Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 87 Visiting
Pei Yun was startled: "You have such a low opinion of the Crown Prince?"

Pei Qinghe's eyes flashed with a cold disappointment: "I write to the Eastern Palace every month, urging the Crown Prince to strike first."

"The Crown Prince has been dragging his feet and hasn't dared to make a move. He's indecisive and lacks ruthlessness. Today, he has only himself to blame."

Pei Yun gasped.

Pre-emptive?
What move should we make?

Who will they target?

Such a thought is utterly outrageous.

Pei Yun didn't dare to think too deeply about it, and her words were not very coherent: "You...you write letters to the East Palace every month?"

Pei Qinghe nodded frankly: "Yes, I have been plotting to deal with the Prince of Wei for the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince ordered the Beiping Army to take care of the Pei family as a reward."

“No wonder the Beiping army sent grain, weapons, and military flags, and even helped the Pei family clean up the mess by wiping out the Wolf Fang Village.” Pei Yun suddenly understood: “General Meng knows your abilities, so he wants you to go to the capital with him to rescue His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Pei Qinghe twitched the corner of her mouth: "The Crown Prince wrote a letter to General Meng, specifically mentioning that I should go with him, and even promised me the position of Crown Princess in the future!"

Pei Yun scoffed, "You think you can just send me to my death with empty words? You're dreaming."

Isn't it?

Pei Qinghe laughed: "Although General Meng was furious, he still let me come back."

I wonder if General Meng listened to her advice and left behind a son.

Pei Qinghe said to Pei Yun seriously, "These secrets are for you to know only. Don't tell anyone."

Pei Yun nodded solemnly in agreement.

The entire Beiping army was mobilized, which quickly shook Youzhou.

The Fanyang Army, Guangning Army, and Liaoxi Army temporarily held their positions, but simultaneously dispatched spies to gather intelligence. Wherever the army went, the counties and prefectures closed their city gates, and those with sense offered up a batch of military rations, anxiously praying that the Beiping Army would pass by quickly.

Fortunately, General Meng was strict in disciplining his troops and was in a hurry to get on the road, so he accepted the military rations and left.

Magistrate Wang dared not leave the city gate, so he ordered his advisor, Li, to send grain outside the city to "reward" the army. Li went there trembling and returned trembling: "Magistrate, there is a dark mass of cavalry from Beiping, and many infantry as well. I can't count how many there are."

Magistrate Wang was also trembling: "Go, go and bring over Miss Pei's letter."

Three days ago, Miss Pei sent a letter to the county government. Magistrate Wang scoffed at it, saying "absurd and ridiculous," and threw the letter away. Now that the Beiping army has poured in all its resources, Magistrate Wang dares not disbelieve it.

Magistrate Wang opened his eyes wide and read the contents of Miss Pei's letter three times. Then, with the wisest and most decisive decision of his life, he saved his future self: "Prepare the carriage; this magistrate is going to Pei Family Village."

……

"Qinghe greets Your Excellency, the County Magistrate."

Magistrate Wang smiled broadly, his gentle and kind demeanor like that of an elder in the Pei family: "Sixth Miss, please rise. I have come today to discuss important matters with you."

Pei Qinghe smiled slightly, her bright black eyes seemingly seeing through all of Magistrate Wang's plans: "Magistrate, you are the most respected and admired elder of Changping County. If there is anything you need, just give the order."

She didn't move an inch. Magistrate Wang chuckled and bent slightly at the waist: "This matter is not convenient for outsiders to know. Please speak with the Sixth Miss alone."

"By the way, there's a piece of wasteland near the south of Pei Family Village. The Pei family has done a good job in reclaiming wasteland and growing grain. Master Li, why don't you quickly give the land deed to the Sixth Miss?"

Master Li promptly presented the land deed.

Pei Qinghe took it casually, glanced at it, stuffed it into her sleeve, and led the way with a smile: "This way, Magistrate."

The newly built brick and tile houses in Peijia Village are bright and spacious.

