Chapter 152 Master Pei vs. Little Maid Zhuang
After a while, a servant came out with a basin of muddy blood-red water and poured it on the steps. Xu Yong looked at it and lowered his eyes without saying a word.
The news of Pei Xingju's assassination soon spread to everyone. Officials living in the inn in Luyang County came to visit him one after another, but they all just stood in the courtyard patio and no one could enter.
It is said that Pei Xingju was seriously injured and fell into a coma.
The smell of blood in the courtyard hit their noses, making them sweat. They exchanged glances and started to think in their hearts.
Zhuang Wan stood in the corridor, observing the expressions of these people.
Guard Lu told them that Pei Xingju had been stabbed in the chest and was bleeding profusely, and was unconscious. But she knew that Pei Xingju had woken up before and said that he had not been hit in any vital areas.
She was now basically certain that although Shen Zongji and Liang Jinxian had planned the assassination first, Pei Xingju might have taken advantage of the situation.
I just don't know why he is gambling with his body.
The treatment process was slow. The doctor first disinfected the wound, then sewed it shut, and applied medicine. He observed that the bleeding had subsided before bandaging it. By the time he finished writing the prescription, it was already midnight.
The courtyard, which was originally packed with people, had gradually left, and now only a few were left.
When the doctor came out, these people came forward and asked, "Doctor, how is Mr. Pei's injury?"
The doctor was very tired. He sighed deeply, said nothing good or bad, and walked out.
Everyone looked at each other, and when they saw two more officials coming out, they hurriedly surrounded them. These two officials were brought by Pei Xingju from the capital. They had worked under Pei Xingju before and were considered his confidants.
When they heard everyone asking about the injury, the two men just shook their heads and said, "Everyone, please go back first. We can't say how serious the injury is. We can only say that the bleeding has stopped, but the specific situation depends on whether the master can wake up tomorrow. Go back, it's late."
Guard Lu also stepped forward and said, "My lords, please go back. Please do not disturb your lordship while he recovers from his injuries and rest."
"Okay." One of them said to Guard Lu with a worried look on his face, "Regardless of whether the master wakes up tomorrow, please have Commander Lu send someone to notify us."
"Okay." Guard Lu clasped his fists.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Wan had already entered the room when the doctor left. Pei Xingju was lying on the bed, already dressed. Although his eyes were closed, Zhuang Wan knew he wasn't asleep because he noticed his ears twitching, as if he were listening to something outside.
After a while, when the courtyard was quiet, he finally opened his eyes.
Seeing Zhuang Wan, he said in a tired voice, "Why aren't you going to bed yet?"
Zhuang Wan: "How can I sleep when you're so injured?"
These words touched a nerve in Pei Xingju, and his eyes suddenly became gentle.
"I said it's fine, it's just a lot of bleeding, no vital injuries."
He added, "I know some medical skills, and I understand my own body. I'll be able to get out of bed in a few days."
"Then why did you lie to them and say you were unconscious?"
Pei Xingju raised his eyebrows: "Did you figure it out?"
"Of course," Zhuang Wan analyzed the problem she had in mind. "You asked Lixia to protect me, probably to reduce manpower. Otherwise, wouldn't it be suspicious if you were seriously injured when you have so many experts around you?"
"Also, you had Guard Lu keep everyone outside and only allow two trusted people inside. Everyone outside was panicking and making different assumptions. I bet that's what you wanted, right?"
Pei Xingju smiled and raised his hand to pinch her smart and pretty face, but the pain made him pull the corner of his mouth.
Zhuang Wan quickly held his arm and said, "Don't move. Tell me what you want."
"Pour me a glass of water, I'm thirsty."
Zhuang Wan hurried to pour some water, then raised Pei Xingju's pillow and helped him stand up.
After drinking the water, Pei Xingju said, "It's getting late. You should go back. As for the purpose of tonight, you will know later."
.
Pei Xingju was a man of swift and decisive action. He told Zhuang Wan that she would know later. However, the next morning, Zhuang Wan heard that the garrison commander Xu Yongwang had been dismissed.
Xu Yongwang was not convinced and went to Pei Xingju's house to reason with him. At that time, Pei Xingju had just "woken up" and took out the emperor's handwritten edict, charged him with dereliction of duty, and detained him.
Immediately afterwards, most of Luyang's officials were sent out of the city by Pei Xingju, leaving only a few to continue checking the accounts.
The few people who stayed behind were the ones who stood until midnight that night and refused to leave.
Only then did Zhuang Wan understand what Pei Xingju's intention was.
"So you wanted to use your injuries to test whether they were friends or foes."
Early in the morning, Zhuang Wan made porridge and brought it to Pei Xingju, saying as she served the meal.
Pei Xingju leaned against the head of the bed. Perhaps due to excessive bleeding, his lips were pale and his face looked haggard.
He smiled faintly: "You are quite smart. You figured it out."
"Although the Hezhou bureaucracy is a mixed bag, there are also some honest and fair officials." He continued, "I've selected these people. Firstly, I can efficiently investigate Hezhou's tax revenue. Secondly, when Hezhou is rectified in the future, more than half of the officials will surely be dismissed. These people will be the perfect pillars of support."
"What about Xu Yongwang? Wasn't he the garrison commander you transferred here? Why was he replaced as well?"
"Although I transferred this person here, he has been stationed in Hezhou all year round. How can I trust him? Naturally, I have to find a reason to replace him so that I can have no worries in Hezhou."
Zhuang Wan nodded, it did make sense.
Xu Yongwang had been stationed in Hezhou for many years and was considered a veteran of the area. Although the civil and military officials were separated, there was no guarantee that Xu Yongwang would not be embroiled in corruption within the Hezhou bureaucracy. With Xu Yongwang in his place, Pei Xingju would have no further constraints in his future endeavors.
However, this is just the simple level that Zhuang Wan can think of. Pei Xingju replaced Xu Yongwang for a more important purpose.
Duke Xin was all-powerful in Hezhou, his military power threatening even the emperor's. The emperor had long felt threatened, and before Pei Xingju arrived in Hezhou, the emperor had issued a secret order, ordering him to seize control of the Hezhou garrison while investigating taxes.
Furthermore, Pei Xingju needed to cut the Gordian knot regarding the Hezhou issue. Since he was now claiming to be seriously injured and unconscious, some people would surely seize this opportunity to tamper with him. As soon as these people showed their true colors, Pei Xingju could catch them one by one.
In this assassination attempt, it seemed that Pei Xingju was injured and in a weak position, but he used this opportunity to counterattack, seized the opportunity in an unfavorable environment, killed four birds with one stone, and gained the greatest benefit.
The above only mentions three benefits, so how can we kill four birds with one stone? The last bird is naturally Zhuang Wan, who is foolishly helping Pei Xingju blow the medicine.
At this moment, Master Pei took advantage of his injury and ordered the young maid Zhuang around as much as he could.
"I want something sweet," he said.
Zhuang Wan coaxed him patiently: "Okay, drink the medicine first, and I'll make you some dessert, okay?"
Pei Xingju was afraid of hardship. Zhuang Wan had known this since she was in the Pei Mansion in the capital. Sometimes she couldn't understand why Pei Xingju, a man so fearless even by swords and knives, who could remain calm even after shedding so much blood...was actually afraid of hardship!
Well, it’s hard to put it into words.
After helping him drink the medicine, Zhuang Wan tucked in his bedding and then went out.
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