Looking at the head rolling on the ground, Song Qingshu said calmly, “You overestimate your own importance.”
The reason he hadn’t killed Wan Gui before was twofold: first, killing him outright would have been too merciful…better to let him suffer more; second, the timing wasn’t right…Song Qingshu didn’t want to give the Southern Song an excuse to send troops at the critical moment of his showdown with Li Kexiu.
Now that the situation had stabilized, there was no need for such concerns. No matter how much Wan Gui was favored by Wan Qili, he was still only a concubine-born son. How could he influence the court’s political decisions? And even if he had been the legitimate heir, it wouldn’t have mattered…Wan Qili was already in deep trouble himself.
Song Qingshu had originally considered, given Wan Gui’s vile threats and the grudge he bore for Di Yun, selling him to a male br0thel to serve burly patrons. With his fair, delicate, pretty-boy looks, he might have become a top attraction.
But the thought was too repulsive. Song Qingshu also realized that leaving behind such a hate-filled, scheming enemy was dangerous. Who knew if Wan Gui might have some lucky encounter and return for revenge? Song Qingshu wasn’t afraid for himself, but with so many women close to him, he couldn’t take that risk.
Perhaps because he had watched too many films and TV shows in his previous life, he knew that villains often died from talking too much and letting their plans go awry. He couldn’t repeat that mistake.
“Brother Di, I’ve avenged you.” Thinking of the honest, simple Di Yun, Song Qingshu let out a long sigh. “Don’t worry…Wan Qili will soon be coming to the underworld to apologize to you as well.”
He sent a signal, and his undercover agents in Lin’an soon arrived. Song Qingshu instructed, “Deliver this man’s remains to Maxipu in Western Hunan, to a woman named Qi Fang. Tell her to bury the bones before Di Yun’s grave as atonement.”
“And clean up the rest of these bodies.”
Several of the Golden Snake Camp’s spies bowed. “Yes, my lord!” These men were sharp and capable. Soon, the scene was thoroughly cleaned…even the bloodstains were wiped away.
After that ordeal, especially knowing that a man had been hacked to a bloody pulp on that bed, Song Qingshu couldn’t sleep. He sat on a stool and began meditating instead.
Around the hour of Yin (3–5 AM), officials from the Court of State Ceremonial came to inform him that it was time to prepare for the morning court audience.
Song Qingshu noticed that one of them seemed extremely surprised to see him alive and well, and kept glancing around.
Knowing this man was Wan Gui’s mole, Song Qingshu smiled faintly and ignored him. Let him look…the scene had been cleaned thoroughly. If he found anything, it would be a miracle.
Compared to that, something else bothered Song Qingshu more. Staring at the pitch-black night outside the window, he grumbled inwardly. *At this hour in my previous life, it’d be about 3 AM…the time when people are sleeping deepest. This ancient court system is inhuman.* (Author’s Note: This describes the Ming Dynasty’s court schedule; the Song was different…sometimes there wouldn’t even be a court session for days. For convenience, I’ve used the Ming system.)
“When will I see your emperor?” Song Qingshu asked.
One of the Court of State Ceremonial officials hurriedly replied, “We’ll wait outside the palace gates first. The gates should open around the hour of Mao (5–7 AM). Then someone will escort you to a side hall to wait. When His Majesty summons you, a eunuch will lead you to the Golden Throne Hall.”
“The hour of Mao?” Song Qingshu laughed in exasperation. *That’s 5 AM! And I still have to wait two hours just to get in, then wait God knows how long for the emperor to summon me.*
He flatly refused.
The officials grew frantic, pleading with him in every way imaginable.
Song Qingshu remained unmoved. Finally, after they practically begged on their knees, he relented. “Alright, I won’t make things harder for you functionaries. I’ll go early. But I won’t wait that long…I’ll make sure I arrive before the gates open.”
The Court of State Ceremonial officials had no choice but to compromise.
Song Qingshu rested for another hour before leisurely making his way to the palace.
Arriving at the gates, he found the civil and military officials already waiting. The foremost among them was Wan Qili, though he seemed distracted and didn’t even notice Song Qingshu’s arrival.
Beside him stood a man with square eyes and a broad nose, hands tucked into his sleeves, shoulders slumped and back hunched…an utterly wretched sight. Though Song Qingshu had never met him, he deduced from his position that this was the Right Minister, Zhang Jun.
*Hmph, he had a hand in the Yangzhou affair too. And his brother, Zhang Rou…* Song Qingshu’s expression turned cold. *Even if not for myself, I need to settle accounts with them for General Yue’s sake.* A peerless, ethereal face suddenly surfaced in his mind. He wondered where Xiao Longnu was. Wan Qili had discovered she was Yue Fei’s orphan…had she encountered any danger?
As he was lost in thought, Vice-Minister Han waved him over. “Young Master Song, come here. Let me introduce you to a few people.” After all, “Golden Serpent King” was a title given by the wulin, not a true royal rank. In private, Vice-Minister Han didn’t mind addressing him as such out of respect. But now, in full view, at the imperial palace, he naturally couldn’t give anyone ammunition.
Song Qingshu didn’t mind. He walked over with a smile. “Good morning, Minister Han.”
