Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 168 Execution of Pei Qu
Put them in a desperate situation and they will survive; throw them into a hopeless situation and they will live.

In the Battle of Huxun, Huang Chao, under the combined attack of the Zhenhai and Zhejiang armies, inspired his soldiers to fight to the death. In one battle, he crushed the armies of Pei Qu and Cui Qiu, capturing the two military commanders alive.

The government forces in Zhejiang and Jiangsu also suffered heavy losses. The rebel army would then find it difficult to encounter strong resistance in Zhejiang.

Zhu Wen personally captured the two generals Pei Qu and Cui Qiu, and his reputation for both wisdom and courage will surely spread far and wide.

"Gao Shuai is not a good person, but he is a good elder." Zhu Wen sighed, "Although Gao Yan failed to save the two military governors, their crushing defeat only highlighted Gao Yan's bravery."

As the armies of Zhenhai and Zhedong crumbled, he charged forward on horseback, beheading five hundred while suffering only three dead and five wounded on his own. Such a victory, once spread, naturally astonished people, proving that the Gao family of Bohai had worthy successors.

Gao Pian was fully capable of using Gao Yan's performance to give the court an explanation for the collapse of the situation in Liangzhe.

Lan Suting seemed to understand: "This is just creating momentum. Commander Lei doesn't care about winning or losing this battle at all."

Zhu Wen said, "Didn't you tell me this sentence in the Six Secret Teachings a few months ago, Zhizhen?"

"A skilled general does not wait for his troops to be deployed; a skilled general eliminates problems before they arise; a skilled general defeats the enemy before they are seen. Therefore, a general who seeks victory in hand-to-hand combat is not a good general."

"Creating momentum, public opinion, and winning hearts and minds. These fall under the category of 'winning without leaving a trace' in military strategy. Like his mentor, Commander Lei plans for the overall situation of the world."

Zhu Wen suddenly revealed a playful smile: "As the top general of the Tang Dynasty after Shi Xiong's death, even if Commander Lei has no ambition, the court will suspect him of having ambition. But since everyone in the world is watching him, his ambition is not easy to hide, which makes things difficult."

Tian Jun rubbed her temples and asked in confusion, "You mean that General Lei's ambitions will become increasingly suspicious of the court, and then be hampered?"

“Junmei, you can understand it this way.”

"The troops in Liangzhe have been routed again. Shouldn't we be able to avoid fighting for a while?" Tian Jun said, leaning her curvaceous body against Zhu Wen.

She exuded a strong smell of sweat. Zhu Wen wrinkled his nose slightly, but still gently embraced Tian Jun.

This is Zhu Wen's camp, and apart from the Lansu Pavilion on the side, no one else can see it.

Lan Suting could only show a slightly helpless expression.

"There are so many things I want you to do with me," Tian Jun murmured, sounding clingy. "Going for a walk in the countryside, admiring flowers, looking at the moon back to back, swimming in the river together, eating delicious food mouth to mouth..."

"And holding me. I just want to be in your arms all day long, that's when I'm happiest."

Girls in love often have no eyes for anyone but their lovers, and Tian Jun is the most straightforward and willful type.

“We’ll have plenty of time later.” Zhu Wen touched his nose to Tian Jun’s equally elegant nose. “Commander Pei is about to be executed. Shouldn’t we go and watch the spectacle?”

Upon hearing this, Tian Jun's bright eyes immediately lit up with curiosity. She grabbed Zhu Wen's hand, showing great interest.

She had never seen anything like executing a high-ranking military governor before.

“Suting won’t go,” Lan Suting said. She still didn’t like seeing blood: “Aside from killing Cao Shixiong, this Commander Pei doesn’t seem to have done anything too bad.”

“That’s how it is according to the Tang law, but I still suggest you go and take a look.” Zhu Wen said, “Although this military governor Pei likes Hu women, he is not a man who cherishes women. In his mansion, there are at least dozens of skeletons entangled with wronged souls.”

Lan Suting opened her mouth slightly, her expression changing drastically. Then she heard Zhu Wen say, "Governor Pei likes the young girls of the Hu women. He often buys Hu girls around ten years old, and many of them are played with to death. He is also violent. If any of the maids or servants in his mansion do not meet his expectations, he will whip and kill them, and bury their bodies in the back garden."

