Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 243 Gathering
Emperor Jian'an, agitated, looked at Gao Yong: "Commander Gao, you've had quite a bit of dealing with General Pei. Don't you think she's changed a lot lately?"

Is it possible that Your Majesty is so engrossed in your own fantasy that you have never actually met the real Pei Qinghe?
Even if Gao Yong was reckless, he couldn't bring himself to say such things. He tried his best to be tactful and said, "General Pei commands several thousand elite soldiers. In the Pei family army, she is decisive and her words are always on the same page. Her personality is indeed different from that of ordinary women."

"Both General Zhang and General Meng have rather bad tempers. A military commander leading troops into battle must be ruthless and fierce. If he is soft-hearted, anyone can take advantage of him, and he won't be able to lead troops at all."

In other words, Pei Qinghe should be treated the same way one would treat a general.

Don't look at a general with the same eyes you would a concubine in the imperial harem; look at him with the same eyes you would a general with a distinguished military record and a renowned reputation!

Emperor Jian'an remained silent.

Gao Yong's words were very clear and easy to understand.

Today, it was he, the emperor, who acted rashly.

"I shouldn't have summoned her to the palace so hastily, and I didn't think things through when I spoke." Emperor Jian'an was gentle by nature and could listen to the advice of those around him. He sighed and said, "It was my fault."

Gao Yong and Eunuch Shen exchanged glances, and Gao Yong had no choice but to say some kind words to comfort and console the dejected young emperor.

Emperor Jian'an sighed, "You may all leave now. I need to be alone."

Gao Yong and Eunuch Shen had no choice but to leave.

Emperor Jian'an sat for a moment, then took out two scrolls from a hidden compartment in the bookshelf. The first scroll was somewhat worn; it had been painted by him more than five years ago. The girl in the painting was youthful and innocent, with bright black eyes and a smile on her lips.

The second scroll was brought back by Gao Yong. The young girl was radiant and dazzling.

Now, the girl he had cherished in his heart had finally come before him. Only then did he suddenly realize that she was nothing like he had imagined.

She is a peerless treasure, unparalleled in its sharpness. She can not only kill enemies, but also repel those who do not wish to approach her with her edge.

He wants her to become a concubine. Would she agree?
Emperor Jian'an reached out and gently placed his fingertips on the girl's brow.

“Your Majesty,” Shen Gonggong’s familiar high-pitched voice rang out from outside the door, “Her Majesty the Empress has sent someone to invite Your Majesty to have dinner together.”

Emperor Jian'an snapped out of his reverie, rolled up the scroll again, and hid it in the hidden compartment once more.

The prince was born in the twelfth lunar month and will be a month old in a few days. His little face doesn't yet show whether he's handsome or ugly, but he has quite a temper. He often cries at the top of his lungs.

The Empress, a new mother, was often at a loss and couldn't bear to hear her child cry. So the two wet nurses took turns holding the prince.

When Emperor Jian'an arrived, he first looked at the child. He clumsily patted the child's back, but used the wrong force, and the child cried even louder.

The melancholy and disappointment in Emperor Jian'an's heart were largely swept away by his son's loud cries, and he somewhat awkwardly handed the child over to the wet nurse. The wet nurse, very understanding, quickly took the prince out.

The crying finally stopped.

Emperor Jian'an secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Zhang Jingwan: "You can focus on your postpartum recovery. Let the two wet nurses take care of the baby."

Zhang Jingwan gently scolded, "A child is the apple of their mother's eye. I have to see them several times a day, otherwise I can't even eat in peace."

Emperor Jian'an chuckled: "As long as you don't mind the child crying, it's up to you."

The two had been married for only a year and had never quarreled; their relationship was quite good. Zhang Jingwan smiled and took Emperor Jian'an's hand to sit down.

The dinner was quite lavish, with sixteen dishes—eight cold and eight hot—laid out on a round rosewood table, along with plenty of porridge, soup, and pastries.

