Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 755: A Gentleman Does Not Deceive in the Dark

What a joke! Song Qingshu was no ignorant eunuch with dull wits. He had even been an emperor in the Forbidden City for a time. These royal etiquettes were nothing more than child’s play to him.

Empress Pei Man did not immediately believe him. Instead, she eyed him suspiciously and said, “Then demonstrate it for me.”

Song Qingshu nodded and repeated the series of actions she had taught him earlier. Seeing this, Empress Pei Man’s expression finally softened, and she nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad, not bad. It seems I underestimated you before.”

“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s excellent teaching,” Song Qingshu took the opportunity to flatter her.

“If it weren’t for your sweet tongue, I would have thought you were a different person,” Empress Pei Man remarked, making Song Qingshu tense up. “Before, no matter how I taught you, you always made mistakes. Here, take this—it’s my reward for you.” With that, she tossed him two gold ingots she had prepared in advance.

Song Qingshu instinctively caught them. Feeling their considerable weight, he was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Such a reward would have been a great fortune for a mere eunuch, but now, he commanded tens of thousands of elite soldiers and ruled over vast lands. This small amount of gold meant nothing to him.

“What? Are you dissatisfied with my reward?” Empress Pei Man noticed his expression and let out a heavy snort.

Song Qingshu was startled, realizing that his fleeting disdain had been noticed. He quickly explained, “I wouldn’t dare! It’s just that I’ve never seen so much gold before and don’t even know how to spend it.”

Hearing this, Empress Pei Man burst into laughter. “You really are a simple-minded servant! Don’t worry. As long as you serve me well, I will not treat you poorly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Having learned his lesson, Song Qingshu dared not be careless again. He deliberately put on an excited expression.
“Alright, it’s getting late, and I’m tired. That’s enough for today. You may leave.” Empress Pei Man had already reclined on the phoenix couch, closing her eyes and lazily waving him away.

“I take my leave,” Song Qingshu said, feeling a bit disappointed. Then, he suddenly found himself laughing at his own thoughts. Did he really expect some hidden affair between a eunuch and an empress? Although he hadn’t gained the kind of benefits he imagined, he had at least made it through the encounter unscathed. Moreover, he had learned valuable information—he now knew who was backing Xiao Xingguo and had also gotten a glimpse of the treacherous undercurrents surging beneath the seemingly peaceful imperial palace.

“Wait.”

Just as he reached the door, Empress Pei Man suddenly called out to him. “The palace is filled with spies. From now on, you will come see me every three days. Preferably in the dead of night, and make sure no one notices you on the way.”

“I understand.”

A lesser man might have had improper thoughts upon hearing such an ambiguous request. But Song Qingshu had already figured out Empress Pei Man’s intentions—she was clearly plotting something earth-shattering. Once her plan succeeded, she would certainly eliminate all loose ends. To conceal the truth, it was better that as few people as possible knew about Xiao Xingguo’s interactions with her.

“Also, for now, refrain from wandering around during the day. Stay in your quarters and practice what I teach you. As for your duties in the Wardrobe Bureau, I have arranged for someone else to handle them.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Song Qingshu put on an expression of overwhelmed gratitude, though inwardly he sneered. This woman was clearly up to no good, but that suited him just fine. He had been worrying about juggling both the roles of Tang Kuo Bian and Xiao Xingguo, but now, with this arrangement, it would be much easier to play both parts.

Empress Pei Man seemed satisfied with his response. She nodded slightly and said gently, “You may go.”

*****

As he closed the door, Song Qingshu caught a glimpse of the alluring figure reclining on the couch through the layers of sheer drapery. His heart trembled. 

Beautiful women like her, no matter how kind they once were, would inevitably become ruthless after entering the imperial palace. Would his own beloved women someday change in the same way?

Lost in thought, he unknowingly found himself back at Xiao Xingguo’s residence. Shaking his head with a bitter smile, he realized just how much of a glutton for punishment he was. He could have left, yet he had returned just to see her again.

“I should find a way to ask her name later and probe why she came to the Jin Empire’s palace.”

Thinking of the yellow-robed woman’s pale yet stunning face, Song Qingshu found that his steps had become lighter without realizing it.

Carefully pushing open the door, he expected to be greeted by a flashing sword. But to his surprise, the room was completely dark and eerily silent.

“My lady?” Song Qingshu called out cautiously while spreading his senses, but he could not detect her presence.

Lighting an oil lamp, he surveyed the room. Aside from a few bloodstained cloth strips left on the bed, there was no trace of her—she had already vanished without a word.

For some reason, a hollow feeling settled in his heart. After a long while, he chuckled wryly.

To her, he was just a lowly eunuch. A woman as noble as her would never concern herself with a eunuch’s thoughts.

Since the yellow-robed woman was gone, there was no reason for him to stay. Changing his clothes, he took advantage of the thick night and used Qinggong to silently slip out of the palace.

By the time he returned to the Tang Kuo residence, Wanyan Gebi was still sound asleep. Under the moonlight, Song Qingshu admired her flawless features and couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty. Even in slumber, she radiated an unmatched elegance.

Having spent most of the night running around the palace, exhaustion finally caught up with him. Surveying the room, he saw that there was only one bed, and Wanyan Gebi was sleeping in the very spot he had occupied earlier.

His first instinct was to sleep on a chair, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He was supposed to be her husband, and their relationship had always been affectionate. If she woke up the next day and found him sleeping separately, wouldn’t that raise suspicion?

‘A gentleman does not deceive in the dark. Though I am no gentleman, I am not so vile as to take advantage of the situation.’  

Song Qingshu was not a man bound by rigid principles, and he did not hesitate long before deciding to lie down beside her.

Even though he moved with the utmost care, Wanyan Gebi still woke up as he settled into bed. She opened her eyes, which gleamed like stars in the darkness, and gazed at him.

Song Qingshu instinctively thought she had realized he had sneaked out earlier and was quickly thinking of an excuse.

To his surprise, Wanyan Gebi simply leaned in and pressed her soft, moist lips against his cheek, murmuring in a sweet voice, “Husband~”

Check out my new project: Hedonist Prodigy