Chapter 26: The Death of Zheng Xuancheng, the Sky Collapses Upon Waking (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The crossbows used by the Jing'an Guard are naturally not ordinary heavy military crossbows, but Broken Gang Crossbows specifically for dealing with Martial Artists; they have a longer range, greater power, and can break through a Martial Artist's innate Qi. Under a volley of thousands of arrows, even a Roaming Dragon Realm expert must avoid their edge and would not wish to resist them head-on.

The crossbow bolts whistled, piercing a large hole into a beam, and sending stone fragments flying upon hitting the wall; the servants who were struck had their internal organs shattered and were sent flying over ten meters away.

"You are all courting death!"

Seeing that his subordinates truly dared to take action against him, Zheng Xuancheng was instantly overcome with rage. He immediately circulated his internal energy, his figure flickering continuously to dodge the arrows while he took the initiative to charge forward. "Do you trash think you can kill me?"

Claiming he colluded with the Xuanhuang Sect was clearly an attempt to frame him as a rebel and destroy his family; he naturally could not just sit and wait for capture. If he could kill Pei Shaoqing and go to Wan Guifei, he might still obtain her protection and find a way to live through death.

Zheng Xuancheng's Ningqi Late Stage strength held an overwhelming advantage against a group of Body Tempering Martial Artists. Even with the interference of the Broken Gang Crossbows, he unleashed all his trump cards in his desperate final struggle, and for a moment, it seemed as if no one in the field could oppose him.

At least, that was the case until his internal energy was exhausted.

"My Lord?" Gongsun Yi looked toward Pei Shaoqing.

Pei Shaoqing's expression remained unchanged. He watched the slaughter unfolding before him quietly and said indifferently, "No rush."

He had to let Zheng Xuancheng kill two people; otherwise, how could he demonstrate this man's cruelty and guilty conscience?

If you are not a rebel of the Xuan Sect, why resist?

Watching Zheng Xuancheng kill three people in a row and wound several others, he then said, "Sect Leader Gongsun, make your move."

"Yes!" Gongsun Yi responded. The tips of his feet touched the ground, and his figure swept out like a stream of light. His long sword left its sheath, and a sharp sword radiance tore through the curtain of rain, striking directly at Zheng Xuancheng's throat.

Everywhere it passed, the rain dissipated like mist.

"Externalized Qi, a Roaming Dragon Realm expert!" Zheng Xuancheng was shocked and hurriedly parried, but having already consumed much of his internal energy, he was beaten back step by step by Gongsun Yi.

The long sword in Gongsun Yi's hand shimmered with a ghostly blue radiance, dancing so that the rain could not touch his body. His externalized Qi struck with bursts of sound as it broke through the air. Zheng Xuancheng was soon hit by a palm strike, spat blood, and flew out to land on the ground.

He tried to get up, but Gongsun Yi took a step and was already before him, the tip of his sword pointing at his throat. Feeling that cold touch, he did not dare to move.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Pei Shaoqing slowly raised his hands to applaud, walking toward the two as he praised, "Sect Leader Gongsun, fine sword technique, fine palm technique."

"Young Master Pei, I ask myself, I have never been negligent toward you. Why do you harm me!" Zheng Xuancheng still harbored a glimmer of hope, questioning him with a face full of grief and indignation.

"Is that so?" Pei Shaoqing smiled slightly, walked up to look down at him, and asked in a low, nonchalant voice, "Then who sent Xu Zhiyong?"

These words landed in Zheng Xuancheng's ears like a thunderclap. His eyes widened instantly, his entire body stiffened as if struck by a heavy hammer, and his face drained of all color.

Pei Shaoqing waved his hand with an expressionless face.

Puchi!

Gongsun Yi's sword pierced into Zheng Xuancheng's throat.

"I... we all... misjudged you."

Blood bubbled from Zheng Xuancheng's mouth as he stared fixedly up at Pei Shaoqing, struggling to speak in broken, intermittent words.

Ridiculous.

He felt that he and Wang Xianling were truly ridiculous.

