Shocked! The salty concubine was spoiled by the cold prince

Chapter 159: Good Material for a Tyrant

Governor Xie took Pei Xu back to the Governor's Mansion trembling with fear. He never expected that he would not only fail to enjoy the welcoming banquet, but also get himself into big trouble.

But who would have thought that Pei Yunzhao, who seemed calm on weekdays, would become dizzy and disoriented after drinking two sips of wine, and dared to say anything.

Governor Xie felt that the Third Prince was the biggest obstacle he had encountered in his life as an official.

If it weren't for the Third Prince, perhaps his head could still be saved...

Now, it’s hard to say.

But even so, he couldn't just sit there and wait to die.

"Your Highness, this is the Governor's Mansion."

Governor Xie secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tone filled with caution and respect. He couldn't fathom Pei Xu's thoughts, but he knew he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Fortunately, he had already taken care of everything he needed to do when he learned he was coming to Jinzhou City. Otherwise, he would have been even more restless.

Pei Xu noticed all his little actions, but did not take it seriously.

Pei Xu knew very well in his heart that Governor Xie was also a dishonest person.

But Pei Yunzhao was getting more and more stupid, and he actually brought the handle right into his hands.

I don’t know whether it was because smoke was coming out of their ancestral graves or because the feng shui of the graves was bad, but such people appeared among their descendants.

Pei Xu sneered, feeling an indescribable irony.

When Governor Xie heard him laugh, he became even more frightened, but he did not dare to ask him.

"Thank you, Governor. I think your Governor's Mansion is very good."

Pei Xu said something ambiguous, looking around with sharp eyes.

Not to mention the exquisitely painted beams and carved buildings, just looking at the furnishings in his room, they are all exquisitely crafted. This is not something that can be built with just money. It seems that Governor Xie not only extorted the people's wealth, but also accepted a lot of bribes.

A mere provincial governor can get so many good things, so what about the important officials in the court?

Without much thought, Pei Xu had the answer in his mind.

Governor Xie had no idea that Pei Xu had already made a preliminary judgment based on the decorations and other items in his mansion.

"Your Highness, you are joking. How can this humble servant's place compare to Your Highness's residence? If Your Highness does not mind its simplicity, I will clean up the main courtyard today and invite Your Highness to move in."

Governor Xie forced a smile, but a thousand thoughts flashed through his mind.

He knew that Prince Su and the Third Prince were different. When the Third Prince praised the beautiful decoration of the house, that was just praise, but it was hard to say for Prince Su.

Governor Xie didn't want to deal with Pei Xu for too long, he just wanted to get rid of this evil spirit as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but secretly resent it in his heart. Why would the Third Prince provoke him for no reason?!

Little did he know that even if Pei Yunzhao was not there, Pei Xu would have been furious just by seeing the table full of exquisite food.

Nowadays, the people are suffering, but these officials are living a fat and healthy life. How can we not hate them!

Pei Xu claimed that he was not a saint, but he could not do such a heartless thing.

But Pei Yunzhao, this idiot, always complains about his hard life.

The emperor asked Pei Yunzhao to come to resettle the victims and investigate the embezzlement of disaster relief funds, not to enjoy himself.

Pei Yunzhao is a prince who represents the imperial court and the royal family. If his words and deeds were to be spread, it would only cause trouble for Pei Xu.

Refugee riots are not easy to resolve, especially without bloodshed.

Pei Xu did not want the people to be injured or killed unless it was necessary.

Pei Xu looked at Governor Xie and smiled coldly.

"No need for that. Governor Xie must have put a lot of thought into this mansion. How can I take away someone's love? I'm quite comfortable living in my inn. There's no need to bother anymore."

He came today not only to see what the Governor's Mansion was like, but also to do more important things.

"Could you please provide me with all the records related to the disaster, including where the relief money went, how much each household received, whether there was any surplus after the relief money was distributed, and where the rest of the money went?"

When Governor Xie heard this, sweat broke out on his forehead.

There was no disaster relief money at all. Although the imperial court had issued 200,000 silver coins for disaster relief, after being exploited at all levels, there was little left in his hands. Even if he gave it out, it would be like a stone dropped into the sea, without even a ripple.

What's more, everyone else has been exploited, so how could he not be tempted?

The more Inspector Xie thought about it, the more guilty he felt. He just hoped that Pei Xu had been marching and fighting for many years and was not proficient in this field, so he could let him fool people with false accounts.

Pei Xu looked at him leisurely without urging him.

"Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will get it right away."

