Chapter 16: The Ruthless Pei Shaoqing Recruits More Minions (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The main hall of the Pei Mansion was brightly lit.

Pei Shaoqing sat comfortably at the head of the table, watching the middle-aged couple he had seen from afar during the day arrive together. The two walked with hurried steps, and the middle-aged beauty's towering chest rose and fell with her pace, swaying tremulously without pause.

As soon as they entered the door, the two bowed in unison, "Gongsun Yi of the Bazhou Iron Sword Sect, along with my humble wife, pays respects to Lord Pei!"

"Sect Leader Gongsun, you have quite the nerve. Your beloved disciples attempted to assassinate this official, which is tantamount to treason, yet you dare to deliver yourself to my doorstep? What is this, attempting to use your martial arts cultivation to force this official to release them?" Pei Shaoqing said with a cold face.

"This lowly one would not dare!" Gongsun Yi kept his posture extremely low, remaining hunched over with his head bowed, saying respectfully, "A father is to blame for a son's lack of discipline. Both were raised by my wife and me; though I am their master in name, I am their father in reality. The rebellious disciples lacked discipline and offended you, and I cannot escape the blame, so I have come personally to apologize and ask for punishment."

"Hmph!" Pei Shaoqing slammed the table in anger, stood up abruptly, and pointed at him, shouting, "You don't think I would let them go just because of this, do you? From the time I was a child until now, I have never faced the danger of blades at my throat or my life hanging by a thread!"

"My Lord, please calm your anger!" Gongsun Yi raised his head and looked at him, saying, "I ask that you first dismiss those around you."

At this moment, only Sun Youliang was by Pei Shaoqing's side.

He waved his hand and said, "No need, this is my trusted aide. Speak whatever you have to say directly."

Sun Youliang immediately showed a look of being moved.

Gongsun Yi took a deep breath, stared at Pei Shaoqing's face, and said slowly, "The rebellious disciples committed a grave error. I know both deserve punishment, but as their master and father, I truly cannot stand by and watch them die. I have information regarding an Immortal Relic that I am willing to offer to you, Young Master, only asking in exchange for a chance for the rebellious disciples to live."

Beside him, Liu Yuheng bit her red lips tightly. She knew how much pain and psychological pressure her husband was under to say these words, as this was originally the opportunity her husband viewed as the key to revitalizing the Iron Sword Sect, and now it had come to nothing.

Yet at the same time, she felt relieved. She had never misjudged him; even if her senior brother occasionally acted against his conscience to revitalize the Iron Sword Sect, he was still that affectionate, righteous, and flesh-and-blood senior brother.

Sun Youliang suddenly raised his head to look at Pei Shaoqing.

Pei Shaoqing was also surprised; he had not expected Gongsun Yi to confess this matter to save his disciples.

Gongsun Yi, who had been observing the changes in Pei Shaoqing's expression, said to himself that it was as expected. Lan'er had already spoken; while disappointed, he was also extremely fortunate.

Using this information to trade for his beloved disciples' lives was a helpless move, but he had also deduced that Zhao Zhilan, who had never suffered and was ignorant of the ways of the world, might have voluntarily revealed this matter for various reasons after entering the Jing'an Guard prison.

Fortunately, he had done this; otherwise, he estimated that not only would his beloved disciples die, but the Iron Sword Sect would also be in great danger. He had always viewed those in power with the most malicious attitude.

At the same time, he felt deeply powerless. Even as a dignified expert of the Roaming Dragon Realm, when facing this Marquis Mansion Young Master, he could only offer the treasure with both hands.

But precisely because he had been harmed by power, he also fully realized the wonder of power and had an epiphany: to revitalize the sect, he could not rely only on himself; he also had to rely on the imperial court. If he could take this opportunity to curry favor with Pei Shaoqing, the situation would not be considered bad.

Although Pei Shaoqing had been banished for his mistakes, blood is thicker than water between father and son; how could they truly ignore him forever?

Moreover, if Pei Shaoqing had not "fallen" to Tongzhou, he would not even have had the chance to curry favor.

"To offer the whereabouts of an Immortal Relic just like that, Sect Leader Gongsun is truly deeply attached to your disciples, which is moving." Pei Shaoqing clicked his tongue in admiration, but then his tone shifted, "To tell you the truth, your little disciple already confessed this because she couldn't bear to see her senior brother suffer."

"I was just about to go find Battalion Commander Zheng to charge your Iron Sword Sect with the crime of despising imperial authority and killing an official to rebel, using tonight's assassination attempt on me as the reason. Then, I would have added the charge of harboring accomplices to the Mo Fu and proposed that I personally lead the troops to wipe you out."

"I would have exterminated you all and monopolized the treasure, but I didn't expect you to come to my door first. This really puts me in a difficult position."

He was not scaring the two; he had truly thought of that just moments ago.

After all, if he wanted to monopolize the Immortal Relic, he had to kill as many people in the Mo family and the Iron Sword Sect who knew about it as possible. Even if he couldn't kill them all, he had to label them as rebels so that even if word leaked out, no one would believe the words of rebels.

And framing them for treason and exterminating them just because he was offended by Iron Sword Sect disciples, while extreme, fit his persona as a ruthless and overbearing Young Master Pei, and would not make Battalion Commander Zheng suspect his true motive.

However, he now had a better method.

