Volume One, Chapter 13: Song Qingwu Comes Calling

At dusk, they returned to the inn.

From a distance, Shen Ji immediately saw Song Qingwu standing fully at the door.

Expecting Shen Ji to be back around this time, he hurried over again.

The moment he saw Shen Ji, Song Qingwu quickly trotted forward and saluted, “Greetings, Young Marquis.”

Shen Ji glanced coldly at Song Qingwu. “I’m busy searching for the disaster relief silver that was stolen. I have no time for your nonsense. Get lost!”

Hearing Shen Ji’s words, Song Qingwu cursed bitterly in his heart.

Go to hell, you worthless fool!

You’re a dog who mistakes trivial matters for orders!

Nevertheless, despite his anger, Song Qingwu dared not fall out with Shen Ji at this moment.

“Please calm down, Young Marquis!”

Holding back his rage, Song Qingwu wore a sorrowful expression and said, “I’ve also heard the news that the lecherous criminal Zhou Tong has been executed. I suspect Qingluan may have also fallen victim to that fiend.”

“I heard Young Marquis found half a jade pendant on that villain. I wanted to see if it matches Qingluan’s pendant, to confirm whether she truly suffered at that scoundrel’s hands…”

As he spoke, Song Qingwu squeezed out a few tears with great effort.

Seeing Song Qingwu’s pitiful display, many people silently sighed.

Previously, when Song Qingluan disappeared, rumors flew everywhere.

But with Zhou Tong’s execution, the mystery of her disappearance was basically solved.

Following Pang Ying, another great beauty of Qingzhou had been murdered.

Of the four great beauties of Qingzhou, two had been ruined by Zhou Tong!

That lecherous villain truly deserved to die!

Still, he had not lived his life in vain.

“What nonsense!”

Shen Ji snapped impatiently, his voice sharp. “One moment she’s harmed by me, the next she elopes, then she falls victim to Zhou Tong? How many Song Qingluans does your family have?”

“A misunderstanding, Young Marquis, it’s all a misunderstanding!” Song Qingwu hurried to apologize. “We were influenced by those rumors before. Now I understand that Qingluan’s disappearance definitely has nothing to do with you…”

“Enough, enough!” Shen Ji cut him off. “I’ve been busy all day and haven’t even had a hot meal! If you have something to say, wait until after I’ve eaten!”

Having said that, Shen Ji, too weary to argue, strode directly into the inn.

Watching Shen Ji enter without a backward glance, Song Qingwu cursed bitterly in his heart.

This useless wretch!

And now he’s putting on airs?

Back then, a mere wave of his hand would send Shen Ji running to him at once.

He still preferred the old Shen Ji to this one.

It was all Qingluan’s fault!

She didn’t know how to be careful, got caught by this fool, and was misunderstood as having a tryst with someone.

Now she put her life on the line, and Shen Ji has turned against the Song family.

This wretch is like a mad dog, always snapping at the Song family!

If he didn’t need this dog’s help, would he be so humble?

Shen Ji paid no mind to Song Qingwu and went straight to his room with Chi Chi.

***

“It seems the Young Marquis’s guess was correct.”

As soon as they entered the room, Chi Chi beamed at Shen Ji.

The more anxious Song Qingwu grew, the more it confirmed the Young Marquis’s suspicions.

Previously, she had feared the Young Marquis might be wrong.

Now it was basically certain that the Young Marquis’s guess was right.

He was truly clever!

Just from half a jade pendant, he could deduce so much!

Chi Chi smiled brightly at her Young Marquis, her eyes like jade grapes.

“Don’t deal with him yet. Let him stew a little so they won’t suspect it’s a trap.”

Shen Ji smiled.

“Got it!” Chi Chi nodded firmly.

Soon, the inn prepared their meal.

After Shen Ji finished eating, a county soldier guarding the inn came to report that Song Qingwu requested to see him.

“I’m busy! No time!” Shen Ji snapped and went back to rest.

The soldier quickly relayed Shen Ji’s reply to Song Qingwu.

Song Qingwu cursed again in his heart, hesitated, then steeled himself and shouted loudly, “If the Young Marquis refuses to see me, I will kneel here until I die!”

With that, Song Qingwu thudded down on his knees.

His voice was loud.

Shen Ji inside the inn heard it clearly.

Kneel then! Kneel all you want!

Who’s afraid of your kneeling?

He just didn’t know if Ning Shu would intervene.

After all, Song Qingwu’s tragic act could easily win sympathy.

...

Half an hour later, Qiuyi knocked on Shen Ji’s door.

“Miss Qiu, is there something so late?” Chi Chi opened the door with a smile.

Qiuyi glanced inside, saw Shen Ji’s clothing intact and Chi Chi’s outfit tidy, then said coolly, “My master asked me to tell the Young Marquis to stop this.”

With that, Qiuyi left without another word.

Watching Qiuyi leave, Chi Chi returned to Shen Ji’s side, admiration shining in her eyes.

“The Young Marquis guessed it right again. That person really couldn’t bear it!”

“Women, always unable to tell friend from foe,” Shen Ji smiled wryly and instructed Chi Chi, “Bring Song Qingwu in.”

Soon, Song Qingwu, whose legs had gone numb from kneeling, was led into Shen Ji’s room.

After struggling to control his temper, Song Qingwu knelt slowly. “I am Song Qingwu, paying respects to the Young Marquis.”

Though he had knelt outside for a long time, he had never knelt before Shen Ji.

Now, kneeling before the man he had always considered a useless idiot and fool, he felt a strong sense of humiliation.

Shen Ji did not call him up but asked knowingly, “What’s the meaning of this commotion?”

Lowering his head, Song Qingwu replied sorrowfully, “Young Marquis, Qingluan is truly missing…”

He repeated the words he had told Shen Ji outside.

In short, he wanted to see that half of the jade pendant.

“Stop spouting nonsense!” Shen Ji snorted lightly. “I spent all day with Song Qingluan. How could I not know if she had such a pendant?”

Song Qingwu hurriedly said, “Qingluan had many pendants. How could the Young Marquis have seen them all?”

“I know you have some misunderstandings about Qingluan. I won’t try to explain for her.”

“Now, Qingluan may have fallen victim to that lecherous Zhou Tong. I beg the Young Marquis, for the sake of your past dealings, to let me see that pendant!”

“Please show mercy, Young Marquis…”

As he spoke, Song Qingwu endured the humiliation and kowtowed hard.

His head thudded repeatedly against the floor, as if it belonged to someone else.

“That broken pendant, I’ve lost it!” Shen Ji teased Song Qingwu. “But those two bellybands seem to still be around. How about I show you those, and you see if they belong to Song Qingluan?”

Belly... bellybands?

Song Qingwu’s face twitched uncontrollably.

What use is a bellyband?

Could he really recognize his sister’s bellyband?

If he could tell hers apart, and word got out, who knew how the gossipmongers would twist it!

He realized it!

Shen Ji was doing this on purpose!

He wanted to stir up nonsense to ruin the Song family’s reputation.

How devious!

How had he never noticed before that this useless wretch was so cunning?

“You jest, Young Marquis. How could I recognize my sister’s intimate belongings?” Song Qingwu begged bitterly. “Please don’t make things difficult for me…”

“You don’t know, but someone else does!” Shen Ji’s face suddenly flickered with a fierce light. “The scoundrel she met secretly surely knows! Call that villain here, and let him identify them properly!”

Villain?

Song Qingwu was stunned.

Alright!

He admitted he had overestimated this useless wretch!

He hadn’t thought so deeply.

He just wanted to find that supposed villain!

He wanted to take revenge on that man!