Chapter 1339 – Eliminating Huang Song, Uniting Dongqing (Eighty)
Jiang Pengji let Wei Ci help her dry her hair, casually grabbing a blue hair tie to tie back her sleek, long locks.
This outfit greatly diminished her former sharpness and instead added a touch of softness, unexpectedly lending her a hint of feminine charm.
“Zixiao, are you curious how I plan to handle the hidden threat posed by Boge?”
Wei Ci nodded honestly; he was indeed curious. However, there were some matters he couldn’t delve into and had to bury his doubts deep within.
“Well then, Zixiao, why don’t you accompany me on a little trip?” Jiang Pengji stood up, arranging her cloak neatly across her shoulders, and smiled, “I shouldn’t go to see Boge on my own looking like this. Who knows what kind of scandal might arise outside?”
Speaking of scandals, their past had certainly caused a few, but no one took them seriously back then.
Wei Ci lowered his gaze, noncommittal, but the slight curve at the corner of his lips betrayed his true feelings.
“By the way, remember to bring some ink, paper, and brushes—make sure to bring plenty of paper.”
As Jiang Pengji leisurely slipped on her wooden sandals to meet Huang Song, Wei Ci followed closely behind, and the patrolling soldiers who spotted them immediately came to attention and saluted.
“Boge should still be awake at this hour, right?”
Wei Ci chuckled, “After becoming the captive of the Lord, even if he’s thick-skinned, I doubt he can sleep soundly.”
Huang Song was indeed awake, tossing and turning as he chewed on the words Jiang Pengji had said: “How can one know it’s a problem unless they try?”
He couldn’t determine what Jiang Pengji meant. It wasn’t that he was slow; he just didn’t dare to believe it.
What reason could there be to let him go?
Because of some so-called “youthful friendship”?
Such an excuse might fool the naïve, but in the face of entangled interests, all emotions would have to take a back seat.
If Jiang Pengji were an emotional person, there might be some credibility to it, but she was, after all, a rational individual who rarely let feelings cloud her judgment.
He pondered back and forth and felt that opting for suicide might be better. As long as he died, Jiang Pengji wouldn’t wipe out his former subordinates and would take good care of his family. Calamity wouldn’t extend to his wife and children; a dignified ruler wouldn’t want to easily mistreat widows and orphans for the sake of appearances!
Xu Pei’s family was the best example.
Han Yu had also joined Jiang Pengji’s ranks, so he would surely watch over the old lord’s family and dependents. While it wasn’t a life of luxury, at least they’d be safe and sound.
Huang Song’s emotions mirrored those Jiang Pengji had felt years ago.
Back then, she had been betrayed and slandered by her companions, secretly captured by the Federation; her first reaction was to resist arrest with force, single-handedly pursuing the real culprit.
As a soldier of the Federation, she naturally trusted it, but with the mix of interests involved, that trust fell under scrutiny.
“I knew you wouldn’t be sleeping—”
As Jiang Pengji entered the tent, she just happened to catch Huang Song lost in thought while staring blankly at the sword on the table and smiled calmly.
She was followed by Wei Ci and several workers, with the workers carrying utensils for grilling meat and hotpot, along with plenty of ingredients.
Huang Song looked up, bewildered.
What on earth was this?
Jiang Pengji said, “I came to offer you a late-night snack; I’m hungry.”
Huang Song: “……”
Jiang Pengji tossed the sword to Wei Ci casually and asked, “Boge, is this sword expensive?”
“This sword was gifted by my grandfather when I came of age. While it’s not precious, it holds significant meaning.”
Jiang Pengji remarked, “So it was a gift from an elder? If the elder knew that the sword they gifted became your demise, they surely wouldn’t feel good about it.”
Just then, the workers tidied up the table and set the grill and warming pot.
The ingredients were placed on a separate shelf, while someone lit the fire under the warming pot and poured in the well-prepared broth.
