Using public office to settle personal scores
She said in a deep voice, "With everyone's help, Lanxiu has gained confidence: if the Northern Qiang want to fight, then fight; if they want to make peace, then make peace."
In front of the ministers, she referred to herself as "Lanxiu," no longer seeing herself as a harem empress sitting high on the throne, but as comrades-in-arms fighting alongside her.
She continued, "From this day forward, we will prepare for both peace and war. I urge you all to work together with one heart and one mind to do your utmost for the Southern Dynasty and its people!"
Following the Yangtze River Crossing Battle organized and coordinated by Shangguan Jin, the Grand Secretary of the Northern Dynasties, the three strongest armies under the Southern Dynasties—the Shuofang Army, the Northwest Army, and the Jianzhang Army—finally formed an alliance again due to the marriage proposal put forward by the Northern Qiang.
Meanwhile, the court of Dayan was filled with fervor and high morale, and in terms of fighting spirit, it had achieved an unprecedented level of unity.
After the court meeting, Pei Yu led A Qiu and Shangguan Yuqi, and the three of them rode straight to the Divine Hound Camp of the garrison.
Xiao Chang'an originally wanted to come along, but Pei Yu casually gave him an excuse to send him away.
She whispered to the two of them, "I always feel that the less Xiao Chang'an knows about our affairs, the better." After pondering for a while, she finally decided to tell the truth, "He is still a member of the Xiao family of the Northern Dynasty, and I can also see that his temperament is different from that of Chief Shangguan and Lord Siyue."
She meant that both Shangguan Yuqi and A Qiu were upright and honest people.
Shangguan Yuqi said, "Then why did Commander Pei summon us out in private? Her Majesty said that we must prepare for both peace and war. I think we should each go our own way."
By this time, the three had already approached the training ground of the Divine Mastiff Camp. They could see the banners fluttering and the military flags waving, and the low growling of mastiffs could be heard from time to time.
Pei Yu said, "It's for official business." She glanced sharply at A Qiu and replied, "Didn't Chief Shangguan suggest that the 'Shao' and 'Wu' music should be selected from noble warriors in my Divine Hound Camp? That's why I've brought the Music Master here to select people."
Shangguan Yuqi was taken aback and said, "The people of the Divine Hound Camp are probably not so easy to mobilize. I originally planned to ask His Majesty for permission, and then have you select people to send to the palace."
What she didn't say was that the Divine Hound Camp was arrogant and domineering, even surpassing the Imperial Guard's elite cavalry. If she went to demand people in this way, they might not be convinced.
Most of the elite cavalry in the Imperial Guard were selected from farm families in the outskirts of the capital, while some were second-generation members of the Imperial Guards, like the previous generation's Flying Phoenix, Li Lanxiu, whose father was originally a soldier. However, the fathers of the Divine Hound Battalion soldiers were all powerful and wealthy families in the capital, and very few came from humble backgrounds.
Ultimately, the Dragon Tiger Cavalry must be truly skilled, as they are responsible for protecting the imperial palace and, in the event of a crisis in the capital, would be the last line of defense for the nation's center. Sikong Zhao had extremely strict requirements for his subordinates: first, unwavering loyalty and fearlessness; second, outstanding combat abilities. These two criteria alone would eliminate most of the sons of powerful and wealthy families.
These sons of officials roam the capital, indulging in cockfighting, dog racing, and violence. If they are not given proper duties and allowed to act as they please on Jianzhang Street, they will become a major headache for the governor of the capital.
Therefore, Pei Yuanli devised the idea of establishing the Divine Hound Battalion as his personal guard to accommodate the sons of powerful and influential families, thus providing them with a path to advancement. For Pei Yuanli, this was also a means of using his military status to consolidate and strengthen his political power. After all, the fathers of these individuals all held positions in the imperial court, and their combined strength was not to be underestimated.
