Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Ye Yu is Missing, The Emperor’s Wrath, The Clue

"Young Master, my senior brother sent a letter asking when Yu’Er is coming back, but he set off over ten days ago! Please, you have to help me find him."

Liu Yuheng said, her expression fraught with anxiety.

The Iron Sword Sect had numerous disciples, but she and her husband had always treated their few direct disciples as their own children.

That was why Ye Yu’s disappearance worried her so much.

"Please, Madam, try to calm down. Young people are naturally restless. Is it possible Young Hero Ye is just out visiting friends or enjoying himself?" Pei Shaoqing quickly stepped forward, helped her into a chair, and soothed her in a gentle voice.

Liu Yuheng shook her head and pursed her lips. "Impossible. Yu’Er has been obedient and well-behaved since he was a child. He’s an honest boy. Whenever we send him out on an errand, he always returns right away."

She clearly had no idea that Ye Yu visited a brothel every time he left the mountain. It was much like modern parents who believe their children studying or working in another city are perfectly well-behaved, completely unaware that some have had secret abortions.

"In that case, I’ll have someone sketch a portrait of him based on your description. We’ll have men look into it and see if we can find any leads," Pei Shaoqing said after a moment of thought.

Hearing this, Liu Yuheng nodded repeatedly, her face full of gratitude. "Thank you so much, Young Master. I’m sorry to trouble you."

"Given my relationship with Lan’Er, I should be calling you Aunt. We’re family, so why be so formal?" Pei Shaoqing shook his head and turned to Ye Hanshuang. "Have Chen Zhongyi take charge of this."

"Yes, sir!" Ye Hanshuang nodded and left.

Soon, based on Liu Yuheng’s description, a sketch artist from the Hundred Households—one who specialized in drawing wanted criminals—produced a portrait of Ye Yu. It was a decent likeness, capturing about sixty or seventy percent of his features.

To achieve such a likeness based solely on a verbal description was the mark of a master.

Pei Shaoqing said to Liu Yuheng, "Madam, it won’t do any good to wait here. Please, go home for now. I’ll let you know the very moment I have any news."

"Okay. I’m counting on you, Young Master." Liu Yuheng gripped Pei Shaoqing’s hand tightly, exactly like a mother worried for her child, before departing with a heavy heart.

「Meanwhile, Wei Yue had returned to the Capital City alone. He went straight to the Imperial Palace to report to Emperor Jingtai.」

The first thing Emperor Jingtai said upon seeing Wei Yue was, "Is that bastard dead yet?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, King Shu’s plot to rebel has been confirmed. He attempted to fight his way out, and his entire household has been eliminated. There were no survivors," Wei Yue replied in his deep, resonant voice.

"Hmph!" The Emperor tossed aside the Jade Pen he’d been using to make notations in red ink. With a cold expression, he said, "Liu Hai, draft a decree."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liu Hai immediately responded.

The Emperor rose and clasped his hands behind his back. "King Shu plotted a rebellion," he stated, his face devoid of emotion. "The evidence is irrefutable. I sent Wei Qing to call him to account, yet the traitorous vassal dared to raise arms in resistance. His entire household has been executed. Effective immediately, his lineage is to be expunged from the Royal Family."

"Furthermore, enfeoff Wei Yue as the County Magistrate of Anyuan and bestow upon him a Red Book Iron Certificate and a Bullfighting Robe. Promote Pei Shaoqing to Hundred Households Commander of the Jing’an Guard. Reward him with one Lower Grade Dragon’s Blood Steed, one Qilin Robe, and an imperial invitation to this year’s Mid-Autumn Banquet. Order a messenger to ride the Dragon’s Blood Steed and proclaim this news to the entire realm with the utmost speed."

Though the Emperor’s words were few, Liu Hai’s hands moved with incredible speed, transcribing the command into a much longer, formal imperial decree.

"Your subject kowtows and thanks Your Majesty for this grace." Wei Yue knelt, his expression neutral. The noble title was of no use to him.

He had no heirs, so how could the title be passed down?

