Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 525

Chapter 525: Sobbing

Pei Que had worked with his father-in-law for many years and knew he was a timid man. But today, his withdrawal from Baohua Hall lacked a certain finesse; he needed to let others know why he had retreated.

Sighing, Pei Que used a feigned retreat, saying with difficulty, “If Father-in-law finds this troublesome, then I won’t trouble you. However, our Ministry of Public Works is a unified entity. If something happens to Baohua Hall, or if the Empress Dowager returns, it will indeed be troublesome. But it’s alright; whether good or bad, I’ll be there to support you. Father-in-law can rest assured.”

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. An Chengye, having spent most of his life hiding his head, understood the principle of shared fate. This wasn’t just from the Ministry of Public Works’ perspective but also from the relationship between the Pei and An families. If Pei Que fell from grace, he wouldn’t escape either.

An Chengye asked tremblingly, “You know me; I’m not one for fighting. Even if I went to Baohua Hall, I wouldn’t cause much of a scene. With my weak voice and small courage, I wouldn’t make a fuss.”

Pei Que certainly knew this, so what he said earlier was just a prelude. If it really came to that, he had another idea. “Father-in-law is right. How about this: you go near Baohua Hall and sigh, or even cry. If anyone asks what’s wrong, just complain about Yun Xingbang stealing my job. You won’t have to confront Yun Xingbang’s people directly; it should be much simpler.”

In other words, he meant speaking ill of someone behind their back. An Chengye didn’t dare confront Yun Xingbang directly, but he certainly had the guts to talk badly about them behind their backs.

Seeing his father-in-law remain silent, Pei Que sighed several times. “You know me,” he said, “I hold the title of Minister of Public Works, but many people don’t respect me, and life is tough. Now that you have a noble title, even Yun Xingbang has to bow to you; he wouldn’t dare touch you. But if you find this troublesome, then I won’t force you.”

Pei Que paused, seemingly trying to dissuade An Chengye from causing trouble, but he stopped shortly after turning away and turned back to remind him, “By the way, recently there have been frequent patrols of the South Street alley. You’d better avoid going there; otherwise, people will keep writing me reports, and it’ll be difficult for me.”

South Street alley wasn’t a place where girls sold themselves; it was a place for men to drink and listen to music, but because some people liked to overstep boundaries, there were frequent patrols of the South Street alley.

An Chengye’s temples were slightly damp. He had worked with his son-in-law, Pei Que, for many years and always knew that Pei Que was a calculating man.

What good was being a father-in-law! Let alone his son-in-law, even his own daughter might not speak up for him.

Taking a deep breath, An Chengye whispered, “I’ll give it a try, but it might not work.”

“It’s alright, just do your best,” Pei Que said with a satisfied smile. “It’s still early; you should go as soon as possible.” He didn’t want to waste a single moment.

After An Chengye left, Pei Que called Fusheng to his side. “Go to the palace and tell them that once things get serious, bring the Emperor’s men there too. Also, give Duke Cheng a heads-up; he’s incredibly conservative. If he finds out, Yun Xingbang will be in serious trouble.”

Fusheng nodded and, before leaving, sighed, “Wouldn’t that be betraying Minister An?”

Pei Que’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “I’m on the same side as the An family. Even if we deliberately distance ourselves, it’s useless. My father-in-law has enjoyed my good fortune for so long; it’s time he did me a favor. Don’t talk about betraying him; that sounds too harsh. It’s just mutual cooperation.”

Pei Que waved his hand, his glassy eyes darting around, revealing a sly smile.

Meanwhile, An Chengye, upon arriving near Baohua Hall, did as Pei Que instructed.

It was a bit difficult at first, but complaining was his forte. The more he talked, the more natural it became, and he even managed to squeeze out a couple of tears when he got to the point.

Duke Cheng quickly received the news and sent someone to inquire.

By the time An Chengye was summoned by Duke Cheng’s men, many people knew about it.

Pei Que was soon summoned by Duke Cheng and reprimanded for a while.

“He wants to do it, and you’re really going to let him?” Duke Cheng said, exasperated. “You’re the Minister of Public Works, not some lowly seventh-rank official. What are you afraid of?”

Pei Que didn’t react to the scolding, calmly replying, “What I fear isn’t Yun Xingbang, but the Empress Dowager’s order. It’s enough that Your Excellency knows about this; how Yun Xingbang renovates Baohua Hall is his business.”

“What if he finishes the renovation quickly? What then?” Duke Cheng firmly opposed the Empress Dowager’s return to the palace.

“The Baohua Hall houses the ancestral tablets of thirty-six ancestors, each with their own specific shrine. It’s the most strictly regulated place in the entire palace,” Pei Que said. “Your Excellency, having served as an official for decades, you should know how much effort it takes to renovate the Baohua Hall, right?”

After speaking, Pei Que gave Duke Cheng a deep look. Seeing understanding in the Duke’s eyes, he then took his leave.

The craftsmen Yun Xingbang brought were skilled, but in the palace, skill alone wasn’t enough. The palace rules were layered upon layers; a single misstep could lead to a major blunder, not to mention Pei Que’s behind-the-scenes manipulation.

This time, the Empress Dowager was too hasty.

After leaving Duke Cheng, Pei Que returned to his residence.

As soon as he entered, An Zhi mysteriously pulled him into the inner room.

An Zhi quickly finished recounting Madam of Yun’s affair. “How was it? Exciting enough?”

Pei Que’s eyes lit up. “Yun Shengxing suffered a stroke and is now unable to care for himself, and Madam of Yun has been having an affair for years. Just getting this news to the Yun family will throw them into chaos.”

“That’s right,” An Zhi said smugly. “But I think Madam of Yun and Yun Shengxing have been estranged for many years. Now that Yun Shengxing has had a stroke, he’ll definitely torment her even more. It’s better to make good use of Madam of Yun; maybe we can find another breakthrough for the Yun family. After all, Madam of Yun has lived in the Yun household for over twenty years; she must know some things.”

“Madam is truly clever,” Pei Que praised. “Let’s not rush things. We’ll talk about Madam of Yun’s affair after Yun Xingbang falls.”

If Yun Xingbang also failed, then the main branch of the Yun family would have no one to uphold its reputation. Once Yun Xingbang collapsed, Yun Shengxing’s last breath wouldn’t last long.

The Emperor was too influenced by the Yun family; they had to quickly remove them from the family. Pei Que embraced An Zhi and praised her for a long time, while An Chengye, on the other side, had just come out of the palace.

After being taken away by Duke Cheng’s men, An Chengye was stopped by Yun Xingbang’s men. Just as Pei Que had said, Yun Xingbang dared not lay a hand on An Chengye, but he questioned him about many things. An Chengye tightly covered his mouth, refusing to say anything. Finally, Pei Que’s men helped him out of the predicament. Having lived in fear all day, after leaving the palace and getting into the carriage, he lay weakly on the cushion, sobbing, “There won’t be a next time, sob sob.”