Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 82 The Great Banner
Two days later, Master Li made a special trip to Pei Family Village and delivered the land deeds for more than 500 mu of wasteland, stamped with the official seal, to Miss Pei Liu.

The flag of the Beiping Army that had been planted at the entrance of the village for more than half a year had faded a bit, so a new flag was put on it.

Dressed in a gray cloth coat, Miss Pei Liu stood spiritedly by the military flag, warmly welcoming Master Li into the village.

General Meng personally took charge, and the results were remarkable. Peijia Village immediately gained several hundred acres of wasteland.

Li, the clerk, was not yet qualified to see General Meng, so he presented the land deed with a forced smile and refused the generous bribe. He then hurried back to the county office.

Pei Yan glanced at the direction Li Shiye had left and pursed her lips: "That Li Shiye is such a snob. Before, when he came to Pei Family Village, he never refused to take anything from us. But now that General Meng has arrived, Li Shiye's back is practically broken."

Pei Qinghe smirked: "Who in this world isn't opportunistic? If our Pei family were of no use whatsoever, would General Meng still be here?"

In his previous life, the Beiping army, hundreds of miles away, never cared about the lives of the Pei family, young and old.

In this life, she displayed her talents early on, secretly devising strategies for the Crown Prince. Under the Crown Prince's instructions, the Beiping Army became the backer of Pei Family Village, even sending weapons and armor. General Meng also personally came to Pei Family Village to oversee the situation, and the Beiping Army's banners fluttered at the village entrance, deterring all the evil spirits who coveted Pei Family Village.

Pei Yun gently chimed in, "Qinghe is right. You have to be strong yourself to stand on your own two feet. If a large band of bandits or mountain brigands were to attack, there would be no time to call for help. We would have to fight them ourselves."

A smile flashed in Pei Qinghe's dark eyes.

In Pei Family Village, besides her, Pei Yun is the most outstanding. Pei Yun is exceptionally skilled, calm, intelligent, and composed, already possessing the demeanor of a general.

Pei Yan is brave in battle, but reckless and impulsive; he still needs further training.

“Cousin Qinghe,” Pei Yan’s eyes sparkled. Despite being tall and strong, she still had the nerve to act coquettishly, “I want to go to the storeroom to look at the weapons.”

Pei Yun's eyes also gleamed with anticipation.

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Okay, let's go together."

There were more than a dozen huge, heavy wooden crates. Opening the first one revealed dozens of long swords commonly used in the military.

There are six wooden boxes containing long knives, totaling three hundred long knives.

General Meng was a meticulous man, and the weapons he brought were indeed used; however, their blades were sharp, and they had nothing to do with being tattered. They were far superior to the weapons they had obtained from the mountain bandits.

Pei Qinghe was overjoyed and turned to Pei Yan, whose lips were almost drooping with a smile, and said, "Go and call my second sister-in-law and the others over. Each of them should pick a handy one."

Before long, Mao Hongling and the others arrived, all beaming with joy.

Mao Hongling was skilled with a spear, and her swordsmanship was equally superb. With a long sword in hand, Mao Hongling's beautiful and gentle face gained a touch of murderous intent.

Two small figures quietly squeezed in.

Pei Qinghe glanced around and couldn't help but chuckle: "Pei Xuan, Pei Feng! What brings you two here!"

Pei Feng's front teeth finally came out, and he could speak without slurring his words: "Cousin Qinghe, I'm all grown up now. I want a weapon too."

Pei Xuan, unusually, didn't disagree and nodded vigorously: "I'm a year older than Pei Feng, so I'm already an adult. Next time bandits come, I want to fight alongside my cousin Qinghe."

Everyone was amused and laughed.

Pei Feng, his handsome face tense, announced loudly once again, "I've really grown up."

Pei Xuan was much more clever. She raised her round little face and gave her cousin Qinghe a fawning smile: "Cousin Qinghe, let's pick a knife first. We'll use it whenever you give us permission."

