Xuanqing Guard

Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Intentional

After eating, he went to the backyard to practice magic and saber technique to help digest the food.

He kept at it until Xia Nu came to call him for a bath.

Back when they lived in the old house, bathing was all done in the washroom inside the bedroom, and he’d use a big wooden tub.

The new home was different—they had a bathhouse now. Even though it was small, it was still a hell of a lot better than a tub, and even the way of washing was different.

The pool was three meters wide and long—much bigger than a tub, right? There were two types of water: one was cold, pumped up from the underground well; the other was hot, coming through a channel straight from the kitchen stove. Mix these two and the temperature came out just right.

Since the pool was so big, Xia Nu, who waited on him for bath time, couldn’t just stand by the tub and rub his back like before—she had to get into the pool too.

Shen Hao was perfectly at ease, stark naked as always. Xia Nu, on the other hand, was wearing a thin, short silk robe that clung to her body.

Once it was soaked, Xia Nu became a real eye-catcher. Compared to those sexy songstresses at the Hong’en Hall who prided themselves on their figures, she was no less attractive—if not more so.

"Master, turn around, let me scrub your back!"

Xia Nu wasn’t some clueless little girl—she’d spent years at the brokerage and learned the whole package, right down to bed tricks and all the rest. She didn’t avoid the topic; sure, she was a bit shy, but she knew her place—she was Master Shen’s woman, and whatever he wanted to do with her, it was his call. She wouldn’t initiate, but she’d never avoid him either.

Shen Hao, for his part, took the chance to enjoy the feel of her, but he didn’t really go all the way. He didn’t think it was time yet.

"Master, you’re naughty again today! You made Hong Chou eat so much—she’s just a kid but already weighs nearly a hundred jin, how can that be?"

"She’s a kid—it’s good for her to have an appetite! Why do you worry so much? Besides, as long as she can eat it, would I let her starve?"

"But you don’t even like chubby girls—what if she gets fat, how will she serve you?"

"Cough cough cough..." The mental image was too much—Shen Hao had no clue how to argue back for a while.

Meanwhile, Xia Nu kept grumbling: "Don’t think Hong Chou’s dumb just because you like teasing her—she’s not, you know. She’s just pretending so she can eat more."

"Hong Chou’s not dumb? If she knows you’re going to punish her, but keeps pigging out, haha—just thinking about that little glutton makes me laugh." Instantly, Shen Hao recalled how, before coming into the bathhouse, he’d seen Hong Chou balancing a chair overhead, practicing the Golden Rooster Stand in the backyard, drenched in sweat. Who knew when her ’punishment’ would end? The funniest part was the yawning "supervisor" next to her—the whole scene was a riot.

"Master! Don’t laugh, I’m serious. Like the day before yesterday—Hong Chou saw Li Erfu bring home a sheep and asked if we were having lamb. Li Erfu said yes, but told her she couldn’t have much because I’d told him so.

Guess what she did next?"

"Stole some?"

"Nope. She told Li Erfu that if he didn’t give her an extra lamb chop, she’d rat him out for secretly swiping your good wine. He had no choice. He had to give her more lamb."

"Ah? Hahaha!" Shen Hao burst out laughing. This little greedy pig Hong Chou was hilarious. Besides, Hu Tian had already told Shen Hao about Li Erfu sneaking the wine—he never cared. It was nothing worth fussing over. Li Erfu was a decent guy, and Shen Hao loved his cooking.

After the laugh, Shen Hao scooped Xia Nu up and pulled her into his arms, kneading her as he spoke: "Sounds like Hong Chou’s not dumb at all. She knows how to drag others into the water and make them compromise with her..."

"Of course! She often persuades Brocade and Silk to join her in eating, saying as long as it’s not just her, I wouldn’t get mad so easily. Isn’t that infuriating?"

Xia Nu’s face grew redder and redder, and twisting around under Shen Hao’s hand, she wondered if today would finally be the day she’d get "eaten up." She’d expected this for a long time, but got nervous every time—and a bit excited too.

But soon Xia Nu realized Master Shen’s hand had stopped moving, and when she turned her head, his face was all serious—no hint of earlier desire.

"Let’s wrap it up for today. Hand me my clothes," Shen Hao said as the sudden thought that flashed across his mind killed all his desire. He needed a quiet place to sort things out. Anyway, there’d always be another day to savor the Fox Woman—no need to rush it now.

Xia Nu quickly climbed out of the pool, hurried off to fetch Shen Hao’s clothes and helped him dress. She didn’t say a word the whole time—she still felt hot even though she wasn’t soaking in the bath anymore.

Shen Hao didn’t notice Xia Nu’s mood. Once dressed, he walked straight out of the bathhouse and back to the study.

Just then, when Xia Nu was chatting idly with him about Hong Chou, the little foodie with tricks up her sleeve, Shen Hao realized something. Hong Chou’s tactic was simple: force others to stand on the same side with her, making things easier for herself.

And this simple trick gave Shen Hao an idea.

Opening up an ordinary map of the barbarian territory, he saw a newly marked symbol—a little triangular flag—which indicated the place Wang Jian mentioned today: Sangbi Hill. This was a spot the Red-eyed Wolf Race had planted the Frost Moon Banner, declaring it the Land of the Flag.

"They’ve planted the Frost Moon Banner and officially claimed their own Flag Land. Even though twenty tribes have gathered there, according to the intel, they haven’t really formed a Royal Court yet. Looks like the Red-eyed Wolf Race is still a bit green to become the ’king’.

If I wanted to push for the Royal Court to form, and make myself king, beyond having enough power and roping in the major tribes, I’d still need some outside help.

Maybe supplies from the Jingjiu Dynasty’s rotten officials?

Maybe form some patrolling raider bands to build up my own population?

...And something else...a pressing external threat. Maybe a direct threat from the Human Race?"

In the end, Shen Hao hit on the key point. If the wolf tribe couldn’t unify the barbarians and form a Royal Court with its own strength, the only way was to use outside pressure to force the opposition to compromise and get on board. Just like how Hong Chou threatened Li Erfu.

And now, it looked like the wolves were doing exactly that.

They broke their usual deal with the Slave Trade Association, brazenly swept past White Head Gorge all the way to Wu Lake’s region. That was practically waving a red flag at Jingjiu Dynasty: "I’m about to make trouble—better come catch me!"

As long as Jingjiu Dynasty reacts, even just a minor move, it would be enough to upend the barbarian situation. Faced with Jingjiu Dynasty showing killing intent, the barbarians would have no choice but to regroup and hurry to form a Royal Court.

Just like Hong Chou—she’d get the lamb chop in her mouth, no matter if Xia Nu would catch her and punish her later.

The wolf tribe might be thinking the same way: forget about whether they can actually beat the Jingjiu Dynasty right now; first, get everyone inside on the same page, crown their own ’king’, and worry about the rest later.