"Me, worried about her?" Madam Ying sneered coldly, but quickly pressed on, "What do you mean?"
"She holds a noble title in her own right, and she is the head of the premier Daoist sect. There is no way she would ever become someone's concubine." He Lingchuan waved a hand. "It is simply impossible for the Marquis of Songyang to marry into our household. What are you afraid of?"
Madam Ying looked thoughtful.
Her eldest son's words held undeniable truth. A woman like the Marquis of Songyang could only ever be a primary wife, never a concubine. Even so, she could not put her mind at ease regarding her husband.
He Chunhua was only thirty-four or thirty-five this year, tall, slender, and handsome. Not only was he deeply attractive to women, but his own desires ran strong.
Besides, he was only fourteen or fifteen years older than the Marquis of Songyang. What did an age gap like that matter? Even an octogenarian could take a maiden of sixteen into his bedchambers.
Just then, Grand Craftsman Li Fubo requested an audience.
Since the Marquis of Songyang was traveling alongside the Auxiliary Army, Li Fubo frequently shuttled back and forth between the two sides. After all, one was his employer, while the other was his patron.
This time, he addressed He Lingchuan: "Patron, the Marquis invites you."
He Lingchuan was astonished and pointed to himself. "The Marquis invites *me*?" Rather than asking for his father?
"Yes."
Hearing this, Madam Ying, seated nearby, said to her eldest son, "Go on." Finished talking with the father and now moving on to the son—the Marquis of Songyang was certainly something!
There were two inns in Ru County. Naturally, the Marquis of Songyang stayed in the finest one, and within it, the best suite: an independent private courtyard.
The moment He Lingchuan stepped through the door, he caught a rich, fruity aroma.
On the table of Li Qingge, the Marquis of Songyang, sat a delicate, gilt-rimmed white porcelain bowl. Its glaze was as smooth as jade, clearly far beyond anything this modest inn could provide.
The bowl held a milky-white liquid, but it was not milk.
She clapped her hands. "Someone bring a bowl of almond junket for Young Master He."
A maid entered carrying a tray.
He Lingchuan offered his thanks, lifted the bowl, and took a sip. A soothing warmth spread through him, filling his mouth with fragrance.
Almond junket was really just almond tea; besides being freshly simmered and brewed, it had extra ingredients added.
"A rich, creamy aroma." He smacked his lips thoughtfully. "Rose, too... and what else?"
There was also the fragrance of fruit and flowers.
Li Qingge smiled. "Impressive. Your deduction matches your esteemed father's exactly."
He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. So his father had been drinking almond tea here as well—and likely more than a single bowl.
Li Qingge added softly, "Dried cherries were also added."
The silver-charcoal brazier in the room burned briskly, lending a faint flush to her cheeks. She was a porcelain-and-jade beauty, her skin snow-white and so delicate it seemed as though it would break at a breath. A hint of natural charm hid within her eyes, yet her speech and deportment were entirely dignified and proper.
Her beauty had nothing to do with vulgar flirtation; rather, it was like the morning sunlight at seven or eight o'clock—warm, gentle, and drawing people near without their realizing it.
He Lingchuan knew his father's tastes well: common, gaudy women never caught his eye. But a woman like this...
No wonder Madam Ying was seething with jealousy.
He set down the bowl and cleared his throat softly. "Did the Marquis have business with me?"
"May I borrow the broken saber to take a look?"
The broken saber was naturally worn on his person at all times; not only was it his conduit into the dreamscape, but it had saved its master's life two or three times already. He Lingchuan unhooked it and set it casually onto the tabletop. "Please, take a look."
Li Qingge gripped the scabbard and drew the broken saber inch by inch, allowing its edge to unfurl gradually.
A chilling gleam pierced the air, and the temperature in the room instantly dropped several degrees.
"A fine blade. Even better than what Li Fubo described." Visibly moved, Li Qingge trailed her fingertips along the spine of the blade before giving it a light flick. *Ding!* The chime rang crisp and melodious.
