Chapter 56

Chapter 55: A Love Triangle

"Indeed, he and I have no personal grudges," the woman's tone shifted, and her expression turned cold, "but the Manchu and I have an irreconcilable enmity. He is Kangxi's right-hand man, and he usually accepts bribes and abuses power. Even if I kill him, it would be just retribution."

The woman silently added in her heart that, having received an invitation from someone, this might be the last time she would help 'him' before she left. After that, they would be separated by vast distances, and it was unlikely they would meet again.

"Is she a young and beautiful woman with a deep enmity against the Manchu?" Song Qingshu filtered through the characters from the original story in his mind. Suddenly, a light flashed in his heart, and he bowed slightly, "Is the young lady the former Ming Princess Changping, Lady Ajiu?"

Zhu Meizhu's delicate brows furrowed, and she looked at Song Qingshu with caution, "Who are you, and how do you know my identity?"

Song Qingshu glanced at the beauty before him with a deep sense of pity. In the original story, Ajiu was a tragic figure. Born into the last imperial family, she witnessed the fall of her nation and the death of her family. Her father cut off her arm, and she loved Yuan Chengzhi, but he had already pledged his love to Xia Qingqing. After the events at Chaoyang Peak, she waited for Yuan Chengzhi in the snowy valley of Tibet for ten years.

The ending is well-known; for ten whole years, regardless of whether it was due to Xia Qingqing, Yuan Chengzhi never came to find her...

Zhu Meizhu felt the emotion in Song Qingshu's gaze and became extremely uncomfortable, coughing lightly.

Song Qingshu came back to his senses and smiled awkwardly, "Lady Ajiu, please don't be suspicious. I am well-versed in martial arts anecdotes, so I can guess your identity."

"May I ask for your name, sir?" Zhu Meizhu felt that her background and everything about her were known to the other party, while she knew nothing about him, so she asked.

"I am Song Qingshu," Song Qingshu bowed slightly and asked, "Lady Ajiu, it's true that you have a deep enmity against the Manchu, but now, by risking a war between Song and Qing, you are assassinating Qing envoys in the Song territory. Is there any special reason for this?"

Zhu Meizhu, hearing the dissatisfaction in his words, thought he was a citizen of Song and explained, "Sir Song, you misunderstood. Ajiu acted hastily and without consideration, not realizing that it might lead to a war between Song and Qing... I only recently discovered that Wei Xiaobao's mission is secondary; his main purpose is to deal with the Jin She Camp in Shandong. I am worried... worried that the last banner of resistance against the Manchu will fall, so I decided to assassinate Wei Xiaobao to cut off the root of the problem..."

"Is it for the current leader of the Jin She Camp, Yuan Chengzhi?" Song Qingshu looked at her with a smile, but he felt a deep sigh in his heart. Although he had never met Xia Qingqing, he imagined that her talent and beauty could not match Ajiu's. Yuan Chengzhi must have made a great decision to give up Ajiu... This was a misfortune for Ajiu, but a great fortune for other men.

Being exposed, Ajiu felt both shy and embarrassed, as she was the loser in the love triangle between her, Yuan Chengzhi, and Xia Qingqing.

"I have done my best, and the rest is up to Brother Yuan's fate," Zhu Meizhu smiled wistfully and said to Song Qingshu, "Thank you, Sir Song, for sparing me. I have important matters to attend to and need to hurry to the Western Regions. I will see you again in the future."

"See you again in the future." Song Qingshu had no reason to detain her and could only watch her graceful figure slowly disappear into the night sky with a lingering gaze.

Returning to the Yuhua Pavilion in a daze, Song Qingshu saw that only he had returned. Wei Xiaobao knew the assassin had not been caught, but he did not show any dissatisfaction. Instead, he showed concern, "That woman is highly skilled and cunning. Brother Song, are you hurt anywhere?"

Song Qingshu casually replied, "I'm sorry, Brother Wei. I failed to catch the assassin."

Wei Xiaobao's expression was strange, thinking that Song Qingshu's martial arts were clearly superior to the woman's. He wondered if Song Qingshu had let her go out of infatuation.

