Song Qingshu was deeply puzzled. He had clearly heard this voice before, yet he simply could not remember who it belonged to.
Fortunately, the other party did not leave him wondering for long. Soon, several palace maids escorted a beautiful woman in court dress as she glided into view at the courtyard entrance. Her delicate face was like white jade, as were her slender hands. Under the moonlight, she resembled a White Jade Guanyin—exquisitely beautiful and utterly soul-stirring.
Song Qingshu was startled. It was actually her!
The woman in court dress was none other than A'ke. Back when Song Qingshu had gone to Shanhaiguan Pass as an envoy, he had brought A'ke back to Yanjing. After that, however, he had been constantly rushing about over various matters and had never seen her again. No wonder her voice had sounded familiar, yet he could not place it.
The nannies and eunuchs inside had turned around at the commotion. Once they saw who it was, they all knelt and bowed. "This servant greets Consort Wu."
"Consort Wu?" Song Qingshu frowned slightly, recalling what he had learned in Yangzhou. It seemed Han Tuozhou had sent someone to rescue her from Yanjing, after which Wu Sangui, seeking an alliance with the Southern Song against the Qing, had taken the opportunity to send her into the Southern Song imperial palace, where she became Consort Wu.
"Wu Sangui, that old bastard, really has no shame at all." Song Qingshu was filled with contempt. Back then, Wu Sangui had secretly tried to marry A'ke to Fuk'anggan in order to ally himself with Prince Bao. After Song Qingshu ruined that plan, Wu Sangui had sent A'ke to the Forbidden City, hoping to forge a marriage alliance with the Kangxi Emperor. Now he had sent A'ke to the Southern