"The nature of this blade is like a lurking, vicious beast, constantly champing at the bit." Curious, she asked, "Young Master He, what have you done to awaken it to this degree?" The blade's state differed once again from what Li Fubo had reported.
In less than half a month, it had grown even more ferocious.
Young Master He scratched his neck. "Used it like a throwing blade and struck a few people with it, that's all." Even if there were more, he could not tell her.
This saber was the key to entering the Panlong dreamscape. Conversely, could what he did in the dream have affected the blade as well?
"Could you lend it to me to examine for a few days?" The more she looked at it, the more extraordinary it seemed.
He Lingchuan gave an awkward chuckle. "I'm afraid that wouldn't do. I used to have frequent nightmares, but ever since I got this broken saber, they've never recurred."
In any case, he had not had any other dreams.
"Very well, then I will not impose by taking what you cherish." Li Qingge smiled faintly. "In truth, this blade is profoundly ominous. Anyone who bears it would suffer bloodshed, or at least grow frail and die young. Even if I wished to keep it, I would have to perform rituals and prayers to suppress its malevolence. Yet you handle it with utter ease, drawing good fortune rather than calamity. If not because you share a destined affinity with it, then it must be that you yourself are no ordinary man, Young Master He."
He Lingchuan grew intrigued. "And which possibility does the Marquis think it is?"
"Your father said that you are a lucky star. I also heard that you even subdued the ferocious monkey of the Qianxin Sect and took it as your medicine ape, when it had previously brought disaster to four successive masters." Li Qingge rested her chin on her hand. "In Panlong Ancient City, on the shores of Xianling Lake, beneath Luming Garden... the greatest merit may not have belonged to you, but you lent significant aid in all of them. When General Ke Jihai left Luming Garden that night to seek an audience with the King, he spoke exceedingly well of you as well. Only then did His Majesty bestow your reward."
He Lingchuan was struck by this. So that was where his royal reward had come from?
No wonder. No wonder the court had not rewarded him in the slightest for the first two achievements.
Still, Ke Jihai had entered the palace late at night for a confidential audience with the King; there could not have been many people present. Yet the Marquis of Songyang knew exactly what Ke Jihai had said. This woman truly had extraordinary connections and reach.
He Lingchuan finally understood why He Chunhua came running here all the time. His father had probably realized how formidable her network was.
For a man obsessed with power, how could he possibly pass up such an incredible resource?
Li Qingge continued, "Since the blade's nature has shifted, I will consult further with Li Fubo to refine the sword-planting method. He mentioned that you broke this saber with your own hands, Young Master He?"
He Lingchuan nodded.
"How strange. A blade with spiritual awareness—why would it feel so close to the very person who broke it?"
Thinking back to the black flood dragon in the Panlong illusion—the scene where Zhong Shengguang had entrusted the blade to him—He Lingchuan shrugged. "A complete accident. Besides, I used it to battle Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu; perhaps it shared a common hatred against our foes?"
Li Qingge started. "You fought against Sun Fuping?"
"Indeed." He Lingchuan felt another stir in his mind. "The battle reports you saw didn't mention it?"
He had assumed the full account of how he and his father thwarted Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu's conspiracy had been submitted faithfully to the royal court.
Li Qingge smiled, evading the question. "Not to sound discouraging, but Sun Fuping possesses vast supernatural powers and the ability to shift clouds and rain at will. For you to have survived his hands is quite remarkable."
Now He Lingchuan understood why his father liked conversing with the Marquis of Songyang so much. She was clearly pointing out that your cultivation was weak and Sun Fuping could have crushed you with a single finger, yet she somehow phrased it in a way that left you feeling thoroughly pleased.
Li Qingge returned the broken saber to He Lingchuan, looking rather reluctant to part with it. "Even Commander Zhong's relic shares an affinity with you. You truly are a lucky star, Young Master He."
