Capital.
A rider ca galloping in, causing the laid-back city guards to suddenly tense up.
Who dared to rush toward the city gates within the Capital’s territory? It couldn’t be so royal offspring, so bold and imposing.
"Halt, halt!" Just as the figure was about to break through the gate, the guards reluctantly tried to stop him.
"Whoa!" The steed let out a long whinny, surprisingly coming to an imdiate halt amidst the sprint, showcasing the knight’s superb horsemanship and control.
The guards looked up, and the usual questions for direction weren’t necessary anymore; he received the sa treatnt as a royal kin.
Because as long as this fellow hadn’t disguised himself, he was a figure known by all under the heavens, and nobody would dare to ask him for the City Entrance Tax.
"Asura King..."
Xue Canghai didn’t brag. In the eyes of ordinary people, being first on the Human List was similar to royal respect, even in the view of the officials.
This ntality was quite intriguing, given that people didn’t show the sa respect for those commonly on the Earth List. Only the top rank received such a special halo, and it had to be earned, not granted by default.
Just like people rember who won the championship, who got the gold dal. Few rember the runners-up and third-place finishers.
The last ti he entered the Capital, he was exposed by a simpleton, causing quite a stir throughout the city. But this ti, it seed no longer to matter—even if he announced, "Zhao Changhe is here!" with gongs and drums, so what? Zhao Changhe had no interest in pondering these things, led his horse into the city, and headed straight for the Tang family residence.
"Venerable, Venerable!" At the separate estate of the Four Symbols Sect, followers hurriedly reported to Vermilion Bird: "Asura King has entered the city."
Vermilion Bird took her ti sipping tea, her deanor unhurried: "Where is he headed? To this place, or to the Huangfu residence to see the Crown Prince?"
"...He went to the Tang residence."
The air seed to quiet down for a mont, inexplicably growing heavy. Xia Chichi sneaked a glance at the Venerable. Vermilion Bird stayed silent for a while before sighing, "Chichi, this man has never taken you to heart. Let it go."
Xia Chichi remained expressionless.
He doesn’t even know I’m here, so why co running to this place... As for Huangfu’s residence, that attention-seeking Imperial Concubine is usually in the inner palace— who would go out of their way to visit the Huangfu residence... She deliberated for a mont, then cautiously said, "Venerable, he might sneak into the palace to see the Imperial Concubine."
Vermilion Bird blinked her eyes, then got up to leave.
Xia Chichi was stunned: "Venerable, where are you going?"
"Oh," Vermilion Bird replied. "I have a matter to discuss with Huangfu, to arrange for her to liaise with Zhao Changhe."
Xia Chichi hesitated for a mont, then softly said, "Venerable, I wish to go as well."
Vermilion Bird slightly frowned. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t allow it, but Xia Chichi’s status wasn’t necessarily appropriate for entering. Before this, Xia Chichi hadn’t even dared enter the Capital, and she had never ntioned wanting to go into the palace. But now, she was willing to risk it all to see her beloved.
Yet thinking it over, there really was nothing inappropriate. If Chichi really was Xia Longyuan’s daughter, could Xia Longyuan kill her? Perhaps their eting might spark sothing. Suddenly, Vermilion Bird wanted to see what would happen.
"The palace is heavily guarded, not just sowhere you can sneak into... Of course, I can move about as I please, but as for you..." Vermilion Bird considered for a mont, then suddenly smiled: "If you must enter, you could disguise yourself as Huangfu’s personal maid. It does an having to humble yourself, obey Huangfu—at least showing respect on the surface."
Xia Chichi gritted her teeth: "It’s just a temporary arrangent to accommodate her for a couple of days. What’s the big deal?"
Vermilion Bird couldn’t hide her amusent as she leisurely departed: "Then wait here, I’ll go find Huangfu first, and have her find an excuse to leave the palace for the separate estate. We’ll bring you straight in."
In front of the Tang household.
"Asura King, please enter." The door guard bowed and scraped: "The chief is waiting for you in the parlor."
It seed that by leveraging the na "Asura King," their own calling of "Your Highness" effortlessly slipped out, completely natural.
Zhao Changhe strode inside, and from a distance, he saw Bao Qin standing to the side of the corridor waving a handkerchief: "Over here, over here."
Whatever solemn mood Zhao Changhe had was shattered by that handkerchief. This wasn’t the Thousand Flowers Pavilion... The Demon Suppression Departnt was not a brothel.
Yet just as he approached Bao Qin, she imdiately started sobbing: "You’re finally here, miss has been coughing blood again recently. Please take a look..."
Zhao Changhe felt a pang of alarm in his heart and quickly entered the parlor.
Tang Wanju sat at the table, brewing tea. The fragrance wafted through the air, steam rose in wisps, and at first glance, it all looked like a beautiful, otherworldly scene. But the paper-like pallor on her face and the occasional light cough broke all semblance of the serene atmosphere.
At the height of late sumr, the weather was unbearably hot and dry, yet Tang Wanju was dressed warmly; although she wasn’t wearing fur like when they first t, she was still clad in clothing thick enough for spring or autumn.
"Still playing at elegance?" Zhao Changhe stepped inside, taking her pulse: "Don’t move, let see."
Tang Wanju pouted and gave Bao Qin a look.
The ssage was clear: get out, don’t stand there watching, I need to maintain so decorum.
Bao Qin rolled her eyes, stepped out the door, and even shut it behind her. As if anyone wanted to see their exchange; they might get a stye!
But nothing inside was about to cause styes. Zhao Changhe held her wrist, his brow tightly furrowed, his expression extrely grave.
Tang Wanju snuck a glance at his face, whispering: "Don’t you dare start cursing."
Zhao Changhe almost laughed in exasperation: "So you know you deserve scolding."
