Hyosun-ri

  "Old Ninth is well!" Although there was no one around, Little Fifth still went through the motions of courtesy, bowing his head in respect. This was the first time they had met again since returning to their hometown, yet it became a farewell.

  "Are you leaving?" Han Jiu'er asked straightforwardly. After returning for some days, her beautiful face not only didn't look plumper, but instead looked even more slender under the reflection of her elegant dress. Could it be that being a pampered daughter in a wealthy family was not as good as drifting through the wind and rain on the Jianghu road?

  "It's been too long since I left home, I should go back and serve my parents." Xiao Wu didn't look up, answering with a question.

  "Remember to come back and visit often." Little girl's eyes were moist, knowing that once he left this door, he would have nothing to do with the Han family again, and if they wanted to see each other again, it would be even more difficult.

  "Oh, I still need to go say goodbye to the master..." Xiao Wu neither confirmed nor denied it, and didn't dare linger too long, lest they be seen by others and gossiped about.

  "Brother, take care!" The reluctance in Han Jiu'er's heart was all condensed into these four words.

  "Take care, Ninth Sister!" Xiao Wu turned around and left with big strides, deeply burying the sympathy and concern he had for her in his heart.

  Han Jiuer leaned against the door, watching Xiao Wu's distant back disappear from view. She had never felt such a pang of sadness and desolation before. She was no longer the carefree and playful little girl she once was. Since returning home, her father's discipline had grown stricter, and this grand mansion with its heavy gates had locked away her tender heart, causing it to wither away day by day.

  "Nine little girls, Peng flies high in the sky, also needs a lovely pigeon to accompany... Cough... Cough..." Mr. Han suddenly appeared behind his granddaughter, a pair of dim and sick eyes still had not lost their wisdom in understanding people's hearts.

  "Ah-yong, what's wrong? Go rest..." The little girl quickly supported the old man back to the house. Her slightly pale face, however, was suddenly flushed with a touching red glow. The young girl's secret thoughts were exposed in front of her beloved grandfather.

  The unique Dayue Pavilion stands amidst a cluster of bamboo, surrounded by the fragrance of books and bamboo blending together, making one's heart feel refreshed. Xiao Wu slowed down his pace, thinking that this was once the most attractive place in Han Manor.

  He took a deep breath and calmed his mind, which had just been disturbed by Han Jiuer. He knocked on the door and entered: "Sir, are you in?"

  "Xiao Wu, sit!" The gentleman sitting at the desk reading a book looked up upon hearing the voice and saw that it was Xiao Wu, smiled and nodded his head.

  "Thanks to your past patronage, I have come to bid farewell." Xiao Wu didn't dare sit down, and instead bowed his head in respect. The master had been like a half-teacher to him, and although they hadn't spent much time together, he had benefited greatly from their interactions.

  "Can a small stream hold back the tide? In the end, it will all flow into the great ocean and become waves! And I'll give you some parting words: abandon the petty ambitions of the sparrow and strive for the lofty flight of the swan!" The gentleman seemed to have known this day would come, not surprised in the least.

  "Little ones remember Mr. Jing's teachings! Only today, we part ways, who knows when we'll meet again?" Xiao Wu's tone was melancholic, he was a sensitive person, and with the two people closest to him in the Han household leaving one after another, it was indeed a heartbreaking thing, just a farewell.

  "Tonight, the moon is left with a waning glow, tomorrow, I'll be at the edge of the sea and under the sky. If it's in my heart, why bother mentioning it?" The gentleman strokes his beard and nods thoughtfully.

  "I still don't know your esteemed name? I have no way to send my thoughts and longing." Xiao Wu only knew that the gentleman's surname was Huang.

  "I have a humble reputation with the character 'strategy', in the past I joined the Yuanyou party, and was favored by Lord Han, who took me in. I have a son named Huang Zong, who is about your age, he loves military strategy, when the time comes for him to take flight like a small bird, you can command him to assist you on both sides." The gentleman spoke of himself for the first time, and also expressed his regret at having no way to serve the country.

