Chapter 160: Surrender
Going outside the passes to buy horses is dangerous and difficult; bring more personnel so that when encountering small groups of horse bandits, you will have the strength to fight.
This is also Zhan Fei showing his loyalty. From now on, every move of the Zhan Family will be under Pei Qinghe’s watchful eyes.
Pei Qinghe had this plan too and nodded slightly: “Two merchant caravans going outside the passes; I’ll give you two hundred men. After this New Year, you set off.”
Zhan Fei cupped his hands and accepted the order.
After returning, Zhan Fei gathered all the male members of the family together, announced their surrender to Sixth Sister Pei, and informed everyone that they were going outside the passes to buy horses.
The Zhan Family members had varied reactions; some were unwilling to risk their lives outside the passes and could not help muttering: “We escaped with our lives from the Fanyang Army, and now we’re going outside the passes to fight for our lives again.”
Zhan Fei sneered: “If the Zhan Family had no use at all, why would Sixth Sister offend the Fanyang Army to take us in?”
The gossips looked embarrassed.
Zhan Fei continued coldly: “Our family business was seized, the salt mine is gone; with over a hundred old and young plus the manager and family retainers totaling more than four hundred people, how are we to survive? Are we just waiting for the Shi Family to charity-feed us?”
“We have nothing left but people; going outside the passes to buy horses can carve out a new path. We can also gain Sixth Sister’s heavy use and promotion; perhaps one day, the Zhan Family will revive its gates, even better than before. Who knows, we might even see the day when the Fanyang Army is defeated by the Pei Family Army.”
Everyone listened with boiling blood, light flashing in their eyes. Third Master Zhan was the first to speak in agreement with his brother: “Big Brother is right. From now on, we sell our lives for Sixth Sister.”
“Over these ten years, we’ve secretly gone outside the passes to sell salt; the trade route is ready-made. We can’t provoke the large Xiongnu tribes, so we’ll trade with smaller ones for horses. Those Xiongnu barbarians are dirt poor and will definitely be willing to exchange horses for our cotton cloth and tea.”
“Sixth Sister’s word is as good as gold; she promised us seventy percent of the profits and won’t go back on it. Even just for that seventy percent, it’s worth it.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, chattering: “Exactly. Such a good business, no other family could do it except us Zhan Family.”
“Let’s set off early.”
Zhan Fei and Third Master Zhan exchanged a glance and said gravely: “Women, children, elderly, and infirm stay behind; all the rest go. We’ll stay at the Shi Family for New Year; after New Year, we go with Sixth Sister back to Pei Family Village.”
……
The Wang Family had arrived at the Shi Family several days earlier. Shi Yan personally invited his uncle Wang Xun to discuss going outside the passes to buy horses.
Wang Xun agreed without a word.
Not to mention thirty percent profit; even if it were giving away a batch of cotton cloth for free, the Wang Family would still fully support the Pei Family Army.
In Guangning Prefecture, there were plenty of magnates whose families were destroyed. The Wang Family’s safety was all thanks to Pei Qinghe backing them. General Yang, for the sake of Sixth Sister Pei’s face, had not moved against the Wang Family.
The Wang Family’s ancestral estate was all in Guangning Prefecture, so they could not relocate the whole family. However, privately, Wang Xun quietly sent several promising nephews and younger generation to the Shi Family.
The Wang Family had put all their chips on the Pei Family Army; the stronger the Pei Family Army, the safer the Wang Family.
Negotiations with the tea merchants were not so smooth.
There were two major tea merchants in Yan Prefecture, both came to the Shi Family for the wedding banquet.
Shi Yan first approached the closer Sun Family; the Sun Family head looked troubled: “Steward Shi should know the rules in our tea business: to take goods, you must pay seventy percent upfront. Now Steward Shi wants me to put out so many goods as shares; if buying horses outside the passes doesn’t go well and something goes wrong, this huge batch of tea will be wasted on the road.”