Governor Xie spoke with courage, and one could tell at a glance that he was guilty.

However, Gu Jiaorong obediently acted as Pei Xu's pendant and did not speak a word, so as to prevent Governor Xie from regarding her as a thorn in his side and trying every means to get rid of her.

Gu Jiaorong felt that her hatred value was already high enough and didn't need any more.

Pei Xu seemed to be aware of her thoughts, so he didn't talk to her, as if she was really just a foil.

Governor Xie was sweating profusely and had no time to care about his concubine Gu Jiaorong.

He took out the fake accounts that he had prepared long ago and handed them to Pei Xu.

He was betting that Pei Xu would not question each refugee one by one.

As long as Pei Xu does not contact the refugees privately, but passes the message to those people through him, he has a way to make them shut up.

Pei Xu moved his hands, and Fu'an took the thing handed to him by Governor Xie.

"Alright, now that I've got everything I need, I won't bother Governor Xie any more."

Pei Xu naturally knew that the accounts given to him by Governor Xie were fake, but he didn't care. After all, weren't these fake accounts a kind of evidence?

As for Pei Yunzhao, now is not the time to deal with him.

If possible, Pei Xu hopes to kill someone by using another's knife rather than doing it himself.

After they came out of the governor's mansion, they split into two groups.

Pei Xu took Gu Jiaorong back to the inn, while their guards quietly left to investigate the matter of the disaster relief silver.

They arrived in Jinzhou City late last night and didn't have time to do many things.

Although he had met Inspector Xie today, Pei Xu felt that Inspector Xie was not a capable person, but rather a very greedy person, so he did not think that he was difficult to deal with.

His main concern now is to get rid of Pei Yunzhao's private soldiers as soon as possible.

As long as these private soldiers are not dealt with, their safety in Jinzhou City cannot be guaranteed.

Gu Jiaorong easily guessed his thoughts and supported his decision, but she felt that since Pei Xu wanted to kill someone with a borrowed knife, there were many things that he didn't need to do personally.

"Your Majesty, I think we should gather evidence and tell His Majesty about the Third Prince's private army. He can then send someone to investigate the matter. We only need to do our best to deal with the disaster."

It is not a trivial matter for a prince to raise private soldiers. Even if the emperor sends people, he will send other princes, not important officials.

After all, although this is a national affair, it is also a family affair.

If this matter were to get out, it would probably be laughed at.

The emperor was a man who cared about his reputation. He wanted to be praised, and he didn't want a hundred years later, all the stories about him would be stories of brothers fighting each other.

Pei Xu was very smart. He understood what Gu Jiaorong meant after just a few words.

"Rong'er is right. I was too confused."

If only Pei Xu and Pei Yunzhao were here, once something happened to Pei Yunzhao, the blame would be put on Pei Xu's head. But if another prince was added, then the beneficiary would definitely not be Pei Xu, and Pei Xu would be able to get out of it perfectly.

"I will write a memorial and send it off tonight. I believe that His Majesty will soon know what the Third Prince has done here. By then, this matter will have nothing to do with us."

Pei Xu smiled. Even if Pei Yunzhao died here, no one would doubt him anymore.

He had made up his mind that this time he would never let Pei Yunzhao return to the capital alive.

Even a clay figure has some blood in it, let alone him.

Pei Yunzhao attacked him repeatedly and even pointed the finger at Gu Jiaorong.

Pei Xu could no longer tolerate him, otherwise it would be a problem whether his child could be born safely.

"I'm grinding ink for the prince."

Gu Jiaorong walked to Pei Xu with a smile and spoke slowly.

Now Pei Xu didn't hide anything from her, so he was naturally not afraid of her watching him write the memorial. Perhaps she could even give him some advice.

Compared with the harmony between the two, Pei Yunzhao, who had sobered up, wanted to slap himself twice.

He always thought that he had a good alcohol tolerance and good drinking habits. Even if he was drunk, he shouldn't point at Pei Xu's nose and act crazy.

"Your Highness, Prince Su must have been completely offended by you now. I think it would be best for Your Highness to avoid him tomorrow and not to clash with him again."

The strategist was not a brainless person, otherwise he would not have covered Pei Yunzhao's mouth on the spot and stopped him from speaking.

But Pei Yunzhao was unwilling to let this go, as if he was afraid of Pei Xu.

"Is there no other way?"

Pei Yunzhao had an impatient look on his face. After leaving the capital, he had been respected along the way. How could he have suffered such humiliation?

Pei Xu not only pointed at his nose and scolded him, but also asked him to hide away. Where is the law in this?

