Chapter 102: Awakening
He didn’t know how much time had passed before Meng Liulang finally opened his eyes.
That blow to the back of his head had been merciless, his head was still dizzy, and when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Xiao Mo’s familiar face.
What about Pei Qinghe?
Memories before fainting flooded his mind, a flame rose in Meng Liulang’s heart, he wanted to get up but couldn’t move, and when he lowered his head, he discovered his hands and feet were firmly bound with hemp rope. Meng Liulang grew even more furious: “Who dares to tie me up?”
Xiao Mo coughed: “It was Sixth Sister Pei who did it.”
Meng Liulang looked up and glared fiercely: “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come untie the rope!”
Xiao Mo took a step back: “Sixth Sister Pei instructed before leaving not to untie Young Master’s ropes. She said to let Young Master lie there and think things through clearly.”
Meng Liulang was furious beyond measure, struggling with all his might to get up off the bed. The ropes on his wrists and legs only tightened more, he was like a fish caught in a net, utterly wretched: “You bastard! Who exactly do you listen to?”
Xiao Mo said with a bitter face and a sigh: “Normally I definitely listen to Young Master. But before General left, he specially instructed that once Young Master entered Pei Family Village, we had to listen to Sixth Sister Pei.”
Meng Liulang: “…”
“Sixth Sister Pei led people into the mountains to suppress Clear Wind Stockade.” Xiao Mo took the initiative to explain: “Young Master, please bear with it and make do in this house for a while. When Sixth Sister Pei returns, she will naturally let Young Master out.”
Meng Liulang was so angry he cursed loudly.
He cursed Xiao Mo for betraying his master and abandoning righteousness, cursed his own father for being blind and trusting others wrongly, and occasionally cursed Sixth Sister Pei for being cold-blooded and heartless.
Two heads poked in.
One was a round-faced little girl with a sweet smile, the other a handsome and stern cool boy.
“Are you cursing Cousin Sister Qinghe?” Pei Xuan’s voice was sweet and very cute: “If you curse again, I’ll get angry! I’m very scary when I’m angry, I’ll beat people up!”
Pei Feng was much cooler, stabbing straight at Meng Liulang’s heart: “With your level of skill, you wouldn’t last fifty moves against my cousin sister. If Cousin Sister wants to beat you, she can just do it openly, why bother with a sneak attack? You’re too self-conceited!”
Both of them wanted to follow into the mountains to fight the mountain bandits, but unfortunately they were too young and were left in the village, feeling very stifled inside.
The sister and brother took turns mocking Meng Liulang: “If not for the fact that Beiping Army had sent grain and weapons before, Cousin Sister Qinghe wouldn’t bother with your life or death.”
“A bunch of soldiers, eating and drinking every day. Did our Pei Family Village’s grain fall from the sky?”
Meng Liulang couldn’t stoop to a verbal dispute with two children, and in anger turned his head to the inside.
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng chattered on for half a day before leaving.
The five hundred soldiers felt bad about eating free meals, and the next day under Mao Hongling’s command they felled trees, chopped wood, carried bricks, and farmed.
Their own Sixth Young Master was muddled and impulsive, but the soldiers knew very well in their hearts. Sixth Sister Pei was saving Sixth Young Master, and also saving their lives.
Things were very chaotic outside now, it was uncertain if these five hundred men could even get out of Youzhou, let alone save General.
A gentleman takes revenge, even ten years is not too late. They had to survive first before making plans.
The soldiers put their strength into the work, and Mao Hongling was not stingy with grain, specially instructing Madam Fang to slaughter two fat pigs in the kitchen every day.
Pei Yun insisted on going into the mountains, so Mao Hongling was left to guard Pei Family Village this time. Mao Hongling was not as ruthless as Pei Yun, but excelled in meticulous caution.
The refugees had long since given their loyalty and showed no unusual movements, and some even spontaneously kept watch on the soldiers. Occasionally people would privately report that certain shameless soldiers were chatting up women in the fields or village.
With Pei Qinghe’s encouragement and support, more and more women in Pei Family Village were marrying and taking in sons-in-law. Among the Pei Clan’s young wives, two had also taken in men before the new year. The refugees were afraid that the strong and burly soldiers would be chosen, leaving them without wives.
Mao Hongling was well aware of the refugees’ little schemes, praised them a few words aloud, then privately told the Pei Clan women: “Beiping Army soldiers have good skills and are tall and sturdy. If any of you have taken a fancy to one, privately ask if they’re willing to marry in as a husband.”
Zhou Shi, whose skills were mediocre, didn’t follow into the mountains this time and stayed in the village. Hearing this, she coughed shyly: “They are Beiping Army men, if they marry in as husbands, do they have to stay in Pei Family Village afterward?”
Mao Hongling smiled: “Of course.”
“Digging at Beiping Army’s corner like this, isn’t it a bit improper?” another woman asked softly.
“What’s improper about it.” Mao Hongling said calmly: “Beiping Army is fighting in Capital City, it’s uncertain how many will come back alive. Meng Liulang is impulsive by nature, if not for Qinghe acting in time, he would already have led people to charge to Capital City and die. We’re willing to take them in, they’re probably overjoyed inside.”
A few days later, three soldiers sneaked into Meng Liulang’s house.
Meng Liulang’s hands and feet were bound, he couldn’t go anywhere, spending his days eating, sleeping, and cursing, his face had become much rounder and his voice full of vigor.
Xiao Mo on the other hand looked much more haggard: “What are you three here for?”
The three soldiers chuckled ingratiatingly, saying shamelessly: “We’re here to tell Young Master, we’re going to be Pei Family Village sons-in-law.”
“From now on, we’ll stay in Pei Family Village.”
“The ones who chose us are real Pei Family womenfolk. We didn’t disgrace Young Master!”
Meng Liulang was so angry he laughed, spat: “You have the face to say that. You’re all soldiers on the roster, to quit the roster, unless you’re wounded and can’t serve anymore.”
“Actually there are other ways.” The most upright-looking soldier said lowly: “Anyway we’re marrying in as husbands, we can just change our surnames directly.”
“Beiping Army is fighting over in Capital City, they’re already rebels to the Imperial Court. Who cares about Beiping Army’s roster anymore!”
“Once Prince Wei wins, there will definitely be a reckoning. Then the Imperial Court will send troops to surround and annihilate Beiping Army. If we stay in Pei Family Village and follow Sixth Sister Pei, maybe we can fight for a way to survive.”
“That’s right, Sixth Young Master, why don’t you stay too!”
Meng Liulang’s face darkened, he sneered repeatedly: “What would I stay for? Become a son-in-law like you, lying under women?”
Xiao Mo’s eyes lit up, chiming in: “Sixth Young Master is young and handsome, good at riding and shooting, knows how to fight. Being Sixth Sister Pei’s son-in-law is perfect…”
“Shut up!” Meng Liulang was thoroughly enraged, flames of anger bursting from his dark eyes: “A tall man of eight feet, how could he marry in as a husband! Whoever dares mention marrying in again, never appear before me again.”
Xiao Mo shut his mouth.
The three soldiers didn’t dare make a sound either.
Meng Liulang’s face was ashen, his chest heaving.
After a long while, the soldiers all knelt down and kowtowed three times to Meng Liulang: “Sixth Young Master, Beiping Army is defeated, we want to find a way to survive.”
“Please Sixth Young Master let us out of the barracks.”
Meng Liulang said coldly: “Get lost!”
“From today on, get out of Beiping Army. From now on, you’re no longer Beiping Army men.”
