Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 690: Whos Serving Whom

Even the palace maids could not help but feel like their empress was inviting her beloved to a more... intimate moment, but Zhao Changhe himself remained oblivious.

After all, this was Xia Chichi’s imperial study, and the rustic Zhao Changhe instinctively regarded it as a formal place for discussions. It did not even occur to him that such a space could serve other purposes. So, he naturally followed Xia Chichi inside, closing the door behind them. The maids exchanged strange glances before discreetly withdrawing, leaving the two entirely alone.

It was not until the door was firmly shut that Zhao Changhe noticed something. “Huh? You’re alone in your imperial study? There isn’t even a single person here to grind ink or tend to the lamps? You run your empire this modestly?”

Xia Chichi turned to look at him, an amused glint in her eyes. She leisurely settled into her chair, reclining as she teased, “Why did you rush back here in the middle of the night from Langya? Shouldn’t you be celebrating your victory by holding Cui Yuanyang in your arms? Or perhaps picking a few beauties from the Wang Clan to entertain yourself? They wouldn’t dare resist you.”

Zhao Changhe rolled his eyes. “You little witch.”

“Why am I a witch? Wasn’t what I said just common practice after a successful conquest?”

“The Cui and Wang clans have intermarried for generations. For all I know, some of those women from the Wang Clan could be distant relatives of the Cui Clan. Even Wang Zhaoling didn’t need to issue instructions to Cui Yuanyang on such matters before his death. Besides, we’re a proper, disciplined force. How could we stoop to such behavior and leave ourselves open to ridicule?”

“So you did think about it, didn’t you?”

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “You’re baiting me.”

Xia Chichi stared at him for a while before breaking into a sly smile. “I’m being serious, though. At this hour, shouldn’t you be in bed with Cui Yuanyang? Why rush back here instead? Don’t tell me... you missed me?”

Zhao Changhe sighed heavily. “I’ve got too many concerns on my mind. I can’t sit still. I wanted to know if there’s been any news from Batu. Your aunt-master went to Huangsha Market. Has she sent any updates?”

“So, it’s Batu who’s on your mind.”

“?”

Xia Chichi let out a sigh. “We’ve sent Batu multiple messages, but that fool thought nothing could happen during heavy snowfall and decided to sleep soundly in his big tent. Then, Timur’s army launched a surprise attack. Batu suffered a crushing defeat. If the Venerable Black Tortoise hadn’t arrived just in time to save him, his head would’ve been taken by Timur to be used as a chamber pot.”

Zhao Changhe groaned, knocking his knuckles against his head. “I knew it. That idiot. How could I possibly relax and sleep knowing this?”

Xia Chichi said, “Being anxious won’t change anything. The wars on the Grasslands are very different from ours. It’s incredibly hard to achieve a decisive annihilation. If they scatter and flee, how would we pursue and kill them all? Eventually, they can just regroup and rebuild their forces. This is precisely why, despite victories over the northern barbarians throughout history, they’ve always managed to return and wreak havoc again before long.”

“Mm-hm...”

“So, while Batu has been defeated, he’s not facing complete annihilation just yet. However, the fertile grazing lands have been retaken, and the loss of grain and livestock is severe. When spring comes, the balance of power will shift even further, mirroring last year’s events—but in reverse this time. Right now, the Venerable Black Tortoise is helping Batu regroup the remnants of his forces. It’ll take some time before we receive any new developments.”

Zhao Changhe considered this information, mentally mapping out the situation. Then he asked, “What about your master?”

“She’s off helping her younger brother ambush some targets. Earlier, she tried to get a kill but was beaten to it by your dear Wanzhuang. She’s been simmering with frustration ever since. She’s probably vented her wrath, so she should be on her way back now. Without her, even the most successful ambush wouldn’t guarantee victory. Our forces are too few, and Shaozong’s army, while decent, isn’t exceptionally elite. But with Venerable Vermillion Bird there to unleash her mountain-scorching flames, any uncertainty is gone.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. Huangfu Shaozong’s forces were indeed small and lacked the sharp discipline of a seasoned, battle-hardened army. If they were truly disciplined and battle-hardened, they would have marched directly toward the Three Jins[1] to eliminate Yanmen as a potential threat. Instead, it was likely that after completing their ambush, they simply wanted to return home to celebrate the New Year and claim their rewards.

