Chapter 96

Chapter 95: Second Grope

Song Qingshu finished speaking and hurriedly turned to leave. Not long after, he rushed back, holding a tray of clay-like substance in his hand.

"What is this?" Xia Qingqing asked in confusion.

"Real disguise technique," Song Qingshu said with a grin. "Sit down, I'll give you a new disguise. With your previous appearance, a red-vested soldier might not recognize you, but if we run into Dongfang Bubai, you won't be able to fool him."

"How could we be so unlucky to run into that pervert?" Xia Qingqing was startled.

"That pervert has been at a disadvantage before. He has always suspected that the person he fought that night was me. He's been watching me closely lately, so we have to be careful," Song Qingshu said as he began to apply the clay to Xia Qingqing's face.

"What are you doing?" Xia Qingqing instinctively leaned back as his fingers approached her face, her sense of propriety kicking in.

"How can I disguise you without touching you?" Song Qingshu said impatiently. "Don't be so dirty-minded. Just think of me as a doctor; there's no distinction between men and women in a doctor's eyes."

"Hmph, easy for you to say. If you were a woman and I were a man, would you let me touch you so casually?" Xia Qingqing said, feeling frustrated, but she stopped dodging.

When Song Qingshu's fingers touched her cheek, Xia Qingqing couldn't help but shiver. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't think of anything to say, so she closed her lips tightly and endured it.

"You have such tender skin. What do you use to take care of it?"

"How can you be so sensitive? You shiver all over when I touch you. This is a sickness, and it needs to be treated."

"Shut up!"

"Okay, okay~"

...

Xia Qingqing endured Song Qingshu's hands moving around on her face and his incessant chatter. After half an hour, she finally escaped the ordeal. Looking at the man in the bronze mirror, Xia Qingqing was stunned: "This... this..."

"What's with all the 'this' and 'that'? Isn't this appearance handsome and suave?" Song Qingshu said proudly, admiring his work.

"Handsome my foot!" Xia Qingqing felt like she was about to break down. "Why did you make me look like you?"

"What's wrong with looking like me?" Song Qingshu said, speechless. "I have my reasons, you'll understand later."

Although Xia Qingqing felt a bit disoriented, she had to admit that his disguise technique was truly remarkable. She looked at the bronze mirror and then at Song Qingshu, amazed: they were identical.

"Hmm, the height is still a bit off." Song Qingshu circled her a few times, then threw a pair of shoes at her. "Custom-made insoles. With these, the former Yellow Sect Leader dominated the martial world for over a decade. You deserve to have them."

"What nonsense, I've never heard of a Yellow Sect Leader in the martial world." Xia Qingqing, puzzled, put them on and found that their heights were now the same. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing."

Hearing her voice, Song Qingshu pursed his lips. "No, no, the voice has to change." He then pointed at a few acupoints on her neck.

"You... huh?" Xia Qingqing was startled by the obvious male voice when she spoke.

"Although it's a bit less magnetic than mine, it's passable. Most people won't be able to tell the difference." Song Qingshu finally nodded. "Alright, now it's my turn to disguise myself."

Xia Qingqing watched curiously as he took the clay from the tray and started applying it to his face. As he kneaded it, the greenish-black clay gradually turned into skin color. After a moment, the image of an ordinary guard appeared before her.

After changing into the appropriate clothes, Song Qingshu specially instructed Xia Qingqing on some precautions. After a successful rehearsal, the two headed straight for the palace gate.

"Your disguise is amazing." Seeing many guards greet her, Xia Qingqing couldn't help but whisper.

"Feel free to heap praise on me; I won't mind," Song Qingshu said, his eyes straight ahead, his expression serious.

Xia Qingqing ignored his nonsense, biting her lower lip, and said in a domineering tone, "Teach me!"

"Want to learn? Beg me."

"Go to hell!"

"My dear lady, you're now in my appearance. Don't bite your lip or sway your hips when you walk... You're ruining my reputation..."

"You!" Xia Qingqing was almost driven to the brink of anger.

The two bickered all the way to the palace gate. They handed over their identity plates, and the guards, after checking, respectfully returned them: "Wishing you a safe journey, Lord Song."

Xia Qingqing smiled in response, thinking that nothing unusual had happened on the way. Just as she was about to leave the palace gate, a voice she would never forget in her life came from behind: "Lord Song, this journey is fraught with danger. Dongfang has come to see you off."

