Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 607: The Path of the Dragon Horse

Tang Buqi’s words were both persuasion and a test.

Seeing Zhao Changhe sip his wine, lost in thought, a flicker of surprise crossed Tang Buqi’s eyes.

So, you’ve truly considered taking the throne... Otherwise, you would have probably simply scoffed and said, “Why should I care?”

You’ve changed... It appears that even someone as forthright and honest as you has changed.

Little did Tang Buqi know that Zhao Changhe’s thoughts at that moment drifted to Xia Chichi. He wondered what she thought about all of this. Sneaking a glance, he saw her quietly sipping her wine, seemingly intrigued by the dynamic between him and Tang Buqi. Whether she had her own opinions on these matters, he could not tell.

Suppressing his emotions, Zhao Changhe smiled slightly. “Don’t quarrel with your aunt. She isn’t blindly loyal.”

Tang Buqi retorted, frustration bubbling to the surface. “If that isn’t blind loyalty, then what is? Even a common farmer on the street can see this dynasty is on its last legs. How can she not see it? Even if she doesn’t want to talk about rebellion, shouldn’t she at least consider her own future? Must she insist on going down with the sinking ship?”

Zhao Changhe remained silent.

Tang Buqi’s anger mounted. “Or is she still clinging to some delusion, hoping Xia Longyuan will come to his senses? Stop dreaming! His problem isn’t capability; it’s mindset. Even if he fixes things this time, what about the next?”

Zhao Changhe sighed, waving his hand. “Alright, alright. Do you really need to replay your argument with her by yelling at me? I’m not your aunt. What good does telling me any of this do?”

Tang Buqi shot back, “But you’re her husband! If anyone can talk sense into her, it’s you. Who else should I tell?”

Zhao Changhe blinked, tempted to say, “Say that again and call me ‘uncle’ nicely, then I might put in a good word for you.” But two pairs of sharp eyes flanked him, their gazes practically slicing through his skin, making him shiver.

Clearing his throat, Zhao Changhe said slowly, “If all you’re asking for is that your aunt plans for her own survival, she won’t argue with you. No matter what she believes, she wouldn’t let her family be buried with a dying regime. Don’t worry.”

Tang Buqi stared at him coldly. “So, you also think that she’s prepared to go down with the ship.”

Zhao Changhe pressed his lips together. Of course I do... Before we last parted ways, I even repeatedly warned her not to throw her life away. Who doesn’t know what she’s like?

“Why?” Tang Buqi’s voice held bewilderment. “Why would someone so intelligent be so foolish about this, more so than a common farmer?”

Zhao Changhe shot back, “First of all, drop the condescension toward farmers. Without them, you’d be eating dirt right now.”

“...”

“Second... Tang Buqi, have you ever had a dream worth dedicating your entire life to?”

Tang Buqi froze.

The question hung heavily in the air. Silence settled between them.

Perhaps he did not have any such dreams right now... But if he ever had such a dream, it would likely be the dream of a swordsman who longed to carve his name across the jianghu, to stand above all others. There was a time when he sang, laughed, and wept bitterly, thinking his dream had died. But even this grief, after a while, faded into a memory. Was it worth dying for?

Then again, Tang Buqi understood those who would willingly die for the sake of pursuing such dreams. How many swordsmen faced impossible foes for the sake of faith, honor, or the pursuit of their swordsmanship? He himself had wrestled time and again with decisions about whether to lay down his life or retreat.

The jianghu was fading into the distance. In the face of grander ambitions, those stories seemed to slip away.

Tang Buqi asked quietly, “I’ve left the jianghu behind. Has she?”

“What does the jianghu have to do with it?” Zhao Changhe replied. “When Huangfu Yongxian held Yanmen Pass to the bitter end, do you think he did it for the Great Xia Empire? For loyalty to Xia Longyuan?”

“...For the people?”

“At first, yes. But over time, it became more than that. A lifetime was spent battling on those walls, the blood of countless comrades spilled defending that city, and the souls of his entire family lingered there, so how could he just give up? For him, giving up would have been worse than death.” Zhao Changhe sighed. “It’s the same with Wanzhuang. She gave her heart and soul to this empire from when she was a young girl all the way till now. Her life’s meaning is bound to it. Asking her to give it up? Asking her to betray that and rebel? You might as well ask her to die.”

Tang Buqi drank in silence. He understood now, yet he was still unsure of what to do.

Zhao Changhe stopped there and changed the subject, “Enough about that. How strong are the elite combatants on your side? How many are on the Ranking of Man?”

Tang Buqi replied, “Three or four. Wu Weiyang is already at the level of those on the Ranking of Man, though he hasn’t officially fought anyone on the ranking yet, which is why he isn’t officially ranked.”

