Chaotic World Book
Chapter 103 - 101 Changhe Dike Breach

Chapter 103: Chapter 101 Changhe Dike Breach

"Wait a moment," Tang Wanju finally sighed and stood up. "It was presumptuous of me. Sir, you’re not the ungrateful type, which is a good thing... If you’re not in a hurry to return, why not come in for a cup of tea?"

Zhao Changhe did not go inside; instead, he said coldly, "I now suspect that you’re surveilling my inn. Please stop, or it will be unpleasant for everyone involved."

Tang Wanju shook her head, "I am not surveilling; on the contrary, there are people protecting the outer roads. Do you know why?"

Zhao Changhe was stunned for a moment and could not figure it out right away.

Tang Wanju smiled, "Your horse is too famous, and you often wander outside. It would have been stolen long ago without someone protecting it. Sword Lake City is a chaotic place, and inns are not so reliable. You haven’t experienced much of this lately because the Demon Suppression Department is involved."

"Fine," Zhao Changhe sighed, realizing it was sort of a favor and finally relented from his rigid stance, sitting down across from her. "Chief, let’s talk about this. The Demon Suppression Department is protecting my horse, and I can’t be ungrateful. But to be honest, not experiencing the chaos of Sword Lake City isn’t really a good thing for me; on the contrary, it’s quite regrettable."

Tang Wanju said nothing, quietly preparing tea, as if pondering his words.

Zhao Changhe simply said, "Do you know when I felt most carefree during this trip to Sword Lake?"

Tang Wanju replied, "When you traveled a thousand miles, galloped on your horse, and saved Han Wubing."

Zhao Changhe clapped his hands, "Exactly!"

His voice grew louder with excitement, "That was exhilarating! Right? My prearranged battle with Han Wubing should have been thrilling too... But unfortunately, these past days, with the Demon Suppression Department and the Demon Sect, it’s all been a farce, dampening our spirits. And despite Han Wubing gaining a sword and mastering a secret move as if he gained a lot, I see him lacking enthusiasm, feeling awkward inside."

Finally, Tang Wanju couldn’t help but retort, "This happened because the Four Symbols Sect was seeking the Divine Sword. Even without the Demon Suppression Department, your refined tastes would have been disrupted. The Maitreya Sect came directly for Xia Chichi’s head, and it was the Demon Suppression Department that prevented things from getting worse. It would be better to blame Xia Chichi..."

As she spoke, she seemed to realize her words might be misinterpreted as jealousy and stopped talking, merely passing a cup of tea to Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe shook his head, "I’m not blaming anyone. Discussing this with you is not about finding fault... I’m grateful for the protection, but that’s not what I need... You might think I do all this for so-called ’refined tastes,’ but a Zhao Changhe who is always protected might never grow again, which is not what I want, nor is it likely what you want to see."

Tang Wanju sighed, "But leaving you to wander the Worldly Society without care is very dangerous."

"So if you really regard me as a Prince in your heart, then I suggest you should rather help me cover up any suspicion of so-called ’princehood,’ just like the initial wanted notice. As long as the top leaders of the rebels like Vermilion Bird Maitreya still believe Prince Luo Zhenwu is gone, I won’t face the kind of irresistible danger you all imagine. As for other worldly troubles, I must face them. I believe, years ago, you faced them too, otherwise, there wouldn’t be a Tang Wanju in third place on the Earth List."

Admiration was unmistakable in Tang Wanju’s eyes as she slowly said, "What if you die?"

"Then it would be better to have died," Zhao Changhe said calmly. "A chaotic era is approaching, and you cannot support this edifice alone. The world will be plunged into strife. If I remain mediocre by then, I won’t live many years in such chaos. What’s the difference if I die early in the Worldly Society?"

As he said this, he suddenly added, "Perhaps the Emperor sees it the same way; otherwise, why would he remain silent?"

Finally, Tang Wanju raised her teacup, signaling a toast, "Wanzhuang understands now, a toast to Your Highness."

