Chapter 320: Spring Arrives
Reluctantly training troops and actively practicing desperately are absolutely not the same thing.
For several days in a row, Lu Erlang held back a breath of anger in his heart and trained troops with all his might. The slick and lazy air on his soldiers gradually faded away bit by bit.
Their gazes slowly became firm, their training became more and more diligent, and they no longer grumbled at night when reading and writing.
Their progress was lightning fast, visible to the naked eye.
“Finally, they have a bit of the look.” Pei Qinghe said softly to Mao Hongling with a smile: “If they train like this for a year or so, they can barely go onto the battlefield.”
Mao Hongling smiled lightly in response: “It’s still the general who knows how to train troops. It’s only been a short time, and Lu Erlang has already improved. And Li Chi has progressed even faster.”
Mentioning Li Chi, Pei Qinghe’s tone was full of praise: “Li Chi is clever-minded, steady-tempered, and willing to endure hardship. He has talent for generalship.”
“Yang Hu’s martial skills are a bit lacking, but he excels at military strategy and planning.”
“Lu Feng is a bit reckless, but his martial skills are good. He dares to fight and fight to the death. In the future, on the battlefield, he will be a fierce general.”
“However, none of those three can compare to Meng Bing.”
Meng Liulang secretly sent back a letter. Although not very willing, he still expressed support for his own brother marrying into the Pei family.
This matter was not convenient to publicize. Mao Hongling and Meng Bing only had a verbal engagement. They would plan the marriage after Meng Bing’s injury healed.
Pei Qinghe often teased and joked about Meng Bing in private conversations. Mao Hongling’s face blushed slightly, but she responded gracefully: “That’s exactly what I think. Unfortunately, he once injured his leg, and this time it’s a serious injury. Once his body slowly recovers, he shouldn’t lead troops into battle anymore.”
With Meng Bing’s capability, training troops and defending the city would be more than enough. There was no need for him to charge into battle desperately anymore.
Pei Qinghe had long planned this and nodded with a smile: “Don’t worry! Once he marries into the family, he can stay with you in the Pei Family Army barracks. I need to train cavalry, and I can’t do without him.”
She then asked with a low laugh: “When do you plan to go back?”
Mao Hongling had originally planned to leave after Pei Qinghe got married, but she stayed again and again for Meng Bing, and now it had been over two months.
“I’ll set off back in a few days.” Mao Hongling said, a bit embarrassed: “Meng Bing plans to lead eight hundred cavalry and go back to Pei Family Village with me.”
Pei Qinghe nodded solemnly in approval: “That’s good too. Let him adapt to the environment in Pei Family Village early. His injury isn’t healed yet, so he can’t ride a horse. Prepare a carriage, and take it slow on the road.”
Mao Hongling nodded in agreement.
A few days later, Mao Hongling set off with her mother-in-law Madam Feng, Little Yu’er, and Little Doggy.
Everyone in the Pei family could ride horses. Madam Feng had practiced for several years, and her horsemanship was quite good. Nine-year-old Little Yu’er was heroic and dashing, and though Little Doggy was young, he rode his horse quite properly.
Meng Bing sat in the carriage, occasionally poking his head out to look.
Mao Hongling pursed her lips in a smile, deliberately urging her horse to the side of the carriage, and said softly with a laugh: “The carriage is a bit bumpy. Do you want to go slower?”
The official road outside Liaoxi City had been trampled repeatedly by horse hooves, full of pits and bumps. The carriage was piled with several thick layers of bedding. Meng Bing half-lay and half-sat among the bedding, his slightly pale handsome face full of smiles: “I’m not made of paper or clay. No need to worry.”
Mao Hongling’s voice was gentle: “If you can’t hold on, just say so. Don’t push yourself.”
Meng Bing smiled in response.
Little Doggy rode his beloved little horse clop-clop-clop over, his pretty little face flushed red, his big eyes shining: “Mom! Mom!”
