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

Chapter 321 My Sleeping Dragon
Pei Yuan brought Chen Toutie, Yun Buxian, Hou Qing and several others, all dressed in casual clothes, and headed towards the Da Ci'en Temple.

When we got there, although it was late, there were still many people on the street.

At the place where Pei Yuan beat Liang Cibeng a few days ago and where the three parties confronted each other, people were pointing and talking secretly.

"I was too high-profile before." Pei Yuan returned to his hometown and commented modestly.

Chen Toutie heard the pride in Pei Yuan's words and echoed, "If it weren't for this, it wouldn't be enough to shock the world."

Pei Yuan laughed out loud and was very satisfied.

As a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, if he wants to make a name for himself, how can he always follow the rules?

Although Pei Yuan's move this time was risky, through this incident he was able to completely get closer to those small fish.

"Where's Huo Tao?"

Chen Toutie looked to the side, and one of his men immediately stepped forward to identify him.

Chen Toutie returned to Pei Yuan and took him into the crowded teahouse they had been to last time.

Huo Tao was chatting and laughing with someone excitedly when he accidentally saw Pei Yuan and his men come in. He was stunned for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and then wanted to get up.

Pei Yuan was planning to target the candidates in this subject and didn't want to attract attention right away.

He quickly signaled Huo Tao not to move, and then went to the backyard.

Some of the scholars who were chatting and laughing around Huo Tao also noticed the situation on Huo Tao's side and subconsciously looked over.

But Pei Yuan had already turned around and walked to the back, and Huo Tao had no other reaction, so he turned back and continued to talk and laugh.

When Pei Yuan arrived at the backyard, naturally the shop owner came to greet him.

Because he was a regular customer who had been there a few days ago, the owner enthusiastically recommended several dishes and drinks.

Pei Yuan paid back the double amount of silver in time these days, and also gave rewards to all the soldiers who went out. Two or three thousand taels of silver were spent in this way.

Pei Yuan wanted to treat himself better, so he ordered a few more dishes.

By the time the wine was warmed up, Huo Tao had already found an excuse to slip over.

When he was still far away, he bowed deeply to the ground and said, "I was really reckless before and neglected the warrior."

Pei Yuan laughed out loud, feeling very happy.

If it weren't for his actions, which strongly promoted the "Liang Ci case" and made Liang Chu stay at home to await punishment, I'm afraid the situation would not be what it is today.

Huo Tao, who has been jumping up and down in the "Liang Ci's case", will inevitably face revenge from Liang Daxueshi.

Pei Yuan pointed to the seat across the table and said with a smile, "Come and sit down."

Huo Tao sat down and saw that the wine and food had been served, so he picked up the wine pot and toasted Pei Yuan a few glasses.

Pei Yuan finished his drink, then smiled and said, "Although I acted out of righteous indignation, I dare not take credit for it."

Huo Tao thought about what Pei Yuan said last time about persuading Zhang Lian, and immediately complimented him, "Censor Zhang is naturally a man of steel, and he deserves admiration."

Pei Yuan smiled and shook his head, "Not Zhang Lian either."

As he spoke, Pei Yuan slowly unfolded the small piece of paper that he had shown to Zhang Lian last time, placed it on the table, and slowly pushed it towards Huo Tao.

Huo Tao took it and glanced at the golden seal of "Daqing Dharma King", then read the contents of the note. He saw that the title was written to Zhang Lian, and the content contained some words of encouragement.

Huo Tao didn't react until he finished reading it.

When he noticed that Pei Yuan was looking at him meaningfully, he suddenly realized who the "Daqing Dharma King" was.

This is not a monk or lama in the temple, but a title created by the current emperor.

Huo Tao's hands trembled, and he said in disbelief, "Could this be..."

Seeing that Huo Tao did not dare to speak out, Pei Yuan immediately said, "Yes, this is the handwriting of the current emperor. To be honest, not long after I met you that day, I ran into the emperor and told him about this matter."

"I used both reason and emotion to persuade them to re-examine the case."

"It was only after this that I persuaded Zhang Lian to write a letter to the court to dismiss the Right Censor-in-Chief Wang Ding."

Huo Tao looked at Pei Yuan with a suspicious look, "How is this possible?"

Pei Yuan raised his glass calmly, "I am a soldier in the emperor's personal army, working for the emperor. Although my duty is to supervise temples and Taoist temples, I can also speak in front of His Majesty."

After saying that, he drank slowly.

Huo Tao's eyes moved, and then he looked at Pei Yuan, with a lot more guesses in his mind.

Right.

Of the three families who were drying their horses outside the Da Ci'en Temple, Liang Chu was staying at home awaiting punishment, Zhang Rong had been arrested and taken to the Southern Pacification Office, and this Pei Yuan in front of him could still walk around unscrupulously, which showed that he also represented a very strong force.

Moreover, the emperor's trust in Pei Yuan is obviously stronger than that in Liang Chu and Zhang Rong.

Huo Tao was thinking quickly when Pei Yuan reached out to him.

