Chapter 214: New Year
What happened in Pei Family Village naturally could not be hidden from Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe rubbed her forehead and called Pei Zhi over alone: “It doesn’t matter how Pei Yan beats Yang Huai. They are engaged; beating is affection and scolding is love. General Yang won’t say anything. Why did you beat Yang Hu?”
Pei Zhi was also holding in a bellyful of frustration: “Who let Yang Hu keep staring at me with his shifty eyes? Last time in Guangning Army, I already warned him by striking. He didn’t learn his lesson and still dared to pester me, so of course I had to beat him.”
Pei Zhi was a Battalion Commander in Pei Family Army, with one hundred female soldiers under her command. In terms of martial skill, Pei Zhi was also among the top among Pei Clan Women. Pei Family Army was growing stronger by the day with great renown, and the Pei Clan Women had spines harder than iron, unable to tolerate the slightest frustration.
Pei Qinghe looked at her cousin sister who was puffed up with anger, both exasperated and amused, and reached out to pat Pei Zhi’s head: “Alright, don’t be angry anymore. If you have to strike again in the future, don’t hit his head or face; at least leave some face for General Yang.”
Pei Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled radiantly: “I’ll listen to the general.”
With Yang Hu beaten like this, Pei Qinghe had no choice but to let their group stay in Pei Family Village for New Year.
Yang Huai was naturally delighted, and Yang Hu, with his pig-headed face, also chuckled nonstop.
Pei Family Village thus spent a peaceful and lively New Year.
But Bohai Commandery had no respite. This battle had raged for over half a year, with heavy casualties in Bohai Navy and even more deaths among the Rebel Army.
Tao Wudi kept robbing grain nonstop, while also forcibly conscripting able-bodied men into service. Pitiful were the common people dragged into the Rebel Army, who had no weapons and held wooden sticks and the like, driven forward by long sabers from behind to attack the city. Then they were harvested by arrows shot from the city or shot dead on the way while carrying wooden ladders to the city gate.
Beneath the city gate of Bohai Commandery, corpses piled up.
Bohai Commandery could still hold, but the nearby commanderies and counties truly suffered the horrors of war, with bones strewn across the fields.
Emperor Jian’an finally could not restrain himself and issued an edict summoning the northern lands’ garrisons to reinforce the Emperor.
The true main force elites under Tao Wudi had died in great numbers, turning the siege into a joke. Emperor Jian’an’s edict, after much difficulty, finally made it out of Bohai Commandery.
The first to respond were the other two armies of Jizhou: one was Changle Army, the other Wuyi Army.
The garrisons originally had troop strengths ranging from three or four thousand to seven or eight thousand. These past two years the realm was in chaos, with garrisons everywhere raising troops for their own purposes and carving out territories. Changle Army’s troop strength had doubled to ten thousand elite soldiers. Wuyi Army was weaker, with seven or eight thousand.
Changle Army and Wuyi Army both mobilized, each sending several thousand elite soldiers, one from the left flank and one from the right rear, together attacking the Rebel Army.
At this point, Tao Wudi’s brilliance became apparent. Tao Wudi’s barracks were all set up in county towns, with city gates and city walls. Sneak attacks were exceedingly difficult.
With Changle Army and Wuyi Army arriving, Tao Wudi directly sealed the city gates. Thus, the roles of attacker and defender switched, with the Rebel Army now on defense.
Bohai Commandery finally ceased its warfare and could catch its breath. Too many in Bohai Navy had died in battle; four or five out of every ten households had to hang white banners. This New Year, Bohai Commandery was filled with cries, the whole city in tears.
Emperor Jian’an was terrified, having endured over half a year living in daily fear of the city falling and the state perishing. He had lost a full circle of weight, with dark rings around his eyes.
On New Year’s Day, Emperor Jian’an applied a thick layer of powder to his face, barely covering his haggard look.
The ancestral temple was in the capital city and had been badly damaged by King Qiao. Here in Bohai Commandery, new ancestral tablets were made. Emperor Jian’an led the ministers in worshiping the ancestors, and the ceremony ended hastily.
