Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 48 Weighing
Meng Ling grimaced, in great pain, and dared not boast any more. He nodded obediently, "Yes. The bandits from Black Bear Stronghold came down the mountain in three groups, and they were all killed by Miss Pei and her men. Only a few were left alive and hung under the trees north of the village."

General Meng's eyes flashed with approval: "This is using prisoners as bait to surround the enemy and attack their reinforcements."

What a wonderful Miss Pei!
"It's a pity she's a girl." Meng Ling secretly admired Pei Qinghe, but refrained from saying it out loud out of youthful pride: "If she were a boy..."

General Meng sneered: "A real man would have been dead long ago."

"So shrewd and capable, what difference does it make whether she's a man or a woman? A smile and a few kind words are enough to coax a fool like you into doing all the work. Are you planning to go to Pei Family Village again when it's time to harvest the winter wheat?"

Meng Ling muttered defiantly, "I'm a grown man, I won't argue with a young lady."

General Meng was amused by his anger. He couldn't stand looking at his youngest son's silly, handsome face, so he waved his hand and said, "Go back."

Meng Ling refused to leave, enduring the pain in her back and buttocks as she leaned closer: "Father, His Highness the Crown Prince wrote a special letter instructing the Beiping Army to take care of the Pei family's women. Besides the bandits, could it be that the Pei family has other enemies?"

General Meng clearly had no intention of explaining, and said calmly, "Just follow orders. Don't ask questions about things that aren't your business."

Before Meng Ling could ask any more questions, General Meng glared at him coldly. Meng Ling immediately shut his mouth and limped out of the military tent.

General Meng took out two letters from the table and slowly read them.

The first letter was from the Grand Tutor Pang, and the second was a letter from the Crown Prince himself. Several days had passed between the two letters. He read them repeatedly, almost memorizing them perfectly.

In his letter, Pang Zhanshi described how Pei Liu Niang had defeated bandits during her exile. The Crown Prince's letter was much more concise, only stating that Pei Liu Niang was of great use to the Eastern Palace and that the Pei family must be protected.

Sending Meng Liulang to Peijia Village with great fanfare was a declaration to all the major and minor powers within Youzhou that the Pei family was under the protection of the Beiping army. It could also be seen as the Crown Prince's stance.

Doing this would save the Pei family a lot of trouble. However, for the mastermind behind the "bandits," such a statement was far from enough.

The Pei family will face even greater trouble in the future.

Whether the Beiping army should get involved is a matter worth weighing.

General Meng pondered for a long time before putting the two letters back into the hidden compartment. Then, he personally picked up his pen and wrote a reply to His Highness the Crown Prince.

……

"You're going to Pei Family Village?"

A surprised exclamation came from Shijiawu Fort.

The speaker was an elderly man in his sixties, with half-white hair and beard, and a face full of wrinkles. He spoke with a weak voice and coughed a few times: "This is no small matter. You need to think it through before you act."

This old man is the head of the Shi family, and outsiders all call him Old Master Shi.

The Shi family had dominated Youzhou for over two hundred years, possessing vast tracts of fertile land and immense wealth. There were over a hundred grain shops in Youzhou, half of which belonged to the Shi family. Old Master Shi was a shrewd man, nicknamed "The Golden Abacus" in his youth, a testament to his character and conduct.

The pale-faced young man in brocade robes was none other than Shi Yan, the young master of the Shi family and the only male heir of the Shi family's direct line.

Shi Yan's father passed away from a serious illness six years ago, and his grandfather is old. Since he was ten years old, Shi Yan has taken on the responsibility of managing the family business. Although young, he is shrewd and capable, even more so than his grandfather.

“Grandfather, I had someone secretly keeping an eye on Pei Family Village before.” Shi Yan’s eyes flashed as he whispered, “Before the soldiers from Beiping Army entered the village, the bandits from Black Bear Village had already come down the mountain one after another.” “It was not the Beiping Army that wiped out the bandits, but the Pei family.”

"With such abilities and skills, Miss Pei is worth befriending."

Old Master Shi stroked his beard: "Do you want to befriend Miss Pei, or do you plan to use the Pei family to get in touch with General Meng of the Beiping Army, and then pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince?"

Shi Yan raised an eyebrow and laughed: "Our Shi family has always had secret dealings with General Li of the Liaoxi Army. Whether or not we can get on the good side of the Beiping Army is irrelevant. Besides, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Wei's faction are fighting fiercely. Our Shi family is far away in Youzhou, so it is neither appropriate nor advisable for us to get involved in this mess."

"I have taken a liking to this Miss Pei. She is young, shrewd, capable, and will surely amount to something great in the future."

“I’m going to Pei Family Village to make friends with them while they are still in a poor state. If the Pei family suffers misfortune in the future, it won’t affect us. If Miss Pei the Sixth is lucky and becomes successful in the future, we will have formed a good relationship. It’s beneficial without costing us anything, so why not?”

Upon hearing this, Old Master Shi laughed heartily: "Very well. Since I have already entrusted the family business to you, you can make the decision on this matter."

The Shi family sent large quantities of military rations to the Liaoxi Army every year, maintained good relations with the governor of Yan County, and spent a lot of money and grain to support a large number of servants and guards. Building good relationships is not something that can be achieved by just talking; one cannot be stingy with money and grain.

Since Shi Yan had taken a liking to Miss Pei, he was allowed to make an investment.

Shi Yan smiled and said, "Since this is my first visit, I must prepare a generous gift."

Old Master Shi nodded and casually asked, "How old is that Miss Pei, and what does she look like?"

"Not yet an adult, about thirteen or fourteen years old." Shi Yan blurted out, showing that the short meeting had left a deep impression: "Slightly taller than girls of the same age, with fair skin, delicate features, and a spirited air. His eyes were dark and bright, full of spirit."

Old Master Shi's smile deepened: "Oh? More than half a month has passed, yet you remember it so clearly."

He paused, then continued, "The Pei brothers, Pei Boren and Pei Zhongde, were both outstanding individuals. It's a pity they were caught up in the struggle for the throne, and all the male members of the Pei family were executed."

"Perhaps in a few years, the Pei family will have a chance to recover."

Such rebellious words should not be spoken aloud; the grandfather and grandson should understand each other implicitly.

The emperor is obsessed with alchemy and indulging in women; it's uncertain how many more years he can last. If the crown prince can outlive his father until his death, he can inherit the throne and sit on the dragon throne. At that time, the Pei family will be able to rise to power.

Miss Pei is currently the daughter of a disgraced official, but that may change in a few years. If you are interested in Miss Pei, you will have to be patient and wait a few years.

As the only male heir in the Shi family for three generations, Shi Yan bears the heavy responsibility of continuing the family line. How can he afford to delay?

Shi Yan seemed not to understand the implication in her grandfather's words, and replied with a smile: "Whether the Pei family can be restored is a matter for the future. Right now, the Pei family only has one female member and some young boys left, and we have to rely on the sixth young lady of the Pei family to support the family."

Old Master Shi glanced at Shi Yan: "You're sixteen this year, you've reached the age to get married. What do you think of the Wang family's daughter?"

The Wang family was also a powerful clan in Youzhou, and they were related to the Shi family by marriage. The third daughter of the Wang family was a distant cousin of Shi Yan. They were from similar family backgrounds and were of suitable age.

Shi Yan didn't respond: "I'll set off for Pei Family Village tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)