398 A Kind Forefather (1/2)
On this day, a large number of households had their lanterns lit late into the night.
The men who were about to leave to join the military would only be spending three more nights at home, from tonight onwards.
Three days later, they would join the military, be it up north or down south, towards the east or the west!
Each one of them gazed deeply at their home and at their family members. Never had they realized that their home was this warm and beautiful, never had they felt such reluctance to leave it behind.
Their sons, who were usually mischievous and they would love very much to beat up time and again were actually adorable and vivacious. How they wished they could see them play innocently like this, forever.
They, however, could not.
If Yutang were to fall, their homes would no longer exist.
A subjugated nation meant the extinction of its people; once Yutang was gone, how could its people survive?
If their home country were to be conquered by the others, who knew what sort of treatment awaited them? How could the invading wolves allow their family to continue living?
They would rather be dogs of a peaceful nation than to be slaves of a subjugated country! Oh how this phrase spelled out in the citizens’ hearts!
There were hundreds of thousands of families whose dining tables filled with dead silence.
There were people who drank their wine without words.
”Bottoms up!”
”Alright!”
”…do well once you leave, don’t embarrass your elders at home.”
”…yes!”
”The house will be fine.”
”Assuredly.”
”If… if…” The old father lowered his head; his silver strands trembled under the lantern light while his face was obscured in the dark where the light could not reach. His voice was raspy as he spoke, ”If… there comes that moment, don’t forget that… within you, flows Yutang’s blood. We’re there to put our lives at stake, we’re not there to surrender!”
”Don’t worry, father! Your son is no coward!”
”Good, good.”
The old man stood up to leave halfway through the drinks, swallowing whatever he seemed to want to say, and instead, said hoarsely, ”Go… talk to your wife… Tell her that our family awaits your return. If you don’t come back, we will take her in like our own daughter. In the future… we’ll prepare her dowry!”
”Alright.”
It was a sleepless night for the hundreds of thousands of families.
When the men departed to the battlefield, Yutang’s land exuded the aroma of wine. Countless elders kneeled before their ancestor's graves alone, with candles and offerings, tears coursing down their wrinkled faces.
”Spirits of ancestors, bless our children, that they may safely return…”
The dancing flame of candles flickered before the countless graves throughout the nation of Yutang.
…
On the other side of the world, Yun Yang finally met the descendant of the legendary Physician Genius family, Sun Chengfeng.
Chancellor Lan stayed by his side, watching nervously as Sun Chengfeng checked Elder Yun’s pulse.
Elder Yun was in a delicate spot now. If he could not be cured, they could only go on with the original plan that was littered with loopholes.
If Supreme Cloud was not captured, the Empire of Ziyou’s ‘good’ days would come to an end.
Even if they had subjugated Yutang, the Empire of Ziyou, as the main executor of this scheme, would definitely face Supreme Cloud’s wrath. That would be difficult to stomach.
After enduring the disastrous attacks, could Empire of Ziyou escape the attention of the other empires when it was bound to be at its weakest? The Empire of Ziyou would collapse entirely!
If Supreme Cloud had really gathered all the Nine Supremes’ powers and manifestations, he could turn the Empire of Ziyou into a marsh just by directing the water of Lunar River into the country. How many could actually survive that calamity?
”What a strange pulse indeed…” Sun Chengfeng frowned, his finger not leaving Elder Yun’s wrist once he had pressed on it. ”How odd…”
Chancellor Lan asked anxiously, ”What is it?”
”Elder Yun’s pulse – according to the theory of pulses, it should’ve stopped beating long ago but there’s a flow of air of vitality within his meridians maintaining it all along… In other words, this Elder Yun… cough… forgive my frank words… should have been long dead. Somehow, he is living and breathing until now…”
Yun Yang said in admiration, ”Physician Sun’s assessment of pulses is impressive indeed, not at all weaker than your ancestor’s. Truly accurate!”
”Not only is it rare and wondrous that Elder Yun can stay alive until now, a feat unachievable by many, even if Elder Yun can soothe his injuries, it still damages too much air of vitality and his own cultivation base.”
Sun Chengfeng said, ”I believe Elder Yun knows that there might not be room for another bout of extenuating circumstances.”
Yun Yang heaved a long sigh, ”That is correct.”