Even the palace maids felt that His Majesty was inviting the gentleman to take off his armor, but Zhao Changhe himself did not realize it.
Because this was Xia Chichi's imperial study, the rustic Zhao Changhe subconsciously thought it was a place for meetings, and never thought about what he could do here. So he followed Xia Chichi into the room very naturally, closed the door in the strange looks on the faces of the palace maids, and the attendants all slipped away very consciously.
It was not until the door was closed that Zhao Changhe realized, "Hey, you are alone in the imperial study, without even someone to grind ink or light a lamp? Is this how a simple way to be an emperor?"
Xia Chichi turned around to see her lover's rare stupid behavior, with a smile in her eyes. She sat back in her chair and asked lazily, "Why did you rush back from Langya in the middle of the night? Shouldn't you be celebrating your success in Langya with your Cui Yuanyang? Or pick a few pretty girls from the Wang family's concubines to play with? They wouldn't dare to resist."
Zhao Changhe said speechlessly: "Little witch."
"Why is she a witch? Destroying cities and destroying countries, isn't that a common thing?"
"The Cuis have been married for generations. The so-called Wang family's wives might have been married to the Cui family. Wang Zhaoling didn't need to explain this to Cui Yuanyong before he died. Besides, how could we, as a dignified teacher, do such a thing and give others a chance to criticize us?"
"So you've really thought about it?"
Zhao Changhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "You are fishing."
Xia Chichi stared at him for a long while, then suddenly smiled: "I'm asking you seriously, shouldn't you be sleeping with Cui Yuanyang in your arms at this time? Why did you come back at this time? Are you missing me?"
Zhao Changhe sighed, "I have too many concerns to rest. I want to know if there is any news from Batu. Has your uncle gone to Huangshaji and sent a message back?"
"So you were thinking of Batu."
"?"
Xia Chichi sighed and said, "Although we have written to Batu several times, he always thought that nothing would happen in the heavy snow, and he was sleeping soundly in his tent. As a result, Timur's army attacked and Batu was defeated. If it weren't for the Xuanwu Reverend who happened to arrive and rescued him, Timur would have cut off his head and used it as a chamber pot."
Zhao Changhe knocked his head in annoyance: "I knew it, this idiot. So how can I sleep peacefully..."
Xia Chichi said, "There's no point in being anxious. Anyway, there's a big difference between the wars on the grasslands and here, which is that it's not easy to fight a war of annihilation. It's hard to chase them down when they're all fleeing in all directions. In the end, they can gather a lot of people. This is also the main reason why the wars against the Hu people would come back soon after they won in the past dynasties."
"Um… "
"So even though Batu was defeated, it was not so easy to be destroyed. It's just that the land with lush grass and water was taken back, and the food, cattle and sheep were lost heavily... After the beginning of spring, the situation became even more severe, just like a repeat of last year, with the two sides reversed. Now the Xuanwu Reverend is also helping Batu to gather the remaining troops, and there will be no new news for a while."
Zhao Changhe deduced in his mind for a moment, then asked, "Where is your master?"
"She went to help her brother to ambush and kill people. She wanted to kill someone before, but your Wanzhuang got there first, so she was very angry... She enjoyed the killing, and she should be back soon. If she wasn't there, we wouldn't necessarily win even if the ambush was successful. We have too few soldiers, and Shaozong's army is not that elite... But once the Suzaku Venerable's mountain-burning flames appear, there will be no suspense."
Zhao Changhe nodded. Huangfu Shaozong had too few soldiers and their elite strength was limited. Apart from anything else, if it was a truly disciplined army, they should have headed straight to the Three Jins to eliminate the worries of Yanmen. But this army probably couldn't do that. After the ambush, they probably just wanted to go home to ask for rewards and celebrate the New Year.
After all, this is not a game where you can't just send as many heads as you want all over the world.
But perhaps we can change our thinking. This army can still be trusted to garrison in the city, and the elite of the Four Symbols Sect can be sent out to do the work of the Three Jins. Because the situation in the Three Jins is different from conventional wars, it may be better to use Jianghu methods, especially the methods of the Demon Sect.
In the past, merchants in Jinzhong messed around behind the scenes. It was fine if they aided the enemy, but they also colluded with local officials to manipulate military supplies and hoard them, affecting the front-line supply. They were completely a cancer. Xia Longyuan didn't care, but the senior officials in the court were not unaware of it. They also participated in the dividends. With the collusion between the upper and lower officials, Huangfu Yongxian could not do anything at all. He could only send people to pretend to be horse bandits to rob food. These things were experienced by himself and Yue Hongling at the beginning. It was very magical.
This time it was even more ruthless. In the first few days after the establishment of the new dynasty, the first troops to arrive at the city were actually the troops from Jinzhong. Although they were close to each other, it was also possible to see their close ties with the officials in the capital and their thoroughly exposed rebellious intentions. Now Yanmen was sandwiched between them and the Hu people, and it was extremely dangerous. If Batu hadn't blocked the first shot in front, it would be hard to say what the situation would be now.