Therefore, although the Divine Hound Camp has always been regarded as a scourge in the capital, it is the result of the efforts of all parties to balance and restrain it.
When Pei Yuanli was alive, he often tolerated and condoned the various acts of sabotage by the Divine Hound Battalion. The reason was that although the Divine Hound Battalion might not be the most elite or combat-capable unit in the Jianzhang Division, it was certainly the military camp within the Jianzhang Division that had the most political connections and influence. Often, when they caused trouble, it was impossible to inform their fathers about everything, so the officials in the court could only turn a blind eye.
This situation only changed after Pei Yu took control of the Divine Hound Camp.
First, as the daughter of Pei Yuanli, the top military figure, she was practically the eldest princess of the Jianzhang Army. In the Divine Hound Camp, where seniority was based on fathers' experience and official rank was deeply ingrained, this status alone was enough to intimidate everyone.
Secondly, her "mastery of both archery and spear" is no joke; it's the result of over ten years of personal instruction in horsemanship and archery from Pei Yuanli. The Pei family has been a military family for five generations, and she was familiar with military strategy and tactics from a young age, excelling in troop deployment and tactics. From any perspective, she is an outstanding commander.
Therefore, after she took charge of the Divine Mastiff Battalion, the atmosphere within the battalion improved. From then on, the Divine Mastiff Battalion began to enforce strict military discipline and diligently train, gradually becoming one of the most powerful military units in the Jianzhang Division.
After all, there was a role model to follow—Pei Yu was their peer, but he didn't just rely on his father's power to oppress others; he was also outstanding in every way. In comparison, as men, we spent our days fighting and causing trouble like hooligans, making a mess of the village. We felt that we were not worthy of respecting others.
Upon hearing Shangguan Yuqi's words, Pei Yu laughed and said, "I never thought that the name of my Divine Hound Camp could make even the usually straightforward Miss Shangguan learn to be flexible."
Shangguan Yuqi said with a wry smile, "My uncle probably has a huge stack of memorials impeaching the Divine Hound Battalion from the Prefect of the Capital Region. It's hard for me to pretend I don't know about them."
Pei Yu said solemnly, "Precisely because of this, transferring troops by imperial decree is not the best method."
Ah Qiu began, "Miss Pei may not know, but the Divine Mastiff Camp and our Music Bureau have a history of feuds..."
Pei Yu interrupted, "Of course I know. I was there when you were imprisoned. I also know that during the time you were away from the capital, Jianzhang Shi demanded Zhang Exu and Cui Luzhu from your music academy."
Only then did A Qiu recall that Lady Sun had told her that when Cui and Zhang were being extorted, they had also tried to plead with Pei Yu, but Pei Yu avoided them. Afterwards, she went to Guangling to oversee the military.
Pei Yu said calmly, "I didn't take action that time because Lord Si Yue was protecting Li Chongyu, the public enemy of Jianzhang Shi, as he fled the capital. Everyone knew about it. It's normal that this attracted Jianzhang Shi's revenge. I couldn't possibly stop Jianzhang Shi's actions to avenge my father."
Shangguan Yuqi showed his dissatisfaction and said, "The duel between the Marquis of Dongguang and the Marquis of Guannei was arbitrated by me and Lord Siyue, and witnessed by the entire palace. It was a battle of heroes, fair and square. But the Jianzhang Master's revenge on two weak women is not the behavior of a hero."
Pei Yu seemed unwilling to reveal to Shangguan Yuqi that her father had been stabbed and seriously injured before the duel, so he chuckled and said, "Righteousness does not govern wealth, and compassion does not govern an army. Miss Shangguan, you must remember this. An army is an army. Those who offend us will be punished, and those who harm our comrades will be avenged. This is the secret to uniting the army and fostering a shared hatred of the enemy."
As the three men spoke, they spurred their horses and leaped over the gate, where a forest of swords and spears stood like a sea, and the brightly colored military flags and armor came into view.
