SEHE Chapter 29

Extortion

 

“His Highness entrusted this matter to me precisely because he can’t even be bothered to spare you all a glance,” Pei Yanci said. “Aren’t you thinking too highly of yourself?”

 

The young man clenched his fists tightly. “I’m going to seek justice from Chief Steward Zhang!”

 

“Don’t you think Chief Steward Zhang wouldn’t accept silver money too?” Pei Yanci laughed at his naivety.

 

Since he had already opened this door, their appetites would likely grow even larger. The reason there had been no movement so far was that after his falling out with Yunsheng last time, Yunsheng now couldn’t bring himself to divide the spoils.

 

“You also came from servant origins—don’t you understand the situation? How is it that those who spend their days drinking and frequenting brothels can remain in the mansion, while we who work hard day and night are to be sold off instead!”

 

The young man sniffled, tears welling in his eyes, his voice thunderous. “The mansion claims to have so many people, but only a few actually work. We rise early and sleep late every day, doing the most and the hardest work. The monthly wages I hold may not be much, but they’re earned with a clear conscience. Now look—because we don’t take bribes and can’t produce extra money to feed your greed, you want to drive us away. What kind of reasoning is this! Is there no justice left under heaven!”

 

Several voices of low agreement came from outside the courtyard, though no complete figures could be seen—they were all hiding behind walls.

 

“Justice? You’re merely servants. Even if beaten to death, your master wouldn’t be blamed for it. The justice you speak of can’t even protect your lives,” Pei Yanci said with casual indifference, spreading his hands. “Everyone has been able to profit from various items in the mansion over the years. How is it that only you remain honest and hardworking, burying yourself in labor without knowing how to be flexible?”

 

“So those scoundrels stealing His Highness’s silver are in the right?”

 

“Naturally. Have you seen His Highness speak up about it? When His Highness says nothing, that means he acquiesces. Since he approves, what gives you, a mere servant, the audacity to question His Highness?”

 

The man was shocked by this reasoning. After a long while, he said bitterly, “You’re cut from the same cloth as them. I won’t argue with you people. I’m telling you plainly today—I won’t give you a single copper coin. Sell off all of us who actually do the work, and then let’s see who will serve you in this mansion!”

 

“You think I care about your few copper coins?” Pei Yanci laughed. “Just know your own poverty and be done with it. Don’t come out and make a fool of yourself. Pack your belongings early—when the human traffickers come in a couple of days, you can leave directly. Save others from saying you’re still trying to cling shamelessly to staying here.”

 

The young man flew into a rage and stormed out, slamming the door.

 

When he reached the courtyard gate, several honest companions were anxiously waiting for news from him.

 

Pei Yanci emerged from the house and could still hear them quietly discussing whether to seek out Gu Jiuqing and how to do so.

 

They were merely the lowest servants—where would they find opportunity to see such a person?

 

Pei Yanci coughed twice. By the time he walked out from the doorway, no one was visible anymore.

 

Wuli was very uneasy. Following behind, he was about to offer a few words of advice when Steward Zhao came looking for them, blocking both of them right at the courtyard gate.

 

“Steward Pei, quite impressive lately,” Steward Zhao said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“What a coincidence, Steward Zhao. Please, come inside,” Pei Yanci said. His steps toward the gate had to stop as he turned back toward the house.

 

Once inside with the door closed, Steward Zhao got straight to the point. “The front courtyard is reducing the most people this time. Yanci, this isn’t very honorable of you.”

 

“The stewards who are advisors basically all manage rear courtyard affairs and rarely move about in the front courtyard. His Highness also recruited assassins under the pretext of rear courtyard guards. With His Highness wanting to reduce so many people at once, there really was no alternative,” Pei Yanci poured him tea. “Why don’t you speak with His Highness about how the front courtyard can’t do without people?”

 

If he could have spoken up, he would have sought out Gu Jiuqing long ago. Why would he lower himself to come find Pei Yanci?

 

“You already know to use silver to test loyalty—why don’t you use your brain to be a little more flexible?” Steward Zhao lectured with the air of an experienced elder. “This time all the advisors will have to leave. After this, the mansion will be entirely Chief Steward Zhang’s domain. You’ve sold off so many of his people at once—haven’t you thoroughly offended him?”

 

He picked up his teacup and pointed out a clear path. “Before, it was those scholars who loved fighting for power, making the mansion a chaotic mess. Everyone stopped working and only thought about lining their own pockets. You might as well take advantage of this purge to sell off all those who were close to those scholars. The mansion will surely be much quieter afterward.”

 

“Steward Zhao speaks reasonably,” Pei Yanci smiled and refilled his tea. “Chief Steward Zhang also seems to find me disagreeable. So you’re saying that after I sell them off, I’ll be next?”

 

Steward Zhao’s expression changed slightly as he hurriedly lowered his head to drink tea.

 

Pei Yanci watched him impassively, a cold smile rising in his heart.

 

He had been making this commotion for three or four days and collected over eight thousand taels in silver.

 

Song Qi’an, Great Scholar Fang, and several others had scraped together for many days and only managed to gather five thousand taels.

 

No wonder people say: “Better to be a dog before a wealthy gate than fight for half an acre in a poor household.”

 

Even if Yunsheng didn’t know exactly how much money he had collected, he could tell this was a profitable venture with no losses.

 

Ever since their quarrel that day, he and Zhang Huairu had made no moves. Now, even with so many of their people being dismissed, they only sent Steward Zhao.

