Chapter 180: Letting Go
Editor: Atlas Studios
When Fan Zijin sent the embroidery to Qi Xiuyuan in the prefectural capital, the latter said happily, “I was just fretting over this birthday gift.”
Qi Xiuyuan looked at the embroidery carefully and nodded. “Not bad. Where did you get this from? I was still thinking that if I can’t find a suitable gift in Xingzhou Prefecture, I would have to look south.”
“Speaking of which, it’s luck. I happened to see it when I went to the Mu Residence for dinner that day. She tried to sell it at the prefectural capital, but the price offered by the embroidery workshop wasn’t suitable, so she didn’t sell it. If she sold it that day, we wouldn’t be able to buy it at anywhere near this price.” Fan Zijin said, “Eldest Cousin, this embroidery has to be paired with superior wood. If we can’t find such good stuff in Xingzhou Prefecture, why don’t we get someone to look for it in the south? When the time comes, we’ll get the embroidery workshop to process it when we transport the wood back. There’s still a month’s time. We should be able to make it in time.”
Qi Xiuyuan glanced at him and knew that he was planning to go south. Don’t think that he didn’t know what these two brats were up to in the 5th Division. If he hadn’t helped cover it up, who did they think they could hide their actions from?
Initially, Qi Xiuyuan didn’t want to mention it, but now, he had no choice but to warn him. “Zijin, you’re smart and hardworking, obtaining the ‘xiucai1’ title at the mere age of 11. Even if your father passes the hereditary privilege to your half-brother, I believe that your future achievements won’t be inferior to his or even your father’s. That’s why I tried my best to hire a teacher for you when you came to me. I no longer count on Haoran to study, but I don’t want you to neglect your studies.”
Other than Haoran, no one had ever talked to him about his future. His father would only ask him to give in to his brothers, and his mother would only ask him to study hard and not let his step-brothers bully him. Seeing that Qi Xiuyuan was serious, Fan Zijin could not help but become serious as well.
“I know what you and Haoran are planning, but you have to remember that the 5th Division is only for Haoran to practice. As for you…” Qi Xiuyuan sighed. “Actually, I wanted you to stay in the prefecture capital to study, but you two brothers are unwilling to be apart, so I let you come along. Although I agreed to let you be Haoran’s Military Advisor, that’s only so that you can interact with external affairs. Your focus should still be on your studies. The 5th Division only provides the logistics for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Divisions. I don’t understand why the two of you are kept so busy that you don’t even have time to attend classes.”
Fan Zijin could not help but blush. During this period of time, he had indeed spent all his time on business and could only spare two hours to study at night.
Qi Xiuyuan patted his shoulder and said, “In my heart, you’re my younger brother just like Haoran, so I hope you can understand what you want and what sort of a future you wish to pursue. Zijin, how long do you think you can be Haoran’s Military Advisor? In terms of marching and formation, you’re far inferior to Haoran. In terms of winning the hearts of the soldiers, you’re incomparable to Haoran who can get along with the soldiers. You even have to rely on Haoran to support you in the army. You’re still young now and only think that it’s fun. But what about 10 or 20 years later? Will you continue to think this way when you still have to rely on Haoran in the army, and lack scope for your abilities?”
Speechless, Fan Zijin was so agitated that he fell onto the stool.
Qi Xiuyuan patted his shoulder and said, “Think about it carefully.” When he opened the door, he said, “You can only do these private businesses this once. How can my brother do such a lowly thing?”
Fan Zijin watched Qi Xiuyuan leave in a daze. He had always told himself that he was helping Haoran by staying in the 5th Division.
Almost all of Haoran’s logistics were in his hands, and all the supplies in the army could only change hands with his permission. He’d thought that he had helped Haoran a lot, but if not for Haoran suppressing the subordinates in the army, how could he have held onto the supplies in the 5th Division?
Fan Zijin could not help but feel confused. What path would he take in the future?
Or should he study and return to Lin’an Prefecture to participate in the Imperial Examination? After passing the Village Examination and the Palace Examination, he would slowly rise in the ranks starting from a seventh-grade official?
The civil officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty were indeed very esteemed, but promotion took a very long time. Even if he was talented and smart, he would still have to endure for three years before he could become a scholar and enter the six departments before the age of 25. Then, he would be assigned to be a sixth-grade official outside of the capital. Even if he performed well every year, he would have to be outside for at least six years. Then, he would find a way back to the capital to hopefully be promoted to the fourth-grade. The fourth-grade to the third-grade was a huge hurdle. If he was lucky, he might be able to achieve that after enduring six years…
As for third-grade, by then he would be 40 years old. Even if he had the confidence to make it that far, would his father live to see it?
As long as he could not surpass his father, he would be bound by him.
However, if he did not take the path of a civil servant, he did not fancy martial arts and military law. He did not have other talents, so what else could he do?
Fan Zijin returned in low spirits. Qi Haoran casually realized that something was wrong with him and hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong with you? Why do you look like you’ve lost your soul after coming back from the prefectural capital?”
Fan Zijin said dejectedly, “I don’t know what kind of path I should take in the future.” He told Qi Haoran in detail about how lost he felt.
Qi Haoran pursed his lips nonchalantly and said, “You and Big Brother are thinking too much. If everyone thinks like you, how many people in the world can be happy? Let’s not talk about anything else. Just take the emperor for example. Wouldn’t he be worried to death every day? ‘What if I lose the world? What if my kingdom falls? Should I fight this war or not? What if I do? What if I don’t?’ He’d be worried to death and wouldn’t be able to do anything! I think we should all look forward to the future. If I like to practice martial arts, I’ll practice martial arts. If I like to train soldiers, I’ll train soldiers every day. If the Jin soldiers attack, I’ll fight them back. If you like to study, then study. If you like to do business, then do it. In the future, if you want to take the Imperial Examination, go take it. Anyway, considering you’ve always been studying plus you’re smart, you can’t fare worse than others. If you don’t want to take the examination, then forget it. Just follow me. If you’re unhappy, go out and have fun before coming back. It’s a simple thing, it’s your overthinking that makes it too complicated.”
Frowning, Fan Zijin said, “We have to focus on something. How can we treat every situation the same way?”
Qi Haoran tilted his head and asked, “Why not? That’s what I do.”
Fan Zijin choked and said, “How is that the same? You could practice martial arts when you were training, and it didn’t take up much time. Now that you handed half of the training to the regiment commander of the camp, you have even more time now. You’ve been running to Chenggu Garrison more and more diligently these few days.”
Qi Haoran glared at him. “Training soldiers is the job of the regiment commander. I just have to watch and make sure he doesn’t make any mistakes. Why should I keep an eye on him? I want to be a general, not a coach.”
Fan Zijin was silent for a moment, deep in thought.
Qi Haoran had already muttered, “Don’t you have a lot of time too? You can just hand the rabbit business to the men below, and you don’t have to follow the convoy south. When they return, you just have to listen to their report and check the account book. With Big Brother watching over the supplies in the 5th Division, our supplies won’t disappear for sure. Considering there are experienced accountants and the warehouse is guarded, you only need to take a look every once in a while. You can just use the remaining time to do your own things, right?”
Qi Haoran looked at him suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to study and are deliberately finding an excuse to skip class?”
Fan Zijin rolled his eyes at him and said, “Do you think I’m like you?” However, he was already enlightened in his heart. Glaring at Qi Haoran, he thought, ‘Indeed, a fool has a fool’s luck!’