Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 222: Chaos Through Abandonment of River Transport for Sea Transport

Zhao Changhe was nearly swayed by her affectionate address of “dear big brother,” and he secretly marveled at the formidable nature of the enchantress before him.

Ever since I transmigrated, why does it always seem as if I encounter women of a similar nature? Leaving aside the biggest enchantress, the blind woman, there’s Chichi, Sisi, Vermillion Bird, and now this Fire Serpent of Yi. Although they all have different qualities, their appearances are strikingly similar. And this Fire Serpent of Yi right in front of me has so much allure that it’s nearly overflowing from beneath her mask.

Her figure was different from those of Chichi and Sisi. She exuded a mature charm. It was hard to imagine anything but a stunning face hiding beneath the serpent mask. No matter how hard he tried, he simply could not imagine her having an ugly face.

But who really knows? What if she’s like those internet celebrities who turn out to be unattractive...

“Come on, big brother, tell me...” Vermillion Bird suppressed her frustration and continued talking in that unusually sweet voice. “You’re not lying to me, are you? Big brother, you should know that I’m not afraid to kill you. Out here in the wild, I can quietly dispose of you and no one would ever know...”

“Ahem, am I that kind of person?” Zhao Changhe replied righteously. “Actually, it’s quite simple if you change your perspective.”

“Hm?”

“Take the case of the Cao Gang, for example. Aren’t you trying to influence Wan Dongliu to get his father to join the Four Idols Cult? However, with Wan Tianxiong being a hero of his generation with his own profound understanding of martial arts, he may not necessarily agree with the concept of your four idols. That is why it is difficult for you to win him over, right? That is why most of your recruits are youths whom you’ve molded from scratch, right? It’s because it’s hard to sway those who already have firm confidence in their own understanding of the world.”

Vermillion Bird said, “Yes, so what do you mean by changing our perspectives? Are you suggesting that Wan Dongliu should kill his father and seize power? He would not agree to that, and our Four Idols Cult is not that kind of—”

Zhao Changhe interrupted her. “How did you get to that conclusion? I know that your Four Idols Cult is not that kind of cult. Do you think that I, Zhao Changhe, am that kind of person?”

“Then are you suggesting an alliance?”

“Not exactly. You guys should have already formed a secret alliance long ago. I don’t believe that Wan Dongliu can’t even manage this bit of subtle manipulation.”

“Hm... So are you suggesting coercion?” Vermillion Bird sighed. “When necessary, of course we consider it, but the nature of the Cao Gang is quite special. Using them as an example isn’t quite appropriate. They have the closest ties with ministers and officials. Countless officials share their interests with them, sucking the lifeblood out of the river. Moreover, they would actually suffer a lot if they were to rebel. They would not rebel unless they were pushed into a corner. If we were really to force Wan Tianxiong into a corner, it would not be much different from causing patricide and seizing power. Why would Wan Dongliu cooperate with such a plan?”

“It seems that you’ve thought things through quite thoroughly.”

“Yes, if you really think that the venerable has not thought about everything, why do you think we would just be waiting for Wan Tianxiong to die so Wan Dongliu can succeed him?” Vermillion Bird said with some disappointment. “If these are the only plans you’ve considered, there’s no need to say anything else.”

Zhao Changhe shook his head. “It’s not that complicated. Coercing them can be achieved with just one proposal.”

Vermillion Bird’s eyes widened.

“The Wang Clan dominates the seas to the east, with ships venturing out for mineral exploration. I believe that it would not be difficult to persuade them to move south along the coast. As long as your influence in the imperial court is significant enough to propose the abandonment of river transport in favor of sea transport, the Wang Clan would undoubtedly be ecstatic to cooperate. Wan Tianxiong would then immediately contact the venerable, anxiously asking about when the rebellion will begin...”

Vermillion Bird stood there, stunned.

It was as if a bolt of lightning struck her mind, and the red lips beneath her mask began to tremble.

With the Wang Clan’s maritime capabilities... In fact, let alone the Wang Clan, even the Tang Clan could probably organize some coastal transport.

This plan was definitely feasible. No... not only was it feasible, but it was also capable of stirring up the Wang Clan and the Cao Gang. What the Four Idols Cult wanted the most right now was not hegemony nor expansion of influence, but simply chaos. Whoever became the emperor was none of their concern. If they could push forward with this plan, as the hidden hands behind the scenes, their scope to manipulate everything was immense.

Before this, nobody had considered maritime shipping... This was because in this world, that had just emerged from the ruins of the previous era, nobody had looked beyond the seas. They had no idea if there were even other civilizations across the seas. According to the rankings listed on the Tome of Troubled Times, it was very likely that there were no civilizations across the seas. From the perspective of such a limited view, whose mind would have turned toward maritime trade?

But if maritime transport was introduced, what would happen to river transport?

This would uproot everything! Wouldn’t Wan Tianxiong become so anxious that he would be constantly drenched in sweat if this were to take place? Sure enough, it’s just a matter of a change in perspective. It does not require any intricate plans. All that’s lacking is a crucial idea, an epiphany. Just how does Zhao Changhe come up with such ideas? His capability to cause chaos is incredible!