The young man looked down and saw her slender fingers. Though her nails were kept short, they were dyed a delicate crimson, resting against the faded scabbard like newly budding peach branches.
The contrast between ancient age and tender youth was striking.
Too bad his thoughts were entirely fixed on the name 'Sun Fuping.' "You share a certain history with Sun Fuping, don't you, Marquis?" The moment the words left his mouth, he remembered that his father had probably asked the very same question.
Li Qingge's enchanting eyes lingered on him, then she lifted her almond junket for another sip before speaking languidly, "You didn't know, Young Master He? I assumed you would have heard about it back in Shihuan. Lord He has met with me multiple times, yet never once mentioned it."
Shihuan again. Was he the only one who was completely ignorant? He Lingchuan spread his hands. "When I was in Shihuan City, I even thought the Marquis of Songyang was a man."
Li Qingge instantly choked, coughing repeatedly as almond tea dribbled onto her lapel. The maid behind her hurriedly handed her a cloth.
After catching her breath for a good while, the Marquis of Songyang sighed. "Young Master He is an upright gentleman, disdaining to inquire into mere gossip."
He Lingchuan smiled ruefully. "You might as well just say I'm poorly informed, Marquis."
Over the past few months, his mind had been consumed by cultivation and the Panlong dreamscape; he paid little heed to outside matters.
Li Qingge waved her hand dismissively. "In my childhood, while traveling with my parents, we were ambushed by formidable enemies. My parents were killed, and I was separated from our retinue. My grandfather searched everywhere without success. Two years later, Sun Fuping was out hunting for treasures when he picked me up from a wolf den and brought me back to Songyang Mansion."
She paused. "The incident caused quite a stir in the capital at the time. Even the late King and the current King knew of it."
He Lingchuan drew a soft breath. "Then Sun Fuping was your savior." He suddenly recalled the nobles at Luming Garden remarking that Zhu Xiu'er's plight sounded familiar, as someone in Songyang Mansion had suffered a similar fate.
So they had been talking about Li Qingge.
Could it be...? He instantly thought of the sudden attack beneath Luming Garden.
"Yet he made no small demands of Songyang Mansion over the years," Li Qingge said coolly. "Perhaps it is inappropriate for me to speak this way. But after he repeatedly demanded exorbitant ransoms of gratitude, even a boundless debt of life was settled in full. Since my grandfather passed away and I took charge of Songyang Mansion, I essentially severed ties with Sun Fuping. Otherwise, when his rebellion came to light, how could my Songyang Mansion have emerged unscathed?"
That final sentence was the most convincing. He Lingchuan had long heard that the monarch was suspicious; had he harbored deep suspicions against Songyang Mansion, would Li Qingge still be sitting here in peace?
Li Qingge continued, "In fact, Songyang Mansion even assisted in tracking down and arresting Sun Fuping's confederates, rendering great service. This is known throughout the court and the realm."
He Lingchuan gave her a thumbs-up. "The Marquis is loyal and patriotic; I am full of admiration!" He immediately switched the topic: "The Marquis possesses masterful artifact-crafting skills; I have one more matter to consult you on."
"Speak freely."
He Lingchuan reached into his robes, pulled out a talisman, and placed it on the table. "I would like to ask about the purpose of this charm."
He remembered that the Marquis's miniature toy courtyard had been sealed with paper talismans, which shared a similar principle to this thing, didn't they?
This talisman was written in red characters on black paper, unlike ordinary ones. Li Qingge picked it up, examined it for a moment, and knitted her dark brows. "Where did you obtain this, Young Master He?"
"I seized this from General Lu Yao, who served under Hong Xiangqian. At the time, we had already beaten him to death's door—the kind of state where even saving him would have been nearly impossible. Then he pulled out a black talisman and swallowed it."
"What effect did it have?"
"Not a damn thing. Absolutely nothing happened." He Lingchuan shrugged. "Then someone lopped off his head with a single slash. Even now, I still remember the look of utter disbelief on that dead face."
Chapter 209