Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 795: Her Majesty Baoqin

Chapter 795: Her Majesty Baoqin

The court, which had been celebrating jubilantly for days, was thrown into collective shock by Cui Wenjing’s words.

Cui Wenjing held immense influence within the court. His contributions to the founding of the Great Han Empire and the implementation of its reforms were indispensable. His concerns had to be addressed, or it could shake the confidence of the entire realm. More importantly, the missing Cui Yuanyang was King Zhao’s wife.

From the moment Zhao Changhe had left Beimang and met her in her most vulnerable state, to the long journey where he protected her and ensured her safe return home, their story had become a widely admired romance. Although Zhao Changhe had been constantly at war and Cui Yuanyang was still young, leaving them with little time together, she had unwaveringly devoted her heart to him since her teenage years. It was impossible to imagine how Zhao Changhe would react upon learning that Cui Yuanyang had gone missing.

Xia Chichi, especially, had to display the utmost concern. Otherwise, people might accuse her of being indifferent out of jealousy, which would be an ugly look for her. She thus immediately dismissed the court and held a private meeting with Cui Wenjing and Tang Wanzhuang.

“Changhe once mentioned before that the Qinghe Sword, Langya Sword, and the other divine swords of the mountains and rivers were originally created by the ancient demon god Piaomiao. She was the manifestation of the qi veins of the mountains and rivers, essentially making her the spirit of this world. The ethereal qi of the mountains and rivers, thus the name Piaomiao[1],” Xia Chichi said, her expression grave. “If Yangyang inherited the Qinghe Sword and was merely influenced by its sword spirit, that would be understandable, but if she’s Piaomiao herself...”

Cui Wenjing said, “I’ve considered that myself. It’s possible that Yangyang’s cultivation was insufficient, causing her soul to merge with the sword spirit to some extent. I am saying ‘to some extent’ because the Tome of Troubled Times still ranks both Piaomiao and Yangyang separately, which suggests they remain distinct entities. If Piaomiao had fully possessed Yangyang, that would mean Yangyang had died, and she would have been removed from the rankings.”

Tang Wanzhuang nodded. “The Tome of Troubled Times is a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao. Since Yangyang’s name remains on the rankings, the worst-case scenario hasn’t happened yet. Marquis of Ji, please remain calm. We will treat this as an utmost priority. I have already dispatched the fastest messengers to Mobei to inform Changhe as quickly as possible.”

The three discussed further, but there were too many unknowns, and they could not reach a definite conclusion. Xia Chichi had searched through the Four Idols Cult’s records but found barely any mention of Piaomiao. Tang Wanzhuang, who practically had the entire royal library committed to memory, had little more to add. Ultimately, their discussion became an exercise in mutual reassurance.

Xia Chichi said, “As for the two similar demon gods you are talking about, I do have a lead. One of them is very likely Jiuyou.”

Cui Wenjing’s frown deepened as he asked, “The second-ranked demon god?”

“Yes. The Four Idols Cult’s records mention her, and her presence aligns with Desolate Calamity’s involvement. Desolate Calamity, Dark Oblivion, and Underworld Guide were either direct subordinates of Jiuyou to begin with or were assimilated under her during the collapse of the previous era. Their attributes align too well. As for the other person, I’m not entirely certain yet, but from what I know... it might be the Night Emperor.”

Cui Wenjing’s lips twitched. For the first time, he began to understand his son’s frequent urge to curse.

What the fuck?! As if dealing with an ancient demon god wasn’t troublesome enough, but we’re up against the one who’s ranked second out of all of them. And if we’re to add the Night Emperor, who’s most likely the supposed “Unknown Entity” into the mix, then we’re also up against the top-ranked demon god. In other words, we’re facing off against the strongest and second-strongest existences in the entire world.

Are you fucking kidding me? How is this any different from waging war against the Heavenly Dao? All I did was spoil my daughter a little—fine, maybe more than a little—but does that warrant this kind of punishment?

Cui Wenjing had roamed the world for many years, and even when he was gravely wounded back then, he had never felt such a crushing sense of powerlessness. The enemies this time were simply too absurd. Who in this world could possibly stand against them?

If even he felt powerless, Xia Chichi was equally troubled. If the Night Emperor was truly involved, then this was not just about Yangyang anymore. The entire Four Idols Cult was in serious trouble.

Tang Wanzhuang, standing to the side, asked, “Marquis of Ji, do you know where Yangyang went?”

