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

Chapter 709 Clever Words to Cover Up Mistakes
Pei Yuan didn't mince words and said to Zhu Houzhao, "Your Majesty, I would like to know where you wish to watch me fight these Japanese. Will it be at the training ground, or outside the Fengtian Hall?"

Zhu Houzhao thought to himself, "There are so many people here today, it's a good time to enjoy ourselves with my ministers."

So he said, "Let's do it right outside the Fengtian Hall."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan immediately reported, "Then please allow me to send my subordinates to fetch suitable weapons and armor."

After saying that, he also said to An Guiwu, "Have your delegation members also bring weapons and armor."

Pei Yuan had just considered it carefully. With his mediocre martial arts skills, if Hosokawa Katsuyasu and Ōuchi Muneki were indeed skilled swordsmen, he would have a really hard time fighting them.

In that situation, Xu Tai, the martial arts champion with exceptional skills, would actually be more effective in combat.

If Pei Yuan wants to win, and win with dignity, the best way is to repeatedly use passive tactics.

That's why he was willing to risk fighting several more people in order to increase the passive advantage of "being poor but resilient" and then eliminate Hosokawa Katsuyasu and Ōuchi Muneshige in one fell swoop.

As for Pei Yuan's reckless provocation of the entire Japanese delegation, he had carefully considered the issue of numbers.

The basis he used to limit the number of Japanese delegation members was that case from the Hongzhi era.

Once these words were spoken, the upper limit on the number of people in the delegation was set, and within this range, Pei Yuan was still somewhat confident.

In addition to emphasizing weapons, Pei Yuan also stressed armor, hoping to use strong armor to offset the disadvantage in movement and avoid being led by others.

In this way, although wearing armor seems to consume more physical strength, Pei Yuan has fewer concerns and can reduce more unnecessary physical exertion.

Upon hearing Pei Yuan's words, Zhu Houzhao seized the opportunity to respond to the displeasure caused by the man's subtle dig at him, saying, "What do I lack? Do you think I'm short of a set of armor? Guards, take Commander Pei to the Hongde Hall to select armor."

The armor Pei Yuan wanted to use was not something Zhu Houzhao had.

Firstly, Zhu Houzhao was much smaller than Pei Yuan; secondly, although Zhu Houzhao's armor was excellent, it was all cavalry armor, while Pei Yuan was going to use his own set of heavy infantry armor.

Pei Yuan's heavy armor for foot combat was better suited to him because it fit him better, covered a larger area, and was thicker, making it particularly suitable for Pei Yuan to unleash his attacks without thinking.

Pei Yuan quickly replied, "The armor I wear was provided to me by my wife when I went south to serve the court. I am more used to using it."

Zhu Houzhao was stunned for a while before he remembered that Pei Yuan had a wife.

He really wanted to say something sarcastic: "Is that the wife of yours who went to Nanjing before dawn the day after your wedding?"

However, in this matter, he was, to some extent, an accomplice.

He listened to Qian Ning's slander and rewarded Pei Yuan as a favor, treating Han Qianhu as a reward.

The more resistant Han Qianhu was to the marriage, the more embarrassed Zhu Houzhao became to bring it up.

Zhu Houzhao didn't hesitate at all and immediately withdrew his order, saying, "Never mind, just have someone go and get the armor themselves."

Pei Yuan hurriedly said, "My subordinates are waiting outside the palace. Just give them instructions."

Zhu Houzhao glanced at Lu Yin, who immediately understood and went to make the arrangements.

He knew everyone around Pei Yuan.

Zhu Houzhao also said to An Guiwu, "Since Commander Pei has boldly declared that he will challenge everyone in your delegation, you should also call all the members of your Japanese delegation here."

He glanced at the deputy envoy Guangyao and said, "The chief envoy is old, so let the deputy envoy go."

After the two expressed their gratitude, Zhu Houzhao said to Pei Yuan, "Come here for a moment, I have something to ask you."

After saying this, he rose from the throne and went around to the back of the throne.

Having had the experience of chatting with Zhu Houzhao behind the throne before, Pei Yuan quickly followed after him under the watchful eyes of the assembled officials.

Zhu Houzhao went around to the back of the throne and descended from the steps.

Seeing Pei Yuan approach, she gestured to him and then walked away.

There were two eunuchs at the back door. They quickly pulled up the felt curtain hanging on the back door and opened it.

Pei Yuan then followed Zhu Houzhao through the back door to the outside of the palace.

Pei Yuan knew that his actions just now were somewhat out of line, and before Zhu Houzhao could speak, he apologized, saying, "I was a little rash in my haste just now, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

“Reckless?” Zhu Houzhao turned to look at Pei Yuan, his tone slightly sarcastic. “You’re quite brave.”

Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan remained calm and composed, saying solemnly, "Although I am far away from the court, I have heard what Liu Pang, the Director of the Bureau of State Ceremonies, said, and I already know that the Japanese envoy is deliberately trying to provoke us and make a fool of our Great Ming."