Zhao Changhe was speechless, thinking, You can’t believe I plan to return from my experience ready to help pull you back from the brink? You think too highly, sister. Holding the teacup, he thought for a moment and couldn’t help saying, "Have you ever thought that what a Prince might want isn’t necessarily to succeed to the throne but to disregard the heavens?"

After saying this, he clinked his cup with hers, not minding the scalding heat, and drained it in one gulp before striding out the door.

He didn’t say "overturn the heavens"; otherwise, he could easily betray Xia Chichi. At the last moment, he switched to "disregard," which unintentionally expressed his true intention.

He did not want to be a rebel, nor did he care to protect the crown. He refused to be constrained. The path he followed was merely the justice in his heart.

Granted your Cultivation Technique and Dragon Sparrow, I could do a few things. But if I really feel constrained, I would resign without a second thought. At worst, I would forsake the technique and the sword; I would still be myself.

Not to mention meddling in my affairs, utterly laughable.

It happened that the Maid had always been nearby, pretty and charming, yet Zhao Changhe seemed not to have seen her at all—his eyes swept past without lingering even half a second. Tang Wanju, reflecting on his behavior before and after, suddenly burst into laughter. Such a person, how could anyone think he had a strong charm with women? His mind was simply not on that...

Seeing Tang Wanju laughing to herself, the Maid indignantly said, "Zhao Changhe really dares to say anything... Saying he has a rebellious streak, it’s not wrong at all."

"Yes," Tang Wanju stretched lazily and continued to sit at the desk to finish the letter she had started earlier.

That was a report to the Emperor about the recent converging of the two major Demon Sects at Sword Lake, as well as the end of the saga with the Ancient Sword.

Among them, Zhao Changhe, who was the focal point of the report, previously made her stop writing, unsure of what to say.

Now Tang Wanju dipped her pen in ink, pondered for a moment, and wrote a comment: "His ambition is like a roc that has yet to leave Beiming; his potential is like a dragon or tiger, with claws and teeth still young."

Thinking again, she added eight words: "Noble-hearted and righteous, lawless and unbridled."

...

Returning to the inn, Zhao Changhe saw Wuzhui in the courtyard, washed clean and leisurely grazing.

Zhao Changhe smiled and approached, hugging the horse’s neck in an embrace. "I’ve neglected you these past days, but with people protecting you and you’ve gotten plump, you won’t resent me so quickly, right? Oh, that’s only said about people, what would your equivalent be?"

Scratching his head with a lack of words to describe his feelings, he then patted Wuzhui’s head, "I’ll take you out to roam tomorrow, but I’m busy today, I have a very important guest."

Returning to the room, he laughed without even looking, "Stop hiding above the beams, I know you’re there."

Xia Chichi floated down, extremely surprised, "Since when did you reach this level? The Chaotic World Book didn’t inform me, and now I’m at the Sixth Layer of the Mystical Gate. I’ve concealed my breath, and you can still detect it? Don’t tell me it’s because of the scent or something."

"No." Zhao Changhe spoke with a chuckle, hugging her, "Someone tried to lure me to the brothel, and I knew that their demon-suppression efforts within the city were not very effective. They must know you haven’t gone far to try that, aiming to drive a wedge between us. I even suspected they might be monitoring my inn and almost flipped out."

A glint of amusement shone in Xia Chichi’s eyes, "They want to send you to a brothel? Offering women to you, huh? Why didn’t you accept?"

"I figured that the Demon Suppression Department, if they got serious, it’s unlikely you could remain undetected and silent. The most probable place for you is here with me. They know it but are afraid to take action lest they cause a rift between us. Better to coax me into the brothel, leaving you here lonely all night, and then it turns out I went whoring, you might get so angry that you’d never talk to me again."

After thinking for a while, Xia Chichi couldn’t straighten up from laughter, "Tang Wanju is actually this fun... Ha, hahaha... She might as well have stripped and seduced you herself, maybe that would have worked hahahaha..."

