The old things I repaired have become fine

Chapter 618 Me? One-on-one against the Tibetans? What the hell?

Leave……

Is this option still available?

Shen Le followed the group to the post station, found a quiet place to sit down, still feeling somewhat lost. These soldiers and officers from Anxi and Beiting…

Can they stay and not go back? From what I remember, or rather, from Iron Armor's memory, Ah Li went back, and it seems the vast majority of them did too—

Are there any people who choose not to go back?
"Hey!" Lost in thought, Shen Le was jolted awake by the push, nearly falling over. He saw a fellow veteran from Anxi standing beside him, his expression a mixture of envy and worry.

"Are you going to stay?"

"stay?"

Shen Le wanted to purse her lips. I would like to stay, no, I would like to stay as long as possible, until I have seen and remembered Chang'an and Daming Palace before I go back.

Unfortunately, this bronze mirror might not be willing to keep me any longer!
If it kicks me out, I won't be able to stay!
"Yes, didn't you say you were from here?" The veteran, with his deep-set features, looked around, surveyed the flow of people coming and going in the inn, and then looked back.
"You said you were some kind of... respectable man from Longxi... or something... You have a home here, a wife and children. Aren't you going to stay? You've finally made it home—"

"Stay?"

Shen Le reached up and touched the armor on his chest. To his right, another old soldier with curly hair stared at him enviously.

"Yes, we've been promoted seven ranks—seven ranks! You're a fourth-rank official now! A fourth-rank official isn't worth much where we're from. In the Central Plains, you can live a good life anywhere!"

Yes, we'll stay. We won't leave, we won't go back to Anxi. We'll stay and enjoy the riches and glory of the Central Plains with our families.

This seems like a more comfortable and natural choice, after all, they have fought for so many years, overcome so many dangers, and died so many times in the illusion...

It's time for it to retire!

It's time to enjoy it!

Even the most ruthless and cruel rulers of the Tang Dynasty in that era would never allow cavalry to line up in formation, brandishing sabers, and hacking, trampling, or turning old soldiers demanding unpaid wages into mincemeat...

What's more, there are family members waiting anxiously...

To stay or not to stay, the question remained unanswered. They waited anxiously at the post station, waiting for the court to slowly argue and for the procedures to be followed, waiting for the items they were required to take back to gradually gather.

There were no large quantities of supplies, not even armor, weapons, food, or medicine. But there were some things that were essential and had to be brought back:

For example, the robes and armor bestowed upon the two princes, the embroidery on the robes, and the various gold and silver engravings on the bright armor, all had to be made with great care;
For example, the items given to other soldiers and generals, Shen Le's body, or rather A Li, all received a belt with 11 gold belt buckles;
For example, Wu embroidery, Shu brocade, various gold cups and bowls, and even certain special ceremonial objects...

Well, anyway, traveling from Chang'an back to Hedao to Beiting isn't suitable for setting off in autumn or winter, so they have plenty of time to wait. Even soldiers whose homes are in Longxi can easily make it back by going home for the New Year.

Shen Le did not choose to return to her hometown to reunite with A Li's family, since she didn't know what to say to them anyway.

He walked back and forth in Chang'an City day after day, looking at all kinds of palaces, temples, residences, and markets, trying his best to memorize the various architectural structures and details;
I often accompanied General Guo to visit various important ministers and generals. Sometimes we succeeded, but most of the time we failed. We would sit on a cold bench in other people's residences all day with a cup of tea.
Watching him rack his brains to save money and give gifts, to try his best to get a name card so he could visit, watching him try every means to beg and plead;
Watching him fail time and time again, until the very end, he couldn't secure a single reinforcement or any truly useful supplies that could change the situation in the Western Regions...

Days passed, and the crisp autumn air gradually gave way to the depths of winter. Finally, on a day when the New Year was approaching, they were suddenly notified to gather outside the west gate of Chang'an City.

After standing there for a short while, Shen Le looked up and saw a long line of people, young and old, slowly walking towards them in the distance.
The officials in the court did something decent: they brought the envoys' families from their hometowns so that the families could meet them.

Although I left home young and returned old, more than a decade has passed, and the faces of my relatives in my memory have become blurred; I often don't recognize them even when they are face to face...

"My son, do you still remember your mother?"

“Bodhisattva slave, your father passed away ten years ago... and your mother passed away five years ago... This is your eldest nephew... Blackhead, call him uncle!”

