Chapter 884: Coercion

Seeing the burly, bearded man before them suddenly transform into a handsome young man, Wanyan Chongjie and Pucha Alihu instinctively rubbed their eyes, momentarily stunned into silence. “You… you…”

Song Qingshu sighed at Wanyan Chongjie. “You guessed correctly earlier. I am not Tang Kuo Bian. The real Tang Kuo Bian was killed long ago by Wanyan Liang.” He then recounted how Wanyan Liang had used others to eliminate Tang Kuo Bian in Kaifeng and later sent assassins to finish the job. By his side, Gebi had already broken into sobs, prompting Pucha Alihu to quickly step forward and comfort her.

“Now do you believe I truly intend to deal with Wanyan Liang?” Song Qingshu said.

Wanyan Chongjie finally snapped out of her daze. “Then who exactly are you?”

“You’ve already heard my name,” Song Qingshu replied, glancing at Zhao Min, who lay asleep on the bed.

Following his gaze, Wanyan Chongjie first looked puzzled before realization dawned. “You’re the Golden Serpent King, Song Qingshu!”

Even Pucha Alihu stared at him in shock. After all, in the eyes of the Qing and Jin Dynasties’ elites, the Golden Serpent King was a notorious demon.

Song Qingshu nodded. “Indeed, it is I.”  (G: I had to do it.)

Wanyan Chongjie’s face lit up with excitement as she circled him, examining him closely. “It’s really you! No wonder you’re so capable! Tell me, how did you summon wind and rain? Are you a deity or a monster?…”

Faced with her barrage of questions, Song Qingshu felt a headache coming on. “Uh, I’m definitely human.”

“But you don’t seem like one,” Wanyan Chongjie retorted, poking his chest with a finger.

Song Qingshu: “What are you doing!”

“Chongjie, stop fooling around,” Pucha Alihu scolded, unable to bear her daughter’s antics any longer. Much of her apprehension stemmed from the Jin Dynasty’s demonization of Song Qingshu, leaving her somewhat fearful of him.

Song Qingshu finally spoke up. “Alright, now that you know the truth, we’ll stay in close contact from now on. Chongjie, don’t attempt to assassinate Wanyan Liang for the time being. It’s too dangerous and could alert him, ruining my plans.”

Wanyan Chongjie frowned. “I can hold off for now, but you have to tell me what your plan is.”

“No!” Song Qingshu refused outright. “You’ll know when the time comes.”

Wanyan Chongjie wanted to argue, but Pucha Alihu tugged at her sleeve, shaking her head subtly.

Defeated, the girl pouted in frustration.

“It’s getting late. You should leave under cover of night. If Wanyan Liang sees you departing in daylight, he’ll grow suspicious,” Song Qingshu added.

“Fine, we’re leaving!” Though she knew he was right, Wanyan Chongjie was still deeply annoyed. Given her beauty, men usually fawned over her, desperate for her to stay. Yet here was Song Qingshu, practically shooing her away—how utterly clueless!

Pucha Alihu felt similarly, though years of life had tempered her emotions. After a brief moment of surprise, she quickly composed herself.

“Wait.” When Song Qingshu called out to her, Wanyan Chongjie’s lips curled into a smirk. “Changed your mind about letting me go? Hmph, after offending me, do you really think I’ll forgive you so easily?”

Song Qingshu’s face darkened. “You’re overthinking it. Eat this.” He extended his hand, revealing two pills—one red, one yellow.

“What is this?” Wanyan Chongjie’s expression shifted as she instinctively shielded her mother.

“One is the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill, the other is the Leopard Embryo Tendon Severing Pill,” Song Qingshu explained. “Since you’re not from the martial world, you may not have heard of them. Let me clarify.”

“The Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill is used by the Sun Moon Holy Cult’s leader to control subordinates. It contains three corpse worms. After ingestion, there are no immediate effects, but if the antidote isn’t taken by noon on the Dragon Boat Festival, the worms will emerge. Once they reach the brain, the victim turns feral, even attacking their own family.”

“The Leopard Embryo Tendon Severing Pill is a peculiar drug from the Mystic Dragon Cult of the Eastern Sea, made from rare ingredients like leopard and deer embryos, placenta, and seal genitals. For a year, it enhances physical strength, but if the antidote isn’t taken by the deadline, its extreme toxicity takes effect. Once, a fat man and a thin man failed to take the antidote in time. The fat man, originally short and plump, stretched three feet taller in three months, his skin drenched in blood. The thin man, originally tall, shrank and swelled into an obese monstrosity…”

“Ew!” Wanyan Chongjie recoiled before he could finish. “What kind of vile, sinister drugs are these? You’re not seriously asking us to take them, are you?”

