My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

"Miss, they have gone too far! I must report this to Master and have them severely punished."

Wan Cui, standing to the side, looked indignant, feeling wronged for her young mistress.

"Forget it, the situation is difficult right now, we can't afford to cause any more trouble. Let them talk!"

Having gone through so much during this time, Pei Qingyuan has also grown a lot.

She understood that the Pei family was currently in a predicament, relying entirely on these clansmen for support.

If she were to clash with these clansmen, the already fragile Pei family would crumble.

Moreover, she also noticed that her father had recently become indifferent to her and would not punish these clansmen for her sake.

"this……"

Seeing this, Wan Cui wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

She understood the Pei family's current predicament and Pei Qingyuan's awkward position better than Pei Qingyuan herself.

Pei Qingyuan is already engaged to Lin Jingyan, so it is impossible for her to remarry.

For the Pei family, she has lost her most important value, and her status will only continue to decline.

Wan Cui was also helpless. In the end, it was all the young lady's own choice, and she couldn't blame anyone else.

Inside the military camp, Li Xuancang was talking with Huang Tianyun.

The Huang family also suffered heavy losses at the hands of the rebels. With the city in turmoil, they were targeted by many people, and Huang Tianyun came to Li Xuancang for help.

Huang Tianyun brought 300,000 taels of silver and a large amount of treasure.

All I ask is that Li Xuancang can send a contingent of soldiers to protect the safety of the mansion.

Li Xuancang didn't even glance at the silver and treasures on the table, and spoke indifferently.

"Lord Huang, please take these things back!"

Li Xuancang refused to accept the silver and treasures, and Huang Tianyun's heart sank. Li Xuancang's refusal was tantamount to a veiled rejection.

Just as Huang Tianyun was about to speak again, Li Xuancang changed the subject.

"I will immediately dispatch a hundred soldiers and fifty constables to Lord Huang's residence to oversee the situation. Lord Huang can send someone over if anything happens, and I will not stand idly by."

Huang Tianyun had once helped settle Li Xuancang's soldiers, and in return, Li Xuancang did not refuse his request.

"Lord Li, I am deeply grateful and cannot express my thanks."

Huang Tianyun was overjoyed and immediately expressed his sincere gratitude to Li Xuancang.

"Yang Tiangang, arrange for one hundred soldiers and fifty constables to escort Lord Huang back to his residence and have them stay there to protect him."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nangong Zhan immediately stepped out and led Huang Tianyun away from the camp.

Huang Tianyun quickly left the military camp under the protection of soldiers and yamen runners, a scene that was witnessed by Pei Hongwen and his companions who had come to visit.

"That's Huang Tianyun. He's probably here to seek the army's protection as well."

Watching Huang Tianyun leave with his soldiers and constables, Pei Hongwen immediately knew that Huang Tianyun, like him, had come to ask for help.

However, Huang Tianyun has already succeeded, but he doesn't know if Li Xuancang will lend a hand.

"call!"

Pei Hongwen took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and calmed his tense heart.

"My lord, Prefect Pei has come to request an audience."

Having just seen Huang Tianyun off, Pei Hongwen arrived again. Li Xuancang knew without a doubt why Pei Hongwen had come.

"Let him in!"

Led by Nangong Zhan, Pei Hongwen quickly arrived at the main tent.

"Master Li."

Pei Hongwen held a higher official position than Li Xuancang, yet he bowed to Li Xuancang first.

Looking at Li Xuancang, who had become increasingly mature and composed and held a high position, Pei Hongwen felt a surge of bitterness and intense regret.

"I have been preoccupied with many matters in the city recently and have been unable to come to greet you. I hope Lord Pei will forgive me."

Li Xuancang's words were beautiful and polite, yet they carried an air of aloofness that kept people at arm's length.

Having navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades, Pei Hongwen was naturally able to sense Li Xuancang's attitude.

