Chapter 75

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

After crossing over for a year and a half, Lv Muzhi met these two elders for the first time.

Just like typical Chinese patriarchs of the era, the doting mother and strict father archetype applied equally to Lv Muzhi's parents.

However, his father had received a modern education, so he was not as rigid as a traditional scholar, and his mother was not that kind of

Lv's mother stepped forward a few paces, grabbed her son's arm, looked him up and down, and tears fell unceasingly: "Two years... thinner and darker... you've suffered out there..."

"Mom, I'm fine, doing great." Lv Muzhi smiled.

Lv's father then slowly stood up and walked closer, "It's been two years and you don't even know to come back and take a look?"

"Dad, military affairs are busy. You're used to reading newspapers, so you should know what the situation is like over in Guangzhou."

"Sigh, enough of that. Although the New Year has passed, today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, just right for a reunion!" Lv's mother pulled father and son into the house.

The family entered the main hall. Lv's mother busied herself with tea and snacks, never stopping her questions about clothing, food, warmth, and cold.

Lv Muzhi answered each one in turn, reporting joy but not worry, only choosing amusing stories from the military academy and impressive fragments from the Eastern Expedition to tell, making Lv's mother both proud and heartbroken.

Lv's father occasionally sipped tea until Lv's mother's emotions settled somewhat, then rose to go to the kitchen to prepare dishes. Only father and son remained in the main hall, and the atmosphere grew slightly somber.

"Indeed much steadier, there's something in your eyes now, unlike when you left. But why didn't you come back in uniform?" Lv's father put down his teacup and asked.

Lv Muzhi collected his smile: "Dad, the times are difficult. Although this Zhejiang Province is our hometown, after all it is not Revolutionary Army territory..."

Lv's father then understood. He really had just wanted to see what his son looked like in a military uniform.

The two then discussed current affairs: "Now the Revolutionary Army has already unified Guangdong Province. There are rumors they will launch a Northern Expedition? Is that really true?"

Lv Muzhi asked with a smile: "What does Father think?"

Lv's father shook his head: "That is absolutely impossible. I read a commentary the day before yesterday. Your Revolutionary Army has at most one hundred thousand troops, while the Beiyang Army has seven hundred thousand;

Also, your Revolutionary Army's territory is only Liangguang, while the Beiyang Army sits on the rich and fertile lands of the entire country. How could they win?"

"Does Father not know that of those seven hundred thousand Beiyang Warlord troops, most are old armies with weak organization, and they have already split into the Wu, Sun, and Zhang factions, fighting each other? Although our Revolutionary Army has fewer soldiers, we have ideology in our hearts and fight tenaciously..."

Lv Muzhi stopped halfway and did not continue. He already understood: his father was trying to persuade him to retire.

"My son, listen to my advice. This time you're back, don't return to Guangzhou again. Do you have enough lives to spend on a Northern Expedition?"

As expected, Lv's father still said those words. Lv's mother, who had been listening with her ear pressed to the kitchen, began wiping away tears again at this moment.

"Father, I am already a soldier. Going out and not returning to the unit is punishable by military law. Furthermore, if the Northern Expedition cannot succeed, with my identity, those Beiyang warlords probably won't give me a good end."

Lv's father knew he could not persuade his son. The two simply fell silent and said nothing more.

"Father, the military pay I sent back before—did you receive it? Why haven't I seen the family buy any new furniture?"

"Oh, we received it. Altogether over a thousand yuan. How could there be so much? It's still your that Principal..."

Lv Muzhi interrupted his father: "The source of this money is clean, Father. Just rest assured."

"I know that Principal of yours. His father, who died early, ran a salt shop on the street..."

His father began chattering about past events, and Lv Muzhi simply listened.

His father was talking so much now, probably because they rarely got to be together. The dignity from his memory was almost gone.

In the days that followed, no one in the family voluntarily mentioned Guangzhou or returning to the unit.

Life seemed to have been muted, flowing slowly only through firewood, rice, oil, salt, and neighborhood chatter.

After a few days, his mother began hinting indirectly about the virtuous girl from Dong Street and the well-read, reasonable young lady from a wealthy family in Xi Lane. Between the lines was the meaning of arranging a match.

Lv Muzhi understood clearly in his heart. His parents wanted to use family ties to bind him and make him stay peacefully in his hometown.

But each time, Lv Muzhi skillfully talked his way out of it.

Time passed quietly. The liveliness of the Lantern Festival had long since faded. Amid the spring cold of Zhejiang Province, the plum blossoms in the corner of the courtyard gradually withered.

Lv Muzhi calculated his leave and knew he could not delay any longer.

One month later, on a clear morning, Lv Muzhi came to the main hall and calmly said to his parents, who were having breakfast: "Dad, Mom, son... I must return tomorrow. The ship ticket has already been booked."

"Return where?"

Lv's mother's eye rims turned red again, and tears slid down silently. "I... I thought this time you had listened to your father and would never leave again..."

His father gripped his chopsticks hard and glared at his mother. "What are you crying for! A good man aspires to the four directions. How can he be trapped long under this roof?"

"Muzi is now a regimental commander, with over a thousand men under him. How could you keep him with tears? Let him go!"

His mother's crying then subsided.

Early the next morning, Lv Muzhi shouldered his pack before dawn. While his parents were still asleep, he set out alone on the road back to his unit.

Without Lv Muzhi noticing, his father stood by the window, watching his son's departing back, and softly sighed.

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"Ah! Muzi, you're back!"

After drifting at sea for three days, Lv Muzhi returned to Guangzhou. The first person he saw was Liu Zhi.

"You need to get back quickly. If you're any later, what will happen to my position as regimental commander of the Supplementary Regiment that I've finally secured?"

"You're overthinking it. Don't worry. The Supplementary Regiment is ready. It will expand using your original Special Service Company as the core, absorbing some troops from the Village Militia and Civilian Corps of the Baoyue Association, and recruiting some rebels from among the prisoners. Don't worry, they've all been screened. No opium addicts will get into our Second Division!"

The establishment of the Supplementary Regiment was not much different from a regular infantry regiment. The troops were mainly new recruits. Its main role was to train conscripted new recruits, helping them quickly become familiar with military essentials and complete the transformation from ordinary people to qualified soldiers. In wartime, Supplementary Regiments would also be sent to the frontline to fight.

However, considering the Northern Expedition was imminent, Liu Zhi still placed some veterans into the Supplementary Regiment.

"Has the battalion commander been arranged?" Lv Muzhi asked.

"Part of it has been arranged. Guan Linzhen is First Battalion Commander, Du Yuming is Second Battalion Commander. Third Battalion Commander hasn't been decided yet."

"Could it be..."

"Stop!" Liu Zhi directly called a halt to Lv Muzhi. "That Zhang Fei under your command can't be made a Battalion Commander!"

Lv Muzhi smiled. "I understand. I plan to make him the Company Commander of my Special Service Company. Isn't that acceptable?"

"Fine. Guan Linzhen and Du Yuming went with you to rescue the Principal last time, so promoting them is only right. This Zhang Fei went too, but he hasn't attended the Military Academy, so temporarily arrange for him to be a Company Commander... As for the Battalion Commander of the Third Battalion, who do you want? I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Song Xilian, pull him over."