Chapter 62 The First Step to Defeat the Villain

How to break through a strong fortress?

Historical experience tells Zhao Duan that he needs to start from within.

Three elements can be extracted from Yunxi's intelligence:

1. The fourth wife of the Pei family wanted to get rid of her husband, but she was unable to do so.

2. Lu Liang and his father-in-law are not on good terms with each other, but are just using each other. Lu Liang hates the Pei family, but is reluctant to get rid of it.

3. Lu Liang and Pei Shilang have each other's negative information.

The key is the last one.

"Lü Liang was known for his integrity, but not only did he accept 'bribes', he also accidentally killed someone, which was enough to ruin his future."

"Minister Pei is a key figure in the Li Party, second only to Li Yanfu. He's experienced many years in the political arena, yet even Yuan Li couldn't spot his flaws. This shows how cautious he is, and how impeccable his actions are. However, people always make mistakes...

He's been involved in numerous manipulations of the imperial examinations in Lü Liang... Ha, if the crime of manipulating the examinations is proven, it would be easy to depose him."

Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes and thought secretly:

“Unfortunately, although we have a direction, the actual implementation is still very difficult.

First of all, it is not practical to investigate from the imperial examination itself. It happened more than ten years ago, which is too long ago and difficult to trace.

"And Minister Pei wouldn't be so foolish as to leave any evidence until now. Even if there was any, it would have been erased."

"So, the ideal scenario would be for Lu Liang to come forward and expose and report this matter... but this is even more difficult...

Lu Liang was willing to suffer humiliation in order to become an official, which shows that he was extremely ambitious.

Moreover, he is deeply bound to Minister Pei, and as a member of the Li Party, they are all on the same side. It is impossible for him to self-destruct and perish together with his father-in-law..."

"As for Pei Si Niang, although she hates her husband, she can't possibly betray the entire family for the sake of her father..."

Zhao Duan was a little troubled.

The opportunity came, but it seemed as if it had not come.

Tathagata.

It is no wonder that Yuan Li was at a loss as to what to do for a while. Among the big figures who have been able to stand in the court for many years, there are no simple people.

"Think about it carefully! There is definitely something to be done with this information... but something is missing." Zhao Duan frowned and thought hard.

While he was madly squeezing his brain cells, Zhu Kui came back:

"Sir, Qin Qu greets you."

Qin Qu?

Zhao Duan was startled, and the original owner's memories emerged in response.

In my mind, I pictured a thin, squinty-eyed, and always smiling, servile person.

Qin Qu, one of the original owner's cronies, was also a rare gem among the circle of friends of the powerful and wealthy young men in the capital.

He was not born into a noble family, and the reason he was able to get into the "Beijing circle" was because he fawned over and curryed favor with Princess Yunyang's husband, and was recruited as his henchman.

Later, in order to curry favor with Wang You, the son of the Minister of Rites, she turned around and distanced herself from her husband, becoming a model of ingratitude and bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and was therefore despised by many children of the powerful.

Of course, he is not completely useless. He has beautiful calligraphy, is proficient in poetry and songs, and has a basic understanding of gun and martial arts.

When Zhao Duan first started to gain power, Qin Qu came to him and flattered him to the point of ecstasy.

He also led the original owner into the circle of power and wealth, broadening his horizons. It can be said that Qin Qu was 50% responsible for the original owner's notoriety.

However, after Zhao Duan got into trouble, the other party disappeared out of thin air.

Now, the news that Zhao Duan solved the firearms case and was rewarded by the saint spread, and this opportunistic villain came here just because he smelled the scent.

"Let him in." Zhao Duan thought for a moment and decided to meet him.

…

After a while, a pretended hearty laughter came from outside the hall.

Then, Qin Qu, who was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, short and thin, with small, round eyes, came in laughing.

He was clearly dressed like a scholar, but the baggy clothes made him look vulgar.

"Brother Zhao! You've missed Qu'er so much..."

As soon as Qin Qu stepped in, her smile turned into tears. She almost crawled to him and grabbed his hand tightly, refusing to let go.

Tears and snot, and the exaggerated and hypocritical changes in facial expressions are unmatched in the Beijing circle.

Zhao Duan pulled his hand back in disgust. He had seen many flatterers, but this one was the most disgusting.

"Oh? If you wanted to see me, why haven't I seen you for so many days?"

Qin Qu had a sad face and slapped himself twice in frustration, with quite a bit of force, before saying:

"I fell a while ago and was recuperating at home. I didn't know you were being framed by a villain. When I recovered and came out, I realized so many big things had happened in such a short time, and that you had made great contributions... If I had known earlier, I would have been willing to give up my leg and come out early to clear your name! Fortunately, good fortune always comes to those who are lucky."

