Chapter 123: Family Division
Madam Lu glared in anger: “Fine, fine, fine. You’ve all grown up, with hearts as wild as can be. This grandmother can’t control you.”
“Pei Yan is assigned to you. Pei Feng is the Pei Clan’s direct line eldest grandson and cannot be led by you down a dead end. Pei Feng must follow us.”
Pei Yan beamed with joy, while Pei Feng turned pale with shock, shaking his head like a rattle drum: “I won’t follow Grandmother. I want to follow Cousin Sister Qinghe!”
Madam Lu flew into a rage: “Pei Feng, you are the Pei Clan’s eldest grandson. How can you become a rebellious minister and traitor? If you don’t come over today, don’t ever recognize me as your grandmother again.”
Madam Lu usually doted on Pei Yue the most, but the one she valued and liked most was Pei Feng. She had never spoken such harsh words to him. Pei Feng’s eyes reddened, his voice choked: “What road to take isn’t chosen by oneself? I’m choosing Cousin Sister Qinghe!”
Madam Lu couldn’t catch her breath, rolled her eyes, and fainted.
Pei Qinghe reacted swiftly and caught Madam Lu: “Pei Yan, go call Doctor Bao.”
Doctor Bao hurried over. Over these past two years, Doctor Bao’s medical skill in treating external injuries had improved by leaps and bounds. He was also much quicker at administering acupuncture.
After a few needles, Madam Lu slowly woke up. Opening her eyes, she saw several familiar faces. Pei Qinghe, Pei Yan, Pei Feng—they were all her consanguineous grandchildren. Yet not one was willing to follow her. Even seven-year-old Pei Yue said softly: “Grandmother, I want to be with my cousins.”
Madam Lu felt as if a giant stone was blocking her chest. Grief welled up, and broken sobs escaped her throat.
Just like an old ox at the end of its road.
Pei Qinghe had a heart as cold as iron. Confirming Madam Lu had no serious issues, she continued presiding over the family division matters. She questioned each of the Pei Family Members present one by one, while Pei Yun rapidly recorded with a charcoal pen.
Who was willing to follow Pei Qinghe?
Who wanted to follow Madam Lu and the other elders?
The girls who admired strength and were full of hot blood all chose the former without exception.
The young wives of the Pei Clan also almost all chose Pei Qinghe. Having tasted the flavor of standing tall between heaven and earth, none were willing to shrink back into the inner quarters to live lives of bowing heads, tending husbands and children, and serving parents-in-law.
The young children wanted to follow their own mothers.
The older ones basically all stood with Madam Lu. Having lived six or seven decades, they believed in ruler and subject, family and country. Raising a flag and standing independent was truly beyond their cognition.
The most difficult were people like Wu Xiuniang. In terms of age, they weren’t old, and their physical strength and endurance were good. They couldn’t serve as the main force in battle, but logistics and internal affairs were all supported by them. They weren’t accustomed to defying their mothers-in-law, nor could they bear to give up their current lives.
When Pei Qinghe asked, Wu Xiuniang’s mouth moved repeatedly, unable to utter a word for a long time. Suddenly, she covered her face and cried: “That day the road of exile was so hard, but we made it through. Taking root in Changping County was not easy, but we held on. Now with people, grain, and territory, life is going well—why stir things up to the point of family division!”
“I can’t bear to part with any of them. I don’t want to divide the family.”
Pei Qinghe was silent for a moment before saying: “In the hardest times, everyone united hearts and worked together to survive. Now with no lack of food and clothing, troubles are more numerous. Even kin each have their own paths they want to take. If we cannot walk together, we must part.”
Wu Xiuniang cried: “I just won’t divide.”
This cry was like opening a floodgate; everyone began to cover their faces and weep bitterly. Just like that year when they left the Capital City and set out on the road of exile, crying heart-wrenchingly.
The more than ten men guarding outside the door heard the miserable cries, their hearts uneasy. They were all Pei Clan sons-in-law and the closest to the core circle in Pei Family Village.
“Fang Hai, go in and see what’s happened,” Tao Feng from the Meng Family Army urged.
Fang Hai was somewhat hesitant and said softly: “You all know Sixth Sister’s temper. She ordered no one to enter without permission.”
Pei Qinghe’s words carried more weight in Pei Family Village than an imperial decree.
The men exchanged glances and all fell silent.
Pei Yi from the Pei Clan arrived, Fang Datou also came, and Gu Lian and Feng Chang came too. A crowd stood outside the door, silently listening to the crying inside.
Pei Qinghe let everyone cry their hearts out. No one knew her mood. From beginning to end, she was the calmest one.
“Everyone, stop crying.”
“After the family division, we can still visit each other often.”
“Auntie, you choose first.”
Wu Xiuniang wiped her tears with her sleeve, gritted her teeth and said, “Qinghe, I’m sorry to let you down. Mother-in-law is elderly and can’t do without me by her side. I have to go with them.”
When Wu Xiuniang burst into bitter tears, Pei Qinghe had a premonition. The moment these words reached her ears, Pei Qinghe felt a stab in her heart, but she remained composed on the surface, nodded, and signaled Pei Yun to note it down.
The most unexpected was that Madam Feng also chose Madam Lu’s side.
“Little Doggy and Little Yu’er are still young and need someone to care for them. Mother-in-law is elderly and also can’t do without someone by her side.” Madam Feng looked at Pei Qinghe and said softly, “Qinghe, walk the path you want to walk, do the things you want to do. Mother will always support you!”
Pei Qinghe’s heart trembled, tears flashed in her eyes, she nodded gently and replied “good.”
Two hundred and thirty-five names were divided into two books. One book was filled completely, totaling one hundred and eighty-two people, the other had three pages, totaling fifty-three people.
The elderly Madam Li, stooped and trembling in voice: “One stroke can’t write two Pei characters. After the family division, we must still visit often and not grow distant.”
Madam Lu struggled to stand up and said loudly, “Since it’s a family division, let’s make it clear-cut. The people in the village were all recruited by you, we don’t want them. Pei Family New Village was built by you, we won’t take your credit. We’ll still live in the thatched huts of the Old Village.”
……
The door opened.
Pei Jia, Pei Yifang, Fang Datou and others who had been listening at the door for a long time rushed forward, vying to express their intent to follow forever.
Fang Hai darted to Bian Shulan’s side, asked something in a tense low voice, and after Bian Shulan nodded, Fang Hai grinned from ear to ear.
Several soldiers from the Beiping Army also breathed a sigh of relief.
They were willing to marry into Pei Family Village, first because they truly wanted wives, second because Sixth Sister Pei could lead them to achieve success and establish a career. If it were someone else, they wouldn’t submit.
That night, almost no one in the Pei Clan, old or young, slept.
Pei Qinghe had long lived alone in a room, but tonight she slept with her mother Madam Feng. The mother and daughter had a tacit understanding; some words didn’t need to be spoken explicitly.
In this family division, the able-bodied basically all followed Pei Qinghe. Those following Madam Li and Madam Lu to the thatched huts of the Old Village were almost all the elderly and weak. Madam Feng went and could care for Madam Lu and the young children, keep in touch with Pei Qinghe at any time, and occasionally persuade the stubborn elders.
“Mother, you’ll have to endure a few hard years.” Pei Qinghe hugged her own mother’s arm and sighed softly.
Madam Feng reached out to stroke Pei Qinghe’s hair and said with a soft laugh, “Mother wants to watch you show your skills, not bitter at all.”
Pei Qinghe’s eyes heated up, and she buried her head in Madam Feng’s embrace.
The next morning, the cold-hearted, majestic Sixth Sister Pei personally presided over the family division.
