Flower Stealing Master

“But that surnamed Yuan is your husband,” Song Qingshu grumbled inwardly. Outwardly, he said, “Then you still want to go to the Liao Dynasty?”

“We were husband and wife once. This needs a proper resolution,” Xia Qingqing sighed softly.

Song Qingshu nodded. “Alright. I’ll go with you.”

Xia Qingqing shook her head. “There’s so much to handle here. How can you get away? Don’t worry. I won’t rekindle anything with Big Brother Yuan.”

Song Qingshu pulled her into his arms. “But I don’t trust that surnamed Yuan. What if he tries to force himself on you? You can’t beat him.”

Xia Qingqing spat. “Pah! Big Brother Yuan is a man of absolute integrity. Not like you.”

Song Qingshu buried his head against her chest. “I don’t care. I won’t let you go to him alone.”

Flustered by his nuzzling, Xia Qingqing blushed and pushed him away. “Then why did you agree just now?”

“That was just talk. If you really tried to leave me, I’d stop at nothing to keep you by my side,” Song Qingshu said, without a shred of shame.

“Shameless~” Xia Qingqing scolded, but she wasn’t truly angry. If anything, she was faintly pleased.

“The Liao Dynasty, though no longer as vast as in its heyday, is still not small,” Dongfang Muxue suddenly spoke. “How will you find him?”

Xia Qingqing was startled, knowing she spoke the truth. The Liao Dynasty’s controlled territory was still roughly a thousand li in diameter. Even if Yuan Chengzhi truly was there, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

“Here’s my suggestion,” Dongfang Muxue said. “The Revolt of the Three Feudatories is raging. The court is shorthanded. Why doesn’t Qingqing come back to the capital with me? She can help with administrative affairs while using the court’s intelligence network to investigate Yuan Chengzhi’s whereabouts.”

Song Qingshu understood that she was using this as an opportunity to ease relations with Xia Qingqing. He saw no reason to object.

“Alright.” Xia Qingqing thought it over and knew this was the best approach. “But first, I need to return to the Golden Serpent Camp and check if Big Brother Yuan’s grave is truly empty.”

“No problem. It’s on the way. I’ll go with you,” Dongfang Muxue readily agreed.

Song Qingshu pulled her aside, looking strange. “Is Yuan Chengzhi’s grave really empty?”

Dongfang Muxue rolled her eyes. “So everything I just said was a waste of breath?”

Song Qingshu laughed awkwardly. “I was worried you made it up to keep Qingqing calm.”

Xia Qingqing coughed. “It’s almost dawn. I’m going back.”

Song Qingshu was puzzled. “Just sleep here. What’s the problem?”

Seeing his genuine bewilderment, Xia Qingqing stamped her foot in exasperation. “My public identity is still Madam Yuan. If someone sees me leaving your tent tomorrow morning… wouldn’t tens of thousands of soldiers know within hours?”

Song Qingshu smiled. “Is that all? Before, I wouldn’t have pressed you. But now that we know Yuan Chengzhi might be alive, I really can’t let you go.”

“Why?” Xia Qingqing was startled.

Dongfang Muxue laughed. “Men and their possessiveness. He wants to make your relationship public. His prestige is at an all-time high, and the Golden Serpent Camp veterans all believe Yuan Chengzhi is dead. They won’t object to your relationship. Once everyone in camp is used to you two being together, even if Yuan Chengzhi returns, it’ll be too late.”

“But that would…” Xia Qingqing’s face burned. “That would be so humiliating for me.” She had always prided herself on her devotion to love. Thinking of the stares she would get after daybreak, she felt deeply ashamed.

“Song, sometimes you’re too soft, unwilling to play the bad guy,” Dongfang Muxue’s expression turned serious. “So let me say it: if you don’t formalize your relationship soon, before the rest of the Golden Serpent Camp learns that Yuan Chengzhi is alive, how will the two of you face them? In everyone’s eyes, she is still Madam Yuan. Once your relationship is exposed, the world will vilify you. Better a little humiliation now than ruining both your reputations and regretting it later.”

Xia Qingqing’s expression shifted several times. Song Qingshu couldn’t help but sigh. “I sensed some danger, but I never saw it as clearly as you. No wonder you were a cult leader.”

Dongfang Muxue gave a light snort, but her brows showed she was quite pleased. She gestured subtly toward Xia Qingqing.

Song Qingshu was no fool. He seized the moment, taking Xia Qingqing’s hand. “Qingqing, stay with me, alright?”

Xia Qingqing lowered her head. After a long silence, she made a sound as faint as a mosquito’s hum. “Mm~”

Overjoyed, Song Qingshu took Dongfang Muxue by one hand and Xia Qingqing by the other and crawled back under the covers. After the night’s many events, the three soon fell asleep.

*****

When the morning sun streamed into the tent, the three were still sleeping soundly. Before long, a guard’s voice came from outside the tent. “Greetings, Golden Serpent King. The generals are all waiting outside.”

