Nianqing got her marriage certificate, and her parents were worried.
When Shen Nianqing received the imperial edict, the coolness of the bright yellow silk touched his fingertips. He felt both the excitement of achieving great deeds and the reluctance to leave his family. Shen Qingci and Su Yunqing stayed in the study that night, keeping the candle burning all night, packing their son's luggage.
Shen Qingci took out the tiger-headed, gilded spear that had accompanied him in pacifying the border from the storeroom. The spear still gleamed coldly, and the handle bore the marks of battle from years past. He personally wrapped the shaft with new anti-slip silk thread and said in a deep voice, "This spear has helped me repel the Xiongnu cavalry and protect the people on the border. Now I entrust it to you, not to encourage you to be brave and warlike, but to remind you that a soldier's mission is to protect, not to kill." He then carefully selected a fine horse, entirely black except for a white spot on its forehead, patted its neck, and instructed, "This horse is intelligent and can help you escape in times of crisis. You must take good care of it."
Su Yunqing stayed up all night sewing a cotton-padded coat under the lamp, her stitches fine and dense, weaving all her worries into the fabric. She also prepared a box full of medicines, neatly categorized and wrapped in plain silk, with clear instructions on how to use them: "This is for colds, the nights are cold on the border; this is for stopping wounds, bumps and bruises are inevitable in battle; and this is for calming the nerves, take a little if you have trouble sleeping at night." She also stuffed many osmanthus cakes that Chen Nianqing loved to eat when she was a child into her bag, her eyes reddening: "The battlefield is not like home, when you feel wronged, eat a piece of cake, as if your mother is by your side."
Shen Nianqing stood to the side, looking at the gray hairs that had quietly appeared at his parents' temples, his throat choked with emotion. He took the heavy baggage, knelt down and kowtowed: "Father, Mother, your son will certainly live up to your teachings, guard the border well, and return soon to take care of you both."
On the eve of his departure, the farewell banquet at the Shen residence was simple yet warm. Shen Yanzhi personally warmed the wine, raised his cup, and said, "A good man's ambition lies in all corners of the world. Your grandfather hopes for your triumphant return and also for your safety." Madam Shen held Nianqing's hand, stroking it repeatedly, her words only lingering on her lips: "Don't be reckless in the face of adversity; the family will always be waiting for you." Shen Nianqing agreed to everything, her gaze sweeping over the assembled relatives, deeply imprinting each face in her heart.
After the banquet, Shen Qingci took Nianqing to his study alone, spread out a map, and pointed to the mountains and rivers along the border, explaining in detail: "This is a dangerous pass, where the enemy can easily ambush; this is a water source, which can be used as a supply point. Remember, in warfare, winning hearts and minds is paramount. Treat your soldiers well, and you will be of one mind with them." Su Yunqing silently straightened his clothes and tied a safety buckle around his neck. It was a jade pendant that she had had blessed by a high monk with her savings over the years; the warm jade against his skin seemed to carry the warmth of a mother.
On the day of departure, before dawn, carriages and horses were already prepared in front of the Shen residence. Su Yunqing gazed at her son's tall figure in military uniform, and finally couldn't hold back her tears, but she forced herself not to wipe them away, afraid of distracting Nianqing. Shen Nianqing took a deep look at his parents, mounted his horse, pulled on the reins, and turned back to call out, "Father, Mother, take care! Your son is leaving!"
As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance and dust billowed, Shen Qingci supported the swaying Su Yunqing beside her, gazing into the direction her son had gone, remaining motionless for a long time. In the morning breeze, it seemed as if the young man's vow still lingered, intertwined with the heavy worries of his parents, on the long road leading to the border.
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