“Ah Wan, you’ve been away from home for half a month, and your wife only just found out she’s pregnant… Look how big the baby is already! Pan Gui, what are you standing there for? Call him Dad and kowtow to your father!”

"When my mother passed away, she struggled for three days and three nights before she closed her eyes, enduring the pain just to see you one last time... Are you still leaving? Or are you not leaving?"

A chaotic cacophony of shouts, searches, tales, and cries filled the air. Some were relatives of the envoys from Anxi, but most were their fellow villagers, the families of the soldiers who had gone to Anxi with them but never returned.

They pulled these messengers aside and pleaded with them, asking whether their loved ones were still alive, whether they were injured, whether they had enough to eat, whether they were suffering over there, whether they lacked clothes, and whether they needed any other necessities...

Did you achieve any merit, promotion, or reward? Were you brave in battle?

"Father, please stay! Mother has been waiting for you to come back every day... My little sister is getting married soon..."

“Brother, don’t go, stay. Father is getting old, you must stay by his side, you can’t let him outlive his son…”

“Brother, you’ve finally become a fifth-rank official, bringing honor to our ancestors. Don’t leave again. The family needs someone in charge so we won’t be bullied… The year before last, your nephew had his arm broken in a water dispute…”

A cacophony of voices swirled around him. Several people, old and young, tall and short, surrounded Shen Le, pleading with him to stay.

Poor thing, he didn't recognize any of them, and despite trying hard to search Ah Li's memory, he couldn't recall a single one. Even when the other person grabbed him, weeping and pleading, he couldn't quite get into the mood.
"So, are you staying or not?! Such a vast Western Region, with so many troops, do you think you're the only one who matters?!"

"Stay? I won't stay." Shen Le gently pressed his chest, his eyes blank. He still wanted to return to Anxi, still wanted to defend Khotan, still wanted to wield his long-handled sword and slay the enemy on the battlefield!
If we stay here, we won't be able to go any further—besides, if we indulge in comfort and don't go to the battlefield, won't this armor of ours angrily abandon us?

Being able to linger in Chang'an for a while—to properly see Chang'an, to remember it, and to set off again at the right time—is already a great privilege.

As for the road ahead, we must continue to follow in Ah Li's footsteps...

"Don't you really want to go home? Don't you really care about your mother, your younger siblings, or our whole family?"

Shen Le stared silently at the speaker. The man before her was tall and imposing, the epitome of a promising young man. Judging by his age, he was probably Ah Li's son from when he was young, around his early teens, shortly after his marriage?

"Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been difficult to reconcile. I have already dedicated my life to the country, and I cannot dedicate it to you as well." He answered slowly, then turned and took out a bronze mirror from his backpack, drew his sword, and cleaved it in two.
"Take this half of the bronze mirror back and keep it safe. When the Western Regions are opened up and the Anxi Protectorate returns to the Tang Dynasty, that will probably be the day the broken mirror is mended..."

The clang of the blade rang out, and the surroundings fell silent for a moment. Shen Le, expressionless, tucked the half-bronze mirror into his robes. Across from him, the expectant gaze of the young man gradually dimmed.

"I understand," he said softly.
"I only hope that the court will be roused and that the army can soon conquer Tibet and open up the Western Regions... I wish for your early return, my lord."

Whether Shen Le was able to pull himself together or not, he didn't know. All he knew was that not long after handing over the bronze mirror, his perspective shifted dramatically, directly onto the young man.

After receiving the bronze mirror from Ali, he did not return to his hometown to farm and support his family, but instead took his horse and sword and went straight to join the army.
The more military achievements I accumulate and the higher I rise in rank, the more my family can protect. Perhaps one day, when the imperial court launches a military campaign against the Western Regions, I can contribute more. Perhaps, with more military merit and the elimination of one more Tibetan, we might just win?

Shen Le diligently followed his perspective. The start was good; after all, Ah Li held a fourth-rank official position, and his offspring joining the army would surely receive preferential treatment—

It's not like you have to start as a private and immediately become a junior officer.

Unfortunately, the weight of a junior officer is far too insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Training, patrolling, garrisoning—a year or two passes in the blink of an eye, and then a crushing defeat occurs.

The soldiers mutinied after the defeat, and Chang'an was captured.
The emperor was so defeated that he fled in panic and was surrounded by the chaotic army for a full month.

The defeats led to the increasing military power of the military governors on all sides, and the slight possibility of the imperial court sending troops to the Western Regions to open up the Hexi Corridor was completely dashed.

