SEHE Chapter 84.1

Uncle and Nephew (part 1)

The next day, Fang Qingdu stormed furiously into Gewu Hall, directly slamming a book scroll onto Pei Yanci’s desk.

“Look at what fine things you’ve done!” His chest heaved violently with anger, and a trace of barely concealed ferocity appeared on his usually stern and serious face. “You’re going to ruin our entire Imperial Academy!”

“Is Vice Chancellor Fang referring to the incident yesterday where Jian Zeqian and Xu Du argued to the point of coming to blows?”

“Did you do something else?” Fang Qingdu’s eyes widened.

“Then no.” No opportunity for that.

“You want to expel Jian Zeqian?” Fang Qingdu said in a heavy voice. “Who authorized you to do this?”

“He violated the Academy’s rules, so naturally he should be expelled.”

“Since you’re expelling Jian Zeqian, what about Xu Du? He doesn’t need to be expelled?”

“He can accept expulsion, or he can choose to receive punishment.”

“What on earth are you thinking? Keeping someone who knows nothing and fights all day long, while forcing someone law-abiding to withdraw?” Fang Qingdu couldn’t believe it.

“Jian Zeqian has gathered the sons of his father’s colleagues and faction allies here to ruthlessly suppress dissenters and win over talented and virtuous students to serve him. He already has suspicions of forming cliques for personal gain, yet Vice Chancellor Fang considers him law-abiding? Could it be that Vice Chancellor Fang harbors resentment because Xu Du always threatens to have you dismissed, so you want to take this opportunity to get rid of him?”

“Even if they’re both at fault, your judgment is unfair.”

“There’s nothing unfair about it. Jian Zeqian was the one who started the trouble, so naturally he must be expelled.” Pei Yanci calmly watched him go from explosive fury to a face full of gloom.

“Impossible, with Xu Du’s temperament…”

“Vice Chancellor Fang, are you viewing students with personal bias?”

After being asked this question, Fang Qingdu froze for a moment.

“I have already investigated the facts. This is how it is.” Pei Yanci picked up the book scroll that had been thrown on the desk, smoothed out its creases, and returned it to him.

“Where is Chancellor Qi? Such a major incident has occurred, where is he?” Fang Qingdu shouted.

“Chancellor Qi hasn’t arrived yet,” an erudite scholar quietly replied.

“Pei Yanci, you must take responsibility for this matter.” Fang Qingdu closed his eyes, leaving with a body full of resentful anger.

Pei Yanci watched him leave, then turned to look at the erudite scholars with their various expressions, and smiled.

“Vice Chancellor Pei,” at this moment, the Deputy Supervisor from the Three Departments’ Hall came running over breathlessly, leaning against the doorframe and saying, “Vice Chancellor, Xu Du says he’s come to receive punishment.”

The erudite scholars looked at each other. Those who had been present yesterday explained the circumstances, and they couldn’t help but be surprised. “With Xu Du’s temperament, is he the type to bow his head?”

“Then you should punish him according to the Academy rules, however it should be done.” Pei Yanci said.

“But…”

Pei Yanci helplessly stood up. “I’ll go with you.”

The Deputy Supervisor immediately beamed with joy and followed his steps.

Along the way, white-robed scholars walked in pairs from time to time, or composed poetry by the lakeside. Many who saw Pei Yanci whispered to those beside them.

His handling of yesterday’s argument had made many people aware of him.

But it wasn’t enough.

Pei Yanci wanted more.

When Jian Zeqian received the expulsion document early this morning, he was completely dazed, not knowing why the matter had become so serious. Before Fang Qingdu, he had already gone to Pei Yanci with the document.

At that time, Pei Yanci only said this was according to the rules, and sent him away with that.

Actually, Jian Zeqian’s expulsion was more beneficial than harmful to him. Since he wanted to implement reforms at the Imperial Academy, he naturally needed to establish a deterrent force in advance. Before today, most of the Academy students had either never seen him or might not even know of his existence. Jian Zeqian himself had stuck his neck out and delivered himself to his blade, so he could only reluctantly kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

As for what impact the expulsion would have on his future path?

A group of students from bottom-tier official families at the Imperial Academy, poor erudite scholars whose livelihoods were constantly under threat—who among them cared about the life of a third-rank official’s son?

