Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 242 Reunion (Part Two)
How did a commander with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a straightforward personality also learn to flatter?

While Shen Gonggong thought to himself, he smiled broadly and said, "Commander Gao escorted the Pei family women all the way to Youzhou back then, and last year he went to the Pei family army to deliver an imperial edict. The friendship between Commander Gao and General Pei is indeed unmatched by others."

Gao Yong glanced at Eunuch Shen and casually said with a smile, "Eunuch Shen, is this your first time meeting General Pei? How do you feel about today?"

Eunuch Shen flattered the emperor excessively, using at least seven or eight idioms on the short journey to the imperial study.

Gao Yong chuckled inwardly.

He was reckless, but not stupid. Before leaving, Eunuch Shen was all high and mighty, but when he returned, he was like a mouse with its tail between its legs, showing that he had already learned his lesson from Pei Qinghe.

Eunuch Shen pushed open the door first, and Gao Yong led the way.

Pei Qinghe stepped into the Imperial Study.

The young Emperor Jian'an could no longer contain himself. He rose from his dragon throne and his gaze fell eagerly on Pei Qinghe's face.

When they first met, he was the Prince of Zhangwu in the Eastern Palace, and she was Pei Liu, the daughter of an exiled criminal.

He was fifteen, and she was only thirteen.

More than five years have passed since they parted. He has become the revered Emperor of the Northern Kingdom. And she is General Pei, whose archery skills are unparalleled and whose battles are invincible.

Back then, she was slender with delicate and spirited features. Now, her beauty has blossomed, and her spiritedness has only grown stronger, like a tiger in a thorny thicket, exuding a fierce and domineering aura that no one can ignore.

That aura of superiority and beauty that looked down on everyone else was a charm that could not be captured by a paintbrush.

His heart felt as if it were being scorched by a raging fire, or as if it were being battered and pounded by a giant wave.

He couldn't help but step forward and call out the name he had kept in his heart for years: "Pei Qinghe!"

"This humble general, Pei Qinghe, greets Your Majesty." Pei Qinghe calmly cupped his hands in greeting to the emperor.

It was like a bucket of cold water being poured on him, extinguishing most of the flames in Emperor Jian'an's heart.

Emperor Jian'an paused for a moment with a smile.

Those years on the dragon throne had not been in vain. Emperor Jian'an quickly recovered and gestured for Pei to rise, saying, "General Pei, please rise."

As the emperor, it's understandable that he would be close to his favorite civil and military officials. Fortunately, Emperor Jian'an still had some sense of propriety and didn't touch her sleeve.

Pei Qinghe smiled and thanked the Emperor for his grace.

Emperor Jian'an offered Pei Qinghe a seat, and Pei Qinghe sat down without hesitation.

Seeing this scene, Eunuch Shen's pent-up frustration suddenly dissipated. Look at General Pei, even towards the Emperor, he acts like this. What was his little humiliation compared to that?

Gao Yong didn't take it to heart. Military generals spend their days training troops in the barracks or leading them into battle, which is quite different from the convoluted civil officials.

Standing outside the imperial study, Pei Yan stared intently at the thick door with eyes as large as copper bells. She looked ready to kick it down and kill someone at the slightest sound.

Pei Xuan and Pei Feng each gripped the hilt of their knives.

Gu Lian remained calm and said with a soft laugh, "Miss Yan, please rest assured. I have met His Majesty. He is gentle in nature and values ​​the Pei family army highly. His Majesty must be pleased that our general has come to Bohai County in person. He summoned the general today to show his favor and respect. There will be no problem."

Feng Chang thought to himself that not only would nothing happen to him, but he might even receive a reward!
Inside the study, Emperor Jian'an launched into a tirade of praise: "General Pei single-handedly built the Pei family army, quelled bandits, protected the people, decisively defeated the Fanyang army, and repelled the Xiongnu barbarians. He truly deserves to be my trusted and beloved general." Gao Yong was so disgusted by the sycophancy that he got goosebumps all over.

