Chapter 97

Chapter 96: Blind Eye

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

"Thank goodness you were prepared for this situation from the start. Otherwise, if that pervert had touched me, ugh~ just thinking about it makes me feel sick." Outside the city of Yanjing, the two changed back into their original attire, and Xia Qingqing finally spoke in her natural voice.

"What do you want to hear, the truth or a lie?" Song Qingshu hesitated for a moment, then gave a strange smile.

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

"The lie is that this great lord has divine foresight and predicted that the pervert would make a move like that." Song Qingshu replied.

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

"The truth is," Song Qingshu's expression became somewhat embarrassed, "I just wanted to find an excuse to touch you properly."

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

Even after they sat down at an inn in a small town, Xia Qingqing was still fuming. Song Qingshu quickly smiled apologetically and said, "I just saw you looking unhappy and was trying to cheer you up. As an apology, I'll take you to Huashan first, then we can carry out 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 awkwardly, "Having someone to serve you tea and water on the journey isn't such a bad thing..."

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

A man and a woman entered the inn. The man was tall and handsome, with a noble demeanor, and carried a bundle on his back. He was about thirty-eight years old. The woman was around twenty-three, with skin as white as snow and features as beautiful as a painting, a true beauty. The man held the woman's hand, and they looked like a newly married couple. They found an empty table, and the man pulled over a stool to help the woman sit down, showing great tenderness and care. Both were dressed in fine 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, "Her beauty and fair skin are 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 brocade seems dull."

"Are you done talking?" Xia Qingqing felt extremely annoyed, and her tone carried a hint of anger.

"Is the lady jealous?" Song Qingshu turned his head and said with a half-smile.

Xia Qingqing was about to speak when she suddenly noticed a change in the inn and spat, "Men are all scum."

Song Qingshu looked up in surprise and saw a few bandits, clearly notorious outlaws, getting up and moving toward the couple.

"We are handling this for the Black Tiger Gang. If you don't want to die, don't look." One of them shouted, and many of the inn's patrons quickly left.

"I didn't expect such good luck today. Not only did we find a wealthy target, but also such a seductive lady, hehehe." The other bandits laughed lewdly and leered at the woman.

"Scoundrels!" The man slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Song Qingshu shook his head in secret. This man was severely injured internally and was unlikely to survive.

The bandits kicked over stools and swung their sabers.

"Be careful, Guinong!" The woman was terrified as she saw the flashing blades.

"Guinong?" Song Qingshu's heart skipped a beat, thinking, Could they be those two?

The man called Guinong remained calm, dodged the flying stool, and crashed into a bandit's chest.

The bandit spat out a mouthful of blood and fell back. The man grabbed the bandit's wrist, twisted it lightly, and used the bandit's own saber to fend off the others.

"This man's every move is highly skilled, but why does he seem to lack strength and appear somewhat sluggish?" Xia Qingqing, who had been watching the scene, asked in confusion.

As she spoke, the man was kicked in the back by a bandit, losing his balance. The other bandits seized the opportunity and raised their sabers to strike him.

The man barely managed to dodge, but he couldn't avoid the punches and kicks. He retreated to the woman's side and, unable to hold back, spat out a mouthful of blood, looking at the woman with a sad smile, "I never thought I, Tian Guinong, would die not at the hands of the invincible Jinmianfo Miao Renfeng, but at the hands of these scoundrels."

The woman trembled all over, clearly very afraid, and tightly hugged the man, her voice trembling, "It's all my fault."

"Lan, to have won your favor, I have no regrets in this life." The man looked at the woman with a gentle expression.

"Heh, we've seen many such dramatic scenes. Don't worry, after you die, we'll take good care of your wife. We'll take turns, feeding her well every day. In a month, she'll be unable to resist and will completely forget you." The bandits laughed lewdly.

The man was furious, but his dantian was empty, and he couldn't even stand, only able to look at them in despair.

The woman, thinking of the impending humiliation, turned pale and took the phoenix hairpin from her head, pressing it against her white neck, her hands trembling.

"Go on, stab yourself? We've seen many women act like they want to die, but none of them actually do it... Lady, it's better to live than to die. If you die, you'll have nothing. If you live, we'll treat you like a goddess." The bandits were startled, and their leader quickly calmed down and said.

