Chapter 337: Brothers Disagree

Lu Qi's mansion was also in Yonglefang, less than one mile from Zhang Huan's mansion. Before Zhang Huan entered the city, he rushed back to the mansion in a carriage. His beautiful wife caught a cold last night, which made him feel uneasy all day and had no intention of entering the court. When the carriage quickly entered the gate, countless people ran out of the yard, and cheers rang out from the distance. Lu Qi knew that this was Zhang Huan's entry into the city.

He smiled bitterly and shook his head, and ordered the coachman to pay attention to avoiding it. At this moment, one of his servants said outside the car window: "Master, it seems that someone is calling you behind you."

Lu Qi opened the curtain and saw a carriage coming quickly under the escort of a hundred people. He knew this carriage. In the morning, they went out of the city to greet Zhang Huan. It was Pei You, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He smiled and ordered the driver to stop. After a moment, Pei You's carriage rushed up and stopped side by side with him with a squeak. As soon as Lu Qi opened the car door, Pei You jumped up anxiously. As soon as he met, he said, "Are you crazy today?"

Speaking of which, Pei You was ten years younger than Lu Qi, but the two had the strongest friendship. They were originally from family friendship, but they both got up with family members. When they first became officials, they sent Fengtian as the chief clerk and county magistrate. Later, Lu Qi was transferred to Shaanxi County as the governor, and Pei You followed him to become the Sima of Shaanxi County. In the end, it was Pei You's introduction that made Lu Qi eventually become a backbone of the Pei Party. Decades of official friendship made the two become close friends.

This morning, Lu Qi stepped forward and mediated the rewards of Pei Jun and Zhang Huan. Pei You was shocked and worried about Lu Qi's actions. It cannot be said that he had betrayed his elder brother, but he had at least shown signs of changing the boat. Without Pei Jun's instructions, Pei You rushed to Lu Qi in a panic to ask about the situation.

Perhaps feeling that his tone was a little heavy, Pei You wanted to ease the atmosphere, so he asked, "Does Brother Ziliang not understand the Prime Minister's true intention?"

"What do you think?"

Lu Qi smiled faintly and asked Pei You back, of course he knew Pei Jun’s true thoughts, knew that he wanted to downplay Anxi’s affairs than Cui Xiaofu, and knew very well what it meant to stand up for Zhang Huan at this sensitive time. Perhaps Pei Jun was furious about this matter now! But he did not regret it. He had been thinking about this for a long time. He was less than 60 years old and could do it for at least ten years. Now he has entered the cabinet and his career has become very narrow. From this perspective, he has achieved success and there is no need to make trouble anymore, but his other identity is the head of the Lu family, and he has several sons who are in power. Now his wife has just gotten pregnant with his bones in her belly.

He had to consider the above, the government affairs of the aristocratic families were born in chaos. After more than ten years of rest and recuperation, the Tang Dynasty had gradually recovered its vitality. As Cui Qinggong split the Cui family, the government affairs of the aristocratic families were also heading to an end. More and more people began to hope to restore the imperial orthodox tradition, and Lu Qi was no exception. If Zhang Huan had not appeared, he might have followed Pei Jun and become his loyal supporter. But as Zhang Huan rose and became increasingly powerful, his determination gradually began to shake, especially the two major events of the Anxi Battle and the death of the late emperor, which made Lu Qi sensitively realize that it was only a matter of time before Zhang Huan took office, and the general trend was the point, so today he took a tentative step carefully.

The old friend's question was also as expected by Lu Qi. Seeing that Pei You's face changed several times, he advised him earnestly: "You are the second most important official of the Pei family. When the prime minister is obsessed with obsession and does not realize it, you should remind him in time that sometimes taking a step back will make the sky wider. Zhang Huan is not Zhu Li, nor Cui Qinggong. If he wants to take office, it will be realized three years ago. Why should I wait until today? I will give this all, take care of myself."

After saying that, he closed his eyes and never spoke again. Pei You had already understood Lu Qi's thoughts. He couldn't say a word for a long time. After a long time, he sighed, bowed to Lu Qi, and got out of the car.

Lu Qi kept waiting for his carriage to walk away before slowly opening his eyes and waved his hand and said, "Go back home!"

This winter is destined to be an erratic day. Just as Zhang Huan returned to Chang'an, something big and small happened to Pei's mansion, so let us turn our attention to Pei's mansion first.

These days, Pei Jun's mansion was not peaceful, and the conflict between the two sons became increasingly acute. The reason was that the second son Pei Mingyao bought a house outside privately and raised a woman. This woman was born as a dancer and was attracted by Pei Mingyao at a party of poetry friends. Shortly after a night of love, the woman came to the door and told him that he was pregnant with his flesh and blood. Pei Mingyao did not dare to tell his father, thinking that he would get married after giving birth to the child. If it was indeed his own child, he would report to his father and take her as a concubine.