Vice-Minister Han nodded, first introducing Song Qingshu’s identity to the assembled officials, then introducing the various officials to Song Qingshu.
Wan Qili finally snapped out of his thoughts. With a sneer that wasn’t quite a smile, he said, “It seems Minister Han and the Golden Serpent King are quite close.”
Vice-Minister Han smiled slightly. “If not for Grand Minister Wan’s obstruction in Yangzhou, Young Master Song and I would be even closer.” He had long anticipated Wan Qili would attack from this angle, so he laid it out directly. After all, his previous agreement with Song Qingshu in Yangzhou was public knowledge. By openly acknowledging it, he appeared upright and blameless, cutting off all of Wan Qili’s follow-up moves.
Wan Qili was caught off guard, his breath hitching. With a cold snort, he turned to Song Qingshu. “My grandson, upon hearing of your arrival in Lin’an last night, specifically brought gifts to pay you a visit. He has not returned since. Could you tell me where he is?”
Song Qingshu silently cursed his shamelessness. *Bringing deadly poison and a band of assassins is described as ‘paying a visit with gifts’?* Two could play that game. “Really? I didn’t see your esteemed grandson at all. Is public security in Lin’an really this bad? That a grown man can just get lost?” Even if Wan Qili learned the truth, it wouldn’t matter much, but Song Qingshu was a naturally lazy man…why invite trouble if he didn’t have to?
“You!” Wan Qili knew full well that Wan Gui had likely died at his hands, but with Song Qingshu flatly denying it and no evidence, he had no way to act.
“Alright, alright. The gates are open. Let’s go.” Jia Sidao finally spoke up. He had been frazzled recently investigating Jia Baoyu’s disappearance. He had traced some of Wan Qili’s troops to the scene, and suspected Jia Baoyu’s disappearance was tied to him. Seeing Wan Gui go missing, he felt nothing but schadenfreude.
“Song greets Grand Councilor Jia.” Song Qingshu exchanged pleasantries while internally fretting. *I need to find a clean way to cover up Jia Baoyu’s matter, or Jia Sidao will eventually suspect me.*
“Pleased to meet you.” Jia Sidao scrutinized him carefully but couldn’t gauge his depth, and was secretly alarmed.
The group entered the palace, each harboring their own schemes. The civil and military officials went first to the Golden Throne Hall, while Song Qingshu was led by a eunuch to a side hall to wait.
Bored out of his mind in the side hall, Song Qingshu even considered visiting Li Yuanzhi. But with the ever-present eunuchs and guards outside, he abandoned the idea. The risk was too high in broad daylight.
Fortunately, word came soon from the court session summoning him.
Song Qingshu straightened his clothes and leisurely made his way to the Golden Throne Hall.
After all his experiences over the years…having even sat on a dragon throne himself…the prospect of meeting a Southern Song emperor didn’t make him nervous in the least.
“Golden Serpent King Song Qingshu greets His Majesty.” Upon entering the hall, Song Qingshu began sizing up this much-debated emperor. He saw a plump, fair-skinned man who actually looked rather cute.
Song Qingshu’s expression turned strange. *He eats and drinks well every day, living in the lap of luxury…of course he’d be chubby. Those eunuchs in TV dramas were always plump too.* Strangely enough, Zhao Gou’s beard grew quite luxuriantly…the whiskers on his chin were probably over a foot long.
*If he’s already become impotent, how does he still have such strong male hormones? Are those beards just glued on?* As Song Qingshu was silently mocking him, a sharp voice rang out beside him:
“How dare you! You stand before His Majesty and refuse to kneel! Do you know what crime that is?”
Song Qingshu turned to see Wan Qili standing there with an indignant expression, glaring at him. Beside him, Zhang Jun chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “I don’t know how the Court of State Ceremonial taught you. A mere commoner dares to style himself a king? That’s rebellion, plain and simple.”
Jia Sidao had been watching the spectacle with amusement, but when Zhang Jun dragged the Court of State Ceremonial into it, he had to intervene. “The Right Minister is mistaken. Song Qingshu is not a subject of the Great Song. As the leader of his own forces, whether he calls himself king or sovereign, he is not bound by our court’s etiquette.” The Court of State Ceremonial fell under his jurisdiction. If he let Zhang Jun’s accusation stand, he’d be tainted by association. So he spoke up in Song Qingshu’s defense.
Wan Qili sneered. “Councilor Jia is the one mistaken. Song Qingshu was born in Jingzhou, within Great Song territory. His father is Song Yuanqiao of the Wudang Sect. ‘The ruler is the guide for his subjects; the father is the guide for his son.’ Since his father, Song Yuanqiao, is a Song subject, then how can he not be?”
Jia Sidao was momentarily speechless. He snorted and fell silent, having already shifted the focus away from the Court of State Ceremonial. He had no interest in being Song Qingshu’s shield.
Vice-Minister Han, growing anxious, secretly signaled to Song Qingshu, urging him to kneel and chant “Long live the emperor, ten thousand times ten thousand years” to give Zhao Gou a face-saving way out. Then Vice-Minister Han could step in to mediate.
But Song Qingshu ignored him entirely, standing bolt upright in the center of the hall.
Zhao Gou’s expression slowly darkened.
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