Beauty, Power and Intrigue Chapter 25

Tao Ding’s expression did not change in the slightest. He merely looked Song Chuyi up and down. “Truly, a hero emerges from the young.”

“I do not deserve such praise.” Song Chuyi gave a slight bow, then continued, “This visit of mine is not entirely for the sake of plotting on behalf of Wey. In truth, I cannot bear to see my homeland suffer the calamity of annihilation.”

“Alarmist talk.” Tao Ding sneered. “Wei has suffered defeat under the combined attacks of Qi, Qin, and other states. Its national strength has greatly declined. I imagine the envoy does not yet know – Duke Xiao of Qin has died. After all these years of Qin and Wei locked in a death struggle, how could they not seize the opportunity, while the new ruler has just ascended and the regime is not yet stable, to settle old scores?”

Song Chuyi clasped her hands within her sleeves and smiled noncommittally. She did not pursue this topic, but instead said, “I wonder if you are acquainted with Crown Prince Si?”

Ying Si – the current new ruler of Qin. In her previous life, Song Chuyi’s home in Yangcheng had been near the border between Qin and Wei. Thus, though she had never met him, she knew him extremely well.

Seeing that Tao Ding had not replied, Song Chuyi continued, “This time, Qin has had no turmoil over the succession. From the officials down to the common people, there has been no unrest whatsoever. How can one speak of an unstable regime? Even if Wei sends troops, it will still gain no advantage. Moreover, I have heard that Crown Prince Si has been fond of martial arts since childhood and possesses extraordinary talent in military affairs. His tutor is none other than the fierce general Ying Qian. I dare to assert that after his accession, Qin will be like a fierce tiger emerging from its cage. Even if Wei does not take the initiative to send troops, Qin and Wei will sooner or later have a battle to the death. Even I can see this clearly – how could Wei not know? Therefore, the pressing matter is to prepare for war, not to launch a hasty attack.”

Tao Ding could not help but sit up straight. It had been only three or five days since Duke Xiao of Qin had died. He, positioned at the center of Song’s power, had only learned of it through a fast-horse secret report. He had thought this news would catch Song Chuyi off guard, yet she remained calm and composed.

Only at this moment did Tao Ding truly take Song Chuyi’s words to heart.

Song Chuyi naturally saw his change, and her expression grew even calmer. She smiled slightly and said, “What does preparing for war mean? Troops, horses, grain, and military funds. Song is a land of vast fertile fields and abundant resources, a wealthy region since ancient times. If one could take Song’s territory at an extremely small cost, would that not be just perfect?”

“Does Wei truly intend to attack Song?” Tao Ding’s face turned grave. If that were truly the case, Song might indeed fall into dire peril.

“How dare I speak falsely?” Song Chuyi said with indignation. “You must know that my ruler has never harbored ambitions to contend for supremacy. This time, if not for the King of Wei’s coercion, how could we have passed through Wei and laid siege to Suiyang with a mere thirty thousand troops?”

To say the Marquis of Wey had no ambition to contend for supremacy was far too generous. Moreover, even if he did harbor such ambition, Wey was already willing but powerless.

Tao Ding pondered for a moment, then immediately rose and said, “Let the envoy rest at my residence for the night. I shall go at once to meet with the ruler.”

“I shall comply,” Song Chuyi said, cupping her hands in salute. By the time she rose, she could already see Tao Ding hurrying out at a rapid pace.

In truth, Song had found this attack by Wey puzzling from top to bottom. But because they could not ascertain just how many troops Wey had committed, they could not fathom the reason behind it. Although Song could not attack Wei, if they had captives in hand, they could at least extract some benefits from the Marquis of Wey. Lord Ti Cheng of Song had not tasted the pleasure of lording over others for a long time – how could he let this opportunity slip?

Now that Song Chuyi had exposed Wei’s scheme, how could Tao Ding not be anxious?

“You have a silver tongue.” Wu Chi walked to the doorway, then turned back.

Song Chuyi did not answer, only gave him a faint smile.

After Wu Chi left, a maidservant soon came to lead her to her quarters. Tao Ding’s residence looked quite ordinary from the outside, but everything inside was of the finest quality.

Lying in the warm bathwater, Song Chuyi narrowed her eyes comfortably. How long had it been since she had enjoyed herself like this… It did not seem very long, yet having gone through a life-and-death ordeal, it felt as though decades had passed.