“She headed west. However, I couldn’t hear their conversation, so I can’t say for certain where exactly.”

Xia Chichi made a decisive call, “The venerable has already begun her return march. Once the army regroups, we will rally elite forces and strike directly at Guanlong.”

She was essentially treating “heading west” as equivalent to “headed for Chang’an.” Whether it was the best decision or not did not matter; dealing with Guanlong would be a safe bet regardless.

Tang Wanzhuang hesitated as if wanting to speak, but it was Cui Wenjing who finally shook his head with a wry smile. “The army has just returned from a campaign. Both in reason and sentiment, the soldiers and civilians need time to rest, and the campaign has exhausted the nation’s grain supplies. We cannot afford another mobilization. Waging war so recklessly will harm the nation, and I don’t want Yangyang to become a target of the people’s resentment.”

Tang Wanzhuang nodded. “This matter involving demon gods is not the concern of the whole world. Even if we raze Chang’an to the ground, it won’t change anything, especially if this involves Jiuyou... or the Night Emperor. Unlike Tngri, they do not rely on qi veins and faith for power, so even if we raze Chang’an to the ground, it wouldn’t affect them at all.”

Xia Chichi pursed her lips and muttered, “So are we supposed to just sit around and wait for Changhe to return...? I’m afraid he’ll scold me. He’s been fighting life-and-death battles in the desert, and here we are, making a mess in the rear, unable to do anything to fix it. Are we really going to just wait for him?”

Cui Wenjing, however, remained calm. “This isn’t Your Majesty’s mistake. And I didn’t come here to force Your Majesty to take action. I only came here to let you know of the situation and ensure that preparations are made. We should send more people to gather intelligence. There’s little we can do against demon gods, but is there anything wrong with hoping my son-in-law will help? It’s his own wife, after all, so he’ll probably move for her, won’t he?”

His words, spoken in front of two of Zhao Changhe’s other wives, left both women blushing slightly. The three of them exchanged awkward glances as the true nature of their shared relationship sunk in.

Cui Wenjing coughed lightly, then stood up. “I’ll be staying in the capital for the time being. I won’t be leaving until he returns.”

With that, he took his leave.

Xia Chichi and Tang Wanzhuang exchanged looks, each seeing the irritation in the other’s eyes. Cui Wenjing’s final words had clearly left something unsaid, but combined with the way he had scrutinized them like a father assessing his daughter’s rivals, it was clear that he was camping out in the capital just to remind Zhao Changhe that his father-in-law was here, so he better not get too caught up with his empress and prime minister and forget about Cui Yuanyang.

Xia Chichi muttered, “I thought we could finally have a few peaceful years together... Maybe even have a crown prince on the way... Who could have expected this...”

Tang Wanzhuang commented out of nowhere, completely ignoring Xia Chichi’s words, “Cui Wenjing is getting old. His state of mind is no longer as it used to be, especially after that severe injury he suffered a while back.”

Still, Tang Wanzhuang could not help but sigh inwardly.

Over the past few years, everyone had marveled at how quickly Changhe progressed in his cultivation, but that was always how he had lived. He had always rushed from one battle to the next, never stopping. Any moment of rest or enjoyment was a rare luxury. Looking back, the only times he ever truly paused were when he was recovering from injuries.

She failed to realize that she was much the same. The past was one thing, but even now, the wounds she had incurred from the battle that had taken place back at Yanmen had not fully healed.

After discussing a few state matters with Xia Chichi, Tang Wanzhuang returned to the prime minister’s residence, weighed down by her thoughts. Baoqin had already prepared hot tea and was waiting for her return. Seeing her young miss’ weary expression, she hurried forward, helping Tang Wanzhuang remove her cloak. “Just a couple of days ago, you were all smiles. Why do you look so troubled again today?”

Tang Wanzhuang pinched her cheek lightly and replied, “It’s nothing.”

But inwardly, she thought, “Your hopes of seeing him again anytime soon are probably going to be dashed... Fortunately, he kissed you last time, and that should have at least given you some peace of mind. Otherwise, you’d probably be even more downcast right now.”

Baoqin handed her a medicinal pill. “Here’s today’s pill... Why is this injury taking you so long to heal?”

