Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 103 Stay or Go
More than half a month later.

Pei Qinghe returned victorious. The refugees welcomed him with great joy, and the soldiers eagerly stepped forward to help transport the captured money and grain.

A group of dejected bandits were tied together with ropes, like rice dumplings.

Previously, the two hundred prisoners of White Tiger Stronghold were only given half a steamed bun and a bowl of water each day. After being starved for half a month, they were then forced to move bricks and build walls. Those who secretly escaped were caught, had their hands and feet cut off, and were hung from trees. Those who harbored resentment and refused to be controlled were treated the same way. Now, more than half of them are dead, and the rest are very obedient.

Seeing another bunch of unlucky souls arrive, the bandits showed no sympathy whatsoever; on the contrary, they were quite pleased: "Qingfeng Village has also been wiped out."

“We were here first, so it’s their turn to suffer.”

"Of the six villages, the Sixth Sister wiped out four, leaving only two. Just wait and see, in less than a year, the Sixth Sister will have them all cleaned up."

The number of people in Pei Family Village was increasing, but fortunately, Pei Yun, Pei Yan, and Mao Hongling had all been tempered and were able to stand on their own. Pei Qinghe handed over the captured bandits to Pei Yan, who smiled menacingly: "Don't worry, in less than a month, I'll make them behave themselves."

Mao Hongling stepped forward and whispered to Pei Qinghe with a smile, "There's something I need to tell you."

"Among the soldiers of the Beiping Army, five were willing to marry into Peijia Village."

Pei Qinghe paused and looked at Mao Hongling.

Mao Hongling said softly, "I think soldiers are better than refugees. General Meng's fate is unknown, and the morale of the Beiping army is collapsing. It's much better to recruit them into Peijia Village than to have them become bandits in the future."

In less than a month, five soldiers volunteered to stay and become sons-in-law.

On one side were the precarious and bleak future of the Beiping army, and on the other side was the thriving Peijia Village, where people were well-fed, well-clothed, and had many women. The other soldiers saw this and couldn't help but be tempted.

Second Sister-in-law's heart has also turned black. She wants to swallow up five hundred Beiping soldiers.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said in a low voice, "General Meng's fate is unknown, so we can't make things too obvious. Let's wait and see."

Leave a way out for everything, so you can meet again in the future! If General Meng comes back alive and kicking, the Beiping army will be just an empty shell, which would be a bit awkward.

Mao Hongling understood immediately and nodded with a smile.

Casualties are inevitable in war. Of the 800 men who went into the mountains, more than 30 were killed or wounded. Qingfeng Village was slaughtered, with nearly 100 dead or wounded. The remaining bandits were all taken prisoner. In addition, three boxes of gold and silver jewelry, more than 200 weapons, several thousand kilograms of grain, and more than a dozen bags of cured meat were seized.

Looking at the rich spoils, Wu Xiuniang was overjoyed and loudly directed everyone to move the money, grain, and weapons into the warehouse.

Pei Xuan rushed to Pei Qinghe, her face full of longing: "Cousin, I'm ten years old now, I'm all grown up. Please take me with you next time we go into the mountains!"

Pei Qinghe touched Pei Xuan's delicate face: "Alright, I'll take you with me next time."

Pei Feng immediately chimed in, "I'll go too."

“You’re not even ten years old yet.” Pei Xuan immediately objected: “Suppressing bandits is no joke. You’ll only be a hindrance if you go along.”

Pei Feng's handsome face turned red with anger, and he looked at Pei Qinghe with a wronged expression: "Pei Xuan is only a few months older than me. I'm even a bit taller than her. If she can go, I want to go too."

Pei Xuan is intelligent and quick-witted, excelling in both academics and martial arts. She is also quick-witted and always surpasses Pei Feng in everything. Pei Feng, on the other hand, is extremely competitive and always wants to compete with Pei Xuan.