 

Yunsheng had prepared the list early and, when Pei Yanci created difficulties, used the opportunity to make a big fuss and break with him, claiming he would no longer manage this affair. That acting was truly worthy of palace training—even deceiving Pei Yanci.

 

After Pei Yanci had offended everyone in the mansion and found himself despised on all sides, what awaited him would not be Gu Jiuqing’s praise, but the same fate as those others—being sold to human traffickers.

 

He would do the dirty, exhausting work; he would bear the servants’ resentment and rage. Yunsheng and the others would hide behind him throughout, emerging clean in the end. When the mansion’s servants mentioned them, they would probably still praise Chief Steward Zhang and Yunsheng’s goodness. If not now, when would be the time to win hearts and minds?

 

“How could Chief Steward Zhang possibly dismiss you? You’re currently His Highness’s favorite,” Steward Zhao said, downing a large gulp of tea and regaining much composure. “You’re just overthinking things. If this matter reaches the higher-ups’ hearts, Chief Steward Zhang and His Highness will be too delighted to contain themselves.”

 

Whether he was favored or not, didn’t Pei Yanci know himself?

 

Relying on that meager bit of sentiment—how could it compete with Zhang Huairu, who had shared hardships with His Highness for many years?

 

Pei Yanci looked at Steward Zhao and shook his head with a light sigh. “To tell you the truth, Chief Steward Zhang already bears resentment toward me.”

 

“How do you figure?” Steward Zhao asked in surprise.

 

“You don’t know about previous events,” Pei Yanci glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, said quietly, “We’ve always been on good terms—you’re like an uncle to me. That’s why I’m telling you this. Don’t mention it to others.”

 

Hearing this, Steward Zhao’s curiosity was further piqued, and he also leaned his head closer. “What happened?”

 

“Zhang Huairu once sent people to bind Wuli and me, intending to drown us in the river. Fortunately, we both had great luck and narrowly escaped this calamity,” he said. “After returning, Chief Steward Zhang feared I would retaliate, so he began treating me with cold disdain. Tell me, what am I compared to him in status? How would I dare say a word against him? I’d probably be too busy trying to curry favor with him.”

 

“That makes sense,” Steward Zhao nodded. “Your thinking is good, but I’m afraid Chief Steward Zhang might be overthinking things. Add to that your current reckless behavior, and if he later tells His Highness you’re using this opportunity to amass wealth, you’ll have hell to pay.”

 

“I must ask Steward Zhao to speak well of me before Chief Steward Zhang,” Pei Yanci grasped his hand with sincere emotion. “We’re doing this so that those who remain in the mansion will all be capable workers.”

 

Steward Zhao felt something hard in his palm. When he withdrew his hand, he felt around in his sleeve—at least ten taels of silver.

 

His face immediately brightened with joy. Since Pei Yanci made no mention of this being returned money, it must be additional “errand money.”

 

“You understand things much better than before, so I needn’t worry,” he said. “I’ll have a word with Chief Steward Zhang later, so stop looking so glum. I was among the first batch to enter the mansion. Back then, there weren’t nearly so many people—everything depended on him and me working from dawn to dusk. Not just buying and selling servants—we did all sorts of other things too. Otherwise, how could we have become stewards?”

 

He brought up his seniority to suggest his close relationship with Zhang Huairu, while hinting that he would help Pei Yanci improve Zhang Huairu’s impression of him—though he didn’t promise this outright.

 

Take the money, but whether the matter would be handled properly was another question entirely.

 

At the same time, he was also hinting to Pei Yanci that regarding the servant trade, he knew the inside workings. With Zhang Huairu as his backing, today he was making just this small request—to secure a few more positions for his front courtyard subordinates to remain in the mansion. This had to be arranged properly.

 

“Understood, understood,” Pei Yanci agreed with a smile, “You’ve always loved supporting the younger generation in the mansion. Not to mention others—I alone have received considerable care from you. Even calling you ‘Uncle’ wouldn’t be excessive. Since Uncle Zhao has business for me today, how could I refuse?”

 

Steward Zhao felt reassured and rose with a smile. “Indeed, one must be ambitious. Now that you’re a steward, your speech is quite different.”

 

Pei Yanci escorted him to the door and presented him with two pounds of tea leaves. “You can rest assured about my end, but please trouble Uncle to take extra care regarding Steward Qi’s side.”

 

“Certainly, certainly,” Steward Zhao weighed the tea leaves in his hand. His steps toward the door paused as he said, “Last time in the Elu Bureau’s great prison, it seems I didn’t see you.”

 

Pei Yanci looked at him with puzzlement.

 

“With so many prison cells, we weren’t held adjacent to each other.”

 

“That’s true,” Steward Zhao seemed to recall something else. “That night when His Highness was in danger, you seemed to have gone out. I happened to encounter you, and you said you were going to the latrine.”

 

“What are you trying to say, Uncle?” Pei Yanci’s face remained smiling, but his gaze had turned cold.

 

“What would I want to say? Just chatting, rambling a few sentences—don’t take it too seriously,” Steward Zhao chuckled. “I was just saying that after coming out of prison, I was still concerned about your head injury not being fully healed, fearing you had suffered inside but wouldn’t tell me. But when I asked around, no one remembered being in the same cell as you or in an adjacent one. Don’t you find that strange?”

 

By the end, Steward Zhao’s smile carried a cold, sharp gleam.

 

Pei Yanci maintained his usual warm smile, staring at him unblinkingly.

 

Clearly, he should be the one with something to hide, yet Steward Zhao felt his blood run cold under that gaze.