Chapter 10: Power Base
After eating dry biscuits and drinking enough cool water, Pei Qinghe quickened her pace.
She walked from the back of the group to the very front, leading the clan members to speed up. Those who were truly exhausted and couldn’t walk could sit on the prison cart for half an hour to rest and recover before continuing. By taking turns riding in the prison cart like this, they covered a full thirty li in one day.
This speed was simply shocking.
The square-faced Big Soldier couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement: “This is almost as fast as infantry marching.”
Jing Dynasty army cavalry made up only about one tenth, with infantry as the main force. For the army on the march, sixty li per day counted as a forced march, and the normal speed was just forty li.
The Pei Clan women and children actually achieved such speed!
The mole-faced Big Soldier chuckled: “The Pei Clan comes from generations of military families. Regardless of gender, they all practice martial arts from a young age. They’re not like the delicate families of civil officials.”
The Big Soldiers chimed in one after another, discussing animatedly.
They rode horses escorting all day, and the journey was terribly boring. The Boss wouldn’t let them stare at the Pei Clan beauties, so all they had left was this bit of fun in gossiping.
Captain Sun suddenly said: “Sixth Sister Pei is training troops.”
Training troops?
Training what troops?!
All the Big Soldiers widened their eyes in unison.
Captain Sun looked at this bunch of fools and felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t help rolling his eyes: “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand. Just watch carefully over the next few days.”
The Big Soldiers looked at each other. The next day, while patrolling on horseback, they couldn’t help staring at Pei Qinghe one by one. After watching for a day, they indeed noticed some patterns.
“Today it seems like they split into teams.”
“They’re walking even faster.”
“No way! Where’s the formation?” The square-faced Big Soldier looked baffled: “How come I can’t see it?”
All the Big Soldiers looked at him with collective disdain.
They were all illiterate rough martial men. Still, they were a bit better than the single-minded square-faced Big Soldier.
Captain Sun had also watched all day and said in a low voice: “There really is a formation. Sixth Sister Pei paired the young and strong with the elderly so they can support each other as they go. The young ones are also in two teams, one in front and one in back.”
The Big Soldiers all exclaimed in amazement.
Pei Qinghe, however, was not entirely satisfied.
After eating the evening dry biscuits, Pei Qinghe called a few people over for deliberation.
Captain Sun hadn’t observed carefully enough. Today she had divided the Pei Family old and young into eight teams, with varying numbers in each team, and each team had selected a leader.
Women over sixty were one team, led by Madam Li of the eleventh house. Madam Li had the highest seniority and was the oldest, backed by Zhang Kou of the Li family, so she could make all the elderly elders behave and keep quiet.
Women between forty and sixty were another team, led by Madam Chen of the second house.
Madam Chen had a fiery temper and spoke bluntly; she could choke anyone who dared. Anyone who wanted to meddle with the Pei Clan Leader had to get past Madam Chen first.
The group from thirty to forty was managed by Aunt Wu of the ninth house.
Madam Wu was shrewd and meticulous; she knew how to use an abacus and keep accounts, which was barely enough to manage logistics for several hundred people.
The young wives in their twenties were another team, led by Madam Mao. Madam Mao, who had just pulled herself out of the despair of contemplating suicide, was suddenly given this heavy responsibility and felt dazed all day.
She was the first one reprimanded tonight.
“Mao Hongling!”
Madam Mao didn’t react at first and looked around blankly.
After five years married into the Pei Clan, everyone called her Second Son’s wife or Madam Mao. It had been a long time since anyone had called her given name directly.
“Mao Hongling,” Pei Qinghe said expressionlessly, emphasizing her tone.
Meeting Pei Qinghe’s stern gaze, Mao Hongling jolted awake: “Here.”
“Your team has forty-two people,” Pei Qinghe said gravely. “They’re all young and strong in age—why were you the slowest today?”
They were all widowed Pei Family daughters-in-law, not bearing the Pei surname yet bearing the tragic fate of family ruined, nation destroyed, exiled to Youzhou. Some had thought of suicide, just like she had before. Some harbored resentment and unwillingness, and some even considered fleeing.
With such varied mindsets, how could they unite as one?
Mao Hongling lowered her head slightly: “I’ll urge them to walk faster tomorrow.”
“The Pei Clan has met with disaster, and we Pei Clan girls follow in hardship—that’s only right. You are outsider women who married into the Pei Clan, dragged into exile and bitter days, so it’s inevitable that you feel pent-up anger.” Pei Qinghe’s expression was calm, but her words were exceptionally sharp.
Mao Hongling felt pierced and lifted her head: “Sixth Sister, I’ve never thought that way.”
Pei Qinghe said: “The Pei Clan has indeed wronged you. Right now, we must unite and move forward. Once we settle in Youzhou, those who want to leave can fake their deaths and remarry under new identities.”
At these words, everyone was shocked.
“No!” Madam Lu, sitting nearby with ears perked, stood up agitatedly. Her wrinkled old face flushed with anger as she glared fiercely at her granddaughter: “Pei Qinghe! What nonsense are you spouting!”
“They married into the Pei Clan—alive they are Pei Clan people, dead they are Pei Clan ghosts!”
Pei Qinghe didn’t move and said calmly: “Those who want to stay will stay. Those who don’t, why make them suffer with us.”
“Also, they are not Pei Clan people or ghosts. They are all living people, not anyone’s appendages or things.”
“Right now I am the Pei Clan Leader, and I decide the Pei Clan rules.”
Madam Lu was so angry her old face turned bright red. She pointed at Pei Qinghe and cursed: “You bastard thing! You’re determined to scatter the last of the Pei Clan before you’ll be satisfied! I tell you, as long as I live one more day, I won’t tolerate your reckless nonsense!”
“Starting today, I will be the clan leader.”
Pei Qinghe finally stood up, her bright sharp gaze fixed on Madam Lu: “The Pei Clan old, weak, women, and children must twist into one rope to survive in this chaotic world, putting all our strength in one direction.”
“Past rules are all void. As Pei Family Head, I do things by my rules. Whoever wants to replace me must first get past me with their fists.”
“If Grandmother is unconvinced, just make a move.”
Madam Lu: “…”
When Pei Zhongde was alive, he could only fight Pei Qinghe to a draw. How could her old bones withstand one punch from Pei Qinghe?
Madam Li rose shakily: “Don’t say such absurd things anymore. We of all seventeen houses jointly elected Qinghe as clan leader. These past two days Qinghe has done very well, and everyone is convinced.”
Madam Chen spoke even more directly: “Big Sister, look in the mirror. Except for your big temper, putting on elders’ airs, and loving to curse, in what way are you better than Qinghe?”
Madam Lu: “…”
Madam Lu’s face turned iron-blue, and she sat back down without a word.
Pei Qinghe scanned the crowd’s complex expressions and continued to Mao Hongling: “You come from a military family, practiced martial arts from childhood, can ride horses, shoot arrows, and wield spears and swords proficiently—your skills are not weak.”
“As leader of this team, you must take responsibility. Tomorrow we still walk thirty li. Once everyone adapts, we’ll speed up further.”
Thank you veteran readers for your enthusiastic comments. Seeing all those familiar names makes me so happy. I’ll write the new book with care and not disappoint you all~
