Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 188
Even though Commander Gao had a high alcohol tolerance, he couldn't withstand the constant toasts from everyone and was almost drunk to the point of passing out. He had to be half-carried, half-supported back by two of his personal guards.

Shi Yan had also drunk quite a bit tonight; his fair face was flushed, but his eyes looked clear.

That's how it was when I went to Liaoxi Army to buy weapons back then. He looks relatively sober, but he's actually quite drunk. Pei Qinghe found it amusing: "I'll take you back."

Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang tacitly made way for each other.

Shi Yan walked unsteadily, and Pei Qinghe reached out to support his left arm: "Be careful, don't fall."

Shi Yan chuckled and nodded.

The two inevitably got very close.

They were so close they could hear each other's breathing and heartbeats.

Pei Qinghe helped Shi Yan into the house, and when she turned around, she saw that the door had already been closed by the clever Dong Erlang. Pei Qinghe couldn't help but chuckle: "Like master, like servant. The Dong brothers are both very clever."

Shi Yan, feeling the effects of the alcohol, was confused and spoke less fluently than usual: "In your heart, am I a scheming person?"

Pei Qinghe smiled gently: "Aren't you one?"

Shi Yan touched his conscience and thought for a moment: "I really am."

Pei Qinghe burst out laughing.

Having spent two years together, she knew Shi Yan's personality and temperament inside and out. Steward Shi was always smiling and could chat with anyone; he was a shrewd businessman, adept at managing finances and accounts. Within the Pei family army, he was the most popular person.

However, anyone who thinks Shi Yan is easy to mess with or bully is sorely mistaken. Shi Yan is more cunning than a sieve!

The bright candlelight illuminated Pei Qinghe's smiling face.

Shi Yan watched quietly for a moment, then suddenly asked softly, "I've always wondered why you arranged for Pei Yan and Yang Huai to get engaged, but refused to propose to the Shi family and give me the title of fiancé. Only today do I understand. It's not that you were unwilling, but that the time wasn't right."

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow: "What did you figure out?"

Shi Yan said in a low voice, "That Commander Gao was escorting the Pei family to Youzhou on the orders of Prince Zhangwu."

"The Prince of the County has been installed as a puppet emperor by the Zhang family. Commander Gao has suddenly become the emperor's confidant. His visit to deliver the imperial decree is because the emperor wants to win over the Pei family's army."

"You haven't finalized your engagement yet, is it because you don't want to turn against the Emperor too soon?"

Pei Qinghe hummed in agreement: "Since you've noticed something, I won't hide it from you. Back then, the Prince wrote me a letter, expressing his affection. However, I didn't reply to his letter."

“Now that he sits on the dragon throne, he has the right to rule. The Pei family army is not yet ready to officially raise its banner and establish its name. My great-aunt and the others are all in Bohai County, so it is inconvenient for me to break ties with the emperor. I have been dealing with them and putting up with their behavior.”

"The emperor must observe a three-year mourning period. After the mourning period ends next year, he will marry Lady Zhang as his empress. Perhaps, he is even thinking of making me his imperial concubine in the future."

"Therefore, our marriage will have to wait. Even if we get engaged and sign a marriage contract, we'll have to wait for the right time."

"Shi Yan, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

The last sentence was spoken gently.

Shi Yan boldly reached out and held Pei Qinghe's hand tightly in his palm: "I'm not wronged. As long as you have me in your heart and are willing to let me stay by your side, that's enough."

He is indeed cunning.

He went to her side without hesitation when she was at her weakest and most vulnerable, taking a gamble. And he won.

No matter how outstanding the successors were, Pei Qinghe never wavered.

Shi Yan wasn't usually a clingy person, but he opened up while drunk. Pei Qinghe felt a warmth in her heart and gently pulled Shi Yan's face closer.

She leaned in and kissed him.

Shi Yan returned the kiss greedily. For a long time.

Pei Qinghe felt a burning sensation behind her ears and on her face. Her voice was low and hoarse: "You're drunk. Go to sleep early. I'm going back too."

Shi Yan hummed in agreement but didn't get up. He was a twenty-year-old man, living a life of abstinence and celibacy. Occasionally, a taste of meat would stir his emotions, making it difficult for him to control himself.

Pei Qinghe glanced at him, bit her lip and smiled, then got up and left.

The brothers Dong Dalang and Dong Erlang stood outside the door for a moment before coming in.

Shi Yan's passion subsided slightly, and she waved to the two of them, "I'll sleep by myself, you don't need to serve me."

The two brothers responded, went outside, and exchanged a smile.

Our master has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

……

The heat in Pei Qinghe's heart was gradually calmed by the cool night breeze.

In her previous life, she lived to be twenty-eight. Although half her face was disfigured, as the leader of the Pei family army, wanting a man wasn't difficult. Sleeping with someone wasn't hard, but getting pregnant would be extremely dangerous. She was busy leading troops into battle and struggling to survive, so she simply didn't have the time or the risk of childbirth.

Because of these real concerns, she reluctantly rejected the advances of several men.

The entanglement between me and Shi Yan in this life grows ever deeper. Our affection, like a gentle stream, slowly converges into a river.

She almost impulsively decided to stay and live with him.

It's not time yet, let's wait a little longer.

Pei Qinghe exhaled and slowly pushed open the door.

Pei Yan had a few drinks tonight. She's not a good drinker; when she's a little tipsy, she starts talking nonsense. As soon as Pei Qinghe returned, she rushed over, grabbing Pei Qinghe's sleeve and pulling at her.

Pei Qinghe felt a headache coming on: "Go to sleep if you're sleepy! We can talk about it tomorrow."

Pei Yan said coquettishly, "I wanted to say this now! Cousin, after Yang Huai comes into the family, will I have to sleep with him? I've been sleeping here with you for the past few years, and I don't want to sleep with anyone else."

Pei Qinghe: "..."

Pei Qinghe was both amused and exasperated, and pinched Pei Yan's cheek: "That's a matter for later, we'll talk about it later. Stop nagging and go to sleep. You have to get up at dawn tomorrow."

Pei Yan chuckled and chattered on until midnight before finally going to sleep.

Pei Qinghe showed no mercy and got up promptly at dawn the next day, kicking Pei Yan, who was fast asleep, awake.

Everyone in Peijia Village gets up early. After breakfast, some work in the fields, others go to the martial arts training ground, and all the children go to school. Everyone is busy with their own tasks, and the village is brimming with vitality.

Commander Gao, who had been suffering from a hangover all night, spent the entire day wandering around Pei Family Village, looking around and becoming more and more alarmed.

The Pei family army's three thousand elite soldiers were trained in this way, day after day.

The remaining several thousand men were reserve troops. They were comparable to ordinary soldiers. In terms of discipline, the Pei family army far surpassed the other armies.

If... this were a truly loyal army to Emperor Jian'an, how wonderful that would be?

Commander Gao couldn't hold back any longer. On the fourth day after arriving at Pei's army, he went to talk to Pei Qinghe alone.

Pei Qinghe was already prepared and gestured for Pei Yan and the others to step down, inviting Commander Gao to take a seat.

(End of this chapter)