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

Chapter 352 Burying a Son

Pei Yuan felt that the situation was a bit tricky.

This servant of the three surnames was good at scheming and opportunism. The fact that he was adopted as Zhu Houzhao's son and eventually became an earl showed that he was really capable.

And it is very likely that he made considerable military achievements.

For a person who could become Zhu Houzhao's godson in the future, any threats or inducements he used now would be meaningless.

He is already in cahoots with the emperor, could Pei Yuan come up with a bigger backer to influence him?

Pei Yuan couldn't offer any bargaining chips to sway Pei De, and even if he could, Pei Yuan didn't believe in this guy's character.

So how can we use this person and how can we maintain our influence over him?

Pei Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Come with me."

Having said that, he took Pei De out and went to Gu Dayong's residence.

When I arrived at the mansion and asked, I found out that Gu Dayong was still on duty in the palace.

He then asked about Taoist Zhiwei and learned that he was still living in the mansion.

Wu Qing, the young eunuch in charge of Gu Dayong's mansion, knew the importance of Pei Qianhu in Gu Dayong's heart. When he heard that Pei Yuan wanted to see Zhiwei Taoist, he immediately led Pei Yuan in.

Pei Yuan told Pei De and his personal guards to wait while he went to look for the Taoist priest.

It has been some time since Taoist Zhiwei came to Beijing. He came here in the hope of gaining fame and fortune, but behaved very peacefully.

Pei Yuan greeted him and exchanged pleasantries for a moment. Knowing that he was a Taoist, he smiled and said, "I calculated with my fingers that Mr. Pei must have a purpose in coming here."

Pei Yuan laughed and said to the old Taoist priest, "I came here this time to ask you to help me calculate with my fingers."

Taoist Zhiwei was stunned for a moment, and half-jokingly said, "Master Pei, are you here to ask me about your future? I dare not show off my skills in front of Master Pei."

Although Taoist Zhiwei likes to show off, the heavy rain in Yanggu at that time had a huge impact on him.

He now has some suspicion that Pei Yuan, who is very skilled in Taoism, is just pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger. This is an even stronger level of pretense.

Pei Yuan was not here to ask Taoist Zhiwei to predict his future, so he said half-truthfully, "I saw a man today. In the next two or three years, he will not only have the luck to become a marquis, but also have the opportunity to marry a rich man. But I can't point this out to you, so how about I give this favor to you, Taoist?"

After hearing this, Taoist Zhiwei immediately became interested.

It is such a joy to show off one's power in front of others.

It’s just that he didn’t dare to guarantee it before, so he was very restrained every time he tried to show off, and he always felt that something was missing.

If you can't even pretend to be cool, then what's the point of practicing dick arts?

Captain Pei's skills are unfathomable. If he is willing to take Fei with him to show off, then there is no need to hesitate.

Pei Yuan then told Pei De about his judgment.

After hearing this, Taoist Zhiwei's old face turned red with excitement.

The changes in this person's fate are so bizarre that they are enough to make people stare at the sky, and the time for verification is very recent.

In short, the change in identity is huge, and it takes effect in a very short time, and the effect of pretending to be cool is particularly good.

Taoist Zhiwei was a little doubtful, "Since Qianhu is so sure about this person's fate, why did you give this favor to me?"

Pei Yuan spread his hands and said, "Since I have already entered the official career, I have to avoid these things."

Zhiwei Taoist nodded, this is very reasonable.

There is nothing wrong with officials practicing Taoism, but it will be very troublesome once people accuse them of practicing witchcraft.

For example, it is very difficult for the Linqiong Taoist lineage to completely distance themselves from witchcraft.

——"The Taoist priest Hong Du Ke from Linqiong can summon souls with his sincerity."

Pei Yuan and Taoist Zhiwei agreed on a plan, and then went to the front yard to meet Pei De together.

Pei De was already a little nervous after knowing that this was the residence of Gu Dayong, the master of West Factory.

At the same time, seeing Pei Yuan coming and going freely in Gu Dayong's mansion, and thinking about the instructions given by Dongchang Gongqiu Ju, Pei De became more respectful to Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan smiled and said to Pei De, "Actually, it's not me who wants to see you, but this Taoist priest. This Taoist priest once saw you on the street."

Pei De was shocked when he heard this, and he knelt down and asked, "But was I reckless and offended the Taoist priest?"

Pei Yuan saw that he was a Taoist priest and signaled that it was his turn to go on stage.

Taoist Zhiwei stroked his beard with a smile and said, "Not really. Although we only saw each other briefly at that time, I could already tell that you have a distinguished face and will achieve great things in the future. But I saw that you were in a daze, and I was afraid that you would miss the opportunity."

Pei De was shocked when he heard this.

His eyes rolled around and he subconsciously thought he had met a scammer.

