Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 516: I Owe You a Favor

At the foot of Mount Emei, in the inn where Zhao Changhe once spent a day lifting weights.

Situ Xiao hugged a wine jar, gulping down from it with gusto. He claimed that he was going to treat Zhao Changhe to a drink, only to end up getting himself half-drunk first.

Zhao Changhe was speechless and ignored him, focusing instead on secretly pouring wine into his own gourd. He had been too embarrassed to ask Sisi for some wine to fill it, and the gourd had been empty for about a month now...

To be fair, this was the first time in the past year that, after a great battle and rising in the rankings, Zhao Changhe had not ended up as injured as a dying dog. The fact that he could actually come out to drink with friends was a significant improvement for him.

“Hey.” Situ Xiao finally put down the wine jar after drinking his fill. “Why aren’t you drinking?”

Zhao Changhe rolled his eyes. “I’ve never been a drunkard like you, okay?”

“If you’re not a drinker, then why carry a wine gourd?”

“Just because I enjoy a few sips every now and then doesn’t mean I’m a drunkard. Are you a binary thinker or something? Which forum did you graduate from?”

Situ Xiao: “?”

He did not understand the words coming out of Zhao Changhe’s mouth.

Zhao Changhe replied honestly, “Actually, it’s because carrying a saber on the shoulder and a wine gourd at the waist looks really cool. It fits the image of a wanderer in the jianghu very much.”

Situ Xiao laughed in disbelief. This is the powerhouse outshining everyone in his generation? What a joke.

He replied sourly, “You’ve even stolen my Drunken Steps, and yet you claim not to be a drunkard.”

Although he said it jokingly, he really was sour about Zhao Changhe learning his technique.

Zhao Changhe responded, “Hey, being friends doesn’t mean I’ll let you talk nonsense. I could sue you for slander. Back in Langya, I mimicked the Drunken Steps to put on an act, but I didn’t actually learn it, okay? How about you teach me? You already taught me the Wind and Lightning Palm, so why not this as well?”

Situ Xiao couldn’t help but laugh at his shameless attitude. “You really are... You’re already at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, the top ranker on the Ranking of Man! I should be the one asking you for pointers, shouldn’t I? How do you still have the face to ask me to teach you anything?”

“Why do you sound so sour?”

Did he figure it out? Situ Xiao put on a sulky face and kept quiet.

“I can teach you something in return.” Zhao Changhe casually grabbed some paper and a brush from the inn counter, and quickly wrote something down before handing it to Situ Xiao. “Though I hardly ever used the Wind and Lightning Palm... Well, consider this an exchange.”

Back then, Situ Xiao had been helping a friend, happily teaching Zhao Changhe when he saw he wanted to learn about fist and palm arts.

This time, however, the roles were clearly reversed—it was Zhao Changhe helping him.

Situ Xiao, with a bellyful of thoughts about how times had changed, took the paper and glanced at it. Instantly, he spat out the wine in his mouth.

He frantically turned his head to avoid spitting on the paper, twisting his neck so much it nearly broke, all while coughing uncontrollably.

The paper revealed a body cultivation technique that granted rapid recovery.

If Zhao Changhe’s Blood Asura body was highly aggressive and conflicted with the indestructibility path of Situ Xiao’s Divine Brilliance Sect, making it difficult to integrate, then the healing aspect of the body cultivation technique on the paper he had just given Situ Xiao seemed almost tailored for the Divine Brilliance Sect. There was absolutely no conflict.

This was not merely an exchange—it was an incredible opportunity that would make the entire Divine Brilliance Sect overjoyed, something worthy of being listed as a core sect secret!

“You... cough, cough... Do you know what level this body cultivation technique is?”

“I know, it’s at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.”

“And you’re just handing it to me like a glass of wine?”

“Why not?” Zhao Changhe said, “I developed this on my own, so I can give it to whoever I want.”

Situ Xiao fell silent, then sighed after a long pause. “If I remember right, you’re supposed to hate rebels. But it doesn’t seem that way at all. In fact, you even seem more inclined to it.”

Zhao Changhe looked at him, puzzled. “I thought you were acting strange, but this was all it was?”

“If paths diverge, even the best of friends can become strangers.”

“But who told you I hate rebellion? Just look at Di Muzhi. Staying under his rule for so long without rebelling, that’s what I’d look down on.”

Situ Xiao was stunned.

Could it be that the rumors we heard were wrong? Was the Wang Clan’s attitude towards him in Langya fake too? Is he really not the crown prince?

Situ Xiao had heard some of Zhao Changhe’s conversation with Di Muzhi and Lu Shouyi while attacking the camp gates. He had overheard Lu Shouyi mention that protecting Di Muzhi was Xia Longyuan’s intention... The truth was that the Great Xia’s current state was a direct result of Xia Longyuan’s actions.