“Ah?” Xia Qingqing cried out and sat up straight. Noticing something at her che$t, she looked down and was furious. “Take your paws off!”

Dongfang Muxue, without even opening her eyes, just squeezed her fingers. A satisfied smile played on her lips. “Nice feel. Tsk tsk. Kill the husband and take the wife—it’s quite satisfying.”

Xia Qingqing nearly fainted with rage. She threw off the covers, ready to fight. Song Qingshu quickly held the two women apart. “Everyone’s outside. Don’t make a scene.”

Dongfang Muxue’s expression was radiant, clearly unconcerned. Xia Qingqing, face reddening, hurriedly began dressing.

After some time, the three finally emerged from the tent. The waiting crowd saw Xia Qingqing following behind Song Qingshu with her head lowered and cheeks flushed. Their eyes went wide, but soon understanding smiles appeared.

A beautiful woman with a hero—everyone loved such a story. Moreover, after yesterday’s performance, when Song Qingshu had descended like a heavenly god, his prestige was at its peak. No one would object.

The Golden Serpent Camp veterans had more complex feelings. On one hand, they thought of Yuan Chengzhi with mixed emotions. On the other, Xia Qingqing represented the interests of their faction. The closer her relationship with Song Qingshu, the higher their own status would rise.

From the crowd, Zhao Min discreetly poked Zhou Zhiruo. Her smile was not a smile. “Wasn’t he supposed to be healing Miss Xue yesterday? How did another woman appear? Zhou Zhiruo, oh Zhou Zhiruo, with so many vixens around your man, what will you do in the future?”

Zhou Zhiruo, quick-witted, knew Zhao Min wanted to use her. She answered blandly, “As long as Miss Zhao here isn’t one of those vixens, I can handle the others.”

Zhao Min nearly choked. She could only snort lamely. “Pah! Only you women fight over that stinking man like he’s some treasure. This Princess isn’t interested.”

Zhou Zhiruo smiled faintly. “I hope not.”

Among the women, only Ah Jiu was genuinely happy for Xia Qingqing. She had always felt it was unfair that Xia Qingqing followed Song Qingshu without any status. But she understood Xia Qingqing’s earlier misgivings. She didn’t know what had changed Xia Qingqing’s mind overnight.

The Golden Serpent Camp’s high-level leadership then held an emergency meeting. The day before, they had routed the main force of the Green Standard Army, seizing vast supplies and prisoners. Li Kexiu had come with his entire force, leaving the Jianghuai region extremely vulnerable. This was a perfect opportunity to press the advantage.

Song Qingshu assigned different tasks to the various commanders, sending them to take the different prefectures and counties. He would personally lead the campaign toward Yangzhou. After the meeting, the commanders left to prepare. Only Song Qingshu and the women remained in the tent.

Dongfang Muxue, worried about the situation in the Qing court, dared not stay away long. She could not accompany Song Qingshu south. She set off north that same day. Xia Qingqing, anxious about Yuan Chengzhi’s fate, went north with her. Lan Fenghuang went with them, of course.

Hearing that Xia Qingqing was leaving with Dongfang Muxue, Ah Jiu was most surprised. “Qingqing, why are you going north?”

Song Qingshu explained, “Ah Jiu, I’ll tell you privately later.”

Ah Jiu nodded understandingly and did not press further.

Before leaving, Dongfang Muxue went to Zhao Min and handed her a light brown pill. She said softly, “I don’t know the formula for the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill in your body, so I can’t cure it. But if you haven’t found the antidote by the Duanwu Festival, take this pill. It will delay the onset for half a year. If you still haven’t found the antidote after that, even the gods cannot save you.” Then she turned and left with Xia Qingqing and Lan Fenghuang.

Zhao Min was stunned. *She and I are strangers. Why would she…*

Her heart stirred. She looked up at Song Qingshu. Seeing him looking back at her, warmth flooded her heart. For months, she had smiled brightly, appearing no different from before. But only she knew the fear within. No matter how high her intelligence or how many masters she commanded, she was still a young woman. The thought of such a vile poison lurking inside her made her shudder.

For months, she had mobilized every resource at her disposal. Time and again, she thought she had found the antidote, only to return disappointed. She had begun to doubt she would ever find it.

In the quiet of the night, thinking of how Song Qingshu, heartless as he was, had been busy with his own affairs and never come to help her, she had felt bitter. But now, all that bitterness vanished.

*He never forgot about the poison in my body…*

Soon, a guard came to report that the army was ready to march. Filled with ambition, Song Qingshu rose and said to the women, “As the ancient saying goes: ‘With a hundred thousand strings of cash tied around his waist, riding a crane down to Yangzhou—that is the greatest joy under heaven.’ Today, I, Song Qingshu, shall lead a hundred thousand riders, taking beauties down to Yangzhou.”

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