Then his eyes showed viciousness:

"I've long disliked the Zhang brothers, but I was afraid of their elders and couldn't take action. Now that the tree has fallen, the monkeys have scattered. Qu'er has been eyeing the women of his family. If you want to enjoy them, I'll take care of it!"

Zhao Duan's expression suddenly turned cold: "Female relatives?"

Qin Qu, who tried his best to please, unexpectedly hit the horse's leg. He was stunned for a moment, then he remembered that Zhao Duan was infatuated with the empress and disdained other women.

Not long ago, the women of the Zhao family were also nearly bullied...

He slapped himself twice, his cheeks swollen and red, and he apologized:

"Qiu'er is wrong, please punish me, brother!"

Zhao Duan smiled:

"I'm not as ignorant as you, my dear brother. I'm here to both apologize and congratulate you, so why are you coming empty-handed?"

Damn it...isn't it just for benefits?

Qin Qu cursed in his heart, but looked humble and flattering on the surface:

"I brought it, I brought it."

As he spoke, he fished out a wrinkled five hundred taels silver note from his bosom and offered it to the Buddha:

"That fellow Pei Wulang owes you money from the Cypress Garden. Pay him back three hundred taels first. I'll round it up and buy you some wine."

Zhao Duan stared at the banknote, his pupils suddenly contracted!

Memories that have become increasingly blurred, stress emerges.

Pei Wulang...Hinoki Garden...Banknotes...IOUs...

He finally remembered where the silver in the cash box in his bedroom had gone!

The process is not complicated:

Two months ago, the original owner took Qin Qu to a private "casino" for fun. The casino was located in the north of the city and was called Cypress Garden.

It is worth mentioning that in Dayu, gambling was strictly prohibited by the "Dayu Law". As early as the founding of the country, Dayu Taizu formulated strict laws.

Gambling games were cracked down on, and a Daoxiao Tower was even built north of the "Bai Shi Bridge" in the capital.

All those who do not work for their own business but gamble and play games are imprisoned in the building, which is euphemistically called "Xiaoyao Prison".

If an official gambles, civil officials will be dismissed and become civilians, and military officials will not only be dismissed, but also be required to "bring their own food and rations to perform military service." In other words, they will have to bring their own food and rations to perform military service.

Those who refuse to change their ways despite repeated warnings may even have their hands amputated.

To this day, although the enforcement of the law is far less stringent than at the beginning of the founding of the country, and gambling is rampant in various places, it is still a shameful thing under the nose of the emperor in the capital.

Therefore, casinos are extremely secretive and are mostly hidden in private residences.

Zhao Duan met many playboys in Cypress Garden.

One of them is Pei Wulang, the fifth son of Minister Pei of the Ministry of Justice and the younger brother of Lu Liang’s wife!

Afterwards, Zhao Duan became addicted to gambling and lost most of his savings. He also lent some of it to his "gambling friend" Pei Wulang.

And sign a promissory note.

Qin Qu acts as the "guarantor".

“No wonder… the money I had been greedy for for so long suddenly disappeared…”

Zhao Duan felt mixed emotions, both disappointed and surprised.

The sad thing is that the money I lost probably can’t be recovered.

The surprise was... he had remembered that Pei Wulang's IOU was hidden in the mezzanine of his study.

"Gambling is prohibited in Dayu. If the evidence of Pei Wulang's gambling is handed over to the Censorate, even Minister Pei will not be able to protect his own son..."

"From the fact that Minister Pei was willing to choose a husband for his daughter and interfere with the imperial examination, it can be seen that this Minister cares deeply about family ties..."

"This way, I have a small leverage over him... Of course, this alone won't shake Minister Pei's position. If we fall out, the worst that can happen is that he'll abandon his son...

There is no such thing as a soft-hearted person when it comes to politics..."

"But if I can use this little trick properly, it might be of great value."

At this moment, the information provided by Yun Xi and the evidence handed over by Qin Qu were pieced together, forming a slightly risky but vaguely feasible plan in Zhao Duan's mind -

The plan to overthrow Minister Pei succeeds!

"Brother Zhao?"

Qin Qu held the banknotes in both hands. Seeing Zhao Duan's uncertain face, he couldn't help but feel uneasy and called out carefully.

The next second, Zhao Duan's face lit up with a smile. He put the banknotes into his arms, put his arm around Qin Qu's shoulders, and laughed:

"You are really my lucky star."

Thanks to Xicheng Xuejilang for the 100-coin reward~

(End of this chapter)