Mao Hongling turned her head and smiled gently at Little Doggy: “What is it?”
Little Doggy shouted happily: “I just raced horse riding with Sister Little Yu’er. I won!”
Mao Hongling praised him with a smile for a few words, and Little Doggy happily went to tell Madam Feng.
During a rest time, Mao Hongling called Little Yu’er over: “In future horse riding matches, don’t hold back for Little Doggy.”
“In our Pei Family Army’s daily troop training, there is never any yielding.”
“Look at your Aunt Qinghe. Even though she dotes on Aunt Yan, she never goes easy during daily training. And Pei Xuan and Pei Feng are closer than real siblings, but on the training ground, they never hold back.”
“If you yield to Little Doggy now, he’ll think he’s really powerful and become self-satisfied. In the future, will everyone have to yield to him like you do? When he grows up and goes onto the battlefield, will the enemies yield to him too?”
Little Yu’er’s delicate little face reddened: “Auntie’s words, I’ve remembered them all. In the future, I won’t hold back for him.”
Mao Hongling smiled and touched Little Yu’er’s head: “Auntie knows you love your little brother. But the girls in our Pei family are just as precious. There’s no need to hide your skills, and no need to yield.”
Little Yu’er nodded vigorously.
From the time she could remember, she had no birth father, and the face of her birth mother who had faked her death was already blurred in her memory. In her heart, the ones she respected most were Aunt Qinghe and Madam Feng and Mao Hongling, and the one she loved most was her little brother Little Doggy.
Auntie was right. She shouldn’t yield to Little Doggy.
She, Pei Yu, was also Pei family bloodline, and in the future, she would also be a powerful figure in the Pei Family Army.
Meng Bing watched silently. After Little Yu’er walked away, he said with a low laugh: “You really know how to teach children. The women of the Pei family are all heroines.”
Mao Hongling sighed softly: “Back then, all the men of the Pei family were executed, leaving only widows, orphans, elderly, weak women, and children. I even thought of taking my own life. If not for Qinghe, I would have long been a hanged ghost gone to the Yellow Springs.”
“No one is born a heroine. They are all forced into it step by step.”
Meng Bing gazed silently.
Mao Hongling raised her eyes and met Meng Bing’s gaze full of pity. Her heart warmed, and she smiled gently: “At the beginning, it was indeed very hard. After enduring for six or seven years, we had long adapted.”
Meng Bing naturally picked up the thread: “In the future, I’ll also be a Pei family member. I must learn the Pei family rules well.”
Mao Hongling bit her lip and smiled.
Meng Bing also smiled.
Dry farmland, nourished by the trickle of stream water, quietly came alive.
In the next few days, Little Doggy pouted, looking dejected.
Mao Hongling knew what was up but didn’t ask proactively.
Meng Bing beckoned to Little Doggy, whispered some pointers. Little Doggy perked up while listening, memorized carefully. When riding, he used Uncle Meng’s taught techniques, and sure enough, his speed increased a bit, actually able to catch up to Little Yu’er.
Little Doggy’s tail of pride was almost wagging up. Before Little Yu’er could ask for advice, Little Doggy rattled off a string: “…These are all taught by Uncle Meng. You try it too.”
Little Yu’er nodded repeatedly with a smile.
At the next rest time, the two siblings came hand in hand, politely asking Uncle Meng for horsemanship pointers.
“Is Uncle Meng good?” Madam Feng asked with a low laugh.
Little Doggy answered loudly: “Good! Uncle Meng has good martial skills, good horsemanship, good temper, and he’s handsome too. If he becomes stepfather, Little Doggy is very happy.”
Madam Feng burst out laughing.
Mao Hongling’s face burned hot, and she turned her head aside.
Little Doggy’s voice was loud, and Meng Bing not far away heard it too. His brows and eyes instantly relaxed.
Winter was almost over, and spring was right ahead.
……
