Pei Ze reunited with Ye Suijin in Yanchen City.
He finally saw the looks of Ye Suijin that the adopted sons praised as "truly handsome" every day.
Even he was mature, he agreed with the adopted sons in his heart.
It was indeed handsome.
Pei Ze complimented: "Nice spear."
Ye Suijin turned her head and pulled the corner of her mouth: "Nice blade too."
She glanced at him: "Long time no see."
The last sentence made Pei Ze puzzled.
But Ye Suijin had already turned her head and thrust out a spear, striking down an enemy soldier. The opportunity passed, and there was no chance to ask again.
Pei Ze swung his long blade in circles, his blade was sharp, and wherever it cut a human body, blood spurted out with a hiss.
Ye Suijin glanced back and felt nostalgic.
That year when she heard that this man had passed away, Ye Suijin was silent for a long time, and also burned paper money for him, worshipping from afar.
Over those years of expeditions to the north and south, she had burned paper for too many people.
There were close relatives, and people she had once disliked. But these people all had one thing in common - they had fought side by side with her.
Bathing in blood together on the battlefield, facing difficulties together, unconsciously bumping fists, and generously clinking wine cups and drinking baijiu together.
Some gratitudes and grudges on the battlefield sometimes became trivial.
Of course after leaving the battlefield, the Ye family was still the Ye family, and the Pei family was still the Pei family. Interests were at stake, and no one could compromise.
After the city was broken, it would be over soon.
The will to fight of the defenders of Yanchen City was not high.
Why should they fight desperately? Jun Prefecture had not established a country, it was just one prefecture, and there was no idea of serving the country. They had even sent envoys to swear allegiance to Emperor Jin. The Ye and Pei families came with Emperor Jin's edict to attack them, so their morale was down from the start.
The soldiers did not have the heart to fight to the death.
After the city fell, the rebel chiefs were executed, and many soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered.
The Ye family army cleaned up the battlefield.
Ye Suijin emphasized: "Mine."
Pei Ze glared at her.
Ye Suijin smiled amiably: "Let me tidy up first, after we're done, I'll fund the army. The brothers of the Pei family can also have a good meal."
It was agreed that this city would go to the Ye family, so the Pei family army did not get involved, and still camped outside the city. Only Pei Ze stayed in the city with some of his personal guards.
He then saw many people from the Ye family busy going to and fro.
Even Tenth Son could not be idle, Ye Suijin kept him running around in circles. Tenth Son ran backwards facing Yan Xiao and said: "Don't leave the city, my brothers said they are looking for you to drink..."
Yan Xiao coughed loudly! And desperately signaled with his eyes!
Tenth Son changed his words: "Drink...tea, cough!"
He turned around and almost bumped into someone else.
Then ran away.
Pei Ze saw Ye Suijin ask others: "Where is A Jin?"
Others said: "He is in the medical tent getting his wounds bandaged."
Pei Ze saw Ye Suijin's eyebrows furrowed.
Yan Xiao took the opportunity to say: "Duan Jin is injured? My lady, let me go see him."
After getting approval, he also ran away.
Ye Suijin invited Fourth Madam Ye to come, and said to Pei Ze: "The residence has been arranged, General Pei please take a rest first."
Pei Ze nodded, and went with his personal guards and some Ye family members.
Ye Suijin walked quickly to the medical tent, and sure enough Duan Jin was there, but Yan Xiao was not seen.
Ye Suijin asked: "Where is Yan Lingzhi?"
Duan Jin said: "He came to take a look at me then ran away."
Young people easily got along with each other, especially these young people with excellent martial arts skills. Yan Xiao had spent quite a few days in Biyang City, and was familiar with them.
Ye Suijin pulled up Duan Jin's arm: "Ribs?"
Duan Jin said: "Got slashed by a blade, it was a sneak attack."
Ye Suijin said: "You must have charged too fiercely, only paying attention to the front."
Duan Jin grinned.
In Ye Suijin's eyes, this kind of injury was just a minor wound. Seeing that he was fine, she felt relieved.
If one wanted to become a famous general, wounds were unavoidable.
The Empress also had many wounds later. Sometimes in the dark, the Emperor would caress those scars and mumble something unknown.
