Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 254 Marriage
In times of chaos, marriage alliances are often a political tool. For example, the marriage between Yang Huai and Pei Yan was a political alliance from the very beginning.

After they got engaged, the two met and spent a lot of time together, and gradually developed feelings for each other.

Yang Hu and Pei Zhi were mutually interested, which is why Pei Qinghe agreed to the marriage.

Pei Qinghe has never forced anyone into an engagement.

Pei Feng knew his cousin's temperament and never paid any attention to Song Xue. In his opinion, Song Xue would leave soon after getting nowhere.

Unexpectedly, Song Xue lived quite comfortably in Peijia Village, and more than half a month passed in the blink of an eye, showing no signs of wanting to stay for a long time.

Pei Feng couldn't help but complain to Pei Xuan, "Why is Song Xue still lingering here?"

Pei Xuan jokingly said, "She's a year older than you, so you have to call her Sister Song Xue."

Pei Fengjun's face was extremely sour.

Pei Xuan laughed heartily.

Pei Feng was furious: "Such a big problem, instead of trying to solve it for me, you come here to make fun of me."

Pei Xuan chuckled a few more times, but seeing that Pei Feng was really annoyed, she stopped laughing and said seriously, "Pei Feng, you're not young anymore. When your cousin Qinghe was your age, she was already the head of the Pei clan and led us to settle down in Changping County, Yan Prefecture."

"Now, it's time for us to contribute to the Pei family."

Pei Feng replied in a muffled voice, "I have no problem leading troops into battle. I don't want to get married."

Pei Xuan glanced at him with a smile: "Do you dislike Song Xue, or do you simply not want to get married?"

Pei Feng spoke frankly: "I just don't want to get married."

"It's good that you don't dislike it." Pei Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and comforted her in a low voice: "Your cousins ​​are not married yet, so how could it be your turn to get married? Even if you are engaged, who knows when the wedding will be. Just think of it as an alliance between two armies, and think more about the benefits of the Pei family army and the Pingyang army helping each other."

Pei Feng remained silent.

He was well aware of the benefits involved.

First, form alliances, then gradually win over and assimilate them. Just like the Guangning Army, which was gradually brought under the command of the Pei family army. They expanded their territory without bloodshed, and also increased the influence of the Pei family army.

The Pingyang army, stationed in Bingzhou, is considered an elite force in the north. Now, General Song has taken the initiative to extend goodwill by sending his daughter to the Pei family army; this shows his utmost sincerity. It would be a real pity to refuse.

"Think it over carefully yourself," Pei Xuan said softly. "Don't worry, if you really don't want to, your cousin Qinghe will never force you to get married."

Pei Feng was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If other military generals sent their sons or nephews here, would you be willing to take them as sons-in-law?"

"As long as it brings enough benefits to the Pei family army, why wouldn't we be willing?" Pei Xuan said frankly, "Being able to meet and get to know each other, and be able to choose, is already much better than an arranged marriage!"

Pei Feng was speechless for a moment.

Pei Xuan said, "Miss Song is fair-skinned and beautiful, and has a good temperament. She's always smiling and never throws a tantrum. What's wrong with such a wife? I really don't understand why you're so awkward. If it were me, I would have already agreed and gone to my cousin Qinghe to ask for Miss Song's hand in marriage."

Pei Feng ignored Pei Xuan and turned his head away.

Pei Xuan rolled her eyes and left decisively.

After all, they were siblings who grew up together and spent every day together, so Pei Feng took Pei Xuan's words to heart. The next day, when he saw the smiling Song Xue again, Pei Feng unusually took the initiative to greet her, "Sister Song Xue."

Song Xue was taken aback, blinking her big eyes: "Did the sun rise in the west today? You actually took the initiative to talk to me?"

Pei Feng felt a little awkward. Song Xue was indeed very good-tempered; she neither got angry nor put on airs, and spoke to Pei Feng with a smile: "Where do you usually get your weapons?"

This isn't exactly a secret. Pei Feng glanced at Pei Qinghe, who nodded slightly, and Pei Feng answered in full: "Most of the weapons were captured from the battlefield, and some were forged by blacksmiths."

In war, the two most consumed items are military rations and weapons. Armor uses too much iron and is extremely complex to forge, and the Pei family army currently does not have the capacity to equip all its soldiers with armor. Those who possess armor are mostly the leaders of various battalions.

It was common practice in military camps to repair and reuse damaged weapons.

Song Xue said with a smile, "You can bring the weapons my father sent to the training ground and try them out."

Pei Qinghe's heart stirred, and she looked at Song Xue: "How are the weapons of the Pingyang Army different from those of other armies?"

The several boxes of new weapons that General Song sent were moved to the warehouse and have not been touched!

Song Xue's eyes curved into a smile, looking incredibly cute: "General, try it yourself and we'll see the result."

Pei Qinghe gestured with her eyes, and Pei Feng nodded, immediately leading his men to fetch a box of weapons. Opening the wooden box revealed dozens of gleaming longswords.

Pei Qinghe reached out and picked up a knife. As soon as he held it, he noticed the difference: "The back of the blade is thinner, and the blade is much lighter."

With a swing of his longsword, he easily chopped off a section of the wooden training post.

Pei Qinghe's eyes lit up: "What a sharp knife!"

"This is a long sword unique to our Pingyang Army." Song Xue didn't mean to show off, she was just telling the truth: "The thick-backed long sword uses a lot of material and the blade is heavy. The soldiers of the Pingyang Army often don't have enough to eat, so they lack the strength to wield the thick-backed long sword."

"The Pingyang Army's longsword has been modified again and again until it reached its current form. It is both light and sharp, and uses 30% less material than ordinary thick-backed longswords."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

Pei Feng blurted out, "Does this longsword have blueprints for its forging?"

Pei Qinghe also looked over, weighing her options in her mind: what could she offer in exchange for the Pingyang Army's longsword blueprints? Should she send Pei Feng to the Song family as a son-in-law?
Song Xue smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons: "I didn't bring the blueprints. If you want them, I'll draw one right now."

Pei Feng: "..."

"You mean, you modified the Pingyang Army's longswords to look like this?" Pei Qinghe looked at Song Xue with the same eagerness and focus one would show for a rare treasure.

Song Xue smiled and said, "Yes. The Pingyang army also has a batch of new bows and arrows, which are lighter and more delicate than those in the regular army. They were all made according to the blueprints I drew."

Pei Qinghe was amazed. She grasped Song Xue's hand and said with a smile, "I never knew Miss Song had such abilities. I almost missed out on a treasure."

Song Xue smiled happily yet shyly, and whispered, "If the general is interested, I will go and paint it now."

"Should we ask General Song first?"

"No need. My father sent me here with the intention of giving the general the new weapons."

Pei Qinghe grasped Song Xue's hand: "That's wonderful. Tonight I'll have Sister Shulan cook you a delicious meal."

Song Xue, like a happy butterfly, fluttered away with Pei Qinghe.

Pei Xuan grinned and nudged the stunned Pei Feng: "Look, Miss Song came here for Cousin Qinghe."

(End of this chapter)