Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 159 Now I'm Alright

"Let's go!" Pei Yuan said concisely and then rode his horse forward.

Chen Toutie immediately took Wang Chang's horse and followed Pei Yuan.

Tan Tai Fang Tu and Si Kong Sui, the two who liked to show off their seniority, were now following behind and didn't dare to even breathe.

There were four of them in the group and they were not moving very fast.

This also gave them time to organize their thoughts.

Wang Chang's face had gradually changed from pale to somewhat red.

As mentioned before, because he was born short, he liked to wear a tall gauze hat, high-soled boots, and ride on a tall sedan chair, so he was called "Mr. Three Highs".

He is a person who subconsciously yearns for power.

And Pei Yuan...

Wang Chang subconsciously looked at Captain Pei who was standing beside him.

This is an undisputedly powerful man!

After this incident, Wang Chang's mentality has undergone a drastic change.

He asked in a very calm tone, "Qian Hu, how should I arrange the follow-up matters here?"

Pei Yuan had already thought about it. As he rode slowly forward, he casually asked, "What does this have to do with you?"

"This is a personal feud between our Jinyiwei and Huben Zuowei. You just got involved by chance. Besides, it's hard to say whether we can prove that your Ministry of War was involved."

Wang Chang was a little surprised when he heard this. "Is the captain going to take direct responsibility for this matter?"

Seeing Pei Yuan nod, Wang Chang felt that it was a bit hasty, and hurriedly persuaded him, "Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. We don't know how the parties will react. Why don't we wait and see?"

Pei Yuan said calmly, "Don't worry. Although we are the emperor's personal army, we are still one of the guards in the world. For other guards, as long as no outsiders come to tear down this doghouse, and it's just a dog-eat-dog fight among ourselves, they won't feel a sense of crisis."

"Although I killed all the Hu Ben Zuo Wei, it was a bit extreme, but the Hu Ben Zuo Wei did not do the right thing, so I have the right to seek revenge. As long as the other guards understand the reason and make sure that it will not affect them, they will only gloat over the misfortune and watch the excitement of the Hu Ben Zuo Wei."

Wang Chang heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this, but then he said worriedly, "Too many people have seen this matter, it is almost impossible to cover it up. What does Qian Hu think about the follow-up?"

Pei Yuan said nonchalantly, "I had no intention of covering this up."

Seeing Wang Chang’s stunned expression.

Pei Yuan explained, "There are two main reasons why I attacked Huben Zuowei. One is to avenge them for betraying me."

Pei Yuan deliberately emphasized the word "betray".

The people present beat the drums without heavy hammers, and all had a look of loyalty on their faces.

There is no right or wrong in Ming Dynasty politics, only taking sides.

Pei Yuan continued, "Another reason is to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, to set an example for the other guards. Let them know what price they will pay if they want to collude with others to deal with me."

"Since I have such a purpose, I certainly can't be timid and not dare to admit it. Otherwise, I will be looked down upon."

Wang Chang knew Pei Yuan didn't understand what he meant, so he reminded him, "It won't be long before this matter becomes a hot topic and known to the world. How can we ignore the rumors? If it gets out of hand, it will be difficult for the court to handle it."

Pei Yuan sneered, "What are you afraid of? They colluded with outsiders and wanted to prevent me from escorting the tax silver to the capital. Isn't that courting death?"

"The emperor today may think that I went too far, but he won't think that I did anything wrong."

Wang Chang added, "There are also the officials in the court and the criticisms from people all over the world. Should we cover it up a little bit to save face for both of us?"

When Pei Yuan heard Wang Chang say this, he was moved and asked him, "What do you think?"

Wang Chang had obviously been thinking about it all the way, and now he had an idea in mind, so he said directly, "I see that these people from the Huben Zuowei are not dressed in the right clothes and armor, and their weapons are not in order. Ordinary people may not be able to tell where they came from."

"Do you want me to send you a document in the name of the Nanjing Military Department, saying that you are being recruited to eliminate the White Lotus sect. If this name is announced to the public, it should be able to calm down the discussions in the market."

"As long as we control the spread of the news locally and clean up the scene as quickly as possible, by the time the incident gets out of hand, it will have long since become a rumor with no basis for truth. By then, if there are any problems, we can discuss them behind closed doors."

"Otherwise, I'm afraid everyone will be embarrassed."

Pei Yuan didn't expect Wang Chang to spend so much money, and he couldn't help but look at him with admiration.

According to this proposal, it is almost equivalent to asking the Nanjing Ministry of War to endorse this matter.

The Nanjing Ministry of War will complete the superficial whitewashing to avoid creating bad public opinion that will put everyone in a difficult position. After that, Pei Yuan can compete calmly with all parties.

Pei Yuan appreciated Wang Chang's proposal. At least it showed that Wang Chang was very determined to stand for himself and would rather sacrifice some of his own interests to ensure that there were no problems on the mountain.

