Empress Pei Man giggled, “Xiao Xing, I’ve noticed that after removing your mask, not only have you become more handsome, but you’ve also grown much cleverer with your words.”
“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty,” Song Qingshu replied with a smile. “But perhaps you should hurry and tell me who we’re dealing with. Judging by how rushed your preparations are, I suspect time is running short.”
Empress Pei Man glanced down at herself. “First, release my acupoints. Is this any way to treat a partner?”
“No problem.” Song Qingshu was straightforward. With a flick of his finger, a burst of energy shot out, freeing her from the pressure point restriction.
Empress Pei Man felt her body relax instantly. She stood up, stretching lazily and inadvertently showcasing her ample bosom—enough to make any young girl envious—before settling gracefully onto the divan. “Time is indeed short. If my calculations are correct, Prince Wei should already be entering the palace by now.”
“Prince Wei?” A flash of insight struck Song Qingshu. “Your target is Prince Wei?”
“Who else did you think I was after?” Empress Pei Man gazed at him with a faint, enigmatic smile.
Song Qingshu’s thoughts rapidly cleared. Previously, because she had asked him to impersonate the emperor, he had assumed her target was Emperor Xizong of the Jin Dynasty. That assumption had led to countless unanswered questions. But now, knowing Prince Wei was the true mark, everything suddenly made sense.
“Why do you want to deal with Prince Wei?” Song Qingshu asked curiously.
“It’s simple,” Empress Pei Man replied, her expression darkening. “My own son died young, and now the emperor has only one heir left—that little beast. If he ascends the throne, my fate will be utterly miserable!” A trace of ruthlessness flickered across her face before she glanced at Zhao Yingluo. “This young lady knows best. She witnessed how Prince Wei barged into Taihe Hall last time and treated me.”
Song Qingshu nodded inwardly. He had been there that day as well. Even before becoming emperor, Prince Wei had shown such disrespect toward Empress Pei Man. If he truly took the throne, her future would indeed be bleak.
“But he is your husband’s only legitimate heir. If something happens to him, won’t the throne pass to a collateral line?” Zhao Yingluo, raised with orthodox royal values, couldn’t help but argue. No matter how flawed Prince Wei was, he was the rightful successor of Emperor Xizong’s bloodline. Compared to the risk of the imperial lineage falling into another branch, personal grievances seemed trivial.
“What does that matter to me?” Empress Pei Man sneered. “The throne would be better off in anyone’s hands but Prince Wei’s.”
Zhao Yingluo frowned disapprovingly, but Song Qingshu understood the empress’s stance perfectly. ‘After I’m dead, let the floodwaters rage—why should I care?’
“Since you say Prince Wei is almost here, let’s keep this brief. What exactly do you need us to do?” Song Qingshu pressed.
Empress Pei Man’s expression turned serious. “My subordinate, Lu Li, was killed by you. He was supposed to deal with Prince Wei’s shadow guard. So, the first thing I need is for you to eliminate that guard for me.”
“No problem,” Song Qingshu agreed readily. “But earlier, you mentioned helping us rescue the princesses from the Laundry Courtyard. How do you plan to do that?” He knew that in urgent situations like this, bargaining was most effective.
“They’re all addicted to the Carefree Powder. I can provide you with the antidote,” Empress Pei Man replied bluntly.
“Is there really an antidote for that? Or is it just more Carefree Powder?” Song Qingshu eyed her skeptically.
“Of course there’s an antidote,” Empress Pei Man said quickly. “The powder itself can temporarily relieve withdrawal symptoms, but it’s not a true cure.”
“I’ll take your word for it—for now.” Song Qingshu pressed further, “What else do you need us to do?”
“One more thing.” Empress Pei Man pointed at the two girls on the bed. “I need their testimonies.”
“So you’re planning to frame Prince Wei.” Song Qingshu began to grasp her scheme. “That’s doable. I can make them cooperate. But I’m curious—if we hadn’t shown up, how would you have gotten their confessions?”
“Sometimes, the dead themselves are the best testimony,” Empress Pei Man replied coolly.
Song Qingshu’s eyebrow twitched. This woman was indeed ruthless. He’d have to tread carefully in their future dealings to avoid falling victim to her schemes.
“We’ll provide the testimonies as you require. But what else can you offer us in return?” Song Qingshu countered.
“With the antidote, you can rescue those women from the Laundry Courtyard. But smuggling so many people out of the city won’t be easy. I can give you a gold token—no one will dare inspect you then,” Empress Pei Man offered.
Zhao Yingluo interjected, “We don’t need your help for that. I’ve already arranged for an insider to get us through the gates.”
Empress Pei Man scoffed. “The guards might turn a blind eye to merchants smuggling contraband for petty bribes under normal circumstances. But once the Laundry Courtyard is breached, the palace will be in an uproar, and the entire city will be locked down. Who would dare let you pass then?”
Zhao Yingluo fell silent, forced to admit the logic in her words. The person she had bribed might not hold up under such pressure.
Song Qingshu found Empress Pei Man’s gold token far more reliable. “Is there anything else you need us to do?”
“I’ll need you to stay in the palace for a while longer. I may require your assistance in the coming days,” Empress Pei Man said, her gaze steady.
Song Qingshu frowned slightly. “That’s a complicated request. What are you offering in exchange?” He didn’t outright refuse—after all, Wanyan Liang’s obsession with Gebi was a problem he had promised Tang Kuo Bian he’d resolve. If anything happened to her, his conscience would never rest.
Empress Pei Man replied, “I can arrange to divert the troops sent to pursue them. Otherwise, even if they escape the capital, they’ll never make it safely back to the Song Dynasty.”
Song Qingshu shook his head. “That’s not enough.”
Empress Pei Man smiled faintly. “I thought as much. Very well—after this, you may make any request of me, within my power, and I will fulfill it.”
“Deal!” Song Qingshu didn’t press further. Both were shrewd enough to know that any future demands would be reasonable, never pushing the other too far.
Just as their negotiation concluded, Prince Wei’s voice echoed from outside the hall:
“Your son, Daoji, has come to pay his respects to Her Majesty!”
Empress Pei Man shot the two a meaningful glance.
Song Qingshu and Zhao Yingluo nodded slightly before leaping onto the rafters with a light step.
Meanwhile, Zhao Hu’er and Zhao Yuanyuan quickly dressed and slipped back under the covers.