Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 200: Western Xia recruits a son-in-law

”Would a ghost sip tea under the blue sky and in broad daylight?” Song Qingshu scolded them with a smile.

Zhang Kangnian and Zhao Qixian finally reacted, and immediately bowed with a smile, ”A few months ago, we got news from Heimuya that both Lord Song and Cult Master Dongfang were forced to jump off the cliff, we naturally thought that…hehe, Lord Song is really lucky. You can turn misfortune into good fortune. If the Emperor hears the news, he will be very pleased without a doubt!”

”Really?” Song Qingshu’s expression remained expressionless, ”Why are you all here?”

”It’s exactly for the sake of finding your whereabouts! The Emperor and his ministers were feeling really anxious. After sending waves of spies and not getting any news, they sent us out too. Lord Song, our brothers have been on this mission for quite a while. Except for the former Lord Wei, I have never seen the Emperor care so much about any subject.” Zhao Qixianʼs tone was full of envy.

Song Qingshu smiled lightly and didnʼt answer. Kangxiʼs behavior was naturally a great favor to these natives, but to him, a transmigrator, it was nothing. An official will always be just an official. Even if he was as favored as Wei Xiaobao, in the eyes of the Emperor, he was nothing but a servant. Where was the glory in that?

”By the way, is Lord Song going back to Yanjing to resume his duties? Why donʼt we set off immediately, the Emperor is waiting for your news, and he is certainly feeling restless.” Zhang Kangnian, who was on the side, saw that Song Qingshu was lost in thought, so he asked for confirmation, and at the same time he felt gleeful in his heart, ‘We found Lord Song as soon as we came out! The Emperor will definitely reward us quite well after returning.’

”No, I have something important to do in Shengjing, please help me to report back to the Emperor.” At the moment Song Qingshu was feeling quite upset, compared with Xia Qingqingʼs matter, his meeting with Kangxi was nothing important.

Zhang Kangnian and Zhao Qixian glanced at each other, and went pale in shock, ”Lord Song, forgive us lowly ones for saying this, but since the ancient times, only the officials have waited for the Emperor, how can there be an instance where the Emperor has to wait for the official? If the Emperor on the dragon throne is angered, Iʼm afraid… Iʼm afraid it would not bear well for Lord Song.”

”Canʼt you just go back and say that you havenʼt found me like before? The Emperor wonʼt blame you, and I will remember this favor.” Song Qingshu put his arms around their shoulders and whispered.

Zhang Kangnian and Zhao Qixian were so frightened that they quickly broke free and pleaded, ”Lord Song, itʼs not that we donʼt want to help, but that would mean that we will be deceiving the Emperor, and itʼs a serious crime that will result in the punishment of exterminating the nine generations of our family, we…we…”

”In that case, you can just go back and tell the truth. I must go to Shengjing, and I will explain my difficulties to the Emperor when I come back.” Song Qingshu said firmly.

Zhang Kangnian has always been quite clever. Seeing that Song Qingshuʼs attitude was so tough, he rolled his eyes and thought of a solution, ”May I know what Lord Song intends to do in Shengjing?”

Song Qingshu frowned and spoke with displeasure, ”Itʼs inconvenient to tell you about my personal affairs.”

Zhang Kangnian said, ”My lord has misunderstood, how can this lowly one dare to inquire about the matter of the lord! But Shengjing is the territory of Prince Bao, and with your status, Lord Song may find it inconvenient to do some things. We usually guard the Emperor, and we just happened to know that the Emperor was recently planning to send a minister as an envoy to Shengjing. After Lord Song returns to the capital, I am certain that this important task will be given to none other than you!”

”Really?” Song Qingshuʼs heart moved.

”Yes, yes!” Zhao Qixian also reacted and echoed, ”No matter what the Lord wants to do, with the status of the imperial envoy, it will become much easier.”

Song Qingshu pondered in his heart, ‘The matters in Shengjing are full of uncertainty. Not to mention Hongli (Prince Bao) and his son Fukangʼan, even the Red Flower Society and those sects from the wulin are not easy to deal with. With the banner of the imperial court, it would indeed make things easier to deal with them. This is a great opportunity!’

After making up his mind, Song Qingshu raised his head and said, ”Okay, Iʼll accompany you to the palace to see the Emperor first.”

Zhang Kangnian and Zhao Qixian were overjoyed and quickly said, ”Thank you for your understanding, why donʼt you eat some food and drink, then we will hit the road after some rest?”

”No, Iʼve rested enough, letʼs get going.” Thinking of Xia Qingqing in Shengjing, how could he be in the mood to delay time.

”Yes, yes, yes!” The two nodded and bowed, and quickly led a horse over, ”The Emperor is sympathetic, and he bestowed a horse to all who were tasked with the investigation. Lord Song please.”

”Let’s go!” Song Qingshu nodded, got on his horse, and galloped towards Yanjing City.

*****

”You stinky brat, since you’re all right, why didn’t you send any news even after so long! Did you get drunk somewhere and forgot about Us?” Kangxi jumped off the dragon throne with excitement when he saw Song Qingshu.

‘Why are you acting so close, Iʼm not your good friend Wei Xiaobao.’ Song Qingshu cursed in his heart, but he had to answer, ”Reporting to the Emperor, Cult Master Dongfang and I fell off the cliff that day and were seriously injured. We had to hide from the enemies and there was no way to send the news. I hope the Emperor will forgive me.”

”The situation was critical at the time, We can understand.” Kangxi patted him on the shoulder comfortingly, ”Where is Cult Master Dongfang now, and is he all right?”