“Assign them to me. I’m heading to the capital.”

Tang Buqi hesitated.

“What’s the matter? Can’t bear to part with them? Are you worried that it’ll harm your grand ambitions for Jiangnan?”

“...” Tang Buqi slammed his palm on the table. “Are you out of your mind? They’re the generals commanding my troops right now. If I order them to leave their armies and follow you north, how do you think others will see it? How will the soldiers see it? Do you think I can just give them to you?”

“Uh...”

“Enough. Go to my family estate. Your horse is still there, isn’t it? You should retrieve it. Within an hour, I’ll have them all meet you there.”

Zhao Changhe stared at him. “An hour? You’ll have to forcefully relieve them of their commands... You don’t care if it raises suspicion?”

Tang Buqi drained his cup and slammed it down before turning to leave. “If it ensures my foolish aunt’s safety, my ambitions for Jiangnan can go to hell.”

* * *

At the Tang Clan’s waterside pavilion.

Zhao Changhe stood by the stables, his hand resting on the sleek coat of his long-lost steed, Snow-Treading Crow.

The black stallion had been well cared for by the Tang Clan, its coat glossy and muscles well-toned. They had even taken it out for regular rides, keeping it in peak condition. Compared to the days spent with Zhao Changhe—days of half rations, frantic escapes, and endless journeys through wild terrain—the horse had lived a far better life here.

Yet when Snow-Treading Crow saw Zhao Changhe, a clear spark of joy shone in its eyes.

A life of pampered comfort did not suit a warhorse like Snow-Treading Crow. The steed longed to gallop across the world, following its trouble-stirring master onto the battlefield and through the winds of adventure.

“Even a horse holds such loyalty, so how much more a person?” Zhao Changhe murmured, a sigh escaping his lips. He himself was not sure if he was speaking of Tang Wanzhuang or Tang Buqi.

He, too, was reluctant to part with Snow-Treading Crow. But there was an undeniable problem: the horse could no longer keep up with him.

With his current cultivation, a single step with his movement art propelled him faster than the steed could run. Once, it was about conserving energy, but now, the difference in speed rendered that advantage moot. And with his next goal aimed at flight—possibly even ascending to divine descents like Xia Longyuan—what use was a horse then?

Like Tang Buqi, drawn into the halls of power and away from the jianghu, Snow-Treading Crow was becoming a symbol of his parting with the jianghu.

He remembered those days when the world was green with endless forests, the whinnies of a hundred horses ringing clear and free.

He had been young then, his saber drawn at Beimang, already marking the turning point of an era.

Lady Three leaned over and asked, “Are you feeling sentimental about your horse?”

“Mm-hm,” Zhao Changhe admitted. “It’s tied to my youth.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ridiculous. Since you can improve Dragon Bird, why can’t you do the same for your horse?”

Zhao Changhe paused, surprised. “What do you mean?”

She explained, “You have dragon flesh and blood stored in your storage ring. And with the Heavenly Tome at your disposal—the source of countless methods—why not try transforming Snow-Treading Crow into a flying dragon horse?”

His eyes lit up. Huh... I guess that actually makes perfect sense in this world, doesn’t it...

This world was not rigidly divided. There were paths of transformation and transcendence for anything. If humans could ascend to extraordinary heights, why could the same not be true for a horse? Beyond dragon flesh and blood, he even had some Blood Ao meat in the ring that had yet to be used.

The third page of the Heavenly Tome, the one concerned with the Dao of life, had been instrumental in creating his Blood Asura Body. He had not made much use of it since. Perhaps now was the perfect time to find a way to help Snow-Treading Crow evolve. It aligned perfectly with his expertise.

Reaching into the Heavenly Tome with his mind, he quickly found the necessary methods. With flesh belonging to a flood dragon and Blood Ao on hand, acquiring the remaining ingredients would be straightforward for the Tang Clan.

Furthermore, he could infuse Snow-Treading Crow with dragon qi. Dragons and horses shared a surprising affinity. And dragon qi was something Zhao Changhe possessed in abundance—he had no desire to keep it for himself. It could be gifted freely to the horse.

Ecstatic, Zhao Changhe grabbed Lady Three and planted a swift kiss on her cheek. “Truly, having a wise elder at home is like possessing a priceless treasure!”

“Scram!” Lady Three snapped, indignant. “Who are you calling an elder?”

Xia Chichi, observing from the sidelines, gave an approving nod, silently agreeing.

On second thought, if Snow-Treading Crow learned to fly before Zhao Changhe did, the image of descending onto the battlefield—or into matters of the heart—riding a dragon horse would be nothing short of legendary.

In both war and love, he would be unstoppable.