Chapter 874 (1): Playing the Guqin

Zhao Changhe used to think that taking Baoqin simply because he could, or dragging her in as the next contender after a night with Wanzhuang, was unfair to the girl. So he had always held back, waiting for the right moment.

In the end, he had made her wait thirty years—long enough to turn her into a living statue of longing.

And now, to meet again and go straight to bed without a word? It did feel a little unseemly, at least to him.

But that was

his

thinking. What mattered far more was how she saw it.

Even back then, Baoqin had yearned for it. Zhao Changhe might have believed it unfair, but Baoqin had already accepted her role from a young age. She had long since truly seen herself as a personal maid, loyal in body and soul. That self-image had never changed, not even now, when she served as the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, holding a post of real authority. No matter her title or accomplishments, the roots of that role were still deeply embedded within her.

So, regardless of what Zhao Changhe thought now, Baoqin was not about to let this night slip away.

Otherwise, she should have crossed the river by now and gone straight to Gusu to meet with Tang Buqi. Yet here they were, lodging in Yangzhou for the night.

This so-called “stopover” left no doubt as to what the esteemed Chief Secretary was really after under the guise of official business.

A rare night alone. And this time, she was not an afterthought. It was just the two of them. It was his first night back since his revival, and that made it a first of sorts, did it not?

It was a scenario she had never dared dream of before. Baoqin was practically in love with this entire maritime audit assignment. It had placed her conveniently by his side with only one minor obstacle in the way: a little disciple too inexperienced and out of her depth to pose any threat. Just a doorkeeper, basically. Baoqin had even tested the girl with a few pointed remarks, and the results were clear that she posed zero threat.

She had personally instructed the prefectural governor of Yangzhou, and even issued secret orders to Wan Dongliu to lock the city down tonight. Not even a single fly was to get in. On the surface, the order seemed to be about protecting Dragon Bird. Wan Dongliu probably suspected as much too, except he understood which Dragon Bird Baoqin truly had in mind.

Now that everything was in place, if anyone dared interrupt this night, Baoqin was fully prepared to summon every battery of Divine Punishment in the empire and blow them all to smithereens.

As Zhao Changhe carried Baoqin into the room, he was greeted by the warm, golden glow of candlelight. In the center of the room stood a freshly drawn bath, rose petals scattered atop the water in perfect romantic fashion.

Zhao Changhe looked down at the woman in his arms with a half-smile. Baoqin, suddenly bashful, buried her face in his chest, worried he might tease her for being too obvious.

Zhao Changhe knew exactly what she was thinking, and as the careful lover he was, moved straight to teasing her. “How’d you know the first thing I wanted after waking up was a good hot bath?”

Baoqin grinned, eyes sparkling. “I am the most professional maid in the world!”

Zhao Changhe set her down and opened his arms. “Well then... will you undress your young master, ye who are so professional?”

Baoqin’s cheeks flushed bright red as she stepped behind him, fingers trembling as she reached around to undress him.

Even though she had longed for this moment, even though it was what she wanted... it was still mortifying.

As the belt slipped free and his robe fell away, she saw the muscles beneath his inner layer stretching the fabric to its limits. She leaned close, gently stroking that body she had dreamed of so many times.

His heroic form was one he had glimpsed in stolen moments during his nights with her young miss. She had watched as that overwhelming, explosive force claimed even the elegant and ethereal Wanzhuang, who would melt into such unrecognizable softness in his arms.

How many times had she imagined herself in her young miss’ place?

Lost in that haze of longing, she did not even realize her own sash had come undone. Her robe slipped open, and a gust of cool air gave her goosebumps.

Then came his voice in her ear, “I am very professional myself, so let me undress you too.”

Instinctively, she crossed her arms over her chest only to feel herself swept up and carried in a dizzying spin, then gently lowered into the warm water.

Baoqin: “?”

Zhao Changhe stepped in right after her, reaching over to peel away her arms. “Isn’t this where the maid should be scrubbing her master clean?”

Baoqin’s face was now hotter than the bathwater, flushing all the way to her ears. Her usual quick wit had vanished, scattered to the corners of the room. All that remained was instinct, and she bowed her head and began to wash him in silence, the motion of her hands syncing with the frantic rhythm of her own heart.

I’ve clearly waited for so long, so why am I still this nervous?

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Ugh, useless!

