Chapter 226 Traitors in Turbulent Times (Part Two): How to Become a Top-Tier Strategist...
After saying this, the girl wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, her eyes red as she looked at the young man in front of her: "A-Ce, the rain is getting heavier and heavier. You're weak, you can't get wet. Come on, let's go back together and take shelter from the rain!"
Song Ce stared blankly at the village through the rain. His body was too weak. He had only walked a short distance in the rain when he felt he could no longer hold on.
At the girl's repeated requests, he nodded and replied, "Okay, let's go." He figured he'd meet these people sooner or later anyway, so it was good to get a head start.
Upon hearing this, the girl immediately lit up with joy and hurriedly took out a coarse cloth from her person and handed it over, saying, "This...this cloth is clean. You can wipe your face first so you don't catch a cold."
"……Um."
Song Ce took the handkerchief and silently followed her toward the north of the village.
The girl walked half a step ahead, the hem of her blue cloth shirt already soaked by the rain, clinging to her thin calves. She would occasionally glance back at Song Ce, her eyes almost unable to hide her worry, yet she dared not say much, only considerately slowing her pace so that he could keep up with her.
"This rain is likely to continue until late tonight," she said softly, as if deliberately trying to start a conversation. "The rice in the fields is already sparse; if it keeps soaking like this, it won't be good."
Song Ce hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the rice paddies by the roadside, before tentatively asking, "Are Father and Mother... alright?"
The girl paused, and when she turned to look at him, her eyes held a hint of hope and emotion.
“Father is doing well, but Mother’s cough has flared up again. She’s been coughing so much these past few days that she can’t sleep. I was thinking of going to Madam Zhou’s house to do some laundry and mending, but it’s been raining for days on end, and the road to the county is really difficult to travel, so I’ve been delayed…”
After hearing these words, Song Ce sighed softly. It seemed that the family's situation was even worse than he had imagined.
Before long, the two arrived at a low mud-brick house. Several corners had collapsed, suggesting that the house inevitably leaked when it rained.
"Father, Mother, A-Ce is back!" The girl stepped forward, pushed open the half-closed wooden door, and called out loudly.
As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain of the east room was lifted, and a middle-aged man in a patched short jacket came out. His eyes lit up when he saw Song Ce, but he opened his mouth and didn't say anything.
"I heard that my mother was sick, so I thought I would come back to see her."
"Yes, it's good that you're back." Song's father smiled and patted his shoulder. "Your mother has been talking about you a lot these past few days, tossing and turning at night, afraid that you'll make yourself sick. If she hadn't been feeling really unwell these past few days, she probably would have gone to see you long ago."
"It's me..." Song Ce was about to speak when a violent coughing sound suddenly came from the east room.
"Cough! Cough! Cough cough!"
"Mother—" the girl exclaimed and ran into the house, with Song Ce following behind her.
A gaunt woman lay on the low wooden bed, covered with a thin white and blue floral quilt, coughing so hard she was bent over.
"Mother, don't worry and hurt yourself, A-Ce is back!" The girl's eyes reddened, and she gently stroked the woman's back.
The woman coughed heavily, panting as she looked up. She paused for a moment when she saw Song Ce, then suddenly smiled through her tears.
“Ce’er…” Mother Song stretched out her hand, her face full of anticipation, and said, “Come here quickly, let your mother take a good look at you.”
Song Ce composed himself, walked over and tightly grasped his mother's hand, whispering, "Mother, your son is back. What happened that day..."
Before he could finish speaking, the girl next to him stood up, took a half step back, and mustered up her courage to say, "A-Ce, I... forgot about what happened that day. If you really don't want to see me, I... I'll move out in a few days."
"Wenxiu, what nonsense are you talking about!" Song's mother was anxious and interrupted her sharply. "You are a daughter-in-law of our Song family. Even if the eldest son is gone, we can't let a young lady like you live outside by yourself!"
"But……"
"No buts!" Mother Song coughed twice, pleading with tears in her eyes, "Ce'er, Wenxiu is a good girl. Your father and I have seen how well she has managed everything in our family all these years. I know you were upset that day, but you can't take it out on Wenxiu!"
Song Ce lowered his eyes. Judging from his mother's tone, she clearly didn't let him act recklessly just because the original owner of this body was her son. On the contrary, she wanted him to accept Wenxiu. If this girl named Wenxiu was the original owner's elder brother's wife, then what exactly happened between them that day...?
He had a feeling that he had to get to the bottom of this.
“Mother, I misunderstood for a moment, but, but my elder brother…” Song Ce sighed, hesitating to speak.
Sure enough, Song's mother continued, "What can we do? Your elder brother was forcibly conscripted by the Meng family army, and now it seems unlikely. Alas, there's war everywhere outside, and we can only live one day at a time! I'm begging you, please don't send Wenxiu away again, okay?"
Song Ce nodded and said solemnly, "Yes, Mother, I understand."
"That's right!" Mother Song smiled, took her youngest son's hand and said, "I know you want to study, but the world is in chaos now and we don't have much food left at home. It's really unfair to my son. Once things are more stable in the future, your father and I will definitely send you to school again."
Song Ce listened silently, repeatedly pondering the information his mother had given him.
In such a turbulent world, how could a young man who had not yet entered officialdom rise to the position of prime minister in the future? To carve out a path to power in such a world, regardless of the outcome, he must possess extraordinary methods and wisdom. But I currently lack complete memories, and everything is merely speculation.
