books44 Chapter 21 Farewell
Chapter 21 Farewell
Seeing that these men were strong and robust, Li Changchun sheathed his sword and asked, "Why do you, with your tall and strong figures, choose to be bandits instead of finding a better way to make a living?"
The bandit leader, a man with a fierce face, sneered and said, "Hmph, in this chaotic world, we are just honest farmers, but years of famine and heavy taxes have left our wives, children and elderly parents starving to the point of death."
The government not only refused to provide relief, but also forcibly seized our land. We had no other choice but to become outlaws.
The world offers us no way to survive; we can only rely on our own skills to survive in this desolate wilderness.
After saying this, a trace of helplessness and indignation flashed in his eyes. The other bandits echoed him, each with a bitter and weary expression. Although they still held their weapons, they no longer had the arrogance they had shown before.
Upon hearing this, Li Changchun frowned slightly, feeling a deeper sense of the hardships of the world and the suffering of the common people. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Even so, robbery is not the right way. Is there no other way?"
The bandits looked at each other, speechless for a moment. They knew all too well that this was a dangerous journey, but life had forced them to have no other choice.
Upon seeing this, Xu Xiaoxiao stepped forward and said, "I see that you are all quite strong. You can join the army. Every country has a border guard. You can also defend your country and make military achievements."
Upon hearing Xu Xiaoxiao's words, the bandits were taken aback at first, a glimmer of light flashing in their eyes, but it quickly dimmed again.
The bandit leader scratched his head and said hesitantly, "Joining the army? We have thought about it, but we can't read many words and don't understand the rules of the army. We're also afraid of being bullied by officers. Besides, people die in wars. What will happen to our families if we go and don't come back?"
A younger bandit nearby muttered under his breath, "Besides, we've been bandits for so long, the government certainly won't let us off easily. How can we just join the army like that?"
The bandits chatted amongst themselves, their hearts filled with longing for a new life, yet their long-standing worries and anxieties acted like heavy shackles, trapping them in place and making it difficult to take this seemingly hopeful yet perilous step.
"Have you taken any lives since you became bandits?" Xu Xiaoxiao asked again.
The bandits all shook their heads. "They're going to kill us, we won't chase them away, we'll just scare them at most..."
After a moment of contemplation, Li Changchun said, “I have some connections with Military Advisor Zhao in the Jicheng government. I can write him a letter explaining your situation. Although you have gone astray, you are now willing to reform. He is fair and values talent. If I strongly recommend you, he will definitely give you a chance. The border defense forces in Jicheng are expanding and need a lot of brave and strong men. If you go to join the army, the government will forgive your past mistakes and will also provide your families with some resettlement money according to regulations to relieve their worries. In the army, as long as you train hard and fight bravely, you will surely be able to make a name for yourself and return home in glory, so that your families can live a good life.”
Upon hearing this, the bandits exchanged glances, a glimmer of hope gradually igniting in their eyes. Their doubts began to dissipate, and they developed a sense of anticipation and expectation for their future military careers.
The leader of the bandits stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "If that is truly the case, we are willing to obey your orders, sir, and will certainly turn over a new leaf and serve in the army!"
Seeing this, the other bandits followed suit and shouted in unison.
Seeing this, Li Changchun quickly helped the leader up and said, "Since you have decided to join the army, you can no longer be as carefree as before. I will write a letter now. You should go back to the mountain stronghold first, pack your bags, settle your families, and meet here in three days to go to Jicheng together."
Three days later, the bandits stood in neat rows, their clothes tattered but their eyes filled with unwavering determination.
They followed Li Changchun toward Jicheng. Upon arrival, Zhao Canjun, who had already received the letter, came to greet them in person.
He sized up the group of former bandits and said loudly, "Now that you've joined the army, cast aside your past. I hope you will strictly abide by military discipline and hone your skills!"
Subsequently, the bandits were incorporated into the recruit camp and began arduous training.
Initially, they made a lot of mistakes and were punished because they did not understand military discipline and tactical coordination.
But thanks to their strong physique and tenacious perseverance, they gradually caught up with the training pace.
During a simulated exercise, their squad stood out with their outstanding adaptability and brave fighting style, earning praise from their superiors. This boosted their confidence and strengthened their determination to make contributions in the military, taking them step by step towards becoming true elite soldiers. Their story gradually spread throughout the Jicheng military camp, becoming a topic of conversation and inspiring more people to reform themselves and dedicate themselves to serving the country. But that's another story.
After returning, Li Changchun and his apprentice began to rest. Li Changchun took out the jade box he had prepared earlier and carefully took the goblin out of the cloth bag. Looking at the faint blue light around it, he felt very gratified.
"After all this time, I've finally found you." Reluctantly, she placed it in the jade box to preserve it.
"Xiaoxiao, we'll be leaving Jicheng soon. Are you going to say goodbye to Ziqi?" Li Changchun asked, turning around while touching the jade box.
A wave of melancholy washed over Xu Xiaoxiao. She nodded gently, glanced at the calendar, and realized that it was Huang Ziqi's day off. She then headed toward Ziqi's residence.
The street scenes along the way seemed to be tinged with the colors of parting, and the familiar shops and alleys became especially precious at this moment.
When she arrived at Ziqi's place, the door was slightly ajar. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open to enter. Ziqi was organizing books inside. When she saw her coming, she was taken aback at first, and then showed a gentle smile.
"Sister Xiaoxiao, what brings you here? I was just about to come find you to play later."
"Ziqi, my master and I are leaving Jicheng."
Xu Xiaoxiao was a little down; all good things must come to an end.
Ziqi slowly put down the book in his hand, walked up to her, his eyes full of reluctance: "I don't know when we will meet again. You must take good care of yourself."
Xu Xiaoxiao was the first friend he made, and he was very reluctant to part with her, but he also hoped that she could go further in life and find her own destiny. He believed that they would meet again in the future.
As he spoke, he took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Xiaoxiao. "This pouch contains spices that I made myself. They can calm your mind and soothe your nerves. I hope it can accompany you on your journey."
Huang Ziqi's family was in the spice business. Since he started practicing Taoism with the old man Daoguang, his family's attitude towards him changed, and they would let him get involved in the family business from time to time.
Xu Xiaoxiao took the brocade pouch, her eyes red with tears: "Ziqi, the days in Jicheng are so unforgettable because of you. I will definitely miss you."
The two looked at each other in silence, gazing at each other as if trying to etch each other's images into their hearts.
After a long while, Xiaoxiao slowly turned around, taking each step extremely slowly, as if she could postpone the moment of parting if she walked slowly enough.
Ziqi stood there, watching her receding figure until she disappeared from sight, only then did a look of disappointment spread across his face.
When Li Changchun saw Xu Xiaoxiao return, he was in low spirits. He patted her head and said, "You will meet again in the future. I think that kid has good aptitude. As long as he cultivates diligently, he will also go to the world of cultivation in the future."
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just a little sad to part with it. It's rare to have a friend I can get along with," Xu Xiaoxiao wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Such things are very common in the cultivation world, because once you embark on cultivation, your lifespan becomes very long, and you will see your relatives and friends leave one after another, until you are left all alone. That's why it is said that the Great Dao is ruthless. As time goes by, you will forget your past."
As Li Changchun spoke, his thoughts drifted away; wasn't he himself one of those people?