Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 693: Like a Caged Bird Freed

Xia Chichi and Huangfu Qing had both long wanted to deal with the Three Jins and its merchants[1]. Xia Chichi managed to maintain her composure, but Huangfu Qing was far less patient. She had originally planned to have her brother lead an army straight north, but he had vehemently dissuaded her, leaving her fuming and returning to the capital with a bellyful of frustration.

Her anger was not without reason. Her father was stationed in Yanmen, now facing a dire situation of being surrounded on all sides, short on supplies, and essentially cut off from meaningful reinforcements. It felt as if Yanmen was almost entirely isolated.

But her brother shared the same father, and he knew the limitations of their forces better than anyone. When he insisted that their troops were utterly unfit for battle, there was no room for debate. As much as it annoyed her, Huangfu Qing had no choice but to accept reality and return, left to only feel frustrated but unable to really do anything.

The situation in the Three Jins had not always been this dire. In the past, Huangfu Yongxian’s position, while precarious, had never felt like being under siege. Ironically, back when the world was united against Xia Longyuan, the Shanxi merchants were one of the few groups that favored him over Zhao Changhe.

As long as Xia Longyuan remained on the throne, the merchants thrived. They cared little for nations or allegiances—only profit mattered. Xia Longyuan’s incompetence only gave them more room to maneuver, and they were perfectly content to exploit his weakness.

But when Xia Longyuan fell and Zhao Changhe rose, everything changed. Merchants are keenly aware of shifting power dynamics, and it was clear to them that Zhao Changhe, after his experiences in the north, harbored no goodwill toward them. They knew their days of unchecked profit were over. This spurred their preemptive march on the capital and, after their defeat, their alliance with the northern barbarians.

In short, the precarious state of Yanmen could technically be traced back to Zhao Changhe’s rise. Yet no one blamed him for it—such grievances would be absurdly misplaced. Huangfu Qing herself acknowledged this, though her frustration remained evident as she said, “Of course we want to deal with them. But Shaozong insists we can’t fight there. First, the capital’s army refuses to move. At the moment, they’re just waiting to claim their rewards for the New Year. Second, even if we force them into action, the troops aren’t enough. Fighting in Jin is like sinking into quicksand. Add the freezing conditions, low morale, and sheer futility of it all, and it’s practically a death sentence. Our forces simply can’t be wasted like that. As much as I worry for my father, I can’t deny he’s right. But then... what can we do?”

Zhao Changhe nodded, his tone calm. “I’ve been thinking about it myself... The situation in Jin isn’t the same as the one in Langya. We should adapt to the terrain and circumstances. I never thought I’d say this, but I think you should do... exactly what you did back at Luo Family Village.”

Huangfu Qing froze for a moment, then a gleam ignited in her eyes.

This was not a metaphorical glimmer—it was a literal one. Her eyes burned with a cold brilliance so intense that even the palace maids nearby shuddered, their faces turning pale.

Even Xia Chichi felt a chill in her chest, sensing the powerful emotions brewing within her master.

For Huangfu Qing, the opportunity to act personally for her father’s sake was a deeply emotional one. It tapped into feelings she had kept suppressed—those of a woman who had resigned herself to palace life, unable to live the life she once loved. Though she had been ready to endure it for the sake of circumstances, this was never the life she truly wanted.

And now, with just a few words, Zhao Changhe had reminded her that she could still be Vermillion Bird, the scourge of the jianghu, free to soar and fight as she wished. It was everything she had thought was beyond her reach.

It was as if she were a caged bird that had finally been set free.

Huangfu Qing asked hesitantly, “If... if I were to be away for a long time, what about the palace?”

“When I returned, I triggered the defensive array, and it seemed pretty formidable,” Zhao Changhe said thoughtfully. “We could study it further, maybe even integrate it with the arrays in Xia Longyuan’s subterranean sky, creating a stronger and more comprehensive defensive array. If it’s fortified well enough to hold out against me, then you wouldn’t need to remain confined here. Besides, Chichi isn’t exactly defenseless. You should trust your disciple.”

Huangfu Qing glanced at Xia Chichi, who was calmly nibbling on her flatbread. Xia Chichi smiled faintly and added, “You taught me martial arts, Empress Mother, not to protect me forever but to help me stand on my own. If you really manage to secure the realm, you can come back and protect me again then.”

“Bah.” Huangfu Qing rolled her eyes. Secure the realm and come back to protect you? Do you mean in bed?

Still, Xia Chichi’s words seemed to ease some of Huangfu Qing’s concerns. Her spirits lifted, and she said eagerly, “If we approach the Shanxi merchants using the methods of the jianghu, I have plenty of ideas. Heh, Shaozong can play in the mud for all I care. What do we even need him for? The so-called Merchant Alliance isn’t truly united. There’s plenty of room to manipulate them. I’ll start by taking the head of the most troublesome one. That should instill fear in the rest and sow division within the alliance. Once we’ve gauged their reactions, issuing a single Four Idols Command should let us see where they stand...”

Hearing the enthusiasm in her tone, combined with the methodical breakdown of her arguably evil plan, both Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” Huangfu Qing snapped, slapping the table. “When I ruled the jianghu, the two of you were still wetting your pants in Luo Family Village. I’ll take care of this matter!”

Zhao Changhe laughed and asked, “Does the Four Idols Cult have enough people?”

