Madam Guo Huang Rong

Song Qingshu's heart tightened, and he quickly pulled himself together. "I've got a few leads."

"Is that so? Tell me." Ling Tuis set down his teacup and stared intently into his eyes. "I heard that, lately, Young Master Song has been running to my daughter's room one moment and chatting with Ding Dian in the prison the next. What exactly are you plotting?"

As a high-ranking official governing one region, Ling Tuis exuded a faint air of authority and oppression that made Song Qingshu deeply uncomfortable. He cursed inwardly: I'm a transmigrator, damn it. Fine, I don't have the kind of domineering aura that makes tigers tremble, but now you're the one throwing your weight around at me?

Naturally, he did not dare say any of that aloud. In a somewhat humble tone, he explained, "To be honest, my lord, seeing that all manner of torture over the years had proven ineffective, I decided to try another approach. Earlier, I happened to learn that Ding Dian had long coveted your daughter, so I planned to start there. I used Miss Ling as bait and pretended I would help the two of them flee together. Sure enough, Ding Dian took the bait, and his attitude began to soften..."

"What audacity! You dare make a joke of my daughter's reputation!" Ling Tuis slammed his palm heavily onto the table, startling Song Qingshu. Song Qingshu grumbled inwardly: You were willing to kill even your own daughter for that treasure, yet now you're pretending to be a man of honor.

"Did he reveal anything?" Ling Tuis's tone abruptly shifted as he asked calmly.

"He agreed to tell me the secret of the Liancheng Jue only after the matter is done." As Song Qingshu spoke, he carefully watched the other man's expression.

Ling Tuis said furiously, "Are you saying I should give my daughter to him in exchange for the Liancheng Jue?"

"Of course not," Song Qingshu replied with an ingratiating smile. "My lord commands a large army and has many skilled experts under you. Once he reveals the secret, whether he lives or dies will be entirely at your discretion."

"That is true." Ling Tuis and Song Qingshu exchanged smiles, but Ling Tuis snorted coldly to himself. When the time comes, I'll get rid of you too.

Ding Dian, hidden in the shadows, was enraged when he heard this. He dearly wished he could rush out at once and kill Song Qingshu, that shameless scoundrel. Having experienced all the treachery of the world, Ding Dian no longer trusted others easily. Now that his martial arts had reached great mastery, slipping quietly out of prison was no difficult task. When he saw Ling Tuis summon Song Qingshu earlier, he had followed them in secret out of curiosity, only to overhear their "plot."

Suddenly frowning, Ding Dian glanced into the distance. A master had arrived. At this moment, all he wanted was to flee far away with Ling Shuanghua, and he had no desire to create further trouble. He cast the two men in the room a fierce look, then turned and departed.

"Reporting to my lord, Lord Lü's envoy from Xiangyang has arrived in Jingzhou and is requesting an audience outside the residence." A yamen runner hurried to the doorway to report.

"I shall take my leave first." Song Qingshu knew that they had important military matters to discuss, so he tactfully prepared to depart.

Watching Song Qingshu's retreating back, Ling Tuis had a thought. "You might as well stay and meet the envoy with me. It would be a pity for a young man as talented as you, Young Master Song, to waste yourself in the martial world. Gain some experience now, and perhaps one day you may become my right-hand man..."

Hearing the clear note of recruitment in his voice, Song Qingshu was puzzled at first, but quickly understood. This was only recruitment in name; in truth, Ling Tuis was trying to lower his guard. Having figured it out, Song Qingshu kept his eyes lowered and followed behind Ling Tuis to receive the envoy.

Before long, a group of several people entered. At their head was an incomparably beautiful married woman, lovely as a spring blossom and radiant as the morning glow. Her delicate crimson lips held the faintest hint of a smile, while a trace of subtle sensuality seemed to lurk between her brows.

Song Qingshu took only one look before hurriedly lowering his head, not daring to look again. His heart pounded wildly as he cried inwardly, Good heavens, there's actually a woman this beautiful in the world!

