Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 164 Surrender (Part Two)

The face that appeared was that of a boy who was all too familiar.

Pei Jia was both surprised and delighted: "General Meng! It's you!"

The one guarding the city gate was none other than Meng Ling, Meng Liulang.

Meng Liulang, now nineteen, was taller and darker than before, but still handsome and striking, with a hint of arrogance in his expression.

"Why can't it be me?" Meng Liulang's bad temper was as bad as ever, and he still had that slightly impatient expression. "Bohai County is the new capital of Jingchao, and people come and go every day. The emperor has entrusted me with guarding the city gate, which means he trusts me."

Yes, yes, yes, that's right. You weren't ostracized by the Zhang family; you genuinely enjoy guarding the city gate.

Pei Jia inwardly grumbled, but forced a smile: "It's wonderful to see General Meng. Please, General Meng, open the city gates and let us into Bohai County."

Meng Liulang appeared calm but was actually nervous, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards the carriage outside the city gate: "Has the Sixth Miss arrived?"

Pei Jia replied, "It is the ladies who have come. The Sixth Miss went to the Shi family before the New Year and spent the New Year at the Shi family's Wu Fort."

Meng Liulang suddenly fell silent.

Pei Jia waited calmly, while continuing to grumble inwardly.

You refused to stay with the Pei family army that day, and now you deserve to guard the city gates. Later, when the Sixth Miss summons Steward Shi to be her son-in-law, you'll have plenty of time to be envious, jealous, and heartbroken.

Meng Liulang quickly regained his senses, carefully inspected the carriages and horses, and confirmed that they were not carrying any dangerous items. He also confirmed that Miss Pei was not disguised or mixed in with them before letting everyone enter the city.

"Those who come to surrender must first settle down in Bohai County, deliver their letters to the Zhang residence, and wait for General Zhang's summons. Only after receiving General Zhang's approval can they enter the palace for an audience."

Meng Liulang, with a stern face, instructed: "General Zhang has some reservations about the Pei family army. If you go directly to their door, General Zhang may not be willing to see you. Remember to prepare a generous gift and bribe them."

Sitting in the carriage, Madam Lu couldn't help but lean out and ask, "We've come to pledge our allegiance to the Emperor, so why do we have to fawn over the Zhang family first?"

A mocking glint flashed in Meng Liulang's eyes, whether he was mocking Lu Shi's shallowness and ignorance or laughing at himself for having to humbly bow his head: "I have already shown you the way. Whether you follow it or not is up to you, Madam."

Madam Lu was quite angry. She lowered the carriage curtain and waited for the carriage to travel some distance before muttering resentfully, "I thought this Meng Liulang was alright back then. It's a good thing he left early, otherwise, with such a bad temper, how could he be Qinghe's husband?"

Fang echoed in a low voice, "Shi Yan is more suitable. He is shrewd, capable, tactful, and everyone likes him."

When Shi Yan joined the Pei family army, the Pei family had already divided their property. However, the Lu and Fang families were quite familiar with Shi Yan. Shi Yan was in charge of the money and grain accounts and often delivered things to the old Pei family village. He always came with a smile, exchanging pleasantries with the elders and talking to the children.

Despite her bad temper, Madam Lu nitpicked several times, but Shi Yan never got angry, always responding with a patient smile. One doesn't hit a smiling face. Madam Lu reluctantly admitted that Shi Yan wasn't so bad after all.

After everyone was settled, Pei Jia went to the Zhang family with generous gifts and visiting cards. He was left waiting for several days before finally being summoned by General Zhang.

Behind her back, Madam Lu had cursed General Zhang's arrogance countless times, and she braced herself for the interrogation and humiliation that awaited her at the Zhang residence.

Suddenly, Li said, "I am the oldest and of the highest seniority, so it is more appropriate for me to go see General Zhang. I will go tomorrow."

The Lu family's identity was actually more suitable. However, the Lu family had a bad temper and had recently become particularly irritable and easily angered, which was truly worrying. The over eighty-year-old Li family, supported by Fang family, entered General Zhang's mansion shakily.

General Zhang is forty-four years old this year, in the prime of his life. He is tall and strong, with a slightly dark complexion and piercing eyes. He is domineering and imposing.

Li knelt and bowed, but General Zhang accepted it calmly, sneering, "Back then, Pei Xima was a loyal minister of the Crown Prince, and General Pei was a renowned general in the palace guards. The brothers were utterly loyal to the Crown Prince. I never expected that the descendants of the Pei family would be so disloyal and unjust. The illustrious name of Sixth Miss Pei is truly legendary!"

Li knelt and replied, "General, you flatter me. The Pei family is a family of loyal and righteous men, and the younger generation of the Pei family is also loyal to the court and the emperor."

"That sounds nice, but if you're so loyal, why don't you come?" General Zhang sneered repeatedly, his tone aggressive.

Eighty-four-year-old Li, with white hair and a thin frame, had only a few sparse teeth left in her mouth. Although she was kneeling, her back was straight: "After the Beiping army left, there was a gap in the border defense of Youzhou. Last year, the Tatar barbarians invaded, the Guangning army was defeated, and the barbarians burned, killed, and looted everywhere. Anle County was massacred, but it was the Pei family army that held Changping County intact."

"Qinghe trained his troops to deal with the Xiongnu barbarians and to protect the people of Yan County. This old woman is eighty-four years old this year. She has been traveling for a month, not afraid of the dangers of the journey, not afraid of dying halfway and being buried in the wilderness, and has come to Bohai County. There are also a group of Pei family old women in their sixties and seventies who have come as well."

"The lives of twenty-three members of the Pei family—does that not demonstrate the Pei family's loyalty to the Emperor?"

General Zhang was speechless.

Li's powerful voice softened again, and she kowtowed three times: "This old woman's loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon. I humbly beg the General to allow this old woman to enter the palace for an audience."

General Zhang reluctantly agreed, then turned to his eldest son, Zhang Yun, and instructed, "Have someone keep an eye on these old women of the Pei family. If they make any unusual moves, or if I catch them doing anything wrong, I will punish them with a legitimate reason."

Zhang Yun snorted: "Pei Qinghe is ambitious. She recruited many refugees to train soldiers and occupied Yan County. Now that old woman Pei has offered herself up, why be polite to her? Just kill her."

General Zhang glared at them: "You bastard! We are the imperial army, not bandits. How can we kill people at will? Aren't you afraid of directly provoking the Pei family army to rebel?"

Zhang Yun scoffed: "What trouble can Pei Qinghe possibly cause? Perhaps the Liaoxi Army and the Fanyang Army will soon send troops to wipe out the Pei family army."

General Zhang said calmly, "Then we'll wait and see. In any case, we must not lay a hand on the Pei family women now. Let them go to the palace to see the Emperor."

……

The nineteen-year-old emperor sat on the dragon throne every day, but in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the Zhang family. Major court affairs could be decided with a single word from General Zhang.

With Emperor Jian'an's name on their side, the northern armies surrendered one after another, and loyal officials came to join them in an endless stream.

The Zhang family's power expanded rapidly, and the Bohai Navy alone had 60,000 troops. If you include the Guangning Army and several other armies that were nominally under their command, the total strength was over 100,000.

Emperor Jian'an was delighted to learn that Lady Pei had come to surrender, and said to Commander Gao with a smile, "It's a pity that the Sixth Miss Pei didn't come."

When Commander Gao heard the name of Miss Pei, he sighed, "It's been a few years since I last saw Miss Pei."

Eunuch Shen led the people in.

Li led the way, followed by Lu, Fang, and others who knelt down: "This sinful woman greets Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)