Chapter 12 Study
As the moon rose over the western hills, Pei Xingjian returned to the prefectural governor's mansion from the drill ground.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Lu Changming stepped forward and said, "Young Master, the Lord has returned."
Pei Xingjian was naturally pleased. "Where is Father? In the study?"
"Yes, my lord is handling official business in his study."
"Okay, I'll change my clothes and then I'll go."
Pei Xingjian had not seen his father for two or three days.
Since capturing Chongzhou, my father has been much busier than before. The army of Chongzhou is to be incorporated into Yanzhou, and military affairs are only increasing.
Compared to himself, these days he has spent either training grounds or hunting in the mountains.
This is the study.
Pei Yanzhi pursed his lips, his face serious.
He flipped through several memorials, all of which said that the heavy snow in Yanzhou meant that the people in the city would probably have a hard time getting through the winter.
Crops were frozen to death, and yields were halved. If some relief funds were not distributed to the military and civilians, countless people would have starved to death.
After quickly reviewing several important memorials, he wearily rubbed his throbbing temples, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes slightly.
In his dream, he actually dreamed of Ji Shu.
She still had that pitiful face, and even knelt on the ground begging for his pity, while Pei Yanzhi held the blood-stained longsword in his hand.
His tall body was tense, and he once fiercely wanted to embed her firmly into his body.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his chest still pounding with breath, and beads of sweat on his forehead.
The warm, soft touch of the jade in my dream still seemed to linger on my fingertips, and a long-lost, almost violent impulse roared within my body.
Over the years, he has had women. In fact, in the early years after he took power, he would accept any woman sent from various territories for the sake of Yanzhou.
But eventually he grew tired of it all. The constant warfare had brought about widespread suffering, and he still had women in his backyard waiting for him to produce an heir.
Within a few years, they were all dismissed. Pei Xingjian was adopted from the clan at that time to silence the gossip.
He never expected to dream about her. For a moment, his body tensed up uncomfortably, an experience he had never had before.
His body told him that he wanted this woman and couldn't wait even a moment longer.
"Father, I'm coming in." The noise from the doorway startled Pei Yanzhi for a moment.
For some reason, I felt a vague unease.
He had always been lenient with this son, and even loved him; whatever the son wanted was readily available to him.
After I pass away, everything in Yanzhou will be handed over to him.
With a creak, Pei Xingjian pushed open the door and walked in.
He merely glanced at Pei Xingjian and said, "Announce your arrival when you come in next time."
Pei Xingjian was a little confused. What was going on? Had he disturbed his father's rest?
In the past, I could enter my father's study whenever I wanted, but seeing my father's solemn expression, I still responded.
"Father, I have disturbed your rest."
"Speak, what is it?"
Pei Xingjian looked at his father's profile, which was shadowy in the dim candlelight, and his father's profile was cold and dignified.
Pei Xingjian, who always admired his father, said, "Father, I would like to ask for leave on the Lantern Festival."
Pei Yanzhi tilted his head slightly, propped his forehead with his finger, and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye: "Don't you know that I hosted a banquet for the officials of Chongzhou that day? What important matter could there be that I wouldn't have missed at this crucial moment?"
Pei Xingjian lowered his eyes and muttered softly, "I made an appointment with Madam Ji that day to go to the lantern festival together. If I don't go, wouldn't I be breaking my promise?"
Pei Yanzhi was so angry he almost laughed. "The officials of Chongzhou all gathered at Furong Pavilion that day. As the heir, it was one thing if you didn't accompany them, but you even brazenly appeared outside with a woman. Where would I put my face if word got out?"
He threw the memorial in his hand at him, saying, "I think you've been blinded by lust and forgotten your own name."
Pei Xingjian looked aggrieved, but mustered his courage and said, "It's enough that you're here. I'd just be a decoration and wouldn't be of much use. It doesn't matter whether I'm here or not, as long as you're here."
Pei Yanzhi twirled the jade thumb ring on his thumb, paused slightly, and said in a voice devoid of emotion, "You've really grown up now. Instead of thinking about consolidating your position, you're thinking about these romantic entanglements and how to get into a woman's arms."
Seeing that his father did not object, Pei Xingjian said, "Father, didn't you say that if Lady Ji agreed, I could bring her into the household? Wouldn't that mean the Marquis's mansion would have a happy event soon?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi stopped spinning his fingers and finally looked at his son properly.
For the first sixteen years, Pei Xingjian was raised by the old lady in the mansion while he was away fighting wars. For his mother, having an heir in the mansion was of paramount importance.
If so—
Forcibly suppressing the displeasure in his heart, and even more so after hearing him say that Yuanxiao had invited Ji Shu, the anger burned even more fiercely.
But she couldn't show anything; she was the one her son had his eye on.
"Alright, I can agree to that day, but you must be present when the Chongzhou Army is merged into the Yanzhou Army."
"good."
"After you finish these things, return to Yanzhou and listen to your grandmother's advice to marry Wei Heng there. Remember not to disrupt the proper order of having offspring."
Pei Xingjian initially didn't care, as this was his responsibility as the heir apparent of Yanzhou.
But now that she understands her own feelings, she is filled with resistance to this marriage arranged since childhood.
The Wei family is the largest family in Yanzhou. The Wei family's grandfather had a life-or-death friendship with the previous Marquis of Yan, so naturally, the two families became even closer through marriage.
Pei Xingjian said, "But Father—"
Pei Yanzhi interrupted him directly, "I have agreed to all your requests. What else is there to say? Read more military books and do not slack off in your martial arts practice."
"As the heir of Yanzhou, I believe I have been very forgiving towards you. Since childhood, you have had everything you wanted easily, and nothing else has been important to you. My only requirement for you is that you must not slack off in Yanzhou."
Pei Xingjian lowered his head and said yes.
I know what Yanzhou means to my father.
After he left, Pei Yanzhi looked at the memorials on the table and thought about everything that had happened before.
He must not let his carefully groomed heir be distracted by some unsavory women, nor should he disrupt the proper order regarding offspring.
In the past twenty years, Pei Yanzhi has become the ruler of Yanzhou at the age of twelve, governing the twelve prefectures of Yanzhou internally and conquering all directions externally.
He absolutely could not tolerate the slightest mistake in Yanzhou, even if the person was the heir to Yanzhou whom he had carefully nurtured.
He said to the door, "Changming, invite the strategist here."
"Yes, my lord."
Fifteen minutes later, Gongsun Li requested an audience.
Looking at Gongsun Li, Pei Yanzhi said directly, "I have been away from home these past few days and have been busy with many matters. I am grateful for your hard work, strategist."
Gongsun Li was even more apprehensive and respectfully said, "It is my duty to share the burdens of my lord. You are too kind, my lord."
Pei Yanzhi nodded, got up and walked to the window, looking out.
"The young master just came by."
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