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

Chapter 710 New Year’s Eve
Zhu Houzhao said to Pei Yuan, "Please pass on a message to him privately, telling him to do his job well and that I will not forget him."

Pei Yuan respectfully replied, "Your subject obeys the decree."

Zhu Houzhao then remembered his earlier question, "Right, you haven't said why you were summoned by the Empress Dowager?"

Pei Yuan looked somewhat troubled.

Zhu Houzhao said somewhat displeasedly, "Does it mean that loyalty and righteousness cannot coexist? Just tell me, and I will keep it a secret with you."

Pei Yuan then said, "It is because during my house arrest, the Marquis of Shouning sent a servant to deliver a message to me. I dared not violate the court's regulations and meet with outsiders privately during my house arrest, so I had my captain receive the letter on my behalf."

"Unexpectedly, that servant was extremely arrogant. When he saw that I did not come out of the temple to greet him personally, he beat and scolded my captain and then left."

"Later... I don't know what that person said when he went back. The Empress Dowager was furious and summoned the minister back to the capital to be punished."

Zhu Houzhao remained silent.

Marquis of Shouning, Empress Dowager, Pei Yuan.

Connecting these three points, Zhu Houzhao immediately thought of the day when the Empress Dowager asked him to thoroughly investigate the case of Zheng Wang's seditious remarks in Shandong.

At that time, Zhu Houzhao made excuses that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was already investigating, and casually mentioned Pei Yuan's name.

Unexpectedly, it was just a name that led Marquis Shouning Zhang Heling's men to pursue him all the way to Shandong, and even find the temple where Pei Yuan was being held under house arrest.

Zhu Houzhao said calmly, "So, you've met the Empress Dowager? What did you say to her?"

Upon hearing Zhu Houzhao's question, Pei Yuan immediately offered a judgment.

Zhu Houzhao did not place any people around Empress Zhang, nor did he actively try to gather intelligence from her.

otherwise.

They must have known about Empress Dowager Zhang's hurtful words.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan had another idea.

Not necessarily. Even if the spies knew about such a reckless act, they might not dare to tell Zhu Houzhao.

Similarly, even if Zhu Houzhao knew some of the Empress Dowager's thoughts, could he still confront her face to face?
If they are truly mother and son, then naturally there's nothing between them to hold a grudge against each other.

But now Zheng Wang's wicked words are like a thorn in their hearts, getting deeper and deeper, and becoming more and more untouchable.

Pei Yuan immediately downplayed the issue, saying, "The Empress Dowager inquired about matters in Shandong and asked me about the details of Zheng Wang's seditious speech case."

Zhu Houzhao's heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "What did you say?"

Pei Yuan said, "I happen to know a little about this, so I answered the Empress Dowager on the spot. I also told the Empress Dowager that the Zheng Wang seditious case broke out in Shandong and implicated the De Fan, which is actually a good thing."

Zhu Houzhao felt a slight sense of relief when Pei Yuan told him that he had casually replied to the Empress Dowager.

If the two sides don't agree, he will once again fall under the Empress Dowager's suspicion.

Hearing the latter part of Pei Yuan's words, he was somewhat taken aback. "A good thing? Why is it a good thing?"

Pei Yuan was determined to solidify Zhu Houzhao's resolve to eliminate De Fan, so he used the same reason he had used to persuade Empress Dowager Zhang last time to say to Zhu Houzhao, "Your Majesty, Zheng Wang has been stirring up trouble for more than ten years with a blatant lie that is not even worth refuting. Even after his death, many rumors are still circulating in the streets."

"While the common people's curiosity certainly played a part, there were probably also troublemakers who fanned the flames."

"As the saying goes, it is easier to stop the people from talking than to stop a river from overflowing. Rumors can easily reignite."

"Therefore, instead of trying our best to suppress a rumor that is so thriving, we should revise it and reinterpret it."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao pondered it slowly and suddenly felt that it made a lot of sense.

Although the Zheng Wang seditious rumors case concerns his background, the most crucial aspect is that it could potentially shake his position.

Faced with this core bottom line, what truth does he still need to investigate?

Zhu Houzhao had the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Western Depot under his command, and from time to time, one could hear from them about Zheng Wang's seditious rumors.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao was not as sensitive to the rumors that the Shandong case involved Zheng Wang as Empress Dowager Zhang was when she first heard about it.

The main reason was that Zhu Houzhao felt that this kind of thing was difficult to eradicate.

But after hearing Pei Yuan's words, if he could repackage or distort this rumor that was affecting his foundation into another rumor, wouldn't the problem that was troubling him be solved?

Zhu Houzhao stared intently at Pei Yuan, his eyes gleaming, and said, "Continue."

Pei Yuan said, "This time, the Zheng Wang seditious rumors case involves the heir of the Prince of De. This is something that all the officials, big and small, and the common people in Shandong know."