Huo Tao understood what he meant, and quickly handed back the emperor's handwritten letter respectfully.

Pei Yuan put away the handwritten letter, looked at Huo Tao and smiled, "You are not afraid of Liang Chu's power and stick to the righteous path in your heart. This thousand households also admire you."

After what happened just now, Huo Tao seemed to have not figured out how to redefine his and Pei Yuan's status. He just responded with a reluctant smile.

Pei Yuan urged Huo Tao to drink again.

Huo Tao respected Pei Yuan before because this Jinyiwei hated evil and was willing to ignore his own future and safety and beat Liang Ci'e violently. He could definitely be called a righteous man.

Such a righteous man, no matter who he is, is worthy of respect.

At this moment, Huo Tao saw that Pei Yuan not only had a good relationship with the Censor Zhang Lian, but could also speak in front of the emperor, and his thoughts immediately started to move again.

Huo Tao and Pei Yuan had a few drinks. When he was wondering what to talk about with Pei Yuan, he heard Pei Yuan ask, a little drunk, "How is Huo's academic record?"

Pei Yuan is younger than Huo Tao, and they were on good terms with each other the last time they came.

This time Pei Yuan deliberately revealed his background and was not polite at the time. In addition, he was a fifth-rank military officer of the imperial court. Although Huo Tao was a scholar, he had no official position.

Huo Tao really didn't feel too disgusted by Pei Yuan calling him Huo Sheng this time. Instead, he introduced himself with some speculative intentions, "I have been eager to learn since I was young. I am proficient in the Five Classics and Six Arts, and I often discuss knowledge with others. I think I am not inferior to others."

Huo Tao seemed to be afraid that Pei Yuan would remember his failure last time, so he explained, "I caught a cold during the last exam, and was unable to demonstrate what I learned. It's a pity."

Pei Yuan nodded slightly.

He already knew Huo Tao's abilities.

According to the original history, this guy would become a member of the imperial examination in the ninth year of Zhengde, which is equivalent to getting the first place in the national unified written examination.

However, during the palace examination, the top three rankings were determined not only by political considerations but also by the emperor’s personal preferences.

Therefore, during the palace examination, Huo Tao ranked first in the second class, which was equivalent to fourth place in the palace examination.

Pei Yuan asked again, "Now that this matter is over, Mr. Huo is going back to Guangdong?"

Huo Tao was about to answer, but he realized that this was interesting, so he changed his words and said, "I originally planned to return home after the Liang Ci case was settled. If Captain Pei can help me, I dare not refuse."

Pei Yuan was delighted to hear this. This was a man who knew what was interesting.

No wonder he stood up later and helped "Emperor Wanshou of Xuandu Realm" to fight against all the civil and military officials in the court.

Pei Yuan used the "Liang Ci's case" to distinguish between enemies and friends with Huo Tao, and used his relationship with the famous official Zhang Lian to blur the line between him and these scholars. Then he showed him the emperor's note, letting Huo Tao understand that there was someone behind Pei Yuan, and that it was the emperor to whom the "ruler-ruler, minister-minister" should be loyal.

Naturally, Huo Tao wanted to borrow some strength and seek an opportunity to rise to the top.

Pei Yuan said casually, as if he had made a slip of the tongue, "There's no hurry to leave."

After saying that, he didn't continue, but raised his glass and drank the remaining wine in it.

Huo Tao's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. Looking at Pei Yuan's attempt to cover up something, he began to think deeply.

He looked around carefully, then leaned forward and whispered, "I wonder if Captain Pei has any advice for the students."

Pei Yuan also deliberately lowered his voice and said to him, "Just study hard. Why ask so many questions? When autumn passes and winter comes, you will understand what I mean."

Huo Tao wanted to speak again unwillingly, but Pei Yuan had already put the empty cup on the table.

Huo Tao quickly picked up the warm wine pot and poured wine for Pei Yuan. As soon as he stopped talking, Pei Yuan deliberately talked about irrelevant things, and Huo Tao didn't have the chance to ask any more questions.

Pei Yuan and Huo Tao had only met a few times, so of course they didn't believe that they could make this guy work for them with just these simple means.

But with this in mind, we will inevitably have contact again in the future.

With Huo Tao's knowledge, if there really was an imperial examination, as long as he prepared seriously, he would be able to pass the exam and become a Jinshi even without using any tricks.

In this case, it would be bad for Pei Yuan to rush to say everything at once.

When Pei Yuan felt that he had eaten enough, he asked Huo Tao, "In Huo's opinion, now that the emperor has retained Liang Chu again, when will the matter of Liang Ci's be resolved?"

Huo Tao didn't know whether Pei Yuan asked casually or deliberately. After thinking for a while, he answered cautiously, "I heard that the Prime Minister Li Dongyang also submitted his resignation. Prime Minister Li is old. Although he is greedy for fame and position and has been holding on, I'm afraid he can't hold on for much longer given his health."

"If Prime Minister Li leaves the cabinet, Yang Tinghe will be the chief minister."

