42 Big Brother

"Once we step out of this door, we'll be enemies."

The residence of the General of the Cavalry.

The general's mansion was wide open, and the mansion was brightly lit.

Xiao Pingchuan was urgently summoned back to his residence, where a group of guards in full armor were listening to his instructions.

"They actually let someone break into the mansion and take the lady away. Aren't they ashamed of themselves if word gets out!" He stood there coldly, his gaze as sharp as a knife.

The guards dared not utter a sound.

At the time, only four or five people were left in the mansion to patrol. Suddenly, more than two hundred people rushed in. The few of them took down more than half of the people on the other side, but unfortunately, they still couldn't stop them in the end.

"Let's go," Xiao Pingchuan said without further ado, striding outside. "Come with me to take Madam home."

"Yes!" The shouts were deafening.

"Wait, General, wait!" Ju Tao rushed out to stop him. "Madam instructed you not to interfere if anything happens to her. She can handle it."

Xiao Pingchuan looked down at her, remaining silent for a long while.

“Yes, General, that’s exactly what the lady said.”

"What does she take me for?" Xiao Pingchuan asked slowly in a low voice.

"What?"

"I said, what does she take me for?!"

Ju Tao opened her mouth.

In an instant, a column of heavy cavalry galloped out of the General of the Cavalry's residence, their heavy hooves thundering as they advanced, shattering the biting cold wind.

Xiao Pingchuan, who was in the lead, was menacing, like a ferocious beast breaking free of its cage, and rushed straight towards the north of the city.

That night, the people on both sides of the main street of the capital heard the thunderous sound of horses' hooves and the teeth-grinding sound of armor clashing against each other.

Upon arriving at Yingtian Prefecture, Xiao Pingchuan reined in his horse, dismounted before the hooves even touched the ground, and kicked open the gate of Yingtian Prefecture.

The guards were startled awake from their sleep and rushed over in a panic, grabbing the broadswords at their feet. However, they were all knocked unconscious and thrown aside by Xiao Pingchuan's bodyguards in a few blows.

The group silently charged forward, fighting as they went, their steps never faltering, as if they were in an empty field.

Shen Suqin was sleeping soundly on the reeds, fully clothed, when she was suddenly awakened by a noisy commotion.

She opened her eyes to clear her head, listened carefully for a while, then sighed, stood up, walked to the cell door, and waited for Xiao Pingchuan to come over.

The prison was dimly lit, with only the flickering light of a candle the size of a soybean illuminating a small area the size of a palm.

Soon, Xiao Pingchuan's tall and imposing figure loomed over the cell like a mountain, the oppressive feeling sweeping across the entire cell.

"You've arrived?" Shen Suqin asked gently.

"Hmm." Xiao Pingchuan walked closer, raised his hand and gently pulled off the iron chain on the door. "Come out, I'll take you back."

Shen Suqin took two steps back, refusing to leave. "I have a deal with the Pei family that I haven't finished yet, so I can't leave."

Xiao Pingchuan strode in with his head down, grabbed Shen Suqin's wrist and pulled her in front of him, saying, "Don't talk to me about any deals. This is a prison cell. Anyone with a bit of status can come in and threaten to kill you. You can't stay here any longer."

Shen Suqin was a full head shorter than him, and her figure was several sizes smaller.

He was holding her wrist and pulling her, so she had to lean towards him. After a while, her legs got sore and she couldn't stand anymore, so she simply leaned her upper body against his chest and said patiently, "I'm talking to the Pei family about Yunzhu's position as a princess. Please wait patiently... um."

Feeling her wrist suddenly tighten, she groaned in pain, "You're hurting me."

Xiao Pingchuan relaxed his strength slightly.

"With Prime Minister Pei involved, things will likely go more smoothly. Let's wait three more days, no, perhaps two days will be enough..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Pingchuan bent down, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and carried her out.

"Xiao Pingchuan, listen to me, Xiao Jin'an!" Shen Suqin struggled.

Xiao Pingchuan ignored him completely until he carried the person out of the prison and in front of his subordinates. Only then did he put the person down and say, "It's just the title of a princess. It's not worth the risk."

After saying that, he waved to the crowd and said, "Let's go."

Then, he picked up Shen Suqin and tossed her onto the horse. Once she was seated, he took the fox fur coat she often wore from his subordinate and draped it over her shoulders. Finally, he mounted the horse himself and pulled on the reins: "Giddy up!"

