Chapter 109: Pei Shaoqing's Strength is Unknown, Growing Stronger with Every Rumor (Seeking Monthly Votes)

From this day on, there was one more beggar in Tongzhou City who was blind, deaf, mute, and crippled in both legs, forced to rely on his two hands to crawl arduously along the streets to beg.

With no roof to shelter him, no clothes to ward off the cold, and no food to fill his stomach, Chen Qizhi, who had only his two hands left to drag his broken body, moved slowly; he couldn't even manage to commit suicide.

Of course, although he had the thought of suicide, he lacked the courage, and could only struggle to live on.

"Killing someone is just a matter of a nod of the head; isn't Brother Pei being a bit too ruthless by doing this?" Wang Xianling expressed his disapproval after learning of Chen Qizhi's fate.

Pei Shaoqing said, "I merely did to him what he did to others. Besides, Old Wang, do you know what his most serious crime is, aside from trafficking and maiming children?"

"What?" Wang Xianling raised an eyebrow; could this guy have committed some other heaven-defying, man-hating atrocity?

Pei Shaoqing said word by word, "He made me work overtime! Just because his people caused trouble, I was a full hour late getting off work the day before yesterday! Whoever makes me unhappy for a day, I will make them unhappy for a lifetime!"

Since he took office, which day had he not arrived late and left early?

Making him work overtime.

For this alone, Chen Qizhi was guilty of the most heinous crimes!

"............" Wang Xianling was speechless. He sighed and said, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. After today, Brother Pei has offended the Beggar Sect, the number one sect in the world."

The four words "number one in the world" sounded quite intimidating.

Pei Shaoqing dismissed it with contempt, "They are nothing more than a group of despicable and low-class beggars; can they even be called scholars? They aren't even as good as your Xuan Sect. This official has the thousands of troops and horses of the Great Zhou imperial court behind me; what can they do? From now on, wherever I am, there will be no soil for the Beggar Sect to survive!"

Leaning against a big tree makes for good shade; it feels great.

"Brother Pei's heart is in the right place, but the methods are a bit too extreme," Wang Xianling advised earnestly.

Pei Shaoqing said righteously, "If I can't even do things the way I want after doing good deeds, then why not just do evil? At least then I'd be following my own heart."

Wang Xianling was instantly rendered speechless. Forget it, it wasn't easy for Pei Shaoqing to do any good deeds at all; the methods didn't matter, as long as the result was good.

"Farewell," he said, cupping his hands.

Pei Shaoqing, however, called him back, "Stay a moment."

Wang Xianling stopped and turned his head in confusion.

"Old Wang, did you not send gifts for my ennoblement and this recent promotion?" Pei Shaoqing asked calmly.

There were too many people sending gifts, and he couldn't remember them all.

But he remembered that Wang Xianling definitely hadn't come to send one!

Wang Xianling froze for a moment, stared at him quietly for a while, then laughed in anger, "Which time of your ennoblement or promotion did I not contribute effort to? Doesn't that count as a gift?"

To think he was actually soliciting bribes from me!

"Can those be the same?" Pei Shaoqing started off with a classic quote from a 'little fairy,' saying sternly, "Do you understand the ways of human interaction? No wonder you were sent from the central government to a local post acting like this. Make it up later, okay?"

"Make up your ass!" As a refined man, Old Wang rarely cursed, then huffed and flicked his sleeves as he left.

Ye Hanshuang, who usually had little presence like a piece of wood, suddenly said, "Big Brother, actually there is a question I have been confused about for a long time. Is that place of yours really scarred? I saw a clear mark there before."

She had gone back and studied her own for a long time.

She hadn't found a similar scar.

"Sigh, I didn't expect that after so many years, that scar would still be there," Pei Shaoqing said with a heavy sigh, his eyes filled with reminiscence and emotion.

Ye Hanshuang's curiosity was instantly piqued, and she hurriedly asked, "Big Brother, what exactly happened?"

"It was before I knew you," Pei Shaoqing said in a deep, melancholy voice. "That day, I went out to beg as usual and encountered three adult beggars bullying a young girl. I stepped in to stop them and fought a bloody battle with them. During the process, I was slashed there, and it wasn't until a kind person sent me to a doctor to have it stitched up that I saved my life."

