Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 915: Heartbroken Sisters

That day, under Song Qingshu’s coercion and persuasion, Wanyan Ping had no choice but to reluctantly submit for the time being. Afterward, she tried to mobilize the Laundry Courtyard to capture him, but Song Qingshu seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.  

During this time, she used the Laundry Courtyard’s intelligence network to investigate Song Qingshu extensively. The more she uncovered, the more stunned she became. 

Over the past few years, he had risen like a dazzling sun, radiating brilliance so intense that even as an enemy, Wanyan Ping couldn’t help but secretly admire him.  

Of course, the moment she remembered how he had bullied her sister and cu*kolded the brother-in-law she admired, that faint admiration instantly evaporated.  

Hearing her sister’s words, Gebi’s expression changed. “So you already knew.”  

“Mhm.” Wanyan Ping lowered her head, her heart in turmoil as she kicked the ground restlessly with her shoe.  

“Sister, I had no choice,” Gebi sighed. “My main goal was to avenge your brother-in-law.”  

“Avenge brother-in-law?” Wanyan Ping jerked her head up, utterly bewildered. Even though her brother-in-law was now imprisoned in the dungeon, he was still alive—what was there to avenge?  

Gebi nodded and continued, “Last time, your brother-in-law was ordered to go to Kaifeng to capture Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Along the way, he met Qingshu, and the two hit it off immediately, swearing brotherhood in the most solemn ritual…”  

“Later, during the mission to capture Guo Jing and Huang Rong, that b*stard Wanyan Liang took advantage of the chaos to send assassins to kill your brother-in-law, intending to pin the blame entirely on Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Fortunately, Qingshu appeared and saved him, preventing your brother-in-law from dying an unjust death.”  

“But your brother-in-law’s injuries were too severe. Knowing he wouldn’t survive, he begged Qingshu to disguise himself and return to Daxing Prefecture to protect me and the Tang Kuo family, as well as to seek revenge on his behalf. In return, your brother-in-law gave him the entire family… and even me.”  

“At first, I didn’t know any of this, so I unwittingly betrayed your brother-in-law. But later, when I learned the truth—that this was all your brother-in-law’s desperate plan—I forgave Qingshu…”  

As Gebi spoke, she suddenly noticed tears streaming down her sister’s face and hurriedly wiped them away. “Ping’er, what’s wrong?”  

Wanyan Ping mechanically raised her head. “Sister… are you saying brother-in-law is already dead?”  

Realizing her mistake, Gebi gasped. “You didn’t know?!”  

Wanyan Ping shook her head, her soul seemingly drained from her body.  

Gebi looked at her sister with pity. Since the truth was already out, it was better to endure the pain now than prolong the suffering. She led her sister back to the bedroom and retrieved Tang Kuo Bian’s blood-written testament, hidden in a secret compartment. Handing it to her sister, she said softly, “Ping’er, this is what your brother-in-law wrote before his death. You… should read it.”  

With trembling hands, Wanyan Ping took the letter. Seeing the familiar handwriting and the stark, bloodstained words, she finally broke down in tears.  

Hearing her sister’s sobs, Gebi was overwhelmed with emotion as well. She pulled Wanyan Ping into her arms, and the two sisters wept together.  

After what felt like an eternity, Wanyan Ping suddenly stood up, grabbed her sword, and stormed toward the door. Gebi quickly grabbed her. “What are you doing?”  

“I’m going to kill that b*stard Wanyan Liang and avenge brother-in-law!” Wanyan Ping hissed through gritted teeth.  

Gebi frowned. “You just saw for yourself—you couldn’t even defeat one of his random guards. How do you plan to take revenge?”  

“Then we can report this to the emperor and ask him to deliver justice!” Wanyan Ping insisted after a moment’s thought.  

Gebi shook her head. “The emperor dotes on Wanyan Liang now. Between a dead imperial son-in-law and Wanyan Liang, which do you think he’d prioritize? Besides, we have no evidence. Wanyan Liang could easily dismiss the blood letter as a forgery. And given Qingshu’s sensitive identity—do you really think the emperor would believe the words of a wanted enemy of the Dynasty over Wanyan Liang’s?”  

“Also, Qingshu has been acting as Tang Kuo Bian all this time. If this gets scrutinized, we’ll all be guilty of deceiving the throne. Not only would we fail to avenge your brother-in-law, but we’d also drag ourselves down with him—and then any hope of revenge would be lost forever.”  

Wanyan Ping grew frantic. “Then what? Are we just supposed to do nothing and let that b*stard Wanyan Liang roam free?”  

“Of course not!” Gebi explained. “Qingshu has already begun helping us take revenge. That beast Wanyan Liang has always had designs on us sisters, and Qingshu made him suffer a crushing defeat. Your brother-in-law’s spirit in heaven would surely rejoice.”  

Wanyan Ping frowned. “Cu*kolding Wanyan Liang is just a minor blow. When will we actually strike at Wanyan Liang himself?”  

Gebi replied, “Qingshu once told me that simply killing Wanyan Liang wouldn’t be enough to satisfy your brother-in-law’s grudge. Only by making him lose his family, his reputation, and everything he holds dear would it be true vengeance. As for the specifics, Qingshu said the time isn’t right yet, so he hasn’t told me the details.”  

“Qingshu, Qingshu—you say his name so affectionately, as if he’s really your husband now,” Wanyan Ping grumbled irritably. “He slept with you and fed you empty promises. My dear sister, how could you be so naive?”  

Gebi smiled and shook her head. “Qingshu is a good man. After spending this time with him, I trust him—and I trust my own judgment.”  

Wanyan Ping opened her mouth but could only sigh in resignation. “You’re done for. You’ve fallen completely. If brother-in-law’s spirit in heaven sees you in love with another man, he’d probably die all over again from sheer rage.”  

Gebi’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she couldn’t help but retort, “Hmph, mentioning your brother-in-law just makes me angry! None of this would’ve happened if he hadn’t set up this scheme! If not for his plan, would I have ended up sleeping with another man in such a daze? And let’s not forget—when he swore brotherhood with Qingshu, he used the most solemn oath of the steppes. You know our Jurchen customs—by tradition, Song Qingshu now has rightful claim over me…”  

Though Wanyan Ping was upset, deep down, she knew her sister wasn’t to blame. It was just hard for her to accept seeing her sister—once so devoted to her brother-in-law—now speaking of another man with such tenderness.  

“So the man in the dungeon right now… is Song Qingshu?” Wanyan Ping asked sullenly, pouting.  

“Mhm.” Gebi nodded.  

“No wonder he’s so capable.” Remembering what she had witnessed in the dungeon, Wanyan Ping had been utterly baffled at the time. But now, knowing it was Song Qingshu—a man who had achieved countless miracles in recent years, rumored to possess unparalleled martial arts—it all made sense.  

Suddenly, a thought struck her, and her face paled. Trembling, she asked, “Sister… you said brother-in-law died back in Kaifeng? So the man we saw afterward… was Song Qingshu in disguise the whole time?”