“Indeed. To ensure you don’t leak information,” Song Qingshu replied coolly, glancing at Gebi nearby. “If it were just me, I wouldn’t bother. But this involves Gebi and many others. If you betray us, countless innocents will die.”

“Our hatred for Wanyan Liang runs deep. Do you really think we’d betray you?” Wanyan Chongjie trembled with indignation.

“People change. I’m merely minimizing risks in advance.” Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. Once, he had been an optimistic, upright young man. But after all these years and trials, his heart had hardened. In the past, he would’ve trusted them unconditionally. Now, he found systems and measures more reliable than human nature.

“No way! We’re not taking these!” Wanyan Chongjie’s face darkened as she discreetly drew a dagger from her sleeve.

Song Qingshu chuckled. In a blur, both mother and daughter found their acupoints sealed.

“Your only choice now is which pill to take—the Three Corpse Brain or the Leopard Embryo Tendon Severing,” Song Qingshu said, holding out the two options. “Rest assured, once this matter is resolved, I’ll give you the antidote. You won’t be harmed in the slightest.”

Wanyan Chongjie gritted her teeth. “If we take these, we’ll be at your mercy until then.”

“Well… you could see it that way.” This was another reason for his insistence. Their hatred for Wanyan Liang was too volatile. If they acted recklessly and ruined his plans, it’d be a disaster.

“Then absolutely not!” Wanyan Chongjie’s delicate face flushed crimson. “If we’re drugged into submission, what’s to stop you from taking advantage of us?”

Song Qingshu nearly facepalmed. “While your suggestion is… intriguing, I’m not that despicable.”

“Didn’t you just say people change?” she shot back mockingly.

Song Qingshu was momentarily speechless before irritation took over. “Enough talk. If you don’t choose, I’ll force-feed you at random.”

Wanyan Chongjie pressed her lips together, realizing their helplessness. “Fine, the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill.” As a girl, she valued her beauty. As horrifying as corpse worms sounded, becoming a grotesquely deformed woman was worse than death.

Pucha Alihu, pale-faced, made the same choice.

After administering the pills, Song Qingshu unsealed their acupoints. “Daxing Prefecture isn’t safe these days. Should I escort you back?”

“No thanks. I’d rather not risk you feeding me more ‘medicine,’” Wanyan Chongjie said coldly.

Pucha Alihu sighed. “I thought you were a noble soul, a kindred spirit. But it seems the rumors about you were true.”

“I was fooled by his refined appearance too. He’s a complete demon,” Wanyan Chongjie huffed, supporting her mother as they strode out without looking back.

After they left, Song Qingshu turned to Gebi with a sigh. “Do you also think I went too far?”

“Given your unfamiliarity with them, caution is understandable. But I’m curious—why have you never forced such drugs on me?” Gebi gazed at him with luminous eyes.

Song Qingshu froze. “Huh? I… I don’t know. It never crossed my mind.”

Gebi smiled faintly. “Never mind. More importantly, who is this lovely girl you’ve brought back? Is she… your lover?”

Song Qingshu shook his head. “Our relationship is… complicated. Allies and adversaries at once.”

For some reason, Gebi felt a quiet relief at his answer. “What will you do with her?”

“Her identity is sensitive. She can’t have contact with the outside world for now. I’ll keep her confined temporarily,” Song Qingshu said after a pause. “Is there a secret room in the estate?”

“There is…” Gebi suddenly blushed. “Have you forgotten the hidden chamber in my room? The one from… that night with Wanyan Liang?”

The mention of that evening sent a thrill through Song Qingshu.

“Did you enjoy the princess consort’s… ‘flavor’?” Gebi hadn’t meant to say something so bold.

Song Qingshu pulled her slender waist into his embrace. “She was pleasant, but nowhere near as intoxicating as you.”

As his face drew closer, Gebi’s cheeks burned hotter. “I… I still feel guilty toward Wogula…”

“If he has complaints, let him come to me,” Song Qingshu murmured, enchanted by her bashful resistance.

With a soft gasp, Gebi found herself lifted into his arms. As he carried her toward the bed, she protested weakly, “No… there’s someone there already.”

“What does it matter?” Song Qingshu glanced at Zhao Min, whose serene slumber only stoked the fire within him.