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

Chapter 590 Fighting with Lao Tzu?
The thought of all this completely ruined Pei Yuan's good mood.

He glanced at the flying fish robe he was wearing.

These are my new clothes...

The Imperial Guard flag bearer was practically pumped up with enthusiasm, cheering on Commander Pei, "Commander, you'd better teach Xu Tai a lesson this time!"

"At worst, we'll deal with him and let him know how powerful the Embroidered Uniform Guard is!"

What the hell!

This person is actually a hater!

Pei Yuan's gaze immediately turned hostile.

The haters were completely oblivious and continued to mock Xu Tai relentlessly.

However, Pei Yuan knew in his heart that Xu Tai was much more troublesome than they had imagined.

When Xu Tai was in the army, he was hated by everyone, and everyone went to impeach him.

However, this did not prevent him from being promoted to the rank of Vice Commander-in-Chief, a first-rank official, after the war.

The main reason is that when a show-off really becomes awesome, others become the ones who dislike him but can't do anything about it.

Pei Yuan didn't want to listen to the trolls' nonsense anymore. Looking at the palace in front of him, he wondered which courtyard Empress Xia was being imprisoned by the Empress Dowager.

Pei Yuan interrupted, casually glancing at the guards in front of the palace gate.

"Which guard is on duty at the palace gate today? I've never seen them before when I came here."

The little black-faced guy said, "Dong'an Gate is our Jinyiwei territory. The Imperial Guards and the Left Guards of the Golden Guard will also take turns guarding it."

Pei Yuan said thoughtfully, "When I came here last time, it seemed that I encountered the Flag Guard brothers."

Little Blackie laughed, "That commander might be mistaken. The Flag Bearers are mainly responsible for guiding the emperor's processions, the ceremonial guards at Duanmen Gate, and the defense of the Bell and Drum Towers. In addition, they also have the duty of patrolling at night."

"They come less often from the Dong'anmen area."

Pei Yuan seemed somewhat unconvinced by Xiao Heifen's claim that he had misremembered, and said, "How could that be? I remember also seeing a commander named Li Jin."

Little Blackie laughed, "That commander must have mixed things up. That Li Jin is quite something. Ever since he joined the Flag Guard a few days ago, the Flag Guard Commander has been personally taking care of him. I heard they're even going to recruit him as their son-in-law."

"With such a bright future, why would he take on the job of guarding the city?"

Pei Yuan was somewhat surprised; this little hater was quite well-informed.

He asked directly, "How did you know all this?"

The little black-clad man didn't try to hide anything, saying, "As long as the Emperor's carriage moves, it's our job as the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Flag Guard. Our two guards are very close."

Pei Yuan inquired about Li Jin's situation and thought to himself, "In that case, Li Zhang should be even more diligent."

He had no intention of wasting time here, so he led his men toward the Yongshou Earl's residence.

As they approached the outskirts of the Yongshou Marquis's residence, many of the Imperial Guards on guard saw Pei Yuan striding towards them in his flying fish robes and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't that our Imperial Guard Commander Pei?"

Some of the officers from the Imperial Guards and the vanguard of the Imperial Guards, seeing him, asked the familiar officers from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, "Why is he here? Wasn't he supposed to be recuperating from his injuries?"

Upon hearing this, the Jinyiwei officer proudly puffed out his chest.

"They're definitely here to teach Xu Tai a lesson. Look how arrogant he's become these past few days!"

There was considerable friction between the four outer armies and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The conflict between Qian Ning and Jiang Bin was essentially a clash between the two groups.

After Jiang Bin was injured, Qian Ningxiong recovered in just a few days. Hearing that Xu Tai was going back to Beijing to recuperate, he caught a cold before Xu Tai even arrived in Beijing.

Faced with the arrogant Xu Tai, the Flag Guards and the Vanguard of the Imperial Guards, though not as frustrated as the Embroidered Uniform Guards, still felt a sense of empathy as fellow members of the Imperial Guards.

Many people were concerned, saying, "If you count it up, Commander Pei has already fought Jiang Bin three times in the past few days. Isn't it too much to force him to step in now? Xu Tai is a martial arts champion, and no one in the entire Xuanfu border town dares to challenge him."

The Imperial Guards, however, were very confident.

In the first battle, Pei Yuan and Qian Ning teamed up to brutally beat Jiang Bin, ending the fight with Jiang Bin unconscious. Because Qian Ning was involved, it's difficult to assess Pei Yuan's combat strength.

In the second battle, although Pei Qianhu and Jiang Bin were both severely injured, the fact that Jiang Bin was almost killed and the two of them pretending to become sworn brothers at the end clearly showed that the outcome of this battle was influenced by human relationships.

During the third battle, Commander Pei stormed into the courtyard where Jiang Bin was recuperating, beat Jiang Bin and his elite guards severely, and then left triumphantly.

