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

Chapter 236 You Said the Wrong Thing

Xiao Tong didn't know how to answer this. He didn't dare to look at Pei Yuan and looked away evasively.

At this glance, he happened to see the war horse he was riding.

The warhorse had fallen in a pool of blood, with large chunks of fur falling off its body and its dark red muscles exposed everywhere. It looked like it had been completely bitten to pieces.

Xiao Tong was frightened.

He subconsciously touched his body randomly.

If Pei Yuan had been a little slower, wouldn't he have become food for those mice just like the horse?
Xiao Tong touched his torn Feiyu suit and several bite wounds. He felt blood vessels throbbing in his eye sockets, which made him dizzy with panic.

Then he seemed dazzled as he looked at the warhorse that had been bitten to death.

The warhorse's chest was beating rapidly, as if its heart was reviving.

Just when Xiao Tong was feeling terrified and confused, the warhorse's chest suddenly split open from the inside.

The little blood that was already there spurted out from inside.

Then, a rat covered in blood crawled out from the chest of the warhorse.

This mouse seems to be quite human.

It stood there for a while as if confused, and then quickly ran towards Pei Yuan.

When it was still far away, the mouse jumped into the air and leaped towards the pocket on Pei Yuan's waist.

Then the mouse suddenly disappeared, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

Xiao Tong was so scared that his lips began to tremble.

This Captain Pei is a fucking monster!

Xiao Tong was shivering on the ground when several riders came quickly from a distance.

Perhaps it was because he saw Xiao Tong lying on the ground and Pei Yuan standing on his horse beside him, the leader Xiao Yan changed color and shouted, "Captain Pei, stop it!"

Pei Yuan didn't have any plans to do anything.

This is Xiao Jingxin’s eldest grandson, and he is within the five generations of mourning.

If Pei Yuan killed Xiao Tong here, it would be difficult for him to deal with it when he returned to the capital.

That Xiao Jing is not an ordinary eunuch...

Speaking of Xiao Jing's devilish resume, he can definitely be called the chosen eunuch of the Ming Dynasty.

Why do you say that?
This eunuch served five emperors: Emperor Yingzong, Emperor Chenghua, Emperor Hongzhi, Emperor Zhengde, and Emperor Jiajing.

Five emperors all admired him very much.

Moreover, this eunuch is simply a bronze eunuch of Pegasus. After the death of each emperor, Xiao Jing would directly give up power and wealth and go to the lonely government office in the palace.

However, the succeeding emperor would soon re-employ Xiao Jing and push his status higher and higher.

This year, Xiao Jing will take advantage of two major events to become the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department.

One was that Xiao Jing's good henchman Lu Ting used the skins of bandit leaders such as Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and Zhao Sui to make a saddle for the emperor.

Another incident was that Qiu Ju, one of the Seven Tigers, stabbed Zhang Yong in the back and removed Zhang Yong from his position as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department.

Zhang Yong, Gu Dayong, and Qiu Ju.

They lost the Imperial Household Department, the West Factory and the East Factory respectively!

Zhu Houzhao's three-pronged approach to checking and balancing the civil officials was now all abolished.

Therefore, after the seventh year of Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to transfer the power center of the inner palace from the Silijian to the Leopard House where military training was conducted.

For Pei Yuan, no matter from which angle you look at it, this is absolutely not in his interest.

Pei Yuan absolutely could not watch a man who had plotted against him, wearing an extremely noble dragon robe, riding in a sedan chair in the palace, and leisurely entering the Imperial Household Department.

Apart from anything else, this treatment alone is enough to prove Xiao Jing's status.

According to Huang Ming Yi Dian Shu, only the senior and high-ranking eunuchs in charge of the Imperial Household Department could hope to receive a reward of this level, sitting in a dragon robe.

Moreover, even after several generations of emperors, they might not necessarily bestow only a few of them.

"Wearing a dragon robe and riding in a sedan chair in the palace." The only person in later generations who could match this treatment was Zhang Juzheng.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan's determination to restore the Western Factory for Gu Dayong became even stronger.

Pei Yuan absolutely could not let these three forces collapse before he took control of the inner palace.

Pei Yuan looked at Xiao Yan who was riding towards him with a fierce look in his eyes, but he forced himself to be patient.

Before Xiao Yan's men arrived, he hurriedly jumped off his horse and went to help Xiao Tong.

