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

Chapter 329: A letter to the emperor shocked the world
Pei Yuan thought for a while and suddenly had a bold idea.

While he was hesitating, Chen Toutie, who was good at observing people's expressions, asked expectantly, "Could it be that the captain has already made up his mind?"

Pei Yuan nodded and praised Chen Toutie, "Toutie is indeed the most caring person in this thousand households. I do have a plan, but it's a bit risky."

Chen Toutie laughed and said, "Since I followed Qian Hu, I have narrowly escaped death countless times. Even if I am dragged out and beheaded right now, I will not be afraid."

If he were to be tried one by one, the things that Chen Toutie did following Pei Yuan alone would be enough to exterminate his entire family several times over.

Chentou's iron lice don't itch when there are too many of them, and he has become numb to the various risks of being beheaded.

When Pei Yuan heard Tou Tie say this, he could not help but praise him, "Tu Tie's courage is no less than Fang Xiaoru's."

Chen Toutie has not read much, and feels that an evaluation like Zilong and Yide seems to be lacking in meaning.

So the attention returned to the Luo Cult. "I wonder how Qianhu plans to break the deadlock, quickly expand the influence throughout Shandong, and intimidate the canal workers and transport troops so that they are willing to join the Luo Cult."

Pei Yuan said, "I plan to apply a little external force."

Then he reminded, "Do you think there is any force that can help us penetrate every corner of Shandong within a month and let them know about Luojiao?"

An answer appeared in Chen Toutie's mind, but he immediately felt it was absurd, so he quickly erased the answer and considered other options.

Chen Toutie thought about them one by one, but couldn't think of any other ones. He said hesitantly, "Could it be, could it be that Qianhu is talking about the imperial court?"

"Oh?" Pei Yuan was a little surprised, looking at Chen Toutie and said, "I didn't expect that you, Toutie, also have such insight?"

Chen Toutie's forehead was covered with sweat. "I can only say that I can penetrate every corner of Shandong within a month. How dare I expect to ask the court for help?"

Letting the imperial court help you develop a cult, this is fucking crazy.

Pei Yuan said leisurely, "This matter has to be handled by the imperial court. No one else can help with this."

Chen Toutie looked at his own captain in amazement, not knowing what nonsense this guy was talking about.

As Pei Yuan's confidant, Chen Toutie certainly knew that his family's main allies were in the factory guard system or the Nanjing Ministry of War.

There was little the civil service could rely on.

Most of the local officials in the imperial court were serious imperial examination officials. How could they possibly cooperate with Pei Yuan, a thief from the Jinyiwei, to do something so risky as to cost their lives?
Seeing this, Pei Yuan decided to give the future cult leader some advice, "Of course the imperial court will not help you to establish a cult, and I, Qian Hu, do not have the ability to get so many officials from prefectures and counties in Shandong to help you."

"but……"

Pei Yuan paused and said meaningfully, "This thousand households can help the court crack down on evil cults!"

Chen Toutie was speechless, and he didn't understand what nonsense Pei Yuan was talking about.

Pei Yuan knew Chen Toutie's level well, so he could only explain it patiently bit by bit.

"Headstrong, come and see, the Luo Sect is now unknown in Shandong, right?"

Chen Toutie nodded.

Pei Yuan continued, "Even if you go to Shandong and start recruiting people, how many people know you, Luo Zu?"

"Fools and fools don't believe you, and the canal workers and soldiers are not afraid of you. What is the reason?"

“Because you have no fame!”

Pei Yuan continued to persuade him, "But what if I ask the emperor for permission, saying that the Luo sect has been entrenched in Shandong for a long time, has bribed officials, spread throughout the countryside, and has also spread along the canal, and there is a risk of rebellion at any time?"

"The emperor already believed my words and urged me to go to Shandong to resolve the matter."

"After receiving my intelligence, they will definitely think that I am preparing to quell the rebellion and will definitely support me.

"When the time comes, a report will be sent to the court, and the whole world will be shocked."

"I can also legitimately use the power of the imperial court to search Shandong and along both sides of the canal for traces of the Luo Cult."

"As long as you strictly supervise and screen them twice in Shandong and among the canal workers and transport troops, who in the world doesn't know about your Luo Sect that can alarm the emperor?"

Chen Toutie was stunned by what he heard.

He, the leader of a cult, hasn't even memorized the cult's general principles, but his social group has already become famous all over the world?

