《Kali Yuga》Chapter 68. After the mourning.
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It was at evening, first Huang Wen found Yu Hee, she still lived in the same house with her son A Fei. She quickly made a sweet honey tea for Huang Wen. When Huang Wen slowly took a sip of his tea, she was gone to made a chicken porridge for him.
Huang Wen gratefully accepted her kindness, without much fuss.
When he ate the porridge, she was busy boiling water for him. She waited until he finished before ordered him to take a bath. He obediently followed her order. She also prepared fresh, clean clothes, probably belong to Song Jian, for him to change.
And when Huang Wen returned from his bath, Yu Hee and Song Jian were already there to see him. They were sitting and sipping a cup of tea, while waiting for him.
Song Jian turned around to look at Huang Wen, when he heard Huang Wen politely greeted them.
Song Jian relieved to see him, "You look fresh."
It wasn't only because Huang Wen just took a bath, but his expression also was as clear as still water. He spent three days to mourn for his father, mother and brother. He knelt in front of his father's grave. In heart he mourned and admitted that he was guilty for delaying his coming home for days even weeks. He didn't want to blame anyone else and fully took the responsibility upon his own shoulder.
Huang Wen couldn't entirely clear his disappointment of Zhang Hu's decision to prioritize his friends rather than Huang Wen's family, but he admitted that the fact that he chose to follow Zhang Hu's priority was his own fault.
He had done with his regret though. He couldn't change the outcome. He could only engraved it in his heart, turned it into a memorial, that would remind him for his action in the future. He hadn't fully grasped his father's words. What is the truth?
For three days, he knelt and thought about his self and found that his father's advice didn't really help him to solve his problem. His father encouraged him to take command over his own life.
He had been thinking and finally decided, for now, he wanted to help his only family. His sister in law and his nephew.
He wouldn't think too much about the future, he would focus on what he could do now.
Huang Wen smiled and nodded his head, "I feel much better after taking a hot bath. I must thank sister in law for that."
Yu Hee smiled back, "I'm glad if I could help you feel better. Come, sit here, have some tea."
Huang Wen didn't refuse.
Song Jian waited until Huang Wen took a sip before asked, "So what's your plan now?"
Huang Wen answered, "It will depend on how is your situation here in Gutian Town. First, let me tell you of my current situation."
Huang Wen then explained of his relation with Zhang Hu, the ruler of Nanping. He also described the situation in Nanping.
"I don't know much about the situation, here in Gutian Town. If you think you would be better live here in Gutian Town, then for your sake, I'll do my best to help this town. But if you think Nanping is better, then let's make a plan to get you two out of this town. My men are ready outside Gutian Town, we'll bring you safely to Nanping.", Huang Wen ended his explanation.
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Song Jian and Yu Hee looked at each other.
Yu Hee sighed and said, "To tell the truth, the condition in this town isn't that bad. But ... "
Song Jian who saw Yu Hee hesitated said, "It was the army. They are the protector of this town at the same time, they are the one who extort us to work for them. Of course we understand that we need to work together to defend this city, but they act as if they own us."
"We work hard every day, at farm, at field, at factory, and such. We work to provide them food and other necessities. But the worst is they want us to provide for their entertainment too. You are an adult now, so of course you understand, when they say entertainment, sometimes it means they want our women.", said Song Jian bitterly.
"I'm not young anymore, but once in a while someone from the army asked about me. So far, I used to use father's illness as an excuse. Yesterday one of the soldier asked me and I said I'm still mourning for father.", said Yu Hee.
She sighed and smiled bitterly, "We never see openly, where they forced people to obey them, but in the beginning there were people who dared to refuse or question their request. These people suddenly disappeared. We'll see them a few days later. They say nothing, but we could imagine what happened to them."
"Well, you know the old ways ... , perhaps you're too young to know, but we older generation remember well. Never say no to people with position in the party. Else you will be branded as traitor, or said to need some education.", Song Jian added.
"If what you say about Nanping is true, then take me there. Even if I have to risk my life.", said Yu Hee resolutely.
Huang Wen turned to Song Jian, "How about Brother Song?"
Song Jian turned to look at Yu Hee, but Yu Hee hung her head down instead.
Song Jiang sighed and said, "I have friends here. I'm fine. For us men, it's just about doing extra work. I don't have sister or wife, so I have no problem with the soldiers."
Huang Wen said, "That's too bad ..., I have a good position in Nanping but that doesn't guarantee that sister in law will be safe there. My worth came from my fighting ability, most of the time, I would be sent to missions and have to leave Nanping. When I'm not there to protect sister in law, who would? I thought Brother Song Jian will come with us and I don't have to worry about sister in law."
"But... the ruler of Nanping is your future father in law, right?", Song Jian a bit confused and asked.
"He is but whether we would never have any conflict between us in the future, is hard to say. I'm not saying he's a bad man. I'm not saying that there will be conflict between us either. I'm saying the possibility is there.", said Huang Wen.
Song Jian and Yu Hee watched Huang Wen's face for quite some time, trying to digest his words. They couldn't guess what was inside his mind at that time, but they knew he was serious.
