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

Chapter 648 The Power of Human Hearts
During the Zhang Yong case last time, Pei Yuan deliberately involved Zhang Xiong.

When the clues led to Zhang Xiong, Zhang Rui, the Eastern Depot's admiral with a strong sense of crisis, immediately took action to sever the causal link.

The investigation team, led by Song Yu, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, found itself in a dilemma.

The clues were very clear, and Zhang Xiong's hasty attempts to cover up his losses were full of flaws.

However, it's completely not cost-effective to go to war with the living head of the Eastern Depot just to find out the truth behind the murder of a dead eunuch.

Even the powerful figures behind them wouldn't support this behavior.

Moreover, the relationship between the upright officials and the eunuchs was mostly amicable.

Back when Liu Jin was in power, even someone as powerful as Yang Tinghe had to obediently send his official documents to Liu Jin's residence first, and only after Liu Jin had reviewed them could he submit his memorial.
Yang Yiqing, who overturned Liu Jin's regime, was hailed as a tough nut to crack among civil officials. However, wasn't Yang Yiqing's most important ally Zhang Yong, who was also a eunuch?
Given how closely Yang Yiqing cooperated with Zhang Yong, calling him a member of the eunuch faction wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it?
The struggle and legitimacy of the eunuch faction versus the upright officials depended entirely on what the few ministers who ultimately won the power to compile the Veritable Records would want to show to posterity.

The winner explains everything.

Those who lost, whether ministers or eunuchs, became the dumping ground for their years of failed governance.

So, in this situation where we are intertwined and fighting without breaking each other, if the ruthless Eastern Depot Commander Zhang Rui says he won't investigate anymore, then so be it.

I just heard that Luo Jiao has been acting very arrogantly lately, so let Luo Jiao take the blame.

That's the Luo Sect, which rose rapidly in a short period of time and whose scale was not much smaller than the White Lotus Sect and the Maitreya Sect.

Think about those two old cults, how many years have they been around, and they're still thriving.

The matter was framed by Luo Jiao, and there was no way to investigate it.

By the time the world learns the truth, many years may have passed since the last dynasty.

Plan passes.

So the officials of the three judicial departments went back to close the case, and in their memorials, they confidently attributed the assassination of Zhang Yong to Luo Jiao.

Zhu Houzhao was so angry when he saw the memorial that he laughed on the spot.

The headquarters of the Luo Sect was already under the multiple supervisions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Governor's Office, the Western Depot, and the garrison eunuchs.

You're telling me this?

Zhu Houzhao had not yet figured out what benefits he could gain from this, so he kept the memorial to himself and did not release it immediately.

Pei Yuan deliberately set up a trap last time so that he could openly act under the banner of the Luo Cult this time.

In this way, they can not only hide their identities by using the Luo Sect.

Once the investigation results are submitted, they could completely ignite Zhu Houzhao's anger.

Now it's unclear which of the three judicial departments will be the one to withstand this small combo attack.

Seeing that Pei Yuan had already made plans, Cen Meng immediately said, "Then I will send someone to inform the Chen brothers immediately."

Pei Yuan nodded, then said to Xiao Tong and Lu Yong beside him, "You should also have our people on this side get ready. We'll set off as soon as we get any news."

Pei Yuan's men, apart from the few personal guards he brought out of the capital, consisted mainly of the subordinates sent by Chen Tou Tie and Chen Xin Jian.

Needless to say, Pei Yuan's personal guards were also present.

Chen Tou Tie's trusted subordinates were mainly the elite troops from Xuzhou and the Luo Cult confidants he brought with him when he ambushed Zhang Yong last time.

The men under Chen Xinjian's command were the troops he had begged from Cheng Leixiang, Ding Hong, and Chen Tou Tie when he traveled south to establish the Xinghe Garrison Command.

In order to support Chen Xinjian's core team, the three of them all gave their trusted confidants.

In fact, compared to these hordes of desperate men who had gradually accumulated, it was Xiao Tong and Lu Yong, the two temporary leaders, who seemed rather impatient.

As time passed, Pei Yuan's fingers tapped the table more and more rapidly.

When he saw that the Chen brothers were already moving rapidly towards the plains, Pei Yuan didn't wait for any further news from Cen Meng and immediately said, "Let's go, everyone mount up, we're going to chase after Xiao Chong."

Without needing Xiao Tong or Lu Yong to relay the message, the crowd, who had been waiting patiently for the commander's orders, began to take action.

Pei Yuan put on a light cotton armor, and as soon as he reached out, Xiao Tong hurriedly handed him a long sword.

Pei Yuan drew the knife, glanced at the almost worn-down Ministry of Works mark on it, and asked Xiao Tong for confirmation, "Where did you get this from?"

Xiao Tong quickly replied, "This is from Chen Jin's place in Jiangxi."

