Flower Stealing Master

FSM Patreon Update: 5 more chapters added to the FSM Patreon advanced tier, making it 20 chapters. Become a Flower Stealing Master ($5 per month) member at Goblinslate Patreonand get 20 Advance Chapters immediately, then stay 20 chapters ahead of the regular release for the month! I will be adding more in the future.

Song Qingshu looked down and saw a man with square eyes and a broad nose, exuding a fierce aura. 

A long scar near his eyes stood out, a mark famous in the capital. Song Qingshu had heard tales of him—rumors said the scar came from saving Jin Emperor Xizong from an assassin years ago.

“Wanyan Tesi, what kind of Palace Guard Commander are you? An assassin infiltrated the Empress’s chambers and even dared attack me openly!” King Wei roared, pointing at the wound on his face.

Wanyan Tesi knelt, cold sweat dripping. “I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness, and the Empress’s too. This female assassin’s martial arts were too formidable. We gathered many experts and even called the Grand Steward to wound her gravely. We thought she’d fled in the chaos, but who’d expect her to be so bold as to stay in the palace…”

“Forgiveness?” King Wei fumed. “Such a grave mistake, and you think ‘forgiveness’ suffices? If I’d been harmed today, how many lives could you offer? Guards, drag Wanyan Tesi out and give him eighty heavy strikes!”

The crowd exchanged glances. Eighty strikes would kill an ordinary man. Even with Wanyan Tesi’s martial skills, it’d cost him half his life. More crucially, as Palace Guard Commander and overseer of the capital’s forbidden army, his status was no small matter—hardly someone to be punished so casually.

Seeing no one move, King Wei sneered, “What, planning to rebel? Ignoring my commands now?”

With no way to resolve this, Wanyan Tesi stood firm. “Forgive my insolence, but I answer directly to the Emperor, not others. I’ll give Your Highness an explanation for today, but now I must pursue the assassin. I’ll take my leave!”

He knew well he was the Emperor’s confidant. King Wei had tried to win him over multiple times, but Wanyan Tesi remained loyal, aligning closer to the Emperor’s brother, King Changsheng, Wanyan Yuan—a rival of King Wei. Naturally, King Wei harbored resentment and likely seized this chance to eliminate him. Wanyan Tesi wouldn’t sit idly by. He’d navigate this crisis, and once word reached the Emperor or King Changsheng, they’d protect him.

Watching the clash between Wanyan Tesi and King Wei, Empress Pei Man stood nearby, her face expressionless, but a slight upturn at her lips betrayed her true mood: ‘Let them fight—the bigger the chaos, the better.’

“Insolent!” King Wei pulled an object from his robes and raised it high. “Wanyan Tesi, you think only Father Emperor can judge you? Open your wretched eyes and see what this is!”

‘That sh!t is blinding my eyes!’ Song Qingshu, hidden on a beam above, winced at the glint of the golden token in King Wei’s hand.

The crowd saw it clearly and paled, dropping to their knees. “Long live our Emperor, ten thousand years!”

Even Empress Pei Man rose to salute, startling Song Qingshu. He peered at the palm-sized golden token, engraved with “As if I Were Present” in large characters, flanked by smaller, curling Jurchen script he couldn’t read.

“These Jurchens adopt Han customs quickly, even ‘As if I Were Present,’” Song Qingshu muttered to himself. He never understood why a mere token held such power—against a true rebel, even the Emperor himself might fall to a single blade.

With even the Empress kneeling before him, King Wei’s face gleamed with pride. “Guards, drag Wanyan Tesi out for eighty heavy strikes!”

“Yes!” No soldier dared refuse now, stepping forward to seize Wanyan Tesi. He shook them off with a surge of energy.

“Wanyan Tesi, do you dare rebel?” King Wei bellowed.

From the beam, Song Qingshu shook his head. He’d already sensed the rift—King Wei clearly targeted Wanyan Tesi, using this incident to strike. But to Song Qingshu, the prince’s actions seemed childish, mere venting with no gain. Instead, he’d fully provoked a heavyweight like Wanyan Tesi. A seasoned politician would either refrain or go all in. With that token, King Wei could’ve branded Wanyan Tesi a traitor the moment he resisted, executing him on the spot to end all threats. Instead, he just flaunted his power, sowing endless trouble.

