Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 651

Chapter 651: Capture Alive

The woodshed was drafty, and by morning, Pei Que’s nose was stuffy. He couldn’t help but sigh; his health had deteriorated considerably.

The wealthy merchant and Chi Jiayun were close friends, their relationship mutually beneficial. Because of this connection, when Chi Jiayun searched for someone in the southern city, the merchant himself searched his own home several times.

Pei Que heard the voices of servants outside, knowing they were looking for someone, and quietly slipped out of the woodshed.

Outside were soldiers searching for someone, as well as Chi Jiayun’s spies. Pei Que didn’t intend to leave the mansion but instead wandered around with Shuo Feng to the family’s ancestral hall.

After entering the ancestral hall, they heard a man and a woman talking. Judging from their conversation, they were probably the owners of the house.

Through a crack in the window, they could see the man pulling at the woman; they were arguing.

“What’s wrong with you? No matter what, Governor Chi’s still the Governor of Yongning. How do you think we can possibly win against him?” the man said self-deprecatingly.

“Why not? Chi Jiayun has been searching the city for so many days but hasn’t found him yet. It means he might be in deep trouble.” The woman grasped the man was hand, pleading, “Master, although you’ve made some money with him, we’ve lived in constant fear all these years. Any noise at night’s a sign that our enemies are coming. Don’t we have Chi Jiayun’s account book? You’ve been dealing with him for so many years; why not take this opportunity to send the account book to the capital and retire from this life of crime?”

The man sighed but didn’t push the woman away. He said helplessly, “Mei’er, it isn’t that I want to live like this forever, but think about it, we’ve been helping Chi Jiayun with smuggling for years. He must be wary of us. I’m just afraid that before the account book even leaves Yongning City, we will be dead.”

Pei Que’s eyes lit up. After the two people in the ancestral hall sighed and left, he and Shuo Feng slipped into the hall.

The ancestral hall had very few memorial tablets, only three, one of which belonged to a child.

Pei Que glanced outside. Shuo Feng was adept at finding things.

Shuo Feng searched the entire ancestral hall but couldn’t find the account book. “Master, it might be hidden somewhere else.”

“Since we have this, let’s look for it together.” Pei Que wasn’t in a hurry to leave. “But come a little closer; I have something to tell you…”

After a brief whispered conversation, Pei Que and Shuo Feng went their separate ways.

The wealthy merchant’s mansion wasn’t small, and Pei Que wasn’t particularly skilled at finding things, so he moved rather slowly.

As the sky turned a vibrant red with the sunset, Pei Que still hadn’t found anything.

He was a little hungry and stole some food from the kitchen.

After filling his stomach, Pei Que intended to continue searching for the account book, but just as he reached a corner of the back courtyard, a group of people suddenly surged out from all sides.

Not long after, he saw the man he had heard talking earlier emerge from the house. In front of him stood another man in official robes, whom Pei Que immediately recognized as Chi Jiayun.

“Oh, why aren’t you running anymore?” Chi Jiayun, holding a bamboo fan in his palm, slowly stepped out from the crowd.

He had seen Pei Que several times from afar in the capital, but Pei Que certainly didn’t remember him.

“Instead of staying on Huludao, you’ve come to Yongning. Do you know that this is a capital offense?” Chi Jiayun saw Pei Que surrounded by his men and was about to win; his tone involuntarily rose.

The sunset on the horizon was exceptionally red, reflecting a red hue onto the courtyard tiles.

Pei Que was surrounded on all four sides.

He couldn’t leave on his own today.

“Chi Jiayun, why don’t you just kill me?” Pei Que’s tone was indifferent, betraying no hint that he was about to die.

Chi Jiayun wanted to kill Pei Que, but he was unwilling to did so so easily. He had been played like a fool by Pei Que for days, especially this morning; simply killing Pei Que wouldn’t be enough to vent his anger.

Anyway, Pei Que couldn’t escape; he could do whatever he wanted.

Knowing Pei Que was in Yongning City, Chi Jiayun had already laid out plans throughout the city. Once Pei Que was spotted, he was determined to capture him alive.

As for the feint attack outside the city, Chi Jiayun figured it out after a moment of thought.

“You destroyed so many of my properties, things I had meticulously planned, yet you destroyed them as if it were a game.” Chi Jiayun opened her bamboo fan. “Pei Que, I know you’re arrogant, and I know you’re quite capable. But what good are your abilities? By the time your men arrive, I will have already torn you to pieces.”

“So you want me to compensate you?” Pei Que raised an eyebrow, thinking Chi Jiayun was incredibly greedy. If he killed him now, he wouldn’t have any chance of turning the tables. However, Chi Jiayun had lost far too much money—a sum roughly estimated to be unimaginable for ordinary people—which was why he hadn’t acted hastily. This was something Pei Que had anticipated.

The Pei family had accumulated considerable wealth and connections over a century.

Chi Jiayun was young and capable, but despite his abilities, his family offered no support; he could only climb the social ladder by clinging to Minister Xu.

Now that Pei Que, this lucrative opportunity, was presented to him, how could he easily let it slip away?

“Shouldn’t you compensate me?” Chi Jiayun’s brows furrowed as he asked.

“So, you’re admitting defeat?” Pei Que continued.

Chi Jiayun didn’t answer this question but continued to say what he wanted. “Pei Que, if you’re willing to give me what you’ve hidden, you might be able to live. But if you refuse to listen, I can make you wish you were dead. Huludao’s under Yongning’s jurisdiction, and I’m the governor of Yongning. Even if I lock you up in prison and torture you to death, the court won’t blame me. You’d better think carefully: do you want to hand over the money readily, or suffer some physical pain?”

“What if I’m unwilling?” Pei Que asked, amused.

“That’s not up to you,” Chi Jiayun said confidently. “Look around you. Do you think you still have a chance to escape?”

They were located at the back of the mansion, not facing the street, and not close to other houses. It was a place where no one could help them. Without divine intervention, no one could rescue Pei Que here.

Pei Que was like prey caught in a pack of wild beasts, surrounded by enemies on all sides. At Chi Jiayun’s command, the surrounding soldiers could easily hack him to pieces.

Although Chi Jiayun was confident in capturing Pei Que, he didn’t approach him, remaining as cautious as ever.

Pei Que, however, walked towards Chi Jiayun. “Chi Jiayun, you’re indeed cautious and have some cleverness. If you settle down and serve as governor diligently, you will surely have a bright future.”

“Pei Que, don’t come any closer!” Chi Jiayun didn’t want to get too close to Pei Que; it made him anticipate danger. But Pei Que showed no intention of heeding his words. “Men! Capture Pei Que alive!”