Song Qingshu's face changed, and he subtly nudged Xia Qingqing. She quickly understood and smiled, "To have the great Lord Dongfang see me off is a great honor."

Noticing the difference in his voice, Dongfang Bubai gave him a curious look but didn't pay much attention. Instead, he focused on Song Qingshu: "Lord Song, didn't you tell the Emperor you were going alone? Why do you have a guard with you?"

"Oh," Xia Qingqing said calmly, "I have some tasks that require a few errand boys."

"Is that so?" Dongfang Bubai's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he looked at Song Qingshu, thinking: Could this Song Qingshu be so bold as to take Mi Fei out of the palace?

The more he thought about it, the more he believed it was possible. Dongfang Bubai smiled and came to Song Qingshu's side, slowly reaching out to pat his chest, saying, "Let me check if the guard you picked is sturdy."

Seeing the hand that could change the weather slowly approaching his chest, Song Qingshu's mind raced. In the end, he gritted his teeth and decided not to defend himself, allowing the other to pat his chest.

The touch was firm and solid, completely different from the softness he had imagined, which left Dongfang Bubai stunned.

He had thought the guard must be Mi Fei in disguise. No matter how skilled the disguise, it couldn't eliminate a woman's characteristics. He had directly reached out to touch. If it were really Mi Fei, she wouldn't tolerate another man touching her breasts, and he could tell the difference by the feel.

"You pervert, have you had enough? You've touched me twice!" Song Qingshu, drenched in cold sweat, forced a smile, "Your subordinate greets Lord Dongfang."

Convinced that the other was a man, Dongfang Bubai's hand retracted as if burned, and he looked at him with disdain. He then turned to Xia Qingqing, "Lord Song has his reasons for bringing a guard. I wish him success in his mission." Without waiting for a response, he floated away.

Xia Qingqing and Song Qingshu exchanged a smile and hurriedly left the palace.

"Thanks to your foresight, otherwise being touched by that pervert would have been... ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel sick." Outside Yanjing City, the two changed back into their original attire, and Xia Qingqing finally spoke in her own voice.

"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Song Qingshu hesitated, then smiled strangely.

"What's the lie, and what's the truth?" Xia Qingqing was thoroughly confused.

"The lie is that I'm a genius and predicted that pervert would do this." Song Qingshu answered.

Xia Qingqing immediately felt a sense of foreboding and hesitantly asked, "Then what's the truth?"

"The truth is," Song Qingshu looked a bit embarrassed, "I just wanted a reason to touch you properly."

"Song Qingshu, I'm going to kill you!" Xia Qingqing, enraged, drew her sword and lunged at Song Qingshu, but he had already fled.

Even after they sat down in a small town inn, Xia Qingqing was still fuming. Song Qingshu quickly apologized, "I was just trying to cheer you up. To make it up to you, I'll accompany you to Mount Hua first, then we'll complete Emperor Kangxi's mission, how about that?"

Xia Qingqing's expression finally softened, but she said, "Who cares if you come along?"

Song Qingshu picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea, smiling sheepishly, "Having a tea-serving protector on the journey isn't a bad thing..."

Xia Qingqing noticed his voice suddenly stopped and looked up to see Song Qingshu staring intently behind her. Curious, she followed his gaze.

A man and a woman entered the inn. The man was tall and dignified, with a bundle on his back, about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. The woman was about twenty-two or twenty-three, with skin as white as snow and features as beautiful as a painting, a stunning beauty. The man held the woman's hand, and they looked like a newly married couple. They came to an empty table, and the man pulled over a stool, gently helping the woman sit down, showing great tenderness and care. Both were dressed in expensive clothing, and the woman wore a gold phoenix hairpin with a pearl as large as a thumb, smooth and round, very precious.

Seeing Song Qingshu staring at the woman, Xia Qingqing felt quite displeased and huffed.

As if waking from a trance, Song Qingshu murmured, "She is so beautiful and fair-skinned. Such a beauty is rare not only in the north but even in the south. The green brocade fur coat she wears is already very bright, but under her radiance, even the most vibrant silk appears dull."

"Have you said enough?" Xia Qingqing felt extremely angry, and her tone carried a hint of irritation.

"Jealous, my lady?" Song Qingshu turned to her, a smile playing on his lips.

Xia Qingqing was about to speak when suddenly...

Chapter 96: Blindness

Xia Qingqing and Song Qingshu exchanged a smile and hurriedly left the palace.

