Chaotic World Book-Chapter 245 - 240

Before Tang Wanzhuang, Zhao Changhe could only deny any involvement with the Imperial Concubine, "What are you thinking about? It’s only natural to take a second look at someone who’s good-looking, it’s human nature, human nature..."

Tang Wanzhuang stared at him without saying a word.

Zhao Changhe cautiously said, "Actually, I used to stare at you even longer, didn’t you feel it..."

Tang Wanzhuang instinctively glanced around, then emotionlessly responded, "Remember what you once said."

She meant to remind him that they had both agreed they were uninterested in arranged marriages and he should not go back on his word.

Zhao Changhe rolled his eyes. Back in Gusu, they could tease each other, but now in the Capital City, it started again. His skin was so tender and he wouldn’t look for anyone else.

Ignoring his expression, Tang Wanzhuang continued, "So you just looked at her a few times, do you also think it’s human nature to want to freeload off the Huangfu Family?"

"I’ve got nowhere else to stay, can I stay with you?"

Tang Wanzhuang, "..."

She realized she didn’t have the standing to tear into him and could only say, "Regardless of whether you acknowledge your identity or not, she’s still the Imperial Concubine. Even if you were just an ordinary commoner, you shouldn’t covet her, watch your head. And with your status, it’s even more..."

Feeling somewhat guilty, Zhao Changhe said helplessly, "What are you talking about? What’s with you today, bringing up this kind of thing with every sentence, is it really worth it just for looking a few times more? Is this the angle our Tang Sect Leader should have when viewing issues?"

Tang Wanzhuang also felt she had lost her composure. She took a moment to adjust her emotions while sipping her tea before slowly saying, "Because I know this so-called Imperial Concubine, she doesn’t take it seriously, nor does His Majesty. So maybe I’m a little oversensitive."

Zhao Changhe’s interest piqued, "How so?"

Tang Wanzhuang hesitated for a while, such matters were not to be shared lightly, but if it was Zhao Changhe, did it count as family business on some level? Perhaps it was better to let him know.

After a long hesitation, she finally said, "The Huangfu Family is a military household from the Northwest and wasn’t originally residing in the Capital City. After several sons died in battle, His Majesty asked Marquis Jingyuan to return to the Capital to retire with extraordinary grace..."

Zhao Changhe said, "Afraid of his merits overshadowing the ruler? Or afraid that General Huangfu losing too many sons would cause him to lose his mind? Saying it’s retirement, but in reality didn’t they disarm him and take away his military power, also making him leave his ancestral home to be cooped up in Capital City?"

"Possibly...to some extent." Tang Wanzhuang said, feeling it sounded unpleasant, and in defense of the Emperor, added, "But His Majesty has never executed any meritorious officials, which is rare in history. It’s also true that it’s not ideal for aristocratic military families to be stationed on the frontier for too long... Besides, the Huangfu Family were subjects who surrendered to the previous dynasty, so the ruler taking precautions is not incomprehensible."

Previous dynasty... For the first time, Zhao Changhe thought of such a concept. It had been several decades since the establishment of Great Xia, and the notion of the previous dynasty had long since faded entirely from popular consciousness, to the point where he had never even heard of it.

Come to think of it, the Huangfu Family’s predicament and the fact that Miss Huangfu Qing might harbor dissenting thoughts seemed quite normal. But what about her family? Did she join the Four Symbols Sect on her own? Did her father know? At least the Demon Suppression Department didn’t seem to be aware, or else Tang Wanzhuang wouldn’t be acting this way.

He didn’t comment further and asked, "What happened next?"

"The Huangfu Family’s relocation to the Capital actually happened over a decade ago. Back then, Huangfu Shaozong was still in training pants, Huangfu Qing was still in the bloom of youth, and her beauty was well known throughout Beijing..."

"Where were you then?"

She didn’t want to answer such a pointed question, but could only respond blankly, "Traveling through Worldly Society... studying in Capital City."

Zhao Changhe abruptly suppressed his urge to laugh.

Considering their similar ages, comparable beauty, and matched family backgrounds, it was likely their education wasn’t much different, perhaps with you excelling in martial arts over her... Zhao Changhe hadn’t thought about the Vermilion Bird being the Winged Fire Snake, otherwise even martial arts would have been a close match.

One was a demure and elegant maiden from a water town, and the other was a fiery and possibly mischievous military household’s tiger daughter.

One was an Imperial pillar, the other a clandestine rebel.

Absolutely like fire and water, light and dark. These two must have been at odds since their girlhood, and it was likely their feud had long since become second nature, with the whole Capital City accustomed to watching their drama.

Time flew by, and one had become the head, while the other had become an imperial concubine, yet they still seemed to be at each other’s throats...

If Zhao Changhe could connect the dots with Vermilion Bird, he would recall the scene back at Luo Family Manor and the tense air brimming with the threat of slaughter, when Vermilion Bird first saw Tang Wanzhuang and said, "The name Spring Water Sword Technique is a bit mundane, but it sure is pleasing to the eye."

The subtle meaning in those words was not meant to be shared with outsiders.

Tang Wanzhuang didn’t look too amused, "What’s with your expression? Do you really think I told you to stay away from her because we can’t see eye to eye?"

Is that not the reason?

Zhao Changhe obediently sat and lowered his head to drink his tea.