The Emperor’s tone was placid. "You may rise, Wei Qing."

Wei Yue rose and stood silently, his head bowed.

"Liu Hai, you are dismissed," the Emperor said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Liu Hai bowed his head and withdrew.

Only after the doors closed did the Emperor’s burning gaze fix upon Wei Yue. "Jiang Huai, what of that old ghost?"

Jiang Huai was Wei Yue’s courtesy name, one the Emperor himself had bestowed.

"I was incompetent and have disappointed Your Majesty," Wei Yue said, his head still bowed. "The old ghost... he killed himself."

"Killed himself?" The Emperor’s face contorted with fury. He slammed his hands down on the desk, his wrinkled face twisted into a ferocious mask as he gasped for air. "I did not permit him to die," he snarled, each word dripping with venom. "How dare he die!"

"I accept my punishment!" Wei Yue dropped to his knees once more.

The Emperor loomed over him, his expression unreadable. "Did the old ghost say anything?"

"Your Majesty, his words were treasonous. I fear they would defile your ears," Wei Yue stated calmly.

"Speak!" the Emperor thundered.

Wei Yue could only report truthfully. "He said Your Majesty wanted his secret to clinging to life. He said he would never be controlled by Yan Ni. And he said he would be waiting for Your Majesty in the afterlife."

He never lied to the Emperor.

"Ha! Hahahaha!" The Emperor’s fury vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by booming laughter. His tone became dismissive and laced with contempt. "That old ghost truly underestimated me. As the sovereign of this nation, what fear have I of life or death? I was merely hoping to use him to locate the lost treasures of the previous dynasty. Yet he saw me as a coward who clings to life, just like him."

"He was but a remnant of a fallen dynasty, a frog in a well. How could he possibly comprehend the kind of man Your Majesty is?" Wei Yue said gravely.

The Emperor smiled. "That’s enough. You are dismissed."

"Your subject takes his leave." Wei Yue rose and departed.

The moment the door closed, the smile vanished from the Emperor’s face. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, he became a master of "desk clearing," sweeping everything before him onto the floor with a furious crash.

When Wei Yue led the Jing’an Guard out of the city on Dragon’s Blood Steeds, everyone in the capital knew something major was about to happen.

And sure enough, news soon spread from the Imperial Palace that King Shu had been executed along with his entire household for treason, sending shockwaves through the Capital City.

But beyond the shock of King Shu’s execution, what truly stunned everyone was that Pei Shaoqing had also been handsomely rewarded for his role in suppressing the rebellion.

He had only been promoted to a probationary Hundred Households Commander this very month.

And now, the word "probationary" had been instantly removed from his title.

He was also granted a Qilin Robe. While it was the lowest-ranking of the imperially bestowed garments, it was an honor that even a first-rank official couldn’t claim unless it was personally granted by the Emperor.

Then there was the Dragon’s Blood Steed. Many generals who had earned great merit on the battlefield were, at most, granted temporary use of such a steed, never outright ownership; they had to be returned.

Most crucially, there was the seat at the Mid-Autumn Imperial Banquet. The banquet itself was nothing new—Pei Shaoqing had attended many times before—but this time, the Emperor had specifically summoned him back from his post to attend. It was a clear sign that the Emperor wanted a personal audience.

What kind of supreme imperial favor did all this represent?

Since the beginning of the month, Pei Shaoqing had undoubtedly become the most prominent figure of the younger generation. He was the object of boundless envy, jealousy, and hatred, so much so that people were growing tired of their own spiteful remarks.

Now, opinion in the capital was divided. Some believed Pei Shaoqing was a prodigal son who had finally mended his ways. Others thought he had been deliberately hiding his true abilities all along. A third group believed the Emperor was simply expressing his favor for the Marquis Weiyuan by rewarding his son.

As the Pei Family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Nalan Yujin was convinced that Pei Shaoqing had been deliberately concealing his talents.

Faced with this brother-in-law who repeatedly won great merits and brought glory to their family name, she was now beginning to suspect that his attempt to rape her all those years ago had merely been a tactic to deliberately ruin his own reputation.

