Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 200 Engagement (Part Two)

Zhao Hai grinned: "This silly boy, he waited for more than four years to finally get engaged. I wonder how much longer he'll have to wait before he can truly enter the Pei family."

I realized something was wrong only after I finished speaking.

Shi Yan hasn't even received the title of fiancé yet!

Zhao Hai quickly tried to salvage the situation: "The general certainly won't keep you waiting that long."

It still doesn't sound quite right!

Zhao Hai was annoyed by his own clumsy tongue. Shi Yan chuckled softly, "Waiting is also a kind of joy and happiness."

Zhao Hai thought to himself, "How happy I would be to hold my beloved wife and chubby son in my arms." But he couldn't say such things; it was too hurtful.

He wrapped himself up and lay down on the bed, still chuckling to himself.

Zhao Hai was a little worried, but Shi Yan smiled and said, "I'll stay here and keep watch. You can go back now. Don't keep Sister Shulan and Xiao Wan'er waiting."

After Fang left, Xiao Wan'er returned to live with her biological mother and stepfather. Bian Shulan was in charge of the kitchen and was very busy, while Zhao Hai spent all his time in the stables. Xiao Wan'er had to study and practice martial arts, and Pei Wang had also begun to learn to read. The family of four were busy with their own things during the day and only gathered together in the evening.

After returning to the house, Zhao Hai first put Xiao Wan'er and her brother to sleep, then went to boil water. When Bian Shulan returned, she sat in the steaming hot bath, the hot water washing away her fatigue, sweat, and the smell of cooking oil.

The couple cuddled and whispered to each other.

Zhao Hai chuckled softly, "Bao Hao has waited so long, and finally the clouds have parted and the moon is shining."

Bian Shulan leaned against her husband's chest and chuckled softly, "You and I have made a good start. Now, it's nothing new for Pei family women to be taking in sons-in-law one after another."

The proportion of female soldiers in the Pei family army has consistently remained around 20%, and those in charge of logistics and internal affairs are also mostly women. The overall male-to-female ratio in Pei family village is approximately 7:3. In a chaotic world where survival is difficult for women, this is already an extremely optimistic figure.

With so many people involved, some married and had children, while others brought their husbands into the family as sons-in-law, each according to their own wishes. However, the true women of the Pei family all brought their husbands into the family as sons-in-law.

As the head of the sons-in-law, Zhao Hai was in charge of the warhorses and all the cattle and sheep in the stables, holding a very high position in the Pei family army. Tao Feng, the son-in-law of the Zhou family, was the head of a battalion. Pei Yun's future husband, Bao Hao, was the army doctor in the Pei family army. As for Shi Yan, although he was not yet officially married, he was seen by everyone as the future son-in-law of a general, in charge of money and provisions, and his high status was self-evident.

Therefore, in Peijia Village, being a son-in-law is by no means a shameful thing. There are countless men eyeing the women of the Pei family.

“Pei Yun and Pei Yan are engaged, so it’s Qing He’s turn next.” Bian Shulan chuckled softly, “I don’t know where the Lu family gets their confidence from, actually wanting Lu Dongqing and Shi Yan to compete against each other.”

Zhao Hai laughed and said, "I don't think Lu Dongqing is the kind of person who doesn't know his place. He's been in Peijia Village for several days now, and he's been staying in the wounded soldiers' camp the whole time. He never goes near the general. When he heard that the general went to the wounded soldiers' camp, he kept his distance and never even showed his face."

Peijia Village wasn't small, but it wasn't big either. It was common for people to gossip and chatter when they had nothing better to do. Lu Dongqing thought he was being low-key, but actually, his every move was being watched!
The couple chatted for a while and then quickly fell asleep.

……

For Pei Qinghe, the real headache was mobilizing troops to go to Beiping County.

Those who were already married were not suitable for long-term garrison duty, and those unwilling to go to Beiping County had to be excluded. Thus, a thousand elite soldiers were selected, and leaders capable of commanding troops were chosen. If the remaining forces were insufficient, strong, literate men from the refugees were selected to supplement them, and the troops were reorganized into thirty battalions.

All of this required Pei Qinghe to make a decision.

Gu Lian wanted to go to Beiping County with him, and Feng Chang, not to be outdone, also privately asked Pei Qinghe for help.

Pei Qinghe said gently, "Yan County is the foundation of the Pei family army. You and Gu Lian are my right and left arms. If Gu Lian leaves, you should stay. Otherwise, when war comes, I will have no one to use." When Pei Qinghe was willing to coax people, her words were so pleasant and agreeable.

Feng Chang's initial resentment was immediately soothed: "I will listen to the general."

Wang Erhe, standing behind Feng Chang, quietly nudged him.

Feng Chang reluctantly said, "I'll stay, but let Erhe go with Miss Yun! Erhe's skills are average, but he's quick-witted and has a sharp tongue. Once we get to Beiping County, he can handle any errands or dealings with people."

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and looked at Wang Erhe.

Within the Pei family army, everyone revered Pei Qinghe. Wang Erhe was no exception. Sweeping across him with those bright, sharp eyes, he involuntarily shrank back.

"Wang Erhe".

As soon as Pei Qinghe opened her mouth, Wang Erhe reflexively stepped forward and said, "Yes."

“Tell me, why do you want to go to Beiping County?” Pei Qinghe’s voice was indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger: “Tell the truth.”

Wang Erhe had prepared a whole host of arguments, such as "I am willing to expand the territory for the general without fear of hardship." But after being swept over by Pei Qinghe's sharp eyes, his heart skipped a beat, and the truth just slipped out: "Chief Gu went, and I want to go too."

After saying that, I wanted to slap myself hard.

Feng Chang wanted nothing more than to kick Wang Erhe. But as brothers, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so he forced himself to defend Wang Erhe: "Erhe is a rough man and speaks rashly, please don't take offense, General. He has always admired Gu Yidao. I stopped him from going to Quanzhou County before. Now that Gu Yidao is going to Beiping County, if he doesn't go with him, I'm afraid there will be no chance for them to get married."

The truth is, this time Wang Erhe insisted on going with Gu Lian, and Feng Chang couldn't stop him no matter what. He had no choice but to reluctantly bring Wang Erhe to see Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe looked at Wang Erhe, who was so afraid to even breathe as if he had made a grave mistake, and then glanced at Feng Chang, who had stood up for his brother during the forced landing. He relaxed his brows and smiled: "That reason is enough."

Wang Erhe was taken aback.

Feng Chang was also stunned.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "You came to Pei Family Village when you were really desperate and were willing to risk your lives for a bite to eat. Now that you have enough to eat and wear and are winning battles, it's only natural that you would want more."

"Why can't Wang Erhe go after Gu Lian instead of Bao Hao and Pei Yun going to Beiping County?"

"However, let me make this clear first. Our Pei family army has military regulations that marriage between men and women requires mutual consent. You can only get married if Gu Lian agrees. If Gu Lian is unwilling, you cannot pester her. Also, once you go to Beiping County, you cannot return at will."

Wang Erhe was overjoyed and quickly knelt down and kowtowed three times: "Thank you, General."

Wang Erhe arrived with trepidation but left with a heart full of joy.

Seeing Wang Erhe's overjoyed expression, Feng Chang felt a pang of sadness: "Once you leave, it will be very difficult for us brothers to meet again."

Wang Erhe, who valued women more than friends, grinned and said, "What's this? Having a wife is much better than brothers remaining bachelors together."

Feng Chang: "..."

(End of this chapter)