With this special honor, the Pei family would enjoy wealth and prosperity for generations to come, even if every descendant were mediocre. For several generations, the Pei family descendants served as military officers in the imperial court, though none particularly distinguished themselves—until the arrival of Pei Yuanzhong.
At sixteen, Pei Yuanzhong made a name for himself in the military. His strength was formidable; he once dueled a Tianlang King from a previous generation. That Tianlang King was an immensely powerful warrior, yet he was killed by Pei Yuanzhong in just three strikes. Pei Yuanzhong’s fame shook the world, and for a hundred years afterward, the Sirius Tribe dared not invade Datang. Later, Pei Yuanzhong led several more expeditions. He pacified the Sun and Moon Demon Sect, which was causing chaos in the southwest, and personally captured their leader, Zhang Wugou, bringing him back to Chang'an.
During the Chang'an rebellion, the then-commander of the Imperial Guards was bewitched and plotted to assassinate the Emperor—Li Tianmin’s grandfather. It was Pei Yuanzhong who led his own retainers to guard the palace gates. He fought a bloody battle, slaughtering the rebels until they dared not approach the palace, thus preserving the Imperial Palace. His most recent expedition took place eighty years ago, when a group of desperate outlaws fled from Beichuan and forcibly occupied several key towns in the northwest of Datang. The elderly Pei Yuanzhong donned his ar…
Chapter 136