Reborn Song Qingshu: Besieging Bright Peak at the Start

Chapter 62 Sitting Together and Asking Questions

The words are divided into two parts.

Zhao Min didn't notice Fan Yao's departure at all.

At that time, she was sitting opposite Song Qingshu, chatting happily.

Order a hot pot, cut three pounds of raw mutton, and pour two pounds of liquor.

The soup was bubbling away, and the aroma of the broth, along with the steam, wafted towards people's faces.

Zhao Min picked up her bamboo chopsticks, dipped a slice of mutton into the boiling soup, and a few drops of hot soup inadvertently splashed from her fingertips onto the back of her hand.

She hissed softly and was about to pull her hand away when a plain handkerchief was offered to her.

Zhao Min's ears burned slightly. She took the soup and wiped the back of her hand, then said stubbornly, "It was just a little soup that got splashed. Young Master Song is quite thoughtful."

"6

Song Qingshu smiled, withdrew his hand, and poured himself a cup of wine: "Miss Zhao is of noble birth; it wouldn't be good for her to get burned."

After a few drinks, Zhao Min smiled gently, the alcohol making her cheeks even more radiant.

Looking at her charmingly naive appearance, Song Qingshu felt as if he had returned to the future, to a weekend evening when he was having hot pot and chatting with his girlfriend, and for a moment he was in a daze.

Seeing him staring at her blankly, Zhao Min quickly turned her face away.

Then, seemingly feeling embarrassed, he turned around and glared back fiercely.

Song Qingshu found her adorable, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips as he picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

"Fine, you dare laugh at me!"

Zhao Min patted the edge of the table, her cheeks puffing out slightly.

"You're punished by having to drink three cups!"

  

Song Qingshu did not refuse, picked up the cup and drank, and after three cups of wine, his face did not change color.

Seeing that he had indeed drunk the wine, Zhao Min's eyes flashed with a sly glint. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "Young Master Song, how about we play a game? We'll ask each other questions, and if you can't answer, you have to drink a cup as punishment. You have to tell the truth, no lying allowed."

Her eyes shone like stars as she looked at him expectantly.

Seeing her like this, Song Qingshu nodded and said, "Okay."

"Let me ask first!"

Zhao Min was overjoyed and sat up straight.

"Young Master Song, do you know who I am?"

After asking the question, he raised his chin, looking confident of victory.

Song Qingshu naturally knew her background, but he didn't expose her. He picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, which was considered as accepting the punishment.

"Since you're being so cooperative, I'll tell you then."

Zhao Min smiled, her voice tinged with pride: "My father is the Prince of Ruyang, who holds great military power in the current dynasty. I am a Mongolian woman, my real name is Minmin Temur, and the Emperor bestowed upon me the title of Princess Shaomin. Zhao Min is a Han name that I chose myself."

Song Qingshu immediately feigned great shock and hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying, "So it is Your Highness the Princess. I was blind and am truly terrified."

He bowed slightly as he spoke, but didn't bend down for a long time.

Zhao Min rolled her eyes at him, annoyed: "Come on, I might believe anyone else who said they were terrified, but Young Master Song is thick-skinned and even bolder. How could he possibly take me, a princess, seriously?"

If you're going to perform the ceremony, then do it properly. Why all the talk and no action?

Song Qingshu awkwardly touched his nose and sat back down.

"Alright, it's your turn to ask."

Zhao Min rested her chin on her hand, twirling the wine glass between her fingers.

Song Qingshu's gaze swept over her, but he couldn't think of a problem for the moment.

Seeing his shifty gaze, Zhao Min immediately became wary and shrank back: "I—I'm warning you, don't ask lewd questions!"

Song Qingshu: Huh? Is that how this girl sees me?

He paused, then asked, "Why did Miss Zhao mention having me accompany you to do that thing when she gave me the Black Jade Bone-Mending Ointment?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the smile on Zhao Min's face slowly faded.

She didn't answer, but picked up her wine glass and drank it down. Her fingertips traced the rim of the glass, and she remained silent for a long time, a hint of inexplicable melancholy appearing in her eyes.

Song Qingshu never expected that a simple question would seem to have stirred up her innermost thoughts.

After a moment, Zhao Min looked up at him, her expression serious: "Young Master Song, let me ask you, if I had truly destroyed the Wudang Sect that day, how would you have treated me?"

Song Qingshu tilted his head back and downed a glass of wine. When he put the glass down, he said in a calm tone, "I don't make assumptions about things that haven't happened."

