Chapter 49: The Thousand-Household with a Grand Perspective, the Pei Father and Son (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Pei Shaoqing guessed that Zhou Xiangyang would definitely write a letter to Lu Dingchuan to lodge a complaint, so he chose to lodge his complaint first.

Although Lu Dingchuan and Zhou Xiangyang's friendship was certainly deeper than his, he was a Young Master from a Marquis Mansion! He was a capable officer who had performed great meritorious service! Could Lu Dingchuan not favor him?

In the letter, he wrote down the entire process of events truthfully.

After all, he had given enough face by taking the initiative to lead the crowd out of the city to welcome them; it was Zhou Xiangyang who had been rude first by not giving him face.

At the end of the letter, he told Lu Dingchuan that as long as Zhou Xiangyang remained in Tongzhou for a single day, the Tongzhou Hundred-Household Office would be under his own command, so he requested that Lu Dingchuan choose someone else to come, and he would certainly be willing to serve in a subordinate position.

Sun Youliang made another trip to Jingguan City.

It was three days later when Lu Dingchuan saw the letter.

"This scoundrel!" he cursed furiously.

Before setting off, he had clearly disclosed Pei Shaoqing's identity to Zhou Xiangyang and instructed him to get along well.

He had not expected that they would fall out the moment they arrived in Tongzhou.

Fortunately, Zhou Xiangyang had been suppressed by Pei Shaoqing.

Otherwise, if Zhou Xiangyang had really been allowed to throw his weight around, would Pei Shaoqing have hated him, his backer, as well?

Although they had once picked chrysanthemums under the eastern fence together, this was not worth mentioning in the face of Pei Shaoqing's status and great merits.

Moreover, Pei Shaoqing had taken the initiative to lead people out of the city to welcome them.

He had already given him, Lu Dingchuan, enough face.

It was his own man who did not know how to appreciate favors.

Lu Dingchuan took a deep breath, put down the letter, looked at Sun Youliang, and said, "Small Flag Sun, go back and pass a word to Flag Chief Pei: I am very sorry that I failed to judge the person correctly and sent such a fool to make a spectacle of himself.

Just find a place for Zhou Xiangyang to stay in Tongzhou and wait for his days to pass; as for the affairs of the Hundred-Household Office, I must trouble Flag Chief Pei to take on this responsibility."

Although Pei Shaoqing said in the letter that he could transfer Zhou Xiangyang away and send someone else, he certainly could not actually do that, otherwise he would be even more foolish than Zhou Xiangyang.

He had already given Zhou Xiangyang the opportunity.

It was he himself who had failed to grasp it.

Then, let the power of the position of Hundred-Household of the Tongzhou Hundred-Household Office be used to deepen his friendship with Pei Shaoqing.

Although having a chrysanthemum is important.

But having a grand perspective is more important!

"Yes, this subordinate will certainly convey the Thousand-Household's words, I take my leave." Small Flag Sun bid farewell and left.

No sooner had he left than the person sent by Zhou Xiangyang to lodge a complaint arrived; after reading Zhou Xiangyang's letter, the anger Lu Dingchuan had just suppressed flared up again.

"Go back and tell Zhou Xiangyang: he is a good-for-nothing who ruins more than he accomplishes; he is to stay in Tongzhou and behave himself, and not go provoking Pei Shaoqing again." Lu Dingchuan threw the letter paper aside and cursed in harsh terms.

After scolding for a while, his tone softened slightly as he said: "Also tell him, Pei Shaoqing killed the Holy Son of Kaiyang a week ago and may be promoted soon; when that time comes, the Tongzhou Hundred-Household Office will return to his hands."

The two of them did have some lingering sentiments between them.

Moreover, he was also worried that the fool would cause more trouble, which was why he used these words to soothe him.

"Yes, yes, yes, this lowly one will pass the message back to Hundred-Household Zhou immediately." The Zhou family attendant who had come to deliver the letter was so frightened that he was dripping with cold sweat; he nodded and bowed before turning to leave.

Three more days later, on the ninth day of the eighth month, the Zhou family attendant returned to the new place Zhou Xiangyang had bought in Tongzhou.

"What did the Thousand-Household say!"

Zhou Xiangyang, who had not left his house for several days, was in low spirits and had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol all day; seeing the attendant return, he immediately perked up and walked over quickly to ask.

"Master!" The attendant wore an expression uglier than crying and said helplessly: "You said the Thousand-Household would definitely be furious after reading the letter, but you didn't say he would be furious at you; you scared me to death."

"Furious at me?" Zhou Xiangyang was stunned.

"Yes!" The attendant sighed and explained everything exactly as it happened: "The Thousand-Household told you to stay in Tongzhou and behave yourself, and not go provoking Flag Chief Pei again."

"No..." Zhou Xiangyang's vision blurred, his face full of disbelief; he had not expected that Thousand-Household Lu would actually not stand up for him, "How could he be so heartless!"

Faced with Pei Shaoqing's act of overstepping his authority and even privately destroying the appointment documents, he actually wouldn't help me!

Zhou Xiangyang was deeply struck, his heart shattered into pieces.

BGM here: Chrysanthemums wither, the buttocks are wounded, his underwear has turned yellow, flowers fall and the heart breaks...

Seeing his master's strange expression, the attendant hurriedly added: "The Thousand-Household also said that Flag Chief Pei killed the Saint Child of Kaiyang a week ago and will very likely be promoted and transferred soon; at that time, the Tongzhou Hundred-Household Office will still be yours."