Noticing Wei Xiaobao's expression, Song Qingshu knew he was shrewd and that ordinary lies might not fool him. He had to tell a half-truth, "I had already subdued the assassin, but a black-clothed masked man suddenly appeared and rescued her. The man's internal strength was profound, and his sword skills were both strange and advanced. By the way, from his martial arts style and weapon, he is likely the famous 'Jin She Wang' Yuan Chengzhi."

"Yuan Chengzhi?" Wei Xiaobao drew a deep breath, already believing it to be true. He wondered if the news of his mission to secretly deal with the Jin She Camp had leaked.

"How does Yuan Chengzhi's martial arts compare to Brother Song's?" This was Wei Xiaobao's greatest concern. Kangxi and he were eager to recruit martial arts experts to deal with the highly skilled Yuan Chengzhi.

"Why, Brother Wei, are you planning to deal with Yuan Chengzhi?" Song Qingshu did not rush to answer but looked at him curiously.

Wei Xiaobao thought that he would eventually need Song Qingshu to deal with Yuan Chengzhi, so he led Song Qingshu into the room and quietly told him about Kangxi's secret order.

"Brother Song, we are sworn brothers, and we share both good and bad times. I won't hide anything from you," Wei Xiaobao sighed several times, pretending to be sincere, "After I helped the Emperor eliminate Ao Bai, I thought the Emperor could rest easy, but he was always worried. Once, I mustered the courage to ask him what was troubling him, and I learned about the Emperor's four major concerns."

Wei Xiaobao paused and asked, "Brother Song, do you know what the Emperor's four major concerns are?"

"The Manchu and Mongolia are at a stalemate, so Mongolia must be one of them," Song Qingshu could only think of this one.

"Brother Song is indeed insightful," Wei Xiaobao gave a thumbs up and continued, "However, Mongolia is an external threat. The other three are internal threats. One is Wu Sangui, the Pingxi King, who is unpredictable. The Emperor is always worried that he might hand over Shanhaiguan to Mongolia, as he did with the Ming. But Wu Sangui now commands over a hundred thousand elite troops, including the most elite cavalry in the world, the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry. The Emperor cannot move against him for now."

"Another concern is Prince Hongli of Shengjing. When the previous emperor abdicated, he and the current Emperor were the most qualified to ascend the throne. With the Empress Dowager's help, the current Emperor became the true ruler, but Prince Hongli has never given up on the throne. He commands hundreds of thousands of the Eight Banners troops, and his son, Fugangan, is a capable warrior. They have fought the Mongol army in Liaodong for many years and have high prestige in the military. The Emperor fears that he might lose a key pillar of support, so he cannot move against him."

"This world is truly chaotic. How can Qianlong and Kangxi be brothers, and there is a hidden struggle for the throne..." Song Qingshu was stunned, but he had seen many strange things recently and quickly accepted it. He continued, "The third concern must be the Jin She Camp in Shandong. Although the Shandong rebels are strong under Yuan Chengzhi's leadership, the Emperor does not have the same concerns about Wu Sangui and Hongli, so he chose to deal with him first."

"Exactly!" Wei Xiaobao nodded, "The Emperor has been trying to suppress the Shandong rebels for years, but whenever the troops arrive, they retreat into the mountains. When the troops withdraw, they re-emerge like stones in a latrine. They are more vicious than the madam of the Lichun Courtyard! Yuan Chengzhi has even taken the opportunity to deal heavy blows to the imperial troops, making the rebels even more arrogant. So, the Emperor abandoned the large-scale military campaign and decided to use martial arts methods to deal with Yuan Chengzhi."

"Unfortunately, Yuan Chengzhi combines the strengths of the Huashan Sect and the Jin She Sect, and his martial arts are among the best in the world. That's why Brother Wei and the Emperor are so eager to recruit martial arts experts," Song Qingshu added.

"Hehe, nothing can escape Brother Song," Wei Xiaobao smiled awkwardly, "I wonder how the fight between Brother Song and Yuan Chengzhi went?"

