters of the overseas world...”

“Then why discuss it with me?” Tang Wanzhuang let out a sigh. “I can't help with anything. The Great Xia's reach overseas was originally extended through the Wang family; they were the Marquises of Zhenhai. Now that they have rebelled, we are no different from the blind overseas.”

“There's no need for any help... Before a husband goes on a business trip, he always has to let his wife know.”

“You!” Tang Wanzhuang instantly lost her composure, wanting to pull her hand out of his grasp, but she was held tightly and couldn't break free.

Tang Wanzhuang suddenly realized that in her current sickly state, she really might not be his match anymore.

He was truly so strong now...

Yet she heard Zhao Changhe whisper, “At the same time, it's also to give you something to long for... 'He hasn't come back yet, I must at least see him one last time'... That way, you won't treat your own life so carelessly.”

Tang Wanzhuang listened blankly, her struggling strength growing weaker and weaker, until finally she was entirely powerless.

The two spoke no more, walking slowly through the capital's night.

After a long, long time, Tang Wanzhuang finally said, “If you are going out to sea, the Tang family has the best ships. I will deploy a batch of Tang family sailors; they have extensive experience.”

Regarding the part about a husband letting his wife know before a business trip, she ultimately did not refute it.

……

Over on the other side, Xia Chichi arrived at the Four Symbols Sect's alternative courtyard, where Zhuque was leisurely sitting inside drinking tea.

Seeing Xia Chichi return, Zhuque spoke indifferently, “What is this? You left the palace so early, why are you only arriving now? Look what time it is, could it be that you still had the leisure to pitch a romance with the Shi Huo Zhu?”

In her heart, however, she was thinking, 'Fortunately you flirted for so long, otherwise, after I went to the Huangfu residence to speak with Shaozong, changed my hairstyle and attire, and rushed here to wait for you, I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time...'

“Uh...” Xia Chichi actually felt that the Venerable One's current attitude lacked the jumping-mad resistance of the past, so she didn't talk back, directly ignoring those words and decisively changing the subject, “Has the Yi Huo She told the Venerable One about what happened in the palace?”

“She did, in great detail.” Zhuque leaned against the back of her chair, saying leisurely, “You want to go out to sea, I approve.”

Xia Chichi: “?”

That Yi Huo She had falsely reported military intelligence; she only wanted to go because Zhao Changhe had also said he wanted to go out to sea just now. Before this, when had she ever said she wanted to go out to sea?

But at this moment, she had no objections either. Xia Chichi merely lodged a fierce complaint against Huangfu Qing, “The Venerable One gave the Yi Huo She full authority over the palace matters, yet this person not only failed to keep a proper eye on Xia Longyuan, but also wantonly engaged in debauchery within the palace, greatly increasing our risk of exposure.”

Zhuque: “……”

Seeing that Zhuque didn't state her stance, Xia Chichi added another line, “Furthermore, this creature is utterly shameless on ordinary days, not even wearing clothes, letting the rest of the sect members see it. For a grand member of the Twenty-Eight Mansions to be so loose, all the reputation of our Sacred Sect is gone. She should be severely punished!”

Zhuque still gave no response.

Xia Chichi stole a glance at the Venerable One, who was staring fixedly at her with an unreadable look in her eyes.

Xia Chichi was completely bewildered. After waiting strangely for a moment, Zhuque finally let out a sigh, “You are right, this seat will definitely give the Yi Huo She a good punishment.”

Punishing her to accompany your man to bed, is this lesson painful enough or what?

Just as a look of joy appeared on Xia Chichi's face, she heard Zhuque continue, “But Chichi, as the Holy Maiden, knowing full well that her actions were improper, your failure to stop her on the spot is also a dereliction of duty.”

Xia Chichi argued, “The Venerable One told me to listen to her in everything. She holds a chicken feather as a command arrow, and I had no choice either.”

And she inexplicably turned into my mother...

“If the Holy Maiden of our sect would fail to uphold the proper principles because of such things, and instead be manipulated by a subordinate, then that would be too disappointing to this seat.” Zhuque said indifferently, “I heard from the Yi Huo She's recounting that Xia Longyuan said you possess more than enough sharpness but lack sufficient majesty... Those words can be called precise. Perhaps it is also because you are too young; you ought to reflect on this.”

Xia Chichi scratched her head, thinking that the Venerable One actually made sense. She really should be a bit more unyielding; how could she instead be completely routed by that smelly snake's single phrase, "I am your mother"...

Beholding her little expression, Zhuque found it both exasperating and amusing. Sipping her tea, she said, “Furthermore... you hid your identity from this seat for so long, what should your crime be?”

Xia Chichi said, “I didn't deliberately hide it from the Venerable One either... What use is that identity? I don't acknowledge it anyway, I am against him. The Venerable One wouldn't be so narrow-minded, right... shouldn't the Venerable One be plotting how to exploit this identity instead? But I still advise the Venerable One not to use it; a person like him will absolutely not be bound by such things.”

“Oh ho, you're actually lecturing this seat now?”

Xia Chichi stood obediently.

Zhuque said, “In short, the two matters will be punished together, do you accept it or not?”

Xia Chichi muttered, “As long as the Yi Huo She is punished, I accept it.”

“Of course both will be punished, would this seat deceive you?” Zhuque set down her teacup, but suddenly changed the subject, “This trip out to sea is different from the last time... You wouldn't have any enemies when you went out last time, but this time, if it involves a contention over treasures or secret realms, the reaction of the Sea Race is unpredictable, and I don't feel at ease with you going alone. Shortly after, I will send a letter to your Martial Aunt Xuanwu, asking her to go out and meet you if she has the time. Don't look at how she squats in the borderlands playing with sand every day; in truth, her water attribute is extremely potent.”

Xia Chichi had no idea why she had suddenly turned up here, and could only say, "Understood."

Zhuque nodded with satisfaction. "Then until I contact Xuanwu, you will copy scriptures, calm your mind, and reflect well."