So everything had been under Pei Shaoqing's control all along.

At the same time, he felt incomparably aggrieved and indignant. Was this the brainless dandy that the bitch Wan Guifei said was useless in both literature and martial arts, only knowing how to eat, drink, whore, and gamble?

He was unwilling! He was truly unwilling!

"Puh!"

Overcome with rage, a mouthful of blood sprayed out, and Zheng Xuancheng died completely, yet his eyes remained wide open.

"Search the place! Take everyone in the Zheng Mansion to the prison for careful interrogation," Pei Shaoqing ordered.

"Ah! We are innocent! My Lord, spare our lives!"

"We don't know anything, My Lord!"

Hearing this, the people of the Zheng Mansion wailed in unison, kneeling in the rain to kowtow, crying and begging for mercy repeatedly.

Pei Shaoqing remained expressionless and turned a deaf ear. Behind him, thunder rumbled and the wind and rain swayed. He kicked over the Zheng Mansion Butler in front of him and strode inside.

"My Lord! My Lord! A discovery!" Sun Youliang ran over holding a wooden box and handed it to Pei Shaoqing, saying, "This was found in Zheng Xuancheng's study."

Pei Shaoqing took a look; it was full of letters and documents related to the Xuanhuang Sect, as well as a token for a Helmsman of the Xuanhuang Sect's Tongzhou Branch. That cunning fellow Wang Xianling clearly wanted to let Zheng Xuancheng take the fall for him.

It gave the imperial court the illusion that the Xuanhuang Sect's Tongzhou Branch had been severely crippled, and coupled with his collusion, the Xuanhuang Sect's activities in Tongzhou could be more secure and worry-free in the future.

He naturally did not mind doing Wang Xianling this favor.

After all, this way, his own merit would be even greater.

That night, two Zheng Mansion servants could not withstand the torture and confessed that they were members of the Xuan Sect, and they also identified Zheng Xuancheng's status as a Helmsman of the Xuan Sect's Tongzhou Branch.

This was, of course, arranged by Wang Xianling. He had also arranged for a Xuanhuang Sect mole to report Zheng Xuancheng to Pei Shaoqing; otherwise, how would Pei Shaoqing explain to his superiors how he learned of Zheng Xuancheng's identity?

This cooperation had gains for both sides; everyone was happy.

Even Zheng Xuancheng gained death, skipping decades of detours in one go and dying a natural death.

Pei Shaoqing wrote a letter that night and ordered Sun Youliang to personally deliver the letter, the confessions of the two servants, and the evidence seized from the Zheng Mansion to the Prefecture Thousand-Household Office.

After finishing, it was already the fourth watch, and dawn was approaching. The rain had lessened, drizzling down like fine hair.

"My Lord, you have been busy all night, go back and rest first." Song Youcai walked in carrying a cup of tea.

Pei Shaoqing took the teacup, sipped it, set it down, and stood up to stretch, saying, "I am a bit tired. Leave this to you. Wash away the blood in my house so it doesn't bring bad luck when I move in. In the next two days, find me a new batch of servants to fill the mansion, and change the plaque on the front gate. Who gave Zheng Xuancheng the gall to hang his family's plaque on my house?"

Last time he came, he already saw this residence as his own home.

"Yes, My Lord, take care," Song Youcai replied.

Pei Shaoqing led Ye Hanshuang and Gongsun Yi outside. After leaving the door, Ye Hanshuang, who had not spoken all night, asked, "Did Big Brother forget one person?"

"You mean Chen Zhongyi?" Pei Shaoqing naturally had not forgotten. He chuckled, "He must be kept. Without Battalion Commander Zheng, keeping him is not harmful to me, but beneficial."

Originally, he had intended to kill them all, but now that he had reached a cooperation with Wang Xianling, only the chief culprit, Battalion Commander Zheng, needed to die; Chen Zhongyi could be spared like a dog.

"Why?" Ye Hanshuang did not understand. In her view, anyone who wanted to kill her had to be killed completely.

Yet Big Brother first did not kill Wang Xianling but instead cooperated with him, and now he wanted to spare Chen Zhongyi's life.