This Xiao Tong is Xiao Yan's biological son.

After discovering that Xiao Tong only had some minor skin injuries, Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked up at Pei Yuan, but found that Pei Yuan had no intention of getting off the horse and was still looking at them coldly on the horse.

Even if Xiao Yan had not seen Pei Yuan's army of rats just now, he had seen how he swept across the battlefield.

When his identity was no longer effective, he suddenly realized the other party's ferocity.

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, held Xiao Tong and moved away from Pei Yuan's horse, then stood up, looked at Pei Yuan and said gloomily, "Eunuch Lu wants to see you."

Pei Yuan didn't want to say anything more to the two men, so he rode his horse directly towards the prefectural government at the end of the road. Chen Toutie and the other three followed closely behind.

When Xiao Jing asked the Northern Pacification Office to stab Pei Yuan in the back, wasn't it just to use Pei Qianhu's head to gild Xiao Yan and Xiao Tong?

The two Xiaos returned empty-handed, and Pei Yuan was already feeling resentful.

Xiao Jing doesn't know yet that Lu Ting has betrayed them inadvertently. When this matter is exposed, it is unlikely that both sides will leave any room for maneuver.

Pei Yuan arrived in front of the prefectural government and jumped off his horse.

A young eunuch came out to greet him, "But Captain Pei? Eunuch Lu wants to see you."

Pei Yuan responded and turned to look at Chen Toutie.

The young eunuch knew what was going on and immediately said, "Someone will invite them to have tea."

Pei Yuan looked at the system again.

The failure of the two raids at the beginning made Lu Ting have a strong interest in Pei Yuan. Later, when Pei Yuan gave up chasing the remnants of Lu Ting, a favor debt appeared, and the words "appreciation" and "high completion" also appeared.

After that, Pei Yuan's series of operations sent Lu Ting directly to the position of Governor of Military Affairs.

The debt of favor was also slightly refreshed, with "appreciation" becoming "high appreciation" and "high completion" becoming "extremely high completion".

——Debts receivable (1/1): Lu Ting highly appreciates you and will achieve your expectations with a high degree of completion.

Seeing that his personal relationship with Lu Ting was still stable, Pei Yuan immediately walked inside with confidence.

Lu Ting did not put on airs and was already standing under the eaves, wearing a bright red dragon robe, waiting.

Unfortunately, even the eunuchs who have made military achievements can only walk through the python but not sit on it. The difference is as huge as heaven and earth.

Pei Yuan stepped forward and saluted, "I, Pei Yuan, congratulate Eunuch Lu for taking charge of the imperial army."

Lu Ting did not hide his laughter and said, "Although it is a happy event, it is not something I can do."

After saying this, he knew that there were many people around, so he stepped forward, took Pei Yuan's hand, and went into the hall with him.

Pei Yuan positioned Lu Ting as a strategic ally and certainly did not want to deliberately create a status gap between them.

Since Lu Ting showed such respect to Pei Yuan, Pei Yuan would not belittle himself, so he followed Lu Ting.

The two men entered the hall and sat down as host and guest.

After Lu Ting and the other eunuchs had served tea, they were allowed to leave. Lu Ting could not wait to talk to Pei Yuanchang about his experiences of the past few days.

This warm feeling in his heart has been there since the time he pursued the defeated Bazhou army until now, and he was just waiting for Pei Yuan, his accomplice, to come and share it with him.

Pei Yuan did not interrupt and waited patiently for Lu Ting to express his joy.

After Lu Ting stopped talking, Pei Yuan sighed in agreement, "I only had an idea at the time, but it was only because of my father-in-law's careful planning and decisiveness that I was able to accomplish it."

Lu Ting laughed again.

Only an accomplice like Pei Yuan knows what efforts he has truly made and can speak to his heart.

After Lu Ting finished laughing, he said to Pei Yuan, "Others may not know your contribution, but how can I not know it?"

"Even if we don't mention our affairs, you were able to accurately calculate the retreat route of the Bazhou Army, giving the court the opportunity to surprise attack them. This achievement alone is enough to make you promoted several levels."

"I am now in charge of military affairs, and I will be the one to distribute the credit after the war. When the time comes, I will definitely give you a big note in the credit book."

Pei Yuan quickly declined after hearing this, "No need, no need."

