Rebirth of a Star General (Legend of the Female General)

Chapter 31: The Young Master of the Xiao Family

Spring was nearing its end, and even the rain was beginning to carry the heat of summer.

The last day of conscription had ended, and the long tent where they filled out documents at the horse training groumd had been packed away, replaced by countless small tents. The newly conscripted men had bid farewell to their families and gathered together, waiting for the night to pass so they could set off early the next morning for Liangzhou.

The tents were quite narrow, with several people squeezed inside, just enough to accommodate everyone. He Yan and Hong Shan sat close together, Hong Shan had managed to secure a slightly larger tent, and since they didn’t have much luggage, it made it somewhat spacious for both of them. He Yan had been here for an entire day, from last night until now.

They were provided with steamed buns to eat, two for each meal. Once they settled in Liangzhou, they would receive more rations. Apart from that, they didn’t get much else, except for the inconvenience of using the restroom. He Yan had to wait until it was late and no one was around before she could sneak away.

She had just come out of the restroom and was walking back to her tent when she lifted the flap and found two additional people inside. Hong Shan was chatting with them, and upon hearing the noise, the two turned to look at her.

They were probably brothers, with similar appearances – thin and dark. They had a rugged handsomeness and didn’t seem very old. The older one looked around sixteen or seventeen years old, and the younger one was roughly the same age as He Yunsheng. The older one was likely the elder brother, who remained silent, while the younger one had a simple and innocent smile on his face as he asked familiarly, “This brother is…?”

“This is your brother Ah He,” Hongshan introduced on his own and then said to He Yan, “These are two new brothers who arrived today. There are no tents available outside, so they’ll be squeezing in here with us.” He pointed to the quiet young man and said, “This is Shitou (Stone),” and then pointed to the young man who had a somewhat naive and simple smile, “This is Xiao Mai (Little Wheat).”

Shitou and Xiao Mai, they were probably brothers from a poor family. Otherwise, if they were from a better-off family, they would have been given better names.

He Yan found a place to sit down, and with two more people, the tent suddenly felt a bit crowded.

“Are you both from the capital?” He Yan asked, feeling a little thirsty. She unscrewed the water bottle around her waist and took a sip.

Shitou didn’t like to talk, but his younger brother, Xiao Mai, was lively. He replied, “We lived on Xianghuai Mountain and hunted for a living. We saw the conscription on our way down the mountain and discussed it. Then we decided to join the army.”

So they were a family of hunters on the mountain.

“Your parents let you come to enlist?” Hong Shan asked. Generally, if a family was poor and sent someone to enlist, they wouldn’t send both of their sons. They would want to keep a way out for the family.

“Our parents passed away long ago, and my brother and I grew up together.”

Hong Shan sighed, “Then you both should cherish your lives. Why did you come to enlist? Enlisting is not a game. Are you guys…?” He gestured towards He Yan, “Also wanting to achieve something and establish a career like him?”

“As men, we should achieve something and establish a career,” Xiao Mai said innocently. “Besides, this time, we’re going to Liangzhou under the command of the Right Army’s General, Commander Xiao. My brother and I have admired him for a long time. Being able to follow him is our honor!”