Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 478: The Spirit Tribe is Not a Brothel

Zhao Changhe had no idea about all the thoughts running through her brain.

If he did, he would understand why she had previously tried things like using aphrodisiacs on him. Essentially, she wanted to have the upper hand, to make him want her, and then keep him at a distance, gaining control in this battle of the sexes. But he had easily thwarted her attempts with a lighthearted approach, leaving her frustrated.

To him, this whole master-maid dynamic was just an ongoing joke stemming from their initial encounter. Even subconsciously, when creating an alias, he continued with the playful interaction. He never saw it as a real attempt at conquest.

Perhaps he did not fully understand himself either.

Back then at the waterfall cave at Beimang, Chichi had told him that he should just be domineering and take control. She understood the temper he kept buried deep down.

Although he hid it well, Chichi had noticed it, and so had her master.

When Huangfu Qing had asked him if he wanted Vermilion Bird to kneel before him, his heart had thumped loudly in response, surprising even himself. He wondered if Huangfu Qing had noticed his reaction and what she thought of it.

Tang Wanzhuang, however, always believed he was suited to be a ruler.

Zhao Changhe thought that having desires was only natural. What person did not have desires? As long as he could control them, that was enough. He just wanted Sisi to be more honest and straightforward with him. He did not have any specific intentions; he simply wished she would tell him her troubles outright.

If she would just honestly say that she was in a difficult spot and needed his help, he would probably stop toying with her entirely. After all, he had things he wanted from the Spirit Tribe as well. Even without Sisi, he had been prepared to help them. Would it not be great to quickly sort things out so everyone could get what they wanted?

Yet, Sisi continued acting.

“Master, is your little maidservant serving you well?”

Zhao Changhe was both amused and exasperated. He was genuinely tempted.

You really insist on playing this game, huh? You best be careful, lest you get burned. Do you really think I won’t swallow you whole?

His hand, which had been resting innocently on her waist, finally moved, lightly caressing her smooth, bare skin. Leaning closer to her pink ear, he mischievously blew on it and whispered, “Not enough...”

Sisi blushed to the tips of her ears and murmured, “Master, there’s no need to be so hasty...”

“Tell me, do you always keep your waist bare like this so it’s easier for men to touch?”

“...” Sisi bit her lip but murmured sweetly, “No, it’s only for Master’s touch.”

Zhao Changhe: 凸

He could barely contain himself.

Sisi giggled, feeling like she had regained the upper hand.

Zhao Changhe shook his head with a smile. “Feeling proud, are you? Are you going to scrub anywhere besides my chest? You’re about to scrub my skin off.”

Understanding the hint, Sisi’s hands began to move lower, slowly sliding down. “No need to hurry. We have plenty of time...”

Her hand brushed over his abdomen, just a tiny bit away from what had once smacked her face, yet deliberately avoiding it.

Beg me... if you beg me, I might just really help you wash it...

But Zhao Changhe said, “Do we really have plenty of time?”

Sisi replied, “We don’t?”

“Did you forget? I’m supposed to just have a quick bath. Your elders are waiting to have a meeting with us.”

Sisi froze, and at that moment, as if on cue, an elder’s voice called from outside. “Is everything well, sacred envoy?”

Splash!

Sisi tried to escape but was stopped by Zhao Changhe, who grinned slyly. “That depends on how efficient we are.”

Sisi gave him a pleading look, mouthing silently, “Are you serious?”

She quickly begged, “I was wrong... Come on, it’s not like you’ll go crazy waiting. Let’s get up and eat first, and we can talk later.”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Do I look like a pushover?”

“This can’t be resolved in just a few moments, so how about I offer you something else as compensation?”

“Oh?”

Sisi quickly gave him a peck on the cheek and darted out of the tub, doing the bare minimum to make it up to him.

Zhao Changhe did not press further; instead, he simply smiled at her.

Sisi walked out the door with her head down, knowing it was the first time she had kissed him of her own volition.

She had been putting on quite the seductive act, making it seem as if they had done everything imaginable and even some things that defied imagination, but in reality, aside from pretending to be Yue Hongling long ago, this was her first time taking the initiative to give him a kiss.

A round lost.

Zhao Changhe leisurely got dressed and opened the door.

Outside, the elder looked at the two of them. Their clothes were dry, thanks to their internal energy, but their hair was still damp, and Sisi’s cheeks glowed with a rare mix of frustration and embarrassment.

The elder chuckled. “Good, good. I’ve never seen Sisi so eager. Sisi...”

Sisi greeted him, “Great elder...”

“Serve the sacred envoy well. This is your duty.”

Sisi bit her lip, lowering her head in resignation. “Understood.”

This battle felt unfair.

She glanced over and saw Yue Hongling emerge as well, tying her hair back into a ponytail. Clad in her usual bold red attire—though now a fresh set—Sisi wondered where she managed to keep getting these rustic red outfits.

