Chapter 98: Secret
Editor: Atlas Studios
Qi Haoran lowered his head and did not speak. Seeing that he was pretending to be melancholic, Fan Zijin slapped him. “Alright, you can put on this sad face in front of Cousin. I actually think the 5th Division is not bad. Since almost all of them are locals, their families can arrive immediately. Managing them is equivalent to managing a bunch of locals familiar with the territory. Although they’re new recruits, as long as you train them, they’ll definitely become stronger than the 4th Division.”
At the thought of Mu Shi and Mu Yangling’s strength, Qi Haoran was instantly delighted. “You’re right. The seedlings of the 5th Division are stronger than the 4th Division.”
The moment Qi Haoran raised his butt, he knew what he was thinking. Fan Zijin said leisurely, “You’re thinking too much. The Mu family won’t be included.”
Qi Haoran’s smile froze. “Why?”
“Didn’t Miss Mu say that her entire family is moving south? Just based on the favor she has done for us, Cousin won’t make things difficult for them.” Actually, Fan Zijin really didn’t think that Mu Yangling had done them much kindness. They had already repaid her for that meal in Mingshui County. Saving them this time was considered their duty, but sending them a doctor and paying for their medicine would be going way beyond that, right?
However, Haoran, this fool, foolishly thought that giving someone a meal in adversity was tantamount to giving them a new lease on life. His cousin was also grateful and wanted to repay his kindness. So he just watched with folded arms, happy to let this silly kid feel at ease.
“Go south?” Qi Haoran was a little sad. “Have they already made up their minds? I think Xingzhou Prefecture is a pretty nice place. It’s much better than Lin’an Prefecture.”
“Lin’an Prefecture is the capital, the most prosperous place in the world. Only a fool like you would think that this desolate land is better than the capital.”
Qi Haoran glared at him. “Then tell me, do you prefer staying in Lin’an or here?”
“Here, of course.” Fan Zijin sighed. “Although there are no restaurants or beautiful sceneries here, I’m free and carefree. Cousin dotes on me and unlike Lin’an Prefecture, we don’t have any of those vexing troubles here. Naturally, this is better.”
Only then was Qi Haoran satisfied. “Exactly! This place is better. The ‘little pony’ that Big Brother chose for me is about to arrive. That’s a thousand-mile horse that cost more than 800 taels of silver. When the time comes, you can raise it with me. I can lend it to you for a ride.”
“Forget it. I don’t care for it.” Fan Zijin stood up and said, “I still prefer beauties and books.”
Qi Haoran pursed his lips. “You’ll definitely be like your father in the future.”
Fan Zijin’s face turned cold and he said seriously, “No, I won’t be as shameless as him. At the very least, I’ll distinguish between the legitimate wife and concubines, and give my legitimate wife the respect she deserves.”
Qi Haoran pursed his lips. “Doesn’t that still mean you’ll have plenty of concubines? With Aunt’s personality, she definitely won’t agree. There’s bound to be conflicts. If the concubines are insolent, your being smart won’t help.” Qi Haoran advised. “Concubines destroy the harmony of a family. Look at my family and yours. Neither is happy. For the sake of our descendants, don’t take concubines if you can.”
Fan Zijin looked at him strangely. “It’s rare for you to have such awareness.”
“Of course.” Qi Haoran said proudly, “I figured it out a long time ago. A man should focus on making contributions instead of being distracted by women.”
Since 12-year-old teenagers were most interested in the opposite sex, the two virgin boys immediately moved closer to each other. Fan Zijin tugged at him and asked, “Then don’t you find it annoying to be with one woman all day long? Take my father for example. After seeing spring flowers today, he can admire the autumn moon tomorrow. If there’s only one wife, he’d have to face her regardless of his mood.”
Qi Haoran looked at him as if he was looking at a fool. “There are all kinds of spring flowers and autumn moons in the brothels outside. If you tire of looking at your wife, just go there to check them out. As long as you don’t take them back and don’t have a bastard son born, won’t the family be peaceful?”
Fan Zijin looked at Qi Haoran thoughtfully. After a while, he said, “Good idea!”
“Of course. I don’t have that much time to argue with women. Alright, I need to practice martial arts now. You should go study, too.” With that, he waved his hand and turned to leave.
Behind him, Fan Zijin said coldly, “I remember that Cousin arranged a schedule for you. You’re supposed to study ‘Higher Education’ with the teacher this afternoon, right?”
Qi Haoran ran away. Seeing that he would be attending class alone again in the afternoon, Fan Zijin was so angry that he picked up the cup on the table and threw it at him.
Qi Haoran laughed out loud. “Why would I study ‘Higher Education’ when I haven’t even memorized ‘The Doctrine Of The Golden Mean’ yet? Go and learn by yourself.”
“I’m going to tell Cousin to punish you by making you copy ‘The Analects’ a hundred times.”
Qi Haoran was long gone.
Qi Haoran only came back to his senses after running to the drill ground. He had yet to tell Mu Yangling about that matter. It was confidential, but since he had already promised to tell her about it, he still went to look for her after some hesitation. However, he pulled her into the garden and, in a lowered voice, made her promise not to tell anyone, including her parents.
Mu Yangling nodded without thinking.
Qi Haoran looked at her suspiciously. “Aren’t you suspicious?”
“Suspicious of what? I’m merely asking you for peace of mind. Regardless of whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, the land has been sold and the grains have been eaten. We can’t go back on our word even if we want to.”
Upon hearing her words, Qi Haoran felt even more conflicted. After a while, he said, “It’s both a good thing and a bad thing. Anyway, you didn’t lose anything by selling the land, but ultimately it’s not exactly a good thing either. I think being a soldier is a good thing, because at least you can protect the country and make contributions. But the people don’t seem to fancy being soldiers.”
Mu Yangling widened her eyes. “What soldier? What does this have to do with being a soldier?”
Qi Haoran touched his nose and whispered into Mu Yangling’s ear. What she heard made her feel as if she had been struck by lightning.
She did not screw the villagers of Nearhill Village over, but the emperor was screwing over the entire Mingshui County. No, more accurately speaking, it was half of the citizens of Xingzhou Prefecture.
As expected of a ‘god-like’ emperor.
Qi Haoran waved his hand in front of her and said, “You promised not to tell anyone about this.”
Mu Yangling stared at him. “Doesn’t that mean we can’t go south either?”
She shuddered and hurriedly asked, “My younger siblings are still young. Don’t tell me they’ll also be enlisted?”
“Don’t worry. As soon as my Big Brother heard that you wanted to move, he removed you guys from the list. If you want to leave, you can do so anytime.”
Mu Yangling felt sour and bitter at the same time. She was at a loss as to what to do.
She had been a soldier in her previous life and did not think that there was anything wrong with being a soldier. In her previous life, being a soldier was an honorable thing.
However, that was not the case here. Becoming a soldier meant that that person’s descendants would also have to be soldiers in the future. Being a soldier meant being poor and single. Just thinking about Little Bowen carrying a broadsword and standing on the battlefield covered in blood in the future, leaning against the entrance of the camp with white hair when he was old, and not having a child by his side, Mu Yangling felt as if there was a rock pressing down on her heart.
Therefore, Mu Yangling was very glad that she could get in through the back door. She just felt that she had let down the villagers in Nearhill Village.