Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 122 Conflict (Part Two)

These last words received praise and support from the elders.

The previous fighting and killing were unavoidable. A woman must eventually marry. If she could become the new emperor's empress, the revitalization of the Pei family would be just around the corner.

Not yet finished, Lady Lu continued, "Bohai County is the territory of the Zhang family. The Zhang family has more than 10,000 elite soldiers and has the merit of saving the emperor. We cannot compete with the Zhang family for the position of empress. However, with your abilities, you will surely be able to make the new emperor look at you differently."

"Qinghe, this is the best path. Just listen to your grandmother. When the new emperor pacifies the world, you will be of high status and wealth, the Pei family will be restored to its former glory, and everything will be fine."

Pei Qinghe did not fly into a rage, but looked coldly at Li Shi, the eldest in the family: "Great-Grandmother, is that what you think too?"

After a long silence, Madam Li sighed deeply: "Ever since Madam Pei was exiled, we have all been able to survive thanks to your guidance."

"The entire Pei family is completely convinced of your worth and willingly follows you. In the past two years, many women in the Pei family have died or been injured. No one has ever complained or resented you. Everyone knows that struggling to survive is not an easy task."

“Qinghe, I support you in everything. But this one…”

Lady Li sighed again: "How can the proper order of family, country, ruler, and ministers be disrupted? The Pei family has been loyal to the court for generations. Others may be able to be traitors and rebels, but the Pei family cannot be."

"Becoming a concubine in the harem is not suitable for you; it's your grandmother's wishful thinking. I don't approve of it. However, I also think you should go to Bohai County to pay homage to the new emperor."

Pei Qinghe also fell silent.

In their past life, too many members of the Pei family died; only about thirty survived. To survive, they all had to fight with all their might. With the fall of the Jing Dynasty, it was only natural for them to raise their banners and establish their own rule.

Throughout her life, she planned ahead, and everything went smoothly. Most of the women of the Pei family survived well, without lacking food or clothing, and without having to suffer humiliation for a bite to eat. They still had their spirits, their spines stood straight, unwilling to bear a bad reputation, unwilling to become rebels, and it was no wonder they were like that.

Most importantly, Prince Zhangwu is still alive and well, and has been enthroned as the new emperor by the Zhang family of Bohai.

Even the broad road planned by the Lu family was genuinely for her and the Pei family's benefit.

Pei Qinghe's silence delighted Madam Lu.

Madam Lu took Pei Qinghe's hand and said with a smile, "Qinghe, you are intelligent and capable. It would be a waste for you to be a concubine. If you do not wish to be an imperial concubine, your grandmother will not force you."

“If you lead the Pei family army to join them, the new emperor will surely value you highly.”

“Grandmother used to be a traditionalist. She always thought that the one who would carry on the family line in the future should be a man. She even thought that when Pei Feng grew up in eight or nine years, you should pass on the position of clan leader to him.”

"I feel ashamed just thinking about it now. You are the head of the Pei clan, and the whole family respects you. No matter how many years pass, the position of head of the Pei clan will always be yours."

“With a female general like you in our Pei family, you will surely become famous throughout the world in the future.”

Madam Lu held Pei Qinghe's hand tightly, her eyes full of flattery and expectation: "Qinghe, it's settled then, okay?"

Having lived a life of luxury, Madam Lu had spent the last two years sewing shoe soles every day, until her hands became as rough as tree bark, and thick calluses formed on her palms.

Pei Qinghe pursed her lips and withdrew her hand.

When Lu's hands were suddenly empty, her heart sank.

“Gu Lian and Feng Chang will depart tomorrow. I will not go to Bohai County.” Pei Qinghe looked at her grandmother, whose expression had suddenly changed, and said, word by word, “Grandmother, you know my temper.”

"I have made my decision and I will not change it."

Lu felt a chill run through her body, as if she were in an ice cave: "Pei Qinghe, you can't lead the Pei family to a dead end."

“The Pei family doesn’t belong to you alone. What gives you the right to make such decisions for them?” Pei Qinghe nodded: “Grandmother is right. I really don’t have the right to make decisions for everyone.”

"I will now summon the entire Pei family and let them decide their own fate."

……

When Pei was exiled from the capital, there were 322 people in total. During the exile, some died of illness, some faked their deaths to escape, and some died in battle. When they arrived in Changping County, there were casualties during the suppression of bandits, and several died while hunting in the mountains. This time, when they went to defend the county town, the casualties were even greater.

Of the Pei family members who responded to the summons, only 235 have come. More than a dozen children born during the past year all bear the surname Pei, but none were brought. The youngest here is a two-and-a-half-year-old puppy.

This is the true direct line of the Pei family.

They were her blood relatives.

The choice at this moment is the cruelest stripping away.

Pei Qinghe's gaze swept over the complicated expressions on everyone's faces as she slowly and clearly explained the whole story.

"...The news of Prince Zhangwu's ascension to the throne in Bohai County will soon spread throughout the court and the country. Ministers who are loyal to the legitimate succession of the Crown Prince will flock to him, hoping to gain merit in supporting the new emperor."

"The elders think the Pei family should also go."

"I do not want to."

"The Zhang family of Bohai is ambitious and is using the pretext of supporting a new emperor to recruit subjects. Prince Zhangwu has no choice but to be a puppet. Once the Zhang family's power is strong, Prince Zhangwu may die unexpectedly from an illness. Then the Zhang family will seize the throne. Therefore, I do not want to go to Bohai."

"The Pei family is now powerful enough to protect itself. Changping County is already our territory, and almost all the surviving people from Anle County have come to Pei Family Village. Quanzhou County and Yongnu County have sent generous gifts to curry favor. Prefect Tang of Yan County sent someone to test us, but I taught him a lesson and sent him back. He didn't dare to utter a word."

"In less than two years, I will be able to occupy Yan County and raise an army of several thousand elite soldiers."

“I have grand ambitions and aspirations. I do not want to end up like my father and uncle, who bowed down and were loyal, only to have all the men in their family beheaded.”

"Life and death, destiny, can only be in one's own hands."

“Those who are willing to follow me, Pei Qinghe, stay where you are. Those who are not, just stand on the side of your great-aunt.”

"From this day forward, our Pei family will be divided."

The moment the words "separate family" were uttered, everyone's expression changed.

Pei Yun was the first to object: "Absolutely not! The Pei family has worked together through countless hardships to get to where we are today. How can we split up the family?"

Mao Hongling quickly chimed in, "Pei Yun is right, we can't separate the family."

Even the Lu family was shocked and furious that Pei Qinghe was planning to divide the family property. "We're not dead, what's the point of dividing the family property?"

Madam Li sighed repeatedly, "Qinghe, this family must not be divided!"

Pei Qinghe said calmly, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. When General Meng was going to the capital, I was unwilling to die in vain, so I parted ways with him."

"Now, I am unwilling to go to Bohai County. No one can force me. Since we disagree and cannot travel together, the only way is to separate our families."

Pei Yan shouted, "I support the division of the family. I want to stay with my cousin Qinghe."

(End of this chapter)