"A'ke?" Song Qingshu was startled when he heard the conversation below. He had brought A'ke back to Yanjing back then, but with so many matters afterward and no decision on how to settle her, he had left her in Prince Kang's custody. He had nearly forgotten she existed. From Han Tuozhou's words, though, it seemed this had something to do with her?
"King Pingxi's Little County Princess?" Li Kexiu was taken aback. After weighing the matter in his heart, he knew the situation in Jianghuai was indeed somewhat delicate now. Still, he had never openly rebelled against the court and had always been obedient. Wu Sangui was different. The court had long known of his rebellious intentions. With Wu Sangui's daughter in Yanjing, they effectively held a hostage who could make him hesitate. Therefore, the court would only attach greater importance to Wu Sangui's daughter than to his own family, never less.
"I presume Minister Li has already made his judgment," Han Tuozhou said with a faint smile. "Let me reveal a secret to you: County Princess A'ke of King Pingxi's Mansion has already been successfully rescued by people we sent."
"What!" Li Kexiu rose to his feet in shock.
Not only Li Kexiu, but even Song Qingshu was greatly startled. A'ke had actually been rescued by the Southern Song? Then Wu Sangui must have reached some sort of agreement with the Southern Song, though he did not know what it was exactly.
"Not only did we rescue County Princess A'ke from Yanjing, we also safely escorted her back to Lin'an Prefecture," Han Tuozhou continued.
"Lin'an?" Li Kexiu wore a strange expression. In his view, since A'ke had been rescued, she should have returned to Shanhaiguan Pass. Why had she been sent all the way to Lin'an?
As though he