CHAPTER 395: CHAPTER 363: FIRST UPDATE

Song Fang didn’t stay long at her parents’ home.

When Wen Wan saw her out, she herself mentioned the reason for the quarrel with Xu Shu.

"I’ve heard that war has broken out at the Northwest Border. My father-in-law is ordered to lead troops on a western expedition, and Xu Shu insists on going with him. Both of our children are not even a year old yet. Can I let him go?"

Wen Wan said, "Xu Shu probably wants to earn merits, right?"

After all, he’s been married for so long without any ranks or titles, and from a man’s perspective, it’s normal to want to take the opportunity to establish a career.

"But he can’t go." Song Fang insisted on her view.

The saying that a tiger father has no dog sons doesn’t apply to Xu Shu at all.

How can someone who faints at the sight of blood go to the battlefield?

Wen Wan didn’t know the details of their conflict, so it wasn’t appropriate to judge, and she just said, "If Xu Shu insists on this, arguing with him won’t work. How about letting your parents-in-law intervene? Isn’t your family matriarch’s words quite effective? You should ask for her help!"

Song Fang asked, "What if he doesn’t listen even to the matriarch, then what?"

"Then you’ll have to appeal to his emotions and reason with him, using Jingbo and Jingyi as examples!"

Song Fang sighed, "I hope that by coming out this time, I can make him reconsider."

——

Song Fang returned to the General Mansion and first went to see her mother-in-law.

Mrs. Xu knew she ran out because of a quarrel with Xu Shu and asked where she went.

Song Fang replied truthfully, "Originally, I went to the street, but then I saw I was near my parents’ home, so I went back for a bit."

Mrs. Xu said, "I’ve already had your father-in-law intervene to persuade Shu’er. Don’t worry, without your father-in-law’s approval, that foolish boy won’t be able to go to the border."

Song Fang was still uneasy, "He was so adamant this morning. Will it work if father persuades him?"

"No matter what, he’s a scholar and there’s no reason for him to go to the battlefield. If your father-in-law really wanted him to take this path, he wouldn’t have sent him to the Imperial College initially."

Seeing Song Fang’s worried face, Mrs. Xu added, "Go check on Jingyi and Jingbo quickly. Earlier, I went to see them, and both of them were crying hard."

Upon hearing this, Song Fang’s maternal heart tightened. After taking her leave, she hurried back to her own courtyard.

From afar, she could hear the alternating cries of the two children.

She lifted the curtain and stepped in quickly, seeing Mei Zhi and the wet nurse inside tending to them.

"Where’s the young master?" Song Fang asked.

When she left, Xu Shu was in the room, but now there was no sign of him.

Mei Zhi said, "The young master was invited out by the master. Young Madam, where have you been?"

"I was feeling stifled, so I went out to clear my mind."

After speaking, Song Fang took her daughter from Mei Zhi’s arms and began to soothe her, then started to comfort her son.

The two little ones, almost eight months old, were very attached and wouldn’t let Mei Zhi hold them. Now, seeing their mother return, they slowly stopped crying.

Song Fang reached out and tapped her son’s forehead, "I was gone for less than half an hour and you’re crying already, can’t you try comforting your sister, show some promise?"

The little one didn’t understand and just clung tightly to Song Fang’s sleeve with his little hands.

Not long after, Xu Shu returned.

Holding her daughter, Song Fang turned her body to the side, not wanting to see him.

"Wife, you’re back?" Xu Shu sat down, took his son in his arms, but kept his eyes on Song Fang, "Where did you go just now?"

Song Fang didn’t respond.

"Did you go back to your parents’ home?" Xu Shu asked again.

Song Fang handed the rattle to her daughter, shook her little hand, but the words were aimed at Xu Shu, "Where I go, is it any of your business?"

"You are my wife, of course it’s my business. You ran out in a fit of anger. What if something happened? How would I explain it to your parents and your brother and sister-in-law?"

Song Fang heard this and her heart sank. She turned her head to look at him, "I stormed out in anger, at worst it’s a small matter. But you going to the battlefield, can you guarantee you’ll come back in one piece? If something happens to you, who will be accountable to me then?"

Returning again to the point of conflict, Xu Shu remained silent for a moment, but still insisted, "I’m already in my twenties, I can’t just idle around at home all day; I need to do something proper. Wife, don’t you agree?"

"Aren’t you a scholar? With your father’s official rank, opportunities at the Imperial College and Hongwen Academy are available. Even after marriage, you can get a share. Now you just want to find a position, I mean, isn’t it an easy task? Why do you insist on getting involved with warfare? Do you really know how to fight? Are you made for the battlefield?"

