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

Chapter 513 Backhand
Tian Fu also explained to Pei Yuan why wild animals like to travel alone.

He reminded Pei Yuan that when traveling with so many ferocious beasts such as Gu Dayong, Qiu Ju, Xiao Yan, Lu Ting, and Wang Chang, once anyone captured prey, it would be very likely that they would turn against each other.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan became alert and looked at Tian Fu seriously, asking, "What do you mean?"

Tian Fu reminded Pei Yuan, "Eunuch Lu has already captured his prey. Doesn't the captain realize the danger yet?"

Pei Yuan's expression became serious.

Although strategists always like to exaggerate, Pei Yuan admitted that he was indeed a little negligent in this regard.

Lu Ting has already reached the top, and he no longer has much demand on himself. Even if Pei Yuan can use him, he is only overdrawing on the previous favor.

The more you use this relationship, the thinner it becomes, and maybe one day it will fall apart.

What else can I do to help Lu Ting?

When Lu Ting became the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, he had reached the peak of his life. Moreover, as Lu Ting possessed the power of the Prime Minister and formed an alliance with Yang Yiqing, his own power also grew rapidly.

He can now easily face many problems that were difficult to solve before.

The help Pei Yuan can provide him will become less and less.

The leverage that the two people hold over each other is an important means to consolidate their relationship as they move towards their goals.

However, when Lu Ting reaches his target, it will become a black history that can easily be exposed, posing a substantial threat to Lu Ting.

If this threat is concrete, it is Pei Yuan himself.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

I didn’t expect that Lu Ting, who reached the top, was not as useful as before.

only……

He had no choice at the time.

At that time, Pei Yuan had to get rid of the two brothers Zhang Yong and Zhang Rong who were hostile to him, but he could not allow Xiao Jing, who had a grudge against him, to enter the Silijian in a sedan chair wearing a dragon robe.

In that situation, the best choice Pei Yuan could make was to kill Xiao Jing and send Lu Ting to the Imperial Household Department.

The operation of this matter, at least on paper, has achieved good results.

Zhang Yong was driven away and killed in the wilderness by Pei Yuan.

Xiao Jing also withdrew from the center of power, allowing Pei Yuan to swallow up the power he left behind.

Lu Ting, who was the last to take the position..., although it is not clear whether his attitude has changed, we are still friends after all.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan said loudly, half to deal with the land tax and half to convince himself, "Although what you said makes some sense, don't underestimate the bond between me and Eunuch Lu!"

Tian Fu was stunned for a moment, and after a while he roughly understood what Pei Yuan meant, and then he said softly, "Captain, you must be on guard against others."

Pei Yuan glanced at the strategist and said, "You guy, if you had omitted the first half of the sentence, it would have been very clever."

Seeing that Pei Yuan did not object, Tian Fu continued to suggest, "I heard that Zhang Zhong and Yin Sheng defected to Lu Ting when they pacified the Bazhou Army. These two have military merits, and they will definitely be able to take advantage of Lu Ting's opportunity to supervise the Silijian and enter the core of the internal official system."

"The commander may as well take advantage of the fact that Lu Ting has not changed his stance yet and try to befriend and support these two people, so as to form a check and balance on Lu Ting."

Pei Yuan thought about his past with Lu Ting and felt that Tian Fu's worry was a bit groundless.

But what he said... is not without reason.

Before, Lu Ting was just an elite monster. He was bewitched by me and obeyed my orders. There was nothing wrong with that.

But now, Lu Ting, as the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department and the dignified Prime Minister, has become the leader of a faction.

At this time, Lu Ting's thoughts were no longer just his own thoughts.

This is also the reason why Pei Yuan established the Luo Sect and appointed all the core members of the Luo Sect, but still wanted to control the economic lifeline of the Luo Sect.

Because when a group begins to mature, there is a conscious, virtual mind, an invisible brain and stance.

Even if Chen Toutie, Tian Fu and a group of senior executives want to go against this idea and position, they may face backlash.

The Imperial Household Department has been assisting the government for so many years, and it has eunuchs of all sizes and a mature way of doing things. Pei Yuan's influence on Lu Ting is really a big question mark.

Pei Yuan was silent for a moment, then said to Tian Fu, "Don't mention this matter anymore. Wait until I meet Lu Ting before we talk."

Tian Fu kept silent and stepped aside.

Pei Yuan felt a little pressured.

There can be trouble anywhere in the world, except in the imperial palace.

If this continues, can he still leave the Forbidden City to Zhu Houzhao with peace of mind and go to Shandong to pursue his career?

Pei Yuan frowned and thought.

Simply relying on servants like Lu Ting and Gu Dayong may not be of any use when the time comes.

If you want to be effective at the critical moment after Zhu Houzhao's death, you need help from at least one owner of the palace.

