Free Web NovelChapter 377: Chapter 322: Iron Tiger Army! March
"Come on, brothers, let’s go! Let’s go check out the Imperial City," Su Lei said excitedly to the others. "We’ve been in the Imperial City for so long, but we’ve been stuck in the barracks this whole time. We haven’t even been into the city for a look."
"That’s true. We’ve got a little money now. We should go live it up in the Imperial City. If we don’t, we might die without ever getting the chance."
"Agreed!"
"You bunch of country bumpkins." Ma Jinpeng chuckled. "Come on, I’ll take you out and broaden your horizons!"
Everyone chimed in, buzzing with excitement about the Imperial City. Then, they all turned to look at Xiao Mo.
"What are you all looking at me for? If you want to go, then let’s go," Xiao Mo said with a smile.
"Let’s go! To the Imperial City!"
Soon, they collected their leave passes and walked out of the barracks.
The moment Zhao Wei and the others stepped into the Imperial City and witnessed its splendor, they froze in awe. Then, their excitement became palpable.
"Holy crap, this road is several times wider than the streets back in my hometown!"
"Damn it! It’s so lively, and there are so many people."
"What do we do? Everyone here looks so refined. You don’t think they can tell we’re from the countryside, do you?"
"Don’t be so pathetic. We’re men of the Iron Tiger Army, which practically makes us residents of the Imperial City, all right? Stop standing around like a bunch of deer in the headlights." Ma Jinpeng straightened his clothes and led his brothers on a tour of the Imperial City.
Along the way, Hei Daniu and the others gasped in constant amazement. It seemed to them that even the little girls in the Imperial City had fairer skin than the ones back home.
Li Dadan felt that the dough of the Imperial City’s steamed buns was kneaded more finely than back home.
Xu Yongsheng thought that the girls from any random brothel in the Imperial City were prettier than any in his own city.
Xu Yongsheng could have kicked himself, thinking, ’What kind of cheap, plain women have I been sleeping with in the brothels back in my county town?’
’Don’t the girls in the Imperial City’s brothels have more class, better looks, and better figures than the ones back home?’
’I love the Imperial City!’
Xiao Mo, however, looked at this strange yet familiar Imperial City, a wave of emotion washing over him.
’It’s been two and a half years since I’ve been back to the Imperial City.’
Without realizing it, Xiao Mo’s gaze drifted in the direction of the Xiao Mansion.
"Brothers, how about we go to a brothel for some wine and women? We’ve got money now, and if we don’t go this time, who knows if we’ll get another chance."
It was Xu Yongsheng who suggested they pick a brothel and have some fun.
Upon hearing this, Hei Daniu and Li Dadan didn’t agree, but they didn’t refuse either. A blush crept across their dark, weathered faces, making them look both eager and embarrassed.
Aside from Xiao Mo, Zhao Wei, and the two sons of officials, the others all feigned embarrassment while secretly wanting to go.
’After all, I’m still a virgin.’
’I don’t want to die on the battlefield as a virgin.’
"You guys go ahead. I’m going to sit this one out," Xiao Mo said with a smile.
"Brother Xiao, you’re really not going?" Xu Yongsheng asked, surprised.
’In the past, Brother Xiao was still young, not even a man yet, so it was normal for him not to be interested.’
’But now Brother Xiao is a grown man. According to the laws of the Qin Kingdom, he’s old enough to get married.’
’Could it be that hanging around us rough men all the time has made him lose interest in women?’
"I’m really not going." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Just make sure you finish up early. I’m going to wander around the city for a bit. If you’re not out by sunset, I’ll come drag you out of bed myself."
"Well..."
Seeing that Xiao Mo wasn’t going, the others began to hesitate.
"All right, if you’re going, then go. Stop being so wishy-washy."
Xiao Mo clapped Hei Daniu on the shoulder, then turned and walked away.
But before Xiao Mo had gone even a hundred yards, he faintly heard the clamor of footsteps running up behind him.
"Brother Xiao, wait for us... Brother Xiao..."
Xiao Mo turned to see Xu Yongsheng and the others running toward him.
Xiao Mo asked curiously, "Didn’t you guys go to the brothel?"
Xu Yongsheng laughed and said, "We did go in, but... well, the Madam could tell we were from the countryside. The look she gave us was disrespectful, so I decided to leave."