"I didn't expect Big Brother to be so brave even before you were ten!" Ye Hanshuang's face was full of admiration.

Did I meet her when I was ten?

Pei Shaoqing memorized this information and waved his hand with a sigh, "A hero shouldn't mention his past bravery. Does Frost Sister know why I like having people blow on it? It's because of the hidden injury left from that time. After all these years, it still aches and swells from time to time, and only that can relieve it."

"So that's how it is." The innocent Ye Hanshuang revealed an expression of sudden realization. Her eyes were full of heartache as she looked at Pei Shaoqing, but she soon realized another problem, "But Big Brother, in the book you gave me, all the men like that? Do they have hidden injuries too?"

"Most men just purely enjoy the pleasure it brings and satisfy their desires," Pei Shaoqing said solemnly. "But I am different; I want to use that pleasure to suppress the pain of an old injury."

"Big Brother! From now on, please let me heal your wounds!" Ye Hanshuang clenched her pink fists and said in a muffled voice.

She couldn't bear to think about how Big Brother had endured the pain of his old injury recurring all those years ago when there was no one around to help him. What immense willpower that must have taken!

Such a long scar!

Pei Shaoqing smiled and beckoned to her.

Ye Hanshuang obediently walked over and sat in his lap.

Pei Shaoqing's two legs couldn't even hold her millstone-like full moon, and he hugged her waist, which was more toned than an ordinary woman's, saying, "Big Brother has never regretted stepping forward that day, because the person Big Brother saved might have been a girl as cute and considerate as Frost Sister."

"Big Brother." Ye Hanshuang was a bit embarrassed by such direct praise; she lowered her head shyly, not daring to meet Pei Shaoqing's eyes, her cheeks flushing crimson.

Pei Shaoqing said, "Frost Sister, lift your head."

Ye Hanshuang obediently lifted her head.

Pei Shaoqing said again, "Kiss me."

He was much shorter than Ye Hanshuang; if he took the initiative to kiss, he would have to crane his neck, which would be tiring, so he let Ye Hanshuang take the lead.

Ye Hanshuang closed her eyes and slowly lowered her head.

Lips and teeth intertwined, passing breath to breath.

It was a long time before they separated, pulling out a crystalline thread.

Ye Hanshuang said with misty eyes, "Big Brother, I feel strange."

"Then Big Brother will guide you," Pei Shaoqing said softly, affectionately stroking her head.

Hearing this, Ye Hanshuang looked confused, "Guide?"

Soon, she went limp in Pei Shaoqing's arms, her body trembling slightly.

Although they were not in the same league, for a little... big innocent girl like Ye Hanshuang, Pei Shaoqing's experience as a veteran among flowers was enough to bring her a brand-new experience.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Hearing footsteps approaching, Pei Shaoqing hurriedly gave her a push and said, "Frost Sister, get up quickly."

Ye Hanshuang stood up and returned behind him, looking no different from usual on the surface, except that her cheeks were exceptionally rosy.

Chen Zhuo walked in and laughed, "The Baron of Pingyang shouting to drive back hundreds of people with a single word—what a magnificent display of prestige!"

"Eunuch Chen, you jest. They were merely a rabble. It was all thanks to the Emperor's prestige; they didn't fear me, they feared Great Zhou and feared the Emperor." Pei Shaoqing shook his head modestly, then stood up and asked, "Why has Eunuch Chen suddenly come to the Hundred-Household Office again today?"

"This one has come to take leave of the Baron of Pingyang, as I am preparing to return to the capital," Chen Zhuo said with a smile, cupping his hands.

Pei Shaoqing hurriedly said, "Why leave after only one day? Has this official failed to provide proper hospitality?"

"No, no, the people arranged by the Baron of Pingyang have taken care of everything very thoroughly. This one has had a very enjoyable and satisfying time, but I am in a rush to return to the capital to report back. After all, I came out riding a Longxue Horse; it would not be good to return late."

