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

Chapter 587 Be Brave and Be Yourself

Chen Xinjian asked with some doubt, "There are countless talented people in the world, why does Commander Qianhu have such a strong preference for Yan Song?"

Pei Yuan shook his head and said, "It's not so much a matter of favoritism; whether it works out or not depends on his own fate."

After saying that, he casually commented, "The last person I privately recommended to the emperor for his military talent was named Wang Qiong."

"Where is Wang Qiong now?"

Chen Xinjian suddenly realized, "Damn it, Wang Qiong went to Shandong to provide disaster relief to the victims?"

If it weren't for this guy, who was constantly under the watchful eyes of thousands of people, Chen Xinjian would have thought his political career was over.

Thinking about it this way, Chen Xinjian recalled how Pei Yuan had just encouraged Yan Song to put on a show and leave, impressing the emperor for several years.

Isn't this just another copy of Wang Qiong?

Wang Qiong amazed the emperor, and then immediately fled the capital.

As for Yan Song, if the commander doesn't remember him, he'll probably spend his whole life in his hometown, dreaming of becoming the Grand Secretary and reaching the pinnacle of life.

That guy only saw the benefits of boosting the value of the banknotes, but he didn't realize that there was another opposing force trying to crash the banknotes.

What a show-off who can run away after all that, leaving the other person amazed for years.

After Yan Song finished showing off, he might just disappear into the annals of history.

Chen Xinjian sighed silently for a while, then said to Pei Yuan, "I heard from my brother that Ouyang Bijin is very organized and a useful person."

Pei Yuan nodded and said, "It's indeed very good."

This younger brother Ouyang is a chosen one with a divine physique. On the night of the surprise attack on the post station in Southern Zhili, it was thanks to the hard work of this younger brother that all the hidden dangers were uncovered.

Such a big event has not made any progress to this day, which shows that Ouyang's younger brother is quite reliable.

Chen Xinjian immediately smiled and said, "Then how about I give him to you and let him help me out?"

Pei Yuan considered it for a moment.

Even if Ouyang Bijin enters officialdom, he will only have a very low rank, and he is too young, so he needs some time to hone his skills.

It would be a good thing if he and Chen Xinjian could support each other in building up the Xinghe Garrison.

After the Battle of Yingzhou, Ouyang Bijin was appointed as the governor of Xuanda.

When the two cooperate, they will be able to firmly control the North.

Pei Yuan immediately agreed, "Then we'll send him to the Censorate and have Li Shishi give him the post of inspecting the fortified outposts beyond the Great Wall."

The so-called "fortresses beyond the Great Wall" were fortresses set up by the Ming Dynasty in key border defense locations.

A contemporary poem reads: "The moon hangs pale beyond Wild Fox Ridge, the road west of the city stretches endlessly. Passing the watchtower, I hear people say that there was a light frost on the grass last night."

Besides serving as beacon towers for warning, these fortresses also performed simple defensive functions.

Generally, the watchtowers were over five zhang high, surrounded by walls one zhang high, with moats on the outside and drawbridges. Water tanks were placed at the entrances to prevent fire attacks. The forts had no stairs or ramps; the only way to get up was by rope ladder.

The main strategy is to defend to the bitter end.

The most miserable people in the Ming Dynasty were the border troops, and there were two border troops who suffered the most.

One was a night watchman, and the other was a guard.

The work of the border troops was arduous but extremely important. Therefore, the imperial court would send a certain number of censors every year to inspect the border troops and forts in various places, so as not to leave the imperial court deaf and blind at critical moments.

This inspection work is arduous, but it's also highly valuable and a good way to build up seniority. The censors who receive this assignment are both happy and frustrated.

For example, after Zhang Lian ruthlessly attacked Liang Chu, he won the favor of Zhu Houzhao.

Subsequently, this censor, who was only a seventh-rank official, went to inspect the border for a while, and after being gilded and shining, he returned and was directly promoted to the third-rank official Shanxi Provincial Surveillance Commissioner.

However, if the word "beyond the Great Wall" is added to the description of the task of patrolling the fortress, then no one would be willing to do it.

Because the territory of the Ming Dynasty was very large in its early days, as it shrank with each generation, some fortresses set up in key locations were no longer outside the actual borders.

Fortunately, the borders of that era were already quite vague, and as long as the Mongols didn't invade southward, they wouldn't think of coming to the border to graze their horses.

Many fortresses stubbornly took root in the north, becoming the most arduous and costly invisible defense line for the Ming Dynasty.

Chen Xinjian's Xinghe Garrison Command had already fallen into the heart of Tatar territory. Sending Ouyang Bi to inspect Chen Xinjian's major undertaking of reorganizing his troops was a perfect way to exploit a bug.

