Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 72 Betting (Part Two)

After receiving a pair of bear paws, General Meng immediately sent Meng Liulang with men to Peijia Village to collect winter wheat.

After being cooped up in the military camp for several months, Meng Liulang was finally allowed to leave, and he was overjoyed. When he arrived at Peijia Village, he still maintained the arrogant attitude of the young general Meng, and hardly looked at anyone.

Pei Qinghe didn't mind and greeted the soldiers with a smile, telling them to settle in.

The first winter wheat harvest was poor, but the fact that grain had grown in the barren wasteland was a cause for celebration. With the arrival of several dozen soldiers from Beiping and more than twenty others, including Feng Chang, the heavy physical labor of harvesting wheat was no longer a concern.

Today, Young Master Shi has come to Pei Family Village in person again. Pei Qinghe understood the implications, and the welcoming ceremony was exceptionally grand.

"It's been a long time. I hope you're well, Young Master Shi." Pei Qinghe greeted him with a cupped-hands gesture, a smile playing on his lips, his tone conveying warmth.

Young Master Shi smiled and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "I am well. It has been several days since I last saw you, and you are even more charming than before."

After eating his fill for several months, Pei Qinghe had grown quite a bit taller, with a rosy complexion and exceptionally bright dark eyes.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "Young Master Shi often sends people to deliver food. Our Pei family will always remember this kindness."

Shi Yan smiled and replied, "Sixth Miss, there's no need to be so formal. A little bit of grain is nothing to the Shi family. The word 'gratitude' is too much."

The ignored Meng Liulang couldn't help but cough.

Pei Qinghe introduced with a smile: "This is the youngest son of General Meng of the Beiping Army, the sixth son in his family. Young Master Shi can call him the Sixth Young Master, or you can call him General Meng."

Meng Liulang had the advantage of height; he glanced at the crowd with a disdainful look.

Shi Yan, who travels extensively and is adept at navigating social situations, exclaimed in amazement, "I had long heard that General Meng's youngest son was as fierce as a tiger, but after meeting him today, I realize that the rumors were wrong. General Meng is tall and handsome, with an outstanding demeanor. The mere description of a fierce tiger cannot adequately capture his charm."

Meng Liulang's expression visibly softened considerably, his eyes still fixed on Pei Qinghe: "Who is he?"

Pei Qinghe smiled and replied, "I've come to introduce General Meng to the young master of the Shi family's grain shop."

The Shi family were major grain merchants in Youzhou, wealthy and powerful, known for their generosity and illustrious reputation. How could Meng Liulang not know this? This pretense was deliberate, a way to intimidate Shi Yan.

Shi Yan cooperated fully, bowing respectfully and saying, "Shi Yan greets General Meng."

Meng Liulang grunted and casually waved his hand: "Get up!"

In Jingchao, merchants held a high status. Even General Meng himself would treat large grain merchants like the Shi family, who controlled trade routes and could acquire vast quantities of grain, with great deference.

Pei Qinghe glanced at the arrogant Meng Liulang, too lazy to pay him any attention, and smiled at Shi Yan, saying, "Young Master Shi, please come into the village to talk."

Shi Yan nodded happily and followed Pei Qinghe into the village.

This was Shi Yan's second time visiting Pei Family Village, but he seemed as familiar with it as if he had been there a hundred or a thousand times. He casually remarked with a smile, "There are two new houses here at the entrance of the village."

Pei Qinghe was somewhat surprised: "Young Master Shi has a good memory."

Shi Yan was not proud of it and was very humble and low-key: "I have been traveling around for many years to inspect grain stores, so my memory is slightly better than that of ordinary people."

"Sixth Sister built a new village, and this place is also being expanded. It should be used to settle the refugees who have been recruited."

Pei Qinghe nodded: "That's right. A while ago, a group of refugees came to seek refuge, there were more than 20 of them. Our Pei family village is full of weak women, so we can only recruit refugees to come into the village to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land."

Pei Qinghe blatantly lied, and Shi Yan, without batting an eye, echoed, "We really should recruit some men into the village." Meng Liulang couldn't help but roll his eyes, interrupting the two who were having a pleasant conversation: "A bow and arrow and a knife are enough to kill a black bear. And you dare call yourself a weak woman?"

Pei Qinghe pretended not to hear and invited Shi Yan into the thatched cottage to talk. She then smiled at Meng Liulang and said, "Young Master Shi and I have something to discuss, so we won't trouble General Meng to keep us company."

Meng Liulang watched helplessly as Pei Qinghe and Shi Yan entered the thatched hut, an indescribable anger surging in his chest.

Given General Meng's pride, he would never stoop to following him inside. After standing outside the thatched hut for a moment, he left with a stern, handsome face.

Inside the thatched hut, Pei Qinghe personally poured a cup of warm water for Shi Yan: "The Pei family has suffered a calamity and is now barely able to stand on its own two feet. Fortunately, we have received the favor and assistance of Young Master Shi, for which I, Pei Qinghe, am deeply grateful."

Shi Yan took the tea from Pei Qinghe, drank it all in one gulp, and gently placed the teacup on the table. Then, he took out a thick gift list from his sleeve and handed it to Pei Qinghe: "I value Sixth Miss. If Sixth Miss needs anything in the future, just send someone to deliver a message to me."

The gift list contained no gold or silver, only an astonishing amount of grains such as wheat, beans, millet, and sorghum, as well as fodder for feeding warhorses and other large livestock, along with large quantities of coarse cloth, cotton, salt, iron pots, and so on.

These are all supplies that Peijia Village urgently needs right now. With these, they can recruit more refugees.

Pei Qinghe carefully examined the gift list and replied solemnly, "Young Master Shi is willing to place a heavy bet on the Pei family. I will certainly not disappoint Young Master Shi."

"Perhaps a few years, perhaps a decade or more. When the young master looks back on this day, he will be glad that he had the foresight to recognize talent and made the right decision."

As she spoke, Pei Qinghe took another teacup and filled both teacups to the brim.

Shi Yan smiled, picked up his teacup, and lightly tapped it against Pei Qinghe's teacup, producing a crisp sound.

Next, Shi Yan took a stroll around the new village.

When Liu Shan and the other bricklayers saw their young master, they all called out to him. Shi Yan didn't put on airs as the young master and chatted with Liu Shan and the others with a smile.

"You've been in Peijia Village for over two months now. Are you getting used to working here?"

"Going back to the young master's place is a good habit."

"Sixth Sister pays her wages well, and her meals are good three times a day."

"The construction period is just too long; we haven't been back for quite some time."

Shi Yan smiled and said, "There's still a month until the New Year. Go back before the New Year and come back after the New Year."

"Work diligently and attentively, and follow Sixth Sister's instructions. From now on, you will receive your wages from me, and I will increase your wages by 30% every month."

The bricklayers all grinned and said "good."

Pei Qinghe silently praised him. Young Master Shi was generous, straightforward, and sensible. Such a wealthy family was hard to find in the world.

After Shi Yan visited the new village, he said to Pei Qinghe, "The new village has two hundred new houses. That's enough for now. I've also brought a group of craftsmen, so we have enough manpower to build foundations and construct new houses."

“A wall can also be built around the village. It can keep out wild animals, bandits, and thieves.”

Needless to say, the huge expenses required were all borne by the young master.

Pei Qinghe suddenly noticed that the young master Shi, with his thin and slightly pale face, was exceptionally handsome, standing there with a smile that shone brightly.

(End of this chapter)