In June 1882, the Chinese troops in Ceylon finally received orders to return home. After the convoy delivered the replacement troops to Ceylon, the old troops returned to the country by boat.

On July 17, Lieutenant Qi Rui and other soldiers from his family in Nanjing arrived at the port of Nanjing. Many parents came to greet them, and Lieutenant Qi Rui even saw some slightly impressed faces. Some people's families sent cars to pick them up, and Lieutenant Hu Xing invited Lieutenant Qi Rui to take his ride. Lieutenant Qi Rui didn't dare to be so public, he politely refused Lieutenant Hu Xing's invitation. Other young soldiers, who refused to reveal their origins, agreed with each other on a meeting time, and everyone chose their own route home.

Most of these people went in the direction of several military compound compounds, and Lieutenant Qi Rui's home did not live in the military region. He chose the bus and headed straight for the government compound. It was already very hot in Nanjing in July, and Lieutenant Qi Rui, who had just returned from the South China Sea, did not feel this way at all. He even changed into a long-sleeved military uniform. Nanjing's "dry and cool" weather reminded the lieutenant of his father, Weeser, that China had occupied most of the western Pacific Ocean suitable for human habitation. Compared with the climate of Ceylon, the heat in Guangdong is nothing.

Military discipline requires soldiers to give way to old and young women and children on any bus, and Lieutenant Qi Rui didn't bother to get up and sit, he simply stood near the exit door. This handsome, well-toned young soldier with a well-groomed military uniform attracted the attention of several young women in the car. Seeing the women with swimming rings, the lieutenant remembered that it was summer vacation, and everyone was going to swim.

It's really cool to be noticed by women, but the lieutenant's desire to go home at this time is overflowing. Even when he thought of the swimming pool, Lieutenant Qi Rui's first thought was not the swimsuit girl inside, but the past when his father Wei Ze taught Qi Rui and his younger siblings to swim. What happened to my father and mother? Are they tanned too?

Arriving at the destination, the lieutenant went straight to the gate with the package. The doorman recognized the lieutenant, but did not dare to let him in. In some places, no one can enter without a key card, even if he knows that Wei Ze's eldest son will definitely be able to enter the door, but the formalities are not completed, and the doorman does not dare to let him in like this. If you dare to do this, you will not be rewarded by leading cadres, but severely punished.

When the lieutenant saw his mother and younger siblings appear at the gate to greet him, he couldn't help but wave to his mother. I hadn't seen her for two years, and my mother looked a little haggard. If it weren't for the army's education that Lieutenant Qi Rui instinctively didn't dare to break through the gate, he would have gone straight to his mother at this time.

In Qi Hongyi's view, war was once a passage to victory, hegemony, glory, and status, as a woman, the greatest wealth she has is her family, which has stood at the peak of glory and power through a war that changed the dynasty. So Qi Hongyi never knew that she would hate war so much, every time she thought that her most beloved eldest son was on the battlefield where the artillery was flying and could be injured or even killed at any time, Qi Hongyi only felt as if her heart was being held by an invisible big hand, and she couldn't even breathe. Later, she was able to regain her composure, not because her heart was cold, but because she had to learn how not to think about these things. Seeing her son in military uniform return safely, Qi Hongyi did something she had never done in her life, and at the gate, she took her son's hand and cried.

The guards were familiar with all the families of high-ranking officials in the compound, and their impression of the female professor of history at Nanjing University was serious, calm, and unpleasant. Watching the female professor show her motherly side, the guards didn't feel any contempt. Lieutenant Qi Rui's dark complexion is enough to prove that he has not enjoyed good fortune in the army, and the true feelings of the mother and son when they get together after a long absence, which makes the guards feel some respect in addition to being moved.

Wei Ze's home is a small three-story building, and since Wei Rui can remember, there are not many memories of his father Wei Ze staying at home during the day. Even if he did, he was reading books or working on documents in his study. When he returned home this time, Wei Rui felt that his home was a lot deserted. Li Yifang works at the postal service, and of course she is not at home on weekdays. When asked about her younger siblings, Qi Hongyi told her son that the eldest three children went to college and went to intern during the holidays. Only the two youngest, who are still in high school, are at home.

Wei Rui also told his mother and younger siblings about the war, and he didn't want to mention the things about killing the enemy, so he just picked up the scenery of the South China Sea and what he saw and heard in various places. Qi Hongyi looked at his son's tanned skin, listened to his son talk about the storm, the scorching sun, and the torrential rain, and thought about his son's hardships in that difficult environment. She couldn't hold back her tears. No matter how old the son is, he is still that little baby in the eyes of his mother.

What made Qi Hongyi feel relieved was that after experiencing the battlefield, Wei Rui had obviously matured a lot. If it was when he was at home before, Wei Rui would always tell all aspects of what he encountered outside. Now Wei Rui is no longer like this, he has been selective in what he says, and when he talks, he chooses topics that make others feel light. At least Wei Rui's younger siblings are interested in these anecdotes. Those things that really involve hardship, Wei Rui didn't mention at all. As for the situation on the battlefield, Wei Rui had no choice but to say a little, and he also said a few words. As if the battlefield wasn't a big deal at all.

