Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 30: The jealous Madame Hu

”The Lord’s strategy is superb, and the arrangement is well-organized. When I think that the Senior is from Hanlin Imperial Academy, this younger sister can only sincerely admire you.” Huang Rongʼs flattery made the schemer Ling Tuisi feel a little satisfied with himself. After all, he was being praised by such a bright woman in person. No man could avoid feeling a little proud.

”Itʼs just that there will inevitably be flaws and gaps when the soldiers are patrolling. It will be better if this younger sister and the members of the Beggarʼs Sect stays in the mansion, just in case our help is needed.” Huang Rongʼs soft voice made Ling Tuisi thoughtful and lifted up his mood.

”Good, good,” Ling Tuisi smiled cheerfully, then looked at the people behind Huang Rong and asked, ”Who are these people?”

”These two are my husbandʼs disciples, Wu Xiuwen and Wu Dunru. These are the brothers of our Beggarsʼ Sect,” Huang Rong introduced them in turn.

The two rotten woods that Yang Guo evaluated as ”King of the pigs”? Song Qingshu looked at the two curiously, their appearance was pretty good, and they seemed to have decent martial arts, so they shouldnʼt be that bad.

The next few hours were the two sides chatting about the battle on the front line in Xiangyang. Song Qingshu was so bored that he found a gap and took the opportunity to retreat.

Even the famous Huang Rong was now here, coupled with the Snowy Mountain Sect with bad intentions, and Wu Liuqi who was hiding in the dark. The waters of the Jingzhou City were really surging. So it seemed that it would be easier to send Ding Dian and Ling Shuanghua out of Jingzhou.

When he came to a secluded place in the mansion, Song Qingshu stretched his waist and sat down under a big tree. After a while, there were two soft hums behind him. Song Qingshuʼs lips showed a slight smile, but he did not open his eyes. He opened his mouth and softly spoke, ”You are here~”

”Are you too lazy to even call me Sister-in-law now?” Madame Hu angrily groaned and flashed out from the dark.

When the beauty arrived, all the gloom cleared away. Song Qingshu stood up, ”Who makes my Sister-in-law look so young and delicate? From the outside, you are still young enough to be my little sister. I am afraid that by calling you sister-in-law, I might make you seem old.”

Even though she knew that he was teasing her, Madame Hu found that she couldnʼt get angry from the bottom of her heart, so she could only comfort herself by thinking, ‘Brother-in-law is a careless and informal person.’

”What nonsense!” Madame Hu deliberately made her face look stern, ”Quickly tell me if there is anything for me to do. The Prefectʼs Mansion is now heavily guarded, and I must leave as soon as possible to avoid being discovered.”

It turned out that Song Qingshu had anticipated that it would be difficult for him to communicate with the outside world before entering the Mansion, so he made an agreement with Madam Hu to meet here at this tree every evening.

Madame Hu would secretly monitor the situation from outside the mansion. If Song Qingshu didn’t come, that meant there was nothing wrong. But, if he came, it meant that he had something to tell her. So she sneaked into the mansion using her movement technique, and spotted two people who were secretly monitoring Song Qingshu. She knocked the two of them unconscious, then came out to meet him.

While talking Song Qingshu brought up Huang Rong and told Madame Hu about the assassination plans of the Snowy Mountain Sect. When Madame Hu heard him talking about Huang Rong, her eyes lit up, and she felt a little uncomfortable. She softly asked, ”Rumors say that Huang Rong was previously the number one beauty in the world. Ah, is she really so beautiful?”

Song Qingshu didnʼt expect that she would actually ask about this matter after being informed about the overall situation. He hesitated, and excitedly spoke, ”She is indeed stunning. Although she does not have the youthful innocence of a young girl anymore. She has become a mature woman. Full of mature charm…”

While talking he noticed that Madame Hu’s face was getting colder and colder. Song Qingshu suddenly realized something and he patted his head in secret. Then he changed the topic of the conversation, ”But, she is much older than I expected. She is old and declining. I am afraid that her title of a top beauty has long been misplaced. I think my sister-in-law is more beautiful than her.”

