Chapter 565 In the Army
My senior brother was an old friend of all the generals in the military camp. They specially greeted him at the gate and even held a welcome banquet, slaughtering sheep and pigs.
They did want to slaughter the cow, but they didn't.
Upon learning that they did not eat beef, the leader, General Sun, suddenly understood. He put his arm around the Taoist priest and ate large mouthfuls of mutton, drank wine in large gulps, and talked at length.
Song Chunxue was taciturn. Among a group of rough men, he listened to them talk about the enemy's troubles, reminisce about the gentleness of women, and think about the hardships his wife and children had endured in their childhood...
"Master, why isn't your junior brother speaking? He looks like a rich young master who has never suffered hardship. He's petite. Are you sure he can go to the battlefield?"
One of the generals noticed that Song Chunxue seemed completely out of place among their group and couldn't help but ask a question.
The key point is that this Taoist priest had no stubble, looked like a pretty boy, and although he was in his thirties, he was as experienced and composed as a man in his sixties or seventies.
What? You're saying she's never experienced hardship?
Song Chunxue immediately wanted to explain.
You can say she's ugly or old, but you can't say she hasn't suffered.
Seeing that she was getting anxious, the Taoist priest explained, "She is a woman, so naturally she doesn't have stubble."
Those who were drinking and eating meat in a carefree manner turned their heads and looked at Song Chunxue upon hearing this.
"A woman...a woman?"
The group exchanged glances; a woman coming to this place was more unusual than anything else.
Song Chunxue casually glanced at the various expressions on the faces of the crowd and took out a dagger to scrape the tendons off the bone.
The Taoist priest explained, "Don't let my junior brother's gentle appearance fool you. He's been practicing swordsmanship for seven or eight years and he's quite fierce. You'd better not underestimate him. The reason I called him here this time is so that he can save more people."
Refined and polite?
Song Chunxue looked at her senior brother in surprise. It was truly the first time a young woman had ever been praised for her refined manners.
These were the most pleasant, yet most embarrassing, words she had heard in years, more delightful than compliments about her youth and beauty.
However, why did her senior brother lie and say that she had practiced swordsmanship for seven or eight years?
Fortunately, they didn't say anything afterwards that upset her.
Song Chunxue ate some mutton, but it wasn't seasoned enough and had a slightly gamey taste. There were no other snacks to go with the wine, but it was a rare and good meal for the soldiers.
The others didn't eat for long either, as they all grabbed their armor and went outside to do their own things.
Song Chunxue didn't wander around; she just stayed with her senior brother and listened to him drinking and chatting happily with General Sun.
Finally, they got down to business, discussing the current political situation and the state of the nation. Song Chunxue then learned that there were wars not only in the west and south, but also in the north and northeast.
In recent years, the imperial court has emphasized civil affairs over military matters, which has made it difficult for us to stand up to foreign powers.
Song Chunxue couldn't understand anything else and was too lazy to investigate, so she simply leaned back on the dirty felt chair and took a nap.
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of soldiers urgently reporting came from outside. The generals wanted to have a meeting, so the Taoist priest led him to the small tent outside.
Song Chunxue discovered that, without needing anyone else to lead the way, her senior brother entered the room and found an iron basin to wash his hands.
"Senior brother, you come quite often. Have you been here in the last two years as well?"
The Taoist priest paused, then admitted somewhat guiltily, "Yes, I've been here twice."
Hmph, I've come twice, but I haven't had time to write her a letter.
Very well, senior brother is indeed biased.
However, her senior brother might be hiding something from her, and knowing her temperament, she didn't press him for details.
There were quite a few people in the military camp, so Song Chunxue couldn't very well find a tent to stay in alone.
"Am I sleeping here tonight too?"
The Taoist priest nodded. "Originally, they had set up a tent, but it was in a rather remote location, too far from here. Given what happened with the bandits last time, it's best to be cautious."
