After settling Feng Changgui in, Lu Qingyan took the tiger tally and went to the military camp stationed there.
Those who remain here are not like those at the border, still burning with passion. Instead, the mundane and comfortable life has worn away their former enthusiasm.
When Lu Qingyan entered, she noticed that everyone here had become listless, making it feel less like a military camp and more like a market. Surprisingly, Lu Qingyan, who was clearly dressed differently, wasn't stopped. The people passing by acted as if they didn't even see her, completely ignoring her.
The general who remained here was engrossed in a drunken stupor, clutching a jar of wine. Lu Qingyan knew that this man was the soul of the entire military camp. Legends about him had long circulated throughout the country.
"Tsk, who could have imagined that the once-famous General Sima would turn out like this? If those who followed him to the death knew, I wonder how disappointed they would be?" Lu Qingyan said coldly, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar man in front of her.
"Get out!" Sima Ruibao roared and threw the wine jar at Lu Qingyan. He really had no strength left, and the wine jar landed on the ground when it was still a zhang away from Lu Qingyan, without hitting her.
Sima Ruibao said with red eyes, "What do you know? You know nothing. This is not the place I should be. The place I should be is the border. I should be there to fight the enemy and protect my country, not to be confined to such a small place and live a mediocre life."
“But you can’t go back.” Lu Qingyan said this fact calmly.
Sima Ruibao was not a good-natured person; he was the kind of person who easily offended others. He created a legend back then, but because of his temperament, he offended many people, and no one was willing to speak up for him, so he was exiled here.
He learned from his mistakes and became more restrained after that. He quickly became close with the brothers here, but his wish to go to the battlefield was still not fulfilled. Staying here meant there was no future for them, and they could only stay here for the rest of their lives.
Thus, Sima Ruibao became what he is today.
Lu Qingyan sneered, "I don't understand, I don't understand why General Sima has turned such a good life into this."
"Ha, it was clearly those petty people who wouldn't let me off the hook, but now it's all my fault in your eyes?" Sima Ruibao picked up another jar of wine: "Hey, who are you, kid? Who let you in without permission?"
Sima Ruibao did look quite imposing when he had a stern face, but Lu Qingyan wasn't afraid of him at all. Right now, he was just a paper tiger; what was there to be afraid of?
Lu Qingyan slowly spoke: "Where you stay is something you can never decide. When you are a common soldier, you are under the command of a centurion. As you rise through the ranks, even if you are a deputy general, you will still be under the command of a general or marshal. And even if you become a marshal, you will still have to obey the emperor's orders."
"Hehe." Sima Ruibao chuckled as well. This kid's words did have some merit. But he was unwilling to accept it; why should he be buried in obscurity like this?
"Where you stay is not your choice, but you have the right to choose how you live. Is it to live a life of debauchery and decadence, or to achieve something great?" Lu Qingyan said, as if bewitching her.
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