The maidservant led him through many twists and turns, which made Song Qingshu wonder if it was a trap waiting for him. However, they did not go to remote alleys along the way. Presumably, no one would be stupid enough to set a trap in a crowded place.
After a while, Song Qingshu followed the maidservant to a teahouse by the river. There was a small bridge over the flowing water, and willow trees. It could be considered quiet and elegant.
"Young Master, Madam is waiting for you in the private room upstairs." The maidservant continued to make a gesture of invitation.
Song Qingshu became more and more curious. However, he was not blinded by beauty. He did not go up directly. Instead, he stood where he was and quietly sensed the surrounding environment. When he did not find any ambush after extending his Qi for dozens of feet, he smiled at the maidservant and followed.
The maidservant led him to a private room upstairs by the river. "Young Master, please!"
Song Qingshu nodded and pushed the door open. He saw an elegant, dignified, and quiet young woman sitting by the window in a daze. When she heard the noise, she turned around and saw him with a hint of surprise on her face. "Prince Song ~"
Song Qingshu had already recognized her as Li Wan, the Eldest Young Mistress of the Jia Family. He could not help but smile bitterly. "Madam is really mysterious."
Li Wan slightly bent her knees and bowed. There was a trace of apology in her eyes. "My identity is inconvenient. Young Master, please forgive me for troubling you to specially come here."
"I understand. How can it be considered a hardship to be able to see a beauty like Madam?" Song Qingshu smiled. Li Wan was not only the Young Mistress of a big family, but she was now living at home in her youth. Naturally, there would be people who would make all kinds of malicious speculations and gossip. In order to reduce these things, she had to be careful in her words and actions. Therefore, she did not dare to look for him in public. She could only use this method to invite him to a secluded place.
When Li Wan heard his words, she could not help but blush. She thought that he was a young man. How could he be so rash to say such words to a person who lived at home?
However, when he noticed that the other party's expression was normal, without the slightest hint of lust, he realized that this was a different kind of praise. He couldn't help but laugh inwardly. No wonder many of the nobles in the capital privately called him the Bandit Leader. He really didn't care about these nobles' etiquette at all …
If the young master in the capital had been rude to her on a normal day, she would have left in a huff. But today, she had a strange feeling. Maybe it was because of the sincerity in his tone.
"The reason why I invited Young Master over this time is to ask …"
Before Li Wan could finish, she was stopped by Song Qingshu. "I've come such a long way to see Madam. Don't I have a cup of tea to drink?"
Li Wan slapped her forehead, pursed her lips, and said with a smile, "This concubine has been rude." She had already sent the maidservant outside, so she might as well personally pour tea for Song Qingshu.
"Thank you, Madam." Taking the teacup from her hand and looking at her wrist that was whiter than porcelain, Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. It was a pity that she was born in this era where etiquette prevailed. It was likely that she would not be able to pursue her own happiness like those women of later generations.
"A few days ago, Young Master said that there was news of my eldest sister …" Li Wan asked hesitantly after sitting down again. At the same time, she looked nervously at the other party, afraid that the other party would say that he did not know.
Because in this short period of time, Song Qingshu had been constantly distracted by various matters, he had not fulfilled his promise to tell the Li family about their missing eldest miss. The father and daughter of the Li family had even begun to suspect that he was deliberately finding an excuse to fool them in order to get the Li family's help.
Now that Song Qingshu had been promoted to Prince of Qi, his status was noble. Even if he went back on his word, the Li family could do nothing about it. As a result, Li Wan had been deliberately addressing him as Young Master, not Prince of Qi, in order to draw the two parties closer.
"This was my oversight," Song Qingshu said apologetically. "I have been busy recently and have not had the time to pay a visit. I have caused Madam to personally come to find me. I am truly sorry."
"Young Master is too polite." Sensing his sincerity, Li Wan's tense nerves finally relaxed slightly.
"I am only guessing about your eldest sister. Although I feel that I am seventy to eighty percent certain, there is a possibility that you will rejoice for nothing. As a result, Madam must be mentally prepared," Song Qingshu said.
Li Wan nodded. "This servant understands. Eldest sister has already been missing for twenty-some years. We have also searched for twenty-some years. In the end, we had already given up. This time, we were fortunate enough to obtain news of Eldest Sister from Young Master. As a result, regardless of whether or not Eldest Sister is found, Young Master is a great benefactor of our Li family."
As she spoke, Li Wan stood up and bowed. Song Qingshu hastily grabbed her arm, helping her up. "Madam speaks too seriously."
Li Wan retracted her hand as if she had been electrocuted. A trace of redness appeared on her white cheeks. She stood there somewhat uneasily.
Song Qingshu could not help but sigh that he was a little impulsive. In this era, ladies from respectable families had probably never had physical contact with other men except for their husbands. Yet, he had rashly helped her up …
But then he thought about it. Anyway, in those TV dramas, when men were injured, the male lead would inject internal energy into them through their clothes to heal them. When women were injured, the male lead would take off their clothes to heal them …
This was called upholding the glorious tradition of the predecessors!
