Chapter 354: Husband and Wife Reunion

Chapter 354: Husband and Wife Reunion

If Empress Jia found out who he really was, she wouldn’t let it slide.

He approached Shen Rong and aligned with Minister Shen because of a deal he made with the King of Huaiyin.

In fact, it wasn’t Shen Rong who saved him—it was the King of Huaiyin.

But after rescuing him, the King didn’t just let him walk away.

Instead, the King discussed things with him and made other plans for him.

At the time, to protect himself and his family, he had no choice but to agree to the King’s terms.

What he didn’t expect was that his wife, in her quest to find him, ended up seeking help from the King of Huaiyin too.

And in her pursuit, she fought her way through battles, becoming the legendary 'War God of the Jin Kingdom' who turned the tide of the Jin-Liao war.

After that, she was ennobled, became a general, and eventually made her way to the capital.

Now, the situation has gotten complicated.

But now, he has no choice but to push forward.

He had already committed to the King of Huaiyin’s plan; there was no other path but to bring down Empress Jia’s faction and support the King of Huaiyin’s rise to power.

Qin Xiaoyao’s face darkened with determination.

"Then we’ll take down Empress Jia and put the King of Huaiyin on the throne," she declared.

As for Empress Jia and the King of Huaiyin, she didn’t care about any of them.

All she cared about was that anyone who tried to keep her from her husband would pay with their life.

Song Que, who had been serious, almost laughed at her boldness.

Immediately, he reached out and cupped Qin Xiaoyao’s face.

"It’s not that simple. I have my plans. You just stay safe and take care of mother and the others."

"When the opportunity comes, return to your fief in Xiaoyao County. Or go to the border, anything but staying in the capital, this place of right and wrong."

"Once the situation in the capital is settled, I will come and find you."

Qin Xiaoyao looked at Song Que and wriggled out of his hands.

"No! If you don’t agree to do it together, I’ll do it myself."

"Isn’t it just about bringing down Empress Jia? If you can do it, so can I!" Moreover, she felt that her chances of success were even higher.

After all, she was doing much better than him now.

Song Que frowned.

"Xiaoyao—" He helplessly called out.

This was exactly the situation he was worried about, which was why he had delayed seeing her.

Qin Xiaoyao merely shot him a look with a hint of annoyance.

"Calling my name won't change anything. This is settled."

"If you're really going to sit back and watch me stumble through this, then go ahead and watch." There was no way she was backing down first.

Song Que's face showed a mix of frustration and resignation.

"Alright," he finally sighed and gave in.

Qin Xiaoyao's face brightened with a smile.

She leaned in and tenderly kissed Song Que on the cheek.

"Don't worry, we're stronger together."

"And if things get desperate, I’ll take you and the others and run."

"With the vastness of the world, there will always be a place for us."

Seeing Qin Xiaoyao’s confident smile, Song Que pushed aside his concerns and smiled back.

"Alright."

He then reached out and pulled Qin Xiaoyao back into his embrace.

Qin Xiaoyao felt a sweetness in her heart and leaned comfortably on Song Que's shoulder.

"Husband, have you missed me during our time apart?" she asked shyly, her fingers twirling a strand of hair on Song Que's chest.

Song Que's heart fluttered.

He suddenly leaned close to Qin Xiaoyao's ear.

"I have, thinking of you every day and night..." he whispered, lowering his voice.

It was true; after all, he was a normal man.

Qin Xiaoyao shivered.

Her cheeks flushed red.

"Then—how about we go back to the marquis's residence later?" Her eyes, as she looked at Song Que, had taken on a hint of coquetry.

Song Que's breathing quickened slightly.

"No," he said, but his hoarse voice gave him away.

Qin Xiaoyao giggled.

"Then how about we find an inn?" she suggested, teasingly.

Song Que's eyes darkened.

"Yes—" he agreed.

The couple shared a silent understanding.

After setting a time and place, they parted ways.

Each then adjusted their slightly disheveled clothes and left the hall one after the other.

Outside, the King of Huaiyin was still waiting.

Seeing the two emerge, both with serious expressions, he made some guesses in his mind.

"Your Highness, let's go," Qin Xiaoyao spoke first, her voice cold, not sparing a glance at Song Que.

The King of Huaiyin looked at Song Que, appearing as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

Then, he simply nodded in acknowledgment to Song Que and left with Qin Xiaoyao.

Song Que stood in place, watching them leave, his eyes filled with deep thoughts.

He didn’t move until a servant came to summon him.

After Qin Xiaoyao and the King of Huaiyin left the Ministry of Rites, they boarded a carriage.

Inside, the King of Huaiyin kept glancing at Qin Xiaoyao, still looking like he wanted to speak but held back.

Qin Xiaoyao knew what the King of Huaiyin wanted to ask, but she held back, saying nothing.

She and her husband had agreed to act as strangers in public and not reveal their connection to anyone, even the King of Huaiyin.

"Ahem—Master Song might have some unspeakable reasons." After a moment, the King of Huaiyin couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke up.

Qin Xiaoyao gave him a cold, dismissive glance.

"Your Highness doesn’t need to speak for him. I only believe what I see," she replied coldly.

The King of Huaiyin was taken aback.

"Your relationship with Song Que—" he continued asking.

Qin Xiaoyao looked up again, her expression tinged with some impatience.

"Now that we’ve found him, what happens between us is no longer your concern," she said.

"Very well." The King of Huaiyin had to stop probing for information.

He became even more certain about his earlier guesses.

While he felt a twinge of guilt toward Song Que, he was also secretly pleased.

Qin Xiaoyao’s disappointment in Song Que worked in his favor, didn’t it?

Qin Xiaoyao, maintaining her cold expression, was actually very excited inside.

She was already thinking about their secret meeting that afternoon.

"Thanks to you defeating the Liao Kingdom’s Seventh Prince today, the Jin-Liao negotiations concluded successfully."

"I’ll report this to the Emperor and recommend you for a reward."

"No need, it was nothing much." Qin Xiaoyao replied indifferently, not appearing very interested.

"To you, it may have been a small effort, but to us, it was a huge help. I’ll make sure this is taken care of." The King of Huaiyin insisted.

"Hmm." Qin Xiaoyao merely responded casually, not paying much attention.

The King of Huaiyin looked a bit disappointed.

He knew Qin Xiaoyao was still preoccupied with the conflict with Song Que, so he didn’t press further.

The carriage rocked along as it finally passed through the palace gates.

Once Qin Xiaoyao and the King of Huaiyin disembarked, they mounted their respective horses.

"Your Highness, I have some business to take care of at my estate, so I can't accompany you back to camp," Qin Xiaoyao bowed to the King of Huaiyin.

Given her rank, she didn’t need formal approval for leave.

As long as she completed her duties and didn’t delay anything important, it was no issue.

So, she was definitely skipping her afternoon shift.

As for what she planned to do with her free time, well… *hehe*.

"Alright, attend to your matters first." The King of Huaiyin didn’t give it much thought and simply replied.