Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 30 Rage

Pei Qinghe's heroic spirit of regarding life and death as nothing aroused the courage and valor of Captain Sun.

The head was severed, leaving a scar the size of a bowl.

Fear is of no use; it's better to steel your resolve and forge ahead, and perhaps you'll find a way out.

Captain Sun laughed heartily: "Sixth Miss is right. I need to pick a fast horse so I can run faster when I'm escaping."

Pei Qinghe laughed and gave Captain Sun a thumbs up.

The Pei family women who knew how to ride horses each chose one. Those who were not good at riding shared a horse. In this way, their travel speed more than doubled.

The two refugees were also given a horse. These two refugees, having managed to survive the fierce fighting, were quite capable. They were perceptive, knew how to adapt, and were willing to yield. During rest periods, they proactively fed their warhorse water. When rations were distributed, they discreetly squatted to the side.

Unexpectedly, Miss Pei came over and handed them two dry biscuits: "I didn't have time to steam buns yesterday, so I only have dry biscuits. Make do with these."

The slightly sour, coarse-textured dry biscuits were considered an unparalleled delicacy by the perpetually hungry refugees.

The two refugees ate while wiping their eyes: "Sixth Miss didn't kill us, and she even gave us cakes to eat."

“We have accumulated good karma in our past lives, which is why we are blessed with such good fortune. From now on, we will wholeheartedly follow Sixth Sister.”

Pei Qinghe moved to the prison cart and the grain cart.

Those who were seriously injured and unable to move were all lying in the vehicle. The most seriously injured among them was the square-faced, big-headed soldier who had lost his right arm.

Dr. Bao, who hadn't slept for two nights, was fast asleep in the prison cart, leaning against the wooden bars.

The square-faced soldier was pale, without a trace of color, and showed no signs of waking up.

The other wounded soldiers weren't in much better shape; they were all pale and weak. Whether they could pull through was entirely up to fate.

It would have been better for them to stay put and recover. However, firstly, there was no one to care for their injuries, and secondly, the post station had become a place of ill omen after so many deaths. They were unwilling and dared not stay. They had no choice but to set off with the others. The official road was not smooth, and the prison carts and grain carts bounced constantly, making for a truly unpleasant experience.

At this moment, all words of comfort seem pale and empty.

Pei Qinghe said to the several wounded soldiers who were awake, "Rest assured and recover. Once you are healed, I will give each of you a horse. Sell the horses, use the money to build houses, get married, and live a peaceful life."

A beautiful vision, inspiring longing.

The wounded soldiers' eyes lit up when they heard this.

Pei Qinghe then went to the injured female members of the Pei family and comforted them one by one in a low voice.

Seeing this, Madam Feng felt very sorry for Qinghe and said in a low voice, "Qinghe, take a rest and don't overwork yourself."

Pei Qinghe felt a pang of regret for her occasional display of weakness yesterday, but was also warmed by her mother's concern: "Mother, don't worry, I know what's important."

Madam Feng moved closer and whispered, "Your grandmother is very saddened by the passing of your second great-aunt."

They've been sisters-in-law for decades, spending more time together than with their own husbands and sons. They bicker constantly, but their bond is incredibly strong.

Chen died protecting Pei Feng. When Lu saw Chen's body, her eyes were swollen from crying. Now, after getting off the prison cart, she sat leaning against a tree, her expression blank, not uttering a single word.

Pei Qinghe did not go to comfort Madam Lu.

The path the Pei family is about to take is destined to be filled with bloodshed and slaughter. Life and death, separation and reunion, are commonplace. Everyone must gradually get used to it.

...Displaced people in Ji Province rebelled and attacked the post station. Sun Cheng, a captain escorting the female relatives of disgraced officials, and Gao Yong, a guard of the Eastern Palace, displayed great prowess and killed 146 bandits.

The case that shocked the Pei family was summarized in just a few words on a memorial to the emperor and quickly sent to the capital.

Emperor Xiaowen has recently been unwell and has not attended court, with the Crown Prince overseeing the administration. Such memorials are not even qualified to be presented to the Emperor.

High-ranking officials in the imperial court did not pay much attention to this matter.

The Jing Dynasty's territory is vast, and the north is frequently plagued by drought, resulting in widespread displaced people. Displaced people rebelling is nothing new. A hundred or so bandits are utterly insignificant.

The Crown Prince didn't even flinch, casually saying, "Now that the bandits have been quelled, we can reward them according to their merits. The Ministry of War will handle this matter according to established practice."

The Minister of War bowed and accepted the order.

However, the young and handsome Prince Wei's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, which is quite intriguing.

General Situ, who was in charge of the Imperial Guard, glanced at his son-in-law.

His Highness the King of Wei suppressed his rage, enduring it until the morning court session ended, before returning to his palace expressionlessly. As soon as the palace doors closed, the ferocity in his eyes could no longer be concealed, and he roared, "Wu Zhong, come here!"

Wu Zhong, a trusted confidant of the King of Wei, stepped forward with his head bowed. Before he could kneel down to beg for forgiveness, the King of Wei kicked him hard in the waist and abdomen.

King Wei had practiced martial arts since childhood, and although he was fond of wine and women, he was quite skilled. This kick, filled with anger, was delivered with eight-tenths of its force.

Wu Zhong was kicked and sent flying several feet, crashing heavily to the ground, unable to straighten up from the pain. Gritting his teeth, he crawled over and kowtowed forcefully, begging for forgiveness: "Your Highness, I have failed in my duty! Please punish me!"

"You good-for-nothing!" King Wei cursed angrily, his handsome face contorted with rage. "You can't even handle such a small matter! I'd rather keep a dog than keep you!"

Wu Zhong dared not argue and continued to bow his head and beg for forgiveness.

In fact, Wu Zhong had not neglected his duties. He dispatched a team of a hundred men, led by his cousin Wu San. Wu San was exceptionally skilled and a true master.

Let alone a mere Captain Sun escorting a criminal, even if you add the Crown Prince's guards, they would be no match for Wu San.

Unfortunately, Wu San's group was caught off guard and suffered a complete disaster. Not a single one of them returned alive to report the news; they were all wiped out.

what is the problem?

What secrets are hidden behind this?
"Your Highness, please calm down." Wu Zhong endured the pain and said in a low voice, "Wu San's team was all wiped out. There must be a reason for this."

A fierce glint flashed in the King of Wei's eyes, and he sneered repeatedly: "My good brother of mine is quite considerate of the women of the Pei family. He openly sent five guards, but there must be others accompanying them in secret."

Wu Zhong suddenly understood: "Your Highness is right! That must be it!"

"Wu San and the others died at the hands of the Eastern Palace guards."

Such a deduction is perfectly reasonable.

The King of Wei continued to sneer, "Today in court, the Crown Prince remained unfazed, clearly having received the news beforehand. I was caught off guard and almost made a fool of myself. What bad luck!"

Wu Zhong immediately volunteered to lead his men to hunt down the Pei family women and save face for his master.

The King of Wei roared, "Who in the palace doesn't recognize your face? If we fail again and your head is brought back to the capital, I won't be able to extricate myself from the consequences! Are you out of your mind?!"

Wu Zhong was thoroughly scolded and didn't dare to raise his head at all.

(End of this chapter)