I heard that Jiang Bin was so desperate that he had no choice but to go to the Censorate to file a complaint.

This is also why, despite his arrogance after returning to the capital, Xu Tai has yet to issue a challenge to Pei Yuan.

After all, Xu Tai and Jiang Bin had participated in the suppression of the rebellion together, so Xu Tai had some understanding of Jiang Bin's abilities.

Seeing Pei Yuan arrive, given his fame and status as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, no one stopped him.

A centurion stepped forward to inquire about the purpose of the visit. Upon learning that Pei Yuan wished to see the emperor, he immediately smiled and said, "Please wait a moment, Commander. The emperor is currently training his troops. I will go and inform him."

Not long after the centurion left, he returned to report, "The Emperor has summoned the commander of a thousand."

Pei Yuan immediately followed the centurion to the large open space in front of the Yongshou Earl's residence.

As they were walking, a man suddenly appeared from the side and shouted, "Are you Pei Yuan?"

Pei Yuan turned his head and saw that Xu Tai was also being surrounded by a group of people.

Xu Tai was quite burly and imposing, and not bad-looking either. In his thirties, he had the air of a handsome middle-aged man.

Such a person was a martial arts champion and a first-rank military commander.

Who the hell doesn't want to show off?

No wonder everyone finds him annoying.

Pei Yuan was also a little annoyed when Xu Tai asked this question. They had eaten together last time, and now he didn't recognize him?
He deliberately tilted his head towards Chen Xinjian, "Who is he?"

Chen Xinjian was starting to lose his composure.

He quickly gave Pei Yuan a meaningful look, signaling, "Boss, don't cause trouble."

Strictly speaking, Chen Xinjian is now a member of Xuanfu, and a commander of a thousand men under the command of Deputy Commander Xu Tai.

If they turn against us now, how will the Xinghe Garrison Command be able to continue?
Pei Yuan realized he had made a mistake, so he quickly changed to a provocative expression to turn the tables and win back the aggression.

Xu Tai's shout just now has attracted a lot of attention.

The military officers on duty nearby all looked over.

Seeing that he had failed to intimidate Pei Yuan, Xu Tai sneered, "Pei Yuan, I've heard you're quite capable, and you don't even put our Xuanfu in your eyes!"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan cursed under his breath as an old cunning bastard.

These words immediately put Pei Yuan in a self-justification trap.

If they acquiesce, they will naturally offend Xuanfu for no reason. If they deny it, they will be seen as cowardly and even forced to admit defeat in person. In this way, they will inevitably be overshadowed in terms of momentum and will be looked down upon by others.

Pei Yuan, of course, could not allow himself to be caught in a dilemma, so he decisively chose to criticize Xu Tai.

He smiled dismissively and said disdainfully, "With your brain, this doesn't sound like something you could come up with. Who taught you to say that?" Pei Yuan's words immediately drew snickers from many people.

If Xu Tai had such a mindset, he wouldn't have ended up with enemies everywhere.

All I can say is that Xu Tai really doesn't know how to behave. Even Li Cong, who came along, couldn't help but want to see Xu Tai make a fool of himself.

Upon hearing this, Xu Tai's face flushed red with anger, and he roared, "How dare you insult me, you brat?"

He rushed forward a few steps, about to grab Pei Yuan.

The imperial guards around Pei Yuan tried to pretend to stop him, but Pei Yuan waved his hand and shouted, "Get out of the way!"

Then he stared intently at Xu Tai, who was about to rush over.

Xu Tai strode in like a bull, his imposing presence far surpassing that of Jiang Bin.

But Pei Yuan was not afraid at all.

They say youth has the upper hand in boxing, so he wanted to see what this martial arts champion from eight years ago was really made of!
Moreover, Pei Yuan is not afraid of losing.

Since Xu Tai wants to stir up trouble, let's give him a run for his money!
Pei Yuan felt his blood gradually boiling.

Unexpectedly, in that split second, he suddenly remembered something very important.

This was only the second time he had worn the flying fish robe.

This was the most presentable outfit that Pei Yuan, a fifth-rank official, could afford. One can imagine how precious this skin was.

Fighting Xu Tai wouldn't be a big deal, just don't tear your flying fish robe to shreds.

Pei Yuan immediately shouted, "Wait!"

As he spoke, he began to untie the ropes to take off the flying fish robe.

Although Xu Tai arrived quickly, he didn't need to slow down. When he heard Pei Yuan shout "Wait a minute," he paused slightly and looked again.

He immediately recalled the rumors about this scoundrel and Jiang Bin.

Xu Tai also understood the principle that youth has an advantage in boxing. Seeing Pei Yuan's broad shoulders and strong back, and his extraordinary ferocity, he was not confident of victory.

However, Xuanfu Town urgently dispatched him to the capital to fight this battle, and there was absolutely no reason for him to retreat.

But if we win, that's fine, but what if we lose...?

