Chapter 183: Marriage Alliance
Under the bright candlelight, Pei Yan’s dark face also softened considerably: “I understand the benefits of a marriage alliance between the Pei Clan and the Yang Family. I am willing for this marriage.”
With Pei Yan’s temper, if she were truly unwilling, she would have jumped up in opposition long ago.
Pei Qinghe pursed her lips and smiled, saying softly: “Get engaged first, and set the wedding date later.”
This was even better.
Pei Yan immediately breathed a sigh of relief: “As long as we don’t have to get married right away.”
Pei Qinghe smiled charmingly: “Age before beauty. Cousin Sister Yun and I haven’t married yet, so how could it be your turn. Just wait patiently!”
The next morning, Yang Huai led his personal soldiers to bid farewell to Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe personally rode a horse to see him off. Pei Yan was also among those seeing him off, occasionally craning her neck to glance at Yang Huai’s left leg. Pei Qinghe smiled and glanced over: “You didn’t hold back when you struck yesterday, and now you know to feel sorry for him?”
Pei Yan felt not the slightest bit embarrassed: “There is a little.”
Yang Huai said nothing, but a patch of red appeared behind his ear.
Pei Qinghe personally escorted Yang Huai out of Pei Family Village, then instructed Pei Yan to see him a bit further. Pei Yan rode her horse and escorted him five li.
Yang Huai was deeply moved in his heart, and his tone became much gentler: “No need to see me further, you go back!”
Pei Yan laughed: “If I go back, I’ll have to do training, so it’s better to keep escorting you!”
It wasn’t reluctance to part from him; clearly, she just wanted to gallop freely on horseback.
Yang Huai wanted to snort lightly, but looking at that dark, carefree smiling face, his heart inexplicably warmed. The harsh words were unconsciously swallowed back.
This escort went on for over ten li. Only then did Pei Yan happily wave goodbye, turn her horse around, and return to Pei Family Village.
Yang Huai stood in place watching Pei Yan’s figure recede into the distance, until it completely disappeared, before giving the order to set off amid the knowing smirks and winks of his personal soldiers.
After returning to the village, Pei Yan first went to the training ground.
The Pei Family Army and the Fanyang Army’s battle had resulted in heavy casualties. Pei Qinghe selected over a thousand from the villagers to replenish troop strength. The Pei Family Army still maintained three thousand troop strength.
These villagers were mostly refugees by origin. After entering Pei Family Village, they first went farming. After a year as honest and dutiful farmers, those who performed well began daily training for half a day and literacy classes at night. When the Pei Family Army needed men, they became ready recruits.
New recruits were added to the various camps and quickly integrated, training together.
Pei Yan’s camp consisted entirely of female soldiers. Moreover, half were Pei Clan direct descendants. The cousin sisters, cousin sisters-in-law, and others all looked at Pei Yan today with eyes full of curiosity. During the break, they directly surrounded Pei Yan.
“Cousin Sister Yan, do you really like that Young General Yang?” The first to speak was Pei Zhi, Pei Yan’s cousin sister who was a few months younger.
Pei Yan touched her chin and thought carefully: “Anyway, I don’t dislike him.”
For the rough-and-tumble Pei Yan, whose heart was even broader than the road, this was already pretty good.
Pei Zhi looked full of longing: “In a couple of years, I’ll also recruit a handsome, strong son-in-law.”
These words immediately provoked laughter from the crowd.
In Pei Family Village, there were no rules of marriage between man and woman. True Pei Clan women all had men marry into the family. Among the later refugees, some were originally husband and wife, some didn’t want to marry in, so they married a wife from outside into the village, and their children took their own surname. Pei Qinghe had no strict rules about this.
……
Five days later, Yang Huai returned to Guangning Barracks and gave Pei Qinghe’s handwritten letter to General Yang.
General Yang opened the letter and immediately relaxed his brows, laughing: “Good! Good! Good!” Three “goods” in a row, with gratification at the corners of his eyes and brows.