The hundred or so young military generals who made the greatest contributions after the war were all adopted as godsons by Zhu Houzhao.

This is not a book of merit at all, it's simply a list of gods!

As long as you are on the list, there is a high probability that your remaining soul will have to go to the Conferred God Platform.

Pei Yuan didn't want to stand out in this massacre of his son.

In this era, only the strength in your hands is real, everything else is fake.

Among the people Pei Yuan met, Lu Ting was considered to be relatively smart.

He knew Pei Yuan's ability, so he didn't ask questions endlessly like ordinary people, but asked directly, "Do you have any concerns?"

Pei Yuan didn't play dumb with him and said to him sincerely, "This matter involves too much, I'm still young, I'm afraid I can't handle it."

Hearing this, Lu Ting couldn't help but laugh and said, "If you, who can predict the future, can't do it, then who else in the world can do it?"

Finished saying this.

Lu Ting paused unconsciously, and then whispered to himself, "Yes. If even Captain Pei can't handle this matter, who else in this world can handle it?"

so?

Could there be some fatal change in the distribution of the spoils of war?

Lu Ting looked at Pei Yuan, suppressed his smile and asked, "Then may I ask Captain Pei, why are you teaching me?"

Pei Yuan never expected that Lu Ting had such a sensitive sense of crisis.

Or it could be said that Lu Ting's trust in Pei Yuan had reached a level that seriously affected his judgment.

Pei Yuan pondered for a moment and expressed it tactfully, "A small person like me needs to live with great care, so you don't have to care too much."

Lu Ting did not respond to Pei Yuan's words.

I don't know if it was Pei Yuan's judgment that made Lu Ting feel uneasy. The atmosphere in the hall cooled down a bit.

Lu Ting thought about it for a while, then said to Pei Yuan, "I know my own business. The success last time was all thanks to Captain Pei's planning for me."

"At the beginning, the captain promised that he would give me some good advice after the matter was accomplished. I wonder why Captain Pei is teaching me now?"

Pei Yuan had something to say to Lu Ting, so he took the opportunity to say to Lu Ting, "The Bazhou Army is now nothing more than a lost dog, there is really nothing to praise about it. But has Eunuch Lu thought about what to do next?"

Lu Ting asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Pei Yuan pretended not to know and asked Lu Ting, "Given Mr. Lu's merits in defeating the Bazhou Army, can he be appointed as the head of the Imperial Household Department after returning to the court?"

Lu Ting laughed and said, "Zhang Yong had the merit of killing Liu Jin, and he was also a close minister who had watched the emperor grow up. Who can replace him?"

Seeing that Pei Yuan didn't respond, Lu Ting felt something was wrong and asked, "What's wrong?"

Pei Yuan said to Lu Ting, "What if Zhang Yong can't keep his position as the head of the Imperial Household Department?"

Lu Ting was surprised. "How is that possible?"

Pei Yuan said in a deep voice, "Don't worry about that. I just want to ask you, if Zhang Yong steps down from the position of the Chief of the Imperial Household Department, do you have a hope of becoming the Chief of the Imperial Household Department based on your military exploits?"

After hearing this, Lu Ting sighed, "If I were over fifty now, maybe the court would give me this grace. But now I am less than forty years old, and I have made considerable military achievements. I am afraid the court will not be willing to use me."

Pei Yuan thought, "Indeed."

If Lu Ting took the position of the Prime Minister and held the seal of the Imperial Household Department, just based on his merit in suppressing the rebellion in Bazhou, it would be difficult for ordinary university scholars to compete with him.

The four people currently holding the positions of Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet are Li Dongyang, Yang Tinghe, Liang Chu, and Fei Hong.

Among them, Yang Tinghe is in the fourth grade, Liang Chu is in the second grade, and Fei Hong is in the first grade.

Only Li Dongyang had served as Grand Secretary for more than ten years since the Hongzhi era, but now he is almost done.

If Lu Ting really suppressed the rebellion in Bazhou, it would not be his achievement that shocked the emperor, but his achievement that shocked the cabinet.

Besides, he is only in his thirties now. As long as he doesn't make any big mistakes, it won't be a big problem for him to be in charge of the Imperial Household Department for another 20 to 30 years.

For the next generation of civil servants, an old devil who has been in charge of the Imperial Household Department for twenty or thirty years is absolutely an extremely terrifying existence.

