Zhao isn't hard to write. Especially since he and I are pretty similar. Lazy as frick.

Also, I apologize that, in the first chapter for Zhao, I hadn't named his wife. I actually forgot her name, sadly, since I'm pretty forgetful. But, now Tang Ji is revealed. I'm glad to get her name out. There's not much to say about this, though...

It was bad that Sima Zhao was very laid back…

It was worse that his wife, Tang Ji, let him get away with it.

Wang Yuanji was one to get him to move again, usually giving Tang Ji a shove to move, too.

But, as Tang Ji thought about it, she hated having to nag him…she knew it made him feel a little, well…almost annoyed when people ended up nagging him. But with how much he ended up being lazy, it became essential to nag him into stuff. Didn't mean she wanted to…she was happy to let him lay there just thinking.

Besides, she enjoyed seeing her husband relaxed. When he could just lay back and do nothing was the best time to see him…having him all pouty like a ten year old, slouching his shoulders and dragging himself around was just a pain in the neck.

She was happy when he actually got on his feet to do something without too much hassle…but having Wang Yuanji and Jia Chong come in to pull him by the ear was something that…well, it was growing to be an annoyance…

It wasn't like she was a bad wife. Yeah, sometimes wives had to nag for their husband's to do things. It kept them in line. But, as a husband, Zhao wasn't bad, either. When it came to their marriage, Tang Ji was actually surprised how much he put into it and how much he truly cared. It was just when it came to him doing anything he wasn't 100% willing to do…if he ever complained, she gave in quite easily and let him do as he wished…

…okay, that made it sound like she was wrapped around his little finger. But he'd never take advantage of her not wanting to nag…

Right?

"Ughhhhhhh…"

Upon hearing her groan, Jia Chong and his wife, Kuo Huai, turned to Tang Ji, watching as she ended up laying her face on the table in front of them, grumbling.

"…Lady Ji, is something bothering you?"

"No."

"Well, your grumbling would suggest otherwise…"

Both Jia Chong and Kuo Huai weren't exactly great at solving the problems of others (unless it involved tracking people down), but Tang Ji was the wife of Sima Zhao, the man who could, one day, rule the kingdom. And he was their Lord, anyway…it was a duty of theirs to at least TRY and help.

But clearly Kuo Huai was rusty and didn't exactly know what to do, seeing as she'd grabbed a brush and began using it to 'pet' Tang Ji's shoulder, almost singing; "There, there."

She wasn't surprised when Jia Chong just took the brush off her and threw it somewhere. In fact, she wondered why he hadn't done it sooner.

"If something is bothering you, Lady Ji, it is best to get it out. Suppressing your emotions isn't exactly a great thing to do."

"Could Kuo Huai pull all of my emotions out of my body? She enjoys dissecting things, right?"

"Yes, I do enjoy that, but if I did such a thing, I doubt you'd survive."

"Do it."

"Well, now…My lord, I'm afraid Lady Ji has become deluded…should I inform Lord Zhao?"

"My dear, the best we can do is try snap her out of this slump."

But the gentle approach clearly wouldn't work.

No, instead, Jia Chong opted for pulling on both of Tang Ji's pigtails, forcing her head off the table as Kuo Huai sat next to her. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow-"

"Lady Ji, we can't have you being upset about something. You know how that will make Lord Zhao feel."

"He won't even know I'm upset. He never really does."

Well, that sounded bitterer than she intended…

"He notices a lot more than you realize."

"Huh?"

"Jia Chong…have you seen Tang Ji?"

"No, Zhao, I haven't seen your wife. Why? Has something happened to her?"

"Well…not exactly…She's just been…kinda down, lately. I wanted to see if I could cheer her up with something. But I'm not sure what's even bothering her."

"You tell me this like I'll know how to help you, Zhao."

"Of course, I don't expect help…hell, she's my wife. If I had to ask for help to make her feel better, I'd be a terrible husband…"

"I suppose that's true. Well…you'd best keep looking for her, then. Wang Yuanji might know."

"Thanks, anyway."

"Wait…he really noticed I was upset?"

"Like I said…he notices much more than you give him credit for."

