Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty: The Jealous Mrs. Hu

"Your Excellency has a grand strategy, everything is meticulously arranged, and considering you are a scholar by origin, I am truly impressed," Huang Rong's flattery made the cunning Ling Tuisi feel a bit elated. After all, being praised by such a radiant woman, any man would feel proud.

"Just in case there are gaps during the soldiers' patrols, I will stay in the mansion with a few of the Beggars' Gang's top experts to deal with any emergencies," Huang Rong's gentle voice made Ling Tuisi feel very pleased, and he could not feel the slightest bit of displeasure.

"Good, good, good," Ling Tuisi laughed heartily a few times and looked at the few people behind Huang Rong, asking, "Who are these?"

"These two are my husband's disciples, Wu Xiwen and Wu Dunru, and these are our Beggars' Gang brothers..." Huang Rong introduced them one by one.

Are they the two useless fellows that Yang Guo once said even pigs would bow to them as kings? Song Qingshu curiously examined them. They looked decent, and their martial arts seemed to have some foundation; they shouldn't be that bad.

Next, they discussed the battle situation at the Xiangyang front. Song Qingshu found it extremely boring and found an opportunity to slip away.

With Huang Rong here, plus the Snow Mountain Sect with ulterior motives, and Wu Liucheng lurking in the shadows, the city of Jingzhou was now filled with hidden currents. This made it easier to send Ding Dian and Ling Shuanghua out of Jingzhou.

Finding a secluded spot in the mansion, he stretched lazily and sat down under a big tree. Not long after, two muffled groans came from behind him. A smile appeared on Song Qingshu's lips, and without opening his eyes, he said, "You're here~"

"Aren't you even calling me 'sister-in-law' anymore?" Mrs. Hu emerged from the shadows, scolding him with a bad temper.

After not seeing her for several days, she still looked as beautiful and clear as ever. Song Qingshu stood up, "Who would let you look so young and delicate? To outsiders, you look like my younger sister. I'm just afraid that calling you 'sister-in-law' would make you seem older."

Knowing he was teasing her, Mrs. Hu found herself unable to be truly angry. She kept comforting herself that her uncle was a carefree and easygoing person.

"Talking nonsense again!" Mrs. Hu deliberately put on a stern face, "Quickly, tell me what you need me to do. The prefecture is heavily guarded now, I need to leave soon to avoid being discovered."

Song Qingshu had anticipated that it would be difficult to contact the outside world before entering the prefecture, so he and Mrs. Hu agreed to exchange messages at this tree every evening.

Mrs. Hu would secretly monitor the situation outside the mansion. If Song Qingshu didn't come, it meant he had nothing to say. If he came, it meant he had something to tell her. She then used her lightness skills to sneak into the mansion, incapacitated two guards who were secretly watching Song Qingshu, and appeared before him.

Song Qingshu told Mrs. Hu about Huang Rong's arrival and the assassination attempt by the Snow Mountain Sect. Seeing his eyes light up when he mentioned Huang Rong, Mrs. Hu felt a bit uncomfortable and asked coldly, "Rumors say that Huang Rong was the most beautiful woman in the world back then. Is she really that beautiful?"

Song Qingshu didn't expect her first question to be about this. After a moment's hesitation, he excitedly said, "Indeed, she is a beauty beyond compare. Although she has lost some of her youthful innocence, she has gained the charm of a mature woman..."

As he spoke, he noticed Mrs. Hu's face growing colder. Realizing what was happening, he slapped his head and changed the subject, "But, she is older, and her beauty is fading. The title of the most beautiful woman in the world is no longer fitting. I think you look better than her..."

Mrs. Hu blushed and spat, "Huang Rong is only in her early thirties, how can she be old and faded? You just know how to make me happy. Will you say the same things to other women in front of them?"

"How dare I!" Song Qingshu was speechless and quickly changed the topic, "Sister-in-law, let's talk about the important matters. Try to inform the Snow Mountain Sect to act on the 15th. On that day, Ling Tuisi will interrogate Ding Dian, and he doesn't want others to know about the 'Liancheng Jue.' Therefore, the guards will be relatively weaker."

"Alright, I recently encountered a group of people in the suburbs. They tried to kill me, but now I think they must be from the Snow Mountain Sect," Mrs. Hu recalled, "I know their movements, so it won't be hard to find them. I will definitely pass the message."

"What?" Song Qingshu was shocked. Although he knew Mrs. Hu was standing in front of him unharmed, he couldn't help but ask, "Did you get hurt anywhere?"

