Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 645

Chapter 645: Stance

The first rays of dawn gradually unveiled the day’s events.

He Xun stood in a distant high-rise, watching He Zheng being shot to death, finally putting an end to a major worry.

“Master, we should leave the city.”

He Xun slowly turned around. “You take your men out of the city now, following our previous route back to Jiuyi. Don’t stop for a moment, and don’t send me any messages during this time. Report back to me safely once you’ve returned to Jiuyi.”

“And you? Aren’t you coming back with us?” The attendant grew anxious.

“In your opinion, who will win this contest, Pei Que or my father-in-law?” He Xun suddenly asked.

For a moment, the attendant couldn’t answer. “I feel they are evenly matched; I can’t predict the outcome.”

“If you can’t predict it, hurry up and take your men back. If you delay any longer, Chi Jiayun’s secret guards will find us,” He Xun said as he went downstairs.

He couldn’t be discovered by Chi Jiayun’s men, otherwise it would be difficult to explain back in the capital.

While He Xun was quietly escaping, Chi Jiayun’s guards rushed out to arrest him.

Even though this place was relatively secluded, there were still people living in the nearby courtyards. A few screams were heard at first, but they quickly fell silent.

On the other side, An Zhi and Pei Que hadn’t slept much.

Just as dawn was breaking, Pei Que got up to make tea.

An Zhi stopped Pei Que. “Drinking tea on an empty stomach will make you sick. If you want to drink tea, eat something first to line your stomach.”

As she spoke, An Zhi went to the cupboard and took out a few shortbreads, stuffing one into Pei Que’s mouth. “Let me see your right hand; move it.”

Pei Que took a big bite of the shortbread, which was filled with peanuts. “It’s still numb; no progress.”

“Sigh, you’ve suffered so much; why aren’t you getting better?” An Zhi sat opposite Pei Que, looking worried, and took a piece of pastry. “I wonder if He Xun has succeeded. Waiting for news is agonizing.”

Pei Que also disliked waiting, but now, all he could do was wait.

Not long after, Fusheng came upstairs and knocked on the door, saying that a group of city guards had just hurried past the shop, seemingly on their way to arrest someone.

Upon hearing this, Pei Que knew that He Xun had already made his move.

“Let’s go; we need to go downstairs and open for business. No matter what, the steamed buns have to keep selling,” An Zhi said to Fusheng as she stood up. As she reached the threshold, she turned back to Pei Que and instructed, “Yue’er caught a bit of a chill yesterday. When she wakes up, be careful; don’t rock her around too much.”

Pei Que agreed. He was now the babysitter; he wasn’t needed for anything else at home.

After An Zhi went downstairs, Pei Que sat down beside the cradle, looking at his daughter’s rosy face, and couldn’t resist poking her.

Yue’er’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she looked like she was about to cry. Pei Que quickly withdrew his hand and hummed softly.

Just then, the wooden window was suddenly pushed open, and someone jumped in.

“Waaah!”

Yue’er burst into tears.

Pei Que looked up and saw He Xun. His face darkened instantly. He picked up his daughter, rocking her as he asked in a low voice, “Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be returning to Jiuyi?”

Before He Xun could speak, An Zhi entered from outside. Seeing He Xun, she was equally surprised. “He Xun? What are you still here for?”

He Xun raised both hands. “Don’t be so surprised. I was just worried about you all, so I decided to stay and weather this storm with you.”

“Pah! What can you do staying here?” Pei Que said as he handed his daughter to An Zhi. Hearing that He Zheng was dead and that An Zhi should take their daughter next door to breastfeed, he stared intently at He Xun. “What kind of wicked plan are you hatching, you brat?”

Having eliminated a major threat, he didn’t leave and even came all the way here to find them. Wasn’t he just forcing them onto the same side?

He Xun chuckled awkwardly. “I already told you, I was worried about you all, so I came specifically to help you. Besides, with me here, things will be easier for you. In any case, I want to repay your kindness.”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Pei Que growled.

With He Zheng dead, Chi Jiayun would surely be furious, and who knew how chaotic things would be outside? Now that He Xun was here, there was no way he could just send him away.

He Xun said earnestly, “I’m speaking from the heart. Besides, wouldn’t it be good if there were one more person? Chi Jiayun and He Zheng have always been in contact. After I inherited the Jiuyi tribe, I obtained a lot of clues about them. Just you alone would take quite a while to kill Chi Jiayun. Pei Que, let’s talk this out. Quickly… quickly put down your sword!”

“I really want to stab you with this sword.” Pei Que snapped down his sword hilt, sat down, and coldly snorted, “I will give you one more chance. Honestly explain your purpose, or you will be waiting to go to the dark room.”

He Xun believed Pei Que would sit down as soon as he said it, so he quickly sat down opposite him. “What I just said was from the bottom of my heart. I truly want to help you, and don’t you know my character?”

Pei Que asked suspiciously, “I feel like I don’t know you very well.”

“These words you said are hurtful,” He Xun said, clutching his chest. “Sigh, I originally intended to return to Jiuyi, but the moment I saw He Zheng die, I suddenly felt I couldn’t just go back like that. Chi Jiayun also has many spies in Jiuyi, and he’s my father-in-law’s man. Since my father-in-law could harm the Pei family, I feel he doesn’t have much affection for me, so I want to work with you to get rid of Chi Jiayun. Of course, I will be the kind who works quietly.”

Pei Que understood. “You are afraid Chi Jiayun will leak your information to Minister Xu, right?”

Having his thoughts guessed, He Xun honestly nodded. “Killing He Zheng is, in effect, going against my father-in-law. Even you can’t defeat him, so I’m afraid too.”

“A fence-sitter, playing both sides like this, aren’t you afraid of getting burned?” Pei Que said disdainfully, getting up to bring An Zhi a chair when she entered.

An Zhi overheard Pei Que and He Xun’s last two sentences. After sitting down, she looked at He Xun and asked, “Since you chose to be here, you represent your side. But have you considered how Xu Wenjuan would react if she knew your choice today?”

Minister Xu was Xu Wenjuan’s biological father.

He Xun smiled bitterly. “Wenjuan came back and told me she hoped we could remain neutral. But can we really remain neutral?”

An Zhi and Pei Que exchanged a glance; they both thought it impossible. The Jiuyi were surrounded by the sea on one side and the Jin Dynasty on the other three. With a single order from the Jin Dynasty, conquering the Jiuyi would be no problem.

Once Xu Wenyong ascended the throne, it would inevitably cause many conflicts. At that time, besides the Xu family’s military force, He Xun, as his son-in-law, would naturally have to lead troops to help suppress the opponents.

Once Jiuyi’s military forces were exhausted, Xu Wenyong could easily conquer them and expand his territory.

Ultimately, it was Xu Wenyong’s attitude towards the Pei family that caused He Xun to lose trust in Xu Wenyong and instead side with Pei Que.

That day, Pei Que said one shouldn’t have their cake and eat it too. He Xun thought it over and chose Pei Que, the one he felt was the safest option.