kingnovel Chapter 1129 Careful Guidance Plants a Seed
Chapter 1129 Careful Guidance Plants a Seed
Ma Chao said, "They looted grain, burned houses, and kidnapped everyone they could take as slaves." Ma Chao's voice was steady, yet it carried a penetrating power. "Those people resisted with hoes and kitchen knives, but under the iron hooves of the cavalry, it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. It wasn't that they weren't brave, but their weapons and strength were simply no match for them."
Sun Shao clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh: "Then...and then what happened? You chased them away?"
Ma Chao looked out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of buildings, landing back on the land swallowed by wind and snow years ago. In the swirling snow, the figures lying beneath the hooves of horses seemed to be right before his eyes, and his voice still carried a chill: "We drove them away. I led my brothers, like your fathers, and fought our way back, sword by sword. Countless uncles and elders fell in the snow, never to rise again, before we finally drove those wolves back to the grasslands."
He looked at the children, his eyes filled with sorrow: "Aren't they afraid of death? Yes. They also have parents who are looking forward to coming home, wives and children waiting for them to warm their beds. But when wolves break into their homes, devouring their loved ones and trampling on the land they've reunited with, they'll probably have to charge forward. If they don't resist, they can only watch helplessly as their homes are destroyed and their people are bullied, and that's something worse than death."
The children listened so intently they didn't dare breathe, their little fists clenched tightly inside their sleeves.
“You said you wanted to fight, that’s true,” Ma Chao’s voice softened, but carried more weight. “But just having guts is like a wild horse without reins; charging in will only lead to your death. You need to learn skills so that your spear can pierce the enemy’s armor; you need to understand strategy so that you know when to hide and when to kill; you need to make your fists strong enough to protect those behind you. That’s how you truly defend your homeland.”
The school was so quiet you could hear the soft popping of candle flames. The wind howled outside the window, as if echoing the spirits that had not returned. The children looked at Ma Chao, their small figures sitting upright, their eyes no longer just burning with impulsiveness, but carrying a weighty weight—the simplest and most steadfast vow to "protect."
Ma Yue quietly looked up at his father's resolute profile and suddenly realized that the legends of "peerless heroes" were actually hidden in these bloody stories, hidden in the sense of responsibility that "had to be fought." He swallowed back the words he hadn't said earlier, and only thought to himself: I also want to learn skills, like my father, like those uncles and elders he talked about.
Looking into the children's focused eyes, Ma Chao's voice suddenly deepened, carrying the sharpness honed on the battlefield: "You're right, simply driving them away isn't enough."
He raised his hand and pressed it against the pillar beside him, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force: "The following year, I mustered the Xiliang Iron Cavalry and joined forces with the brothers of the Eastern and Western Qiang, bringing the total to 170,000 men. We marched directly onto the grasslands. Did those tribes that had previously harassed the border think they could live peacefully by hiding deep in the grasslands? I'll tear down their strongholds and let them know that those who invade my territory will pay the price, even if they flee to the ends of the earth!"
The children listened, barely daring to breathe, their little faces filled with shock, yet they couldn't help but lean closer—Ma Chao's voice seemed to carry the glint of swords, clearly unfolding the grandeur and ferocity of that grassland raid before their very eyes.
"We stormed into their settlement, burned their stockpiled grain, and dismantled their meeting tents." Ma Chao's gaze swept across each child's face, filled with unwavering determination. "The final battle will be at the foot of Langjuxu Mountain. I will make the grassland people tremble, and their descendants will never dare to set foot on this mountain again."
"Wow..." A child couldn't help but gasp softly, his eyes filled with both fear of the killing and excitement that was hard to hide.
Ma Chao softened his tone, but it still carried strength: "I'm telling you this not to teach you to be brave and violent." He squatted down to look the children in the eye, "but to make you understand that kindness should have a sharp edge, and gentleness should have a backbone. When facing wolves, if you take a step back, they will dare to take a step forward; only if you show your fangs will they fear you and respect you."
“It’s like dealing with a thief who steals your things. You can’t just chase him away and be done with it. You have to make him feel the pain and know that if he dares to come back next time, the consequences will be even worse.” Sun Shao clenched his fist and said, mimicking Ma Chao’s tone.
“That’s exactly right.” Ma Chao nodded approvingly. “Remember, protecting yourself and those around you is useless if you just back down and beg. You have to become strong, strong enough to make your enemies tremble, strong enough that they dare not act rashly at the mere mention of your name—that is true protection.”
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the children's flushed faces and Ma Chao's resolute profile. Seeds of courage and strength were quietly taking root in the children's hearts, fueled by these heartfelt words.
As soon as class ended, the children, like horses let loose, swarmed around Ma Yue, their chatter almost drowning him out.
"Brother Ma Yue, your father is amazing! 170,000 troops marching onto the grasslands, just thinking about it is exhilarating!" Wu Niu waved his arm, his face full of excitement.
"When I grow up, I want to be like my uncle, carrying a long spear and guarding the border, so that no one will dare to bully us!" Sun Shao clenched his fists, his eyes shining like stars.
The children chattered amongst themselves, their admiration for Ma Chao evident in their gazes towards Ma Yue, which also held a hint of pride and warmth. Surrounded by the children, Ma Yue initially remained silent, but as he listened, the awkwardness he felt as a young boy gradually melted away, like ice being thawed by the warm spring sun.
