Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1002: Embracing Affection

It was unclear whether this move was initiated by Ma Leji or Li Kexiu. 

If it was Ma Leji’s intention, it would be easily understood; as the Governor-General of the Qing Dynasty, he was loyal to his sovereign and had deliberately positioned himself closer to Suo Etu, thereby securing a faction willing to surrender without raising any suspicion. However, if this was Li Kexiu’s plan, it would be more troublesome, indicating that he was intentionally allowing the envoys from the Jin and Qing Dynasties to monitor each other while secretly contacting other forces.

Song Qingshu was pondering whom Li Kexiu was more inclined to side with when he suddenly heard Suo Etu’s laughter: “Many years ago, when I, Suo, was sent to the Jin Dynasty, I had a brief encounter with Marshal Tang Kuo. At that time, I noticed that the Marshal had an extraordinary demeanor and was destined for greatness. I never expected that just a few years later, my judgment would be proven right; Brother Tang Kuo has already risen to become the foremost figure in the Jin court, wielding both military and political power. I am truly impressed!”

Song Qingshu couldn’t help but admire Suo Etu’s shamelessness. It was well-known that a few years ago, Tang Kuo Bian was merely an insignificant figure in the Jin Dynasty. If it weren’t for Song Qingshu’s manipulation of Wanyan Liang’s rebellion, how could he have reached his current position? Tang Kuo Bian himself had a full beard, resembling a rugged version of Harden; how could he be described as having an extraordinary demeanor or appearance?

Song Qingshu casually responded a few times, only to hear Suo Etu excitedly say, “Today, since Brother Tang Kuo and I hit it off so well, why not become sworn brothers of different surnames?”

Hearing this, Song Qingshu nearly spat out his drink all over the table. Suo Etu was indeed a talent; he would pull anyone with potential into a brotherhood. He had done it with Wei Xiaobao before, then with Song Qingshu, and now he was doing the same with Tang Kuo Bian.

Upon hearing Suo Etu’s words, the officials at the table immediately echoed, “Lord Suo is the Prime Minister of the Great Qing, and Lord Tang Kuo is the Prime Minister of the Great Jin. Our Qing and Jin are brother nations; their brotherhood would only strengthen our ties!”

‘Strengthen ties, my a$$!’ Song Qingshu thought, wishing he could throw a plate of food at the man’s face. However, he knew that refusing now would completely offend Suo Etu and the other Qing officials. At this moment, whether it was the Jin or Qing Dynasty, he had effectively treated both as his own enterprises and certainly did not want to see any discord between the two subsidiaries.

“Lord Suo’s words resonate deeply with me; I have long admired you. Bring forth the incense table!” Song Qingshu said with a smile.

Following this, the two of them began their brotherhood ceremony at the incense table nearby. Hearing Suo Etu’s familiar oath, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. They could swear brotherhood, but since he was using Tang Kuo Bian’s name, no oath would bind him. If they were to say something like, “Though we may not share the same birthday, may we die on the same day,” he would have to decline; after all, Tang Kuo Bian was already dead. Shouldn’t Suo Etu follow him as well?

Suddenly, Song Qingshu thought of something: when Wu Yunzhu saw him next, would she call him ‘big brother’ or ‘uncle’? The thought of her conflicted expression made him smile slightly.

After the brotherhood ceremony, Suo Etu’s attitude towards him became even more enthusiastic, and the accompanying officials were exceedingly eager, resulting in a lively exchange of toasts until everyone left satisfied.

As the gathering dispersed, both Song Qingshu and Suo Etu were quite drunk, and maidservants were already there to help them to rest. In Yangzhou, the officials arranged for Song Qingshu and Suo Etu to stay at the Daotai government office, one in the eastern courtyard and the other in the western courtyard.

Once the maidservants had withdrawn, Song Qingshu, who had been snoring loudly in bed, suddenly sat up, his eyes clear and his face devoid of any drunkenness.

“Suo Etu, you old fox, you keep pouring me wine, but how could you have guessed that I possess such deep internal energy? You drink one cup, and I drink another; you won’t be able to drink yourself to death.” Song Qingshu chuckled to himself and then ordered the guards that no one was to enter his room while he slept; otherwise, they would face dire consequences. He rolled the blanket into a bundle and stuffed a pillow inside to create the illusion that someone was sleeping there. Then, Song Qingshu took off Tang Kuo Bian’s mask, revealing his true face, and quietly slipped out of the Daotai government office.

Inside the government office resided high-ranking officials from two nations, and the security was naturally top-notch. However, with Song Qingshu’s current Qinggong skills, as long as he was careful, how could he possibly be discovered by the guards? After exiting the Daotai government office, Song Qingshu headed straight for Li Kexiu’s Commander’s residence—he had previously instructed his subordinates to scout the location of the Commander’s residence.

Upon entering Yangzhou, Song Qingshu was astonished to find Li Kexiu’s attitude ambiguous and hard to decipher; he had no idea what the man truly thought. Now that he was placed in the Daotai government office, he couldn’t do anything, so it would be better to secretly investigate the Commander’s residence. If he could meet Li Kexiu, that would be best; even if he couldn’t, chatting with Li Yuanzhi would suffice, as he could glean some information indirectly.

The image of Li Yuanzhi’s quirky demeanor flashed in his mind, and Song Qingshu couldn’t help but smile, recalling the events that transpired in the Forbidden City and later in Shengjing. They had shared hardships and developed a deep bond; he wondered how much that little girl had changed after such a long time apart. And then there was Luo Bing; he couldn’t help but wonder whether she would be happy or scared to see him again.

Soon, Song Qingshu arrived near the Commander’s residence and found a secluded spot to slip inside. He had been in this world for a few years now, and he was well-acquainted with the layouts of various royal palaces, not to mention these ordinary residences. After pausing for a moment, he discerned roughly where Li Kexiu, as the head of the household, would reside, and where Li Yuanzhi, as a young lady, would likely be.

He first went to check Li Kexiu’s room, and as expected, Li Kexiu was indeed absent. After searching through his room for valuable documents or letters, Song Qingshu could only helplessly head towards the courtyard where the inner family resided. However, after circling around, he was astonished to find that not even a shadow of Li Yuanzhi was visible. Not to mention Li Yuanzhi, he couldn’t even spot any of Li Kexiu’s concubines; only a few maids and elderly women were residing in the inner quarters.

“With the current turmoil in Yangzhou, it seems Li Kexiu is worried that someone with ulterior motives might target his family, so he has moved everyone to the military camp,” Song Qingshu mused for a moment, guessing Li Kexiu’s thoughts. He could only return to his residence; on one hand, he was unclear about the location of the Jiangnan Green Camp, and on the other, the military camp’s defenses were far superior to those of these residences. A slight mistake could lead to exposure, and as a newcomer, it was best not to cause too much commotion.

“There’s an assassin!” A piercing scream suddenly cut through the calm night sky. 

Song Qingshu was taken aback; he had been cautious all the way, how could he have been discovered? He quickly realized that the assassin mentioned by those outside was not him, for the real assassin had already barged in, panicked, and collided right into him.

“Is it a female assassin?” The soft sensation in that instant brought a strange smile to Song Qingshu’s face.