Chapter 879: Role Reversal

It turned out that the earlier jolt in the sedan chair was because they had arrived at their destination. Along the way, Song Qingshu had intended to observe their route, but the sedan had been specially modified—there were no windows, and aside from the front door, it was completely sealed. Unable to see outside, Song Qingshu decided to relax and conserve his energy instead. By the time they stopped, he still had no idea where they were.

However, when he heard the voice of the woman outside, a faint smile curled at the corners of his lips. “After searching far and wide, here you are, delivered right to me without any effort.”

Soon, someone opened the sedan door.

Wanyan Chongjie, curious about the identity of their host, quickly stepped out. The moment she saw the woman before her, she froze in astonishment.

Her mother had once been hailed as the most beautiful woman in the Jin Dynasty, and Wanyan Chongjie herself was widely regarded as the next in line for that title. She had always been confident in her own beauty, but the woman before her was radiant, her cheeks tinged with a rosy glow, her presence both dignified and striking. There was an air of nobility about her, tempered with a heroic bearing and an unapproachable majesty that commanded respect.

“This beautiful sister went through such trouble to invite me here—may I ask why?” Wanyan Chongjie quickly snapped out of her daze. She was in a dangerous situation now; there was no time to marvel at another woman’s beauty. As she spoke, her cunning eyes darted around, but when she took in their surroundings, her brows furrowed in displeasure.

She had assumed the sedan would stop at a courtyard or entrance, but instead, they were surrounded by dark stone walls—clearly inside some hidden chamber.

“Sister Chongjie remains unshaken even in such circumstances. I truly admire that,” the woman said with a smile, though her expression suddenly stiffened when she noticed someone else still inside the sedan.

“Who is he?” she asked coldly, turning to her subordinate.

“Reporting to Lady Zhao, this is the Imperial Consort, Tang Kuo Bian. He was with Lady Chongjie earlier. Given his status, we couldn’t simply leave him behind, so we brought him along to avoid any leaks.”

“The Imperial Consort? Princess Gebi’s husband?” The woman—Zhao Min—frowned slightly, her interest piqued.

“Indeed. Might Lady Zhao be acquainted with my wife?” Before the subordinate could answer, Song Qingshu stepped out of the sedan, his eyes glinting with amusement as he studied Zhao Min. His suspicions were correct—their mastermind was indeed her.

“Princess Gebi, the most beautiful woman in the Jin Dynasty—I’ve long heard of her reputation, though I’ve never had the fortune of meeting her,” Zhao Min replied, having quickly regained her composure. Though the unexpected addition of another person was unplanned, it worked in her favor. She had intended to investigate Gebi, and now her husband had conveniently walked right into her hands.

“What a pity. I think the two of you would get along splendidly,” Song Qingshu remarked casually as he surveyed the surroundings, his expression mirroring Wanyan Chongjie’s earlier shock. Where exactly are we?

Zhao Min gave him a puzzled glance. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she recognized him, but the sensation vanished as quickly as it came. “How did you know my surname is Zhao?”

Song Qingshu’s heart skipped a beat, but he gestured to one of her subordinates. “Didn’t he just call you ‘Lady Zhao’?”

“Ah.” Zhao Min nodded noncommittally, making Song Qingshu inwardly sigh in relief. Thank goodness someone actually called her that—otherwise, I might have slipped up.

But before he could relax, Zhao Min’s voice turned icy. “Seal his acupoints and tie him up.”

“What?” Song Qingshu was stunned. His mind raced, trying to figure out where he had given himself away, but he couldn’t pinpoint any mistakes. Deciding to play along, he remained still as Zhao Min’s subordinates sealed his pressure points (or so they thought—he had long mastered the art of shifting his meridians) and bound him.

“Have I offended you in some way, Lady Zhao?” he asked with a wry smile.

“Not at all,” she replied sweetly. “But I’ll be interrogating the two of you alone later, and as a delicate woman, I must take precautions.”

Song Qingshu nearly rolled his eyes.

‘Delicate? You, who outwits men at every turn? The audacity.’

Still, the restraints couldn’t truly hold him, so he wasn’t worried. He was more curious about what she was planning.