Huang Wen sighed and explained, "My future father in law, asked me to save his closest friends and then save our family. He sent me to save his closest friends first, then my parents. He had his priority. I had mine. I obediently followed his priority and lost my family because of it. I'm not saying it was his fault. I'm not saying that if I prioritize my family, father, mother and brother would be here now."
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"It's even true that if I'm late a few days, his friends and their family would be died by now."
"But you see. He has his priority and I have mine. The next time there is conflict between our priority, I have no plan to follow his."
Song Jian and Yu Hee nodded, now they understood.
"I ... if that's how you put it, then okay, I'll go to Nanping too.", said Song Jian.
Huang Wen smiled, "Good ..., besides Brother Song, Sister Yu, ... I just want to say, I don't think my brother will oppose it, if both of you decide to have a more intimate relation."
"Wait little brother, you misunderstood.", Yu Hee and Song Jian surprised when they heard Huang Wen's word and almost simultaneously they tried to retort.
But Huang Wen just laughed and shook his head. He put his hand on his ears and pretended not to listen to any of their explanation.
When he saw Song Jian and Yu Hee gave up, he said, "I'm just saying. I don't say this or that."
He turned to seriously then and said, "Besides, since I already made up my mind about it. It will be better if sister in law doesn't have close relation with me. I'm not teasing both of you now. I'm not saying you have to marry each other. I just want you to think about it. In case there is a conflict between me and Uncle Zhang Hu in the future. If sister in law already marry Brother Song at that time, then it could be said that you no longer my family."
Song Jian sighed heavily and asked, "Huang Wen, are you planning a revolt? Do you have a grudge because his request delayed you from coming to our village?"
Huang Wen shook his head, "It would be a lie if I say, I have no grudges against him. But I don't blame him either. I have no reason for revenge or plan to revolt. That would be ridiculous. I owe him much and I see that he is a good ruler. I love his daughter and I hope we could live a long and happy life, but ... let's say I have some bad premonition. I hope it's just some stupid unreasonable fear."
Song Jian turned to look at Yu Hee, "How about you? Is it okay with you, if I come to Nanping too? Just as a friend."
Yu Hee bit her lips, she looked at Song Jian, then at Huang Wen and lastly at the sleeping A Fei.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened it, "Of course not..."
Huang Wen nodded his head, satisfied, "Good, it's decided now. Go prepare the things you want to bring with you to Nanping. Don't bring too much, I can provide all your necessities later in Nanping. I left my men for days, they must be worried about me now. I'll feel better if we return to my men tonight."
Song Jian and Yu Hee couldn't believe what they heard.
Yu Hee stuttered, "Little brother ... are you ... serious?"
Song Jian asked, "How are you going to do that?"
Huang Wen laughed, "Well, I have some help and it would be nice if Brother Song Jian armed with some weapon too."
When Yu Hee saw that Huang Wen was serious, she closed her eyes. She prayed to her late husband, to the recently passed away father in law and God. She prayed for a little while, opened her eyes and gritted her teeth.
"Well, if you say so. Give me ten minutes to get A Fei ready.", said Yu Hee.
When Yu Hee showed her resolution, Song Jian sighed and nodded his head, "Well, I can't allow you to leave without me. Wait for me here, I'll try to find some weapon with me. I think we have a machete around this house."
"Have you killed a zombie before?", Huang Wen asked Song Jian.
Song Jian nodded his head, "A few, I kill a few of them, before the army came and save us."
Huang Wen frowned, "You never had any level up?"
Song Jiang scratched his head, "What level up?"
Huang Wen asked, "How do you kill them? The zombies. What weapon did you use?"
Song Jian answered, "I was chopping firewood at that time, so I use my axe to kill them."
Huang Wen sighed, "Didn't you have this wooden staff when the changes happened?"
Song Jian frowned and nodded his head, "Yes .... but ... I threw it away .... Huang Wen, are you saying, killing them using those staff could give you this ... level up? Is that how you become so strong? But how about that sword you're carrying around?"
Huang Wen patiently explained everything to Song Jian and Yu Hee. When he finished, Song Jian sighed bitterly.
"I wish I know about this earlier...", said Song Jian.
"Don't worry, once we leave this place, you could start leveling up. There are plenty of zombies out there.", said Huang Wen.
"Wait..., I think I saw similar wooden staff somewhere inside this house. It's just lying in the corner, no one ever use it.", said Song Jian.
Song Jian gave it a thought for a few seconds and then he enthusiastically said to Huang Wen, "Hey, give me ten minutes or so to search it."
"Okay, I'll wait here.", said Huang Wen, he could imagine how Song Jian felt.
He also thought that it would be a good idea, no one in Nanping was at level 1. Song Jian and Yu Hee would be the weakest among them. Although now, he knew that there was another way, but for Song Jian and Yu Hee it would be too hard.
Killing zombies and demon, still a faster way to improve their cultivation at this moment. At least until they reached certain level.
When Song Jian and Yu Hee went to prepare for their depart, Huang Wen closed his eyes and contacted Fengsu. During those three days, he had a little discussion with Baihu and Youshe. He also contacted Fengsu.
Once he made his mind to bring Yu Hee and Song Jian, he already thought a plan to bring them out of Gutian Town.
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