But after thinking about it, he felt that this logic was irrational. What good plot could a mere hundred households like him have that would warrant the joint efforts of the Masters of the East and West Factories?
But if he wasn't lying to himself, could it be that he really had a bright future?

Pei De stood there in a daze, unable to speak for a long time.

Pei Yuan and Taoist Zhiwei did not urge him and waited for his own attitude.

Pei De came back to his senses and quickly said to Taoist Zhiwei, "I hope you can give me some advice."

Pei Yuan smiled. His goal had been achieved, so he naturally didn't plan to stay any longer, so as not to arouse Pei De's suspicion.

He interrupted and said to Taoist Zhiwei, "I have done what I can do for you, and I will take my leave now. If you have time, you can come to me again. I have something I want to ask you for advice."

When Taoist Zhiwei heard Pei Yuan's invitation, he did not dare to refuse and said directly, "In that case, I will go find you tomorrow."

Pei Yuan was satisfied after hearing this and left with his men.

Pei Yuan still had some confidence in Zhiwei Taoist's ability to deceive people. This old Taoist had some skills and a good image. He looked like an immortal, so he should be very deceptive to Pei De.

Pei Yuan naturally could not compare with the emperor Zhu Houzhao, but after Pei De saw the magical physiognomy of Taoist Zhiwei, it would depend on whether that guy believed more in the emperor or in fate.

If the origin of Pei De, the Earl of Yongshou, is clear, then it is very likely that he obtained it on the battlefield in the northern border.

Then this person is very important.

Pei Yuan returned to Zhihua Temple and dealt with some official business. He had intended to go to Zhang Lian's house for a second battle, but with so many visitors, he became very busy for a while.

First, Wei Ne came and talked about all the memorials of various sizes that he had read in the Ministry of Public Administration, and then Wei Ne told one thing.

I just want to see Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan thought about it and concluded that the public opinion in the capital had begun to become unfriendly towards Jiao Fang and Jiao Huangzhong, so Jiao Huangzhong was desperate and tried every possible means, including himself.

Thinking that Yan'er would be brought into the family in a few days, Pei Yuan couldn't refuse directly, so he could only agree to meet her.

Fortunately, Jiaohuangzhong also wanted to save face and did not come immediately.

Jiao Huangzhong's visit this time should be for the purpose of redressing the grievances of this father and son.

Unfortunately, if Pei Yuan wanted to invest in Jiao Huangzhong, he would probably spend too much and get little benefit, which was not a wise thing to do. Thinking of the possibility of falling out with Jiao Huangzhong, Pei Yuan was also somewhat affected by his mood.

As he was busy with official duties, Captain Pei just stayed at the Zhihua Temple to take care of the affairs.

The matters that Pei Yuan had to deal with were mainly the intelligence provided by the Taoist Zhenji stationed in various places.

These Taoists were not like the Jinyiwei who were responsible for gathering information. Instead, if they found something in the temple, they would quickly send it to the capital.

Most of them are trivial matters, but some involve the privacy of local officials.

This information is of little use, and only a small part of it can be found to be of some value after careful verification.

However, Pei Yuan was still giving serious instructions. He wanted to use this form to strengthen the exchanges between the two sides and avoid losing the control over Taoist Zhenji in those places where it was out of reach.

As for Jiao Yan'er, Pei Yuan had already asked Chen Toutie to inform Song Chunniang, who often had contact with the outside world, through formal means.

On the second day, Taoist Zhiwei found Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan first asked about what happened yesterday with Pei De. Zhiwei Taoist was pretending to be very cool and couldn't wait to share it with Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan listened carefully to the details and analyzed Pei De's words and actions.

Finally, he let out a long sigh and said to Taoist Zhiwei, "Just wait and see. In one or two years, Pei De will be able to soar to the sky. By then, it will be easier for you to do things in the capital."

Taoist Zhiwei laughed and said, "I hope so."

He added, "Although I can't tell that he's rich, but judging from his appearance, this guy looks like he's going to die young."

Pei Yuan said nothing.

Weren't all of Zhu Houzhao's adopted sons killed after his death?

Pei Yuan did not mention the matter again, but said to Taoist Zhiwei, "Did I invite you here today so that you can help me convince someone?"

Zhiwei Taoist asked, "Who is it?"

Pei Yuan pretended to be nonchalant and said, "He is a Confucian scholar I met. He read Confucius's theories and had some negative comments on both Buddhism and Taoism. I happen to be a person who does this, so we sometimes have a disagreement. So I asked the Taoist priest to come here, hoping that he can convince this person thoroughly."

Taoist Zhiwei smiled and promised, "It's not difficult, just leave it to me."

Pei Yuan waited until Tian Fu was called over before whispering to him, "Do your job well and see how the Taoists persuade people to join the religion. If it is useful, then absorb the teachings of the Luo Sect."