The woman hesitated, and the hairpin moved slightly away from her neck. The bandit leader, quick to react, knocked the hairpin out of her hand.

"Ah!" A scream echoed through the inn.

"It seems these two are Tian Guinong and Miao Renfeng's wife, Nan Lan," Song Qingshu observed, "A woman as beautiful as Nan Lan, but with no wisdom, only screaming when things happen... I would want as many as I could get!"

He flicked his fingers, and several chopsticks flew to the opposite table, stopping the bandit leader's advances. The bandits were furious, "Brat, are you tired of living, daring to interfere with the Black Tiger Gang's business!"

"Isn't that obvious?" Song Qingshu shrugged, pointing to the scene around them, "Look, after the incident, all the other guests have run away, leaving only our table here. If you can't tell we're boss-level characters, you must be blind."

Although the bandits didn't fully understand Song Qingshu's words, the mocking tone was clear, and they were furious, swinging their knives at him.

Song Qingshu slapped his hand on the table, and the chopsticks in the bamboo tube flew into the air. With a flick of his sleeve, the chopsticks, imbued with his inner strength, shot out like arrows.

Several cries of pain, and the bandits' hands were pierced by the chopsticks. Whether from pain or fear, they were drenched in cold sweat, looked at each other, and fled in disarray.

Tian Guinong's eyes lit up. Although he wasn't a top-tier expert, his eyesight was good. Seeing Song Qingshu use thin bamboo chopsticks to accurately hit each bandit's palm, he was amazed by the inner strength and accuracy, thinking, This person's skills might even surpass Miao Renfeng.

"I am Tian Guinong, thank you both for saving us, cough, cough..." Tian Guinong's words were cut short by a violent cough, clearly aggravating his internal injuries.

Song Qingshu extended his hand in front of Xia Qingqing, "Give it to me."

"What?" Xia Qingqing was taken aback and asked in confusion.

"Fuling Shouwu Pills. I don't have any healing medicine on me." Song Qingshu smiled.

"Hmph, you're really not polite." Despite this, seeing the man's severe injuries, Xia Qingqing took one out from her pocket.

"This lady, I have a miraculous healing pill. Please help your husband take it." Song Qingshu handed the Fuling Shouwu Pill to Nan Lan, speaking softly. Xia Qingqing, seeing him use her medicine to flirt with the beauty, almost exploded with anger, huffed, and turned away, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing his handsome face and recalling his graceful and heroic actions, Nan Lan's heart skipped a beat, and she bowed, "I thank you, sir, for saving our lives. I haven't had the chance to ask your name."

As Nan Lan took the pill, Song Qingshu's hand slipped, and his fingertips brushed against her delicate fingers, thinking, "Smooth and silky, Tian Guinong, you really have good fortune."

The tingling sensation made Nan Lan jump, and she turned her head to see Tian Guinong in a semi-coma and the other woman looking the other way, clearly not noticing the scene.

Feeling somewhat angry, she looked up and saw Song Qingshu with a serious expression, wondering if he had just touched her by accident, and if she was overthinking it.

"Lady, you can call me Song Qingshu, and this is my friend You You." Song Qingshu didn't dare to reveal Xia Qingqing's real name to them, as Tian Guinong was under the Prince of Bao in Shengjing, and if it ever reached Emperor Kangxi's ears, he would be in trouble.

"Originally, it's Song Qingshu and You You," Nan Lan, while helping Tian Guinong take the pill, smiled and nodded.

"May I ask the lady's name?" Song Qingshu came behind Tian Guinong and used his inner strength to help him heal.

Nan Lan's face turned awkward, thinking, Chapter 97: Uncomfortable Nan Lan

Although the bandits didn't fully understand Song Qingshu's words, the mocking tone was clear, and they were furious, swinging their knives at him.

Song Qingshu slapped his hand on the table, and the chopsticks in the bamboo tube flew into the air. With a flick of his sleeve, the chopsticks, imbued with his inner strength, shot out like arrows.

Several cries of pain, and the bandits' hands were pierced by the chopsticks. Whether from pain or fear, they were drenched in cold sweat, looked at each other, and fled in disarray.

Tian Guinong's eyes lit up. Although he wasn't a top-tier expert, his eyesight was good. Seeing Song Qingshu use thin bamboo chopsticks to accurately hit each bandit's palm, he was amazed by the inner strength and accuracy, thinking, This person's skills might even surpass Miao Renfeng.