Tang Wanzhuang chuckled. “It hasn’t been that long. In the past, wounds like these could take years to fully recover. This time, it’s actually much better. Her Majesty has still managed to somewhat learn the Rejuvenation Art of the Azure Dragon’s techniques, so with her help, I’ve mostly healed up. It’s just that some lingering problems remain. Compared to the past, it’s already beyond anything I could have imagined.”

“But isn’t the Rejuvenation Art he learned the exact same one? Why was his treatment so much faster? Back then, his cultivation wasn’t even stronger than Her Majesty’s is now, and he probably understood the technique even less than she does now.”

Tang Wanzhuang sipped her tea, her gaze drifting toward the courtyard wall. “Because he could also practice dual cultivation with me. How could I and Her Majesty possibly do the same?”

“Oh~ So the esteemed Prime Minister Tang, stalwart civil servant of two dynasties, actually has her own ways of cultivating at home?” A voice, laced with teasing, came from the rooftop—one both master and servant were all too familiar with. “So it turns out that the pure and flawless Tang Wanzhuang discusses these kinds of topics at home with her maid?”

Instead of being startled, Tang Wanzhuang was delighted. “You’re back? So soon! Then... he, he...?”

“He’s not back. He’s still recovering~” Huangfu Qing deliberately drew out the last word, her tone full of innuendo, making it obvious what kind of recovery she was implying.

A flash of disappointment crossed Tang Wanzhuang’s face. The excitement of thinking her pillar of support had returned quickly faded, leaving behind only an annoying, cackling bird.

The two women were completely out of sync. Huangfu Qing assumed Tang Wanzhuang was simply yearning for a man and found her reaction all the more amusing. “What’s the matter? Feeling itchy? Wishing a certain man would come back and heal you himself?”

Tang Wanzhuang rolled her eyes, deciding that this level of nonsense was not even worth responding to. She simply continued sipping her tea, letting Baoqin handle this kind of trivial exchange.

Without missing a beat, Baoqin countered, “Ah, Your Majesty Empress Dowager, you honor us with your presence. But how come you have returned so soon? Did they decide you weren’t worth recovering with?”

“You—!” Huangfu Qing, who had been holding all the advantages, was so bristled at the response she may as well have changed her name to Vermillion Porcupine.

It took her a long moment to smooth her expression into a serene smile before she leaped down from the wall, laughing lightly. “I have shared everything with him. Ever since we rode out beyond the passes, we have traveled together, shared the same tent, embraced for warmth in the cold, and entwined in passion within the Divine Temple. Do you think I need to compete over just two or three days with anyone else?”

Baoqin’s heart turned sour just hearing that, but she could only keep up the pretense of a proper hostess. With the perfect courtesy of serving a guest, she presented the tea. “Ah, we must have misunderstood the esteemed venerable’s sense of propriety. It seems as if the discipline of the imperial harem has inspired our military as well.”

Huangfu Qing pretended not to hear that, gracefully accepting the tea and delicately brushing away the floating leaves with the lid. With an air of supreme satisfaction, she murmured, “Little girl, you will end up in his chambers sooner or later. I can accept this tea with a clear conscience.”

Baoqin hesitated for a brief moment, momentarily at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Huangfu Qing took a slow, luxurious sip of tea before casually remarking, “After all, he and I have bowed to heaven and earth atop Langjuxu with our elders present, and this was witnessed by tens of thousands. From now on, your young miss should call me Big Sister. As for a mere handmaid like you, why must I bother with you?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tang Wanzhuang’s hand stilling mid-motion, the tea cup pausing just short of her lips. A trace of liquid caught in her throat, but she stubbornly refused to cough, her face slowly turning a shade of rosy red.

Huangfu Qing was immensely pleased with herself. For her, no feeling of conquest, not even sealing victory at Langjuxu, could compare to this moment.

Sixteen years of rivalry. Do you have any idea what those years were like for us? A little girl like you cannot even imagine.

Then, an utterly discordant voice cut through the thick atmosphere like a knife. “Oh, that’s all? We thought it was something important... Honestly, with how the Empress Dowager dresses on a daily basis, she could bend over anywhere and it’d have the same effect. What, did you actually dare proclaim it a wedding ceremony up there? No? I didn’t think so. In the end, wasn’t it just about making yourself feel better?”

Huangfu Qing had reached her limit. With a flick of her fingers, she sealed Baoqin’s voice.

Baoqin let out two strangled sounds, still looking smug, then hummed contentedly as she sipped her tea.