Seeing Chen Toutie's face full of disbelief, Pei Yuan couldn't help but say to him meaningfully, "One hundred thousand heavenly soldiers caught a monkey, then in the eyes of the world, are you still an ordinary monkey?"

Chen Toutie suddenly felt as if he had suddenly been enlightened, and he had a vague understanding of his future path.

However, he still had one thing he didn't understand, so he immediately asked humbly, "Captain, if the imperial court makes such a big fuss to hunt down the Luo Sect, wouldn't that make the people even more afraid? By then, even if we create momentum, they won't dare to join us."

"Not bad." Pei Yuan looked at the cult leader in front of him with approval, then thought about what he had seen and heard on his way south, and said with a dull look, "This is indeed how the world should be, but isn't the world today abnormal?"

"Shandong has just suffered several war disasters, and will soon face the corvée labor of rebuilding the canal. Zhang Feng is greedy by nature. The people of Suzhou and Songjiang are rich and can still endure his plunder, but can the people of Shandong do that?"

"Many people don't even know where their next meal is going to come from, so how can they care about what's going to happen in the future?"

"As long as the gods they worship are effective and can help them solve the problems at hand, why would they care about good or evil? Why would they care about the imperial court?"

Pei Yuan said, reminding Chen Toutie.

"The White Lotus Sect and Maitreya Sect are older cults that have been pursued by the imperial court for many years. However, those evil people in the White Lotus Sect and Maitreya Sect have gained a large number of followers with just some food and magic water."

“For the people will have food to eat, and their sick will have hope.”

"As long as you make the people of Shandong believe in you and think that they can survive and live well by believing in you, then even if the court tells them by the ear that Luojiao is a cult, they will not believe it."

Originally they were just discussing the issue of cults, but as they went on, Pei Yuan and Chen Toutie both felt heavy in their hearts.

In this world, what is right and what is wrong? What is righteousness and what is evil?
People have to be allowed to live.

After a long while, Chen Toutie hesitated and said, "I only have a little over a thousand taels, I'm afraid I can't provide many people with a good life."

Chen Toutie used to be a torturer in the East Factory, but because he had few missions, he didn't save much money. He did get a lot of rewards when he followed Pei Yuan to the south, but he had some expenses after returning to Beijing, and it was only with Pei Yuan's last super double that his salary increased significantly.

Pei Yuan didn't think Chen Toutie was a kind person. The reason he thought so was probably because he had already put himself in the role of a cult leader, and it was probably some kind of career ambition that was at work.

Pei Yuan stretched lazily, "You are not needed. We can think of a way when the time comes. Pull the man up first."

Chen Toutie was hesitant to speak.

Pei Yuan knew that this guy wanted to ask how to expand, so he smiled and said, "The method is not difficult. Do you remember the 17 relics you need to collect?"

Chen Tou nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice.

Pei Yuan said, "I'll teach you a way. Tell those believers that the relics transformed from Buddha's bones are spiritual. As long as we recite them often, we will be guided by the unknown and help us find those relics."

"Give each of the 17 relics a name. Then you can make an agreement with the believers that every time they recruit a believer, they can record their merit in the merit book and freely choose a named relic to bless. As long as they recruit seven believers, they can participate in the lottery, ahem, and participate in the search for opportunities."

"Every ten days, seven relics will send out guidance for finding opportunities. Those who record the names of the seven relics will receive blessings from the Zhenkong hometown. The church will also give a hundred taels of silver as a reward."

"Think about it. If a believer recruits seven people to join the Luo Sect, he or she will have the opportunity to get 100 taels of silver. If it were you, would you be tempted?"

Chen Toutie said with confidence, that’s so exciting!

It only requires encouraging seven people to join Luo Sect, without any effort or time spent, and there is a hope of getting a hundred taels of silver. Who can sit still?

One hundred taels of silver is equivalent to more than thirty cows!

Pei Yuan asked again, "If it were you, and you were dragged into the Luo Sect by a guy who just wanted to make up the numbers, and you learned about this good thing, would you be tempted?"

Chen Toutie swallowed his saliva.

If this continues...

Pei Yuan looked at Chen Toutie again, "A powerful cult certified by the imperial court, with such means to assist, coupled with the brainwashing of doctrines and the upgrade growth plan, do you think there is any hope of developing 100,000 believers within two months?"

Chen Toutie was not optimistic before, but now he dared to say, "I can give it a try."

Pei Yuan encouraged him again, "Don't worry, you are not doing this alone. I will allocate some people and money to you."

