Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 537: The Rarely Serious Lady Three

In the backyard, Hua Zhenming was pacing back and forth, anxiety written all over his face. Why hasn’t the third leader come back? And why is it so quiet?

Someone tried to reassure him, “Commander Hua, there’s no need to worry. The third leader is incredibly strong. Just the other day, she came back and fought her way through the entire crew, putting everyone in their place. All those brothers who were unhappy with her were completely subdued overnight. Is that something just anyone can do? No matter how tough Zhao Shouyi is, there’s no way he’s a match for her...”

“But why hasn’t there been any sound of fighting...?”

“Maybe they aren’t fighting at all. They could be negotiating... It’s also possible that she’s drugging him or something...”

The group exchanged glances, and the same scenario popped into all their minds:

Their alluring third leader, sitting delicately in someone’s lap, offering a cup of wine with a flirtatious smile. “Master, have a drink... Tonight, I’m all yours...”

They shook their heads, ridding themselves of the thought before blood flowed from their nose.

The pirates seemed to find this scenario quite normal. Hua Zhenming, however, was not particularly concerned. He nodded, saying, “If that’s the case, we should see the third leader dragging him out soon enough. We won’t let our guard down. Be ready to help the third leader if anything goes wrong.”

The pirates tensed up, while the actual scene inside was entirely different from what they had imagined.

Lady Three, usually seen as charming and lazy by everyone, now looked serious and focused. She was slowly wiping her hands after eating the crab, staring intently at Zhao Changhe as if whether or not he was truly the Fire Pig of Shi was of utmost importance.

Because she had underestimated “Zhao Shouyi” before coming here, she had not bothered to dress the part of a madam. She had not changed out of her pirate attire and was not wearing the silks typical of a brothel madam nor the seductive garb she wore back in Huangsha. Instead, she looked rather bold and capable, with the strong air of an outlaw—indeed, like a bandit or pirate leader. It reminded Zhao Changhe of Yue Hongling, but even wilder.

Now that she had gotten serious, Zhao Changhe felt a strange sense of dissonance, as if time and space had shifted. The lazy, smirking Shelly seemed to fade away, replaced by the dignified Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult.

Once he got over the discomfort of the dissonance, Zhao Changhe actually started to feel that this version of Lady Three was closer to what he had originally imagined Black Tortoise to be. He lifted the wine flagon and poured her a cup. “Yes, I am the Fire Pig of Shi, subordinate of the Black Tortoise. I have wine—does the venerable have a story to tell?”

Lady Three said calmly, “Which story do you want? Mine, the pirates’, or the one about why we’re turning back and driving off the fishing and merchant ships?”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Can’t you tell me all of them?”

Lady Three replied, “Do you want me to be honest?”

“I don’t see why there should be anything you can’t tell me...”

“The truth is, you and I aren’t as close as you think we are.”

“...”

Lady Three gave a slight smile. She leaned back in her seat and took a sip of wine. “You’re entertaining to watch, with all your amusing quirks. I find you interesting, a way to kill the boredom from staring at endless seas of sand or water. But beyond that, what special relationship do we really have besides that one time we worked together at Huangsha? Is it the time we took the ancient sword Dragon Emperor together?”

“Is it not?” Zhao Changhe thought of the brief moment of intimacy in Beimang, knowing full well that there really was not much to it. However, he still instinctively felt that they were quite close...

“The sword is still with you, and I never intended to ask for it back. You’re a smart guy, so you should have realized that this is my way of not wanting to owe you anything... You copied the Rejuvenation Art for me, and though no one in the Four Idols Cult has fully grasped it yet, Dragon Emperor was always meant to be yours. The excuse of lending it to you was actually just my way of giving it to you.”

“Huh, I didn’t think you’d be this calculating. I always thought you were laid-back and relaxed.”

Actually, you’re right. I would really rather not have to use my brain... Lady Three smiled slightly. “Did you really think you knew me so well?” Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment, then chuckled. “If you say so, Venerable, then it means you don’t see me as the Fire Pig of Shi. On the other hand, I consider myself part of the Four Idols Cult and I feel particularly close to you. I even think that we can trust each other.”

“You might be right about that first part, and it isn’t only me but also Vermillion Bird. Have you not noticed that she’s been quite wary of you?” Lady Three smiled. “As for the second part, not necessarily. With that silver tongue of yours, who could really trust you?”

Zhao Changhe sighed helplessly. “I treat her sincerely.”

“Oh, really?” Lady Three’s eyes lit up with a mischievous glint like she wanted to stir up some trouble. She barely managed to hold herself back, then said flatly, “Let’s talk about the situation here first.”

Zhao Changhe filled her cup again. “I’m all ears.”

Lady Three began, “Since ancient times, sailors have feared storms. You can imagine, from the moment man first ventured out to sea, they’ve come to worship sea gods, dragon kings, and similar deities, praying for protection from storms and for safe journeys home.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Of course.”

“But in reality, those gods don’t exist. Perhaps they did in a previous era, but not now. In other words, their prayers have never had any real effect in this era. At best, it was superstition or a form of solace,” Lady Three said. “But starting a year or two ago, something changed. People’s prayers began to be answered.”

Zhao Changhe immediately understood. “The Sea Emperor.”