In truth, there was not much to scrub. Their cultivation long rendered dust and dirt irrelevant. Nothing was really washed or scrubbed off. This was no act of cleansing; it was one of pure seduction.

As Baoqin scrubbed, her breathing grew ragged. Her thoughts were a whirlwind now... and strangely, what filled her mind most vividly was the look on her young miss’ face during those intimate moments—the beguiling charm and utter surrender in her expression.

If Tang Wanzhuang ever learned that her role as a teacher and example had become something so... inspiring to her maid, she would probably summon every battery of Divine Punishment in the empire to dismiss Baoqin on the spot.

The dazed Baoqin was jolted back to the present by Zhao Changhe’s voice in her ear again, low and teasing. “Your little hands are so weak... It seems like I should be the one washing you.”

In the next breath, she found herself cradled like a child in his arms, leaning back against his chest. His hands moved across her skin, each pass sending tremors through her body.

Then again, perhaps it was not like holding a child. Perhaps... it was more like playing a guqin.

Her body hardly needed cleaning. Soaked in warm spring water, her skin gleamed like polished jade. With her cultivation having risen, her complexion now carried a near-celestial glow. She was no longer the plain little maid she once was.

“Remember this...” he murmured, his voice brushing her ear. “You’re not a maid anymore. Tonight, an ancient demon god will serve the Chief Secretary.”

Baoqin had the urge to roll her eyes.

How ridiculous. When a woman washes a man, it’s called “serving.” But when a man washes a woman... why does it feel like she’s being played with?

Not that she could say any of that. Some unknown silence spell seemed to have taken hold of her.

Still, if that was how he wanted to phrase it, then she would let him. Her heart had softened so completely that she would let him play her however he pleased, in whatever way he desired.

“...Let Baoqin serve you, young master,” she whispered, tilting her head, starry eyes misty with longing, lips slightly parted in silent invitation.

Zhao Changhe leaned down and kissed her. The little maid’s sharp tongue and sharper wit vanished entirely in that moment, her usual bite replaced by something sweet and yielding.

Only breathy murmurs remained between them. “Take me, young master... Baoqin has waited... so long...”

Zhao Changhe lifted her slightly in his arms, and Baoqin felt the shift. She felt what was to come. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she clung to him tightly, kissing him more desperately.

Amid the rippling water, a single new rose petal floated to the surface.

* * *

In a separate courtyard far removed from the main residence, Ling Ruoyu sat in silence.

She could not hear what was happening over there, and she did not dare try, but she knew. Of course, she knew.

She could not even focus on reviewing the battles of the past two days as her thoughts were completely scattered.

Disgusting.

She had thought him some venerable senior worthy of respect, and Baoqin, a high official of dignified bearing.

So this is it? This is what they are? Nothing but a pair of shameless animals?

She was going to tell her master everything. Warn her to keep her distance from that scoundrel.

Still harboring designs on my master? If you dare, I swear I’ll smash your head in.

Then again... is this just how heroes are?

Even the legendary King Zhao she idolized was known for being more than a bit of a womanizer. According to the records, his official wedding was to Bureau Chief Cui, but rumors had long included Prime Minister Tang, the empress herself, the empress dowager, and—indeed—even her own master. Some even whispered some things about an ancient demon god.

But those were all rumors, vague and carefully worded. No one dared to discuss the affairs of such towering figures too casually; doing so could easily cost one their life.

Ling Ruoyu refused to believe the man who once offered his blood to the land for the sake of the people could be that lecherous. Fine, the others she could stomach, but... the empress? The empress dowager? What the hell?

Well, what happened to those two was none of her concern, actually. But her own master... Now that was something she

had

wondered about. After all, they were both once contenders on the same Ranking of Hidden Dragons. They were heroic figures of the same generation. They had crossed paths more than once.

She had even once dared to ask her master whether she was one of King Zhao’s rumored consorts.

She had never made that mistake again.

Whatever she had triggered with that question, her master’s face had instantly darkened. She had been forced to practice the Sunset Sword Art over and over until she could barely lift her arms.

But wait... I have Dragon Bird! If Zhao Changhe and Master ever had a history, surely it would know!

Eyes sparkling with sudden excitement, the gossip-loving girl snapped to attention and grabbed the massive saber resting beside her.

Dragon Bird had been loafing in boredom when it suddenly felt itself yanked up and shaken wildly.

“Birdy, Birdy!”

In that moment, she finally understood how her old companions used to feel.

So noisy...