The emperor lost faith in his senior ministers and generals after the defeats, and began to appoint eunuchs again, causing the atmosphere in the court to deteriorate further...

At this point, even the young man in Shen Le's constant perspective, who was merely a junior officer, was utterly desperate:
It's impossible to open up the Western Regions now.

My loved ones will never come back.

That meeting was the last time we saw each other.

"Is there no way out? Is there really no way out?!" Shen Le didn't even control his body, watching the young man shout and get drunk, staggering down the street from a cold, detached perspective.

"I am powerless! I poured out my heart and soul, yet I could not slay the Tibetans and wipe out the traitors..."

"Ah Li, we're just ordinary people, let's not burden ourselves with such heavy responsibilities." An arm was put around the young man's neck, and he was pulled out.

"Come, come, instead of worrying, why not go for a walk? I heard a Taoist priest has come to Xuandu Temple. He's incredibly powerful. Let's go ask for a talisman; maybe it will help your injuries heal faster!"

The young man struggled fiercely, but being drunk, he had no footing and was dragged to the Taoist temple by his companions. The temple was packed with people, a sea of ​​people who had come from afar, all eagerly anticipating what was to come.

"Is the Taoist priest coming out today?"

"They should be coming out, right?"

"They're here! Look!"

A middle-aged man in a yellow robe, swaying slightly, with a whisk draped over his arm, slowly ascended the stage, surrounded by children. A golden bell tolled, a jade chime rang out, and he began to chant scriptures in a clear voice.

Shen Le hadn't understood a single word and was getting impatient when he suddenly saw the Taoist priest pick up his alms bowl, take a sip of water, and then spit it out.

The mist trailed a long rainbow, spraying directly beyond the crowd to a withered tree at the edge of the arena. The Taoist priest waved his whisk twice, pointed it at the withered tree, and then flicked it sharply:
"disease!"

In an instant, the withered trees turned green again, sprouting branches and leaves, and then thousands of pear trees blossomed, bearing abundant fruit. Shen Le stared in disbelief. When the young Taoist priests picked pears and distributed them to everyone, he couldn't resist squeezing in to get one and taking a bite:
Juice splashed everywhere. The flesh was delicate, and the juice was sweet and refreshing—it was truly a wonderful pear!
Is this okay? !

Even if it's just an illusion created by using trickery to switch out the real pear, that illusion is still magic!

In this world, in this dynasty, he actually encountered someone who could use magic?!

Shen Le was already skeptical, but the young man, who was taking his perspective, was even more affected. The young man munched on the entire pear, then suddenly pushed his way through the crowd, rushed to the middle-aged Taoist priest, and knelt down.
"Please, Daoist Master, accept me as your disciple!"

Hey hey!

If you want to kneel down, don't drag me into it!

Shen Le mentally groaned. The good news was that he was basically in a third-person perspective, so he didn't have to personally experience what it felt like to kneel down.
The bad news is, he can't control this body either...

The young man's request sparked a frenzy of people asking to be accepted as disciples or to join his sect. The middle-aged Taoist priest, clearly experienced, smiled and evaded the requests for quite some time, eventually managing to get the vast majority of people to leave.

Turning back, he calmly smiled at the young man who refused to leave and had been kneeling on the ground for most of the day:

"General, let's go to a quiet room and discuss this further... What is your purpose in seeking enlightenment?"

why?
Of course, it's to learn earth-shattering magic so that one can single-handedly traverse Tibet and turn the tide of the world!
Such a grand hope did not surprise the middle-aged Taoist priest. He simply stroked his beard and smiled slightly.

"In that case, my sect does not align with the general's beliefs. My sect consists of minor arts, such as planting flowers and herbs, gathering medicinal herbs and refining elixirs. In terms of combat power, it is utterly insignificant."

"If the general truly wishes to learn martial arts and combat skills, he can seek them out in the Zhongnan Mountains. If fate allows, and he is chosen by a sword immortal, learning skills capable of defeating ten thousand men will not be difficult."

Can it still be like this? !
Shen Le felt his worldview shaken. However, the young man actually believed it, resigned from his post, and went to Zhongnan Mountain alone.

He searched and searched in the mountains, climbing countless peaks and crossing countless streams, until one day, a ray of light shone down, illuminating his face:
"Is it you who wants to learn swordsmanship?"

Shen Le was dumbfounded.

(End of this chapter)