Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 468 - 442: Hold on!

Chapter 468: Chapter 442: Hold on!

Upon hearing Zhang San’s words, all the officers in the camp felt an ominous sensation.

The last time they felt this ominous was when Mei Fei declared there would be no holiday on New Year’s Eve.

Everyone knew that Mei Fei cared a lot about his reputation and was sometimes emotional in his actions.

If it had been Mei Fei who discovered this matter today, he might have just scolded Peng Hu and at most made him cough up the embezzled comfort aids he had swallowed.

After all, padding the muster rolls is one thing, but profiting from the dead using these funds, once revealed, would inevitably breed resentment among the soldiers toward their leaders.

But unfortunately, it had to be today when guests from the Lingwu Army were present, and even Old General Yuchi An from Jin River Path was there. It was supposed to be a chance for Mei Fei to shine, but encountering such an incident, how could he not be furious and how could Peng Hu not be doomed!

Now, as Changsun Wuji asked one question, Zhang San gave one answer.

Mei Fei, in order to maintain a facade of impartiality and to protect his image, would necessarily have to make an example out of Peng Hu!

At this moment, Peng Hu, kneeling on the ground, understood everything.

All that talk about repaying his kindness was bullshit!

Zhang San was plotting against him!

But with such matters, even if he spoke up now, who would believe him?

At this moment, Peng Hu regretted why he had sacrificed his own men to go against Zhang San; now, Zhang San survived, but he was about to die.

As for Zheng Poyue, he was now just a minor brigade commander in the army, not qualified to be at such an event.

And even if Zheng Poyue could attend, now that the Zheng Family was in decline, could Mei Fei possibly spare him based on Zheng Poyue’s face?

Then, Zhang San stepped forward and saluted Mei Fei with cupped hands, "Grand Commander-in-Chief Mei, as far as I know, if there is impersonation in the army, the brigade commanders and colonels should be punished, and more so for an official of General Peng Hu’s rank. But it’s only impersonation, though the number is up to one hundred and eighty men, and the most severe penalty would be just a year and a half of imprisonment."

At this moment, Peng Hu, watching Zhang San pleading for him, suddenly felt that Zhang San’s stature seemed to grow taller.

After all, padding the muster rolls could be a major or minor issue.

If trivialized, it indeed was just padding the muster rolls, but in a broader view, it was embezzlement! Kaihuang was very strict with officials guilty of embezzlement!

"It’s just a year and a half of imprisonment, and isn’t it possible to redeem oneself with money and copper? Right?"

Upon hearing Zhang San speak in such a manner, Mei Fei’s expression eased slightly.

"But General Peng Hu has pocketed the comfort aids for one hundred and eighty soldiers, and embezzled their money. Although I don’t know how much money was involved, given Kaihuang’s temperament, when the Magistrate of Metropolitan Prefecture Shen Wen embezzled, his house was directly confiscated."

"If the military does not give an explanation to the soldiers below, I’m worried that if Kaihuang learns of this, Commander-in-Chief Mei, you might be implicated! After all, Kaihuang advocates frugality and strongly opposes filling one’s own pockets. You know this, don’t you, Grand Commander-in-Chief Mei?"

Mei Fei initially thought to heavily fine Peng Hu, then demote him, as he could be promoted again after earning merits later on.

But if the man is dragged out and beheaded, then that’s the end of him.

Now, having heard Zhang San’s words, Mei Fei also realized that if Peng Hu was let off, once Kaihuang found out, Peng Hu would undoubtedly die, and he would be unlucky too.

It would be better to discard Peng Hu now.

Mei Fei, having received Kaihuang’s favor and trust, naturally understood his way of handling things.

But Mei Fei still wanted to make a last struggle.

"Old General Yuchi, technically, as the commander of an army and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Longyun Path, I should handle this impartially. This young man Peng Hu, with his embezzlement and wealth hoarding, is undoubtedly doomed. But you are about to confront Gao Junxian, and have specifically come here to borrow troops. How about this—I will assign five thousand soldiers to you, and demote this Peng Hu to a foot soldier to lead the horses, letting him redeem his crimes through service. How does that sound?"

Yuchi An sneered and said, "Grand Commander-in-Chief Mei! Don’t say it’s five thousand soldiers you’re lending me, even if you give me all five thousand cavalry, along with a man who dares to embezzle money from the deceased, I wouldn’t dare take him!"

"Moreover, if Kaihuang learns of this, why, will this man sentenced to death in your Mei Fei’s army survive in my Yuchi An’s army?"

"I came to borrow soldiers because the Jin River Path forces are insufficient, and I worry that Gao Junxian, cornered like a desperate dog, might attack and raid everywhere in Jin River Path, so I came to Longyun Path to borrow troops. If Grand Commander-in-Chief Mei is unwilling, just refuse directly. There’s no need to fool me with such severe crimes that would implicate everyone!"

