Jiang Pan could be quite intimidating when he lost his temper.
The restaurant staff were all startled, their expressions a little panicked.
Chen Yuezhi smiled and said to everyone, "It's alright, it's alright, let's continue eating." She then turned and gave Erlang a warning look, telling him to shut up.
Erlang was a little unconvinced and wanted to speak, but Zhang Qiaoxiu held him back tightly.
The Jiang family's meal finished quite early. After the tables were cleared, it wasn't yet dark. The restaurant staff took two horse-drawn carriages back to the city. Erlang was about to hitch up a carriage to take Wang Hongye and her mother-in-law home when Jiang Pan called him to a halt.
"Dalong, go and see your Aunt Wang and the others off. Erlang, you come with me."
Erlang, still feeling resentful, handed the horsewhip to Dalong and, with his neck stiff, entered the main house. Zhang Qiaoxiu, anxious, quickly tried to follow.
Jiang Wan stepped forward and held Zhang Qiaoxiu back. "Second sister-in-law, don't go yet. Father wants to discipline second brother, it's not appropriate for you to go."
"But I'm afraid Father will beat him..."
Zhang Qiaoxiu's face was full of worry.
Jiang Wan pulled her aside. "Don't worry, second brother is tough and can't be beaten to death. Second sister-in-law, come here, I have some things to ask you."
Pulling her into her own room, Jiang Wan patted the bed and motioned for Zhang Qiaoxiu to sit down.
"Second sister-in-law, do you know about second brother wanting to join the army?"
Zhang Qiaoxiu nodded, her expression a little sad. "He told me a few days ago."
Seeing her expression, Jiang Wan understood. "You don't agree?"
Zhang Qiaoxiu hummed. "Wanwan, I don't want him to join the army. The battlefield is full of unseen dangers, if anything were to happen..."
She closed her eyes, not daring to think further.
"Our family is living quite well now. Father works in the yamen, Mother is studying medicine with the master, and my husband is working with eldest brother at the restaurant. In the future, my elder sister-in-law, eldest sister, and I will manage the household together. Wouldn't it be wonderful for the family to live in harmony? I've never thought about achieving great success or becoming a great general. I just want to live a quiet, stable life."
Jiang Wan scratched her head. "But second brother has always wanted to join the army."
On the journey fleeing famine, Erlang had spoken of wanting to be a great general, and he had been diligently practicing martial arts ever since. It was clear he truly wanted to fight on the battlefield.
But it seemed now that this path might not be destined for Erlang.
Zhang Qiaoxiu lowered her head, her face full of distress. "I know, but I... I'm truly afraid for him... Aunt Hongye's husband disappeared after going to the battlefield... I'm also afraid of becoming like her in the future..."
"Wanwan, I'm just an ordinary village girl. I don't have such ambitious thoughts. As long as your second brother is well, even if he spends his life digging in the soil, I'm willing to dig with him, and I won't complain even if it's for a lifetime."
Jiang Wan understood Zhang Qiaoxiu's thoughts.
She was merely an ordinary village girl. Her previous aspirations were simply to marry into a suitable family and live a pastoral life of farming and weaving with her husband. Although it might be a life of poverty, it would be a life of peace.
This was the way most women lived in ancient times. They accepted their fate and didn't have many aspirations for their husbands to achieve greatness.
Marrying into the Jiang family was already a change in fate for Zhang Qiaoxiu, so she was truly content and did not wish for any upheaval in their current life.
Although this mindset lacked ambition, it was pragmatic and not wrong.
"Second sister-in-law, don't worry too much. Second brother joining the army is most likely not going to happen. Father and Mother won't let him go, and you don't support it. He wouldn't run away, abandoning his family. I'll try to persuade him later, perhaps he'll give up on the idea."
Zhang Qiaoxiu's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Jiang Wan nodded.
There were many ways to achieve success, and joining the army wasn't the only path.
It was just that Erlang's stubborn temper made it unlikely he would be easily persuaded.
In the main house.
Jiang Pan looked at Erlang with displeasure. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
Erlang was very unhappy. "I'm not crazy, I know what I'm saying. My idea of joining the army didn't just pop up out of nowhere, it's just that you never took it seriously."
He had said it long ago, but his parents had dismissed it as him fooling around.
Jiang Pan was momentarily unable to refute him.
"But our family doesn't need you to risk your life on the battlefield now. It's much better for you and your brother to run the restaurant well."
Erlang shook his head. "Father, I'm not a child who understands nothing anymore. What's the use of just having money? Our Jiang family has no foundation, no real power. Right now, we're being schemed against without even being noticed. When our family becomes truly prominent in the future, the schemes will only increase."
"Our family can't always rely on Lord Cheng. Lord Cheng has achieved many merits recently, and he might be promoted one day. At that time, who will our family have to rely on in Yaoxian?"
Jiang Pan was momentarily speechless. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Isn't there still Sanlang?"
Erlang curled his lips. "How old is Sanlang? Ten years of studying, and he hasn't even been at it for half a year. Moreover, even after ten years, whether he can pass the imperial examinations is still uncertain. We can't place all our hopes on him alone. I am a son of the Jiang family, and I also have the responsibility to bring honor to the Jiang family. I'm not good at studying, so I want to join the army. I want to go to the battlefield and earn glory for the Jiang family with my own skills!"
Jiang Pan found himself unable to argue with him and became somewhat annoyed. "Join the army? Is it that easy? Do you know what the battlefield is like? Do you understand the principle that 'a general's success is built on ten thousand bones'?"
Erlang stiffened his neck. "Of course I know! Isn't it just about bleeding and dying! Father, I've thought of everything. I'm not afraid. I have martial arts skills, so nothing will happen!"
"I forbid it!"
Jiang Pan roared, his eyes wide. "If you want to go to the battlefield and die, you'll have to step over my dead body. Otherwise, this matter is non-negotiable!"
Erlang stamped his feet in anger. "Father, why are you being so unreasonable?"
"I'm being unreasonable! I raised you and nurtured you to this age, only for you to go to the battlefield and die? I think you're just too idle. Tomorrow, I'll find some work for you to do. By the time you're too tired to even speak, I'll see if you still have this idle energy!"
With that, Jiang Pan kicked Erlang out.
Erlang, furious, glared outside the door but dared not say anything more.
Zhang Qiaoxiu emerged from Jiang Wan's room and cautiously approached. She said softly, "Husband, it's getting late, let's go back to our room."
Erlang, still seething with indignation, ignored Zhang Qiaoxiu and turned to leave, slamming the door shut with a bang as he entered.
Zhang Qiaoxiu followed behind, her eyes turning red with fright.
Jiang Wan watched from the side, unable to help but frown. Second brother's temper was truly unbearable! Zhang Qiaoxiu hadn't done anything to provoke him!
Jiang Pan was so angry that he didn't sleep all night. He was worried that Erlang might sneak away in the middle of the night, so he stayed awake, watching vigilantly.