In the late afternoon, as dusk was approaching, Zhu Ping’an returned from the training grounds to the commander’s tent. As soon as he lifted the tent flap and stepped inside, a dark figure rushed towards him. Before Zhu Ping’an could react, his leg was grabbed by someone.
Looking down, Zhu Ping’an saw that it was Hu Wei clinging to his leg.
“Commander Zhu, Commander Zhu, I am unworthy of your appreciation and trust, wuwu…” Hu Wei hugged Zhu Ping’an’s leg, tears and snot streaming down his face, his voice so mournful that it could move anyone who heard it to tears.
“Mr. Hu, what’s wrong? Why are you like this? Please, get up,” Zhu Ping’an said, reaching out to help him up.
Zhu Ping’an tried to pull Hu Wei up, but Hu Wei refused to let go, continuing to cling to his leg while sobbing, “Commander Zhu, while I was taking a walk in the camp earlier, I ran into a fellow townsman who came to Suzhou for business. He told me some terrible news—my elderly mother is seriously ill at home. She’s bedridden, her mind is unclear, but she keeps calling my childhood name, ‘Bao’er.’ My fellow townsman urged me to return home quickly, or I might not even get to see my mother one last time. When I heard this, my heart felt like it was being torn apart, my mind is in chaos, and I can’t stop coughing up blood. I want to repay your kindness and trust, but before that, I need to go home and see my mother. Please, Commander Zhu, grant me permission. If you don’t agree, I will kneel here forever, cough cough…”
As Hu Wei spoke, he began coughing again. He pulled out a white handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and the center of the handkerchief was stained with blood.
Hu Wei’s hands trembled as he tried to put the handkerchief back into his pocket, but he accidentally dropped it on the ground.
“Brother Hu, you’re coughing up blood again. Grief can harm your body, you must take care of yourself. If you keep coughing like this, your body won’t be able to handle it,” Xia Qiang rushed over to pick up Hu Wei’s handkerchief, his face full of concern.
“Ah, I really can’t bear to part with you, Mr. Hu…” Zhu Ping’an sighed and suggested, “There are many famous doctors in Suzhou. I can contact the prefect and ask him to recommend a renowned physician to go to your hometown and treat your mother.”
“No need, the battle is imminent, and you and the prefect are overwhelmed with responsibilities. Please don’t trouble yourselves for my sake, or I will die of guilt. I just need to go home. I am the best medicine for my mother,” Hu Wei shook his head repeatedly. If a famous doctor were sent, his lie would be exposed.
His mother wasn’t actually sick. Although she was nearly sixty, she could eat, drink, and sleep well. She even had the energy to scold the servants every day. Her health was excellent.
“Ah…” Zhu Ping’an looked at Hu Wei, sighed in distress, and said, “But the camp needs you right now.”
“This might be the last time I see her. Please, Commander, grant me this filial wish. Once I’ve settled matters at home, I will return to serve you, ready to go through fire and water, even if it costs me my life,” Hu Wei pleaded earnestly, still clutching Zhu Ping’an’s leg. “If you don’t agree, I will kneel here forever.”
“Ah, alright then. But you must return as soon as possible,” Zhu Ping’an reluctantly nodded, his face full of reluctance.
“Of course, of course,” Hu Wei was overjoyed and repeatedly assured him.
“At least I still have my uncle and Mr. Xia…” Zhu Ping’an glanced at his uncle Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang, finding some comfort in their presence.
Hmm, perhaps because of their preconceived notions, Uncle Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang felt that Zhu Ping’an’s gaze was like a butcher looking at a fat pig ready for slaughter.
This only deepened their belief in their earlier suspicions—this guy really wants to use our heads!
“Nephew/Commander, we have sworn brotherhood with Hu Wei, vowing to live and die together. His parents are our parents, and his mother is our mother. Now that she is ill, of course, we must go see her. If we don’t, how are we any different from beasts?!”
“Brother Hu’s heart is torn, his mind in chaos, and so are ours. Please, Nephew/Commander, allow us to go home with Brother Hu to see our mother. Otherwise, we will also kneel here forever…”
Uncle Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang both knelt down without hesitation, each grabbing one of Zhu Ping’an’s legs.
“Ah, Uncle, you’re putting me in a difficult position. And Mr. Xia, this, this, this…” Zhu Ping’an was visibly distressed, reaching out to help his uncle and Xia Qiang up.
“Nephew/Commander, if you don’t agree, we will kneel here until we die. What’s the point of living if we can’t fulfill our filial duties? We might as well die here,” Uncle Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang continued to kneel, wailing loudly.
This scene called for tears, but no matter how hard Uncle Zhu Shouren tried, he couldn’t cry. At the critical moment, he pretended to wipe his tears with his sleeve, which he had earlier smeared with pepper.
The pepper worked like a charm.
A sharp, spicy sensation hit his eyes, turning them red and causing tears to flow uncontrollably.
Not only did he have tears, but Uncle Zhu Shouren also added some drama by banging his head against Zhu Ping’an’s leg, pretending he was about to commit suicide by headbutting.
“Alright, alright, Uncle and Mr. Xia, please get up. I agree. But you must return as soon as possible,” Zhu Ping’an finally relented, emphasizing that they must come back quickly.
“Of course, of course. We will definitely return as soon as we’ve settled Brother Hu’s family matters,” Hu Wei repeatedly assured him.
“Nephew, you can trust me. Once we’ve taken care of Brother Hu’s family matters, we’ll return immediately, without a moment’s delay,” Uncle Zhu Shouren patted his chest, promising to return as soon as possible.
In their hearts, however, they scoffed at Zhu Ping’an. Did he really think they would come back just to have their heads taken? Dream on! Once they left the camp, even if the seas dried up and the heavens collapsed, they would never return.
“Nephew, please write us a pass to leave the camp so we can go home quickly and return soon,” Uncle Zhu Shouren urged, pulling on Zhu Ping’an’s arm under the urging glances of Hu Wei and Xia Qiang.
Time was of the essence. If Zhu Ping’an changed his mind and forced them to stay, what would they do? Strike while the iron was hot!
Leave the camp!
Right now!
Once out of the camp, they would run home without stopping, not even looking back, to avoid being caught by Zhu Ping’an’s men.
In fact, they had tried to leave the camp earlier in the afternoon, but without Zhu Ping’an’s written pass, the guards at the gate wouldn’t let them out.
No amount of sweet talk, bribes, or threats worked.
The guards only repeated one sentence: “Without the commander’s pass, no one is allowed to step beyond the gate. Anyone who tries will be killed on the spot.”
“It’s almost dusk. Why don’t you have dinner, rest for the night, and leave tomorrow morning?” Zhu Ping’an suggested.
“No, no, our mother is bedridden. How can we eat or sleep? We are eager to return home. We must leave now, tonight!” Hu Wei and the others waved their hands dismissively.
“Alright, then be careful on your journey, and return as soon as possible,” Zhu Ping’an reluctantly agreed and wrote them a pass.
As soon as Uncle Zhu Shouren and the others got the pass, they grabbed their bags and ran out of the camp without looking back, disappearing down the road as if being chased by dogs.
Zhu Ping’an watched their retreating figures and smiled faintly.