"Your Highness, you've already handed him the handle. You can't even hide, but you're still thinking about provoking him. You've probably forgotten that his reputation as a demon god isn't for nothing. Even if he's been poisoned and his skills aren't what they used to be, it's still easy for him to touch Your Highness."

The counselors did not give Pei Yunzhao any face. After all, face cannot be eaten. If they let Pei Yunzhao continue to commit suicide, their heads would be in danger.

"He Guangquan, how can you talk to your master like that?"

Pei Yunzhao looked at He Guangquan with a cold face, wishing he could strangle him to death immediately to vent his anger.

Which strategist would be like He Guangquan, who only knows how to pour cold water on his master?

"Your Highness, if you were more rational, I wouldn't talk to you like this, but you forgot that you can get into trouble even if you drink. If I let you go out to see Prince Su again, I'm afraid we won't even be able to leave Jinzhou City."

He Guangquan naturally knew that Pei Yunzhao had raised troops here and that he was the one who chose this position, but he never looked down on Pei Xu.

"Your Highness, I urge you to listen to my advice. If it weren't for the great kindness that Concubine Shu has shown me, I would have left long ago. Why would I waste my breath arguing with Your Highness about this?"

What He Guangquan said was true. He was a talented man. Even if he left Pei Yunzhao and turned to serve the prince, the prince would accept him.

If it weren't for this, Pei Yunzhao would never have brought him out, let alone let him cover his mouth and not punish him until now.

"I know you are talented, but you are arrogant and can't stand me. But there is nothing I can do. I was born into a good family. My mother is a concubine, and my father is the emperor. I am destined to stand above millions of people. Even if I fail in the battle for the throne, I will still have a prince to become. No matter how powerful Pei Xu is, his title is just a way out for me."

Pei Yunzhao does have the capital to be proud, but he cannot see the situation clearly.

He Guangquan knew very well that on the surface, it was the Crown Prince and the five princes competing for the throne. Then why was His Majesty so wary of Pei Xu that he even went to great lengths to suppress him?

Of course it was because Pei Xu might do something they couldn't imagine.

Or maybe His Majesty did something in the past that is why he is so wary of Pei Xu now.

These are all old stories and secrets. He Guangquan certainly doesn't know them, but he is not stupid.

"Your Highness, I don't mean that. I'm helping you now to repay you. I won't abandon you no matter what. But you have to listen to my advice, otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain."

He Guangquan spent countless efforts to maintain his troops.

He was not afraid that Pei Yunzhao was a tyrant. As long as Pei Yunzhao ascended the throne and promised to give him the position of prime minister, he could continue to ensure that Pei Yunzhao's regime was worry-free.

He Guangquan felt that he had such ability, so he did not give up his plan of taking care of Pei Yunzhao.

But Pei Yunzhao's disobedience made him a little impatient.

"Okay, I know you're doing this for my own good. Can't you just avoid him for a few days? No matter how he messes around, I won't go out."

Anyway, he feels quite comfortable living here and won't feel bored even if he doesn't go out.

Besides, Pei Yunzhao had no plan to go out. There were a lot of refugees outside, and going out would affect his mood.

Pei Xu will handle the disaster, and he just needs to stay here as a mascot.

When leaving Beijing, his mother told him that as long as he didn't make any mistakes here, Pei Xu would take care of everything else, so he didn't need to worry about it.

No matter how great Pei Xu's contributions were, his father would never reuse him. Instead, he would just transfer the credit to him, and he would reap the benefits.

Although Pei Yunzhao couldn't figure it out, he was very good at reaping the benefits.

"But you have to keep a close eye on Pei Xu. If he does something that ruins my plan, you can't stop me anymore."

Pei Yunzhao wanted to kill Pei Xu. He had disliked Pei Xu for a long time. Moreover, if Pei Xu died here, the beauty beside him would naturally fall into his hands.

Even though the beauty is pregnant, she still has a unique charm.

When Pei Yunzhao thought of Gu Jiaorong, he began to understand why some people like married women.

It’s good to have a married woman!

"Go find me some dancers. I'm getting bored staying in this house, and there's nothing to do to entertain me."

Pei Yunzhao was used to luxury when he was in the capital, and he was unwilling to compromise himself when he came here. He wanted to live well in this house and have beautiful women by his side.

He Guangquan just felt that Pei Yunzhao was a good material for being a tyrant, but he stopped trying to persuade him.

It's better to hang out with beautiful women here than to go out and get into trouble.