Pei Hongwen felt a slight unease, but he still managed a smile on his face.

"Lord Li is extremely busy with state affairs. The safety of the entire Anzhou City rests entirely on your shoulders. It is I who have taken the liberty of disturbing you."

Pei Hongwen's words were both a compliment to Li Xuancang and an indisputable fact.

Without Li Xuancang, Anzhou City would have long been in chaos, with killing, burning, and looting everywhere.

Li Xuancang had no time to waste with Pei Hongwen and asked directly.

"Lord Pei, has something come of your business?"

When Li Xuancang inquired, Pei Hongwen stopped beating around the bush and revealed the purpose of his visit.

"Lord Li, recently many people have been eyeing the Pei family with covetous intent. My life and property are in grave danger. I have come to request that you send a troop of soldiers to protect me."

As Pei Hongwen spoke, he took out silver and treasures, being even more generous than Huang Tianyun.

"It's just a small gift, please don't find it offensive."

Li Xuancang didn't even glance at the silver and treasures before refusing them outright.

"Lord Pei, the city is in turmoil, and the military camps are short-handed. We simply do not have any extra soldiers to send out. We hope you can understand."

Li Xuancang wasn't seeking revenge against the Pei family for breaking off the engagement; rather, he simply didn't have enough manpower at his disposal.

He sent troops to protect the Huang family to repay a favor to Huang Tianyun.

His relationship with the Pei family was common knowledge, and it was already magnanimous of him not to cause trouble for them.

It's wishful thinking to expect him to send troops to protect the Pei family.

"Lord Li, I hope you will consider..."

Despite being rejected, Pei Hongwen was still unwilling to give up. Before he could finish speaking, Li Xuancang interrupted him.

"If Lord Pei has nothing else, please return."

"Lord Pei is a court official, and I would have ordered the patrol teams to patrol the vicinity of the Pei residence more often."

Li Xuancang directly ordered Pei Hongwen to leave, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.

"Thank you, Lord Li. I shall take my leave now."

Pei Hongwen turned and left, his eyes filled with loneliness, his figure somewhat desolate.

"Lord Pei."

Li Xuancang suddenly called out to Pei Hongwen, who was overjoyed, thinking that things had taken a turn for the better.

"Please take these things back with you, Lord Pei."

Li Xuancang gave a signal, and Nangong Zhan immediately handed over the silver and treasures that Pei Hongwen had taken out to Pei Hongwen.

Li Xuancang's actions indicated that he did not want any connection with the Pei family. Pei Hongwen lowered his head and remained silent, taking his things and leaving Li Xuancang's tent.

After Pei Hongwen came out of Li Xuancang's tent, several members of the Pei family rushed up to him and asked him questions.

"Master, how is it? Is Lord Li willing to lend a hand?"

The group looked at Pei Hongwen with anticipation.

Pei Hongwen shook his head and said, "Lord Li is short-handed and cannot send soldiers to protect the mansion."

Upon hearing this, the expectant look in the eyes of the clansmen gradually faded, replaced by inexplicable irritability and worry.

"Lord Huang's official rank is still below that of the head of the family, so why does he receive the protection of soldiers while the head of the family does not?"

The clansmen asked the question knowing the answer already, trying to embarrass the patriarch.

Another clansman scoffed, "How can our Pei family compare to the Huang family? If it weren't for Lord Li's magnanimity, where would our Pei family be?"

The group blamed Pei Qingyuan for everything, believing that it all stemmed from her.

"The head of the family should not devote all his energy to political affairs, but should spend more time disciplining and educating his children."

After they finished speaking, they left without looking back, completely ignoring Pei Hongwen's livid face.

Even with Pei Hongwen's excellent self-control, he was still furious.

But his clansmen were right, and he couldn't refute them.

With the decline of the Pei family, his power as the head of the family has dwindled considerably.

These people no longer held him in the same reverence, and he could no longer make decisions on a whim.