Chapter 184: Marriage Alliance
Pei Qinghe brought two thousand shi of grain as the betrothal gift, which could truly be called a grand gesture. It also showed how much the Pei Clan valued this marriage.
General Yang was beaming with joy, Yang Huai felt as sweet as if he had drunk honey, and the pent-up frustration of over half a month vanished. He first proudly glanced at his sharp-tongued cousin brother, then saw cousin brother Yang Hu sneakily peeking at the pretty girl behind Pei Yan.
Yang Huai immediately warned in a low voice: “Don’t look around and make a fool of yourself, or if you anger Sixth Sister, Great Uncle Father won’t spare you.”
Yang Hu then withdrew his gaze.
General Yang welcomed Pei Qinghe and her group into the Guangning Army Camp.
Among the four hundred elite soldiers accompanying today, half were female soldiers. The soldiers were all similar, but the female soldiers were unique to the Pei Family Army. They all stood tall with sparkling eyes and radiant spirits.
The soldiers of the Guangning Army watched from afar, extremely envious of the soldiers in the Pei Family Army.
General Yang invited Pei Qinghe into the central military tent. Naturally, not many people were qualified to enter the military tent. On the Pei side were Pei Yan, Mao Hongling, and Shi Yan. On the Yang side were Yang Huai and Yang Hu, plus a few military generals from the Guangning Army.
General Yang first introduced his confidants.
Pei Qinghe also introduced the core figures of the Pei Family Army to General Yang.
Pei Yan, tall and sturdy like a black tower, stood before him, and General Yang’s eyes were full of appreciation as he praised her endlessly. It was clear he was truly satisfied with this marriage.
Pei Yan had skin as thick as a city wall, not shy or embarrassed at all, and smugly winked and smiled at Yang Huai.
Yang Huai thought to himself that with two thousand shi of grain, even if she looked like Zhong Kui, Great Uncle Father could still shamelessly praise her as a stunning beauty.
When it was Shi Yan’s turn, General Yang was even more warm and courteous: “The Shi Family is Youzhou’s top grain merchant, Steward Shi holds the trade routes in hand and is skilled at dealing with merchants from all sides. With Steward Shi in the Pei Family Army, it’s like adding wings to a tiger—truly enviable.”
Shi Yan smiled and said: “General Yang praises me so highly, I am truly flattered and undeserving. In these unsettled times, even the best trade routes are hard to maintain. With Sixth Sister Pei here, Yan Prefecture is safe and sound. Only then can all merchants continue their business in peace.”
Looting magnates brings temporary pleasure, but actually leads to many future troubles.
Take the Guangning Army as an example: though they went much lighter than the Liaoxi Army and Fanyang Army and still wiped out quite a few magnates. The looted money and grain could sustain them for a while, but in the long run, it would cause headaches. To have a stable grain supply, they needed grain merchants. Were they to have soldiers go door-to-door buying grain from the common people?
Once soldiers are sent out, they become bandits burning, killing, and looting, impossible to rein in.
General Yang restrained his smile and sighed: “This general lacks insight and did the foolish thing of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Now we are reaping what we sowed. To be honest with Sixth Sister, the Guangning Army is short on military rations, and this general often worries about them.”
Pei Qinghe also sighed: “In these times, with soldiers in panic and horses in chaos, wars everywhere. Being able to farm peacefully is the greatest wish of the common people. We protect the local common people, letting them farm steadily. When the common people have grain, grain merchants can buy it, and we buy from the grain merchants. That is the way to stand firm in the long term.”
General Yang deeply agreed: “Sixth Sister speaks reason; this general has learned from you.”
Pei Qinghe only spoke of principles without mentioning anything else, so General Yang had to temporarily give up the idea of buying military rations from Yan Prefecture.
After the pleasantries, Pei Qinghe formally proposed marriage.
General Yang smiled and said: “Yang Huai entered the barracks at twelve and has been there for a full ten years, so he can be considered a fierce general. Grateful that Miss Pei Yan does not disdain him and is willing to take him as a son-in-law, I as his great uncle father am naturally willing.”