"I think that perhaps the source of Zheng Wang's seditious words may have come from De Fan."

"Your Majesty, consider this: if such a horrifying story were spread by the Crown Prince of De, the Prince of De, or someone from the De family, what would the people think?"

Without Pei Yuan's prompting, Zhu Houzhao automatically conjured up a whole plot of a prince's rebellion and a power struggle within the imperial clan.

So he said directly and decisively, "The people will definitely think that De Fan is plotting something sinister, or even has rebellious intentions, so he deliberately slanders me and tries to shake my origins."

Pei Yuan respectfully replied, "That's exactly right. The Empress Dowager also thinks that my idea is very reasonable."

Zhu Houzhao burst into laughter.

After a while, he suppressed his smile and said with satisfaction, "It is indeed very reasonable. Perhaps it really was De Fan who did it."

Pei Yuan offered a slight reminder, "Xiao Chong and Bian Xian both failed in their attempts. Now, the current Shandong Governor, Wang Chang, has taken over the investigation. Should I perhaps give him a heads-up?"

“Wang Chang.” Zhu Houzhao’s brows relaxed upon hearing the name mentioned again. “Then you should also remind him to be mindful of his behavior.”

Having successfully appeased both the Empress Dowager and Zhu Houzhao, Pei Yuan had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

The once-powerful German royal faction is likely doomed.

Pei Yuan pressed his advantage, saying to Zhu Houzhao, "Last time, I spoke with Your Majesty about Wang Qiong, the Vice Minister of Revenue. When I returned from Shandong, I happened to meet Wang Qiong, who was away on disaster relief missions. He told me that things in various places were almost settled. Should Your Majesty summon him back?"

Zhu Houzhao looked troubled and said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm afraid the ministers won't tolerate him. Summoning him back would only harm him."

Pei Yuan smiled and shook his head, "Times have changed. I've heard that Wang Qiong has come up with an innovative method; Your Majesty can listen to it first."

"As for recalling Wang Qiong, there is no need to rush. Your Majesty can take some time to ask the opinions of the important ministers in the court."

Zhu Houzhao had not yet responded.

At this moment, a young eunuch came to report that Pei Qianhu's subordinates had brought the armor and weapons.

The two of them came to their senses and realized that they had been talking for a long time.

Zhu Houzhao was clearly more interested in the upcoming battle, and said excitedly, "Quickly, have someone bring the armor and weapons."

He then asked, "Have those Japanese samurai arrived yet?"

The young eunuch quickly replied, "They've arrived too. Those people are temporarily being held outside the Meridian Gate. Once the Flag Guards and the Left Guard of the Golden Guards are in position outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, they will be allowed in."

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, signaling the little eunuch to hurry up and get to work.

Before long, Cen Meng, Xiao Tong, and Lu Yong, carrying Pei Yuan's weapons and armor, circled around from below the steps to the back of Fengtian Hall.

Because they were carrying weapons when they met the emperor, a squad of Imperial Guards was watching them from behind. Upon seeing the emperor, the three immediately knelt and bowed in greeting.

Zhu Houzhao ignored him and, with shining eyes, snatched Pei Yuan's armor. After a few glances, he discovered that the armor was indeed specially made.

The base of the armor was a layer of cotton armor, with thick iron plates lining the vital areas, and a large number of iron plates sewn on the outside.

Zhu Houzhao lifted the collar and weighed it in his hand, and was somewhat taken aback by its weight.

Then he looked at the straight-brimmed iron helmet and the golden mace.

Zhu Houzhao swung the golden mace a few times and commented to Pei Yuan, "It's a bit heavy, but the weight is well-balanced, and it's quite handy."

Then, looking very excited, he said, "Try it on and see."

Pei Yuan took off his fifth-rank official robe and, with Cen Meng's help, put on the heavy armor under his cotton clothes. After the armor was put on, Cen Meng tightly tied the silk ribbons binding it.

Then Pei Yuan put on his straight-brimmed iron helmet and picked up the golden mace with one hand.

Compared to Pei Yuan's imposing physique, Zhu Houzhao instinctively felt that this man was invincible, and for a moment he was filled with envy.

Pei Yuan hadn't fought in armor for a long time. After putting on the armor and moving around a bit, he felt his left hand was empty, so he said to Zhu Houzhao, "Your Majesty, could you please get me a shield? Something sturdy."

Zhu Houzhao asked in surprise, "This weight is already quite heavy, isn't it?"

Pei Yuan assessed the situation and said, "It's alright."

The heaviest part of this outfit is the heavy armor, with several iron plates on the chest, abdomen, and back. The weight is borne by the legs.

The arms used for fighting were protected only by cotton armor and iron plates sewn onto them.

In a real fight, it doesn't affect the flexibility of the arms.

