Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 52 New Village
Yang Shan was an honest man and did not laugh at Pei Liu's boastful tone. He counted on his fingers for a while and said, "To build so many houses, it will take us more than half a year to work with about ten people."

“During the work period, Peijia Village will provide food and lodging. According to the rules, a deposit will be paid before work begins. Seventy percent of the wages will be settled on time every month. Finally, when the work is completed, the remaining wages will be paid in full.”

Pei Qinghe readily agreed: "I'll do as you say."

A look of joy flashed in Yang Shan's eyes, and he thanked him repeatedly.

This means that for the next six months or so, they will have work, food, and wages. Moreover, this is work arranged by the young master. If Peijia Village fails to pay their wages, they can go to the young master, who will surely not deny responsibility.

The group of bricklayers built several simple thatched huts that day. They were busy the next day.

Following the sketch drawn by Pei Qinghe, the existing thatched houses in Peijia Village were temporarily left untouched, and a large open space was drawn directly on the south side of the village. Drawing lines, digging and tamping soil, and laying foundations, more than a dozen bricklayers were busy at work.

Pei Yan curiously circled around and came back, exclaiming in amazement: "If we build new houses like this, the new Pei Family Village will be more than five times bigger than it is now."

Pei Qinghe was in a good mood, her brows relaxed: "Once the new houses are all built and cleaned up, everyone won't have to live in such a crowded place. Every family will have a new house to live in."

Pei Yan said, "I'll be living alone then."

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and glanced at Pei Yan.

Pei Yan pouted and complained in a low voice, "My mother is fine during the day, but at night she sighs and sometimes cries."

"We have enough to eat and wear, and after a while we'll have a new house to live in. What's there to cry about?"

Pei Qinghe patted Pei Yan on the shoulder and whispered, "It's really not easy to fall from the clouds and stand up again, to live on with your back straight."

"Don't argue with your aunt. When she cries, just say a few nice things to comfort her."

Pei Yan, being young and naive, quickly recovered from the trauma of her family's destruction and exile. Her aunt, Lady Lou, however, had endured the agonizing loss of her husband and son, and it was not easy for her to recover in a short time.

Being able to remain calm and composed during the day is already a testament to her resilient character.

Pei Yan, unwilling to submit to anyone, only listened to Pei Qinghe's words, and nodded in response. Then, glancing around, she quietly leaned closer and said, "My cousin Yun has been crying twice in secret lately. She's probably thinking about her heartless ex-fiancé."

Pei Yun's fiancé is her own cousin. They were betrothed since they were in the womb, childhood sweethearts who were deeply in love.

Unfortunately, fate intervened. Just a month before the wedding, the Pei family suffered a calamity. Fearing implication, the Hong family immediately called off the engagement. When the Pei women left the capital, the Hong family avoided them like the plague, not a single one showing up. Even the affectionate cousin from the Hong family was nowhere to be seen.

After months of wandering and fighting bandits and mountain brigands, her life had been turned upside down. Now that things have settled down a bit, it's understandable that Pei Yun would secretly shed a few tears for love.

Pei Qinghe thought for a moment and said, "Just pretend you don't know anything about this. Sister Yun is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, and she has a resilient character. She can get through this."

As they were whispering, a familiar, slender figure approached.

Pei Yan quickly took two steps back and chuckled at the person who came: "Sister Yun, I didn't say anything bad about you behind your back."

Pei Yun: "..."

Pei Qinghe was both amused and exasperated, and glared at her. Pei Yan chuckled and quickly ran away.

“She used to be a tomboy, but now that you’ve got her back, she’s even more unrestrained.” Pei Yun couldn’t help but complain, “Look at her now, she doesn’t act like a girl at all. You shouldn’t spoil her too much.”

Pei Qinghe smiled and asked in return, "What should a young lady look like?" Pei Yun moved her lips, but swallowed the words back.

Women should be obedient to their parents-in-law, virtuous and chaste, and after marriage, they should be filial to their parents-in-law, support their husbands and raise their children.

But these worldly rules are no longer suitable for the women of the Pei family.

"Cousin Yun, look here." Pei Qinghe pointed, and Pei Yun looked over instinctively. The busy figures of bricklayers came into view: "This is the brand new Pei Family Village."

"I'll set the rules here."

"My rules are very simple: obey orders and practice daily, and be able to protect yourself. Everything else is trivial and can be done as you please."

"Those who can't endure the hardship can leave. Those who wish to stay should work together. If you want to get married in the future, just take a suitable son-in-law."

Pei Yun nodded repeatedly at first, but when she heard the last sentence, her eyes widened in shock: "Taking...taking a son-in-law?"

Pei Qinghe nodded matter-of-factly: "That's right. Pei family women do not marry; they all marry into the family, and any children they have will bear the Pei surname."

Pei Yun was so shocked that she could barely speak: "But, what good man from a respectable family would agree to marry into another family? We are the families of exiled criminals... Besides, it's one thing for the Pei family girls to marry into the family, but my second sister-in-law and the others are all Pei family wives. If they marry into the family and their children take the Pei surname, wouldn't that be inappropriate..."

“Why not!” Pei Qinghe laughed. “It’s perfect. Adding more children will strengthen the family and revitalize the Pei clan.”

"In the future, I will recruit refugees and hidden households. Those who perform well can change their surname to Pei. That's how Pei Jia and Pei Yi came to be. They now consider themselves members of the Pei family, cultivating the land and doing their best."

Pei Yun was speechless, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Pei Qinghe's words quietly spread. The women of the Pei family were all shocked.

The next morning, Madam Lu came to find her granddaughter in a rage: "Pei Qinghe! What nonsense are you and Yun talking about!"

"All women from the Pei family are forced to marry into the family! And their children all bear the Pei surname!"

"How can this be! Are you trying to go against all moral principles?!"

Pei Qinghe glanced at the furious Madam Lu: "What are ethics and morality? The ruler is the guide for his subjects. The Pei family was a family of loyal subjects, but they were framed, and the tyrannical emperor on the throne, without asking any questions, executed all the male members of the Pei family. Do you expect the Pei family to continue to be loyal to such a tyrannical emperor?"

“The father is the head of the family. My father is dead. My uncles and aunts have all gone to the underworld. Now I am the head of the Pei family, so everyone must listen to me.”

“Pei Feng is only seven years old. It will be at least ten years before he marries and has children. Pei Yue and the others are even younger. In the next ten years or so, if the Pei family wants to increase its population and strengthen its power, taking in a son-in-law is the best way.”

"In the world, the husband is the head of the household, but in Pei Family Village, the wife is the head of the household."

"What's wrong with these clan rules?"

Madam Lu's face turned red with anger: "You're so sharp-tongued, I can't argue with you. In short, the marriage proposal is unacceptable, I don't agree."

"And what's with having children born with the surname Pei? That's utter nonsense! It disrupts the Pei bloodline! Go ask the elders in the clan, they'll all object!"

Pei Qinghe said calmly, "Then let's hold a Pei clan meeting and ask everyone in the Pei family what they think."

(End of this chapter)