For some reason, Mrs. Hu immediately thought of the last time she was injured in the ribs and was taken advantage of by him. A blush crept up her neck, and she quickly said, "I'm fine. My martial arts are decent, and with the White Python Whip technique you taught me, I can easily protect myself."

"That's good, that's good," Song Qingshu laughed foolishly, "This time, be careful, and try not to show yourself."

Seeing his worried expression, Mrs. Hu, who had been living a lonely life with Fei'er for many years, felt a warm current in her heart. She replied softly, "Don't worry, Uncle, I will be careful."

Watching Mrs. Hu's graceful figure as she left, Song Qingshu felt particularly refreshed. He went to the side and woke up the two guards who had been knocked out, then left.

The two guards looked at each other, "Did something happen just now?"

"Should we report to the Prefect?"

"You're silly. If the Prefect finds out, who will bear the blame? No one knows what happened, and Song Qingshu hasn't gone missing. It's better to keep quiet."

"You're experienced, Brother. I admire you!"

"That's right, I've been in the prefecture for many years, not for nothing."

...

In the following days, Song Qingshu accidentally met Huang Rong several times in the mansion. Although he wanted to stare at her all day, he knew that they were worlds apart now, so he remained calm, nodded in greeting, and left gracefully.

This made Huang Rong have a very good impression of him. Over the years, from Ouyang Ke to various martial artists and officials in Xiangyang, even the Prefect Lu Wenhuan, everyone's eyes would reveal their desire when they saw her, despite their attempts to hide it.

This time, in Jingzhou, she encountered a young man with clear eyes and a calm demeanor. When she asked around, she learned that he was a recent advisor hired by Ling Tuisi. She frowned and watched him leave, deep in thought.

Time flew by, and soon it was the 15th.

Because Huang Rong and others were there, Ling Tuisi had planned to suspend the interrogation of Ding Dian this month. However, Song Qingshu claimed that this was a critical period for诱导供词, and if Ling Tuisi suspended the interrogation, Ding Dian might suspect that they were colluding, which would ruin their efforts.

Ling Tuisi thought it made sense, so he found an excuse to send Huang Rong and others away, set up a torture chamber in the inner room, and had Ding Dian brought in.

"Mr. Ding, after all these years, you haven't become numb, but I have," Song Qingshu deliberately said, looking at Ding Dian, "Why don't you just tell us?"

"Phew!" Ding Dian glared at Song Qingshu.

Ding Dian's glare made Song Qingshu shudder, thinking, "My goodness, his acting skills could win an Oscar."

"Beat him," Ling Tuisi sneered. After years of torture, it had no effect, and he had lost interest, but he still ordered the guards to carry out the punishment out of habit.

"Thud, thud, thud!" The water and fire sticks landed on Ding Dian's body, making a dull sound. Ding Dian remained silent, silently enduring the pain, not daring to use his internal energy to resist, for fear of being seen through by Ling Tuisi. After all, these minor injuries were nothing; he could heal them with a few cycles of internal energy in his cell.

"Father, don't force Brother Ding anymore!" A female voice from behind made Ding Dian tremble, and he turned around excitedly. It was indeed Ling Shuanghua, whom he had been thinking about day and night.

Ling Tuisi was both shocked and angry on the dais, pointing at Ling Shuanghua and shouting, "Why are you here? Have you forgotten the vow you made?"

"I have not forgotten," Ling Shuanghua walked over to support Ding Dian and turned back, "Fortunately, I received guidance from a wise person and realized that Mother lived a virtuous life and is likely in the Western Paradise, so she would not suffer in the afterlife."

Ling Tuisi's expression changed dramatically, and he glared at Song Qingshu. At that moment, there was a loud crash, and the door was shattered, with a soldier being thrown in, spitting blood.

"There are assassins!" The shrill cry outside made everyone in the room jump.

The sound of weapons clashing filled the air. Ling Tuisi's guards were clearly struggling and retreating step by step. Soon, several men dressed as swordsmen rushed in, their eyes lighting up when they saw Ling Tuisi, and they pounced.

Ling Tuisi's guards drew their swords and bravely charged forward. Song Qingshu saw that the swordsmen's techniques were complex and varied, and the guards were no match for them, falling one after another.

"Father!" Ling Shuanghua cried out anxiously as she saw one of the swordsmen leap high and stab at Ling Tuisi.