“It’s a shame alcohol is banned in the military; otherwise, we could enjoy a late-night snack while sipping on some drinks.”
Jiang Pengji took her seat across from Huang Song, with Wei Ci sitting beside her at the back.
“What brings Lan Ting here this time?” Huang Song had no appetite and spoke directly, “If there’s something, feel free to say it plainly.”
As Jiang Pengji picked up her chopsticks and placed ingredients into the bubbling pot, she smiled, “Who knows if we’ll have the chance to dine together in our later years?”
Huang Song’s expression shifted, “What do you mean by that, Lan Ting?”
“I’m not one to force matters; you know my temperament.” Jiang Pengji said, “If you truly wish to die, considering our past friendship, I’ll ensure your affairs are taken care of. But if you still have the will to live, I’m not a narrow-minded person who can’t accept others.”
With such clarity in her words, Huang Song understood her true attitude.
After a long silence—
“When it comes to hidden threats, it’s best to eradicate them at the root. Why is Lan Ting showing such kindness?”
“Kindness of a woman, bravery of a man—when did you ever see such traits in me?” Jiang Pengji scoffed, “If I’m willing to spare you, then I’m prepared for it. We’ll establish a few ground rules; if you can comply, then I can certainly accommodate you.”
Jiang Pengji’s solution involved making an agreement with Huang Song; if he wanted his life, he’d have to pay with a degree of his freedom and rights.
Huang Song remained silent.
“I’m willing to swear blood oaths with you, each of us taking a vow. You need not worry that I’ll go back on my word!”
Huang Song’s expression changed, and he looked at Jiang Pengji with a mix of complexity.
She was serious!
This was the first time Huang Song clearly recognized this.
In this era, while everything else might be lacking, the moral baseline was high, and they valued the spirit of contracts; after taking an oath, both parties were bound by it.
If one party betrayed the agreement first, their moral standing would collapse, allowing the other to eliminate them without facing the backlash of public opinion.
To put it clearly, they were simply forming a contract, mutually agreeing to abide by it.
The contract’s terms would undoubtedly favor Jiang Pengji, while Huang Song would be the one bound by it.
Just forming a vow wasn’t enough; Jiang Pengji needed everyone to know about this vow, which would not only bind Huang Song but also his former subordinates! As long as Huang Song was alive, it didn’t matter; what she wanted was for him to live well enough that his old subordinates wouldn’t dare entertain any notions of betrayal!
Jiang Pengji smiled, “If Boge is willing, we can discuss the terms of our oath while we eat.”
Huang Song gave a bitter smile and said, “Lan Ting’s thoughts are truly… quite meticulous.”
Jiang Pengji turned to Wei Ci, “Then let Zixiao help us draft it.”
Wei Ci agreed.
The content of the contract leaned in Jiang Pengji’s favor, but for Huang Song, it wasn’t unacceptable, even more lenient than he had expected. Though he couldn’t wield real power for three generations, his descendants could still enter officialdom through normal channels, and he himself would be honored with continued support, maintaining a hereditary title for three generations. Losing power and certain freedoms in exchange for a peaceful and prosperous later life—it wasn’t too shabby for a defeated party.
This ending was way better than losing the protection of the head of the family and living in constant fear like Xu Pei’s family.
Huang Song carefully reviewed the dozens of pages of “contract” drafted by Wei Ci and asked a question.
“What about my daughter? Can she enter officialdom?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “If your daughter has the capability, of course she can.”
Given the current atmosphere, men held far more political power than women. That’s why Jiang Pengji restricted Huang Song and his descendants for three generations.
Yet, being an old friend, she didn’t want Huang Song’s family to be looked down upon overly because they lacked real power, so she left some room for maneuver.
As long as Huang Song’s daughter or granddaughter could enter officialdom, he didn’t believe his former subordinates wouldn’t offer their support, considering their past bonds.
In this way, these individuals wouldn’t dare to object to women holding office.
Wei Ci: “…”
The Lord is playing a very big game.