Pei Yuan’s only choice at the moment is Queen Xia.

But Queen Xia was also a very intelligent woman and would not necessarily take risks for nothing.

If you want to drag her into this, you have to at least get her to hand over some evidence so that you can use it against her.

Pei Yuan looked around and saw that Chen Xinjian had not returned yet.

With Huo Tao, Tian Fu and others present, it was not a good idea to send someone to notify the Xia father and son, so he could only put the idea aside for the time being.

When Huo Tao saw Tian Fu finished speaking, he stepped forward and said, "Captain, the imperial examination is approaching. Do you want to meet with those candidates from Shandong again?"

Pei Yuan came to his senses and immediately clapped his hands, saying, "That's exactly what it should be."

He felt a little regretful, "I should have gone to see it as soon as I got back yesterday."

People in Shandong value righteousness and are relatively sentimental. At that time, I was exhausted from the journey, but I seemed very sincere.

It’s almost there now.

Pei Yuan immediately looked at Zhang Song, "What can I do for you?"

Zhang Song said, "I want to repay Qianhu for some of the expenses of Qianhu Office."

Pei Yuan was silent for a moment and then said, "Send the account book to my old house in Dengshikou first. I will take a closer look when I get home in the evening."

Zhang Song immediately agreed after hearing this.

Pei Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Take the ones from the past few months as well."

Although Zhang Song was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this, he did not ask any further questions.

Pei Yuan stood up and asked Zhang Song, "I'm going to meet the candidates. Do you want to come with me?"

Zhang Song had made those guys pay off their debts to Beijing. Although he didn't show any signs of doing so at the time, he still felt guilty.

He quickly said, "I still have some matters to deal with, so I won't get involved."

Pei Yuan said "hmm" to Huo Tao and Tian Fu, "You are of the same age and will serve in the same court in the future. There is no harm in interacting with each other more."

The two of them felt something strange when they heard Pei Yuan speak so confidently.

Huo Tao failed the exam last year, and Tian Fu failed several subjects in a row. Those who had been beaten by the imperial examination were not as optimistic as Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan smiled and said nothing more.

Just at this time, Chen Xinjian also came back after arranging things, so everyone set off together and visited the scholars one by one.

Those Shandong candidates were staying in several nearby temples, and they were feeling nervous as the exam was approaching.

They were all very happy to see Pei Yuan coming back from Shandong, so they went out for a drink together.

Huo Tao mentioned Ouyang Bijin, who lived with him, and Pei Yuan patted his head and asked the fat boy to come along.

Unfortunately, the Jinyiwei who stayed in Beijing never found out Zhang Cong's whereabouts.

I don’t know if it’s because the news was received too late or the journey was too far.

If they missed it, this powerful cabinet might have to wait until the ninth year of Zhengde.

Fortunately, according to the marking standards of Liang Chu and others, Zhang Cong had little hope even if he came.

By rounding up, I can save on travel expenses.

Ouyang Bi Jin was supposed to be the destined person for him in the twelfth year of Zhengde, but it just so happened that he had been very close to Huo Tao recently, and Pei Yuan had someone hinted to him.

Ouyang Bijin was a smart fat man, so of course he could hear the trick in those words.

He had also seen Pei Yuan's methods and believed that Pei Yuan would never do anything without a purpose.

So Ouyang Bijin took the opportunity of eating and living with Huo Tao to communicate and exchange ideas frequently, and secretly try to understand Huo Tao's writing style and attitude.

Although he didn't know how effective it would be, Pei Yuan still had some hope.

Pei Yuan still had a lot of things to do, so he didn't dare drink too much this time and was only slightly tipsy.

When they returned to Zhihua Temple, they heard the Jinyiwei guarding the gate report that Xiao Tong was waiting for an audience.

Xiao Tong had been waiting in the temple. When he heard the noise at the door, he hurried out to meet them.

Pei Yuan glanced at him and went inside.

Xiao Tong was feeling anxious, and when Chen Xinjian passed by, he whispered, "Follow me."

Xiao Tong then hurriedly stood up and followed Pei Yuan to the main hall of the East Courtyard where official business was handled.

Pei Yuan sat down and someone immediately brought him hot tea.

Pei Yuan took the tea in his hand, and Xiao Tong hurried forward to bow down, and reported to Pei Yuan in the hall, "My nephew went to ask my father according to the order of the thousand households."

Pei Yuan played with the cup in his hand and asked calmly, "What did your father say?"

Xiao Tong said timidly, "Father said that the Xiao family has entrusted all their wealth and descendants to Qianhu. Qianhu..., you can discipline them yourself."

Pei Yuan smiled when he heard this, "He wants to save himself from worry."

After Xiao Tong was involved in the ambush and murder of Zhang Yong, the Xiao family, which had been constantly replenishing their positions, was basically trapped.

