Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 183 Arranged Marriage (Part 1)

Under the bright candlelight, Pei Yan's dark face softened considerably: "I understand the benefits of a marriage alliance between the Pei family and the Yang family. I am willing to participate in this marriage."

Given Pei Yan's temperament, if she truly didn't want to, she would have jumped up and objected long ago.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said in a low voice, "Let's get engaged first, and then set the wedding date later."

This is even better.

Pei Yan immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that we don't have to get married right away."

Pei Qinghe smiled sweetly: "There is an order of seniority. My cousin Yun and I aren't married yet, so it's not your turn. Just wait and see!"

The next morning, Yang Huai led his personal guards to bid farewell to Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe personally rode off to see him off. Pei Yan was also among those seeing him off, occasionally glancing at Yang Huai's left leg. Pei Qinghe glanced at him with a smile: "You didn't know your own strength yesterday, and now you're feeling sorry for him?"

Pei Yan wasn't embarrassed at all: "There is a little bit."

Yang Huai didn't say anything, but the back of his ears turned red.

Pei Qinghe personally escorted Yang Huai out of Pei Family Village, and then instructed Pei Yan to accompany him a little further. Pei Yan rode his horse and escorted him for five li.

Yang Huai was quite touched, and spoke much more gently: "No need to see me off any further, you can go back now!"

Pei Yan laughed and said, "You'll have to train when you get back, so I might as well keep sending you!"

It wasn't that she was reluctant to part with him; she clearly wanted to ride horses and have fun.

Yang Huai wanted to scoff, but looking at that dark, carefree smiling face, a strange warmth welled up in his heart. He swallowed back the harsh words that were meant to be.

This farewell lasted for over ten miles. Only then did Pei Yan happily wave goodbye, turn her horse around, and return to Pei Family Village.

Yang Huai watched Pei Yan's figure disappear into the distance until she was completely out of sight, and then, amidst the winking and snickering of his personal guards, he ordered them to set off.

After returning to the village, Pei Yan went to the martial arts training ground first.

The Pei family army suffered heavy casualties in the battle against the Fanyang army. Pei Qinghe selected more than a thousand villagers to replenish the troops. The Pei family army maintained a strength of three thousand men.

Most of these villagers were migrants who, after arriving in Pei Family Village, first worked the fields. After a year of farming, those who were honest, law-abiding, and behaved well would begin practicing for half a day each day and studying to read and write in the evenings. When the Pei Family Army was short of men, they were a ready-made source of soldiers.

The new recruits were assigned to various battalions and quickly integrated, training together.

Pei Yan's battalion was entirely composed of female soldiers, and half of them were direct descendants of the Pei family. Her cousins ​​and sisters-in-law all looked at Pei Yan with curiosity today. During breaks, they immediately surrounded her.

"Cousin Yan, do you really like that young General Yang?" The first to speak was Pei Zhi, Pei Yan's cousin who was a few months younger than her.

Pei Yan touched her chin and thought about it carefully: "Anyway, I don't dislike it."

For Pei Yan, who is carefree and has a broad mind, this is already quite good.

Pei Zhi looked longingly at him: "In two years, I'll also find a handsome and strong son-in-law."

This remark caused everyone to burst into laughter.

In Pei Family Village, there were no strict rules regarding marriage. All genuine Pei family women were brought into the village by their husbands. Later migrants, some were already married, while others, not wanting to marry into the family, would bring wives from outside the village, and their children would take their surnames. Pei Qinghe did not have any strict rules regarding this.

……

Five days later, Yang Huai returned to the Guangning military camp and gave General Yang Pei Qinghe's handwritten letter.

General Yang opened the letter and immediately relaxed his brow, smiling broadly. "Good! Good! Good!" he exclaimed, his eyes and brows radiating satisfaction. Yang Huai suddenly felt a pang of sadness: "I've married into the Pei family, and from now on, I'll be a member of the Pei family army. Doesn't Uncle feel even a little bit of reluctance?"

General Yang glanced at his petty nephew with a smile: "Sixth Miss Pei said in her letter that we should first get engaged and form an alliance. We can discuss your wedding date with Pei Yan later."

"You can stay in the army without worry."

Yang Huai breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a pang of bitterness: "I'm just a pawn in the marriage alliance between the Pei and Yang families. Nobody asked me if I wanted to be married to that tigress Pei Yan... Ugh!"

Yang Huai's left leg, which had just recovered, was kicked again, and he grimaced in pain.

General Yang showed no concern whatsoever, glaring at her and saying, "Miss Pei Yan is exceptionally brave and strong, a true warrior, and the fourth most important figure in the Pei family army..."

“Number Three,” Yang Huai interjected, enduring the pain, “Mao Hongling has a good temper and you have to be accommodating to her. She always considers herself the third female general of the Pei family. Uncle, when you see her in the future, don’t let it slip. Otherwise, she’ll get angry and turn on you on the spot.”

General Yang was amused and exasperated: "Look at you, you haven't even married into the family yet, and your heart is already turned to someone else."

Yang Huai's dark face flushed red, and he fell silent.

General Yang softened his voice and said, "In short, this marriage is settled. From now on, we should have more contact with the Pei family army. You are a man, so be more attentive and visit Pei family village more often."

Yang Huai nodded in agreement.

This news quickly spread throughout the Guangning army. Some were envious, while others made sarcastic remarks. There were about ten Yang family nephews and descendants serving in the Fanyang army. Four or five of them were around the same age as Yang Huai.

One of Yang Huai's cousins, Yang Hu, had always been rivals with Yang Huai. Now, he had finally found a weakness in Yang Huai and was making fun of him in front of and behind his back.

"A real man should marry a gentle, virtuous, and beautiful wife. What kind of happy event is it to be a live-in son-in-law?"

"From now on, you'll have to live a life of groveling at women's feet and begging for mercy. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache for you, cousin."

Enraged, Yang Huai got into a fight with Yang Hu, both ending up with bruises and black eyes. The enraged General Yang then gave each of them twenty lashes. Only then did things finally calm down.

No one expected that half a month later, Miss Pei would personally come to Guangning Army.

Pei Yan also came along.

Pei Qinghe, dressed in simple clothes, was handsome and dashing, with a striking presence.

Pei Yan, who is tall and dark-skinned, had her long, messy hair neatly combed, making her look much more pleasing to the eye.

Accompanying them were Steward Shi Yan and Mao Hongling, the true third-ranking female general in the Pei family army. Pei Xuan and Pei Feng also came along. Except for Pei Yun, who remained in Changping County, all the important figures of the Pei family were present.

In addition, four hundred elite soldiers rode along, along with a grain transport convoy that stretched for two miles.

General Yang personally went out of the military camp to greet him.

Pei Qinghe smiled and cupped her hands in greeting: "Qinghe greets General Yang."

General Yang returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Heroes emerge from among the young. Miss Pei's reputation is renowned throughout Youzhou. I have long heard of her, but this is the first time I have met her. Indeed, meeting her in person is even more impressive than hearing about her."

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "I have come today to propose marriage for my cousin, Pei Yan. I have brought two thousand shi of grain as a betrothal gift, which is rather meager. I hope General Yang will not find it offensive."

General Yang beamed with joy and said repeatedly, "Such a generous betrothal gift is by no means meager. Sixth Miss is too kind."

The army in Guangning had mountains of gold and silver, but they had few ways to buy grain and were always short of military rations.

Two thousand bushels of grain fell like sweet dew from heaven.

(End of this chapter)