Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 852: The Last Laugh

Song Qingshu replied, “To avoid complications, we must strike first.”  

“How exactly?” Wanyan Liang’s heart skipped a beat.  

Song Qingshu secretly sighed in relief—after all his efforts, he finally had a chance to use him. “Since I pledged myself to Your Highness, I have yet to achieve any merit. Now, I have a plan that kills two birds with one stone, one that may ease Your Highness’s burdens.”  

Wanyan Liang’s expression shifted, and he urged eagerly, “Brother Tang Kuo, speak quickly!” He harbored no suspicion toward the other man’s motives. With so many talented individuals around him, if Tang Kuo Bian failed to distinguish himself, even if Wanyan Liang promised him the position of Minister of the Right, he wouldn’t dare accept it. Thus, striving for merit was the most natural course of action.  

“The Emperor and Prince Changsheng are locked in a struggle. Only if the Emperor emerges victorious will it benefit Your Highness. If Prince Changsheng wins, he will suppress you indefinitely.”  

Song Qingshu’s words made Wanyan Liang nod repeatedly. “A sound argument. Go on.”  

“Yet the Emperor’s health deteriorates daily. No one knows when his flame will extinguish. Thus, we must eliminate Prince Changsheng while the Emperor still holds power. Once he is gone, none of the remaining imperial princes have a stronger claim to succession than you. With your talents, you can rally the court’s support.” Song Qingshu inwardly admired himself—years of life-and-death struggles had honed his ability to spin convincing tales.  

Wanyan Liang gave him a surprised glance. This Tang Kuo Bian, who usually appeared as a reckless brute, actually had some insight. His analysis was spot-on—this was precisely the outcome Wanyan Liang desired. Once Prince Wei and Prince Changsheng, the two legitimate heirs, were removed, the field would be open for the most capable to rise. With his intellect and years of preparation, he was confident he would prevail.  

“But how do we eliminate Prince Changsheng?” Wanyan Liang remained cautious. Prince Changsheng was formidable, and he had no intention of engaging in direct conflict, lest others benefit.  

“By borrowing another’s blade,” Song Qingshu said solemnly.  

“Whose blade?” Wanyan Liang’s interest was piqued—as long as he didn’t have to confront Prince Changsheng directly, all was well.  

“The Emperor’s,” Song Qingshu answered, word by word.  

“How?” Wanyan Liang suddenly had an inkling. “Do you mean to use Taoyao?”  

Song Qingshu shook his head. “The Emperor has refrained from acting against Taoyao all these years. A single woman alone is not enough to push him to act.”  

“Then what do you propose?” Wanyan Liang was now genuinely intrigued.  

“Your Highness is aware of the recent incident involving Prince Wei, correct?” Song Qingshu asked.  

“I am,” Wanyan Liang hesitated. “Something about his death feels… off.”  

Song Qingshu smiled. “If even Your Highness suspects foul play, wouldn’t the Emperor, as his father, harbor even greater doubts?”  

Wanyan Liang’s mind began piecing together his plan. “You mean to exploit this incident?”  

“Precisely!” Song Qingshu’s voice was firm. “The Emperor has already dispatched the Laundry Courtyard to investigate secretly. If we use this opportunity to pin the blame on Prince Changsheng, his downfall is assured.”  

“But the Laundry Courtyard is an impenetrable fortress, answering only to the Emperor. We have no means to interfere,” Wanyan Liang mused, quickly grasping the crux of the matter.  

“Your Highness, did I not say this plan kills two birds with one stone?” Song Qingshu smiled confidently. “The first bird is Prince Changsheng. The second is the Laundry Courtyard itself!”  

“The Laundry Courtyard?” Wanyan Liang was startled.  

“Indeed,” Song Qingshu stared intently at him. “That institution is the Emperor’s eyes, observing everything in the capital. With them watching, Your Highness’s every move is constrained.”  

Wanyan Liang nodded slightly. Over the years, the Laundry Courtyard had been a formidable deterrent to all, loyal only to the Emperor. He had long wished to dismantle it but lacked the opportunity.  

“You have a way to deal with the Laundry Courtyard?” Wanyan Liang was skeptical. As an intelligence agency with the Emperor’s absolute trust and vast resources, eliminating it would be no easy feat.  

“Of course!” Song Qingshu chuckled. “Why does the Laundry Courtyard hold such power, Your Highness?”  

“Well…” Wanyan Liang faltered, his mind racing through countless factors.  