A moment later, he regretted behaving as bashfully as an inexperienced youth, so he raised his head and began to admire her carefully.

Ling Tuis's words soon dispelled Song Qingshu's doubts. "What matter could be important enough to trouble Sect Leader Huang to come personally to Jiangling?"

So it was Huang Rong! Song Qingshu suddenly understood. In all the world, only she could possess such endless charm in every movement, such mature allure.

"Greetings, Lord Ling. I have come this time for two reasons. First, under Lord Lü's orders from Xiangyang, I am here to urge the delivery of next month's military provisions. Second..." Huang Rong smiled faintly. That captivating smile made even Ling Tuis, who was over fifty, feel his heart stir. "Our Beggar's Clan has received word that someone in the martial world is preparing to assassinate you, my lord. You are vital to the safety of Xiangyang's rear lines. After Lord Lü discussed the matter with my husband, they immediately sent me here with people to ensure your safety."

Song Qingshu's expression changed dramatically. He was filled with uncertainty. Could Huang Rong be referring to me? That makes no sense. How could she have received word in advance?

Ling Tuis also glanced at Song Qingshu without betraying any emotion, then chuckled. "My thanks to Lord Lü and Great Hero Guo for their concern. Does Sect Leader Huang know where these assassins come from?"

"After extensive investigation, our Beggar's Clan finally uncovered their background." Huang Rong inclined her head slightly. "They appear to be members of the Snow Mountain Sect from the Western Regions."

"The Snow Mountain Sect?" Although Ling Tuis was a prefectural governor, he could be considered half a member of the martial world and knew a little about the Snow Mountain Sect. "Is it the Snow Mountain Sect of Master Prestige and Virtue, Bai Zizai?"

"Precisely!" Huang Rong nodded, a trace of concern appearing on her lovely face. "The Snow Mountain Sect's Snow Mountain Swordplay is famous throughout the realm. Beneath their sect leader are numerous masters. We must take great care against them this time."

"I have never had any quarrel with the Snow Mountain Sect. Why would they come to assassinate me?" Ling Tuis asked in confusion. He privately wondered whether Lü Wenhuan was using this as an excuse to plant his own trusted men in Jingzhou.

Huang Rong was extremely perceptive. Seeing Ling Tuis's suspicious expression, she thought that if he did not cooperate fully, something might truly go wrong. She hurriedly explained, "Lord Ling, you may not know this. The Snow Mountain Sect is located in the Western Regions, where the Mongol Empire, the Ming Cult, and the Muslim tribes currently stand in a three-way balance. The smaller factions have all chosen their camps. The Snow Mountain Sect recently decided to submit to the Mongol State, but they feared they would not be valued afterward, so they intended to earn a great merit first as capital for advancement. For some reason, rather than submitting to Prince Ruyang Chahan, who manages the Western Regions, the Snow Mountain Sect submitted to Kublai Khan instead. I heard that Kublai Khan has besieged Xiangyang for a long time without success, so he decided to begin with you, my lord."

"This is outrageous!" Ling Tuis snorted coldly. "A mere Snow Mountain Sect dares to bully me?"

"Lord Ling, you must not underestimate them," Huang Rong advised. "The Snow Mountain Sect has dispatched all its experts this time. Beggar's Clan disciples discovered that they seem to have entered Jingzhou in separate groups. We should remain vigilant."

"Guards!" After pondering for a while, Ling Tuis summoned his subordinates and issued orders. He selected a hundred highly skilled soldiers to join the prefectural governor's guard force, then ordered the city guard to intensify its patrols throughout the city and stand ready. Should anything happen at the prefectural governor's residence, they were to arrive at once.

After arranging everything, Ling Tuis saw that Huang Rong neither approved nor objected. He quickly asked, "I have long heard that Sect Leader Huang is resourceful and wise. Do you think these arrangements are appropriate?"