Shen Wenxing was honest and sincere, obviously not thinking too much.

"Where did you learn all this from?" Shen Yuan asked.

Hu Yufen was in charge of teaching the children, and he generally didn't intervene unless it was a matter of great importance.

The key was that his wife, Hu Yufen, wasn't skilled in business, so naturally, she couldn't have taught this.

"Second brother taught me," Shen Wenping answered, looking up.

Ah Nu?

Shen Yuan was a little surprised. Over the years, the second brother, Shen Wenyan, had been learning from Lu Zhiyuan, but he wasn't sure exactly what was being taught.

But in his imagination, a scholar should look down upon merchants engaged in buying and selling. Why would Master Lu teach him these things?

"Master Lu's house has a lot of books. Second brother brought some back for me to read."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing immediately got a little angry, saying, "Ah Die, we need to properly teach that brat a lesson, teaching the big sister conniving business tactics."

"Big pot is bad!"

"Not playing with you anymore!"

Hearing he wanted to reprimand the second brother, the little girl pouted and struggled out of his embrace, sitting alone on the other side of the ox cart.

Seeing this, Shen Yuan couldn't help but laugh.

"Shi Tou, don't just think cunning and trickery when it comes to merchants."

"The way of commerce lies in mutual consent. As long as it doesn't go against your conscience, benefiting oneself without harming others, ensuring no losses in buying and selling is a profound knowledge."

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, the little girl provocatively looked at Shen Wenxing: "Did you hear that? Did you hear that?"

"Ah Die said so!"

Looking at her innocent face, Shen Wenxing helplessly smiled, pulled her into his arms, squeezed her little face, and said, "Big brother was wrong, okay?"

"Then... will big pot still reprimand second brother later?"

Shen Wenxing shook his head slightly.

Over the years, he and his father had been busy earning money for the family, practicing martial arts, and it was Shen Wenyan who helped with educating the younger siblings.

His ideas deep down weren't as open-minded as his father's.

The three merrily arrived at the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall soon.

Shen Wenxing jumped off the cart first, then carried his little sister down and with the basket of peaches, walked towards the Martial Arts Hall.

The little girl ran ahead, soon spotting Huang Lingxiu who was teaching disciples at the Martial Arts Arena.

"Sister!"

Hearing the call, Huang Lingxiu turned around, and upon seeing Shen Wenping, her face instantly bloomed into a smile as she knelt down to pick her up.

"Little girl, did your big brother come?" She kissed her small cheeks and looked towards the distance.

Unhappy, the little girl used her little hands to turn her face back: "Look at me, I missed you very much too!"

Huang Lingxiu was amused, gently tapping her nose with her finger: "Okay okay, I'll look at you."

At this time, Shen Wenxing and Shen Yuan carrying peaches also stepped through the courtyard gate.

Seeing them, Huang Lingxiu promptly came up to greet them.

"Uncle Shen."

Shen Yuan smiled and nodded: "Shi Tou, give me the peaches, you guys chat."

Huang Lingxiu quickly said: "Ah Die is in the backyard, and Elder Brother is also here."

Shen Yuan nodded: "That's good."

With that, he carried the peaches towards the backyard.

In the backyard, Huang Yunxiao gently brushed the foam on his tea cup, his expression somewhat heavy.

Beside him, Huang Qingzhou frowned in thought for a moment and said, "Does Elder Brother mean that Your Majesty plans to use force against the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race?"

"Most likely," putting down the tea cup, Huang Yunxiao sighed, "A hundred years ago, the three counties of the Western Regions were breached by the Barbarian Race, a humiliation for Great Yu."

"For a hundred years, we in Great Yu have let the people recuperate without raising arms. Now, with consecutive years of bountiful harvests and stockpiles overflowing, the current Majesty is ambitious and certainly intends to reclaim the three counties of the Western Regions."

"This recruitment of soldiers, in my opinion, is undoubtedly for this purpose."

Huang Qingzhou sighed slightly.

