After listening for a while, Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu understood clearly.
Isn’t this what they call a rare commodity worth hoarding?
The four want to take advantage of Song Chongjin’s current low point in life, to invest in him. In the future, when Song Chongjin rises to high office and wealth, they too can rise smoothly.
It’s hard to tell if the four have keen eyesight, or if they’re risking everything on this bet.
Wang Yongzhu glanced at the four people: "Are you married?"
The four of Song Xiaoyin exchanged looks and then shyly smiled: "All four of us brothers are not married. In the future, if Madam sees soone suitable, or if the sisters serving around you don’t mind us, we’d ask Madam to help us keep an eye out. We four brothers are from the sa village, our fathers have all passed away. When it cos to marrying, we’re counting on Madam!"
They were indeed seizing the opportunity to attach themselves to Wang Yongzhu.
Of course, this was also a way to show their loyalty to Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu, so they accepted Wang Yongzhu arranging marriages for them.
It must be known that among the maids serving Wang Yongzhu, even though there are currently only two, those who can stay by her side are surely her trusted aides.
To marry a trusted aide of the Madam is to be considered a trusted aide by the master and madam.
This is a common thod used by large households to recruit subordinates. Marrying the maid of soone binds you to them.
Moreover, along the way, they saw the two maids beside the Madam, one nad Gu Yu, and the other nad Li Xia.
The one called Li Xia is originally from the Duke’s Mansion, slightly older, and quite pretty. Normally, such a good girl in the Duke’s Mansion wouldn’t be available to them.
There’s also the one called Gu Yu, although younger, she has been by the Madam’s side since being brought from the countryside and is likely the Madam’s real confidante.
If they could marry her, they would willingly wait several years.
Wang Yongzhu looked at the four brothers of Song Xiaoyin, seemingly simple and honest, yet their eyes sparkled keenly. They had hidden their intentions well along the journey, not letting anyone see through them.
However, she still had so doubts, pondered for a mont, and then suddenly spoke: "To tell the truth, while your words sound reasonable, I don’t believe them. After following Lord Duke for so many years, wouldn’t it be easier to seek riches and honor? Why put your lives on the line with us? If you say it’s a keen eye recognizing a hero, I don’t believe it."
"Surely soone has used favors or kindness, making you unable to refuse them, right? Tell , who is your true master behind the scenes?"
The sudden question startled Song Xiaoyin and his brothers, their faces montarily stiffened.
By the ti they reacted, it was too late.
The four exchanged glances, revealing a tinge of bitter smile.
Song Xiaoyin sighed: "Since we can’t hide it from the master and madam, I’ll speak the truth. We belong to the Duchess!"
Madam? Lady Gao?
Wang Yongzhu was slightly taken aback but quickly masked her surprise, appearing as if she had known all along, and responded coolly: "So, it is her!"
In truth, she was dumbfounded inside! She had guessed it could be the Old Duchess, maybe even the birth mother of the two young mistresses, Maternal Aunt Dong. She never expected it to be Lady Gao.
Since they had been exposed, Song Xiaoyin no longer concealed it.
It turns out the four were originally orphans from the frontier; their entire village was massacred, leaving only the four of them alive.
As they begged their way along, it was Lady Gao who, seeing their plight, took them in at the mansion.
Like them, many other orphans displaced by war were also taken in by the mansion.
However, since the four of them were personally brought in by Lady Gao, given clothes and food, and nursed back to health, Lady Gao originally intended to keep them close, using them as ssengers.
But the four harbored desires for vengeance against those who killed their kin, wishing to go to the front lines to fight the enemy. Unfortunately, they were too young, and no one wanted them.
It was Lady Gao again who spoke to Song Hong, arranging for the four, along with other orphans, to be selected as backup candidates for personal soldiers under Song Hong’s command.
The four supported each other, eventually standing out in the selection process, and were selected into the Twelve Earthly Branches.
In their hearts, they were grateful to Lady Gao. Without her, they would have died long ago. As much as they were the personal soldiers of Song Hong, to them Lady Gao was their true master.
This ti, Lady Gao instructed them to find a way to be selected by Song Wu, to assist Song Chongjin and his group earnestly. If they found Song Chongjin worth following, they should pledge their loyalty to him.
If they found Song Chongjin not up to the task, they only needed to ensure the safety of Song Chongjin and his wife, repaying Lady Gao’s kindness from back then.
Regardless of the outco, no relations remained with Lady Gao from the mont they left the Duke’s Mansion.
Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu were surprised, not knowing why Lady Gao helped them in such a manner.
But now was not the ti to deliberate on this, so Song Chongjin nodded: "Understood, since you’ve returned, you’re acknowledging as your master?"
The four of Song Xiaoyin exchanged looks before kneeling together, performing a deep bow: "Greetings, Master!"
Song Chongjin raised his hand, signaling for them to rise: "With that, I shall believe you for now. A long journey tests a horse’s stamina, and ti tests a person’s heart! You’ll naturally have many opportunities to prove your loyalty!"
Song Xiaoyin and his brothers knew they had passed this test and expressed their gratitude to both Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu before leaving.
Outside, Yao Da and Shitou had already rearranged accommodations for the four, settling them back in.
The Wang Family saw these twenty little gods of plague depart and four return, imdiately becoming despondent again.
After a couple of days, they slowly realized that the returning four were notably different from before.
Though still exuding an air of nace, they were no longer arrogantly looking down on others but were much more amiable and low-key.
They rely stayed within Song Chongjin’s quarters, guarding the entrance and study, barely visiting the Wang Family’s quarters.
Even when visitors ca to see Song Chongjin, they behaved politely.
Upon seeing Song Xiaoyin and his brothers again, everyone was less averse to them. This was a matter for later discussion.
Upon returning, Song Xiaoyin and his brothers organized themselves first before reporting more intelligence and other matters to Song Chongjin.
It involved the sources of their intelligence, the activities in the Capital City, and the situations in Chicheng County.
This ti, there seed to be no concealnt, allowing Song Chongjin to gain a clearer understanding of the movents in the Capital City and Chicheng County.
It accorded with the scenarios he had surmised from reading the communiqués.
The Capital City had started to fall into chaos, initiated by Song Chongjin’s matter, with the civil and military factions of the Imperial Court finally engaging in battle.
The Literati Group seized the opportunity at the grand court eting to impeach Duke Qiguo for permitting his subordinates to embezzle military funds, among other grave cris.
Now, the court is in constant uproar.
Every day, soone is impeached, and every day, officials lose their official hats.
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