Hong Li held a banquet to entertain the imperial envoy. The guards of the entire wang fu could be said to be guarding the outside but not the inside. After Song Qingshu left the banquet, he ran into a few patrols, but when they saw his official robes, they all nodded in acknowledgment and allowed him to walk.
However, Song Qingshu was not an idiot. He did not think that the guards would still ignore him when he reached the inner courtyard of the wang fu. He hid his tracks along the way and finally found traces of Xia Qingqing by the lake.
A woman stood there alone, staring at the water in a daze.
"You came pretty fast." Hearing the voice behind her, Xia Qingqing seemed to have expected it and was not surprised.
"Why are you waiting here alone?" Song Qingshu looked around. With her current status, she should not be alone.
"I was waiting for you." Xia Qingqing turned around, a faint smile on her face.
The beauty was still beautiful, but her status had changed. A hint of sorrow that was difficult to disguise flashed across Song Qingshu's face. "Why didn't you ask me before you made this decision? I would have told you the plan in my heart. After you heard it, you would not have chosen to leave me. "
"I asked you many times." The wind ruffled her hair. Xia Qingqing stretched out a finger to tuck the messy strands behind her ear. She smiled slightly. "But every time, you would only say, 'Believe me, believe me.'"
Hearing this, Song Qingshu stilled. It seemed to have been like that at the time.
Xia Qingqing saw his reaction and her expression became complicated. "Alright, I'll give you another chance. Tell me your plan now."
Song Qingshu immediately hesitated. That matter was too important and could not be leaked. She was now the Bao Wang Fei … …
"Never mind, I already know the answer." Xia Qingqing sighed quietly and did not speak further.
"Now that time has passed and your status is different, I naturally cannot tell you." Song Qingshu had an impulse to disregard everything, but in the end, reason overcame everything.
"I understand, but I'm afraid this will be the last time we meet. You have your plans, and I have mine. I don't want to add to the waves," Xia Qingqing said calmly as she gazed at the lake in the distance.
"Isn't your plan to seduce Hong Li and sow discord between him and Kangxi? But do you really think that Hong Li can defeat Kangxi?" Song Qingshu sneered.
Xia Qingqing was obviously stunned. Her face was as cold as ice. "You can understand it that way, but this is my own business. I don't need anyone else to worry about it." She added in her heart, "Of course I know that Hong Li is no match for Kangxi …"
"Alright then, we'll never meet again." Song Qingshu turned around and left resolutely.
"We'll never meet again …" Xia Qingqing was momentarily absent-minded as she muttered to herself. A hint of bitterness flashed across her face.
Returning to the banquet, Song Qingshu was as merry as ever, he frequently got up to drink with Shengjing officials. He had been together with Wei Xiaobao and Dolong for a long time, calling each other brothers, his skill in making wine-and-meat friends had long been trained.
He had reached perfection. When he noticed that Hong Li got up and left the banquet, he drank even more merrily. When he came out of the prince's mansion, he was already a puddle of mud.
"Old Zhao, what do you think happened to Official Song? Why did he suddenly become so …" Zhang Kangnian supported the drunken Song Qingshu and looked at Zhao Qixian in shock.
"How would I know? He was fine before." Zhao Qixian was vomited all over his body. His expression was even more depressed.
"Haha, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about today. When we return to the capital, I'll promote you." Hearing their discussion, Song Qingshu forced his eyes open and laughed foolishly.
"Since it's like this, why don't you vomit all over me too?" Zhang Kangnian smiled bitterly.
"Ugh …"
"Uh, I was joking. Official Song, don't take it seriously." Zhang Kangnian's wail came from the night sky.
In the prince's mansion, in the Ripple Pavilion where the vice fujin lived.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. Please go back," Xia Qingqing said coldly.
"Qingqing, you're already my fujin." Hong Li put on a smile and wanted to get closer.
A cold light flashed. Xia Qingqing's Golden Snake Sword was already pressed against his chest. She said coldly, "Your Highness, if you've forgotten, I'll remind you again. This fujin title is just a cover. Don't take it seriously. Also, don't call me that. "
"Yes, yes, yes, ben wang was just joking with Madam Yuan." Hong Li took a few steps back in embarrassment. "Today, Madam's dance at the banquet stunned the civil and military officials. Ben wang also benefited from them and was fortunate enough to have a feast for my eyes. When I mentioned it to Madam that day, I never thought that Madam would actually agree. "
"Our alliance does not include dancing for you. Don't do it again." Xia Qingqing added in her heart: This dance was not for you …
"Ben wang is already very satisfied with just this once." Hong Li chuckled. "Right, I heard that Madam's Golden Snake Camp has been in some trouble recently. Do you want ben wang to send someone to help Madam?"
"No need. That was just my method to deliberately numb Kangxi. Otherwise, Kangxi will not tolerate a united Golden Snake Camp." Xia Qingqing shook her head and flatly refused.
It turned out that Xia Qingqing had been moved by Luo Bing's words that day. She also felt that Song Qingshu did not really want to help her take revenge. Moreover, the longer she was with Song Qingshu, the more vague Yuan Chengzhi's figure became in her mind. She was afraid that one day, she would even forget to take revenge and could only choose to leave. However, she had followed Yuan Chengzhi to command the Golden Snake Camp for so long. She was no longer that unruly little girl who knew nothing and only liked to throw tantrums. Previously, because her husband had been killed, hatred had blinded her eyes. She had calmed down long ago. In her opinion, Luo Bing's vision was limited. Her plan was simply full of loopholes. Xia Qingqing was not as stupid as the people of the Red Flower Society. She would not easily give up her innocence for an illusory possibility.
