Chapter 137: Harvest
In the spacious storeroom, there were three rows of sturdy wooden racks, and as far as the eye could see were weapons, mostly the common knives and spears used in the army.
The brand-new weapons had all been taken away, leaving mostly used weapons, occasionally with some spots of rust. However, for the Pei Family Army, which had long been short of weapons, the weapons in this storeroom were simply priceless treasures.
Pei Yan was excited and leaping with joy, Pei Yun was full of joy, and they went inside looking left and right.
Pei Qinghe walked around once, casually drew out a long saber, and examined the nicks on the blade.
Shi Yan also came over to look: “Have the blacksmith fix it up and repair it, and it can still be used.”
The blacksmith father and son from Changping County now specialized in repairing weapons for Pei Family Village.
Pei Qinghe nodded.
Hu Da chuckled: “Sixth Sister, there are some good things over there.”
The good things in Hu Da’s mouth were some old armor, and some tools for attacking the city. The armor could be patched up and made usable, while the tools were scattered and piled together, looking like a heap of junk.
Hu Da feared Pei Qinghe would disdain them, and hurriedly said: “These things haven’t been used for a long time, piled here they look unsightly. Wipe them clean and assemble them, there are a few catapults, and a few cloud ladders. When the general left that day, it was inconvenient to take these heavy tools, so they were all left behind.”
The Beiping Army was the elite of the garrison, backed by the Eastern Palace, and over these years the Ministry of War had always prioritized allocating military pay and equipment. General Meng took away a large batch of weapons, but the remaining “family fortune” was still substantial; a rough count showed it was enough to equip an army of nearly a thousand men.
No wonder the Guangning Army had greedy thoughts; such a large batch of weapons and equipment, in chaotic times, was capital for starting out.
Pei Qinghe didn’t disdain them at all, and gladly accepted them all: “They’re all good things, haul them all back to Pei Family Village.”
……
Pei Qinghe and her group rested briefly in the barracks, and set off back the next day.
More than a dozen ox carts were piled high, and the traveling speed was more than twice as slow as when they came. Yet no one complained a word, everyone beaming with joy.
The ox carts were filled with weapons, Yang Huai and the other captives had the ropes on their legs untied, and were strung together in a long line with thick hemp ropes, following behind the ox carts, huffing and puffing as they walked forward.
Previously some had tried to resist, but as soon as they moved to run, they were beaten by that sturdy girl like a black tower until their noses bled profusely. They were only given one meal a day, starving until their legs were weak.
Yang Huai received no special treatment, and was equally starved until his vision blurred. After several days of continuous hunger while walking, he wanted to rush forward and gnaw on tree leaves when he saw them.
Endless fields of good farmland came into view. Following closely were the continuous sturdy walls.
Yang Huai had a clump of cotton cloth stuffed in his mouth, unable to make sounds of amazement, his eyes wide open.
A sharp bamboo whistle sounded from the wooden tower, and a cute little girl with a round face and big eyes excitedly leaped down from the wooden tower: “Cousin Sister Qinghe is back!”
Immediately after, a handsome little boy with a joyful face rushed over.
“Pei Xuan, Pei Feng,” Pei Qinghe smilingly rubbed their heads: “I’ve been away for so many days, has anyone in the village been up to no good?”
Pei Xuan laughed: “There were two who stole grain and tried to run, and we caught one spy trying to send news out. They all had their hands and feet chopped off and were hung north of the village.”
Pei Feng added coldly: “We also caught one peeping on women bathing, castrated him with one knife, and drove him out.”
Yang Huai listened with his scalp exploding.
Pei Xuan curiously poked her head to look: “Where did these come from? Are we chopping off their hands and feet and hanging them from trees too?”
Pei Qinghe smilingly glanced at the pale-faced Yang Huai who had lost all his arrogance: “Don’t talk nonsense. This is Young General Yang of the Guangning Army, a distinguished guest I specially invited.”
“You two take people to watch them.”
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng both assented.
Behind the wall was another world. Neatly built brick houses, solid and flat roads, people coming and going, men and women alike, all robust and ruddy-faced with full spirit.
Yang Huai was valued by General Yang for good reason, he had real ability. The more he looked, the more shocked he was.
The Guangning Army was a regular Imperial Court army, its combat power though not as good as the Beiping Army, was stronger than the Fanyang Army and Liaoxi Army. The people seen here were even sturdier and more spirited than the soldiers in the Guangning Barracks.
How could one Pei Family Village have such a large territory and so many people? And with strict discipline, it was just like a barracks.
Pei Qinghe led the crowd to move the weapons, armor, and equipment into the storeroom, inventorying, sorting, and registering, every item trivial and troublesome. Fortunately Shi Yan took over, and brothers Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang also bustled about without touching the ground.
Yang Huai and the more than thirty others were locked in a large house.
Their legs and feet were tied again, piled squeezed together like rice dumplings.
Pei Feng warned: “No yelling.”
Then he reached out and pulled the cotton cloth from Yang Huai’s mouth.
With men as the knife and board and himself as the fish meat, moreover after being starved for days, where was there strength left to yell.
Yang Huai said feebly: “Young Master Pei, we won’t yell or try to escape. Send us some food.”
The other soldiers all pleaded with expectant, eager, fervent gazes.
Pei Feng turned to ask Pei Xuan: “Should we get some mixed flour steamed buns?”
Pei Xuan counted: “Thirty-six in total, go get eighteen steamed buns, half for each person.”
The ropes on their hands were tied tight, awkwardly bringing half a steamed bun to their mouths. However, at this time no one cared about that, all wolfing them down.
In the blink of an eye, half a steamed bun was down their bellies.
Even hungrier.
The food was gone, each got a bamboo bowl of cold water.
After eating, mouths were stuffed with cloth again.
At night, at least a dozen old cotton quilts were given, and the soldiers huddled together, wrapped in the quilts.
Yang Huai silently counted the days in his heart. After waiting five or six days, Sixth Sister Pei finally appeared.
“Pei Xuan, quickly untie Young General Yang’s ropes.” Pei Qinghe instructed amiably: “Have someone prepare some food, let Young General Yang eat his fill before leaving.”
It was clear that General Yang’s “sincerity” was full. Sixth Sister Pei was finally willing to release the man.
Yang Huai was filled with pent-up rage and frustration, though his legs and arms were weak, he still forced himself to stand, and with a cold face spat harsh words: “Parting today, next time we meet, enemies not friends. I, Yang Huai, will sooner or later avenge being captured.”
Miss Pei Yan, whose temper was not the best, gave a cold laugh, flew up with a kick, sending Yang Huai sprawling to the ground. Along with it, she kicked away Young General Yang’s courage: “Remember, the one who beat you was me, Pei Yan.”
“Want revenge, come find me.”
Pei Qinghe lightly reproached: “General Yang sent fifty warhorses, Young General Yang is a true distinguished guest. Go help up Young General Yang.”
Pei Yan roughly grabbed Yang Huai by the collar. Like picking up a chick.
Yang Huai was ashamed and angry, but finally remembered the lesson, clamping his mouth shut like a clam shell.
Of course, at mealtime he worked his jaws, eating not a bit less.
Starved for half a month, finally eating a full meal, happy enough to cry.
Back at the Guangning Army, Yang Huai knelt full of shame before General Yang, eyes red as he pleaded guilty: “Nephew failed the errand, and even caused Uncle to use fifty good horses to exchange back for nephew. Please punish nephew, Uncle!”
