Chapter 171: Lure The Enemy
The Fanyang Army’s marching speed was much slower than Pei Qinghe had expected.
In every village along the way, General Lu would allow the officers and soldiers to loot and indulge freely, causing untold suffering to innocent common people, with countless women humiliated.
General Lu did this for two reasons: first, military rations were insufficient, so they had to supply themselves along the way; second, to boost the morale of the officers and soldiers. If he could provoke Pei Qinghe to leave Pei Family Village for a proactive attack, that would be even better.
Pei Family Village was territory that Pei Qinghe had managed for four years, surely a tough nut to crack. General Lu desperately hoped Pei Qinghe would lose her head in a fit of hot blood.
Therefore, General Lu deliberately slowed the pace, not hurrying to attack. The four thousand troops passed through like locusts.
The Pei Family Army scouts who came to probe didn’t expend much effort before scouting the Fanyang Army’s troop strength. Someone was eager to act: “Captain Sun, that group of military bandits ahead has only a few dozen men. We might as well charge forward and kill them.”
Sun Cheng glanced over: “That group is bait, precisely to lure us into making a move. Everyone follows my orders. Whoever dares to act rashly will be dealt with under military regulations.”
Three thousand elite soldiers, divided into thirty camps. All the leaders were personally promoted and heavily relied upon by Pei Qinghe, with unwavering loyalty to her.
The Pei Family Army’s military regulations were also set by Pei Qinghe. Over these years, everyone trained during the day and read, learned literacy, and memorized military regulations at night. Those who disobeyed orders were all driven out of Pei Family Village. Those who stole, robbed, and did evil were without exception hanged under the tree north of the village.
The strict military regulations had long since gradually integrated into the lives of everyone in the Pei Family Army, imprinted in their minds.
As soon as Sun Cheng mentioned military regulations, everyone immediately behaved. They followed from afar all the way, until that group from the Fanyang Army couldn’t hold back any longer and soon a bunch of accomplices emerged, brandishing blades and howling as they charged over.
“Go now!”
Sun Cheng shouted sharply and spurred his horse to flee.
The people behind followed Sun Cheng without hesitation.
They were on horseback, while the Fanyang Army behind were all infantry who simply couldn’t catch up, and in no time they stopped, cursing and swearing.
Filthy language drifted into everyone’s ears with the wind. Everyone was furious and itching to wheel their horses around and charge back. But Sun Cheng turned a deaf ear, just racing forward, so they had no choice but to keep following.
After galloping twenty li on horseback, Sun Cheng finally let everyone stop.
Once the Fanyang Army drew near, Sun Cheng led people to harass them on horseback again, but without really engaging, continuing to string this group along.
The Fanyang Army soldiers failed to lure the enemy and instead were greatly infuriated. But the infantry couldn’t catch them, and the precious cavalry stuck closely by General Lu’s side.
The military general leading the infantry, in a rage, went to General Lu to request permission, wanting to send out the cavalry to capture this Pei Family Army group that kept plucking at their whiskers.
General Lu snorted coldly: “This general ordered you to lure the enemy, but instead you’ve been lured into real anger by the enemy. What a waste!”
The military general who was cursed as a waste swallowed a bellyful of frustrated anger but didn’t dare make a sound.
General Lu stroked his beard and sighed: “Pei Qinghe actually has a master versed in military strategy under her command. This battle won’t be easy.”
“Pei Qinghe is so young, yet she remains calm. Our strategy to lure the enemy is useless. Very well, pass this general’s order: from today, march at full speed straight for the Pei Family Army!”
Kill Pei Qinghe and crush the Pei Family Army. The entire Yan Prefecture would then be fat meat on their lips, to be eaten whenever they pleased.
The Fanyang Army’s marching speed suddenly picked up.
Sun Cheng also stopped the strategy of luring and harassing the enemy, riding a fast horse back to Pei Family Village. After galloping a day and night without sleep, his eyes were bloodshot: “Sixth Sister, in less than two days, the Fanyang Army’s main force will arrive.”
Pei Qinghe smiled at Sun Cheng: “Captain Sun, you did well luring the enemy. Go rest for a day first, sleep and eat your fill, then come back.”
Fighting a war means real blades, real guns, bloodshed, and fighting to the death. Before battle, one must eat and sleep well to rest and recuperate. Sun Cheng wasn’t pretentious, agreed, returned to his house, slept heavily for a day, then ate a big bowl of noodles upon waking, and went back to sleep.
These past few days, Pei Qinghe ordered the kitchen to cook freely, ensuring everyone ate their fill. Grain in the storeroom was consumed at an astonishing speed, and the cured meat stored for over half a year was all brought out.
The Fanyang Army arrived fifty li away.
The Pei Family Army ate a meal of fragrant cured meat rice.
Twelve-year-old Pei Xuan was sweet and cute in appearance, yet had a big appetite, eating three bowls of cured meat rice in a row.
Eleven-year-old Pei Feng was handsome and cold, stubbornly eating half a bowl more than Pei Xuan before setting down his chopsticks.
Pei Xuan scoffed: “What’s the skill in competing on rice intake? This time fighting the Fanyang Army, we’ll both go into battle. Then we’ll see who cuts down more heads.”
Pei Feng scoffed back: “Fine, let’s compete. Loser is a dog.”
Four-and-a-half-year-old Little Doggy came running over happily with his rice bowl: “Why is Uncle calling Little Doggy?”
Everyone burst out laughing, and the tense mood eased considerably.
Pei Qinghe smiled and beckoned to Little Doggy: “Listen to Aunt. After eating, go hide in the cellar. You can come out after we win the battle.”
Little Doggy nodded obediently.
Six-year-old Little Yu’er held Little Doggy’s hand, Xiao Wan’er led her brother Pei Wang, and all the children born in recent years were sent into the cellar.
The entrance to this cellar was under the bed in Pei Qinghe’s house. Back then, Pei Yun had led people to dig a small cellar specifically to store gold and silver. Later, the cellar was continuously expanded and grew spacious. All children under ten in Pei Family Village were sent inside.
The cellar was stocked with seven days’ dry rations and clean water for the children, and even some dried fruit and dried meat.
Pei Qinghe instructed nine-year-old Pei Yue: “You keep them in line. No matter what movement happens outside, they must not come out.”
Pei Yue had been chubby and handsome as a child, and at nine, he was still like dough. His handsome round face was serious: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, don’t worry. I’ll watch them closely.”
He paused, then whispered: “When can I go into battle with Cousin Sister?”
Pei Qinghe pinched Pei Yue’s chubby little face: “When you turn ten.”
Pei Yue’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. Then, he watched his killing intent-filled cousin brothers and sisters depart with envious eyes.
The Fanyang Army arrived twenty li away.
Pei Qinghe ordered the gates sealed, everyone to stay in their houses and not go out. The five bow and arrow camps each crouched guarding the walls, holding bows and arrows, while the rest of the Pei Family Army gripped long sabers or spears, quietly awaiting the enemy.
The Fanyang Army arrived five li away.
The sound of warhorses galloping made the ground tremble slightly.
Pei Yan licked her lips and whispered to Pei Qinghe beside her: “If I die, bury me under the tree north of Pei Family Village.”
Mao Hongling’s heart pounded like a drum, her palms sweaty, and she softly said to Pei Qinghe: “If something happens to me, Little Doggy is entrusted to you.”
Fighting a war is never a pleasant thing. Some get injured, some die. Many from the Pei Clan have died, and even more Pei Family Army soldiers have fallen in battle.
Pei Qinghe perked up her ears to listen to the warhorse movement: “No more idle talk, the Fanyang Army is coming!”
