Grace Unfaded

Song Yuanqiao shook his head. "Qingshu, I have made up my mind. If you cannot rescue all these princesses, then I will never leave either." After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting both voiced their agreement.

"Do you not care about Wudang's reputation?" Song Qingshu was both angry and anxious, utterly at a loss for words.

"Qingshu, say no more," Zhang Songxi said as well. "Since we have committed this wrongdoing, we should face it calmly. Our master is no ordinary man. Once he learns what has happened here, he will surely approve of our decision."

Watching the three men go from initial panic to resolute expressions, Song Qingshu secretly admired them. Looking again at the three pitiful princesses on the ground, he recalled the righteous fury he had felt when reading about the Humiliation of Jingkang in his previous life. A surge of heroic spirit rose within him. "Fine. Let me defy fate and change their destiny for once!"

Though his blood was stirred, he remained clear-headed and quickly analyzed the situation. "Rescuing these princesses requires careful planning. Today will not do. To avoid alerting the enemy, I will have to trouble you to suffer here a while longer and... Pretend to be agreeable and compliant with that demoness Wanyan Ping."

Zhang Songxi was overjoyed. "Qingshu, we are already beside ourselves with joy that you are willing to take such a tremendous risk to save them. What does a little hardship amount to?"

"But that demoness will surely use this to threaten us tomorrow and force us to reveal Wudang's supreme arts. How should we deal with that?" Yin Liting asked worriedly.

"That is easy enough," Song Qingshu replied swiftly. "When the time comes, give her formulas that are nine parts true and one part false. That