In the past, if one rode an ordinary horse out of the capital and returned late, one could claim to have been delayed on the road, but riding a Dragon Blood Treasure Horse, one would not dare to deceive the Emperor like that!

"So that is how it is. Then, Eunuch, please wait a moment. Since you are already here, this official will have someone prepare some Tongzhou specialties for you to take back and taste," Pei Shaoqing said with a smile.

Although there was an acquaintance like Liu in the palace.

But Liu was someone who worked in the Imperial Horse Bureau.

He was not a person from the Directorate of Ceremonial, the core of power within the palace.

Eunuch Chen's face was beaming with joy, "Every time I come to the Baron of Pingyang's place, I end up bringing back large and small bags of things. This really makes this one feel quite embarrassed."

He was eager for Pei Shaoqing to perform more meritorious deeds, so that every time an imperial decree was issued, it would likely be him, the acquaintance, who would come.

Every trip would result in returning fully loaded.

Making money in the palace was fast, but the expenses were also high.

The silver one saved might just be enough to buy one's life on some future day.

"Hahahaha, Eunuch Chen, you are being too formal. These are all worthless trinkets; that you are willing to accept them is already giving this official face."

Chen Zhuo's status was not as high as Liu's, so Pei Shaoqing did not see him off personally, but arranged for Song Youcai to do so.

…………………………

The news of Pei Shaoqing shouting to drive back hundreds of people at Zhaixing Mountain spread quickly, and the more it was told, the more outrageous it became.

Rumors claimed he possessed profound martial arts; with just a slight move, the crowd of martial arts heroes on the mountain that day immediately fled in terror, kowtowed in submission, and scrambled to run away.

According to reports from the Jing'an Guard scouts, this rumor was spread by the Zhaixing Sect, and it was still being disseminated everywhere.

Pei Shaoqing guessed Zhai Xing Laoren's intention immediately: as long as he promoted him as being powerful, those who had conceded would not appear so cowardly.

It's not that I gave in quickly, it's that the opponent was too strong!

And those who were on the mountain at the time surely understood this logic, so when asked, not only would they not deny it, but they would further exaggerate the rumor.

Therefore, Pei Shaoqing's strength was destined to be rumored as stronger and stronger, leading some who did not know the truth to actually believe he was a martial arts expert who had intentionally kept a low profile in the past.

Only three short days had passed, and there were already rumors outside that Pei Shaoqing's strength was at the Roaming Dragon Realm.

Pei Shaoqing felt very helpless about this; he was eager for the outside world to underestimate his strength so as to mislead his enemies.

But one could imagine that in the future, people would generally overestimate his strength and would surely go all out when fighting him.

He really thanked Zhai Xing Laoren's ancestors for eighteen generations!

Why does this old lamp always come up with these fancy tricks?

"Husband, I want to try refining a Gathering Qi Pill, but I am missing one main ingredient: Split Sun Grass," Xie Qingwu said after coming out of the alchemy room on a cool evening.

Upon hearing this, Pei Shaoqing took full responsibility, "Leave this to me. Tomorrow happens to be a rest day, so I will go out and ask my good brother for some."

The Gathering Qi Pill is a type of medicinal pill commonly used in the pugilistic world with extremely high liquidity. Its main effect is to restore a certain amount of internal energy in a short time. The higher the quality of the pill, the stronger the effect, and naturally, the more expensive it is.

"Thank you, husband," Xie Qingwu said with a pursed smile.

Pei Shaoqing returned the smile, "Isn't it my gain if you refine it? If there are extras, I can also reward them to subordinates who have performed meritorious deeds to win their hearts."

"Then remember to thank your very generous friend for me," Xie Qingwu said, blinking her eyes.

Pei Shaoqing waved his hand, "Brother Ouyang is the most generous person and has an excellent relationship with me. If I were to actually thank him, he might even get angry instead."

At the same time, in the deep mountains and old forests, Ouyang Rong, who was watching the moon on the roof, sneezed several times fiercely.

"Achoo—! Achoo—! Achoo—!"

"The weather has really been getting colder at night these past few days; I always feel a chill behind my back."

He wiped his nose and muttered to himself.

(End of this chapter)