Chapter 30 - Bloodstained

 The white paper is full of Pei Xiuyan's crimes. From the forced increase of taxes to the seizure of the homes of several aristocratic families in Kyoto in the past ten years to the imprisonment of several confidants left by the queen mother, Pei Xiuyan handiwork is behind everything. The dirty things are clearly written on the white paper.

Pei Xiuyan held the white paper hand, put it behind his back, and circled around the leading scholar.

"Zhang Puyu, if I remember correctly, you are the second son of Zhang Qingman, the Minister of Justice. You just turned 20 this year, have not yet married, and have been instructed by Ye Jin in your studies."

Zhang Puyu didn't expect Pei Xiuyan to know him, and he was a little flustered for a while.

"Pei Gou, I am responsible for my own actions. This matter has nothing to do with the Zhang family. If you have any problems, come to me."

Pei Xiuyan laughed up to the sky.

He turned to the others, pointed at one of them, and said, "Yuan Dianju, you are a Jinshi in the fifth year of Deyuan. You were once the magistrate of Pingcheng County. Because you couldn't stand the court's tax increase and failed to plead for the people, you resigned in anger. Now you make a living by selling calligraphy and paintings. You have no wife or children, and you have a seriously ill grandmother at home."

Yuan Dianju, who was named, turned pale instantly.

Pei Xiuyan pointed at another scholar and continued, "Liu Zhu, you are from the five counties of Yangzhou. You failed the imperial examination last autumn. You have a three-year-old daughter. You are currently living in Kyoto with your wife, who is weaving cloth. Before you want to enforce justice, have you ever considered your wife and daughter?"

He also gave the names and family backgrounds of each scholar, one by one. After that, he said sternly:

"When I dealt with the Ye family, I said that anyone who pleaded for the Ye family would be guilty of the same crime! It's a pity that your family members will be buried with you now!"

The scholars present felt as if their bones and muscles were pulled out. Some of them were Ye Jin's disciples, and some had received Ye Jin's favor. They relied on justice in their hearts to redress the Ye family, and they never thought of retreating. Now that Pei Xiuyan found out before the matter was accomplished and they were convicted of the same crime, their hearts were like a storm. They were not afraid of death, but they could not implicate their families.

Zhang Puyu was the leader of this group of people, and he paid for all these things. He knew that it was impossible to succeed now, so he said to Pei Xiuyan, "I did everything alone, and they just obeyed my orders. You can kill me or chop me up as you like, but leave them alive."

Pei Xiuyan glanced at Zhang Puyu coldly and found that his eyes were clear, neither humble nor arrogant, not afraid of life and death, and quite like Ye Jin's legacy. He couldn't help but secretly praise him in his heart.

He just said jokingly, "Oh? If I let them go, how can you guarantee that they won't bite me?"

Zhang Puyu looked at everyone and was stunned for a moment.

Pei Xiuyan was watching the fight between trapped beasts with great interest.

"I am in a very good mood today. You kill yourself in front of them now, let them remember that they are responsible for your life, and then swear in the name of Confucius that you will never pursue my affairs in the future. I will let them go."

When everyone heard this, they were furious.

"Pei dog, you have the guts to kill us! How can you threaten us with your family and Zhang Puyu? It's not a gentleman's behaviour!"

Pei Xiuyan laughed wildly. "My hands are stained with blood. I have never been a gentleman!"

Zhang Puyu saw that everyone was willing to die with him, and he felt even more guilty. He had underestimated Pei Xiuyan's ability and implicated everyone. Now, he has no regrets, even if he dies.

He bowed to everyone and said, "My colleagues, I was reckless and implicated you. Today, I will atone for my sins with my body. I hope you will be well in the future and don't be impulsive again."

After that, he said to Pei Xiuyan, "Pei Xiuyan, do you keep your words?"

"My promises are always worth a thousand gold!"

