Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 82: Snow-Treading Crow

Zhao Changhe felt a strange indignation after having been so stupidly baited. Right now, he only wanted to gather everyone in front of the Cui Clan’s ancestral temple and publicly announce “I’m an idiot.”

And people really think Yangyang is dumb!

Thankfully, the dumb rabbit did not continue her questioning because her face was boiling hot. Even if she wanted to continue teasing him, she would not be able to. She was also too bashful to dig herself deeper into his embrace.

At the end of the day, she was still a young girl. Even if she unlocked some abilities, she had no idea how to use them.

For a while, there was only the haggard breathing of the two in the room. Their gazes hopped around as they looked at each other.

What do you want me to give you?

As a man, Zhao Changhe had to admit that he really had that desire. Looking at her little rosy cheeks, he really wanted to nibble and kiss them, especially when he knew that she would not refuse him.

But...well.

Zhao Changhe grit his teeth and restrained himself.

He finally stop avoided Yangyang’s gaze, slightly bent down and clasped her flushed cheeks with both his hands. “Yangyang.”

“Yeah...” Cui Yuanyang was both bashful and happy. Her heart felt like it was going to hop out of her throat...

Has Big Brother Zhao ever done something this intimate to me before? He always treated her like a little sister. It was hard for her to avoid thinking that her Big Brother Zhao had never had that kind of desire. She thought that it was just difficult for him to pull out now that things had gotten this far. Three years later, perhaps he would pretend like nothing ever happened.

But this... With the differences in their height, Zhao Changhe had to actually bow down to clasp her cheeks. It gave the whole scene a comical quality. Even though this made it look like he still treated her as a little sister, it was not as his own blood-related sister, but more like a lover—there were some things he would not have done to her if he saw her purely as a little sister.

Zhao Changhe rubbed her little cheeks and gently said, “Yangyang, I know what you’re worried about, but your Big Brother Zhao really likes you.”

Cui Yuanyang’s bashfulness quickly disappeared. Her eyes were glistening.

“But, Yanyang, you’re too young.” Zhao Changhe continued rubbing her cheeks like he was kneading dough. “We agreed on three years, so let’s stick to three years. What’s so amazing about the Ranking of Man? You’ll get the news when I climb up to that. After that, I’ll return to the Cui Clan in glory and meet a beautiful, grown-up Yangyang. Alright?”

Zhao Changhe’s words clearly made Cui Yuanyang happy in her heart, but she murmured, “Liar. You said you liked the Yangyang of today and you didn’t want her to grow up.”

Zhao Changhe smiled. “Your mind doesn’t need to grow up, but your other parts can.”

“Pfft! Scoundrel!” The little rabbit stamped her feet and broke away from him, then darted out of the study, covering her face. “The books about the history of the eras are on the top shelf. Flip through them yourself.”

Zhao Changhe stood up straight and heaved a long sigh.

Everything’s actually this simple, why make it so complicated?

He looked at the flustered young lady fleeing away as if her life depended on it and felt she was smiling. Isn’t this good?

Zhao Changhe, unworried, poured himself a cup of tea and leisurely picked out some books from Cui Wenjing’s bookshelf.

Cui Wenjing had indeed only given him a broad outline. If Zhao Changhe did not take the chance now to obtain a more detailed understanding of the history of this world, when was he going to do it? He was now in the library of the head of the Cui Clan; the research and findings of a first-rate clan had been made available to him just like that. In some sense, this was of even more significance than being handed the Dragon Bird of the Great Xia.

Zhao Changhe drank his tea as he read. Teasing a blushing young lady—was there a more delightful way to live?

*

“Big Brother Zhao! Big Brother Zhao!”

The following morning, Zhao Changhe got out of his bed in the guest room. As usual, he drove away the maids who wanted to serve and wash him and then went to train with his saber.

Before he had even trained for an hour, Cui Yuanyang, who had scurried away flustered the day before, excitedly rushed over to him. “Training with your saber again?”

“Yes. Your father mentioned that he got some people to make adjustments to Dragon Bird. It’s been an entire night and the saber is still nowhere to be seen... Eh?” Zhao Changhe replied casually. As he turned to look at Cui Yuanyang, he almost twisted his neck. “Why are you back to being a rabbit?”

