Chaotic World Book-Chapter 439 - 426: Healing Wounds

"What are you thinking about?" came the gentle voice of Tang Wanju from beside him.

Zhao Changhe snapped back to reality, smiling lightly, "Nothing, just spaced out for a moment."

"Did Ying Wu’s words remind you of something?" Tang Wanju continued feeding him medicine as she spoke, "I too feel that your fate is extraordinary, with a vibe that seems to head straight for Ancient Times, as if being guided."

With a wrinkled face, Zhao Changhe drank a spoonful, "Your tone, it’s like you’ve had this feeling for a while but didn’t really care about it?"

"That sort of thing, I’ve never come across before, and it’s hard to pinpoint what it is... and you keep things close to your chest, after all, you don’t trust me that much..."

Zhao Changhe twisted his face, looking as naïve as they come.

This Daiyu flavor is almost spilling over.

Tang Wanju said what she said, but didn’t actually look displeased, her hands were still gently feeding him medicine as she continued, "But fretting about it is useless, aren’t you willing to give up tracing back to Ancient Times? Or even giving up on your own path of cultivation?"

"I can’t give it up," answered Zhao Changhe.

"Then what’s the use of overthinking? It can only make one needlessly apprehensive," Tang Wanju chuckled, "As long as you know where your heart stands, when you actually encounter related matters in the future, you’ll be well-prepared and not caught off guard... In any case, no matter what happens, only by advancing in cultivation will you have the leeway to make your own choices, just like His Majesty. Regardless of whether His Majesty’s current situation is good or bad, it’s still his own choice."

Zhao Changhe nodded, "That’s true."

"So, considering there’s a precedent set by His Majesty, it’s there for your reference; it’s better than groping in the dark."

Tang Wanju had her own sense of measure. Whether Zhao Changhe was the Crown Prince she wanted to support in her heart, or if he had become something else, he deserved to have his own secrets and decisions. Whether as a minister or something else, her role was to be a supportive ally.

A little spat was just that and no more; she wouldn’t truly pry to the bottom of it.

Truth be told, there was another irreverent thought she hadn’t voiced; it felt like on this matter, Xia Longyuan was simply a precursor to Zhao Changhe’s kingliness.

"Feeling better now? If so, then take your medicine," Tang Wanju playfully admonished, "You could have used the Buddhist Holy Medicine to heal, but preferred to tough it out yourself, and now you’ve earned another month in bed. Comfortable, is it?"

Zhao Changhe watched her tenderly feed him the medicine, sipping little by little; the bitter taste of the medicine seemed overwhelmed by Tang.

"If I can touch a little more, then lying down for another month is worth it..."

Tang Wanju made as if to cover his face with the medicine bowl, and Zhao Changhe shielded his face with his hands.

In truth, the medicine was gone, and Tang Wanju casually set down the bowl, indignantly pried his hands apart and took a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth, "You’ve become like a child who can’t fend for himself, haven’t you? Not knowing how to take your medicine is one thing, but can’t even wipe your own mouth?"

Zhao Changhe declared righteously, "I’m the precious ward, why should I do anything with my aunt here?"

"Who’s your aunt?"

"Ask anyone outside, who doesn’t know Tang Buqi is my brother."

"Tang Buqi has never been treated like this in his life; you want to be the same as him, is that it? Alright, then, I’ll go get a broom..."

"What do you need that for?"

"That’s how Tang Buqi grew up since he was a kid – being smacked with it!"

"...I’m not his actual relative; I get different treatment."

Tang Wanju ruthlessly twisted the silk handkerchief over his mouth, pressing down until his muffled grievances went quiet. Only then did she, satisfied, put away the handkerchief, intending to get up and tidy up.

Just as she stood up, her wrist was caught.

Turning her head, Zhao Changhe’s eyes were glistening, with a look of not wanting her to leave.

Tang Wanju’s heart softened too, and she said tenderly, "Alright now, just like a little child. I’ll just clean up for a..."

Before she could finish, her wrist was suddenly gripped with force.

Tang Wanju didn’t resist and "let herself" fall into his arms.

Instead, the idiot grunted, his chest pained by the collision. Tang Wanju glared at him irritably, "Are we done playing or not?"

"Playing." Zhao Changhe wrapped his arms around her, turned over effortlessly, and pressed her beneath him, kissing her until the world faded away.

Tang Wanzhuang closed her eyes in acquiescence, now truly so accustomed.

Sometimes she wondered if he was an expert at playing a long game?

Yesterday, she agonized over Dual Cultivation, unaware of her own willingness. If he had insisted on it, she might have refused in the end, which could have drastically diminished his standing in her heart.

Yet, he had pressed her acupoints simply to stop her from administering the medicine to him, insisting she take it all herself. He hadn’t shared even a sliver of its power; his only concern was for her meridian’s recovery.

