Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 449: Rainbow Through the Sunset

Sisi ran off in a hurry, leaving Zhao Changhe unsure whether he had actually rested or if he felt even more drained.

At least he finally got to take the bath he had been longing for. He then fell asleep fitfully on the bed, half awake and half dreaming, with the floral scent of the bedding around him. His dreams were a blurry montage of shifting images, none of them clear or coherent.

Over and over again, those eyes, both coy and playful, flickered before him, along with glimpses of a pale waist and delicate feet. The images swayed and blurred.

Even in his dreams, he could not figure out the relationships between them. When he woke up, he was just as confused.

He woke up just as dawn was breaking. A young maidservant was dozing off nearby, but as soon as he woke, she quickly snapped to attention, rubbing her eyes with a smile. “Did you sleep well, sir guest? You were muttering something in your sleep, but I couldn’t quite make anything of it.”

“Huh?” Zhao Changhe sat up quickly. “What did I say?”

“I couldn’t hear clearly,” the maid teased, leaning in closer. “Could you tell me quietly? I won’t tell the saintess.”

As she leaned in, a soft fragrance wafted toward him, and Zhao Changhe froze, not daring to move. The maid’s proximity was intoxicating, much like being the Longevity Monk[1] walking through the Kingdom of Women—temptation lurked everywhere.

But since she had not heard him clearly, Zhao Changhe relaxed. He grinned, saying, “I was probably dreaming that your saintess was sending me a little maid as a gift.”

The maid blushed and playfully spat. “Ugh! We don’t have such customs here. That’s just one of you Xia people’s bad habits. Don’t impose such nasty practices on us; it’s disgusting!”

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Changhe asked, “So, what are your customs here then?”

The maid replied, “When we fancy someone, we invite them to dance into our tents. What we do is our own business; it has nothing to do with others.”

“But... doesn’t that lead to someone getting their, um, feelings hurt?”

“We have gu poison for that. Would he dare?”

Zhao Changhe muttered, “Damn.”

That kind of gu poison sounded a lot like the infamous Heart-Bonding Gu, a mutual restraint. They might seem open and free, but in reality, they were committed to one person once they made a choice. It was not the casual affair one might expect. If you actually hooked up with someone, you would be bound to them, making you practically married.

So when Sisi brought me into her tent and even appeared while I was bathing, it probably hinted at something more significant in the eyes of her people... Does Sisi really care so little about her reputation?

Zhao Changhe cautiously probed, “Does this apply to the saintess too? No need for political marriages or divine obligations? She can just pick anyone she wants?”

“Of course, we are of the Ancient... uh,” the maid huffed. “We don’t have political marriages. The saintess can decide for herself in Miaojiang. In fact, that brute Lei Ao once tried to propose to the saintess, but she punched him so hard that one of his teeth got knocked out. Didn’t you notice Lei Ao’s missing tooth?”

“Uh... no, I didn’t.”

“If we have any rule, it’s strength,” the maid said, sizing up Zhao Changhe with a cheeky grin. “I heard you escaped from the saintess’s snake formation? That’s pretty impressive, no wonder...”

Zhao Changhe replied with a blank expression, “There are plenty of people stronger than your saintess. If she’s really picking a husband based on that, she’s got a long way to go.”

The maid’s eyes sparkled. “Oh? Are you jealous? Afraid she’ll run off with someone stronger?”

Zhao Changhe paused, not responding.

The maid laughed even more brightly and hurried to grab a basin of water. “Let’s wash up first.”

“Wash what?” came Sisi’s sharp voice from outside the tent. “Just splash his face and slap him a couple of times to dry him up.”

The maid giggled and ran off. “Saintess, you should reward him yourself.”

The tent flap lifted, and the maid dashed past Sisi, laughing all the way. Sisi stood at the entrance with her arms crossed, watching her run off, her face stern. Only after the maid was out of sight did she walk inside, grumbling, “No respect these days. I’ve spoiled them too much. I need to learn from your aristocratic families on how they properly discipline their servants.”

