Chapter 2

--4 years later--　

"Second brother, second brother!" An excited yell along with the sound of rushing footsteps came from far to near. The sounds were heard before the person was seen, and an impression of a cheerful teenager could be outlined in one's mind.

Yuan Sikong was reading a book and lying on a neat pile of hay. The hay that had been basked by the sun all day long was warm. It was emitting an unripe and simple scent which was very soothing to smell. His eyes were still fixing on the yellowing pages of the volume without even blinking, and he replied lazily: "Over here."

In the next moment, a green-clothed boy rushed into the stable, ran a few steps to the front of the haystack, somersaulted in the air, and landed on it. The haystack was only slightly shaken. The agility of the action was evident with solid footing.

"Second brother!" That teenager pounced on Yuan Sikong, while his eyes moved to the book in his hand, " 'Treatise on Literature’...What evil book are you reading again?" His hand reached out and was about to snatch it.

"What evil book? This is the Yin Yang technique book." Yuan Sikong forcefully pried open his fingers.

The young boy lightly snorted: "You make me memorize Confucius and Mencius every day, yet you have time to read these books."

"Then have you memorized?" Yuan Sikong sat up and pretended to be serious while staring at the beautiful features of that young boy's face. He was in a trance for a moment. Sometimes he couldn't help but sigh with emotion: They were obviously not blood-related, yet how could their features be so similar?

On the haystack sat two young boys of similar age and appearance. Both were even dressed in green clothes, as if they were carved out of the same mould, except that they had very different temperaments: one full of innocent youthfulness, the other with stability beyond his years.

This young man was the Yuan family's most beloved youngest son, Yuan Nanyu.　

Yuan Nanyu smiled, "I've memorized it."

"Really? Let me test you..."

"Aiya, second brother." Yuan Nanyu acted coquettishly and said, “I haven't memorized it fully yet. Next time, okay?"

"Memorized my foot." Yuan Sikong mocked as he tugged at Yuan Nanyu's clothes, "How many times have I said, don't dress the same as me."

"You left home before dawn. How could I know what clothes you were wearing?" Yuan Nanyu was excited again, "Second brother, the daughter of the Li family in the south of the city is getting married today. It's very lively. Wow, there was a big box made of purple briarwood which needed to be carried by two strong men, and it's packed with sixteen dowry boxes! Father is going to have a feast later, so there must be lots of good food. Let's go together."

"No, it's not like we're marrying a daughter-in-law." Yuan Sikong said, "You should read more books and practice martial arts when you have time. Don't just join in the fun."

"Father joins in the fun too."

"Nonsense. Is father going to join in the fun? Last year, Counselor Li donated two thousand winter clothes to the soldiers. This year, we need to repair the southern city wall, and we need to ask the government official and provincial magnate in the state to raise the money. Do you think father is really in the mood for a wedding banquet?"

Yuan Nanyu scratched his head and seemed to understand: "Shouldn't the imperial court pay for the winter clothes and the repair of the city wall?"　

Yuan Sikong's eyes turned cold suddenly: "In which year is the military pay in Liaodong on time and in the right amount? If not, our family..." He stopped talking just in time as the bitter past surfaced before his eyes.

Although Yuan Nanyu was the same age as him, he was a total child at heart, and it was useless to talk to him about it. Among his peers, he was so precocious that he seemed to be heretical.

"If you don't go, then I won't go either." Yuan Nanyu said disappointedly, "I will accompany you to watch the horses."

"There are people in the stable. Neither of us needs to watch them. Either you go and help big brother or go back to accompany mother."

"I accompany mother every day and night, and big brother is boring, I like to spend time with second brother." Yuan Nanyu laughed and said, "Yesterday father even praised you to mother, saying that you had raised the horses well."

Yuan Sikong looked at the rows in the stable not far away. The horses in the stable were healthy with shining hair. All of them were good quality, and it was clear from a glance that they were good horses. In the past four years, apart from studying and practicing martial arts, he had spent most of his time on these horses. He couldn't help but feel a little smug: "Our young horses came from Hebei Road, and they are of Khitan blood. Only good young horses can be raised well.”

Yuan Nanyu seemed to be sharing the glory: "They need second brother to raise them well too."

"Unfortunately, father still won't let me dissect a horse..." Yuan Sikong was rather disappointed.

"Father said that would be against the military law."

"Pedantic." Yuan Sikong put away his book, "Let's go back and eat dinner."

"Aight."