Mei Fei grimaced, understanding that Peng Hu was definitely doomed this time.

If it’s doomed to be doomed, might as well put him to use!

At the thought, Mei Fei slammed the desk forcefully, and roared at Peng Hu below, "Peng Hu! I trusted you so much, yet you committed such acts for mere money against the laws and regulations! In the Mei Fei army, orders are to be followed, military discipline is strict, not even a hair should be harmed... um..."

Mei Fei felt that he should utter a four-character idiom here to seem more imposing, but alas, his cultural knowledge was almost exhausted at this point, and after struggling for a while, he finally blurted out— "Do you admit your guilt?"

Immediately, Peng Hu kowtowed, tears and snot flowing in unison.

"I was confused for a moment, I beg the Grand Commander-in-Chief to spare my life, let me serve my country, and make amends!"

Mei Fei gritted his teeth and even squeezed out two tears, making a face of immense heartache as he waved his hand towards the outside.

"Take him away, behead him!"

"Hold on!"

Zhang San suddenly stepped forward, cupping his hands towards Mei Fei, his face filled with urgency.

At that moment, Peng Hu understood.

Zhang San did this to purposely put me in a desperate plight, then save me! Afterwards, he wants me to help him deal with Zheng Poyue.

Yes, that must be it.

Dealing with Zheng Poyue is just that, especially now that the Zheng Family is in decline, and this youngster seems no match for Zhang San, I might as well follow Zhang San in the future.

This guy is both sinister and ruthless, following him might even carve out a good future for me.

At that thought, Peng Hu, who just a moment ago was in tears, looked up at Zhang San’s silhouette and once again felt he loomed larger.

Mei Fei thought Zhang San wanted to plead for mercy, then suddenly remembered that Zhang San was a disciple of the Pharaoh, and a future leader of Legalism.

It can be said, in the entire Northern Army, he knew Law the best.

If he were to plead, it would be a perfect excuse for me to step back smoothly.

"Zhang San, speak if you have something to say. As a disciple of the Pharaoh, what you say, I will surely agree to."

At this moment, Mei Fei also prayed in his heart, hoping that Zhang San would quickly plead for mercy, after all, Peng Hu was one of his own and his death would pain him!

"Although General Peng Hu has merits in our Northern Army, although today he has committed a capital offence, if beheaded, he won’t even have a complete corpse. I’ve heard there’s a godly archer called Zheng Poyue in the Shuofang Army. Why not let Zheng Poyue accompany General Peng Hu on his final journey. It preserves General Peng Hu’s whole corpse and lets everyone in the army know that Grand Commander-in-Chief Mei rewards and punishes clearly!"

Mei Fei clenched his teeth and nodded.

Meanwhile, Peng Hu looked at Zhang San’s silhouette and for the first time felt what terror really was!

Peng Hu had sent men to trap and kill Zhang San on behalf of Zheng Poyue, and now Zhang San, in turn, was having Zheng Poyue shoot him.

Such karma!

Such retribution!

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[Note 105]Legal Trivia

According to the records in "Tang Lv Shu Yi" under "Unauthorized Conscription·Impersonating in Place of Another": "If it’s not personally supervised by the head, reduce the punishment of the team leader by one level. For one impersonator, forty lashes; for each additional impersonator, add one level, up to a maximum of one and a half years."

Meaning: Even though you’re not personally supervising as the direct superior, if someone below impersonates someone else, you are also to reduce the punishment according to what the team leader receives. One impersonation earns forty lashes; any additional person increases the severity by one level, up to one and a half years maximum.

And this business of ghost payrolls is actually worse than impersonation, but I didn’t find the specific crime for ghost payrolls, so this helps out that rascal Peng Hu!

[Note 106]Legal Trivia

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, there was no crime called "corruption". But some should not rejoice too soon, because even though there was no official crime named "corruption", during the Sui and Tang periods, the crime of officials embezzling was characterized as theft. Is the state’s property something you can take at will?

According to "Tang Lv Shu Yi" in "Thirty-Six Forms of Theft·Supervisors and Guardians Stealing Themselves": "Those in charge of supervising, guarding, and then stealing themselves, and those who steal from the property they are supervising, add two degrees more than ordinary theft, thirty bolts of silk, strangulation."

Meaning, those responsible for supervising and guarding assets who then steal privately, as well as those who steal from the managed range of assets (state or public), will receive two degrees more severe punishment than ordinary theft. If the stolen items are worth more than thirty bolts of silk, the punishment is strangulation!

The law of the Tang Dynasty rarely imposed the death penalty, being generally lenient in punishment, but even then, corruption was severely punished!