Yang’s wife, feeling satisfied she finally met Song Chongjin, glared fiercely at him for a good half of the day, but didn’t speak.

Song Chongjin allowed him to scrutinize freely, sitting aside, self-assured in his endurance.

So he just drank tea, sipping while examining the confessions, pondering their credibility.

After quite a while, with the winter chill biting hard, and it being night, even with two charcoal burners inside the room, they were of limited use, especially with Yang’s wife lying on the ground, his clothes soaked with water, forming a thin layer of ice.

The cold seeped deeply into his bones, as much as he mentally believed he could withstand it, his body was shivering uncontrollably, face pale and words stuck in his mouth.

He glanced at Song Chongjin, who was engrossed in his papers, not granting a glance, feeling both embarrassed and anxious, he stammered, "You... you..."

Song Chongjin finally set down the confession, giving Yang’s wife a look, "Ready to confess?"

Yang’s wife wanted to hold out, but when he spoke, it turned into, "Cold... I’m cold..."

Song Chongjin nodded, and naturally, someone came to place a charcoal burner in front of Yang’s wife.

Shivering, he tried to get closer to the burner, wishing he could clutch it, only after a long time did he slowly recover.

Back to himself, he declared, "Wine, I want to drink wine!"

The guard beside looked at Song Chongjin.

Song Chongjin smiled, "I think what you need is not wine, but to calm down a bit more?" and motioned to have the burner taken away.

Yang’s wife panicked and quickly said, "Give me a sip of hot water, then I’ll talk!"

A bowl of hot water was brought over, a guard helped Yang’s wife drink it down, his complexion gradually improved, realizing this person in front had a stone cold heart, his antics had reached the limit, didn’t dare to act out again.

He pondered for a while before saying, "What I want to say, only you can hear, no one else can!"

Song Chongjin squinted his eyes.

Yang’s wife hurriedly added, "I’m doing this for your good!"

Song Chongjin waved his hand, the guards quickly retreated outside and shut the door.

"Alright, you can speak now." Song Chongjin took a sip of tea.

Yang’s wife took a deep breath, but moved to his injury, groaning, then said, "Didn’t you recognize me as the king?"

Song Chongjin’s brow twitched, looking at Yang’s wife.

Yang’s wife awkwardly fumbled around his face for half a day, tore off a person-skin-like thing, revealing Prince Bayar’s proud face.

With Song Chongjin’s current shrewdness, suddenly seeing Yang’s wife turned into Prince Bayar made him stunned for a moment, before finding his voice again, "Prince Bayar?"

Prince Bayar snorted, "Indeed, it’s me, the young prince!"

Then he saw Song Chongjin examining him with an extremely peculiar expression, instantly his back’s hairs stood on end, hastily said loudly, "Don’t misunderstand! I’m disguised and came to Great Chu for serious matters, it couldn’t alarm others, so had to do this! I know you are Queen Ah Lan’s kin, this negotiation is thanks to her credit! Queen Ah Lan thinks of you, but how do you repay her? Let me tell you—"

Song Chongjin couldn’t help but size up this princeling, more like an idiot than a prince!

Listening to this princeling talking on and on about Queen Ah Lan, Song Chongjin gradually understood.

In Prince Bayar’s eyes, everyone and everything should submit to Queen Ah Lan.

Due to his parents, he had significant contact with Queen Ah Lan, had long given his young heart fully to her, and would live or die for her.

Also due to his parents, among peers, Queen Ah Lan favored him most closely, looking at him, and he considered her more important than his actual parents.

The negotiations, as overheard from his concubine mother, carelessly revealed that the deputy envoy for negotiations supported by Great Chu, is Queen Ah Lan’s only surviving kin, young and promising.

Queen Ah Lan was concerned for this kin, despite being in a foreign nation, she wanted to help him out.

Opening trade routes between the two nations was just a token of affection from Queen Ah Lan.

Prince Bayar believed, among the young generation, Queen Ah Lan was most closely connected to him, most favoring him, so seeing a kin emerge receiving such regard from the queen, naturally felt discontent.

So he whined and pouted, moved Queen Ah Lan to let him handle the final negotiations, wanting to see what kind of person the queen cared about so much.

Especially after hearing Queen Ah Lan’s yearning for home, unable to return, merely wishing to stay in Great Chu, even the border, to build a temporary residence for reunion, satisfying herself to stay for several days, deeply intent on making it happen to please Queen Ah Lan.

Feeling aggrieved, he continuously troubled Song Chongjin, unexpectedly, Song Chongjin remained unyielding, nearly disrupting peace talks, fearing Queen Ah Lan’s disappointment, so restrained somewhat.

Thinking Queen Ah Lan’s small demands, Great Chu would undoubtedly meet.

Seeing Song Chongjin standing firm, Prince Bayar loathed him, calling him ungrateful, received such great help from Queen Ah Lan, yet wouldn’t lift a finger for trivial matters.

Increasingly, he pitied Queen Ah Lan, plotting how to persuade Song Chongjin to fulfill the residence plan, allowing him honor to face the queen.

With reigning parents having numerous talented retainers, he being the most doted upon young one, naturally many would follow orders.

Being a prairie noble, couldn’t easily leave the prairie for Great Chu nor cross borders.

They devised a scheme, conveniently having a dark network involved in fur trade, secretly smuggling people across.

Though slightly humiliated, Prince Bayar, for Queen Ah Lan, willing to do anything, didn’t feel it was degrading.

Sneakingly arriving on Great Chu’s side, with strict security at the County Yamen and officers’ residences, as unfamiliar faces, they dared not appear.

With difficulty, hearing of an upcoming grand feast, hearing those Great Chu officials would attend, marking their only opportunity.

Initially planned, posing as servants to blend in, but chose too meticulously, failing to infiltrate.

Furthermore, dared not let Ma Daha know, someone suggested instead disguising as Ma Daha’s new madam, mingling with the ladies.

Wasn’t Song Chongjin married? Whisper a few words to his madam to influence him, might succeed as well. Didn’t his father love listening to his mother’s pillow talk?

Initially, Prince Bayar resisted, losing status, but no other choice existed, for Queen Ah Lan, he endured.

Fortunately, Yang’s wife’s height matches perfectly.

Thus went through with it, knocked out the unfortunate Yang’s wife, skinned her face off, carefully crafted into a mask, worn by Prince Bayar.

Yang’s wife was originally a female slave owned by Prince Bayar, to them a worthless life, cheaper than grass, felt no wrongdoing.

Afraid of Ma Daha discovering, claimed illness, coincidentally Ma Daha was busy, successfully bypassed.