Pei Song furrowed his brow slightly and said: “Present the military report.”

The personal guard standing at his side attending him quickly walked down, received the military report, and respectfully presented it to him.

Pei Song opened the letter. After reading it, his anger surged even greater than before. He braced both hands on the desk, waves churning in his eyes as he spat out four words coldly: “The Yang clan of Hengzhou!”

The Yang clan of Hengzhou was the maternal family of Prince Changlian’s consort.

The Chief Administrator sensed trouble. After taking the military report and reading it, he too was greatly alarmed. He stroked his goatee repeatedly, reflecting: “This is our oversight. We only thought that since Hengzhou came after Dingzhou, it wouldn’t pose a major threat. We never anticipated they would persuade the neighboring prefectures to jointly pledge allegiance to Wei Qishan, forming an encirclement around Dingzhou…”

The Chief Administrator’s beard-stroking suddenly paused, his expression turning grave: “But… this shouldn’t be. Although the Yang clan of Hengzhou is the maternal family of Prince Changlian’s consort, the Yang family prides itself on its integrity. The current family head is most fond of philosophical discourse and pays no attention to court affairs or the people’s livelihood. Guarding the reputation of the Hengshan Academy as a bastion of reformist scholars, he never even entered government service. Where would such foresight come from? Could it be… someone is advising him from behind the scenes?”

As this thought occurred to the Chief Administrator, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly cupped his hands toward Pei Song: “My lord, if Wei Qishan sent someone to persuade the Yang family, I fear this barbarian is even more difficult to deal with than we anticipated. The battle at Dingzhou concerns the morale of my lord’s confrontation with Wei Qishan. Now Dingzhou is in danger! If General Xing’s matter was also Wei Qishan’s doing, this is truly very disadvantageous for my lord! I implore my lord to quickly make arrangements and dispatch troops to Dingzhou!”

Pei Song sat in the huanghuali grand master chair, supporting his temple with one hand. After closing his eyes in contemplation for a moment, he seemed to calm down and said: “Sir, haven’t you noticed that since we came to Yongzhou, on the surface everything appears smooth, but in reality it’s as if we’ve stepped into a quagmire?”

The Chief Administrator hesitated: “My lord refers to the matter of being unable to requisition grain and medicinal materials within Yongzhou City?”

Pei Song shook his head: “Not just that. Although Yongzhou surrendered, what the world sighs over is the integrity of the former Liang ministers. From the moment Zhou Jing’an’s suicide coincided perfectly with Hanyang’s denunciation of me, I found it suspicious. These past two days, after reviewing all the case files related to the Huo Kun case, I discovered that the He family of canal transport who worked for Huo Kun—the silver confiscated and added to the treasury after their household was raided differs considerably from their previous gift-giving expenditures.”

His fingertips tapped the armrest of the grand master chair one by one, his gaze deep: “Sir, if the He family still had a sum of wealth not recorded in the case after being raided, where do you think it went?”

The Chief Administrator’s expression changed slightly: “My lord suspects that perhaps someone used this wealth to stockpile grain and medicinal materials in advance?”

Pei Song’s eyes turned suddenly cold: “Dingzhou is under siege, and supplies in Yongzhou just happen to become scarce. It truly cannot help but make one think deeply.”

Following Pei Song’s train of thought, the Chief Administrator broke out in a cold sweat: “If all this was planned by one person, they are truly intelligent to the point of being demonic! To be able to set traps in both Hengzhou and Yongzhou simultaneously…”

Pei Song slowly continued his words: “Wei Qishan is a crude warrior. His hands shouldn’t be able to reach into Yongzhou. Moreover, the scholars he can employ—judging from the proclamation he wrote denouncing me, we can see what they’re worth. Such mediocre talents probably don’t have the eloquence to persuade the Yang family.”

Analyzing it this way, there seemed to be only one answer.

The Chief Administrator said in alarm and suspicion: “You suspect all this was done by the Wen clan woman who escaped?”

Pei Song’s gaze turned dangerous: “Whether it is or isn’t, interrogate Zhou Sui thoroughly, and we’ll likely have an answer.”

The Chief Administrator’s expression remained very grave: “But since Yongzhou has such an expert who could assassinate General Xing, just to be safe, my lord’s side also needs additional personnel assigned to ensure your safety.”

Pei Song raised his hand to indicate the Chief Administrator need not say more. His long eyes narrowed slightly as he said: “As for who killed Xing Lie, I actually have a suspicion…”

The Chief Administrator was about to ask more when the guard outside reported that Zhou Sui had arrived.