Quickly, Sisi quickly took Zhao Changhe’s arm and said sweetly, “Sacred envoy~ Shall we go?”

She spoke loudly, as if to call out to her big sister Yue to come and do something about it.

Yue Hongling merely glanced over, nodded approvingly, and said, “That will do. Let her accompany you.”

Sisi: “?”

Why do you sound like you’re picking out vegetables? Weren’t you jealous of me before? Why are you playing along with him now?

The little witch, whose thoughts had gone astray, did not realize that Yue Hongling was interested in having her close by to discuss important matters in private.

Striding over, Yue Hongling gave Sisi a once-over, as if she didn’t recognize her, and then addressed the elder directly, “A feast with too many people is unnecessary. Let’s just have a private discussion.”

The elder bowed and said, “As the sacred envoys have requested, the grand banquet has been canceled. We’ve arranged a simple meal instead. Please, follow me.”

Sisi, feeling as if she were sleepwalking, led Zhao Changhe into the banquet hall.

Indeed, there were only a few people inside, just three tribal elders including the great elder. Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling took the seats of honor, and Sisi stood between them, serving them wine like a proper maid.

The three elders stroked their beards in satisfaction. They had thought Sisi was the most rebellious, yet here she was, seemingly willing and compliant. They had even been wary of her harboring some desperate plan, but judging by the bathing scene earlier, any hidden motives would have been acted upon then. It appeared she did not have any.

The saintess’s primary role was to serve as a liaison with the forbidden land. Generally speaking, even if there were sacrifices, she would not be one of them. She was supposed to act as a bridge between the sacred mountain and the forbidden land. Assigning this role to their most defiant tribe member showed the elders’ creativity. Once she realized she was not in danger, she would likely fall in line.

If she personally made a sacrificial offering, it would draw her into their fold.

Perhaps she had seen herself as a leader outside and recognized that she could hold sway for the rest of her life. Perhaps she even hoped to use the power of the forbidden land to become the tribal chief? It did not matter. The elders were all on the brink of death, and this was not what they were fighting over. If she wanted it, she would become one of them.

And what did it mean to be one of them?

To exploit and sacrifice others—it did not matter as long as it was not their family on the line. They would retain power, and their families would continue to control the majority of the resources.

With the forbidden land’s strength to suppress dissent, the younger, rebellious members would be less likely to stir up trouble.

Why did they refuse to learn the Xia people’s martial arts? If the youths of their tribe were to run off to learn Xia martial arts, what use were they? The tribe’s power would wane. As for ancient sword arts, they could be considered tradition and could not be learned elsewhere, meaning only the elders and priests held the key to them.

This was the elders’ core philosophy. In essence, it was no different from the chiefs of the various tribes outside, but even more brutal and direct.

Sisi had not understood it before, but after spending some time outside, she now saw it all clearly.

This was why she had ceased contact with Tang Wanzhuang for quite some time. She no longer wanted to rely on her to obtain sword arts. And when she met Zhao Changhe again, she was not as eager to get a new set of sword arts from him. Even if she did, she would not dare teach it privately, and turning it over to the tribe would only make things worse, so what was the point?

Everything still depended on martial strength... Only by possessing the strength to overthrow the elders, the priests, and even the forbidden land could she truly liberate her entire tribe.

Now, she was starting to gain that strength. Although things were not stable outside yet, and she was not yet prepared to lead a rebellion, she had at least laid a foundation.

And it was all thanks to him...

As Sisi silently poured the wine, the great elder laughed. “Sisi, why so proper? Weren’t you just bathing together?”

Zhao Changhe chuckled, pulling Sisi closer by the waist. “It’s just that she’s shy in front of her elders.”

Sisi lowered her head and said softly, “Where could I find elders like you...”

Her words were laced with meaning, but the elders pretended not to understand, and they just laughed. “As long as you’re not upset. Come, let us toast to the sacred envoy.”

Zhao Changhe, not bothering with formalities, raised his cup and drank.

He thought they would move on to the main discussion, but instead, the great elder turned to Sisi and smiled, “Sisi, are you not going to toast to the sacred envoy?”

Sisi quickly raised her cup. “I was just pouring him wine. Of course, I’ll toast too...”

“Though we used cups, are you really going to do the same?” One of the other elders laughed and said teasingly, “You two were just bathing together, so why not try something a little different?”

Sisi was taken aback. “Huh?”

Zhao Changhe turned to her with a smirk, his expression saying, “See? Playing the part in front of others is harder than just between us.”

Gritting her teeth, Sisi took a sip and fiercely kissed Zhao Changhe, passing the wine to him.

Bam!

Yue Hongling slammed her cup down. “Are we here to discuss business or to have you put on a lewd display?”

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