Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 391: Alliance (part 1)

“So it turns out to be Young Master Mu.” Song Qingshu returned the salute, “Compared to the efforts made by the Prince Mu’s Mansion over the years in the fight against the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty, this Song’s humble reputation is really not worth mentioning.”

“Brother Song had a high position in the Qing court, but you didn’t covet all the glory and wealth. I admire your humble attitude.” Mu Jiansheng suddenly looked guilty, “It’s embarrassing to say that I used to be under the misunderstanding that you were the running dog of the Qing court, and I even cursed you behind your back.”

“Sacrificing my reputation would be a cheap price to pay, if I could assassinate Kangxi, but it’s a pity that I fell short…” Song Qingshu said with a look of regret on his face, but he thought in his heart, ‘My ability to act and smooth talk people seems to have greatly improved…’

Mu Jiansheng wanted to quickly speak some words of consolation, then he suddenly thought of what Song Qingshu just said, and hurriedly asked. “Could it be that Brother Song assassinated Kangxi to restore the Ming Dynasty?”

Song Qingshu thought to himself, ‘Of course not! I have no interest in restoring the Ming Dynasty, which I have zero attachment to. I naturally want to create something new and become my own boss.

However, the anti-Qing and restoration of the Ming dynasty seems to be quite the popular topic in this world. So there is no need to reveal my true intentions so quickly.

Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were so fierce in their time, but they still had to hold the banner of Emperor Yi. Zhu Yuanzhang also regarded Han Lin’er as his nominal master. I should learn from them…there is no need for me to be too high profile.’

“I have a close relationship with Princess Changping of the former Ming Dynasty…” Song Qingshu deliberately lowered his voice and said something ambiguous. He neither admitted that he was fighting against the Qing Dynasty to restore the Ming Dynasty, nor he denied it. It depended on how Mu Jiansheng interpreted it.

“The Ninth Princess?” A look of surprise bloomed in Mu Jiansheng’s eyes, as if he suddenly realized something astonishing. The way he looked at Song Qingshu changed completely as he thought in his heart, ‘Wouldn’t that mean that Song Qingshu could be the son-in-law and prince-consort of Emperor Chongzhen?’

Thinking of that possibility Mu Jiansheng’s expression suddenly became even more respectful.

Thinking of the addition of such a powerful master into the Ming camp, Mu Jiansheng almost couldn’t suppress the joy in his heart.

Over the past few years, they had failed to make any significant advancements in their efforts to oppose the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty. Not to mention the other members of the Prince Mu’s Mansion, even he was in the brink of losing his confidence.

“By the way, I may I know where the Ninth Princess is now?”

“She went to the Western Regions to practice some time ago.” Song Qingshu thought to himself, ‘Ajiu shouldn’t blame me for using her name here. After all, I am trying to get close to her father’s former subordinates.’

Originally, Mu Jiansheng only regarded Song Qingshu as a friend because of his reputation for assassinating Kangxi. But now because of Princess Changping, Mu Jiansheng subconsciously regarded him as one of his own, and Song Qingshu became more and more pleasing to his eyes.

“Brother Song, who are these two?” Mu Jiansheng’s eyes moved to Bing Xue’er, and he was shocked, ‘What a beautiful woman, could this be Song Qingshu’s wife? And this little girl, could it be their child? Then what about the Ninth Princess?’

Song Qingshu introduced the two girls, “This is the widow of Hu Yidao, the Hero of Liaodong, and this is the orphan of Miao Renfeng, the Golden-faced Buddha.”

“Hu Yidao, and Miao Renfeng?” Mu Jiansheng’s expression suddenly turned ugly.

Song Qingshu was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly realized his mistake, and cursed in his heart,

‘Oh sh1t!’

Originally, he was under the impression that both Hu Yidao and Miao Renfeng were famous righteous heroes in the world, and they also fought against the Qing Dynasty, so the people in Prince Mu’s Mansion should treat their families differently.

Unfortunately, after noticing Mu Jiansheng’s expression, Song Qingshu suddenly remembered that the ancestors of Hu Yidao and Miao Renfeng were both bodyguards of King Chuang, Li Zicheng, and it was Li Zicheng who had forced Emperor Chongzhen to his death.

Song Qingshu coughed lightly and quickly explained, “Now that the Qing Dynasty is at its peak, we can only have a chance to win by uniting all the forces that can be united and establishing a united front.”

“Unite all the forces that can be united and establish a united front…” Mu Jiansheng murmured to himself.

Although he had never heard of the sentence before, the words were rough and logical, and he quickly understood the meaning. And suddenly, it felt like words of wisdom!

Mu Jiansheng looked at Song Qingshu with a complex expression, “Brother Song is really talented. If we had understood this truth back then, we wouldn’t have given up half of the remaining Ming Dynasty to the invaders so easily.”

“It’s not too late to wake up now.” Song Qingshu slightly smiled.

“Thank you Brother Song for your advice,” Mu Jiansheng nodded and called everyone in Prince Mu’s Mansion to come over, “Let me introduce this person to you all.”

“This is Song Qingshu, who is famous all over the world. He and the Ninth Princess…are very close, so he is one of our own.”

Everyone in Prince Mu’s Mansion went in an uproar, and started whispering to each other.

Mu Jianping glanced at Fang Yi worriedly, and saw that her face had turned slightly pale.

Fang Yi sighed in her heart, ‘Sure enough, only a noble woman like the Ninth Princess is worthy of him. I am destined to only play the role of a maid…’

Mu Jiansheng didn’t know what the two women were thinking, so he introduced them next.

“This is my sister Mu Jianping.”

Song Qingshu looked at this cute girl and smiled, “Greetings, Honored Princess.”

Seeing him greeting her so formally, Mu Jianping’s face turned red, and she responded, “Song…Brother Song, you will be the consort…the consort in the future, so I should salute you.”

Song Qingshu was stunned for a moment, but he didn’t bother to explain.

Mu Jiansheng then proceeded to introduce everyone else, “This is Master Liu Dahong, the Iron-Backed Dragon, and this is Master Wu Lishen, the Head-Shaking Lion.”