Chapter 10 No Weakness

"ah!!!"

Xiying screamed and took two steps back.

Yunshan raised his hand and slapped Xiying.

"What are you shouting for? Be careful not to scare the young lady!"

"Yunshan, don't hit her." Song Zhao stood up with a smile, and slowly walked towards Xiying with a look of fear and surprise.

"Why? Did this gift scare you?"

She lowered her head and glanced at the severed finger lying quietly on the ground, then reached out to smooth Xiying's messy hair, and said in a very gentle tone:

"Why should you be afraid of your own family? Have you forgotten that your brother has a brown birthmark on his right index finger? When your brother was lost as a child, your parents found him based on this birthmark, right?"

Xiying, still in shock, stared at the severed finger on the ground for a long while.

After seeing clearly that the spotted birthmark on the severed finger was exactly the same as her brother's, she was so frightened that her knees went weak and she fell to the ground like a puddle of mud.

Song Zhao looked her up and down with sharp eyes, and then said to Yunshan:

"Help her up, the ground is cold."

As soon as Yunshan approached Xiying, she was frightened to death. She shrank back until she reached the corner of the wall and could no longer retreat. Then she said with trembling lips:

"W-What did you do to my brother? He was only twelve years old...why were you so cruel!?"

Song Zhao walked towards her leisurely with lotus steps, and Yunshan moved a chair for her to sit down.

After sitting down, Song Zhao leaned over, hooked his index finger under Xiying's chin and secretly exerted force, forcing Xiying to raise her head and meet her eyes.

"I don't know how much benefit the Concubine Chen gave you to ask you to monitor my every move. But I know that the Concubine Chen's father is the Minister of the Imperial Guard and the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi. Her family is in Sichuan and Shaanxi, so she will definitely not threaten you with the lives of your family. But I am different."

Her slender fingers slowly moved upwards, and her onion-like nails slid across Xiying's swollen cheeks.

"My father is the Duke of Protectorate, and the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion is in the capital. What a coincidence, your family also lives in the capital. Hiss..."

Song Zhao pointed at his chin with his left hand, and his beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. After recalling something, he continued:

"I think I lived in Nongzhuang Hutong, right? Tsk, tsk, what do you think if that place suddenly caught fire? What should we do then?"

Xiying was frightened and said hurriedly, "My lord, spare my life! I know I was wrong, please give me a chance!"

Song Zhao gently stroked the wound on her cheek and smiled gently, "Does it hurt? Today, the Concubine Chen missed her and only slapped you. I think it's a bargain for you."

In fact, the so-called "competition for favor" was simply a trap set by Song Zhao.

She deliberately wanted Xiying to hear her and Yunshan's conspiracy, and secretly sent Yunshan to follow her to see who she would tell about this.

Today, after receiving a tip-off from Xiying, Concubine Chen rushed to the northeast corner of the Imperial Garden. However, she spent half the night feeding mosquitoes but didn't even see Song Zhao.

In a rage, he slapped Xiying and told her to go back and continue to monitor Song Zhao's every move.

He also said that if she made another mistake next time, he would never forgive her.

At this moment, Song Zhao's hand that was touching Xiying's cheek was very warm, but Xiying felt a chill flowing from Song Zhao's palm into her own heart.

After a while, Song Zhao patted her cheek gently, and his smile became even wider.

"Don't employ a person you doubt, and don't doubt a person you employ. I'm giving you a chance this time. I believe that after this incident, you will know what you should and shouldn't do, right?"

Xiying nodded in panic and watched Yunshan hand Song Zhao a green jade bracelet with the same pattern he had just woven for her.

Song Zhao took the bracelet and compared it with Xiying's wrist. "You and Zhihua both serve me. You will have what she has. I don't know how much money you received from Chen Fei for doing things for her. But you only need to understand one thing. What Chen Fei can give you, I can also give you, or even more than her. Didn't you always say that choosing the right master is the most important thing for a servant?"

As Song Zhao spoke, he took Xiying's wrist and gently put the jade bracelet on her.

Then he patted the back of her hand, smiled and raised his eyebrows at her,

"At this point, will you choose?"

Does Xiying have any choice?

Right now she has only one choice, which is to be loyal to Song Zhao. Otherwise, the lives of her entire family will be in danger.

So after Song Zhao finished speaking, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed to express her gratitude.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, my lady! I will be loyal to you and follow your lead in the future!"

Song Zhao turned around and sat down on the warm seat. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. He asked in a calm tone:

"What does Concubine Chen want you to do by my side?"

Xiying said, "The Concubine Chen gave me some money and asked me to monitor your every move. Report everything you do every day to her in detail."

As she was speaking, she suddenly lowered her voice, "It's not just you. I heard that the new ladies who entered the palace this time have people planted by the Empress Chen..."

It was not uncommon for a favorite concubine to place spies around the newcomer in order to consolidate her own status and favor.

Song Zhao replied to Xiying lightly,

"You will still be able to take the money that the Concubine Chen gives you in the future. If she wants to know my every move, just tell her openly. But what should be said and what should not be said. You are so smart, I don't need to teach you personally, right?"

Xiying nodded rapidly, and Song Zhao said again: "I am tired, you can leave now."

While speaking, he glanced at the ground intentionally or unintentionally, "With your brother's finger."

Xiying picked up the severed finger with trembling hands, bowed respectfully to Song Zhao, and then left in a hurry.

Yunshan was a little angry when she saw Song Zhao let Xiying go so easily.

"My lady is too kind-hearted. She is such a traitor. No matter what, she should be taught a lesson."

Song Zhao snorted, spread out his palms, and admired his slender fingers in the candlelight.

"Isn't that scarlet blood on her brother's severed finger a lesson for her? Anyway, Concubine Chen will place a spy next to me no matter what. Even if Xiying is gone, Concubine Chen will send someone new.

Instead of doing that, it is better to keep Xiying. After all, family is the weak spot for most people. Her family's lives are in my hands, so she naturally knows how to control her mouth. "

Yunshan said: "Young Master is really thoughtful. You are right. Take you for example. The master is your backer in the palace, but also your weak spot. You..."

Yunshan stopped talking halfway when he saw Song Zhao's eyebrows twitching slightly.

Song Zhao was silent for a moment, and the scene of his mother being beaten to death by Jiang flashed through his mind. Song Shicheng witnessed the whole process but stood by and watched without saying a word.

Her eyes became sinister, her jaw tightened slightly, and she spoke with a heavy tone,

"I have no weaknesses."

After saying that, he blew out the candle in front of him.