  "Sir, you have looked down on me." Xiao Wu saw that the master had entrusted his son to him, and he was both moved and terrified in his heart. He also solved the mystery of why the master, who was full of talent, was willing to be a humble servant under the Han Mansion. It turned out that he was a scholar who had been framed by Cai Jing as a member of the Yuanyou Party, not only could he himself never become an official, but his children and grandchildren were also forbidden from participating in the imperial examination.

  "A scholar can know the affairs of the world without leaving his door, but now evil spirits are rampant and the border is unstable. This is an omen that great chaos is approaching! Xiao Wu, heroes emerge in times of turmoil, your day to rise to prominence has arrived, take care of yourself!" The master spoke with a heavy heart.

  "The little man has learned!" Xiaowu's heart was solemn, and the master had roughly the same view as Hanjiu, both saying that a chaotic era is approaching. Could it be that the great Song Dynasty will eventually face a catastrophic disaster of blood and rain?

  Xiao Wu was first happy and then worried, happy to have a place to use his skills, worried about the country and its people. Under the overturned nest, how can there be unbroken eggs? In a chaotic world, how could he alone protect his parents, wife, and children? He would rather live a mediocre life, wishing only for peace in the world.

  But can the course of history be changed by an individual's will? Perhaps there are a few individuals who dare to defy heaven and influence history with their words and actions, but they are extremely rare.

  "Dad, what's our old home like? Is it better than our original home?" Yuke's childish voice awakened Xiao Wu from his reverie.

  "Oh! Good, naturally good!" Little Wu hugged his son tightly, who was riding a donkey with him, and affectionately stroked his three braids.

  "Dad, what kind of bird is that? Its wings are so long and it has a patch of white on its body!" Yuer's first time traveling far away, everything looks new to her, she points at a black dot in the blue sky and asks curiously.

  "Oh... it's a Jade Belt Eagle." Xiaowu concentrated his eyes and finally saw that the black eagle had a white stripe on its body. He thought to himself, "My son has sharp eyesight, he's indeed born with good martial arts skills." Then he turned back to look at his wife, "Wife, do you want to take a rest?"

  "Not tired, hurry up." Liu Wei sat on the mule cart loaded with not many family belongings, wearing a canopy hat, and lowered a purple gauze to cover half of her body, blocking the increasingly high and hot sun.

  This is an official road from Shouchun to Tongyin in the south, Yonghe Township's Xiaotie Village is located in the southeastern part of Tongyin County, within a two-hour journey. A harmonious and happy family of three, envied by passersby on the road.

  As the sun approached noon, a family of three got off the official road. Walking on the dirt path in the countryside, Little Wu saw from afar the big tree in front of their house and revealed a joyful expression, pointing at it to instruct his son: "Son, this is our home's big pagoda tree. Every spring, the pagoda tree blooms flowers with a sweet fragrance that your grandma loves to eat. When Papa was young, he often climbed the tree to pick flowers to serve your grandma. You must be so filial to Papa and Mama in the future, do you understand?"

  "I know!" Three-year-old Yue Er nodded obediently, though he only half understood. "Taipo" is a colloquial term for grandmother, and Yue Er's Taipo was none other than the mother of Yue Fei, Lady Yao.

  The Xiao Wu couple had been away from their hometown for three years, and they had a new baby. However, the villagers who worked in the fields still recognized them and greeted them warmly.

  This time it's really back home, Xiao Wu's chest is filled with warmth, calling his son to greet the villagers who have watched him grow up one by one. The clear and crisp voice of the child adds infinite vitality to this land that has been condensed for centuries.

  Unconsciously approaching the gate of his home, Xiao Wu looked at the thatched cottage and mud wall surrounded by childhood memories, with excitement filling his heart as a traveler returning home. He got off the donkey with his son, helped his wife down from the carriage, and rushed to the half-closed gate, shouting over the wall: "Father! Mother! Your unfilial son is back..."

