Chapter 82: Great Banner
Two days later, Secretary Li made a special trip to Pei Family Village and delivered the deeds for over five hundred mu of wasteland farmland into Sixth Sister Pei’s hands, stamped with the official seal.
The Beiping Army banner at the village head, which had been planted for over half a year, had faded somewhat, so it was replaced with a new one.
Sixth Sister Pei, dressed in gray cloth clothes, stood spiritedly by the military banner, warmly and eagerly welcoming Secretary Li into the village.
General Meng personally took action, with remarkable results. Pei Family Village immediately gained several hundred mu of wasteland farmland.
Secretary Li was not yet qualified to request an audience with General Meng. He presented the deeds with a face full of obsequious smiles, firmly refusing the hefty sachet. He quickly returned to the county office.
Pei Yan pursed her lips toward the direction Secretary Li departed: “This Secretary Li is truly a snob. When he came to Pei Family Village before, he took and demanded without skimping on anything. As soon as General Meng arrived, Secretary Li’s waist was practically bending double.”
Pei Qinghe tugged at the corner of her mouth: “Who in the world is not a snob? If our Pei Clan had no use at all, would General Meng still come?”
In her previous life, the Beiping Army, hundreds of li away, had never cared about the life or death of the Pei Family old and young.
In this life, she had early on revealed her edge and secretly planned for the Eastern Palace. Under the Crown Prince’s instructions, the Beiping Army became Pei Family Village’s backer, even sending weapons and armor. General Meng personally came to Pei Family Village to take charge, with the Beiping Army’s great banner flying at the Pei Family Village head, deterring all the ghouls and monsters coveting Pei Family Village.
Pei Yun softly picked up the thread: “Cousin Sister Qinghe is right. To forge iron, one must be strong oneself. To truly stand firm, it must rely on ourselves. If a large group of bandits or mountain bandits really attacks, there won’t be time to call for help; we can only fight and kill the enemy ourselves.”
A flash of amusement passed through Pei Qinghe’s black eyes.
In Pei Family Village, aside from her, Pei Yun was the standout. Pei Yun had outstanding skills, calmness, intelligence, and steadiness, already possessing the bearing of a general.
Pei Yan was fierce in battle but reckless and impulsive, still needing further honing.
“Cousin Sister Qinghe,” Pei Yan’s eyes sparkled brightly. Though tall and sturdy, she still shamelessly acted coquettish: “I want to go to the storeroom to look at the weapons.”
A gleam of anticipation also flashed in Pei Yun’s eyes.
Pei Qinghe raised her brow with a smile: “Alright, we’ll all go together.”
There were a total of more than a dozen large, heavy wooden chests. Opening the first one, what appeared before their eyes were dozens of long sabers commonly used in the army.
There were six wooden chests containing long sabers, totaling three hundred long sabers.
General Meng was a meticulous man; the weapons he brought were indeed used, but their blade edges were sharp, having nothing to do with the word “shoddy.” They were much better than the weapons they had seized from the mountain bandits.
Pei Qinghe was overjoyed and turned to Pei Yan, whose mouth was nearly grinning from ear to ear: “Go call Second Sister-in-law and the others over. Everyone pick a handy one.”
In less than a moment, Mao Hongling and the others arrived, all beaming with joy.
Mao Hongling was skilled with the spear, and her blade techniques were equally superb. Picking up a long saber, a bit of killing intent added to Mao Hongling’s delicate and gentle face.
Two small figures quietly squeezed in.
Pei Qinghe glanced over, amused: “Pei Xuan, Pei Feng! How did you two get here!”
Pei Feng’s front tooth had grown in, and he finally spoke without lisping: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, I’ve grown up. I want a weapon too.”
Pei Xuan unusually did not contradict him, nodding vigorously: “I’m a whole year older than Pei Feng; I’ve long been an adult. Next time mountain bandits come, I want to go with Cousin Sister Qinghe to kill the enemy.”
Everyone was amused into laughter.
Pei Feng kept his handsome little face taut and loudly declared again: “I really have grown up.”
