Chapter 77: Ambition
Fang Datou lost his right arm, and at first he couldn’t even walk steadily. After half a year, he barely adapted to life with one arm.
Zhao Hai and Doctor Bao are common people, Pei Jia and Pei Yi are refugees, Gu Lian survived a few years in the mountain bandits’ stronghold, and Feng Chang is the leader of the refugees who came down the mountain to seek refuge with the Pei family. In truth, Fang Datou, who had stayed in the barracks for over a decade, was the most suitable one for training troops.
Pei Qinghe already had plans in mind and said to Fang Datou, “Your body has mostly recovered. Starting tomorrow, come train every day. Without your right arm, you still have your left hand. I’ll teach you to practice the left-hand saber. Once you’ve mastered it, I’ll let you lead a team of men.”
Fang Datou’s eyes lit up, his voice booming: “Yes, I’ll listen to Sixth Sister.”
All Pei family members started with horse stance and practicing martial arts from age four, building a solid foundation before practicing the eighteen weapons.
Pei Jia and the others were already adults, so the Pei family’s method of practicing martial arts didn’t apply. Pei Qinghe had figured out a method in her previous life to train refugees into soldiers—soldiers in half a year, ready for the battlefield in about a year.
In fact, the soldiers in the Jing Dynasty barracks were basically all trained as adults after entering the barracks. Those who practiced martial arts, read and write, studied military books, and understood some military strategy from childhood were talents for generalship.
Pei Jia and Pei Yi went to the training ground full of excitement and joy, but after practicing for a few half-days, they started muttering to themselves.
“Sixth Sister makes us turn left, right, and back every day, marching to the bamboo whistle. When will she teach us to practice saber?”
Zhao Hai and Doctor Bao practiced until they were dizzy and seeing stars, not to mention the others. Fang Datou, having gone through barracks training, adapted quickly.
Feng Chang had read books and passed the child examination, so his perspective was much broader. He knew this was Sixth Sister training everyone’s discipline and obedience, so he practiced solidly without a word.
However, he was still slightly inferior to Gu Lian.
Gu Lian practiced during the day and continued at night when she went back, making her the best performer among the crowd.
Pei Qinghe admired Gu Lian’s ambition and drive, and privately reminded her a few times: “Training troops isn’t something achieved overnight. Don’t push too hard and hurt your body.”
Gu Lian raised her head: “Sixth Sister thinks highly of me and values me. I can’t embarrass Sixth Sister. I must be stronger than those few, making them all bow their heads to me.”
Pei Qinghe chuckled: “You’re competitive yourself. Don’t use me as a shield.”
Gu Lian grinned and laughed too: “Yes, actually it’s just me being competitive. I endured humiliation and survived in the stronghold, and only after coming down to Pei Family Village did I start living like a person. No one points fingers or gossips, and they can even marry a son-in-law to live their days—they’re all content. But I’m still not satisfied.”
“I want to live better. I want to practice martial arts and saber like the Pei family misses, ride horses and shoot arrows, and in the future charge into battle behind Sixth Sister.”
“I know Sixth Sister must like someone like me.”
Gu Lian’s eyes burst with fervent light, like a flower blooming from mud and thorns. The ugly saber scar on her cheek couldn’t block her radiant brilliance.
Pei Qinghe gazed at Gu Lian and smiled faintly: “That’s right, I like women with ambition and capability. Gu Lian, do you really want to follow me?”
Gu Lian’s blood surged, her chest thrust out: “I wish to follow Sixth Sister. Even if the road ahead is a sea of swords and flames, I fear nothing.”
“Good! Tomorrow I’ll teach you to practice saber.”
……
The next day, Pei Qinghe taught everyone to practice saber. During daily training, they used wooden sabers. Wooden sabers were light and wouldn’t hurt anyone. Waving them also lacked the sharpness and edge of real weapons.
Pei Qinghe slowed her movements and taught the starting form. Then, everyone repeatedly practiced drawing the saber and wielding it.
“On the battlefield, whoever draws their saber faster lives; one step slow means death.”
“Faster, even faster.”
When Pei Qinghe urged everyone to practice martial arts, her face was stern with no hint of a smile. Not just Gu Lian and the others—even Pei Yan and her group didn’t dare slack off.
Fang Datou had to practice the left-hand saber, starting from the basics as well. Practicing saber with one arm was even harder. One overexertion and his body tilted unsteadily, nearly falling flat on his face.
Pei Qinghe was quick-eyed and quick-footed, kicking Fang Datou back into position: “Stand steady.”
Fang Datou grimaced and steadied himself, continuing to draw the saber and wield it.
Spring thaw came, and the accumulated snow melted.
The seven corpses under the tree north of the village began to rot and couldn’t hold together. Pei Qinghe had the newly arrived refugees dig a pit and bury the seven corpses.
Perhaps by coincidence, while digging the pit they unearthed some fragmentary bones.
The refugees gasped in shock, all terrified, their faces turning pale.
Pei Qinghe said lightly: “These are corpses from the Black Bear Stockade mountain bandits before. No need to fear—the Black Bear Stockade has been wiped out.”
The refugees had all heard to some extent about Sixth Sister Pei wiping out the Black Bear Stockade. Witnessing it with their own eyes today added even more awe in their hearts.
After spring plowing began, the refugees, divided into four teams, worked hard under the leadership of Pei Jia, Pei Yi, Gu Lian, and Feng Chang, holding iron plows and leading ploughing oxen. The land, covered by snow for over half a month, had softened from the melt and was easily tilled by the iron plows. Spring wheat seeds were then sown.
Last year there were only forty people farming, but this spring over one hundred fifty new refugees joined, making spring plowing go very smoothly. After spring plowing, they would continue reclaiming wasteland.
The mud-and-brick workers who went home for New Year had all returned. The foundations in Pei Family Village were long built, and the house-building speed was lightning fast. The wall based on bricks and stones also took shape.
The brand-new Pei Family Village was like wild grass sprouting from the ground in spring, bursting with vigorous vitality.
With several hundred people needing to have enough to eat every day, the grain in the granary was consumed rapidly.
Wu Xiuniang had to work the abacus several times a day, calculating and recalculating on the account book: “Thanks to Young Master Shi sending a large batch of grain before New Year. Otherwise, with so many mouths to feed to have enough to eat, it would be terribly worrying.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and comforted Wu Xiuniang, who had a few more white hairs: “With more people, grain consumption is indeed fierce, but things get done much faster too. Pei Family Village’s new houses can already house people. This year we can reclaim much wasteland, plant spring wheat, and have a harvest in a few months.”
Wu Xiuniang glanced at Pei Qinghe: “At the speed you’re recruiting refugees, the pace of reclaiming wasteland and planting grain is far from enough.”
Pei Qinghe smiled: “That’s true.”
“You still have the mood to joke, but I’m so worried I can hardly sleep.” Wu Xiuniang sighed deeply, showing the hardships of being the steward: “If not for Young Master Shi sending a large batch of grain, everyone would be going hungry now. Qinghe, you need to think it through. The Shi family won’t do good deeds for no reason. After accepting so much kindness from them, how will we repay it later?”
Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Young Master Shi has placed a heavy bet on the Pei family. There will come a day when we pay it back.”
“Even if we can’t repay the debt, Young Master Shi will take a big loss. Since this creditor isn’t worried, what do we have to worry about?”
Wu Xiuniang: “…”
Wu Xiuniang silently put away the account book.
People with thin skin and a conscience can’t accomplish great things.
