Tang Wanzhuang, who has always had a gentle temperament, was probably angered for the first time in her life by a single sentence. Zhao Changhe watched helplessly as she grabbed the Dragon Sword by the bed and stormed out of the room. With one kick, she flipped Tang Buqi over and used the Dragon Sword as a door panel to hit Tang Buqi's buttocks. "I told you not to knock, I told you not to call me uncle! Who told you I'm your uncle!"

Tang Buqi screamed, "I was wrong, I was wrong. Auntie cares about her reputation, not uncle, not uncle."

Tang Wanzhuang exploded, "Who told you it's because of me caring about my reputation?"

"I was wrong, Auntie doesn't care about her reputation... doesn't care about her reputation..."

"Smack, smack, smack..."

Amidst Tang Buqi's screams, Zhao Changhe finally closed his mouth after leaving it open for a while.

What a genius, who else would get beaten if not you?

Why does it feel like this aunt has been bullying her nephew since childhood? She's so skilled at it...

He wanted to intervene but didn't know where to start. In the end, what came out of his mouth was, "Stop fighting, you're not feeling well. What if you get tired..."

Tang Buqi: "..."

I'm the one getting beaten, and you're worried about her? And you still say you're not my uncle!

Tang Wanzhuang was really tired from the beating. Leaning on the sword, she coughed and asked, "Tell me, what did your father say when he came in?"

"My father said that the sword is most likely the Daxia Dragon Sword, and Brother Zhao is most likely..." Tang Buqi covered his head and cautiously glanced at his aunt. "So I came to confirm it, but it seems unnecessary now."

Tang Wanzhuang was almost driven to death by anger. She coughed violently for a long time and couldn't even speak.

Zhao Changhe always felt that her illness might be caused by the idiots in her family...

He could only say, "Nephew... oh, Brother Tang, this sword is indeed the Dragon Sword. Please help keep it a secret. Also, just because someone can use the Dragon Sword doesn't mean they have any special status. Look, your aunt is also using it. Don't jump to conclusions..."

My aunt is the head of the Demon Suppression Bureau and is connected to the Daxia's Qi. What's so strange about the Dragon Sword recognizing her? Who are you?

Explore the extended edition on pawread dot com.

Tang Buqi felt that he couldn't say anything today. It's better not to say anything than to get beaten.

Whether the sword is the Dragon Sword or not, you are a prince, and it's normal for my aunt to be close to you. Our family should be happy about it. I should keep my mouth shut... It's just that I, as a pitiful nephew, have gained a younger uncle for no reason and still get beaten by my stubborn aunt.

Tang Buqi felt wronged and finally said, "Not many people can recognize this sword. If my father doesn't say it, I won't say it, and most likely, no one else will know."

"Alright, I believe the Tang family knows how to handle this matter." Zhao Changhe sighed, "Come in and sit, what else do we have to talk about?"

Tang Wanzhuang glanced at him and finally didn't say anything. She sat down on the desk on the side, holding the sword.

Tang Buqi cautiously followed in, sitting on the chair opposite to her, his buttocks still sore from being spanked.

"Brother Tang," Zhao Changhe suddenly called.

His tone was a bit formal, and Tang Buqi looked at him in surprise.

But Zhao Changhe continued, "I understand the anxiety of parents seeing their daughter unmarried at an older age. I also understand the desire to find a suitable marriage for their daughter and the idea of benefiting the family... But Tang Wanzhuang is not an ordinary person. She not only supports this family but also supports this country... The Tang family should not and does not have the right to force her into anything."

Tang Buqi hurriedly said, "We didn't force her..."

Zhao Changhe ignored this statement and continued, "She is filial and kind-hearted. If it were someone like me, who is lawless, it would be normal to have conflicts with the family. But you guys, each one of you wants to take charge of the family. Who do you think you are? Forget about being unmarried at twenty-eight, even if she doesn't get married at eighty-two, it's none of your business!"

Tang Buqi: "..."

"Not to mention that I'm not that person, even if I were, I would still refuse this political marriage. No matter how you see this identity, I, Zhao Changhe, kindly ask Brother Tang to convey this message to the old master."

Tang Buqi was extremely puzzled. It would have made sense if you had told me this earlier, but you acted like that just now. Are you trying to eat your words?

But looking at his aunt's expression, she was actually smiling. Her eyes glanced at the bed, full of admiration.

So you're happy to be taken advantage of and not hold them accountable?

Forget it, it's the elders' business. As a junior, I shouldn't say much. Tang Buqi helplessly said, "Okay, I will convey Brother Zhao's message to the old master as it is."

"That's good." Zhao Changhe smiled, "I said, nephew... uh, Brother Tang, the way you blocked the Shajian was quite impressive. It really made people admire you."

Tang Buqi snorted, "It's just a sword shadow. What's so great about it! I'm not skilled enough in cultivation. Even if I reach a higher level, do I still need your approval?"

"Yes, yes, will you dare to go out by yourself next time?"

