"Master..."
Zhou Zhengxi's voice trembled slightly, the warmth of the fire still lingering on his fingertips.
His gaze was fixed on the brazier.
Watching a stack of deeds of sale burn to ashes in the fierce flames.
"I told you, whatever you want is fine," Song Qingchao said, releasing Zhou Zhengxi's hand with exasperation, as if he were made of iron but not steel. "What, are you so eager to be ordered around?"
Zhou Zhengxi looked up at Song Qingchao, "Master, we have nowhere else to go."
His voice gradually deepened, "Our eight brothers were not always servants of Master Lin from the beginning. It was due to an accident that we, relentlessly pursued and with no other recourse, chose to lie low in the Lin residence."
"I guessed as much," Song Qingchao said without even lifting her eyes.
She leaned back in her seat, her body swaying gently with the movement of the carriage.
"If you are willing to follow me, Master Lin gives you to me, and I can also give you to him. However, with me, it is much more dangerous than with Master Lin." She rested her hand on the window, slowly lifting the curtain to reveal a small gap. "Of course, what I said before still stands. If you wish to leave, I will not stop you."
Zhou Zhengxi knelt on both knees on the ground. "May I ask where the danger lies?"
"Danger?" Song Qingchao chuckled softly, spitting out the word.
Her eyes were filled with mockery and ice, her gaze slowly sweeping from outside the window to Zhou Zhengxi. "This is a path of no return. If I tell you, then you can only stay, regardless of life or death. Do you still want to know?"
"I do," Zhou Zhengxi bowed his head to the ground. "Master."
This one utterance of "Master" had already declared his stance.
For desperadoes, why would they choose seclusion and detachment from the world?
Rather than live a life of ignominious survival, it was better to make a valiant effort.
Song Qingchao helped him up. "Then you must be prepared. My ambitions are vast."
Zhou Zhengxi looked puzzled. "What are your ambitions?"
Song Qingchao looked at him and smiled, "For this empire."
She held Zhou Zhengxi's hand, not letting go. If she had detected even a hint of hesitation on his face, she would have killed him.
This was a gamble.
From their coordinated movements and stances, she could tell they were trained, and exceptionally so.
Such stances and techniques could only originate from one place: the Imperial Dark Guard Corps.
In her past life, she had seen Li Yanzhu's dark guards. A small team of ten, each efficient and decisive, handling matters without a trace of hesitation.
They were a blade in the hands of the imperial family, a blade specifically designed to sever any errors.
Song Qingchao: "You should be missing two people."
"They are no longer with us."
Song Qingchao frowned. "Then why did you take refuge with the Lin family?"
Zhou Zhengxi's previously furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
Since the Master could inquire about the fate of the other two, she must surely know their original affiliation.
Thus, he began, "We were originally the dark guards of the Third Prince. We were following his orders to complete a mission in Meishan. However, halfway through the mission, we discovered it was a deception. The Third Prince was luring the Crown Prince into a trap, using us as pawns. Although dark guards have their respective masters, all intelligence must be reported to superiors. For the princes, we are a form of protection, or perhaps surveillance."
"So he wanted to kill you to escape the Emperor's surveillance?"
Zhou Zhengxi nodded heavily. "Dark guards are assigned based on ability. Logically, we should not have been unable to defeat the people he sent, but it was indeed a difficult fight."
Song Qingchao's interest was immediately piqued. "You mean the dark guards who ambushed you were of a higher rank than the Prince's dark guards?"
She clapped her hands together. "This is quite interesting. So you faked your deaths?"
Zhou Zhengxi nodded. "We set the entire mountain ablaze, and we eight barely managed to escape."
"I understand."
Song Qingchao was inwardly delighted. She had stumbled upon a treasure.
Although these men had been in hiding for so long, their martial arts might have regressed somewhat, but they were still people trained by a system, and they possessed courage. They had killed superiors stronger than themselves, losing only two.
With a little more training and refinement, she could completely raise a formidable force.
Zhou Zhengxi knelt on the ground, feeling uneasy under Song Qingchao's gaze.
He wasn't sure if he had said anything wrong, but the Master had been staring at him like this.
It was quite unsettling.
"Master?" he tentatively inquired again.
Song Qingchao snapped back to attention, realizing her lapse.
"Cough, cough, sit up. Don't keep kneeling."
After helping Zhou Zhengxi up, she sat back in her seat and took a sip of tea. "Then from now on, you will stay by my side."
"Yes." Zhou Zhengxi did not refuse at all. He had always stayed by his master's side in such a manner, like a shadow.
Song Qingchao glanced at him and added, "The visible one."
This sentence almost sent Zhou Zhengxi to his knees again. He tentatively tried to resist. "Master, I am a dark guard."
"Mm, I know."
Seeing that Song Qingchao had no intention of changing her mind, Zhou Zhengxi continued, "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to be in the open, would it?"
"Why not?" Song Qingchao lowered her tea, and swept Zhou Zhengxi from head to toe with her fan. "You stand tall and upright, and you are quite handsome. Where would it be inappropriate?"
She leaned her fan against her chest, turning sideways. "I think you are suitable everywhere. You, by my side, cannot just be about fighting and killing."
Zhou Zhengxi ultimately could not resist Song Qingchao and could only nod in agreement.
Song Qingchao was quite satisfied with Zhou Zhengxi's attitude.
There were significant disparities in the ranks of dark guards because the imperial family needed to ensure absolute central power. If the dark guards assigned to lower levels possessed strength exceeding that of the top-tier dark guards, it would create danger.
That person would absolutely not permit himself to be placed in such a perilous position.
And Zhou Zhengxi, in that critical moment, was still able to rationally assess the situation and how to protect his teammates, sacrificing the least to gain the greatest benefit.
For years, he had lain low in the small Lin residence, content to be the dark guard of a wealthy gentleman.
If it had been only him, Song Qingchao would not have held him in such high regard.
What truly impressed Song Qingchao about Zhou Zhengxi was that he could make the remaining seven not resent him and continue to stay with him in this humble dwelling.
Such a person lacked only a wise master.
Since the Third Prince did not value talent, she would not be polite.
The carriage swayed, and soon arrived at the Xiang residence.
Zhou Zhengxi alighted from the carriage first.
Despite being a dark guard of considerable repute, he was playing the role of a close attendant quite well now.
"Master, be careful."
Song Qingchao glanced at his outstretched hand, casually placed hers on it, and prepared to step onto the carriage step.
As her foot just began to move, she heard an aggrieved and furious roar.
"Song Qingchao!"
Startled, Song Qingchao's foot twisted. Fortunately, Zhou Zhengxi's reflexes were quick. He gripped her hand with his right, and with his left, he moved forward, placing his arm around her waist and pulling her safely to the ground.
"That was close," Song Qingchao said, patting her chest, then looked up and glared at the newcomer. "Bai You'an, why are you shouting?"