Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 76 Shock
The mountain wind howled, like a baby crying at night.

The seven refugees, their legs severed and hanging from the tree, screamed and wailed for half the night, their cries gradually fading in the latter half of the night.

The weather was freezing cold, like an ice cave. These few rebelling refugees either bled to death or froze to death; there was absolutely no chance of them surviving.

The thatched huts, crowded with refugees, were dark and deserted. Some lay awake in fear and dread, while others closed their eyes in quiet relief.

Thankfully, I didn't act impulsively and go with them. Otherwise, there would be one more person hanging under the tree waiting to die.

The night was extremely long.

At daybreak, Feng Chang, his eyes bloodshot from not sleeping all night, arrived. Pei Jia and Pei Yi accompanied him.

Pei Jia was furious and cursed with foul language: "...Sixth Miss kindly took you in, yet some of you dared to do evil. You deserve to be torn to pieces."

Pei Yi, united in hatred against the enemy, cursed even louder than Pei Jia.

The refugees remained silent, too afraid to raise their heads after being scolded.

Feng Chang took a deep breath and said, "You all know me, Feng Chang. I was the one who showed you the way to Peijia Village. Now that such a big incident has happened, I have no face to plead with Sixth Miss. The snow has stopped. Those who want to leave, leave now."

The refugees were in a panic: "We're all desperate, where else can we go?"

"In this freezing weather, with only wild beasts in the forest, we won't survive more than a few days if we go into the mountains."

"Sixth Miss, those few had wicked intentions and deserved to die. We are all law-abiding citizens!"

Some people knelt down, weeping, and kowtowed in the direction of Peijia Village. The rest of the refugees also knelt and wept on the ground, none of them willing to leave.

Amidst the cries, Pei Qinghe arrived, carrying a bow and arrows and a long sword.

"Do you really want to join Pei Family Village?" Pei Qinghe asked calmly, suppressing her cries and pleas for mercy as soon as she spoke.

The refugees kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Yes, please take us in, Sixth Sister."

Pei Qinghe said coldly, "Once you enter the village, you must follow the rules and obey my orders. Anyone with impure intentions will suffer the same fate as those seven people over there."

A gust of wind blew by, and the seven blood gourds swayed. Five of them were silent, while the other two emitted faint cries.

The refugees felt a chill run down their spines and their backs were covered in cold sweat, yet none of them dared to raise their heads: "We will all listen to Sixth Sister."

Pei Qinghe turned to Pei Jia, Pei Yi, and Feng Chang and said, "Let them stay outside the village for another seven days. Reduce their food rations by half each day. If anyone wants to leave, do not stop them. Anyone who dares to enter the village without permission will be killed without exception."

The last sentence was said to Pei Yan.

Pei Yan responded with a murderous aura.

The refugees, displaced and homeless, were used to living in the mountains and fields, and waiting a few more days outside the village wouldn't hurt. The real suffering came from half the food supply.

The two mixed-grain steamed buns were reduced to one, and the hot soup was gone. Having tasted the sweetness of fullness, the half-fullness and hunger were especially unbearable. The refugees cursed their seven damned companions: "These bastards, they can't stay still when they have food, daring to come into the village and cause trouble. Now we're even starving because of them."

"Hanging them is too lenient. Sixth Miss should skin them alive and make a pot of meat soup."

Some people also sneak away in the middle of the night.

Pei Qinghe indeed ignored all questions and led his men in daily training sessions at the martial arts training ground. The sounds of swords, spears, arrows, and clashing fists, accompanied by whooshing noises, terrified the refugees.

Seven days later, 156 people remained in the thatched huts north of the village.

Having passed the first test, the refugees finally entered Pei Family Village. The second test was also bathing and changing clothes. However, this time, it was Feng Chang and his men who were watching the refugees bathe and change.

Feng Chang was furious that the refugees he had recruited were shameless, and his face remained gloomy. When he discovered that some refugees had pus-filled sores, he unceremoniously chased them away.

Thus, four more people were gone. Half a day later, the 152 refugees, with their heads and beards shaved and dressed in clean cotton clothes, finally looked like human beings. The resentful troublemakers all quietly left, leaving behind mostly honest and law-abiding people.

Pei Qinghe set only three rules.

During the day, they work in the fields; at night, they are not allowed to leave the house at will.

Stealing and robbing are prohibited, and one must not approach the women.

Obey all orders.

If anyone commits any of these offenses, their legs will be cut off, and they will be hung under a tree north of the village.

The seven vagrants who committed the evil deeds have all been hanged. Their bodies, still uncorrupted due to the cold weather, retain the pitiful and agonizing appearance of their deaths. They'll probably remain hanging until the snow melts in spring.

Pei Qinghe divided the newly arrived refugees into four teams and summoned Pei Jia, Pei Yi, Gu Lian, and Feng Changdu, ordering each of them to take charge of one team.

Pei Jia and Pei Yi even changed their names, showing their unwavering devotion to Pei Qinghe, and both nodded in agreement.

Gu Lian was overjoyed, the knife scar on her left cheek seemed to dance: "Since the Sixth Miss trusts me so much, I will definitely manage them well and not disappoint the Sixth Miss."

Pei Qinghe looked at the flames burning in Gu Lian's eyes and smiled slightly: "Alright, I'll wait and see."

Then, Pei Qinghe looked at Feng Chang.

Feng Chang was about to kneel, but Pei Qinghe raised her hand and said, "No need to kneel. It's your achievement that so many refugees have come to seek refuge. The refugees come from all walks of life, and it's perfectly normal for some with ill intentions to be mixed in. You don't need to feel guilty or ashamed."

"From now on, I will recruit more refugees. The population of Pei Family Village will increase. However, the four of you will be the first to follow me. As long as you are loyal, I will not treat you unfairly."

Feng Chang's heart surged with excitement, and he responded loudly.

The core of Pei Family Village is Pei Qinghe. Pei Yun, Pei Yan, Pei Xuan, and Pei Feng are the true bloodline of the Pei family and are most loyal to Pei Qinghe. Mao Hongling, Wu Xiuniang, Bian Shulan, and others are Pei family wives who closely surround Pei Qinghe.

Next up were Doctor Bao, Zhao Haifang, and Da Tou. They were all men from other families, who willingly followed Miss Pei.

In this chaotic and cannibalistic world, only by following the strong can one survive.

Pei Qinghe added, "Starting tomorrow, you will come to the training ground for half a day every day to practice martial arts and swordsmanship with me."

Zhao Hai and the other two were also summoned.

In a few months, Zhao Hai will become a father. He works diligently every day, tending to the stables and caring for the oxen and other large livestock. When he heard that he was to learn martial arts and swordsmanship, Zhao Hai was somewhat surprised: "Sixth Miss, the stables can't be left unattended. Besides, I'm already thirty years old and have never held a sword before."

Pei Qinghe laughed and said, "Now that there are more people in the village, go and pick a few honest and law-abiding ones to go into the stable. They can learn to use knives easily. If bandits or outlaws come in the future, they can use their knives to protect their wives and children."

Zhao Hai felt a surge of warmth in his heart and nodded in agreement.

Doctor Bao said with a bitter face, "I don't think I need to! I'm a doctor, isn't it enough that I can brew medicine and save lives?"

Pei Qinghe said calmly, "Everyone in the Pei family must have the ability to protect themselves. Even a five-year-old child dares to carry a knife. You are no exception."

So, was he also included in the Pei family by the Sixth Miss?

Dr. Bao's eyes suddenly lit up.

Fang Datou, who had been waiting for a long time, asked expectantly, "Sixth Miss, what should I practice?"

……

(End of this chapter)