Pei Qinghe chuckled and pinched Pei Feng's handsome cheek: "Alright, you can go too."

Pei Fengjun's face lit up, and he proudly raised his head like a smug little rooster.

"That Meng Liulang has been locked up for many days. At first, he cursed people every day, but these two have quieted down quite a bit. Do you want to go and take a look?"

Pei Qinghe casually replied, "No rush. We'll go when we have time." The dead needed to be buried, the wounded needed to be treated, and the exhausted people needed to bathe, change clothes, eat, and be settled. Pei Qinghe had to take care of everything.

I didn't get any free time until evening.

Pei Qinghe pushed open the door.

Meng Liulang, with his slicked-back hair and handsome face, stared coldly at Pei Qinghe without uttering a word.

Xiao Mo, a bodyguard who had been working hard for many days, had dark circles under his eyes and came over to salute while yawning.

Pei Qinghe asked, "Has your young master thought things through all this time?"

Meng Liulang sneered, "Sixth Miss Pei, what a show of power! If you have any questions, just ask me. Why make things difficult for my personal guards!"

Xiao Mo quickly interjected, "Our young master is young and impetuous, and speaks rashly. Sixth Miss, please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart."

Pei Qinghe didn't look at Meng Liulang, but said to Xiao Mo, "When there's a battle, news doesn't travel smoothly. Be patient and wait. Maybe General Meng will come back safe and sound in a few days."

"Pei Qinghe, let me out!" Meng Liulang roared, "I need to go to the capital to save my father and my brother. If I'm delayed and can't save them in time, you will be my enemy, Meng Ling's enemy."

Xiao Mo wished she could stuff a rag into her young master's foul mouth.

Pei Qinghe remained calm and did not look at Meng Liulang. She said to Xiao Mo, "I've been busy lately and don't have time to come over every day. Please take good care of your young master."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

"Pei Qinghe, let me go!"

"What are you planning to do by forcing me to stay in Pei Family Village like this! I will never bow down, and I will never become your son-in-law..."

Pei Qinghe paused, turned around, and looked at him with a slightly cold gaze.

Xiao Mo's scalp was practically tingling with rage. Ignoring everything else, she rushed to the bedside, grabbed a wad of cloth, and stuffed it into the Sixth Young Master's mouth. Then she bowed deeply, apologizing profusely, "Sixth Miss, please don't be angry. My young master has always had this bad temper; his words are often unpleasant to hear. Please, for the sake of the General, don't hold it against him."

Pei Qinghe walked to the bedside and looked at the handsome face that was flushed and distorted with anger: "Meng Liulang, do you know why General Meng left you a letter, asking you to come to Pei Family Village in this time of crisis?"

Meng Liulang's mouth was gagged, and he couldn't say anything, so he could only express his anger with his eyes.

Like a fish that has fallen into a fishing net and is struggling desperately, far from the lake water.

Pei Qinghe continued calmly, "General Meng knew very well that going to the capital was a perilous journey, with nine out of ten chances of survival. Yet he still went. He was loyal to the Crown Prince and willing to go through fire and water for him."

“I don’t want to go. All the men of the Pei family died for the Crown Prince. Now only women, children, and the elderly are left. I want to help them survive. I won’t risk my life for anyone.”

“Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. General Meng did not force me to go with him. It was I who suggested that General Meng leave behind a son to prevent the Meng family from being destroyed, so that we could take revenge in the future.”

"General Meng left you five hundred men, which is a substantial asset for you. Now that you are marrying into the Pei family, these five hundred men will belong to me, Pei Qinghe. Because of these five hundred soldiers, I will definitely treat you well and give you important responsibilities."

"If you don't want to be a live-in son-in-law, I will never force you."

Pei Qinghe suddenly had a dagger in her hand. With a flash of cold light, the ropes binding Meng Liulang's hands and feet fell to the ground.

"Whether you stay or leave is your choice."

(End of this chapter)