Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 160 Surrender (Part Two)

Going to the border to buy horses is dangerous and difficult. Bring more men with you, so you'll have a fighting chance if you encounter small groups of bandits.

This was also Zhan Fei's way of showing his loyalty. From then on, every move of the Zhan family was under Pei Qinghe's watchful eye.

Pei Qinghe also had this plan, and nodded slightly: "I'll give you two hundred men to go to the two caravans outside the pass. You can set off after the New Year."

Zhan Fei bowed and accepted the order.

Upon returning, Zhan Fei gathered all the men in his household together, announced his surrender to Miss Pei, and informed them that he was going to buy horses outside the Great Wall.

The Zhan family members reacted differently. Some were unwilling to risk their lives going beyond the Great Wall, and couldn't help but mutter, "We escaped with our lives from the Fanyang army, and now we have to risk our lives again beyond the Great Wall."

Zhan Fei sneered: "If the Zhan family is of no use whatsoever, why would Sixth Miss offend the Fanyang Army and take us in?"

The talkative person looked embarrassed.

Zhan Fei continued coldly, "Our family business has been seized, the salt mine is gone, and there are over a hundred people, young and old, plus the steward and servants, totaling more than four hundred people. How are we supposed to survive? Are we supposed to wait for the Shi family to give us handouts?"

"We have nothing left but people. If we go beyond the Great Wall to buy horses, we can forge a new path. We might also gain the favor and recognition of the Sixth Miss. Perhaps one day, our Zhan family will rise again and be even better than before. Maybe we can even witness the day when the Fanyang army is defeated by the Pei family army."

Everyone was thrilled, their eyes gleaming. Third Master Zhan was the first to speak up in agreement with his elder brother: "Brother is right. From now on, we will serve Sixth Miss with our lives."

"In the past ten years, we have been secretly selling salt outside the Great Wall. The trade routes are readily available. We can't afford to offend the large Xiongnu tribes, so we go to the smaller tribes to trade for horses. Those Xiongnu barbarians are desperate for money, so they will definitely be willing to trade horses for the cotton cloth and tea we have."

"Sixth Miss is a woman of her word. She promised to give us 70% of the profits and she won't go back on her word. Just for those 70% profits, it's worth it."

Everyone nodded in agreement, chiming in with their own opinions: "That's right. Such a lucrative business is something no one else but the Zhan family could possibly do."

"Let's set off soon."

Zhan Fei and Third Master Zhan exchanged a glance and said in a deep voice, "Women, children, and the elderly should all stay, and everyone else should go. We will stay at the Shi family's house for the New Year, and after the New Year, we will go back to Pei Family Village with Sixth Miss."

……

The Wang family arrived at the Shi family's residence a few days ago. Shi Yan personally went to invite his uncle, Wang Xun, to come and discuss the matter of buying horses outside the pass.

Wang Xun agreed without hesitation.

Even if it were just a free batch of cotton cloth, let alone a 30% profit, the Wang family would still give their full support to the Pei family army.

In Guangning County, there were countless wealthy families who were ruined and wiped out. The Wang family was able to escape unscathed entirely because Pei Qinghe was backing them up. General Yang refrained from taking action against the Wang family out of respect for Pei Qinghe, the sixth daughter of the family.

The Wang family's ancestral property was all in Guangning County, so it was impossible for the whole family to move. However, in private, Wang Xun secretly sent several promising nephews and nieces to the Shi family.

The Wang family has staked everything on the Pei family army; the stronger the Pei family army becomes, the more secure the Wang family will be.

Negotiations with tea merchants did not go so smoothly.

There were two major tea merchants in Yan County who came to Shi's house for a banquet and wedding feast.

Shi Yan first went to the Sun family, with whom he had closer ties. The head of the Sun family looked troubled: "Manager Shi should know the rules of our tea business. We have to pay 70% of the price before we can buy the goods. Now Manager Shi is asking me to put so much of the goods out as an investment. If things don't go smoothly when we buy horses outside the pass, and something goes wrong, this whole batch of tea will be wasted on the way."