Tang Wanju muttered: "I didn’t forcefully do anything causing this; you can’t bla ."
Indeed, she hadn’t forced anything, it was just that the heavens had changed so, and the constant worry had been extrely taxing on her spirit. Her old illness had relapsed, and the root of that illness was her Divine Soul. Yet, how could she not worry? As long as she remained the chief of the Imperial Court, as long as she was Tang Wanju.
Unless she truly returned to the fields, disrobing from her armor, was that possible?
Zhao Changhe sighed, unable to place bla, and simply said, "Do you realize how serious your condition has beco?"
"You taught dical skills."
"..."
Tang Wanju knew very well that the damage caused by the recurrence of this old illness was even more severe than the original, but she couldn’t show weakness. Once she said ’I can’t take it anymore, help ,’ it would be tantamount to seeking passion when it ca to their treatnt thod.
Zhao Changhe shook his head, walked over to a desk to grab paper and pen, and quickly listed a prescription. He handed it to Bao Qin as he left: "Get these herbs imdiately, and bring a set of coal stoves for brewing the dicine as well."
Bao Qin was very surprised; she thought they were in the middle of a passionate tryst, but it seed the situation was truly dire. She no longer had the heart for such thoughts and quickly left with the prescription.
Zhao Changhe returned to Tang Wanju’s side, reached out to hold her palm, and silently circulated the Rejuvenation Technique.
This was the Rejuvenation Technique that had been advanced by rging with the Undying Blood Demon Body. Suddenly, Tang Wanju felt a surge of revival, as if spring were returning to the earth within her body. It was exponentially stronger than before.
Gazing at Zhao Changhe’s face, she saw that this ti, he was much quieter than before and appeared far more dependable.
Ti flies swiftly in the Worldly Society. Two years ago, he was still a capricious young man full of vim and vigor, but now he had beco the silent pillar of a household, silently bearing everything.
"I can’t bla you," Zhao Changhe suddenly spoke at that mont. "Your repeated illness is partly my fault after all; I did kill a Governor, and aligned myself with the rebels. It’s a relief that you don’t bla ."
Tang Wanju silently pondered for a mont before softly saying, "I don’t bla you."
Zhao Changhe was montarily stunned, forgetting what he wanted to say, and after a long pause, he continued, "... Can you arrange for to enter the inner palace to see Xia Longyuan?"
Tang Wanju was startled, "What do you need to see him for?"
Zhao Changhe replied, "What, you don’t want to beco the Crown Prince now? How can I beco the Crown Prince without seeing him, by rebelling?"
A jolt went through Tang Wanju, "I’ll report to him right away and have him summon..."
"Don’t summon," Zhao Changhe sighed. "An official who follows the rules so rigidly is indeed admirable, but also a fool. This is truly a contradiction."
Tang Wanju: "... I’m not that rigid!"
That defensive little look finally dissipated so of the solemn atmosphere. Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but smile, "You’re not rigid?"
Tang Wanju retorted indignantly, "If I were really that stubborn and rigid, who would be intimate with you before marriage!"
Blunt murder.
Zhao Changhe blinked, "Then sneak in."
Tang Wanju helplessly said, "I can sneak you through the palace gate, but how can I get you into the inner palace? I can’t even get in there myself, do you expect to just walk in whenever I want?"
Zhao Changhe shivered, "That won’t do!"
Tang Wanju gave him a sidelong glance.
Their eyes t, and both knew exactly who to turn to for this matter.
Still with a touch of annoyance, Tang Wanju said, "You could have just gone through the proper channels and had him summon you! Y-you..."
She suddenly trembled and couldn’t hold back a moan.
Their palms had been clasped together all this ti, and Zhao Changhe was treating her with the Rejuvenation Technique during their conversation. He had just repaired so of her wounds, and the tingling sensation of healing made Tang Wanju lose her composure for a mont.
"Your Highness, the dicine is here... here... here..." Bao Qin entered with enthusiasm, then stood frozen in place, slowly backing away, bewildered.
What was that sound just now...
Zhao Changhe, annoyed, reached back and caught the dicine with an invisible force. Bao Qin felt the herbs taken by an unseen hand, soaring towards Zhao Changhe.
With a "bang," the door closed again by the invisible hand.
Tears welling in her eyes, Bao Qin clutched her head, which had bumped against the door, and squatted down.
Inside, Zhao Changhe stoked the furnace fires and began adding the herbs. Tang Wanju, curious, peeked to see Zhao Changhe taking out a small vial of blood and a small piece of flesh from his ring.
"What is that?"
"The blood and flesh of the Blood Turtle, I’m fortunate to have so left." Zhao Changhe cooked the blood, flesh, and herbs together, staring into the flas, lost in thought, "Now your issue isn’t just the illness itself, but also the depletion of your Life Force. Even if I heal your wounds, your Life Force won’t last long. I need to find a way to replenish it, and it’s fortunate that the Blood Turtle is the right redy. But you must promise , you will not get hurt again until you’re fully recovered, otherwise, not even a god can save you..."
Tang Wanju opened her mouth but couldn’t promise such a thing.
With the world in such disarray, how could she possibly do nothing? As long as there were actions to be taken, no one could guarantee safety from harm.
Even Zhao Changhe knew that this request was almost impossible. He stared at the fire for a long while, then abruptly turned around and pulled her into his embrace, fiercely kissing her.
Tang Wanju’s eyelashes fluttered, and she closed her eyes.
This Great Xia was already a flickering fla in the wind, and so was she, Tang Wanju. His so-called Blood Turtle dicine was probably just patchwork, much like how she had previously patched up Great Xia.
In the last monts of life, really, there was nothing worth feeling self-conscious about.
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