Chapter 521 – Taking in the Seventh Wife, Dragon Vein Cracking, Flame-Tipped Spear - Part 2

Chapter 521 – Taking in the Seventh Wife, Dragon Vein Cracking, Flame-Tipped Spear - Part 2

By the end of December, heavy snow blanketed Gemhill County.

As Li Yuan opened a window, a blast of frigid wind sent snow swirling into the room.

He quickly shut it tight and looked back.

By the fireplace, Xie Yu sat quietly, gently caressing her now-rounded belly. Beside her, Xie Wei held her hand, chatting and laughing with her.

The warm red glow of the flames lit up both their faces and softened their figures, wrapping them in a cozy warmth.

“This old house of yours really is a good place to cultivate. Just a few days here, and I already feel like I’m on the verge of a breakthrough.” Xie Wei chuckled.

Xie Yu looked a little worried. “Sister...a breakthrough from sixth rank usually needs another cultivator of the same rank to help. But you—”

Xie Wei gave her hand a reassuring pat and smiled. “Silly girl. Even a cunning rabbit digs three burrows. When you’re dancing on the edge of waves and mountains, you have to plan your retreat. You think your sister spent all those years as Empress Dowager without setting up some escape routes?”

“But...you can’t show your face as the Empress Dowager anymore,” Xie Yu said hesitantly.

Xie Wei burst out laughing. “Who said I used that title to make arrangements? The people I placed along those escape routes, some of them don’t even know I’m the one who gave the orders. They just know they owe someone.

“And among them...there are already those who’ve reached sixth rank by cultivating our Xie Clan’s techniques. When the time is right, I’ll seek them out and make my breakthrough then.”

“Oh...” Xie Yu responded softly, then turned her gaze back to the fireplace. The wood crackled and popped, its light flickering across her cheeks.

Xie Wei asked, “Gucheng, how are things outside? The barbarians, Great Zhou Empire, the other six kingdoms, what’s the situation now?”

Li Yuan replied, “The seven-nation coalition and their 400,000 troops were completely crushed by the barbarians. If the Ice Folk hadn’t stopped at Cloudpeak Province, I doubt even Silkfloss Province would still be standing.

“But their goal isn’t to storm the Jade Capital, so they’re not rushing in like the Lotus Cult did with their lightning assault. They’ll push forward slowly, bit by bit...until they’ve swept through all under heaven.”

“I see...” Xie Wei sighed gently but didn’t say anything more.

The Empress Dowager was dead. Those matters no longer concerned her.

Now she was just a female cultivator, spending quiet days with her sister...and sneaking a few admiring glances at her sister’s husband.

But that’s all they were, glances. No more sneaking bites.

This kind of life...was pretty nice, actually.

Xie Wei stretched, a genuine smile blooming on her face. Then suddenly she asked, “Hey, want some flatbread?”

“Yes!” Xie Yu’s hand shot up.

Li Yuan turned, surprised.

Xie Yu explained, “When my sister was little, she secretly learned how to bake from one of the servants. She made amazing flatbreads! But then our father found out and scolded her, and she never made them again.”

Li Yuan was stunned. The shrewd, powerful Empress Dowager...making flatbreads? He jumped up. “I’ll go buy a baking stove!”

“No need,” Xie Wei said as she stood. “You stay right here and keep Yu’er company like a good husband. I’ll make the flatbreads for you two lovebirds.

“Oh, what filling do you want? How about shredded radish? Thanks to someone’s good luck this winter, the radishes turned out great. I just bought a bunch at the market yesterday.

“And after the flatbreads, I’ll make some pastries too. Peach blossoms in spring, lotus in summer, golden chrysanthemums in autumn, and white plum blossoms in winter...they can all be turned into sweets.”

“Sounds perfect.” Li Yuan laughed. He still remembered back when he was pretending to be the Emperor, this very woman had made him countless peach blossom pastries.

Once Xie Wei bustled off to cook, Li Yuan sat down beside Xie Yu.

They sat quietly, watching the snow fall outside the window.

Xie Yu sighed. “I wonder how long this peace will last. Even with Yan Yu holding the line, the war will eventually reach us again. The other day, Sister and I were out in town, and we overheard someone saying the Khagan is a monster with eight arms and eight legs, completely invulnerable to swords and spears. I really don’t know how something so terrifying even came into being.”

