Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 816 (1): Pretending To Be

Chapter 816 (1): Pretending To Be

“Why did you let Big Brother Zhao see Ye Jiuyou bathing? I don’t want that!” In the depths of Piaomiao’s spiritual sea, a recently roused Cui Yuanyang was thrashing about in frustration. “You’re putting a green hat on me! I gave you my body yet you betray me like this?”

Piaomiao soothed her gently, “She was always meant to be your household’s concubine. It was only a matter of time.”

Cui Yuanyang: “?”

How could it possibly be a matter of time? That so-called marriage arrangement was something we made up just to mess with Ye Jiuyou! Neither party has ever acknowledged it! You think Ye Jiuyou is actually the young miss of the Li Clan?!

Don’t bully me just because I’m young and you think I don’t understand. Their so-called partnership may look sincere on the surface, but both of them are scheming. Big Brother Zhao would never ally himself with an evil god of chaos and annihilation, let alone take her as a wife. And Ye Jiuyou would absolutely not allow a man who’s touched and seen her to continue living. This alliance only exists because neither of them thinks they can take on Ye Wuming alone. They’re just gathering allies for now, but who knows how their fight will end once they’re done with that.

Piaomiao shook her head. “You don’t understand. Even a fabricated identity generates karma, and that karma still falls back on its bearer. It must be severed. If it isn’t, consequences will surely follow. Tell me, who understands karma more deeply—Zhao Changhe or Ye Jiuyou? In the end, Ye Jiuyou will inevitably stumble because of this identity she believes she can ignore.”

“That makes sense... Wait, what?” Cui Yuanyang blinked. “Why are you helping Big Brother Zhao?”

Don’t tell me Ye Jiuyou hasn’t cuckolded me yet, and you’ve gone and done it first?

“What’s so strange about me helping him?” Piaomiao replied coolly. “It is my duty to aid the unification of the realm under the Great Han. Guanlong was never truly a threat. It only held out because Ye Jiuyou was propping it up. That prevented the Great Han from taking it by force. Helping Zhao Changhe win over Ye Jiuyou seems to be the quickest path forward...”

Cui Yuanyang stared blankly. “If your goal is unification, then why not help Ye Jiuyou destroy the Great Han?”

Piaomiao gave a rare sigh. “I represent the qi veins of the mountains and rivers, and I support whoever is destined to rule. But that doesn’t mean I’ll support just any random force and call it destiny. Even a three-year-old can see that the Great Han is the rightful bearer of the mandate of heaven, and that’s the side I support.”

Suddenly, realization dawned on Cui Yuanyang. “So... when our country offers sacrifices to heaven, we’re actually offering them to you.”

“You finally understand, my sweet little bunny... In a way, Zhao Changhe marrying you to secure Hebei was the critical turning point that broke the deadlock. It was also the moment when the qi veins of the mountains and rivers began to shift toward him. And from that moment on, the realm that was fractured started to mend itself.”

“...So marrying me was actually equivalent to winning you over. Because I am you, and that’s where the karma with us lies.”

Piaomiao fell silent.

If you look at it that way... yes, but also no. For now, we’re still two separate beings, but it’s true that karma plays a role in this. And even karma born from a false identity inevitably stains the one who created it. How much more so for us?

Piaomiao was growing weary of it all. She lifted her gaze toward Ye Jiuyou and Zhao Changhe. The two were just glaring at each other now and had clearly stopped whatever they were doing.

Ye Jiuyou absolutely refused to let Zhao Changhe watch her bathe again. As for Zhao Changhe, after today’s insights, he no longer had much need to keep studying the Heavenly Tome under such... unusual circumstances.

They stared each other down for a while before Zhao Changhe finally spoke up with a blank face. “Give me two more days to consolidate what I’ve gained. Then I’ll go find Papiyas.”

“Alright.”

“By the way, if nothing unexpected happens, my wives should be making their way to Kunlun around the same time. Their main target is the ancient White Tiger. If I’m occupied with Papiyas and can’t break away, could I trouble you to keep an eye out for them?”

Ye Jiuyou replied coolly, “Don’t overstretch. The only reason I’m not taking the opportunity to kill Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise is that we’re cooperating. Whether they live or die right now is their own business. They have nothing to do with me.”

Zhao Changhe said, “You’ve spoken... Piaomiao is the witness.”

Piaomiao gave a soft “Mm-hm.”

“You—” Ye Jiuyou snapped, her voice rising. “You don’t trust me!”

Zhao Changhe gave a slight smile. “As far as I’m concerned, I do, but this concerns my wives. I need a more reassuring answer.”

One should trust where trust is due, but blind faith is a luxury not many can afford. Mentioning “looking after them” was merely a probe; all he wanted was a promise of non-interference. So long as Ye Jiuyou did not cause trouble, Zhao Changhe had full confidence in his wives’ ability to face the ancient White Tiger.

Ye Jiuyou clearly bore no goodwill toward the Four Idols, especially the Vermillion Bird. The two clashed in their paths toward the Daos of life and death. Who knew if Ye Jiuyou might try something underhanded? But then again, this was a personal campaign led by the empress of Han herself, so Piaomiao would not stand idle. Her word was far more reliable than Ye Jiuyou’s.

Seeing the anger flashing across Ye Jiuyou’s face, Zhao Changhe felt a flicker of confusion. Isn’t it normal for us to be wary of each other? What are you really mad about?