Madame Hu blushed and inwardly hissed, ”Leader Huang of the Beggarsʼ Sect is only in her early thirties, so she is not as old as you speak. I know that you are only saying this to make me happy. Will you talk ill about your sister-in-law like this as well in front of other women in the future? ”

”How do I dare!” Song Qingshu was speechless, and quickly changed the subject, ”Sister-in-law, letʼs talk about business. You can inform the Snowy Mountain Sect about the situation here and let them know that they can initiate on the fifteenth day of this month. Ling Tuisi wants to interrogate Ding Dian on that day, and as he doesnʼt want other people to know about Liancheng Swordplay Manual, the guards will be relatively weaker.”

”Well, I recently ran into a group of people on the outskirts of the city. At that time, they still wanted to kill me to leave no evidence. Now it seems that they should be the members of the Snowy Mountain Sect.” Madame Hu recalled, ”I know their faces. It wonʼt be difficult to find them. I will definitely make sure they receive this information.”

”What?” Song Qingshu was greatly surprised. Although he knew that Madame Hu was standing in front of him now, he was still shocked, so he couldnʼt help but ask, ”Is my sister-in-law hurt anywhere?”

She didn’t know why, but Madame Hu suddenly thought of the last time she hurt her ribs and was taken advantage of by him. A blush appeared below her neck, and she quickly said, “I’m fine, and my own martial arts is still passable. Additionally, with the ‘White Boa Whip Skillʼ you taught me last time, self-protection is more than enough.”

”Thatʼs good, thatʼs good,” Song Qingshu said with a smirk, ”Then my sister-in-law must be careful this time, and it will be best if you don’t show yourself.”

Noticing his show of deep concern, the lonely and helpless Madame Hu, who had been dependent on Feiʼer for many years, felt a trace of warmth in her heart, and replied softly, ”Brother-in-law you can rest assured, I will be careful.”

Gazing at the moving figure when Madame Hu left, Song Qingshu felt particularly comfortable. He came to the side to awake the two people who had been knocked out, and directly left the place.

The two government officials were left wondering, they looked at each other and said, ”Did something happen just now?”

”Would you like to inform the lord of the mansion?”

”Are you stupid, can we afford to tell this to the lord? No one knows about this anyway. Song Qingshu is still here, and nothing bad has happened.”

”The senior brother has experience, this junior one admires you!”

”Thatʼs nothing. I have been in this mansion for so many years and I have learned a few things.”

*****

In the next few days, Song Qingshu came across Huang Rong several times in the mansion. Although he couldnʼt stare at her enough, he knew well that currently the difference between the two of them was like heaven and earth, without the slightest chance of forming any connection. So, each time he just walked away after a slight nod.

On the other hand, Huang Rong had a good impression of him. Over the years, from Ouyang Ke in the past, to many people from the Wulin, to the officials of Xiangyang City, and even the prefect Lu Wenhuan, every time they saw her, although it had been disguised, the longing in their eyes was clear.

This was the first time she saw such a clear-eyed young man in Jingzhou City. He had a calm temperament and scholarly aura. When she learned that he was the staff member Ling Tuisi recently appointed, she frowned and looked at his leaving back. She began to think.

*****

Time flew, and soon it was the fifteenth day.

Because Huang Rong and others were here, Ling Tuisi wanted to suspend the interrogation of Ding Dian this month. But Song Qingshu claimed that he was now at the critical stage of his plans. If Ling Tuisi suspended the interrogation, Ding Dian would become suspicious and he might think that the two were in collusion. Then all of their previous efforts will go to waste.

Ling Tuisi thought it was logical, so he found a reason to dismiss Huang Rong and the others, set up a punishment hall in the inner room, and sent someone to escort Ding Dian there.

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