Before long, Zhou Sui entered wearing a blue cotton robe, bowing toward Pei Song: “This official greets Minister Pei and the Chief Administrator.”

His voice was hoarse, his face pale, his entire person sickly, as if a walking corpse. The loose winter clothes on his body made his frame appear even more frail.

Pei Song’s scrutinizing gaze fell on him as he spoke casually: “Xing Lie is dead. Has Young Master Zhou heard?”

Zhou Sui’s eyes were utterly lifeless. Upon hearing this, his eyelids didn’t even move. Only the corners of his mouth pulled into a mocking yet bitter arc: “Minister Pei really knows how to jest with this official.”

Pei Song’s expression turned slightly cold. The Chief Administrator beside him said: “General Xing was indeed attacked while carrying out military duties and beheaded. My lord summoned Young Master Zhou today precisely to discuss who the murderer who killed General Xing might be.”

Those dull, lifeless eyes of Zhou Sui suddenly came alive. He burst into loud laughter, his voice hoarse: “Dead? He’s really dead?”

Completely disregarding his neck injury, he laughed as if mad and crazed, shouting loudly: “Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes!”

Seeing him in such a state, Pei Song’s expression grew colder, and under the Chief Administrator’s slightly drooping eyelids, his gaze also became somewhat subtle.

Zhou Sui laughed wildly to the end, then tears fell as he knelt toward the study door, pressing his forehead to the ground and crying out in grief: “Mother, did you hear? That bastard is dead! Retribution! This is retribution!”

Pei Song impatiently made a gesture. Personal soldiers stepped forward to lift Zhou Sui up and force him to kneel before Pei Song.

Pei Song stared at him coldly: “Is Young Master Zhou saying that Xing Lie’s death has nothing whatsoever to do with the Zhou household?”

Zhou Sui acted as if he’d heard the world’s greatest joke, bursting into loud laughter again: “If Minister Pei wants this Zhou’s life, just take it directly. There’s no need to find some high-sounding reason. If I had the ability to kill Xing Lie, I would have cut him into a thousand pieces! No… I would never have let him get within an inch of my mother!”

By the end, hot tears of resentment and humiliation rolled down from his reddened eyes again as he stared at Pei Song: “I only hate that I’ve spent my life reading the books of sages in vain, unable to personally avenge my mother, and have no face to kill myself and meet her in the underworld! If Minister Pei sends my entire family to reunite below ground, that would be as I wish!”

Seeing Pei Song’s expression growing increasingly dark, the Chief Administrator shouted: “Young Master Zhou, watch your words! My lord greatly respected your father and repeatedly offered him surrender. It was your father who stubbornly insisted on ending his own life! As for your mother’s matter, it was all because General Xing acted rashly while drunk. My lord also punished General Xing. Now, considering that Young Master has lost both parents, my lord has not pursued Young Master’s offensive words. Young Master, don’t rely on my lord’s protective care and fail to appreciate kindness!”

Zhou Sui only gave a bleak laugh: “What virtue or ability do I have to dare contradict the Minister? Whatever the Minister and Chief Administrator determine, so it shall be.”

Pei Song said: “Xing Lie had a reckless temperament. Perhaps he offended Young Master’s guards and suffered this fate.”

Zhou Sui acted as if he’d heard a joke, laughing bitterly: “This statement from the Minister is rather absurd. Yesterday the Minister also saw that all the servants in my household couldn’t stop Xing Lie alone. A whole courtyard of people died. If I had someone by my side capable of killing Xing Lie, would I have allowed him to run wild like that and insult my mother?”

Pei Song fell silent for a moment, then said quietly: “Young Master, don’t you still have people who were sent out on street patrol?”

Zhou Sui seemed to have given up arguing, laughing sadly: “Whomever the Minister thinks among my subordinates killed Xing Lie, just take them and punish them.”

A personal soldier came in from outside and whispered something in Pei Song’s ear.

Pei Song raised his eyes slightly: “Bring the person in.”

In a moment, a household guard who had recently returned from street patrol was brought into the study—it was the current head guard of the Zhou household.

Pei Song stared at him: “Yesterday on the street, you were the one who severed the arm of one of my soldiers?”

The head guard knelt on one knee with his head bowed: “It was this humble one’s mistake. I beg the Minister’s forgiveness!”

Pei Song had sent people to separately take away the household guards on street patrol and interrogate each one about who had severed that military hooligan’s arm yesterday. Fortunately, the remaining guards had long unified their story, all saying it was their chief.

