Unscrupulous Merchant

"Why are you laughing, Uncle?" Madam Hu gave him a curious look.

"Nothing." Song Qingshu did not dare tell her. Changing the subject, he asked, "Sister-in-law, when you fought Murong Jingyue earlier, I heard him say you seemed to be from the Ancient Tomb Sect?"

"Yes, more or less." Madam Hu nodded gently. "When I was little, I happened to meet my master. She stayed at my home for over half a year and taught me quite a few things."

"Sister-in-law, do you know her name? Was it Lin Chaoying?" Song Qingshu hurriedly asked.

Madam Hu shook her head, secretly wondering why her brother-in-law knew so much about the Ancient Tomb Sect. "Lin Chaoying was my grandmaster. I do not really know my master's name."

Song Qingshu's expression immediately became a sight to behold. If Xiaolongnü and Li Mochou found out they had another senior sister like this, I wonder how they would react.

The two of them had traveled hard all the way. Seeing that they were nearing Gusu City and that night had fallen, they decided to rest for the night in a small town outside the city and head for Yanziwu the next morning.

"Shopkeeper, two rooms." Hearing Song Qingshu's call, the innkeeper looked the two of them over, then put on a smile. "I'm terribly sorry, but there is only one room left. Why not make do with it?"

Madam Hu frowned and shook her head. "No need. We'll go to another inn."

"Madam, ours is the only inn in this town. The gates of Gusu City are already closed, and the nearest other inn is in the next town, a hundred li away." The innkeeper smiled broadly.

"Let's look around." Song Qingshu felt that the innkeeper was not telling the full truth, and immediately grew suspicious.

"Forget it. We'll stay here." Madam Hu said absentmindedly.

"Waiter, take this madam upstairs first." The innkeeper held Song Qingshu back and whispered, "Young master, please stay. I have something to tell you."

After Madam Hu disappeared down the corridor, the innkeeper held out his hand and chuckled. "Young master, the room costs ten taels of silver. Thank you."

Song Qingshu's eyes widened. "You're robbing me! It clearly says one tael of silver per room back there."

The innkeeper did not get angry, merely chuckled. "Young master, do you really think an inn this large only has one guest room? We saw that you two were a lone man and woman traveling together, so we were helping create an opportunity for you. Whether you can seize it depends on your own ability."

"That works too?" Song Qingshu was utterly stunned.

"Heh heh." The innkeeper gave a strange smile. "Otherwise, why do you think that among all the inns in the martial world, whenever a lone man and woman seek lodging, there always happens to be only one room left? This is our trade practice, young master. Money can be earned again, but a beauty is not so easily found."

Song Qingshu was filled with admiration and willingly handed over ten taels of silver. "The first person to come up with this marketing strategy was a true genius!"

"What did the innkeeper pull you aside to say?" Madam Hu asked curiously when Song Qingshu returned to the room.

"Nothing much, just settling the room fee." Song Qingshu answered casually. "Sister-in-law, you sleep on the bed later. I'll make do with a bedroll over here."

"Your meridians are injured. The cold from the ground is too severe—how can you sleep there?" Madam Hu frowned, feeling troubled as well. There was only one bed...

"It's fine. I'm still a man, after all. I can endure this much." It was not that Song Qingshu did not want to sleep in the bed, but he knew that was impossible, so he could only steel himself, spread out his bedding, and lie down on the floor.

Madam Hu watched him for a while, then silently turned around and lay down on the bed without undressing.

In the middle of the night, Madam Hu was suddenly awakened by faint rustling sounds. Opening her eyes, she saw Song Qingshu curled into a ball on the floor, trembling all over. The veins in his arms bulged as he gripped the blanket tightly.

Madam Hu knew that old blade wounds ached in stormy weather, let alone someone like Song Qingshu, whose meridians throughout his body had all been severed. Seeing him in such pain yet biting his lip tightly, unwilling to make the slightest sound, she sighed inwardly. Her brother-in-law truly was an upright gentleman.

The cold from the ground had indeed left Song Qingshu in agonizing pain, but a streak of stubbornness remained in his heart. What would it change if Madam Hu found out? Better to endure it silently like a man.

"Uncle, come sleep on the bed." Madam Hu's soft voice came from behind him.

Song Qingshu stared at her blankly. "How could I? Sister-in-law, don't worry about me. I can bear it."

"How will you travel tomorrow in this state?" Madam Hu pressed a hand against the center of his back and sent a stream of true qi into him. "Stop being so awkward. I'm not afraid, and I'm a woman—what are you afraid of? As long as our consciences are clear, isn't that enough?"

Though Song Qingshu had his pride, he was no fool. With things said so plainly, how could he continue refusing?

Shivering all the way, Song Qingshu felt his way onto the bed and slipped beneath the covers. A fragrant warmth enveloped him, and for a moment, he nearly forgot the pain in his body.

Seeing that he had directly crawled beneath the quilt she had just used, Madam Hu's pretty face flushed crimson. After hesitating for a moment, she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum, "Uncle, you are using my quilt."

Song Qingshu awkwardly realized that his own quilt was still on the floor. He quickly understood: allowing him to sleep on the bed was already the greatest kindness Madam Hu could offer. How could she possibly agree to share the same quilt with him?

With an embarrassed smile, Song Qingshu climbed down to retrieve his quilt. By the time he returned, Madam Hu had wrapped herself in her quilt and lain down with her back to him. Song Qingshu slowly lay down beside her. A few times along the way, he brushed against her body, and each time Madam Hu gave a slight tremble.

Unlike Zhou Zhiruo, who had betrayed him, Madam Hu was as pure and clear as crystal, and she treated him very well. Song Qingshu did not dare take further liberties or use those vile methods on her.

Breathing in the faint fragrance drifting from the beauty's hair beside him, Song Qingshu gradually relaxed. The pain slowly subsided as well, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep.

When Song Qingshu woke the next day, he reached to the side and found that the beauty was already gone. Startled, he sat up and saw Madam Hu looking at him with a faint, teasing smile.

"Morning, Sister-in-law." Song Qingshu smiled awkwardly.

Madam Hu nodded lightly. Noticing his earlier movement, she secretly felt annoyed. Last night, his hand touched me so many times. If I had not sensed with my true qi that they were merely unconscious actions while he slept, I would have turned on him long ago.

Seeing the slight anger in Madam Hu's eyes, Song Qingshu felt guilty. Lowering his head, he recalled the sensual dream he had had the night before, in which Madam Hu had shyly lain beneath him...

After breakfast, the two set off in search of Yanziwu. Song Qingshu knew that Canhe Manor should be several dozen li west of Gusu City, so he led Madam Hu straight there. Unfortunately, after asking dozens of people, they found no one who had heard of the place. Madam Hu began to wonder whether they had gone in the wrong direction, but Song Qingshu confidently insisted that they had not.