After all, this was not some game where taking heads allowed one to move troops freely across the map.

Maybe it’s time to shift tactics. This army can probably still be trusted to hold the capital upon their return, freeing up the elites of the Four Idols Cult to handle the problems across the Three Jins. The situation in the region is far from that of a conventional war scenario, and using methods of the jianghu, especially those of the demonic cults, might prove more effective.

In the past, the merchants of the Three Jins created chaos from behind the scenes, funneling resources to the enemies, colluding with local officials, and manipulating military supply lines for profit. They hoarded essential goods, disrupting supplies to the front lines. They were nothing more than a tumor, a cancerous growth that drained all the blood out of the soldiers making an effort on the battlefield.

Xia Longyuan had turned a blind eye to them, and the court officials were not ignorant of them either. In fact, many officials profited from the corruption. The resulting collusion left Huangfu Yongxian powerless, to the point where he had to disguise his own people as bandits just to reclaim stolen grain. Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling had personally witnessed this absurdity firsthand.

Recently, things escalated even further. When the new dynasty was established, the first forces to approach the capital were not the barbarian invaders from the north or rebel forces, but troops from the Three Jins. While their proximity to the capital played a role, it also revealed their deep connections with court officials and their blatant betrayal. Now, with Yanmen caught between them and the northern barbarians, the situation was precarious. Were it not for Batu intercepting the first wave, the consequences would have been disastrous.

Yet the Three Jin’s power was fragmented, lacking a centralized authority. It appeared to be a loose alliance of merchants. Trying to conquer them city by city with regular troops would be like slogging through a swamp. In contrast, the shadowy methods of the jianghu, especially those employed by demonic cults, were likely to prove more effective.

As Zhao Changhe pieced it all together, he realized he might have overreacted in rushing back to the capital. There was no pressing need to act immediately. Plans could only be solidified after Lady Three’s report on Batu’s situation arrived. Heading out now would make him no different from a headless fly.

It was thus no wonder that Xia Chichi had been puzzled by his sudden return. Rather than rushing back to the capital, he really should have been spending this time holding Yangyang and getting some much-needed rest. With the weight lifting from his mind, Zhao Changhe felt a wave of regret so intense he wanted to die.

Seeing Zhao Changhe’s expression gradually turn sour as he sank deeper into thought, Xia Chichi’s eyes sparkled with amusement. She deliberately changed the subject. “Hey, why do you like calling her my master? I never formally became her disciple. She was merely a venerable guiding the new saintess, which was a part of her responsibilities.”

Zhao Changhe snapped out of his thoughts and replied absentmindedly, “It’s still a master-disciple relationship in practice. It’s like how Instructor Sun teaching new recruits saber arts was just his job, but to me, he’ll always be my master. That’s how the world sees it.”

Xia Chichi bit her lip playfully. “Is it not because the idea excites you?”

Zhao Changhe gave her a flat look. “I don’t need that kind of excuse. She’s already your empress mother. Isn’t that title grand enough?”

Xia Chichi smirked and replied, “So, what, you want both the Empress Dowager and the Empress to serve you together?”

Zhao Changhe tilted his head with exasperation. “I came here to discuss serious matters! Stop testing my resolve!”

Xia Chichi asked mischievously, “Hey, would you consider yourself my subordinate now?”

“What do you want now?” Zhao Changhe shot back, already suspicious.

“As my subordinate, isn’t it your duty to serve your empress?”

“...”

“My dear Minister Zhao...” Xia Chichi cooed in a honeyed voice, “I’ve been hunched over my desk all day working. My shoulders are so sore. Won’t you massage them for me?”

I’ve been more exhausted than you these past few days... Zhao Changhe thought to himself.