Xia Qingqing first went south to Shandong. Seeing that the Golden Snake Camp was in the midst of a fierce battle, she angrily took a group of trusted aides and went north.
Shengjing.
Hong Li was having a headache. Because of the matter with Princess Jianning, he had a falling out with the Western Prince Wu Sangui. Losing Wu Sangui as an ally, he had hundreds of thousands of troops. The road south was blocked by Wu Sangui. To the north was the ferocious Mongolian Kingdom. There was no way forward, and there were pursuers from behind. Of course, if he was willing to be a prince who ruled over an area, he could naturally guard his own land and live happily for decades. Unfortunately, he had always coveted the Dragon Throne in the capital. How could he be willing to be a prince who maintained his own success?
Xia Qingqing's arrival made him overjoyed. She had brought him another way out: to ally with the Golden Snake Camp. The Golden Snake Camp would help him transport his troops from Lushunkou to Tianjin by sea. The Golden Snake Camp would then mobilize their troops from Shandong and attack the capital together. In this way, they could completely bypass Wu Sangui's Shanhai Pass. Wu Sangui and the Liao Xiao Feng were fighting fiercely. By the time he could extricate himself, the Qing Dynasty would already be in his pocket.
The reason why Hong Li had never thought of sending troops from the sea was because his subordinates were not good at fighting on the water. The Bohai Sea was under the control of the Divine Dragon Island. The Divine Dragon Island had long surrendered to the Mongolians. If he set out from the sea, his hundreds of thousands of elite troops would only be buried in the stomachs of the fish. Allying with the Golden Snake Camp could solve all of this perfectly.
In the early years, the Golden Snake Camp had mingled with the wind and the water. Today, they were still the overlord of the Yellow Sea. They were good at fighting on the water and could deal with the Divine Dragon Cult.
Because of this, Hong Li and Xia Qingqing hit it off and quickly formed an alliance. During this time, in order to discuss how to deal with the Divine Dragon Cult and the specific details of their future cooperation, Xia Qingqing had to meet with him frequently. Hong Li was worried that a strange woman frequently entering and exiting the Wangfu would arouse the suspicions of those with ulterior motives. Thus, he placed Xia Qingqing in the Wangfu with the identity of Vice Fujin to deceive people.
"That's good," Although Hong Li still had doubts in his heart, he was clear that the other's husband was killed by Kangxi. Whether it was for the benefit of the Golden Snake Camp or for her personal grudge, there was no need for her to lie to him. Changing the topic, he said, "By the way, Madame Yuan, did you see the imperial envoy sent by the court today?"
"The imperial envoy?" Xia Qingqing's heart skipped a beat. She said calmly, "I saw him. He looks like a pretty boy. He doesn't look like anything special. I presume he doesn't have any real skills."
"Madame Yuan, if you think like that, you are gravely mistaken," Hong Li said in a low voice. "After Wei Xiaobao died, Song Qingshu has become Kangxi's number one confidant. He has the vague posture of aspiring to the throne of the number one expert of the Qing Dynasty."
"No matter how high his martial arts are, he is still just a knife. What big waves can he cause?" Xia Qingqing deliberately put on a disdainful expression.
"When martial arts reach a certain level, it is no longer a knife. Madame Yuan, do you still remember how your husband died? The Golden Snake King's martial arts were very high. He had hundreds of thousands of troops under his command. He was a powerful overlord. But he still died under one blow from Dongfang Bubai. His imperial ambitions were gone in the blink of an eye. "Hong Li deliberately looked at Xia Qingqing's expression.
As expected, Xia Qingqing's expression changed greatly. "One day, I will definitely kill Dongfang Bubai to avenge Big Brother Yuan … but how many Dongfang Bubai are there in the world? The Late Night Visitor of Song Qingshu
Although his martial arts are not bad, if he wants to assassinate Your Highness, I'm afraid he is still not strong enough. "
"There are many experts in this Prince's residence. Naturally, there is no need to be afraid of him." Hong Li patted his chest heroically. "But at such a young age, he already has the bearing of a grandmaster. It is hard to guarantee that in the future, he will not grow into a terrifying existence that can kill a person in ten steps and leave no trace behind. We must be on guard."
"Your Highness, you mean to take advantage of the fact that he has not fully matured to strike first?" Xia Qingqing asked expressionlessly. "But I'm afraid this will alert the enemy and make Kangxi vigilant. The gains do not make up for the losses."
"I think it is the opposite." Hong Li sneered. "According to the spy's report, Kangxi has already asked him to establish a secret intelligence organization — the Stick Office. If it is really established, I'm afraid that in the future our actions will be restricted and we will always be in a passive position when marching and fighting. Hehe, as the saying goes, there is a road to heaven but you don't take it, there is no door to hell but you come. This time, he has walked right into the trap. How can this Prince let go of such a great opportunity? "
"But he is still an imperial envoy. If Your Highness were to make a move, the situation would be unsalvageable." Xia Qingqing frowned anxiously.
"Don't worry, this Prince has a brilliant plan." Hong Li smiled mysteriously.
Song Qingshu was escorted back to the Four Quarters Embassy by his subordinates. Just as he got off the carriage, an imperial guard came forward and quietly said, "Lord Song, a beautiful woman came to look for you."
"A beautiful woman?" Song Qingshu's eyes widened slightly as he asked in a daze, "Did she report her name?"
The guard respectfully replied, "She did not, but when she came, she was in disguise and seemed to be intentionally concealing her tracks. My brothers felt that she must have something important to discuss with you, so we took the liberty of bringing her into the Four Quarters Embassy. She is currently waiting inside. "
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