Chapter 211: Going Home

Outside Zhao Village in Neihuang County, Daming Prefecture, Zhao Wu and several fellow Tianxiong Army soldiers from the same village stood at the edge of the fields, gazing at the lush green wheat sprouts, their hearts filled with boundless ease. Though the early spring breeze of the second month still carried a slight chill, the men felt nothing but warmth within.

Dusk was approaching, and no farmers remained working in the fields. Since no one knew of their return, no family members could be seen waiting at the village entrance.

Eight full years had passed since they left home in the second year of Chongzhen, and at last they had returned to their long-missed homeland.

Over these eight years they had followed the Governor-General in campaigns north and south, slaying countless roving bandits—but many fine men had also fallen on the battlefield, many buried in foreign soil, never to return to the land that raised them. That the few of them could come back whole and sound was already a blessing granted by heaven.

"Squad leader, how long are we going to stay home this time? If we stay too long, I'm afraid I'll let these battlefield skills go to waste! What if the court forgets about us?"

Zhao Tie spoke up.

These fellow villagers all served in the same squad, with Zhao Wu as their direct superior. Since most of the Tianxiong Army hailed from Daming Prefecture, upon receiving the Emperor's decree granting the entire army leave, the Tianxiong soldiers marched under their respective officers from Yunyang Prefecture, passed through Henan, and upon reaching Daming Prefecture were all disbanded—those from the same village and hometown traveling back together.

"Tie, what's this? Haven't you had enough fighting? I sure don't want to fight anymore. I'm already twenty-four and still haven't found myself a wife. Er Gouzi from our village is the same age as me—that year he didn't join up, and I reckon that coward's kids are already running all over the streets! This time I'm going home to find a wife and have a few kids first!"

Zhao Quan said.

"Brother Quan, I'm of the same mind as you. I've saved up quite a bit of silver over these years. Besides honoring my parents, I need to help out my brothers and sisters at home too. After that, I'll find a wife and have kids—I don't want to fight anymore!"

Zhao Ting was the youngest of the group and also the most timid. Zhao Wu and the others always looked after him, doing their best to protect him when engaging the enemy.

Zhao Wu bent down and picked up the pack he had set on the ground, then spoke: "I don't care what the rest of you think—so long as His Majesty gives the order, I, Zhao Wu, will continue to serve in the army and kill enemies for the court! All my life I want to keep following the Governor-General—wherever he goes, I go!"

With that, he strode off toward the village, and Zhao Tie and the others hastily shouldered their packs and followed.

When they reached the village entrance, they saw wisps of cooking smoke rising from every rooftop. Warmth surged in each man's heart, and their steps unconsciously quickened.

On the village's narrow streets, only a few children of five or six were playing. When these children suddenly caught sight of Zhao Wu and the others in cotton armor with long swords at their waists, they froze for a moment, then scattered in panic.

The men laughed loudly, agreed on where to meet tomorrow, then took their leave and headed to their respective homes.

Zhao Wu's home was at the southern end of the village. It was just the time when every household was preparing supper, and he encountered no acquaintances along the way. In less than half a quarter-hour, Zhao Wu stood before his own front gate.

The shabby gate that had stood when he left eight years ago had been replaced with a new one, painted with a coat of black lacquer; the low yellow-mud courtyard wall had also been rebuilt with green brick, three new rooms had been raised on the north side of the yard, and smoke rose from the kitchen in one corner.

Zhao Wu raised his large hand and pounded on the closed gate. A moment later, his mother's voice—at once familiar and unfamiliar—came from the courtyard: "Who is it?"

With a creak the gate swung open, and his mother's figure appeared before Zhao Wu, dressed in a half-worn ru skirt.

Zhao Wu tossed aside the pack slung across his shoulder, tore off his helmet and flung it away, then dropped to his knees with a thud. Looking up with a choked voice, he said: "Mother! It's me! Xiao Wu!"

Zhao Wu's mother was stunned for a moment; when she saw clearly that the kneeling man was indeed her second son, whom she had not seen for years, tears fell like pearls from a broken string, one after another. Her whole body trembling, she shuffled over to Zhao Wu, reached out with quivering hands to cup her son's face, and sobbed: "It's my son, it's my Xiao Wu... My son is back! Wu! Why did you only come back now! I've missed you to death!"

"Mother! I missed you too! Many times I was about to break, but thinking of you waiting for me to come home, I managed to pull through!"

Zhao Wu, fearless and mighty on the battlefield, now wept like a child.

The commotion at the gate startled the Zhao family, who were preparing supper inside. One after another they came out of the house and in a rush all crowded around the doorway.

Old Man Zhao caught sight of his son, whom he had not seen in eight years, in the last glimmer of light before darkness fell. He abruptly tilted his head skyward, trying to force the tears back, but they still disobediently streamed down his cheeks.

Zhao Wu shuffled on his knees before Old Man Zhao and knocked his head heavily against the ground: "Father! I'm back!"