Tang Wanzhuang tapped on the table, "What does that have to do with me? It’s about the Huangfu Family entering the Capital! Don’t change the subject!"

"Hmm, and then what?"

Tang Wanzhuang glared at him for a long while before finally getting back to the point, "In any case, in the subsequent battles with the barbarians, the Imperial court suffered some very unsightly defeats, losing many of our elite troops. So-called muddle-headed decisions from His Majesty in his later years have led to chaos in the land. This would be one such instance. Marquis Jingyuan truly could no longer sit still, and repeatedly requested to lead the troops out."

Zhao Changhe said, "So is sending his daughter into the palace a way to appease him? What peace can a daughter bring? It seems pointless. It doesn’t seem as meaningful as keeping Huangfu Shaozong in the Capital."

"Clearly, the real hostage is none other than Huangfu Shaozong himself, not Huangfu Qing. Whether Huangfu Shaozong realizes this, I do not know."

"...So there’s no need for Huangfu Qing to enter the palace?"

"Right, there’s no need, it’s meaningless. On this matter, it’s very likely that Huangfu Qing and Marquis Jingyuan are seen as separate concerns... At most, it just makes the notion of Marquis Jingyuan using kinship to lead troops sound better, which is more favorable than keeping a son hostage in the Capital City, but I still think this is Huangfu Qing’s own affair."

"Then is it because old Xia had impure thoughts and forced her into the palace?"

"No, His Majesty has not been intimate with women for at least ten years now, possibly even longer. In the past twenty years, he hasn’t even selected a single concubine," Tang Wanzhuang seriously said. "In fact, having reached the state of unity with heaven and earth as His Majesty has, he would no longer be interested in such matters. I’ve never seen anyone from the Heavenly List interested in them, like for instance Cui Wenjing, who I suspect hasn’t touched his wives or concubines since Cui Yuanyang was born. His Majesty has only one Crown Prince for this reason. According to my informants in the inner palace, His Majesty hasn’t been close with Empress Wang for at least fifteen years. Perhaps the Luo Family incident was his last fling..."

"..." Although it aligned with the judgment around Huangfu Qing being a maiden, Zhao Changhe’s CPU was overheating again.

Since entering the palace was meaningless for the Huangfu Family, what was she doing in the palace? To seduce the Emperor? The Emperor was no longer interested in women, and it seemed that many were aware of this, so it made no sense for her to still try; such a ploy did not fit with the temperament displayed by the Winged Fire Snake.

To enter the palace deliberately for a purpose, such as conspiring to assassinate the Emperor, could be possible. But that didn’t make sense considering Xia Longyuan—that if he had stopped selecting concubines, why would he then take another imperial concubine? Was he looking for more trouble? Perhaps your own son was killed by her, and you still do not care?

However, fortunately, this matter probably wouldn’t require too much overthinking. He could just ask Huangfu Qing directly later; she would likely tell him.

Damn it, if all else fails, he could use joining the Sect as a bargaining chip.

Tang Wanzhuang said, "In conclusion, the relationship between His Majesty and Huangfu Qing is absolutely not that of an Emperor and his concubine; it must be a nominal arrangement for the sake of cooperating on some issue. As for His Majesty’s thoughts, maybe it could be stretched to interpret as him promoting a concubine to knock Empress Wang down a peg, but I really can’t figure out what Huangfu Qing’s purpose is. She can’t possibly have a son, so what’s her scheme? Assassination? In any case, this woman is very dangerous, especially given your identity..."

She paused for a moment, her frown deepening, "You shouldn’t have come to the Capital. Your arrival here and declaring succession are no different. What would Empress Wang think, what would Huangfu Qing think, the attitudes of the officials... and His Majesty’s own attitude. I can’t begin to untangle all the troubles that have been stirred up here, why would you come to the Capital at this time? It’s not the right moment."

Zhao Changhe’s mind flashed with the image of Xia Chichi, knowing his reason for coming to the Capital wasn’t solely influenced by the cajolings of the Winged Fire Snake. The reasons for coming to the Capital weren’t that important. freeweɓnovel~cѳm

The real reason was Xia Chichi’s sigh; she felt that her father was going to die, yet she didn’t even know the situation.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, "The Wang Family is stirring, and I sense that Empress Wang has passed on some serious information to the Wang Family. I want to know His Majesty’s true condition; once I know, I will leave. You said you have an informant in the inner palace, can you get accurate information?"

Tang Wanzhuang shook her head, "According to my sources, His Majesty still looks pretty good, and I don’t know how the Wang Family came to their conclusion. In fact, just this morning, he attended court and ordered additional troops to move south; he doesn’t seem to have any issues at all."

Zhao Changhe scratched his head, thinking to himself that Tang Wanzhuang’s refusal to let him interact with Huangfu Qing was going to be problematic, he’d have to ask Huangfu Qing about this matter one way or another...

As he was thinking this, a report came from the Demon Suppression Department outside, "Head, Young Master Huangfu is here, inviting Zhao Changhe to a banquet."

Zhao Changhe gave Tang Wanzhuang a pitiful look, and she glared back at him irritably, soon shaking her head with a wry smile, "Go on, now that you’re here, how long could you hide anyway? Take a look at the Capital’s smoke and clouds, whether they are as you wished."

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