The Second Volume The Country of Women Chapter 20: Mei An

  My mother and I were reunited, and we naturally had a lot to talk about. Often it was me talking for a bit and then she would say something, and even if our conversations didn't quite connect, that was okay. When we got tired of talking, we'd both rest our heads on the table, and my mom would look at me with an expression like she was lost in thought and say, "How did it end up being you?" Her tone had a mix of relief and worry.

  I said: "I didn't expect it was you either. I was even afraid that General would chop me off in a fit of rage."

  His mother smiled and said: "As soon as you mentioned 502, I felt something was wrong, but no matter what, I never thought that the leader of the riot would be my son."

  I said: "To be honest, if this guy wasn't me, what were you planning to do with those people on the mountain?"

  Mom said seriously: "I really mean it when I say we should take them in."

  "Ah?" I was greatly surprised.

  "Old mother said: 'You also know, originally the man's job is now all on the woman's shoulders. The burden of the daughter country is heavy, women have to maintain order in their own country and face foreign invasions. Fortunately, there are no big countries around the daughter country, and the female emperor has been using human wave tactics to make up for the lack of military strength. But in fact, the national defense force has long been insufficient, and more than half of the national defense force relies on the Flying Phoenix Army. The regular troops of the Flying Phoenix Army have only 200,000 people, I am taking a path of few but fine, these 200,000 people can fight against men on the battlefield, other troops are far from reaching this level.'"

  I only just realized that beneath the prosperous surface of Women's Country, every step is difficult; it's not an exaggeration to say they're strong on the outside but weak within. I said: "Even though it's this difficult, has the Female Emperor never considered using men?"

  The old queen shook her head and sighed, "Perhaps as an outsider, I can see things more clearly. I've tried to bring up this issue with the empress several times, but you have to understand that the special political system of our country has created a unique situation. In such a system, using men is a taboo for all the noble classes. Once men gain power, they will threaten the status of women, which is something the powerful people in the court do not want to see. However, I am clear that as long as we go to war with the Black Giant Empire, using male soldiers is inevitable, otherwise there will be a risk of national subjugation. Just at this critical moment, the incident at Shenfeng Mountain occurred, and I originally thought this might be a good opportunity, at least to conduct an experiment first. But you are even more cunning than me, and you played a trick on me."

  I slapped my thigh and said: "If I had known you thought so, I wouldn't have let them go. Why don't I go catch up with them?"

  "No need, I want to see what kind of people they are. If they can make a name for themselves, we'll use them sooner or later. But if they self-destruct, it's not worth your while to chase after them."

  "Mom, you're really cruel."

  "Heh heh, the country of women has been around for over 1,000 years, it's not that easy to let men take charge, exercising is good for them too. Alright, you should get some rest early, tomorrow morning we still have to go see Shu Mei Shi Tai. Don't mention my identity as your son and the Sword God to others for now, first of all it's hard to explain at the moment, mainly I'm afraid you'll be in danger."

  I said: "Mom, have you ever thought about going back with me?"

  "My mom sighed and said: 'What can I do if I go back? Fight with your stepmom? After all these years, I've even forgotten how to calculate accounts.'"

  I said: "I'll support you."

  "Old mother smiled and said: 'You should take care of yourself first, I'm not leaving because the queen treated me well, she handed over the Flying Phoenix Army to me, which is like entrusting half of the country to me. This requires great trust! Men value loyalty until death, women also cannot forget their emotions, she treats me like a sister, at this moment I must stay and help her.'"

  "The idea of loyalty to the monarch is unbearable!"

  Mom smiled and said, "I'll have someone arrange a guest room for you."

  I reluctantly picked up a vase from the table and sighed, "What a pity, even if I traveled through time, I couldn't bring back some antiques to sell. If Wang Gang saw this thing, he would immediately smash it for me."

  "Is the Wang Gang you're talking about the one who hosts 'Variety Big View'?"

  I smiled and said: "Wang Gang has long since stopped hosting 'The Big Scene'."

  After that, the female manager led me to a luxurious room. As a manager, she was naturally tactful and knew my special identity through the general's instructions. Her expression also showed more courtesy, and she smiled repeatedly: "The general is afraid you will get cold and asked me to add several quilts, this has never happened before, Dragon Young Master must be a noble person."

  I ignored her probing and smiled: "Shouldn't you return my things now?"

  "Of course, of course."

  I took a cigarette and lighter from someone below, lit one up and had just taken a puff when I heard someone in the dark shout: "You stinky little brat, who told you to learn how to smoke?"

  It turned out that mom was still worried about me and secretly followed... I fled to the back of the fake hill and begged for mercy: "I'm already over 20."

  "Cut it off!"

  Got it, as soon as I acknowledged my mom, I got scolded and had to get rid of the cigarette by stepping on it, which was the last one I brought from my daughter's country... The next morning, someone outside prepared horses, male servants were busy serving, I changed into a new set of clothes, drank a bowl of milk, my old mom still didn't wear military uniform, changed into a long gown, simple yet elegant, in order to be neither showy nor impolite, and only brought five or six guards with casual attire. We left the general's mansion under the chilly morning air, passed through streets and alleys, arrived at a quiet hermitage amidst the bustling area, outside the door were several sparse bamboo groves, ancient walls were mottled, thin wooden door had two characters written on it: Mei An (Plum Hermitage).

