Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Pei Qingtian’s Stern Righteousness, Zhou Xiangyang’s Downfall

Chen Zhongyi was at home, busy with his marital duties.

He had just stripped his wife naked.

Suddenly, a frantic KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK rattled the door, followed by the butler’s anxious voice. "Master, Lord Pei summons you."

Chen Zhongyi’s body froze instantly. He could only sigh in helpless frustration before getting out of bed to dress.

"Master, what am I to do now that you’re leaving?" his wife asked, her face full of resentment.

Chen Zhongyi glanced back at her coolly as he dressed. "You rely on me for everything, but who can I rely on? Remember, you have to depend on yourself. If all else fails, just go make some fish-fragrant eggplant."

With that, he finished dressing, grabbed his outer robe, and stormed out without a backward glance, slamming the door behind him.

’Is getting laid more important than going to work?’

’Slight Lord Pei, and I’ll end up visiting my own grave.’

"I told you not to start anything during the day, but you just had to get things going! And now you’ve left me high and dry," his wife cursed in frustration.

Chen Zhongyi rushed to the Pei Mansion as quickly as he could.

He made his way to the main hall, and the moment he entered, his knees buckled. By the time they hit the floor, he had already slid to a stop before Pei Shaoqing. "This humble subordinate greets you, My Lord."

A required skill in the feudal bureaucracy—the sliding kneel.

"Mm, rise and speak," Pei Shaoqing said coolly, setting down his teacup.

"Thank you, My Lord." Chen Zhongyi scrambled to his feet but remained stooped over. "What are your orders, My Lord?"

"I want you to take your men and arrest that bastard Zhou Xiangyang immediately," Pei Shaoqing said, his words concise and shocking.

Chen Zhongyi was taken aback. He didn’t understand why Lord Pei would move against the non-threatening Zhou Xiangyang. He asked cautiously, "On what charge, if I may ask?"

"Soliciting bribes!" Pei Shaoqing picked up his teacup again and took a slow, deliberate sip. "That bastard has received the Court’s grace yet gives nothing in return. It’s been days since his appointment, and he hasn’t even visited the Hundred Households once. Gross dereliction of duty is one thing, but to then extort merchants in the city... This official despises corrupt individuals who bend the law for personal gain. He’s a disgrace to the Jing’an Guard."

’I suppose I’ll be the one to fight corruption and promote integrity today!’

Upon hearing the latter half of the statement, Chen Zhongyi had a sudden realization.

Zhou Xiangyang hadn’t just touched Lord Pei’s money pouch; he’d touched the money pouch of the entire Hundred Households.

"This humble subordinate will take his men at once," Chen Zhongyi replied, then asked tentatively, "As for Lu Households Commander...?"

"A degenerate like him only brings shame to Lu Households Commander. I will write a letter and ask the Households Commander to sentence him personally," Pei Shaoqing said nonchalantly.

Through his two correspondences with Lu Households Commander, he had gotten a general grasp of the man’s character. He wouldn’t hold a grudge against him over some tactless fool.

Besides, it wasn’t like he wanted Zhou Xiangyang dead.

He was just pinning a crime on him and locking him up.

If Lu Households Commander was truly close to Zhou, then Pei Shaoqing could just arrange for someone to escort him to Jin Guan City.

Chen Zhongyi cupped his hands, bowed his head, and replied, "Yes, sir."

Seeing Pei Shaoqing wave his hand in dismissal, he slowly backed away.

The moment he stepped out of the Pei Mansion’s gates, Chen Zhongyi straightened his previously stooped back. His lordly air and swagger returned, and he began striding imperiously through the streets.

Upon returning to the Hundred Households, he immediately gathered two of his trusted squad leaders and led a large contingent of men, marching forcefully toward the Zhou Mansion.

.........

Meanwhile, Zhou Xiangyang was in a thunderous rage.

"CRASH!" He smashed a beloved teacup on the ground, shattering it to pieces. His face contorted with fury, he roared, "Fuck that pack of unruly peasants! They dare refuse to pay tribute silver? This official may not be able to handle Pei Shaoqing, but you think I can’t handle them? This is lawlessness!"

"My Lord, you must teach those unruly peasants a lesson!" the butler fanned the flames, his face a mask of shared indignation. "They have no respect for you now. In the future, even after Lord Pei leaves and you’re in charge, they’ll inevitably look down on you."

He had expected to make a hefty profit while collecting the money for Zhou Xiangyang, but not only did those people refuse to pay, they had the gall to be rude to him.

Simply outrageous!

