Chapter 68: Descending The Mountain
Pei Qinghe called to the Pei Clan women to continue training at the training ground.
Feng Chang took the initiative to lead the refugees who had come down the mountain to wait in the open space north of the village—just beside the training ground’s open space.
The refugees watched the Pei Clan women training from afar in fear and trepidation.
They formed lines and transformed formations, their formations neat and swift, long sabers whistling, blade edges dazzling the eyes in the sunlight. The occasional grunts made one’s heart race with terror. Even more terrifying was Sixth Sister Pei, her arrows flying from the string one after another in rapid succession, piercing the bullseyes of arrow targets hundreds of steps away.
“Feng Chang,” the bearded man said, his throat dry, trying his best to keep his voice low: “These women are all fierce, with powerful skills. Will they just raise their blades and kill us?”
Feng Chang’s eyes grew brighter and brighter: “If Sixth Sister wanted to kill us, she would have done so earlier. Since she didn’t kill us and let us stay, it shows she really intends to take us in.”
“If they weren’t powerful, how could they hold off the mountain bandits or protect us? The more powerful, the better!”
“Don’t talk anymore. Watch carefully. Sixth Sister deliberately had us wait here so we could see their training with our own eyes.”
This show of strength was extremely effective.
The refugees, who had originally harbored little schemes in their hearts, saw those dark thoughts of coveting others’ nests completely dissipate after watching for half a day.
After training for half a day until noon, Pei Qinghe led the Pei Clan women back into the village.
The refugees, who had been holding their breath for half a day, each let out a long sigh of relief and finally dared to whisper among themselves: “I’ve lived this long, but this is the first time I’ve stripped in front of a bunch of women. So humiliating!”
“My face felt like it was burning up. And they weren’t embarrassed at all! Just staring at us like that! How can there be such women in the world!”
“They’re hardly women at all. Each one like a fierce demon, saber in hand ready to kill at any moment. They’re a bunch of living demons!”
“Enough talk.” As soon as Feng Chang spoke, the refugees fell silent: “We hid in the mountains with no household registration, no farming, no reliable clothes or food. Now that Sixth Sister Pei is willing to take us in, she is our great benefactor.”
“Man or woman, in this world, whoever has the capability, we follow.”
“Someone from the village is coming—probably bringing us food.”
No matter how much was said before, it couldn’t compare to this last sentence.
The refugees’ eyes all lit up at once.
Two men carried wooden baskets over. The older one introduced himself as Pei Jia, the younger as Pei Yi: “We two were originally refugees, taken in by Sixth Sister. Now we both bear the Pei surname. Every day we farm and work, we have houses to live in, clothes to wear, and enough to eat.”
The mixed flour steamed buns were piled high, steaming hot.
The refugees all swallowed their saliva, paying no attention to what Pei Jia and Pei Yi were saying.
Feng Chang swallowed hard, struggling to maintain some calmness amid the aroma of the steamed buns: “We wholeheartedly seek refuge with Sixth Sister. From now on, we will obey her in everything.”
Pei Jia stood tall with chest out, naturally showing some self-satisfaction as a pioneer: “Whether you can stay in the village depends on your performance from now on. This is lunch. Line up properly, and each of you get two steamed buns.”
Feng Chang immediately directed the refugees to form a line, positioning himself at the very end.
The refugees who received the mixed flour steamed buns eagerly took a bite, the unique aroma of the flour filling them with happiness that brought tears to their eyes.
The bearded man suddenly burst into tears: “From now on, I’m a man of Pei Family Village. They’d have to kill me to make me leave.”
The refugees’ eyes all turned red. Some cried along with the bearded man, but more were filled with joy.
Feng Chang’s eyes also stung a little. Before the war, he had run a private school teaching children to read, with an elderly mother, tender wife, and beloved son at home, living a fairly comfortable life. When the Xianbei cavalry came, the village was burned and killed clean. His elderly mother and wife, unable to bear the humiliation, took their own lives, and his son died of illness on the road while fleeing. He was the only one left. The days of struggling to survive, hunger gnawing constantly, had been truly unbearable.
“Feng Chang,” Pei Jia stuffed two steamed buns into his hands, then said in a low voice: “Sixth Sister said there’s an extra ten steamed buns in this basket for you to distribute.”
Sixth Sister Pei was testing his capability and skills, wanting him to manage the refugees and win their trust.
Feng Chang’s long-parched heart suddenly surged with hot blood. He didn’t say any nonsense, just nodded.
……
“Qinghe, are there really more than twenty refugees who have come to seek refuge with us?”
Madam Feng taught the children to read for half a day, and as soon as class ended, she heard this big news, both happy and worried: “From now on, we won’t lack personnel for farming and labor. However, with so many more people all of a sudden, it will consume a lot of grain every day.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and said, “This is just the beginning. In the future, more and more refugees will come to seek refuge.”
Madam Feng was even more worried: “What if there’s not enough grain to eat?”
Pei Qinghe smiled leisurely: “Mother doesn’t need to worry about that. In just a few days, someone will come to deliver grain to us.”
Nowadays, those who have “grain dealings” with Pei Family Village are either the Beiping Army or the Shi Family.
Madam Feng thought for a moment and guessed it: “You had Yun girl deliver the bear skin to Young Master Shi for grain?”
What else?
A large and complete black bear skin was extremely rare. It could also truly demonstrate the great strength of her as Pei Clan Leader. Young Master Shi, upon seeing this generous gift, would naturally make the right choice.
Pei Qinghe smiled and changed the topic: “The leader of this group of refugees is called Feng Chang, from the same clan as Mother. This man is quick-witted and clear-headed, a scholar. I had Pei Jia and the others send ten extra steamed buns over. This can also be used to observe his methods.”
Madam Feng never meddled in big matters, only softly admonishing: “Don’t trust this Feng Chang too much either. People’s hearts are hidden in their bellies; observe him carefully for a while.”
Pei Qinghe nodded slightly.
By evening, Pei Yan brought some people to deliver firewood.
The night was cold, and the refugees gathered around the burning firewood to warm themselves. Feng Chang heated the cold steamed buns and divided half to each person. The few grumbling refugees got none, watching their companions eat the roasted steamed buns enviously and swallowing nonstop.
By the second day, no one said another word.
There were fifteen extra steamed buns in the wooden basket. As usual, they were divided equally among everyone.
On the third evening, there was also a large basin of hot vegetable soup. The soup even had a few pieces of fat meat floating in it. Feng Chang distributed the fat meat to the most docile refugees.
The other refugees watched with drooling mouths. Yet no one accused Feng Chang of unfair distribution. Over these three days, Feng Chang himself hadn’t eaten a single extra bite. All the extra steamed buns and fat meat were distributed to them.
“Everyone has seen it: Sixth Sister sends people every day to bring us food. As long as everyone behaves obediently, there won’t be hunger in the future.”
Feng Chang said the same words ten or eight times every day. The refugees all nodded.
On the morning of the fourth day, Pei Qinghe came before Feng Chang’s group, her gaze sweeping over everyone’s faces: “You have passed the first test. Today, you may follow me into the village.”