“Exactly. They call him the Sea God, and he truly has shown miracles—like moving ships out of the way of storms and whatnot. The more miracles he performed, the more followers he gained, and the stronger the faith in him became. Now, almost all the nations across the sea, as well as every pirate crew, believe in him, and their faith is fervent.”

Zhao Changhe said, “A god who performs miracles is bound to gather fervent followers... From what I know, the Sea Emperor’s revival may be tied to the power of faith. This could explain why he’s become more active in the past year or two and has started encroaching on the land. The more followers he has, or rather, the broader his dominion, the closer he gets to a full recovery... Hmm, maybe he’ll even manage to break through to the next realm. After all, where there used to be a struggle among multiple gods and demons, now he stands alone. He’s been presented with a grand opportunity.”

This explains why the Sea Emperor is so eager to push into the mainland... It finally makes sense why the Wang Clan was acting so irrationally.

But is Wang Daoning actually being controlled, or has he just been brainwashed? He’s thrown away the mindset typical of those from aristocratic families and even abandoned his sister the empress just to move for the Sea Emperor’s madness...

Lady Three leaned back in her chair, sipping her wine, looking quite comfortable.

It’s so nice to talk to someone smart. I barely need to explain anything, and he can even offer additional insights. No wonder both Vermillion Bird and Tang Wanzhuang always seem to turn their brains off when this guy is around... Who wouldn’t prefer to take it easy?

She sighed inwardly and said, “Exactly. While there are many islands in the sea and countless small nations, they’re all sparsely populated. Compared to the mainland, they might have less than a ten-thousandth of the population. Over the past year or two, the Sea Emperor has started reaching out to the fishermen and merchants who venture from the mainland. He’s been creating storms and then saving them, staging miracles to win their faith, and then sending them back to spread the word.”

Zhao Changhe said, “So that’s why you’ve been turning people back?”

Lady Three replied coolly, “Like you said, we still do plunder what they have if we can. So we rob them, then send them back.”

“That’s not exactly what I’m concerned about...”

“What are you concerned about then?”

“You’re usually at Huangsha Market. You can’t exactly control the pirates here remotely, can you?”

“Yeah. Honestly, we’ve never had much contact. I’m just here visiting family...”

At that, Shelly got a bit annoyed. Damn it, if it weren’t for your lover asking me to come and take care of her little love rival, would I have run all the way from Huangsha to the Eastern Seas? What do your personal issues have to do with me anyway?

Since I’m already here, then of course I’ll use my old connections. But now that I think about it, all that’s done is get me involved in more trouble.

Zhao Changhe said, “Since these pirates have been living at sea for so long, how haven’t they been converted by the Sea Emperor? Is there someone else they place their faith in? The Night Emperor? Or... the Dragon King?”

Lady Three could not help but be impressed again. This little guy really is sharp...

She hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to reveal too much about the pirates to Zhao Changhe. Doing so would inevitably lead to talking about her own past, and they were not that close. After thinking it over, she just said, “All you need to know is that these pirates don’t care about the Sea Emperor... and that’s part of why they’ve ended up as pirates. Since they don’t bow to the Sea Emperor, they’re being hunted down. That’s why I need your fleet. Your fleet is strong...”

“The sea nations are coming to wipe you out?”

“A bunch of forces are joining up to come after us. We have informants in all the nations, so we got the news ahead of time.” Lady Three sighed. “Why’s my life so tough? I just came here to visit family, yet now I’ve gotten myself caught up in a pirate crackdown...”

Zhao Changhe could not help but snicker. Heh, Shelly really can’t keep her act up for too long. She didn’t even last the time it took for an incense stick to burn before she returned to her usual self.

Lady Three seemed to realize she was reverting back to her lazy self again. She slammed her wine cup onto the table and glared at him. “Alright, enough talk. Are you giving me your fleet or not?”

“Why isn’t the Sea Tribe handling this themselves? Why go through the nations to suppress pirates?”

Lady Three glared at him. “Who says there won’t be anyone from the Sea Tribe among the forces coming?”

“Lady Three...”

“Call me venerable!’”

“Alright, Lady Three.” Zhao Changhe sighed. “Aren’t you being a bit foolish? You know I’m here to fight the Sea Tribe. We’re naturally on the same side then, so why are you so worried that I won’t help? Maybe next time, you should sit at the same table as Baoqin instead?”

Lady Three coldly replied, “You seem to have misunderstood something... I’m asking for your fleet, not you.”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback, pointing to his nose in surprise. “You don’t need my help?”

“Exactly. I don’t want anything that happens here to make its way back to Tang Wanzhuang’s ears. The Tang Clan’s sailors are easy to manipulate. You, on the other hand, are not.”

Zhao Changhe tilted his head, studying her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “So your side is basically only the remnants of the Dragon King’s forces. Anyway, like I said before, I feel like we can trust each other.”

He picked up the wine flagon again, but this time, he did not pour wine for Lady Three. He poured himself a cup and drank it down in one gulp. “The fleet can work with you, but I must come along. I’m responsible for them. Besides...”

“What?”

“Venerable, I seriously doubt that without me lending a hand, your plan would go as smoothly as you think.”

Lady Three let out a laugh. “Arrogant, aren’t you? Fine, you can come along. But if I ever need you to lift so much as a finger, then you’re my superior!”