Moments earlier, he had been reflecting on how Xia Chichi taking on the role of empress had freed him to focus on what he truly wanted to do. And that was undeniably true. Just a glance at the densely packed documents on her desk—personnel assignments, post-rebellion cleanup in the capital, appointments for officials from the Cui, Wang, and Yang clans, tax reforms, military restructuring—made his scalp tingle. He immediately wanted to run away.

Despite how grueling fighting and traveling was, it did not really feel draining to him as it was what he loved doing. But the burdens Xia Chichi was shouldering likely were not things she enjoyed. The weight of it all thus had to be exhausting beyond imagination.

With a sigh, Zhao Changhe moved behind her, began kneading her shoulders gently, and said softly, “If you’re tired, you don’t need to rush everything at once. Take your time.”

Xia Chichi leaned into him, closing her eyes for a brief moment of rest. In a similarly soft voice, she replied, “You’re out there fighting gods and demons, risking your life. Compared to that, what I’m dealing with is nothing...”

Zhao Changhe did not immediately respond.

“I was so happy when you rushed back in such a hurry,” Xia Chichi murmured after a pause. “You said it was because there were too many pressing matters to relax... but deep down, it’s because of the great battle in the capital, isn’t it? You couldn’t put your mind at ease until you came back to see it for yourself. Am I right?”

Zhao Changhe froze for a moment, realizing there was some truth to her words. Deep down, he really did want to see the capital for himself. When the Tome of Troubled Times reported the outcome of the battles at the capital, he was being crushed by the floodwaters in the secret realm of the Wang Clan, unable to witness anything firsthand. That hollow feeling had lingered ever since, compelling him to come here and set his mind at ease.

Neither of them spoke for a while, yet they both felt profoundly connected. Each of them seemed to understand the other’s thoughts without the need for words.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

“You should’ve been holding Cui Yuanyang in your arms right now...” Xia Chichi murmured, circling back to the topic, her voice soft. “But since you’re here... let me be the one to keep you company.”

Zhao Changhe did not respond, but his expression wavered.

Xia Chichi leaned closer, her voice taking on a teasing, coaxing tone. “Since when are your hands so proper? Move them lower...”

Obediently, Zhao Changhe slid his hand beneath her imperial robes, fingers brushing against smooth, silken skin.

Xia Chichi’s breath hitched slightly. “Toying with the empress right here in the imperial study... does that excite you?”

This was his wife, after all, and Zhao Changhe saw no need to feign propriety. “Isn’t this just the empress rewarding me for my hard work and service?”

With a firm motion, he pushed the chair aside and half-lifted Xia Chichi into his arms, pressing her forward onto the imperial desk. He raised the hem of her dragon robes, exposing her legs.

Xia Chichi glanced back at him with a mix of coyness and reproach in her eyes, a trace of playful indignation flickering within.

It was clear he enjoyed this audacious mix of reverence and conquest. Even during their previous encounters, he had never bothered to fully remove her dragon robes.

Inside the study, the flickering oil lamps cast dancing shadows. The muffled, restrained sounds of the empress’ breathlessness began to seep through the closed doors. Earlier, when the two had entered, all of the male attendants had been dismissed to a distance, leaving only the blushing palace maids outside. Their heads were lowered, their feet shifting awkwardly as they scraped the ground with their toes, utterly unsure of how to react to the scene of their empress being pinned to her own imperial desk.

Suddenly, a streak of fire lit up the night sky as what seemed to be a firebird soared past. The flames condensed into the graceful form of a woman, who descended lightly in front of the imperial study.

Startled, the palace maids quickly moved to bow, but before they could, the Empress Dowager had already pushed the door open. “Shaozong is currently consolidating the captives and preparing to lead the army back. The original plan to head directly north to the Three Jins was overambitious. We’ll need to—”

Her voice faltered.

Bang!

The door slammed shut, cutting off the scene.

From inside, the empress dowager’s voice erupted, furious and scandalized. “You’re the empress of the realm! How can you let yourself be reduced to this—this disgraceful display?! Have some shame, will you?!”

1. This refers to the three states of Han, Zhao, and Wei that came from the Partition of Jin across the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. ☜