In an instant, the horse galloped away, and the cold wind howled.

Helplessly, Shen Suqin huddled in his arms, squinting as she watched the street scene recede into the distance.

The person behind you has a strong, warm chest, and leaning back makes you feel incredibly secure.

She pursed her lips, feeling her heart beating faster and faster until it almost made her entire chest ache.

The night wind was chilly, and her gaze was fixed intently on Xiao Pingchuan's hand holding the reins.

"General."

"Um."

Are your hands cold?

"......fine."

Back at the manor, Xiao Pingchuan carried the person into the bedroom and placed them on the bed. "Go and fetch a doctor."

He gave instructions to his servants.

“No need,” Shen Suqin said. “I’m fine. You all go and rest.”

Xiao Pingchuan refused, "Go and fetch a doctor."

"Yes, General."

After dismissing the crowd, Xiao Pingchuan moved a stool over and sat opposite Shen Suqin, saying earnestly, "Shen Suqin, from now on, no matter what, you are not allowed to risk your life. I know you are not afraid of death, but I... Lord Shen and Madam Shen are afraid, you should think more about them."

Shen Suqin awkwardly smoothed her skirt and whispered, "I'm still from a poor family, they won't do anything to me."

"Stop talking nonsense. Do you really think you're omnipotent?"

Xiao Pingchuan spoke in a serious tone and with a serious expression, looking every bit the stern lecturer.

Seeing his expression, Shen Suqin couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"why are you laughing?"

Shen Suqin shifted back against the pillows, smiling as she said, "Back then, who was it that kept talking about the people of the world and wanted me to be the Crown Prince's advisor? Now, before I've even done anything, you're already acting like this. General Xiao, do you know that once I'm closely tied to the Crown Prince, I'll become a target? There will only be more of these kinds of things happening today. I just wonder what you'll think then, General?"

Xiao Pingchuan's face darkened instantly. "I told the Crown Prince that I would not expose you to the public."

Shen Suqin said casually, "It's too late. Even Pei Tingfeng knows that I created the equal-field system."

How could that be?

"You're asking me? Or you should ask His Highness the Crown Prince."

Xiao Pingchuan couldn't sit still any longer. He got up, kicked the stool away, and paced anxiously back and forth in the room.

If what Shen Suqin said is true, then their situation in the capital will become very precarious.

The equal-field system itself wasn't the problem; the problem was that it was a signal, a blatant signal of defiance against powerful families.

Currently, the equal-field system involves Shen Suqin, the Crown Prince, and him. If Pei Tingfeng is added to the mix, it's hard to guarantee that the Pei family or even the aristocratic families of the capital wouldn't know about it.

When did you find out?

"The day we got married."

Do you think Pei Ruhai knows this now?

Shen Suqin shook her head. "It's hard to say. On the day of the Pei family banquet, Pei Ruhai met with me privately. According to him, he wanted me to support the aristocratic families after learning that I owned Xingyuan Restaurant, not for anything else. But I always felt that if it was just for money, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to target me."

Xiao Pingchuan's expression turned solemn. "What do you plan to do about this?"

There is no solution.

Xiao Pingchuan remained silent.

There was indeed no solution. Pei Ruhai commanded 200,000 troops, and Emperor Jingkang was likely on his side. Furthermore, the Crown Prince, on whom they relied, was not yet firmly established, and the Black Flag Army was far away in the north. In other words, if Pei Ruhai was determined to attack them, they would be virtually powerless to resist.

"Now that things have come to this, General, are you still unwilling to tell me about your and the Crown Prince's backup plan?"

No sooner had Shen Suqin finished speaking than someone came to the door and said, "The Pei family has come to demand your return. They're at the main gate and want us to hand over the madam."

The two people inside the room exchanged a glance, and Xiao Pingchuan said, "I'll go out and take a look. You stay here and don't move."

Shen Suqin nodded.

It was only a short time after nightfall, and there were still pedestrians walking on the street, with vendors calling out their wares incessantly, creating a lively atmosphere.

Pei Tingfeng brought only a dozen or so people, which was less than the number of guards in the general's mansion.

He stood tall and elegant at the door, looking more like a visitor than someone seeking permission.

When Xiao Pingchuan came out, he was not carrying any weapons.

"Big brother," Pei Tingfeng called out when he saw him.