Pei Song asked: “What is your name?”

The head guard said: “This humble one is surnamed Liu, named Yuan.”

Liu Yuan?

Not the one surnamed Xiao that the jailer had mentioned.

Pei Song looked thoughtful, glancing at his own personal guard and slightly raising his chin.

The guard understood and walked down, interlacing his ten fingers and cracking his neck, producing a faint sound of joints popping.

Pei Song said: “Show your true ability and spar two moves with my personal guard.”

The head guard dared not be careless. Among martial artists, one could tell another’s depth just by exchanging moves. Even if one deliberately tried to hide their skill, it would be noticed.

He used his best skills to spar with Pei Song’s personal guard, but was still beaten down within ten moves.

Pei Song’s expression darkened slightly. Being a military general himself, he could naturally see that this Zhou household guard had used his full strength.

With such mediocre kung fu skills, forget killing Xing Lie—even dealing with the dozen or so soldiers around Xing Lie would probably be difficult.

But when his subordinates interrogated the other guards, they had already tested their martial skills. Not one of them was capable of killing Xing Lie.

This sudden inability to grasp any leads made Pei Song inexplicably irritated. His knuckles tapped the armrest of the grand master chair impatiently as he suddenly asked: “I heard there’s a guard in Young Master’s household named Xiao Li.”

Zhou Sui’s expression changed almost imperceptibly, but his face was already so deathly pale that the subtle change went unnoticed by everyone in the room. He only said: “There is such a person.”

Pei Song raised his eyes: “Where is he?”

Zhou Sui laughed bleakly: “Yesterday he died along with a courtyard full of loyal servants at Xing Lie’s hands. By now he’s probably already at the mass grave, buried in a wolf’s belly.”

Pei Song couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

Dead?

Then who exactly killed Xing Lie?

The solid huanghuali grand master chair’s armrest was forcibly squeezed into cracks by Pei Song. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes coldly resembling a snake flicking its tongue: “Then Young Master, why don’t you explain why medicinal materials and rice grain in Yongzhou City suddenly increased in price?”

His subordinates couldn’t requisition these military supplies. After inquiring about prices within the city, they discovered they had multiplied several times compared to north of the Wei River.

In Luodu and Fengyang, he could allow his subordinates to plunder at will, because no matter how many nobles and royals he killed, the commoners who had suffered enough from corvée labor and taxes would not cry injustice for those aristocrats and royals.

The only ones who would be outraged were the scholar-gentry families and scholars throughout the realm.

The scolding from scholars’ pens and jeweled words was merely painless itching to him.

He used the cities from Luodu to Fengyang to feed his army, stimulate their fighting spirit, and cultivate their greed.

Now that Prince Changlian was dead and the Wen clan royal family no longer existed, in this world only he and Wei Qishan remained to compete. The former method of using war to sustain war was no longer feasible.

If he continued to allow his subordinates to plunder cities, the commoners who had previously applauded seeing nobles’ families destroyed would eventually realize that sooner or later he would plunder them too, and popular support would shift toward Wei Qishan, who was accustomed to false benevolence and righteousness.

Although Pei Song looked down on those foolish commoners’ support, he had to admit that gaining their support was certainly more advantageous than losing it.

But everything required a gradual process. When the water is too clear, there are no fish.

This army under his command was accustomed to plundering. After all, among those who joined the military, those with lofty ambitions were the minority—most didn’t want to live hard lives. But military pay wasn’t always distributed on time; delays of a year or half a year were common. Plundering everywhere after capturing a city became those military hooligans’ only way to amass wealth.

If he suddenly imposed harsh laws and strict punishments, demanding his subordinates must not harm commoners in the slightest, it would only backfire and might even spark a wave of desertion.

So most of the time, he turned a blind eye, as long as his subordinates didn’t go too far.

But when it came to collecting supplies, he absolutely could not use forced requisition or open robbery—because he wasn’t robbing a few families or households, but an entire prefecture.

The eyes and pens of scholars throughout the realm were all fixed on him.

Now his army was fighting Wei Qishan in the north, and supplies could only be gathered from the south as much as possible.

The worst outcome would simply be paying for them, but the north-south war had just begun, yet prices within Yongzhou City had already inflated to this extent. Pei Song was truly furious inside.

That feeling of having every step calculated to death by his opponent made him want to drag out the person behind the scheme and tear them to pieces!

Hearing Pei Song’s questioning, Zhou Sui first showed a blank expression, then laughed incredulously: “The Minister thinks that the merchants’ pricing was also this official’s doing?”