"His Majesty is a man of strong emotions; if he is not careful for a moment, there is nothing wrong with it."

"But even Liu Pang, the Director of the Bureau of Receptions, was able to secretly point this out to me. There are many officials in the court whose talents surpass Liu Pang's. How can we allow Your Majesty to be led astray by that Japanese envoy?"

"His Majesty may have acted on impulse, but after that old monk returned to the country, he was able to make a big fuss about it, and he was so proud of how he had managed to provoke the Ming military officers to draw their swords against him with just a few words."

"Wouldn't that, by then, be using His Majesty's reputation to solidify his empty fame in Japan?"

"The Koreans have done this more than once; Your Majesty must be aware of it."

Zhu Houzhao recalled that scene, and his anger was indeed diverted. He said hatefully, "Damn it!"

Pei Yuan thought about Liu Pang, with whom he had previously cooperated quite well, and decided that he might as well take this opportunity to give him some chances.

He then said, "Then Liu Pang, the Director of the Bureau of Receptions, told me that this matter was not directed at me."

"The reason why the court officials remained silent and allowed the Japanese monk to carry out his schemes was twofold. First, they wanted to take this opportunity to damage His Majesty's reputation, so that if there were any disputes in court, His Majesty, who had just committed a minor offense, would inevitably lack confidence. Second, they wanted to wait until after the incident to frame me and Xu Tai for recklessness and bravery."

"I am merely performing minor tasks that have no bearing on state affairs. However, Your Majesty has meticulously trained the four outer armies for half a year, and half of them are now under Xu Tai's control."

"If those people pin the blame on Xu Tai, it may seem like they are trying to save His Majesty's face, but in reality, they are cutting off His Majesty's right-hand man."

"Not to mention, if they were to spread the word that His Majesty was shifting the blame to the general to save face, the morale of the four outer armies would collapse instantly."

Pei Yuan watched as Zhu Houzhao's face grew increasingly gloomy.

He continued to spread slander, saying, "Others may not know His Majesty's grand ambitions, His Majesty's determination to guard the northern border, or His Majesty's efforts to gain the soldiers' support. How could I, a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, not know?"

"I would risk my life, but how could I bear to see Your Majesty's hard work destroyed in such a sordid struggle?"

"Therefore, the more I thought about it on my way here, the angrier I became. When I arrived at the court and saw the officials sitting there calmly, I felt sorry for Your Majesty and indignant for Your Majesty. I couldn't help but expose the matter directly."

"To be honest, I am still too young."

Zhu Houzhao was filled with mixed emotions and deeply moved.

Unexpectedly, when he was isolated and helpless, coldly watched by the court officials, and on the verge of becoming a laughing stock of the vassal states, Pei Yuan appeared in the hall with such domineering power. First, he exposed the hypocrisy of the Japanese monks, and then magnified and amplified his own mistakes, displaying them in the faces of the court officials. Next, he would challenge the entire Japanese delegation to a duel, restoring the prestige of the Ming Dynasty.

This overwhelming sense of security...

Zhu Houzhao quickly suppressed his thoughts, stepped forward and grasped Pei Yuan's hand, "Pei Qing, there's no need to say anything more. Although the affairs of the country are fraught with difficulties, we are fortunate that our Great Ming has a loyal and righteous minister like Pei Qing who is both brave and resourceful."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan withdrew his hand somewhat embarrassed.

He doesn't deserve it.

Zhu Houzhao thought that his actions had caused Pei Yuan to misunderstand something.

He himself suffers from a mental illness and is afraid that others will have suspicions, so he is usually very careful about these foreign officials.

Zhu Houzhao immediately changed the subject without making a sound.

"By the way, you just said that Liu Pang, the Chief Physician of the Ministry of Rites, had already noticed something and even hinted at it to you?"

Pei Yuan, not wanting to discuss the matter of loyal ministers any further, quickly replied, "That's indeed the case. I haven't witnessed or heard it myself; if it weren't for Liu Pang, the Director of the Bureau of Receptions, relaying it to me, how could I know these things?"

"Therefore, I understood what was happening in the court from Liu Pang's words."

Zhu Houzhao nodded slightly upon hearing this, "He is indeed a knowledgeable person."

He then added with slight dissatisfaction, "Since he could see these things, why didn't he point them out in court?"

“This…” Pei Yuan hesitated deliberately.

Zhu Houzhao was just saying it casually; as for the reason, he could actually guess it.

With the three cabinets and the seven ministers all present, how could a mere fifth-rank official like him have the right to speak?

If he were to jump out in front of so many important officials to make his presence known, he would likely become the target of public criticism.

But unexpectedly, judging from Pei Yuan's reaction now, there seems to be some hidden reason.

Zhu Houzhao became interested and pressed for details, asking, "What happened?"