"Ah... you!" Liu Yuheng, who had remained silent, looked up in astonishment, her red lips wide open. She stared at Pei Shaoqing in shock, fear, and utter disbelief.

She never imagined there could be such a ruthless person.

Even though Gongsun Yi had been mentally prepared, he broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing these words. But he also knew that since Pei Shaoqing had confessed this, it meant he had abandoned that idea, and he knew what Pei Shaoqing wanted to hear.

Thoughts of revitalizing the sect, saving his beloved disciples, and gaining fame throughout the world flashed through his mind. Finally, he gritted his teeth and knelt down, "I ask that you spare my Iron Sword Sect, My Lord. This lowly one is willing to obtain the Immortal Relic for you and offer it up. Furthermore, the Iron Sword Sect will henceforth be at your command, serving you through thick and thin!"

Watching his once-proud senior brother now kneeling at the feet of a mere youth, Liu Yuheng was deeply impacted, but felt even more heartache, knowing he did all this for Lan'er and Yebai, and for the Iron Sword Sect.

And the Iron Sword Sect was something her father had left behind.

"Senior Brother!" she cried out in heartache.

Gongsun Yi shook his head slightly at her.

"Good! Sect Leader Gongsun, please rise quickly." Pei Shaoqing laughed aloud, stepped forward, and personally helped him up, saying, "Since Sect Leader Gongsun is willing to help me obtain that Immortal Relic, I will save a lot of effort. Mingde, you are responsible for assisting Sect Leader Gongsun. This matter must not leak out. I observed the celestial phenomena tonight, and the Mo Fu is destined for a bloody disaster."

He was not surprised by Gongsun Yi's choice, because the mere fact that he could target a friend's family treasure, regardless of the reason, showed that he was not a kind-hearted gentleman, but at most a hypocrite like himself.

"As you command!" Sun Youliang replied with a grim smile.

Gongsun Yi felt his scalp tingle; he naturally understood Pei Shaoqing's meaning. The Immortal Relic had to be obtained, and all those in the Mo family who knew about it had to be silenced, and Sun Youliang was the one to help (and monitor) him in doing all this.

This could also be considered the "letter of allegiance" submitted by the Iron Sword Sect.

He had no other choice regarding this. Besides, he probably already had such thoughts when he first set his sights on the Mo family's Immortal Relic. He gritted his teeth and replied, "This lowly one obeys."

"Go. The day the Immortal Relic is in my hands is the day your two beloved disciples are released from prison. Rest assured, they will not suffer anymore inside," Pei Shaoqing said with a smile.

Gongsun Yi immediately took his wife and departed.

Pei Shaoqing stared at their retreating figures and smiled indifferently, "I really didn't expect an unexpected gain."

Being able to obtain the Immortal Relic without effort through Gongsun Yi, he naturally did not need to risk a major conflict.

Moreover, being able to use the prestige of the Marquis Mansion to recruit such a pugilistic sect would be of great benefit to his future.

Now that he had an official position and background, he did not want to stay in Tongzhou for the rest of his life. He also wanted to advance, to rise to the top, to hold power over the court, and to command the pugilistic world!

Therefore, he had to improve his strength and expand his influence.

"Congratulations to you, My Lord, for gaining the loyalty of the Iron Sword Sect!" Sun Youliang followed Pei Shaoqing's gaze, which landed on Liu Yuheng's plump, rounded buttocks, and said with a laugh, "That Sect Leader's wife has buttocks as large as a millstone. I wonder if Sect Leader Gongsun can handle it; if not, you could always step in, My Lord."

"What are you babbling about? That's enough, go back and rest, and keep a close eye on Gongsun Yi," Pei Shaoqing said.

He never took an interest in his subordinates' women.

Unless the subordinate offered his wife or sister voluntarily.

"Yes, this subordinate takes his leave."

…………………………

"Senior Brother, you were wronged just now." After leaving the Pei Mansion, Liu Yuheng comforted her husband with a pained expression.

"Sigh." Gongsun Yi shook his head slightly, holding his wife's small, slightly calloused hand, and said, "It is enough to be able to save Yebai and Lan'er. It is just that I have to let down Brother Mo for this, which truly makes me feel guilty and uneasy!"

Liu Yuheng also could not bear it. She opened her mouth, but finally leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "No matter what you do, Senior Brother, I will always support you."

"Junior Sister." Gongsun Yi was moved.

Liu Yuheng gave a gentle smile, then sat up from his shoulder and said earnestly: "But Senior Brother must stay away from that Pei Shaoqing; the way that man looked at me from afar during the day was lecherous, his heart is not upright."

Gongsun Yi's expression stiffened, and he said: "Junior Sister perhaps saw wrong; what kind of woman can Young Master Pei not get? Of course, I am not saying Junior Sister is not beautiful, it is just that you are already someone's wife, and you are many years older than him."

He then sighed and continued, "Besides, we have no choice left; I only hope to borrow Pei Shaoqing's power to revitalize the Iron Sword Sect. Otherwise, when I go to the Nine Springs in the future, with what face would I meet Master and Mistress?"

"Perhaps I did see wrong." Liu Yuheng suppressed her grievance and forced a smile; Senior Brother was already tired enough, she should not add to his troubles.

Gongsun Yi pursed his lips and gently stroked his beloved wife's hand.

Seeking monthly votes.

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(End of this chapter)