She suspected he had never truly intended to violate her, his own sister-in-law.

’After all, looking at his performance now, how could such an outstanding man have done something so absurd?’

A wave of guilt washed over Nalan Yujin. She imagined her brother-in-law silently enduring endless public humiliation for the family’s sake, all while bearing her own misunderstandings and cold stares, never once trying to defend himself.

She resolved to have a proper talk with him when he returned for the Mid-Autumn Banquet. She would apologize, clear up all the past unpleasantness, and they would finally become a close, loving family.

She also had to write a letter and send it to her father-in-law and husband.

She would tell them her theories and analysis, hoping to clear up their own misunderstandings and prejudices against him.

「At the same time, in the Anning Marquis’s Mansion.」

Uncle Anning, Xie Wenjin, was silent for a long time as he processed the news. After a while, he slowly exhaled and said to his wife, "When you have a moment, write a letter to Qingwu. How long has it been since that girl has written to us?"

"Weren’t you the one who, as her father, was afraid of being implicated by your son-in-law and forbade me from contacting Qingwu?" Uncle Anning’s wife said, her eyes reddening as she choked back tears. "She hasn’t written because she must have realized we wanted to sever ties. We must have completely broken her heart."

At first, Xie Qingwu hadn’t written because Pei Shaoqing was controlling her. Later, she chose not to write because she realized that both she and Pei Shaoqing had been abandoned.

"Oh, come now, wasn’t I just thinking of our family’s well-being?" Xie Wenjin said, a flush of embarrassment on his old face as he tried to defend himself. "Who could have possibly thought Pei Shaoqing would win the Emperor’s favor? He beat Noble Consort Wan’s nephew to death! Even Pei Shiqing was on the verge of disowning him. How could I have dared to contact Qingwu?"

"No matter how you spin it, you were just afraid of being dragged down by your juniors," his wife sobbed, wiping her tears. "Thankfully, our son-in-law proved his worth. Otherwise, I can’t imagine how much my precious daughter would have had to suffer."

"In any case, at least I chose a good husband for her," Uncle Anning said, his expression unchanged.

Hearing this, his wife shot him an irritated glare, too disgusted to even bother mocking his shamelessness.

.........

The events in the capital had nothing to do with Pei Shaoqing.

He, on the other hand, had found some leads on Ye Yu.

He summoned Liu Yuheng to hear the report.

"Commander, Madam, our investigation shows that after Young Hero Ye left the Pei Mansion, he went to Qunfang Garden and requested the company of five young women..." Chen Zhongyi reported.

"What?" Liu Yuheng’s expression changed. She shot to her feet in disbelief. "You’re saying Yu’Er went to a brothel? How is that possible? He... he’s such an honest, obedient boy. He blushes just from talking to a girl."

"It’s true, Madam. The procuress at Qunfang Garden and the women he requested can all testify to it." Chen Zhongyi then added, "The procuress also said it was clear he wasn’t a first-timer. She called him a seasoned veteran."

"That... he... that..." Liu Yuheng was so furious her face went pale, and she clenched her delicate fists.

Remembering how she had just this morning insisted to Pei Shaoqing that Ye Yu was an honest boy, her face burned as if she’d been slapped.

Seeing her embarrassment, Pei Shaoqing quickly interjected, "Madam, please don’t be angry. Food and sex are part of human nature. Young Hero Ye is of marriageable age; it’s perfectly normal for a man to sow his wild oats. He could hardly tell you about such things."

"You men are all the same!" Liu Yuheng shot him a fierce glare and snapped.

Pei Shaoqing put on an innocent expression. "Now, wait a minute. You’re angry with Young Hero Ye, why are you taking it out on me?"

"Hmph!" Liu Yuheng remembered how on horseback the day before, he had practically used her rear as a whetstone, trying to grind his iron rod down to a needle. She let out another indignant snort.

Pei Shaoqing just shook his head, choosing not to argue with the beautiful woman. He turned back to Chen Zhongyi. "Continue."

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