Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan, who had been summoned suddenly, looked at Song Jinzhao with apprehension, unsure of what this was all about.
The young master had been gone for so long; surely she wasn't going to pursue the matter now.
Seeing the two men gradually losing their composure, their fingers rubbing nervously against their clothes and their eyes darting around, Song Jinzhao knew the atmosphere was just right.
She slowly lifted the lid of her teacup and took a light sip.
"According to the imperial court's transfer order, Qiming will be going to the southwest to take up a post in a few days, and I, the County Princess, will go with him."
"I hear that you two know martial arts. Would you be willing to serve me and go to the southwest together?"
Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan's eyes widened sharply.
The young master was in the southwest. Was County Princess Linghui doing this on purpose, or...?
At the thought that Song Jinzhao might know Huo Chong's true identity, Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan broke out in a cold sweat.
Guan Nianshan swallowed hard, his heart pounding.
"It is this humble one's honor to be valued by the County Princess, but my eyes are impaired, and my wife and children are all here on the estate. I truly do not wish to leave the capital, so I beg the County Princess for forgiveness."
After giving the token to Huo Chong, the heavy burden in Guan Nianshan and Qu Ya's hearts had been completely lifted.
Now they just wanted to live a good, quiet life on the estate and think of nothing else.
Qu Ya nodded cautiously in agreement, his heart full of wariness toward Song Jinzhao.
Seeing them so vigilant, a sharp glint flashed across Song Jinzhao's eyes.
Changing her tone, she said slowly, "Suining Prefecture is close to the territory of the foreign tribes in the southwest, and Huo Chong is an old friend of yours. Taking you there is also a way for me to forge a good connection. You can bring your families. If you stay in the capital, you will only be able to hide on this estate and eke out a meager existence for the rest of your lives, and even your wives and children will have to suffer along with you."
"Once you go to the southwest, the ocean is boundless for fish to leap, and the sky is vast for birds to fly. You will no longer have to worry about your identities as the Wu Family Army being discovered. Not only can you hold posts in the government office, but I can also arrange for your sons to attend a private school. If they want to practice martial arts, you can teach them yourselves or send them to a martial arts academy. At the very least, they won't end up achieving nothing, trapped on this small farm for their entire lives like you. Do not let your own choices ruin your children's futures."
Hearing the last sentence, Qu Ya clenched his fists, but Guan Nianshan's eyes genuinely lit up.
He stared straight at Song Jinzhao. Seeing that she didn't seem to be lying, he began to hesitate in his heart.
Before the incident, he had been the Marquis's most trusted subordinate, his personal bodyguard, managing over a thousand men under his command. Anyone who saw him had to respectfully call him General.
But after the incident, he became a stray dog. Not to mention losing an eye, he had to live an ignoble life, unable to go anywhere.
As time passed, he had accepted his fate, but whenever he looked at his son, he felt a stifling pain in his chest.
If nothing had happened, whether his son entered an academy or practiced martial arts, he would have had a promising future, rather than working on an estate like now, with no way out forever.
"What does the County Princess want me to do?"
Qu Ya's expression changed, and he turned his head to shout at him, "Old Guan, what are you trying to do?"
County Princess Linghui clearly wanted to use them. What if this harmed the young master?
Seeing them start to fight among themselves, Song Jinzhao stood up and said, "I'll give you half an hour to consider."
While walking on the path to inspect the farm, Qingshuang couldn't help but ask, "County Princess, why must we bring them along?"
"As your servant sees it, Huo Chong probably won't pledge allegiance to the County Princess just because of Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan. They don't carry enough weight to be hostages, and even if we bring them, they don't seem like people who would be entirely loyal to you."
Especially that Qu Ya. Just now, when Guan Nianshan was speaking, he looked as if he wanted to eat him alive.
Song Jinzhao replied, "Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan's attitude toward Huo Chong is unusual. I suspect he must be a descendant of Marquis Wuying. The fact that he sought out Zeng Qing shows he still wants revenge."
"As long as our goals are the same, we can cooperate. Bringing those two along will make it easier to gain Huo Chong's trust. If we can get him on our side, with Huo Chong's status in Ning Prefecture, many things will be much easier to handle."
For parents, their children are their greatest weakness.
Especially for people like Qu Ya and Guan Nianshan who had fallen from high places, it only took a little bit of temptation to stir up the unwillingness hidden deep in their hearts.
