Chapter 247: Apprehension
One hour later, Zhang Mansion study room.
Zhang Yun’s face was unsightly as he gritted his teeth and whispered, “I didn’t expect General Xie to lose so miserably!”
General Zhang coldly glared at Zhang Yun: “Pei Qinghe slew the Xiongnu general on the battlefield, greatly defeated the Xiongnu barbarians, and her name resounded in the Northern Lands! General Xie that coward couldn’t even beat the rebel army and became a deserter. How could he possibly be Pei Qinghe’s opponent!”
Zhang Yun was also helpless: “Among a bunch of military generals, only General Xie was the easiest to persuade and instigate. For the other generals, I also sent lobbyists, but none of them were willing to act easily.”
They were all generals who had led troops for over a decade or decades. Winning against Pei Qinghe would not be honorable. Losing would be even more humiliating. Only General Xie had shallow eyelids, got inflated and muddleheaded after a few praises, and jumped out.
In the end, he became a stepping stone, allowing Pei Qinghe to display her prowess in front of all the military generals.
“Father witnessed it with his own eyes at the training ground today. Is Pei Qinghe really that powerful?”
“Yes,” General Zhang deeply exhaled: “Much more powerful than you and I expected! Even if I had gone into the field, I wouldn’t be her opponent!”
“Fortunately, she didn’t challenge publicly, or else I would have lost all face today.”
As military generals, martial arts sparring was as commonplace as civil officials debating. If Pei Qinghe challenged, General Zhang had no reason and couldn’t evade.
Luckily, after Pei Qinghe showed her edge, she sheathed her long saber. At that moment, the one who breathed a long sigh of relief was not just General Zhang alone.
A ruthless glint flashed in Zhang Yun’s eyes as he said in a low voice, “How about arranging ‘bandits’ to raid when Pei Qinghe leaves?”
“No!” General Zhang furrowed his brows, his gaze stern: “Pei Qinghe leads five hundred elite soldiers. Unless we deploy a large army, we can’t keep her. Even stepping back, even if the ambush succeeds and Pei Qinghe is killed, it would immediately provoke the Pei Family Army’s mad retaliation. Bohai Commandery has only been peaceful for a few days and can’t withstand a major battle.”
“The other military generals would also fall apart. The Northern Lands can’t withstand such great chaos.”
“Remember, we are loyal officials and good generals of the Jing Dynasty, not rebel traitors. We cannot act furtively.”
They had to put up a good archway.
Zhang Yun nodded reluctantly in agreement.
A glint flashed in General Zhang’s eyes as he said indifferently, “The Emperor particularly values Pei Qinghe.”
Zhang Yun sneered, “The day the Emperor insisted on appointing Pei Qinghe as General, I felt something was off. Back when the Pei Clan was exiled, the Emperor was ordered to see them off. A single meeting, yet it made the Emperor miss her for so many years. It shows Pei Qinghe’s scheming and tactics.”
General Zhang suddenly sized up his own son.
Zhang Yun felt a chill in his heart from the look: “Why is Father looking at me like that?”
General Zhang mused, “After the new year, you’ll be twenty-five, the legitimate eldest son of the Zhang Family, the Son of Heaven’s brother-in-law, and also the Vice Minister of Revenue, a proper third-rank official of the Imperial Court. Handsome and talented. You’re quite worthy to be General Pei’s husband.”
Zhang Yun’s pupils dilated in shock, as if struck by lightning, his whole body scorched and smoking: “Father, what joke is this! I already have a wife and children!”
He married at sixteen, his wife Madam Lu from a famous family, gentle, refined, beautiful, and dignified, who bore him two sons and a daughter. Husband and wife were loving and harmonious. Even with beautiful concubines constantly, the one he respected and loved in his heart was still his wife.
“Madam Lu is virtuous,” General Zhang said indifferently. “For the sake of strengthening the Zhang Clan, she will surely be willing to yield the position of principal wife.”
