Song Qingshu now understood why A'ke had taken such a great risk to secretly warn him. She had been worried that, bound by Zhao Gou's orders, she would have to deliberately make things difficult for him later, and feared he would misunderstand and think it was her own intention.
That little girl's life really is miserable... Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. Although A'ke was undeniably a peerless beauty, she was not a clever woman like Huang Rong. Worse still, she was surrounded by people who would devour others without even spitting out the bones—Wu Sangui, the Kangxi Emperor, Zhao Gou, and himself...
If A'ke finds out Chen Yuanyuan is in my hands... Song Qingshu shuddered and decided it was best not to let mother and daughter meet for the time being.
The banquet began soon afterward. It opened with some exceedingly tedious songs of praise, making Song Qingshu yawn repeatedly. At last, the matter of his rescue of the princesses from the Jin Dynasty was brought up.
Song Qingshu smiled faintly. The Song Dynasty prided itself on being a land of etiquette, so it had to show some appreciation.
Yet before the discussion could turn to rewards, Zhao Gou quietly gave A'ke a look. Left with no choice, A'ke gave a light cough and said clearly, "Rescuing the princesses of our dynasty from the Jin Dynasty would be a task as difficult as ascending to heaven for anyone else. Yet for Young Master Song, it is not even his most boastworthy achievement."
Her words were crisp and sweet, soft enough to melt hearts. The men listening felt their souls drift away and their hearts race. They all shut their mouths, and the great hall fell silent at once, each of them hoping to hear her say a few more words.
*Here