Furthermore, this Meng family army must be a rebel force. Since they forcibly conscript civilians, they must be a brutal army. They are so unpopular and cannot last long. However, if I want to achieve something quickly, joining the army is definitely a way out!
However, before he left, he had to make sure that the original owner's parents and his sister-in-law Wenxiu were settled.
Thinking of this, Song Ce smiled slightly and gently comforted his mother, "Mother, just focus on taking care of yourself. There's no need to rush your studies."
Upon hearing this, Song's mother's eyes reddened again: "Ce'er has grown up and become sensible."
Before long, Wenxiu brought over a bowl of hot soup and handed it to Song's mother: "Mother, please drink it while it's hot to warm yourself up."
"Why!"
Song's mother lowered her head and took a sip, her spirits lifting instantly. She looked at Wenxiu, her voice filled with affection: "Good child, you've had a hard time these past few days."
Wenxiu glanced at Song Ce secretly, then her cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her eyes and said softly, "Mother, it's no trouble at all, it's what I should do."
After the family finished dinner, Song Ce turned around and sat down next to his father: "Dad, when do you think my older brother will be able to come back from the war? Why haven't we heard anything from him yet?"
Father Song sighed heavily, “Come back? How can we come back? The Meng family army is arresting people everywhere. Almost every able-bodied man over the age of fourteen from the surrounding villages has been captured by them! If you hadn’t been quick-witted and jumped over the wall that day, you probably wouldn’t be here now!”
"It's infuriating! Isn't anyone going to do anything about it?" Song Ce asked.
“Manage? Who will manage?” Father Song gave a bitter smile and shook his head, saying, “The officials are barely able to protect themselves, how can they have the mind to care about the lives of us ordinary people!”
Song Ce remained silent. In such a chaotic world, it was almost impossible for ordinary people to live a peaceful life.
When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people also suffer.
The rain was still falling at night.
A soft footstep came from outside the door, followed by Wenxiu's deliberately lowered voice: "Ace, are you asleep?"
Song Ce paused, sat up, and replied, "Not yet."
The next second, the door was pushed open a crack, and Wenxiu stood in the doorway holding a ceramic bowl. She said softly, "I, I boiled some ginger water. You got caught in the rain today, so drink it while it's hot to avoid catching a cold tonight."
Song Ce hurriedly got up, opened the door, and subconsciously took the bowl, saying, "Thank you."
Wenxiu was taken aback, then bit her lip: "Today... I should be thanking you, thank you for not kicking me out of the Song family."
Song Ce: "Actually, I also bear some responsibility for what happened that day..."
Perhaps it was because the expression on the man's face was unusually gentle tonight, Wenxiu hesitated for a moment before finally speaking in a low voice: "I have no face to blame you, A-Ce. Although Jing-ge and I are not married, I am his wife in name, your sister-in-law. I know that you did not consummate the marriage with me that day willingly... it was all... it was all our parents' fault... It's also my fault, I was blinded by greed and only thought about leaving an heir for the Song family, which is why I shamelessly offended you..."
"That day...that day I was confused."
Song Ce: "..."
Depend on.
He gulped down the ginger water in one go, and after a long while, he sighed, "...Let's not talk about the past anymore." Seeing that he didn't look well, Wenxiu hurriedly took the empty bowl and turned to leave.
Watching her hurried return to her room, Song Ce couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose.
What kind of mess is this?!
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Song Ce was awakened by a series of earth-shattering coughs.
He got up and went to the east room. The door was wide open, and Wenxiu was anxiously leaning on Song's mother's back, her face showing traces of tears.
"How is Mother?"
Wenxiu's eyes reddened, and she choked up as she said, "It's the same as always. This morning, my cough got even worse as soon as I woke up."
Song Ce frowned, stepped forward and took his mother's pulse. "It's not a serious illness, but she needs to take medicine as soon as possible. Please stay with her while I go to the county to get some medicine."
"Get medicine?" Wenxiu shook her head and said with a bitter smile, "Ace, it's been raining for several days in a row, and we're out of money."
"It's alright, I'll think of something." Song Ce smiled reassuringly, but insisted, "Mother's illness can't be delayed any longer."
At this moment, Song's father lifted the curtain and came in, sighing, "Ce'er, let me go! You've just recovered, I'm worried..."
"It's alright, Dad. I can read. I'm sure I can earn some money for Mom's medicine in the county."
Song's father patted Song Ce on the shoulder and finally nodded in agreement: "Then, be careful on the road, and come back soon!"
"Um."
Along the way, Song Ce encountered several groups of villagers who had gotten up early to travel. He took the initiative to talk to them and learned a lot about Pingzhou County and even the dynasty. However, after he finally arrived in Pingzhou County, he discovered that the situation there was many times more chaotic than in the village where he lived.
Pingzhou County, at the city gate.
A small squad of tall, burly soldiers guarded the city gate, scrutinizing the people entering and leaving with menacing expressions.
When it was Song Ce's turn, a soldier with a scar on his right cheek stopped him in a harsh voice, "What are you doing in the city?"
"My mother is sick, I've come to get her medicine."
"Get medicine? You're quite the filial son." The scarred soldier looked him up and down, then naturally extended his hand to him. "But you're only thinking about being filial to your own mother, have you forgotten about us soldiers who protect our country? I see you're a sensible person. If you want to enter the city today, you should at least let the brothers share in your filial piety!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Little Song couldn't hold back any longer: Damn it~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
