We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? - Chapter 316: I'll Watch a Little Longer...
In the courtyard of the Xiao Manor.
Xiao Mo was practicing his spear techniques.
Zhou Ruoxi was knitting a sweater on the side, occasionally raising her head to look at her child.
In Zhou Ruoxi’s view, although her Mo’er was only thirteen years old, he already had the appearance of a little adult.
And just as Xiao Mo was practicing his spear techniques well, a maid from First Madam’s front courtyard came to the outside of the courtyard, curtsied, and said, “Fifth Madam, officials from the Ministry of War have sent someone to say that the Third Young Master’s assignment has been confirmed. This is a letter sent by the Ministry of War. Please review it.”
“Thank you, Miss.” Zhou Ruoxi curtsied in return and accepted the envelope from her hand.
After the maid took her leave, Zhou Ruoxi opened the envelope.
The letter indeed bore the seal of the Ministry of War.
Zhou Ruoxi carefully read the contents of the letter, reading it again and again. Zhou Ruoxi couldn’t help but press her lips together.
“Mother, which military camp was I assigned to?”
Xiao Mo put away his long spear and asked curiously.
Zhou Ruoxi looked at her child, her voice carrying a slight tremor, “The Iron Tiger Army.”
Hearing the three words “Iron Tiger Army,” Xiao Mo was also stunned.
Xiao Mo was not unfamiliar with the reputation of the Iron Tiger Army. Back at the training ground, he had learned about it from Xiao Yang and the others.
The Qin Kingdom had three great powerful armies, the Northern Pacification Prince’s Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry, the Southern Pacification Prince’s Wild Sand Army, and the Iron Tiger Army that reported directly to the Qin Kingdom’s ruler but the Iron Tiger Army was very different from the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry and Wild Sand Army.
Even the most ordinary soldier in the Iron Tiger Army was required to be literate, have martial talent above common people, and have a clean background because the Iron Tiger Army, rather than being called an army, was more like a military officer school.
In the Iron Tiger Army, every soldier had to study military strategy.
Besides that, the training in the Iron Tiger Army was also extremely brutal.
And the soldiers of the Iron Tiger Army also had to go to the battlefield to fight, experiencing the baptism of blood and flesh on the battlefield.
Who knew how many people in the Iron Tiger Army were either trained to death by instructors or died on the battlefield but if you made it through the Iron Tiger Army, you would be among the elite.
Based on each person’s performance over seven years and the military merits they achieved, some soldiers might be selected into the imperial guards.
Some soldiers would be assigned to various armies.
At the very least, they would start as commanders of a hundred.
“Mo’er, Mother feels this Iron Tiger Army…”
Because the Iron Tiger Army was rather special, both parents and the person himself needed to agree before he could go.
So parents could refuse, and Zhou Ruoxi didn’t really want her child to go.
“Mother, I want to go.” Xiao Mo knew what his mother meant.
“…”
Zhou Ruoxi gently pressed her thin lips together. The envelope in her hand was already crumpled by her grip.
“Mother… as a Xiao family disciple, how can I flee from the front? Every name on the list to enter the Iron Tiger Army is approved by His Majesty. If this child refuses, wouldn’t this child disgrace the Xiao family? Moreover, in the Iron Tiger Army, this child can also receive the best training, not failing the martial skills Master taught me!”
“…” Hearing her son say these words, Zhou Ruoxi’s expression still carried some hesitation.
Finally, Zhou Ruoxi turned around and walked into the house, “Let Mother think it over carefully.”
“Young Master.” Cuicui stepped forward and said to Xiao Mo, “Madam is worried about you…”
“I know.” Xiao Mo looked at his mother’s closed door, “I know everything…”
In the room, Zhou Ruoxi sat in the chair until deep into the night.
She kept looking at that letter on the table, her delicate hands tightly gripping her dress hem.
“Madam…”
Cuicui knocked on Zhou Ruoxi’s door.
“Come in.” Zhou Ruoxi called out softly.
Cuicui pushed open the door and entered the room, carrying in her other hand a bowl of egg fried rice, “Madam, eat something.”
“Thank you.” Zhou Ruoxi responded, “But Cuicui, I don’t have much appetite right now.”
“…” Cuicui didn’t know what to say and could only stand to the side.
After a long while, Zhou Ruoxi raised her head and looked at the maid, “Cuicui, tell me, I keep saying I’ll support Mo’er’s decisions, but when it comes to the crucial moment, I only want to keep him by my side. Am I really a qualified mother? Am I being too selfish?”
“Madam must never say such things.” Cuicui hurriedly said, “If Madam is not a qualified mother, then no one in this world is. Madam is only worried about Young Master’s safety. Parents’ hearts are pitiful everywhere. Young Master will surely understand.”
“Yes…” Zhou Ruoxi looked at the clothes she was sewing for her child on her lap, “Mo’er is so much more sensible than children his age. He will surely understand, and as his mother, how can I not understand my own child?”
“Madam, you mean?”
Zhou Ruoxi looked toward her child’s room and smiled, “The Xiao Manor is not small, but it’s not large either. Mo’er has a broader world. He shouldn’t be confined to this small space.”
Early the next morning, Xiao Mo rose early to practice his spear as usual.
Zhou Ruoxi, who hadn’t slept all night, watched her child through the window.
Her gaze remained on the child from beginning to end without shifting for a moment, as if wanting to forever engrave her child’s figure in her mind.
“Sigh…”
After who knows how long, Zhou Ruoxi took the letter from the Ministry of War, walked out of the house, and called out softly, “Mo’er…”
“Mother.” Xiao Mo put away his long spear.
Zhou Ruoxi walked in front of her child and held out the envelope with both hands, “Mo’er, this is for you.”
“Mother, this is?”
“Mother has already signed her name and pressed her seal. Today, you can take this letter directly to the Ministry of War to report.” Zhou Ruoxi smiled.
“Mother, this child…”
“Alright, no need for extra words.”
Zhou Ruoxi gently rubbed the child’s head.
“After you go to the Iron Tiger Army, you must cultivate well, but you must also pay attention to your body. Don’t force yourself in all matters. Mother knows your personality is strong, but spare others when you can. Oh, and you must eat more. When it gets cold, add more clothing. Do you understand?”
Xiao Mo nodded, “This child will remember.”
“Good that you remember.” Zhou Ruoxi straightened the child’s collar, “It’s about time. Don’t miss the appointed hour. Go.”
Xiao Mo stepped back, knelt on both knees, and kowtowed three times heavily.
Zhou Ruoxi’s eyes wavered. She tightly gripped her sleeves, not letting her tears fall.
Xiao Mo stood up and said solemnly, “Mother, this child is leaving.”
“Mm.”
As his mother responded, Xiao Mo turned around, walked out of the courtyard, and headed toward the outside of the Xiao Manor.
Zhou Ruoxi stood outside the courtyard, watching continuously. Even after Xiao Mo disappeared at the end of the road, she still didn’t withdraw her gaze.
“Madam, Young Master has already left. The winter day is cold. Let’s go inside…”
Cuicui walked to Madam’s side and called out softly.
“It’s fine.”
Zhou Ruoxi shook her head.
“I’ll watch a little longer… just a little longer…”
