The Girl in Green

"Uncle seems to know every secret of the various martial arts clans like the back of his hand..." Madam Hu gave him a puzzled look.

Song Qingshu smiled faintly. "I happen to have a nickname: Jianghu Hundred-Know-All... Just joking, Sister-in-law. Don't take it seriously."

"Oh my, since this young master is Jianghu Hundred-Know-All, do you know who this little girl is?" The voice was sweet and clear, so pleasant that one could not help feeling comforted upon hearing it. Song Qingshu and Madam Hu were startled. Turning around, they saw that the speaker was a girl in green, about sixteen or seventeen years old. Her slender hands and fair skin were like jade, her face full of gentleness, and her entire bearing delicate and refined.

Though her looks could not compare to Madam Hu's pure beauty, Song Qingshu found her twelve parts gentleness no less captivating. Seeing her dressed in green, inspiration struck him. "What if I tell you your name and background?"

The girl in green pursed her lips in a smile and shook her head. "I don't believe you."

"If I get it right, I ask for nothing else. Just take us to Yanziwu." Seeing that the girl in green did not deny it, Song Qingshu became even more certain. "I, Song, have long heard that Gusu has two girls as lovely as fairies. Heaven created A Zhu with beauty like rosy clouds, then fashioned Miss A Bi with the grace of Jiangnan and a gentleness like water. Truly rare, truly rare."

A Bi was somewhat embarrassed by his praise and said shyly, "Only after you meet Miss Wang will you know you praised me too soon."

Seeing Song Qingshu merely smile without speaking, A Bi looked up and asked, "May I ask what business brings you to Yanziwu, Young Master?"

"My sister-in-law and I mean no harm in coming here. We merely have an urgent matter we wish to ask Young Master Murong about. I hope Miss A Bi can make this convenient for us." Hearing Song Qingshu's introduction, Madam Hu also nodded slightly in greeting.

Seeing that the man was handsome and elegant while the woman was breathtakingly beautiful, A Bi instinctively did not take them for bad people. She gave them a sweet smile. "Young Master Murong happens to be home today. Please follow me."

Madam Hu secretly laughed. Her little brother-in-law was exceptionally handsome, and his clever tongue was especially good at winning girls over. This little girl truly had not seen much of the world.

A Bi untied the rope nearby and invited the two aboard. Madam Hu's smile abruptly vanished. Having grown up amid ice and snow, she did not understand the slightest thing about swimming. The sight of the lake filled her with an inexplicable fear.

"Sister-in-law, be careful." Seeing her sway, Song Qingshu hurriedly supported her onto the boat. Throughout the journey, fine sweat beaded on Madam Hu's forehead, and nausea churned in her chest. She did not even notice that Song Qingshu had kept her wrapped in his arms the entire time.

A Bi, on the other hand, gave them a strange look. Young Master Song clearly calls her Sister-in-law, so why are they embracing like a couple now? Yet a maid's cautious nature made her keep her doubts to herself.

After they reached shore, Madam Hu finally realized that she was pressed tightly against Song Qingshu. She hurriedly broke free from his arm, then leaped directly onto the bank. Song Qingshu gave a wry smile and disembarked with A Bi.

"Song Qingshu and Madam Hu pay respects to Young Master Murong." After A Bi went inside to announce them, Murong Fu received the two in the main hall.

"Could this be Young Hero Song, master of both Wudang and Emei martial arts? And Madam Hu... could you be the widow of Hu Yidao, the great hero of Liaodong?" Murong Fu was handsome and refined. After studying them for a moment, he asked in surprise.

"As expected of Young Master Murong. You know the affairs of the martial world inside and out, recognizing our origins at a glance." Song Qingshu and Madam Hu exchanged a look, privately thinking that Gusu Murong's Returning Injuries with the Same Technique truly lived up to its reputation.

"May I ask what advice brings you both to my door today?" Murong Fu devoted himself wholeheartedly to his grand cause of restoring his nation, and he was usually eager to befriend people of the martial world.

"It is like this." Madam Hu paused, then told him about Murong Jingyue.

"Murong Jingyue?" Murong Fu was startled. He had never heard of this collateral branch descendant before. "I will have to carefully investigate the family records and see whether I can find anything." Yet he was thinking that the Murong line had few descendants; perhaps he now had another helper.

Seeing the delight on his face, Song Qingshu roughly guessed what he was thinking and hurriedly said, "Young Master Murong, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but Murong Jingyue's martial arts seem to be no weaker than yours. Moreover, he practices all manner of unorthodox arts and is skilled with poisons. He is determined to seize control of Canhe Manor. Given his status as a concubine-born son, I fear he will not tolerate your direct line when the time comes."

Murong Fu was somewhat dismissive. If his martial arts were stronger than mine, he would have come to kill me long ago. Why would he still be wandering the martial world learning from others...? Then he froze. Wait, perhaps the one he fears is not me, but my father, who feigned his death? As he thought further, Murong Fu's expression gradually turned grave.

"Is there anything we can do to help Young Master Murong? After all, Murong Jingyue may well have been the culprit who used poison back then." Madam Hu dipped into a slight curtsy. She had come seeking the Murong Family's aid and did not want to be left hanging like this.

"Madam Hu, please restrain your grief." Murong Fu made a token gesture to help her up. "You have already done me an immense favor by telling me such important news. How could I dare trouble you both to act? If the Murong Family cannot even settle its own household affairs, would we not become the laughingstock of the world? Madam Hu, rest assured. Once we capture Murong Jingyue, we will certainly invite you to speak with him."

Seeing that his reasoning was sound, Madam Hu did not know how to respond for the moment. Interfering in another family's internal affairs was indeed a great taboo in the martial world, but she could not simply let go of the matter either.

"If Madam Hu does not mind, you may stay at Yanziwu for a while. Once we find Murong Jingyue, Madam Hu can investigate what happened to Hero Hu all those years ago. What do you think?" Murong Fu invited her with great sincerity, though inwardly he pondered the rumors from several years ago that Hu Yidao had guarded a great treasure. He did not know whether they were true or false, but with his wife here, he would have to find a chance to probe discreetly.

Madam Hu was clearly tempted, but she worried that it would not sound proper for a widowed woman like herself to stay here.

She glanced at Song Qingshu beside her, and an idea immediately came to mind. Smiling brightly at Murong Fu, she said, "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Murong. I will gladly accept. However, we have another presumptuous request. My brother here suffered severe injuries that severed all the meridians throughout his body. Following the guidance of Senior Medicine King, we heard that Gusu Murong's Star Shifting is incomparably profound. Might it be able to treat my brother's damaged meridians?"

Murong Fu frowned instinctively. Star Shifting was the foundation upon which the Murong Family stood; how could he give it to an outsider? Yet he had Hu Yidao's treasure on his mind. If he could obtain it and use it to recruit troops and buy horses, perhaps he could accomplish the great undertaking that generations of his ancestors had failed to achieve. His heart immediately grew heated.

"Young Master Song, may I examine your pulse?" Murong Fu looked at Song Qingshu and gestured for him to offer his hand.

Song Qingshu uneasily held out his hand. Though I sympathize with Murong Fu, I have always looked down on his abilities. Entrusting my fate to him really is unreliable.