Xu Tai's scalp tingled, and he roared in shock and anger, "Pei Yuan, what are you doing?! Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war, don't do that nonsense!"

Pei Yuan hesitated for a moment, and was about to speak when an imperial official rushed over and shouted from afar, "His Majesty has decreed that the previous disturbance in the capital was already inappropriate. One instance was bad enough, but how can it be allowed to happen again? You cannot wait to fight in private; go see His Majesty immediately."

Seeing his chance, Xu Tai snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and left first.

Pei Yuan had important matters to discuss today and had no intention of competing with Xu Tai.

Seeing that Xu Tai had left first, he simply put his flying fish robe back on and said to the eunuch, "Thank you for leading the way, sir."

Pei Yuan soon saw Zhu Houzhao, who was covered in sweat from training.

Xu Tai was guarding Zhu Houzhao when he saw Pei Yuan approaching, and he snorted disdainfully.

Pei Yuan quickly bowed to Zhu Houzhao, "Your subject, Pei Yuan, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and helped Pei Yuan up, saying, "I thought you were still recuperating at the Great Ci'en Temple, but I didn't expect you to recover so quickly."

Pei Yuan quickly explained, "I wasn't injured at all, so naturally I wouldn't dare to be negligent."

Zhu Houzhao hummed in agreement and did not ask any further questions.

He then changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Pei Yuan, you've come at just the right time. I have something that's troubling me, and I'd like to discuss it with someone."

"After much deliberation, I couldn't find a suitable candidate."

"When I heard the guards say you had arrived, I immediately thought that no one but you could make decisions for me."

Pei Yuan saw that there were many people around and it was inappropriate for him to agree to that.

He quickly replied, "If it is official business, the seven ministers of the Grand Secretariat will share Your Majesty's burdens. If it is private business, the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will also assist you. What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such words?"

Zhu Houzhao laughed heartily, "Others may not know your abilities, but do you think I don't?"

Seeing that Zhu Houzhao was about to speak, Pei Yuan disregarded everything else and hurriedly said, "Xu Tai is a petty man who may interfere with the audience. I request Your Majesty to consult him privately."

Xu Tai was furious upon hearing this, "How dare you talk such nonsense?!"

Pei Yuan immediately said, "When the rebellion in Bazhou was quelled, I went to the front line to meet with the supervising eunuch Lu Yin in order to investigate the misdeeds of the monk soldiers in Huguang. At that time, I had a brief encounter with Xu Tai and we had a very pleasant conversation."

"I never expected that Xu Tai would pretend not to recognize me today. I think this man is treacherous and two-faced. I fear he has other plans, so I dare not let him hear the discussion before Your Majesty."

Zhu Houzhao looked at Xu Tai with some suspicion. "Is that so?"

Xu Tai's face flushed red, but he was speechless.

Zhu Houzhao glanced at Xu Tai's face a few times, then said to Pei Yuan, "Commander Xu is a great general and an important minister of the country. How could he be without discretion? You don't need to worry about it."

Pei Yuan was somewhat disappointed, but not too disappointed.

If their discussion gets out, the only one who will suffer is Pei Yuan.

If Xu Tai is publicly questioned like this, Xuanfu Town will become increasingly disloyal.

However, this was something Pei Yuan had quickly considered before saying these words.

He had already made up his mind that whatever he discussed with Zhu Houzhao later, he would spread the word about it.

Once the news spreads, Zhu Houzhao may not be suspicious, but Xu Tai may very well be suspicious himself.

As long as Xu Tai remains suspicious that Zhu Houzhao has lost trust in him, Pei Yuan will have achieved his goal.

You want to fight me?!

Pei Yuan glared fiercely at Xu Tai, then looked away and respectfully said to Zhu Houzhao, "I am only acting for the sake of the country, not out of concern for my own life. If Your Majesty deems it acceptable, I will naturally obey your orders."

Zhu Houzhao nodded and said, "A few days ago, I discussed with my ministers whether we should go to inspect the defenses of Xuanfu, but the ministers all strongly opposed it."

"Therefore, I decided to settle for second best and planned to demolish Mingyu Archway and Jiqing Archway to expand the training area. I also planned to build barracks and the residence of my adopted son in the surrounding area."

Pei Yuan had heard of this matter.

However, Pei Yuan remembered that this matter had gone through smoothly back then, so why was there still something difficult to decide now?

Zhu Houzhao asked with some difficulty, "Unfortunately, both of these wards have some problems. One ward is home to many nobles and eunuchs, while the other has many elegant places."

"This time it just so happens to coincide with the special imperial examination, and many candidates are stranded in the capital."

"Now that the imperial examination is over, many candidates who have not yet left the capital are lingering in Mingyu Ward. They have heard that I am going to demolish these two wards and are making great efforts to spread the word."

"In your opinion, Minister Pei, how should I suppress the situation and successfully demolish these two markets?"

(End of this chapter)