Knowing Song Fang was genuinely upset today, Xu Shu tried to keep his tone calm, "Wife, I really don’t mean to play around. Look, although I was forced to study literature, my heart is fond of martial arts. As they say, even if you haven’t eaten pork, you’ve seen pigs run. I might not know how to fight a war, but I’m good on paper. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about military strategy. You should give me a chance to show my skills, right?"

Song Fang thought this person was simply unreasonable, "I give you a chance, but if something happens to you, what do I do? What about the two babies? Xu Shu, you’re already an adult. Can we look at this matter more realistically?"

"How am I not being realistic?" Xu Shu retorted. "I’ve mentioned before that my life’s ambition is to lead troops into battle and fight for our country. Can’t you support me even a little?"

"So without you, your father can’t win a battle, right? In previous years, it was all thanks to your ’on-paper’ strategies that we had great victories?"

"Not really; our Great Chu has not had a war for almost twenty years," Xu Shu muttered. "Previously, we had the ’War God’ title of General Lu Xingzhou holding things down. The Northwest Enemies dreaded him and didn’t dare to invade our borders for twenty years. Now the Eldest Princess has been demoted to a commoner, and the Great General’s fame has become history. So, the Northwest Enemies find us weaker and are starting to stir again. I’m just thinking about getting some experience out there."

"You sure have a big heart, thinking you could just ’get some experience out there’. Do you think the battlefield is like your home, where you can lie down and rest when you’re tired?"

Xu Shu furrowed his brows, "Wife, it’s one thing for you not to support me, but why do you have to be so sarcastic? Am I really that bad?"

"I’m just teaching you to recognize the facts. You are destined to be a civil servant. There’s the military to guard the border chaos; how could it ever come down to you?"

"What if I insist on going?"

Song Fang turned her eyes away, "If you want to go, then go. If something really happens, I’ll just pretend you never existed."

Seeing her eyes reddening, Xu Shu felt heartache again. He moved closer, tightly holding her hand in his palm, a serious expression on his face, "Wife, believe me, I can return safely."

Song Fang gritted her teeth, "I believe you, but why don’t you believe in reality? Do you know how terrifying war is? Seeing corpses everywhere, rivers of blood; can you ensure your fear of blood won’t kick in? If you truly believe you have the skill to lead an army to victory, then just go. I have nothing more to say."

Xu Shu strengthened his grip on her hand, "Wife, how about you hit me? At least you won’t feel so bad inside."

"Don’t! You’re supposed to earn military merits and become the War God, a top-ranking official. How could a mere woman like me dare to disrespect you?"

Xu Shu stretched out a hand, using his thumb and forefinger to press on both corners of her mouth, lifting them upwards, "Wife, I beg you, don’t speak to me in that tone, will you?"

As he spoke, he rubbed his head against her shoulder.

Song Fang kept her mouth shut.

"Wife?"

"I’m already not speaking, what more do you want?"

"I don’t want anything, just want you to smile."

After saying this, Xu Shu picked up his son Jingbo and sat him on his lap, extending a hand to tickle his chubby little chin, "Come on, son, give your mom a smile."

The little one was amused and started giggling.

Xu Shu looked at her with a gentle smile, "Wife, look, even our son is smiling. Can you not keep sulking? It’s not good for the child to see this."

"So you’re agreeing not to go?"

Xu Shu was silent for a long time. Then he spoke again, "Just tell me, what will it take for you to agree to let me go with father to the battlefield?"

"Divorce." Song Fang’s expression didn’t look like a joke, "If we divorce, then what you do is none of my business."

"But..." Xu Shu’s face turned slightly pale, "Wife, that’s going too far with the joke! We have a son and a daughter now, how could you even think of divorce?"

"Yes, we have a son and a daughter, so why can’t you put yourself in the right position within this family? You’re not just the Young Master Xu; you’re my husband and the biological father of Jingbo and Jingyi. Don’t you see how much responsibility weighs on your shoulders? If today it was the Emperor commanding you to lead the troops west, I’d have no qualms personally seeing you off out of the city, but is that the case? No, it’s not! Xu Shu, Young Master Xu, I’m begging you to wake up a little, won’t you? Don’t act like a spoiled child still attached to the bottle. You can afford to play these games, but I can’t afford to lose!"

Since the wedding, it was the first time Xu Shu saw Song Fang so stern and serious. Even if his heart burned with passion for fighting for his country, he chose to compromise, "So... if I don’t go, you’ll not ask for a divorce?"

Song Fang was reasonable as well, "As long as you agree not to go and stay obediently at home, I’ll treat the past as water under the bridge and won’t hold it against you."

Xu Shu thought for a moment, then said, "I can not go to the western expedition, but I must go to the training ground every day for practice. You can’t stop me from that, right?"

Song Fang didn’t respond, reached down and picked up the embroidered needle from the embroidery hoop, without a word, she pricked her fingertip.

Then fresh blood flowed from her fingertip.

Song Fang shook her bleeding finger in front of him.