  Just as a servant was about to come forward and knock on the door, my mother hastily stopped him, saying "I'll do it." She dismounted her horse and specifically instructed me, "Later when we go in, don't say anything and don't look around randomly."

  "Oh." I responded, it was strange that Mother, as a great general, didn't dare to be slow in front of this broken temple.

  The old woman came to the front door, bent her index finger and knocked lightly on the door three times. After a while, a small nun opened the door halfway and said expressionlessly: "Is the donor here to burn incense? This temple does not receive outside guests."

  The old woman hastily said: "Young master is polite, please inform your respected teacher that Zhao Fanghua wants to see him."

  The little nun lowered her eyebrows and gazed intently, saying: "So it's the great general who has arrived. This humble abode is truly honored." However, her expression didn't convey any sense of honor or excitement. A ordinary little nun in this plum nunnery was surprisingly calm and composed. She glanced at our group and saw that I was the only male, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Nevertheless, since it was the great general who had come to visit, she joined her hands together and said: "Please wait here for a moment."

  "Thanks," said Mom with a smile.

  The little nun closed the door of her hut and walked away into the distance.

  Ma Jing was among the entourage, and seeing the little nun leave, he couldn't help but say in anger: "The little nun is also too impolite! The great general comes to visit, not a word of invitation, not even a gesture of yielding!"

  "Shh!" Her mother whispered to her, "You two don't go in for a while."

  Ma Jing didn't dare make a sound, but had already shot a white glance into Mei's room.

  I couldn't help but say: "Why didn't you send a letter first? Whether we meet or not, at least there's an explanation for waiting in vain."

  Old Mother said in a low voice, "You know what, this Ku Mei Shifu is Su Jing's teacher. The reason why various countries don't dare to bully our country is half because of the Fei Feng Army and half because of Su Jing. In the Fei Feng Army, there are many disciples of Ku Mei, as many as the hairs on an ox. It can be said that without Ku Mei, there would be no today for our country. She even dares to defy the emperor's face, what do we count as?"

  I sat down on the stairs and said, "Then let's wait."

  Half a day later, the little nun returned with an air of indifference and said: "The master is currently meditating, I dare not disturb her. General, please return for now, and when the master finishes her meditation, I will report to her."

  The old lady politely said: "Thank you, little master, it's just that we rushed at an inopportune time."

  The little nun nodded and went back in.

  Ma Jing couldn't bear it anymore, gritting her teeth and saying: "What's the point of meditation, going to take a look for so long? It must be that Su Mei doesn't want to see us and is deliberately keeping us waiting for half a day."

  "Alright then, let's go and wait over there for a while," said Mom reluctantly.

  "I wondered: 'Since we have to wait, why don't we just wait at the entrance?'"

  Mom said: "My identity is special, I have to stay at the door and not move, let Ku Mei think that I am using my identity to suppress people, it's not good."

  I'm full of grievances with nowhere to vent, staring at the gate and muttering: "Living in such a good location, yet deliberately decorating the house to look shabby and worn out, with an otherworldly appearance, what's wrong with that?"

  Ma Jing clapped her hands and said, "Well said!" She had seen me with the general this morning, and her face was full of curiosity, but she didn't dare ask more questions. Now she immediately stood on the same front line as me.

  "Mom glared at me and said, 'Do you still want to go back?'"

  I could only pat the dirt off my butt, get up and move with my mom to an empty lot not far from Mei An to continue waiting. It was probably around 9 o'clock by then. The sun shone down on us, making us sweat profusely. A proud daughter of a great general stood under the scorching sun, helpless against a small broken hut.

  At noon, we went to knock on the door again. This time, the reason was that Su Mei was giving lessons to her apprentices and couldn't be disturbed. Ma Jing quipped: "I've only heard of nuns having morning and evening classes, what's this 'noon class'?"

  When we went to knock on the door for the third time in the afternoon, the little nun was gone for more than 40 minutes before she came back, looking unwilling and infected by someone, saying: "The master has invited you, but Meian is a Buddhist pure land, male donors please stay out."

  "Ah, this... Young Master will have to trouble you again. This matter is of great importance, and the male donor must request that the Master's wife see him in person. The details will be explained after I meet with our family's master."

  This time, the little nun didn't say a word and walked away with a straight face. I wanted to scold her but looked at my mom's expression and didn't dare make a sound. In my heart, I couldn't help but think: "This old nun is so hateful! Why haven't the monks and Taoist priests taken her away yet?"

  Fortunately, it wasn't long before the little nun returned as usual and said with a wave of her hand: "Please."

  My mother left Ma Jing and the others at the gate, taking me to follow Xiaoniang slowly inside. After passing through a small courtyard and around a shadow wall, the front suddenly opened up, and several exquisite houses were hidden among the green trees and flowers. On the northeast corner of the house, many shelves were set up, with various vegetables planted on them, but at first glance, they were just for decoration, and no one picked them even when they were ripe.

  The little nun led us to a stone table and said: "General, please have some tea here, the master will be here soon."

  The monthly ticket was ultimately defeated, but the powerful scene of everyone's support is unforgettable. I will not disappoint everyone's expectations and strive to get more tickets earlier this month. Let's fight again in the Jianghu this month! As the leader of the Speed Flow, Xiaohua feels a lot of pressure...