Magistrate Wang refused to sit in the capital today, insisting on sitting opposite Pei Qinghe. With a wave of his hand, Clerk Li retreated to the door.

Magistrate Wang made an unexpected move, clasping his hands together and bowing deeply: "Youzhou is about to fall into chaos, please, Sixth Miss, save the people of Changping County."

Pei Qinghe felt as if she were seeing the same Magistrate Wang from her previous life who had decisively handed over the county office and quickly slipped away.

This time, Magistrate Wang knelt down even earlier and more quickly.

"If the emperor deposes the crown prince, the capital will be in chaos." Pei Qinghe said calmly, "General Meng is leading troops to the capital, and there are still three garrisons stationed in Youzhou: the Fanyang Army has four thousand men, the Guangning Army has six thousand elite soldiers, and the Liaoxi Army is even more well-equipped with eight thousand soldiers. What chaos could there be in Youzhou?"

Magistrate Wang gave a wry smile: "Sixth Miss, there's no need for you to say such high-sounding words. The Fanyang Army is weak, and the Guangning Army can only fight bandits and refugees. The Liaoxi Army is heavily involved in embezzlement. The real elite troops are the Beiping Army."

"With General Meng gone, there is a gap in the defense of Youzhou. If I were a Xiongnu, I would definitely take advantage of the weakness of Youzhou's troops to attack. Even if the Xiongnu do not come, the mountain bandits and refugees will take the opportunity to cause trouble, which is no small matter."

“Changping County is the closest to Yanshan Mountain. When bandits come down from the mountain, Changping County will be the first to suffer. There are only a hundred or so gate guards in the county town. They can scare the people with knives and guns and ask for some money to enter the town. They can’t stop the bandits at all.”

Magistrate Wang hadn't been drinking today, so his speech was exceptionally fluent, and his flattery was overwhelming: "Sixth Miss killed the black bear and then beheaded Scarface Wolf; she's truly the nemesis of the mountain bandits."

"I have come today to ask Sixth Sister to help me wipe out all the mountain bandits. The people of Changping County will be eternally grateful to Sixth Sister."

Pei Qinghe smiled faintly: "The magistrate gave me a piece of wasteland and said a few nice words, and he expects me, Pei Qinghe, to lead the Pei family to fight to the death? This wishful thinking is too blatant."

Magistrate Wang, ever the opportunist, continued to smile obsequiously: "Sixth Miss has only been in Youzhou for a little over a year, yet she has already recruited over a thousand refugees and trains them daily. It is evident that she has lofty aspirations."

"Suppressing the bandits would provide real combat training, yield a large amount of money, food, and weapons, attract a large number of refugees, and rapidly expand our power. Sixth Miss has lofty ambitions; protecting the kind people of Changping County would be a win-win situation, wouldn't it?"

Pei Qinghe smirked: "And by the way, you're also trying to save Magistrate Wang's job and life, right?"

Magistrate Wang, with his thick skin, said, "My selfish motives can't be hidden from the Sixth Miss." Then, he sighed deeply, "I was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) back then. I had no backing in the court and was sent to Youzhou. I served as the magistrate of Changping County for seven or eight years."

"Over the years, though I have no outstanding political achievements, I have never oppressed or bullied the people, nor have I bullied men or women, seized fertile land, or increased taxes. My only hobby is drinking fine wine, so I can barely be considered a good official. Sixth Miss, protecting my life and my official position is protecting the people of Changping!"

It's remarkable that Magistrate Wang could describe being a mere figurehead with no real work in such a refined and elegant way.

Ironically, Magistrate Wang was indeed a good official. Although the people of Changping County were poor, they were able to barely make ends meet.

Pei Qinghe looked at Magistrate Wang and said, "Black Bear Scarface Wolf is coming to Pei Family Village to kill and rob us of our grain. I need to protect myself and cannot intervene. It's too dangerous for me to go into the mountains to suppress the bandits. I will not go."

"Magistrate Wang, please return!"

(End of this chapter)