Chapter 131 Northern Desert: "Why can't he go?"
The night was as dark as ink, and the Dingyuan Marquis's residence was quiet everywhere except for the lights still on in the second wife's house, Qin's.
Because the room had been fumigated with mugwort during the day to ward off evil and disaster, a strong bitter smell still lingered in the Qin family's room. Mixed with the smoky aroma, it felt like a large hand was squeezing one's throat when inhaled.
Qin carefully folded and packed her heavy winter clothes, protective soft armor, and close-fitting undergarments into her luggage.
She stuffed in countless wound medicines, packets of high-quality hemostatic powder, dried meat, and homemade provisions. With each item she stuffed in, her eyes grew redder, and her hands moved with increasing force.
"Your father's fate is unknown, and there's no news of him. And you're going to that desolate northern desert where people eat each other without spitting out bones!"
Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, Qin's voice choked with sobs: "You two, father and son, are you only satisfied when you've taken my life? If I close my eyes and die one day, it will be a relief, better than suffering like this every day!"
Xiao Heng had lost a lot of weight, but his features were still handsome. Standing to the side, looking at his mother's trembling shoulders, he said firmly, "Mother, I will definitely bring Father back safely on this trip."
Qin turned around abruptly to look at him: "Bring him back? You'd better make sure you're safe and sound first!"
Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with tears. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly, finally squeezing out words that were filled with anguish: "What kind of place is that northern desert? Your uncle spent his whole life on the battlefield, winning countless battles, but in the end he still perished there. Your father spent his whole life scheming in military matters, but in the end he schemed himself to become a prisoner. Aren't their examples enough for you to learn from?"
Xiao Heng remained silent, but his eyes showed no sign of wavering.
Madam Qin turned back and continued adding things to her luggage: "Prince Qi has already been ordered to enter the capital. The situation is tense now, and His Majesty is eager to take away Prince Qi's military power. He will surely bestow a marriage upon Shu'er and Prince Qi as soon as possible. Your father is not here, and as the eldest brother, you are like a father to him. Even if you cannot personally handle her life's important matter, you should at least be there to watch, right? Even if you want to leave, can't you wait a little longer? You can at least watch your sister get into the bridal sedan chair with your own eyes."
"My son can't wait any longer." Xiao Heng said without the slightest hesitation.
Qin choked with sobs and continued, “Even if you don’t think about yourself, you should think about the family, about me and your sister! Ye’er is hopeless and can’t be relied on. If your father doesn’t come back and something happens to you, how am I supposed to live? Who will your sister rely on for the rest of her life?”
As she spoke, tears welled up in Qin's eyes again.
Xiao Heng exhaled through his nose, stepped forward, and helped his mother sit up. He softened his voice and said, "Your mind is made up, and I will not change it until death. Mother, if you continue to cry like this, your body will surely not be able to bear it."
Knowing that this was useless, Xiao Heng paused for a moment, then continued, "Jingnu is already pregnant. If Mother doesn't take good care of herself, how can she take good care of her and the child in her womb for her son?"
Qin's crying stopped abruptly.
She looked up abruptly, tears still streaming down her face, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You, what did you say? Jingnu is pregnant? Is that true?"
Xiao Heng said, "I would not dare to lie to my mother about this."
Madam Qin was stunned for a moment, then seemed to come back to life instantly. She stood up, clasped her hands together, and kowtowed in all directions: "May the Bodhisattva protect me! May the Buddha protect me! May our ancestors protect me! I have finally waited for this day! Our second branch will have an heir! My son will become a father! Tomorrow I will spread the news and shut up those gossiping mouths!"
But along with the ecstasy came an even sharper pain.
She thought of her husband, whose fate was unknown. If he knew he was about to become a grandfather, she wondered how happy he would be.
The tears that Qin had just wiped away rolled down again.
This time, however, she stopped complaining and instead yelled at Xiao Heng, "You scoundrel! Why didn't you tell me about such an important matter sooner? Hurry up and bring him into the manor to be settled. It's better than you keeping him outside. Did you want to cause my grandson to be born without a name or status?"
Xiao Heng smiled slightly and said softly, "It's not that I intentionally hid it from you, Mother. It's just that the pregnancy was unstable a few days ago, and I was afraid something might go wrong. I'll tell you after the first few months."
Madam Qin immediately became serious: "If that's the case, then we should bring the person in sooner. You're a grown man, after all, not as careful as a woman. With your two aunts and me taking care of her, we can guarantee a stable pregnancy and a safe and healthy pregnancy."
"Yes, with Mother here, I have complete peace of mind."
Madam Qin immediately gave orders for the maids to clean the courtyard overnight, and to bring Jingnu into the mansion the next day.
Having finished everything, and seeing that it was late at night and all was quiet, Xiao Heng took the opportunity to leave.
Madam Qin hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "But Heng'er, have you ever thought that if you go away, it will be for a year and a half at the shortest, or three to five years at the longest. When the child is born, reaches his one-month milestone, or turns one year old, you will not be able to see or hear him call you 'Father'. Heng'er, can you really be so heartless?"
Xiao Heng's body stiffened, and a barely perceptible hesitation finally appeared in his eyes, which had remained unwavering until now.
Qin said earnestly, "The Xiao family isn't just missing you. I think the seventh son is better than you, so why can't he go?"
"Mother!"
Xiao Heng suddenly shouted, his gentleness and hesitation vanishing instantly, replaced by a solemn expression that was even more resolute.
"Son, I beg you never to mention such words again. Seventh Brother is the younger brother I watched grow up. I know better than anyone what he has sacrificed and what he has gone through to get to where he is today. The battlefield is dangerous, and I would never send him there!"
Qin was stunned by Xiao Heng's appearance, and her imposing manner immediately weakened. She turned her head away, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and said in a wronged voice, "I was just feeling upset and said things randomly..."
Xiao Heng sighed, "It's getting late, I'll take my leave now, Mother, please rest early."
As the figure disappeared into the distance, the room fell silent again, broken only by the woman's suppressed sobs.
...
As dawn broke, Xiao Qiyu had a dream.
He dreamt of the vast, desolate land of the northern desert, where blood flowed like rivers along the soil, and flocks of vultures circled low, hovering and looking around, as if waiting for something.
His third brother, Xiao Heng, knelt in the center of the blood, his chest pierced by countless arrows, the wound congealed into black blood, with countless ants crawling on it.
Xiao Heng's face was covered in blood, his cheekbones were high, and his lips were chapped and white.
His eyes remained fixed on the south, in the direction of the capital.
He walked up to him, blocking his view.
Xiao Heng's face began to tremble. He grinned at him, his lips moving as he struggled to form two mouth shapes.
Even in his dream, Xiao Qiyu seemed to understand what his third brother was saying.
He said—Don't come.
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Author's Note: Here it comes!
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