Chapter 168: Grain Rations Cut
In the blink of an eye, it was May.
Wheat ears filled the eyes, heavy and swaying in the wind, naturally giving rise to the joy of an impending bountiful harvest.
The Pei Family Army’s military rations were now mostly supplied by the Shi Family. Over ten thousand mu of wasteland had been reclaimed, planted with the finest seeds, and diligently farmed by the tireless villagers of Pei Family Village, yielding much grain each year.
Every wheat harvest was a major event in Pei Family Village. Regular training would pause for several days, with everyone going to the fields to harvest wheat.
Pei Qinghe would circle the fields every day, pluck a few wheat ears, put them in her mouth: “In a few more days, we can harvest the wheat.”
Shi Yan was a true expert; without tasting the wheat ears, he took a few glances and said, “Wait seven or eight days, and we can harvest the wheat.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and hummed in agreement, then turned to ask Shi Yan: “How long will the grain we’ve stockpiled last the whole village?”
Shi Yan seemed to have an account book in his mind, able to flip through it anytime, anywhere: “We’ve stockpiled quite a lot of grain, originally enough for over half a year. A few days ago, we took in over five hundred refugees, and this year’s spring wheat grew well. After harvesting, it should be enough for a full year.”
What kind of life had she lived in her previous life? Worrying all day about feeding everyone, where having one meal meant possibly no next.
What kind of life was she living now? They had a full year’s worth of stored grain!
No need to rack her brains over military rations, everyone having enough to eat every day! With ample strength to train troops! The Pei Family Army now had three thousand elite soldiers; counting the troops under Pei Yun, Gu Lian, and Feng Chang, they could muster nearly five thousand men!
One must know, even the Beiping Army at its peak had only about five thousand!
Pei Qinghe looked at Shi Yan with a beaming smile, her gaze extremely gentle.
Shi Yan felt as if his heart had been scratched, and continued: “However, worldly affairs are chaotic, with refugees and fighting everywhere.”
“Every army is conscripting able-bodied men, robbing magnates; the common people have no way to farm in peace. The Shi Family’s trade routes for buying grain have been cut off on two lines, the other routes can still operate, but the grain purchased has decreased substantially, by about three or four tenths.”
“We need to prepare to tighten our belts.”
Pei Qinghe sighed lightly: “Training troops consumes the most strength; we must let everyone have enough to eat. Otherwise, where would the strength for training come from?”
Shi Yan thought for a moment and said: “Those training troops must have enough to eat; the rations for the others need to be reduced.”
“I’ll handle this; you don’t need to worry about it.”
Reducing rations was the most offensive errand, thankless and easiest to get cursed at.
Shi Yan took it upon himself, to take the blame for Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe’s gaze grew even gentler: “No, I’ll announce it personally. I am the leader of Pei Family Village; both good and bad reputation, I’ll bear them myself.”
Setting aside feelings between man and woman, Pei Qinghe was a leader who commanded conviction and admiration.
Shi Yan said no more and nodded in acceptance of the order.
Before the wheat harvest, Pei Qinghe gathered all the leaders big and small, and sincerely informed everyone to conserve rations: “I’ll speak plainly. Training troops requires strength; they must have enough to eat. Everyone else, reduce grain by two tenths per meal per day. If anyone is dissatisfied, let them come find me. I will let them leave.”
The leaders responsible for farming grew restless. One of them mustered courage and stood up: “There’s fighting and chaos everywhere outside; we came to seek refuge with Sixth Sister only because we had no way to survive. We’ve luckily had a few days of full meals. Sixth Sister, don’t drive us away; we’re fine reducing our daily rations by three tenths.”
Another stood up: “Sixth Sister, we’re also willing to train troops. We’re all cheap lives, dare to fight to the death, not afraid of dying.”
With someone taking the lead, everyone’s courage grew; they expressed support one after another. Some wanted to train troops to have enough to eat, some volunteered to reduce rations; in any case, none were willing to leave.
No one was stupid. Outside, war disasters were endless; common people were forced to abandon homes and flee as refugees. Wanting to farm in peace was simply a luxury. Before the wheat harvest, they feared natural disasters even more human calamity. Bandits might emerge from nowhere and rob the grain they had labored months to grow. Wives and daughters being humiliated was commonplace.
More terrifying than bandits were the armies.
When an army came, they scraped the land three feet bare.
The Pei Family Army was completely different from those bandits. Pei Qinghe had set many military regulations, with strict military discipline. Vile acts like stealing, robbing, and humiliating women were basically absent in the Pei Family Army… Those who violated military discipline were all hanged under the trees north of the village!
Pei Qinghe’s iron-blooded methods inspired fear in everyone.
In Pei Family Village, Pei Qinghe was the sky above everyone’s heads.
As soon as Pei Qinghe spoke, everyone immediately quieted down: “On this matter, go back and explain clearly to everyone. I’ll say it again: those who want to leave, go ahead; I absolutely won’t force you to stay. Those willing to stay, everyone conserve rations. I, Pei Qinghe, will share joys and sorrows with everyone, eating from the same big pot. If I have a bite to eat, everyone will have a bite of grain.”
This was the most heart-conquering aspect of Pei Qinghe.
Big soldiers in ragged cloth clothes and hungry bellies, while the general ate till his mouth dripped oil—that was the norm in armies. The Pei Family Army, however, was completely different.
Pei Qinghe wore cloth clothes all day, had not two coins of silver on her, ate the same as everyone. All the military regulations she set, she led by example in following.
The leaders dispersed to inform everyone.
Sure enough, no one was willing to leave. A few who grumbled strange words didn’t even reach Pei Qinghe before being drowned out by the crowd, unable to raise their heads.
Bian Shulan discussed with Pei Qinghe: “During the few days of harvest, let everyone eat their fill to have strength to work. Reduce rations after the wheat harvest!”
Pei Qinghe happily agreed with a smile.
On the first day of wheat harvesting, everyone went to the fields to cut wheat. No one slacked off; each worked harder than the last.
Everywhere one looked, it was bustling with activity, everyone’s faces brimming with the joy of bountiful harvest.
Pei Qinghe’s brows relaxed, and she smiled.
The sound of galloping horse hooves shattered the peace.
Feng Chang of Yongnu County sent someone to report. Several groups of soldiers in military uniforms had emerged from nowhere, robbing grain everywhere. A group had also come outside Yongnu County, but Feng Chang led troops and killed most of them; the rest fled to unknown places.
“Sixth Sister, Feng the leader captured two alive and got their origins. These are all Fanyang Army people.” The messenger Wang Erhe said indignantly in a low voice: “Please, Sixth Sister, prepare defenses as soon as possible.”
The Fanyang Army had finally couldn’t hold back and struck first.
First sending several groups of soldiers to rob grain everywhere, disrupting popular support in Yan Prefecture, provoking the Pei Family Army.
It was clear that the commander of an army was no fool. General Lu wanted to goad the Pei Family Army into taking the initiative. Waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy, defense was always easier than offense.
A cold glint flashed in Pei Qinghe’s eyes: “Go back and tell Feng Chang to continue guarding Yongnu County. If anyone comes to rob grain, no need to be polite; kill them outright.”
Wang Erhe cupped his hands in acceptance, drank some water and rested for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, then hurriedly mounted and left.
Pei Qinghe ordered strengthened alerts and patrols, while continuing to hurriedly harvest grain.
Three days later, Gu Lian sent someone on a fast horse with a message.
Quanzhou County had also suffered a bandit attack.