Pei Yanci didn’t have that much time to waste on this.

As for Xu Du, he didn’t have that much compassion either. He simply saw that he had some leadership ability. If he could restrain that group of ignorant troublemakers in the future, that would be best. If not, he’d just replace him with someone else.

The expulsion document had already been issued. What remained was only one problem: how to make the Minister of the Dali Temple accept this matter.

Thinking this, they had already arrived at the Three Departments’ Hall.

Xu Du originally thought receiving punishment was shameful, but later when his underling came back with information saying that Jian Zeqian had directly received an expulsion document, he thought about it and reluctantly decided to swallow his pride.

But who would have thought that when he came to the Three Departments’ Hall, the Deputy Supervisor had actually invited Pei Yanci over—wasn’t this making him lose even more face?

“Go, hurry up and go. What’s there to see?”

Pei Yanci saw that he wasn’t the type to shirk his punishment, and told the Deputy Supervisor he could begin.

As he walked away, the sound of the disciplinary rod striking flesh came from the dormitory.

****

By the fifteenth day, Pei Yanci didn’t have much to do. In the afternoon he simply took leave, first going to the theater’s small building to get the drafted reform measures from Yue Ting, then returning to his own home. He waited until evening before taking several gift boxes to the Zheng Manor.

Cui Ya’s Left Minister’s mansion and the Chief Overseer’s mansion were both within Pingkang ward. The Zheng Manor was farther, in Yongxing ward. With the streets crowded with common people in the evening, the carriage took more than half an hour to reach the Zheng Manor.

Above the main gate hung a plaque that bore no title of marquis or minster, only two characters: Zheng Manor.

A single Zheng surname was enough to surpass countless princes, ministers, and generals who had come and gone through these hundreds of years.

There had still been sun in the afternoon, but in the blink of an eye the sky was covered with dark clouds, looking as if a storm was about to pour down.

Pei Yanci brought Wushu along and had Wuli return first, planning to have someone from the Zheng Manor send them back later in the evening.

A doorman came out to greet them, smiling. “Young Master Pei, the master is still in his study. Please sit in the main hall for a while. We’ll call you when the banquet begins.”

Pei Yanci nodded and walked inside with Wushu.

Wushu’s eyes couldn’t stop looking around curiously. When they entered the main hall, he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

This place was much larger than the Crown Prince’s mansion.

The Crown Prince’s mansion had a strong scholarly atmosphere. The Zheng Manor had ancient and substantial character. The jade porcelain vases placed in corners of the main hall looked ordinary, but were actually produced by imperial kilns during the Great Wu dynasty over two hundred years ago. These days you couldn’t see a single one outside, yet here they were placed in inconspicuous corners and used as ordinary flower vases.

Pei Yanci had just knelt down to drink some tea when he saw Qi Lan emerge from a room behind the main hall. Upon seeing him, the listless boredom in his brows dissipated somewhat, and he sneered coldly. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“Now I can at least be considered a member of the Zheng family.”

“You’ve been quite the prominent figure at the Imperial Academy these past two days. What, not satisfied enough with my sincerity?” Qi Lan sat opposite him, one leg raised up, his bent knee supporting one arm, his eyes slightly downcast, looking utterly lazy and listless.

A slender dagger in its sheath flipped and played between his fingers, like an agile slender snake coiling and wandering.

“Quite satisfied. I’m just worried that Minister Zheng, out of consideration for the Minister of the Dali Temple’s dignity, might bring up this matter tonight.” Pei Yanci smiled. “Following the Academy rules, yet still having to consider people outside the Imperial Academy—truly troublesome.”

“I’m also very curious why you did this.” Qi Lan’s thoughts stirred as he stared at his face. “At least granduncle values you highly. You don’t need to worry.”

Pei Yanci looked up. For an instant, a trace of wariness flashed in his eyes, his expression carrying a touch of unnaturalness as he smiled with difficulty. “How is that possible? Where did you get that idea?”

“Didn’t he take you as his adopted son?”

“That, ah, is only because of His Highness the Crown Prince. There’s nothing special about it. Don’t overthink it.”

Minister Zheng had said the same thing to him, telling him and his mother consort not to overthink it.

