Modira took out the family's collection of wine. The wines from the Western Regions were all passed down from them. They had been stored for a long time and he was reluctant to drink them normally. Now his son was about to go to war. If he didn't take them out and have a drink with them, he might not have this opportunity in the future.
The youngest son is in his thirties and in his prime. If the imperial court recruits people, such a person will definitely be at the front of the list. Moreover, the youngest son has served in the army and is the one the imperial court needs most.
"Father."
Modira's youngest son raised his glass, wanting to have a drink with his father before leaving, but Modira did not raise his glass. Instead, he stretched his head to look outside. There were two soldiers standing at the door. It was impossible for him to run away, so he had to say something important now.
"Remember this. Forget everything I told you before about the battlefield. Those words are useless now. You only have one goal now, and that is to survive. I don't care what happens to you on the battlefield, but you must stay away from danger."
When Modira said this, his youngest son was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that such words came from his father's mouth. You know, his father was a great hero of the empire and was personally commended by the former caliph. If it weren't for his father's love for this kind of life, he would have no problem becoming a general.
When my two brothers left for the war, my father had said something different. It was all about fighting bravely and serving the Caliph. But why was he telling me this now? Was it because I was too incompetent? That couldn't be right. During those years in the army, I was quite good. At least no one in the village was better than me. While I couldn't possibly recreate my father's glory, I wouldn't be so afraid of death that I'd hide somewhere, right?
"Father, do you look down on your son so much?"
The younger son looked anxious, and Modira quickly subdued his son. He told himself that he couldn't speak too loudly at this time because the two soldiers at the door could hear him. There were also some neighbors outside nearby. If they heard him, he would not be able to live a good life.
"Our family has done enough for the Empire, but in the end, we couldn't even protect your bloodline. Look at how old I am now. I can only live for a few days. Now my face is useless. I can only buy one night, but your son won't run away yet. What do you think will become of our family if something happens to you?"
Modila stretched out his hands, which were a pair of skinny hands. Although life at home was not bad, he was old after all. No matter what good things he ate or drank, his whole body could not hold on. Modila was very clear about this.
Looking at his grandson again, he can't even walk now. If the family relies on such a child, the whole family may not be able to support it. The son in front of him is his only hope. He must not let anything go wrong on the battlefield. If he can't come back, the whole family will be ruined.
The youngest son also looked stunned. He had never thought about such a thing before, but now after listening to his father's words, he did have other ideas in his mind. When his father brought him back from the army, he was still a little dissatisfied in his heart, but now after listening to his father's words, he did think that what his father said was right.
Two people in his family have already sacrificed their lives for the country. According to the previous laws of the court, he did not have to go to the battlefield, but the court did not care about this at all. At the critical moment, he was still sent to the battlefield. Didn’t the court consider how their family could survive?
"Should we tell our fellow villagers that they are also the pillars of their families?"
The youngest son suddenly thought of another thing. The dozen or so people who set out together this time had all grown up together. The relationship between them was very deep, and it could be said that it had continued for two or three generations.
"You fool! If everyone is afraid to move forward, the general will soon discover it and will all try to escape. Then your chances of survival will be even lower. On the way, you must tell them more about fighting bravely as before and repaying the Caliph's kindness. That's what you should say."
The old man's face changed, and he immediately brought out his thick black theory. The youngest son had never seen his father like this. Everything he had received today seemed to overturn his entire life's understanding. Could it be that he couldn't even trust his brothers who he had grown up with? Hadn't he said before that these people would be his back on the battlefield? Now he had to be wary of them too.
Modila knew that it was too difficult for his son to accept all this, but he had to understand it now. If you still don’t understand it, then your chances of surviving on the battlefield will continue to decrease. This time our enemy is not someone else, but the Tang Empire, which is more powerful than us. If you don’t make preparations from now on, then what awaits you will be a corpse, and the court will tell you the news of your death in battle.
"You don't need to look at me like that. I guess the other people in the village think the same way. Our relationship may be strong in normal times, but when it comes to a real battlefield, who wouldn't fight for themselves? Who would give up a chance to survive for others? This is the real battlefield. In the past, we were all smooth sailing on the battlefield, but when fighting a battle against such a wind, you realize the treacherous nature of human nature. I just hope you can come back alive."
Modila sighed. He didn't want to say too much about such cunning things. He picked up the wine glass and drank it in one gulp. His son also drank the wine beside him, but everything in his mind was different. It turned out that the enemy had already appeared before he went to the battlefield, and these enemies were brothers from the same village who grew up with him.
At dawn the next day, all nineteen people in the village came out. Whether they were willing or not, they had to pack their camels and weapons and equipment, and then follow the army to the battle. They had to gather in the north of the city and wait for people from the surrounding villages.
After the nineteen people left, Modira looked back at the remaining people in the village. The youngest adult was already in his forties...