Drowsiness crept over Song Chuyi. She did not know how much time had passed when, in a hazy state, she felt a pair of soft, warm little hands roaming over her upper body. It was quite pleasant…

Hands?

Song Chuyi’s eyes snapped open, coldly fixing on the owner of those hands.

“I am here to attend to the master’s bath.” The young girl, seeing the coldness and ferocity in Song Chuyi’s gaze, was so frightened that she dropped to her knees with a thud.

“Get up,” Song Chuyi said.

The girl tremblingly climbed up from the ground, but did not dare to stand straight. She bent her knees slightly beside the bath barrel, which happened to put her at about the same height as Song Chuyi.

Song Chuyi reached out from the water and grabbed the girl’s chin fiercely, tilting her face up to examine her closely.

She did not know who had arranged this, but the girl appeared to be about the same age as Song Chuyi was now. Her features were delicate and cute, and she wore only a plain white undergarment, the collar slightly open.

Song Chuyi gripped her chin with great force, using almost all the strength she could muster, paining the girl until tears welled up on her lashes. Yet she remained calm, as though she were not deliberately exerting force.

“Look up at me,” Song Chuyi said, her voice cold as ice.

The girl did not dare disobey. She timidly raised her eyes, and upon meeting Song Chuyi’s gaze, which carried a faint murderous air, she shrank back and averted her eyes.

Good… Song Chuyi had done this deliberately only to avoid exposing her female identity. Fortunately, this was merely an inexperienced young girl, and from her demeanor, she had indeed not noticed anything unusual.

The girl felt Song Chuyi staring at her for a long time, and the pressure around her eased considerably. Summoning her courage, she said softly, “The steward said that if the master wishes to have someone attend him in bed, that is also permissible.”

Song Chuyi released her. Seeing that Song Chuyi had not responded for a long while, the girl added, “I am still a virgin.”

“Get out,” Song Chuyi said coldly.

The girl’s face turned deathly pale. She did not know what she had done wrong again, and did not dare say another word. She hurriedly bowed and fled.

Song Chuyi was silent for a moment, then raised her hand to touch her own chest, and could not help cursing, “That bird groped around for so long and still could not tell? Am I too pathetic, or is she too pathetic?”

Only after coming back to her senses did Song Chuyi realize that she had soaked in the water too long, and the scraped areas on her legs had begun to sting. She did not linger any longer. After washing herself clean, she climbed out.

What Tao’s residence had prepared for her was an undyed plain hemp garment. It was much too large for Song Chuyi, but with its broad sleeves and loose robes, wearing it gave her a distinctly unrestrained, unconventional bearing.

Ji Huan and Yun Ruo had already cleaned themselves up and were waiting outside the bathhouse door. Hearing the door creak open, they looked up, and were momentarily stunned. The person before them was still not considered beautiful, but in a plain hemp garment, with broad sleeves slightly lifting as she walked, she seemed like drifting clouds. Her ink-black hair, still wet, was loosely tied behind her with a silk band, revealing a full forehead and a plain, clean face. When her calm gaze looked over, it inexplicably made one feel at peace.

“You two idiots.” The moment Song Chuyi opened her mouth, she destroyed that elegant bearing. “As guards, you did not even think to stop that maid. If she had stabbed me, what would you two have done?”

Ji Huan had been about to flare up when he heard her cursing, but upon hearing the latter part, he swallowed the retort that had risen to his lips. This was their first time escorting an envoy to another state for negotiations. Seeing that Song Chuyi and Tao Ding had been getting along smoothly, they had relaxed their vigilance. When the maid said she was there to attend to Song Chuyi’s bath, they had been careless in a moment and let her in.

Now, thinking back on it, Ji Huan realized that even he had developed deep suspicions when he learned Song Chuyi was a woman – how much more so the ruler and powerful ministers of Song? Even if the maid had not come to assassinate her, she would have discovered Song Chuyi’s female identity, and then the authority she had painstakingly built would have been destroyed in an instant.

“Then she…” Cold sweat broke out on Ji Huan’s palms. If this time, because of his momentary carelessness, the lives of thirty thousand soldiers had been ruined, even death ten thousand times over would not absolve him of the blame.