Therefore, if Lu Ting did not know when to advance or retreat, he would inevitably have to go to Nanjing to serve as an imperial eunuch.

Pei Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Eunuch is a member of the palace, and he will have to go back eventually. Now that he has made such a great contribution, don't you even have a place to stand? How about the Imperial Household Department?"

Lu Ting was silent for a while, then replied, "I'm afraid that's not possible, for the same reason as before."

Pei Yuan asked again, "What about the eunuchs in charge of the Imperial Household Department?"

Lu Ting glanced at Pei Yuan and said nothing.

Pei Yuan spoke for Lu Ting, "With your contribution to the restoration of Hami State and your hard work in guarding Xuanfu, even if you hadn't pacified the Bazhou Army, you would have been qualified to be the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. If you were given this position, it would make your situation extremely embarrassing."

The joy in Lu Ting's heart had completely disappeared.

Pei Yuan continued to ask, "What about the West Factory and the East Factory?"

Lu Ting tried to think about it, but still didn't answer.

Pei Yuan said, "The West Factory and the East Factory are the eyes and ears of the emperor, and they have great power. In many cases, when holding these two positions, it is not about ability and merit, but only about the closeness of the relationship with the emperor. What do you think, Eunuch Lu?"

Lu Ting did not evade the question and said, "I have been in the border for many years and have little relationship with the palace. I have even rarely met the current emperor."

"Although the Imperial Horse Supervisor is in charge of the Jingjun, he has no place to use his skills. He has no power and no benefits, and his work is very hard and tiring. I'm sure Eunuch Lu doesn't think highly of him, right?"

Lu Ting was already a little annoyed by what Pei Yuan said, "Why should I go to the Imperial Stables?"

Then he said angrily, "I came out to supervise military affairs this time, and the title given to me is the eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration."

For a eunuch, if he wants to demonstrate his power and gain wealth, there are only a few places to go.

Either they enter the Imperial Household Department, the East or West Factory, and extend their power to the court and outside the palace.

Or you can enter the Imperial Household Department, take control of the palace's purchasing expenses, and make a fortune.

When Lu Ting came out to lead the troops, he was appointed as a eunuch in the Imperial Stables. He can't be a eunuch in the Imperial Stables again when he returns.

Therefore, Pei Yuan concluded for Lu Ting, "In other words, the eunuch will eventually go to the Imperial Household Department to serve as a eunuch?"

Lu Ting didn't say anything, his face looked as ugly as if his mother had died.

Pei Yuan didn't sympathize with Lu Ting's feelings at all, and continued to ask, "Don't you feel embarrassed?"

"By then, even if you are not embarrassed, don't you think that the one who holds the seal and the pen above you will feel uncomfortable?"

Lu Ting's face was ugly, and he said angrily after a long while, "Then what should I do? There are only so many positions in the palace. I can't grow up and go to the Five Military Commander's Office, right?"

When Pei Yuan heard this, an idea really flashed in his mind.

Maybe it's even possible.

It’s not that Lu Ting can grow taller, but that Lu Ting really has the possibility of going to the Five Military Commandery.

After all, the emperor of the time can be the Duke of Zhenguo and a mighty general, so it is entirely possible for a useless left and right governor to appear.

However, this is not in Pei Yuan’s interest for the time being.

Pei Yuan immediately put aside this thought and said to Lu Ting, "So, Eunuch Lu's intention is still to hold the seal and pen of the Imperial Household Department and the positions of the East and West Factories, right?"

Lu Ting stopped talking again.

After all, these options had just been rejected in the discussion between them.

Doing something knowing it is impossible appears both brave and foolish.

Lu Ting sighed and said, "I don't expect any reward. I can only look at my nephews to see if there are any talents that can be used and recommended to the court."

Lu Ting now understood the subsequent developments.

In order to realize his contribution, he could only adopt a nephew from a side branch and make him his son.

As for the rest...

Ugh.

After Lu Ting finished speaking, he was distracted for a while and suddenly noticed the silence in the hall.

So, he looked at Pei Yuan with hope, "Don't you have anything to teach me, Captain Pei?"

Pei Yuan looked at Lu Ting and said indifferently, "When Eunuch Lu went to Nanjing to compete with me, a mere sixth-rank centurion, did you ever think that there would be a day when you would be promoted to the position of military commander and eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration?"

Lu Ting thought to himself, no normal person would dare to think like this.

