After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

The remaining Jinwu Guards followed Pei Jiaoran and left. As soon as the door was closed, Bian Lingzhen picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it to the ground.

"Mr. Jia, how could you agree to her?" Bian Lingzhen said angrily.

"Whose idea is this?" Jia Gonglu lowered his eyes and asked.

Seeing Jia Gonglu frowning, revealing an expression that was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry, Bian Lingzhen said, "It was... Zhang Ju's intention."

Even though he was dissatisfied with this, Jia Gonglu had been in the central government for many years, so he was still reserved in his words. "Where did you get the news that Wu Lingjia took away the Duzhi wooden wedge? It's no wonder that you fell into her trap when you took it seriously without any evidence. Zhang Jue is getting more and more confused. She was still polite today, otherwise Ju Wenzhen would have been sent to the Censorate long ago, and she wouldn't have given you the opportunity to come here."

Bian Lingzhen was already very dissatisfied after being scolded by Jia Gonglu. After all, he was promoted from a military governor to a prime minister, and now he was in charge of the Yanzi Treasury. No matter how you look at it, he was on an equal footing with the purple-robed officials in the Political Affairs Hall. But they all looked down on him.

Holding back his anger, Bian Lingzhen explained everything in detail: "It was Zhang Ju'an's spy in the Ministry of Revenue who informed us that Wu Lingjia had taken the Duzhi wooden wedge. And there is no problem with the account of the Yanzi Treasury, you can rest assured about that."

"Oh. The Ministry of Revenue is already calculating the accounts of Yanziku. We will discuss whether there are any problems later. But you are so bold that you even dare to forge the wooden wedge of the Ministry of Revenue. That is another matter!" Jia Gonglu said angrily.

"But didn't the people from the Taifu Temple see it at first? If Pei Jiaoran hadn't come suddenly, the two taxes would have been deposited into the Yanzi Treasury long ago." Bian Lingzhen looked disdainful and said in an indignant tone, "Mr. Jia, why do you have to scold me like this?"

Holding the lid of the jar to wipe away the foam on the tea, Jia Gonglu lowered his eyelids and said, "Go back now, and don't act rashly and try to impose the two taxes. Otherwise, no one can save you."

"But..." Bian Lingzhen was about to say something else when a servant came in and asked him to leave.

Silence returned to the public house. Jia Gonglu slowly stood up, glanced at the broken teacup on the ground, kicked it away, and walked to the window and stood still.

It was not that he did not want this poisonous dragon to stir up trouble in Chang'an, but that he could not stop this young and politically astute Zhongshu Shilang from stepping onto the table of power with great momentum.

Now, on the one hand, he had to make plans for the establishment of a government for the King of Wu, and on the other hand, he had to be on guard against Pei Jiaoran suddenly attacking him.

With a brief sigh, Jia Gonglu pushed the door open and walked out.

By the time Pei Jiaoran finished counting this year's autumn taxes in the Jianghuai area at the Ministry of Revenue, it was already dusk.

The dusk was all around, and the wind was mixed with a chill. The boxes containing the two taxes were carried away one after another by the Jinwu Guards and the people from the Taifu Temple.

"Thank you, General Lu, for what happened today." Pei Jiaoran tilted his head and smiled at Lu Zheng.

She originally just wanted to call the Jinwu Guard to go with her to the Ministry of Revenue, in case the other party brought the Shen Ce Army with them, which would make it difficult for her to take action. She never thought that Lu Zheng would come in person.

"No problem. You have helped me before. Besides, if the Southern Court can check and balance the Northern Court, our Jinwu Guard will have a better life." Lu Zhengyi bowed, "It's been a long time since we last met. Prime Minister Pei, could you please do me a favor and have a meal with me today?"

Pei Jiaoran curved his eyebrows and shook his head, "Let's do it another day. I have other things to deal with today, sorry."

As soon as he returned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Pei Jiaoran summoned his servants to deliver a message to Cen Xi in the Ministry of Personnel, informing him that the deputy envoy of the Yanzi Treasury had forged the Duzhi wooden wedge and the written order to steal the two taxes.

Although she knew that the matter had probably been spread out, she still had to tell the emperor. Otherwise, the emperor of Wei would probably think that she had gone so far as to cover up everything.

Pei Jiaoran continued to handle affairs in the outer province of Zhongshu until the drum sounded at Chengtian Gate. He left leisurely, went out of Zhuque Gate, and returned to his house in Chongyifang.

Tired birds flew overhead, returning to their nests. Jinwu Guards rode on tall horses and patrolled Zhuque Street. Common people returned to their cage-like neighborhoods one after another, beginning their peaceful and boring night.

The patrolling Jinwu Guard saw her and automatically stepped aside. She bowed and saluted on horseback. Under the watchful eyes of the Jinwu Guard, she entered the gate.

After the drum sounds urging the closing of the gate, the gate slowly closed.

After entering a restaurant, Pei Jiaoran went straight to the second floor. He stopped at the door of a room and looked around. After finding no one following him, he pushed the door open and entered.

There was a woman in a red skirt in the room, standing by the window with her hands behind her back. She turned around when she heard the noise and came forward.

"Jia Jia, you are finally here."

"Lingjia." Pei Jiaoran relaxed his brows. "The people from Yanziku have been fooled and are here to steal the two taxes today."

Pulling Pei Jiaoran to sit down, Wu Lingjia smiled, "Zhang Rang is pressing for help, and the treasury is empty. And I took the Duzhi wooden wedge with me, so they had no choice but to take the risk. They never thought that I didn't take the wooden wedge with me at all."

"Taking away the wooden wedge requires approval from the Secretariat. I withheld the document, so they don't know about it." Pei Jiaoran said with a sneer in his eyes, "Zhang Rang was in a panic, so he was fooled. If he had sent someone to inquire, it wouldn't have happened."

Wu Lingjia nodded thoughtfully and continued, "How is the Ministry of Revenue now?"

"All the taxes have been transferred to the Taifu Temple. At least it is safe for now. Go to the Ministry of Revenue at dawn tomorrow morning and ask about the taxes." Pei Jiaoran thought for a moment and said, "By the way, ask about the Yanzi Treasury."

"Okay. Is there any reaction from Jia Gonglu?" Wu Lingjia couldn't help but ask.

"No." Pei Jiaoran took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "He is only concerned about the establishment of the Prince of Wu's government. As for Zhang Rang..."

Pei Jiaoran curled her lips. She didn't think that the alliance between the two could be very solid. At present, the two had already had a dispute because of the Lu family. How long this alliance could last was no longer unknown.

Patting Pei Jiaoran's hand, Wu Lingjia said, "Looking at Jia Gonglu's attitude today, it seems that he has acquiesced to your actions. If the two of them can go their separate ways, it will be a good thing for the Southern Court."

Pei Jiaoran's eyes did not move, he raised his lips and smiled, "It is impossible for the Southern Court to dominate alone. If the Southern Court dominates alone, the imperial power will be in danger."

A soft voice fell into her ears and Wu Lingjia frowned.

"You don't seem to want the Southern Court to become too powerful?"

Raising her eyes and smiling, Pei Jiaoran nodded without hesitation. She naturally did not want the Southern Court to become so big that it could threaten the imperial power. Such power would be dangerous to hold in one's hands.

She wanted to hold on to this power perfectly and coexist with the imperial power, rather than continue to fight with the imperial power and end up with both sides suffering losses.

Wu Lingjia groaned, then said, "If we can really open up a new path from here, it will be a good thing for those who come after us."

Pei Jiaoran looked at Wu Lingjia meaningfully and smiled.