Cui Yuanyang had changed back from her light green dress into her fluffy fur coat and rabbit-ear hat. That noble bearing of a maiden from a rich family she had previously was now completely gone; overnight, she had reverted to being an idiot.

Yesterday, she still put on the image of a wise and virtuous lady who refrained from speaking in the presence of her elders, but now, she had done away with the act and skipped over, smiling. “Big Brother Zhao, you obviously like this Yangyang. Whenever you see me like this, your eyes squinch from smiling.”

Zhao Changhe coughed dryly. “I like you regardless of what you wear, but spring is almost over. Won’t you die from the heat if you wear such thick clothes?”

“The Qingming festival isn’t even here yet! There’s cold snaps in spring, don’t you know!?” Cui Yuanyang groaned as she pulled Zhao Changhe along by the hand. “Let’s go to the horse pasture. I heard they have some good new horses. I haven’t seen them before. I’ll bring you to take a look with me.”

Zhao Changhe sheathed his saber and let himself be pulled along by the little rabbit as she skipped away. Without realizing it, he also began skipping. It’s too contagious...

The horse pasture was far away. They had to leave the city and travel a long distance. Zhao Changhe saw a large river on which boats drifted about. By the side of the river was grassland as far as the eye could see; numerous riders were riding horses there and as the wind pushed down the grasses, he could faintly see no small number of horses grazing in the fields.

“This is my family’s horse pasture!” Cui Yuanyang led Zhao Changhe and ran toward the fields. “It’s rather quiet today because of last night’s events... Otherwise, there’d be a whole group of people racing here livening up the place!

Zhao Changhe’s nose twitched as he suddenly recalled something Cui Yuanyang had told him a while back. “There’s a river near my home.”

What she meant was not that there was a river in the vicinity, but that there was a river running across their territory, a river belonging to her clan.

No wonder Cui Yuanyang was quite adept at horse riding. Her days basically consisted of watching chickens fight and riding horses. How could she possibly be bad at riding horses...

“Senior Wang! Senior Wang!” Cui Yuanyang went up to an elderly man and tugged on him. “Where’s Black Peony? I miss her.”

Senior Wang smiled. “We bought some good horses from the western regions a few days ago. Right now, we’re mulling over which one to mate with Black Peony.”

Cui Yuanyang’s eyes went wide. “Mate??? Black Peony is still too young!”

Senior Wang glanced at Zhao Changhe and did not say anything.

Young lady, do you finally know how your father feels?

The couple both understood Senior Wang’s gaze. A flustered Cui Yuanyang, with a bashful expression on her face, stamped her feet. “Let me take a look. What kind of repulsive beast dares to mate with my Black Peony? I won’t allow it!”

Yes. This is what your father thinks as well.

The old man did not say too much, however, and brought both of them to see the horses. Zhao Changhe thought that a little white rabbit like Cui Yuanyang would like white horses. He did not know why her horse was named Black Peony, but when they arrived, he was dumbstruck.

It was a beautiful, snow-white horse that reminded him of a unicorn. Upon seeing Cui Yuanyang approach, it enthusiastically galloped over to meet her. Cui Yuanyang hugged its neck cheerfully. “Black Peony, I missed you so much!”

Zhao Changhe: “...???”

Why the fuck did you name this horse Black Peony!? Why not Ebony Ink Raven? Even I can tell it’s an amazing horse!

Cui Yuanyang looked at Zhao Changhe and giggled. “Why are you twitching like that, Big Brother Zhao?”

“Why did you give a white horse such a name?”

“So that I can see other people react like how you just did. Hahaha...”

Zhao Changhe: “Fuck.”

As Cui Yuanyang was about to say something, the chaotic sound of clopping hooves came from behind. Someone shouted. “Young lady, be careful! This horse is still unruly. We haven’t let it out to graze yet. Be careful not to get hit, young lady!”

When Cui Yuanyang turned to look at the horse, her eyes instantly lit up.

A shining black steed was speeding toward them. It was black throughout, except for its hooves—they were snow-white, as if it was treading through snow. It looked beautiful. Behind it, a few stable hands were chasing it. They made a big fuss as they brandished a few ropes and attempted to capture it.

Cui Yuanyang tugged on Zhao Changhe. “Hey, Big Brother Zhao, do you like that horse?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t know how to appraise horses... But from its appearance, is its name Snow-Treading Crow[1]?”

