"A fair lady, a gentleman's amusement," Song Qingshu chuckled, turning his head. "Sister-in-law, with your exquisite beauty, it's no wonder Mr. Murong is so enthusiastic," he teased.
"Uncle," Madam Hu groaned, her voice laced with a honeyed delicacy that sent shivers down Song Qingshu's spine. "You have such a way with words. But I'm more like a plain willow, whereas that girl Wang is far more stunning. What does Mr. Murong see in me…in us?"
"In my heart, my sister-in-law is far more beautiful than Miss Wang," Song Qingshu replied, meeting Madam Hu's raised eyebrows. Sensing an imminent outburst, he swiftly changed the subject. "I suspect that Young Master Murong had the idea to seize the Wang Treasure."
"Uncle, you also know about the Wang Treasure?" Madam Hu's surprise was evident. This was her deepest secret, and she hadn't even had the time to address his previous playful remarks.
"My dear sister-in-law, have you forgotten that I have a reputation for being well-informed? There are very few events in this world that escape my knowledge," Song Qingshu feigned a mysterious smile.
"Did you also entertain the notion of seizing the Wang Treasure, Uncle?" Madam Hu felt a slight unease creeping in, momentarily doubting the true intentions behind Song Qingshu's approach.
"Of course!" Song Qingshu's response sent a chill down Madam Hu's spine. "I could see the potential usefulness of such a treasure in the future."
Noticing the discomfort etched on Madam Hu's face and understanding her current train of thought, Song Qingshu smiled and reassured her, "Sister-in-law, fret not. Our meeting was a mere coincidence. Moreover, I already know the general location of the treasure. There's no need to worry about my motives."
"You know the location of the treasure?" Madam Hu exclaimed, disbelief coloring her expression. "That's impossible."
Rarely did Madam Hu, usually composed with a soft-spoken demeanor, reveal such a captivating expression. Observing her reaction, Song Qingshu smiled and said, "I am known as Baixiaosheng in Jianghu. Although I may not have the precise coordinates, I possess a general sense of direction. I should be able to pinpoint it once we arrive. So, is my dear sister-in-law planning to do away with me?"
Madam Hu sighed softly, "I can't fathom how you possess such knowledge at such a young age."
"When I was a child, I encountered a wandering Taoist. He was astounded by my exceptional bone structure and possessed extraordinary knowledge...so he engaged me in conversation," Song Qingshu feigned a sense of being burdened, shaking his head before continuing. "He claimed to be a deity and shared countless stories with me, stories that I have committed to memory."
Madam Hu appeared visibly skeptical as she inquired, "Did he mention his name?"
"He, he seemed to be called Jin Yong," Song Qingshu replied with a peculiar expression.
"Jin Yong?" Madam Hu pondered for a moment. "I've never heard of such a person in the world." She suspected Song Qingshu was evading the truth, but pressing further wouldn't yield any favorable results.
"Considering the vastness of Hunan, where should we head first?" Madam Hu sought to shift the topic away from the Wang Treasure, but she couldn't shake the nagging question of how Song Qingshu came to possess such knowledge. She needed to divert her attention.
"Naturally, our first destination should be Jingzhou!" Song Qingshu declared with confidence.
Having developed trust in Song Qingshu's judgment from their previous experiences, Madam Hu refrained from voicing any objections. The two embarked on their journey, heading towards Jingzhou. Song Qingshu's mind remained occupied with thoughts of how to locate the deities.
"First and foremost, we must ascertain the progression of the 'Liancheng Jue' plot," Song Qingshu pondered, contemplating the means of assessment. "We can start by investigating whether there is a Ding Dian imprisoned in the jail at Jingzhou and whether some individuals have been held captive for several years."
Madam Hu looked visibly embarrassed as she responded, "Uncle, I'm afraid you are unaware of the current circumstances. The situation at the front line between the Mongols and the Song Dynasty in Xiangyang is tense. Jingzhou is closely connected to Xiangyang, serving as a vital military stronghold with over 100,000 troops stationed nearby. Breaking into the prison in Jingzhou won't be as simple as it sounds."
Song Qingshu was taken aback by this revelation. In his mind, martial arts masters in the novels effortlessly moved through palaces and prison cells. The reality seemed far more challenging than he had imagined.
"Let's still go and take a look. Perhaps the defenses are not as formidable as we anticipate," Song Qingshu stubbornly urged, reluctant to abandon the idea.
Madam Hu couldn't dissuade him, so she reluctantly agreed, but not without voicing her concerns. "Alright, but you must promise me, Uncle, that you won't act impulsively. Your health is not in the best condition, and I won't be able to protect you if something goes wrong."
"I understand. I'm not a fool," Song Qingshu nodded vigorously, his head resembling a pecking chicken.
The two continued their journey and arrived at the vicinity of the Jingzhou prison. As they observed it from a distance, their expressions changed drastically. The prison was heavily guarded, with soldiers patrolling every corner.
Madam Hu worried about Song Qingshu's well-being and made a decision. She turned to him and said, "Uncle, you stay here. I'll go and investigate on my own."
The close proximity between them allowed Song Qingshu to catch a faint fragrance emanating from the beautiful woman beside him. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly interjected, "Sister-in-law, you can't take such risks!"
"Don't worry, I'll just gather some information," Madam Hu replied, turning her head to offer a charming smile. In an instant, she moved towards the prison like a wisp of smoke, disappearing from Song Qingshu's sight.
Song Qingshu found himself captivated by the smile she flashed, wondering why he was so entranced. He was accustomed to being in the presence of beautiful women, so why did her smile affect him so deeply?
Meanwhile, Madam Hu's light footsteps carried her swiftly between the patrol soldiers. Step by step, she closed in on the gaps in their defenses, soon vanishing from Song Qingshu's view.
"The light footwork of the Tomb School is truly extraordinary," Song Qingshu marveled silently. Before long, the sound of clothes tearing through the air reached his ears, and Madam Hu returned to his side.
"How did it go?" Song Qingshu anxiously inquired, noticing the worry etched on her beautiful face.
Madam Hu's expression turned slightly grim as she replied, "I thoroughly investigated the area, and while the outer perimeter of the prison has some weak spots in its defense, the prison itself is designed with only one entrance. The entire cell is hidden underground, likely to deter martial artists like us from gaining access. The entrance is heavily guarded, and it would be nearly impossible to break in without attracting attention."
Song Qingshu realized that a direct assault would be unrealistic. This was a living world, not the fictional realm of novels. The government's presence was tangible, especially in a major military town like Jingzhou. The prison was heavily guarded during normal times, and nearby troops could quickly come to the prison's aid. Even though Madam Hu possessed formidable martial arts skills, attempting to forcibly break into the prison and rescue someone would be highly risky.
However, if they didn't gain entry to the cell, they wouldn't be able to confirm the presence of Ding Dian or ascertain the progress of the Liancheng Jue plot.
"Wait a moment. If our goal is to gather information about the plot's development, we don't necessarily have to start from the prison," a sudden flash of inspiration crossed Song Qingshu's mind. He grabbed Madam Hu's arm and swiftly turned away.
Madam Hu felt a surge of anger, wondering why Song Qingshu always seemed to act recklessly. However, after spending some time together, she had come to understand that his actions were different from those of ordinary people. He seemed unfazed by the dangers that others would avoid. Recalling his previous heroic acts, she held onto his arm firmly, preventing him from charging forward blindly.