95: Visit friends at night

“Are we out of Liaodong Commandery yet?” Lin Yue asked.

“Reporting, Commandant, the Army has just left Liaodong Commandery and has now entered Liaoxi Commandery,” Li Mu replied.

“Why aren’t we resting yet?” Lin Yue was a bit puzzled. Yesterday at this time, they had already rested early.

“If we don’t rest soon, everyone will go hungry,” Li Mu also worried. It was already dark, and the Soldiers were still starving.

As the two spoke, news came from the front.

“Reporting, Commandant, General She Jian has ordered the entire Army to set up camp and depart tomorrow!” A Soldier rode over.

“Understood,” Lin Yue nodded. Then, a portion of the Army began to set up camp, and the mess hall started cooking.

Lin Yue took advantage of this rare rest period to lie down and close his eyes, recuperating.

“Lin Yue, don’t sleep, come out with me,” She Jian called, approaching.

Lin Yue immediately got up and asked, “General, where are we going?”

“Stop talking nonsense, I’m taking you to see a friend,” She Jian turned and mounted his warhorse, smiling at Liu Sandao, who had stood up: “You stay here. With me protecting your lord, nothing will go wrong, ha ha ha!”

“San Dao, you stay here. We won’t be in any danger,” Lin Yue’s face flushed slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed when he heard She Jian say he would protect him. After speaking, he quickly followed.

Lin Yue then followed She Jian to a small market nearby. The market wasn’t large, just one street, and some shops were already closed.

She Jian wandered around, grabbing at whatever he saw.

“Is your rice good rice?” She Jian asked.

“What kind of talk is that, sir? Our shop has been open since Former Yan. We still have that much credibility,” a chubby shopkeeper said with a smile.

“That’s not many years, then,” She Jian muttered.

Two black lines appeared on the chubby shopkeeper’s forehead.

“How much is your rice per catty?” She Jian asked again.

“One coin and three per catty,” the chubby shopkeeper replied.

“One coin per catty, then. If that works, I’ll buy a hundred catties,” She Jian said with a smile.

The chubby shopkeeper looked troubled: “Sir, my business already has thin margins. One coin and three is already my lowest price.”

“You really can’t make it cheaper?” She Jian asked.

“It’s the lowest price, you can ask around,” the chubby shopkeeper said with a smile.

Lin Yue had already turned to leave, but then She Jian said, “Pack it up, a hundred catties.”

“Alright, sir!” The chubby shopkeeper smiled and bent down to pack.

Lin Yue thought for a moment, sighed, and said nothing, putting everything into his storage ring.

Then he bought ten catties of meat, using the same tactic.

“One catty of wine is 8 copper coins. Ten catties of wine, I’ll charge you 75 copper coins,” the wine-selling old woman said with a smile, not expecting such a big business right before closing.

“Is this the best wine?” She Jian asked with a smile.

“We are all poor folks here. This wine is already considered good wine. If you don’t believe me, sir, you can taste it,” the wine-selling old woman said, about to scoop out a mouthful of white wine for She Jian to taste.

“No need,” She Jian said with a smile. Then, counting out the money coin by coin, he handed it to the wine-selling old woman, then smiled and said, “Let’s go!”

It seemed She Jian valued this friend greatly, which made Lin Yue even more curious: what kind of person would She Jian’s friend be?

“She Jian is here to visit, greetings, Uncle!” She Jian stopped in front of a small courtyard.

Then a young man pushed open the door, exclaiming in surprise, “Uncle She!”

“Xiao Yang, come here, let Uncle have a look. How did you grow so big in the blink of an eye!” She Jian said with a smile.

“Ah, She Jian, come in quickly!” At this moment, a kind old man appeared at the door, smiling.

Then the group entered the house. Looking at the somewhat empty but clean and simple room, Lin Yue took out the rice, meat, and wine.

“You, you, you came, why did you bring things?” The old man frowned slightly.

“Uncle, there’s no reason to come empty-handed. These things aren’t expensive, I just bought them on the way,” She Jian said with a smile.

“Alright, then, let’s have a couple of drinks today, you and I,” the old man said with a smile, then declared boldly, “Xiao Yang, we’re eating meat today, go and get things ready!”

“Alright, Grandpa!” Xiao Yang said with a smile.

Then the three sat together around a small table, with a pot of wine and three cups.

The three tasted a sip. Lin Yue couldn’t tell if it was good or bad, but the old man thoroughly enjoyed it.