Even so, it cannot compare to the life she once had in the palace.

"One should not speak while eating or sleeping." After dinner, Zhang Jingwan said softly with a smile, "I heard that His Majesty summoned General Pei to the palace today. General Pei is the first female general in the court. She recently defeated the Xiongnu barbarians. My father and brother both praised General Pei as a heroine among women. I would also like to meet General Pei."

Emperor Jian'an felt inexplicably guilty, but his smile remained unchanged: "General Pei will be coming to the palace for the full moon banquet in a few days, and you will be able to see her then."

Zhang Jingwan's heart tightened slightly, but she smiled and responded. Then she said, "Your Majesty is busy with state affairs every day, but please don't neglect those around you. Consort Liu and Consort Mei are both looking forward to Your Majesty's visit!"

Emperor Jian'an was not lustful. In addition to Empress Zhang Jingwan, there were only two concubines in his harem, namely Liu Yue and Mei Xiang, who had served him for several years.

Emperor Jian'an was in a state of confusion today and had no interest in visiting the harem. He casually said, "I still need to go to my study to read the memorials."

Zhang Jingwan didn't try to persuade him any further. After Emperor Jian'an left, the smile on her face faded.

……

Pei Qinghe and his party rode back.

Outside the gate, a group of elderly women with white hair eagerly awaited their arrival. The sound of galloping hooves reached their ears, and the figure of a spirited young woman came into view. The elderly women's eyes immediately welled with tears.

Fang was the first to cry out, and Li was also in tears, trembling as she called out, "Qinghe girl."

Pei Qinghe felt a pang of sadness, dismounted, and quickly walked over to grasp the hands of Li and Fang.

Lu, who had also been waiting impatiently, grabbed Pei Feng's hand and called him her precious grandson repeatedly. She then added a disdainful remark about Pei Yan: "Why are you getting so dark and muscular?"

Pei Yan rolled her eyes in exasperation: "So what if you're dark-skinned and strong? If you didn't have the strength, you would have died on the battlefield long ago."

Madam Lu pouted, about to launch into a tirade, when Pei Qinghe glanced over.

The words that were about to come out of Lu's mouth were immediately swallowed back.

Back then, he secretly ran away to Bohai County when Pei Qinghe was busy at Shijiawu Fort. Pei Qinghe didn't hold it against him and has been sending him grain and silver for the past two or three years.

Lu is usually stubborn, but she is actually in the wrong and feels guilty. She has neither the courage nor the confidence to compete with Pei Qinghe.

Once Madam Lu calmed down, Pei Qinghe didn't press the matter further. She smiled at Madam Li and the others and said, "Elders, please go inside and talk."

Everyone laughed and responded, just like before, surrounding Pei Qinghe as she entered the mansion.

Gu Lian, Feng Changsun, Cheng, and the others were all outsiders, so they tactfully left first.

Pei Jia had long considered himself a member of the Pei family, so of course he wouldn't leave.

"You've been taking care of Grandmother and the others here all this time, and I remember all your contributions." Looking at Pei Jia, Pei Qinghe couldn't help but think of Pei Yi, who died at the hands of the Liaoxi army. She sighed, "You know about Pei Yi's situation, don't you?"

Pei Jia's eyes reddened, his voice filled with anger: "I believe the general will avenge him."

Pei Qinghe said solemnly, "The Xiongnu barbarians are eyeing us covetously, and the Liaoxi army is still useful. The day when the Pei family army can swallow up Liaoxi will be the day that the traitor Li bows down."

Hearing this, Lu was terrified and blurted out, "You're fighting the Xiongnu barbarians, and now you want to fight the Liaoxi army?"

Pei Qinghe glanced around and met Lu Shi's eyes: "That's right. Once the Pei family army has grown stronger and has enough troops, I will send troops to attack Liaoxi."

Pei Qinghe's eyes gleamed with ambition, which was laid bare before the Pei family.

Lu's heart pounded.

(End of this chapter)