Song Qingshu had never fought Yuan Chengzhi, but he could estimate Yuan Chengzhi's martial arts skills based on the original story and Ajiu's account. He replied calmly, "It was a draw." He knew that saying Yuan Chengzhi was stronger would make Wei Xiaobao look down on him, and saying he was stronger would not explain how Ajiu was rescued, so he gave a moderate answer.

Wei Xiaobao was delighted, "Excellent! With a martial arts expert like Brother Song who can match Yuan Chengzhi, I can report back to Little Xuanzi."

Song Qingshu saw an opportunity and advised, "Brother Wei, although my martial arts are on par with Yuan Chengzhi's, the news of your mission to deal with him has already leaked. On the way back to Beijing, you will have to pass through Shandong territory, and there are also the Blood Saber Sect. I fear that I will be outnumbered and unable to protect your safety."

Wei Xiaobao was startled and looked panicked, "This is a sure loss. Perhaps we need to use the army to escort us, but that would alert the enemy, and Little Xuanzi would be unhappy..."

Seeing the right moment, Song Qingshu pretended to hesitate, "I have a plan, but I'm not sure if it will work."

"Brother Song, please tell me," Wei Xiaobao's eyes lit up, looking at him expectantly.

"Brother Wei can have Zhang and Zhao make a big show of escorting the envoy north to attract the enemy's attention, while we go south..."

Before Song Qingshu could finish, Wei Xiaobao interrupted, "Why go south?" Wei Xiaobao wondered if there was some hidden motive.

Smiling, Song Qingshu was not in a hurry and explained, "Recently, there is a world-class martial arts expert in Suzhou. If we can persuade him to join the Qing, with the two of us by his side, we can face any danger, let alone the Jin She Camp in Shandong."

"How does his martial arts compare to Brother Song's?" Wei Xiaobao asked, half-believing.

"He is even more skilled," Song Qingshu said firmly.

Wei Xiaobao was moved. If he could bring back two such powerful experts to the palace, Little Xuanzi would be delighted, and he might even be rewarded with a marquisate or a duke's title. Thinking of the rewards, Wei Xiaobao laughed.

"Alright, I will disguise myself and go to Suzhou with Brother Song. Zhang Kangnian, Zhao Qixian?" Wei Xiaobao called out.

"At your service, Lord Wei, what are your orders?" The two men heard Wei Xiaobao's call and entered, smiling flatteringly.

"Find someone to impersonate me, make a big show, and continue the journey as usual. I will go to Suzhou with Brother Song." Wei Xiaobao took out a stack of silver bills and gave them to the two men, "Tell the brothers to be on high alert. This is a dangerous mission, and they must be careful."

"Having a superior like Lord Wei is a blessing we have earned in eight lifetimes," Zhao Qixian laughed.

"Indeed! With Lord Gui, life is easy..." Zhang Kangnian suddenly slapped himself, "I forgot, it's Lord Wei now."

"Alright, enough flattery. Go and prepare," Wei Xiaobao waved them off.

After the two men closed the door, Song Qingshu's expression changed as if he had just remembered something, "Brother Wei, this time we are traveling light. Bringing that girl from the Shui family would be a hindrance..."

Before Song Qingshu could finish, Wei Xiaobao looked at him as if he were a monster, "Brother Song, such a beautiful woman, you would let her be killed?"

Seeing his misunderstanding, Song Qingshu was exasperated, "I meant we should release her..."

Wei Xiaobao thought, "If it's just a man traveling with me, the journey would be so dull. Subconsciously, he refused, "We are trying to keep a low profile, right? The Jin She Camp doesn't know there's a woman in the envoy. Bringing her will help us hide our identity. Besides, if we are in a crisis and can't resist, we can use her as a hostage. Yuan Chengzhi values righteousness. If he sees an innocent woman die because of her, his reputation will be greatly damaged..."

Song Qingshu looked at him with surprise. He had always thought Wei Xiaobao was just a flatterer, but this meeting showed him that Wei Xiaobao was far more intelligent and quick-witted than he had imagined.

