Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1016: The Contradictory Young Mistress

In the past, the Tong family bullied Shuang’er in the capital, and to stand up for her, Song Qingshu was willing to offend a prestigious family. If one were to say that nothing happened between the two, Suo Etu would be the first to not believe it. 

“Brother Suo!” Shuang’er said, feeling embarrassed. 

Suo Etu laughed heartily, “Shuang’er, you don’t need to be shy. Anyway, whether it’s Brother Wei or Brother Song, they are all my people. It’s all the same, hahaha…” 

Hearing this, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but smile knowingly; this Suo Etu was indeed a guy who understood people well. After listening for a while and confirming Shuang’er was safe, he chose to quietly leave, planning to come back to rescue her after nightfall. 

Upon returning to his room, he found that Cheng Yaojia had indeed not left. She was sitting by the window, nervously twisting the corner of her clothes while staring blankly outside. 

Hearing the noise at the door, Cheng Yaojia startled like a frightened rabbit. Only after seeing that it was Song Qingshu who entered did she let out a sigh of relief, “You’re back?” 

Song Qingshu couldn’t help but laugh, “Your tone sounds like a little wife welcoming her husband home.” 

Cheng Yaojia’s smile froze, and she turned away from him, showing her back: “Why are you like this~” 

Song Qingshu knew she was genuinely angry, but even her angry tone sounded so delicate, it almost melted his heart. 

“We Manchurians are different from you Han people; we say whatever comes to our minds directly, unlike you Han people who are so roundabout,” Song Qingshu had been playing the role of Tang Kuo Bian for quite some time now, and he was quite adept at it, even mimicking the tone perfectly, “If I have offended the lady because of this, I hope the lady won’t take it to heart.” 

Cheng Yaojia then realized that the person in front of her was a Manchurian known for his fierce reputation, and naturally, she was unaware of the Han women’s taboos. Hearing his sincere tone, she felt a bit embarrassed and apologized, “I was too sensitive.” 

“It’s normal to be sensitive when you’re trapped in enemy territory,” Song Qingshu walked up to her, pulled out a chair, and sat down, “When I caught you today, you looked like you were sleeping, and I assume you haven’t eaten anything yet. I’ve instructed the kitchen to prepare a few dishes, so it shouldn’t be long before they arrive.” 

Seeing Song Qingshu sit beside her, the etiquette of the boudoir made Cheng Yaojia instinctively want to move away. However, thinking about how he had specially prepared food for her, she felt that her actions would be too hurtful. 

After hesitating for a moment, Cheng Yaojia ultimately didn’t shift away. After hearing what he said, she instinctively waved her hand, “No need, I’m not hungry…” 

As if her body was betraying her, before she finished speaking, her stomach let out a loud growl. Cheng Yaojia felt utterly embarrassed, her face turning bright red, wishing she could just sink into the ground. 

However, Song Qingshu pretended not to hear, smiling as he said, “The lady isn’t hungry, but I am. I’ve been busy all day and didn’t have time to eat, so just consider it keeping me company.” 

Cheng Yaojia knew he was saying this to save her face, and a sense of gratitude arose in her heart, “Alright… fine.” 

Soon, someone brought in the prepared dishes, and Cheng Yaojia was astonished to see a table full of exquisite dishes, thinking to herself, is this what he meant by “a few small dishes”? 

Seeing her wide-eyed expression was quite adorable, Song Qingshu smiled knowingly, “Lady, don’t be polite. Take whatever you want, just treat it like your own home.” 

Cheng Yaojia couldn’t help but roll her eyes, thinking, can I really treat this place like my own home? However, seeing the table full of fragrant delicacies, she hesitated for a moment but ultimately picked up her chopsticks.

Song Qingshu watched her eat slowly, marveling inwardly. This woman truly was the epitome of a lady; throughout the meal, she made not a single sound, not even revealing her mouth when she opened it. Indeed, she was a refined young lady nurtured by the water towns of Jiangnan. “Why is it that today you are the only one at the Chanzhi Temple? Where have your husband and the others gone?” Not accustomed to the quiet atmosphere during meals, Song Qingshu seized the opportunity to ask.

“What do you want to know?” Cheng Yaojia immediately put down her chopsticks, her face filled with vigilance as she stared at him.

Song Qingshu was taken aback for a moment, then understood her thoughts, unable to help but smile wryly. “I’m just worried that when they return and can’t find you, they’ll go mad with anxiety.”

“Aren’t you going to release me tonight? He should be able to hold on for this little while,” Cheng Yaojia replied, still not revealing any information.

Song Qingshu said, “Madam, you truly are overthinking it. If I really wanted to capture them, I could have left people to ambush at the Chanzhi Temple and wait for them to come. Do you see me doing such a thing?”

Cheng Yaojia murmured softly, “Maybe you sent someone else to do it.”

Song Qingshu shook his head. “You’ve been right by my side the whole time. You should know best whether I sent anyone. Besides, only I know your identity as part of the Song Dynasty envoy. The officials of the Qing Dynasty still think you are just one of the women hidden by those lecherous monks at the Chanzhi Temple. If I truly wanted to harm you, why would I deliberately conceal your identity?”

Cheng Yaojia looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. “You are from the Jin Dynasty; why would you help us?”

Song Qingshu smiled slightly. “The interests between nations are quite complex, and it’s difficult to explain everything to you right now. In the future, when the time is right, you will naturally understand.”

“I see.” Realizing he was unwilling to say more, Cheng Yaojia felt embarrassed to press further.

Song Qingshu continued, “The reason I asked about your husband is mainly because I’m worried that when he returns to the Chanzhi Temple and learns that you were captured by us, it won’t be a secret that I brought you back to the Daotai Yamen. If he comes here to rescue you, that would be troublesome. The Daotai Yamen is home to envoys from both the Jin and Qing nations, with countless experts guarding it inside and out. Compared to a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair, it’s probably not much different. It’s not that I underestimate your husband’s abilities; if he really comes here, not only will he be unable to save you, but he might also end up getting himself trapped.”

With every word he said, Cheng Yaojia’s face paled a little more. By the end, she could no longer contain her panic. “What should we do then?”

“We need to notify him in advance to prevent him from making a pointless sacrifice, but unfortunately, I don’t know how to contact him,” Song Qingshu sighed deliberately.

Cheng Yaojia parted her red lips, about to speak, when she suddenly realized something and looked at him suspiciously. “You… you’re not trying to trick me into revealing something, are you?”

Song Qingshu shrugged. “You can choose not to believe me and just wait for your husband to walk right into a trap.”