Chapter 386: Unable to Hold Out

Yan Lao’er thought to himself that if the man spoke in official jargon, he really wouldn’t know how to handle it.

But since you are acting so familiar with me, then I will speak to you from the heart.

“Brother Xue, you watched us enter Guanzhou. You know the background of Xiao’an Village better than anyone. We are just common folk, simple country people. Settling in Crouching Tiger makes us people of Crouching Tiger, that is true, but we people of Crouching Tiger are afraid! The villagers haven’t seen much of the world. Before, we thought the mountain bandits of Leshan Prefecture were fierce enough, but we never expected the Northern Rong to be even worse.”

“This time, Xiao’an Village was lucky. The Northern Rong didn’t know we had watchtowers. We checked afterward; they didn’t bring many arrows. But next time, if they come prepared with enough arrows and good aim, what will our village do? We won’t be able to rely on tricks; we will have to fight them head-on with real blades.”

“The village is right against the mountains. No one even knows when the Northern Rong climb over. Brother Xue, do you think we dare leave home? Our wives, children, and elderly are all here. If we aren’t guarding the village, how can we feel at ease?”

Platoon Commander Xue looked serious. “Brother Yan, it is precisely because your families are all here that you cannot stay in the village. You have to step out, go to the military camp, and become soldiers.”

“Train yourselves! Become strong!”

“Train until even without those towers, you can kill those grandsons… no, I mean, fight them to a standstill without being defeated. I have seen the physiques of the men in Xiao’an Village. A few are truly good prospects for the army. I am not lying to you; I have my eye on them. If they come to our Border Army, there is nothing more to say. Whatever is provided officially, we have it. Whatever is hard to say officially, we can still get it.”

Platoon Commander Xue signaled for Yan Lao’er to stay silent and let him finish.

“Your Brother Xue has been tumbling around the military camp for nearly ten years. You can’t tell from my accent, can you? I am not from Guanzhou. But since I came here, I have always been in Crouching Tiger. I started as a private and climbed up step by step. Others say I relied on connections, but I will give you a piece of my mind today: my military merits, Xue Wang’s merits, were built up one Northern Rong dog head at a time.”

“I fought my way up to Thousand-man Commander^[1]… cough, then I ran into some trouble, so I am still a Platoon Commander. What I want to say is, if I can do it, the people of your village can too.”

“Our Guanzhou Army, our Crouching Tiger Border Army, is an open and honest place. We don’t have those crooked schemes.”

“I, Xue Wang, am a man of great loyalty. Once you enter our Crouching Tiger Border Army, we are brothers eating from the same pot^[2]. Since we are brothers, how could I not look out for you?”

“Brother Yan, isn’t it just that you can’t leave home? You can’t bear to leave your parents, wives, and children. That is nothing; it is not hard to handle.”

“I know your village doesn’t just want to build towers, but also a wall, right?”

“Once it is enclosed, you think you can stand on high ground and shoot arrows when the Northern Rong come again?”

“The idea is good, but like you said, what if the Northern Rong bring some master archers next time?”

“When they attacked Crouching Tiger City, you were in the city, right?”

Seeing Yan Lao’er nod, Platoon Commander Xue continued, “Is Crouching Tiger City tall? The city guards standing on top are all skilled, yet they still suffered losses in archery duels with the Northern Rong. Your village says several hundred Northern Rong came, but they were split up. If they truly surrounded you all at once, Xiao’an Village would definitely not be able to hold them off.”

Yan Lao’er’s expression became solemn.

Platoon Commander Xue was right; every word hit the mark.

That was why the men in the village didn’t dare leave.

“So, the important thing isn’t how high the city is or how sturdy it is. The important thing is the people!” Platoon Commander Xue sighed with emotion. “You must have people first, then build high walls to defend the city!”

“This time the Northern Rong reached Dashi Bridge and even burned the bridge. It served as a reminder to me. Honestly, the location of your village is well-chosen; it is quite strategic. I see that patch of wasteland at the west end of your village is quite good. Later, I will move all my gear over. From now on, that will be the land of our Crouching Tiger Border Army.”

Yan Lao’er was dumbfounded. Was it really that casual?

Platoon Commander Xue continued to himself, “When the Northern Rong aren’t around, we just train. Three meals a day, and you eat your fill. If you don’t eat your fill, how can you have the strength to train, right? Occasionally we get meat, and on holidays we might even get a bowl of wine.”

“The clothes are provided too. Cotton in winter and single-layer in summer. Tsk tsk, just think of how much money you save on fabric every year.”

“There is leave during the busy farming season so you can go home. For those whose homes are close by, you can go back often. Hey, we are all brothers. I am not a rigid man; I can turn a blind eye. Since it is close, if something happens at home, just call out to the brothers, and we will be there in a heartbeat. It is convenient!”

“The military pay is given once a month. It is issued on the scheduled day, in full, without delays.”

“I see the women in your village are quite diligent. If they help us with laundry and scrubbing when they have time, they can earn a few copper coins too…”

Good grief, Yan Lao’er was almost unable to keep a straight face.

This Platoon Commander Xue was really putting in a desperate effort to swindle them!

If he let him keep talking, Xiao’an Village would soon be getting rich by relying on the military camp!

Truly, it was lucky it was him. If it were anyone else, they would have been swindled into a daze…

“Brother Xue, look, it’s mealtime now. Why don’t you have a casual bite at my house?” Yan Lao’er finally found a chance to speak.

Platoon Commander Xue still had more to say, but he was very thirsty. He drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, poured himself another, and still not satisfied, he lifted the pot high and poured it directly down his throat.

Gulp, gulp, gulp…

“Ha! Refreshing!”

People are like that; it’s all about chatting. Whether it is a mutual conversation or a one-sided output, after a long stream of talk, one naturally feels closer.

“Don’t mind if I do, Brother Yan. Your Brother Xue really is hungry. Don’t make anything troublesome, just home-cooked food. Does your family have any fermented soybean paste? If so, bring some fresh vegetables for dipping…” Platoon Commander Xue now felt incredibly at ease. And why wouldn’t he be? He had truly racked his brains thinking for the brothers of Xiao’an Village.

Since they were brothers, why should he be polite?

What could Yan Lao’er do except serve him?

As soon as he stepped out of the door and turned his head, he unsurprisingly saw his daughter crouching outside.

She was holding a small wooden stick, doodling on the ground.

She looked quite low-spirited.

He gave a light cough. Yan Yu looked up, stood, and followed him.

When they reached the kitchen, Yan Lao’er gave Granny Rong a few instructions. He turned around to see his daughter letting out a heavy sigh.

In a very somber tone, she said to him, “Dad! You have finally met your match. This Platoon Commander Xue is not easy to deal with!”

The very next sentence almost made Yan Lao’er trip over his own feet.

“The things he just said… never mind the uncles in the village, if he would take me, even I would want to go!”

Looking at his daughter’s expression, it was absolutely, definitely from the heart.

“…If the age limit could be loosened a bit more, Dad, believe it or not, he could dismantle my Young Scouts entirely…”

“That one line was especially well said:”

“A great man is born only once; to achieve great deeds, establish a career, and win honors for his wife and children—only then is this life worth it!”

Yan Yu finished speaking, mimicking Platoon Commander Xue’s expression and tone. She asked her father, “Dad, Platoon Commander Xue just gave you a private performance. Do you think if he goes to the big rock after dinner and puts on another show… will the uncles be able to hold out?”

Yan Lao’er: …

The answer was obvious. They wouldn’t be able to hold out!

(End of Chapter)