Flower Stealing Master

Wanyan Chongjie’s heart jumped. She quickly grabbed her clothes to cover her chest, but Song Qingshu patted her hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry. It’s just someone bringing food.”

He had heard someone approaching the room long ago. The only reason he hadn’t said anything was because he recognized the young servant’s footsteps.

“Young master, the midnight snack is ready,” the servant said obsequiously.

“Got it. Leave it outside.” Song Qingshu responded. With Wanyan Chongjie in the room, half-dressed, he certainly couldn’t let him in.

The servant had been hoping that his young master, in high spirits, might reward him with something. Instead, he wasn’t even allowed through the door.

“Oh… then I’ll leave the things at the entrance.” After setting them down, the servant slunk away with a long face. Once he was clear of the garden, he muttered under his breath, “The young master’s really changed today. Usually, he expects food delivered to his mouth and clothes put on his back. Since when does he get things himself…”

“What did you say?” Just then, a deep voice sounded in his ear.

The servant turned and saw Jia Sidao standing not far away, frowning at him. His soul nearly fled his body. “M-master…” *I’m done for,* he thought. *The young master is the master’s precious heart. If he hears me gossiping about the young master behind his back, at best I’ll lose a layer of skin.*

“What were you just saying about the young master?” Jia Sidao asked.

The servant’s knees went weak. He threw himself to the ground, knocking his head like a pestle. “This humble servant spoke too much. This humble servant will never dare again—”

“Silence!” Jia Sidao barked. “What did you say about ‘getting things himself’?”

The servant was taken aback. Seeing that the master didn’t seem to be angry, he hurriedly replied, relieved, “It’s like this, sir. The young master asked me to prepare a midnight snack, and then…” Gesticulating, he recounted what had just happened.

After listening to the servant’s reply, Jia Sidao’s frown deepened. He turned to the guard behind him. “I heard there was an assassin in the mansion just now?”

“Yes. Although the guards wounded the assassin, they didn’t catch him,” the guard answered.

Jia Sidao’s expression finally changed. He hurried toward the study. “Come with me.”

—

Inside the study, Song Qingshu was teasing Wanyan Chongjie with some delicate snacks from the Jia household, making the girl playfully indignant. He couldn’t help but sigh. *No wonder those 2D anime fans in my previous life made such a big deal about feeding girls—there really is a satisfying sense of accomplishment.*

They were joking around when Song Qingshu’s expression suddenly changed. “Damn. Someone’s coming!”

In his original estimation, Jia Sidao wouldn’t return so quickly. And even if he did, there was still some distance from the garden entrance to the study—enough time for Song Qingshu to react.

But for some reason, Jia Sidao was almost running from the garden entrance. There was no time to send Wanyan Chongjie away.

“What do we do?” Wanyan Chongjie also realized the gravity of the situation. Earlier, Song Qingshu had caught them off guard with a feint to the east while striking in the west, managing to sneak her in. Now, there was no time.

“Don’t panic. Follow my lead. Here’s what you’ll do—” As he helped her put her clothes back on, Song Qingshu whispered instructions in her ear.

Before long, the study door was kicked open from outside. A group of guards swarmed in, flanking Jia Sidao. When they saw the scene in the room, Jia Sidao’s face darkened even more.

Inside the study, aside from Jia Baoyu, there was now an unnervingly beautiful young girl. Unfortunately, Jia Sidao had no attention to spare for her beauty at the moment. She was hiding behind Jia Baoyu, a gleaming short sword held across his neck.

Jia Sidao was widely experienced. One look told him that short sword could slice through hair and split metal. A little pressure, and it would sever his son’s neck in an instant—beyond the power of even the greatest skill to save.

“Who are you, miss? Did Wan Qili send you? Or Han Dingxiao?” Jia Sidao raised his hand to halt the guards’ movements and spoke in a low voice. Given his current power, there weren’t many who would dare cause trouble at the Jia mansion. And given what had happened in the palace today, his instinct was to suspect his two political enemies, with Wan Qili being the more likely.

“What business is it of yours where I come from? Get out of the way!” Wanyan Chongjie gave a delicate humph. She pressed the blade down slightly. “If you don’t move aside, don’t blame me for being rude!”

Feeling the cold of the blade on his neck, goosebumps rose on Song Qingshu’s skin. He leaned back slightly into her—the soft contact making things considerably more comfortable.

“Careful there, little girl. Don’t slip,” Song Qingshu transmitted to her privately, simultaneously circulating protective true Qi around his neck. He sighed inwardly. *I’m still not as magnanimous as Guo Jing. In the original story, Guo Jing slept in the same room as Yang Guo without any precautions. If Yang Guo had truly steeled his heart for revenge, Guo Jing would have gone to meet the King of Hell long ago.*

“Scared now? Where was that fear when you were spanking me and undressing me?” Using Song Qingshu’s body to block the others, Wanyan Chongjie bit his ear and whispered.