Tang Wanzhuang finally coughed, clearing her throat before solemnly correcting her maid. “Baoqin, the venerable has fought for the nation and achieved great merit. Show her some respect.”

Baoqin only responded by gulping down more tea in silence.

Huangfu Qing cast a scrutinizing look at Tang Wanzhuang and asked, “So, you still ended up getting injured even though you only went up against Hidden Wind? Are you really that frail now?”

Tang Wanzhuang smiled faintly. “I’m fine... Did he say when he’d be back?”

“I’m not too sure. That damned tortoise is acting more and more demonic these days. I’m honestly worried he might get drained dry,” Huangfu Qing snorted. “And you, you clearly have something you want to discuss with him again, but why bother? Everything is settled now. Do we really need to trouble him over a mere Guanlong? If he wants to rest, let him rest. Stop piling everything onto him. Take you, for example...”

She gave Tang Wanzhuang another slow, thorough once-over. Then, without warning, she flashed a wicked smile, leaned forward, and pressed a kiss to Tang Wanzhuang’s lips.

Tang Wanzhuang had never expected her to act so outrageously. She recoiled as if struck by lightning, springing backward. “You—!”

“Aiya, just giving you a little sense of participation.” Huangfu Qing licked her lips. “Well? Do you taste any remnants of him?”

Tang Wanzhuang did not know whether to laugh or cry, but she had to admit that there was some effect. Of course, she was not referring to Zhao Changhe’s remnants but rather the overwhelming vitality coursing through Huangfu Qing. It was precisely the kind of force that Xia Chichi had yet to fully grasp of the Azure Dragon’s power, and now, through that brief contact, it seeped into her body. Combined with the medicinal pill she had just taken, it nourished the hidden wounds within her, and in that short moment, her injuries had been mended significantly.

This was the power of life and death of the Vermillion Bird... so vast and boundless such that even death could be reborn into life.

Was Huangfu Qing flaunting her newfound power? Or had their years of rivalry made her unable to bear seeing Tang Wanzhuang wounded? Because despite all the barbed words, the first thing she did was not more taunting but healing her, though the method was a little... unconventional.

Baoqin stared wide-eyed, completely at a loss.

“What do you say, little beauty?” Huangfu Qing reached out to lift Tang Wanzhuang’s chin. “Just call me big sister once, and I’ll heal you completely. No more dragging yourself around looking frail. Once or twice is fine, but if you keep this up, men will get tired of it.”

Tang Wanzhuang leaped back. “No way!”

“Eh? Good intentions wasted on the ungrateful!” Huangfu Qing sprang from her seat and pursued her. “Like hell you have a choice!”

Baoqin finally understood. It was not that Huangfu Qing could not stand seeing her young miss injured. She just did not want Tang Wanzhuang using her injuries as an excuse to monopolize their man. She was simply cutting off that excuse in advance...

Baoqin could not help but feel amused. If this was how all women fought for favor in the inner court, men across the world would probably die laughing.

The young master is truly blessed... He’s even got such a devoted Baoqin thinking about him...

The two women, supposedly esteemed figures, were now chasing each other around like teenage girls. Tang Wanzhuang, in her current state, was no match for the formidable supreme commander. It did not take long before she was pinned against a pillar, struggling left and right.

Baoqin bravely stepped forward to rescue her young miss only for a sudden tightness around her waist to pull her backward. In the next moment, someone was embracing her.

A well-known scent drifted into her ear, along with a soft murmur, “Don’t interfere. Just enjoy the show... it’s beautiful.”

Baoqin instinctively struggled at first. But as soon as she registered the familiar voice and presence, her body softened completely, her heart pounding with a mix of joy and shyness.

Then, his fingers brushed lightly over a pressure point. Instantly, the muting point on her was lifted. A shiver ran through her as she leaned gently into his arms, her voice coming out in a soft murmur: “Young Master... when did you get back...?”

“Just now, right at the moment when Qing’er started the... healing process.” Zhao Changhe chuckled, holding Baoqin as they hid behind a hallway pillar. “At first, I was worried that Qing’er would put Wanzhuang in an awkward position... But seeing how awkward she already is... I think we can handle a little more awkwardness.”

Baoqin lifted herself onto her toes, leaning in close and whispering into his ear with a breath of fragrant warmth, “But, Young Master... since the young miss is distracted, there’s no one to stop you from mistreating her maid...”

1. As mentioned before, Piaomiao (飘渺) can mean ethereal, misty, etc. ☜

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