General Zhang and his son stayed in the palace, accompanying Emperor Jian’an at the meal.
Although Zhang Father and Son were overbearing and tyrannical, in this past half year, it was indeed they who had held off the Rebel Army and preserved Bohai Commandery.
Emperor Jian’an rallied his spirits and personally raised his cup to General Zhang: “These days, it was all thanks to Uncle holding things together that Bohai Commandery remained safe and sound. I toast Uncle a cup.”
General Zhang was no slouch in battle; he had personally gone to the city gate several times, with a bandage bound on his left arm. He steadily held the wine cup with his right hand, did not stand, thanked him sincerely from his mouth, and tossed back the fine wine.
Emperor Jian’an then toasted Cousin Brother Zhang Yun.
Zhang Yun managed the Ministry of Revenue, worrying daily over military ration supplies, military expenses, compensations, and the like, so exhausted that wrinkles had begun appearing on his face. He raised his wine cup, clinked it with Emperor Jian’an’s, drank it down, and said: “With Changle Army and Wuyi Army here, the Rebel Army are frogs in late autumn, unable to hop much longer. In less than a month, they will surely withdraw troops.”
Emperor Jian’an relaxed his brows: “I also hope this battle ends soon.”
Zhang Yun’s eyes flashed, and he smiled: “Once the Rebel Army withdraws, Your Majesty will soon hold the grand wedding—truly double celebrations. Pausing, he smiled again: “My younger sister has waited three years, her feelings and loyalty to Your Majesty deep. Your Majesty must treat my younger sister well in the future. Otherwise, I as her elder cousin brother will have to stand up for her.”
Emperor Jian’an was extremely forbearing and sincerely replied: “Cousin Jingwan is gentle and chaste, wise and virtuous. I will make her Empress and never betray her.”
Zhang Yun and General Zhang exchanged a smile.
After New Year passed, the Zhang Family began grand preparations for marrying off their daughter.
On one side, common people with white banners wailed in grief throughout the city; on the other, the Zhang household bustled with guests streaming in—forming a stark and ironic contrast.
The Emperor’s grand wedding was a great joy; the Zhang Family could not afford to be remiss and had to prepare double generous gifts.
Meng Liulang had never concerned himself with such matters; naturally, it was up to elder brother Meng Dalang to handle the generous gifts. Chancellor Pang also prepared generous gifts and sent them to the Zhang Family.
In the Pei Clan great residence, Madam Li was also racking her brains over preparing generous gifts.
When leaving Pei Family Village that day, they had brought some gold and silver and jade ware. Over this year, it had been spent bit by bit. Now to send generous gifts to the Zhang Family, and also generous gifts to the palace, too meager would not do, but they lacked the strength for anything too lavish.
Just as Madam Li was at a loss, Pei Jia came to report with shining eyes: “Captain Sun has brought people.”
Madam Li perked up and immediately said: “Quickly invite Captain Sun in.”
The visitor was none other than Captain Sun.
Captain Sun had led one camp of people scouting military intelligence and battle reports near Bohai Commandery, previously trying every method to send letters into the city. Now with the Rebel Army besieged, Bohai Commandery’s city gates—sealed for over half a year—opened one hour each day. Captain Sun was finally able to lead his people into the city.
“Madam,” Captain Sun had a slight limp in his left leg, but it was imperceptible when standing: “Our general sent five chests of gold and silver, along with a letter.”
The letter had only a few brief words, instructing Madam Li to prepare sufficient generous gifts and calmly handle the situation.
Madam Li breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “Good, good, good! Qinghe has thought of everything; this old woman doesn’t need to worry anymore.”
“By the way, for the Emperor’s grand wedding, has Qinghe personally prepared generous gifts?”
Captain Sun replied without changing expression: “That, I do not know.”
That meant no.
No matter! The Pei Clan was united; sending one generous gift to the Son of Heaven was not discourteous.
In early February, Emperor Jian’an held his grand wedding. Zhang Jingwan in red bridal attire paraded ten li in splendor.
……