----

At dusk, when the two of them returned home, they meet Yuan Mao in the courtyard who should have gone to a wedding banquet at Counselor Li's house.

Yuan Mao was walking out with a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, speaking about something. He's handsome, dignified and clad in light armor.　

"Father?" Yuan Nanyu said in surprise, "Why haven't you gone yet?"

"Father has something to do, you guys go and eat first." The young man was none other than Yuan Mao's eldest son, Yuan Shaoxu, who had already joined the military.

Seeing Yuan Mao's unusual expression, but not daring to ask more questions, Yuan Sikong led Yuan Nanyu towards the main hall.

"Kong'er." Yuan Mao suddenly called out to him.

"Father."

"Come here, father wants to ask you a few questions."

Yuan Sikong walked over.

Yuan Mao had not changed much from four years ago, except that his eyebrows were more rigid and calm: "Kong'er, do you know the maximum number of war horses that can be mobilized from Guangning Wei, including the surrounding states and counties?"

Yuan Sikong's heart was shaken.

Yuan Mao was the Military Officer of Guangning Wei, and his biggest duty was to guard Guangning City. There were other armies guarding Huangshui. As long as the Jin did not go beyond Huangshui and the superiors did not make any transfers, Yuan Mao only needed to hoard up food, train his troops, be on alert and make no move, yet Yuan Mao was asking him about the war horses now. Could it be...this day had finally come?

Since the abandonment of the seven states in Liaobei and the retreat of Sheng's army to the south of Huangshui, the imperial court negotiated and traded in exchange for three years of peace. Last year, the situation changed. The Jin people tried to cross Huangshui but were forced back by the Sheng army. In fact, they all understood that this was not a plan for long-term peace. The Liaodong without Liaobei's natural barrier was already exposed to the calvaries of the Jin. As winter was approaching, the water was about to freeze over again and pave way for the Jin to invade.

Yuan Sikong clenched his fist secretly: "It should be possible to mobilize two thousand good horses."

"Okay, I'll have Xu Hu arrange it, and you can go with him to pick them."

"Father." Yuan Shaoxu frowned, "Kong'er is still young, how can you appoint a child to such a big task?"

"Kong'er has been breeding horses for many years. He's a good researcher, raises better than anyone else, and good at analyzing horses. I'll let him learn from Xu Hu. I’m not appointing him."

Yuan Sikong listened to his heart beating wildly, "Father, is it...the enemy Jin is coming?" He was born in Liaobei and grew up with stories of the Jin eating people and drinking blood. He had seen the tragic state of cities and moats that had been plundered by the Jin, and his family had been destroyed because of them. He feared the Jin, but his bone-deep hatred was even stronger.

"Not yet, it's the Chief Soldier of Datong who has asked us for horses."

"The Chief Soldier of Datong?" Although Yuan Sikong didn't know much about the situation, he had read military books and knew that Datong was still some distance away from them. Guangning was not a good place to raise horses, and all the limited horses were supplied to Liaodong, so it's not up to Datong prefecture to come and ask for it.

"They will enter the city tomorrow. Father has many things to prepare, so we will talk about it later. Shaoxu, let's go." Yuan Mao said and hurried away.

"Big brother, what's going on?" Yuan Nanyu tugged on Yuan Shaoxu's sleeve, "Isn't Datong very far away from us?"　

"It's not too far." Yuan Shaoxu had a complicated look on his face, "King of Jingyuan led his troops to pursue the defeated forces of the Wala, and chased them to Nekha in one go. As a result, they were almost ambushed. They were able to escape unscathed after abandoning their supplies and gears. Now they need Guangning to replenish, otherwise they won't be able to go back."

Yuan Nanyu wondered, "Then wouldn't it be easier to resupply in the capital?"

"Nonsense." Yuan Shaoxu patted his head, "You don't understand anything. Just go and eat." After saying that, he chased after Yuan Mao.

After Yuan Shaoxu left, Yuan Nanyu was still confused, "What’s this? Datong is quite far away right...Second brother, do you understand?"

"Hmm." Yuan Sikong pondered as he walked towards the house.　

The Chief Soldier of Datong was the famous King of Jingyuan, Feng Jianping. He was the only king of Dasheng with a different surname, who once served the king to save the country, tried hard to save a desperate crisis, and had a meritorious military service for the kingdom of Dasheng. After 20 years of defending the border, the Xuanfu and Datong defense lines were as strong as iron. Wala fought North and South to expand its territory with the force of a tiger. It was said that they had already marched to Russia. The only reason why they could not invade the Central Plains, which was rich in water and fertile soil, was because the King of Jingyuan was guarding the border.

