Chapter 139: Born for the Battlefield, Bred for the Battle
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ever since Shangguan’s current generation of men had all perished in the war, the family had grown quiet; the senior women of the family stayed home to educate the children in martial skills and studies with hopes that they would one day fight on the battlefield again and rebuild the family name.
It looked like the Shangguan Family would remain quiet for a while longer.
However, if anything were to happen to the Old Shangguan Mistress, His Majesty would not dare to neglect the issue and would treat it seriously.
As for Shangguan Lingxiu who sat in front of Yun Yang right now, she was the younger generation of the Shangguan Family of Generals, the one who shouldered the main responsibilities now.
This woman was just like her name, spiritual and refined; she knew of worldly affairs but rarely stepped out of her doors. Since she had come to the Residence of Yun to find Yun Yang, there had to be something Yun Yang could not afford to ignore.
It was all for four words – Shangguan Family of Generals. It was natural that Yun Yang was respectful and could not reject her.
"Young Brother Yun." Shangguan Lingxiu smiled and said, "My aim in coming here is to ask Young Brother Yun to introduce me to Ling Xiaozui, Master Ling."
Her speech was laced with the distinct air of the military, it was clear and direct, going straight to the point without beating around the bush.
"Ling Xiaozui?" Yun Yang replied, "He has just left. Why does Sister Lingxiu look for Ling Xiaozui? Can you tell me? I shall see if I can help."
It was not polite to probe in other people"s affairs, but Shangguan Lingxiu had hoped to contact Ling Xiaozui through him; no matter how much confidence Yun Yang had in the Shangguan Family’s reputation, he still had to be clear of the other’s intention to decide if he would help.
Shangguan Lingxiu answered without skipping a beat, "Even if Young Brother Yun hadn"t asked, I would have explained it anyway. Three of my nephews have the gift of eight innately awakened chakras. I want to try my luck to see if Master Ling takes a liking to any of them and would take them as his disciples."
"If this can be done, the Shangguan Family can have a few experts in the future. When they fight in the battlefield, they will have a better chance of staying alive," Shangguan Lingxiu said humbly.
When she mentioned about the chances of staying alive, she could not help but lower her head sadly.
Yun Yang was inwardly shocked. "When they fight on the battlefield? How old are they now? Why are you talking about fighting in the battlefield already?"
Shangguan Lingxiu"s reply was proud, "The three nephews I mentioned are six years old now. The Shangguan Family is born for the battlefield and bred for the fight. Shangguan Family’s men should step foot into the battlefield once they reach fifteen years of age. They are to contribute to the nation and defend against the enemy!"
Yun Yang’s heart skipped a beat.
Was she already planning for the current six-year-olds to fight in the battlefield and kill the enemy for the country?
Yet everyone from the Shangguan Family seemed to be in favor of this, even instinctually feeling that it was a natural course of life.
"It"s too bad Master Ling has left. I don’t know where he has gone to either. It will be difficult to find him."
Yun Yang sighed, shaking his head. An inexplicable emotion rippled in his heart.
How much had the Shangguan Family of Generals given for the four words ‘The Family of Valiance’? How much more did they have to give? It was as if it had been imprinted in this family’s stubborn heart that the lifetime of a man should be spent fighting in the battlefield until his perished body was brought back by his warhorse!
This was a family anyone and everyone should respect!
Yet it was also an immensely sad family.
Dejection showed on Shangguan Lingxiu’s face as she mumbled, "Actually, I’ve only come to try my luck. Even if I do really meet him, Master Ling might be reluctant to take them… to take the descendants of a family bearing such grudges and blood debts as disciples."
"My purpose is only so when my little brothers go to war…"
Shangguan Lingxiu sighed softly and stood up. "Young Brother Yun, thank you. I shall bid my leave."
She was incredibly direct and clear-cut; speaking of what she came for and leaving once it could not be done.
Yun Yang could not help saying softly, "Actually, your little brothers’ future might not have to be sealed to the battlefield."
Shangguan Lingxiu replied with her back still facing Yun Yang, "Generations of Shangguan Family have all fought on the battlefield and perished; only to be brought back wrapped in the horse’s hide. If they were not to kill the enemies on the battlefield, who shall ask for the blood debts of these generations? This is the mission of the Shangguan men, their ultimate fate."
Yun Yang was taken aback when he heard Shangguan Lingxiu’s words.
"The men of the Shangguan Family have died on the battlefield, whether from harmed by conspiracies, ambushed from each direction, or killed in a righteous fight; this is the fate of a militant. There is no regret nor remorse. We won’t take revenge with other methods outside of the battlefield in case we taint the reputation of our ancestors. But this blood debt exists. Since it exists, it should be resolved in the battlefield, before two troops. A life for a life, was.h.i.+ng the resentment with the enemies’ blood and souls, to quell the grudge of our ancestors."
"Shangguan men are born for the battlefield, they live for the fight; they die fighting for the nation, they fall serving the people!"
