Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 125 Traveling Together (Part 1)

Under the bright candlelight, Shi Yan's slightly thin and handsome face showed a helpless bitter smile: "I had a big fight with my grandfather, and he kicked me out of the house. I have nowhere to go, so I can only come to you for help."

These two short sentences contain a wealth of information.

Pei Qinghe couldn't help but frown: "The Shi family has had only one son for three generations. Old Master Shi doted on you like the apple of his eye. How could he kick you out of the house? What are you arguing about to this extent?"

Shi Yan explained casually, "For the past two years, my grandfather has been urging me to get married, but I am unwilling. My grandfather has long been dissatisfied. A few days ago, when I wanted to come to Peijia Village, my grandfather couldn't stop me and flew into a rage, so he kicked me out of the house."

"The brothers Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang have been by my side since they were young. I freed them from their slave status long ago. When I came to Peijia Village, they came with me."

Then, with a hopeful look on his face, he said, "I am no longer the young master of the Shi family. My grandfather has already chosen a shrewd and capable cousin from a collateral branch of the Shi family to be adopted. From now on, the vast Shi family business will have nothing to do with me. I have nothing but myself."

"I want to follow Sixth Sister, would Sixth Sister accept me?"

Pei Qinghe felt a sudden, intense pang of sorrow, but her expression darkened: "Shi Yan, don't be ridiculous! I recruit refugees, train them every day, and fight and kill them. I don't even know where the future lies."

“The elders don’t approve of it and are unwilling to travel with me. They’ve already started making a fuss about separating from the family.”

"What kind of person are you, an outsider, who abandoned your family and career to follow me?"

Shi Yan was naturally aware of the Pei family's division of property.

The walls of Peijia Village were constantly being raised and reinforced, and the craftsmen never left the village. Every little thing happening in the village would reach Shi Yan's ears in the shortest possible time.

His heated argument and disagreement with his grandfather also stemmed from this incident.

"Shi Yan! Have you lost your mind!" The grandfather, his veins bulging with anger, pointed at his son's nose and cursed, "The Prince of Zhangwu has ascended the throne as the new emperor in Bohai County. Pei Qinghe should have led the Pei family army to pay homage and fight to the death for the new emperor. But Pei Qinghe only sent someone with a letter and gifts. What does that mean? Don't you understand?"

“Pei Qinghe is ambitious and will eventually raise his own flag and establish his own regime. You have read history books; in every dynasty, the rebel armies never had a good ending.”

“If you step out of this house today, never come back. Our Shi family has no place for a disobedient and unfilial son or grandson like you.”

"Don't think the Shi family can't do without you. I'm going to adopt Shi Li from a collateral branch, and from now on, Shi Li will be the young master of the Shi family. I want to see what you'll have to offer Pei Qinghe without the Shi family!"

Under his grandfather's furious gaze, he resolutely walked out of the Shi family's fortress. Only Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang followed behind him.

He looked up and met her gaze: "If Sixth Miss doesn't take me in, I'll have nowhere to go. I know my grandfather's temper best. In his heart, the continuation of the Shi family is more important than me, his grandson. He will never allow me to gamble with the Shi family. Once I leave the Shi family, I can never turn back."

"I'm going to place a huge bet on Sixth Sister, and the bet is myself. I believe you won't let me lose."

It felt like something was blocking my throat, and I couldn't utter a single word.

Warm tears welled up in my eyes.

I've lived nearly thirty years in total across two lifetimes. This is the first time I've ever felt such a strong, bittersweet, and turbulent emotion.

Pei Qinghe and Shi Yan looked at each other for a long time before she whispered, "Shi Yan, I'm not sure I can win."

"All I know is that I am unwilling to bow down to anyone, and I do not want anyone to control my life, death, and destiny. I want the people around me to live a peaceful and good life, I want the people who follow me to be well-fed and clothed, I want this chaotic world to be stable, and I want all the people in the world to have a way to survive."

“This path will definitely be difficult. Even my grandmother doesn’t support me, and the elders are unwilling. They resolutely separated from me. If you follow me now, you might regret it later.” Shi Yan’s eyes lit up: “Whether I regret it or not is a matter for the future. What I’m doing now is what I want to do.”

Then, she stood up solemnly, cupped her hands in greeting, and said, "From this day forward, I am a resident of Pei Family Village. Please feel free to ask me to do anything I need."

Pei Qinghe took a deep breath, stood up, and helped Shi Yan up: "Since you are determined to follow me, I will keep you here. If you want to leave in the future, just tell me, and I will never stop you."

Shi Yan only listened to what he wanted to hear, and grinned: "It's good that I can stay. By the way, Sixth Miss has to find me a place to stay, and Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang can stay with me too."

Peijia Village has taken in several thousand refugees, and there are never enough houses to live in. Half of the craftsmen are building the surrounding walls, while the other half are constantly building new houses.

Pei Qinghe is the patriarch of the Pei clan and the soul of Pei Family Village. Important figures in the Pei family army all live around her.

Pei Qinghe thought for a moment and said, "Grandmother's room is empty. I'll have someone tidy it up. You can stay here for now."

"However, the village has limited food and clothing, far less than the Shi family's. You should be prepared for that."

Shi Yan's eyes shone brightly, and the corners of his mouth were always turned up: "I can endure hardship."

Pei Qinghe laughed as well: "I'll take you to your lodgings right away, and I'll also call Pei Yun and Pei Yan over so they can meet you."

……

"What's so special about Young Master Shi that we're already so familiar with each other?" Pei Yan burped, put down her chopsticks, and went to find Pei Yun and Mao Hongling: "I wonder what Qinghe's cousin is up to."

Pei Yun's eyes flickered as if she had thought of something.

Mao Hongling and Pei Yun exchanged a glance, both remaining silent in contemplation.

Pei Yan rolled her eyes: "Alright, alright, stop keeping me in suspense. I'm going to go see what's going on right now."

The three of them went to Pei Qinghe's house together.

Also summoned were Pei Jia, Pei Yi, Fang Datou, Zhao Hai, Doctor Bao, and others. Apart from Gu Lian and Feng Chang, who had traveled far away, all the important figures from Pei Family Village were present.

Pei Qinghe glanced at him and said clearly, "From today onwards, Shi Yan is a member of our Pei Family Village."

Everyone was shocked.

Pei Yan was completely stunned and blurted out, "Isn't Young Master Shi supposed to get married, have children, carry on the family line, and inherit the business? How can he become Qinghe's son-in-law?"

Pei Qinghe was amused by the situation and kicked Pei Yan: "What nonsense are you talking about! Shi Yan has come to rely on the Pei family, so from now on, the purchasing, accounting and warehouse management will all be handled by him."

Pei Yan couldn't dodge in time, and cried out, "Ouch!" She grimaced, "I was just joking!" Then she bowed to Shi Yan, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, please don't take it to heart."

Shi Yan was very magnanimous and didn't hold it against her at all: "I am wholeheartedly following the Sixth Miss, and I hope you will all give me more guidance in the future."

(End of this chapter)