“Snow-Treading Crow—that’s a good name.” Senior Wang smiled. “This horse hasn’t been given a name yet.”

“Then he’ll be called Snow-Treading Crow!” Cui Yuanyang tugged on Zhao Changhe. “I’ll break in the horse with Big Brother Zhao!”

“Hey! Break in a horse? I don’t even know how to ride one!”

“It’s really simple!” Cui Yuanyang leaped in the air, and with an extremely nimble somersault, landed steadily on the galloping steed’s back.

The riders at the back all loudly cheered, “Amazing! Young lady, you’re even more agile than before!”

In the midst of their applauding, the horse swept past Zhao Changhe. Cui Yuanyang reached her hand toward Zhao Changhe and pulled him up. He used the force of her hand to flip into the air and land behind her.

This horse was speeding away, out of control. The riders behind them all looked at each other and their horses all slowed down; none of them dared to pursue them.

In such an open space in front of numerous people, Zhao Changhe hugged Cui Yuanyang’s hips as they rode the horse together... She was even blushing and looked incredibly happy.

They had enough tact to refrain from going over to them. There should be no problem if the young lady is the one breaking the horse in...right?

“How do we tame it?” Zhao Changhe felt all this to be a big pain in the ass as he grabbed onto the young lady’s waist. He really did not want to embrace her like this in front of so many eyes, but this horse was different from the one they rode before. It swerved left and right and shook all around. If he was not at his current cultivation, his two legs would not have been able to hold onto the horse. Someone who had never ridden a horse would have been thrown off in the first second.

Cui Yuanyang, who was supposed to be responsible for breaking in the horse, suddenly had no idea how to do it. Her entire body was limp, as if she was paralyzed in Zhao Changhe’s embrace. “Big—Big Brother Zhao... I—If you hug me like that, I can’t muster my strength...”

Zhao Changhe: “?”

The steed neighed as it raised its forelegs and reared. It wanted to shake off the two humans on its back. They were just feeding assistants, what business did they have riding it?

Zhao Changhe lost his temper and struck the horse’s head with his fist. “Other people ride on horses with girls to catch the wind together. I’m also riding on a horse to catch the wind with a girl. What’s with this irreverence? What’re you prancing like that for? Behave yourself!”

Cui Yuanyang: “...”

The steed got dizzy from being hammered by Zhao Changhe and began jumping all over the place. Zhao Changhe tightly locked his legs around the horse’s stomach and immediately wrapped Cui Yuanyang in a tight embrace as he rigidly clutched the reins.

Ordinary horsemen, though skilled and athletic, could not compare to someone at the fourth layer of the Profound Gate. No matter how majestic this horse was, it had no way of defying Zhao Changhe’s immense strength.

“Still want to resist!?” Zhao Changhe struck the horse again with his fist. “Jump around again and I’ll smack you!”

The horse was about to cry as it flopped around for a short moment. Then, it seemed like it had decided to behave itself. It slowed down to a relaxed walk as it brought the two of them to wander by the river bank.

It looks like... it’s calmed down?

Zhao Changhe lowered his head to look at the young lady in his embrace, panting. “Hey. Is this enough?”

Cui Yuanyang raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were sparkling. “Big Brother Zhao, you say you don’t know how to ride, but it turns out you’re a natural at taming... Just look at how docile it is.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Are you talking about the horse or...

Cui Yuanyang looked around. In just that short period, the steed had galloped far away, to where there were no people around. A cool breeze brushed across the riverside; the waves resounded in the background; faraway, they could faintly see the sails of ships.

The danger they had felt crossing the river back then was now replaced by the refreshing clamor of the stream and the warm spring winds; the danger of fleeing on horseback had morphed into the relaxation of an unhurried stroll.

Cui Yuanyang continued looking around. Her beautiful eyes seemed downcast as she passionately nestled in Zhao Changhe’s embrace and asked, “Big Brother Zhao, before you leave...can—can you...kiss me?”

Zhao Changhe was neither too modest nor did he go overboard.

He lowered his head and kissed the small rabbit on her boiling cheeks, saying in a low voice, “I should have marked you like this from the start.... Wait for me.”

1. This is the name of the horse belonging to Yu Chigong, a general instrumental to the founding of the Tang Dynasty. ☜

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