“...” Li Yuan didn’t say anything. He simply pulled her gently into his arms.

The truth of the world was far, far more complicated than Xie Yu could imagine.

That Khagan, who had just crushed an army of 400,000, was when it came down to it nothing more than a pitiful chess piece.

And the eight-armed, eight-legged monster Xie Yu mentioned? That creature...would technically call her mother.

If she ever heard that, Li Yuan wondered, what kind of face would she make?

The thought made him chuckle to himself.

“What are you laughing at?” Xie Yu nudged him.

Li Yuan said, “Just thinking...maybe that Khagan isn’t as terrifying as they say.”

They chatted for a while longer. In the distance, smoke rose faintly through the snowy winds.

Soon, the warm scent of fresh flatbread snuck in through the cracks around the window.

Somewhere on the snow-laden eaves outside, a pitch-black crow had quietly landed.

“It’s Lady Divine Crow!” Xie Yu gasped in delight and stood up.

She grabbed Li Yuan’s arm and rushed to the window, flinging it open. Then, with a playful kick to his leg, she signaled for him to bow with her.

And so, the two of them gave solemn bows to the crow.

The crow stared at Li Yuan with a look of lofty disdain before hopping over and perching proudly on Xie Yu’s shoulder.

A moment later, Xie Wei entered the room carrying a tray of freshly baked flatbreads and snowy-white plum blossom pastries.

Xie Yu beamed. “Sister! Look, it’s Lady Divine Crow! You have to bow too! she’s super powerful!”

Xie Wei glanced at the bird.

The crow lifted its head high, like a noble inspecting a subject.

Xie Wei's eyes shifted subtly, just enough to catch a glimpse of Li Yuan out of the corner of her eye. Unfortunately, he was sitting there with the picture of serenity, gaze lowered, completely ignoring her look.

Seeing this, Xie Wei pressed her hands together and gave a small, respectful bow to the bird. Then she carefully broke off a portion of the flatbread and placed it aside, the crow’s portion.

And with that...the feasting began.

Li Yuan took a bite of the plum blossom pastry. It was delicious. He stole a glance at the crow.

The little creature seemed to be enjoying her pastry just as much.

Thoughts moved swiftly in Li Yuan’s mind.

With someone as capable as Xie Wei, it felt like a waste to have her simply spending peaceful days lounging by the fire.

If she could be put in charge of the Ginger Tavern and its affiliated merchant guild, wouldn’t that be putting her skills to proper use?

She had managed to keep an empire from collapsing for over a decade. A single merchant guild? That’d be child’s play.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The next day.

The snow finally stopped.

Li Yuan stood on a snow-covered ridge. The little crow perched on his shoulder.

He smiled. “The Empress Dowager’s plum blossom pastries were good, weren’t they?”

“Really good, Papa!”

“She knows how to make all kinds of pastries. Peach in spring, lotus in summer, chrysanthemum in autumn, plum in winter.”

“Wowww, my mouth’s watering already.”

“I was thinking. If we turn her four seasonal pastries into signature treats at the Ginger Tavern, ask customers if they want the seasonal flower pastry when they order drinks... wouldn’t that be a nice touch?”

“Whatever Papa decides is best!”

Li Yuan nodded thoughtfully. “Right now, Ginger Tavern is just a tavern and trading guild, with White Impermanence handling things behind the scenes. But the truth is, he isn’t fit to manage a business, let alone a tavern or a guild. I’m planning to put Xie Wei in charge.”

The little crow, who was far more than she appeared, tilted her head and asked in surprise, “Whoa? Papa trusts Xie Wei that much?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? I once pretended to be the Emperor.” Li Yuan replied.

The little crow suddenly understood. She dragged out a long, knowing “Ooooh...” then chirped, “So that’s Seventh Mama, huh? My bad, my bad.”

Li Yuan coughed twice. “Not exactly Seventh Mother...but she and I have done a lot together. I know her inside and out.”

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The little crow chirped, “Then I’ll go talk to Mama. She’ll definitely agree; she’s been looking forward to Sixth Mama’s baby for a long time now. But...if you want to put the Empress Dowager in charge of the Ginger Tavern, you won’t be able to keep things hidden from her anymore.”

Li Yuan nodded.