Wanyan Tesi’s expression flickered, but he snorted, “No need to drag me—I’ll walk myself.” He turned and followed the enforcers out.

After dealing with Wanyan Tesi, King Wei faced Empress Pei Man coldly. “Your Majesty, the guards outside your chambers failed to notice an assassin’s entry. Such negligence demands a change.”

Before she could respond, he continued, “Guards, arrest all the Taihe Hall guards on duty today and throw them in the dungeon. Replace all the maids and eunuchs here too— I’ll personally select their replacements.”

Empress Pei Man’s face tightened. “I’m accustomed to my personal attendants. They know my habits and serve me well. No need for Your Highness to trouble yourself.”

King Wei gave her a long look, then chuckled. “How could I refuse Your Majesty’s small request?”

Song Qingshu mused silently: ‘Not entirely incompetent. He’s swapped Taihe Hall’s guards for his own men. The Empress, caught off-guard by the assassin, can only yield. From now on, Taihe Hall is under his thumb—every move she makes, he’ll know.’

“I’ll check on that wretch Wanyan Tesi and won’t disturb Your Majesty’s rest.” King Wei, triumphant, strutted out, his steps light. The two stunning maids he’d eyed earlier? After the assassin’s chaos, his interest waned. With Taihe Hall now his, those maids would be his soon enough—no rush.

After King Wei left, Song Qingshu lingered on the beam, hoping to glean something useful from the Empress. But, wary of King Wei’s men, she revealed nothing.

Finding no value, Song Qingshu slipped away amid Taihe Hall’s bustle. Leaving the hall, he hesitated but decided to check Xiao Xingguo’s quarters.

As expected, the yellow robed woman had returned. Song Qingshu grumbled inwardly—’Does she think this is her home?’ Good thing he wasn’t truly a eunuch, or hiding an assassin would cost his “nine clans” dearly.

“You… how’d you get out?” The yellow robed woman leaned against the bedpost, her face bloodless. Seeing Song Qingshu, she froze in shock.

“Heroine, you’ve got no conscience,” Song Qingshu teased, moving to sit on the bed. Her glare stopped him, so he grabbed a stool instead. “Lucky for me, Taihe Hall was in chaos, so I slipped out. If they’d found I brought the assassin, ten heads wouldn’t save me.”

Guilt flashed across her face. “I planned to rescue you once things calmed, but you escaped on your own… Wait, didn’t I seal your acupoints?” Suspicion clouded her eyes.

Song Qingshu replied calmly, “No idea. My lower back tingled suddenly, and I could move again.”

“There must’ve been another expert in the hall,” she said, her earlier doubts confirmed. “No idea if they’re friend or foe.”

Song Qingshu laughed. “You said they helped you escape, so they’re likely not an enemy.”

“True,” she nodded. “I wondered if they were the Empress’s men, but since they freed you, probably not…”

“Heroine, worry about yourself first,” Song Qingshu cut in. “Your face is paler than a month-long great aunt. If you don’t recover soon, you might not last.”

“With me gone, you’d be thrilled—no one to boss you around,” she said, coughing mid-sentence. “By the way, what’s ‘great aunt’?”

“Uh, it means a wound that bleeds endlessly,” Song Qingshu dodged, switching topics. “I’d hate for you to die. If you do, who’ll unseal my death acupoints? I’d have to join you.”

“You’re a bold little eunuch,” she teased with a smile. “Don’t worry. Once I’m healed, I’ll free your acupoints and stop forcing you. Sigh, we’re both just pitiful souls…”

Song Qingshu smirked inwardly. ‘Stunning beauty, top-tier martial arts, and you’re playing pitiful to a broken eunuch? Dramatic much?’

Drip, drip…

“What’s that sound?” Song Qingshu glanced behind her.

“I took an arrow,” she admitted after a long pause. “I can’t reach my back. Please help me.”