Chapter 136: Barracks
“Wouldn’t this anger the Guangning Army?”
Amid a chorus of jubilation, only Pei Yun furrowed her brows: “If we seek momentary satisfaction and make an enemy of the Guangning Army, I’m afraid it would not be worth the loss.”
Pei Qinghe’s eyes flashed: “The Guangning Army was defeated by the Xiongnu, their fighting spirit lost. General Yang is a cautious and steady man who won’t act without military orders.”
Deploying troops brings no real benefits. The Pei Family Army is a tough opponent that can hold Changping County against Xiongnu barbarians. With General Yang’s cautious temper, why would he come?
“Otherwise, let’s release Yang Huai and the others.” Pei Yun said in a low voice: “Letting the Guangning Army redeem them with money and grain wouldn’t sound good if word spreads.”
Pei Qinghe patiently explained: “We need to use Yang Huai as an example, to make the Guangning Army bleed. In the future, anyone thinking of provoking the Pei Family Army will have to weigh their own capabilities.”
“It can also shake up the influential families and wealthy households in Youzhou.”
Shi Yan picked up the thread, stating it more bluntly: “Over six thousand men need food and drink, and we’ll recruit even more later. Relying solely on the family fortune saved from fighting mountain bandits is far from enough. Actively looting isn’t appropriate—it damages our reputation and costs personnel. The best is for magnates to voluntarily offer money and grain. Just like Quanzhou County and Yongnu County, seeking protection from the Pei Family Army and proactively sending generous gifts.”
Only then did Pei Yun understand, smiling with a sigh: “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and patted Pei Yun’s shoulder: “Having your own ideas is a good thing. I’m human too, and my considerations can have oversights. When you think something is improper, just speak up and remind me.”
Over thirty men had their hands and feet bound and were loaded onto ox carts. In the blink of an eye, they gained over thirty good horses.
Pei Yan grinned nonstop: “This kind of good fortune should happen every day.”
Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow with a smile, leading the crowd into the Beiping Army Camp.
Calling it an army camp wasn’t quite right. When Meng Liulang left that day, he left over ten soldiers to guard the barracks.
These dozen soldiers were either nearing fifty or had injuries that left their combat power average; they wandered around the barracks every day. When idle, they threw dice to pass the time.
No one was on guard duty; the barracks gate was locked with an iron chain. After calling out a few times with no response, Pei Qinghe wielded a saber and chopped the iron lock: “Follow me in.”
This was Pei Qinghe’s second time stepping into the Beiping Army Camp.
The once majestic and solemn barracks were now empty, with quite a bit of weeds growing.
Pei Yun furrowed her brows and said in a low voice: “How did the barracks become like this?”
Pei Qinghe said: “General Meng died in battle, and morale scattered by more than half. Those left here are no different from being abandoned. How could they have the mind to clean and organize the barracks?”
The sound of horse hooves finally alerted the soldiers hiding in the barracks.
The soldiers tossed their dice and grumbled as they grabbed their sabers and went out: “Which blind fool of a bandit is it today?”
“In the past, within ten li of our Beiping Army Camp, even a fly had to fly around.”
“Why bring up that old calendar? Our general’s corpse has long been cold. The Beiping Army was also beaten to pieces; those still alive are in Bohai Commandery guarding the new Son of Heaven. They won’t come back. Us few can just idle away in the barracks waiting to die.”
These last words made the soldiers sigh repeatedly, their fighting spirit completely gone.
The moment the heroic young woman on horseback came into view, the soldiers’ dejection vanished; they sheathed their sabers one after another and bowed with folded hands: “We’ve seen Sixth Sister Pei!”
Some among them had followed Meng Liulang to the Pei Family Army, others had followed Meng Dalang into the Yan Mountains for bandit suppression; even those who hadn’t seen Pei Qinghe knew the Beiping Army had close ties with Pei Family Village.
Now that the Beiping Army Camp was an empty camp, these abandoned soldiers were panicked; seeing Sixth Sister Pei made them feel close and joyful.
Pei Qinghe smiled as she dismounted: “All rise!”
Her gaze swept over and landed on a somewhat familiar face: “Such a large barracks guarded by only you dozen men, neglecting defense. We entered the barracks and you didn’t even know. It’s fortunate we came first; if the Guangning Army had gotten here one step ahead, I’d only be able to collect your corpses.”
This soldier was named Hu Da, once Meng Liulang’s personal soldier. He was gravely wounded during the raid on Black Bear Stockade and stayed in Pei Family Village for three months. After recovering, his left leg was basically crippled.
Hu Da was both shocked and angry, rushing to the ox carts first with the other soldiers, hurling filthy language at Yang Huai and the others.
Yang Huai had his hands and feet bound, mouth gagged; as the soldiers cursed his ancestors, he was so furious his eyes nearly bulged out.
After venting with a tirade, Hu Da solemnly thanked Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe said: “I sent someone to Bohai Commandery; Young General Meng had him relay a message asking me to look after the barracks. Are you willing to follow my orders?”
Hu Da puffed out his chest: “That day I was gravely wounded and recovering in Pei Family Village; Sixth Sister used old ginseng to save my life. Sixth Sister’s kindness, I, Hu Da, have always remembered.”
“From now on, I’ll follow Sixth Sister.”
The other soldiers chimed in agreement.
The Beiping Army wasn’t coming back, and these old and weak soldiers lacked the capability to travel hundreds of li to Bohai Commandery. Living day by day was all they could do. Now that Sixth Sister was willing to take them in, why wouldn’t they?
Pei Qinghe smiled faintly: “Good, from now on you’re all my people, Pei Qinghe’s. With me here, I’ll ensure you’re fed and clothed.”
The soldiers beamed with joy, responding repeatedly in agreement.
Pei Qinghe instructed: “Where is the storeroom? Take me there first.”
Hu Da eagerly led the way. Outside a row of storerooms, he untied a long string of keys from his belt and swiftly unlocked the first one: “General took most of the military rations that day, and Sixth Young Master took quite a bit later; us ten-odd men have eaten for a year, leaving only these.”
The storeroom for stockpiled military rations was empty, with only dozens of bags of grain left. Even rationing tightly, it wouldn’t last two months. The fate facing Hu Da and the others: to avoid starvation, either become bandits robbing common people or thieves looting magnates. This was the real reason they so readily threw in with Sixth Sister Pei.
Pei Qinghe smiled and promised: “You keep guarding the barracks; starting next month, I’ll have grain and silver sent over.”
Hu Da rubbed his hands, holding back for a while before blurting out: “I’ll definitely guard the barracks well for Sixth Sister.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and glanced at Hu Da: “Weeds overrun the barracks; from now on, half a day training, half a day cleaning the barracks. You must guard the gate properly too. Don’t let people sneak in without knowing.”
Hu Da looked a bit guilty: “Yes, yes, yes; Sixth Sister, rest assured, we were just slacking before. It won’t happen again.”
He hurriedly opened the second storeroom, presenting it like a treasure: “Sixth Sister, take a look. The Beiping Army’s true family fortune is all here.”
Even with Pei Qinghe’s composure, she still paused for breath.
Pei Yan was overjoyed, eyes gleaming, and rushed straight in: “Wow! Wow! Wow! So many weapons! We’re rich!”
