Chapter 84: You’re Really Planning to Rebel! A Hilarious Show of Filial Piety
Chapter 84: Chapter 84: You’re Really Planning to Rebel! A Hilarious Show of Filial Piety
Tonight, he had saved Wang Wu and dealt Yan Sichen a heavy blow, but he hadn’t managed to capture a single person alive.
The Jing’an Guard had also suffered considerable casualties.
For Young Master Pei, a break-even was as good as a loss.
Worse, he was now out several of his men.
This put him in a foul mood.
He was furious, and he needed a way to blow off some steam.
"You’ve worked hard tonight, Madam. Go and rest," Pei Shaoqing said first to Liu Yuheng upon arriving home. He then turned to Zhao Zilan, who was trailing behind. "Lan’Er, come with me."
Flustered, Zhao Zilan looked to her master.
"Is there something you need from Lan’Er, Young Master?" Liu Yuheng said with a radiant smile. "She’s exhausted tonight as well. Why not let her rest? I, on the other hand, can still manage. I can take care of anything you need."
"I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I want Lan’Er for some fun in the bedroom." Pei Shaoqing could see Liu Yuheng was trying to protect Zhao Zilan, so he cut straight to the chase.
’Last time, he’d resorted to unorthodox methods.’
’This time, he would walk the righteous path—broaden his sources and conserve his flow.’
Neither Liu Yuheng nor Zhao Zilan had expected him to be so direct, and they both grew embarrassed and bashful.
Liu Yuheng gently advised, biting her red lip, "A man of your world-shaping talent and grand ambitions should focus on preserving his health, Young Master. You shouldn’t overexert yourself with carnal affairs."
"Madam, I’m not in a good mood tonight. I just want to have some fun," Pei Shaoqing said, his tone turning sour.
Sensing his foul mood, Liu Yuheng could only be blunt. "I implore you, Young Master, please wait until Lan’Er has formally entered the household before you share a bed as husband and wife."
"Madam, why don’t we ask Lan’Er for her own opinion?" Pei Shaoqing said, turning his gaze to Zhao Zilan.
Liu Yuheng’s eyes followed his.
Zhao Zilan glanced at her master, then lowered her head and murmured, her voice as faint as a buzzing mosquito, "I will do as the Young Master says."
Liu Yuheng looked on with a helpless expression, exasperated at her apprentice’s lack of resistance.
"Madam?" Pei Shaoqing prompted with a faint, mocking smile.
Liu Yuheng sighed. "Please be gentle with my young apprentice, Young Master. She is delicate and frail... she cannot endure rough handling."
"Rest assured, Madam. I always take good care of my women," Pei Shaoqing said with a chuckle.
He was the type to only ride a rental hard.
’If this is how he "takes care" of someone, what would he do if he didn’t care?’ Liu Yuheng thought, her cheeks burning.
Pei Shaoqing couldn’t care less what she was thinking.
He simply turned and walked away.
Head bowed, Zhao Zilan followed obediently in his footsteps, like a poor, timid quail.
Liu Yuheng watched their retreating figures and shook her head.
’A grown girl can’t be held back!’
The moment they entered the room, Pei Shaoqing swept Zhao Zilan up amidst her cry of surprise and tossed her onto the bed.
"Young Master, don’t! I haven’t bathed yet."
"I prefer my high-end ingredients served au naturel."
"Please be gentle with me, Young Master," Zhao Zilan said, her cheeks flushed scarlet. She bit her lip, looking at Pei Shaoqing timidly.
"Good girl, Lan’Er."
"Young Master... could you put out the lamp first?"
"No. I want to watch you, bold and bright."
The lamplight swayed, and the bed began to shake.
Finally, all fell quiet.
"MEOW! MEOW!"
General Li’s voice came from outside the window.
Pei Shaoqing immediately got out of bed and opened the window.
"Mating again, Master?" General Li craned its neck like a tortoise, peeking at the bed behind him. Through the hanging canopy, it could vaguely make out the figure of a woman.
With a dark expression, Pei Shaoqing slapped its head back. "What *you* do is called mating. What *I’m* doing is called consummating a relationship."
"It’s all the same," General Li grumbled, before remembering its mission. "Oh, right! Master, my beloved consort, Black Pearl, says Yan Sichen snuck back into the city. She’s already assigned a subordinate to tail him secretly."
"What?" Pei Shaoqing was stunned.
’That bastard Yan Sichen was audacious. He’d already escaped, yet he dared to double back for a surprise attack.’