"If Liang Chu leaves again, the cabinet will only have Yang Tinghe and Fei Hong left."

"Yang Tinghe is resolute and resolute, while Fei Hong is gentle and docile. By then, the cabinet will probably only have the voice of Yang Tinghe.

Pei Yuan thought about the situation. The cabinet becoming a one-man show by Yang Tinghe was certainly not what Zhu Houzhao wanted to see.

So he smiled without any scruples and said, "This is not appropriate."

After thinking for a while, he asked again, "If the court is to appoint a Grand Secretary to the cabinet, who do you think it should be, Mr. Huo?"

Seeing that Pei Yuan spoke casually and showed no respect for the current university scholar, Huo Tao had a higher opinion of Pei Yuan's ability.

He considered for a moment and said very seriously, "That won't happen."

Pei Yuan was a little surprised, "Why is this?"

Huo Tao analyzed seriously, "In terms of seniority, ability, and reputation, the most suitable person to join the cabinet is Yang Yiqing, the Minister of Personnel. Among all the civil and military officials in the court, no one else can compare to him."

"But Yang Yiqing is a man of courage and bravery, not inferior to Yang Tinghe. Yang Tinghe has just taken over as the Prime Minister of the Cabinet and has not had time to establish his prestige. How can he tolerate such a Grand Secretary to be appointed? If the time comes, the two tigers will fight each other, which is something no one wants to see."

Pei Yuan has been waiting for the outcome of the matter these days, and thinking about making up for some previous omissions. He has not had time to focus his energy on the court.

He only knew the general direction of the situation in the court based on history. Naturally, he did not know as much as Huo Tao, who had been speculating on political affairs near the Da Ci'en Temple for many years.

Now that he heard this, Pei Yuan actually had a bad feeling.

He asked, "Anything else?"

Huo Tao was silent for a while after hearing this, as if he was considering whether or not to say the next words.

Pei Yuan said calmly, "Just say whatever you want to say in front of me. If there is anything inappropriate, you and I will share the responsibility."

Upon hearing this, Huo Tao glanced at Pei Yuan for a second before saying, "The emperor has already ordered an investigation into Zhang Rong. I'm afraid that Zhang Yong's position as the head of the Imperial Household Department may not be safe."

"Zhang Yong and Yang Yiqing had a close relationship. A minister once saw them holding each other's arms and calling each other brothers."

"If Yang Yiqing enters the cabinet and echoes Zhang Yong, I'm afraid the emperor will find it difficult."

Pei Yuan listened to these conclusions, which slowly converged into an answer that made him feel suffocated.

"That is to say..."

Huo Tao didn't say it explicitly, but hinted, "When the road ahead is blocked, everyone has to go back."

In a flash, Pei Yuan had figured out the logic behind this.

In other words, if one wants to avoid Yang Yiqing from joining the cabinet, one must avoid the situation where Yang Tinghe is the only powerful person; if one wants to avoid the situation where Yang Tinghe is the only powerful person, one must have other cabinet ministers besides Fei Hong.

Since neither the imperial court nor the emperor wants to see Yang Yiqing join the cabinet, they can only go back and try to prevent Liang Chu from being eliminated!

Pei Yuan took a breath.

What kind of high-end game are these old perverts playing?

Huo Tao looked at Pei Yuan's expression and added, "Liang Chu probably also saw this."

"He stayed at home and did not go out. In name, he wanted to avoid the Liang Ci case, but who knows if he wanted to use this to put pressure on the emperor and force him to show mercy when making a decision?"

Pei Yuan sighed, "I see."

Pei Yuan finally understood how the "Liang Ci'e murder case", a case with clear facts, had been dragged on for so long during the Zhengde Dynasty.

This is no longer just one case; it is a series of political compromises.

Pei Yuan had already completely offended Liang Chu, so how could he allow this old villain to revive from the ashes?

Pei Yuan was feeling a little upset at the moment, so he simply said to Huo Tao, "No, we can't just sit there and wait for death."

Then he reminded Huo Tao, "We are now on the same boat, don't you understand?"

Huo Tao nodded, "Of course the students understand."

Pei Yuan tapped the table with his fingers and asked Huo Tao after a while, "What was your plan before?"

If Huo Tao had no plan, he would never jump around at a time like this.

Huo Tao hesitated.

Thinking of what Pei Yuan said just now, that if there was anything inappropriate, he would share the blame, he did not hide it and answered directly, "I had planned to take advantage of the high morale of the court and the public, and most people have not seen this, to force them to force the emperor to sentence Liang Ci'an as soon as possible."

"As long as Liang Ci'an dies, how could the emperor kill his son and use his father?"

Pei Yuan frowned after hearing this, "But this does not solve the problem facing the court. It will still be a problem when the time comes."

Huo Tao's answer was still a beat late. When Pei Yuan frowned and looked over, he said to Pei Yuan calmly, "But our problem has been solved..."

Pei Yuan was stunned when he heard this.

After a long while, he laughed and looked at Huo Tao with admiration, "You are truly my Sleeping Dragon."

(End of this chapter)