Pei Qinghe thought for a moment and smiled, "Alright, you can each pick one."

Pei Feng's smile almost reached his ears. Turning his head, he saw that Pei Xuan had already chosen one, and Pei Feng immediately became anxious, squeezing over to snatch the one Pei Xuan had her eye on. Pei Xuan wasn't going to let him have his way, and she glared at Pei Feng with her round eyes, arguing back.

The two of them bickered and argued all day long, and everyone was used to it and just laughed it off. Pei Qinghe opened the last few wooden boxes, examined them carefully, and then praised with a smile: "General Meng is meticulous in his work. Although this armor is old, it is not damaged."

The women gathered around. They had seen their fathers, brothers, and husbands wear armor before, but they had never worn it themselves. They were both curious and excited.

Pei Qinghe didn't rush to distribute the soft armor. Instead, she said to Pei Yun, "Cousin Yun, go to the county town tonight and ask the blacksmith and his son to alter the soft armor to be smaller and more suitable for a woman's figure."

Pei Yun usually handles the important tasks.

Pei Yun nodded in agreement.

Pei Yan rubbed her hands together and whispered, "Cousin Qinghe, I want a set of soft armor."

Everyone gets a long sword, but there are only twelve sets of soft armor.

Pei Qinghe glanced over and said, "The soft armor is not used on a regular basis and is stored in the warehouse. When it comes to a tough battle, those who charge into battle will be given priority."

Pei Yan, unfazed by the rebuff, chuckled and said, "That's just my luck. I'm always the one charging into battle."

Pei Qinghe couldn't help but pinch Pei Yan's thick skin.

……

Meng Dalang and his brothers led their troops into the mountains to suppress bandits.

General Meng did not go into the mountains; instead, he strolled around the village with his hands behind his back every day.

Inside the thatched hut, children read aloud, their voices ringing out.

On the training ground, everyone practiced archery and swordsmanship, displaying heroic and spirited demeanor.

The craftsmen were busy building houses, while the displaced people toiled in the barren fields. In the stable, Zhao Hai diligently cleaned. In the pharmacy, Doctor Bao boiled gauze and ground medicinal powder every day. Beside the iron pot, Fang and other women lit a fire, picked vegetables, and kneaded dough.

The elderly women in the village were also busy, helping the young children to sew and mend shoe soles.

Who would have thought that this place was a barren wasteland just last year?
Who would have thought that Pei Qinghe would establish this empire in just over half a year?
Truly, heroes emerge from among the young.

Who will be worthy of being Miss Pei's husband in the future?

General Meng was deeply moved, but showed no sign of it on his face. Having been warmly invited to the training ground to offer guidance, he didn't hold back, saying to Pei Qinghe, "With Pei Family Village's current strength, it's more than capable of protecting itself. Your training naturally has higher and farther goals. Women are naturally slightly weaker physically, so playing to your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses, archery is a good idea. Training military formations is also an option."

"A team of five should consist of people of varying lengths and skills, and they should practice teamwork. Only in this way can their combat effectiveness be multiplied."

Pei Qinghe cast an admiring and respectful glance at him: "Uncle is right, Qinghe has learned a lot."

General Meng had led troops for many years, and was solemn, stern, and extremely authoritative. When he put on a stern face, even his eldest son would fall silent in fear. When Meng Liulang approached him, he was like a mouse before a cat.

At this moment, Miss Pei smiled and called him "Uncle" softly and gently. General Meng's heart softened instantly, and he gave her detailed instructions.

General Meng was a highly regarded military officer in the imperial court, with extensive practical experience. He had a deep understanding of military formations.

Pei Qinghe listened attentively, then looked somewhat troubled: "We have swords and other weapons, but only six spears, which is really insufficient."

General Meng: "..."

No wonder he called his uncle so affectionately; the reason was clear.

(End of this chapter)