Chapter Eleven: An Unexpected Turn of Events

Since attending his first geography class, Ma Yuan had taken several other lessons, though most left him bewildered, understanding little to nothing.

The knowledge imparted in these modern schools was still far too profound for Ma Yuan.

However, he did manage to strike up a conversation with Wang Xian, a mysterious figure who rarely appeared and disappeared like a dragon in the clouds. Though they shared the same dormitory, this was essentially their first meeting.

After school in the evening, Wang Xian suggested that the three of them—he, Ma Yuan, and Hou Xinjie—go out to eat together, to get better acquainted.

They chose a private room in the Drunken Cloud Pavilion in Gao City.

"Wang Xian, I heard you’re from the Ma family in Hui Township?" After leaving the classroom, Wang Xian became quite lively, opening up the conversation.

Ma Yuan nodded. Though he was already somewhat familiar with Wang Xian and Hou Xinjie, he remained somewhat reserved by nature.

"Haha, I’ve heard a lot about the Ma family of Hui Township. Even here in Gao City, your family’s carpentry skills are quite renowned," Wang Xian said without hesitation.

Hou Xinjie looked surprised; he had only just learned about Ma Yuan’s background.

"But nowadays, times have changed. Business is tough everywhere—earning money is a struggle... sigh," Wang Xian said as he took a sip of wine and sighed deeply.

Anyone could tell there was more beneath his words.

Hou Xinjie, a shrewd man, asked directly, "What’s troubling you, Wang Xian? You can tell us. The two of us might be able to offer some advice."

Wang Xian drank another cup of wine, his brows knitting together like a twisted rope. After a moment of thought, he slowly began to speak.

"Since we’re friends now, I won’t hide it from you. But please, what I’m about to say stays in this room. If you speak of it outside, it could endanger your lives."

"Wang Xian, just say it. We promise not to tell anyone. If it comes from us, may we be struck by lightning! Ma Yuan, isn’t that right?" Hou Xinjie urged impatiently.

Ma Yuan nodded as well. The more cautious Wang Xian was, the more his curiosity was piqued.

After a pause, as if gathering his thoughts, Wang Xian said quietly, "You’ve always wondered what business my family is in, haven’t you? Today, I’ll tell you—we’re in the arms trade."

"What?" Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie exchanged glances, the surprise evident on their faces.

Though they had heard whispers before, hearing it straight from Wang Xian’s mouth was still startling.

Wang Xian signaled for them to lower their voices, then continued, "The world outside is in chaos. Here in Gao City, things are still somewhat calm, but once you leave, you’ll see the whole country is in turmoil."

"Some foreign forces have come to bully people on our land, and some locals are taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. Ordinarily, for a family like mine in the arms business, these times should be the best."

"But recently, a batch of arms was seized by bandits eighty miles outside the city. My family has been busy negotiating with them, but there’s been no progress. I’ve been troubled by this ever since."

Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie listened, stunned. Wang Xian’s words genuinely frightened them.

Though Hou Xinjie came from a military family, he rarely saw his father and knew little about military affairs—he was practically a novice.

As for Ma Yuan, he had never been exposed to such matters; it was all new and unheard of to him.

"Wang Xian, if your family is in the arms trade, why are you still studying at Quhe Academy? Why not just join the business directly?" Ma Yuan, unaware of the weight of his question, spoke first.

Only Ma Yuan dared to ask.

Wang Xian chuckled lightly. "My family thinks the same. But I don’t want that. I want to achieve great deeds. A true man should leave an extraordinary mark on the world. So, I want to study hard here at Quhe Academy, aim to enter Huali Military Academy, join the army, and serve my country."

For a moment, Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie were at a loss for words. They had assumed that those attending Quhe Academy were spoiled brats or wayward rich kids.

Yet today, seeing Wang Xian’s lofty ambition moved them deeply. They couldn’t help but admire his grand ideals.

"Gentlemen, since we’ve opened our hearts today, and we’re about the same age, why don’t we make a pact? Let’s all strive to enter Huali Military Academy together, achieve greatness, and serve the nation. What do you say?" Wang Xian guessed their thoughts from their expressions and asked.

Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie were speechless, unsure how to respond, and remained silent.

Seeing their hesitation, Wang Xian laughed it off. "Haha, I’m just saying this casually. Don’t take it too seriously. Besides, the Huali Military Academy enrollment is still a year away; we have time to decide."

"Wang Xian, don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not that we don’t want to, it’s just we haven’t figured out what to do. Take me, for example, coming from Hui Township, my old man expects me to inherit the family carpentry business. If I join the army, fighting every day, well, if I become a marquis and return home, that’d be great. But if I die... the legacy passed down by my ancestors would vanish like smoke," Ma Yuan said, suddenly feeling the heavy burden he carried, so different from Wang Xian’s boldness.

Hou Xinjie also looked conflicted. He wanted to attend Huali Military Academy, but having grown up around relatives and his father in the army, he was all too familiar with the endless struggles and power plays.

He had been explicitly told to study hard, become a businessman or scholar, or even an ordinary man—but never to enlist.

"So, what’s happening with your family now? Is there any way we can help?" Ma Yuan diverted the topic and asked.

Wang Xian took a sip of tea and shook his head. "I’m afraid not. In a few days, I plan to take leave and head back with my second uncle to negotiate with the bandits. If we can get the arms back through talks, that’d be best. If not, we might have to fight."

Ma Yuan’s eyes suddenly gleamed. He nudged Hou Xinjie. "We can go with you!"

"You two?" Wang Xian was surprised.

"Yeah! Didn’t you say we should aim for the military academy? This is a great chance to train—we have to try!" Ma Yuan said, driven by pure curiosity. He had never been involved in such affairs and found the idea exhilarating.

Hou Xinjie nodded as well. Honestly, no man is uninterested in a bit of action and adventure.

"That’s not possible—you think this is a game?" Wang Xian paused. "If the talks fail, there will be a firefight. It’s extremely dangerous. The unlucky ones might lose their lives. Do you still want to go?"

Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie exchanged looks. In their eyes, there was excitement, eagerness, and curiosity about this matter.

"We’re going!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Alright then," Wang Xian said. "But a word of warning—you two must follow our team and obey my second uncle’s commands throughout. This is for your own safety. If you agree to this, I’ll tell my family to bring you along."

After some thought, Wang Xian spoke solemnly, his tone serious.

Ma Yuan and Hou Xinjie understood Wang Xian’s goodwill. Especially since neither had faced such situations, they knew it would be extremely risky. Yet, their curiosity overwhelmed their caution. They didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

They agreed to Wang Xian’s conditions and arranged to meet at the south gate of Gao City at three o’clock in the morning two days later.