Tang Wanzhuang knew that her heartstrings had been thoroughly plucked at that moment, like a breeze sweeping over tranquil waters, rippling the still surface. Even when Vermilion Bird arrived, she couldn’t resist showing her affection.

Her meridians were settled, but her heart had been stirred. It hadn’t stilled even to this day.

Just like the bouncy vitality outside her heart, now grasped in his hands, inside and out. He even bent down to nibble at Tang, claiming it was sweet there.

Even if he was playing the long game, it was too late to realize it...

What hard-nosed refusal to be the Crown Princess Consort, or the stubborn insistence "I am your master," had now faded from her own desire to mention.

Why bring up the master when no such master had allowed her apprentice to ravish her so thoroughly, her approval unmistakable...

"Alright..." Tang Wanzhuang suddenly stretched out her hand, pressing his head to her chest to stop him from moving: "You’re injured, I can feel you’re holding back from pain with every move, what kind of behavior is this..."

Zhao Changhe played dead, laying motionless on top.

Inside, he felt like crying without tears, indeed in pain, unable to fully enjoy himself, let alone take things further... He felt she was willing, but now he himself was unable.

Who could understand such agony?

"See what happens when you play the hero and give all the Holy Medicine to me?" Tang Wanzhuang could see his frustration, and with a teasing flip, Zhao Changhe lay to the side like a dead dog.

Tang Wanzhuang propped her head to look at him sideways: "Are the Four Symbols Sect’s medicines used up?"

"No, but they won’t heal me so quickly either..." Zhao Changhe spoke listlessly: "I guess it’ll take about a week."

"What do you mean by a week?"

"Oh, seven days." Zhao Changhe was inwardly dismayed. The atmosphere was just right, Wanzhuang was more than willing, but a seven-day cool-off could bring back restraint, which would be a real tragedy.

Tang Wanzhuang was applying eye medicine: "Those two women are quite ruthless, they actually went through with a soul search. Now that Residual Soul is still muddled, not knowing when it might clear up... It’s messed up our chances to interrogate it."

"Could it become an idiot?"

"No, its Level is higher than ours; it’s just temporarily shaken and confused. It will recover before long... and treatment could speed up the process." Tang Wanzhuang got up to tidy her disheveled hair and clothes: "Speaking of which, I should take care of this matter, otherwise your trip to the Ancient Spirit Clan will be complicated if it hasn’t recovered... Those women, truly no sense of moderation..."

Zhao Changhe paused: "What does it have to do with me going to the Ancient Spirit Clan?"

"I think taking it with you will be beneficial. It knows Gu Technique, which must be related to the Ancient Spirit Clan. Whether it’s an enemy of the clan or an ancient ancestor, you’ll handle it depending on the situation—it could be useful." Seeing that Zhao Changhe wasn’t taking the eye medicine either, Tang Wanzhuang turned stern: "You rest here; I’ll check in on you later after my errand."

In truth, Tang Wanzhuang also feared he would press on despite his injury. Without waiting for his reply, she dashed out.

Not far from the door, she saw Cui Wenjing, who seemed to be admiring the view outside the courtyard.

Bao Qin, who had arrived in the early hours of the morning, stood outside the courtyard, tenaciously barring Cui Wenjing’s entrance, her cheeks flushed, not daring to let her in.

Tang Wanzhuang’s face blushed to the tips of her ears. Feigning nonchalance, she stepped forward to greet him: "Marquis Ji, how do you fare..."

Cui Wenjing looked at her expressionlessly for a while, and finally said, "I am quite well, but I’m afraid some others aren’t. Might I suggest exercising a bit more restraint... How does the patient think he’s made of iron?"

Tang Wanzhuang’s face burned with embarrassment, clueless about how to confront her rival’s father. She grabbed Bao Qin’s hand and ran off like a bullet.

And the irony was that she had found this love rival herself, approving Cui Yuanyang as the legitimate wife. Now she wished she could travel back a year and a half to the Demon Suppression Department and slap the face of Chief Tang, who thought she had cleverly manipulated Cui Yuanyang to go to Beimang: "That’ll teach you to plot!"

Cui Wenjing watched his daughter and her servant flee, shaking his head, he entered the house with his hands behind his back.

Zhao Changhe said, "I knew you couldn’t bear it... Ah, ah..."

Cui Wenjing casually picked up a doorstop and sauntered over: "I do hold a particular fondness for you, seeing that your recovery isn’t sufficient, why not lay down for a few more days?"

"Hey hey hey, Old Cui you... dammit, help!"

"You don’t want to be hit? That’s simple, let’s sit down and have a chat, set a wedding date?"

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m fre𝒆webnov(e)l.com