Moreover, Pei Yuan felt that adding a shield would greatly increase his margin for error, since the probability of missing with the Golden Melon Hammer was not small, but it would be a completely different story with a large shield.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao ordered the eunuch Zhang Zhong to fetch several shields from the armory for Pei Yuan to choose from.

Not long after Zhang Zhong arrived, he brought a group of Jing soldiers carrying several shields.

Pei Yuan immediately spotted a large shield. He tried it out and found it a little heavy to swing.

This wooden shield is made of elm wood, with two layers of cowhide and one layer of iron nailed to the front.

It was probably used by infantry to shield themselves from musket fire during an advance.

Pei Yuan mainly used his shield to strike people, and he didn't need to consider the possibility that the other party had a musket.

This elmwood shield was large and heavy, which already met Pei Yuan's requirements. The iron and cowhide on it, apart from adding extra burden, didn't seem to serve much purpose.

So Pei Yuan had Cen Meng and Lu Yong remove the extra protection from the elm wood shield.

Zhu Houzhao grinned, looking at the beautiful shield that had been altered beyond recognition, and felt a little regretful.

Pei Yuan took the modified elm shield and tried it out; it swung it with impressive force.

After getting used to it for a while, Pei Yuan tossed the elmwood shield to Cen Meng and temporarily removed his heavy armor to conserve his strength.

The thought of the upcoming battle made Zhu Houzhao even more excited than Pei Yuan.

But whether from a public opinion or a personal perspective, Zhu Houzhao naturally sided with Pei Yuan. So he quickly asked Zhang Zhong to bring Pei Yuan a chair to rest in, and also ordered the imperial kitchen to quickly bring some food.

Then he said, "I'll go take a look ahead."

Then he hurriedly re-entered Fengtian Hall through the back door to inquire about the movements of the Japanese delegation.

When Zhu Houzhao returned to Fengtian Hall, the grand banquet had already ended.

The food provided by the Honglu Temple was notoriously bad; apart from the Korean delegation giving it a try, almost no one on the other tables touched it.

Liao Anguiwu, who had few teeth, was furious as he watched the Korean delegation's chief envoy, Cao Jishang, and deputy envoy, Li Yunjian, enjoying their meal. He planned to spread the word and expose their behavior when he returned home.

Everyone chatted idly while waiting for Zhu Houzhao to return.

The most important topic naturally revolves around Pei Yuan.

Even many high-ranking officials were curious about this person's background and how he became so close to the emperor.

After the clues were pieced together, and everyone learned that this was the same ruthless man who had brutally beaten Liang Cishu and nearly raped and murdered Jiang Bin, no one dared to discuss it anymore.

Even Grand Secretary Liang Chu couldn't protect his son, and Jiang Bin, who was the top leader in suppressing the rebellion, almost lost his virginity.

Who the hell would dare to mess with this?

With so many people around and so many eyes watching, what if something gets out?
As for the mid-level civil and military officials, the discussion was quite lively. Many of those skilled in conspiracy theories mentioned the "Qingqian Case," believing that Pei Yuan was a henchman of Yang Ting and Grand Secretary Yang.

So it's understandable that Grand Secretary Yang sent Pei Yuan to attack Liang Chu's son—it's internal strife. But why did he send Pei Yuan to rape and murder Jiang Bin?

I can't figure it out.

Amidst the discussions, Zhu Houzhao returned to the imperial court.

Everyone quickly composed themselves and fell silent.

Lu Yin stepped forward to ask if the banquet should be removed, and Zhu Houzhao nodded and said, "Remove it all. There's no need to rush to adjourn the court later. My dear ministers, come with me to witness the contest between Commander Pei and the Japanese delegation."

It's Chinese New Year, and we've already come all this way; he's still just a child.

The ministers had no choice but to agree.

Zhu Houzhao summoned the commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard and asked him, "Is the venue ready?"

The commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, everything is ready."

Zhu Houzhao's face lit up with joy as he said, "Well done."

He immediately strode down the steps of the palace and exited the Fengtian Hall through the palace gate.

Zhu Houzhao looked outside and saw that a section of the square in front of Fengtian Hall was enclosed by a wooden fence made of deer antlers.

The area that was cordoned off was guarded by a large number of fully armed Ming soldiers.

On the other side of the field, there were also soldiers from the Imperial Guard who had been temporarily transferred, ready to deal with any unexpected situations.

The commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard respectfully gestured, "Your Majesty, we must be wary of those Japanese warriors wielding swords and spears. In a moment, we will have Commander Pei and the Japanese delegation compete in martial arts in this designated area."

"In this way, we can avoid any unforeseen events."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and looked at An Guiwu, "What does the envoy think?"

Liao'an Guiwu was worried that Pei Yuan might cause trouble with his boasting, but now that he was in the public eye, his worries were lessened.

He immediately replied, "This old monk thinks it's excellent."

(End of this chapter)