Yes, the two brothers had nothing to be embarrassed about, but the outside world was full of men, men who were rarely seen even by female animals all year round, so the Taoist priest was not very at ease.
We should not underestimate the animalistic nature of people.
Just as Song Chunxue was about to say that she would sleep on the floor, she saw someone carrying in a small bed.
The military camp was relatively quiet at night, but the sound of patrolling footsteps and the neighing of military horses coming from afar could often be heard. The air was filled with the smells of horse manure, sweat, and dust.
I traveled for five days, but I was still not as tired as when I used to harvest wheat.
If she hadn't felt it deeply before, Song Chunxue now clearly felt the difference. She no longer complained of being tired so easily, and she no longer felt sore all over, exhausted, or mentally disoriented from long journeys.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to close her eyes and rest, but her emotions were unstable and she kept wanting to talk.
"Senior brother, do you notice anything different?"
The Taoist priest was bringing hot water to prepare for a foot bath. "What's different? Come down and soak your feet first."
Song Chunxue didn't stand on ceremony, "There are tens of thousands of soldiers here, all men, and the place feels full of yang energy."
"..." The Taoist priest was speechless; he had thought it was some special discovery.
He sat on the chair, took off his shoes and socks, and waited for Song Chunxue to soak her feet. He then washed his own feet, washed his socks, and went to sleep.
There's no hot water left, so I'll just have to make do.
Song Chunxue felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing his actions.
“You should have said you were out of hot water earlier. We could have washed our feet in two separate baths. How could I let my senior brother use my foot bath water?” Although it was common for several children to soak their feet together in the countryside, his senior brother probably had never tried it before.
The Taoist priest rubbed his toes a couple of times, then threw his socks in and rubbed them, saying nonchalantly, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We're not so particular here."
Song Chunxue changed into clean socks, and seeing that her senior brother had washed his, she washed hers as well.
"Don't pour out the water, I need to wash my socks too."
The Taoist priest looked at the dark, dirty water and said, "I'll go fetch some clean water."
"It's okay, wash them twice, and rinse them again later." Song Chunxue didn't seem to mind at all and washed the socks in the dirty water.
The Taoist priest scratched his forehead, looking uneasy.
Song Chunxue carried the water out and poured it in a place where no one was walking. She turned around and saw her senior brother standing at the tent entrance.
Where can I get water?
"I'll go."
"No need!" She wasn't used to having her senior brother run errands for her. "You're just giving me directions. Didn't you say you'd be staying for a month? You need to familiarize yourself with the area first."
"Turn left at the third row ahead and you'll see a simple thatched hut with a water cellar there. People use it for washing clothes and faces. If you want some clean drinking water, it's far from here. Usually, someone will bring it to the kitchen by car, and you can just go to the stove to get the water."
With so many people, getting water must be difficult.
Even if there is a river nearby, water cellars are still needed to prevent the river from freezing over in winter.
Conditions in the military are harsh, and defending the country is not easy; it's even harder than farming because you could lose your life on the battlefield.
In her previous life, she could live to be over seventy by farming, but it would be very difficult for her to survive after joining the army.
She used to think that she would soon be able to travel freely and live a carefree life as a wealthy person.
Now I think she might not have been born to enjoy a life of luxury.
The next morning, she was awakened by wave after wave of shouts.
My senior brother wasn't there, but there were steamed buns and clear soup on the table.
The soup contained a variety of ingredients, including millet, brown rice, and other grains. It was a clear, watery soup with a slightly astringent and slightly irritating taste.
But she drank it all, not a drop left.
She had just lifted the curtain to go out and find something to do when she saw her senior brother rushing over in a flurry.
“Junior brother has finished eating. Perfect timing. We’re about to set off. There are cavalry raiding from ten days away. We’ll catch them off guard today.” He quickly walked into the tent and slung his bundle over his shoulder. “Those people are scoundrels. They only target young women.”
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