Only then did he truly understand that his father, who had been away from home for the past few years, had been doing this all along—not traveling far away from home and family, but carrying weapons and shielding children like them and their families from wolves and tigers on the grasslands thousands of miles away.
“They need to be hit hard.” Ma Yue suddenly said in a low voice, which made the surrounding noise quiet for a moment. He thought of the villages his father had mentioned that had been trampled, and the people frozen in the snow. His mind suddenly became clear. “If they are not hit hard, they will come back again, and the people will never have peace.”
It turns out that strength isn't about bullying others, but about protecting them. It turns out that my father's spear was never just a cold weapon, but a pillar that supported a peaceful world.
“My father…” Ma Yue wanted to say something, but swallowed the words back, though a slight smile crept onto his lips. The defenses that had stood in his heart, the distance that had arisen from his father’s arrival with the women, were slowly loosening and crumbling in the children’s passionate words and their understanding of his actions.
He raised his head and looked in the direction where his father and Zhou Yu had left. Sunlight fell on his face, illuminating his eyes, which resembled Ma Chao's, and for the first time, a clear sense of filial piety and pride appeared.
The afternoon sun filtered through the poplar leaves surrounding the drill ground, casting dappled shadows on the ground. More than forty teenagers, dressed in matching short-sleeved shirts, stood in a crooked but earnest line, practicing step by step under Gan Ning's guidance. Ma Yue stood in the front row, his small face full of focus, his punches and kicks imbued with a fierce determination to win, beads of sweat sliding down his cheeks, which he didn't bother to wipe away.
Ma Chao stood on the reviewing stand in the training ground, watching this scene with a smile on his lips. Zhou Yu leaned forward, waving a folding fan, and gently patted his arm: "Brother, look, after your words this morning, these kids are training with a fierce determination, much more spirited than usual. I've been teaching them for years, always telling them to 'be strong,' but you've hit the nail on the head, making them understand who they're protecting and what they're guarding."
Ma Chao turned his head, his gaze falling on Zhou Yu's clear eyes, and said sincerely, "Gongjin, you are mistaken. Over the past few years, it has been you who have accompanied them day after day, patiently teaching them and laying the foundation for their future. I merely happened to be there at the right time and pointed out the key points. Without your meticulous guidance over the years, how could they be the way they are today?"
Zhou Yu smiled and waved his hand, tapping his folding fan against his palm: "Brother, you're still as humble as ever. But speaking of which, the battlefield experiences you shared this morning have given the kids something to think about—that becoming stronger isn't just empty talk, it's about truly protecting people and guarding your home." He looked at Pan Hu in the ranks, "Look at that chubby boy, that's Pan Feng's son. He used to always be thinking about slacking off, but today he's standing ramrod straight."
Following his gaze, Ma Chao saw Pan Hu practicing slashing movements with Gan Ning. His little arms swung with impressive skill, and the determination in his eyes shone brighter than the sun. He recalled how the children had surrounded him that morning, asking him all sorts of questions, and a warmth welled up in his heart: "Children's hearts are the purest. Instead of telling them principles, it's better to let them see the direction. Now that they know why they are practicing, they are naturally more motivated."
Gan Ning shouted "Rest!" on the field, and the children immediately collapsed to the ground. Ma Yue, however, did not rest. He walked to the sidelines, picked up a wooden spear, and began to practice thrusting techniques. Zhou Yu looked at him and said to Ma Chao, "In a few more years, some of these children will surely emerge as figures like your elder brother."
Looking at the group of children laughing and playing in the center of the training ground, yet still correcting each other's movements, Ma Chao slowly said, "I don't expect them all to become generals. I only hope that when they grow up, they can all protect the people they want to protect. That will be enough."
Ma Chao quietly walked up to Ma Yue and said, "Didn't your Uncle Gan tell you to rest?"
Ma Yue's hand holding the wooden spear suddenly stopped, and the shaft clattered to the ground. He turned his head, his face still covered in mud and ash, his bangs stuck to his forehead with sweat, and his eyes, which resembled Ma Chao's, now shone as if filled with stars.
"father."
The cry of "Father" was urgent and loud, carrying the unique clarity of a young man, without a trace of the awkwardness and distance from before. It was like a pebble thrown into Ma Chao's heart, rippling out in concentric circles of hot waves. Ma Chao bent down, his fingertips trembling slightly as he brushed the dust off his cheek. His Adam's apple bobbed before he responded in a hoarse voice, "Yes."
Hearing the commotion, the children who were resting nearby swarmed over. Inspired by Ma Yue's earnestness earlier, they were now all gleaming with enthusiasm, shouting at the top of their lungs:
"Uncle! You promised to teach us marksmanship this afternoon!"
"Ma Yue's father, show us your skills! Let us see your real marksmanship!"
"Yes, yes, Uncle Gan said that the way you shot down the enemy general with one spear back then was even more impressive than what was written in the storybooks!"
The children noisily surrounded Ma Chao and Ma Yue, trapping them in the middle. Ma Yue's cheeks flushed from the commotion, but he quietly moved closer to his father, still clutching the wooden spear in his hand, a smirk playing on his lips.
Ma Chao straightened up, looked at the group of children with expectant faces, and then at his son who was secretly glancing at him. He laughed loudly, "Good, what a lively scene! Since I said I would teach, I will naturally keep my word."