Chapter 188: Stirrings
Commander Gao’s drinking capacity was good, but he couldn’t withstand the crowd’s successive toasts. In the end, he was nearly drunk flat. He was half-supported and half-carried back by two personal soldiers.
Shi Yan had drunk quite a bit tonight too. His fair face was flushed, but his gaze was clear.
Back when they went to the Liaoxi Army to buy weapons, it was just like this. He seemed fairly sober, but actually he was quite drunk. Pei Qinghe found it amusing: “I’ll send you back.”
Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang tacitly made way.
Shi Yan walked unsteadily. Pei Qinghe reached out and supported his left arm: “Be careful, don’t fall.”
Shi Yan chuckled lightly and hummed in acknowledgment.
The two inevitably stood very close.
Close enough to hear each other’s breathing and heartbeat.
Pei Qinghe helped Shi Yan into the room. Turning her head, she saw that the door had already been closed by the nimble Dong Erlang. Pei Qinghe couldn’t help but smile: “Whatever master one has, that’s the kind of servant one gets. The Dong Brothers are both quick-witted and sharp-eyed.”
Shi Yan’s drunkenness surged, his brain foggy, and his speech not as sharp as usual: “In your heart, am I just a scheming person?”
Pei Qinghe smiled faintly: “Aren’t you?”
Shi Yan touched his conscience and thought: “I indeed am.”
Pei Qinghe burst out laughing.
After two years of daily companionship, Shi Yan’s temperament was all clear to her. Steward Shi greeted everyone with a smile and could chat freely with anyone. He was good at management and business, and a master at managing money and grain accounts. In the Pei Family Army, he had the best relations with people.
However, anyone who thought Shi Yan was easy to provoke or bully would be greatly mistaken. Shi Yan had more wits than a sieve!
The bright candlelight illuminated Pei Qinghe’s beaming smile.
Shi Yan quietly looked for a moment, then suddenly asked softly: “I’ve always wondered why you arranged the engagement between Pei Yan and Yang Huai, but refused to go to the Shi Family to propose marriage and give me the status of fiancé. Today, I finally understand. It’s not that you weren’t willing, but the timing wasn’t right.”
Pei Qinghe raised her brow: “What did you figure out?”
Shi Yan said in a low voice: “That Commander Gao escorted the Pei Clan female dependents to Youzhou on the order of Prince Zhangwu.”
“The Prince was supported by the Zhang Family to become a puppet Son of Heaven. Commander Gao suddenly became a confidant of the Son of Heaven. This time he came to deliver the decree because the Son of Heaven wants to co-opt the Pei Family Army.”
“You’ve delayed setting the engagement because you don’t want to fall out with the Son of Heaven too soon!”
Pei Qinghe hummed: “Since you’ve seen through it, I won’t hide it from you. Back then, the Prince wrote me a letter expressing admiration. But I didn’t reply.”
“Now he’s on the Dragon Throne, holding the nominal justice. The Pei Family Army hasn’t reached the time to formally raise its banner. My great-great-aunt and the others are in Bohai Commandery. I can’t tear faces with the Son of Heaven yet, so I’ve been stalling and making excuses.”
“The Son of Heaven must observe mourning for three years. After the mourning period ends next year, he will marry a woman of the Zhang Clan as Empress. Perhaps in his heart, he’s even thinking of making me Imperial Consort later.”
“So, our marriage matters need to wait. Even engagement needs a suitable timing.”
“Shi Yan, I’ve wronged you.”
The last sentence was gentle.
Shi Yan boldly reached out and tightly held Pei Qinghe’s hand in his palm: “I’m not wronged. As long as you have me in your heart and are willing to let me stay by your side, that’s enough.”
He did have wits.
Back then, he unhesitatingly came to her side at her weakest and most vulnerable moment, betting everything. And he won the bet.
No matter how excellent or outstanding later suitors were, Pei Qinghe never hesitated.
Shi Yan wasn’t usually clingy. Taking advantage of the drunkenness, he bared his heart. Pei Qinghe’s heart warmed slightly. With a slight exertion of her hand, Shi Yan’s face drew near.
She leaned in and kissed him.
Shi Yan greedily kissed back.
A long time passed.
Pei Qinghe’s ears felt hot, her face flushed, her voice slightly husky: “You’re drunk. Go to sleep early. I’m going back.”
Shi Yan hummed, not getting up. He was a twenty-year-old man too, living a life of abstinence every day. Occasionally tasting meat dregs, he became aroused and hard to control.
Pei Qinghe glanced at him, bit her lip with a smile, and left.
Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang stood outside the door for a moment before coming in.
Shi Yan’s passion slightly subsided. He waved at them: “I’ll sleep by myself. No need for you to serve.”
The brothers acknowledged and left. Outside, they exchanged a smile.
Their master had finally seen clouds parting to reveal the moon.
……
The restlessness in Pei Qinghe’s heart was gradually soothed by the cool night breeze.
In her previous life, she lived to twenty-eight. Though half her face was ruined, as leader of the Pei Family Army, getting a man wasn’t difficult. Sleeping together wasn’t hard, but getting pregnant would be a big problem. She led troops in battle every day, struggling to survive, with no time for that and unable to bear the risk of childbirth.
Due to these practical concerns, she painfully rejected several men’s advances one after another.
In this life, her entanglement with Shi Yan grew deeper. Affection like a trickle slowly gathered into a river.
Just now, she had nearly impulsively stayed to share bed and bower with him.
It wasn’t time yet. Wait a bit more for now.
Pei Qinghe exhaled and slowly pushed open the door.
Pei Yan had a few cups of wine tonight. Her drunken behavior wasn’t good; with some drunkenness, she talked nonsense. As soon as Pei Qinghe returned, she pounced over and grabbed Pei Qinghe’s sleeve, chattering away.
Pei Qinghe found it headache-inducing: “If you’re sleepy, go to sleep! Whatever you have to say, say it tomorrow.”
Pei Yan whined coquettishly: “I want to say it now! Cousin sister, after Yang Huai enters the family, do I have to sleep with him? These years I’ve been sleeping here with you. I don’t want to sleep with others.”
Pei Qinghe: “…”
Pei Qinghe was amused and exasperated, pinching Pei Yan’s cheek: “That’s a future matter, talk about it later. Stop chattering and go to sleep. We have to get up at the fifth watch tomorrow.”
Pei Yan giggled, nagging until midnight before sleeping.
Pei Qinghe showed no mercy. The next day at the fifth watch, she got up on time and kicked the soundly sleeping Pei Yan awake.
Everyone in Pei Family Village got up early. After breakfast, some went farming or working, others to the training ground for training. The children all went to read. Everyone busy with their duties, brimming with vitality.
Commander Gao, who had a hangover headache all night, wandered Pei Family Village for a day and watched all day, growing more and more shocked.
The Pei Family Army’s three thousand elite soldiers were trained this way day after day.
The remaining thousands were reserves. Taken out, they could match ordinary soldiers. In military discipline, the Pei Family Army far outstripped other armies.
If only… this were a army truly loyal to Emperor Jian’an, how great it would be?
Commander Gao couldn’t hold back in the end. On the fourth day at the Pei Family Army, he went alone to find Pei Qinghe to talk.
Pei Qinghe was mentally prepared. She signaled Pei Yan and others to withdraw, inviting Commander Gao to sit.