She was too lazy to listen.
Yan Xiao took a detour and came back to report to Pei Ze: "Everyone is handling affairs very systematically."
Pei Ze nodded slightly.
Occupying a city, there were naturally many things to be busy with.
Pei Ze watched coldly, Ye Suijin had a whole team of clerical officers, and they worked efficiently without chaos, in an orderly fashion. It was obviously very mature.
Pei Ze had to admit he was inadequate in this aspect.
In his youth, gallant in bright armor and vigorous steed, he only loved military affairs. He did not like those trivial and complicated political affairs.
He always felt that his father was still vigorous, and had so many aides and staff, like a small court. It would still be many years before he took power, so there was no hurry.
The winds and clouds changed overnight.
The candlelight on the spirit hall had not yet died out, and the bloodshed was already approaching.
Galloping eastward escaping under the night, looking back, knowing that his wife and children were behind.
Yet his life was only saved because the guards sacrificed their own lives to save him out. Pursuing troops followed closely behind, and Wang Rong wanted to eliminate the roots.
He could only grit his teeth and continue east, abandoning everything behind.
Life in exile was not easy, he was hunted by pursuing troops for several years. Until Wang Rong no longer cared about him.
Only then did he settle down in Fang Prefecture with his people.
Fang Prefecture was not well governed. Mainly because his military expenditures were too huge. And the two constrained each other.
Looking at the Ye family again, it is fair to say that they had the right time, location and people.
Rising amidst turbulent times, this was the right time.
Starting out from their hometown, this was the right location.
Having a prosperous clan with many offspring, this was the right people.
More important than these was that the Ye family had broken away from gender bias, and chose Ye Suijin, a woman, to be the helmsman.
In recent contacts, Pei Ze often saw the shadow of his own father from this young woman Ye Suijin.
That decisiveness, insight, may be innate, but the sophistication that could be felt must have come from somewhere?
That would require years of governance experience like his father had, before such accumulation and enhancement could happen.
Ye Suijin's current goal was Jun Prefecture, what would her next goal be?
She would definitely not be satisfied and stop advancing after merely obtaining Jun Prefecture.
Emperor Jin, did he know what kind of person he had conferred the title of Prefect of Deng Prefecture to?
Pei Ze had never really submitted to Emperor Jin.
He was just like Ye Suijin, paying homage was just a means of survival. War was also a means of survival.
The basic goal was survival.
If possible, for two generations, or three generations, perhaps they could fight back to Jiannan Circuit.
It was very convenient for supplies and provisions to be transported from Rang County.
Ye Suijin made good on her promise, and did fund the army, treating the Pei family army to a good meal.
Everyone ate happily, the campfires blazed, lighting up flushed faces.
But the few young masters of the Ye family clamored into a pile.
Fifth Son was hunched over, Tenth Son was lying on his back, just short of riding his neck. Seventh Son and Ninth Son, the two younger ones, one grabbing Fifth Son's arm, the other prying his shoulder: "Take it out quickly and let us see!"
The others just giggled watching them. Yan Xiao was actually fooling around here too, standing with hands on hips laughing at the brothers horsing around.
Ye Suijin went over and scolded: "What are you doing? Tenth Son, don't you have wounds on your body?"
"Sixth sister!" Tenth Son choked Fifth Son's neck, "Fifth brother has a love letter, he won't let us see."
"Don't talk nonsense! What love letter." Fifth Son's face was beet red, "Just a letter asking how I'm doing."
It turned out that the supply convoy had brought a letter from Fifth Son's fiancée.
Fifth Son was originally going to get married this month. This was agreed upon over the new year.
As it turned out, plans could not keep up with changes. Fourth Madam Ye and Ye Suijin had discussed this matter.
"He doesn't want to marry early, but doesn't want to stay for the wedding either." Fourth Madam Ye giggled, "This boy..."
Not wanting to marry early was for fear of haste, not wanting to stay for the wedding was because the important people were not there, afraid the wedding would be too simple.
All for fear of wronging the new bride.
Fifth Son also understood in his heart why the bride's family was so anxious for the marriage. So he wanted to give face to his fiancée, hoping that during the wedding, prestigious people could attend.
