叭哒漫画

Upon hearing his son call out to Wei Ruo, Xu Zhushan turned around. Seeing Wei Ruo, he immediately put away his stern expression, “Miss, how come you’re here?”

I heard you and Brother Xiaoyong were having an argument, so I came over to see.”

“Ah, it’s this rascal disobeying. A few lashes will straighten him out. It’s not worth you making the trip, Miss.”

Ridden with injustice, Xu Zhengyong could only protest with his eyes. Hearing the voices, Mother Xu came out from the house. Seeing Wei Ruo, her mood brightened, she walked over and embraced Wei Ruo, “Miss.” Although they lived close by, Mother Xu hadn’t seen Wei Ruo for quite a few days.

She heard from Xiumei that Wei Ruo had even been locked in a firewood room at the Military Prefecture. Then she realized Wei Ruo’s life there wasn’t as good as she initially thought.

So, she worried Wei Ruo was not eating or sleeping well in the Military Prefecture and often managed to send some things to her.

However, she never got to see Wei Ruo in person and it always left her worried. Mother Xu carefully looked at Wei Ruo for a while before she finally heaved a sigh of relief, confirming that Wei Ruo had neither lost weight nor fallen ill. Mother, stop crying. Let’s talk about Xiaoyong’s matters slowly,” Wei Ruo said. “Ruoruo, you’ve got to help me speak to my mother. She listens to you the most!” Xu Zhengyong quickly said.

“Impudent! How many times have I told you, you mustn’t address Miss in such away!”

Mother Xu corrected her son’s way of addressing Wei Ruo for the umpteenth time.

“I don’t care if she’s the Miss of the He Family or the Miss of the Wei Family. Anyway, she is my sister! Ruoruo said it herself!” Xu Zhengyong didn’t care about the formalities.

“Yes, Brother Xiaoyong is right.” This address was requested by Wei Ruo. Xiaoyong was a year older than her. After his birth, Mother Xu had to take up work as a wet nurse in the He Family to supplement the family income. During the time they lived in Mo Jiazha, Mother Xu spent a majority of her time taking care of Wei Ruo, while her own son Xiaoyong was often left at home.

Later, as Wei Ruo grew older, she intentionally asked Mother Xu to spend more time at home and also requested her to bring Xu Zhengyong to live with them more often, saying she was in need of playmates at the same age.

At that time, both she and Xiaoyong were just infants, there was no distinction of gender, they played together in the house.

Over time, Wei Ruo and Xu Zhengyong became familiar with each other, they kept calling each other brother and sister.

No matter how many times Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu corrected them, they never altered the habit.

“Xiumei, please untie the rope on Brother Xiaoyong. We’ll sit down and talk,” Wei Ruo swiftly motioned to Xiumei.

Taking advantage of Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu’s distraction, Xiumei quickly untied the rope on Zhengyong.

“Xiumei, thank you!” Xu Zhengyong thanked her while grinning sheepishly. “Don’t thank me just yet!” Xiumei glared at Xu Zhengyong and said in annoyance.

Once free, Xu Zhengyong sprang over to Wei Ruo, pleading, “Ruoruo, you tell me, isn’t a good guy supposed to be fearless, willing to fight on the battlefield, and make achievements?”

“What you mentioned indeed describes a good guy, but being a good guy can be achieved in other ways too. Didn’t I ask you to study before?” Wei Ruo asked.

“I can’t. Ruoruo, I’m just not cut out for studying. Just recognizing a few characters is already a huge feat for me. You want me to write all that eloquent stuff, I simply can’t do it,” Xu Zhengyong lamented bitterly.

Actually, Wei Ruo was aware of his lively nature, and he indeed wasn’t suited for studying.

But education indeed constitutes the best approach for a commoner to move up in society during this era.

“You good-for-nothing brat, you want to be a soldier and fight? Those Japanese pirates are so fearsome, your mother would be worrying every day at home!” Xu Zhushan scolded.

Mother, you’re against Xiaoyong’s idea because you’re afraid he might get injured, is that so?” Wei Ruo asked Mother Xu.

Mother Xu shook her head, “I’m not worried about him getting injured in battle. Our peace and prosperity are largely due to the soldiers guarding the city gate. If my son doesn’t go, someone else’s son will have to. If everyone’s sons don’t go, we all would be dead.”

Mother Xu then sighed, “If he really wants to fight and bleed for his people, I would accept it! But I’m afraid of his temper. Once he joins the military and breaks the rules, they might punish him even before having to fight!”

Xu Zhengyong’s temper is hard. That day, when he went to the Military Prefecture looking for Wei Ruo, he started arguing with the guards over a single comment.

With his temperament, joining the military would indeed leave Mother Xu worried.

So that’s it. Wei Ruo feels that it’s not a completely unsolvable problem.

Wei Ruo turned to Xu Zhengyong, “Brother Xiaoyong, as you heard, Mother is not completely against you joining the military, however, she has a condition. You need to control your temper and avoid conflicts.”

As long as others don’t provoke me, I won’t easily start conflicts either. Mother, you’re just overthinking,” Xu Zhengyong dismissed nonchalantly. “Brother Xiaoyong, even though I’m not a very disciplined person myself, the military isn’t like other places,

it has the strictest rules which one must obey. You can’t just say you won’t, you must, definitely, and absolutely obey orders and management,” Wei Ruo said with a stern expression.

Xu Zhengyong scratched his head, looking unsure.

He was aware of his temper and knew it was rather easy for him to get into conflicts with others.

Brother Xiaoyong, if you want to go, you must swear to me. Once you join the army, under the premise of ensuring your own safety, you should control your temper, avoid conflicts, and obey the military orders and personnel management. If not, may I be struck by lightning.”

“No way! How can I make you swear such a dangerous oath! I could swear such an oath on my life but I won’t let you swear on yours!” Xu Zhengyong flatly refused.

Then Xu Zhengyong said, “If it’s like this, I’d rather not go. I’ll live the rest of my life as a worthless man!”

As he spoke, Xu Zhengyong’s expression became more distressed, “I want to join the military, not only for the sake of protecting the country but also to make a name for myself. I want to remove you from the Military Prefecture and let you live with us. I know we’re just ordinary folks now, no matter how much money we make from our business, we can’t compete with the officials and we can’t bring you home. But if I make military achievements, become a higher-ranking official than the Wei Family, then I can bring you away from there and go on living with us.”

Xu Zhengyong wiped tears from his eyes and looked reluctantly at a corner of the wall.

“You are my sister. I should be taking care of and protecting you, not helplessly staying in this small house. You told me to study; I did, but it’s no use, I can’t make it. But I have strength and you even asked a master to teach me martial arts, I think I’ll be fine on the battlefield!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu fell silent.

We Ruo’s heart was struck hard as well, she didn’t realize that Brother Xiaoyong’s desire to be a soldier had something to do with her too..