Song Qingshu hesitated for a moment, but still said, ”Cult Master Dongfang has been injured a little, and now he is recuperating in the Five Poison Cult in Dali.” Then he briefly reported what happened on the Black Wood Cliff that day to Kangxi.

”Ming Cult’s leader Zhang Wuji?” Kangxi thought for a while, and a strange light flashed in his eyes, but it soon disappeared, ”You dare to meddle in the matters of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, hehe, you are quite bold! One day, you can settle the accounts…but now thereʼs another, more urgent matter for you to do.”

‘Here it comes!’ Song Qingshuʼs heart jumped, but he pretended to be puzzled, ”May I know what the Emperor is talking about?”

”We plan to send an imperial envoy to Shengjing. We were having a headache about choosing candidates. Xiaobao died, and you were nowhere to be seen. We thought that you had fallen unfortunate as well, and couldn’t find anyone to send for a while…” Kangxi thought of Wei Xiaobao, and a trace of sadness flashed across his face, which he quickly concealed.

”This Official is willing to share the Emperorʼs worries.” Song Qingshu bowed, ”May I know what the Emperor needs this Official to do?”

”It concerns the disturbance related to Jianning.” Kangxi coldly snorted, ”The Imperial Court has not made a statement on this matter in the past few months, which has made Shengjing suspicious. According to the report of the spies, Prince Bao has secretly moved from the northern front line. It seems that he is preparing for the sudden dispatch of troops by the Imperial Court. We are worried that the front line will not be able to resist the Mongol army because of the lack of troops, so We have to send someone to appease him.”

”But Fukangʼan dishonored the princess, and indirectly killed Lord Wei. To let them go like this seems to be detrimental to the majesty of the Imperial Court. Will it not make Prince Bao more confident?” Song Qingshu knew that Kangxi could be patient, but it would be detrimental to his plan. He wondered why this guy was being so patient.

”The matter with Jianning is nothing important; not to mention that she was a fake princess, even if she was a real princess, it is nothing if she died for the sake of Our Qing Dynasty.” Kangxi coldly snorted, ”As for the death of Xiaobao, We will naturally take revenge for him in due time. As the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold. Moreover, it is our intention to make Prince Bao more confident.”

”Understood!” Song Qingshu felt a chill in his heart and bowed respectfully.

After a moment of silence, Kangxi suddenly said, ”By the way, you have to do another thing for Us, and after taking the opportunity to appease the heart of Prince Bao, you will bring his son Fukang’an to represent the Qing Dynasty and participate in the marriage recruitment of Princess Yinchuan in Western Xia.”

”What?” Song Qingshu was startled, ”Western Xia is recruiting a son-in-law?”

”Yes. Not long ago, Western Xia’s Emperor announced to the world that he would choose the husband of his most beloved Princess Yinchuan from among the young talents in the world.” Kangxi snorted coldly, ”It sounds quite nice. But the truth is yet to be seen.”

”But why give such an honor to that traitorous Fukangʼan? Would it not be fine to choose some young talent from the imperial clan in the capital. If Fukangʼan becomes the Prince Consort of Western Xia, then wonʼt Prince Bao have more support from Western xia?” Song Qingshu Doubtful.

”Honor?” Kangxi gave a cryptic smile, ”Western Xia and We are separated by the Kingdom of Jin and the Kingdom of Liao. Even if they want to help each other, they can’t. His status as the Prince Consort of Western Xia is useless. Besides, even if Fukangʼan has some ability, but there are so many heroes in the world, will he be able to win against them? We are just weaving a beautiful dream for those two father and son.”

”The Emperor is wise!” Song Qingshu praised and thought in his heart, ‘I knew that Kangxi would do something to Hongli sooner or later. Hongli and his son Fukangʼan were just chess pieces on the board from the start. They wonʼt even know they died in the future.’

”One more thing…” Kangxi suddenly fell silent, he was obviously hesitating in his heart, and finally said, ”Go to Shengjing and help me find a scripture in Prince Baoʼs Mansion.”

”A scripture?” Song Qingshu was secretly surprised, ‘Could it be…’

Sure enough, Kangxi went on to say, ”It’s a Buddhist scripture— ‘The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters’. Hongli is the owner, and the one in his hand is made of white silk.”

”May I know what is so precious about this Buddhist scripture, why did the Emperor want me to steal such an ordinary Buddhist scripture?” Song Qingshu hesitantly asked.

The Kangxi didnʼt hesitate, and directly said, ”Qingshu, you have made great achievements several times, and you are honorable and loyal, so itʼs okay to tell you. This ‘The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters’ is related to the treasures of the Qing Dynasty, and also its fortune. But now that Liaodong is under the control of Prince Bao, We were worried that he would know this secret, so I burned the copy of my ‘The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters’. Originally, We should be able to sit back and relax after destroying them. But there are too many capable and talented people in the world, and Prince Bao is extremely familiar with the environment in the Northeast. We are worried that he would deduce something from the incomplete information, so We plan to destroy his part of ‘The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters’ to gain a little more confidence.”

‘Unfortunately, Wei Xiaobao has already replaced the treasure map in your “The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters”.’ Song Qingshu pretended to be horrified, but sneered in his heart.

”Last time, We sent you as an envoy to Shanhaiguan. Before you left, We ordered Xiaobao to secretly search for the ‘The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters’ in Wu Sanguiʼs hand. After you returned to the capital, We checked his belongings, but didnʼt find anything. Qingshu, have you ever seen something like that?” Kangxi suddenly stared at Song Qingshu and asked.

Goblin: 200 Chapters! Another milestone!

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