Chapter 714: A Solution

“No way!” Song Qingshu refused outright. “I want you to be my lover for a lifetime, not just for a few days.”

“That’s absolutely impossible!” Huang Rong’s stance was firm. “If that’s the case, I’ll come clean with Brother Jing. I believe he won’t blame me. Even if you kill us, we’ll still be a pair of devoted lovers in life and death.”

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Song Qingshu sighed. “Fine, then let’s set a limit—ten years. After ten years, I should be able to openly seek you out, and we won’t have to sneak around anymore.”

“One year!” Huang Rong lifted her chin, stubbornly staring at him.

Song Qingshu frowned. “Three years!”

Seeing that she was about to object again, Song Qingshu coldly said, “This is my bottom line. You should know, I don’t have to agree to any of your conditions at all.”

Huang Rong’s face alternated between pale and flushed, clearly struggling internally. Sensing the moment, Song Qingshu added, “Rong’er, you’re overthinking things. I’m constantly occupied with affairs, traveling between different nations. In a year, I might only have one or two chances to visit you. Do you really find that frequency so unbearable?”

Huang Rong knew he wasn’t lying. If he were an ordinary man, having a beauty like her as his l0ver would make him want to cling to her day and night. But Song Qingshu was different from most men—he was ambitious and would never willingly indulge in a life of pleasure. Moreover, he already had so many fairy-like lovers by his side. The time he could spare for her would be even less.

“Fine, three years it is. But you must promise me that when you come to see me, you won’t interfere with my normal life. And whether I accompany you or not will depend on my mood.” Huang Rong huffed, her face once again showing the mischievous glint of her younger years.

“Not interfering with your normal life is easy, but leaving it up to your mood whether you accompany me… I’m sure you won’t be willing when the time comes.” Song Qingshu was no Ouyang Ke; he wouldn’t let beauty cloud his judgment.

“If I don’t even have that much control, wouldn’t I just be a t00l for your pleasure?” Huang Rong said angrily.

“That…” Song Qingshu hesitated. Huang Rong was too cunning. If he wasn’t careful, she might set a trap for him.

“Hmph, don’t you claim that… that whatever technique of yours is the best in the world? If you’re really that skilled, are you afraid I won’t want to accompany you?” Huang Rong turned her face to the side as she spoke, and from Song Qingshu’s angle, he could see a faint pink hue appear on her delicate ears.

Song Qingshu finally laughed. “Alright, I promise you.”

As he stared at her, the silence in the room made Huang Rong uneasy. She quickly added, “I have more conditions…”

“Go ahead, Rong’er,” Song Qingshu said nonchalantly. To have Huang Rong willingly agree to be his lover was something he never even dared to dream of before.

In a way, Madame Tang had played matchmaker for them. If not for her, last night’s unexpected events wouldn’t have happened. Without last night’s irrevocable truth, Huang Rong wouldn’t have agreed so easily.

Since he was in such a great mood, agreeing to a few small conditions wasn’t a problem.

Huang Rong had only thought of three conditions earlier, and her mind was now in a mess. Afraid she would lose the chance if she hesitated too long, she quickly blurted out, “If anything happens in Xiangyang in the future and I ask for your help, you must not refuse.”

“Alright!” Song Qingshu thought it over. The safety of Xiangyang actually aligned with his own interests. The Southern Song dynasty was relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, and Xiangyang was the gateway to its middle reaches. If Xiangyang fell, the northern nomadic tribes would easily sweep southward, and the Southern Song’s frail court would collapse instantly. What Song Qingshu needed most right now was time—only if the major powers continued to restrain each other could he maneuver and grow stronger.

Seeing him agree, Huang Rong was secretly delighted. With Song Qingshu’s extraordinary martial arts and his command over tens of thousands of elite soldiers, defending Xiangyang would become much easier.

“But,” Song Qingshu suddenly added, “each time I help, you must accompany me.”

Huang Rong’s heart skipped a beat. She glared at him. “Brother Jing and I are both in Xiangyang. How would there be any opportunity for that?”

Song Qingshu shrugged. “That’s your problem, not mine.”

Seeing her bewildered expression, he hinted, “Rong’er, you’re so clever. You can just make up a reason to come find me—say it’s to discuss intelligence or strategize battle plans. Would Great Hero Guo really suspect you?” 𝘳𝐀Nо𝐁ĚṨ

Huang Rong’s face turned red. She looked at him in shock. “You… you’re so young, where did you even learn such shameless tricks?”

Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “I must thank the dedicated performances of Japanese artists, the nightly immersion in certain genres, and of course, the literary masterpieces of some ‘gentlemen’ in our own country…”

Huang Rong listened in confusion. She had no idea what “artists” or “certain genres” he was talking about, but she vaguely recognized one word. “Japan? You mean the Wokou?”  (G: Wokou – 倭寇 – which translates to “Jap*nese pirates”, were pirates who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century to the 17th century.)

“Exactly,” Song Qingshu chuckled.

Seeing his odd smile, Huang Rong felt it was better not to ask further.

“Do you have any other conditions? Rong’er, you’d best seize the opportunity—this offer won’t last forever,” Song Qingshu teased.

“I do!” Huang Rong blurted out. But in the moment, she couldn’t think of anything else she needed his help with. As Song Qingshu pressed her, she grew anxious and suddenly thought of something.

“Fu’er accidentally cut off Yang Guo’s arm not long ago. Brother Jing is furious and insists on taking one of Fu’er’s arms in return. I had no choice but to send her to Peach Blossom Island. But she’s playful by nature and might sneak back into the martial world at any time. The wulin is dangerous—do you have any way to ensure her safety?”

Song Qingshu frowned. “If she stays within Shandong, that’s not a problem. But if she goes elsewhere, I might not be able to protect her.”

Huang Rong’s face fell. “That’s true…”

“But why does Great Hero Guo still insist on punishing Guo Fu after Yang Guo allied with Wanyan Liang to fight against you?” Song Qingshu asked in confusion.

Huang Rong sighed. “Brother Jing is a righteous man. He always felt guilty about Yang Kang’s tragic death, believing that our family was responsible. Now that Fu’er has cut off Guo’er’s arm, he won’t easily forgive her. I don’t even dare bring her back to Xiangyang.”

“I actually have a simple solution that would prevent Great Hero Guo from harming Fu’er,” Song Qingshu said with a knowing smile.

“What solution?” Huang Rong looked at him in surprise.

A smirk played at the corner of Song Qingshu’s lips. “Just have Great Hero Guo betroth his daughter to me. If Fu’er becomes my fiancée, would he still cut off her arm?”

Huang Rong trembled with rage. “You… you scoundrel! How dare you even think of such a thing?!”

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