"Surely you all know Lord Ding Dian. He is now an Imperial Guard with Weapons within the imperial city, one of the foremost experts protecting the Emperor."
"Imperial Guard with Weapons?" Song Qingshu was secretly startled. How could he not know that they were the Southern Song Emperor's most elite guards? At most, each Emperor had only six such positions at his side, and at times only two. Thus, every Imperial Guard with Weapons was not only a master among masters, but also someone the Emperor trusted deeply.
What sort of family background does Brother Ding have to have been selected as an Imperial Guard with Weapons? Song Qingshu was quietly curious. Ding Dian's martial arts more than qualified him for the role, but unless his background was absolutely trustworthy, the Emperor could never have appointed him.
Lu Guanying continued the introductions. "This is Lord Su Shidan, Minister Han's strategist. Minister Han had originally kept her in Lin'an to hold down the rear, but when she learned that Minister Han had met with trouble, she organized a rescue force and headed north."
So this is Su Shidan, Han Tuozhou's chief adviser! Song Qingshu was secretly alarmed. Though merely an aide, her name appeared in the intelligence reports of both the Jin Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty. That alone showed how important her position was within Han Tuozhou's faction.
"This is Lord Xin Qiji, currently the Grand Secretariat's Chief Clerk." Lu Guanying pointed to the weathered old farmer as he introduced him.
"Xin Qiji?" Song Qingshu leaped up in excitement, rushed over, and clasped his hand. "Big Brother Xin, I'm your fan!"
"Huh?" Xin Qiji looked utterly baffled, as did everyone else. Among those present, Xin Qiji was probably the lowest in status. When the others had been introduced, Song Qingshu