Zhao Changhe just watched her without speaking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xia Chichi giggled.

Pointing to his own aged face, Zhao Changhe said, "Don’t you think I’ve performed well? Don’t I deserve a kiss as encouragement?"

Indeed, Xia Chichi tiptoed and gave him a light kiss, saying softly, "Changhe..."

"Hmm?"

"If you were to sleep in a brothel today, I would be unhappy. After all, I came especially for you... But other times, it doesn’t really matter. It’s better to choose clean courtesans, the others might be a bit dirty, not so good."

Zhao Changhe: "?"

Xia Chichi smiled faintly, "You’ve been living alone for years, full of youthful Blood Qi, you have needs, and going to a brothel to resolve them is better than being seduced away by Cui Yuanyang... I can’t give myself to you, so why should I keep you bottled up? It doesn’t make sense even to me."

Zhao Changhe was dumbfounded.

Smiling, Xia Chichi continued, "Don’t call me a Demon Sect demoness. Speaking of relationships in the Worldly Society, no one frets over such trifles. I don’t understand the values you were raised with, such commonplace things that everyone accepts, yet you avoid them like the plague. And yet for Tang Wanjuang, who is revered by people, you often speak impertinently."

"Uh..."

"Could it be because Tang Wanju is beautiful, your impertinence is actually a ploy to get her attention?"

"No!" Zhao Changhe immediately clarified, "Absolutely not!"

"Alright..." Xia Chichi spoke tenderly, "Whether you want to be a Prince or not, in my heart, Zhao Changhe is always a spirited hero with an unyielding will, capable of taking any woman in the world at will. That is what I said back in Shuilian Cave. Whether it’s Cui Yuanyang or Tang Wanju, I might be jealous, but if you really want them, then so be it. What’s the big deal?"

Zhao Changhe was astounded, "Hey, who’s possessed you today?"

Xia Chichi shook her head slightly, "It’s me who doesn’t have the right, I haven’t done anything for you. On the contrary, the whole Prince matter... it’s actually you who’s been taking on burdens you didn’t want to bear for me."

Scratching his head, Zhao Changhe said, "Well, it’s not quite like that. I myself often play with a bit of ambiguity with this identity because it’s useful, I’m not that strict. So, it’s not entirely about taking on burdens..."

Xia Chichi gave a wry smile, "That’s a matter for another day... In any case, if Changhe’s torrential flow can’t be stopped, the me of today becomes the riverbank that troubles your heart, and I’m unwilling to be that."

Zhao Changhe fell silent.

It seemed there was a bit of truth to it.

But this riverbank wasn’t her; it was his modern mindset, and moreover, it was a pure-hearted college student’s mindset... It was he who was unwilling to let go because once he did, he feared he’d be no different from the people of this era.

Yet, he had to recognize that, to this day, this strange way of thinking had become awkward. Not only did Xia Chichi find it odd, even Han Wubing could see through it.

"I came here today, taking the risk amidst the Demon Suppression Department’s city-wide dragnet, just to tear down the dam in your heart." Xia Chichi gently pushed him to the edge of the bed, kissing his cheek slowly, then moving down to his neck, then his chest, murmuring softly, "I dare not give myself to you completely, fearing that people will notice when I return. You see, what right do I have to make demands? Even I don’t understand."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

"I can’t give myself to you, but is this okay for now..." While kissing, her slender hand slowly moved down, searching for the River Child.

Zhao Changhe hissed, speechless for a long moment.

"Ever since we lived together in Beimang, I’ve been holding it back for half a year. Now that Changhe breaks his banks, it’s already late..." Xia Chichi looked up, seeing Zhao Changhe obviously bewildered, she smiled brilliantly, grabbing his hand, guiding it into her embrace, "Got it now? Remember, don’t be hard on yourself for me, that shouldn’t be who you are."

————

PS: Third update here, seeking a monthly ticket for Changhe’s first breaking of the banks~