Pei Yuan could only sigh, "Your Majesty praised me as a loyal and righteous minister, and I felt ashamed. I never expected that in the blink of an eye, loyalty and righteousness could not be reconciled. Even so, I will choose loyalty."

Zhu Houzhao never expected that his casual question would elicit such a response from Pei Yuan.

Confused, he asked again, "What happened?"

Pei Yuan then said, "I do know some things."

"Because I am naturally crude and uncultured, I often admire those who are highly literate. Some time ago, I made a friend named Wang Shouren."

Pei Yuan added, "He holds the official position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and is the son of Wang Hua, Minister of Rites."

Zhu Houzhao nodded upon hearing this and said, "Wang Hua was the top scholar in the imperial examination, so his son must be quite learned. He's already an official in the Ministry of Personnel? It seems he's doing very well in the examinations."

At this point, Zhu Houzhao was actually a little curious.

No, how did you, Pei Yuan, a military household soldier, come to associate with such a scholarly family?

Would anyone even be interested in you?
Pei Yuan slowed down his speech and said, "That Wang Shouren... was very close to the Japanese monk Ryoan Keigo, and everyone in the capital knew about it."

"The reason Liu Pang didn't dare to speak up at the time was firstly because he was a lowly official and his views might not be comprehensive, and he was afraid that his inconsiderate advice might backfire; secondly, it was also out of common sense. As an official of the Ministry of Rites, and with that Japanese monk being so close to the son of the head official, what could he do?"

"That's why he told me about this in detail. I suppose he also hoped that I would stand up and expose this matter."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao nodded slightly, "This is indeed a person with a conscience; it would be a pity to put him in the Department of Guests and Principals."

Thinking back to the old monk's despicable face, he also felt some dislike for Wang Shouren.

He had a plan in mind, but said to Pei Yuan, "Don't worry, I will keep this a secret for you. I will still ensure your loyalty and righteousness."

After recounting this, Zhu Houzhao's mood soured again.

He remained silent for a while, then looked at Pei Yuan with a puzzled expression and asked, "I heard that you were summoned back to the capital by the Empress Dowager's decree? What happened, and when did it occur?"

Pei Yuanxian vaguely recalled the time, "It happened a few days ago."

"I originally went to Shandong to assist Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Bian Xian in investigating a case, but I did not expect that some of the evidence I presented would be very unfavorable to Bian Xian, and Bian Xian was forced to interrupt the interrogation."

"My case remains unresolved, so I was temporarily placed under house arrest at Yongqing Temple. It wasn't until Shandong Governor Wang Chang took over the matter that things were finally set right."

After the previous round, Zhu Houzhao had completely come to regard Pei Yuan as one of his own.

Upon hearing that Pei Yuan had been placed under house arrest, he immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "The officials of the court truly cannot distinguish between loyalty and treachery."

“Wang Chang had noticed the problems in Shandong long ago and even submitted a memorial to the court. However, the court ordered the Censorate to recall Wang Chang from his post as governor and interrogate him in detail.”

"That official, who previously stood by and watched Shandong suffer from the ravages of rebels, only managed to survive thanks to the defense of the eunuch in charge. This time, the follow-up clues in the Shandong case have directly implicated him. How could such a person still be recommended by the court to investigate the case?"

"If it weren't for the false accusations made by the local gentry in Yanggu who were colluding with bandits, which implicated you and led to the discovery of some clues, Bian Xian might have been able to cover up all the affairs in Shandong."

Pei Yuan remained silent upon hearing this.

How should I put this?

Thinking that once Shandong was stabilized, he would have to focus on managing Northeast Asia, and he didn't know how many times he would be able to meet the emperor, so he took the opportunity to say a few words to pave the way for Wang Chang.

"There's not much to say about this matter; after all, Wang Chang is a remnant of Liu Jin's faction."

"Because of Liu Jin's failure, he had no choice but to step down from the position of Grand Minister of the Seven Ministries and go to Nanjing. He then took the initiative to seek the help of the governor to avoid further suppression from the officials."

"It is only natural that the ministers are wary of him."

When Zhu Houzhao heard about Liu Jin, his face turned terribly gloomy.

Liu Jin was in power for only a little over three years, but by pursuing officials for embezzlement and prohibiting misappropriation of public funds, he accumulated more than three million taels of silver for Taicang.

In order to promote the salt administration, Liu Jin also ruthlessly suppressed the two marquises of the Zhang family and Yang Zhen, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Attendants.

How could someone who had offended all the officials, the powerful and wealthy, and even his own colleagues who were also palace officials, possibly rebel?

It was simply that Zhu Houzhao's new policies were too radical, causing many court officials who had attached themselves to him to abandon the cause. Then, under the pretext of Liu Jin's investigation of military farms, he brought in the forces of the border towns and completed the final purge of the reform faction.

Although Wang Chang was cowardly and unambitious, more than two years had passed, and he was still regarded by the court officials as a remnant of Liu Jin, which shows that he was a rare loyal person.

(End of this chapter)