So, if the Datong prefecture wanted to move Guangning City back, not to mention the horses, the court would probably even agree.

Of course, it was true that the King of Jingyuan could not go to the capital to replenish. It was taboo for those with a large number of troops to approach the capital hastily as they were seen to have the ambition of rebelling against the emperor.

Although the fact that it wasn't the Jin invading made Yuan Sikong's felt a little relieved, he was still unhappy at the thought of giving horses, which he raised painstakingly, to outsiders.

"Wow, then won't we get to see the Feng family army tomorrow? I've heard it's very impressive. Second brother, we must go and see it tomorrow!"

"Alright." Yuan Sikong, like many Dasheng men, was also curious and fascinated by the Feng family army, which was known as the number one army in the world, although he still couldn't bear to let go of his horses.

As soon as the two of them entered the house, the fragrant scent of rice hit them.

"Mother, big sister, we're back."

Yue Qingshuang walked out from the back kitchen with a steaming pot of bone broth in her hand.

"Mother, why are you still going to the back kitchen?" Yuan Sikong hurriedly ran over, took the soup from her hands, placed it on the table, and complained, "The back kitchen is full of fumes. You are going to have chest congestion again."

Yue Qingshuang laughed, "It's alright. It's not too cold these days, I feel my lungs and heart were much more relaxed. Look, your father and your big brother are going to a wedding banquet, we should eat something good at home too."

"Father he…”

Yuan Nanyu was about to say something but was curbed by Yuan Sikong with a look.

Yue Qingshuang was weak and had asthma. Winter was especially hard on her, so they didn't want her to worry about many things.

Yuan Nanyu immediately kept silent, grabbed a piece of braised pork in soy sauce and threw it into his mouth. The braised pork had just come out of the pot and was still steaming. When it entered his mouth, it was tumbling in between his lips and teeth. He jumped and shouted at the same time: “Wow, it’s so hot. Wow, it’s so delicious!”

Yue Qingshuang and Yuan Sikong both couldn't help laughing.

"You are the youngest in the family, and you are the unruliest too." A pleasant female voice came from behind. That voice was as beautiful as a nightingale, but not as soft as an ordinary woman. It was clear, crisp, refreshing.

She was a beautiful young girl, Yuan Weiling, the eldest daughter of the Yuan family. She was famous in Liaodong for her refined beauty and valiant character, and she and Yuan Shaoxu were twins.

The Yuan family's bloodline was unique. Yue Qingshuang had given birth to two twins, including Yuan Nanyu, just that Yuan Nanyu's sibling brother died prematurely. This was why Yuan Mao was so determined to take him home as his adopted son when he saw Yuan Sikong on that cold and rainy night four years ago. One could not help but feel the strangeness of fate.

"Big sister." Yuan Nanyu grinned cheekily, "The braised pork in soy sauce made by mother is so delicious."

"Mother, I've told you many times, don't cook it yourself." Yuan Weiling pressed Yue Qingshuang into a chair, "I know how to make this braised pork in soy sauce too. I'll do it next time."

"Bah, let big sister do it and all the pigs will die in vain."

"Brat, are you looking for a fight?" Yuan Weiling rushed over and wanted to hit him, and Yuan Nanyu dodged across the chair.

Yue Qingshuang feigned anger and said, "You guys dare to be unbridled at the dinner table when your father is not here." She took Yuan Sikong's hand, "Kong'er, only you're the prudent one. Look at this big one and little one. The daughter doesn't have a daughter's manner, and the younger brother is naughty. If you didn't keep him in check, I'm afraid he would have torn the roof tiles off."

Yuan Sikong said, "Yu'er actually knows how to behave, it’s just that he loves to play." Looking at the Yuan siblings who were laughing and chasing after each other, he had a soft smile in his eyes.

When he felt that God had taken everything away from him and had completely abandoned him, he was contented that Yuan Mao had come to him like a deity and given him a warm and peaceful home.

His only wish was to achieve success and serve his country with his life, so that the barbarians would never be able to touch the people of Dasheng.

 

----

PS: Ah, ZW’s chapters are slightly longer, and filled with military stuff (oooof). Nevertheless, it’s interesting. Since there’s a lot of military stuff as well as various state’s name, if I have time, I may do a glossary on them. Otherwise, y’all may be confused…

 

Edited on 17 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

Edited on 28 Jun. 21 (Ari)

 

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