The next day, while Pei Yuan was scheming about how to harm people—no, how to get people to buy funds—…

Suddenly, a report came from the Imperial Guards at the gate that Yan Song, who had come yesterday, was here again to request an audience.

Pei Yuan also realized that Yan Song's so-called "going back to think about it" last time was just an excuse. This guy must have been tempted at the time, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it, so he was just a little hesitant.

Pei Yuan was in dire need of manpower at the moment, so he didn't care about this and directly asked Chen Xinjian to invite people.

Not long after, Yan Song came over with Chen Xinjian, looking very serious.

Pei Yuanwei, feeling curious, asked him, "What brings you here, Brother Weizhong?"

Yan Song forced a smile, then said to Pei Yuan, "It's nothing, I just happened to chat with Wang Bo'an for a bit after I got back. He mentioned the matter of Wang Qiong, the Vice Minister of Revenue. It seems that Vice Minister Wang Qiong was exiled from the capital after he secretly contacted the Emperor."

Chen Xinjian was shocked to hear this.

I have a feeling things are going to get worse.

Yan Song and Wang Shouren were good friends, and Yan Song even stayed at Wang Shouren's house for a while.

Wang Shouren and Wang Qiong were close friends.

It's not surprising that the two mentioned Wang Qiong when they were together, but Wang Qiong is a living example of the opposite.

In this way, would Yan Song realize the problem here?
Chen Xinjian hurriedly looked at Commander Pei.

But Pei Yuan's expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

After Yan Song finished speaking, Pei Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, "So you were referring to the matter of Wang Shao Situ."

"It is true that Wang Shaositu was ostracized and forced to leave the capital to provide relief to the people because he had private contact with the emperor, which aroused suspicion that he was flattering the emperor."

When Yan Song heard Pei Yuan say the same thing, his heart sank.

Pei Yuan continued, "And I might as well tell you. It was I, the commander, who facilitated the private contact between Wang Qiong and the Emperor."

Yan Song was speechless. "This..." Before Yan Song could even think of backing out, Pei Yuan continued, "I wonder if Brother Weizhong knows anything about the life of Junior Minister Wang?"

Yan Song only knew of a person named Wang Qiong, the Vice Minister of Revenue, but he didn't really know much about his life.

Knowing that Pei Yuan was no ordinary person, he immediately answered honestly, "I don't know."

Pei Yuan nodded and said, "Wang Shaositu was a Jinshi during the Chenghua era and served under the Hongzhi and Zhengde emperors. He has extensive political experience in officialdom."

"He first served as a principal officer in the Ministry of Works. Due to his outstanding abilities and remarkable achievements, he was promoted. He then served as the councilor of Shandong and Henan, and was promoted to the right governor of Henan. In the current dynasty, he was promoted to the right vice censor-in-chief and was assigned to supervise the salt administration. He then served as the vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel. His official career was so successful that he was only one step away from entering the cabinet."

"He was demoted to Nanjing because he offended Liu Jin, and only recently returned to the capital to resume his post as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

"Such a person is not only skilled in practical matters and has the ability to understand the people and govern, but also capable of standing alone and becoming a high-ranking official. Brother Weizhong, what do you think of Wang Shaositu compared to you?"

Yan Song now understood how senior Wang Qiong was. How could he, a resigned compiler of the Hanlin Academy, compare to him?

Yan Song waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "How could I, Yan, dare to compare myself to Wang Shaositu?"

Pei Yuan then said calmly, "Given Wang Shaositu's life experience and rich experience in officialdom, he is still willing to be at my beck and call. I don't know what Brother Weizhong is hesitating about."

"Besides, how do you know that Wang Shaositu's departure wasn't a strategic retreat, a solid step towards the cabinet?"

Pei Yuan's meaning was quite clear.

If even a seasoned official like Wang Qiong is willing to do this, what does Yan Song have to worry about?
Yan Song clearly understood this point and immediately said decisively, "Commander, that's not what I meant. It's just that I heard Wang Bo'an mention this matter yesterday, and I was a little worried that Wang Qiong might have handled it inappropriately, so I wanted to ask the Commander about it. It's good... it's good to learn from this experience."

Pei Yuan said casually, "There's nothing wrong with it. Wang Qiong is perfectly fine."

As he spoke, he rummaged through a drawer on the side of the desk and took out several letters.

Then he laid out the letters in a row and showed Yan Song the covers. These were all from Wang Qiong to Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan said, "Young Master Wang has always maintained close contact with me, but how much do those people outside know?"

Having seen the irrefutable evidence, Yan Song had no other thoughts.

There's no point in hesitating anymore.

Even if Wang Qiong was willing to do something, and he was tricked, it was not a fault of his own.