"I wonder if Eldest Sister is doing well now?" Li Wan came back to her senses. She tucked her scattered hair behind her ears, showing off the gentleness and charm of a woman.
"You can say yes or no." Looking at Li Wan's surprised expression, Song Qingshu smiled bitterly. "Last time I chatted with you, based on her age and appearance, I guessed that your missing eldest sister should be Li Mochou."
"Li Mochou?" Li Wan's face was blank. Obviously, she was very unfamiliar with this name.
"She also has a nickname, Scarlet Serpent Fairy." Song Qingshu explained. But he quickly reacted. "Madam is a lady from a respectable family. You must have never heard of these names in Jianghu."
Li Wan looked worried. "Although I haven't heard of it, I think Eldest Sister is not living well."
Song Qingshu asked curiously, "Why do you think so?"
Li Wan faintly sighed. Her voice was still very gentle. "A woman with the word 'Scarlet Serpent' in her nickname obviously represents killing and hatred. But I believe that Eldest Sister is a kind person. Unless something big happened that caused her personality to change so much …"
Song QingShu couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Madam is really smart, just from a nickname you can deduce so much. Back then, when Li Mochou was young, she fell in love with a man called Lu Zhanyuan, then …" He then told her about Li Mochou's life over the years.
"That Lu guy is really hateful!" Li Wan bit her lips and said angrily. But she had a gentle temperament. Even when she was angry, she was not scary at all.
"Heartless and fickle. Hateful indeed." In Song Qingshu's view of values, it did not matter if you provoked a girl, but you could not be irresponsible. So in his view, Duan Zhengchun, who flirted everywhere but was not responsible, was much scum than the stud Wei Xiaobao. Wei Xiaobao may be despicable, or maybe he only lusted after those women's beauty but did not love them. But he made appropriate arrangements for each woman. Unlike Duan Zhengchun, who caused so many orphans and widows to wander and lose their homes.
"But it is a bit too much for Eldest Sister to vent her anger on others and kill innocent people." Li Wan suddenly changed the topic. Although her voice was gentle, it was very firm.
"No wonder you are the daughter of the Imperial College Chancellor. You are well-educated and able to distinguish right from wrong." Song Qingshu could not help but praise.
Li Wan's heart beat faster. She was not used to being directly praised by a man. She hurriedly said, "Where is Eldest Sister now?"
"She is working for me now." Song Qingshu explained. "I arranged for her to help me at the headquarters of the Sun Moon Sect. She should not have time to come to Lin 'an for the time being."
"Ah?" Li Wan suddenly looked disappointed.
Song Qingshu replied, "I have been busy recently with the Southern Song Dynasty's northern expedition against the Jin Kingdom. I can't spare any time now. When I am free, I will find someone to replace your Eldest Sister's work and ask her to come to Lin 'an to meet you."
"Really?" Li Wan blinked her eyes, which were full of excitement.
Song Qingshu could not help but laugh. "Don't worry, Madam. We are on the same side. Why would I lie to you?"
Li Wan blushed and muttered in a low voice, "Who is on the same side as you?"
Even though her voice was very soft, Song QingShu was able to hear her clearly. He couldn't help but laugh, "Li Mochou calls me brother-in-law, so I am also your brother-in-law."
"Brother-in-law?" Li Wan looked at him with a strange expression.
"Well, Li Mochou has a senior sister in her sect. She is my confidante …" Song Qingshu explained.
Li Wan pursed her lips and smiled. "I have long heard that young master is handsome and charming and is very popular with women. Today I know that the rumors are true."
Song Qingshu could not help but tease her. "Does Madam like me?"
Li Wan's expression changed. She suddenly stood up and said, "Young master, please behave yourself."
It was too late for Song QingShu to regret. He was too used to flirting with her, but Li Wan had been a widow for many years, she cared about her reputation and integrity the most, how could she withstand this kind of flirting?
"I was rude." Song Qingshu looked embarrassed.
Li Wan declined to comment and lightly said, "Today, I have obtained the answer I wanted from young master. I will take my leave now." Finished speaking, she ignored the other party's attempts to persuade her to stay and walked straight out of the door, gradually leaving with her maid.
Watching her slender back disappear, Song Qingshu picked up the tea on the table and drank it in one gulp. He shook his head and smiled bitterly.
"Young master, why are you so discouraged? How can such a chaste woman withstand young master's dirty tricks?" At this time, a flirtatious laughter came from outside the door.
Song Qingshu looked up. Soon a woman appeared at the door. She had phoenix eyes, long eyebrows, and a smile. She was about twenty-two or twenty-three years old. Her eyes were bright and she was very beautiful. She had already taken off the Miao family's conspicuous decorations and changed into Han clothes. But the thing that did not change was her jade-like white complexion.
"How did you know I was here?" The woman in front of him was He Tie Shou.
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