Pei Yuan saw it clearly too.

This does not mean that Wang Chang's awareness has reached the level of self-sacrifice, but that he is extremely optimistic about Pei Yuan's development and is confident that he can exchange his current efforts for future rewards.

Pei Yuan still smiled with satisfaction and said, "I appreciate the Grand Marshal's kindness. However, this puts us in a passive position."

"I call this a game of Jumanji."

"Since no one dares to investigate, why should we take the initiative to do this thankless task?"

"As long as we take action, there will always be people who think we are weak and will pursue us relentlessly on this matter, constantly controlling us and forcing us to retreat step by step until we have no way out."

"Because in essence, the destruction of the Tiger Guards is indeed true. If we want to cover it up, we have to keep using lies to make up for the whole thing."

"Once the battle line is extended and the matter deviates from the original purpose, it is very likely that what will kill us will not be the case of Tiger Guard Zuowei, but one of our lies. By then, no one will stand with us."

After listening to it, Wang Chang gained a lot without realizing it.

He almost subconsciously wanted to cover the lid just now, but he didn't expect that the real threat to him might be this lid.

Pei Yuan took off the Bazhou sword from his waist, tapped it in his hand, and made a summary speech, "Although the sword is a weapon, the closer we hold it, the more afraid others will be of us. Let's just wait and see."

Pei Yuan determined the tone of the matter, and Wang Chang felt inexplicably relieved.

It is indeed a very convincing statement!

The four of them slowly walked across the battlefield, and Wang Chang also had a general idea of ​​the whole picture of the matter.

For Tan Tai Fang Tu and Si Kong Sui, it is even easier to understand.

When they found out that the Nanjing Minister of War was actually following Pei Yuan's lead and even volunteered to clean up the mess, the two of them finally understood what kind of situation their own thousand households were in!

What the fuck!

No wonder Pei Yuan dared to say that Huben Zuowei would be driven out of the city to be killed by him.

With Nan Da Sima helping me as my younger brother, I can do it too!

The two centurions were very emotional.

Now I am done, where can I find such an obedient Nan Da Sima?
Beg on your knees!

Pei Yuan led his men to the slope where they had set up an ambush.

The Jinyiwei officers and soldiers and those martial artists who had just regrouped were waiting here for Pei Yuan to give them a lecture.

Pei Yuan ignored them, raised his chin, and pointed to a headless armored corpse in front of Wang Chang, "That is Yang Lin, the commander of the Tiger Guard Left Guard."

Wang Chang looked in the direction he was looking and saw the third-rank commander being slaughtered like a pig or a dog.

Then he looked away and looked at the soldiers of the Huben Zuowei who were in a mess.

He sighed secretly in his heart.

Choosing the right position is indeed more important than anything else. Some scenery is more comfortable to watch standing next to Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan continued, "I have sent people to the Baihu Suo in Jiangdu City to silence them. If all goes well, they will get the document from the Ministry of War. If not, it doesn't matter."

"On your side, follow up will still be carried out according to the original plan."

"As long as we don't expose it ourselves, no one will link this matter to the Nanjing Military Department."

Wang Chang nodded and said, "I will definitely not let the captain down."

Pei Yuan thought about it and added, "Perhaps, after what happened today, the various garrisons in the south will have a greater sense of crisis. They will be more motivated to make up for the shortage of soldiers and equipment."

Pei Yuan felt that now he could have a heart-to-heart talk with Wang Chang.

He took the initiative to bring it up, "As for the court. I have asked the eunuch Lu Ting to guarantee the release of Bai Yu, the governor of the rear palace, from the imperial prison. Later, Bai Yu will make up for his crime and lead the troops to participate in the encirclement and suppression of the rebels in Bazhou."

"Lu Ting will serve as Bai Yu's military supervisor and try to replace Gu Dayong and gain full command of the army to suppress the rebellion."

“This is an opportunity for us.”

Wang Chang had heard Pei Yuan mention it a few times before. When he heard the specific names and matters, he knew that he had moved forward a few steps in Pei Yuan's small hill and gained initial trust.

For a moment, I felt my heart surge.

Tan Tai Fang Tu and Si Kong Sui were completely confused.

With their level, they couldn't even understand what Pei Yuan was saying.

Wang Chang was afraid that he could not grasp the deep meaning of Pei Yuan's words, so he suppressed his excitement and took the initiative to ask, "What opportunity did the captain mention?"

Pei Yuan analyzed, "Although Lu Ting has some ability, he has never participated in the command of a major war, and I just defeated his spirit. Now that he is suddenly in charge of the army, I am afraid he is unsure."

"Try to get some useful people in your hands, and send troops to help him at the critical moment. Lu Ting will definitely remember your kindness, and when the credit is divided, it won't be difficult to capture a Right Censor-in-Chief."

