Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 947: Attacking the Heart

Daiqisi had originally planned to renege on the deal after the fact. She thought to herself that as a royal consort, with the emperor backing her, would Tang Kuo Bian, a mere consort, truly dare to come and collect the debt from her?

But who could have predicted that plans would fail to keep up with changes? Now, the emperor was dead, and she was no longer the lofty royal consort. The prince consort she once looked down upon had now become the most powerful man in the Jin court. The once worthless IOU had suddenly become a hot potato.

“You didn’t actually save Wanyan Yuan, so why should I pay?” Daiqisi quickly thought of a reason.

Song Qingshu immediately laughed. “Who says I didn’t save Wanyan Yuan? Everyone in the capital knows I released him without charges and was even thrown into the imperial dungeon by the emperor for it. It’s just that Wanyan Yuan was unlucky and was later killed by the emperor. You can’t blame me for that.”

Daiqisi argued urgently, “But this is clearly one continuous event. Wanyan Yuan never actually left the imperial dungeon!”

“I don’t care about that. I’ve done what I promised. Now it’s your turn to fulfill your commitment.” Song Qingshu wore a look of righteous confidence.

“How can you be like this? Aren’t you just reasoning fallaciously?” Daiqisi said angrily.

Song Qingshu looked at her leisurely. “Madam, you’ve roamed the martial world for so many years. You should have understood this principle long ago: whether as the Purple-robed Dragon King or the Golden Flower Matron, when have you ever reasoned with those wulin figures who died by your hand? The strong set the rules; the weak can only obediently follow them.”

Daiqisi was startled into silence. After a long while, she finally sighed. “You’re right. The law of the jungle is the eternal, unchanging rule of the martial world. I was foolish.”

Song Qingshu waved the IOU in front of her again. “Does Madam now acknowledge the promise she made back then?”

Daiqisi hummed coldly, expressionless. “Now that I’m in your hands, what difference does it make if I acknowledge it or not?”

A satisfied smile appeared on Song Qingshu’s face. “I quite admire the attitude you’re showing now, Madam.”

Daiqisi turned her head away, using silence as her resistance.

Unperturbed, Song Qingshu continued, “Madam, I know roughly what you’re thinking right now. However, I must remind you that your only way out now is to pledge your loyalty to me.”

“Is that so?” The slight upward curve of Daiqisi’s lips revealed the disdain in her heart.

“I know you don’t take it seriously. This is only because you’re confined by your lowly status, resulting in a severe lack of intelligence, making it difficult for you to recognize your own situation,” Song Qingshu reached out and hooked her snowy, delicate chin. 

Daiqisi instinctively dodged away. 

Still unperturbed, he continued, “However, given your country-toppling, kingdom-ruining beauty, I am still very patient and will explain it to you properly.”

“All ears,” Daiqisi said, rolling her eyes at him as he spoke with such gravity.

From her maiden days until now, aside from showing tender affection to her love-at-first-sight husband, Han Qianye, she had never been pleasant to any other man—not even the elegant and charming Fan Yao, the Right Herald of the Brightness who captivated countless young women back in the day.

After her husband’s death, she preferred to disguise herself as the old and ugly Golden Flower Matron rather than reveal her peerless beauty to men again, which proves how much importance she placed on this aspect.

Song Qingshu had taken liberties with her repeatedly. If not for her fear that resistance would invite further advances, she would have already erupted violently. However, suppressing it so many times had left her filled with pent-up anger, ready to explode at any moment.

“If I remember correctly, back then, as the Saintess of the Ming Cult, you privately married Han Qianye. According to the cult rules, you were to be sentenced to death by burning, right?” Song Qingshu asked.

“That’s all in the past. Now, I hold a lofty position within the cult. Who would dare to carry out the burning sentence on me?” Daiqisi said indifferently, though inwardly she was not as calm as she appeared. Having failed this mission and suffered heavy losses, she would likely face punishment upon returning to Persia. Even if Xiao Zhao used her status as leader, she might not be able to protect her.

Song Qingshu smiled, as if he had long anticipated her reaction. “Your reliance in the Persian Ming Cult is your daughter, Xiao Zhao, isn’t it?”

“So what if it is?” Daiqisi responded.

“But what if even Xiao Zhao becomes hunted by the Ming Cult? Where in this vast world would there be a place for you then?” Song Qingshu stared intently into her eyes.

Daiqisi’s heart jumped. She said urgently, “Nonsense! Xiao Zhao is now the leader of the Persian headquarters. Who in the Ming Cult would dare disrespect her!”

Song Qingshu didn’t directly answer her question. Instead, he brought up another matter. “If I remember correctly, Xiao Zhao should be deeply in love with Zhang Wuji, the leader of the Central Plains Ming Cult, right?”

“Correct,” Daiqisi nodded. This wasn’t exactly a secret. Thinking of the gentle and jade-like Leader Zhang, she still held quite a favorable impression of him. It was just a pity that her daughter and he were not meant to be.

“Then, if Xiao Zhao had to choose between the Ming Cult and Zhang Wuji, who do you think she would choose?” Song Qingshu asked directly.

“How could such an absurd situation ever happen?” Daiqisi felt this was ridiculous and didn’t even want to bother thinking about it.

“What if it really happened?”

“Impossible.”

“Never mind whether it’s possible or not. Just answer my question directly!”

“Probably… Zhang Wuji,” Daiqisi said. Although she had never been very close to her daughter, as a mother, how could she not know her daughter’s thoughts? If it hadn’t been to save her back then, would Xiao Zhao have been willing to leave Zhang Wuji’s side?

“It seems we share the same view on this point,” Song Qingshu smiled slightly. “I also believe Xiao Zhao would do anything for Zhang Wuji.”

“Even if that’s the case, so what?” Daiqisi said, puzzled. “Zhang Wuji is the leader of the Central Plains Ming Cult. Although there was some discord between the Central Plains Ming Cult and the Persian headquarters before, under the threat of the Mongols, both sides have long since reconciled. Why would Zhang Wuji oppose the Ming Cult?”

Song Qingshu smiled and continued asking, “You should know about your daughter’s love rivals back then, right?”

“The ones who could be considered love rivals are none other than Zhou Zhiruo and Zhao Min.” As for Zhu’er, Daiqisi directly ignored her; she was never a real rival from start to finish.

“Zhou Zhiruo later married you,” Daiqisi suddenly remembered Song Qingshu’s other identity—he was also the son-in-law of the Emei Sect. “That leaves only Zhao Min. That boy Zhang Wuji seems to like her a bit more.”

“But did you know that Zhao Min and he are now sworn enemies?” Song Qingshu asked unhurriedly.

Daiqisi was taken aback. “Why?” 

Back on Snake Island, she had seen with her own eyes the affectionate looks they exchanged when their eyes occasionally met—it absolutely couldn’t have been fake. They were so deeply in love back then; how could they become sworn enemies after such a short time?