Chapter 27

Chapter 26: Being Manipulated

Song Qingshu was speechless: "Alright, then you can consider him a spy."

"Indeed, he is a spy!" Ding Dian's eyes lit up, and he gave Di Yun another beating.

"Miss Ling is dying!" Seeing that his casual words had led to Di Yun being beaten, he felt a bit guilty and had to use his ultimate move.

"What!" Ding Dian indeed stopped, his face twisted with anger, "What did you say just now!"

"Would you have let him go if I didn't say that?" With the cell separating them, Song Qingshu wasn't afraid of him rushing out, "This poor boy is indeed a pitiful person. He was thrown here just to see if you might reveal your secrets to him, and then Ling Tuisi might think this simpleton is easier to deal with than you."

In fact, after years of interaction, Ding Dian had long understood this point. Seeing him call Ling Tuisi by his name, he snorted coldly, "Who are you?"

"I am a great benefactor who saves people from suffering. I can't bear to see you two suffer so much, so I've come to bring you some warmth." Song Qingshu glanced at their miserable state, their琵琶骨 (pípá gǔ) pierced, their bodies filthy... Thinking of their fates, he sighed deeply.

"Hmph! What new trick is Ling Tuisi up to?" Ding Dian was now on guard against everything.

"Ling Tuisi?" Song Qingshu smiled disdainfully, "Hero Ding, how about we make a deal?"

"Get lost!" Ding Dian ignored him, knowing that Miss Ling was safe, he coldly sat back down.

"Do you really think I care about your Liancheng Jue?" Song Qingshu laughed, "To be honest, I already know the secret of the Liancheng Jue that you and the others have been fighting over."

"Heh, trying to fool a child?" Ding Dian laughed dryly.

"Don't you believe me?" Song Qingshu stood up, "I can tell you the secret of the Liancheng Jue. See if it matches what you know."

"Go on, then." Ding Dian looked at him suspiciously.

Song Qingshu smiled bitterly and lowered his voice, "Hero Ding, I know you haven't lost your martial arts skills. Please listen carefully. Is there anyone else within a few dozen feet? If Ling Tuisi's people hear, I might suffer the same fate as you. My meridians are all broken, and I have no martial arts skills left. I'll have to trouble you to listen carefully."

Ding Dian was unsure, closed his eyes, and carefully checked: "Speak. Within ten feet, there's no one else besides the three of us."

Song Qingshu glanced at Di Yun, "Some things he doesn't know are to protect him." Ding Dian frowned but still casually struck Di Yun's sleep point.

Song Qingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief and revealed the secret of the Liancheng Jue. Ding Dian's face changed dramatically, staring at him intently, "How do you know this?"

"That's none of your business," Song Qingshu shrugged, "Now do you believe I'm not one of Ling Tuisi's people?"

"Then why did you come to me?" Ding Dian was very puzzled.

"Didn't I say we could make a deal?" Song Qingshu extended his hand, "Quickly, feel my pulse and see if your Shenzhao Jing can cure me."

Hearing his words, Ding Dian understood and gently felt his pulse, then said, "It can be cured."

Song Qingshu finally felt relieved and said, "To be honest, Ling Tuisi is a fool. If he had directly asked his daughter to request the Liancheng Jue as a dowry, you wouldn't have refused."

Ling Tuisi, judging others by his own standards, thought everyone was like him, afraid that even a hint of information would make Ding Dian suspicious. He never realized that in Ding Dian's eyes, his daughter was far more important than any treasure.

Hearing Song Qingshu's words, Ding Dian felt a sense of kinship, his expression softened. Little did he know that Song Qingshu was deliberately trying to get close to him.

"But now that I know his true nature, I will never give him the Liancheng Jue." Ding Dian, harboring resentment for years, said bitterly.

"I'm not asking you to give up the Liancheng Jue." Song Qingshu chuckled, "Our deal has nothing to do with Ling Tuisi."

"What kind of deal?" Ding Dian finally became interested.

"I will ensure that you and Miss Ling become a couple, and you will cure my meridians. How about that?" Song Qingshu stared at him intently.

To his surprise, Ding Dian didn't show the expected joy but sighed deeply, "Do you know why I've been willing to stay here all these years?"

Song Qingshu's heart skipped a beat, "Why?"

"First, my martial arts skills were not yet complete, and I couldn't escape from this iron fortress," Ding Dian smiled bitterly, "Second, even if I escaped, it would be useless. Shuanghua wouldn't leave with me. I might as well stay here and look at the chrysanthemums she places on the windowsill to alleviate my loneliness." Ding Dian's eyes gazed through the small window, looking affectionately at the distant building.