But he was also affected by the meaning of Pei Yuan's words and asked.

"Is there any way you can change the current situation?"

As soon as he said this, Lu Ting's breathing became rapid uncontrollably.

After all, this young man in front of me is very good at predicting things and his combat record is proven.

Pei Yuan asked Lu Ting at the right time, "How is your relationship with Eunuch Xiao Jing?"

Lu Ting didn't know that his answer would determine his fate, so he said truthfully, "Eunuch Xiao was very kind to me. If he hadn't brought me back from the border town, I'm afraid I wouldn't be where I am today."

When Pei Yuan heard this, he looked at Lu Ting sharply and asked, "Then what does Eunuch Lu think of me?"

"Uh." Lu Ting noticed Pei Yuan's slight change and couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Pei Yuan still insisted, "What does Eunuch Lu think of me?"

Lu Ting hesitated for a moment before saying, "Well, if it weren't for Brother Pei planning and scheming for me..."

As he was speaking, he paused.

Lu Ting stood up, bowed deeply to Pei Yuan, and said sincerely, "I said the wrong thing just now."

Pei Yuan stared at Lu Ting and shouted unceremoniously, "Of course you said something wrong!"

"Xiao Jing's kindness to you was to transfer you back from the eunuch guarding Xuanfu and put you in the palace. You even had to run around south like a running dog for his nephew's adopted grandson."

Lu Ting retorted with an ugly look on his face, "Eunuch Xiao also wanted to recommend me to the Imperial Household Department, but this was blocked by those bastards Zhang Yong and Gu Dayong, so it didn't work."

Pei Yuan had no intention of giving Lu Ting face. "Even an outsider like me can understand that Zhang Yong would never allow a eunuch with military merit to enter the Imperial Household Department to threaten his position. Could it be that Xiao Jing only saw this when the matter was about to happen?"

"So! You have to remember that he didn't do what he promised you!"

"What he did was to make you go from being a eunuch in charge of a place to a leisurely person in the palace!"

Speaking of it.

Pei Yuan emphasized loudly again, "Yes, it's me!"

——"It was me, Pei Yuan, who made you go from being an idle eunuch who was entangled with the sixth-rank centurion to the head of the Imperial Horse Administration who supervises military affairs!"

Lu Ting was silent for a long time before he exhaled and said, "It is as you said."

Pei Yuan looked at Lu Ting and confirmed it to him word by word again.

"What Xiao Jing did was to turn you from a eunuch guarding Xuanfu into a small-time eunuch in the palace. And what I did was to turn you from a small-time eunuch into a real commander of military affairs and the seal holder of the Imperial Horse Administration!"

"Eunuch Lu, I hope you remember this firmly!"

Lu Ting's face looked slightly embarrassed.

But he still nodded reluctantly and said, "I, Lu Ting, am not an ungrateful person."

Pei Yuan said seriously, "I don't need you to be grateful, I just need you to remember this fact."

Lu Ting looked at Pei Yuan's unusual reaction just now, and gradually some thoughts came to his mind.

Pei Yuan is so serious about choosing his own side, could it be?

Lu Ting looked a little stern, and asked Pei Yuan, "Could it be that Brother Pei and Eunuch Xiao have a grudge?"

Pei Yuan couldn't help but sigh silently when he saw that Lu Ting hadn't realized what had happened.

I almost lost my life because of their plot, and they were still surprised and wanted to find out why?
This really is, fuck.

Pei Yuan took a long breath and calmed himself down.

Since Lu Ting didn't realize the problem, Pei Yuan naturally wouldn't be stupid enough to hand over the evidence that would lead to a fight to the death with Xiao Jing.

Pei Yuan looked at Lu Ting and said calmly, "Because I want you to enter the Imperial Household Department and become the next Chief of the Imperial Household Department!"

"Xiao Jing, I'm blocking your way!"

Rather than waiting until Xiao Jing becomes the Chief of Silijian and then worrying about being wiped out every day, it would be better to take direct action and block Xiao Jing's path to becoming the Chief of Silijian.

Whether it is to protect the troika of Zhang Yong, Gu Dayong, and Qiu Ju, or to let Lu Ting take the position and stab them in the back, it is better than letting Xiao Jing wear a dragon robe and ride in a sedan chair to enter the Imperial Household Department!

(End of this chapter)