Murim's Weakest Princess

Pausing in surprise, Song Min blinked, then laughed almost boyishly.

"Old Pu, you must be going senile from stress. Ah Song is just Ah Song, who else could it be? Come inside, I’ll have them brew some of the best batch of Pu’er Tea I found on my travels to Yunnan recently."

Unable to bring himself to push for a real answer, Pu Jianming exchanged glances with Anji. The beautiful merchant had already entered the tavern, giving instructions to the waiter to prepare a private room for them.

Anji merely shook her head and took the lead to enter the tavern while relaying information via telepathic transmission. This was not a good time for confrontation. Elder Shen was due to arrive today. They had to buy more time.

The tavern appeared busy but humble. They had a good view overlooking the lake, where scholars gathered around in boats or under pavilions built around it. The peaceful scenery was definitely the reason why the tavern was so successful, even when the alcohol was subpar. Anji remembered how much she hated the alcohol in this town when it was a mere village. Maybe they acquired better quality stuff in a thousand years. However, she was currently a child and uninterested in finding out.

"This way," Song Min smiled, ushering them into one of the best rooms the tavern had.

With confidence, Anji entered, and Pu Jianming followed her lead. It did not seem as if the tavern was booby-trapped with spells. Song Min did not appear to have any tricks either. And that was the most concerning part.

After giving the waiter a long list of orders, Song Min closed the door, and they were finally alone. Anji prepared for the facade to fall. However, Pu Jianming beat him to the punch.

"Song Yi, you... Why are you doing this?"

Song Yi? Anji raised a brow subtly, looking at her senior and then to her enemy. Is that what Song Min called himself now? From remembering the people to becoming a self-proclaimed man of justice, was that how he truly saw himself?

Unperturbed by Anji’s judgment, Song Min took his usual seat across Pu Jianming and poured tea, serving them unhurriedly. The fragrant tea wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of salted air.

"What’s wrong with what I’m doing?" Song Min questioned. "Haven’t I always done the same?"

Frustrated, Pu Jianming wondered why Song Min was going so far to play dumb. He had obviously heard everything earlier when comparing notes with Anji.

"Oh, right! You didn’t tell me about your unexpected guest," he clapped his hands and reached into his sleeve, pulling out something rather familiar to Anji.

Pushing it across the marble table, he grinned at Anji.

"A little souvenir on the way back, while at the Tong Pass. It’s difficult to reject the merchants selling it. Although it’s a cheap trinket, I hope you’d like it."

It was a copper coin tassel, the same ones Anji bought along the way as well. Now, she had fourteen of them.

"Thank you," she accepted the trinket bravely. "Even if I already bought thirteen of them on my way here."

Hearing the honest confession, Song Min laughed so hard that tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

"Right? They’re so hard to refuse. It’s a miracle I didn’t buy more this time. For some reason, the merchants were busier this time. Many were carrying stones and timber to Chang’an. I wonder why."

If Pu Jianming claimed ignorance, Anji would believe him. After all, the man was a hermit who had recently learned how he had been a pawn of evil. However, Song Min should know better than anyone else why there was such a huge need for reconstruction materials.

"Chang’an had been ambushed recently by barbarians," she explained and maintained eye contact the whole time. "Of course, there would be a huge need for stone and timber to repair the damaged property. Mr Song Yi sounds like someone who travels for business. I’m surprised the news did not reach you."

While Pu Jianming stiffened nervously beside Anji, Song Min seemed intrigued by the challenge.

"Oh, yes. I dabble in business, but not in that area. It’s natural that it would have missed me. You see, I deal with information and entertainment more than stone and timber. What a shame, don’t you agree? I could have made a killing if I were in that industry."

Anji noticed Song Min wasn’t even hiding it. This man had been flaunting his true nature the whole time, and nobody caught it until now. No wonder Pu Jianming was fooled. Just because a man told no lies did not mean he told the truth. Song Min was more dangerous than anyone else Anji had met before, as every word he spoke was the truth.

"Perhaps you might have," Anji agreed boldly. "However, I do think it is a blessing in disguise that you were not there during the attack. My Godmother and I woke up to loud explosions and fire. Thankfully, the walls remained strong or many civilians would have died."

Eyes narrowing by a fraction, Song Min’s killing intent radiated a little before he kept it under wraps again. It was subtle enough for Anji to feel, but not obvious enough to scare Pu Jianming more than he already was.

"Is that so?" Song Min’s smile appeared slightly twisted. "The walls of Chang’an are surely robust compared to Luoyang. Long live the Emperor. He must be doing an excellent job protecting his citizens."

Although Pu Jianming had no idea whether Anji and his evil friend had ever met, there was a kind of connection they shared that he felt he should not intrude upon. Although Anji was a child, her presence felt similar to Yan Ping’s. Pu Jianming suddenly felt like a junior librarian back in the old days.

Anji did fear Song Min. There was something else he wanted, but Pu Jianming was in the way. For now, she could only walk on this delicate balance and prevent antagonising him too much.

"You can say that again," she nodded along, sipping tea. "Apart from being unable to have children, both the Emperor and Empress are amazing rulers. My godmother is a sister of the Noble Consort, and I had the pleasure of visiting the palace lately with a private audience with them."

Not untrue. But also, a statement to challenge Song Min into revealing his true colours.

For a while, fury flashed in his eyes, and this time, Pu Jianming caught the deep hatred as his eyes glowed golden. However, like a trick of the light, it quickly disappeared.

"How nice," Song Min noted dryly. "To be able to live in an era of peace that knows of no war, hunger or corruption. To not know what pain and suffering are, sitting comfortably on a throne built on corpses."

Here, Pu Jianming frowned. Although they often debated, politics was not something a cultivator like him ever brought up. It was the first time he had seen a different side of his friend, who had always supported his dreams of creating a world free from suffering, much like the Mystical Qilin Sect.

Instead of pushing back, Anji fiddled with the new copper coin tassel trinket. Song Min truly had not changed. Not even the passage of time had worn him down. Unlike her, he remained frozen. It was not he who changed, but the world. Yet, he was too blinded by his own logic and pain to see it clearly.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!