“Aren’t you supposed to be helping Tang Wanzhuang? Also, Wan Dongliu is more or less your friend, right?” asked Vermillion Bird in disbelief. “How could you... How could you come up with such a vicious plot to sow chaos?”

“Wan Dongliu has already joined the Four Idols Cult, so isn’t he already treading a path in pursuit of greater martial arts enlightenment? Why would he care so much about the Cao Gang monopolizing profits?”

“What about Tang Wanzhuang?”

Zhao Changhe said calmly, “As you said, the Cao Gang and the officials associated with them are sucking the lifeblood out of the river, but whose blood really is it? The common people. Why should I uphold their interests? Backward things like these should be shattered. If Tang Wanzhuang were to defend such backward practices, I would be disappointed in her as well. I believe that she herself should understand why the world is in such chaos.”

Vermillion Bird stared at him blankly and said nothing for a long time.

Finally, Zhao Changhe continued, “Maritime transport would develop sooner or later, and I even hope for it to develop sooner. In fact, it’s not like it will completely cut off the existence of river or canal transport. It’s not like it’s going to be a matter of life and death between them. Such innovations would inevitably take place sooner or later.

“Of course, I do not actually intend to sow chaos in this world. I would much rather have a stable solution. At the very least, I would much rather not have such plans carried out during the invasion of foreign forces, as it’s tantamount to being a traitor. If you go back and mention this matter to Venerable Vermillion Bird, I hope that she will give me some face and not act on it right away.”

Vermillion Bird fell silent for a moment, then shook her head. “You also know that the Cao Gang is just an example, there are still many others... Of course, we won’t carry out such operations immediately. But since you don’t want to have such events take place at the moment, why are you telling me all this?”

“Huh? Weren’t you the one asking me about my thoughts on Venerable Vermillion Bird’s strategy?” replied Zhao Changhe. “I’m just telling you that changing your way of thinking can solve many problems. While Venerable Vermillion Bird is indeed very capable, she is just one person, after all. Without anyone to consult with, there will always be limitations to how many things she can consider on her own. In fact, I would even suggest that she consult with Chichi more. Her mind is quite agile. She should not be underestimated just because she’s a junior.”

Vermillion Bird fell silent.

Zhao Changhe continued, “Perhaps you’ve forgotten the venerable’s intention in sending you to accompany me on this journey north. She most likely wanted us to have more interactions to help you better determine whether it is truly the right choice for me to be allowed entry to the cult. Your true purpose in accompanying me was for us to talk about such matters. Little serpent, do you really think we’re just chatting like how big brothers and little sisters would?”

Finally, Vermillion Bird laughed out loud. “Have you finished boasting? And do you really think that I’d be foolish enough to call you big brother out of nowhere?”

Zhao Changhe grinned, “Just try it, it sounds nice when you say it.”

The beautiful eyes under the serpent mask shimmered as they scoured his face for a while. She chuckled and said, “If you have any more brilliant ideas in the future, I’m open to addressing you as that one time for each one of those brilliant ideas. It’s quite fair, don’t you think?”

“Tch, do you think I’m a fool? We’ll have to discuss better terms in the future,” grumbled Zhao Changhe. He took a few sips of wine before casually leaning against a tree. “I’m going to sleep. You can have the cave. I’ll rest outside.”

Vermillion Bird slowly finished the rest of her bread. Her beautiful eyes lingered on his face while she was lost in thought.

Before long, she noticed that Zhao Changhe had already begun to cultivate his internal energy.

Vermillion Bird nodded slightly. Even during the breaks on their journey, he would quietly cultivate. Others would speak of how Zhao Changhe was a genius beyond comparison, with how quickly his cultivation progressed, but they all too often looked past his diligence and hard work.

In fact, they were all the same. Among those who could reach the levels of Vermillion Bird or Tang Wanzhuang, who did not have periods where they seriously dedicated themselves to increasing their cultivation?

Unfortunately, they were now busy with worldly affairs, and it was difficult for them to find the time to purely dedicate themselves to cultivation again. Now, when they saw people like Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi, it was as if they were seeing reflections of their past selves.

She had no idea whether Zhao Changhe’s idea just now was merely the result of his familiarity with the Cao Gang or if he truly possessed talent in strategy. But if it was the latter, then regardless of whether he had any connection to the Night Emperor, she felt that they had to recruit such a talented individual into the cult.

Choosing to travel with him was indeed the right choice. It feels like even Chichi might not fully understand how insightful he is. Perhaps the Zhao Changhe that the world knows is just one side of him. He likely has many other sides to him that he doesn’t reveal casually. But it’s difficult to get a better understanding of him, he’s simply not an easy person to truly get close to....

Under her mask, Vermillion Bird’s face showed a hint of bitterness. This time, she had to play the role of a little sister. What role would she have to play the next time?

Vermillion Bird secretly thought that once this matter was over, she had to find a way to kill off this character of the Fire Serpent of Yi, so that she would no longer have to worry about it. Otherwise, if it were discovered later on that the person acting as the Fire Serpent of Yi was actually her, her life would become a whole lot more complicated.