So Pei Mingyao kept the woman in a house outside. At first, the news was covered very tightly, but soon, the eldest son Pei Mingkai found out about this matter. He immediately told his father. Pei Jun was furious and beat Pei Mingyao hard. He ordered someone to take the woman back to the mansion and place it in another courtyard. However, the matter was not finished. After thinking about it for a while, Pei Jun finally took off the heir of the head of Pei Mingyao last month and reconsidered the successor of the head of the head, and would not be limited to his own son.

Pei Mingyao, who lost the position of heir to the head of the family, naturally hated his elder brother to the core. The two lived under the same roof. Even though they did not dare to turn against each other in front of their father, the private secret fight never stopped.

Pei Mingyao had an aide named Zhou Mi. He was originally an assistant in the Imperial College. He met Pei Mingyao, who was still in charge at the time at a chance party. Zhou Mi curled up with him. After several dates, Pei Mingyao saw that he was careful and strategic, so he asked him for advice from time to time. Zhou Mi also told him that since the prime minister did not immediately determine the new heir to the head of the family, it means that Pei Jun was still undecided. Pei Mingyao was very likely to take up the throne again. Pei Mingyao deeply agreed and did everything according to Zhou Mi's professor. Over time, Pei Jun was deeply pleased with his repentance. As a result, Zhou Mi became Pei Mingyao's most trusted chief military advisor.

Early in the morning, Pei Mingyao learned about Zhang Huan's return to Beijing from his father's guards, and rushed to the Imperial College for concern to find Zhou Mi. He always believed that Zhang Huan was Pei Mingkai's supporter, and his arrival would definitely trigger Pei Mingkai's peeping at the position of the heir of the head of the family.

After hearing Pei Mingyao's statement, Zhou Mi couldn't help laughing and waved her hands repeatedly, "You don't have to worry about this. I think Zhang Huan's arrival will be detrimental to Pei Mingkai."

"Why?" Pei Mingyao asked in a deep voice. Of course, he also knew that his father had a deep conflict with Zhang Huan, but he was worried that Zhang Huan would interfere in the affairs of the Pei family in secret. It was not impossible for him to promote Pei Mingkai to the throne with his strength, and his father might not be able to notice it. He knew very well that he hoped that Zhou Mi could give him a comprehensive solution.

Seeing that Pei Mingyao's face was unhappy, Zhou Mi knew that his laughter made him feel a little angry. He quickly stopped his laughter and said solemnly: "I always thought that the Prime Minister was meticulous in considering the inheritance of the head of the family. He was not considered by the Prime Minister as Pei Mingkai's eldest son. That means that the reason why he could not be the head of the family is very sufficient. Otherwise, the Prime Minister would consider him if the envoy went down. But there was no conclusion yet, and he even said that it was not necessarily his own son. From this, it can be inferred that the Prime Minister would not consider Pei Mingkai as the successor of the head of the family. I suggest that the envoy relax his vision and consider other legitimate sons in the family."

Pei Mingyao nodded thoughtfully. He admitted that Zhou Mi was right. He was a little blinded by Pei Mingkai's hatred, but Zhou Mi's words were very active. He considered other concubines in the family, but his father's brothers had four brothers and grandfather's brothers. Including the number of legitimate sons of the Pei family in his generation was at least fifty or sixty. How could he pay attention?

Zhou Mi seemed to know Pei Mingyao’s thoughts. He smiled and said, “In fact, family affairs are like state affairs. The last superiors still depend on their own strength. Instead of considering other legitimate sons, it is better to strengthen their own strength. With strength as a guarantee, how can the prime minister ignore the stability of the family when making the final decision? Do you understand what I mean?”

"strength?"

Pei Mingyao slowly fell into deep thought with his hands behind his back. He was definitely not a fool. He was just confused recently and was blinded by hatred. He could not see the situation clearly for a moment. When Zhou Mi reminded him, he began to feel a little awake.

In his understanding, his strength is his official position in the court. He has now moved from the position of the first position of the Ministry of Revenue to the fifth rank of the Central Secretariat of the Ministry of Revenue. Among his generation, he is the highest position. Even Pei Mingkai is the sixth rank of the crown prince's servant, and he is also a free position, far from being compared with him.

Other legitimate sons, such as the third brother Pei Mingqian, were transferred to Hedong as county magistrate a few months ago. Except for the eldest son of the second uncle Pei You, Pei Minghai, who served as the chief secretary of Ye County, it is difficult for everyone to compare with him. Pei Mingyao suddenly frowned, and he suddenly remembered his fifth brother Pei Mingyuan. He has been working in Longyou, and almost everyone has to forget him. Moreover, his position is Sima of the Jiedu Prefecture and Zhang Huan's private official, but he is the second-ranked civil servant in Longyou, and his strength is far greater than that of himself.

But this thought passed by in a flash. Pei Mingyuan was Zhang Huan's confidant. How could his father let him be the heir to the head of the family? After thinking about it, Pei Minghai posed the greatest threat to him.

"Do you understand what I am talking about?" Zhou Mi looked into his eyes and said.

Pei Mingyao nodded slowly, "I have been an official for many years, and my qualifications and abilities are not easily surpassed by other Pei family members."

"No!" Zhou Mi waved her hands repeatedly, "What I meant is not just the size of an official position."

"Then what are you talking about?"
Chapter completed!