The most crucial was for Ye Suijin to be able to attend.
So the wedding was postponed, deciding to get married after pacifying Jun Prefecture.
"They are an engaged couple exchanging letters, what are you all looking at." Ye Suijin scolded playfully, "Scram."
Seventh Son and Ninth Son each got a kick, Tenth Son jumped away quickly, hopping down from Fifth Son's back, dodging it.
Seventh Son and Ninth Son chased to hit him: "Why do you get away with it!"
They ran away laughing.
Ye Suijin asked: "Isn't Lan Niang very worried about you?"
Fifth Son's face was red, but he admitted: "Yes, her temperament is somewhat melancholy."
Ye Suijin's expression was very gentle in the firelight: "Say some nice things to her, don't let her be anxious and sad."
Fifth Son's face reddened as he nodded.
Ye Suijin immediately wrote a letter to Twelfth Sister, to be taken back by the supply convoy.
Twelfth Sister was very surprised to receive the letter.
She was staying at Ye Family Fort precisely. Since A Gui was still young, the weather in April was cold one moment and hot the next, Fourth Madam and Tong Niang had not yet moved to Biyang.
The original plan was also to hold Fifth Son's wedding ceremony at Ye Family Fort, and move to Biyang together after it was done.
Twelfth Sister went to find Fourth Madam.
Fourth Madam was playing with A Gui together with Tong Niang.
Twelfth Sister raised the letter in her hand, "Mother, guess who wrote me a letter?"
"Someone wrote you a letter? Is it Chen Ling?" Fourth Madam asked.
Twelfth Sister's teacher, Chen Xiansheng, was now the county magistrate, and people also respectfully addressed him as Chen Ling.
"Of course not. You would never guess." Twelfth Sister said, "It was Sixth Sister."
"You're just boasting. " Fourth Madam did not believe at all, "Sixth Sister is leading troops to attack Jun Prefecture, how could she have time to write a letter to you, a little girl. "
What status Sixth Sister had now, not to mention handling ten thousand matters daily, she had to handle at least a thousand matters, at the very least she had to handle a hundred matters.
Her aunts did not even have a chance to get close to her.
"It's true, see if you don't believe." Twelfth Sister stuffed the letter into Fourth Madam's hand and said proudly, "Sixth Sister said that because Sister Lan Niang's wedding date has been postponed for some reason, and my little brother is fighting outside, she is afraid Sister Lan Niang will be worried and fall ill, which would be bad. Sixth Sister has given me a task, telling me to teach Sister Lan Niang to ride a horse and take her to relax. Let her wait for her wedding happily."
Fourth Madam read through it in one quick glance.
Ye Suijin also said that if Lan Niang's family asked, let Twelfth Sister say directly that it was Ye Suijin's intention.
It was needless to say that in Deng Prefecture and Tang Prefecture, no one dared to go against Ye Suijin's wishes.
After reading it, on one hand, Fourth Madam was delighted that Ye Suijin valued her daughter-in-law so much and was close with her daughter. On the other hand, she was annoyed that Twelfth Sister was so silly and ignorant, not understanding the ways of the inner quarters at all.
She should not have shouted about such matters in front of her elder sister-in-law.
When she was reading the letter, Tong Niang was also holding A Gui and came over to read it together.
Fourth Madam glared at Twelfth Sister, and said to Tong Niang, "Look, Sixth Sister treats our family differently than other families. She is concerned about Lan Niang because Fifth Son's wedding has been delayed. After all, Lan Niang has not married into our family yet, she is not one of us yet."
Tong Niang had a gentle personality, she did not feel jealous about this, moreover she was the elder sister-in-law.
She smiled, "Since Lan Niang has postponed the wedding again, and has to worry about Fifth Son fighting outside, she must be very anxious. Letting Twelfth Sister accompany Lan Niang is good, it will also allow them as sisters-in-law to get acquainted early."
The elder daughter-in-law was gentle and understanding, not competing for favor with the younger daughter-in-law, Fourth Madam felt relieved.
She also thought that her family was indeed different from other families, and had received such attention from Sixth Sister, her face could not help glowing with pride.
She had firmly suppressed her co-wives!
