Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 757: The Plan

“No!” Wanyan Gebi grabbed her tightly and said in an almost pleading tone.

“Sister, you can’t just let him bully you like that,” Wanyan Ping retorted angrily.

Wanyan Gebi shook her head. “He nearly lost his life in Kaifeng this time and was seriously injured. After experiencing life and death, it’s perfectly normal for his temper to be a little short for a while.”

“I really don’t understand you,” Wanyan Ping grumbled, stomping her foot in frustration. “By indulging him like this, you’re just spoiling him. In the future, he’ll only get bolder in taking advantage of you.”

Unable to hold back, Wanyan Gebi burst into a laugh through her tears. “Ping’er, you’re just a naïve young girl, yet you act as if you understand men perfectly. Don’t worry—I know my husband well. He’s nothing like you say. When you eventually meet a man who truly loves you, you’ll understand your Sister’s approach. What’s a little self-sacrifice for the sake of someone dear?”

At the mention of a man in love, the image of Tang Kuo Bian suddenly flashed in Wanyan Ping’s mind. Startled and a bit guilty, she retorted, “Hmph, I’m not interested in those stinking men at all—I want to be with my Sister forever.”

Wanyan Gebi couldn’t help but smile warmly as she reached out to tap her Sister’s forehead. “Oh, you’re just being childishly stubborn.”

Wanyan Ping immediately retaliated by playfully tickling her Sister. Soon, the sound of tinkling laughter filled the corridor of the waterside pavilion. After a bout of playful roughhousing, the two Sisters strolled together in the garden.

“Ping’er, during this time, you should try to counsel your Brother-in-law a bit more. He’s been in low spirits lately. You need to get out there and mingle with him so that he can quickly recover from his depression,” Wanyan Gebi said with a smile.

Wanyan Ping’s heart skipped a beat. Thinking her Sister might have discovered something, she cast a slightly guilty glance at her. “Uh, why don’t you do it yourself? Why must you always leave it to me…”
A mischievous smile curved Wanyan Gebi’s lips. “Hmph, wasn’t it you who said that although I don’t hold it against him, I still need to put on an act? Otherwise, he’d get too complacent. But I can’t let him sink into despair either. Who else would I turn to if not you, my dear little Sister?”

“Alright then… but let me say this right off the bat: I won’t be as gentle with him as you are,” Wanyan Ping declared, cracking a whip with a sharp snap as she deliberately adopted a fierce expression.

“Enough, enough. Now go check on your Brother-in-law. I’m still a little worried about him,” Wanyan Gebi said cheerfully as she nudged her Sister toward Song Qingshu’s residence.

“Honestly, I’m so tired of you—I can’t you see I’m leaving already?” Wanyan Ping mumbled, departing in an obviously reluctant manner.

Watching her Sister’s retreating figure, Wanyan Gebi smiled softly. Despite her sharp tongue, her little Sister had a heart of gold. Although she often appeared fierce and domineering, her heart was perhaps even more tender than that of her elder Sister.

*****

After intentionally driving Wanyan Gebi away, Song Qingshu was left with a myriad of thoughts. 

Only after a long while did he resume considering how to rescue Song Yuanqiao and the others. 

Although the Laundry Courtyard was heavily guarded, that wasn’t the biggest problem. The real issue was that Song Yuanqiao and his two companions had all succumbed to the effects of Rouge Drunkenness—they had completely lost their martial abilities. Even if he could extract them from the Laundry Courtyard, he wouldn’t be able to lead them out of the palace.

Thus, the most pressing matter was to find the antidote for Rouge Drunkenness. But Song Qingshu had never even seen the poison that caused Rouge Drunkenness, so where could he possibly find the antidote? After much thought, the only breakthrough seemed to be Wanyan Ping. Judging by last night’s events, her status within the Laundry Courtyard was clearly not low. It was very likely that she would have access to the antidote for Rouge Drunkenness.

As the saying goes, “speak of the devil and he shall appear”—just as Song Qingshu was mulling over how to secure a breakthrough through Wanyan Ping, there came a knock at the door. Glancing up, he saw Wanyan Ping standing there, looking as charming as ever.

“Brother-in-law, may I come in?”

Song Qingshu, who had been hoping to procure the antidote from her, had no reason to refuse her. “Come in, come in!”

A trace of blush flickered subtly across Wanyan Ping’s cheeks. “Hmph, seeing you so happy doesn’t at all look like the dejected state my Sister described.”

Song Qingshu gave a wry smile. “Did you just see your Sister?”

“Mm,” Wanyan Ping replied as she walked over and pulled a stool to sit by the bed. “I heard you were so angry that you even made her cry.”

Song Qingshu sighed. “I’m not really sure what came over me. I just lost control all of a sudden.” 

Previously, Tang Kuo Bian had been so deeply in love with Wanyan Gebi that they hardly ever quarreled. Now that he was deliberately distancing himself, he surely needed an excuse.

Wanyan Ping’s expression suggested that she believed this explanation. “It seems that since your arrival in Kaifeng, you’ve encountered a lot of interesting things. Now, tell me all about it.”

Seeing her inquisitive expression, Song Qingshu was momentarily at a loss for words. “Hey, hey, hey—you’re making it sound like you’re interrogating me. I nearly died in Kaifeng, you know.”

“That hardly counts as dying,” Wanyan Ping replied nonchalantly. Noticing Song Qingshu’s attempt to look angry, she giggled. “Alright, alright—I was just angry that you were picking on my Sister, so I decided to irritate you a bit.”

