Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 35 Changping
With his eyes red from crying, the King of Wei glanced defiantly at the Crown Prince.

The crown prince suppressed his anger and responded gently.

Emperor Xiaowen then said, "The Empress and Prince Wei are here to accompany me. You are the Crown Prince, so you must shoulder heavy responsibilities, handle state affairs well, and share my burdens."

As always, no matter how well or thoroughly he did, there was no praise or approval. In Emperor Xiaowen's eyes, there was only Empress Liu and her son.

The crown prince suppressed his anger, respectfully accepted the order, and withdrew.

The moment he stepped across the threshold, the crown prince turned his head quickly and caught the smug smile on the King of Wei's face.

That smile was full of sarcasm and mockery.

Father has already woken up.

No matter how capable or powerful you are, what good is it? You still have to bow your head and submit.
The crown prince withdrew his gaze expressionlessly and went to attend to state affairs and handle government matters.

That evening, Commander He quietly reported: "...I have investigated the five people Your Highness mentioned. These five people do indeed have secret dealings and collusion with the Prince of Wei."

"Should I take immediate action to deal with them?"

A cold glint flashed in the Crown Prince's eyes: "Spare their lives for now, and keep an eye on their movements. If there is any unusual activity, report back immediately."

Rather than alerting the enemy, it's better to keep these "insiders" around; they might be of greater use in the future.

Commander He nodded in agreement.

After a moment's thought, the Crown Prince picked up his pen and wrote a letter: "Send this letter to General Meng."

A few days ago, the Crown Prince's Chief Clerk, Pang Zhanshi, wrote a letter to General Meng, instructing him to take care of the Pei family's women. Now it seems that the reward is far too meager.

Eliminating the Taoist priest, finding the accomplice in the Eastern Palace, and thwarting the King of Wei's conspiracy—Sixth Miss Pei truly made a great contribution.

Since she was a useful and significant pawn, the Crown Prince would certainly not be stingy with her resources. His personal letter clearly indicated to General Meng that he would protect the women of the Pei family. Everything the Sixth Miss Pei needed would be provided.

……

"We've finally arrived in Changping County."

Standing before the boundary marker in Changping County, Yan Commandery, Youzhou, Captain Sun, who had been traveling for nearly three months, let out a long sigh.

The guard, Gao, also looked weary from the journey, but said with a smile, "Yes, it's been a bumpy and arduous trip, but we've finally arrived."

The two turned their heads together to look at the spirited and energetic young woman.

The women of the Pei family were exiled in July, traveling north, and it is now October. Upon entering Youzhou, the weather has noticeably turned colder, and as they ride their horses, the biting wind whips against their faces.

The cotton-padded clothes that the women of the Pei family had made in advance came in handy. Everyone had thick cotton-padded clothes, and hot soup and hot meals were provided every day, which finally helped them resist the biting cold.

Pei Qinghe's delicate cheeks flushed red from the cool breeze, and her dark eyes shone like obsidian washed clean. She gazed into the distance, and as if seeing or thinking of something, a joyful smile curved her lips: "Yes, we've finally arrived in Youzhou."

Everyone else looked miserable when they talked about their place of exile, but when Miss Pei mentioned Youzhou, it was as if it were her hometown, and she seemed to have an inexplicable warmth and tenderness about it.

Commander Sun silently complained to himself, but his face remained impassive. He chuckled softly, "According to the rules, I must first take you to the county government office to register. Please ask the magistrate here to allocate a piece of land for you to stay in. Miss Pei, if you have any requests, feel free to tell me."

Pei Qinghe was not polite at all and said, "The northern part of Changping County is bordered by the Yanshan Mountains, and our Pei family has established itself there."

Lieutenant Sun and Imperial Guard Gao, having nothing better to do along the way, had both looked at the map of Changping County. Upon hearing the name, they immediately recognized it and were both taken aback. Imperial Guard Gao kindly reminded them, "There are several fierce bandit gangs there. They usually rule the mountains, robbing and plundering, making life miserable for passing merchants. When the imperial court sends troops, they hide deep in the Yanshan Mountains. Once the court withdraws, they emerge again to wreak havoc. It's definitely not a safe place."

“This place is perfect for the Pei family to settle down and make a living.” Pei Qinghe’s eyes shone brightly, like a drawn sword, revealing its sharpness.

Having witnessed Pei Qinghe's abilities firsthand along the way, both Imperial Guard Gao and Colonel Sun were already deeply impressed by her. Seeing Pei Qinghe's unwavering resolve, the two didn't try to dissuade her further and spurred their horses straight towards Changping County.

Yan Commandery was one of the seven commanderies of Youzhou, and it governed ten counties. Changping County was a superior county, with a vast territory, numerous mountains and forests, and a total population of over 50,000.

Of course, this is only the official figure. The servants of powerful families, the vast number of bandits, and the reclusive families hiding in the mountains are all excluded.

The actual population of Changping County is at least twice as high.

The city gate of Changping County looks quite tall and imposing from a distance. But once you ride up closer, you can see its dilapidated state, weathered by time.

Dozens of city gate guards lazily stood watch at the city gate, weapons in hand. The tax collectors, however, were much more vigilant, keeping a close eye on everyone entering the city, demanding a ten-coin entry tax.

The commotion caused by more than a hundred horses galloping was quite significant, causing the ground to tremble slightly and billowing dust.

The city guards on watch from the city wall turned pale with fright and hurriedly shouted, "Quick, close the city gate! Bandits are coming!"

The soldiers guarding the city turned pale, and some of them cursed angrily: "These bandits are getting more and more arrogant. They dare to attack the city gate in broad daylight."

"Stop talking nonsense, close the city gates! If bandits storm the city, burning, killing, looting, and ravaging it, we'll all die!"

The tall and sturdy city gate required the combined efforts of thirty people to push it closed.

As the hundred-odd horses galloped to the city walls, the gates slammed shut with a narrow escape. The gatekeepers, still shaken, held their bows and arrows, ready to fire at any moment.

A man's voice came from below the city gate: "I am Sun Cheng, an eighth-rank captain of the Fierce Tiger Guard of the capital. I am escorting the family of a disgraced official to Changping County. Please allow me to pass."

The city gate guard peeked out, looked closely for a few moments, and became increasingly suspicious.

There were about twenty adult men standing at the city gate, the rest of whom were indeed women. However, these women, dressed in cotton-padded clothes and riding horses, all looked quite spirited.

How do they resemble the family of a disgraced official?
They looked more like noblewomen on horseback hunting trips.

Captain Sun unfurled the banner of the Fierce Tiger Guard and waved it back and forth.

Only then did the city gate commander order the gate guards to slowly push open the heavy city gate.

After carefully verifying Captain Sun's identity and learning the identity of Guard Gao, the city gate guard's attitude immediately became much more respectful: "I was unaware of the situation just now and thought it was a bandit attack, which is why I closed the city gate. Please forgive me, Guard Gao and Captain Sun."

The guard, too lazy to waste words with a ninth-rank guard, nodded slightly. Turning his head, his attitude suddenly became much more respectful: "Thank you for keeping Sixth Miss waiting."

City gate guard: "..."

The city gate guard stared in disbelief as the arrogant Eastern Palace guard's expression instantly changed.

The officer, Captain Sun, was exceptionally gentle and polite: "The rest of you will wait here. Please come with us into the city, Miss Six."

Pei Qinghe smiled slightly, glancing at the foolish look in the city gate guard's mouth, and slowly rode his horse into the city gate.

(End of this chapter)