Yang Huai suddenly felt a bit sour in his heart: “I’ll be marrying into the Pei Family, becoming part of the Pei Family Army. Uncle doesn’t feel the slightest reluctance?”
General Yang smiled and glanced at his petty nephew: “Sixth Sister Pei said in the letter, get engaged first to form the alliance. Your wedding date with Pei Yan will be discussed later.”
“You just stay at ease in the barracks.”
Yang Huai breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt sour again: “I’m just a pawn in the marriage alliance between the Pei Clan and the Yang Family. No one asks if I’m willing to be husband and wife with Pei Yan that tigress……Ow!”
His just-healed left leg was kicked again, and Yang Huai grimaced in pain.
General Yang felt not the slightest pity, glaring over: “Miss Pei Yan is heroically valiant, with great strength and excellent martial skills, a true fierce general, and the fourth-ranked figure in the Pei Family Army…”
“Third.” Yang Huai interjected through the pain: “Mao Hongling has a good temper and yields to her, so she always considers herself the third-ranked female general in the Pei Family. In the future when you see her, Uncle, don’t let it slip. Otherwise, she’ll get angry and flip out on the spot.”
General Yang was amused by the anger: “Look at you, not even married in yet, and your heart is already biased toward her.”
Yang Huai’s dark face reddened, and he fell silent.
General Yang softened his voice: “In any case, this marriage is settled. From now on, we need more interactions with the Pei Family Army. You’re a man, be more attentive, make more trips to Pei Family Village.”
Yang Huai nodded in agreement.
The news quickly spread through Guangning Army. Some envied it, and naturally some said sour or odd things. Among the Yang Family nephews and nieces also in the Fanyang Army, there were about ten. Four or five were around Yang Huai’s age.
One cousin brother, Yang Hu, had always been in rivalry with Yang Huai, and now he finally caught Yang Huai’s sore spot, mocking and ridiculing him both in public and private.
“A real man should marry a gentle, virtuous, and beautiful wife. What kind of happy event is becoming a son-in-law?”
“From now on, you’ll be groveling at a woman’s feet, living a life of begging for scraps. Just thinking about it makes me feel sorry for you, cousin brother.”
Yang Huai got so angry that he fought Yang Hu, the two beating each other until their faces were bruised and swollen, then each received twenty military cudgels from the furious General Yang. Only then did things barely calm down.
No one expected that half a month later, Sixth Sister Pei would personally come to Guangning Army.
Pei Yan came along too.
Pei Qinghe wore simple cloth clothes, looking clear and spirited, radiantly striking.
The dark and tall Pei Yan had her usually messy long hair neatly combed for once, looking much more pleasing.
Accompanying them were Steward Shi and the true third-ranked female general of the Pei Family Army, Mao Hongling. Pei Xuan and Pei Feng also came along. Except for Pei Yun guarding Changping County Town, all important figures of the Pei Family were present.
There were also four hundred elite soldiers riding alongside, and a grain transport convoy stretching two li.
General Yang personally came out of the barracks to welcome them.
Pei Qinghe smiled and cupped her hands: “Qinghe has come to see General Yang.”
General Yang cupped his hands in return: “Heroes emerge from youth. Sixth Sister Pei’s reputation shakes Youzhou. This general has long heard of you, but today is the first time seeing you. Indeed, meeting you surpasses the rumors.”
Pei Qinghe smiled: “I came today to propose marriage for my cousin sister Pei Yan. I brought two thousand shi of grain as betrothal gift, which is rather modest. I hope General Yang won’t mind.”
General Yang beamed with joy, laughing repeatedly: “Such a generous betrothal gift is not modest at all. Sixth Sister is too polite.”
Guangning Army had mountains of gold and silver, but few connections to buy grain, always short on military rations.
Two thousand shi of grain was like nectar from heaven.
