Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1101: Playing Both Sides

Wang Baobao’s suspicion was perfectly reasonable. If the two of them were already lovers, why would Song Qingshu not know his sister’s recent whereabouts?

Song Qingshu’s expression remained unhurried. “After we parted in the Jin territory, Minmin told me she had found a lead on the antidote to the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill and intended to investigate it personally. But she didn’t tell me where she was going.”

That matched everything Wang Baobao knew. He relaxed and laughed warmly. “Minmin has always planned three steps ahead. If she didn’t tell you, she had her reasons. I won’t be sharing it behind her back either.”

“I see.” Song Qingshu let a look of mild disappointment settle on his face, though inwardly he was genuinely curious about what Zhao Min was up to.

The two men exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Wang Baobao could restrain himself no longer. “Did you come tonight to help the Southern Song people?” It was the question that had been sitting heaviest on him. Now that he’d heard about Song Qingshu’s connection to his sister, the formal titles had already dropped away…no need for the stiff Young Master and Golden Serpent King of before.

Song Qingshu smiled. “Given what Minmin and I are to each other, the last thing I’d do is help outsiders scheme against my own brother-in-law.”

Something genuinely warm finally surfaced on Wang Baobao’s face. “Now that’s more like it.”

“As for what you intend…even if you want to take the entire Southern Song delegation down, just say the word. I’ll handle it right now, brother-in-law.” Song Qingshu thumped his own chest with great conviction and made a show of rising.

Wang Baobao was slightly dizzy from being addressed as brother-in-law at every other breath. Under ordinary circumstances he would never have accepted that framing so readily…but between the warmth of the conversation and this young man’s apparent willingness to act against the Song people, he was finding Song Qingshu more agreeable by the moment.

“That really won’t be necessary!” He caught Song Qingshu by the arm and pulled him back down. “The Great Khan is concentrating on the western campaigns right now and is currently in peace negotiations with the Southern Song. If I killed their envoy delegation at a moment like this, the Great Khan’s displeasure would be a very serious matter.”

“That does complicate things…” Song Qingshu put on a look of hesitation…while inwardly he was quietly triumphant. Wang Baobao’s position had been exactly what he had expected. Through the intelligence networks of the Ming Cult, Zhao Min’s contacts, and the combined information channels of both the Jin and Qing, he had a thorough picture of Mongolia’s current strategic priorities. The Southern Song side simply hadn’t had access to that picture, which was why they had been so rattled by Wang Baobao’s earlier aggression.

“I’ve been going in circles over it myself.” Wang Baobao gave a rueful smile. He was well and truly stranded. He couldn’t kill Han Dingxiao…and yet he had to maintain a ferocious front or risk exposing his hand.

Song Qingshu thought for a moment. “I do have a suggestion. Whether it suits you is another matter.”

“Let’s hear it.” Wang Baobao had been turning this problem over for days. He leaned forward with immediate interest.

“Since the situation is this awkward, why not simply release Han Dingxiao’s people outright? With me serving as intermediary, the Southern Song group won’t dare come back at you.”

“Release them?” Wang Baobao’s brow furrowed sharply. He was deeply displeased…had the earlier conversation not left him in such good spirits, he might have bridled immediately.

Song Qingshu continued at an unhurried pace. “What exactly did you come to Yangzhou hoping to accomplish?”

“To bring Li Kexiu over to our side, obviously.” Wang Baobao answered before thinking.

Song Qingshu offered a mild smile. “We’re among friends…no need for that kind of deflection. Mongolia and Yangzhou are separated by three countries…Liao, Jin, and Qing. You can’t reach him directly with any practical force. Is it genuinely realistic to expect Li Kexiu to declare support for Mongolia?”

Wang Baobao went quiet for a long moment. Then he nodded, slowly. “Fair. We know it’s unlikely to get Li Kexiu to declare openly for us. Our actual baseline is simply to prevent him from falling into the hands of Jin, Qing, or Song. Given current conditions, Li Kexiu has been moving closest to the Southern Song…which is exactly why I’ve been holding onto Han Dingxiao and refusing to let him go. I don’t want them quietly reaching some private arrangement.”

“The concern that troubles Mongolia most,” Song Qingshu said, “I have already resolved on your behalf.”

Wang Baobao looked up sharply. “You mean—”

“Let me explain.” Song Qingshu settled back. “The wulinai region has already become an enclave surrounded by Qing territory. The Qing court is presently consumed with suppressing the Three Feudatories revolt…their grip on Li Kexiu is nominal at best. Qing can be set aside entirely. As for Jin: they’ve just come through a period of internal turmoil. Tang Kou Bian’s rise was too rapid, and his most pressing problem is neutralizing domestic opposition. He has no capacity to look eastward right now. The Jin delegation’s hasty departure from Yangzhou not long ago tells you everything you need to know about how unstable his rear is.”

Wang Baobao found himself nodding inwardly. The Jin contingent had indeed pulled out of Yangzhou…the timing fit perfectly with what Song Qingshu was describing.

Song Qingshu cleared his throat and continued. “That leaves Song, which is genuinely the more complicated problem. Southern Song’s territory shares a border with Li Kexiu’s domain. For mighty Mongolia, the Song court may seem weak and easily exploited…but for a regional power like Li Kexiu, Southern Song is an enormous weight bearing down on him. He cannot afford to ignore that threat. Add to that the pull of shared Han identity, and aligning with Southern Song becomes his most natural and rational choice.”