Well, that would explain why he always seemed to be in a weird mood when she felt upset. He usually ran around trying to make her laugh…she always thought it was a coincidence…I mean, it didn't happen much.

"Well…I wouldn't want to bother him, anyway?"

"Bother him? It's not like you have to tell him to do anything."

"That's exactly the problem!"

The two sinister generals were a little taken back by the outburst…but it looked like she was finally opening up.

"I…I feel bad that I don't tell him what to do. Like…You guys and Yuanji have to do it for me when he's being lazy."

"And…is that an issue?"

"Yes! I let him get away with murder!"

Kuo Huai wanted to point out who she was talking to, but Jia Chong shook his head, already knowing that wouldn't be a great idea…Sarcasm wouldn't be too great to use on an upset Tang Ji.

"I give up way too easily when he wants to be lazy, so he gets away with everything…I'm worried that not being able to nag him because I'm worried he'll get upset is…well, it's wrapping me around his little finger."

"Hmm…I doubt he'd ever feel that way about it. Even if you were wrapped around his little finger, he'd never notice. I doubt he even notices you'd let him get away with anything."

"Well…I'm glad. You saying that makes me feel a bit better-" Wow, Jia Chong made someone feel better… "But…Still…then I just feel bad that you guys have to push him into doing things while I just let him be lazy."

Well, now this felt like a bit of a predicament…neither of the generals really knew how to respond, looking at each other and just shrugging. They knew she let him get away with a lot and Sima Zhao never really noticed it, he just went with it, so they weren't exactly mad about having to get him to move…

But it'd help if she could nag him. Kuo Huai was first to respond;

"Why not just be a bit harder on him? I know you might not want to upset him…but the worst thing he can do is grumble about it like he does with us."

"Well…yeah, I guess…"

"Let's face it…the only way he reacts when we tell him to do anything is to grumble a bit, say it's a pain in his rear and then does it. It's rare that we have to drag him…if you're the one asking him to do something, he'd probably be much more willing."

"Hmm…"

After this conversation, Tang Ji was…well, she felt BETTER. Not great but…better.

She decided that maybe it was best to be a bit harder on Zhao, just like Kuo Huai suggested to her…even Jia Chong seemed to think it was a good idea. Maybe they were right. Maybe Sima Zhao would be more willing to do things if it was her asking. Even then, the worst he could do is grumble at her. Or say no, but she doubted it would go THAT far…but she still worried…

"H-Hey…Zhao?"

"Well, there you are. I did wonder where you'd gotten to. Almost had me worried there. Where did you go, anyway?"

"Nowhere, really…just had to think for a while."

"Something been bothering you, Ji?"

Her brain was telling her to just find a way to drop the subject…but everything else in her was just screaming at her to see how it went if she asked him to do something he wouldn't be normally willing to do.

"No, not really…but, Zhao…"

"Hm?"

She stayed silent for a minute before quickly remembering the time and placing her hands on her hips, raising a brow, quickly putting on a façade of mild annoyance.

"Aren't you supposed to be in a war meeting with your Lord Sima Shi and Lord SIma Yi."

"U-Uhh…well…"

"A-ha! You're hiding here, aren't you?"

"Not like it's a good hiding place, I'm hiding in our room-"

"Zhao."

"Okay, I'm hiding. It's not like I'm missing anything important, Ji…"

Tang Ji could already see the childish pout forming as the conversation kept growing. He already knew he was being interrogated...He was just glad it wasn't Wang Yuanji doing this. God, that'd be terrifying…

But, then again…the look on his wife's face was a little terrifying. She was almost glaring at him…he felt a little small in comparison. And that was saying something when Tang Ji only got to the bottom of his chest, height wise…

"Zhao. Even if you can't be bothered, you have to go to war council's to speak with soldiers, as well as your brother and father!"

"Not to mention my mother, isn't that a good reason not to go-"

"Sima Zhao!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Well…she was definitely scary like this…he's not sure he wanted it to happen again.

"Now, come on, Zhao. If I have to nag you to go, then I will."

"Ji…You don't usually nag me like this…"

"And I doubt I will, much…but I'll do it if I have to."