Song Chongjin was quite interested in Zhao Liu. Hearing Song Xiaoyin’s report upon return, he was still hesitating.
Today, after listening to Wang Yongzhu’s words, he agreed readily.
The next day, he took so ti to have Zhao Liu disguise himself. Seizing the opportunity when no one was watching, Zhao Liu sneaked in through the side entrance of the county yan.
Brought before Song Chongjin, Zhao Liu first knelt down to salute: "Commoner Zhao Liu pays respect to you, my lord!"
Song Chongjin raised his hand in a gesture: "No need for formalities, please rise!"
Zhao Liu raised his head and, upon seeing Song Chongjin, instantly revealed a look of astonishnt, completely taken aback.
Song Chongjin wanted to say sothing, but seeing Zhao Liu’s expression, he remained silent.
He allowed Zhao Liu to size him up for a while before speaking: "Seeing , why are you so surprised?"
It was then that Zhao Liu snapped back to reality and hurriedly knelt to ask for forgiveness: "This commoner was rude! Please, my lord, do not bla !"
Song Chongjin sat upright, his cold, deep eyes staring at Zhao Liu: "Looking at , who did you think of?"
Zhao Liu smiled bitterly and kowtowed: "This commoner’s eyes were deceived! Seeing my lord’s visage, I seed to see the Great General Jingyuan of yesteryears."
Song Chongjin’s eyes flickered. Great General Jingyuan, wasn’t that referring to his nominal father, Song Hong?
Back then, he had decisively defeated the enemy forces of the plains, turning the tide of battle, and was personally bestowed the title of Great General Jingyuan by the Emperor.
Once the frontier stabilized, Song Hong returned to the Capital City, and the title of Great General Jingyuan was withdrawn.
Could it be that Zhao Liu had seen Song Hong back then?
In the anti, Song Xiaoyin, upon hearing this, laughed: "Did you not know? Our lord here is the son of the Great General Jingyuan!"
"Really?" Zhao Liu’s face lit up with excitent.
Song Xiaoyin snorted coldly: "Why would I lie? After Jingyuan returned to the Capital, he inherited the Duke Weiguo Residence and was granted the title of Duke Weiguo. Our lord here is the eldest son of Duke Weiguo, the Heir of Duke of Weiguo."
Looking at Song Chongjin who bore a striking resemblance to Song Hong as if cut from the sa mold, Zhao Liu had no more doubts and prostrated in obeisance: "Your humble servant pays respect to you, my lord!"
Raising his head, the large man had tears of excitent in his eyes.
Following Song Chongjin’s gesture, he moved aside to sit, drank a cup of tea, and only then did his agitated emotions slightly calm down.
Like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, he began to narrate his background.
He was originally from a village under Chicheng County. When there was a sudden raid from the plains, his village was nearly obliterated. Only because he was young, gathering firewood on the mountain with a few children, did he escape disaster.
This massacre made the children grow up overnight.
To seek revenge, they joined the Border Defense Army.
Unfortunately, at that ti, the military was caught off guard and kept retreating. Until Song Hong took over the Border Defense Army, did the situation reverse.
Later, Song Hong led them to drive back the enemy forces to the plains, defending the frontier for years with great renown, making the enemy troops from the plains dare not invade.
In the hearts of the frontier people, Song Hong was their benefactor! Lead them to avenge and brought them peace and stability over the years!
Zhao Liu once accidentally caught a glimpse of Song Hong. His heroic vitality left an indelible impression. Otherwise, years later, he wouldn’t have imdiately recognized the resemblance between Song Chongjin and Song Hong.
At this mont, hearing that Song Chongjin was indeed the son of Song Hong, a wave of gratitude surged in his heart, wishing he could venerate Song Chongjin.
Jian Huaifeng, who was listening on the side, had a subtle reaction in his eyes.
Stroking his beard, he subtly steered the conversation towards how Song Chongjin’s visit was to resolve the issue of mules and horses, linking it to the stability of the frontier and the supply of provisions.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liu was filled with admiration, inferring much in his mind—like father, like son; the Great General Jingyuan had achieved magnificent feats for the frontier.
Now his son follows his will, solving transport issues for the frontier military’s provisions.
Such noble selflessness for the country and people, how could it not be moving?
Zhao Liu was moved himself.
