Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 473 Extra Chapter: The Pei Family Mansion

Pei's army of 50,000 entered Luoyang and quickly took over the city's defenses and the imperial palace.

All the original garrison soldiers and guards were sent back to their camps, to be dispersed and incorporated into the army later.

Pei Qinghe had no interest in the grand and magnificent palace, nor did she intend to stay there. She returned to the Pei residence with Pei Yun, Pei Yan, Pei Feng, and the other young men of the Pei family.

The Pei family committed a serious crime of treason. The male members were all executed, and the female members were exiled to Youzhou. Naturally, their property was also confiscated and their doors sealed off.

For over a decade, Luoyang has been plagued by constant warfare and turmoil. Countless wealthy families have been plundered, and the once-empty Pei Mansion has been repeatedly looted and even occupied by rebel forces from Jiangnan. The plaque is long gone, and the door is old and worn, but fortunately, the inside has been cleaned and is quite tidy.

With a heart as firm as a rock, Pei Qinghe slowly stepped into the Pei residence, which she had not visited for many years, and distant memories quietly surfaced.

"Qinghe, come here, let me teach you the horse stance." The tall and handsome man smiled at her.

The little girl exclaimed happily, then straightened her little face and assumed a horse stance with great seriousness.

Her mischievous cousin, a few years older than her, secretly tugged at her braids. She had always been stubborn; even when bullied, she wouldn't cry, but would glare back with wide eyes.

Later, she began to formally practice martial arts, displaying astonishing talent. In just a few years, she defeated all her cousins, completely establishing her unshakeable position…

Time flies, and things change. Even though she became emperor, she could not bring the dead back to life. Her father and brothers lay forever in the earth, never to return.

Pei Qinghe suddenly felt a sharp pain in her nose and her eyes welled up with tears.

She was the most restrained, while Pei Yun beside her had already burst into tears.

The year the Pei family suffered misfortune, Pei Yun was about to be married. A calamity struck, her engagement was called off, and she was exiled. From that moment on, her fate was turned upside down.

Even the carefree Pei Yan had tears in her eyes.

When Pei Feng and Pei Yue left the Pei family mansion, one was seven years old and the other five. Many years had passed, and their memories of the mansion were now faint. However, upon entering the mansion, it was as if their bloodline had been awakened, and the old memories buried deep in their minds returned. Pei Feng turned his head away, while Pei Yue sobbed incessantly.

The younger generations, such as Pei Wan and Pei Yu, had no memory of the Pei family mansion. Pei Lang was only two months old when he left. For them, Pei Family Village was their home. The Pei family mansion before them was old and empty, with nothing much to see.

“Cousin Yun,” Pei Qinghe asked softly, her eyes glistening with tears, “If you had the chance to live again, when would you choose to go back to?”

Pei Yun wiped away her tears with her sleeve and unexpectedly replied, "Life doesn't offer second chances, and people can't choose their own destiny. Today, we sisters are able to control our own fate, which is already wonderful. I've long since let go of the regrets of the past."

She was still the same open-minded and cheerful Pei Yun.

Pei Qinghe smiled and then looked at Pei Yan.

Pei Yan wiped her face haphazardly: "Cousin Qinghe, I want to go and take a look at the training ground."

Pei Qinghe nodded: "Let's go together."

The training ground wasn't large, about half the size of a garden. Back in the day, the Pei family's youths all practiced martial arts here. Pei Yan looked around greedily, then suddenly sighed, "I remember the training ground was supposed to be quite large. How come it's become so small?"

“Back then, you were young and your experience was limited. The Pei family’s training ground was your whole world,” Pei Qinghe said. “Now that you have traveled thousands of miles and seen the real world, you feel that the old training ground is small and outdated when you return to it.”

Pei Yan took a deep breath and smiled, "Cousin Qinghe is right. The past is the past. There's nothing to dwell on. Now is the best time for us sisters."

Isn't it?

With the country in his hands and absolute power in his grasp, he reigns supreme over the world.

She was the emperor who established a new dynasty, possessing absolute military power and authority, capable of breaking down all old customs and establishing a brand new era.

Pei Yun and Pei Yan are her right-hand women, and they will accompany her in conquering the world and governing it in the future.

This is their best time. There's no need to dwell on the past, much less look back.

Pei Qinghe laughed: "Now that we're back, let's stay in the manor for a while."

Pei Yun and Pei Yan nodded happily.

The boudoir, untouched for over a decade, was just as old. However, it was far better than the hardships of sleeping outdoors during military campaigns. A brand-new set of bedding would suffice.

Pei Feng and Pei Yue also had their own residences. There were plenty of empty rooms in the Pei residence, so Pei Wan, Pei Yu, and Pei Lang each found an empty room to stay in.

That night, Pei Qinghe felt exceptionally safe and secure sleeping in the Pei residence in Luoyang.

……

At dawn, Pei Qinghe opened her eyes and woke up.

Pei Yan arrived excitedly: "Cousin Qinghe, let's go to the training ground."

Having practiced martial arts for many years, daily morning training at dawn had become a habit. Pei Qinghe smiled happily: "Let's go and call Sister Yun to come along."

Then, Pei Feng and Pei Yue also arrived.

Pei Qinghe grabbed a wooden sword and brandished it a few times: "Come on! All of you, attack together!"

Pei Yan chuckled and winked at Pei Feng and Pei Yue.

The three siblings attacked together. Pei Qinghe moved swiftly, her wooden sword flashing like lightning. She faced three opponents and was not at a disadvantage in the slightest.

Pei Yan, being the most shameless, kept calling out to Pei Feng and Pei Yue to attack. Most of the wooden swords in Pei Qinghe's hand were aimed at Pei Yan, who awkwardly blocked them, shouting, "Pei Feng, Pei Yue, you two, don't just stand there, attack her from the left and right."

Pei Yun, being a few years older, felt embarrassed to join in the attack on Pei Qinghe, so she simply invited Pei Wan, Pei Yu, and Pei Lang to come and practice martial arts.

The three juniors showed no mercy, each picking out a weapon they were good at and charging forward with shouts.

Pei Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled, wielding her long whip with impenetrable speed.

After practicing for an hour, everyone took a bath, changed clothes, and ate breakfast together.

Pei Feng suddenly sighed, "It's a pity that Pei Xuan couldn't come back with us. Otherwise, with Pei Xuan here today, the four of us would definitely have been able to beat my cousin Qinghe."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin have arrived together," reported Lu Wulang, a personal guard of the Emperor.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "Please ask them to wait in the study for a moment."

Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin were invited into the study of the Pei residence. This was Pei Zhongde's former study, which had long been looted, and brand-new tables and chairs had only been moved in yesterday.

Prime Minister Pang sighed to Minister Qin, "The Emperor is unwilling to enter the palace, preferring to live in the Pei residence, which has been dilapidated for years. His food and clothing are still so simple."

Minister Qin said in a low voice, "This is precisely what makes the Emperor so admirable."

Holding power over the country, yet able to restrain his own selfish desires. This perseverance and willpower are truly admirable.

In fact, Pei Qinghe had been living this way for the past few years. With the emperor being so frugal and self-disciplined, the officials of Yan County also changed the extravagant and corrupt atmosphere in the bureaucracy, and the administration became clean and efficient.

(End of this chapter)