Smoke was practically rising from Zhang Yun’s head, flames flickering in his eyes: “I’m not willing! Pei Qinghe is ruthless and ferocious. I absolutely won’t marry her! Since Father values her so much, why not just ask to marry her as a successor wife.”
Zhang Yun said this purely out of anger, sarcastically mocking his own father.
Who would have thought General Zhang actually considered it seriously: “Your mother passed away many years ago, and I haven’t remarried, leaving the position of matriarch vacant. Unfortunately, I’m too old and far too different in age from General Pei. If I went to propose marriage, I’d fear being ridiculed by everyone, and General Pei wouldn’t agree.”
Zhang Yun: “…”
Zhang Yun’s temples throbbed, the corners of his mouth twitching.
General Zhang coldly glanced at Zhang Yun: “The Pei Family Army has taken Yan Prefecture and Beiping Commandery, and now even the Guangning Army bows to Pei Qinghe. Half of Youzhou has fallen into Pei Qinghe’s hands. Pei Qinghe publicly claims the Pei Family Army has six thousand elite soldiers, but the true troop strength is at least double. Think about yourself—at Pei Qinghe’s age, do you have such capability?”
“Marrying Pei Qinghe would allow us to bring the Pei Family Army under control and take over Yan Prefecture, Beiping Commandery, and Guangning Prefecture.”
“Even the Emperor is scheming to gain soldiers, land, and people. If I were ten or twenty years younger, why would I need to urge you to curry favor?”
“Move your brain a bit and think it over properly.”
Zhang Yun racked his brain all night, thinking the whole night.
At dawn the next day, Zhang Yun silently bathed, changed into brand new clothes, covered the shadows under his eyes with powder. He prepared generous gifts, took a calling card, and went to the large residence where General Pei had settled.
“Yo, Young Master Zhang is also here today to pay a visit to General Pei!”
“What a coincidence.”
There were actually five holding calling cards to pay a visit. All sons or nephews of military generals, each around twenty years old, none yet married.
One with a quick mouth grinned: “Young Master Zhang has a wife and children, so why come to pay a visit to General Pei?”
Zhang Yun’s smile was slightly stiff: “General Pei is the hero who drove out the Xiongnu barbarians. I admire her in my heart and have come specially to pay a visit. It has nothing to do with my wife and children.”
Heh heh heh heh!
The crowd laughed with tacit understanding.
The Zhang Family was powerful, and Zhang Yun this Imperial Uncle controlled the money and grain of the Ministry of Revenue—no one could afford to offend him. The group of young talents surrounded Zhang Yun chatting and laughing while waiting for General Pei to receive them.
The door opened.
Zhang Yun perked up, striking his best posture and demeanor, smiling as he looked over.
Then he saw a tall, dark, sturdy, and powerful miss walk out: “You all leave! The General has no time to see you.”
It was none other than the Pei Family Army’s number four, Pei Yan.
The young talents all looked toward Zhang Yun.
Zhang Yun straightened his back and said slowly, “Go tell the General that Zhang Yun has come to pay a visit!”
“I said no time, didn’t you hear?” Pei Yan didn’t care who the visitor was and impatiently shooed them: “All of you get lost!”
When had Zhang Yun ever suffered such humiliation? His nose was almost crooked with anger as he pointed: “Do you know who I am?”
The next moment, a fist was right in front of his face.
Zhang Yun was greatly startled and hastily retreated. Pei Yan sneered and swung her fist again. Zhang Yun had no choice but to retreat and evade again.
Pei Yan waved her fist at the other young men: “My fist doesn’t recognize people. Whoever doesn’t leave, I won’t be polite.”
The young talents had come to curry favor, not to fight. Besides, they couldn’t beat Pei Yan either. They each slunk away dejectedly.
Zhang Yun, not satisfied, threw out harsh words as he left: “If you have the ability, don’t come begging at the Zhang Family’s door in the future.”
……
