Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 38 Owe
The oxcart moved slowly, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Sitting in the carriage, Shen Wenxing held his younger sister in his arms, looked at his father who was driving the carriage, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

"My masters say that fighting to the death is one of the fastest ways for a martial artist to break through, and I've been stuck at my current level for a year now..."

"You can't gamble with your life!" Shen Yuan shouted angrily, a rare occurrence for him!
Having lived in this world for over thirty years, he had dreamed of making something of himself and giving his wife and children a better life.

But the thought of sending my son, who is not yet fourteen, to the battlefield fills me with a sharp pain!

"father."

After being scolded, Shen Wenxing did not stop talking. Instead, he smiled and said, "Wenping and Wen'an are only four years old, and Anu is only eight years old."

“My family has more than 70 mu of land, as well as orchards and forests that need to be taken care of.”

“Mother is in poor health. If you pass away, all the big and small things will fall on your shoulders.”

"Not only will our son's cultivation be delayed, but what will we do if Mother gets exhausted?"

"I don't want to waste my martial arts skills."

Shen Yuan remained silent.

Suddenly, Shen Wenxing, who was on the oxcart, knelt down and kowtowed to his back, saying, "Father, please forgive my selfishness."

“With you at home, my son won’t worry too much while he’s in the military and can focus on his cultivation.”

Shen Yuan did not respond after hearing this, but slowly brought the oxcart to a stop.

On the country path, he squatted alone by the roadside, gazing at Yinlong Mountain in the distance and the direction of Jinliu Village.

“Father, Ping’er can’t bear to part with you, and she can’t bear to part with the big pot.”

With her two children behind her, Shen Wenping carefully squeezed into his arms and looked up at him.

Shen Wenxing slowly squatted down beside her, smoothing the little girl's hair that was being blown by the breeze, and said, "Father, I am not as fragile as you think. Acquired martial artists are highly sought after in the army."

"If I can really become a bodyguard under General Zhang, I might even get an official title or a minor rank. Then our family will get a lot of land. Don't complain that there's too much land to cultivate."

Shen Yuan snorted and glared at him without saying a word.

a long time--

"What is Lingxiu thinking?"

"She really trusts you to go to the military?"

Mentioning Huang Lingxiu, a smile appeared on Shen Wenxing's face, then he said seriously, "Senior Sister Lingxiu said that a good man should protect his country and expand its territory."

"The person she likes has to be a great hero, a great general."

"Hey!" Shen Yuan suddenly stood up and laughed, "This girl has quite the ambition!"

The oppressive atmosphere was eased considerably by the jokes, and Shen Yuan sighed heavily with his hands behind his back.

He knew that having his son serve in the military in his place was indeed the best option.

At the very least, Shen Wenxing went to the front lines, so his chances of survival are much higher than mine.

Rationally speaking, the divination system resides within him, and as long as he lives, he can ensure the continued growth of the Shen family.

"Son, you've suffered so much." Looking at his son, who had already caught up to his height, Shen Yuan patted his shoulder heavily.

As parents, who wouldn't want to protect their children from the wind and rain for a lifetime?

Shen Wenxing shook his head sensibly.

“Father suffers even more than his son; the whole family depends on you to support them.”

The father and son seemed to be kindred spirits, smiling at each other.

Left out in the cold, Shen Wenping was unaware of her elder brother and father's thoughts. She looked up at the two of them, then at the setting sun, and muttered, "Father, if we don't leave now, we'll miss dinner."

Shen Yuan squatted down and picked her up in his arms: "Eat, eat, eat! You're such a little foodie."

"Come on, go home."

The three of them boarded the oxcart and headed towards Jinliu Village.

At night, Shen Yuan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Although he had already made the decision about military service, he was still tormented by family ties and didn't know how to tell his wife.

"Anything on your mind?"

Hu Yufen turned around, gently hugged his arm, and asked. The couple had been together for over ten years, supporting each other through thick and thin, and knew each other very well.

Shen Yuan looked up at the darkness above him, sighed slightly, and finally brought up the matter of military service.

Hu Yufen clearly hadn't realized the seriousness of the matter, and thought that this military service was just a routine shift.

The Great Yu Dynasty had a system of corvée labor. After males turned fourteen, they were required to perform corvée labor during non-farming seasons for two months.

This kind of service was nothing more than going to the county to familiarize oneself with military life and undergo simple drills.

However, after the new Emperor Yu ascended the throne, he implemented a policy of allowing the people to rest and recuperate, and this campaign has not been carried out for nearly thirty years.

“Our Shitou is not even fourteen years old yet, so he won’t be assigned to guard duty. What are you worried about?”

Shen Yuan sighed and said, "I was talking about military service, not corvée labor."

Hu Yufen was stunned: "Is there anything different?"

Shen Yuan explained, "Brother Yun Xiao said that the imperial court is going to fight the Western Wilderness barbarians this time and recover the three counties that were seized by the barbarians."

"Military service is required for all men under the age of forty."

"This means that those who are going to serve this time will most likely be going to the battlefield."

"What!?" Hu Yufen suddenly stood up after hearing this.

"So, my husband is also going to serve in the military!?"

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, pulled her into his arms and hugged her, saying, "During the day at the martial arts school, Brother Yun Xiao suggested that Shi Tou take my place in the military service."

"They say that Lieutenant Zhang Bin has now become a general in the Yunzhong Border Army. We can try to make Shi Tou his personal guard."

"You agreed?" Hu Yufen asked nervously.

Shen Yuan shook his head: "I haven't agreed yet, but Shi Tou has been trying to persuade me all the way here."

"The brat is so sensible it breaks my heart."

Hu Yufen didn't speak, but tears were already welling up in her eyes.

She was a smart woman who knew how dangerous it was for her husband to serve in the military and go to the battlefield.

In comparison, although my son is younger, he is more composed and capable, so sending him is the best choice.

But after all, it's a piece of my own flesh and blood, how could I bear to part with it?

Neither of them spoke, and they fell into insomnia, burdened by guilt towards their son.

The next day, when Hu Yufen, whose eyes were red and swollen, got up, she saw Shen Wenxing practicing martial arts in the courtyard and couldn't help but walk over.

"mother?"

Shen Wenxing finished his practice and looked at his mother with a smile, seemingly without any worry.

The more he acted this way, the sadder Hu Yufen felt, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Shen Wenxing rushed over and asked with concern.

Hu Yufen sobbed as she grabbed his arm and said, "Your father told me everything last night."

"My son, you..."

Shen Wenxing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and comforted her, "Mother, it's alright. Don't you believe in my abilities?"

"Take good care of yourself. I've already made plans with Senior Sister Lingxiu. When I return from the front lines, I'll marry her and give you a big, healthy grandson."

Hu Yufen held back her tears and gently stroked his face.

Just as Shen Yuan said last night, his son is so sensible that it breaks his heart.

"What do you want to eat this morning? Mom will make it for you."

This matter cannot be changed now; all she can do during this time is to fulfill her duties as a mother and ensure that her child is well-fed and cared for.

"Let's make some meat porridge. My eldest sister and third brother both like it. Let's boil an egg for Anu. The rascal is growing and needs some nourishment."

Hearing this, Hu Yufen felt another pang of sadness.

"Okay, Mom will boil two eggs for you later." With that, she turned and walked towards the kitchen.

(End of this chapter)