So Yan Song asked Pei Yuan for advice, "Although I have this intention, I still hope that you, Commander, can give me some pointers on how to act when I see the Emperor."

Seeing that Yan Song was cooperative, Pei Yuan immediately said happily, "Very well, let me tell you about the current situation, so that you won't give an irrelevant answer if the Emperor asks you. I will go and request an audience with the Emperor later to mention your matter. However..."

Pei Yuan finally dropped his usual smile and said with a hint of fierceness, "But back then, you weren't allowed to say whatever you wanted."

Yan Song's lips twitched slightly, but thinking of the wonderful future, he still said, "I know what I'm doing."

Pei Yuan immediately gave Yan Song a general overview of what he could say.

In conclusion, the situation is very promising.

Many people are hoping to make a fortune by taking advantage of this opportunity to restart the Treasure Note, and countless funds will enter the market to drive up the price.

What Zhu Houzhao wanted to do was to make a fortune before the price surged, and then use the funds from all the speculation surrounding the paper money to artificially inflate its value.

As long as the paper money becomes valuable again, Zhu Houzhao, who has the right to print it, will once again dominate the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty, just like during the reigns of Hongwu and Yongle.

As Pei Yuanzheng was recounting his story, someone suddenly came to report that the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stables was requesting an audience.

Pei Yuan was surprised upon hearing this.

What is Dou Yu doing here at this time?
Didn't you say you'd wait until your new house was finished before gifting it to yourself?

Pei Yuan was puzzled, but Yan Song, who was standing next to him, quickly said, "If the commander has anything else to discuss, I can come back to ask for your advice later."

Pei Yuan needed to use Yan Song as a tool at this moment, so he couldn't let him become disloyal.

Thinking that nothing serious had happened to Dou Yu, she immediately said, "It's alright. You wait here for a moment while I take care of him."

He then said to the Imperial Guard, "Have someone bring in the Junior Minister of the Imperial Stables."

A short while later, Dou Yu entered the hall with a fawning smile on his face.

When the other man entered, seeing Pei Yuan sitting motionless in the hall, he took the initiative to bow and say, "I, Dou, have come uninvited and have delayed the commander's official business. I hope the commander will forgive me."

Yan Song looked at it thoughtfully.

If he remembered correctly, although the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stables did not wield much real power, he was still a fourth-rank official. Moreover, there was a huge gap in rank and status between civil and military officials.

This guy is so respectful to a fifth-rank Imperial Guard; Pei Yuan must have a powerful background.

Yan Song thought about the large number of selected scholars, then about Pei Yuan's boast that he could recommend him to the emperor, and then about the letters that Pei Yuan had just taken out between Wang Shaositu and him. He immediately forgot about the image that Ouyang Bijin had mentioned to him: that person who had nowhere to stand in the freezing rain and was forced to draw his sword to survive.

Pei Yuan smiled and gestured for him to sit down on a chair nearby. "Dou Shaoqing and I hit it off immediately. We had so much to talk about last time. I'm happy that you're here to see me. There's no question of it being a delay."

Dou Yu sat down at the tables and chairs on both sides of the hall, and saw Pei Yuan with two other people on his left and right.

He recognized one of them as Chen Xinjian, the attendant he had met before, and the other, dressed in plain scholar's clothes, also seemed to be an attendant.

Dou Yu didn't hold back and immediately exclaimed, "Last time I thought you were extraordinary, but I didn't expect that I was still blind to your greatness. I heard about the matter you mentioned last time from my colleagues this morning."

Pei Yuan understood what was going on. He thought of Yan Song beside him and pretended to be puzzled, "Oh? I wonder which matter you're referring to?"

Dou Yu's chubby face was full of excitement as he said, "Of course it was the letter the commander wrote that day, which led the Shandong governor to impeach the local officials."

"At the time, I thought..."

"Sigh, at the time I thought the commander was really bold and decisive. I didn't expect to hear my colleagues talking about it this morning, saying that the Office of Transmission received a memorial from the Governor of Shandong yesterday."

"He actually impeached all the officials, big and small, in Shandong. This is truly..."

Pei Yuan didn't react yet, but Yan Song, who was standing next to him, was stunned.

Has he really met a powerful figure? The Vice Minister of Revenue is willing to serve him, and the Governor of Shandong is willing to criticize him relentlessly, so what's wrong with him going out of his way to impress the Emperor?!

As long as I can get on the coattails of this bigwig, I'd be willing to become the Grand Secretary in a few years.

Pei Yuan glanced at Yan Song, then straightened his face and said, "Don't talk nonsense about such things."

"Governor Wang had this idea before, but he was always hesitant because of his career prospects. I just told him to be brave and be himself. What does this have to do with me?"

Dou Yu immediately understood and quickly chuckled, "Yes, yes, yes!"

(End of this chapter)