"What?" Zhou Xiangyang was shocked.

Pei Shaoqing killed the Saint Child of Kaiyang!

How had he not heard of this?

Immediately after, he remembered that half a month ago he was still on his way to take up his post, so it was normal not to know.

But he was still shocked beyond measure.

That was one of the seven Saint Children of the Holy Sect!

This merit was enough to reach the ears of the Emperor, right?

Then, he broke out in a cold sweat, realizing it only after the fact.

Pei Shaoqing had an extraordinary family background and had performed such a great merit, yet he had actually wanted to give him a show of force?

He was now very glad that he had admitted defeat quickly.

With such a family background and such great merit, what would it matter if he just framed him with a crime and killed him? Who would take it seriously?

Thousand-Household Lu had brought him shock, but also comfort; Pei Shaoqing had performed such great merit and would definitely be promoted and transferred, so he would just have to be patient and endure a little longer.

The good days were still ahead.

It was just that his backside was still aching slightly.

…………………………

Northern Frontier of Great Zhou, Longzhou.

A young general, twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a burly and upright stature, dark skin, and an extraordinary heroic appearance, dismounted and walked with long strides into the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion.

"Marquis Heir."

The guards and maidservants along the way stopped one after another to offer greetings.

This person was none other than the Weiyuan Marquis Heir, Pei Shaotang.

Pei Shaotang did not respond to these people, walking with his head held high and strides long, the armor plates on his body clinking and clattering.

Upon arriving at the study in the backyard, he raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Dong, dong, dong!"

"Enter."

Pei Shaotang pushed the door open and entered, then bowed respectfully with his fists cupped, "Father, you summoned me."

Sitting behind the desk was a middle-aged man draped in a python robe, over forty years of age, with a long beard, whose very gaze carried an unforced authority; he was none other than the Weiyuan Marquis, Pei Shiqing.

"Yujin sent a letter; take a look." Pei Shiqing tossed a letter over casually, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow.

"Sister Yujin's letter?" Pei Shaotang caught it and unfolded it to read; the more he read, the uglier his expression became, and he suddenly looked up, "Is the second brother insane!"

He did not believe for a second that Pei Shaoqing had the ability to kill the Kaiyang Holy Son; his first reaction was that the brat was deceiving the Emperor.

"That rebellious son! I saved his life, but I see he will only be satisfied once he brings the execution of our entire Pei family upon us!" Pei Shiqing was incensed, gritting his teeth as he said, "Believe it or not, there are already a crowd of people in the imperial court with impeachment memorials prepared, just waiting to verify that the brat deceived the Emperor so they can report me for failing to discipline my son."

Failing to discipline a son can be a minor or major issue, but if the son one raised deceives the Emperor, it becomes a grave matter if blown out of proportion.

The Emperor is already old, yet the Crown Prince has not been decided.

As a Marquis with real power, there are many people in the imperial court and the palace watching him, and he must tread as if on thin ice in all his actions.

Yet that rebellious son Pei Shaoqing is always causing him some massive trouble, as if afraid he might live too long!

"Second brother is muddled! I never expected him to be even... even more preposterous after leaving the Capital!" Pei Shaotang was also so angry he felt dizzy, taking several deep breaths to calm his emotions, "Father, what should we do now?"

"The Emperor understands that brat's scoundrel nature, and he is still counting on me to break the Northern Barbarians and achieve the merit of expanding our territory before he ascends to the heavens; he will not punish our Pei family for this," Pei Shiqing said, shaking his head with mental exhaustion.

But he immediately sighed, "However, I fear that once the Northern Barbarians are wiped out, these will all be old scores to settle!"

If the Emperor were ten years younger, he would not have this worry, but the Emperor is old, and he cannot help but fear.

"That is why Father has always allowed the Northern Barbarians to catch their breath and survive, to avoid the fate of the rabbit being killed once the hound is no longer needed, or the bow being put away once the birds are gone," Pei Shaotang said with a face full of admiration.

Pei Shiqing looked melancholic, "The Emperor surely suspects this as well, which is why I am now even more afraid that once he obtains ironclad proof of that brat's deception, he will use this matter to apply pressure and force me to engage the Northern Barbarians in a decisive battle as soon as possible."

He actually no longer cares about the life or death of that rebellious son.

But if the Emperor brings this matter up and he still refuses to move his troops, the Emperor will likely suspect him of having ulterior motives, and the situation of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion will become even more dangerous.

"Father..." Pei Shaotang said with a face full of worry.

Pei Shiqing interrupted him, "The Messenger is likely almost at Tongzhou; for now, I can only submit a memorial first, requesting the Emperor to punish me for failing to discipline my son.

As for the rest, we shall take it one step at a time; the worst-case scenario is nothing more than leading the troops north to wipe out the barbarians, then distancing myself from the imperial court, relinquishing military power, and becoming a wealthy man of leisure."

"Second brother is truly too outrageous!" Pei Shaotang could not help but punch the nearby pillar heavily.

Pei Shiqing's tone was cold, "After this matter, I want him removed from the family genealogy and expelled from the Marquis Mansion; the Pei family temple is too small to house this great Buddha, lest he bring us bad luck."

Previously, he had still left a layer of protection for Pei Shaoqing.

This time, he truly intends to let him fend for himself.

(End of chapter)