Zhao Changhe rubbed his face, casually saying, “They’re not really servants, are they? They’re your trusted tribe members, curious about the outside world. They’re just helping you out, but not in a servant role.”

“Indeed, our tribe doesn’t have a servant system. We’re all family, and there are people of higher or lower status but no one is treated as a lowly servant. If we ever settle outside, I doubt we’d treat our own people that way, even if we adopt some of your bad habits. Catching outsiders as slaves seems more fitting. I think you’d make a good one.”

Zhao Changhe ignored her last comment and smiled. “These young girls are naive. You should keep an eye on them, or they might get tricked into doing something they regret, and then they wouldn’t have the heart to use their gu poison.”

Sisi couldn’t help but laugh. “Hey, they’re not yours. Why are you so concerned if they get tricked?”

“I’m just looking out for them,” Zhao Changhe replied with a good-natured shrug. “They’re cute, so it’s just a friendly warning.”

Sisi walked closer and whispered in his ear, “Or... are you already treating them like your harem?”

“Not at all,” Zhao Changhe replied, casting her a sidelong glance. He was about to say “I don’t even want you,” but for some reason, the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he shifted the topic. “Today, I’m planning to go to Xizhou in disguise to investigate Lei Ao and Shi Wuding’s situation.”

Even though she had overheard the earlier talk of “jealousy,” Sisi did not dwell on it. Her demeanor had completely shifted from the teasing tone of yesterday to something much more serious. She responded earnestly, “Your sword was seen in public yesterday. Shouldn’t you consider using a different one?”

“I’ll just change the scabbard. Most swords look like most other swords, no one can tell the difference,” replied Zhao Changhe, though he sounded a bit resigned. He knew that without Dragon Emperor’s power, he would not have been able to hold off Shi Wuding yesterday. He realized just how difficult it would have been to survive in this place without the artifacts he had.

Sisi poked her head out of the tent and instructed the maids to find a scabbard. Then she looked up at the sky, puzzled. “Strange, it’s almost dawn. Big Sis Yue was supposed to assassinate the pacification commissioner by now. The best time would have been before dawn. If it hasn’t happened yet, something must have gone wrong...”

Zhao Changhe froze for a moment. “How would you know whether she succeeded or not from all the way out here?”

Sisi glanced at him, “Because the pacification commissioner she’s targeting is on the Ranking of Man. Her target is Lan Tiankuo, eleventh on the Ranking of Man.”

Zhao Changhe was shocked, “Why him? Before I came here, I checked the list of experts in Miaojiang. His name wasn’t mentioned at all!”

Sisi shook her head, “He was just transferred from Shu... He’s only been here for a little over a month. Most of the terrible things happening recently, like pressuring the tribes to send women, were instigated by him. A new official always applies strict measures, that much we all know, yet with the measures he has taken, he has only been sparking flames of rebellion within Miaojiang.”

Zhao Changhe could no longer sit still. He hurried out of the tent without waiting for the scabbard. “Is Yue Hongling strong enough to take on someone ranked eleventh on the Ranking of Man? And with all his guards and subordinates? Is she trying to get herself killed? Dali, right? I’m going to find her right now!”

Sisi watched him anxiously rush away, her expression flickering with something unspoken. Finally, she sighed. “There are powerful people from my tribe assisting in secret. She’s not alone. Also, you’re only ranked thirty-seventh on the Ranking of Man. Yue Hongling was already a renowned talent when you didn’t even know how to wield a saber. Why do you keep underestimating her? Just because she hasn’t climbed the rankings as quickly as you?”

“Still, I need to help...” Zhao Changhe said, already sprinting toward the village gates.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

A golden light flashed in the sky.

The fourth month, Grain in Ear[2], Yue Hongling attempts to assassinate Lan Tiankuo at the Dali Pacification Commission. Her initial strike fails, and she is trapped but manages to break through.

As Lan Tiankuo gives chase, Yue Hongling suddenly turns back, slaying him within his own ranks.

At that moment, a white rainbow pierced the morning sun, casting darkness upon the sky. Life and death became one.

Those who witnessed it were struck with fear.