She felt that Big Brother's way of doing things had become formidable recently.

Pei Shaoqing said calmly, "Xu Zhiyong and Zheng Xuancheng both died at my hands. If Chen Zhongyi isn't stupid, he will think about why he didn't die. Once he figures it out, he will naturally come to me to beg to be a dog."

"Now that Zheng Xuancheng is dead, the higher-ups will surely send a Trial Hundred-Household. If Chen Zhongyi were to die, wouldn't this Trial Hundred-Household be able to install their own confidant? But as long as Chen Zhongyi also takes orders from me, I can completely control the power of the Hundred-Household Office, being a Flag Chief in name, but a Hundred-Household in reality."

Chen Zhongyi is just a small character with absolutely no choice; killing him would give Pei Shaoqing no sense of satisfaction from revenge, nor would it yield any practical benefits.

So, rather than taking his life, isn't it better to use him to work for me? Work him to death! Throw every dirty, tiring, and offensive task to him alone.

Even if he were worked to death one day, he wouldn't feel a pang of regret.

Ye Hanshuang suddenly realized, Big Brother is truly clever.

But it's truly troublesome.

Fortunately, she only needs to use her hands and not her brain.

"Young Master, you are truly far-sighted and decisive." Gongsun Yi offered a sincere compliment.

Pei Shaoqing smiled and said, "You have worked hard tonight, Sect Leader Gongsun. You should return to Bazhou tomorrow."

He had no more use for Gongsun Yi here.

The key was that Gongsun Yi must also be preoccupied with the Iron Sword Sect; if he were forced to stay, it would be counterproductive.

"Yes! My Lord!" Gongsun Yi replied immediately.

The first thing Pei Shaoqing did upon returning home was to have the butler Chen Youfu send all the servants arranged by Zheng Xuancheng away overnight; after all, who knew if some loyal servant might poison his food or drink to avenge their master?

……………………………

Chen Zhongyi had gotten drunk last night and fell asleep the moment he returned home; it was only after waking up that he learned of last night's events from a subordinate who came to report, and he felt as if the sky had collapsed.

His vision went black, he felt dizzy, and the world spun around him, nearly causing him to fall to the ground; fortunately, the subordinate was quick-handed and supported him, "My Lord, are you alright?"

"I am fine." Chen Zhongyi waved his hand, sat down heavily, and stared blankly with a deathly pale face.

Although it was the sweltering summer of July, he felt his hands and feet turn cold; he certainly did not believe that Hundred-Household Zheng was the Helmsman of the Xuanhuang Sect's Tongzhou Branch, so there was only one reason why Hundred-Household Zheng died at the hands of Pei Shaoqing.

The same went for Xu Zhiyong, who died a few days ago!

"He knows, he knows everything."

Chen Zhongyi muttered to himself, covered in cold sweat.

"My Lord, My Lord, what has happened to you?" Seeing this, the subordinate was full of confusion and asked with concern repeatedly.

Chen Zhongyi could not hear the sounds of the outside world at all, his heart filled with fear and unease; would he be next? If Pei Shaoqing wanted to kill him, he wouldn't need to be as complicated as he was with Hundred-Household Zheng.

Wait!

A sudden flash of inspiration struck him; that's right, it would have been easier to kill him, yet Pei Shaoqing did not.

He didn't even take the opportunity last night to make him commit suicide by stabbing himself eight times in the back to escape punishment, which meant he didn't want to kill him!

He was still useful to Young Master Pei!

After realizing this, he immediately let out a sigh of relief.

He gasped for air, feeling like a survivor of a catastrophe.

Subconsciously, he stood up to go find Pei Shaoqing to apologize and pledge his loyalty, but stopped after taking only two steps.

He couldn't just go empty-handed.

After all, this was a debt of life.

He had to prepare a generous gift or a token of allegiance.

Seeking monthly votes! Seeking follow-up reads. Today is the third round of PK. Don't ask why there was no second round; an author as awesome and handsome as me skips directly to the third round.





(End of this chapter)