Chapter 219: Every citizen has a share of responsibility for the fate of a nation
Back at Furong Cottage, the gatekeeper came to help lead the horses to the stable. In the yard, two maids were also cleaning the courtyard. When they saw Su Wan and Su Jing coming back, they greeted them politely.
Su's mother was not at home. She was probably in Yuyan Hall or the workshop. Looking at the time, she should be back soon.
Su Wan didn't expect that his third brother was at home. The hibiscus tree in the yard was half-open, and the fragrance of hibiscus was floating around the yard.
The third brother was sitting under the tree in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking. When Su Wan and Su Jing came to his side, he finally reacted and looked up at them:
"You guys are back?"
The brother and sister stayed away for eight or nine days, and Su Chen was very surprised to see them back.
A few days ago, he signed up to join the army, and the day after tomorrow would be the final assembly day. However, because his sister and elder brother had not returned yet, he wanted to announce this in front of them.
He wanted to say hello to Su's mother in advance, but when he saw her smiling so happily and asking him about his well-being, he suddenly didn't know how to start.
He made the decision privately. The situation on the front battlefield was unpredictable. This trip might be a farewell forever. Although he was sure he could protect himself, Su's mother was so stubborn that if she knew about it, she would probably scold him to death and would not let him go no matter what. She might even cry and ruin his health.
Now that Su Wan and his elder brother are back, he wants them to help persuade Su's mother. His elder brother is concerned about the country and the people, so he should be able to understand his desire to defend the country, right?
Su Wan always supports the decisions of each of their brothers and gives them the right guidance, so she should agree.
"Well, now that things at home are settled, Wanwan and I are heading back to Xiangzhou. It's rare to see you looking so worried, but what happened?"
The eldest brother is the eldest brother. He can always see the unusualness of his younger brothers at a glance. The third brother has the most simple and unpretentious temperament. He is hardworking, honest, and the easiest to understand.
Su Jing sat down opposite him, and Su Wan followed suit. Dong'er, the maid who was cleaning, made them a pot of tea.
Su Chen's thoughts were seen through by his elder brother at a glance, so he gritted his teeth and told him what was hidden in his heart.
"Brother, Wanwan, before I say anything, I have to apologize to you first!" He lowered his head, and his clenched fists showed his nervousness at the moment because he was afraid of being scolded.
Seeing him like this, Su Wan immediately understood that her third brother had probably signed up for the army without consulting anyone else.
And Su Jing also realized that what the third brother wanted to say was not a trivial matter.
"We are biological siblings. You have done nothing wrong to us. Why are you asking for forgiveness? If you have anything to say, just tell me." Su Jing would never blame his own brothers no matter what.
He hasn't done anything harmful, so what crime has he committed?
"Yes, Third Brother, you can say whatever you want and do whatever you want. Follow your heart. As long as you are doing it for your own good and have a clear conscience, you will not let anyone down and you will not be guilty."
Su Wan indirectly expressed his attitude, which made Su Chen feel much more relieved.
Under the expectant eyes of his elder brother and younger sister, he finally said:
"I've signed up for the army without your knowledge. The day after tomorrow morning, the troops assembled in Xiangzhou will rush to the front lines."
As for Su Wan, she had already prepared for this, so she was not too surprised. But for Su Jing, it was a bombshell. The teacup he was about to bring to his mouth suddenly stopped, and his fingertips exerted a little force, turning a little white.
His expression changed from disbelief at first, then to confusion, and finally to relaxation, but he still threw the cup heavily on the table with some emotion.
"Such a big thing, does mother know?" His tone was still calm.
Su Chen shook his head:
"I didn't tell Mom."
"Nonsense! How dare you act first and ask for permission later on such a big matter? How sad would my parents be if they knew?"
"I wanted to wait for you and Wanwan to come back to discuss this matter, but you haven't returned for a long time. Today is the last day of conscription. It's too late for me, so I can only do it first and report later." Su Chen explained with a guilty expression.
Su Jing narrowed his eyes and looked at him with a sense of oppression, which made Su Chen dare not look directly at his elder brother. Su Wan did not dare to say a word for the time being.
After a moment, Su Jing sighed and asked earnestly:
"Did you do this on a whim, or have you been waiting for this day for a long time?"
"I have planned this long ago, and I won't hide it from you, big brother. The hunter Jiang in Yangaogou was actually my master. I have been learning martial arts from him since I was seven years old. I have been preparing to serve my country with all my skills. Now the border is in crisis. The rise and fall of the country is the responsibility of every citizen. Big brother, you have studied hard for many years and now you have passed the imperial examination, but you still worry about the country and the people. I have the same idea as you, both for our country."
The third brother, who has always been not good at speaking and can't use any fancy words, now said such a passionate speech. It can be seen that he is determined to defend the country and no one can pull him back even with eight horses.
That year, when the master saw him for the first time, little Su Chen was holding a branch and playing with the children in the village, pretending to be a general. He made a few random gestures, and Jiang Yunhe could see that he was a good candidate for martial arts.
By the time little Su Chen was helping to fetch water for the family alone, despite his young age, his arm strength was enough for him to lift half a bucket of water without spilling it.
Jiang Yunhe asked him:
"Boy, do you want to be a hero in the future?"
When little Su Chen heard the word "great hero", his blood instantly boiled. He nodded vigorously and said seriously:
"I want to be a great hero, a great hero with unparalleled martial arts skills!"
At that time, there was a young man in the village who always went out to listen to books. He heard many books about how great heroes served the motherland. What he heard most was how powerful and majestic Duke Jiang was on the battlefield. That was the hero in his heart.
"Well, what do you most want to do after becoming a hero?" Jiang Yunhe nodded with a smile and continued to ask.
Xiao Su Chen thought about it carefully and replied:
"I want to be a great general and serve my country."
It was precisely because of the determination and yearning in the young boy's eyes and tone that Jiang Yunhe decided to take him in as his disciple and pass on his lifelong learning to him.
Ten years passed in a flash. Su Chen had nothing more to learn, and Jiang Yunhe had nothing more to teach him. The only shortcoming was that he had missed an opportunity to gain experience. I believed that when he returned from the battlefield, he would be even better than his teacher.
Ten years later, the determination and yearning in Su Chen's eyes only grew stronger, leaving Su Jing speechless for a moment.
"Think carefully, the battlefield is full of swords and shadows, and the situation is unpredictable. It's not like where I am in Xuanhe. Although the conditions are a bit harsh, they are not necessarily life-threatening. You don't know when you can return home. Fame and fortune on the battlefield are not so easy to earn.
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