Still, he had to admit, if not for the Mao Camp’s network across the entire city, Yan Sichen might have actually gotten away with it.
’At least, he’d never thought Yan Sichen had that kind of nerve.’
Zhao Zilan, having recovered, heard the voices and asked sweetly, "Young Master, who’s there?"
"Just a servant. You get some rest. I have to go out," Pei Shaoqing said, slamming the window shut with a SNAP.
"Oof!" Caught off guard, General Li was shoved from the windowsill as the window slammed shut. It scrambled to its feet, muttering curses. "So flippant! He doesn’t act like a proper lord at all."
Pei Shaoqing first went to see Liu Yuheng, telling her to prepare another ambush for Yan Sichen. Then he went to find County Magistrate Wang and told him they would need the Holy Envoy’s help again.
And Old Wang, though exasperated, could only agree and go off to persuade the great Holy Envoy once more.
.........
Yan Sichen was completely unaware of this. He went straight back to his room at the Hongbin Inn to sleep and recover his strength.
He didn’t know where Pei Shaoqing had hidden those three women, but he knew they would eventually have to go home. That was the opportunity he was waiting for.
He was now in the shadows; there was no need to rush.
At the fourth watch, as dawn was about to break, hundreds of crossbow arrows shot into Yan Sichen’s room from all directions.
"WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH..."
The moment he heard the whistle of air being torn apart, Yan Sichen, who had been on the bed, snapped awake. After dodging several arrows, his body shot upward. With a BOOM, he smashed a hole through the ceiling, landing on the roof amidst a cloud of dust and debris.
As he looked around, he saw the surrounding rooftops were filled with black-robed, white-masked Jing’an Guards. Liu Yuheng, with whom he had previously crossed swords, was also among them. He was completely surrounded.
Pei Shaoqing stood on the roof of a building opposite the Hongbin Inn, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked up at Yan Sichen and bellowed, "Yan! You depraved thief, there’s nowhere left to run! Surrender now!"
"Pei Shaoqing!" Yan Sichen’s eyes were bloodshot, his face a mask of disbelief. He felt resentful, yet also a sliver of admiration. "Excellent. Just excellent. I truly was blind to have misjudged you. To think that even my surprise return was part of your plan!
I admit I was outplayed, but if you think I’ll just admit defeat, you’re dreaming! Bring it on!"
As his voice faded, a sinister black mist began to emanate from his body. His aura exploded, and his eyes turned blood-red. Dark, bruised veins bulged on his neck as if they would burst from his skin, and strange scars covered his face.
"What is this evil magic?"
The Holy Envoy, holding his long spear ready, exclaimed in shock.
"Who cares what kind of evil magic it is? Good will always triumph over evil," Pei Shaoqing declared righteously. "Get him!"
"Kill!"
In an instant, everyone charged forward.
Liu Yuheng and the Holy Envoy naturally led the assault.
The others served primarily as a distraction.
"So, you’re the one who was tying up Commander Zhou? A coward who hides his face?" Yan Sichen sneered at the Holy Envoy, forming one hand into a claw and lunging at him.
The Holy Envoy brandished his spear. "Perfect timing!"
Wielding the Mo Tan Sword that Pei Shaoqing had lent her, Liu Yuheng transformed into a streak of light, stabbing at Yan Sichen from the side.
A chaotic melee erupted.
The nearby residents were terrified, but a few of the bolder ones still peeked out their windows to watch.
Yan Sichen’s power was greatly augmented by the evil magic.
But he was outnumbered. As his Inner Strength was constantly drained, he soon found himself at a disadvantage. Beaten back again and again by Liu Yuheng and the Holy Envoy, he was gradually overwhelmed.
"Pei Shaoqing! Die!"
Yan Sichen, who had been charging the Holy Envoy, suddenly changed direction and lunged for Pei Shaoqing, aiming to take out the leader first.
Seeing this, a glint appeared in the Holy Envoy’s eyes, and he deliberately held back.
However, County Magistrate Wang flew forward to intercept him.
The Holy Envoy found this baffling, but with no time to dwell on it, he could only charge at Yan Sichen once more.
The two sides clashed again in mid-air, less than ten meters from Pei Shaoqing. The rampaging True Qi was so intense it even stirred the long hair falling across Pei Shaoqing’s forehead.
Throughout it all, Pei Shaoqing stood perfectly still, as immovable as a mountain. His expression never changed, and he didn’t even blink, earning him the immense admiration of his subordinates.