Xiao Pingchuan nodded. "I thought you didn't recognize me anymore."

Pei Tingfeng smiled bitterly, "My life was saved by my elder brother, how could I deny it?"

Xiao Pingchuan paused for a moment, "Shall we talk inside the manor?"

"Um."

When the servants of the Pei family wanted to follow, Pei Tingfeng waved his hand and said, "You can wait outside."

"Yes, young master."

Xiao Pingchuan led his men to the main hall, where there was no charcoal fire and the air was bitterly cold.

Pei Tingfeng wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and tucked his chin into the collar.

"Sit down," Xiao Pingchuan said, gesturing to the chair beside him.

Pei Tingfeng took his seat.

"My family sent me here," he said.

Xiao Pingchuan didn't reply, but instead asked, "Does Pei Ruhai know about the equal-field system?"

Pei Tingfeng lowered his head. "I know."

"You said that?"

"No, there are people in the Crown Prince's Palace."

"Is the Pei family going to make a move?"

"yes."

Xiao Pingchuan took a deep breath. "Then why did you come here so blatantly?"

"I felt that there had to be a resolution."

Xiao Pingchuan looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Back then, Your Highness and I traversed every inch of the land of Daliang, witnessed many people and events, and had the privilege of following my elder brother to the battlefield in the northern border, and I know his character well. Like Your Highness, I firmly believe that the Shatuo will one day return to Daliang through your hand. But before that, we must first ensure that Daliang still exists."

"To be honest, I went to see His Highness before I came, but we didn't reach an agreement."

Xiao Pingchuan could roughly guess what they had talked about.

"Taxation, land system, official selection system—you want too much all at once..."

Hearing this, Xiao Pingchuan couldn't help but interrupt him: "It's not that we want too much, it's that the people can't survive. Haven't you traveled all over Daliang? Didn't you open your eyes and see what kind of lives the people are living?"

“I saw it, so I started as a clerk in the Household Department. The powerful families have deep roots, and we can’t shake their foundations all at once.”

"I don't believe you when you say that."

"You don't believe I can make trouble for the powerful families?"

"yes."

Pei Tingfeng smiled bitterly, "If I could, I wouldn't want to go against my own family. But everything has its limits, and the Pei family has already reached its peak. If we continue to let things continue unchecked, there will be great disaster."

"Does Pei Ruhai not understand this principle?"

“How could he not understand? He just can’t let go. So, brother, give me some more time. Let’s take a gentler approach and not be so radical.”

Xiao Pingchuan crossed his arms: "What kind of 'mitigation' are you talking about?"

"For example, if displaced people have no land, they can be asked to cultivate unclaimed wasteland first; if taxes are too heavy, they can be reduced first; if poor scholars can enter the court, they still need to go through selection and start from the bottom as officials..."

"No need to say anything more. Have you already told His Highness these things?"

"yes."

"Then do you know why he refused?"

Pei Tingfeng shook his head.

Xiao Pingchuan sneered, "You don't need to go far. Just take a stroll around the refugee villages outside the city, and you'll know how many people freeze and starve to death every day. Do you think they'll survive until the wasteland is reclaimed? Pei Songchao, you're too naive. The Great Liang is in decline. If you want everything, you'll end up with nothing."

"I... but you won't succeed."

“I know that the powerful clans are influential, and the central army is also involved. Even if we add my 70,000 troops from the northern border, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock. But looking at the entire court, besides me, who else dares to stand up? If even I don't move, what are those refugees supposed to do?”

Perhaps because he himself came from a background of refugees, he understood their situation better than Pei Tingfeng and the Crown Prince.

“I thought you only cared about Shatuo.”

"I am first and foremost a citizen of Daliang, and only then a general guarding the nation's borders."

Pei Tingfeng remained silent for a long time.

The weather seemed to have gotten colder, and the cold wind was howling in through the cracks in the window, making Pei Tingfeng's hands and feet numb with cold.

He rubbed his hands together, stood up and said, "I have to go back. Tell my cousin not to go out for the next few days, I'll handle the rest."

Xiao Pingchuan stood up to see him off, saying, "Thanks."

Pei Tingfeng walked to the door. "Brother, once we step out of this door, we'll be enemies. But I want you to know that I respect you. If I could, I'd love to go back to the days when we fought in the Northern Frontier."

"Um."