Husband, Be A Gentleman

Chapter 78

Chapter Seventy-Eight

The emperor's army slaughtered their enemies.

The imperial guards secured Pei Jin's manor while the emperor's army fought Pei Zhang's men outside.

'Your majesty, assassins are found hidden inside seventh prince's manor,' the imperial guard reported.

The emperor slapped Pei Zhang's cheek.

'You dare to say you're innocent?' the emperor asked.

Pei Zhang didn't expect ambushing Pei Jin would lead to him being framed. He lost a chess piece, the battle and everything. All his schemes failed. He couldn't kill Pei Jin and Pei Jin's family. His father didn't trust him and he was at a disadvantage because he had no heir. Framing Pei Jin of treason was his last chess piece but it backfired and he lost pitifully.

Everyone believed Pei Zhang had planned to lure the emperor to Pei Jin's manor. Afterward Pei Zhang's men would kill the emperor, Pei Jin and Pei Jin's family. Pei Zhang would have deceived the citizens of Dian Kingdom to believe Pei Jin committed treason and killed the emperor. So the citizens and court officials would have easily accepted Pei Zhang as their ruler.

The emperor didn't want to believe Pei Zhang wanted to kill him and Pei Jin, Pei Zhang's flesh and blood. But the battle outside was enough to prove Pei Zhang's guilt.

Pei Jin appeared weak and saddened that Pei Zhang betrayed him and their father. But the truth was Pei Jin had planned to use a crucial chess piece that night long ago.

Pei Jin's plan started after Consort La's death. Consort La requested him and Yan Shi Ning to protect Pei Khan. If he wanted to protect his family and Pei Khan then he would need more guards at his manor. If he couldn't hide how strong he was anymore then it was better for him to 'accidently' expose his real strength to Pei Zhang.

Pei Jin knew Pei Zhang's guards spied on his manor in four directions. He asked one of his guards to strike one of Pei Zhang's guards in the middle of the night so Pei Zhang's injured guard could report to Pei Zhang what happened.

Pei Jin was amused at Pei Zhang's smugness. It was amusing for a hunter to mislead a prey to think it outwitted the hunter.

Pei Jin's next step was to let Pei Zhang's guards see him sneak men and weapons into the manor so Pei Zhang would confidently report to their father in the palace. Their father had been suspicious of him long ago and he was certain their father would bring Pei Zhang to his manor to investigate. Of course he would let their father investigate and see Pei Zhang's 'treason'.

If Pei Zhang didn't use Dian Thi's son to try to kill Pei Jin's wife and son then Pei Jin wouldn't have accepted Elder Ma's offer. Of course Pei Jin wouldn't spare anyone who dared to harm his wife and son.

Elder Ma had sent Pei Jin a letter, 'the salty fishes you raised have bred. They're delicious, I'll send you five hundred salty fishes first for you to savor.'

Salty fish was the Southern Jiang's general's code name. Elder Ma sent five hundred salty fishes to Pei Jin's manor while five hundred of the Southern Jiang's general's men secretly sneaked into the imperial city. Elder Ma refused to stand idly after Elder Ma received news someone attempted to frame Pei Jin and kill Pei Jin's family. The five hundred men were a precaution to protect Pei Jin and Pei Jin's family.

Pei Jin hid Elder Ma's letter and knew five hundred men were excessive to protect him and his family. Elder Ma had intended for the five hundred men to eliminate his enemy's army.

Pei Jin's plan was disrupted by his father's plan to act like his father was dying and the edict to make him crown prince. If his son didn't remind him what was important, he would have acted recklessly and used the five hundred men to seize the throne.