“If Shaozong takes over the defenses of the capital, we should be able to manage. The real problem is Tang Wanzhuang. She says that the capital is unstable, and even with the Demon Suppression Bureau and its agents scouring the city, she doesn’t have enough people. She... she came to me asking to borrow people!” Huangfu Qing’s tone was dripping with exasperation. “The Demon Suppression Bureau asking for help from a supposed demonic cult to spare some people to act as imperial guards and help secure the capital, can you imagine that? And we barely even have enough people for our own operations, yet she still wants to take some away?”

Zhao Changhe could not help but laugh at her hypocrisy. “You call them imperial guards while still referring to yourselves as a demonic cult. How do you even manage to say that with a straight face? Well, anyway, you don’t have to worry too much. I’ve found you some people who can help.”

“You... what? Who?” Huangfu Qing asked, intrigued.

Zhao Changhe replied with a grin, “Your old partners. The same people you took with you to storm Luo Family Village.”

Huangfu Qing finally broke into laughter. “You really are—”

“...in love with Vermillion Bird,” Zhao Changhe interrupted her, finishing her sentence.

Her gaze softened, lingering on him. She put down her congee, clearly interested in something else entirely.

Xia Chichi, on the other hand, nearly choked. She slammed her chopsticks into the table and grumbled, “I was there too, you know! Stop making it sound like some romantic memory between the two of you. And for the record, I didn’t think it was all that impressive.”

Huangfu Qing shot her a sidelong glance, clearly considering handing her a lengthy scroll to copy as punishment.

Oh, you remember? You were practically glowing like a lantern back then. Not exactly something to brag about.

Xia Chichi, tired of the flirtatious atmosphere, rose abruptly and swept her sleeves. “If you’re going to leave, fine. But not before finishing the improvements to the array that you were just talking about! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a court session to attend. You two can... take your time. Hmph.”

With that, she strode out, leaving the two behind to exchange humorous glances.

Zhao Changhe and Huangfu Qing looked at each other, shrugged, then, hand in hand, made their way swiftly to the subterranean sky.

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This place, left behind as Xia Longyuan’s greatest legacy, remained heavily guarded. Many of its features were beyond Zhao Changhe’s current ability to utilize. For instance, the ability to invoke divine manifestations at any designated point—it was absurdly convenient but sadly inaccessible for the time being. He often speculated that this entire space might one day be refined into something akin to a portable globe, a true ultimate form. But such aspirations were far beyond reach for now.

Fortunately, the celestial dome’s capabilities could certainly be expanded to encompass the entire imperial palace. If the palace could be transformed into a relatively independent and sealed environment, it would only require strict defense at the entry points. This would be far more secure than even having Vermillion Bird stationed at the core of its defenses.

“What do you plan to do?” Huangfu Qing asked curiously. “You’ve always been relatively weak when it comes to arrays. How are you going to improve ours?”

Zhao Changhe shrugged. “I’m still not particularly interested in arrays, but I’ve gained some new insights recently.”

“I noticed your movements when we... fought last night,” Huangfu Qing said, her eyes sharp. “There was something unique—was it qi?”

“Of course you’d notice,” Zhao Changhe said with a small smile. “Yes, it’s qi.”

He extended his hand, touching the celestial dome’s structure. “Essentially, your invisible array functions much like an atmospheric layer enveloping the palace. I don’t need to fully understand the array itself. All I need to do is connect the qi here to your formation, creating a unified, closed layer. That will form a sealed microcosm. As for adjusting the array, I’ll leave that to you.”

As he spoke, an invisible surge of qi emanated from the depths of the celestial dome, flowing upward and merging seamlessly with the array already in place. Vermillion Bird could even see it—an arched layer of qi forming over the palace. It was marvelously intricate, obstructing neither wind, rain, nor sunlight, yet perfectly isolating the area from all hostile forces.

Enhancing the array’s offensive and defensive responses would indeed be her task, but for someone of her expertise, that was a straightforward endeavor.

Huangfu Qing’s gaze became intense as she stared at Zhao Changhe. In a low voice, she asked, “Have you noticed something... unusual about your cultivation?”

Zhao Changhe was puzzled. “What?”

“All the things you’ve cultivated so far fall outside the core elements of the Four Idols or the five elements. You’re aligned with us, yes, but only circumstantially. Even the Rejuvenation Art you practice, which appears to be based on the wood element, is purely restorative, not combat-oriented.”

Zhao Changhe paused, realizing she was right. His mastery over the five elements had always leaned toward supportive applications. The Rejuvenation Art was for healing, and his fist art was similar. He emphasized utility rather than direct control over wood or water. It was almost as if he were subconsciously avoiding the Four Idols Cult’s foundational elements.

“I’m not sure if you’ve intentionally been avoiding them,” Huangfu Qing continued. “And I won’t judge if you have. But since you’ve steered away from these mainstream cultivation paths, and you’ve also resisted following Xia Longyuan’s blood-drenched path to power, don’t you feel like your path to the Profound Control Realm is becoming increasingly unfocused? Like you’re losing sight of a clear goal?”

“Actually, I do,” Zhao Changhe admitted, his tone somber. “That’s exactly what’s been troubling me lately. I feel like I’m on the verge of breaking through to the Profound Control Realm, but I have no clear direction. Qing’er... Venerable, can you guide me?”

1. Note that the Shanxi merchants (晋商) are mainly based in the region of the state of Jin (晋), which encompasses the three states of Han, Zhao, and Wei as mentioned a few chapters earlier. ☜