Chapter 282: Settling Scores
General Li’s breathing paused.
He had never seen Pei Qinghe.
But in Youzhou, no other girl had this domineering and chilling killing intent besides Pei Qinghe.
Xiongnu barbarians had surrounded Liaoxi City. How did Pei Qinghe enter the city?
Where was Li Xi?
General Li had led troops for many years and was certainly no waste. His heart suddenly sank as he thought of the worst outcome. He turned his head with effort, looking at Li Chi: “What exactly is the situation outside?”
Li Chi gritted his teeth and knelt down by the bed: “General, yesterday the Xiongnu attacked the city. Li Xi died in battle. It was General Pei who led troops to rescue us; otherwise, last night the Xiongnu barbarians would have broken into Liaoxi City…”
General Li’s fat face turned pale.
He had three sons. His second son had died on the battlefield several years ago, and his youngest son had also been killed by Xiongnu barbarians in a battle last year. Now even his eldest son Li Xi was dead.
Pei Qinghe had led troops into Liaoxi City.
He knew very well what that meant.
Precisely because he knew, it was even more painful.
If he had known this would happen, why had he stubbornly held on until today? If he had bowed his head to Pei Qinghe earlier, perhaps Li Xi would not have died…
“Even if you had bowed your head earlier, I would not have come.” Pei Qinghe’s cold voice rang out: “Li Gouzei, you killed my people, stole my horses, and repeatedly sent people to humiliate me. Today, this account should be properly settled.”
General Li’s pupils suddenly contracted, his breathing became rapid, and he said intermittently with effort: “What… what are you going to do? The army is yours, Liaoxi City will be yours from now on. What more do you want? Could it be you can’t even tolerate my life?”
Pei Qinghe coldly curled her lips: “Your Liaoxi Army is rotten to the core. Do you think I want it? I came to save the common people in Liaoxi City.”
“If you want to keep your life, first ask General Li.”
General Li looked at Li Chi in shock.
Li Chi’s throat felt dry and tight. He instinctively averted his gaze, only to meet Pei Qinghe’s eyes directly.
Pei Qinghe said indifferently: “I won’t interfere in the Li Family’s family affairs. I’ll give you a stick of incense time to handle it cleanly. I’ll wait outside.”
With that, she turned and walked out.
Pei Yan spat viciously at General Li.
General Li had no strength to wipe it off and gnashed his teeth in fury: “Li Chi, what do you want to do? Don’t forget, you bear the Li surname and are a Li Family man. Without me bringing you into the barracks, you would have starved to death long ago… Urgh…”
Li Chi’s eyes were bloodshot, tears falling nonstop, but his hand did not hesitate as he suddenly exerted force: “General, just rest in peace! I, Li Chi, swear to heaven that I will drive the Xiongnu barbarians out of Liaoxi and avenge you and Li Xi.”
General Li’s face turned purple, the light in his eyes gradually fading.
It was unknown if he regretted sending troops to steal the Pei Family Army’s horses and kill Pei Family Army men before his death.
Only after General Li had completely stopped breathing did Li Chi break into silent sobs.
He didn’t dare cry for long. He felt under General Li’s pillow for a large bunch of keys, wiped his face clean with his left hand, and strode out.
Li Chi presented the keys to Pei Qinghe: “General, these are the storeroom keys. The Liaoxi Army’s family fortune accumulated over more than ten years is mostly here. Some is in the Liaoxi Army barracks.”
Exactly a stick of incense time.
Mercy does not manage finances, righteousness does not lead troops. He was a ruthless man.
Any general truly capable of independently leading troops had hands stained with blood. They had to be ruthless both to others and to themselves.
Pei Qinghe did not decline politely and reached out to take the keys: “Where is the storeroom?”
Li Chi called over a personal soldier and ordered him to lead the way. He stayed behind to handle General Li’s aftermath.
General Li had been gravely wounded by Xiongnu barbarians and had not appeared in public for over a month. Li Xi died in battle yesterday, and General Li, upon hearing the bad news, could not catch his breath and followed suit.
It was perfectly reasonable.
The funerals for father and son could be held together.
During wartime, everything had to be simplified. The prefectural governor’s mansion hung up white banners, found some soldiers to cry a bit, placed General Li and his son’s corpses into coffins. There was no need to keep vigil; they were buried the same day.
The common people in Liaoxi City heard the movement from the prefectural governor’s mansion and learned that General Li was dead. No one grieved or cried bitterly for General Li. On the contrary, the common people all felt happy.
“This dog thief is finally dead.”
“What has he turned our Liaoxi City into with his harm?”
” scum like him is better off dead sooner.”
“But with General Li dead, what will happen to the Liaoxi Army? Can they hold Liaoxi City?”
“What is there to fear! General Pei is already here! The Pei Family Army is guarding the city gate! I heard the Xiongnu barbarians suffered a major defeat yesterday and didn’t dare to attack the city today.”
“Is it really the Pei Family Army that came? Heaven has opened its eyes! General Pei has come to save us!”
Compared to the notorious Liaoxi Army, the Pei Family Army’s military reputation was simply too good. Many magnates in Liaoxi Commandery had secretly fled to Yan Prefecture. Ordinary common people had no money, no grain, and had never traveled far, so they didn’t know how to seek refuge with the Pei Family Army.
Hearing it was Pei Qinghe who came, the common people were thrilled. Some even mustered their courage, quietly unlocked their doors, and peeked outside.
……
“This Li Gouzei actually hoarded such a family fortune!”
In the prefectural governor’s mansion storeroom, Pei Yan’s eyes widened, even coarse words bursting out.
Everywhere one looked were large wooden crates. Opening them revealed either crates full of gold and silver or all sorts of jewelry, ornaments, and jade ware, their brilliance dazzling the eyes.
Pei Qinghe was also somewhat amazed: “Li Gouzei is mediocre at fighting wars but excels at killing magnates, plundering common people, extorting soldiers.”
“Now, all of this belongs to our Pei Family Army!” Pei Yan grinned and announced loudly.
Pei Qinghe smiled and rolled her eyes at her: “What nonsense! After a victory, what will we lack? If we can’t hold Liaoxi City, all this will become the Xiongnu barbarians’ spoils of war!”
“Go check the next storeroom.”
The following few storerooms were piled full of grain.
The grain bags still bore marks from different grain stores or magnate families.
Pei Qinghe felt a bit regretful: “I really should have brought Shi Yan along.”
Indeed.
With so much gold and silver and grain, it all needed to be inventoried and recorded first before allocation.
Li Chi, dressed in white mourning clothes, came over and brought three accountants: “These three manage the storeroom. General, whatever you need, just instruct them.”
Pei Qinghe nodded slightly and unceremoniously had them bring the account books first. Normally with Shi Yan there, she didn’t need to worry, but of course she could read the account books.
After flipping through them, she had a rough count of all the wealth, money, and grain in the storeroom.
Pei Qinghe issued her first military order: “Send people to shout around the streets, announcing that from today onward, I, Pei Qinghe, am in charge in Liaoxi City. Have the common people come to the prefectural governor’s mansion to receive grain. Each household sends one person and can receive five jin of grain.”
Pei Yan eagerly accepted the order: “I’ll take people to patrol the city.”
Female soldiers were a unique sight of the Pei Family Army. Pei Yan led a group of female soldiers patrolling the city in grand style, more convincing than anything else.
Soon, common people mustered their courage, left their homes timidly, and came to the prefectural governor’s mansion.