Pei Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The cheapest weapons on the ironware market right now are from the border troops and the Beijing troops.

During the suppression of the rebellion in Bazhou, Lu Yin and Lu Wan fought a very successful battle. Taicang not only purchased a large amount of grain, but also provided sufficient weapons for the frontline troops.

As soon as the war to quell the rebellion ended, those military officers began to frantically resell weapons.

If the captain doesn't sell, the centurion will.

If the hundred households don't sell, the thousand households will.

This led to a sharp drop in the price of ironware on the market, and the iron smelting industry in Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong was severely impacted.

When Chen Xinjian organized the Xinghe Garrison Command, he also purchased a large number of such weapons.

Pei Yuan specifically ordered the preparation of weapons that had leaked from Jiangxi, mainly because he did not want this minor incident to affect the post-war order of the suppression of the rebellion in Bazhou.

In Jiangxi, the administration under the Grand Censor Chen Jin was extremely chaotic, and there were plenty of loopholes to exploit.

Moreover, Chen Jin's troops later ravaged Jiangxi, committing countless atrocities.

Many ordinary people were loaded onto ships and taken away by the wolves of Guangdong and Guangxi and the local chieftains' troops from Jiangxi to serve as slaves. There were even cases of large families with hundreds of members being wiped out.

Chen Jin was unable to control his troops and was also unable to maintain his integrity, thus taking advantage of their situation to gain considerable benefits. As a result, he was impeached by the court and the public.

Especially Fei Hong, who has always been known as an honest man.

He was originally from Jiangxi, how could he tolerate seeing Chen Jin harming his fellow villagers like this?
At this crucial moment, one of Chen Jin's local officials did something incredibly stupid. During the looting, upon hearing that the Grand Secretary Fei Hong's family lived nearby, he sent some of the young men and women he had abducted to Fei's family as gifts.

As a result, Chen Jinke made a huge mess of things.

Fei Hong was completely enraged and began to violently attack Chen Jin.

Therefore, the marks on the weapon should point to Jiangxi, and by the time the incident occurs, it will be the time when the government and the public are frantically impeaching Chen Jin.

This little trouble is nothing more than muddy water; it won't even cause a ripple.

Pei Yuan glanced at the long sword that gleamed with a cold light, then sheathed it. Seeing that his men had already mounted their horses, he gave a soft shout, "Let's go."

So he spurred his horse and galloped out from the backyard.

Dozens of people followed closely behind, their hooves thundering as they filed out.

The inn was just a courtyard with a few rows of rooms. When the Chen brothers' men arrived, the innkeeper and the other guests realized that these bandits were not legitimate and dared not show their faces again.

Only after the people had gone far away did someone dare to venture out and look around.

Pei Yuan and his men had traveled less than two miles when Cen Meng arrived hurriedly with several scouts. Cen Meng immediately hung two jars of wine, one on each side, with a thick rope, as if he had brought them as a special gift for Pei Yuan. Seeing Pei Yuan leading his troops out, he asked in surprise, "Commander, the message hasn't been sent back yet, why are you leaving already?"

Pei Yuan shouted, "Opportunity knocks but once!"

Seeing that Pei Yuan ignored him, he spurred his horse and rode away.

Cen Meng's men urged, "Why doesn't the captain hurry up and follow along, earning merit by the commander's side?"

Cen Meng was unusually alert. He glanced at the route Pei Yuan had taken and said, "You can come with me to take care of a small matter first, and then catch up with him on horseback."

His subordinate asked in surprise, "What is so urgent?"

A few days ago, Cen Meng, who was listening to storytelling outside the old house in Dengshikou from time to time, wisely said, "Do not let the thousand households fail the name of the people of the world."

Pei Yuan and his group all used post horses, which were not particularly fast, but they were quite powerful.

Halfway there, Pei Yuan saw the Chen brothers approaching on the mini-map, so he stopped his horse at a higher point and waited for them for a while.

Chen Xinjian and Chen Tou Tie were galloping towards them with their men when they saw Pei Yuan in the distance and quickly went to greet him.

Pei Yuan glanced around and saw that although the two men had only brought two or three hundred men, they looked extremely imposing.

Moreover, behind these two men was a large man, wearing black armor and a black robe, with a terrifying black mask on his face, who looked extremely imposing.

Pei Yuan was overjoyed, "My son Fengxian has come too!"

Qi Yanming: "???"

If he hadn't been faithfully playing the role of the resurrected death knight by the Luo Cult these past few days, and had gradually become less talkative, he would have made Pei Yuan explain things to him in person!
Didn't you always call me Xiao Qi before?!

Chen Xinjian and Chen Tou Tie quickly dismounted and paid their respects.

Pei Yuan laughed heartily and told the two of them to stand up.

Not long after Chen Xinjian left Pei Yuan's side, Chen Tou Tie had been missing for some time.