This was truly a demonic act. But in the eyes of many high-ranking officials and nobles of the Tang Dynasty, it was merely a trivial matter. They believed that once reduced to servants, they were no different from livestock and could no longer be considered human. How a master disposed of his or her livestock was entirely his personal freedom.

Moreover, someone of Pei Qu's status as military governor was protected by the "Eight Deliberations" law.

The Eight Deliberations originated from the "Eight Deliberations on Punishment" in the *Zhou Li* (Rites of Zhou), embodying the principle that "punishment does not apply to high-ranking officials." During the reign of Emperor Ming of Cao Wei, the Eight Deliberations were formally incorporated into the national legal code for the first time. In the present dynasty, it is explicitly stipulated that even if a person of high status within the scope of the Eight Deliberations commits a crime, the relevant officials must first report to the emperor before taking action. In practice, however, such cases are generally handled leniently.

For someone of Pei Qu's background and status, killing some disobedient servants is nothing more than a trivial matter.
Ten years ago, the famous female poet Yu Xuanji, suspecting her maid Lü Qiao of having an affair with her lover Chen Leshi, had Lü Qiao whipped to death and buried the body to cover up the crime. Later, the upright Prefect of Jingzhao, Wen Zhang, discovered the affair and sentenced Yu Xuanji to be executed in the autumn.

As a result, the scholars all lamented Wen Zhang's harsh enforcement of the law, causing the tragic death of a talented and beautiful woman like Yu Xuanji for the sake of a mere maid. In everyone's eyes, the murdered maid, Lü Qiao, was like an insignificant insect.

Zhu Wen always believed that rules that had been in place for hundreds or even thousands of years were not necessarily correct. He felt that it was worth shedding blood to destroy unjust rules.

Wherever the rebel army went, they suppressed powerful clans and freed servants. These were practices that Zhu Wen had already largely agreed with before joining their ranks.

Zhu Wen, accompanied by Tian Jun and Lan Suting, arrived at the edge of the open training ground in the center of the camp. The area was already packed with people, and even weapon racks with halberds standing on them had been knocked over by the crowd.

When Zhu Wen and his men arrived, they saw Huang Chao untie Cui Qiu, the military governor of Zhejiang East, from the wooden stake and personally hand him a cup of plum syrup with a faint fragrance.

Although it was late autumn, the sun was blazing today. Cui Qiu had been exposed to the scorching sun for a long time, and his lips were chapped. Drinking the cool plum juice was just the right way to beat the heat.

Upon receiving the plum juice, Cui Qiu immediately showed gratitude, but still tried his best to maintain the demeanor of a scion of a noble family, sipping it slowly.

After drinking about half a cup, Cui Qiu felt that his life was not in danger, so he took it upon himself to hand the white porcelain cup to Pei Qu, whose hands were not bound.

Pei Qu was already parched, so he grabbed the plum juice and drank it all in one gulp.

Snapped!
Then a loud slap was heard, and several teeth flew out of Pei Qu's mouth, blood spurting out mixed with the plum juice he hadn't swallowed yet.

Huang Chao's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes blazing with anger: "Who told you to drink it?"

Cui Qiu was also taken aback, and his body trembled like a leaf.

"Huang Shuai...this...it's my fault..."

Cui Qiu felt that he had already saved his life, so he gave the remaining plum juice to Pei Qu, hoping that Huang Chao would go along with it and let Pei Qu go as well.

Unexpectedly, Huang Chao's expression changed drastically on the spot.

"Lord Cui is in my army. Just do what you're supposed to do and don't meddle in other people's business." Huang Chao swept his cold gaze over Cui Qiu.

He then said to the generals, "Those of you who are friendly with Cao Shixiong, you may come up and each cut a piece of flesh from Governor Pei."

"Good idea." Zhu Wen clapped his hands and said, "However, this disciple has another suggestion."

Zhu Wen waved his hand, and a red-haired girl with a high nose and deep-set eyes, about fifteen or sixteen years old, suddenly walked into the room. She had a few freckles on her face, but her features were still quite beautiful.

"This young lady's sister, while serving Commander Pei, accidentally spilled hot soup on him and was ordered by Commander Pei to be buried alive." Zhu Wen looked at Pei Qu with the eyes of someone looking at dung: "In my opinion, this young lady should be responsible for the final execution. It's nothing more than grabbing a short knife and stabbing Commander Pei in the heart, which is easier than beheading him."

Huang Chao pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Agreed."

(End of this chapter)