Pei Xuan was much cleverer, raising her round little face and flashing a fawning smile at Cousin Sister Qinghe: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, we’ll pick a saber first. Whenever Cousin Sister allows us to use it, we’ll use it then.”
Pei Qinghe thought for a moment and smiled: “Alright, each of you pick one.”
Pei Feng’s mouth was nearly split to his ears. Turning his head, he saw Pei Xuan had already chosen one, so Pei Feng immediately panicked and squeezed over to grab the exact one Pei Xuan had her eye on. Pei Xuan wouldn’t yield to him and, with her round eyes wide, bickered with Pei Feng.
The two of them quarreled and fought all day, and everyone was used to it, laughing it off.
Pei Qinghe opened the last few wooden chests and, after careful inspection, smiled in praise: “General Meng is meticulous in his work. This armor is old but undamaged.”
The women gathered around. They had seen fathers, brothers, and husbands wear armor but had never worn it themselves. They were both curious and excited.
Pei Qinghe did not rush to distribute the soft armor and said to Pei Yun: “Cousin Sister Yun, go to the county town tonight and have the blacksmith and his son alter the soft armor to be smaller, suitable for women’s figures.”
Important errands were mostly handled by Pei Yun.
Pei Yun nodded in agreement.
Pei Yan rubbed her hands and said softly: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, I want a set of soft armor.”
Everyone had a share of long sabers, but there were only twelve sets of soft armor.
Pei Qinghe glanced over: “Soft armor is not for daily use; keep it all in the storeroom. When there’s a tough battle, those who charge first get priority.”
Pei Yan hit a hard wall but felt no embarrassment, chuckling: “Isn’t this perfect? I always charge first.”
Pei Qinghe couldn’t help but pinch Pei Yan’s thick-skinned face.
……
Meng Dalang and his brothers led troops into the mountains for bandit suppression.
General Meng did not enter the mountains and wandered idly in the village each day with hands behind his back.
In the thatched huts, children read, their voices clear and melodious.
On the training ground, everyone shot arrows and practiced sabers, full of heroic vigor.
Artisans busily built houses, refugees vigorously farmed the wasteland farmland. In the horse stables, Zhao Hai diligently cleaned. In the medicine hall, Doctor Bao boiled gauze and ground medicinal powders every day. By the iron pot, Madam Fang and the other women lit fires, picked vegetables, and kneaded dough.
The old women among the villagers were not idle either, minding the young children while sewing soles and mending clothes.
Who would dare think that just last year this was a patch of barren wasteland?
Who could imagine that in just over half a year, Pei Qinghe had established this foundation?
Truly, heroes emerge from youth.
For this Sixth Sister Pei, who in the future would be worthy to be her husband?
General Meng felt emotional inside but showed nothing on his face. Invited with great hospitality to the training ground to give pointers, he held nothing back and said to Pei Qinghe: “With Pei Family Village’s current strength, self-preservation is more than sufficient. Your training like this naturally aims for higher and farther goals. Women are innately slightly weaker in physical strength, so play to strengths and avoid weaknesses—practicing archery is a good idea. Training military formations is also a method.”
“Five people per team; weapons should be long and short, and they must practice coordination. Only then can combat power double.”
Pei Qinghe cast an admiring and reverent gaze: “Uncle is right; Qinghe has learned.”
General Meng had led troops for many years, stern and strict with great authority. When he put on a stern face, even his eldest son fell silent as if chilled. Meng Liulang was like a mouse seeing a cat before him.
At this moment, Sixth Sister Pei smiled warmly, her soft “uncle” light and gentle, causing General Meng’s heart to suddenly soften as he gave detailed pointers.
General Meng ranked among the imperial generals, rich in practical experience. He had deep insights into military formations.
Pei Qinghe listened attentively and then said somewhat troubled: “We have blades, swords, and other weapons, but only six spears, which is really insufficient.”
General Meng: “…”
No wonder she called him “uncle” so affectionately; she had affection waiting for him here.