But their situation seems to be quite scattered, without a very clear centralized authority, and it seems to be just a business alliance. In this situation, using the army to conquer them one by one would be like getting stuck in a quagmire, and the martial arts methods might be more suitable...
Now that I have thought about it, I feel that it is really unnecessary for me to rush back in such a hurry. I have to wait for Sanniang to give me feedback on Batu's situation before I can make a plan. It would be a foolish decision to rush out now.
No wonder Chi Chi felt confused about running back. She should have held Yangyang in her arms and slept at this time... Zhao Changhe felt relieved and regretted it so much that he wanted to die.
Seeing Zhao Changhe's face gradually becoming bitter as he thought about it, Xia Chichi's eyes flashed with a smile and deliberately changed the subject: "Hey, why do you like to call her my master? I have never worshipped her as my master, but as a previous generation of venerable, it is her responsibility to guide the new saint."
Zhao Changhe came back to his senses and responded casually: "That's also the truth of the master-disciple relationship... For example, it's just Sun Jiaoshi's responsibility to teach the newcomers swordsmanship, but he will always be my master, and everyone in the world thinks so."
Xia Chichi bit her lower lip and said, "Isn't it because you would be more excited if you had this title?"
Zhao Changhe: "... I don't need this title. She is your mother now. Isn't this title impressive enough?" Xia Chichi said: "Do you really want the Queen Mother and the Emperor to serve you together?"
Zhao Changhe tilted his head: "I'm here to discuss business! Don't even think of using this to test the cadres!"
Xia Chichi asked: "Hey, are you considered a subordinate now?"
Zhao Changhe asked unhappily, "What for?"
"As a subject, is it your duty to serve the emperor?"
"… "
"My dear Lord Zhao..." Xia Chichi said in a friendly voice, "I have been working at my desk all day and my shoulders are sore. Can you give me a massage?"
I seem to be much more tired than you these days... Zhao Changhe curled his lips but didn't say that in the end.
Earlier I was thinking that taking over the emperor's job was liberating myself, and this should be true, but when I glanced at the densely packed personnel relationships on the case, the follow-up handling of the rebellion in the capital, the official arrangements after taking over the Cui, Wang, and Yang families, tax management, military reform... and so on, my scalp tingled and I just wanted to run away.
Although I have been fighting and running around these days, I am very tired, but it is what I like to do, so I am not tired at all. However, the fatigue that Chi Chi bears in this position may not be what she likes. You can imagine how tired she feels.
Zhao Changhe sighed, walked behind Xia Chichi, stretched out his hand to pinch her shoulders, and said softly: "If you are tired, there is no need to be so anxious, take your time."
Xia Chichi leaned in his arms, closed his eyes and rested for a while, then responded in a low voice: "You have been through life and death outside, fighting gods and demons, what I have done is nothing..."
Zhao Changhe didn't answer for a moment.
"I'm so happy that you flew back so anxiously." Xia Chichi whispered, "You said that you didn't feel like resting because you had too many follow-up matters... In fact, you were worried about the war in the capital and wanted to come back to take a look, right?"
Zhao Changhe was stunned, perhaps he really had this thought in his subconscious... Because when the Book of Chaos reported the war situation in the capital, he was in the water of the secret realm and did not see it. He always felt empty in his heart and wanted to take a look to feel at ease.
Neither of them spoke for a while, but they both felt very close to each other's hearts. You know what I am thinking, and I know what you are thinking.
"You should be hugging Cui Yuanyang right now..." Xia Chichi brought up the topic again and whispered, "Since we're here, let me accompany you..."
Zhao Changhe: “…”
Xia Chichi said softly: "Why are you keeping your hands so still? Move down..."
Zhao Changhe readily reached down from the collar of the dragon robe and touched the smooth and fat-like area.
Xia Chichi panted slightly: "Does it suit your taste to play with the emperor in the imperial study?"
Zhao Changhe didn't pretend to be a gentleman when it came to his own wife: "Isn't this His Majesty's reward for my hard work and great achievements?"
He kicked the chair away, half-lifted Xia Chichi, let her lean over to support the imperial desk, and lifted the hem of his dragon robe.
Xia Chichi looked back with some resentment, with a hint of anger in her eyes.
He clearly liked this kind of blasphemy and conquest. He never took off his dragon robe after several encounters with her.
In the imperial study, the oil lamp flickered, and the emperor's suppressed breathing gradually reached the outside. As early as when the two entered the room, all the male lives outside had been driven away for miles, leaving only the palace maids with red faces and lowered heads, rubbing their toes on the ground, not knowing how to comment on this scene of the emperor being pressed on the imperial desk and whipped by a great scholar.
A flash of fire flashed in the sky, like a flying firebird, and then turned into a solid and slender figure, landing in front of the house.
The palace maids were startled and were about to pay their respects when the Queen Mother opened the door and walked in: "Shaozong is gathering the captives and leading the army back. The original plan to go directly north to Jinzhong was overthinking. We need to reconsider... Eh?"
"Bang!" The door was slammed shut, and the Queen Mother's voice became furious: "You are the Emperor, and you are being pushed around by this pig. Do you have any shame?"
(End of this chapter)