Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 14 Drills (Part 1)

Pei Qinghe instructed Chen to look after Lu and then summoned a young doctor.

This nineteen-year-old young doctor's surname is Bao, and his given name is Hao.

He was originally an orphan who was adopted by Sai Huatuo when he was nine years old. Although he was called an apprentice, he was actually just a medicine boy who carried the medicine box, brewed medicine, and did odd jobs. Sai Huatuo didn't really teach him much medical skill; he relied entirely on his eyes and ears.

That day, when the guard was looking for a doctor in the county town, Sai Huatuo, fearing that he would be conscripted, pointed to the unfortunate Bao Hao: "Sir, I am over fifty years old and cannot withstand the long journey. Bao Hao is my apprentice. He has studied for ten years and has already completed his apprenticeship. Please take him with you."

As a result, after packing it up, he followed the soldiers.

Last night was the first time I received acupuncture after getting my arm wrapped up.

I've watched it hundreds or thousands of times, and practiced on my own arm countless times in secret. But when it comes to real fighting, my heart races and my hands tremble. How can I possibly hit the target accurately?

However, he was very skilled at writing prescriptions and decocting medicine. His master, Sai Huatuo, prescribed medicine for patients with headaches, fevers, stomachaches, and other ailments, using only a few dozen prescriptions, which he had long since memorized.

When Pei Yun asked her last night, she immediately spilled the beans, telling him everything in one go.

There's no other way but to make do!
Pei Qinghe looked at Bao Hao and said, "Dr. Bao, I'm entrusting the task of decocting the medicine every day to you. My grandmother has a quick temper and a bad temper, so please bear with her."

The young doctor Bao was clearly not very brave. He had been intimidated by Pei Qinghe's cold and domineering manner last night, and was unusually docile and obedient at this moment: "Don't worry, Miss Pei, I will do my best to take care of the old lady."

Pei Qinghe nodded slightly.

Lu lay in the prison cart for several days, receiving three meals of herbal medicine every day without fail. She could also eat one or two soft white steamed buns soaked in hot water.

Whenever Pei Qinghe had free time, she would come over, speaking harshly and making sarcastic remarks, which actually spurred Lu Shi to fight for survival.

"I won't die." Madam Lu lay on the prison cart, angrily taking a big bite of a steamed bun as if she were biting into someone's flesh, chewing hard: "I can't let that brat have her way."

"She despises me for being a burden, and would love for me to die on the way. But I won't... hiccup..."

Chen was both amused and exasperated. She quickly brought over a water pouch and fed Lu a sip of water, saying, "Alright, don't talk while you're eating, or you'll choke."

“My sister-in-law still has the strength to curse, it seems she has survived this ordeal. I advise her not to say such baseless things in the future.”

"If Yan'er and Feng'er heard this, they would definitely go to Qinghe to complain."

After eating plain steamed buns for several days in a row, Pei Qinghe's status among the clansmen rose rapidly, and her prestige soared. Pei Yan and Pei Feng were Pei Qinghe's most loyal followers.

“I am her grandmother,” Madam Lu said, her voice stern but her tone weak. “She can’t possibly eat me.”

Chen glanced at her and said, "Qinghe is here."

Lu immediately shut up and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Mr. Chen grinned broadly.

This was one of the few pleasures on the road to exile.

Traveling all day was truly arduous. The good news was that after eating a cartload of grain, they received an extra wooden cart. When they got tired, they could take turns using it to rest.

If things continue like this, they'll eat grain along the way, and the number of empty wooden carts will increase. They also have a dozen or so relatively healthy mules and donkeys that they can take to Youzhou.

Pei Qinghe was very satisfied with this and secretly gave fifty taels of silver to Guard Gao and another fifty taels to Colonel Sun.

This is equivalent to a year's salary for both of them. He who eats another's food is bound to be obligated to him; he who takes another's money is bound to be obligated to him.

The guard Gao stopped complaining and frowning, and occasionally he would even ride out into the mountains to hunt some game. The soldiers were able to eat meat, and the Pei family, young and old, could also drink some meat soup and have some oil in their bellies.

Lieutenant Sun's supervision of the Pei family has become increasingly lax. The Pei family's rations started with plain steamed buns, then vegetable-filled buns, and in the last couple of days, they've even had meat filling.

Every day, Pei Qinghe would "invite" a palace guard to ride a fast horse to the inn ahead to prepare pork with a good balance of fat and lean meat.

To train effectively, simply eating your fill isn't enough; you also need to eat meat. Sufficient oil and fat intake is essential for maintaining physical strength.

The silver ingots in the box were spent like water flowing out of the box.

Aunt Wu, who was in charge of the money, looked so distressed her face almost cramped up. She hugged the box tightly and said, "Qinghe, there are five hundred taels of silver in total, and almost half of it has already been spent. Why don't we be more frugal and save some money for Youzhou..."

“We can’t skimp on this money,” Pei Qinghe said seriously. “Guard Gao has put in a lot of effort and resources, so we need to show our appreciation. We also need to make sure we’re on good terms with Captain Sun. Otherwise, how could we have such a good life right now?”

This is true.

Among the families of disgraced officials, many died of illness, starvation, or exhaustion on the way to exile. It was also not uncommon for them to be bullied by the soldiers escorting them.

The Pei family, young and old, are living a life that hardly resembles that of exile.
Aunt Wu reluctantly put the box back, sighing deeply, "It's all spent now, and we'll have nothing left when we get to Youzhou."

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow: "I have my own way of getting to Youzhou."

any solution?
Can you conjure up silver and grain?
Thinking about food, Aunt Wu couldn't help but add, "Shouldn't we be more careful with our food supplies?"

“We can’t skimp on it,” Pei Qinghe said. “You need to be well-fed to have the energy to train.”

Pei Qinghe's attitude has become quite clear these past few days. However, the moment she uttered the word "training," it carried a hint of ruthlessness.

Aunt Wu was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "You are the patriarch of the Pei clan. You lead the way, and we will all follow you."

This aunt of the ninth branch, surnamed Wu, whose maiden name is Xiuniang, is forty years old this year.

In her past life, she struggled to survive with women, children, and the elderly. One by one, those around her died, and only about thirty remained by her side. Wu Xiuniang was the most composed and trustworthy among them. She always managed the rebel army's finances and provisions.

Pei Qinghe stared intently at Wu Xiuniang. Through that familiar face, she seemed to see herself in her past life, defiant against fate and driven forward in anger. Her heart surged with passion.

"Don't worry, I will definitely lead everyone to survive."

"Not only must we survive, we must live well. With enough to eat and wear, no one will dare to bully us!"

Two flames flickered in Pei Qinghe's eyes. One was confidence, and the other was burgeoning ambition.

Infected by this intense emotion, Wu Xiuniang felt her heart burning and nodded vigorously.

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and continued, "To live a good life, one must first have the ability to protect oneself. I have already listed a few key points for training. Please ask Auntie to call over the team leaders."

Girls and boys under eight years old are too young; it's already good enough if they can barely maintain the formation and not fall behind.

Women over sixty have difficulty walking, so they take turns riding in the prison cart. Of course, they are not idle while riding in the prison cart; they take care of children under three years old.

The main force that needs to be trained consists of four teams: Pei Yan, Pei Yun, Mao Hongling, and Wu Xiuniang, plus Pei Qinghe herself, totaling 159 people.

(End of this chapter)