"I am Tian Guinong, thank you both for saving us, cough, cough..." Tian Guinong's words were cut short by a violent cough, clearly aggravating his internal injuries.

Song Qingshu extended his hand in front of Xia Qingqing, "Give it to me."

"What?" Xia Qingqing was taken aback and asked in confusion.

"Fuling Shouwu Pills. I don't have any healing medicine on me." Song Qingshu smiled.

"Hmph, you're really not polite." Despite this, seeing the man's severe injuries, Xia Qingqing took one out from her pocket.

"This lady, I have a miraculous healing pill. Please help your husband take it." Song Qingshu handed the Fuling Shouwu Pill to Nan Lan, speaking softly. Xia Qingqing, seeing him use her medicine to flirt with the beauty, almost exploded with anger, huffed, and turned away, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing his handsome face and recalling his graceful and heroic actions, Nan Lan's heart skipped a beat, and she bowed, "I thank you, sir, for saving our lives. I haven't had the chance to ask your name."

As Nan Lan took the pill, Song Qingshu's hand slipped, and his fingertips brushed against her delicate fingers, thinking, "Smooth and silky, Tian Guinong, you really have good fortune."

The tingling sensation made Nan Lan jump, and she turned her head to see Tian Guinong in a semi-coma and the other woman looking the other way, clearly not noticing the scene.

Feeling somewhat angry, she looked up and saw Song Qingshu with a serious expression, wondering if he had just touched her by accident, and if she was overthinking it.

"Lady, you can call me Song Qingshu, and this is my friend You You." Song Qingshu didn't dare to reveal Xia Qingqing's real name to them, as Tian Guinong was under the Prince of Bao in Shengjing, and if it ever reached Emperor Kangxi's ears, he would be in trouble.

"Originally, it's Song Qingshu and You You," Nan Lan, while helping Tian Guinong take the pill, smiled and nodded.

"May I ask the lady's name?" Song Qingshu came behind Tian Guinong and used his inner strength to help him heal.

Nan Lan's face turned awkward, thinking, Chapter 97: Uncomfortable Nan Lan

Although the bandits didn't fully understand Song Qingshu's words, the mocking tone was clear, and they were furious, swinging their knives at him.

Song Qingshu slapped his hand on the table, and the chopsticks in the bamboo tube flew into the air. With a flick of his sleeve, the chopsticks, imbued with his inner strength, shot out like arrows.

Several cries of pain, and the bandits' hands were pierced by the chopsticks. Whether from pain or fear, they were drenched in cold sweat, looked at each other, and fled in disarray.

Tian Guinong's eyes lit up. Although he wasn't a top-tier expert, his eyesight was good. Seeing Song Qingshu use thin bamboo chopsticks to accurately hit each bandit's palm, he was amazed by the inner strength and accuracy, thinking, This person's skills might even surpass Miao Renfeng.

"I am Tian Guinong, thank you both for saving us, cough, cough..." Tian Guinong's words were cut short by a violent cough, clearly aggravating his internal injuries.

Song Qingshu extended his hand in front of Xia Qingqing, "Give it to me."

"What?" Xia Qingqing was taken aback and asked in confusion.

"Fuling Shouwu Pills. I don't have any healing medicine on me." Song Qingshu smiled.

"Hmph, you're really not polite." Despite this, seeing the man's severe injuries, Xia Qingqing took one out from her pocket.

"This lady, I have a miraculous healing pill. Please help your husband take it." Song Qingshu handed the Fuling Shouwu Pill to Nan Lan, speaking softly. Xia Qingqing, seeing him use her medicine to flirt with the beauty, almost exploded with anger, huffed, and turned away, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing his handsome face and recalling his graceful and heroic actions, Nan Lan's heart skipped a beat, and she bowed, "I thank you, sir, for saving our lives. I haven't had the chance to ask your name."

As Nan Lan took the pill, Song Qingshu's hand slipped, and his fingertips brushed against her delicate fingers, thinking, "Smooth and silky, Tian Guinong, you really have good fortune."

The tingling sensation made Nan Lan jump, and she turned her head to see Tian Guinong in a semi-coma and the other woman looking the other way, clearly not noticing the scene.

Feeling somewhat angry, she looked up and saw Song Qingshu with a serious expression, wondering if he had just touched her by accident,