The Chief Administrator interjected: “Rice grain in Yongzhou, as well as bletilla, sanguisorba, typha, and cirsium—these medicinal materials commonly used in the military—are all several times more expensive than north of the Wei River. It’s truly suspicious, which is why my lord asked this question.”

Zhou Sui had spoken too much today. His throat already hurt so much he could barely make a sound. At this moment he only laughed hoarsely: “What virtue or ability does this official have to stir up the prices of rice and medicinal materials throughout all of south of the Wei River…”

Just then, another personal soldier outside reported—a general whom Pei Song had sent to requisition grain and medicinal materials from other nearby commanderies and counties had returned.

There were quite a few commanderies and counties near Yongzhou. Naturally he wouldn’t have only sent Xing Lie’s group to handle this task.

That burly military general strode into the study, his voice booming like a great bell: “Minister, it’s truly cursed! This general ran to two prefectures to the south but couldn’t requisition any military grain or medicinal materials. Those places are asking for prices even higher than Yongzhou!”

Hearing this, both Pei Song and the Chief Administrator’s expressions turned ugly.

They had previously speculated that someone had stockpiled large amounts of rice grain and medicinal materials within Yongzhou City, but to cause all nearby prefectures to raise their prices as well—this was truly demonic.

Pei Song asked: “Did you find out what caused this?”

The general shook his head: “I don’t know, but I heard that in some prefectures further south, rice and medicinal prices have also risen sharply.”

Zhou Sui asked Pei Song with a self-mocking hoarse voice: “Does the Minister still wish to hold this official accountable?”

Pei Song’s expression was dark as he locked eyes with Zhou Sui. He knew something had definitely gone wrong somewhere, but the person behind the scheme was too covert—he couldn’t even find the slightest clue as to how they had stirred up rice grain and medicinal prices south of the Wei River.

The Chief Administrator smoothed things over for Pei Song: “My lord is simply concerned about the livelihood of Yongzhou’s people, which is why he summoned Young Master Zhou to ask. Since it’s all a misunderstanding, and Young Master Zhou’s injuries haven’t healed, please return and rest first.”

Zhou Sui still wore an expression with all his grief, joy, resentment, and anger written plainly on his face, utterly without guile, cupping his hands toward Pei Song: “In that case, this official takes his leave.”

Supported by the head guard Liu Yuan, he turned to walk outside. On his face was the self-mocking, indignant appearance of one wrongly suspected, but his palms were covered in cold sweat.

He naturally knew of the Princess’s original plan with his father.

The Princess used the private silver hidden by the He and Han families to buy silk, gauze, and tea leaves from the Xu family, then had the Xu family exchange them for grain and medicinal materials during transport, successfully stirring up the prices of grain and medicinal materials.

His father had even praised the Princess, saying that if she went into commerce, she would also be an extraordinary talent.

She used half the silver to obtain double the goods from the Xu family. Because she promised to pay an additional twenty percent for the portion exchanged for grain and medicinal materials, for the sake of that twenty percent profit, the Xu family would only exchange all the silk, gauze, and tea leaves for rice grain and medicinal materials along the way.

In this way, rice merchants and medicinal material merchants along the route, seeing the business opportunity ahead of time, followed suit one after another, buying up the grain and medicinal materials from commoners and herb farmers that originally could have been requisitioned as military supplies. The prices that would normally have risen only after ordinary commoners learned the north was at war arrived earlier, just waiting for Pei Song’s army to come and be the sucker.

Ordinary commoners were guaranteed food and clothing while also earning some capital from rice merchants and medicinal material merchants in the early stage. Only Pei Song’s army had to swallow this bitter pill in resentment. It was the best of both worlds.

It was just that Pei Song reacted a bit too quickly…

Fortunately, fortunately the Princess had thought thoroughly—the Xu family’s cargo ships had already headed south, and prices in the south had also risen, so no flaws were exposed.

As he was about to step over the threshold, he suddenly saw one of Pei Song’s personal guards hurrying over from outside. Out of courtesy, Zhou Sui stepped aside to let the other person enter first.

That personal guard seemed truly quite rushed, or perhaps simply didn’t regard him, this nominal provincial governor’s son, as important. He didn’t spare Zhou Sui a glance and headed straight for Pei Song after entering.

Zhou Sui couldn’t very well stand there and eavesdrop carefully, so he lifted his foot to step over the threshold again. He vaguely heard the other person say something about “that woman has awakened.”