“How long have you been with the Crown Prince?”

“I’ve been following him since he established his household. Thinking back, it’s been several years now.” Pei Yanci showed a reminiscent expression. What he said was all true. “His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to find an opportunity to help me escape my slave status before. Fortunately, at that Dragon Boat Festival, I was finally able to logically become a member of the Zheng family.”

So at the Dragon Boat polo match, Gu Jiuqing had insisted on having a servant participate in order to help him succeed?

Then what about him?

The light in Qi Lan’s eyes became cold and sharp.

The polo match was a knot in his heart—being defeated by a slave was the greatest humiliation of his seventeen years of life.

“Now I’m somewhat tired of it.” Pei Yanci sighed, rubbing his brow, then turned his gaze back to him. “If Jian Zeqian is expelled, that shouldn’t be good for you, right?”

“How could it be good?”

Seeing that he hadn’t caught on, Pei Yanci sighed. “The Princess’s mansion, the Zheng family, and His Highness the Crown Prince are all one entity to begin with. Jian Zeqian searches for useful people for the Zheng family at the Imperial Academy. If talented individuals who could be of great use don’t submit to his control, he ruthlessly suppresses and oppresses them. If he remains at the Academy, he certainly won’t tolerate other voices, which is actually a good thing. It was I who rigidly adhered to the rules and acted incorrectly.”

If you’re recruiting talent for the Princess’s mansion, you should at least first eliminate the Zheng family’s people, to avoid being detected in advance.

A trace of contemplation flashed through Qi Lan’s eyes.

“You’re just following the rules. What fault is there in that?”

Qi Lan neither said he would help nor that he wouldn’t, pondering in his heart that if their opinions were aligned, there would be no opportunity to stir up trouble. Now Pei Yanci seemed to want to break free from the Zheng family’s shackles—this was a good time for divided hearts and loyalties.

Seeing him like this, Pei Yanci became several degrees more certain of Princess Zhangping’s intentions.

This was indeed a good time for divided hearts and loyalties.

A couple days ago, Qi Lan had inadvertently mentioned the night he and Tang Xizhui had chased to the small courtyard, saying he had killed his men, and then thought of Tang Xizhui saying no one had seen them together. So Qi Lan might have mistaken Tang Xizhui’s subordinates for people given to him by either Gu Jiuqing or Minister Zheng.

He had been a servant just a month ago, Gu Jiuqing’s vassal—how could he have trained so many powerful shadow guards?

Therefore, Qi Lan had proposed wanting to cooperate with him more deeply, rather than remaining in a cooperation that still had Minister Zheng in the middle.

Just now he had tested with Jian Zeqian, and sure enough, Princess Zhangping appeared to cooperate with Zheng Qinglai on the surface, but secretly had her own little schemes.

A clap of thunder sounded at the horizon. In the blink of an eye, torrential rain poured down. The servants still in the courtyard didn’t even have time to run under the corridor to take shelter and were half-soaked.

“Your Highness, please come inside.” The steward’s voice rang out, ushering someone in.

Gu Jiuqing entered the main hall carrying a body full of moisture, his shoulders covered with rainwater. Seeing Pei Yanci, his gaze paused slightly, then slid past.

It was only the end of the hour of Shen, yet the light inside the hall was already as dark as night.

Pei Yanci’s face was as white as a cluster of tuberose petals slowly blooming in a dim, gloomy room.

Qi Yunsheng put away the umbrella and hurriedly rushed in patting the rainwater off his body, crouching down to straighten Gu Jiuqing’s dampened robe hem.

“Your Highness, please rest for a moment. This servant has already had someone prepare clean clothes below.” The chief steward said apologetically, while a servant beside him had already brought him a cup of hot tea to drive away the cold.

Gu Jiuqing hummed in acknowledgment. Without paying attention to Qi Yunsheng, he walked into the main hall and knelt down between Pei Yanci and Qi Lan.

After the two greeted the Crown Prince, there were no more words.

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence.

Pei Yanci lowered his head and took a sip of tea. From the corner of his eye he glimpsed Gu Jiuqing’s frost-covered face, and before the other’s gaze could fall on him, he hurriedly withdrew his gaze.