"Alright, we'll do it your way and bring her along," Song Qingshu thought it made sense. Wei Xiaobao was now a valuable asset to him, and he couldn't let anything happen to him.

Back in the room, Song Qingshu was about to release Shui Sheng's acupoints when he noticed a sly smile on her face. Her delicate hand suddenly reached out from behind her back and, in a blink, struck several major acupoints on Song Qingshu's chest.

"How did you release your acupoints?" The sudden move caught Song Qingshu off guard. He was deep in thought and hadn't noticed that Shui Sheng was only pretending to sit there.

"Hmph!" Shui Sheng wrinkled her nose, jumped off the bed, and tidied her clothes, saying smugly, "Those lackeys' acupoint striking skills are terrible. Plus, I am highly skilled, so I naturally broke free."

Chapter 56: A Mistaken Bed in the Dark

"Alright, I will disguise myself and go to Suzhou with Brother Song. Zhang Kangnian, Zhao Qixian?" Wei Xiaobao called out.

"At your service, Lord Wei, what are your orders?" The two men heard Wei Xiaobao's call and entered, smiling flatteringly.

"Find someone to impersonate me, make a big show, and continue the journey as usual. I will go to Suzhou with Brother Song." Wei Xiaobao took out a stack of silver bills and gave them to the two men, "Tell the brothers to be on high alert. This is a dangerous mission, and they must be careful."

"Having a superior like Lord Wei is a blessing we have earned in eight lifetimes," Zhao Qixian laughed.

"Indeed! With Lord Gui, life is easy..." Zhang Kangnian suddenly slapped himself, "I forgot, it's Lord Wei now."

"Alright, enough flattery. Go and prepare," Wei Xiaobao waved them off.

After the two men closed the door, Song Qingshu's expression changed as if he had just remembered something, "Brother Wei, this time we are traveling light. Bringing that girl from the Shui family would be a hindrance..."

Before Song Qingshu could finish, Wei Xiaobao looked at him as if he were a monster, "Brother Song, such a beautiful woman, you would let her be killed?"

Seeing his misunderstanding, Song Qingshu was exasperated, "I meant we should release her..."

Wei Xiaobao thought, "If it's just a man traveling with me, the journey would be so dull. Subconsciously, he refused, "We are trying to keep a low profile, right? The Jin She Camp doesn't know there's a woman in the envoy. Bringing her will help us hide our identity. Besides, if we are in a crisis and can't resist, we can use her as a hostage. Yuan Chengzhi values righteousness. If he sees an innocent woman die because of her, his reputation will be greatly damaged..."

Song Qingshu looked at him with surprise. He had always thought Wei Xiaobao was just a flatterer, but this meeting showed him that Wei Xiaobao was far more intelligent and quick-witted than he had imagined.

"Alright, we'll do it your way and bring her along," Song Qingshu thought it made sense. Wei Xiaobao was now a valuable asset to him, and he couldn't let anything happen to him.

Back in the room, Song Qingshu was about to release Shui Sheng's acupoints when he noticed a sly smile on her face. Her delicate hand suddenly reached out from behind her back and, in a blink, struck several major acupoints on Song Qingshu's chest.

"How did you release your acupoints?" The sudden move caught Song Qingshu off guard. He was deep in thought and hadn't noticed that Shui Sheng was only pretending to sit there.

"Hmph!" Shui Sheng wrinkled her nose, jumped off the bed, and tidied her clothes, saying smugly, "Those lackeys' acupoint striking skills are terrible. Plus, I am highly skilled, so I naturally broke free."

Chapter 56: A Mistaken Bed in the Dark

"Alright, I will disguise myself and go to Suzhou with Brother Song. Zhang Kangnian, Zhao Qixian?" Wei Xiaobao called out.

"At your service, Lord Wei, what are your orders?" The two men heard Wei Xiaobao's call and entered, smiling flatteringly.

"Find someone to impersonate me, make a big show, and continue the journey as usual. I will go to Suzhou with Brother Song." Wei Xiaobao took out a stack of silver bills and gave them to the two men, "Tell the