“Ultimately, it’s because of the Emperor’s trust. That is the source of their strength.” Song Qingshu, with his future knowledge, cut straight to the heart of the matter. “Thus, to dismantle them is simple—once the Emperor’s trust is lost, they transform from wolves into sheep.”  

“Oh? Brother Tang Kuo, enlighten me!” Wanyan Liang threw an arm around Song Qingshu’s shoulder, his tone warm and intimate. If before he had only approached Tang Kuo Bian for his wife’s beauty, he now genuinely regarded him as an ally.  

Song Qingshu was slightly uncomfortable with the gesture but recognized it as a tactic to win loyalty. “Beyond serving as the Emperor’s intelligence arm, the Laundry Courtyard also detains a group of special prisoners. One of them, Your Highness and I even saw at Autumn Fragrance Pavilion.”  

Wanyan Liang’s eyes gleamed. “You mean those Song Dynasty princesses?”  

“Exactly. From what I know, the Emperor places great importance on these captives. If they were to vanish under the Laundry Courtyard’s watch, how do you think the Emperor would react?” Song Qingshu countered.  

Wanyan Liang, sharp-minded, instantly grasped the implication. “The Emperor would doubt the Laundry Courtyard’s competence. Given his volatile temper, its leaders would face severe consequences. That would be my chance to sway them to my side! Haha, Brother Tang Kuo, you are my Zhang Liang reborn!”  

“Your Highness flatters me.” Song Qingshu smiled outwardly but inwardly grew wary. Wanyan Liang’s quick thinking proved his brilliance. If he ever gained control of the Laundry Courtyard, the consequences would be dire…  

Yet Song Qingshu had no alternative. With the Laundry Courtyard investigating the night’s events, Empress Peiman and the Zhao sisters were in constant danger. For now, he had no choice but to quench his thirst with poison—addressing the immediate crisis first.  

Wanyan Liang, however, grew increasingly excited, muttering to himself, “I can dispatch the Laundry Courtyard’s experts elsewhere, then send Ouyang Feng and others to storm the prison and free the princesses. Afterward, when Emperor Xizong investigates, I’ll leave clues implicating Prince Changsheng—making it seem he acted preemptively to silence the Laundry Courtyard… Hahaha! A brilliant plan!”  

“What has Your Highness so delighted?” Having spoken for so long in the pavilion, dawn had begun to break. Tudan Jing, having woken, emerged from the house.  

Anxious over the previous night’s events, she was taken aback to see her husband and Tang Kuo Bian in such an intimate embrace. Suppressing her unease, she feigned nonchalance and chimed in.  

At the same time, Gebi also stepped out—having swapped places with the fake Gebi via the secret tunnel after Wanyan Liang left.  

“Brother Tang Kuo and I were discussing something delightful, haha!” Wanyan Liang glanced at Tudan Jing, noting her unusually radiant complexion. Normally pale from long hours in the prayer hall, today her cheeks were flushed.  

‘How many times did that b*stard Tang Kuo Bian plow her last night?’ Wanyan Liang couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.  

Spotting Gebi, he quickly shifted his gaze to his “spoils of war.” Whether by illusion or not, she too seemed more alluring than usual. ‘I filled her with my essence seven times last night—my nurturing has clearly borne fruit.’  

Under his lecherous stare, Gebi felt a surge of disgust but masked it, hurrying to Song Qingshu’s side. “Husband, why are you all up so early?”  

Her words painted varied expressions across the group:  

Wanyan Liang smirked inwardly. ‘Little wife, the one who rode you last night was me.’  

Tudan Jing gazed at her with pity. ‘Poor Gebi, unaware of what transpired. Yet ignorance is bliss. If given the choice, I’d rather be like her—oblivious.’  

Song Qingshu, observing Wanyan Liang’s smugness and Tudan Jing’s conflicted gaze, mused, ‘They think Gebi is the fool in the dark, yet the proud Wanyan Liang is the true fool. Tudan Jing at least knows half the truth, but Wanyan Liang knows nothing…’  

Wrapping an arm around Gebi’s slender waist, he smiled. “I had matters to discuss with His Highness, so we rose early. Did we disturb you?”  

“Not at all—you were too far away. I’ll go have the servants prepare breakfast.” Eager to escape Wanyan Liang’s presence, Gebi excused herself, leaving them with a bewitching smile.  

Even Tudan Jing, as a woman, was stunned by that smile’s allure. Shooting her husband a resentful glare, she thought, ‘No wonder he dared such audacity last night.’ 

Recalling the sounds from the neighboring room, her bitterness deepened.