If you rebel against Di Muzhi’s rule, doesn’t that mean you’re rebelling against Xia Longyuan and the Great Xia as well?

Zhao Changhe had never shown any deference to Xia Longyuan—and he killed without hesitation as if proving his stance with action. The irony was almost laughable.

Situ Xiao, lost in these thoughts, suddenly heard Zhao Changhe speak up. “I do have a question, though.”

Situ Xiao collected himself. “Go ahead.”

“Now that your master holds power over Bashu, will he change?”

Situ Xiao knew what he was asking and fell silent.

When one first rises to power, they may not have grand ambitions, but once they establish authority, who knows if they would start having different thoughts? Situ Xiao could not make such a promise on behalf of his master. However, the Divine Brilliance Sect had some confidence in the fact that they were all bachelors with no descendants, so they were less likely to develop a dynastic mindset.

One thing Situ Xiao could confidently guarantee was that his master absolutely had no interest in women...

“Instead of worrying about whether I might change, you should think about what Xia Longyuan will do with rebellion erupting everywhere,” a voice came from outside—it was Li Shentong. “I rebelled knowing full well Xia Longyuan might come for my head. I’ve never cared about what comes afterward.”

Zhao Changhe stood up. “Weren’t you supposed to be leading your forces to Chengdu, senior?”

“I sent Junior Brother Shi,” Li Shentong said casually. “You think I actually enjoy fighting? I’d rather drink.”

He strolled in, grabbed his disciple’s wine bowl, and downed all its contents in one go.

Situ Xiao reached out pitifully, his expression full of heartache but not daring to say a word.

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Bang!

Li Shentong finished his drink with satisfaction, set down the bowl, and looked at Zhao Changhe with undisguised appreciation. “I didn’t manage to complete the task you entrusted to me. I feel a bit embarrassed now.”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Senior, are you referring to my request to look after Hongling?”

“Yes... I sent people to search, but they couldn’t find her. I couldn’t help at all.”

“That’s not your fault. Hongling was in Miaojiang. I ran into her myself. The fact that you remembered it is proof of your trustworthiness.”

“The fact remains that I failed to complete the task you entrusted me with. I owe you one. You can ask for another favor,” Li Shentong said with a hint of meaning. “As long as it’s not asking me to surrender to Xia Longyuan.”

Zhao Changhe paused for a moment. “What about if I asked you to surrender to someone else?”

Li Shentong smiled. “You?”

Zhao Changhe waved it off. “I’m just a wanderer of the jianghu... Senior, you must be joking.”

Li Shentong said slowly, “It all depends on who the other person is... As it stands, unless Tang Wanzhuang herself becomes the empress, no one else is worthy.”

Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened. There really are people out there thinking along these lines? Tang Wanzhuang as empress? That’s almost too beautiful to imagine.

The implication in Li Shentong’s words seemed to be that Zhao Changhe was not ready now, though he hinted at the young man’s potential for the future... but he would not say that directly. For him to come here and speak of such things was significant on its own.

Li Shentong continued, “Perhaps you’ve been in Miaojiang too long and you aren’t aware of the current upheaval. A few days ago, the Wang Clan and Huangfu Clan jointly proposed abolishing the canal transport and shifting to maritime routes. No matter what power plays lie behind it, it’s certain that chaos will follow. The Wang Clan will undoubtedly raise its banner, and Wan Tianxiong, who has roamed the Jianghuai region for so many years, won’t just sit back. The Tang Clan has already established itself strongly in Jiangnan... If they intend to compete for the throne, it’s not impossible. So wipe off that surprised expression.”

Zhao Changhe felt his heart skip a beat. So it’s finally come to this... The fact that this proposal was his own idea made his feelings about it quite complicated.

Situ Xiao clicked his tongue. “This treacherous plan to replace the canal with maritime routes—whoever came up with it must be an utterly heartless strategist born without a conscience...”

Zhao Changhe shot him a sidelong glance, half thinking of taking back the cultivation technique he had just given him.

“Regardless of the turmoil, the real crux is Xia Longyuan’s stance. Without him, it’s all just some play on a stage.” Li Shentong turned and walked away. “Alright, I won’t disturb you two anymore...”

Zhao Changhe no longer felt like drinking.

He almost wished he could grow wings to fly directly to the capital to see Tang Wanzhuang... and to see Xia Longyuan.

No, actually, I should go see Cui Wenjing first.

He had once promised Old Cui that after returning from the southwest, he would marry Yangyang. But with the world now in such upheaval, if the Wang Clan raised a rebellion, they would likely advance in one of two directions—west toward Puyang or south toward Xuzhou. If they move west, would Old Cui even still be in the mood to talk about marriage?