Wanyan Ping was instantly dumbfounded. "I said I needed time to think!"
Song Qingshuâs voice was muffled. "You can still think now."
Wanyan Ping bit her lip. "Why are you so shameless?" Though reason told her she shouldnât allow this, the memory of their previous intimacyâfar more intense than thisâmade her resistance waver.
His ki$$es left her flustered, her voice trembling. "If you donât stop, Iâll stab you with my dagger."
"If you really wanted to stab me, you wouldnât have warned me first," Song Qingshu chuckled, sliding his hand toward her th!gh. "If I recall correctly, your chastity dagger is hidden here, isnât it?"
Wanyan Ping remembered that night by the mountain stream when she had given herself to him completely, shyly showing him the dagger. She hadnât expected him to remember.
She felt the weight on her thigh loosen as he untied the small dagger and tossed it aside. With a sigh, she relented, "Wait⊠Iâm not used to you like this. Change back to my brother-in-lawâs face first⊠then you can continue."
Song Qingshu laughed. "Good thing Iâm broad-minded enough not to be jealous of your brother-in-law. Fine, wait a moment." He got up, grabbed the mask from the table, and extinguished the oil lamp in the tent to prevent their shadows from being seen. He didnât care about rumors, but Wanyan Ping, as a young woman, would be embarrassed.
Noticing his thoughtful gesture, Wanyan Ping understood his consideration and couldnât help but sigh inwardly.
âNo wonder my sister always said he was a gentle and considerate man.'
When he climbed back onto the bed, she said nothing more, silently letting him press down on her.
"Hhng~"
*****
Sometime later, Wanyan Ping's hand brushed against Song Qingshu's cheekâsmooth, without a trace of a beard. She gasped in shock. "You lied to me!"
Song Qingshu glanced at the discarded mask and grinned. "Youâll have to get used to my real face sooner or later. But if you miss your brother-in-law, I can always wear his face when weâre together. Howâs that?"
"That sounds so wrong!"
"You should consider yourself lucky. Marrying me is like marrying two men. And if youâd like, I can even pretend to be otherâ"
Before he could finish, Wanyan Ping pummeled him with her fists. "Ugh! Youâre getting more and more vulgar!"
Song Qingshu laughed heartily before falling silent, pulling her tightly into his arms.
The tent was soon filled with heavy breathing and muffled gasps.
*****
While Song Qingshu was enjoying himself, Prince Changsheng, who had also been thrown into prison, wasnât so fortunate. Under the emperorâs and Wanyan Liangâs orders, the new interrogators tortured him into confessing to rebellion. They used this opportunity to purge all officials close to him, including the former Palace Commandant Wanyan Tesi.
After reviewing the confession, the emperor emotionlessly issued a secret decree: Prince Changsheng was to be poisoned in his cell.
The once-grand Prince Changsheng residence now stood desolate. Servants and maids had long fled at the first sign of trouble, leaving only the princess consort sitting alone in the main hall.
"Years of effort, destroyed in an instant⊠Is Heaven truly determined to annihilate our Ming Cult?" Daiqisi muttered, her spirit broken.
The Three Persian Envoys exchanged uneasy glances, equally dejected.
The Wind Envoy couldnât hold back. "Lady, now isnât the time for despair. The main sect still needs our help. We canât give up."
The Cloud Envoy nodded. "Heâs right. We must act."
Having lived in Persia for years, their loyalty lay solely with the main sect. They werenât as emotionally devastated as Daiqisi.
But for her, it was different. She had spent over a decade in the Jin Dynasty. Though she hadnât loved Prince Changsheng, even a cat or a dog would grow on you after so long. He had treated her well, and watching him die helplessly in prison filled her with guilt.
Hearing their words, Daiqisi finally snapped. "Easy for you to say! With Prince Changsheng dead, all my influence in Jin is gone. What else can we do?"
The Moon Envoy spoke up. "The Jin emperor is infatuated with you. Wouldnât it be more effective to focus on him than that useless Prince Changsheng? Why not seduce him properly? If necessary, let him take some libertiesâitâs not like youâre still a saintess who needs to preserve your purity."
Daiqisi laughed coldly. "Spoken like a fool whoâs spent too long in Persia. Powerful men in the Central Plains donât let women influence them. To them, women are just playthings. If I were the empress or even a high-ranking consort, I might have some swayâenough to forge alliances with officials. But now? Iâm the widow of a condemned traitor. Even if the emperor takes me into the palace, would he dare give me a public title? Without status, Iâm just a concubine. No official would risk associating with me, let alone let me influence court decisions!"
The Cloud Envoyâs eyes lit up. "Your position is too sensitive, but the Moon Envoy has no such problem. Why not introduce her to the emperor? She may not be as stunning as you, but sheâs still a famed Persian beauty. Winning the emperorâs favor and securing a place in the harem should be easy. With the two of you working together and us supporting from within, controlling the palace would be half the battle."
The Moon Envoy paled. "Absolutely not!"
"Why not?" Daiqisi shot back, seizing the chance to throw her own rhetoric back at her. "Arenât you willing to sacrifice for the main sect? For the Ming Cult?"
Under the othersâ expectant gazes, the Moon Envoy panicked. "Of course Iâm willing! But such schemes take too long. The main sect may not last that long. Why not just control the emperor directly? Once we have him, we can do anything!" Desperate to avoid bedding the emperor, she racked her brains for alternatives.
Daiqisiâs eyes gleamed. Despite their personal feud, she wouldnât jeopardize their mission.
The Moon Envoyâs plan was risky but efficient. "Fine. Youâll pose as my distant cousin. Iâll recommend you to the emperor and bring the Wind and Cloud Envoys into the palace. When the emperor comes to âenjoyâ you, weâll strike. If we take down Da Xingguo quickly, we can seize control of the emperor without alerting anyone!"