Pei Yuan said to Chen Tou Tie, "How about it? Now you are also a deputy commander. I, the commander of a thousand households, will not let you down!"

Chen Tou Tie was deeply moved and bowed down again.

Pei Yuan glanced at the people they had brought.

The small group of elite soldiers from Xuzhou among these people all recognized Pei Yuan, and they were all extremely excited.

Others were recruited by the Chen brothers. Although they didn't know much about them, judging from the current situation, they knew these were their true backers. These men's gazes were respectful, yet also held a hint of anticipation.

Pei Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the room, as if he were making eye contact with everyone.

Sometimes he would pause deliberately, as if looking her up and down.

After looking everyone over, Pei Yuan didn't waste any words and shouted, "Serve me well and you will all have wealth and honor in the future."

The Xuzhou soldiers were the first to shout excitedly, and the others were also affected by the emotions, shouting and yelling along with them.

In order of joining the group, there's no need to mention the several captains around Commander Pei; each of them already has a bright future ahead of them.

Next, when transporting tax silver, the personal guards assigned to Pei Yuan's side were also gradually given important positions.

Next up were the soldiers from Xuzhou!

These elite troops from Xuzhou fought valiantly for their commanders when they were in Shandong, facing an enemy force ten times their size.

Even if we consider seniority, it's their turn to prosper.

Therefore, Pei Yuan's promise was real and immediate to them.

How could they not be excited?

The enthusiasm and unwavering faith of these elite soldiers from Xuzhou effectively inspired others.

Seeing that the soldiers were in high spirits, Pei Yuan knew that they could win hearts and minds. He also glanced at the small map and knew that Xiao Chong's entourage and main force were not far away.

Then he shouted, "Follow me!"

Just in case, Pei Yuan also instructed Qi Yanming, "Fengxian, stay close to me."

Qi Yanming was speechless, but this was not the time to argue. He could only spur his horse forward and follow behind this devil who had manipulated the Bazhou army.

The group gradually increased their speed and headed directly towards the imperial envoy's entourage led by the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.

Xiao Chong's troops were not moving slowly. By the time Pei Yuan caught up, the group was already very close to the reception pavilion outside Pingyuan County.

To demonstrate the majesty of the imperial court, these Beijing soldiers, who were experts in this field, deliberately stopped beforehand to rest and tidy their appearance.

Xiao Chong had no objection to this.

According to Yang Tinghe's private remarks, although this impeachment came fiercely, they should try their best to turn a bad thing into a good thing.

The best course of action is to try to keep Zhang Feng as the River Conservancy Commissioner.

The best course of action is to retain Zhang Feng as the Grand Canal Commissioner while simultaneously trying to seize the Shandong Governor position that was originally intended for Bian Xian.

Xiao Chong had also considered his future. He had already been promoted from Right Vice Censor-in-Chief to Right Censor-in-Chief. If he continued to rise within the Censorate system, it would be absolutely impossible for him to replace Li Shishi, the Left Censor-in-Chief, in the short term.

Rather than waiting to take over in the Censorate, it would be better to seize the Shandong governorship from Bian Xian, develop his power base outside, and cultivate some cronies for his future career.

With this matter further aggravated, Yang Tinghe also gave his approval. Therefore, Xiao Chong had already clearly regarded Shandong as his own territory, and his first meeting with the local officials could not be too hasty or awkward.

Just as Xiao Chong was pondering the matter, he suddenly heard a commotion from the rear ranks.

Xiao Chong snapped out of his daze, frowned as he looked over, and heard the slight vibration.

Xiao Chong found the voice vaguely familiar, which brought back memories of the fear he felt when he was the governor of Zhengding in the sixth year of the Zhengde reign, when he was dominated by the bandits of Bazhou.

He exclaimed suddenly, "That's the sound of the cavalry! What's going on?"

No one on the side could answer the question; they were all shouting and asking each other.

At this moment, Xiao Chong couldn't care less about his disheveled state and haste. He hurriedly shouted, "Someone, go quickly to the back and see what's going on. The rest of you, come with me to Pingyuan County to find some accommodation."

Although Xiao Chong was panicked, many people still didn't believe that anything serious could happen in such a peaceful and tranquil place.

They were tired from their journey, some craned their necks to look around, while others hesitated to move forward.

Xiao Chong felt increasingly panicked, so he quickly and sternly rebuked the provincial governor's guards and escorted him to the reception pavilion in Pingyuan County.

Regardless of the circumstances, it would be best to meet up with the Pingyuan County Magistrate who is waiting there first.

Not long after Xiao Chong left, a large group of masked cavalry appeared in the dust raised in the distance.

The cavalrymen seemed to have noticed the situation as well, and they all drew their longswords, raising them high in disarray.

The dawdling imperial guards then realized something was wrong and hurriedly shouted, "Run!"

(End of this chapter)