Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 417 Casualties
Pei Qinghe's gaze was firm and unwavering as she awaited an accurate figure for casualties.

Shi Yan knew he couldn't avoid it, so he had to answer in a low voice: "More than 23,000 corpses have been found, but more than 1,000 have not yet been found."

These thousand-plus men may have died while pursuing deserters, or they may have secretly deserted. This is an inevitable loss in every war. Compared to the enormous casualty figures, it is insignificant.

Pei Qinghe closed her eyes and remained silent.

From the very first day of its establishment, the Pei family army has been constantly fighting, suffering casualties, and continuously recruiting new soldiers to replenish its strength. Veterans with more than four or five years of service are extremely rare.

She had long been accustomed to people coming and going behind her, to life and death, to familiar faces disappearing forever. But that did not mean she was not grieving.

After each battle, she would be depressed for a long time.

Only those closest to her can see her most vulnerable side.

"Qinghe, there's another piece of news I need to tell you." Shi Yan's tone suddenly became strained.

Pei Qinghe's heart sank suddenly. She opened her eyes and looked at Shi Yan, whose face was somber: "Who died in battle?"

Shi Yan sighed: "Lu Feng."

Pei Qinghe fell silent again.

Anything can happen on the battlefield. Even the Xiongnu barbarian general, Pu Nu, could die by her blade. Why couldn't Lü Feng, leading five thousand elite troops into battle, die?

"In the battle outside Qi County that day, Lü Feng was the most valiant one to charge forward," Shi Yan sighed. "He also killed the most Xiongnu barbarians. He could have avoided dying, but in his pursuit of a Xiongnu general, he got caught in the enemy's personal guard and was hacked to death by a hail of blades."

"After the war, when they went to search, they couldn't even find an intact body."

The death was so gruesome that the body was torn to pieces.

A tear slowly slid down Pei Qinghe's cheek.

Shi Yan reached out and gently wiped away her tears, whispering to comfort her, "In terms of casualties, we suffered more than the Xiongnu barbarians. But their army consisted of elite cavalry, while ours was mostly infantry. We only managed to muster four or five thousand cavalry from several units. We were no match for the Xiongnu barbarians in horsemanship and mounted combat. This great victory was entirely due to our infantry defeating our cavalry."

"With their commander-in-chief killed and the Xiongnu barbarians fleeing in defeat, how many of them can escape back? The Xiongnu barbarians have suffered heavy losses and are crippled. I'm afraid they won't dare to invade for several years. The people of the north can also recuperate and gradually recover."

Pei Qinghe opened her eyes and said softly, "I understand everything you're saying. This battle is unavoidable. Such a great victory is enough to boost morale and comfort the people. I'm just saddened by the tragic death of Lü Feng and by all the wounded and injured soldiers. I want to be alone for a while."

Some pain cannot be shown even to one's closest husband.

Shi Yan nodded, got up and walked out.

Pei Qinghe turned her face inward, and hot tears welled up in her eyes.

After crying silently and freely for a long time, Pei Qinghe finally felt the gloom and sorrow that had accumulated in her heart ease. She raised her only intact right hand to wipe away her tears.

Familiar footsteps sounded outside the military tent, followed by a booming voice that everyone knew: "Cousin Qinghe!"

Pei Qinghe took a deep breath and turned to look at the newcomer. Pei Yan, her entire body wrapped in bandages, entered, grimacing and supported by Pei Zhi and Pei Xuan. Their reactions differed when they saw Pei Qinghe, whose eyes were red and who had clearly just finished crying.

Pei Yan, carefree and without a care in the world, said, "We won a great victory, and the whole army is overjoyed. Why is my cousin Qinghe crying?"

Pei Zhi coughed and pinched Pei Yan, signaling her to shut her mouth.

Pei Xuan was much more perceptive and perceptive. She said in a low voice, "We suffered too many casualties in this battle. Cousin Qinghe is grieving for the fallen soldiers."

Pei Feng, standing beside Pei Xuan, sighed: "I never really thought much of the Lü brothers, nor did I think much of the soldiers in the Fanyang army. They were really undisciplined and had the lowest combat strength. But in this battle, they dared to fight and risked their lives, and they fought the fiercest. Lü Feng died on the battlefield. Lü Erlang also performed bravely. Both brothers deserve respect."

"When Lu Erge was collecting his brother's body, his eyes were swollen from crying." As her fiancé, Pei Xuan felt much more distressed when she mentioned Lu Erlang: "He has cried several times in the past few days."

Pei Yan then cut to the chase: "With Lü Feng dead, the Fanyang army is without a commander. We can't let the retired General Lü lead the troops again. Should we choose a military general from the Fanyang army to lead the troops, or should we let Lü Erlang go back?"

Pei Qinghe had calmed down by now. She looked at Pei Xuan and said, "You and Lü Erlang should get married as soon as possible and go to Fanyang Army to lead troops together. You will be the commander, and Lü Erlang will be the deputy! Are you willing to accept this arrangement?"

Such an arrangement naturally carries profound implications.

Pei Yun is currently stationed in Bohai County, while Mao Hongling is stationed in Pei Family Village. Pei Xuan has gone to lead troops in Fanyang Army, completely bringing the Fanyang Army under his command, thoroughly reorganizing the military camp, recruiting new soldiers and training them, and in a few years, he has trained a truly elite army.

Pei Xuan agreed without hesitation: "I am willing to go to Fanyang Army."

A smile finally appeared on Pei Qinghe's face.

Pei Feng, on the other hand, was quite reluctant to part with Pei Xuan, whom he had grown up with and was inseparable from. He couldn't help but mutter, "Once we part, it won't be easy for us to meet again."

Pei Xuan laughed: "We've all grown up, and it's a good thing that we can lead troops independently. I'll go out first, and in two years, my cousin Qinghe will also let you go out to lead troops."

Pei Qinghe laughed as well: "You really are a clever one. You knew exactly what I was thinking as soon as you said it."

Pei Feng was somewhat indignant: "Why do we all have to go out and lead troops, while Sister Yan, who is a few years older than us, can stay by your side all the time?"

Pei Yan raised her eyebrows smugly, looking proud: "I can only follow orders to charge forward; I don't have the brains to lead troops independently."

His younger cousins ​​couldn't stand it anymore and spat in unison.

Is recklessness some great virtue? What's there to be proud of!
Pei Yan was not ashamed at all, but rather quite proud, and grinned and said, "Besides, my cousin Qinghe always needs to have some real trusted guards by her side. As the leader of the guard battalion, I naturally cannot be far away from my commander."

Seeing that Pei Feng was almost jumping up in anger, Pei Qinghe was both amused and annoyed, and glared at Pei Yan. Pei Yan, who had gotten the benefit but still wanted to act innocent, finally stopped talking, still not quite satisfied.

“You’re covered in injuries, don’t just stand there,” Pei Qinghe said. “Have someone bring a bed over, lie down quickly.”

Every time she was wounded in battle, Pei Yan would stay by her side to recover together. This was neither the first time, nor would it be the last.

Pei Feng responded and, together with Pei Yue, carried over a wooden couch. Pei Yan slowly lay down, her whole body aching from her injuries, yet she smiled broadly, a sight that was both infuriating and amusing to behold.

(End of this chapter)