Tang Buqi was taken aback for a moment and suddenly laughed, "It's all over now. I feel like there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Once upon a time, it was just a drop in the ocean." Zhao Changhe smiled, "I look forward to meeting you in the martial world someday. It will definitely be interesting."

Tang Buqi fell silent for a moment and said softly, "Indeed, if I didn't knock, you would treat me as a friend."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Tang Wanzhuang: "..."

"Clang!" The door opened, and Tang Wanzhuang dragged her nephew by the ear and threw him out of the room. "Go practice your skills! If you don't break through the fifth level of Xuan Guan within ten days, you're not allowed to go out! When the time comes, I will assess your swordsmanship. If you miss even a bit of the essence, you'll face the wall in the back mountain for a year!"

"We don't have a back mountain anymore..." Tang Buqi's sighing voice was already far away.

The room finally quieted down. Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang looked at each other and suddenly laughed.

"Based on what you said, are you planning to stay here for ten days?" Zhao Changhe asked.

"Well, there are many things to deal with. I don't know if ten days will be enough," Tang Wanzhuang replied.

"Then you should go handle your affairs. These are just external injuries. Resting for a while will be enough. Don't waste your time here."

"How can it be considered a waste of time?" Tang Wanzhuang smiled faintly. "If I didn't come here, how could I hear your words about the Tang family?"

"...Actually, it just sounds better than not wanting to be a twenty-eight-year-old old woman. In the end, it's still a refusal, right? You're not getting to the essence."

Tang Wanzhuang chuckled, "Wanzhuang is just an ordinary woman. Who would want to hear harsh words when they could hear pleasant ones?"

Zhao Changhe changed the subject, "The last sentence of Tang Buqi's poem speaks of a mountainless future. Don't you feel a sense of desolation and decline? Even Tang Buqi, who is usually carefree, is filled with worries, yet you can still laugh..."

"Buqi's transformation, standing in front of the deadly sword, stems from his dedication and loyalty to the Tang family's honor. You all say that this battle marks the decline of the Tang family, but I believe it is the beginning of our resurgence." Tang Wanzhuang spoke softly, "There has to be a time like this, and it has come at the right moment."

Zhao Changhe stared at her in silence.

It was only at this moment, during this meeting, that Tang Wanzhuang truly seemed like the head of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"The Tang family owes you a great debt for your help this time. Without you, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Whether you did it for the people of Gusu or for your friend Tang Buqi, Wanzhuang owes you a favor." Tang Wanzhuang said as she took out a blood-red bead, "This is a treasure that Maitreya smashed into the pond. It may be of some help to you... but it might also be a disappointment."

Zhao Changhe nodded, "It's fine, it's a gift after all. Even if it's just a copper coin, it's still a gain."

Tang Wanzhuang smiled, "It's not that bad... You should heal your injuries before experiencing this object, otherwise it could be detrimental to your vitality."

She placed the bead on the bedside table and finally turned to leave, "I'm afraid my presence here is disturbing you and Miss Sisi. I won't ruin your good fortune. I'll come to visit Master Zhao when I have time."

After Tang Wanzhuang left, the bustling room suddenly quieted down.

Zhao Changhe was happy for the peace and quiet, closing his eyes to heal, not even glancing at the bead on the bedside table.

He didn't need to look, he could feel the intense bloodlust contained within the bead from afar. This thing was definitely not suitable for him to fiddle with while he was injured and his vitality was weak.

Really, all these people coming and going, delaying my healing... If they want me to recover quickly, why don't they come and dual cultivate with me? They talk about owing me a favor, but they don't do anything practical.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly smelled a faint fragrance, a scent he had never smelled before.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes.

A stunningly beautiful girl dressed in exotic attire stood by his side, her face expressionless as she examined his bandaged wounds. Her expressive eyes seemed to say, "You still haven't bandaged your wounds properly, do you want me to wrap you up like a zongzi (rice dumpling) again?"

Not only could her eyes talk, they also seemed to contain a hint of peach blossom, a hidden charm, her eyes moving like a silent plea.

But she hadn't done anything, this was natural charm, a deep-seated infatuation.

Her face was not as "pockmarked" as she claimed, but rather as white as jade, crystal clear and more beautiful than snow, with a hint of redness on her cheeks, like a plum in the snow, like rouge in jade.

Paired with her exotic attire, the pearl chain on her waist swaying lightly, the bells on her skirt chiming, from sound to shadow, it was like a dream.

Zhao Changhe stared blankly, his mind blank for a moment.

There was no need for an introduction, he knew at a glance that this was Sisi.

He hadn't expected to see Sisi's true face so abruptly... If Tang Wanzhuang represented the elegance of the Central Plains, then this was a fairy of exotic charm.

You're so beautiful, why are you pretending to be an ordinary maid?

PS: Thanks to Big Rich Brother for the gold! My butt is sticking up again, wuwuwu!

There will be more tonight, asking for monthly tickets~