Zhang Puyu said, "Okay!" After saying this, he did not hesitate to put his neck on the sword, and blood splattered three feet on the spot. Zhang Puyu fell to the ground, his eyes wide open, as if he was unwilling to give up.

Everyone shouted, "Brother Puyu!"

Pei Xiuyan kicked Zhang Puyu on the ground, and seeing that he did not move, he said with satisfaction:

"Did you all see it? Zhang Puyu died for you, and I kept my promise and let you go. You must also keep Zhang Puyu's promise and swear to Confucius!"

Everyone stood still.

Pei Xiuyan sneered, "Why? Want revenge?"

"Instead of doing useless things here, you pedantic scholars should go back and take the imperial examinations. When you are in a high position one day, you can come to me to settle accounts with other names, which is also worthy of Zhang Puyu's life."

Someone threw down the white paper, knelt down and swore in tears, and finally kowtowed three times to Zhang Puyu's body, stood up, and left without hesitation. Others followed suit. Pei Xiuyan was right. They were powerless and died before they could achieve their goal. Only by being in a high position can one fight against this darkness and hegemony, restore the innocence of the Ye family, and restore peace and prosperity to Dafeng.

After all the people had dispersed, Yan Xue hurriedly squatted on the ground and pressed Zhang Puyu's acupuncture points. He took out a bottle of medicine powder from his arms and sprinkled it on the place where Zhang Puyu committed suicide.

Pei Xiuyan asked, "Is he injured at all?"

Yan Xue replied, "I pulled the sword back a few inches according to the order of the prince. He just fainted and was not injured at all."

Pei Xiuyan nodded and ordered Yan Xue to burn all the white papers on the ground and finally clean up all the traces carefully. After that, he and Yan Xue took Zhang Puyu away. The desolate suburbs returned to silence again.

After a long time, a man in brocade clothes wearing a crown and jade slowly walked to the three nameless tombstones, followed by a cold and beautiful maid holding a sword. This person was Nan Gongli, the King of Pingyang.

He sighed at the tombstone and said, "Pei Xiuyan is so affectionate and righteous; how can I not give him a surprise? Xi Nu, move all three graves."

Xi Nu was stunned for a moment and then said expressionlessly, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Nan Gongli smiled and asked back, "Xi Nu, are you questioning my decision?"

Xi Nu shook her head slightly. "I dare not."

Nan Gongli looked up at the sky. The dark clouds blocked the sun at some point, and the greyness made the already cold sky even colder.

"I want to completely muddy the water in Kyoto before leaving Kyoto."

 

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The news that Pei Xiuyan, the Prince of Qing, was angry for his beloved in Lanyue Pavilion quickly spread throughout Kyoto. In the future, offending Ye Chuyan will be equivalent to offending the Prince of Qing's mansion.

Hongying dared not hide the news when she learned about it and told Zhao Yujiao everything. She thought that after Zhao Yujiao knew about it, she would be angry and vent all her anger on her head. Who knows Zhao Yujiao just smiled and said nothing. This made Hongying feel even more uncertain.

Since Ye Chuyan said goodbye to Wu Mu that day, she felt like a piece of her heart was missing. She had nightmares every night, always dreaming of Wu Mu's injured expression that day. During the day, she could only vent her emotions by dancing crazily with swords.

On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Yan Xue sent the clothes made by Madam Mo to Jianjia Garden. Bai Zhi was amazed and urged Ye Chuyan to try them on. She was shocked on the spot. But Ye Chuyan was not interested. Bai Zhi didn't know why and was very worried.

Pei Xiuyan stayed in Honglu Temple every day these days and did not return home. During this period, he ordered Yan Xue to pass a message to Zhao Yujiao, taking Ye Chuyan to the palace banquet on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and asking Zhao Yujiao to prepare and go together.

Zhao Yujiao rejected Pei Xiuyan's proposal on the grounds that her broken leg had not healed and her status was not suitable. This surprised Pei Xiuyan, who sighed deeply at Zhao Yujiao's obedience and understanding.

Time flies, and soon it is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.