Xiao Chenglin looked into Jiang Tian's eyes and slowly nodded.
That's what he thought.
People should always have a backbone.
He is the warlord of this city and will defend it to the very end.
Even if death awaits him ahead.
Jiang Tian looked at him and said, "I don't want you to die."
Xiao Chenglin's expression softened for a moment, but his tone remained firm: "Everyone dies eventually. You've read so many books, you should understand that everyone has the choice to live their life."
Jiang Tian slowly shook her head: "But you are different. You are a born general. It is not your fault that you cannot win. Perhaps the time is not right yet. Before every victory, there is a long period of darkness. If you want to fall in the darkness and not allow anyone to persuade you, do you think that is right?"
Xiao Chenglin looked at Jiang Tian and said, "My thinking is very simple. I'm just fulfilling my duty."
Jiang Tian continued to shake her head: "Perhaps it is very rude of me to say this from my perspective, but I don't want you to die, and I don't want you to make such a sacrifice. Because at this moment, your sacrifice is useless. It is true that dying in battle will make your conscience feel better. But what situation can a fearless death change? At this critical moment, we should maintain our fighting strength."
Xiao Chenglin's expression was somewhat unpleasant: "I have different ideas from you, so don't try to persuade me. I'll send someone to take you there on tonight's flight. Whether I live or die is none of your business. You just need to leave this place."
"I can't just stand by and watch you die."
Jiang Tian's tone was equally firm.
“I just want to do what I should do. You should do the same. Just take care of yourself. No one can be responsible for others. I will always remember the courage you had when you announced at the banquet that you were stopping me from getting a divorce. For you, sticking to your beliefs was the most important thing at that time. For me, protecting this land is the most important thing as well.”
Xiao Chenglin didn't want to say too much to Jiang Tian.
But he knew this woman was very stubborn and had a strong will.
If he doesn't have enough reasons to convince her, Jiang Tian might really refuse to leave.
No need.
He chose this path, and Jiang Tian is still in the prime of her life, how can she sacrifice herself?
Jiang Tian looked at him and sighed silently: "Xiao Chenglin, I once told you that I have always admired you very much. I know that even though you are not good at handling many issues, and even have a tendency to waver in terms of morality, as a warlord, you have done more than enough."
"You wish to protect the city with your life, but you don't know that the people are more important than the city. You are the backbone of all the people in our city, the leader of your thousands of subordinates. You may not know how significant your existence is."
"Indeed, our land needs to be protected, but the people live on this land. You are willing to die for this land, but have you ever thought about what will happen to those people and your subordinates if you die?"
Xiao Chenglin remained silent.
"You and I both know that the chances of winning this war are extremely slim, but we must fight. It's about fighting with our backbone, but backbone is not about acting rashly. True courage lies not in a momentary struggle, but in a protracted fight."
"No one knows when the war will end. You are a pillar of strength for many people. Your outstanding leadership and military talent will definitely bring a turning point to the subsequent struggle. I understand your intention to die in battle, but sometimes living is more difficult than dying."
“Xiao Chenglin, don’t forget, people are what make a home. You think dying in battle will inspire the people’s fighting spirit, but think about it the other way around. What will the enemy think? They will think that if they can easily force a general to his death, then the road ahead will be even smoother. They will be even more unscrupulous, treating people like dirt, and causing more deaths.”
"There is hope as long as you are alive, that's what you once told me."
Every word Jiang Tian said was sincere.
She said all that just so that Xiao Chenglin could live.
As long as the green hills remain, there will be opportunities for the future.
Xiao Chenglin looked at Jiang Tian and remained silent for a very long time.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally smiled with a hint of helplessness: "After serving as the dean of the academy for several years, it seems your eloquence has improved even further."
"This time I didn't use any rhetoric, I just spoke my true feelings. I hope you can protect your life and make more contributions to the future struggle. With more outstanding generals like you, ordinary people like me will have a chance to have peaceful days in the future. So, in the end, it's all for my own sake."
Jiang Tian looked at Xiao Chenglin with a rare hint of nervousness: "I've said everything I needed to say. The decision is still in your hands, Xiao Chenglin. What will you choose?"
The two looked at each other, and after an unknown amount of time, Xiao Chenglin suddenly laughed.
He was actually very handsome, but because he had been in the position of military governor for a long time, he was always very reserved and rarely smiled.
Today, even he didn't know why, but he actually felt like smiling.
Looking at Jiang Tian, Xiao Chenglin gave a very serious reply.
“I admit that some of your reasons have swayed me. If I can escape this war, I will not willingly die. As you said, only by living can we fight on for a long time. But living is also quite difficult for me. Let’s leave everything to fate.”
Xiao Chenglin looked at Jiang Tian: "You still have to leave. This is not your battlefield. I have seen everything you have done over the past few years. You must strive to live and continue to fight for the cause you want to achieve."
Jiang Tian rarely smiled at him: "I was really happy to hear that you would try to live. Xiao Chenglin, your end will not end here, so take care of yourself as much as possible."
"You've agreed to leave?"
"If all the reasons I can think of fail to convince you, then I will stay by your side as your friend and your nominal wife. I can't let you end up without anyone to share a space with you; that would be too cruel."
Xiao Chenglin stared intently at her: "Your thinking is too naive. In the future, don't disregard your own life for the sake of others. You value my life so much, but you yourself are just as precious. I hope you can be alright."
"So I'll be catching a flight tonight. I'm leaving now. Remember to come find me after the war is over."
Xiao Chenglin chuckled, his gaze somewhat profound: "If I am fortunate enough to survive, I will not seek you out. Let's end our relationship here. I have already entrusted the relevant reporters to announce our divorce at the appropriate time."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