“Uncle, if I remember correctly, Xiao Yang should be sixteen this year, right?” She Jian asked, putting down his wine cup.

“Yes, six years have passed in a blink of an eye,” the old man sighed.

“Uncle, to be frank, I came this time, first, to see you, and second, to take you both to Xianyang. I’ll arrange for Xiao Yang to study. So he can have a future,” She Jian said with a smile.

The old man’s eyes lit up, then he smiled and said, “This is good news, but I’ve been here all my life. You can just take Xiao Yang.”

“You are old, and it would be inconvenient without Xiao Yang by your side,” She Jian persuaded.

“Don’t worry. I calculated it myself before. This old man still has twenty years to live. You don’t need to worry about Xiao Yang taking care of me in my old age,” the old man paused, then said with some worry:

“It’s Xiao Yang. I secretly calculated for him before. If Xiao Yang can pursue scholarly endeavors, he will at least be free from want in the future. But if he engages in that life of licking blood from a blade, he will die young, just like his short-lived father!”

At these words, the room instantly fell silent.

“I’m not blaming you, that was his destined tribulation,” the old man smiled.

“Uncle, you calculated for me back then, saying my fate was one where a general’s success is built upon ten thousand bones. If I lived past thirty, all would be well. If not, all would be over.

At that time, none of us ten brothers believed it, taking it as your drunken ramblings. I thought then that a life of licking blood from a blade, whether one lived or died, should be decided by oneself.

But after all that has happened since, I believe it. I wonder if you could calculate another divination for me today?” She Jian asked, taking a sip of wine.

“Alas, all things are fate,” the old man sighed.

“Could I trouble Uncle again to calculate my little brother’s fate? Is he strong-fated or not?” She Jian asked with a smile.

Lin Yue’s internal alarm bells were ringing, and he unconsciously held his breath, listening to the old man’s reply.

The old man shook his head and said with some apology, “A year ago, the heavenly secrets became chaotic. Without great power, one cannot pry into them!

With this old man’s meager abilities, it’s difficult to glimpse the heavenly secrets again. I can’t help you.”

“However, this young friend of yours, there’s no need to calculate for him. Just from his appearance, one can tell he will surely be exceptionally noble in the future. Don’t worry, you won’t bring him harm,” the old man said with a smile.

“Thank you, Uncle!” She Jian said with a smile, putting an arm around Lin Yue’s shoulder, signaling him to offer a toast.

“Thank you, sir!” Lin Yue raised his wine cup and said.

“This old man just learned some superficial knowledge in his youth, I’m only half-skilled. Besides, fate, fate, it’s not unchangeable. The most important thing is that human effort determines everything,” the old man raised his wine cup and lightly gestured.

“Grandpa, the dishes are here,” Xiao Yang brought out four dishes, two meat and two vegetable.

“Xiao Yang, sit down, Uncle has something to tell you,” She Jian said with a smile.

“What is it, Uncle?” Xiao Yang wiped his hands and sat down next to the old man.

“Uncle wants to take you to Xianyang and send you to study at the official academy. Are you willing to go?” She Jian asked.

Xiao Yang looked at the old man upon hearing this, and the old man nodded at him.

“I’m not willing,” Xiao Yang suddenly said.

The old man, hearing this, flew into a rage, slamming his wine bowl on the table with a bang: “Do you want to end up like your father?”

“Grandpa, I don’t want to study. I believe knowing how to read is enough. I can read now. I want to fight on the battlefield!” Xiao Yang said firmly.

“Did he fill your head with some nonsense again! You spend all day with the Yan State remnants, aren’t you afraid of losing your head? Do you want my Zhou family line to end!” the old man roared!

“Grandpa, you are a Yan State person, my father was a Yan State person! Even when I was born, I was a Yan State person! If you’re counting, we are all remnants!” Xiao Yang retorted!

“My father died fighting for Great Qin! You, you, you beast!” The old man was so angry he could barely speak clearly!

“What does my father dying for Great Qin have to do with me wanting to restore Yan State?” Xiao Yang said, sticking out his neck.

“Restore the state?

Wait! You two stop arguing. What exactly is going on here?” She Jian interrupted the red-faced pair, asking.

His comrade died fighting for Great Qin, and his comrade’s child actually wants to rebel against Great Qin?

“Alas, you must be laughing at us,” the old man was about to say something when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Thump, thump, thump!”