“If Baoyu loses a single hair, old man here will make you wish you were dead,” Jia Sidao thundered.

Song Qingshu noticed the man’s body sway slightly—clearly considering making a move, but lacking confidence in a clean strike, he ultimately held back.

“Is that so?” Wanyan Chongjie sneered. She plucked a small tuft of hair directly from Song Qingshu’s head. “He’s lost quite a few hairs now. What are you going to do about it?”

Song Qingshu hadn’t expected her to pull something like this. He sucked in a breath through his teeth. While putting on a terrified, hangdog expression for Jia Sidao, he viciously transmitted to her, “You little brat. Just wait till I get my hands on you.”

Unaffected, Wanyan Chongjie plucked a few more strands of hair. Grinning, she blew a puff of air into his ear. “Say one more word, and I’ll pull one each time until you stop.”

Song Qingshu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. *How the tables have turned. Just now, I was threatening her with spankings. I didn’t expect payback so soon.*

From Jia Sidao’s angle, he could only see Wanyan Chongjie whispering something to Jia Baoyu, but since her lips were practically on his ear, he couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Seeing her pluck Jia Baoyu’s hair again and again, however, made Jia Sidao’s face twitch violently. He had just said that losing one hair would make her wish she was dead. Who would have thought she’d slap him right in the face like that? Since rising to high office, he had grown unaccustomed to being defied so blatantly.

“Stop fooling around. Let’s get out of here first,” Song Qingshu said with a headache. *Wanyan Chongjie is ridiculously daring—choosing this moment to play games.*

But Wanyan Chongjie was enjoying herself. The thrill of dancing on the edge of a knife excited her. She knew that at any other time, she’d have no choice but to obediently listen to Song Qingshu. Here was a rare chance to flip their positions and make *him* do what *she* said—why waste it?

“Release Baoyu, and I swear on my honor as the Military Commissioner of the court that I’ll let you leave safely,” Jia Sidao finally said. The sword at Jia Baoyu’s neck was making him far too nervous.

“Tch. Do I look three years old to you? Let go of my insurance, and where’s my guarantee of survival?” Wanyan Chongjie gave a delicate humph. “Everyone move aside. When I reach a safe place, I’ll naturally release him.”

Jia Sidao’s pupils contracted. After a long silence, he waved his hand, signaling the guards to clear a path.

Wanyan Chongjie smiled smugly and pressed Song Qingshu forward. Along the way, Song Qingshu subtly positioned himself to block the blind spots, making it impossible for the hidden experts to strike at her.

They made it all the way to the main gate. Wanyan Chongjie snapped, “Where are those fast horses I asked you to prepare? Why aren’t they ready?”

Jia Sidao laughed coldly. “Fast horses can be brought at any time. But how could I let you take him away without releasing him first?”

“If I release him, do you think I’ll still be able to leave?” Wanyan Chongjie sneered back.

“Then we’ll just have to wait each other out,” Jia Sidao said, closing his eyes like a meditating old monk.

Now it was Wanyan Chongjie’s turn to be dumbfounded. She whispered, “Song… Brother Song, what do we do now?”

Song Qingshu glanced at Jia Sidao, inwardly admiring him. *This old fox, who has turned the political world upside down, would never be led around by the nose by a young girl. Of course, he’d find a way to break out of her rules and make things go his way.*

The way to counter Jia Sidao’s move was simple—it was about who was more ruthless. If Wanyan Chongjie had been holding the real Jia Baoyu, she could have cut off one of his fingers, or at least drawn some blood. Then Jia Sidao would have been unable to stand idle.

Unfortunately, this Jia Baoyu was a fake. Song Qingshu had no desire to lose a finger.

As he hesitated, Jia Sidao suddenly opened his eyes. Chen Jian, who stood beside him, seemed to share a telepathic understanding—he suddenly sprang into action. A cold, sharp blade light descended toward Wanyan Chongjie’s head. The strike was fast and precise. Despite being a good ten feet apart, the moment he drew his blade, it was already crashing down with the force of a mountain.

Song Qingshu was alarmed. *Why is Jia Sidao taking such a risk?* Then, in the next instant, he understood. Jia Sidao’s words had been a test, waiting to see how Wanyan Chongjie would react. The moment she faltered, he had seized on her moment of weakness and ordered his expert to make a desperate gamble—betting that in that split second, Wanyan Chongjie would make the wrong choice.

Song Qingshu had no time to warn her. And just as Jia Sidao anticipated, Wanyan Chongjie hadn’t expected them to attack despite Jia Baoyu being held hostage. The best move would have been to use Song Qingshu as a shield. But in that instant, she didn’t have time to think through the consequences—and, subconsciously afraid of hurting him, she chose to dodge backward herself.

Wanyan Chongjie’s martial arts were decent. She managed to evade Chen Jian’s domineering, chilling strike—but in that moment, she lost control of her hostage. The other experts swarmed in, instantly pulling Song Qingshu back to safety. The rest of them surrounded Wanyan Chongjie on all sides.

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