Ding Dian loved Ling Shuanghua so much that he couldn't bear to see her suffer even a little. Seeing this, he trembled, his chains breaking, and he leaped forward, striking out with a punch before he even reached the target. The force of his punch reached the swordsman before he did.

The swordsman was taken aback and hurriedly tried to defend himself. Ding Dian ignored his complex sword techniques, targeting the center of his defense, changing his punch to a claw, and grabbing the swordsman's chest. The swordsman immediately went limp.

Song Qingshu peeked from behind a pillar and saw that the man was no longer breathing. He took a deep breath and quickly hid his head, thinking, "May the dead friend die, not the poor monk. You fight, the more chaotic the better, just don't notice me. I don't want to get involved now that my martial arts are not yet complete."

Chapter Thirty-One: Snow Mountain Sword Technique vs. Phantom Fist

"Mr. Ding, after all these years, you haven't become numb, but I have," Song Qingshu deliberately said, looking at Ding Dian, "Why don't you just tell us?"

"Phew!" Ding Dian glared at Song Qingshu.

Ding Dian's glare made Song Qingshu shudder, thinking, "My goodness, his acting skills could win an Oscar."

"Beat him," Ling Tuisi sneered. After years of torture, it had no effect, and he had lost interest, but he still ordered the guards to carry out the punishment out of habit.

"Thud, thud, thud!" The water and fire sticks landed on Ding Dian's body, making a dull sound. Ding Dian remained silent, silently enduring the pain, not daring to use his internal energy to resist, for fear of being seen through by Ling Tuisi. After all, these minor injuries were nothing; he could heal them with a few cycles of internal energy in his cell.

"Father, don't force Brother Ding anymore!" A female voice from behind made Ding Dian tremble, and he turned around excitedly. It was indeed Ling Shuanghua, whom he had been thinking about day and night.

Ling Tuisi was both shocked and angry on the dais, pointing at Ling Shuanghua and shouting, "Why are you here? Have you forgotten the vow you made?"

"I have not forgotten," Ling Shuanghua walked over to support Ding Dian and turned back, "Fortunately, I received guidance from a wise person and realized that Mother lived a virtuous life and is likely in the Western Paradise, so she would not suffer in the afterlife."

Ling Tuisi's expression changed dramatically, and he glared at Song Qingshu. At that moment, there was a loud crash, and the door was shattered, with a soldier being thrown in, spitting blood.

"There are assassins!" The shrill cry outside made everyone in the room jump.

The sound of weapons clashing filled the air. Ling Tuisi's guards were clearly struggling and retreating step by step. Soon, several men dressed as swordsmen rushed in, their eyes lighting up when they saw Ling Tuisi, and they pounced.

Ling Tuisi's guards drew their swords and bravely charged forward. Song Qingshu saw that the swordsmen's techniques were complex and varied, and the guards were no match for them, falling one after another.

"Father!" Ling Shuanghua cried out anxiously as she saw one of the swordsmen leap high and stab at Ling Tuisi.

Ding Dian loved Ling Shuanghua so much that he couldn't bear to see her suffer even a little. Seeing this, he trembled, his chains breaking, and he leaped forward, striking out with a punch before he even reached the target. The force of his punch reached the swordsman before he did.

The swordsman was taken aback and hurriedly tried to defend himself. Ding Dian ignored his complex sword techniques, targeting the center of his defense, changing his punch to a claw, and grabbing the swordsman's chest. The swordsman immediately went limp.

Song Qingshu peeked from behind a pillar and saw that the man was no longer breathing. He took a deep breath and quickly hid his head, thinking, "May the dead friend die, not the poor monk. You fight, the more chaotic the better, just don't notice me. I don't want to get involved now that my martial arts are not yet complete."

Chapter Thirty-One: Snow Mountain Sword Technique vs. Phantom Fist

"Mr. Ding, after all these years, you haven't become numb, but I have," Song Qingshu deliberately said, looking at Ding Dian, "Why don't you just tell us?"

"Phew!" Ding Dian glared at Song Qingshu.

Ding Dian's glare made Song Qingshu shudder, thinking, "My goodness, his acting skills could win an Oscar."

"Beat him," Ling Tuisi sneered. After years of torture, it had no effect, and he had lost interest, but he still ordered the guards to carry out the punishment out of habit.

"Thud, thud, thud!" The water and fire sticks landed on Ding Dian's body, making a dull sound. Ding Dian remained silent, silently enduring the pain, not daring to use his internal energy to resist, for fear of being seen through by Ling Tuisi. After all, these minor injuries were nothing; he could