Chapter 181: Victory And Defeat
Pei Yan looked astonished, her eyes wide open, and amid the crowd’s laughter, she looked at Pei Qinghe: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, Yang Huai isn’t crazy, is he!”
As soon as these words were spoken, Yang Huai’s dark face turned even redder. It was unclear whether it was from anger or shame.
Pei Qinghe held back her laughter and said seriously: “Young General Yang dares to bet himself, now it’s up to you to dare accept it.”
Even if Pei Yan lacked wits, she began to feel something was off: “Wait, I need to think carefully. If I lose, I give a thousand shi of grain; if he loses, he becomes my son-in-law… Either way, he gets the better deal.”
Yang Huai: “…”
Yang Huai took a deep breath forcefully, lest he collapse from anger on the spot.
A proper descendant of a military family, an eight-chi man with a bright future ahead. Lowering his head to become Pei Yan’s son-in-law was already a great grievance. And she was still being picky and disdainful!
Pei Qinghe glared at Pei Yan: “Don’t talk nonsense. If you’re unwilling, the bet is off. Or, someone else can take your place in the horse race…”
“No need to change!” Pei Yan and Yang Huai said in unison, exchanging a glance.
Immediately after, Pei Yan spoke first again: “I accept this bet.”
The strange sourness in Yang Huai’s heart was instantly soothed, and he smiled proudly: “Miss Sixth Sister, prepare the grain. Once I win this horse race, I’ll take a thousand shi of military rations back to the Guangning Army.”
Pei Yan spat: “Dreaming of beating me in broad daylight.”
“Enough with the verbal sparring.” Pei Qinghe laughed: “Who wins and who loses will be clear with one race. Everyone, make way.”
This spectacle got everyone’s blood pumping. The crowd quickly scattered, clearing a large open space. Pei Yan mounted her horse with nimble and handsome movements, earning a chorus of praise.
Yang Huai had entered the barracks at twelve and spent ten years there, with superb horsemanship. Tall and long-legged, he mounted gracefully and swiftly, also earning applause from a large group. Leading them was Zhao Hai.
Zhao Hai was the Pei Clan’s first son-in-law, in charge of the stables, and deeply trusted and valued by Pei Qinghe. The group of sons-in-law naturally looked to Zhao Hai as their leader. With Zhao Hai taking the lead, the sons-in-law cheered and shouted enthusiastically.
Some cheeky ones shouted loudly: “To beat our Miss Pei Yan, Young General Yang will have to show real skill. Don’t lose on purpose!”
The crowd grinned broadly.
Even Yang Huai’s personal soldiers joined in the laughter.
If their young master married into the family, they would follow to the Pei Family Army. There, the food was good, the clothes were good, the lodging was good, and there were many female soldiers and women handling logistics. Perhaps they too could be chosen someday, enjoying a life with wife and kids on a warm kang bed!
Amid the noisy cheers, Yang Huai adjusted his breathing, his handsome face grave.
He absolutely would not lose on purpose.
He would race with all his might. If he won, he would return gloriously with the military rations. If he lost to Pei Yan, he would accept it and become her son-in-law.
Pei Yan, usually carefree, also got serious for once. If she won, the Pei Family Army and Guangning Army would form a marriage alliance. If she lost, she would give up a thousand shi of military rations and become a laughingstock. Cousin Sister Pei Xuan and Cousin Brother Pei Feng were watching slyly from the side for the spectacle. As the number three figure in the Pei Family Army, Pei Yan could neither afford to lose nor to lose face.
“The race starts when the bamboo whistle sounds. Start from here, circle around Pei Family Village. Whoever returns here first wins.” Pei Qinghe concisely announced the rules and blew the bamboo whistle.
Pei Yan kicked her horse’s belly hard and shot out like an arrow.
Yang Huai was also incredibly fast, galloping far away in the blink of an eye.
One black and one green horse raced furiously, soon vanishing from sight.
The crowd discussed eagerly: “Who will win in the end?”
“Miss Yan has real skills; in our Pei Family Army, she ranks in the top five. In my view, Miss Yan will definitely win this horse race.” Tao Feng looked completely confident.
Captain Sun couldn’t help chiming in: “Yang Huai’s horsemanship is indeed superb, and that green horse is a true fine horse from outside the passes. Miss Yan just got the black horse and still needs to break it in; it may not match Yang Huai.”
Tao Feng grinned, winking at Captain Sun: “You don’t know Miss Yan. She’s fiercely competitive and has plenty of methods to win.”
Captain Sun chuckled speechlessly.
Pei Qinghe overheard and curved her lips. Turning her head, she saw her head steward looking enviously in the direction the fine horses had galloped.
Steward Shi, full of wits, was hinting indirectly again.
Pei Qinghe chuckled lightly and looked away.
Pei Family Village kept expanding; even a fast horse would take at least a stick of incense to circle it.
The crowd waited and waited, seeing no sign of the black or green horse, and grew puzzled. Captain Sun volunteered, mounted a horse, and went to check.
Pei Qinghe smiled lightly: “No rush, wait a bit longer.”
After a full half hour, the sound of horse hooves finally came.
Everyone craned their necks to look. Two warhorses charged back, one ahead of the other. Leading was the black horse, with Miss Pei Yan atop it, her dark skin shining against it.
The green horse was a step behind, Young General Yang on it with a black face. When he dismounted, his leg limped, and there were footprints on his clothes.
Pei Yan jumped down first and proudly announced: “I won! Hahaha!”
Pei Yan stood with hands on hips in self-satisfaction, laughing to the sky.
Pei Xuan and Pei Feng piled on the flattery: “Cousin Sister Yan is truly powerful!”
“With Cousin Sister Yan riding, no one can compete!”
Captain Sun, Tao Feng, and others joined in the fun, cupping hands to congratulate Miss Pei Yan on winning the horse race.
Yang Huai’s personal soldiers gathered around, brushing dust off their young master. At least his personal soldiers had conscience, indignantly saying for him: “We agreed on a horse race, how did it turn into fighting? This is clearly bullying!”
Yang Huai’s face darkened further, and he glared: “Shut up!”
The fighting wasn’t the issue; losing was what was embarrassing.
This wasn’t his first defeat either. Last year, he lost to Pei Yan, becoming a captive of the Pei Family Army, costing the Guangning Army fifty fine horses.
Today’s defeat was even worse.
At first, he led, but Pei Yan used her horse whip to yank him off his warhorse, and they fought with fists. He was tall and strong, with decent skills. But Pei Yan was much more powerful, beating him until he fled holding his head.
“Pei Yan! This is a horse race; fighting is cheating!” he thought unconvinced when kicked to the ground.
Pei Yan stomped his chest and leaned down grinning: “Who says you can’t fight in a horse race! If this were real battle between armies, I’d have chopped your head off already!”
“Do you submit?”
Yang Huai didn’t submit.
Pei Yan withdrew her foot, letting him stand: “Fight again until you submit wholeheartedly.”
Yang Huai sprang up and punched in anger. Pei Yan dodged swiftly, moved to his right, punched his shoulder, and kicked him down again.
“Do you submit now?” Pei Yan’s heh-heh laughter echoed in Yang Huai’s ears.
Yang Huai gritted his teeth: “No!”
……