He pondered for a moment, then explained in a softer tone, “The Four Idols of today are not like those of the ancient era. They no longer answer to Ye Wuming. They follow me. The enmity you bear toward Ye Wuming, and by extension toward the Four Idols, need not be passed on to them. On the contrary, they are a force aiding in your fight against her.”

Ye Jiuyou sneered. “And what gives you such confidence? The so-called power of love?”

“Exactly that,” replied Zhao Changhe.

“I’ve lived through two eras. Of all things, that is the least reliable.” Her gaze turned frosty, and she narrowed her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder if Ye Wuming abandoned you early on because she thought you were too naive in such matters.”

Zhao Changhe simply smiled, offering no rebuttal.

That very smile only irked Ye Jiuyou further. “One day, you’ll regret it.”

* * *

Whether he would come to regret it or not, Zhao Changhe neither knew nor cared to ponder.

He merely sank back into meditation, continuing to digest the insights he had gained regarding time and karma. The rest of the day passed in silence; he exchanged not a single word with either Ye Jiuyou or Piaomiao.

Both women also returned to their own cultivation, paying him no further attention. Piaomiao had a long way to go, and Ye Jiuyou herself had yet to fully recover to her peak condition and needed more time to recuperate. Zhao Changhe bore no small part of the blame for that, as he had interrupted her on more than one occasion.

It was not until deep into the night that Zhao Changhe slowly opened his eyes from meditation. He looked across over to where Piaomiao stood silently atop a mountain peak, gazing into the distant clouds and mist. A sigh escaped his lips.

Interacting with Piaomiao was far more exhausting than dealing with Ye Jiuyou. No matter how much Ye Jiuyou resembled the blind woman, and even if they were related, they were still ultimately two different people, so Zhao Changhe could draw a clear line between them. But Piaomiao... Piaomiao wore Cui Yuanyang’s body, plain and simple. Only the heavens knew how difficult it was for him to suppress the urge to hold her, to touch her. And yet he had to restrain himself, maintaining calm, speaking as though to a mere acquaintance.

In a time like this, with the world fast asleep and the stars in quiet vigil, he should have been holding his wife close, sharing warmth and comfort. But now, all he could do was look.

She was so close, yet utterly untouchable.

That long, unbroken gaze did not go unnoticed. Even with her back turned, Piaomiao could feel the gentleness in his eyes. She could sense the countless unsaid words they carried, words he could not voice across the chasm between them.

Her heart, once still and focused in cultivation, grew restless and chaotic.

She knew all too well that what he was seeing was not her but Yangyang. And yet that look in his eyes... It was unbearable.

How long does he intend to look? Has he not had enough?

Time passed slowly. The sky began to lighten with the coming dawn. Zhao Changhe looked up, estimating the time to be about six in the morning. There was still a while to go before the hour of the dragon[1].

No matter.

He had said he would wait until the hour of the dragon, and wait he would.

And indeed, he really stood there, watching, unwavering, until the moment arrived.

Right on cue, just before the hour of the dragon struck, the sound of Zhao Changhe’s footsteps came from behind, hurried and unrestrained.

Piaomiao let out a resigned sigh. “You two can talk.”

She was just about to relinquish the body to Cui Yuanyang only to realize that Yangyang was asleep, completely unresponsive.

Before she could even rouse her, Zhao Changhe’s arms had already wrapped around her. “Yangyang...”

He simply could not wait any longer.

Piaomiao: “?”

W-Wait...

Feeling her squirm, Zhao Changhe raised a brow in confusion. “What’s wrong, Yangyang? Piaomiao already said we could talk... Don’t tell me you’re still Piaomiao?”

I can’t let him know he’s hugging Piaomiao... Piaomiao stifled her reaction, then forced herself to mimic Cui Yuanyang’s tone, “It’s nothing, Big Brother Zhao... I just woke up and didn’t react right away. I thought someone was taking liberties with me.”

Zhao Changhe let out a breath of relief. “Who else could be here in Jiuyou’s territory?”

Piaomiao replied, “You never know. She’s got a lot of forces hidden in that abyss of hers—ones we haven’t seen.”

“They wouldn’t be coming out to hug you.” Zhao Changhe chuckled and kissed her lightly on the side of her neck. “And if they dared? I’d cut them down myself.”

A shiver ran through Piaomiao, goosebumps prickling across her skin. Instinctively, she tried to wriggle free. “Stop kissing me... Piaomiao is still here.”

From the distance, Ye Jiuyou turned to glance over, an indescribable expression flickering across her face.

Yes, Piaomiao is still there...

Zhao Changhe was murmuring, “So she’s not sleeping this time? What’s she doing, glowing like a giant lantern?”

Piaomiao was seething inside but still managed to say, “She said sleeping makes no difference. Awake or not, she still feels everything. It’s just self-deception.”

“That... does make sense,” Zhao Changhe said with a sigh. “But we can’t just abstain from everything because of her, can we? Even if we’re not... doing that, are hugs and kisses off-limits too? What did we do to deserve this kind of torment, so close, yet unable to be close?”

1. Also known as shichen, corresponds to 7 to 9 in the morning in traditional Chinese timekeeping. I previously just translated it into Western time but have decided to use both depending on the sentence structure and feel. ☜