Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 327 Return (Part 1)

"The general is back!"

The village of Peijia was in an uproar. People jostled and pushed forward, waving and shouting, "General! General!"

General Pei, dressed in soft armor, rode in with great spirit. After entering the village, he dismounted, slowed his pace, and greeted the familiar faces.

From leading her troops on the expedition last year, to the great battle against the Xiongnu, and then to the subjugation of Liaoxi, she has been leading troops on the frontier for nearly a year. Now, stepping onto the land of Peijia Village, a surge of intense emotion, a feeling of blood ties and flesh intertwined within her, wells up inside her.

This is the foundation of the Pei family. No matter where the Pei family army expands to or how much territory it occupies, Pei Family Village is its root.

Among the cheering crowd were her aunts and uncles, her cousins, her younger cousins, and her little nephews and nieces with their childish voices. Also present was her husband, Shi Yan.

Shi Yan kept a low profile in this setting, even avoiding the front. He stood in the crowd, grinning at her.

Pei Qinghe's eyebrows relaxed, and her eyes sparkled with a smile as she entered the house surrounded by the crowd.

Pei Yan, as was her habit, followed closely behind Pei Qinghe and squeezed into the room. Yang Huai was left behind once again.

Yang Huai twitched his lips and turned to Shi Yan, saying, "General, you've been away for a year. Your aunts and uncles must have something to say to you. I'll go back to my room and settle in first."

Shi Yan nodded with a smile.

Previously, when Yang Huai visited Pei Family Village, he stayed in the accommodations reserved for guests. Now that he has married into the Pei family, he naturally has to live with Pei Yan. Pei Yan's room is basically empty year-round, and Yang Huai has to spend a lot of time cleaning and tidying it up when he returns.

When Pei Yan returned, the house had been cleaned up and brand new red bedding had been laid out.

Pei Yan sullenly looked at Yang Huai with displeasure as usual: "It's all your fault that I have to sleep separately from my cousin Qinghe now."

Yang Huai was unwilling to shoulder such a heavy burden alone, and reminded Pei Yan, "The general is also married and will be living with Steward Shi. Even without me, you can no longer live with the general."

Pei Yan continued to sulk with a long face.

I didn't feel it so deeply in western Liaoning. But once I returned to Peijia Village, that feeling of being forced to separate came over me.

Yang Huai knew Pei Yan's temper and didn't provoke her. It wasn't until dinner time that he approached her: "There's a welcome feast tonight, the kitchen must have prepared delicious food. Want to go line up early?"

Of course I want to!
Pei Yan, who was most enthusiastic about eating, immediately perked up: "Let's go, let's go line up now!" She grabbed Yang Huai's hand and excitedly left the house.

Yang Huai's lips curled into a grin.

They had only walked a few steps when they encountered Pei Qinghe and Shi Yan.

The two did not hold hands or get too close, yet they possessed an intimacy that was difficult for others to perceive.

Upon seeing Pei Qinghe, Pei Yan immediately forgot about her husband, let go of his hand, and ran over, pushing Shi Yan aside in the process. She firmly secured the spot closest to Pei Qinghe.

Shi Yan smiled good-naturedly, slowed her pace, and walked side by side with the sullen Yang Huai.

Yang Huai muttered with slight dissatisfaction, "In her eyes, my husband is dispensable."

Shi Yan chuckled softly, "She's been inseparable from her cousin Qinghe since she was little, for over a decade. How long have you been here?"

“I’ve been with Pei’s army for almost five years, and I still can’t beat her.”

There's a proper order to everything. These sisters have such a deep bond; as husband and wife, they should be magnanimous.

Shi Yan's composure and magnanimity made Yang Huai feel somewhat ashamed and inferior, so he shut his mouth and remained silent.

"aunt!"

Little Yu'er and Little Dog suddenly appeared out of nowhere, along with Little Wan'er and Pei Wang, who ran over and surrounded Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe smiled and agreed, patiently patting their heads and listening to their excited chatter. Pei Yan was quite domineering; she wouldn't even give way to her little nephew. When the puppy got too close, she simply reached out and lifted it away.

The puppy cried out angrily, "Aunt Yan is so mean! She won't let me get close to her!"

Pei Yan proudly waved her hard fist: "That's right, I am the big bully. If you've got the guts, come and train with me at the training ground."

Pei Qinghe was both amused and exasperated, and rolled her eyes at Pei Yan: "Don't bully the child."

Pei Yan chuckled and made faces at the puppy, almost making it cry.

Everyone burst into laughter.

The puppy, still angry, ran to its mother to complain. Mao Hongling, at a loss, chuckled and coaxed her son, "Don't argue with your Aunt Yan."

The puppy sniffed and then looked at Meng Bing with a pout.

Meng Bing took out a few candies from her sleeve and stuffed them into the puppy's hand. The puppy immediately forgot its grievance from a moment ago and happily shared the candies with Xiao Yu'er and the others. After a while, it ran back crying and complained, "Aunt Yan stole my candies!"

Meng Bing chuckled. This Pei Yan, on the battlefield, is like a tiger, fierce and unmatched. But her usual words and actions... well, that's another story.

Mao Hongling was both annoyed and amused, and coaxed her son a few words.

Pei Qinghe couldn't stand it anymore and glared at Pei Yan with a smile: "Why are you bullying the puppy as soon as you get back?"

Pei Yan chuckled and gave a half-hearted assurance: "I was just teasing him to kill time, don't be angry. I won't bully him, okay?"

But the puppy came running over a moment later, stubbornly continuing its battle of wits with Pei Yan. Pei Yan looked completely innocent and shrugged at Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe hugged the puppy, who was incredibly proud, holding his head high like a shrewd little rooster. Pei Yan, itching to get her hands on him, seized an opportunity and suddenly pulled the puppy to her side, tickling him. The puppy, unwilling to give up, cried out, "Sister Xiaoyu'er, Sister Xiaowan'er, Brother Xiaowang'er, come help me!"

The children grew up together and shared a deep bond. They shared joys and sorrows. Even knowing they couldn't defeat the notorious bully Aunt Yan, they still bravely charged forward.

The crowd laughed as they lined up.

With Pei Yan around, it's always so lively and joyful.

Pei Qinghe laughed too. Only in Pei Family Village could she find such ease, harmony, and joy. Here, she didn't have to be constantly tense, nor did she have to maintain the dignity of a general; she could laugh whenever she was happy.

Pei Qinghe laughed heartily, and Shi Yan laughed along with her.

Yang Huai was grinning too. As long as Pei Yan wasn't bullying him, he was happy to watch the show.

The entire Pei Family Village was immersed in the joy of the general's return.

……

After dinner, Pei Qinghe took a walk around Peijia Village to digest his food.

Back inside, her considerate husband had already prepared a large tub of hot water. Pei Qinghe was exhausted and covered in dust, so she definitely needed a hot bath.

Shi Yan came over with a serious expression: "I will help the general change his clothes."

Pei Qinghe laughed and spat at him.

Shi Yan, with a face as thick as a city wall, insisted on serving him.

The large wooden barrel is big enough to hold two people.

Hot water sloshed and overflowed from the edge of the wooden tub, splashing onto the floor.

(End of this chapter)