Chapter 300: Happy Event
Relatives reuniting after a long separation had endless words to say and inexhaustible joy.
Mao Hongling was extremely perceptive and took the make trouble Little Yu’er and Little Doggy out. In the military tent, only Pei Qinghe and Madam Feng mother and daughter were left, free to talk as much as they wanted.
“The marriage was a bit rushed, but this was the best method besides killing.” Pei Qinghe did not hide anything in front of Madam Feng, speaking very bluntly: “This battle caused heavy losses to the Pei Family Army, the Guangning Army also suffered many casualties, and the original Liaoxi Army was directly crippled.”
“In outsiders’ eyes, the Pei Family Army now occupies the entire Youzhou and is at its peak. In reality, all the remaining able-bodied fighters added up don’t even reach ten thousand. At such a time, we cannot completely break with the Son of Heaven, nor is it time to turn against the Bohai Navy.”
“I need to hurry and recruit and train soldiers. The situation in the Northern Lands is chaotic; it’s uncertain when great turmoil will erupt.”
Madam Feng listened quietly, her eyes showing heartache as she gently stroked Pei Qinghe’s face with pity: “I don’t understand matters of war. Whatever you want to do, just go ahead boldly. As your mother, I will always stand behind you and always support you.”
Pei Qinghe was domineering, fierce, and cold in front of others, but in front of Madam Feng, she showed the coquettishness of a teenage girl: “I’m getting married tomorrow, Mom, don’t you have any words of advice for me?”
Madam Feng thought seriously for a moment: “In the future, treat Shi Yan well and don’t let him down.”
With her daughter getting married, as her mother, it was inevitable to worry about her suffering after marriage. But Madam Feng had no such worry at all. Instead, she began to worry about her soon-to-be son-in-law.
Pei Qinghe was amused and chuckled lightly: “Don’t worry, I’m not the kind of ungrateful person.”
Madam Feng gazed at her daughter and said softly: “You definitely aren’t now. However, in the future, your territory will grow larger, you’ll have more elite soldiers under you, and your power will grow greater. When you reach a high position, you might change. The current Son of Heaven is surely different from when he fled the Capital City in desperation a few years ago.”
Human hearts are prone to change.
Power and prestige are the most bewitching things in the world.
Pei Qinghe restrained her smile and said seriously to Madam Feng: “Mom, I dare not guarantee that I will never change. But I will try my best to keep my true heart. If there comes a day when I become arrogant and forget myself, Mom, you must scold me awake.”
Madam Feng laughed: “You’ve been clever and mature since childhood, and these years you’ve been leading troops, training soldiers, and fighting wars, making all decisions yourself. As your mother, I can’t help you with anything; I can only stay by your side. If that day really comes, I certainly won’t hold back.”
“If you act as foolishly as the Son of Heaven, I will surely scold you until you’re drenched in dog blood!”
Madam Feng was extremely angry and dissatisfied with Emperor Jian’an.
If the Son of Heaven truly had intentions toward Pei Qinghe, he should have married her properly with a formal wedding a few years ago and made her the principal Empress. Now with a wife and children, he still dared to covet Pei Qinghe—this wasn’t deep affection but merely a greedy, despicable, shameless man using his status as the Son of Heaven to seize her by force.
This was only because Pei Qinghe could kill and had means. If it were another woman, she would have suffocated and accepted the imperial decree, been carried into the palace.
The mother and daughter talked for a long time. Madam Feng had rushed the whole way and was extremely tired, falling asleep before three in the morning.
Pei Qinghe closed her eyes but found it hard to fall asleep for a long time.
Although it was to counter Emperor Jian’an, the marriage could not be fake. Tomorrow, she would Worship the Hall with Shi Yan.
Having lived two lifetimes for decades, she had experienced everything. But getting married was still a first. It wasn’t nervousness; it was just that her heart felt like it had a rabbit inside, darting around everywhere, unable to settle.
Pei Qinghe quietly got up, without disturbing the soundly sleeping Madam Feng, and quietly left the military tent.
A bright moon hung in the night sky, and the cool night breeze that soothed the mind made her head much clearer.
By now everyone had fallen asleep, and everywhere was silent. Pei Qinghe subconsciously walked toward Shi Yan’s quarters, and not far along, she saw a very familiar figure.
Pei Qinghe pursed her lips and smiled, stopping in her tracks.
The familiar figure walked over quickly and stopped three feet in front of her. At such a close distance, under the bright moonlight, they could clearly see each other’s faces.
“It’s so late, why haven’t you slept yet?” Pei Qinghe asked with a soft laugh.
Shi Yan’s eyes were full of laughter as he replied softly: “I tossed and turned and couldn’t sleep. I came out for a stroll and unexpectedly ran into you.”
There were no such coincidences. Clearly, both were walking toward each other, so they happened to meet here.
A warm current surged in Pei Qinghe’s heart, and she couldn’t help but step closer, taking hold of Shi Yan’s hand.
Shi Yan clasped her hand in return.
Pei Qinghe had practiced martial arts for years, so her slender palm was not soft, with calluses ground into it. Shi Yan calculated accounts daily with abacus and brush, so his hand was much more delicate.
The two interlaced their ten fingers, gazing into each other’s eyes under the moonlight.
“Why do I feel like this is a dream?” Shi Yan murmured softly: “Qinghe, are we really getting married?”
Pei Qinghe laughed softly: “Actually, I’m a bit dazed too.”
“I should thank the Son of Heaven,” Shi Yan said with a low laugh: “If not for his foolish move, I might have had to wait another year or so.”
Pei Qinghe rolled her eyes at him with a smile: “Don’t mention that unlucky thing.”
Shi Yan chuckled: “Alright, no mentioning those. By the way, have you tried on the wedding attire? Does it fit?”
Time was rushed, no time to embroider elaborate bridal clothes. They could only make wedding attire from red silk, to have some festive meaning.
Pei Qinghe clearly didn’t mind these details: “The important thing is you; the rest doesn’t matter.”
Shi Yan was coaxed into nothing but smiles, unable to say anything.
Yes, as long as he could stand shoulder to shoulder with you, the rest wasn’t important.
A patrolling squad of soldiers spotted their own General and Steward Shi from far away. They didn’t approach to disturb and quietly slipped away.
Pei Qinghe was extremely sharp and had already glimpsed them from the corner of her eye, laughing softly: “Go back to sleep! We have to get up early tomorrow.”
Shi Yan hummed in agreement but was reluctant to let go.
Pei Qinghe didn’t move either.
The two chatted idly. Until the third patrol of soldiers passed by, Pei Qinghe urged again: “Go on!”
Only then did Shi Yan reluctantly let go.
Back in the military tent, Shi Yan lay on the bed, and as soon as he closed his eyes, Pei Qinghe’s face flashed in his mind, back and forth; he simply couldn’t sleep.
This night, there were also another two pairs of fiancés who similarly tossed and turned sleeplessly… or not. The heartless Pei Yan had long been snoring soundly.
On the great joyous day, they had to rise at the fifth watch to bathe and change. Pei Qinghe and Pei Yun both had faint dark circles under their eyes, while Pei Yan’s complexion was ruddy to the point of envy. Her fluffy messy hair was combed neatly; without needing any rouge and powder, in the red wedding attire, she looked extremely spirited.
Pei Yun tsked: “Everyone has their strengths; we really can’t compare to Pei Yan’s carefree nature.”
Pei Qinghe smiled knowingly.