Shangguan Lingxiu said emotionally, "This is the Shangguan Family’s precept!"
"Born for the battlefield, live for the fight. Die fighting for the nation, fall serving the people!"
Yun Yang repeated her words in a murmur.
This was the Shangguan Family of General’s family precept!
Watching Shangguan Lingxiu turning to leave, the tall lean back demonstrated the elegance of a lady yet this Lady Shangguan exuded an aura of intimidating force!
Her steps were determined; once she took a step, she would not turn back.
She was only twenty years of age but her pace was the valiance of sanguinariness.
"Sister Lingxiu," Yun Yang could not help calling out.
"What is it?" Shangguan Lingxiu turned to look at Yun Yang and suddenly smiled before saying, "I shall be leaving now."
She waved and turned back.
"If Sister Lingxiu’s purpose is only to let your nephews cultivate their mystical Qi and increase their abilities to be more capable of protecting themselves, you need not find Ling Xiaozui." Yun Yang began, "I have some methods of my own as well."
Shangguan Lingxiu shook her head with her back facing Yun Yang as she said, "We have cultivation methods too, we know about each other. My real purpose in finding Ling Xiaozui is not really for the cultivation, I just… wanted to find… something that could guarantee their lives of my nephews. That’s all."
"The reasons are only excuses." Shangguan Lingxiu smiled sadly. "Shangguan’s men will never return once they enter the battlefield. We’ve long known this, it’s a fate that no one can defy."
"No enemy will dare allow the Shangguan Family of Generals’ descendants to grow up. Although all the generals in the entire continent have only reverence and awe towards the Shangguan Family of Generals, once they are all on the battlefield… the destiny of these descendants will only get worse."
"No military in any country will hope for the revival of the Shangguan Family of Generals." Shangguan Lingxiu said calmly, "When it is time for my nephews to enter the battlefield, it will be their deaths."
"But our destiny is the battlefield. We can never avoid it."
"That is why I am here to find Ling Xiaozui today in hopes to get a talisman for my nephews. Although I know the enemy in the battlefields would do whatever it takes and might not even acknowledge this talisman, I still have to try. But now that Master Ling is not here, I guess it once again proves that the fate of Shangguan men is indeed sealed."
"Thank you, Young Brother Yun." Shangguan Lingxiu left with wide strides.
Her tall silhouette gracefully disappeared before Yun Yang.
Yun Yang was left in a trance, his thoughts fragmented and disparate.
…
The wind of autumn swirled in the sky of Tiantang City.
The backyard of the Shangguan Family was in the midst of an intense activity – it was a mini drilling ground.
An old woman with a head of silver strands stood coldly by the side with her arms behind her back, watching the movement in the drill grounds without missing a thing.
Six children formed a row in the center of the drill ground; the oldest was about ten while the youngest looked to be about five to six years old; they were all young children.
These children were practicing a horse-riding stance; sweat drenched each of the children as it trickled and soaked the earth under their feet, they were puffing warm breaths but all of them held on.
It was tiring for their tiny bodies as they shook and trembled; the younger ones already had tears stinging their eyes. Their sweat landed with their tears but they shut their mouths tight, refusing to cry out loud.
"Hold it in!" The old mistress’ gaze was cold, as if not seeing her grandson’s pitiful state.
Finally, one of the children shook before he fell to the ground, fainting dead away.
"Drag him away!" The old mistress hollered.
Plop, plop…
Some moments later, the other kids fainted one after another, unable to take the training.
"Break for a quarter of an hour. Begin horse riding and archery training right after that!"
…
The children regained some energy after the rest, climbing onto the horses deftly as they moved around the b.u.mps and jolts of the moving horses, gritting their teeth. They slid to the side from horseback, crawling to the bottom of the horse’s stomach and rolled back on to the horseback from another side, immediately pulling out their bows.
There was a total of a dozen actions, continuously repeating in a loop. Even when the horses were tired, the six children were still going at it. However, these children had depleted too much energy from the horse-riding stance earlier. How much could a quarter of an hour’s rest do? They were already exhausted holding on until now and were only holding out solely through sheer willpower. Even then, they breathed heavily. Finally, one of the youngest children teetered before he fell off the horse.
This mistake was different than the previous one; making a misstep in a horse-riding stance would only make one collapse on the floor but falling off a horse, one that was still moving, the danger would increase ten-fold!
Watching as the galloping horse was about to stampede the tiny body, the old mistress hollered, "n.o.body move!"
Those who were about to rush out to help halted their steps immediately, casting their worried glances towards the drill ground.
Long had the eyes of the n.o.blewomen by the side been rimmed red, their tears br.i.m.m.i.n.g and threatening to fall.
The child who had fallen off the horse turned his body with all his might, barely moving on the floor, while the landing hoof clopped on the ground, almost brus.h.i.+ng against his face.
However, hearing the commotion, the other horses had come charging over.