Chapter 8: No Interest Even Required

Chapter 8: No Interest Even Required

Chapter 8: No Interest Even Required

Cheng Zhihu hurriedly greeted Pei Yuan again.

His eyes shifted from the small white porcelain cup to Pei Yuan. He was feeling uneasy, but he couldn't suppress it even if he tried to stay calm.

Pei Yuan returned to his chair and sat down.

Seeing Cheng Zhihu wearing a Taoist robe, he couldn't tell the quality of the robe. He also wanted to learn more about the organization of Taoist Zhenji, so he put aside the business and asked, "What is your current position?"

Cheng Zhihu felt uneasy and quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead and answered everything in detail.

"I was originally a powerful tyrant in Huai River. Later, I saved some money and planned to donate money to become an official and live a stable life. I happened to meet Han Qianhu who was looking for people, so I was recruited by her and joined Nanjing Jinyiwei as a small flag. Afterwards, Han Qianhu asked me about my wishes..."

Cheng Zhihu smiled bitterly and said, "I have been fighting for half my life, and I don't have any ambitions. So Captain Han arranged this idle position for me, to be a Taoist priest in Zhihua Temple."

Pei Yuan thought to himself, no wonder this guy doesn't look like a military family's son, it turns out he came from a humble background.

Pei Yuan was a little disappointed to learn that Cheng Zhihu had become a monk halfway through his life. He did not expect to learn too much about the evil-suppressing Thousand Households Office, so he said, "Thousand Household Han came to the capital today. I came here this time because she asked me to take six taels of silver."

After saying that, Pei Yuan deliberately glanced at the small white porcelain cup and asked, "Do you need me to give you any proof?"

Although Cheng Zhihu felt somewhat puzzled and couldn't understand why the great Han Qianhu would be short of six taels of silver, he could only answer when Pei Yuan asked, "How dare I? I will go and get it right away."

Cheng Zhihu hurried out of the room and saw the monk in charge of reception looking around not far away. He quickly pulled the monk over and gave him a few instructions with his head down.

Upon hearing this, the monk in charge of reception left immediately, and Cheng Zhihu came in again to chat with him.

Pei Yuan remembered his other purpose and asked casually, "Has anything special happened in Zhihua Temple these days?"

Cheng Zhihu hesitated for a moment, but finally answered truthfully, "Yes. The day before yesterday, a eunuch from the palace came to pay homage to Wang Zhen's temple. I went to ask, and the man was Eunuch Zhang Yong. This Zhihua Temple used to be Wang Zhen's ancestral temple, and an old monk in the temple had met Wang Zhen. Eunuch Zhang asked about some anecdotes about Wang Zhen's life with great interest, and then left."

Pei Yuan frowned.

The political significance of the eunuchs' worship of Wang Zhen was almost equivalent to that of a civil official entering the palace with a sword and shoes and being conferred the nine gifts.

Zhang Yong had just brought down Liu Jin, and now he was in the limelight, so it was time to avoid suspicion. Even if he really wanted to pay his respects, why did he have to come in person?

If one is not careful, it may send the wrong signal to the government and the public.

Pei Yuan saw that Cheng Zhihu had something unfinished, so he asked, "Anything else?"

Cheng Zhihu glanced at Chen Toutie and hesitated.

Chen Toutie knew what was going on here, and subconsciously wanted to avoid it.

Pei Yuan said to Cheng Zhihu, "It's okay, he's mine."

Cheng Zhihu then lowered his voice and said, "Yesterday, the emperor came and he also went to the temple to question the monks. Later, the emperor heard that there was a Taoist priest named Zhenji in Zhihua Temple, so he called me over and asked me about the secret files in private. He also asked me to investigate something for him."

Pei Yuan immediately asked, "What's the matter?"

Cheng Zhihu said, "The emperor wants to know whether Emperor Yingzong ever came here after he rebuilt Zhihua Temple, and whether he left any words behind."

Seeing Pei Yuan silent, Cheng Zhihu continued.