At this point, he had no hesitations, confidently pounding his chest, declaring: "My lord, you are the son of the Great General Jingyuan, thus a great benefactor to us frontier people! Just tell what to do, I, Zhao Liu, will go through fire and water for you! If I refuse, I’d be the worst kind of beast!"
"If manpower is insufficient, not only , Zhao Liu, but I also have seventeen or eighteen brothers who were all beneficiaries of the Great General’s kindness. To say nothing else, these dozen lives of ours are all committed to you, my lord! At your service with utmost loyalty!"
Completely forgetting what he said before coming, which was if anything ca up, he alone would be responsible, unrelated to his brothers.
Song Chongjin’s expression was briefly complex, giving Zhao Liu a deep look before nodding: "I understand your intentions, Zhao warrior!"
Jian Huaifeng then took the opportunity to inquire about the situation with the horse farm.
With Song Hong’s na right there, Zhao Liu, of course, bared everything he knew. Even if he didn’t know sothing at the mont, he vowed, pounding his chest, that he would have soone investigate it once he got back.
He absolutely would not let Song Chongjin suffer any losses in Chicheng County!
Having entrenched himself in Chicheng County for years, Zhao Liu naturally had more than a few unsavory but highly reliable and accurate sources of information.
The exchanges went very amicably.
When Zhao Liu left, Song Chongjin even smiled and personally saw him to the door, letting Song Xiaoyin lead him out.
Once the person left, Song Chongjin imdiately restrained that smile, leaving just one sentence: "I suddenly rembered there’s an extrely urgent letter I haven’t replied to, I must rely on you, sir, to oversee things—"
Saying this, he left.
Jian Huaifeng watched Song Chongjin’s departing back, shaking his head only after a long while, and then went to the yan to play around with those old foxes.
anwhile, Wang Yongzhu was in the front courtyard, discussing with Yao Da about planning a banquet for the notable ladies of Chicheng County the day after tomorrow.
He noticed Song Chongjin entering with a complex expression and quickly signaled Yao Da to withdraw.
Then he approached: "What’s the matter? Why do you look so troubled? Is it because sothing outside didn’t go well?"
Song Chongjin rely shook his head, silently sitting there, daydreaming for quite so ti, his thoughts unknown.
Wang Yongzhu didn’t disturb him, rely sat to the side, drafting the nu for the day after tomorrow.
The room was quiet, with only the sound of Wang Yongzhu flipping through his papers.
After a while, Song Chongjin returned to normal, glancing at Wang Yongzhu, who was chewing on her pen, frowning, vexed by sothing.
Sotis her eyes would light up, and she’d jot down a few notes on the paper, while at other tis, her face would fall, and she’d cross so out.
Unable to resist, the gloominess in his heart dissipated entirely as he laughed lightly, walked over, leaned down, and asked: "What are you writing that has you so worried?"
Lowering his head, he saw it was a nu draft. Half a day passed, and only five or six dishes were decided, no wonder she was so troubled.
He chuckled at once, picked up the pen, tossed it aside, and holding Wang Yongzhu in his arms kissed her hair, saying: "Why are you bothering with this? Just leave it to Yao Da and the others!"
Wang Yongzhu straightforwardly pushed away the half-done nu, leaning back: "What happened just now?"
Song Chongjin smiled and recounted his encounter with Zhao Liu in detail, ending with a sigh: "I just felt a bit stifled for a mont, and sowhat ashad! But I’ve thought it through; I bear his bloodline. From the day I agreed to be recognized by him, no matter how hard I try to distinguish myself, in others’ eyes, we are intrinsically linked. Today, I will enjoy his remaining blessings, and in the future, I must accept the retribution from his enemies, willingly or not."
"Walking to this day, it’s due to my own efforts and also the support behind the scenes. Since I’ve accepted the good, why act ungrated and invite ridicule? It would not only make others laugh but also make feel hypocritical."
"Furthermore, I always thought Song Hong wronged my mother, was heartless and unemotional, with eyes only for benefits and the Song family’s hundred-year foundation. However, now that I’ve traveled this path, hearing many stories of his battles, I realize I held a prejudice against him! I only saw his faults and couldn’t see his virtues!"
"Song Hong, despite being flawed in personal conduct, was unjust to my mother and , but he did good for the Imperial Court, the frontier, and the people!"
It’s the first ti such a fair and candid evaluation of Song Hong ca from Song Chongjin, calm and composed.
Wang Yongzhu knew that Song Chongjin had truly let go.
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