A Person's Demeanor as Faint as a Chrysanthemum

Upstairs, he felt that light gauze was dancing everywhere. In the depths of the room, there was a vague figure. After all, this was the boudoir of a young lady of a prominent family. Song Qingshu felt it inappropriate to be too presumptuous, so he coughed lightly to indicate that someone had arrived.

"Who?" Ling Shuanghua, though startled, didn't show any particular reaction. She casually asked.

Sensing the indifference in her tone, Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. What a beautiful woman, reduced to a state of near-despair.

"I am here on behalf of Great Hero Ding to visit Miss Ling." Song Qingshu thought that he needed to use a strong approach to attract her attention.

With a thud, it sounded like a stool had been knocked over. As expected, upon hearing Ding Dian's name, Ling Shuanghua hurried out, pushed aside the gauze curtain, and looked at Song Qingshu anxiously, "Which Great Hero Ding?"

A young woman in a pale yellow dress rushed forward. Although her face was covered by a light veil, it couldn't hide her anxious expression. Upon closer inspection, faint red scars were visible along the edge of the veil. Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. Seeing her graceful figure, he mused about how beautiful she must have been before being disfigured.

"Great Hero Ding Dian instructed me to come and ask Miss Ling a few questions," Song Qingshu said, bowing respectfully.

"Is he... alright recently?" Ling Shuanghua's voice trembled slightly.

"Uh... I'm afraid not very well." Song Qingshu thought, if one's clavicle was pierced, their sinews severed, and then imprisoned and tortured for years, it couldn't be considered "alright." "But at least he won't die for now."

Ling Shuanghua gave a desolate smile. "It's all my fault, I've harmed Brother Ding..."

"Miss Ling, since it has already happened, now is not the time to talk about this," Song Qingshu remembered his purpose and quickly asked, "Why didn't you want to elope with Great Hero Ding back then?"

"As you can see, I've lost all hope. I pray to the gods every day, only wishing for Great Hero Ding's safety." Ling Shuanghua gently lifted a corner of her veil, revealing several hideous red scars across her fair face.

"Miss Ling, I've always admired the love between you and Great Hero Ding. Do you think Great Hero Ding would mind your appearance?" Song Qingshu frowned. Those scars were indeed a bit... a bit glaring, but he didn't think that was the reason.

"Of course, I know he wouldn't dislike me," Ling Shuanghua slowly sat down by the table, fiddling with a pot of fresh flowers in front of her, a gentle smile appearing at the corner of her lips. "It's just that I myself don't want him to marry such an ugly wife."

Sensing her insincerity, Song Qingshu was too lazy to play word games with these lovesick individuals. He asked directly, "I heard that Lord Ling forced you to make a poisonous oath, stating that if you ever saw Ding Dian again in this life, your mother's soul would suffer torment day and night in the underworld. Miss Ling, do you know that even if you hadn't made that oath, your father wouldn't have harmed Great Hero Ding's life for the Liancheng Jue?"

Unexpectedly, Ling Shuanghua's expression didn't change much. She merely turned her head to look at Song Qingshu, "I was too anxious earlier and haven't asked for your name yet..."

"I am Song Qingshu." Having navigated the treacherous waters of the business world in his past life, Song Qingshu was an astute observer. He could tell from her expression that she was suspicious. Thus, he briefly explained his plan to elicit confessions from Ling Tuis on the surface, while secretly reaching an agreement with Ding Dian.

After confirming some secret codes known only to him and Ding Dian, Ling Shuanghua finally relaxed and sighed softly, "To be honest, Young Master Song, I realized this after I learned about the Liancheng Jue."

"An oath is a solemn thing. Since it arose from a lie, it naturally shouldn't be taken seriously," Song Qingshu consoled her.

Ling Shuanghua smiled slightly. Despite her disfigured appearance, the elegant charm at the corner of her lips stunned Song Qingshu. "But I truly made the oath with sincerity when I swore it. I don't want to gamble with my mother's soul."

Seeing Song Qingshu about to speak, Ling Shuanghua raised her hand to signal him to wait and continued, "Actually, there's another very important reason that I haven't told Brother Ding. My father had arranged for me to marry the son of Lord Lü, the Prefect of Xiangyang and the Pacification Commissioner of the Capital region, who was his superior. Because I fell in love with Brother Ding, I disfigured myself to show my resolve, which already caused great embarrassment to my father and the Lü family. If I had truly left with Brother Ding, I would have completely offended the Lü family. No matter how many faults my father has, he is still my father, and I don't want to cause him such a big trouble."

"Lü Wenhuan?" Song Qingshu's heart skipped a beat. This was indeed a bit troublesome. He had been in this world for some time and had gradually figured out many situations. Xiangyang had resisted the Mongol army for years without falling. While the assistance of Guo Jing, Huang Rong, and other martial artists played a role, the Prefect Lü Wenhuan was the true pillar. Lü Wenhuan was currently managing Jingxiang and held significant military power. His elder brother, Lü Wende, managed Lianghuai. The two brothers, along with Yu Jie, the Commissioner of Sichuan, were known as the three largest regional powers of the Song Dynasty.

Although Ling Tuis was also a high-ranking official, he was not on the same level as Lü Wenhuan. If he offended the Lü family, Ling Tuis could be considered finished.

She is truly a filial daughter. Despite her father's wickedness, she still thought of him wholeheartedly... Song Qingshu shook his head. It seemed that to resolve Ling Shuanghua's inner turmoil, he had to start with her father.

"Miss Ling, do you believe in Buddhism or Taoism?" Song Qingshu suddenly asked.

"Um... I believe in Buddhism," Ling Shuanghua replied hesitantly, not quite understanding his intention.

"Then Miss Ling must be familiar with the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Could you explain it to me?"

Seeing Song Qingshu's seemingly humble request, Ling Shuanghua hesitated for a moment before softly saying, "Sentient beings, due to the causes of afflictions and karma, experience the cycle of birth and death in the three realms and the six paths, just like a turning wheel. If one does not seek liberation, they will forever be trapped in the cycle of birth and death within the six paths, without end..."

"The six paths are divided into three good paths and three evil paths. What determines whether one enters a good or evil path during reincarnation?" Song Qingshu pressed further.

Ling Shuanghua was beginning to understand Song Qingshu's meaning. She smiled slightly and continued, "Due to the causes of the ten unwholesome actions, one falls into the three evil paths: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals. Due to the causes of the ten wholesome actions, one is born into the heavenly or human realms..."

Song Qingshu bowed slightly and said, "I have heard that Miss Ling's mother was a renowned virtuous person in the city during her lifetime, who lived a life of good deeds. It is highly unlikely she would fall into the three evil paths. Nor have I heard of your mother treading any evil paths, so she certainly wouldn't be in the Asura path. The only remaining possibilities are the human realm and the heavenly realm. Regardless of which it is, judging by the time, your mother cannot possibly be in the underworld now. Your oath stated, 'If I ever meet Brother Ding again, my mother's soul will surely suffer torment day and night in the underworld.' Miss Ling, do you perhaps believe that, given your mother's good deeds in life, she is now suffering in the underworld?"