Chapter 165: Chapter 147: Each Gets What They Want
Pei Jian candidly confessed some things to him, but he kept the most crucial part hidden.
He also revealed some key information about the person behind the scenes.
There was sincerity, yet he had his own little schemes.
This old guy is also someone who hides a needle in cotton; he must be handled carefully, lest he leads you astray, and you end up being sold while counting money for him.
Old Tang reported that the mastermind behind falsely accusing him was Ye Shengyuan, and Ye Shengyuan’s grudge against him mainly stemmed from the death of "Ye Xizhao".
He was certain that Ye Xizhao’s death was related to him, which left no resolution, no matter how much he tried to prove that it wasn’t related to Ye Xizhao’s death.
Some people, once fixated on something, cannot be changed.
"Master of the Prefecture, we are strangers to one another, why would you want to help me?" Lin Miao didn’t want to circle around with Pei Jian any longer, so he directly opened up the conversation.
If the interests aligned, cooperation would not be impossible.
As for who was scheming against whom, and who could laugh last, that would depend on their own capabilities.
"In Dongshan City, I, as the Prefect, am not the one whose words carry the most weight," Pei Jian slowly said.
"You are the Prefect, if your words don’t carry the most weight, then whose do? Stop joking, please!" Lin Miao chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Mr. Lin, you have not yet touched the core circles of power in Dongshan City, so it’s natural that you do not understand," Pei Jian said, "In Dongshan City, there’s someone whose words are much more influential than mine."
"Who?"
"Mrs He."
"Who is Mrs He?"
"The wife of Marquis Lingyang, a high-ranking titled lady officially honored by the Court. In terms of status, she far surpasses me as the Prefect," Pei Jian explained, "Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion controls half of the mineral resources in Dongshan Prefecture and has many businesses and shops in the city. Half of the wealth is pocketed by the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion. Additionally, they maintain five hundred private soldiers, and half of the officials in Dongshan City are connected to the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion. Those not connected to it do not dare to cross them, and the merchants and gentry of Dongshan all look up to the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion, while the Prefect’s officials, the long history of Dongshan Prefecture, the six departments and branches, as well as the adjutant, see over half receiving illicit salaries from the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion."
"With the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion bribing officials like this, could it be that they are planning a rebellion?"
"Rebellion, not quite. These people are merely colluding with him out of interest but following in rebellion, that’s a beheading matter, who would be willing to risk the lives of their entire family for a bit of money?" Pei Jian shook his head.
"I’m just a humble physician, it seems you’ve got the wrong person to talk to about these matters," Lin Miao said.
"Ye Shengyuan is a key person beside Mrs He, and much of the official bribery by the Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion is handled through him; he is her most important arm," Pei Jian said.
Of course, there’s also the matter of being her paramour; Pei Jian knew this secret but did not say it.
Lin Miao understood now, Pei Jian wanted to take down Ye Shengyuan, cutting off an arm of Mrs He from the Marquis Lingyang, and he had been chosen as the "pawn".
"Prefect Pei, you want me to help you get rid of Ye Shengyuan, is that right?"
"The Ye Family is part of the Golden Tree, focusing on curing and saving people is the right path, yet Ye Shengyuan, as the patriarch of the Ye Family, is so restless, meddling in bureaucratic affairs, shouldn’t the Ye Family be helped back to the right path?" Pei Jian raised his cup and drank the wine in one gulp.
The old fox is like that, never putting his words to death.
But the meaning was clear to him, Ye Shengyuan had to be taken down, at least, the Ye Family needed a change of the guard, pulling him down from his position as the patriarch of the Ye Family.
"Ye Shengyuan seeks revenge against me for some inexplicable resentment, with a human life as the price. Such a person doesn’t deserve to be a physician," Lin Miao nodded in righteous indignation, "Prefect Pei, I am willing to cooperate with you."
Pei Jian was startled for a moment; cooperating with him, wasn’t that leading the charge, which was not what he had designed.
"Mr. Lin, you know I cannot act openly, otherwise it would be a head-on confrontation, detrimental to both you and me," Pei Jian pondered aloud.
"Then are you suggesting I confront Ye Shengyuan and those people alone?"
"Of course not, I will provide you with support in terms of information, I have people monitoring their every move, you will understand their activities clearly, allowing you to formulate corresponding strategies." Pei Jian assured.
Using him as the "pawn
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