"I... I think it’s more important to marry a good wife. Better to just forget about the brothel," Hei Daniu said.
Li Dadan nodded. "Me too!"
"Listen to them making excuses..." Chen Wang said, rubbing his nose. "The truth is, we figured it wouldn’t be any fun without you, Brother Xiao, so we left."
"You guys..." Xiao Mo chuckled. "All right, then. Let’s go get some braised beef, gnaw on some stewed pork knuckles, and have a few drinks. I know a decent little spot, assuming the owner hasn’t skipped town."
"Let’s go, let’s go! You lead the way, Brother Xiao," Zhao Wei and the others chimed in.
Before long, Xiao Mo had led them all to a shop on the street next to the Xiao Mansion.
They all drank and ate, watching the people come and go on the street. They talked about how they would one day buy a house in the Capital City, take a wife, have a chubby baby, and live a comfortable life. freewёbnoνel.com
Listening to them, Xiao Mo simply smiled. He said nothing, but committed it all to memory, then quietly gazed at the Xiao Mansion, just one street away.
"Huh? Brother Xiao? If I remember correctly, isn’t the Xiao Mansion on the next street over?" Ma Jinpeng asked curiously. "Brother Xiao, you finally got a chance to come out, and you’re shipping out tomorrow. Aren’t you going to see your mother?"
Ma Jinpeng’s words resonated with the others. They all turned to Xiao Mo, surprised that the Xiao Mansion was so close.
"No." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Leave for the Iron Tiger Army always means a deployment is coming. If I go back, my mother will surely figure out that I’m about to ship out. Why would I want to cause her that extra worry?"
"..."
The others fell silent. They all felt that what Brother Xiao said made sense.
’If it would only make his mother worry more, what’s the point in going?’
’But if he doesn’t go, he might not... even get to see her one last time.’
"Let’s not talk about this. Come on, Brother Xiao, everyone, let’s have a toast!" Zhao Wei raised his wine cup. "To this deployment, and to our triumphant return!"
"To our triumphant return!"
Shaking off their somber thoughts, they raised their cups and clinked them together, the wine sloshing inside.
But in truth, not a single one of them knew if they would make it back alive.
...
Meanwhile, in a courtyard of the Xiao Mansion, the Maid, Cuicui, was attending to Fifth Madam Zhou Ruoxi.
Zhou Ruoxi was sewing a pair of shoes.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Zhou Ruoxi lifted her head and gazed in a particular direction.
"Madam, is something wrong?" Cuicui asked curiously.
"It’s nothing." Zhou Ruoxi blinked. "I just suddenly started thinking of my Mo’er."
"My lady, you don’t ’suddenly’ think of him. You think of the Young Master every day," Cuicui sighed. "But please don’t worry. I heard the Young Master is doing very well in the barracks. Besides, two and a half of the seven years are already over. In just another four and a half years, not only can the Young Master leave the Iron Tiger Army, but he might even become an official."
Zhou Ruoxi simply smiled and looked down at the shoes in her lap. "By the time Mo’er comes back, he’ll have come of age. I wonder if the shoes I’m making now will be too big, or too small..."
"Oh, my lady, when the Young Master returns, it won’t be a question of shoe size! It’ll be time to discuss his marriage."
Cuicui giggled, covering her mouth.
"I think the Princess would be a fine match, you know."
"What nonsense." Zhou Ruoxi gently tapped her on the head. "Why would the Princess ever take a fancy to our boy? But... when that time does come, we really should find a girl from a good family for Mo’er."
...
Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set, and Xiao Mo and the others hurried back to the barracks before dark.
「The next day.」
Before the sky had even begun to lighten, a horn blast echoed through the camp. Xiao Mo opened his eyes. He knew the Iron Tiger Army was deploying.
Xiao Mo and the others immediately made their way to the largest training ground at the center of the barracks.
The other thousand soldiers of the Iron Tiger Army were also arriving in succession.
Every man stood ramrod straight in formation, utterly silent, their eyes fixed forward. A solemn, murderous aura of Blood Qi filled the entire training ground.
Soon, a general walked out onto the high platform before them.
He swept his gaze over the soldiers, his imposing voice echoing across the entire camp:
"Iron Tiger Army!
March out!"