Tian Fu knew that this was to prepare for the program and teaching methods of Luojiao, so with the intention of learning, he immediately asked Taoist Zhiwei for advice.

Pei Yuan didn't care about this and still left the two people to solve it on their own.

After Taoist Zhiwei left, Tian Fu felt that he had gained a lot.

Pei Yuan said to him again, "Tomorrow I will invite Master Yuantong from Yuanen Temple for you. You can learn from him again. Some of the Buddhist methods are indeed unique."

By the time Tian Fu had gone through the brainwashing by Taoist Zhiwei and Master Yuantong, he had roughly understood how to manipulate people's hearts and attract followers.

When formulating the order of Luojiao, Pei Yuan also gave some of his own opinions.

For example, newly recruited followers are considered "outer disciples", those with experience and achievements can be recruited as "inner disciples", and those who have full faith in the teachings of Luojiao can be considered "true disciples."

Just when Pei Yuan was putting all his efforts into the development of Luo Sect, a group of uninvited guests broke Pei Yuan's peaceful days.

The leader was also an old acquaintance. He was Chen Hutou, who was captured by Pei Yuan in Yanggu.

Pei Yuan looked at this thief commander who was very active in Shandong, and for a moment he almost suspected that he was seeing things.

Shouldn't the Bazhou army be driven to Huguang? Why did someone come to Beijing to see me and even found a place?

Chen Toutie had seen Chen Hutou before. After bringing the people in, he started to clear the area and drive them away.

Pei Yuan saw that Tian Fu was about to get up and leave, so he quickly stopped him and said, "Who are you, an outsider? Why don't you just listen?"

Tian Fu didn't know where this group of people came from. Seeing Chen Toutie's nervous posture, he subconsciously thought that he should avoid them. Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan gave him face.

After Chen Toutie had driven everyone away, Chen Hutou looked at Pei Yuan and spoke for the first time with mixed emotions, "Chen Hutou meets Mr. Zhuge."

"Ha." Pei Yuan laughed, "Don't you know my identity?"

Chen Hutou sighed and said, "To be honest, I was entrusted by the two marshals to come and ask Mr. Zhuge for advice. If Mr. Zhuge was not here, I would have nothing to say."

Pei Yuan guessed that the Bazhou Army was about to run out of resources. Thinking about their previous encounters, Pei Yuan didn't want to appear too ruthless, so he said, "Tell me about it."

After saying that, he introduced the person in front of him to Tian Fu.

"This is the big tiger. After the Bazhou army was defeated in Xuzhou, a group of defeated soldiers entered Shandong again under the slogan of 'clearing the emperor's side and supporting the virtuous king'. This big tiger is one of the thief generals at that time."

Tian Fu was shocked after hearing this.

Isn't this the Bazhou rebel? I didn't expect that Captain Pei actually had an affair with the Bazhou Army.

After Pei Yuan introduced Tian Fu, he couldn't help but have some thoughts.

The defeated troops of Bazhou who fled into Shandong at that time clamored to "clear the imperial court and support the virtuous king." It seemed that the person they wanted to support at that time was King De.

Pei Yuan looked at the big tiger for a few times without saying much, waiting for Chen Hutou to speak himself.

Seeing that Pei Yuan did not deny his identity as "Zhuge Jiang Gan", Chen Hutou immediately said, "Sixth Master and Seventh Master asked me to bring a gift. Would you like to take a look, Mr. Zhuge?"

Pei Yuan became interested and asked, "Where is the gift?"

Then he explained to Tian Fu, "Sixth Master is Liu Liu, Seventh Master is Liu Qi, both are great commanders in the Bazhou Army."

Tian Fu was a little dumbfounded after hearing this.

Did Liu Liu and Liu Qi really send gifts to Pei Qianhu? Then what he boasted about a few days ago couldn't be true?

Chen Hutou looked at Chen Toutie, who replied, "He brought about ten people here, and the others stayed outside."

Pei Yuan looked unhappy after hearing this. The defense of this capital city was too problematic.

It was so easy for a dozen Bazhou thieves to sneak in.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan didn't want to break off relations with them directly.

These guys are desperate criminals. Once the Bazhou army is defeated, they will vent their anger on him. With the defense of the capital, I'm afraid he won't be able to live a peaceful life.

Pei Yuan immediately adjusted his mindset and said to Chen Tou, "Let them in."

Chen Toutie nodded and went out to give orders.

After a while, a dozen people carrying boxes entered the hall, and Jinyiwei, who were several times their number, also came in to stand guard.

Pei Yuan only took a glance and knew that these people could not be the only ones entering the city.

Otherwise, these people would carry the boxes into the city so openly, and it would be difficult to pass through the city gate.

(End of this chapter)