Wang Baobao let out a sharp grunt. “Which is exactly why I’ve been sitting on Han Dingxiao all this time…otherwise those two would have struck a deal weeks ago. I’ve been trying to use the pressure to push Li Kexiu toward Mongolia, but that old fox just keeps hedging. Won’t give a straight answer either way…”

He was still in the middle of his frustration when something shifted behind his eyes. He looked up at Song Qingshu with sudden surprise. “Wait…when you said you’d already resolved this problem for us…do you mean…”

Song Qingshu nodded. “I’ve persuaded Li Kexiu to align with the Golden Serpent Camp. You don’t need to worry about him going over to Southern Song.”

Wang Baobao’s expression went through several remarkable transformations. After a long moment, he let out a rueful laugh. “Look at you, you crafty little devil. We’ve all been running ourselves ragged over this, and in the end you walk away with the prize.”

Song Qingshu grinned. “Better to keep it in the family.”

The mention of his relationship with Zhao Min softened Wang Baobao’s expression considerably. “True enough. The wulinai lands in your hands is better than any of those other kingdoms getting them. When the time comes I’ll introduce you to the Great Khan personally…with your abilities and the force you command, a princely title would be no great stretch. Marry Minmin after that, and it would truly be a match made in heaven!” He broke into a full, delighted laugh at the thought.

With such a formidable son-in-law, Ruyang Palace’s standing within Mongolia would surpass every other princely house. The vision pleased him enormously.

Song Qingshu did not take that thread up. He answered with studied ambiguity: “With Jin and Qing both at the height of their power right now, I’m not certain I can afford to wait that long.”

Wang Baobao nodded, his expression growing more measured. “Those two are genuinely problematic. Qing is tied up with the Three Feudatories, Jin has its internal troubles…it should be the perfect moment for us to push south. But the Great Khan’s strategic focus has shifted west, and there’s simply no hand free to act. With Ruyang Palace’s strength alone, any southern advance is a stretch…”

He paused, then leaned forward with new energy. “But now that you’ve absorbed the wulinai region your power has grown substantially. I’ll speak to the Great Khan…let Mongolia provide covert support for your operations. Use this window to build your own strength and pin down Jin and Qing. When our Mongol Empire does push south, you’ll be first in line for credit.”

Song Qingshu turned this over quietly. Mongolia was, in his deeper reckoning, the ultimate adversary he would eventually have to face. But for now, using Mongolia’s support to build his own foundation…there was nothing wrong with that. The cooperation would be covert in any case. It would not cloud his name.

“There is, as it happens, one matter where I may need your help right now,” he said.

“Name it.” Wang Baobao’s mood was buoyant. The Yangzhou venture had seemed to be closing in around him…even his survival had been in question…and then Song Qingshu had appeared and opened a path. He hadn’t won Li Kexiu, but he’d gained Song Qingshu as an ally, and that was a far more valuable acquisition. This southern trip had exceeded his most optimistic hopes.

“I mentioned earlier that Li Kexiu is wary of provoking Southern Song into sending troops north. Now that I’ve taken the wulinai lands, I face the same problem.”

“What do you need from me?” Had this been anyone else, Wang Baobao would have been perfectly happy to see them go to war with Southern Song and exhaust each other. But with Zhao Min connecting them, he had already begun thinking of Song Qingshu as his own…and once Song Qingshu came into Mongolia’s orbit, his strength would be Ruyang Palace’s strength. In the deep recesses of Wang Baobao’s ambitions, the question of who would one day sit on the Great Khan’s throne was not one he had set aside. Mongolia recognized power above all else. He had no wish to see Song Qingshu’s strength depleted.

“Everything depends on Han Dingxiao.” Song Qingshu’s gaze shifted to the door with a quiet, meaningful light.

After a short while longer in private discussion, Wang Baobao came back out and addressed Han Dingxiao: “Vice Minister Han…the Golden Serpent King would like a word with you. Alone.”

“With me?” Han Dingxiao’s face moved with surprise. He had no prior dealings with Song Qingshu…and what was more, Wang Baobao had just personally come out to carry the message, and was permitting a private meeting. The strangeness of it baffled him completely.

He walked inside with a guarded heart. Song Qingshu rose to receive him: “Please sit, Vice Minister Han.” As he said it, he reached over and untied the ropes.

After so many days as a prisoner, there was something almost dreamlike about the sensation of sitting freely again. Han Dingxiao rolled his wrists, offered a composed bow, and said with quiet dignity: “What does the Golden Serpent King wish to discuss?”

Once upon a time, in his position as chief minister of state, he would not have looked particularly highly on men of the wulin. However formidable the Golden Serpent Camp, they had registered in his mind as little more than unusually powerful brigands. But now, with a faint but unmistakable sense that his life was tied to this young man’s intentions, he found himself looking at Song Qingshu in rather a different light…almost as though the man were surrounded by a quiet radiance.

Noticing that both the Mount Song contingent outside and Su Shidan’s group were craning their necks in his direction, Song Qingshu gave a casual wave. The door swung shut as if closed by invisible hands, cutting off every outside eye.

“Does Vice Minister Han wish to return to Southern Song alive?” The lightness in Song Qingshu’s voice made Han Dingxiao’s expression shift.

But Han Dingxiao was a man who had come up through the highest levels of power. He steadied himself quickly and let out a composed grunt. “I don’t believe Wang Baobao dares kill me.”

He had lacked the full picture…but decades of experience and political instinct had told him, with reasonable confidence, that Wang Baobao had no genuine intent to take his life. It was precisely that reading that had allowed him to hold himself so steadily through all of Wang Baobao’s threats.

“Whether Wang Baobao dares is one question,” Song Qingshu said, with a small smile. “But the other two men in your own court…they dare quite a lot.”