Chapter 200: Engagement
Zhao Hai grinned: “This silly boy waited over four years to finally get engagement day. Who knows how much longer he’ll have to wait to truly enter the Pei Family’s door.”
Only after speaking did he feel something was off.
Shi Yan hadn’t even gotten the title of fiancé yet!
Zhao Hai hurriedly made amends: “The general definitely won’t make you wait that long.”
But it still didn’t sound quite right!
Zhao Hai annoyed himself for his clumsy mouth and tongue. Shi Yan had already chuckled softly: “Waiting is also a kind of joy and happiness.”
Zhao Hai thought to himself that holding his beloved wife’s plump son in his arms would be so joyful. He just couldn’t say such words; they were too heartbreaking.
Bao Hao lay on the bed, still chuckling foolishly.
Zhao Hai was still uneasy, but Shi Yan smiled: “I’ll keep watch here; you go back! Don’t keep Sister-in-law Shulan and Xiao Wan’er and her brother waiting too long.”
Since Madam Fang left, Xiao Wan’er had come back to follow her mother and stepfather. Bian Shulan managed the kitchen and was very busy; Zhao Hai spent the whole day in the stables. Xiao Wan’er had to read and practice martial arts, and Pei Wang had also begun enlightenment and literacy. The family of four was busy with their own tasks during the day and only gathered in the evening.
After Zhao Hai returned to the room, he first coaxed Xiao Wan’er and her brother to sleep, then went to boil hot water. When Bian Shulan returned and sat in the steaming bathtub, the hot water washed away the fatigue, sweat, and grease smell.
The husband and wife were intimate for a while, embracing and whispering.
Zhao Hai chuckled softly: “Bao Hao waited so long and finally saw clouds parting to reveal the moon.”
Bian Shulan leaned in her husband’s arms and chuckled softly: “You and I set a good example. Now Pei Clan women are one after another marrying men into the family; it’s not anything new.”
The proportion of female soldiers in the Pei Family Army had always been kept around twenty percent, and those responsible for logistics and internal affairs were mostly women. The overall male-female ratio in Pei Family Village was roughly seven to three. In these chaotic worldly affairs, it was not easy for women to survive; this was already an extremely optimistic number.
With more people, some married wives and had sons, others married men into the family, each following their intention. However, the true Pei Clan women all married men into the family.
Zhao Hai, as the foremost son-in-law, managed the warhorses in the stables and all the cattle, sheep, and livestock, holding a truly not low status in the Pei Family Army. Tao Feng was Zhou Shi’s son-in-law and served as a battalion commander. Bao Hao, the future husband of Pei Yun, was a military doctor in the Pei Family Army. As for Shi Yan, though he had no official title yet, in everyone’s eyes he was the future general son-in-law, managing money and grain, with a status that went without saying.
So, in Pei Family Village, being a son-in-law was absolutely not anything disgraceful. Men eyeing Pei Clan women were everywhere.
“Pei Yun and Pei Yan are both engaged; next, it should be Qinghe’s turn.” Bian Shulan chuckled softly: “I don’t know where the Lu Family gets their confidence, actually thinking of letting Lu Dongqing compete for supremacy with Shi Yan.”
Zhao Hai laughed: “I see Lu Dongqing isn’t the type to be reckless. He’s been in Pei Family Village for several days, always staying in the wounded soldier camp and never lingering before the general. When he heard the general went to the wounded soldier camp, he hid far away, not even showing his face.”
Pei Family Village is small if you say it’s small, not big if you say it’s big. When people are idle, gossiping and chatting is common. Lu Dongqing thought he was low-key, but actually every move was being watched!
The couple chatted idly for a bit and soon fell asleep.
……
For Pei Qinghe, what truly took effort was selecting troops to go to Beiping Commandery.
It was inconvenient for those already married to be stationed outside long-term, and those unwilling to go to Beiping Commandery had to be excluded. Thus, one thousand elite soldiers were selected, along with battalion commanders who could lead troops. The remaining troop strength was insufficient, so strong and literate refugees were selected to supplement, reorganized into thirty camps.
All these odds and ends required Pei Qinghe to make the decisions.
Gu Lian wanted to follow to Beiping Commandery, and Feng Chang, not willing to show weakness, also privately came to request Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe said warmly: “Yan Prefecture here is the foundation of the Pei Family Army. You and Gu Lian are my left and right arms. If Gu Lian goes, you stay. Otherwise, when we fight battles in the future, I’ll have no one to use.”
When Pei Qinghe was willing to coax someone, her words were truly so pleasant to the ear.
Feng Chang’s bit of unwillingness was immediately soothed: “I’ll listen to the general.”
Wang Erhe behind him quietly nudged Feng Chang.
Feng Chang reluctantly spoke up: “I’ll stay; let Erhe go with Miss Yun! Erhe has average martial skills but a flexible brain and a glib tongue. In Beiping Commandery, for errands running outside or dealing with people, he can handle them.”
Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and looked at Wang Erhe.
In the Pei Family Army, everyone revered Pei Qinghe. Wang Erhe was no exception. Swept by those bright, sharp eyes, his head unconsciously shrank.
“Wang Erhe.”
As soon as Pei Qinghe spoke, Wang Erhe reflexively stepped forward: “Here.”
“Tell me, why do you want to go to Beiping Commandery?” Pei Qinghe’s voice was flat, not showing joy or anger: “Tell the truth.”
Wang Erhe had originally prepared a bunch of rhetoric. Like “I am willing to open territory for the general without fearing hardship” and such. Now swept by Pei Qinghe’s sharp eyes, his heart thumped, and the plain truth slipped out: “Head Gu is going, so I want to go too.”
After speaking, he wanted to slap himself.
Feng Chang itched to kick Wang Erhe. They were brothers, and he couldn’t just stand by, so gritting his teeth he covered for Wang Erhe: “Erhe is a rough man and speaks recklessly; please don’t take offense, general. He has always admired Gu One-Knife. Before, I stopped him from going to Quanzhou County. Now that Gu One-Knife is going to Beiping Commandery, if he doesn’t go along, I’m afraid there’ll be no chance to tie the knot.”
The fact was, this time Wang Erhe insisted on following Gu Lian, and Feng Chang couldn’t stop him. He had no choice but to brace himself and bring Wang Erhe to see Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe looked at Wang Erhe, who was holding his breath like he’d committed a grave error, then glanced at Feng Chang, who had come along to support his brother, and relaxed her brows with a smile: “This reason is enough.”
Wang Erhe was stunned.
Feng Chang was also stunned.
Pei Qinghe smiled: “When you came to seek refuge in Pei Family Village that day, you were truly at the end of your rope, willing to risk your lives for a bite to eat. Now with food and clothing no worry, always winning victories, having more pursuits is human nature.”
“Bao Hao is following Pei Yun to Beiping Commandery; why can’t Wang Erhe pursue Gu Lian?”
“However, let me say this upfront. Our Pei Family Army has military regulations: husband and wife must be by mutual consent. Only if Gu Lian agrees can you marry. If Gu Lian is unwilling, you can’t pester relentlessly. Also, once you go to Beiping Commandery, you can’t casually return.”
Wang Erhe was overjoyed and nimbly knelt to kowtow three times: “Thank you, general.”
Wang Erhe came anxiously and left full of joy.
Seeing Wang Erhe’s thrilled appearance, Feng Chang felt a bit unsettled: “Once you leave like this, it’ll be extremely hard for us brothers to meet again in the future.”
Wang Erhe, this friend-forgetting woman-chaser, grinned: “What’s that? Having a wife is much better than being bachelors together with brothers.”
Feng Chang: “……”
