Chapter 48: Weighing Options
Meng Ling bared his teeth in pain, hurting badly, and didn’t dare to boast anymore. He nodded obediently: “Yes. The mountain bandits from Black Bear Stockade came down the mountain in three groups, all killed by Sixth Sister Pei leading people. Only some were left alive, hung under the trees north of the village.”
General Meng’s gaze flashed with approval: “This is using live captives as bait to encircle a point and strike reinforcements.”
What a Sixth Sister Pei!
“It’s a pity she’s a girl.” Meng Ling actually admired Pei Qinghe in his heart too, but due to the pride of a young man, he didn’t say it out loud: “If she were a boy…”
General Meng sneered: “If she were a boy, she’d already be a corpse in two pieces.”
“So shrewd and powerful, what’s the difference between male or female? With a smiling face and a few nice words, she coaxed you this fool into sending men and effort. Are you planning to go to Pei Family Village again when the winter wheat harvest comes?”
Meng Ling grumbled unconvinced: “I, a tall man of eight feet, won’t argue with a girl.”
General Meng was amused by the anger, tired of looking at his youngest son’s silly handsome face, waved his hand and said: “Get out.”
Meng Ling refused to leave, endured the pain in his back and buttocks, and came closer: “Father, the Crown Prince specially wrote a letter ordering the Beiping Army to look after the Pei Family Womenfolk. Besides mountain bandits, does the Pei Clan have other enemies?”
General Meng clearly had no intention of explaining, and said indifferently: “Just follow orders, don’t ask about things you shouldn’t inquire about.”
Meng Ling wanted to ask more, but General Meng gave him a cold glare. Meng Ling immediately shut his mouth and limped out of the military tent.
General Meng took out two letters from the desk and read them slowly.
These two letters, the first was from Grand Tutor Pang, the second was the Crown Prince’s handwritten letter. There were a few days between the two letters. He read them back and forth several times, almost memorizing them.
Grand Tutor Pang described in the letter how Sixth Sister Pei decisively defeated the bandits during the exile journey. The Crown Prince’s letter was much simpler, only saying that Sixth Sister Pei was of great use to the Eastern Palace, and the Pei Family Members must be protected.
Sending Meng Liulang to Pei Family Village with great fanfare to deliver grain was to declare to all forces within Youzhou that the Pei Clan was under the protection of the Beiping Army. It could also be seen as the Eastern Palace’s attitude.
Doing this could save the Pei Clan a lot of trouble. However, for the master behind the “bandits,” this statement was far from enough.
The Pei Clan would have big trouble in the future.
Whether the Beiping Army should get involved was worth careful consideration.
General Meng pondered for a long time, put the two letters back in the hidden compartment. Then, he personally took up his pen to write a reply to the Crown Prince.
……
“You’re going to Pei Family Village?”
A surprised exclamation came from Shi Family Fortified Village.
The speaker was a sixty-year-old man with half-white hair and beard, face full of wrinkles, speaking with insufficient vitality, coughing a few times: “This is no small matter, you need to think it through before acting.”
This old man was the family head of the Shi Family, known to outsiders as Old Master Shi.
The Shi Family had been entrenched in Youzhou for over two hundred years, with tens of thousands of mu of good fields and abundant family business. There were over a hundred grain stores within Youzhou, half of which belonged to the Shi Family. Old Master Shi was shrewd, and had the nickname “Golden Abacus” when young. This showed his way of doing things.
The young man in brocade clothes with a slightly pale face was Young Master Shi, Shi Yan. He was also the only male descendant in the direct line of the Shi Family.
His father had died of a serious illness six years ago, his grandfather was elderly, and Shi Yan had shouldered the heavy responsibility of managing the family business since he was ten. Though young, he was shrewd and capable, surpassing even Old Master Shi.