Soon, Yan Sichen’s strength gave out. The Holy Envoy’s spear pierced his shoulder, sending blood spraying into the air. Liu Yuheng followed up with a flying kick, and the violent impact sent his body plummeting. He crashed to the ground with a BANG, splattering blood as the bluestone tiles beneath him cracked from the force.
Before he could rise, the Holy Envoy descended from the sky, planting a foot on his chest and aiming the tip of his spear at his throat.
Liu Yuheng immediately moved in and sealed his Dantian.
"Excellent!" Pei Shaoqing exclaimed with a laugh.
With a light tap of his toes, he leaped down as gracefully as a swallow. He strode over to Yan Sichen and looked down at him condescendingly. "Coming to Tongzhou to snatch people was your greatest mistake. I don’t care who you are. No one causes trouble on my turf and gets away with it! Men! Take him away. I will interrogate him tonight."
"Sir!" Two Jing’an Guards immediately rushed forward and hauled Yan Sichen to his feet. They slapped heavy shackles on him right then and there and kicked the back of his leg. "Move!"
Yan Sichen shot Pei Shaoqing one last, resentful glare before turning away without a word. He then staggered off, escorted by the two Jing’an Guards.
Pei Shaoqing turned to the Holy Envoy and said in a mild tone, "Thank you for lending your righteous hand."
He had, of course, seen the man deliberately let Yan Sichen charge at him. While he could understand the motive, that didn’t mean he would accept it.
’He’d settle this score later.’
"You’re too kind," the Holy Envoy said with a cupped-fist salute. "Since the matter here is concluded, I shall take my leave."
With that, he and the masked County Magistrate Wang departed.
「A quarter of an hour later, at the Hundred Households.」
Pei Shaoqing sat in the seat of honor, looking down at Yan Sichen, who was forced to kneel on the floor. "The Emperor treats the Royal Family generously," he rebuked harshly. "So why would you plot a rebellion?"
"How did you know?" Yan Sichen’s face was a picture of shock as he stared at Pei Shaoqing in disbelief.
’He was certain Wang Wu didn’t know about this.’
’Could Commander Zhou have been captured alive?’
’Wait a minute...’ Young Master Pei was stunned. ’I was just trying to frame you for rebellion to maximize my own achievement. You’re *actually* planning to rebel?!’
"You were trying to frame me?" Seeing his reaction, Yan Sichen understood instantly. But instead of growing angry or denying it, he broke into a grin. "Heh. That’s right. I, the Heir, have long intended to rebel. Allow me to congratulate you in advance on another great accomplishment."
"Well, Brother Yan, now I feel a little embarrassed," Pei Shaoqing said with a smile. He gestured to the two guards holding Yan Sichen down. "You two are dismissed."
The two men bowed and departed.
Yan Sichen rose from the floor.
Pei Shaoqing asked, "Was King Shu involved?"
"No," Yan Sichen said, shaking his head. But then his tone shifted abruptly. "However, I am willing to confess that my father, the King, ordered me to do everything! The one plotting rebellion isn’t just me—it’s the entire Shu Royal Mansion!"
Pei Shaoqing was once again left speechless.
’Yan Sichen was actually going to drag his own father down with him.’
’This... what a shining example of filial piety.’
But regardless of Yan Sichen’s reasons, this was a massive stroke of luck for Pei Shaoqing.
After all, an accusation from the man’s own son would be far more convincing.
Still, he had to ask, "Why?"
"’Why?’" Yan Sichen, his hair a mess, burst out laughing. "Since I can no longer become King Shu, then this so-called Shu Royal Mansion has no reason to exist."
’He knew he was a dead man, but he’d be damned if he let that bastard son of a bitch reap the benefits for free.’
’And his own father, who always favored that bastard.’
’They can all go to hell with me!’
’If I can’t have it, no one can.’
Looking at the crazed Yan Sichen, Pei Shaoqing realized his body’s previous owner had actually been quite good to Marquis Weiyuan. At least he hadn’t wanted to slaughter his entire family just because he had a bad relationship with his father.
"Then tell me the details of King Shu’s rebellion."
"Of course. And if I get any of the details wrong, you’ll have to correct me, won’t you, Brother Pei? HAHAHAHA!"
With Yan Sichen’s active cooperation, Pei Shaoqing easily learned the details of King Shu’s plot. Finally, he asked about the one thing he was most curious about. "One last thing, Brother Yan. Tell me about that ghost you’re keeping."
"Why not?" A playful smile touched Yan Sichen’s lips as he began to speak. "As for that old ghost, the story begins three years ago..."