Now that Xiao Yan has tacitly agreed to join the game, how can Xiao Jing, an old eunuch who has served five dynasties, stay out of it?

Pei Yuan asked Xiao Tong, "Do you have any specific mission now?"

Xiao Tong hesitated for a moment and replied, "I only have the title of Jinyiwei Commander-in-Chief, but I don't have any real job."

Pei Yuan shook his head and said, "The Imperial Guard is too busy right now, so it's better not to go. From now on, you should follow Chen Xinjian and let him guide you."

"Recently..., we may need your Xiao family's spies in the palace. This matter cannot be handled by others. You will do it yourself when the time comes."

Xiao Tong followed Pei Yuannan on a trip and knew the status of Chen Xinjian, a loyal member of the team, so he just agreed.

After Xiao Tong left, Pei Yuan asked someone to call Bi Jun.

Bi Jun was the handle given to him by Bi Zhen, but Pei Yuan did not intend to keep Bi Jun under house arrest as a prisoner.

This guy had learned in the Inner Study in his early years, and he was able to convince Zhang Xiong, which showed that he had some abilities.

When Bi Jun came over, Pei Yuan first asked him about Zhang Xiong.

Only after it was confirmed that Zhang Xiong had falsified both the people and the money did they feel relieved.

As long as Zhang Yong's case is linked to Zhang Xiong's case of fraud and deceiving the emperor, the matter will basically be settled.

After asking about the case, Pei Yuan asked Bi Jun, "Since you came from the inner study, you must also understand the accounting matters, right?"

Bi Jun replied respectfully, "I used to follow several eunuchs in the palace to check the accounts of the transfer department. When I was with Eunuch Bi Zhen, I often accompanied him to various mansions to check the military supplies of the arsenal."

Pei Yuan didn't expect that this old eunuch had so much work experience, and he couldn't help but look at him with admiration.

He thought for a while and said, "This Zhihua Temple is now a government office. You will be an eyesore if you stay here. Why don't you stay at my house first? I have some accounts for you to think about first."

Bi Jun bowed and agreed, then asked, "I wonder what the captain wants to investigate, so that I can know what's going on."

Pei Yuan said coldly, "Sort out the money in the account and take out my share."

Bi Jun asked with some confusion, "What's the share for Qianhu?"

Pei Yuan gave Bi Jun a clear answer, "Draw as much as you can."

When Pei Yuan entered the capital, he brought more than 60,000 taels of silver, most of which was looted from the bandits in Bazhou during the battle of Yanggu.

Later, Pei Yuan gave Cheng Leixiang 20,000 taels to supplement his military equipment, and also received a life-saving money worth 100,000 taels from the Bazhou Army.

When the imperial court sold off military supplies, Pei Yuan asked Chen Toutie to use the 140,000 taels of silver to buy them.

Finally, after Tian Fu and Chen Toutie's operations, there were exactly 60,000 taels left, so it was sent back to Zhihua Temple for storage.

When the Qianhu Division first established itself in Zhihua Temple, it relied on robbing and looting to scare others and obtained tens of thousands of taels of silver as its savings.

Also, due to the court's regulations, the temple's taxes were collected by Taoist Zhenji, and the thousand households could gain some benefits from it, so they also had an extra income.

In addition, the Qianhu Suo can also take a share of the incense and oil money from the believers, who make the most of it.

This portion is very heavy. It can not only cover the daily flow of the Qianhu Office, but also leave some left over.

In the past two months, Pei Yuan ordered Tan Tai Fangtu to increase the number of troops and recall a large number of surplus soldiers from the Qianhu Suo, which led to the fact that the income was not enough to cover the expenditure.

Theoretically, Zhihua Temple could also take out 80,000 to 90,000 taels of silver from its account.

In addition, the remaining payment of 20,000 taels of silver from the Bazhou Army was still kept in the old house in Dengshikou.

Now Han Qianhu's intention of going north is unclear. Pei Yuan plans to take his own money and also withdraw some silver from Zhihua Temple's account.

It would be fine if they still mind their own business, but if Captain Han intends to inquire about the affairs of the Northern Bureau, Pei Yuan plans to use the withdrawn money to develop Yongle Tong Bao.

After that, you can use the precious Yongle Tong Bao to exchange for the common silver from the Japanese.

Then, relying on the existing strength, we will open another branch base as soon as possible.

By then, Pei Yuan will have completely escaped from the dragon and can stir up trouble.

As for the hundreds of thousands of taels in Han Qianhu's hand, well, let her use it as a handle to kill herself.

Pei Yuan pondered for a while, called Chen Xinjian and ordered, "You, go find the Earl of Qingyang in person. Tell him that I am back, and ask him to come see me immediately."

(End of this chapter)