Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 9: Lofty Ambitions (Please continue reading)

A horse-drawn carriage drove towards the Zhengding County Government Office.

Meanwhile, in the Guo residence, Zhang Xian returned to the side courtyard and chatted with Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan.

He was generally satisfied with his trip to the Guo residence, as he had rehearsed everything he did and said in his mind many times.

After all, I am not from ancient times. Having lived in modern society for a long time, I have subconsciously lost that sense of etiquette and am more casual and undisciplined.

To be honest, I'm quite tired these past two days at the Guo residence. This kind of tiredness isn't physical, but mental.

Leaning against a corner of the pavilion, Zhang Xian let out a long sigh of relief: "Things here are all settled. Brother Yun, Brother Lan, we'll head back to the small mountain village soon."

The two young men were also sitting cross-legged in the pavilion, wiping their weapons and taking care of them. They smiled when they heard this.

"Great, Brother Xian, we can finally go back." Zhao Yun put down his spear and picked up Zhang Xian's ring-pommel sword to wipe it clean.

"Didn't I see you enjoying your meal here?" Zhang Xian adjusted his clothes.

He was wearing a long robe over his clothes, but underneath he was still wearing his modern clothes, so from the outside his clothes always looked a bit ill-fitting.

Unfortunately, clothing was an important asset for a family in ancient times, and it was already considered a great act of generosity for Zhao Yun's elder brother to share one of his own garments with him.

Although Zhao Yun had always trained under Tong Yuan, his family was not wealthy. Moreover, the cost of martial arts training was considerable. If Tong Yuan hadn't covered most of Zhao Yun's expenses, the Zhao family would probably be living in even greater hardship.

In fact, Xiahou Lan's family was in a similar situation, only slightly better off than Zhao Yun's.

To put it bluntly, they were all from poor families. They had land and houses, but they were just barely making ends meet.

Hearing Zhang Xian's words, Zhao Yun smiled somewhat embarrassedly: "I did enjoy the food, but there are many rules here. It's not as comfortable as it is in the mountains or in the village. Besides, I miss my mother, brother, and master."

Xiahou Lan, standing to the side, didn't share these thoughts. He frankly asked, "Brother Xian, do you think we can one day have over a thousand servants and abundant surplus grain like the Guo family?"

"What? Are you envious?" After tidying up his clothes, Zhang Xian looked over and asked with a smile.

Xiahou Lan scratched his head, his eyes filled with undisguised longing. Then he felt embarrassed, wondering if he was being too worldly in front of his companions. He felt awkward all over.

After stretching his body, Zhang Xian walked to Xiahou Lan's side and put his arm around his shoulder: "What's this? With your brother Xian, we'll definitely have a fortune that rivals the Guo family in the future!"

Do you know what Emperor Gaozu said when he saw the chariots and canopies of Emperor Qin Shi Huang?

Xiahou Lan shook his head, and Zhao Yun also shook his head, but asked curiously, "What did you say?"

Zhang Xian gave a thumbs-up: "A true man should be like this. That's why Emperor Gaozu later led his brothers to establish this unparalleled achievement."

He tightened his grip on Xiahou Lan's shoulder: "So, Lan-di, don't feel awkward about your longing for the life of a noble family. It's an expectation of a better life that we are born with, and we are determined to live a life that is no less than that!"

"Do you understand?" He patted Xiahou Lan on the shoulder.

The latter hummed in agreement and asked, "So, Brother Xian, did you come to the Guo residence because you also wanted to live this kind of life?"

“Ha, that’s not it,” Zhang Xian chuckled.

Both of them were puzzled. Zhao Yun asked, "Then what do you want, Brother Xian?" "Me?" Zhang Xian looked at his hands, then looked up at the sky outside the pavilion.

A warm smile appeared on his face, as if he were reminiscing about something.

"Someone once said that we are like the sun at seven or eight in the morning, so I thought, if possible, let's shine that light on everyone in the world."

Zhao Yun and his companion were extremely puzzled. They didn't understand what Zhang Xian meant: "Brother Xian, please explain yourself more clearly. You always say things that are incomprehensible to people."

Zhang Xian withdrew his gaze from the sky and glanced at Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan: "I want to ensure that those people on both sides of that straight road can also live a peaceful life without worrying about food and clothing!"

"Is this possible?" Zhang Xian's words struck Zhao Yun and his companion like a thunderbolt. No one had ever said anything like this to them before. However, they felt it was impossible. How could there be a place in the world where everyone was free from worries about food and clothing?

“Why not?” Zhang Xian put his arms around both of them, pulling them closer, and said firmly, “This path may be difficult, but it is by no means impossible!”

"The road ahead may be long and arduous, but do you know the will to go even if it means facing a million men? I, your brother Xian, have witnessed it with my own eyes."

The topic was perhaps too serious, and the atmosphere in the pavilion became somewhat heavy. Zhang Xian burst into laughter, putting his arms around the shoulders of the two men as he spoke.

"Of course, I, your brother Xian, certainly couldn't accomplish such a thing on my own. But if there were two outstanding talents like Brother Yun and Brother Lan, my confidence would be much greater."

"Hehe, I'm not as good as Brother Xian says, but if Brother Xian could tell a couple more stories every day, then I might be able to help you." Zhao Yun chuckled, the fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy with that shyness that comes with being praised.

Xiahou Lan was similar, but his pursuit was not based on stories from folk tales.

"If Brother Xian could treat me to kiln-roasted chicken every day, I would definitely help him!"

"Hahaha, you two, instead of feeling passionate and apprehensive about such grand ambitions, you're only thinking about listening to stories and eating delicious food. You two, you two!" Zhang Xian tapped one of their heads with each hand.

A smile crept across his face; it was truly a case of a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, the spirit of a young man always soaring high.

It really proves the saying: "The world belongs to them, but it is ultimately ours!"

Coming to his senses, Zhang Xian nodded and smiled, "Alright, I agree to your requests. From now on, I'll be relying on you guys for help."

“I’m definitely fine with it. As long as Brother Xian doesn’t finish his story, I’ll go wherever you go.” Zhao Yun twirled his sword, sheathed it, and hung it on Zhang Xian’s waist.

Xiahou Lan, meanwhile, was counting on her fingers: "One chicken a day, two chickens in two days, three chickens in three days..."

Goodness, they actually figured it out.

Zhang Xian poked Xiahou Lan's forehead in an annoyed tone: "There are 365 days in a year, how about I give you 366 chickens? You can have them every single day!"

"Then I'm fine."

Xiahou Lan withdrew her hands and said firmly.

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(End of this chapter)