Yue Hongling, drenched in blood, broke through the siege and vanished into the distance.

There is a change in the Ranking of Man.

Rank 11: Sunset Divine Sword Yue Hongling.

Why should the sunset be solitary? The long rainbow runs through the sunset.

Zhao Changhe stood there, looking up at the sky for a long time, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

“Get me a horse,” he said, striding back toward the village gates. “She may have pulled it off beautifully, but she’s still in danger. I need to catch up with her.”

Sisi followed him with a stern expression, feeling like Zhao Changhe’s gaze on Yue Hongling’s name in the ever-changing Tome of Troubled Times turned everything and everyone else into mere background noise.

* * *

Southwest of Erhai, Dali.

The sound of hooves shattered the misty morning calm. Yue Hongling, covered in blood, rode her horse at full gallop. Behind her, a massive wave of pursuers gave chase, their numbers seemingly endless.

Yue Hongling was injured and exhausted, but her gaze remained resolute, without a trace of fear.

Yue Hongling did not let Sisi’s people handle the rearguard. She did not want to drag Sisi and her entire tribe into a crisis like this. She would deal with it herself, even though it was dangerous.

The terrain here was flat, but Cangshan loomed nearby. If she could reach the mountains, there was a chance she could shake off her pursuers. While the mountains also had their dangers, with the Black Hmong occupying the area, it was better than being a sitting target on the open plains near the lake.

It was a shame for her horse, a prized Ferghana steed she had taken with Zhao Changhe during their time in the north. They had ridden together for so long. If she had to abandon the horse to escape into the mountains, it would likely be lost from her forever.

If she survived, she vowed to find out who took the horse and get it back with interest.

As this thought flashed through her mind, she noticed dust rising in the distance ahead.

Her heart clenched. If there were forces blocking the way up ahead and she couldn’t make it to the mountains in time, things would get tricky.

She bit her lip and urged her horse forward. She had no choice but to break through!

As she drew closer, she could already make out the rough, bearded faces of Miao warriors. They looked fierce and menacing.

Yue Hongling clenched the longsword in her hand.

Just then, chaos erupted behind the enemy forces. An arrow, shot from an incredible distance, pierced through the last Miao warrior, the sheer force of it flinging him from his horse. He crashed into the horse ahead of him, throwing the whole formation into disarray.

The Miao warriors blocking the road all reined in their horses and turned to look back in shock. A burly man, wielding a massive saber, was charging forward from the distant dust cloud.

“ANYONE IN MY WAY WILL DIE!”

From afar, Yue Hongling’s unwavering eyes suddenly sparkled with joy and a deep, hidden fatigue.

It’s you...

Yue Hongling did not bother wondering why he was there—whether it was just a coincidence or if he had come specifically knowing she was in danger.

It doesn’t matter. Now that he’s here, I don’t have to be so tired anymore...

With a thunderous roar, Zhao Changhe caught up with the enemy forces. Dragon Bird cleaved through them and heads flew, blood spraying into the sky.

A manifestation of the Blood God loomed, casting a shadow over the battlefield and spreading fear unchecked through the ranks.

He really is suitable for this kind of scene... Yue Hongling tightened her grip on her longsword and charged into the fray.

A blade of sword qi accurately pierced the throat of the nearest enemy in front of her and he fell from his horse, choking. Yue Hongling then plunged deeper into the battle.

Amidst the chaos of thousands, the two of them drew closer, their paths converging. As they neared, they could see the joy in each other’s eyes. The faces of the soldiers surrounding them became a blur, irrelevant.

“Tired of wandering the world yet?” Zhao Changhe slashed a Miao warrior in two with a single blow, shouting, “I’ve come to take you home!”

Yue Hongling broke into a smile as radiant as the morning sun.

Riding a little ways back, Sisi clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. She was just a beat slower, not even able to join the battle before she was already hit with a faceful of unexpected dog food.

Disgusting.

1. This is a reference to Tang Sanzang, a Buddhist monk and pilgrim who is a central character in Journey to the West. ☜

2. This is the ninth of the twenty-four solar terms. ☜