“Yang Huai, come here.”
Yang Huai stepped forward at the call, listening to General Yang’s instruction, and clasped his fists in salute to Pei Qinghe and Pei Yan.
Pei Qinghe gave Pei Yan a look, and Pei Yan immediately stepped forward, helped Yang Huai up, and took out the prepared engagement gift.
A pair of smooth white mandarin duck jade pendants, each wearing one piece.
This formally sealed the engagement.
Pei Yan changed how she addressed him, calling General Yang Great Uncle Father. General Yang happily agreed with a laugh and gave Pei Yan a precious saber as a meeting gift. Pei Yan happily accepted it.
“Today is the good day of Pei Yan and Yang Huai’s engagement; everyone, have a meal with meat.”
At General Yang’s order, the kitchen began slaughtering pigs and sheep, getting busy. By evening, the soldiers indeed all got to eat meat.
A small banquet was set up in the military tent, with not only meat and vegetables but also fine wine.
Pei Qinghe had poor drinking capacity and set down her cup after three drinks. Shi Yan had impressive drinking capacity, skilled at both drinking and praise, and unknowingly got General Yang to drink too much. The drunk General Yang grabbed Shi Yan’s hand and called him little brother.
Yang Huai’s mouth twitched. He was Pei Yan’s fiancé, and Shi Yan would be his brother-in-law in the future. For his own great uncle father to call Shi Yan little brother—what kind of seniority was that?
Turning his head, he saw Pei Yan eating heartily, savoring every bite.
Yang Huai said in a low voice: “Eat slower, don’t choke.” He handed over a handkerchief. Pei Yan wiped her mouth with it and casually stuffed it back into Yang Huai’s hand.
Back in his military tent, Yang Huai secretly fetched a basin of water and washed the handkerchief.
Yang Hu suddenly slipped in.
Yang Huai cared most about face and immediately stuffed the wet handkerchief under his pillow.
Normally, Yang Hu would have mocked him loudly, but today he pretended not to see, rubbing his hands with a cheeky smile: “With Pei Family Members coming to propose marriage, they must stay a few days in the Guangning Army Camp. Tomorrow cousin will surely take his fiancée around, and the other Pei Family Members will need someone to entertain them. How about I accompany cousin tomorrow to greet the noble guests?”
Yang Huai sneered: “In the future, I’ll be a son-in-law groveling at a woman’s feet and begging for scraps. You’re the upright Young Master Yang the Fifth; how could I be worthy of being brothers with you.”
Yang Hu kept apologizing with a smile: “Cousin, don’t be angry. Before, I was blinded by lard and lost my mind, talking nonsense. Don’t stoop to my level.”
He then praised Miss Pei Yan for her extraordinary bravery, then lavishly praised Yang Huai for his unparalleled handsomeness, saying the two were made for each other.
Yang Huai’s expression softened a bit, glancing over: “If you want to follow tomorrow, then follow. But I must warn you first. Women hold high status in the Pei Family Army; those who came with Sixth Sister Pei are mostly Pei Clan direct descendants, all skilled killers.”
“Don’t think a bit of flattery will get you a wife. Even to become a son-in-law, they have to take a liking to you first.”
Yang Hu was overjoyed and full of confidence: “Just wait and see tomorrow!”
Yang Huai snorted, found him noisy, and chased him out.
Pei Qinghe and her group settled down in the Guangning Army Camp. The next day, Pei Qinghe rose at the fifth watch, ate breakfast, and went to watch the Guangning Army training.
Outsiders watch the excitement, experts watch the skill.
After watching for half a day, Pei Qinghe had a clear idea.
The Guangning Army was indeed somewhat stronger than the Fanyang Army. However, the overall soldier quality was not high; many couldn’t understand military orders or keep up with training.
General Yang smiled and said: “Sixth Sister has the name of divine arrow, rumored to hit every shot. I wonder if we can see it with our own eyes today.”