"Why doesn't she want to leave with you?" Although Song Qingshu understood the general plot, he was confused by the details.

"I don't know," Ding Dian's face softened, "As a well-bred lady, it's normal for her not to want to elope with a man without a clear reason. Besides, Ling Tuisi forced her to take a terrible oath." As he spoke, Ding Dian's expression turned fierce.

"What kind of oath?" Song Qingshu was somewhat dismissive, thinking it was just a vow, why were the ancients so foolish?

"His father threatened her with my life, making her swear that she would never see me again in her lifetime, or her mother's soul would suffer eternal torment in the afterlife." Ding Dian's teeth were almost grinding to pieces.

"Threaten with your life?" Song Qingshu's expression was strange, "Even if she refused, Ling Tuisi wouldn't kill you, right?"

"That's what makes him so cruel!" Ding Dian slammed his hand on the wall, leaving a handprint.

Song Qingshu was troubled, this was going to be difficult.

Seeming to know his thoughts, Ding Dian said, "If you can really convince Shuanghua to elope with me, I can teach you the Shenzhao Jing."

Song Qingshu happily slapped his chest, "Alright, I'll take it. I'll go and feel out Miss Ling's thoughts, and we can discuss how to teach me the Shenzhao Jing later." Thinking that he finally had a chance to turn things around, Song Qingshu was overjoyed and hurriedly ran out.

Watching Song Qingshu's slightly deranged back, Ding Dian smiled coldly, thinking, "The Shenzhao Jing, it would take you at least twenty years to learn." It wasn't that Ding Dian was being deceitful; he had simply been through too much and no longer trusted anyone.

Song Qingshu was stopped by the guards in front of Miss Ling's building, "Lord Ling has ordered that no one can see Miss Ling except himself."

Showing a token, Song Qingshu said, "Lord Ling has given me the authority to act freely within the manor. Everyone must cooperate with me. I'm sure you've received the message."

The two guards exchanged glances, still hesitant. Song Qingshu didn't bother with them, pushing aside the halberd in front of him and rushing upstairs.

Chapter 27: A Person as Calm as a Chrysanthemum

Upstairs, the room was filled with light veils, and a faint figure could be seen in the depths. Song Qingshu didn't want to be abrupt, so he coughed lightly to indicate that someone had come up.

"Who is it?" Although Ling Shuanghua was startled, she didn't show any particular reaction, just asking casually.

Feeling the coldness in her voice, Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. What a beautiful woman, almost driven to despair.

"I have been sent by Hero Ding to visit Miss Ling." Song Qingshu thought that he needed to use strong words to catch her attention.

There was a thud, as if a stool had fallen. Indeed, upon hearing Ding Dian's name, Ling Shuanghua hurriedly ran out, lifting the curtain and looking at Song Qingshu anxiously, "Which Hero Ding?"

A young woman in a light yellow dress ran up, her face partially covered by a veil, but the anxiety was evident. Upon closer inspection, some red scars were visible at the edge of the veil. Song Qingshu sighed inwardly, imagining how beautiful she must have been before her disfigurement.

"Hero Ding Ding has sent me to ask Miss Ling a few questions." Song Qingshu bowed respectfully.

"Is he... well?" Ling Shuanghua's voice trembled.

"Uh... probably not." Song Qingshu thought, with his琵琶骨 (pípá gǔ) pierced, his tendons severed, and years of torture in prison, it couldn't be considered good. "But at least he's not dead yet."

Ling Shuanghua smiled sadly, "It's all my fault, I've harmed Brother Ding..."

"Miss Ling, since the matter has already happened, it's not the time to say such things," Song Qingshu remembered his purpose and quickly asked, "Why didn't you want to elope with Hero Ding back then?"

"Sir, as you can see, I am now like this, my heart is already dead. I pray to the gods every day, only hoping that Brother Ding can be safe." Ling Shuanghua lifted the corner of her veil, revealing a white face with several ugly red scars.

"Miss Ling, I have always admired the love between you and Hero Ding. Do you think Hero Ding would care about your appearance?" Song Qingshu frowned, the scars were indeed... quite shocking, but that shouldn't be the reason.

"Of course, I know he wouldn't despise me," Ling Shuanghua slowly sat down at the table, playing with a flower in front of her, a gentle smile on her lips, "But I don't want him to marry such an ugly wife."

Hearing her obviously insincere words, Song Qingshu didn't want to play games with these lovesick people and directly asked, "I heard that Lord Ling forced you to take a terrible oath, saying that if you ever saw Ding Dian again in this life, your mother's soul would suffer eternal torment in the afterlife. Miss Ling, do you know that even if you hadn't taken that oath, your father wouldn't have harmed Hero Ding for the sake of the Liancheng Jue?"