  That evening, in the main hall of the Yue family's house facing south, a small square wooden table was set up with a round tabletop that was only covered during festivals. To welcome her son who had not been seen for several years, Old Mother Yao personally went to the kitchen to cook, while Wu Er's daughter-in-law was busy serving dishes in the hall. The table was already filled with various bowls and plates, full of wild vegetables from the countryside, as well as rice cakes, sesame oil fried cakes, chrysanthemum cakes and other staple foods of farmers' families. There was also a bowl of millet porridge, and finally, a bowl of four喜大肉丸 (four happiness big meatballs) was served, symbolizing the joy of family reunion.

  Xiao Wu's family was considered lower-middle class in the countryside. His father, Yuehe, was a typical Hebei farmer who was kind, honest and hardworking, willing to help those in need. Originally they had over 100 mu of their own farmland, but due to successive years of poor harvests, they had to sell some land to make ends meet, as well as to support poor neighbors and refugees fleeing famine. Now they only have a few dozen mu of thin land, barely enough to be self-sufficient.

  Yao Shi, the mother of Little Wu, was a virtuous wife and loving mother with traditional virtues. She was warm, gentle, respectful, and frugal in managing the household. After marrying into the family, she gave birth to four sons who all died young. When Little Wu was born, she was already middle-aged. He was named Yue Fei, with the nickname Wu Lang (Five). Later, she also gave birth to Liu Lang (Six) Yue Fan, and their eldest daughter Yue Hong had already been married off. Although they were not considered a large family, they had both sons and daughters.

  Yuè and his wife had only two sons, but they did not spoil them at all. They were strict in their upbringing and set a good example for them to follow. Therefore, after Xiao Wu got married, he also listened to his parents' orders and took his new wife out to make a living on their own, in order to cultivate his ability to be independent.

  The two brothers, Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu, have been taught by their parents since childhood to be simple and unpretentious, hardworking and filial. The only difference between them is that Xiao Wu loves reading books, while Xiao Liu gets a headache as soon as he sees words.

  At that time, the children of farmers who read books did not have the illusion of passing the imperial examination, but rather to understand the words on the official notice board and other documents. As long as they were slightly literate, it was enough. As for someone like Xiao Wu who regarded books as a treasure, he was an exception. Yue He, from a farmer's perspective, naturally did not approve of Wu Lang's lack of ambition. Only Yao Shi understood her son's great aspirations and gave him the greatest support and encouragement. Therefore, Xiao Wu's feelings towards his mother were the deepest.

  Before dinner, in the hall, Yue and hugged their grandson, teasing and playing with him, enjoying family bliss. Xiao Liu sat at the table early, drooling as he stared at the sumptuous dishes that were rarely seen. Xiao Wu ran to the kitchen to help his mother cook, which was one of his favorite things to do when he was young, because he could use the firelight from the stove to read books warmly and comfortably in the fragrance of steaming rice that filled the room.

  "Wolong, go eat quickly, your brother must be waiting anxiously." Standing in front of the stove making soup, Mrs. Yao looked at her son who had been away from home for too long with kindness, he really grew up, and even, she could see a sharp edge that had never been seen before in his filial gaze.

  No one knows a child better than his mother, and Mrs. Yao vaguely sensed that her son's experience over the past three years was far from as simple as he had said. However, since he didn't want to talk about it, as his mother, she of course believed in her son - he would never go astray.

  "Mother, you should eat with us too." Looking at his old mother's hunched figure from working day and night, Xiao Wu couldn't help but beg. According to the rules, whether it was a poor or rich family, women were not allowed to eat at the same table as men, which had been the case since ancient times. Xiao Wu, who had read many classical books, wasn't unaware of this, but his unknown experiences during his wandering days had changed many of his original perceptions. For example, what was written in books wasn't always correct, like those military strategies that couldn't be rigidly followed; also, while it might not be suitable for the Jurchen people to have men and women eat and play together without distinction, in a Han family, the mother who raised and sacrificed the most for her children could only stand by the table and eat leftover food - what kind of stupid rule was this, set by which ancient sage?!