"Here's what I'll do: I'll offer Manager Shi a discounted price. He can pay 50% upfront, and the remaining 50% after the tea is sold."

When it comes to business, haggling is common. Manager Shi is experienced and doesn't get annoyed.

After much discussion, the head of the Sun family insisted on paying 50% of the silver in advance.

Shi Yan said he needed a few days to consider it, then turned around and went to find another tea merchant. The head of the Su family sighed in a low voice, "In this world, business is tough. I won't lie to you, the Su family does have tea, but most of it has been offered to the Liaoxi Army."

"Since Steward Shi has spoken, I must give him face and also want to establish a good relationship with the Pei family army. You need too much tea, so the Su family can provide 20% of the quantity, and you don't need to pay a deposit."

Shi Yan went to report to Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and sneered: "The Sun family clearly doesn't have faith in the Pei family army and is unwilling to place their bet. The Su family is only willing to supply 20% of the goods, which means they also think that the Liaoxi army will attack soon, and our Pei family army is like grasshoppers in autumn, unable to jump for more than a few days."

"We'll follow the rules with the Sun family; they'll pay 70% of the cost. As for the Su family, they don't need a deposit, and even if they supply a small quantity, you can still accept it."

“I gave them a chance, but they didn’t seize it. Once the Pei family army wins a battle in the future, it won’t be so easy for them to surrender again.”

Shi Yan nodded, accepted the order, and left.

When Old Master Shi learned of this, he said to Shi Li, "The Sun family is short-sighted, and the Su family is not farsighted either. You should stay away from both of them in the future."

The gravel should be the right color and should fall.

……

On the day of the wedding banquet, Wang Mengyi, who had just finished her postpartum confinement, finally made an appearance.

Wang Mengyi was in good health, and her delivery went smoothly without much suffering. After her postpartum period, she looked much fuller, with a rosy and radiant complexion.

The baby boy, who was born as thin as a monkey, has become quite plump and fair-skinned in the past month thanks to proper feeding. Grandpa Shi held his grandson with a beaming smile, while Wang Xun held another baby with a joyful expression.

Pei Qinghe also smiled and went over to take a look, generously giving the two baby boys a substantial gift.

Wang Mengyi smiled and said, "On behalf of the two children, I thank you, Sixth Miss."

Pei Qinghe greatly admired Wang Mengyi's efficiency and competence, and said with a smile, "When the child is older, you can continue to manage the embroidery shop."

Wang Mengyi chuckled softly, "With four wet nurses taking care of the baby, I can get busy once I'm out of confinement."

Changping County was the first to raise the Pei-character flag, and Quanzhou County was the second. Two months ago, the magistrate of Yongnu County came to surrender, and Pei Qinghe ordered Feng Chang to lead two hundred men to him. The Pei-character flag was subsequently raised on the city gate of Yongnu County as well.

These Pei-character banners all came from the Wang family's embroidery workshop.

Pei Qinghe nodded approvingly: "With your efficiency and competence, you shouldn't be confined to the inner quarters."

Wang Mengyi is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, and quite opinionated. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "With the Sixth Miss looking up to me and helping me, how could I be content to be a wife and mother?"

Pei Qinghe and Wang Mengyi exchanged a smile.

The baby's one-month celebration ended just as the year was drawing to a close.

Pei Qinghe indeed stayed at the Shi family home for the New Year.

On the first day of the new year, Prefect Tang of Yan County sent his trusted advisors to congratulate Miss Pei on the new year and wish her a happy new year.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, many wealthy families from Yan County came to visit. However, Miss Pei only met with two of them. Both were wealthy families who were close to the Pei family army and had donated a lot of money and grain.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Mao Hongling, who stayed behind in Peijia Village, hurriedly sent someone to deliver a message.

After reading the letter, Pei Qinghe, unusually, looked furious and slammed the letter on the table.

(End of this chapter)