“Uh…” Looking at the coquettish girl before him, Song Qingshu found it hard to truly get angry. “Fine, then. What exactly do you want to know?”

“Pick the most thrilling parts, for example, how did you end up being captured by that Song dynasty woman named Huang Rong? What exactly did you face during that time?” Wanyan Ping asked, her eyes shining with anticipation as if waiting for a parent to tell her a story.

Song Qingshu had anticipated these questions and had prepared an impeccably woven account. He deliberately exaggerated some details for dramatic effect, prompting Wanyan Ping to exclaim in surprise from time to time.

“Fortunately, that woman named Huang Rong turned out to be reliable and eventually let you go. Otherwise, I would have…” Wanyan Ping pounded her chest, her voice thick with resentment. Mid-sentence, for reasons unknown even to her, she abruptly fell silent.

Song Qingshu paused, instinctively asking, “You… you would have done what exactly?”

Wanyan Ping puffed out her chest. “I would have personally led an army south, captured Xiangyang, and thrown that woman into the Laundry Courtyard, to avenge you.” Noticing Song Qingshu’s astonished look, her face flushed red as she hurriedly added, “Don’t get the wrong idea—I’m not doing this for you, but for my Sister.”

Song Qingshu laughed. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t get carried away thinking that our proud little princess would risk everything for a beloved.”

“What do you mean by ‘beloved’?” Wanyan Ping was taken aback.

“Back in the day, Wu Sangui went to war for Chen Yuanyuan—if I were a woman, that would naturally be called a ‘beloved’.” Song Qingshu explained.

Wanyan Ping suddenly sprang to her feet, her face turning bright red. “What nonsense! Look at you—there are plenty of noblemen far more handsome than you. What sort of ‘beloved’ could you possibly be?”

Song Qingshu’s expression darkened. “So in your eyes, my dear Ping’er, your Brother-in-law is utterly worthless.”

Instantly alarmed, Wanyan Ping stuttered, “Actually… you’re not that bad. Even if you’re a bit plain, you’re still… well, still somewhat handsome.”

Just last night, Song Qingshu had seen her in the palace, decisive and commanding, but today he was witnessing her girlish side. The drastic change left him somewhat shocked. Yet, beyond the shock, he began to sense something—after all, with his rich experience in matters of the heart, he keenly detected that Wanyan Ping harbored some unusual affection for Tang Kuo Bian. Perhaps it was due to moral scruples or youthful naivety that she hadn’t fully recognized her own feelings.

‘Could it be that Tang Kuo Bian is really a reincarnation of Pan An? To have a perfect wife like Wanyan Gebi and still unwittingly stir the affections of his Sister-in-law…’ Song Qingshu mused silently. In order to save Song Yuanqiao and the others, perhaps he needed to steer Wanyan Ping’s emotions in a certain direction…

‘Am I being too shameless here?’ Song Qingshu hesitated as the moment of truth approached. ‘Maybe I’m not being wicked enough…’ (G: side effects of Joyful Meditation Method, affecting his thoughts.)

“Hey, I already apologized! Brother-in-law, you can’t be so fragile, can you?” Seeing Song Qingshu’s ever-changing expression and his silence, Wanyan Ping was momentarily dumbfounded.

“No, it’s just that I suddenly started thinking about the Laundry Courtyard,” Song Qingshu recovered his composure and casually steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.

“Hmph, that place is the perfect spot to deal with those arrogant Song dynasty women!” Wanyan Ping remarked cryptically, not wishing to further pursue that topic, and instead shifted the conversation back to other details of his trip to Kaifeng.

Song Qingshu’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at her curiously and asked, “Why are you asking so many detailed questions? It almost feels like you’re interrogating me.”

Wanyan Ping looked embarrassed. “I knew I couldn’t fool you, Brother-in-law. Actually, the emperor—being considerate of your injuries—has excused you from reporting to the Ministry of Personnel. But matters in Kaifeng still need to be clarified from multiple sources; we can’t just take what the King Hailing and his family say at face value. So I volunteered to take on this task.”

“I see…” Song Qingshu exhaled in relief—as long as it wasn’t a targeted attack on him. Then, he began chatting with her as if in casual conversation.

To increase his chances of engaging with Wanyan Ping further, Song Qingshu deliberately left some details vague in his answers, hoping she would probe further in the future. Although Wanyan Ping sensed something amiss, she tacitly pretended to know nothing, believing that he simply wanted to get closer to her. Her heart fluttered with excitement, but she quickly subdued those whimsical thoughts by convincing herself that she was only doing this to help her Sister counsel her husband.

Over the next few days, due to Song Qingshu’s deliberate actions, his interactions with his official wife, Wanyan Gebi, grew increasingly sparse—barely a few words exchanged each day. Instead, he found himself happily chatting with his Sister-in-law, Wanyan Ping, whenever they had the chance. This development left Wanyan Gebi both pleased and saddened.

One early morning, Wanyan Ping, brimming with excitement, ran over to find Song Qingshu. With her trouser legs neatly tucked into her small boots, her long legs accentuated in graceful lines, and a small leather vest tied around her chest complemented by a belt at her waist—she looked every bit the lively, youthful maiden as she stood before him.

“Brother-in-law, don’t be like those Han people who stay cooped up indoors to heal their wounds so slowly. We Jurchens ought to mend our injuries on horseback. Come on, I’ll take you out to the eastern outskirts for a hunt.”

Goblin: 1 more chapter added to the FSM Patreon advanced tier, making it 11. I will be adding more. A reminder, you can use SUP30 discount code to get a 30% discount on the $5 FSM Patreon Membership tier for the first month. Get it while its here.

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