Pei Qinghe smiled and replied, "When the women of the Pei family were exiled and in danger, it was His Highness the Prince who lent a helping hand. Only then were the Pei family able to arrive safely in Changping County. Afterwards, the Crown Prince secretly instructed the Beiping Army to take care of them. I have always kept these kindnesses in my heart and have never forgotten them."

"This humble general has no ability to govern the world, but it is enough for me to be stationed in Yan County, defend against the Xiongnu barbarians, and protect the people of this region!"

Emperor Jian'an gave Pei Qinghe a deep look: "General Pei, you are being too modest. Among the northern armies, the Bohai Army has the largest force, the Beiping Army is fearless, and the Pei family army is brave and powerful, never having suffered a defeat. I have always hoped that the Pei family army would come to Bohai County. At that time, with the Bohai Army, the Beiping Army, and the Pei family army at my disposal, I can launch a southern campaign to retake the capital."

Pei Qinghe replied, "Bohai Commandery has two large armies, which is sufficient in terms of manpower."

"General Situ is leading the Imperial Guard to attack the capital. Qiao is almost at his limit. Tao is seriously wounded and will not last more than a few days. Your Majesty need not be anxious. You may as well wait patiently for the best opportunity."

Situ Xi and Qiao Tianwang are locked in a fierce battle, a classic case of the snipe and the clam fighting until both are severely injured. Only then will it be the right time for a southern expedition.

Emperor Jian'an surely understood the underlying reasons. He was merely using the southern expedition as a pretext to try and keep Pei Qinghe in the country.

Pei Qinghe also made it clear that he only wanted to guard Yan County and did not want to get involved in the political struggles in Bohai County.

Emperor Jian'an, being the Son of Heaven, had to maintain his dignity and could not show weakness to his subjects, much less beg them to stay. After a moment of silence, he changed the subject, inquiring about the details of the battle against the Xiongnu.

Pei Qinghe said solemnly, "In this battle, the greatest credit belongs to the Guangning Army. The Guangning Army sent troops to lure the enemy and then set up an ambush, which dampened the morale of the Xiongnu barbarians. I led the troops to ambush them from behind. Afterwards, in defending the city, it was also the Guangning Army that first went up to the city wall, which depleted the strength and morale of the Xiongnu barbarians."

Emperor Jian'an was somewhat embarrassed: "I was in such a hurry to see an old friend today that I neglected General Yang. I will summon General Yang to the palace tomorrow."

Then, the topic was changed again, and the conversation turned to the Li family, the Lu family, and others.

Pei Qinghe sighed softly, "My closest relatives are separated from me, and I always think of my grandmother and the others. Once I leave the palace, I will go to see them."

Emperor Jian'an had originally intended to invite Pei Qinghe to dine with him, but now he couldn't bring himself to say it. He coughed and said, "That's fine for today. You should leave the palace first to reunite with your family. Tomorrow I will summon you and General Yang to the palace together."

Pei Qinghe smiled, stood up, and bowed to take her leave.

Emperor Jian'an personally escorted Pei Qinghe out of the imperial study. He then instructed Gao Yong and Eunuch Shen to escort Pei Qinghe out of the palace on his behalf.

Pei Qinghe bowed again and led Pei Yan and the others away.

Emperor Jian'an watched Pei Qinghe's figure disappear into the distance.

After a long separation, he finally saw the girl of his heart, and his joy was beyond words.

Upon further reflection, I felt a sense of loss and disappointment.

Pei Qinghe handled the situation appropriately, without being overly aggressive or confrontational. However, her attitude was clear and unambiguous: she was unwilling to leave herself to fully support him.

When Eunuch Shen returned to report, Emperor Jian'an suddenly asked, "This is your first time seeing her. What are your impressions?"

Eunuch Shen carefully considered his words: "General Pei is no ordinary young lady; she cannot be treated lightly."

"Nonsense!" Emperor Jian'an was in a bad mood and gave Eunuch Shen a cold look.

Isn't that just nonsense?
What else could he say?
Does he intend to shatter the Emperor's unrealistic fantasy of wanting the Pei family army and General Pei's men without providing any funds or provisions?

(End of this chapter)