Upon hearing the news, Jin rushed over, "Second sister-in-law, are you really going to the Northwest?"
"Yes, we're packing our things and we'll be leaving soon."
"one person?"
Hearing this, Xie stopped what she was doing with no choice. "There are two other people with me. I would like to have Mother keep me company, but unfortunately that's impossible."
She sensed that her mother-in-law was busy with something, but she didn't know the specifics.
"Second sister-in-law, you and second brother are truly a family..." Each one more impetuous than the last.
Kim did not say the second half of the sentence.
“Of course,” Xie said, raising her chin high with pride. “We’re all family. Your second brother is going to fight the enemy in the Northwest, so I can’t fall behind, can I?”
"The Northwest is so dangerous!"
“Even if it’s dangerous, I have to go. Otherwise, I’m worried about your second brother going alone. Besides, your sister-in-law has some ability to protect herself now,” Xie said earnestly after a pause. “Third sister-in-law, if you have some free time, learn more about formations from your mother. It’s always good to have more skills. Since we have the opportunity to learn about these things, let’s not waste it.”
"Yes, I'll try my best."
Kim's answer was vague.
It wasn't that she didn't want to learn, but she felt she lacked both talent and patience.
Perhaps it's true that couples are close, she also enjoys counting money and looking at account books.
Seeing this, Xie couldn't help but shake her head. Finally, she couldn't bear it and persuaded her again, "Third sister-in-law, practicing array formations is really good. I've only just started, but I already feel that my energy and spirit have improved a lot, and my body is much better than usual."
This is an unprecedented state: youthful vitality and inexhaustible energy.
“I can see that,” Kim weakly defended herself, “but I’m really not cut out for this.”
"Fine, whatever makes you happy!"
Madam Xie felt a little regretful. She had a feeling that her younger brother and sister-in-law would definitely regret their decision today.
Ms. Jin didn't want to talk about this anymore, so she quickly helped pack her things.
Two hours later, after giving her daughter a reluctant kiss and playing with her nephews for a while, Madam Xie left with the carefully prepared dry food and two maids who were somewhat skilled in martial arts.
At the village entrance, the group watched Xie's figure recede into the distance, the atmosphere heavy with gloom.
"Mother, don't worry, Second Sister-in-law will definitely return safely."
"Yes, don't worry."
Upon hearing this, Ms. Jin pursed her lips, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.
What do you want to say?
"Mother, my second sister-in-law can't be of much help, and the battlefield is so dangerous, why did you agree to let her go?"
In Kim's eyes, this behavior was both irrational and extremely willful.
What she couldn't understand was that her mother-in-law would actually tolerate her second sister-in-law's nonsense. Before she left, she thought it was just something she said casually.
“There are some who are not young on the battlefield,” Jiang Nuan disagreed with her younger daughter-in-law’s point of view. “It is precisely because they are young that they need to travel and see more. This is the path your second sister-in-law chose. As long as she doesn’t regret it, that’s fine.”
Jiang Nuan had always placed high hopes on her second daughter-in-law and greatly admired her adventurous and daring personality, so she naturally did not want to confine her to the small inner quarters.
She treats all her children with the same attitude: respecting their individual choices.
She doesn't force people to do anything if they enjoy a peaceful life; as long as they're happy, that's enough.
If someone enjoys adventure and taking risks, she will not stop them; she will support them from behind and be their strongest backing.
"It's my daughter-in-law who's narrow-minded," Jin said, somewhat annoyed.
She felt like she was a bit of a failure, not as successful as her second sister-in-law.
“Not really,” Jiang Nuan said, patting her daughter-in-law’s head as she noticed her thoughts. “Life is short, just live according to your own wishes. There’s no need to make things difficult for yourself.”
This idea is slightly pessimistic and somewhat world-weary. Jiang Nuan used to scoff at it, thinking that doing so was a waste of life, but after two lifetimes, she deeply agrees.
This is the realization that comes after more than twenty years of hard work.
These words instantly revived Jin Shi. "Mother is right."
She greatly admired her second sister-in-law's ability to make everything she did go smoothly, but she herself did not have that ability and did not like that flamboyant style.
At this time, on the northwestern battlefield.
Having already been through a major battle, Huang Lao Er was wounded.
Feeling guilty, Jiang Chao bandaged the wound himself, but the person was in so much pain that they broke out in a cold sweat.
“Jiang Chao,” Huang Laoda said with great suspicion, “did you deliberately act so violently to get revenge for the time I beat you up before?”
Even though he was bandaging his wound, he felt like his arm was about to be broken.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chao was stunned for a moment, "How could that be? Am I that kind of person?"
He was furious that his good friend would question his character like that.
"Absolutely!" Huang Lao Er's words were very certain.
"I'm innocent!" he cried out, but his actions became increasingly rough. "I'm not that petty."
"Jiang Chao, are you even human? Who did I take this injury for?" Huang Lao Er wanted to hit him again, so he lowered his voice and warned, "Go easy on me, or I'll let you taste what it's like to be beaten up with one hand!"
Jiang Chao ignored these complaints.
After roughly bandaging the wound, he put on a stern face and said seriously, "Don't do that next time."
"Huh?" Old Huang didn't react.
"Life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate. It is only right that I was killed on the battlefield because of my lack of skill. You must live well. Your sister-in-law and niece are waiting for you at home."
"One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers." Every victory is built upon countless piles of bones.
Thinking back to what had happened, Jiang Chao felt both relieved and angry.
He was just a hair's breadth away from having his head chopped off. He survived, but his brother was injured in the process.
Although he felt good about surviving the ordeal, he didn't want to be a burden, and he didn't want his brothers to get hurt because of him.
This time it's an arm, what about next time? How many lives do we have to waste like this?
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Huang Lao Er said angrily, slapping Jiang Chao hard. "Since we brothers came together, we should go back together."
"I didn't come with you."
Jiang Chao set off with the army stationed in Beijing, arriving in the Northwest nearly ten days earlier than Huang Lao Er.
"Are you deliberately picking a fight?" Huang Lao Er stood up abruptly, raising his intact arm in a threatening gesture. "Say one more word, and we'll settle this with our fists. Even if you only have one arm left, I'll still beat you up."
Huang Lao Er was very confident about this.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chao immediately backed down, "Fine, whatever you want!"
Despite saying that, Jiang Chao decided that no matter what, he could no longer let his brothers take the fall for him.
The battlefield is inherently dangerous, and fighting can break out at any time, leaving no time to recover from injuries.
“That’s right,” Huang Lao Er was very satisfied with his pragmatism. “I can’t watch my brother die in front of me. I would save anyone else.”
They just wouldn't fight that hard; they'd simply use their bodies to block.
Jiang Chao understood this very well, which is why he was so angry; he really didn't deserve such sacrifice.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com