Zhou Zhengxi walked in and saw this scene.
His master was standing obediently.
She always seemed to be so quiet, calm and composed in the face of events, like a lotus blooming in a pond. Though she grew from the most muddy place, the petals she bloomed were exceptionally clean.
"This subordinate is late."
Zhou Zhengxi knew his place and retracted his gaze in time.
"It's nothing."
Song Qingchao did not notice Zhou Zhengxi's momentary lapse.
The light earlier had been a bit blinding.
Dark places could not bear the light.
If the light shone on one's body, it would hurt.
Song Qingchao came back to her senses and continued with her own affairs, paying no attention to Zhou Zhengxi's arrival.
She could not quite make out Wanyan Xiyin's expression. So she pulled at her skirt and squatted down, being careful not to touch anything unlucky.
She drew a sword from her sleeve and pressed it against Wanyan Xiyin's chin, "What is this so-called truth of yours?"
Song Qingchao smiled at him, her eyes curved, "Rather than knowing the truth, I prefer to see you like this."
Wanyan Xiyin's blood-red eyes glared fiercely at Song Qingchao. His mouth opened and closed but he could not make a sound.
Song Qingchao tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand, "Alas, tell me, wouldn't it have been better if you were like this earlier?"
She raised her head and looked at Zhou Zhengxi, "Help me lift him up, it's tiring to look at him like this."
Without a word, Zhou Zhengxi picked up Wanyan Xiyin, who had collapsed on the ground like a puddle of mud, and then, as if throwing trash, flung him against the wall.
As he walked over slowly, he drew a rope from his sleeve and tightened it around Wanyan Xiyin, binding him to a pillar.
To prevent his head from drooping, he also tied a rope around Wanyan Xiyin's head.
Thus, Wanyan Xiyin was bound in five knots.
His movements were clean and swift, clearly indicating that this was not the first time he had done this.
But Song Qingchao was very satisfied with this.
She was very satisfied to have obtained such a black knife.
She also stood up slowly, but the smile was gone from her face.
"Wanyan Xiyin, did you ever think you would reach this day?"
Song Qingchao stared at the face he had disfigured.
"If you hadn't met me, you would have already connected with the idlers in Da Yuan, right? Then you would have found ways to send the hostage back to Da Yuan and help the hostage ascend to that position. Actually, you didn't plan to do anything initially, you were just gambling. But you never expected the hostage to be so promising, which made your hidden intentions stir."
Song Qingchao paused, "Then, with the help of the hostage, you would have reclaimed the dynasty, and finally become king yourself. As king, you would still feel resentful. You were the one who helped him ascend to the throne, so why should you still pay so many tribute items each year? The northern regions are already short of grain, and now you have to share a portion of it, making you even more unwilling, so you thought, why not take it all in one go?"
Although Song Qingchao asked in the form of a question, her tone was full of certainty.
Even though these were still her guesses, she felt that her guesses were correct.
"However, you met me. What use is it for you to know these things now?"
Song Qingchao found it laughable.
In her previous life, this man had also died by her hands.
Wanyan Xiyin was not the beginning of her suffering. If there was a true culprit, it was Feng Shaocheng, who indulged himself in Chang'an and professed to love her.
"Never mind, saying so much is useless."
Song Qingchao reached out and picked up the mirror placed on the table. "Zhengxi, come and show our First Prince. His handsome and robust face is even more dashing now."
Zhou Zhengxi took the mirror and, grabbing it directly, held it up to Wanyan Xiyin's face.
Wanyan Xiyin, who had been glaring at Song Qingchao, went completely mad the moment he saw the mirror.
He could not speak, but he still roared, his neck straining, veins bulging on his skin, looking like a boiled mantis shrimp.
A large character "奴" (slave) was carved onto his face, occupying his entire right cheek.
"Go ahead and scream."
Song Qingchao tapped her ear, "You won't be able to shout tomorrow."
She leaned forward slightly and said with a smile, "Do you want to know why?"
"Because... because the antidote I fed you earlier, you didn't drink it."
Song Qingchao sighed regretfully, "All that was managed to be poured down you can only last until today."
She waved her hand, "See you tomorrow."
After saying that, Song Qingchao left with Zhou Zhengxi and Song Xiaoguo.
She left decisively, without any hesitation.
When they reached the upper level, she had Zhou Zhengxi move the largest bronze mirror in the shop downstairs and position it to face Wanyan Xiyin.
She wanted him to admire his ruined face every day.
Since he couldn't move his body at all, why would she leave his eyes idle?
To treat someone in the same way they treated others was the best method.
In her previous life, he used this trick to threaten her, so in this life, she would make him experience it.
It was not that she was too cruel. If Wanyan Xiyin had stayed in his fiefdom and not caused trouble, she might not have sought revenge so quickly.
But since they had crossed paths, she would naturally not miss the opportunity.
"Miss, it's already very late, shouldn't you go and rest?"
Song Qingchao had just nodded, but then she remembered something and said to her, "Where is the box you prepared for me?"
Song Xiaoguo quickly took out the box.
"I made some more, just in case it wasn't enough."
"I feel very reassured to have you."
Song Qingchao said as she made spatial markings on the box.
"How is the bookshop doing?"
This was something she had instructed Song Xiaoguo about while communicating.
The fourth level of the space needed to be unlocked by circulating books.
If she were alone, it might take several years.
But if more people read them, the unlocking speed would increase exponentially.
Therefore, she not only set it up at Sifangtai but also had Song Xiaoguo open a bookshop outside.
It was also during the process of compiling teaching materials that Song Qingchao discovered that new books created could also unlock the space. Once imprinted by the space, even if a copy did not have the space's mark, as long as it was circulated, her space would accumulate.
"The bookshop's sales are alright, but many people are asking if there are any new storybooks."
"Storybooks?"
Song Qingchao raised an eyebrow, "In that case, find two more storytellers to write them. As long as they sell well, we'll split the profits fifty-fifty."
She paused, "If there's someone who writes well, we can even give them an advance payment."
At the same time, she took out a few sample books from her space and handed them to Song Xiaoguo, "Let them refer to these when writing."
When Song Xiaoguo looked at these titles, she couldn't help but blush.
"The Prince's Beautiful Wife Softens with a Kiss"
"The Ruthless Prince Only Wants Hugs Every Day"
"After Marrying the General, She Was Spoiled to the Heavens"
"Eighteen Children in One Birth, the Emperor Fell for Her"
"Miss, will it work if they write like this?"
Song Qingchao, who had been walking ahead, immediately grew anxious.
"Why wouldn't it?"
She raised her eyebrows, a little excited, "These are all bestsellers!"
"Ah?" Song Xiaoguo froze completely.
Song Qingchao tapped her forehead, "Trusting me is not wrong. Our next book must follow the trend closely, and we must not have the misguided idea of touching unpopular topics."
Song Xiaoguo: "..."
Should she trust Miss?
Song Qingchao: "Listening to me is definitely not wrong."