“Like this: I’ll give Steward Shi a discount price. Pay fifty percent upfront first, and the other fifty percent after the tea is sold.”
In business talks, starting high and bargaining is normal. Steward Shi was experienced and wouldn’t get annoyed.
After much discussion, the Sun Family head insisted on fifty percent prepayment in silver.
Shi Yan said he needed a few days to consider, then went to another tea merchant.
The Su Family head sighed softly: “In this worldly affairs, business is hard. I’ll not hide it from you: the Su Family has tea, but most of it has been offered to the Liaoxi Army.”
“Steward Shi has spoken, I definitely must give face to Steward Shi and want to build a good relationship with the Pei Family Army. But the quantity of tea you want is too much; the Su Family can provide twenty percent of the goods, no deposit needed.”
Shi Yan went to report back to Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe raised her eyebrow and sneered: “The Sun Family clearly doesn’t think much of the Pei Family Army and is unwilling to bet. The Su Family only willing to supply twenty percent shows they also think the Liaoxi Army will soon attack, and our Pei Family Army is like grasshoppers after autumn that won’t hop for long.”
“For the Sun Family, follow the rules; we’ll pay seventy percent for the goods. For the Su Family, no deposit, less goods supplied, but take them anyway.”
“I gave them a chance, but they didn’t seize it. Later when the Pei Family Army wins victories, if they want to surrender again, it won’t be so easy.”
Shi Yan nodded and went to carry out the orders.
Old Master Shi learned of this and said to Shi Li: “The Sun Family is short-sighted, and the Su Family’s eyes aren’t sharp either. Keep your distance from these two families in the future.”
Shi Li solemnly agreed.
……
On the day of the wedding banquet, Wang Mengyi, who had finished her confinement, finally appeared.
Wang Mengyi was healthy; her labor had gone smoothly without much suffering. After confinement, she had become much more plump, with a rosy and gentle complexion.
The male infant who was born thin as a little monkey had been fed to be fair and chubby in this month. Old Master Shi happily held his golden grandson, while Wang Xun beamingly held the other.
Pei Qinghe also smilingly went over to look, and generously gave substantial meeting gifts to both male infants.
Wang Mengyi smiled with pursed lips: “On behalf of the two children, I thank Sixth Sister.”
Pei Qinghe greatly admired the capable and efficient Wang Mengyi and smiled: “When the children are older, you continue managing the embroidery shop.”
Wang Mengyi smiled softly: “With four wet nurses caring for the children, I can get back to work after confinement.”
Changping County was the first to hang the Pei character flag, Quanzhou County the second. Two months ago, the county magistrate of Yongnu County came to surrender; Pei Qinghe instructed Feng Chang to lead two hundred men there. The city gate of Yongnu County then also hung up the Pei character flag.
These Pei character flags all came from the Wang Family embroidery shop.
Pei Qinghe nodded approvingly: “You are so capable and efficient; you shouldn’t be confined to the inner residence.”
Wang Mengyi was outwardly soft but inwardly strong, with her own opinions, and smiled upon hearing this: “With Sixth Sister valuing and promoting me, how could I be content just managing husband and teaching children.”
Pei Qinghe and Wang Mengyi exchanged smiles.
The full moon banquet ended, right at year-end.
Pei Qinghe indeed stayed at the Shi Family for New Year.
On the first day of the new year, Prefect Tang of Yan Prefecture sent a trusted staff officer to congratulate Sixth Sister Pei on a happy new year.
On the second day of the new year, the magnates of Yan Prefecture came calling one after another. However, Sixth Sister Pei only met two of them, both being those close to the Pei Family Army who had donated exceptionally much money and grain.
On the third day, Mao Hongling, guarding Pei Family Village, hurriedly sent someone with a letter.
After reading the letter, Pei Qinghe was uncharacteristically furious, slamming the letter paper on the table with a slap.
