vstars Chapter 204 Wang Xiao'er and Wang Ting's Life Choices
Chapter 204 Wang Xiao'er and Wang Ting's Life Choices
In Cheng'an County, south of Handan City, an unprecedented commotion was unfolding. Groups of young men, full of expectation, crowded around the recruiters of the Li family army, their eyes gleaming with a desire for unknown opportunities and dissatisfaction with the status quo.
"Sir, is it true that you mentioned such a generous monthly salary? We're not sure, after all, even the stewards of the wealthy families in the county have never seen such good treatment." A man asked with a hint of unease in his voice.
“Yes, what if we really join the army and end up with nothing? Our families are still waiting for us to make a living.” Another person chimed in, their words filled with concern for their family responsibilities and worries about the future.
Upon hearing this, the recruiters all smiled, their eyes revealing an unwavering determination, as if they wanted to soothe the ripples of unease in the hearts of these warriors who were about to embark on their journey with their integrity and resolve.
An officer from Li Family Army leaped onto the table and solemnly addressed the young men gathered around: "Li Family Army is not the imperial army; it is Lord Li Zhen's private army. All expenses and regulations within the army are set by Lord Li Zhen, so you should not compare yourselves to those government troops. Furthermore, let me make it clear that this conscription is voluntary. If you are unwilling, or unwilling after joining the army, you can still voluntarily return. However, if you regret joining the army, you will have to pay for your uniform."
Those who had initially harbored doubts gradually dispelled their anxieties like morning mist after hearing the officer's resounding call. The crowd of people signing up seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, slowly but resolutely growing stronger.
In November in the north, the weather is already freezing cold. Scattered snowflakes fall from the sky from time to time. The last snowfall has not yet melted. Looking around, all you can see is a silvery white landscape across the entire land of China.
By this time, many small waterways were covered with thick ice, making it very difficult for boats to travel. Some businesses that needed water transport began to organize people to break the ice. Over time, this developed into a seasonal industry, commonly known as icebreakers.
Wang Xiaoer, a seasoned icebreaker, lived a life inextricably linked to the six mu of rented land belonging to the wealthy Wang family in the village. Every year, the heavy taxes and rent weighed down on his already meager existence like a boulder. Even with his utmost effort in farming, the harvest, after paying off exorbitant taxes, was barely enough to keep his family from starving, leaving them struggling to make ends meet.
To feed his family, Wang Xiaoer had to find another way out. He found several other young people in the village who were also struggling with poverty. They shared the same helplessness and hope, and decided to embark together on this arduous and unknown path to break the ice.
In winter, the riverbed is covered with a thin, brittle layer of ice, concealing unspeakable dangers. If one carelessly breaks through this fragile barrier and falls into the deep, dark water, the consequences are unimaginable. A heavy cotton coat, meant to be a warm fortress against the biting wind, instantly becomes a heavy burden. It greedily absorbs every drop of icy water until saturated, like an invisible hand mercilessly dragging the drowning person towards the abyss at the bottom of the river.
The water in winter is bone-chillingly cold, seemingly capable of freezing the blood beneath every inch of skin. Upon contact with it, even the strongest will tremble before its biting cold, limbs gradually losing sensation, as if bound by invisible shackles, struggles rendered futile. In this frigid world, every second feels like an endless torment, giving a profound understanding of the fragility of life and the harshness of nature.
Wang Xiaoer gritted his teeth, the wooden spear in his hand inlaid with a sharp iron tip, resembling an ancient and reliable weapon. His eyes were piercing, and he precisely aimed the spear tip at the cracked ice, as if every movement contained formidable strength and determination.
With a sudden downward thrust of his hands, a solid and explosive force surged from his palms. In an instant, the seemingly indestructible block of ice was split in two with a crisp cracking sound, the cracked ice surface shimmering with the cold light unique to winter.
Despite the fact that Wang Xiaoer and his men toiled away on the icy riverbed in the winter and only earned a dozen or so copper coins a day, many people still vied to do the job.
Just as Wang Xiaoer was working up a sweat, he suddenly saw a group of soldiers walking along the riverbank. He recognized one of them—it was Wang Ting from the village. Wang Ting's family wasn't wealthy either; he was almost thirty and still hadn't married.
"Wang Ting, is that you?"
Wang Xiaoer shouted loudly.
Wang Ting, who was walking, suddenly stopped as he caught a familiar call in his ear. He immediately turned his eyes and searched around. Before long, his gaze settled on Wang Xiaoer, who was working diligently on the side of the river.
After giving a brief nod to the team leader beside him, Wang Ting couldn't contain his joy and ran briskly toward the edge of the riverbank.
"Brother Er, your diligence hasn't changed at all!" Wang Ting said with a smile, his tone slightly teasing. "Stop busying yourself. Why don't you join the Li family army like me? You'll get a two-stringed cash settlement allowance upon enlistment, and a monthly salary. Even if something happens on the battlefield, whether you get wounded or... well, that's the worst possible outcome, your family will still have some protection."
A ripple stirred in Wang Xiaoer's heart. His gaze followed Wang Ting, who stood tall and straight in the handsome uniform of the Li Family Army, radiating youthful energy. In contrast, he himself was wrapped in a tattered leather coat, feeling utterly out of place in this world. At that moment, a thought of retreat quietly arose in a corner of his heart. Dissatisfaction with the present and a yearning for the future intertwined, making him secretly ponder whether this kind of life should come to an end.
That afternoon, Wang Xiaoer returned home and, in front of his mother and wife, recounted how he met Wang Ting and how they talked. He then expressed his desire to join Li's army.
Before his wife could even express her opinion, his elderly mother couldn't contain her emotions and collapsed onto the bed, tears streaming down her face.
“My son, you are the only son in our Wang family. You finally got married this year, and you haven’t even continued the Wang family line yet. How can you so easily embark on a life full of dangers and violence?”
The old mother's sob, like the soft rustling of autumn leaves touching the ground, inadvertently touched another tender chord in the room—my wife's eyes also welled with tears. Their emotions converged into a silent resolve, as if expressing the same sentiment: Do not embark on the journey of Li's army, for it is a path of no return, a fight to the death.
Left with no other choice, Wang Xiaoer had to abandon his idea of joining the army and continue his daily life as an icebreaker. Although he didn't earn much, at least he didn't have to worry about going to the battlefield.