Seeing that he was avoiding the question, Zhao Min raised an eyebrow: "I thought you would say that I would definitely skin that vixen Zhao Min alive, tear her tendons out, and grind her bones to dust, otherwise I would not be able to quell the hatred in my heart."

She paused, then asked, "Young Master Song, do you think I'm more beautiful, or is Miss Zhou from the Emei Sect more beautiful?"

Song Qingshu chuckled and asked, "Miss Zhao, is this considered a series of questions?"

Zhao Min, impatient for his answer, poured herself a glass of wine and drank it down: "At worst, I'll punish myself with a glass of wine. Oh, hurry up and tell me."

Seeing her looking up at him, Song Qingshu felt that the person in front of him was infinitely beautiful in the lamplight, and without thinking, he said, "Of course you are beautiful."

Zhao Min's eyes lit up instantly. Overjoyed, she reached out and placed her hand on Song Qingshu's hand: "Young Master Song, would you like to come see me often? If I invite you over for drinks frequently, will you come?"

The soft touch on the back of his hand sent a shiver down Song Qingshu's spine.

My first instinct was to drink strategically, but then I realized, damn it! I've been flirted with by this girl?

He then countered with a question: "Miss Zhao, does this mean you have feelings for me?"

I thought Zhao Min would evade the question, but to my surprise, she answered decisively: "Of course I meant it! If I didn't, you'd be dead a million times over!"

The question and answer just now were both said without thinking, under the influence of the atmosphere.

As soon as Zhao Min's clear voice fell, the room fell silent.

Both of them were stunned for a moment before Zhao Min belatedly realized that she had been too blunt.

Her face instantly turned red to her ears. She abruptly pulled her hand back, hurriedly picked up the wine glass, and took a big gulp. The wine made her cough twice.

Song Qingshu also picked up his wine glass and took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he didn't say anything.

For a moment, all that could be heard was the bubbling of the hot pot and the flickering of the lights.

In the silence, Song Qingshu realized that Fan Yao would be taking action tonight, and that he was probably close to succeeding.

Seeing Zhao Min's slightly flushed profile, his heart softened inexplicably, and he spoke first: "Miss Zhao, why don't you release the masters of the six major sects? Wouldn't it be better if we could all be friends happily?"

Zhao Min hadn't recovered from the earlier panic when she heard this, and casually replied, "Great, that's exactly what I was hoping for."

"You are the chief disciple of Wudang and have good relations with the Ming Cult. Go and tell them that as long as they submit to the imperial court, my father will report to the emperor, and everyone will receive a reward."

Song Qingshu sighed softly in his heart.

Sometimes I really don't know whether to say this girl is smart or stupid. The gap between national and familial perspectives can't be bridged by simply saying "let's be friends".

He slowly shook his head, his tone calm: "In the hearts of us Han people, there is a longing: to restore the land and rivers of Han people."

Zhao Min abruptly stood up, her smile vanishing completely: "How dare you utter such treasonous words? Isn't this blatant rebellion?!"

Song Qingshu looked up at her, his expression calm: "Did the princess only find out today?"

Zhao Min stared at him for a long time, the anger and surprise on her face slowly fading, replaced by a mixture of tenderness and disappointment. Finally, she sat down again and said, "I already knew, but I only believe it is truly irreversible when I hear it from your own mouth."

These words were spoken with great sorrow.

Hearing these words, I felt an indescribable bitterness.

Song Qingshu opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything to comfort him. He simply picked up his wine glass and took another sip.

The two sat facing each other in silence for a while, and the room fell silent again.

"Forget it, let's not talk about these unpleasant things tonight."

Zhao Min spoke first, shaking her head as if to shake off all her worries.

"Young Master Song, sometimes I think, if I weren't some princess, and you weren't a young hero of Wudang, if we were just ordinary people, born in a peaceful era, without national or personal grudges, and could stroll through the streets in our free time, eating hot pot like this, how wonderful that would be."

As she spoke, a look of longing seemed to appear in Zhao Min's eyes.

Song Qingshu turned to look out the window. Tonight, the sky was full of stars, scattered across the inky black sky.

Yes! In the old streets of this small town, how wonderful it would be for lovers to stroll hand in hand, wander the streets, and watch a movie!

Just as he was about to say something, a sudden red light appeared on the distant horizon, turning half of the night sky orange-red. Immediately afterward, shouts and clamor rose and fell, carrying from afar.

Wan'an Temple caught fire!