Pei Liang's voice was arrogant and unrestrained!
The gleaming silver coins landed at Mu Zian's feet.
At that moment, the old woman seemed to have her soul drained away, and she slumped to the ground.
She didn't understand why she had suddenly been sold into slavery when she had only gone to the Pei family to work as a maid to earn some money to supplement their household income.
She couldn't understand why her beautiful daughter, who hadn't even begun to enjoy her life, was turned into a living wax figure.
She couldn't understand why a living person's name was worth a mere thirty taels of silver.
Mu Zian stood in the mourning hall for a long time without speaking.
The wax figure made by the woman inside the cubicle was still burning.
The pitch-black coffin lay there quietly.
Seeing this, Jia Xu stepped forward and said.
"Young master, they came prepared, so we must not be angry."
Mu Zi'an waved his hand, indicating to Jia Xu that he could rest assured.
Mu Zian was naturally not fooled by such obvious collusion.
Mu Zian bent down and helped the old woman, who had collapsed to the ground, to her feet.
Pei Liang looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but sneer.
"If you, Duke Zhenguo, can't even save a lowly servant girl, how can you possibly save the people of the world?"
"Your father couldn't do it back then, and you can't do it today either."
"My Pei family will continue to prosper for generations to come!"
Mu Zian ignored Pei Liang's sarcasm, helped the old woman up, and walked towards the door.
The moment they stepped through the Pei family's gate, the sunlight streaming down from the sky seemed almost blinding.
The old woman, clutching the contract, broke free from Mu Zi'an's support.
His cloudy eyes had completely lost their luster, like a stagnant pool of water.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault!"
"Mother can't take you home anymore! Mother can't take you home anymore."
The surrounding crowd parted to make way for a path leading into the distance.
They left the old woman to walk away, lost and disoriented.
In the sunlight, the old woman's shadow was stretched very long.
Inside the cubicle, melted wax dripped down the woman's cheeks like two lines of clear tears.
Chen Yuanbai stepped forward and said.
"If the Duke of Zhenguo does not mind, I have prepared a banquet in the government office to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."
Mu Zian turned his head and looked down at Chen Yuanbai, the coldness in his eyes making Chen Yuanbai's scalp tingle.
Mu Zian took a step forward, and the powerful pressure forced Chen Yuanbai to collapse to the ground.
"What is the Duke of Zhenguo trying to do? Does he intend to slaughter officials of our imperial court in the street?"
As Mu Zian looked up, he saw a plaque with the four characters "厚德载物" (meaning "great virtue carries all things") hanging prominently above the Pei family mansion.
At this moment, those four words seem utterly ridiculous.
A family capable of turning living people into wax figures, a clan that regards human life as worthless, an absurd and ignorant aristocratic family!
Does it even deserve the phrase "great virtue carries all things"?
Mu Zian bent his knees slightly and then leaped up from the spot.
In mid-air, Mu Zian clenched his fist, his eyes sharp, and threw a punch forward.
This punch carries boundless rage! This punch carries the sorrow of an era! This punch carries a resolute determination to fight to the death!
With a deafening roar, the plaque above the Pei family's gate shattered!
The immense power shook the entire Pei family mansion!
The walls around the perimeter were covered with dense cracks, like venomous snakes crawling up them.
The plaque fell, carrying with it pebbles!
Startled, Chen Yuanbai scrambled backward to avoid the danger!
Mu Zian landed again, his fist slightly bloody.
Inside and outside the door, one is bright and the other is dark, as if you are in two different worlds.
Mu Zian glanced at Pei Liang, who was hidden in the darkness, and then turned and left.
Looking at Mu Zian's retreating figure, Chen Yuanbai felt a wave of fear wash over him.
"As expected of the Duke of Zhenguo, such a powerful aura truly frightens me."
"Why should Lord Pei antagonize the Duke of Zhenguo over a lowly maid?"
Pei Liang stood with his hands behind his back, giving Chen Yuanbai a cold look.
That one glance startled Chen Yuanbai so much that he immediately bowed and paid his respects.
"It was my rudeness."
Pei Liang stared intently in the direction where Mu Zi'an had disappeared.
"You did a good job this time. I will help you with your promotion in the court."
Chen Yuanbai was overjoyed upon hearing this.
"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Pei."
Before Chen Yuanbai could even be happy for three seconds, Pei Liang spoke again.
"Don't think that everything will be fine once we leave Qinghe. We're all in the same boat now. If the boat capsizes, we'll all drown."
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Chen Yuanbai's forehead.
Pei Liang's skill in managing people was already masterful, employing a combination of harsh punishment and gratification.
"I will always remember the kindness and guidance you have shown me, and no matter how high I rise or where I go, I will always be loyal to the Pei family."
"However, now that Lord Pei has completely offended the Duke of Zhenguo, aren't you afraid of his retaliation?"
Pei Liang sneered upon hearing this.
"I want to see what other tricks Mu Zi'an has up his sleeve to shake the mighty Pei family!"
"More than 80% of the officials in the court are related to my Pei family, and even the current emperor can't do anything to me."
Do you think that my Pei family's century-long efforts have been in vain?
"Let him thrash about, but what waves can he possibly create?"
Chen Yuanbai was secretly delighted upon hearing this.
As long as he can cling to the powerful Pei family, his future career in government will be smooth sailing!
"Master Pei's insight is excellent."
"Today's matter has all the necessary procedures. Even if the Imperial City Guard came, they wouldn't be able to find any flaws or find any problems."
"In my opinion, even the Duke of Zhenguo has no choice but to swallow this matter."
Pei Liang turned around and stroked the pitch-black coffin beside him, a ruthless expression in his eyes.
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