  "Silly child, it's enough for your mother to have you say that..." Madam Yao still patted his head as she used to when he was a young boy. This child was born with a sensitive and emotional nature, and she worried that he would suffer greatly because of this in the future.

  On the big table, three generations of men from the Yue family gathered together. As soon as Father picked up his chopsticks, Xiaoliu quickly snatched a large meatball that he had been eyeing and put it into his own bowl. He was only sixteen years old, at an age when he needed to eat more to grow stronger.

  Xiao Wu also pinched half a meatball, but it was fed to the ancestor in his grandfather's arms. This little guy didn't know what to do, and with both small hands grasping his grandfather's beard, he wouldn't let go. But as soon as he tasted the delicious meatballs made by his grandmother, he immediately shifted his target and used his hand to grab them.

  "Wǔ Láng, you're back just in time! Father is getting old and Liù Láng is still young, from now on the household will be handed over to you to manage." The head of the family, Yue He, with sons and grandsons, felt quite relieved.

  "Dad..." Xiaowu's face was difficult to look at, he knew his father's expectations of him, but had other ideas and didn't dare bring it up now. Who would have thought that his father would say such a thing, and he couldn't not respond? "A son should obey his father's orders and shouldn't dare go against them. But in today's troubled times, I want to rely on my martial arts skills to make a name for myself, also to bring honor to our ancestors..."

  "My son, it's not that I look down on you, but what future is there for a martial artist? It's better to be a poor scholar and have some prospects!" Yue He let out a laugh. As a farmer, he too looked down on martial artists, showing just how deeply the Song Dynasty's policy of emphasizing literature over martial arts had poisoned people. "It's chaotic outside, but can it really reach our doorstep? Wu Lang, don't stay at the Han house for a few years and get too big for your britches! We common folk are content with defending our homes and tending to our fields, that's our lot in life!"

  Xiao Wu is a filial person, having grown up this big, he has never disobeyed his father's intentions. His previous response was already the maximum limit. Hearing his father say so, he didn't dare to argue anymore and nodded in agreement, temporarily suppressing his ambition to serve the country, thinking about it for now.

  It's the busy spring season, Xiao Wu returned to his hometown with muddy feet, focusing on managing the crops, and also instructed his wife to carefully serve her parents-in-law, in order to fulfill her filial duties as a daughter-in-law.

  After marrying Liu Wei, she followed her husband and lived a relatively easy life. Now that she has to take care of the daily lives of a big family all at once, she naturally feels more tired and can't help but miss the leisurely years when she was living in the Han Mansion. She often complains to her husband about it in bed.

  Xiao Wu had to comfort his family and steal time from his busy schedule to teach his younger brother martial arts. Xiao Liu didn't like reading books, but he was a natural at dancing with spears and rods. With his older brother as a good teacher, he quickly picked it up and soon surpassed him. He would often let his brother do the farm work assigned to him and sneak away to practice martial arts. When he saw that he couldn't catch up with his brother in archery, he focused all his energy on spears. After a long time, he could even rival his brother. Although Xiao Wu had intentionally let his younger brother win three times to encourage him, he was still surprised by his progress.

  It seems that Xiao Wu has listened to his father's words and is focusing on being a farmer. But as Han Jiu'er and Mr. Huang Ce foresaw, great chaos will come, and no one and no land can escape.

  By the end of April, the Song Dynasty government army, which had been constantly increasing its troops, finally put down Fang La's rebellion. The court thought that the world was at peace and rebuilt the Flower Stone Embankment, but it levied even heavier taxes on the people, making them even more unstable. Bandits rose up in large numbers, and local governments had no choice but to recruit militia to maintain local order.