Pei Yuan made the arrangements directly. "The two hundred soldiers from Xuzhou that Yun Buxian had taken out of the city are still with Cheng Leixiang in Tianjin. Don't take the soldiers from Puxianyuan with you for now. Take over those people and bring them back to Shandong to do their work."

"Do you remember the last battle in Yanggu, when 'Little Wusong' drew a large number of men from the powerful men in Yanggu who supported him?"

Chen Tou said ironically, "Remember, the list is still here with me."

At first, Pei Yuan wanted to keep the spoils to himself, so he didn't mention this matter to Xiao Yan and Gu Dayong.

When dealing with the young and strong captives, the list of those who secretly assisted "Little Wu Song" was secretly hidden.

Originally, Pei Yuan planned to wait until the affairs in the capital were settled before leading his troops back to Yanggu, and then slowly squeeze out all the money of those people bit by bit.

Now Pei Yuanze plans to use these manpower and wealth as start-up capital for Chen Toutie.

Pei Yuan made arrangements in a nonchalant manner.

"After the imperial court conducts a large-scale search in Shandong and creates a huge reputation for Luojiao, I will have Captain Tantai lead the troops to arrest and detain everyone on the list under the pretext of investigating Luojiao, and extort their money."

As he spoke, Pei Yuan sat on the ground, reached out and patted Chen Toutie, "When the time comes, it's time to show those guys your strength and connections as the leader of the Luo Sect."

"When you take these people away from the Jinyiwei in a swaggering manner, they will know what the arrogant Luo Sect is."

"When the time comes, I will ask Tan Tai Fang Tu and the others to cooperate with you in putting on a few good plays. Maybe we can even get a few eunuchs from Gu Dayong or Qiu Ju. If Wang Chang's position as the governor of Shandong can be obtained, it will be even better."

"When those people see that the whole Shandong province is hunting down the Luo Cult, and you are still able to chat and laugh with the Jinyiwei, the Dongchang, and even the governor, and come and go freely, they will be more aware of the power behind you, the leader."

"These guys helped 'Little Wusong' before, and they already feel guilty when facing the imperial court. When they see how powerful the Luo Cult is, they will naturally want to attach themselves to us."

"These local tyrants in Yanggu, and the thousands of men in their hands, can become the basic team for your Luo Sect to start with."

Chen Toutie listened to Pei Yuan unravelling an onion, and in a short period of time he came up with a plan to create a huge cult in Shandong. His mind was in a mess.

The more Chen Toutie thought about it, the more he felt that this plan was reliable and feasible.

But the more he felt that this plan was reliable and feasible, the more incredible Pei Qianhu's plan became.

Seeing that Chen Toutie didn't say anything, Pei Yuan continued to talk about other arrangements.

"After you leave, I'm afraid you'll have to stay in Shandong for a few more years. The position of the general flag is reserved for you. If you have time, you can also use your identity as a Jinyiwei to travel around. Just don't let your subordinates reveal your secrets."

"After a few days, when things are settled, I will give you the title of Commander-in-Chief."

Chen Toutie was a little panicked after hearing this, and he broke free from his chaotic thoughts, "Then, then doesn't that mean I won't be able to see Qian Hu all the time?"

Without Pei Yuan to help him make decisions, Chen Toutie suddenly felt empty.

Pei Yuan took the opportunity to win over Chen Toutie, "It is precisely because we cannot see each other all the time that I need to arrange the most reliable person to do this fatal task. Besides you, Chen Toutie, who else can I trust?"

Pei Yuan's words were not entirely meant to trick Chen Toutie. He was still quite confident in Chen Toutie.

Apart from anything else, when Pei Yuan was at his lowest point, Chen Toutie still waited stubbornly for Pei Yuan to take him flying. This shows that Chen Toutie is quite stubborn in many aspects.

The bond between the two is indeed closer than that between any others.

Thinking that Chen Toutie would be allowed to take charge on his own now, Pei Yuan couldn't help but speak more deeply.

"You have followed me the longest, so you must have figured it out. All of my plans are centered around the Grand Canal."

"I'm in the capital, and Cheng Leixiang is in Tianjin. As long as you can expand your influence in Shandong, stabilize the section from Linqing to Jining, and then control the Huai'an waterway, then I will have control over half of the lifeline of the entire Ming Dynasty."

"You are working in Shandong, and there are some confidential matters that cannot be discussed with others. If you encounter any hesitation, you must remember the Grand Canal strategy of this thousand households. Any other matters, if they are contrary to this, must unconditionally give way to the Grand Canal strategy of this thousand households."

(End of this chapter)