Seeing how quickly he calmed down, Zhao Min’s eyes flickered with approval. “The Imperial Consort truly has remarkable composure. No wonder you won the heart of the Jin Dynasty’s most beautiful woman.”

Song Qingshu merely smiled faintly, but Wanyan Chongjie interjected, “Sister, this big oaf won’t mind being tied up, but my skin is delicate—surely you don’t need to bind me too?”

Zhao Min nodded. Intelligence suggested Wanyan Chongjie had no martial skills, and Zhao Min herself was confident in her own abilities. Seeing the girl’s pitiful expression, she agreed.

Song Qingshu, watching from the side, suppressed a laugh. A seasoned fox meeting a young fox—Zhao Min is in for a surprise. He knew both their strengths—while Zhao Min was skilled, Wanyan Chongjie was even more formidable, especially since she had once dared to assassinate Wanyan Liang, who was guarded by numerous experts. With the element of surprise on her side, Zhao Min was about to get a rude awakening.

Once Song Qingshu was securely bound to the wall, Zhao Min dismissed her subordinates. When they were finally alone, Wanyan Chongjie asked, “Sister Zhao, why go through all this trouble to bring me here?”

“It’s simple, really,” Zhao Min replied. “I just want to ask you about someone.”

“Oh? Who?” Wanyan Chongjie blinked, having expected any number of motives—but not this.

‘Who could be more important than me?’

“Song Qingshu!” Zhao Min enunciated each word clearly.

Song Qingshu’s heart jumped. He had known Zhao Min would investigate him, but he hadn’t expected her to go about it this way.

‘The irony—she’s trying so hard to find me, yet here I am, right under her nose.’

Though they were in a hidden chamber now, once he got out, he’d know exactly where they were—and which prince Zhao Min was working with.

“Song Qingshu?” Wanyan Chongjie wrinkled her nose. “That name sounds familiar.”

Zhao Min’s eyes lit up. “You know of him?”

“Ah, right!” Wanyan Chongjie clapped her hands. “The Golden Serpent King who caused such a stir in Shandong recently, right? I heard he single-handedly summoned wind and rain to annihilate a hundred thousand Qing troops. I’ve always wanted to meet such a hero!”

Despite the Jin and Qing Dynasties being allies, Wanyan Chongjie held no love for her own country. Her father and grandfather had been executed in political purges, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves. Hearing how Song Song Qingshu had humiliated the Qing army—even shocking the Jin court—filled her with glee.

Song Qingshu, meanwhile, nearly choked.

‘How did the rumors get so exaggerated? I just used the storm to stop a cavalry charge—the Golden Serpent Camp did the rest! Now people think I took on an entire army alone? Even if they were pigs, slaughtering a hundred thousand would take days!’

Zhao Min frowned. “You don’t know him?”

“Should I?” Wanyan Chongjie looked equally puzzled.

Studying her expression and finding no deceit, Zhao Min pressed on. “Think carefully. Have you met anyone unusual recently? Or noticed any strangers around you?”

“No, nothing out of the ordinary,” Wanyan Chongjie answered promptly.

“Are you sure? He must have been near you at some point,” Zhao Min said, sipping her tea calmly.

Wanyan Chongjie tilted her head. “Why are you so certain he’d be around me? I’ve only heard of him in reports or from friends—he’s in Shandong, worlds apart from me. Why would he be here?”

Song Qingshu nodded along, equally curious why Zhao Min had connected him to Wanyan Chongjie.

Zhao Min set down her cup, her voice tinged with irritation. “Because that scoundrel has one defining trait—wherever he goes, he seduces the most beautiful woman in the area.”

“What?!” Song Qingshu nearly facepalmed.

‘That’s your reasoning?!’

Wanyan Chongjie burst into laughter. “Sister, your logic is certainly unique. But I’m flattered you think so highly of my looks.”

Zhao Min’s expression darkened. “Miss Chongjie, perhaps you don’t realize your situation. No one knows you’re here. If you don’t give me satisfactory answers, you won’t be leaving.”

“No, sister, it’s you who doesn’t understand.” Wanyan Chongjie’s smile vanished. “I played along earlier because I thought you were after me. But now that I know you’re just chasing some heartbreaker, I’m done humoring you.”

With that, her hand shot toward Zhao Min’s throat.