Old Man Zhao turned his face away, not letting his son see the tears on his cheeks, and said repeatedly: "Good that you're back! Good that you're back!"

Zhao Wu's elder brother Zhao Wen rushed over and pulled his younger brother up, looked him over from head to toe, then laughed with tears in his eyes: "Second brother, you're much sturdier than me! This elder brother gets to bask in his younger brother's glory! Tiedan's mother, come meet your uncle!"

Zhao Wen's rough-handed wife hurried over and performed a squatting salute: "Greetings, Uncle!"

Zhao Wen's wife was the eldest daughter of the Li family at the east end of the village, and Zhao Wu had met her a few times before leaving. In the countryside, they didn't observe the custom of keeping women shut behind doors—man or woman, once grown they were household labor and had to go out and work.

Zhao Wu hastily freed himself from his brother's grip, wiped his tears, and returned the salute with clasped fists: "Greetings, Sister-in-law! From what my brother says, I have a nephew? Let me see him at once!"

Zhao Wen wiped his tears with his sleeve and said happily: "Not just a nephew—a niece too!" With that he dragged out the pair of children hiding behind his wife and said loudly: "Kneel and kowtow to your uncle! If not for the money your uncle earned risking his life, where would the two of you be?"

Zhao Wen's seven-year-old son and four-year-old daughter timidly knelt and kowtowed to Zhao Wu in greeting. Zhao Wu turned and walked a few steps to his luggage, bent down, rummaged in his pack for a while, then stood and walked back. He extended his hand and said with a smile: "This was given to me by the Governor-General. I had no use for it in camp, and I figured my elder brother must have kids by now, so I saved it for my nephew and niece!"

In Zhao Wu's palm lay a pair of exquisite silver ornaments, given to him by Lu Xiangsheng after a battle, each weighing about one liang.

The two children looked at the silver ornaments in their second uncle's hand, then glanced up at their parents—clearly wanting them but not daring to take.

Old Man Zhao coughed once and said: "Since your uncle is giving them to you two, then take them! Tiedan's mother, keep them for Tiedan—for when he takes a wife in the future!"

Zhao Wen's wife said with embarrassment: "All these years our household expenses have come from Second Uncle's life-earned money—how could we take his silver again!"

Zhao Wu smiled and pulled the two children up, placing one silver ornament in each of their hands: "Sister-in-law, saying that makes us strangers. Everyone in this house is my closest kin—spending my silver on you brings me great joy!"

"Brother!" A timid voice sounded from the darkness.

"Little sister! I was just about to ask where my sister had gone! Haha, come, let your brother look at you! When I left, my little sister was still wiping her nose!"

A small, delicate figure emerged from the side. This was Zhao Wu's younger sister, Zhao Xiaohua, now fully thirteen years old—an age when one knows shyness and embarrassment. Though overjoyed to see her long-absent second brother, her introverted nature kept her hiding to one side.

Looking at his little sister, who had grown into a young woman, Zhao Wu felt deeply moved.

Old Man Zhao urged them repeatedly: "What are you doing standing at the door! Get inside, get inside! Eat, eat!"

Zhao Wu walked back a few steps to pick up his pack. His nephew Tiedan, quick-witted, ran over, picked up Zhao Wu's iron helmet, and hugged it to his chest. The whole family crowded around Zhao Wu as they entered the house.

On the low table in the center of the main room sat a small willow basket holding several steaming black-flour steamed cakes, with a dish of pickled vegetables beside it. Two low stools were clearly Old Man Zhao's and Zhao Wen's, while the womenfolk and the two children ate on the kang in the inner room.

Zhao Wen's wife hurriedly brought over a low stool for Zhao Wu. Zhao Wu set down his pack, unbuckled the long sword at his waist, sat on the stool, and casually placed the sword within reach. Old Man Zhao sat down and said loudly: "Woman! Go fry up some eggs for Xiao Wu right away! Coming home from such a long way, he needs a good meal!"

Zhao's mother beamed with joy, turned, and headed straight out the door to the kitchen.

Zhao Wen laughed: "Second brother, I heard from the village head that all the Ming bandits have been wiped out. You're not an army man anymore?"

Old Man Zhao looked at Zhao Wu with a tense expression, while Zhao Xiaohua and Zhao Wen's wife also stood to one side waiting for Zhao Wu's answer. Tiedan and his little sister, meanwhile, hugged the iron helmet and curiously rubbed it.

Zhao Wu rummaged through his pack as he spoke: "Elder brother, this time His Majesty granted the entire army a great leave. I'll stay home for a while, but when the court summons me, I must return to camp. The roving bandits have been wiped out, but there are still the Jianzhou barbarians beyond the pass! Before the leave, I heard the Governor-General say that we should train diligently even at home—next year we may well go beyond the pass to fight in Liaodong! Sister-in-law, little sister, these are for Mother and the two of you!"

Two silver bracelets and an exquisite gold hairpin appeared in Zhao Wu's hand.