These weren’t just any unruly peasants.

A heavy hand was required.

"Take my warrant at once. Go to the Hundred Households and summon a squad. Pick a few of those tactless fools and make an example of them," Zhou Xiangyang ordered, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Putting up with Lu Dingchuan’s crap in the Prefecture City was one thing.

Putting up with Pei Shaoqing’s crap in Tongzhou was another.

But was he supposed to take crap from a bunch of fucking merchants, too?

In his view, as a Hundred Households Commander, if he wanted to mobilize some men to deal with a few unruly peasants, Pei Shaoqing would have to give him some face.

The butler was overjoyed. "Yes! Master!"

He took the warrant and eagerly turned to leave.

His anger still simmering, Zhou Xiangyang plopped down into a chair and, with a dark expression, began chugging cold tea.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from outside. He looked up to see a group of Jing’an Guards rushing into the hall, the butler among them.

"So fast?" Zhou Xiangyang was astonished, then frowned. "You have no manners! Who let you in? Get the hell out and wait!"

But the Jing’an Guards all remained expressionless.

Only then did he realize something was wrong.

He looked at his butler and saw the man’s face was as pale as paper. He was drenched in sweat, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Zhou Xiangyang suppressed his unease and snapped harshly, "This official is a Hundred Households Commander appointed by the Court! Are you committing insubordination? Where is Pei Shaoqing? I want to see Pei Shaoqing!"

"Lord Pei is very busy. He has no time for you." Chen Zhongyi said with a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes, one hand resting on his sword as he gazed contemptuously at Zhou Xiangyang. "Zhou Xiangyang, as the commander of the Tongzhou Hundred Households, you have been here for days, yet all you’ve done is drink and indulge in pleasure. You haven’t reported for duty even once!

Dereliction of duty is one thing, but you were also insatiably greedy, extorting merchants for bribes. The merchants of the entire city have run to Lord Pei’s residence to file complaints. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Bullshit! You think I didn’t want to report for duty at the Hundred Households?" Hearing the charge Pei Shaoqing was using against him, Zhou Xiangyang was so furious he could barely hold his shit.

"Further talk is useless." Chen Zhongyi waved his hand and gave the order. "Men! By order of Lord Pei, take this corrupt official to prison. If he dares to resist, kill him on the spot!"

"Yes, sir!" Several Jing’an Guards lunged forward.

Although Zhou Xiangyang’s Martial Arts were weak, he could still have fought off a few Body Refining Realm cultivators. Yet, he didn’t dare to make a move, his face filled with rage and his heart with indignation.

"Unhand this official! Even if this official is guilty, Pei Shaoqing is my subordinate! He has no authority to punish me!"

"Take him away," Chen Zhongyi ordered.

Zhou Xiangyang was forcibly dragged away.

A squad was left behind to confiscate his property.

"Pei Shaoqing, you treacherous, insubordinate bastard! So the magistrate is allowed to light fires while the common folk are forbidden to light lamps! You can take their money, but when it’s this official’s turn, it’s not allowed? You scoundrel!"

"Pei Shaoqing, may you die a horrible death! I’m going to report you to Lu Households Commander! Pei Shaoqing!"

Enraged and hysterical, Zhou Xiangyang cursed all the way down the street, hurling the most vicious insults at eighteen generations of Pei Shaoqing’s ancestors.

This attracted a large crowd of onlookers.

How could Chen Zhongyi stand by and watch this man ruin Lord Pei’s reputation? He shouted, "This villain is the newly appointed Jing’an Hundred Households Commander! But since taking office, he has done nothing but drink, make merry, and neglect his duties! He even openly extorted bribes from the merchants!

Although Lord Pei is his subordinate, he could not stand by and watch this happen! He could not tolerate it! To prevent this man from preying on the people of our Tongzhou, he has arrested him and sent him to prison, even at the risk of being punished by his own superiors!"

BOOM! The crowd of onlookers erupted in an uproar.

"Lord Pei is truly a good and honest official!"

"Yes! Not only is he brilliant at solving cases, but his sleeves are clean of corruption. He won’t even tolerate a corrupt superior."

"With Lord Pei here, we have a Clear Sky!"

"I’ve never seen that man leave his house to go on duty. Instead of letting someone like him be the Hundred Households Commander, they should just let Lord Pei do it."

Listening to the passersby praise Pei Shaoqing and curse him, Zhou Xiangyang’s body trembled with rage.

’A bunch of ignorant, unruly peasants! Rabble!’

’You all deserve to be exploited and fooled by Pei Shaoqing!’

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