Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 10 The Team (Part 1)

After eating the dry biscuits and drinking plenty of cold water, Pei Qinghe quickened her pace.

She moved from the back of the group to the front, leading her people to quicken their pace. Those who were too tired to walk would sit in the prison cart for half an hour to rest before continuing. Taking turns in the prison cart, they covered a full thirty li (approximately 15 kilometers) in a day.

This speed is simply astonishing.

The square-faced soldier couldn't help but exclaim, "This is almost as fast as an infantry march!"

Cavalry comprised only about 10% of Jingchao's army; the majority were infantry. Even at a forced march, a large army could only cover 60 li per day; their normal speed was only 40 li.

The Pei family, consisting of women and children, has achieved such speed!

The soldier with the mole chuckled, "The Pei family has been a military family for generations. Both men and women have practiced martial arts since childhood. They are quite different from the delicate families of civil officials."

The soldiers chatted animatedly, each offering their own opinion.

They spent their days escorting the concubines on horseback, a tedious and monotonous journey. Their leader forbade them from staring at the beauties of the Pei family, leaving them with only the pleasure of gossiping.

Suddenly, Captain Sun said, "Sixth Miss Pei is training troops."

Training troops?

What kind of military training is this?!
All the soldiers stared wide-eyed.

Lieutenant Sun felt a headache coming on looking at this bunch of idiots and couldn't help but roll his eyes: "You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Just keep an eye on things for the next few days."

The soldiers looked at each other. The next day, while patrolling on horseback, they couldn't help but stare at Pei Qinghe. After watching for a day, they indeed figured out something.

"It seems like we split into teams today."

"We're walking even faster now."

"No way! Where's the formation?" The square-faced soldier looked bewildered. "I can't see it."

All the soldiers looked over with disdain.

They were illiterate and crude brutes. But they were still better than those stubborn, square-faced, big-headed soldiers.

Captain Sun, who had been observing all day, said in a low voice, "There is indeed a formation. Miss Pei has grouped the young and strong with the elderly together so they can help each other along. The younger ones are also lined up in two groups, one in front and one behind."

The soldiers were all amazed.

Pei Qinghe, however, was not very satisfied.

After eating the dry biscuits for dinner, Pei Qinghe called a few people over to discuss matters.

Commandant Sun still didn't observe carefully enough. Today, she divided the Pei family, young and old, into eight teams, each with a different number of members, and each team was given a leader.

The women, all over sixty, formed a group, led by Li, from the eleventh household. Li was the oldest and of the highest generation, and with her support, all the elderly elders could keep quiet and behave themselves.

Women between forty and sixty years old formed a group, led by Chen, the second wife.

Chen was known for her fiery temper and bluntness; her words could be deadly. Anyone who wanted to boss the Pei clan chief around had to get past Chen first.

The group of people aged 30 to 40 was managed by Aunt Wu from the Ninth House.

Wu was shrewd and meticulous. She was good at abacus calculation and accounting, and she could manage the logistics and internal needs of several hundred people.

The young wives in their twenties formed another team, led and managed by Madam Mao. Having just escaped the mire of suicidal thoughts, Madam Mao was suddenly entrusted with an important task, leaving her stunned for the entire day.

She was the first person to be scolded tonight.

"Mao Hongling!" Madam Mao didn't react for a moment and looked around blankly.

She has been married into the Pei family for five years, and everyone calls her Erlang's wife or Madam Mao. It has been a long time since anyone has called her by her given name.

“Mao Hongling,” Pei Qinghe said expressionlessly, emphasizing her words.

Meeting Pei Qinghe's stern gaze, Mao Hongling shuddered and suddenly came to her senses: "Yes."

"Your team has forty-two people in total," Pei Qinghe said in a deep voice. "You're all young and strong, so why are you the slowest walking today?"

They were all widowed wives of the Pei family, not bearing the Pei surname, yet forced to endure the tragic fate of their families being destroyed and their families exiled to Youzhou. Some contemplated suicide, just like she had before. Others harbored resentment and bitterness, and some even considered escaping.

With people's hearts in disarray, how can we work together with one heart and one mind?

Mao Hongling lowered her head slightly: "I'll urge them to leave faster tomorrow."

"When the Pei family suffered misfortune, it was only natural that our Pei family girls also suffered misfortune. You were women from outside the Pei family who married into the family, and you were implicated and exiled, enduring hardship. It's understandable that you felt resentful and unable to quell your anger." Pei Qinghe's expression was calm, but her words were unusually sharp.

Mao Hongling felt a pang of hurt and looked up: "Sixth Sister, I never thought of it that way."

Pei Qinghe said, "The Pei family has indeed wronged you. Right now, we must work together to move forward. Once we settle down in Youzhou, those of you who want to leave can fake their deaths and remarry under different identities."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.

"No way!" Sitting not far away, listening intently, Madam Lu stood up agitatedly, her wrinkled face flushed with anger, and she glared fiercely at her granddaughter: "Pei Qinghe! What nonsense are you spouting!"

"Once they marry into the Pei family, they are members of the Pei family in life and in death!"

Pei Qinghe didn't move, and said calmly, "If they want to stay, they will stay. If they don't want to stay, why make them suffer with us?"

"Furthermore, they are not members or ghosts of the Pei family. They are living, breathing people, not anyone's appendages or objects."

"Now I am the head of the Pei clan, and I have the final say on the rules of the Pei family."

Madam Lu was so angry that her face turned red. She pointed at Pei Qinghe and cursed, "You bastard! You're not satisfied until you've ruined the last members of the Pei family! Let me tell you, as long as I live, I won't tolerate your reckless behavior!"

"From this day forward, I will be the clan leader."

Pei Qinghe finally stood up, her bright and sharp eyes fixed on Madam Lu: "The Pei family consists of the elderly, weak, women and children. If they want to survive in this chaotic world, they must unite as one and work together towards the same goal."

"All the old rules are null and void. Now that I'm the head of the Pei family, everyone has to follow my rules. Anyone who wants to replace me will have to get past me with their fists first."

"Grandmother was not convinced and took action."

Lu Shi: "..."

When Pei Zhongde was alive, he could only fight Pei Qinghe to a draw. How could her old bones withstand a single punch from Pei Qinghe?
Li Shi rose shakily: "Don't say such absurd things again. We, the seventeen branches, have unanimously elected Qinghe as the clan leader. Qinghe has done a very good job these past two days, and everyone is convinced of his abilities."

Chen was even more direct: "Sister-in-law, take a look at yourself in the mirror. Apart from having a bad temper, putting on airs as an elder, and liking to scold people, in what way are you better than Qinghe?"

Lu Shi: "..."

With a livid face, Madam Lu sat back down without saying a word.

Pei Qinghe's gaze swept over the complicated expressions on everyone's faces, and she continued to say to Mao Hongling: "You come from a military family and have practiced martial arts since you were a child. You are skilled in horseback riding, archery, swordsmanship, and spear fighting. You are quite capable."

"As the leader of this team, you have to take responsibility. Tomorrow we still have to walk thirty li. Once everyone has gotten used to it, we'll speed things up."

Thank you to all my longtime readers for your enthusiastic comments. Seeing so many familiar names makes me so happy. I will put my heart into writing the new book and won't let you down!
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(End of this chapter)