Wang Chang finally understood what Pei Yuan meant by giving him the position of Right Censor-in-Chief.

There is such a plan.

As long as he gets the title of Right Censor-in-Chief, he can naturally become the governor or governor-general in the future, and he will be a real local emperor.

Wang Chang immediately expressed his position, "I will ask each garrison to gather a group of elite soldiers and keep them on standby in Yangzhou at any time. Without the approval of the captain, no one can transfer this army."

Pei Yuan was satisfied but also felt very regretful.

Unfortunately, Wang Chang’s foundation is too poor.

He ranked third in the imperial examination in the 17th year of Chenghua, and as he was ranked third in the national unified examination, he should have been a sure candidate for the cabinet.

Unfortunately, during the palace examination, Wang Chang suffered an incredible collapse.

He went directly from third in the national unified examination to third from the bottom in the second class, ninety-sixth in the country, and almost dropped directly to the third-class Tongjinshi.

If we start from the conspiracy theory, then Wang Chang has no one above him.

If respecting the results is the premise, then Wang Chang is a fool who writes stereotyped essays and is not worth mentioning in the field of policy essays.

Wang Chang’s situation cannot be said to be from heaven to hell, but it is definitely miserable enough.

Many years later, Wang Chang finally reaped the rewards of his hard work and managed to become the second-rank Nanjing Minister of War.

As a result, just as he was about to put his hands on his hips, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, who was keeping a low profile in the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel, quietly surpassed Wang Chang and became the Minister of the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel.

This candidate brought back old memories for Wang Chang and caused him extreme psychological discomfort.

There is no other name. This gentleman is Huang Xun, the runner-up in the imperial examination in the 17th year of Chenghua, and a native of Yuyao.

If it weren't for fate, Wang Chang should have been the third place in the imperial examination, standing behind Huang Xun and sharing the same first place with his elder brother.

however……

So, although they were of the same age and seemed very close, Wang Chang still felt uncomfortable for a long time.

Finally one day, he suddenly got good news and bad news.

The good news is that Huang Xun was dismissed from office.

Get out today!
The bad news is that the imperial court directly parachuted in a Minister of Personnel from Nanjing.

As for this unrelated matter, why is it bad news?

There is no other reason. The newly appointed Nanjing Minister of Personnel, Wang Hua, was the top scorer in the Chenghua period of the 17th year, and also from Yu Yao.

Compared with these two people of the same age.

Although Wang Chang looks no less impressive.

But others were just passing by to take a break, but his career was already over.

If Wang Chang wanted to go further, his only hope was to be awarded a higher rank after his death.

Not only was Wang Chang upset about this, but Pei Yuan was also very conflicted about it.

Otherwise, if this guy could be brought into the cabinet, wouldn’t it be better than “Wandering Half a Life”?

After sending away his top star, Pei Yuan did not waste any time and hurriedly took his men back to protect the tax silver.

After returning home and seeing that everything was back to normal, I felt relieved.

At this time, Hou Qing also rushed back. His short armor and shirt were soaked with blood. With his dirty hands, he handed over a slightly dirty official document, "Sir, I have done my duty."

Pei Yuan opened it and saw that it was the document from the Nanjing Ministry of War asking the Huben Zuowei to go to the ferry to assist in defense.

He thought about it and put it away himself.

This is irrefutable evidence that the Nanjing Ministry of War teamed up with Pei Yuan to eliminate Huben Zuowei.

The deterrent effect on the older brother is second only to the fat younger brother's persuasion.

Pei Yuan asked again, "Where are the people? Have they been dealt with?"

Hou Qing said confidently, "No one in the entire Hundred Households will be left alive."

Pei Yuan nodded with satisfaction, and Hou Qing tactfully withdrew.

Cheng Leixiang took the initiative to ask, "Sir, what should we do next? Should we stay in this post station for the time being, or go directly to Huai'an?"

Pei Yuan had not achieved any of his purposes for staying in Yangzhou, so of course he didn't want to leave just like that.

Captain Han has not arrived yet to exchange the silver, and the situation in Huai'an is not yet at the point where intervention is possible.

Pei Yuan is now placing more and more bets on the fact that the Bazhou rebels will attack Huai'an.

Moreover, many subsequent plans are closely related to whether the Bazhou rebels will move south.

Pei Yuan seemed to be in high spirits these days, but he was gradually being dominated by an inexplicable emotion.

Pei Yuan now doesn't even dare to analyze what kind of situation he would face if the Bazhou rebels had not attacked Huai'an.

He was now like a gambler with red eyes. In his dreams, he wanted to press Liu Liu and Liu Qi's heads and force them to attack Huai'an.

For several days, after Pei Yuan woke up, he looked at the map with a depressed mood, feeling helpless and furious.

Come on and attack Huai'an!
Come and fight Huai'an!
(End of this chapter)