“Grandfather, I previously sent people to secretly watch Pei Family Village.” Shi Yan’s eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice: “Before the Beiping Army soldiers entered the village, the mountain bandits from Black Bear Stockade had already come down the mountain one after another.”
“The ones who annihilated the mountain bandits were not the Beiping Army, but the Pei Family Members.”
“Sixth Sister Pei has such capability and skill, she’s worth befriending.”
Old Master Shi stroked his beard: “Do you want to befriend Sixth Sister Pei, or do you plan to connect with General Meng of the Beiping Army through the Pei Clan, and thus seek refuge with the Eastern Palace?”
Shi Yan raised his eyebrow and smiled: “Our Shi Family has always had secret dealings with General Li of the Liaoxi Army. Whether we can connect with the Beiping Army is not that important. Moreover, the Eastern Palace and Prince Wei’s faction are fighting fiercely, and our Shi Family is far away in Youzhou, not suitable to wade into the muddy waters.”
“I’ve taken a fancy to this Sixth Sister Pei. Young and shrewd, powerful and capable, she will surely not remain in the pond in the future.”
“I’ll go to Pei Family Village once, befriend them while the Pei Clan is down. If the Pei Clan suffers disaster later, it won’t implicate us. If Sixth Sister Pei has great luck and rises in the world in the future, we’ll have formed a good relationship. It benefits us without cost, why not.”
Old Master Shi laughed upon hearing this: “Very well. Since I’ve handed the family business to you to manage, you decide on such matters.”
Every year, the Shi Family sends large quantities of military rations to the Liaoxi Army, maintains good relations with the prefect of Yan Prefecture, and spends a lot of money and grain to raise a bunch of family guards and stewards. Broadly forming good relationships isn’t achieved by just moving lips; one can’t be stingy with money and grain.
Since Shi Yan has taken a fancy to Sixth Sister Pei, let him make this investment.
Shi Yan smiled: “For the first visit, we need to prepare a generous gift.”
Old Master Shi nodded and casually asked: “How old is that Sixth Sister Pei, and what does she look like?”
“Not yet of age, around thirteen or fourteen.” Shi Yan blurted out, showing the deep impression from that brief meeting: “A bit taller than girls her age, fair skin, delicate features, full of heroic spirit. Her eyes are black and bright, extremely spirited.”
Old Master Shi’s smile deepened: “Oh? It’s been over half a month, and you remember so clearly.”
He paused, then said: “Pei Boren and Pei Zhongde brothers were both outstanding heroes. Unfortunately, they got involved in the struggle for the imperial throne, and all the male members of the Pei Clan were executed.”
“Perhaps in a few years, the Pei Clan will have a chance to recover.”
Treasonous words can’t be spoken aloud; the grandfather and grandson understood each other tacitly.
The Son of Heaven is obsessed with alchemy and indulges in women, not sure how many more years he can last. As long as the Crown Prince endures until his father passes away, he can inherit the imperial throne and sit on the dragon throne. At that time, the Pei Clan can turn over with him.
Sixth Sister Pei is currently the daughter of a traitor, but in a few years, that may not be the case. If interested in Sixth Sister Pei, one must patiently wait a few years.
As the only male descendant of three generations in the Shi Family, Shi Yan shoulders the heavy responsibility of continuing the lineage. How can he afford to delay?
Shi Yan seemed not to understand the hint in his grandfather’s words, and smiled in response: “Whether the Pei Clan can be reinstated is a matter for the future. Right now, the Pei Clan only has womenfolk left and some young boys, relying on Sixth Sister Pei to support the household.”
Old Master Shi glanced at Shi Yan: “You’re sixteen this year, already at marriageable age. What do you think of the girl from the Wang Family?”
The Wang Family is also a great clan in Youzhou, related by marriage to the Shi Family. The third legitimate daughter of the Wang Family is Shi Yan’s distant cousin sister, with matching family background and suitable age.
Shi Yan didn’t take the bait: “I’ll set off for Pei Family Village tomorrow.”