  Filial and brotherly, the village head had long heard that the two sons of the Yue family were skilled in martial arts, so he came to find Yue He, wanting to recruit one son. The common people do not contend with officials, and although Yue He was unwilling in his heart, he could only let Wu Long, who had received training and was older, enlist.

  Li Zheng asked Xiao Wu what kind of military service he was going to enter. According to the household registration, the Yue family belonged to the fourth-class households in the rural areas and could only choose one from the lowest level of the village soldiers - archers and patrolmen. Archers were responsible for capturing thieves, while patrolmen were responsible for patrolling and catching them. Although their responsibilities were similar, they still had some differences in terms of the weapons used.

  Xiao Wu chose the patrol job without hesitation, firstly not wanting to reveal his shooting skills, and secondly being a patrol allowed him to practice close combat more often. However, he who was determined to serve the country didn't even dream that he would become a low-ranking rural soldier, but at least it was better than being a villager with no ambition. He bid farewell to his parents, wife, and children, and went to report for duty in the city.

  According to the Song Dynasty's administrative division, under a county there were towns and cities as commercial nodes, and also rural areas such as townships and villages, which later became the distinction between urban and rural areas.

  Xiaowu's hometown of Xinpu City is less than half a day away from Xiaotang Village, but according to the rules, he can only return home once every few days. On ordinary days, he just hangs out with a few old vagrants on the streets, catching some small thieves and dealing with trivial neighborhood disputes.

  The days of dullness and depression were far from the military life he had been longing for, Xiao Wu was full of energy but had nowhere to use it, so under the instigation of Lao You, he started drinking heavily.

  On this day, with nothing to do, Xiao Wu, who had just finished his shift, was dragged away by Old You to drink wine. He got drunk and returned to the inn. It was a hot summer night, and he couldn't bear the heat, so he opened his robe, revealing half of his chest to catch the breeze.

  As he turned the corner, he saw a dim lantern shining on a divination flag. Xiao Wu's drunken eyes slanted and recognized the man who often set up his fortune-telling stall here. Normally, he didn't believe in fortune tellers, but today, after getting drunk and being blown by the wind, he suddenly had an unusual idea to have his fortune told.

  Xiao Wu stumbled towards Li's fortune-telling stall and gave a sloppy bow: "Li, sir, please do a reading for me."

  Li Xiangshi was sitting lazily on a broken stool, fanning himself with a folding fan. Seeing a guest arriving at the door, he warmly replied: "So it's Yue Wuge, what brings you here?"

  "It's natural to ask about one's future." Little Wu said casually, as if most men calculated this kind of fortune.

  "Trouble the fifth brother of the mountain to report his name and eight characters of birth." Li Xiangshi was quite experienced.

  Xiao Wu reported truthfully, and then saw Li Xiangshi's eyes roll back, his hands fluttering, and he muttered to himself for a while. Suddenly, he let out a startled cry: "Ah! Xiao Wu, you have good fortune, in the future you will rise through military merit and become an official of two provinces."

  In the Song Dynasty, the two departments referred to the prime ministers, who were under one person and above all others in the imperial court. Xiao Wu was shocked by this, although his family had a strong ambition, he didn't dare have such extravagant hopes. This Li Xiangshi must be speaking nonsense to curry favor, but then he heard him sigh again: "It's just that the ending is not good, I have a poem: 'Regret that you are not a guest of wine and meat, in the deep alleys of flowers there is no wave.'"

  Xiao Wu saw him say this and was somewhat half-believing and half-doubting, but thought to probe the fortune teller's true skills, and asked: "Calculate again how my husband's fate is?"

  Li Xiangshi asked for the name and eight characters again, and after a spiritual communication, he explained: "Your wife's fate is not good. The '?' character in Liu Lian's name is three knives under the grass, and the knife represents separation. Your wife will have to change her husband three times."

  Xiao Wu originally wanted to entrust a good mouth, but didn't expect Li Xiangshi to say such things about his wife. Suddenly, anger rose from the bottom of his heart and evil was born from the edge of his gallbladder. He kicked this deceitful scoundrel...