This spectacular sight caught both A-Qiu and Shangguan Yuqi off guard.
As the three slowed down, their horses rode slowly into the middle. A deafening sound of war drums rang out, and the armored soldiers on both sides parted to make way for them. The drumming and noise continued, clearly indicating that they had come prepared.
If you look closely, you'll notice that all the soldiers have unfriendly expressions in their eyes, clearly indicating that they have been waiting for a long time.
Shangguan Yuqi rode her horse to A Qiu's side, protecting her right side, and calmly said, "Commander Pei summoned us here, not to settle personal scores, is he?"
A Qiu knew that Shangguan Yuqi's worries were not unfounded. If these three thousand Divine Hounds swarmed forward, even if she were a sword immortal, she would ultimately be hacked to pieces.
She secretly blamed herself for being careless. Pei Yu had only said a few simple words, yet she had allowed her and Shangguan Yuqi to be brought to her headquarters. The Divine Hound Camp was her sworn enemy. She shouldn't have made this mistake.
A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall; one must beware of being harmed by hidden arrows. She was annoyed to find that since entering the palace, her vigilance seemed to be decreasing day by day.
Originally, Pei Yu was in the middle, but after Shangguan Yuqi changed positions on his horse, Pei Yu and Shangguan Yuqi were now on the left and right, protecting A Qiu in the middle.
Pei Yu said calmly, "I did set a trap for Lord Si Yue, but it wasn't aimed at you. Chief Shangguan can rest assured. I invited you here, just like when my father fought in the palace, to have you as a witness, so that people won't say that our Divine Hound Camp is relying on its numbers to bully the weak and is unfair."
Shangguan Yuqi gasped, "So that's really what you were planning! How ridiculous that we followed you without asking a single question!"
If it weren't for thousands of eyes watching, she would have drawn her sword by now.
But at this moment, the Divine Hound Camp is in a state of high spirits. If she draws her sword, it will likely trigger a riot, and even Pei Yu might not be able to suppress it.
Pei Yu looked around calmly and said, "I brought you here to select warriors to perform 'Shao' and 'Wu,' but the feud between the Divine Hound Camp and the Grand Music Master should also be settled now. Everyone knows that the Grand Music Master is the successor of the Junior Master and is not only good at playing the zither and dancing. You must also show some impressive skills to convince the Divine Hound Camp."
A Qiu stared at the bustling military camp, already devising various strategies in his mind.
After her initial surprise, she quickly calmed down and casually replied, "What does Commander Pei want me to do?"
Pei Yu had placed her in a dangerous situation without giving her a chance to refute or refuse, which was a grave offense for A Qiu, who was considered the "Jing Ke" of Lanling. Although she remained outwardly calm, she was actually seething with rage.
This was the first time in her career that she had put herself in danger because of trusting someone. For the Lanling Assassin, this was an unforgivable mistake.
But seeing Shangguan Yuqi protecting her despite her own safety, she was filled with conflicting emotions.
Is it right or wrong to trust comrades who fought alongside you?
Pei Yu could naturally hear the anger in her words, and said indignantly, "Shi Wanqiu, you dare to protect Li Chongyu all the way out of the city, and you dare to catch my 'Sun-Devouring Arrow' empty-handed in front of Jianzhang City Gate, but you don't dare to have a one-on-one fight with me in front of all the soldiers in the Divine Hound Camp?"
Although A Qiu used the name "Shi Wanqiu" when filling out the list of those entering the palace, a name given to her by her master Wan Qiqing, this was the first time she had ever been called by her full name like this. Upon suddenly hearing this name, she was quite caught off guard.
Pei Yu continued, "If you only intend to dance and play the zither, and live a leisurely life as a musician in the palace, you can hide under the Crown Prince's protection and send you back right now. But if you want to represent the Grand Tutor in the court and gain real influence over the fate of the world, you will have to get through this hurdle sooner or later!"
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