"Thanks to your foresight, otherwise being touched by that pervert would have been... ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel sick." Outside Yanjing City, the two changed back into their original attire, and Xia Qingqing finally spoke in her own voice.

"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Song Qingshu hesitated, then smiled strangely.

"What's the lie, and what's the truth?" Xia Qingqing was thoroughly confused.

"The lie is that I'm a genius and predicted that pervert would do this." Song Qingshu answered.

Xia Qingqing immediately felt a sense of foreboding and hesitantly asked, "Then what's the truth?"

"The truth is," Song Qingshu looked a bit embarrassed, "I just wanted a reason to touch you properly."

"Song Qingshu, I'm going to kill you!" Xia Qingqing, enraged, drew her sword and lunged at Song Qingshu, but he had already fled.

Even after they sat down in a small town inn, Xia Qingqing was still fuming. Song Qingshu quickly apologized, "I was just trying to cheer you up. To make it up to you, I'll accompany you to Mount Hua first, then we'll complete Emperor Kangxi's mission, how about that?"

Xia Qingqing's expression finally softened, but she said, "Who cares if you come along?"

Song Qingshu picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea, smiling sheepishly, "Having a tea-serving protector on the journey isn't a bad thing..."

Xia Qingqing noticed his voice suddenly stopped and looked up to see Song Qingshu staring intently behind her. Curious, she followed his gaze.

A man and a woman entered the inn. The man was tall and dignified, with a bundle on his back, about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. The woman was about twenty-two or twenty-three, with skin as white as snow and features as beautiful as a painting, a stunning beauty. The man held the woman's hand, and they looked like a newly married couple. They came to an empty table, and the man pulled over a stool, gently helping the woman sit down, showing great tenderness and care. Both were dressed in expensive clothing, and the woman wore a gold phoenix hairpin with a pearl as large as a thumb, smooth and round, very precious.

Seeing Song Qingshu staring at the woman, Xia Qingqing felt quite displeased and huffed.

As if waking from a trance, Song Qingshu murmured, "She is so beautiful and fair-skinned. Such a beauty is rare not only in the north but even in the south. The green brocade fur coat she wears is already very bright, but under her radiance, even the most vibrant silk appears dull."

"Have you said enough?" Xia Qingqing felt extremely angry, and her tone carried a hint of irritation.

"Jealous, my lady?" Song Qingshu turned to her, a smile playing on his lips.

Xia Qingqing was about to speak when suddenly...

Chapter 96: Blindness

Xia Qingqing and Song Qingshu exchanged a smile and hurriedly left the palace.

"Thanks to your foresight, otherwise being touched by that pervert would have been... ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel sick." Outside Yanjing City, the two changed back into their original attire, and Xia Qingqing finally spoke in her own voice.

"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Song Qingshu hesitated, then smiled strangely.

"What's the lie, and what's the truth?" Xia Qingqing was thoroughly confused.

"The lie is that I'm a genius and predicted that pervert would do this." Song Qingshu answered.

Xia Qingqing immediately felt a sense of foreboding and hesitantly asked, "Then what's the truth?"

"The truth is," Song Qingshu looked a bit embarrassed, "I just wanted a reason to touch you properly."

"Song Qingshu, I'm going to kill you!" Xia Qingqing, enraged, drew her sword and lunged at Song Qingshu, but he had already fled.

Even after they sat down in a small town inn, Xia Qingqing was still fuming. Song Qingshu quickly apologized, "I was just trying to cheer you up. To make it up to you, I'll accompany you to Mount Hua first, then we'll complete Emperor Kangxi's mission, how about that?"

Xia Qingqing's expression finally softened, but she said, "Who cares if you come along?"

Song Qingshu picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea, smiling sheepishly, "Having a tea-serving protector on the journey isn't a bad thing..."

Xia Qingqing noticed his voice suddenly stopped and looked up to see Song Qingshu staring intently behind her. Curious, she followed his gaze.

A man and a woman entered the inn. The man was tall and dignified, with a bundle on his back, about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. The woman was about twenty-two or twenty-three, with skin as white as snow and features as beautiful as a painting, a stunning beauty. The man held the woman's hand, and they looked like a newly married couple. They came to an empty table, and the man pulled over a stool, gently helping the woman sit down, showing great tenderness and care. Both were dressed in expensive clothing, and the woman wore a gold phoenix hairpin with a pearl as large as a thumb, smooth and round, very precious.

Seeing Song Qingshu staring at the woman, Xia Qingqing felt quite displeased and huffed.

As if waking from a trance, Song