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Chapter 81: Going Home

“Your older brother went to join the army, your family must be quite worried, right?” Lu Bainian asked while eating noodles, looking at Feng Yue.

Feng Yue shook his head and replied helplessly, “I’m the third child in my family, with two older brothers and younger siblings beneath me. Our family has good relationships, and if something were to happen, my parents and wife wouldn’t be without someone to rely on. However, my wife wasn’t very supportive of my decision to join the army, and after arguing for a long time, she couldn’t stop me.”

He said this, then took another bite of pickled vegetables. “These noodles aren’t bad.”

Lu Bainian ate, finding the taste passable. Naturally, the food wasn’t as good as what the Lu family’s cook made.

However, he had eaten the meals made by Liu Suqing in the village before, and they were even worse than this. Back then, he managed to survive, and now, even if the environment wasn’t ideal, his stomach could still adjust.

Lu Bainian chewed slowly, noticing Feng Yue’s aristocratic demeanor and growing curious, he asked, “I see your family is quite well-off. Why would your parents let you join the army? Did something happen at home?”

Lu Bainian shook his head. “My father passed away years ago, so he can’t control me. But everything at home is still fine. I’m the second child in my family, and I have several brothers. My mother, sister-in-law, and younger brothers all advised me against it, but I insisted.”

“Like my older brother, I joined the army to serve the country. Also, the reason I came to the army was to make something of myself, to show my mother that I could do it.”

“My older brother and younger brothers are all knowledgeable, but I’ve never had a talent for studying or an interest in business. Fortunately, I had two teachers last year who taught me martial arts, and now, I can say I have some skill. So, with my enthusiasm, I decided to come here.”

Feng Yue was surprised. “You’ve only studied martial arts for a year? Where did you study?”

Lu Bainian didn’t want to hide it from Feng Yue, but he didn’t feel comfortable saying that he was a disciple of the two young ladies, Qing Luan and Hong Yu.

After all, he hadn’t formally become their disciple, and they didn’t acknowledge him as such. He was worried that mentioning it might upset them.

“Well, my teacher is a recluse who doesn’t like people knowing his name.”

“Oh? I see.” Feng Yue was curious but noticed Lu Bainian didn’t want to say more, so he didn’t press further.

He was still impressed by Lu Bainian’s martial skills.

“For someone who’s only studied for a year, you’ve already reached such a level. Clearly, you have a lot of talent.”

Lu Bainian humbly replied, “You flatter me, Brother. It’s also because my teacher taught me well.”

As the sky darkened, the two of them lit two lamps, but the room still wasn’t very bright.

If there had been some wine and dishes, it wouldn’t have been so bad. But living in a place like this, there was always a sense of caution, so they didn’t drink.

In Lu Bainian’s home, there were various types of lamps, making it not only bright but also lively, with servants coming and going.

In contrast, in the place they were staying now, late at night, the only sounds they could hear were the chirping of insects and the barking of dogs.

They only spoke a few more words before putting down their bowls and returning to their rooms to sleep.

The next morning, Lu Bainian woke up early.

Since he had gone to bed early and had nothing to occupy his time, except for checking on the horses, he didn’t have much else to do.

After having breakfast with Feng Yue, the two of them set out.

As expected, they made it into Jingzhou city before lunchtime.

Because Lu Bainian had connections, after reporting their names, they only underwent a brief physical check and then entered the military together with Feng Yue.

The two were assigned to a shared room with many other soldiers. Each person got two blankets, a water bottle, a towel, and a basin—nothing too fancy.

Training would begin the next day, so Lu Bainian took the opportunity to visit a general’s assistant named Lin, who worked under the governor of the two provinces.

General Lin was related to the magistrate of Qinghe County, and although they weren’t closely related, this connection allowed Lin to show Lu Bainian a little extra attention and care within the military.

Lin had already received a letter from the magistrate, and after checking Lu Bainian’s letter, he quickly recognized him.

Although General Lin had a busy schedule and didn’t need to meet Lu Bai Nian, he respected the fact that Lu Bainian came from a scholarly family. His older brother had passed the second-degree imperial examination, and they had other talented relatives. This could potentially help Lu Bai Nian’s career in the future, so he treated him with respect and personally welcomed him.

However, military affairs were busy, so they only spoke for about fifteen minutes.

They discussed Lu Bainian’s family, his parents, and siblings, but the conversation didn’t last long, as someone came to find General Lin.

Lu Bainian, with his emotional intelligence, knew that even a brief meeting was a rare opportunity, so as soon as he saw that Lin was busy, he respectfully took his leave.

General Lin was pleased with how Lu Bainian handled the situation and was satisfied with the young man’s attitude.

Afterward, Lu Bainian returned to the military camp.

Although the recruitment conditions for the military were more relaxed now, there were still requirements. In addition to being physically healthy, soldiers couldn’t be too short.

There were also distinctions between the different branches of the army. Elite soldiers and regular soldiers had different training regimens.

Elite soldiers, who were assigned to better units, earned more money each month. Those with special skills, such as expert archers or exceptional strength, earned even more.

Every month, elite soldiers were tested, and if they didn’t perform well, they were removed from the elite ranks.

Lu Bainian was just an ordinary soldier, without any special titles or skills.

Even though General Lin was looking out for him, everyone in the military was serious about earning a future with their lives on the line. They only respected those with real strength.

Lu Bainian was given cleaner living quarters compared to others, and he received some leniency in daily matters, but in the military, it was all about proving one’s worth. No one would give him special treatment just because of his connections.

Lu Bainian came to the military with sincerity, and he wasn’t interested in taking shortcuts.

So after entering the army, he began to train diligently. He ate well, took care of his health, and was fully focused on driving out the Xiongnu. He hoped that one day he could return home with glory, just like his older brother.

The most important thing for him was to make his mother proud one day.

That way, he would feel that he hadn’t failed.

Since joining the army, Lu Bainian worked hard to train. Compared to other soldiers with families, he had the advantage of being single, with no wife or children to worry about.

Without the distractions of family, he could dedicate himself fully.

As for interpersonal relationships, there was no need to worry. The soldiers were straightforward men, with no hidden schemes.

Lu Bainian had seen many people around his father and managed the family business for a year or two. His personality had already been shaped, and he could handle even the most calculating individuals. It was easy for him to get along with the soldiers in the army.

Before long, he was on good terms with everyone, but his closest bond remained with Feng Yue, his sworn brother.

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