"Just a few years of peace, and war is about to start again, likely affecting quite a few common people."

"Qi'Er and Lin'Er are both in the Border Army. This time..."

Mentioning the two brothers, Huang Yunxiao was also full of worry.

Now the Huang Family only has these two male members, and he originally planned to use connections this year to transfer them out of the Border Army, but unexpectedly, this situation arose.

"Second brother, there is one more thing I am quite concerned about."

Just as he finished speaking, Shen Yuan's knock at the door sounded from outside.

"Brother Huang."

Hearing it was him, Huang Qingzhou immediately opened the door.

"Ah Yuan is here?"

Shen Yuan put down the basket of peaches, smiling, "Home-grown peaches, brought a basket for you to try."

"How come Brother Yunxiao has time to come back today?"

Huang Yunxiao smiled slightly, "There are some matters to discuss with Qingzhou."

On hearing this, Shen Yuan instantly bowed and said, "Then you chat first, I'll go outside and take a walk."

"No need." Huang Yunxiao opened his mouth, "This matter is also related to you, listen in."

...

Shen Yuan sat down with the tea cup in hand, his brows tightly furrowed: "Recruitment?"

Huang Yunxiao nodded slightly: "This matter has not yet been officially documented but has already been determined."

"Ah Yuan, what do you think?"

"Me?" Shen Yuan was slightly taken aback, a little puzzled.

Huang Yunxiao said, "According to Great Yu law, under forty, you are still within the conscription age range. Once the recruitment document is issued, you must go to serve."

"Don't you know?"

Shen Yuan was dumbfounded.

He truly hadn't understood this, not knowing he still had military service obligations.

At home, the kids were still too young. Though Shen Wenxing could now help care for the family temporarily, he was ultimately not yet fourteen.

If he were to serve in the army and something happened, what would become of this family?

"Ah Yuan, I have an idea."

Seeing his concerns, Huang Yunxiao thought for a moment before saying: "Shi Tou is already over thirteen, right?"

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, and then his expression changed, shaking his head repeatedly: "No way!"

"No way, no way!"

He vaguely guessed Huang Yunxiao's meaning, which was nothing but letting Shi Tou "go to the army in place of his father."

"Let me finish," Huang Yunxiao said solemnly, "Firstly, as Qingzhou told me, Shi Tou's current strength has already reached the peak of Postnatal, he is a very capable martial artist."

"Secondly, Shi Tou is composed, not reckless like a typical adolescent."

"Lastly... Do you remember Zhang Bin?"

Captain Zhang?

Shen Yuan thought of that hearty man.

Back when Shen Wenping and Shen Wen'an were having their one-month celebrations, Zhang Bin went with Huang Yunxiao brothers to his house.

"Brother Zhang is now the Left General of the Yunzhong Border Guard Camp. If you agree, I will use connections to send Shi Tou to him, have Brother Zhang take him as a personal guard."

"Thus, staying by Brother Zhang's side, firstly, he will be looked after, secondly, without special cases, he doesn't have to engage directly in fighting."

"After some years, perhaps he might earn some military merit, then find a way to transfer him back."

Shen Yuan fell silent.

He knew Huang Yunxiao was thinking of him.

But Shi Tou was only thirteen; in a previous life, such a child would need to be escorted even to school by parents.

How could he bear to send him to the military, facing brutal combat?

In the room, all three were silent.

"Ah Die..."

The door was pushed open, and Shen Wenxing's voice came through.

The three turned their heads and saw Huang Lingxiu and Shen Wenxing standing quietly outside the room.

"Ah Die, Uncle Yunxiao is right."

"This home cannot be without you, let your son go for military service."

Both were clearly already outside the room, listening to their conversation.

Shen Yuan stood up, meeting his son's resolute gaze, his mouth slightly opened, eventually turning into a sigh.

"Elder Brothers, Little brother will take his leave first."

He turned and bowed to Brother Huang Qingzhou and then led Shen Wenxing outside.

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