"Early this morning, Jinyiwei Commander Zhang Rong sent someone to inquire about this matter. However, the matter involves the emperor. If Zhang Rong came here in person, I would have done him a favor. But since he sent someone here like this, how dare I spread the emperor's affairs casually?"

When Pei Yuan heard this, he immediately understood.

Zhang Yong came the day before yesterday, and the emperor came again yesterday.

Either the emperor did not trust Zhang Yong, or the emperor had other things he wanted to do and did not want too many people to know.

Moreover, it was obvious that he didn't want Zhang Yong to know.

The attitude and inside story naturally made Zhang Yong uneasy.

You have to know that Zhang Yong has a strong similarity with Wang Zhen in a sense. After overthrowing Liu Jin, Zhang Yong's political alliance with the cabinet minister Li Dongyang and the three-border general Yang Yiqing became more and more solid.

Although he could not catch up with Wang Zhen's power at that time, when the Imperial Household Department, the Cabinet Grand Secretary and the border troops joined forces, they were enough to crush any opposition.

In particular, Wang Zhen was keen on military affairs and repeatedly interfered in the policy towards the Oirat. As for Zhang Yong, although he was a eunuch, he was skilled in archery and horse riding and was quite brave. Not only did he command the troops of the Twelve Regiments and the Shenji Camp, he also personally supervised the army in the war to quell the rebellion of King Anhua.

His power extended to the government and the country, and he was also keen on military affairs.

Qiu Ju, the director of the East Factory, once indirectly compared Zhang Yong to Wang Zhen.

The emperor suddenly wanted to inquire about Wang Zhen's affairs, which naturally made Zhang Yong a little uneasy.

Wang Zhen's reputation has long been ruined, not only among the literati, but also in the hearts of the common people.

What if at some point, the emperor suddenly said to Zhang Yonglai, "This is my Wang Zhen."

That one is far from being cool.

just.

The Zhang brothers are too concerned and confused. Things may not be as bad as they think...

Pei Yuan's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes moved slightly twice.

Although Zhang Yong held an extraordinary status, in the eyes of the emperor, he was nothing more than a family slave.

Considering Pei Yuan's cold-blooded personality, if you put yourself in his shoes, why would he go to so much trouble for a family slave?
Zhang Yong was only concerned about being afraid that others would mistake him for Wang Zhen, but he did not consider that Emperor Xiang Zhuang's sword dance might have other purposes.

Pei Yuan heard people talk about this when he was in the market.

The current emperor is a young and heroic man who considers himself to be a strong and powerful person. He also wants to emulate Emperor Taizong, gallop across the grasslands and create a great cause.

But now that the emperor wants to go out to fight, there is a huge obstacle standing before him.

——That was Emperor Yingzong, whose military failure led to the Battle of Tumu!

Emperor Yingzong's defeat and its tragic consequences have become a huge political obstacle for the current emperor to go on an expedition.

Judging from the emperor's actions today, he has obviously been keenly aware of this problem and has begun to make preparations in advance.

An incredible thought suddenly popped up in Pei Yuan's mind.

Could it be... that the emperor wants to search for evidence to overturn Yingzong's case?

Seeing that Cheng Zhihu was about to say something else, Chen Toutie on the side became a little restless.

These are things I can listen to without paying?
In order to avoid suspicion, Chen Toutie took advantage of Cheng Zhihu not revealing any more secrets, took the initiative to cough lightly, and said, "Sir, do you want me to guard outside?"

Pei Yuan glanced at Chen Toutie and said without hesitation, "No need to do that, I believe you."

Chen Toutie was speechless after hearing this. He even doubted himself whether he had such moral integrity.
If, just say if.

If Zhang Rong was willing to help me arrange a decent assignment, I would probably abandon this useless centurion without hesitation and look for another master, right?

Chen Toutie thought about it and became more and more speechless.

Pei Yuan saw Chen Toutie's conflicted look and couldn't help but think secretly.

——There is nothing better than showing trust by sharing other people’s secrets.

This doesn't even require interest.

(End of this chapter)