Chapter 52: New Village
Yang Shan was an honest man and did not mock Sixth Sister Pei for her bold words. He counted on his fingers for a while: “To build so many houses, with just over ten of us, it will take more than half a year of hard work.”
“During the work period, Pei Family Village must provide food and lodging. According to the rules, deposit must be paid before starting work. Each month, seventy percent of the wages must be settled on time. Finally, after the work is completed, the remaining wages must be paid in full.”
Pei Qinghe agreed immediately: “We’ll do exactly as you say.”
Joy flashed in Yang Shan’s eyes, and he thanked her repeatedly.
This meant that over the next half year or more, they would have work to do, food to eat, and wages to collect. Moreover, this was work arranged by the Young Master. If Pei Family Village owed wages and refused to pay, they could go to the Young Master, who surely would not deny responsibility.
This group of masons set up a few simple thatched huts that same day. The next day, they got busy.
Following the sketch drawn by Pei Qinghe, the existing thatched huts in Pei Family Village were left untouched for now. A large open area was marked out on the south side of the village. They marked lines, dug soil, rammed earth, and laid foundations, with over ten masons working furiously.
Pei Yan curiously walked around once and returned, amazed: “Building new houses like this, the new Pei Family Village will be at least five times bigger than it is now.”
Pei Qinghe was in a cheerful mood, her brows relaxed: “Once the new houses are all built and cleaned up, everyone won’t have to live so crowded anymore. Every family will have a new house to live in.”
Pei Yan said: “When the time comes, I want to live alone.”
Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and glanced at Pei Yan.
Pei Yan pouted and lowered her voice to grumble: “My mother is fine during the day, but at night she sighs endlessly and sometimes cries.”
“We have enough to eat and wear warmly, and soon we’ll have new houses to live in. What is there to cry about?”
Pei Qinghe patted Pei Yan’s shoulder and instructed softly: “Falling from the clouds and standing back up, holding one’s head high to live on, is truly not easy.”
“Don’t clash with Aunt. When she cries, just say some nice words to comfort her.”
Pei Yan was young and simple-minded, and soon walked out of the shadow of her family ruined, nation destroyed and the entire clan exiled. Aunt Lou, having endured the heartbreaking pain of losing her husband and son, could not recover so quickly.
Being calm and composed during the day already showed her resilient nature.
Pei Yan obeyed no one but Pei Qinghe. Hearing this, she hummed in agreement. Then she looked around and quietly leaned in: “Cousin Sister Yun has also cried secretly a couple of times lately. She must be thinking of her wolf-hearted, ungrateful former fiancé.”
Pei Yun’s fiancé was her consanguineous cousin, a doll betrothal arranged before they were even born, childhood sweethearts who were perfectly matched.
But misfortune struck: just one month before the wedding, disaster befell the entire Pei Clan. The Hong family, fearing implication, immediately broke off the engagement. When the Pei Clan womenfolk left the capital, the Hong family avoided them like snakes and scorpions, not a single one showing up. The affectionate Hong family cousin was nowhere to be seen.
After months of fleeing as refugees, killing bandits and mountain bandits, their lives had been turned upside down. Now that things were slightly settled, it was only natural for Pei Yun to shed a few tears in private over lost love.
Pei Qinghe thought for a moment and said: “Pretend you don’t know about this. Cousin Sister Yun is soft on the outside but firm within, resilient by nature. She’ll get through it.”
As they whispered quietly, a familiar slender figure approached.
Pei Yan quickly jumped back two steps and grinned at the newcomer: “Cousin Sister Yun, I wasn’t saying bad things about you behind your back.”
Pei Yun: “…”
Pei Qinghe was amused and exasperated, glaring at her. Pei Yan chuckled and swiftly ran off.
“She was always like a tomboy before, but now with you backing her, she’s even more unrestrained.” Pei Yun couldn’t help but complain: “Look at her now—where does she still look like a young lady? Don’t indulge her too much.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and asked in return: “What should a young lady look like?”
Pei Yun opened her mouth, but the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back.
Women should follow the three obediences and four virtues, be virtuous, good, chaste, and serene; after growing up, marry, honor their parents-in-law, manage the household, and raise children.
But these worldly rules no longer suited Pei Clan women.
“Cousin Sister Yun, look here.” Pei Qinghe pointed, and Pei Yun instinctively looked over. The busy figures of the masons came into view: “This is the new Pei Family Village.”
“The rules here will be set by me.”
“My rules are simple: obey orders and train daily, develop the capability to protect yourselves. Everything else is minor details; follow your own intentions.”
“Those who can’t endure the hard days may leave. Those willing to stay must work together wholeheartedly. If you want to marry in the future and find a suitable man, just marry him into the family.”
Pei Yun nodded repeatedly at first, but at the last sentence, she was shocked and widened her eyes: “Marry a man into the family?”
Pei Qinghe nodded matter-of-factly: “That’s right. Pei Clan women do not marry out; we marry men in. Children born afterward will all take the Pei surname.”
Pei Yun was so stunned she could hardly speak: “But which good family’s son would agree to marry into another family? We are still the family of a convicted official… Also, Pei Family Misses are one thing, but Second Sister-in-law and the others are Pei Family daughters-in-law. If they marry men in and their children take the Pei surname, wouldn’t that be inappropriate…”
“How is it inappropriate!” Pei Qinghe laughed: “It’s perfectly appropriate. Adding sons-in-law brings in new blood, strengthening the clan and reviving the Pei Clan.”
“Later, I will recruit refugees and hidden households. Those who perform outstandingly may change their surname to Pei. Pei Jia and Pei Yi came this way. They now consider themselves Pei Family members, reclaiming land, farming, and giving their all.”
Pei Yun was dumbfounded and speechless.
Pei Qinghe’s words quietly spread. The Pei Clan female dependents were all thrown into shock.
The next morning, Madam Lu stormed over angrily to find her own granddaughter: “Pei Qinghe! What nonsense have you and Yun girl been spouting!”
“What do you mean all Pei Clan women marry men in! All children born take the Pei surname!”
“How can this be allowed! Are you trying to overturn ethics and morality!”
Pei Qinghe glanced at the furious Madam Lu: “What is ethics and morality? The ruler guides the minister, but the Pei Clan were loyal ministers, framed by others. The tyrant on the dragon throne didn’t care about right or wrong and executed all the Pei Clan men. Do you want the Pei Clan to continue serving such a tyrant?”
“The father guides the son. My father is already dead. The uncles are all gone. Now I am the Pei Clan Leader, so naturally everyone must obey me.”
“Pei Feng is only seven years old; marrying and having children will be at least ten years from now. Pei Yue and the others are even younger. In these dozen or so years, to expand the population and build influence for the Pei Clan, marrying men in is the best method.”
“In the world, husbands guide wives, but in Pei Family Village, wives guide husbands.”
“What is inappropriate about such clan rules?”
Madam Lu’s face turned red with anger: “You are sharp-tongued; I can’t argue with you. In any case, marrying men in is not allowed. I disagree.”
“And having all children take the Pei surname. Utter nonsense! It disrupts the Pei Clan bloodline! Go ask the elders in the clan; they will all oppose it!”
Pei Qinghe said calmly: “Then let’s hold a Pei Clan meeting and ask everyone’s intention.”