This boy is becoming more and more like his father! Qi Hongyi thought in her heart. In the evening, Li Yifang returned home first. The house is finally a little lively. Qi Hongyi could see that Wei Rui had actually been looking forward to seeing his father Wei Ze, which couldn't help but make Qi Hongyi feel a trace of jealousy in his heart. If it was before, Wei Rui would prefer to be with his mother Qi Hongyi.

When it was getting dark, Weser finally went home. It seems that the secretary has informed Weser about Were's homecoming. Wei Ze was not surprised when he saw his son, but Wei Rui looked a little overwhelmed, watching his father Wei Ze walk into the living room with his usual calmness, Wei Rui first jumped up like a spring on his buttocks, paused, and finally stood up and saluted Wei Ze. At the same time, he said loudly: "Father, I'm back!" ”

Qi Hongyi felt that it was difficult to describe Wei Ze's expression at this time, there was both relief and joy, but also a kind of scrutiny, scrutiny, and judgment. Weeser is a father looking at his son who has been away from home for a long time, and a commander looking at a young soldier. After a while, Wei Ze's father's emotions finally prevailed, and he asked, "Have you eaten?" ”

"I've eaten it!" Wei Rui clearly wanted to have a good chat with his father, and replied in a clean voice.

"I've eaten too, go to the study, let's talk for a while." Weser laughed.

Wei Rui's younger brothers and sisters also wanted to go to the study to listen to what their father and eldest brother were talking about, Qi Hongyi and Li Yifang knew that this was not appropriate, and quickly stopped the two little guys.

Talking to his father was completely different from talking to his mother, Wei Rui talked a lot, and Wei Ze just listened quietly at first. It wasn't until Wei Rui had probably finished talking about work and war that Wei Ze asked, "Then what do you think next?" ”

Wei Rui said tentatively: "I want to go to Canada to fight. ”

"Huh." Weser smiled, and after laughing for a while, he asked his son, "Have you heard that going to Canada to fight in the war is fast?" ”

Wei Rui didn't expect his father to directly point out his thoughts, he was stunned for a moment before he was a little embarrassed and said, "Father, you have commanded thousands of troops at my age." ”

Wei Ze could understand his son's desire to make a contribution, and he smiled: "If you become a battalion commander, you can command three or four hundred people, and my thousands of troops at that time may not be able to win if they meet your three or four hundred people." ”

"I can't compare to my father, I can't compare to those uncles and uncles." Wei Rui hurriedly said.

Wei Ze shook his head, "You can't compare to us now. We have gone through too many wars and accumulated too much experience to get to where we are today. When we were 22 years old, you were really better than we were back then. After all, we have taught you all the lessons, and if you were not stronger than we were then, wouldn't we have failed in building up the army over the years? ”

was so recognized by his father, Wei Rui was very happy in his heart. He said in a rather modest manner: "But I feel as if I have something that is so much worse than your father, and it is precisely because you have that kind of thing that you are really better than me." ”

"You may be talking about courage." Weser tried to solve his son's doubts.

Wei Rui's eyes lit up, and he nodded again and again, "Yes!" It's courage! ”

Weeser changed his sitting posture slightly, and then said: "Courage is something that is acquired. The material basis that produces courage is the instinctive fear of the human body. When you go to the battlefield and hear the sound of gunfire, your body will naturally get nervous. The thought that a gun could kill you makes you afraid. It's all a very instinctive reaction, a very normal thing, and there's nothing to be embarrassed to admit. Courage is the ability to stand up and face the enemy you fear after you have deeply realized that the enemy has caused you to fear. Stand up to the enemy and use the abilities you've gained through study and training to fight them. If you can do that, you are a qualified soldier. If you can lead your troops into battle, according to the situation at the time, you are a qualified commander. If you think there's a gap between you and us, that's probably the only one. ”

Wei Rui's hand subconsciously clenched into fists, and he said from the bottom of his heart: "That's it! I always feel that there is a problem with my command, not that I will not win the war, but that when I reflect, the orders I give are either early or late, and the deployment of troops is either too much or too little......"

Listening to his son's babbling about the process of the battle, Wei Ze instinctively wanted to interrupt his son's words, and listening to the platoon commander's level expressing his reflections on the war and himself, it was a kind of torture for Wei Ze. Even if it was his own son who spoke, this feeling did not change at all. This has nothing to do with Wesser's love for his son, and Weser himself really can't resonate with this statement. Even if there were, it would be a very negative evaluation.

Fortunately, Wei Rui didn't dwell too much on the details, and Wei Ze could hear that Wei Rui was just very disappointed in his lack of ability.

When Wei Rui was about to finish, Wei Ze said, "When you made your choice at that time, did you do your best? ”

"But I should have been able to ......," Wei Rui stopped halfway through, and after a while, Wei Rui honestly admitted, "I could only do so much at that time." ”

Wei Ze was finally not disappointed in his son, he said: "The pursuit of victory is something that everyone has to do on the battlefield, and it is an idea that everyone will have. But, in the end, you are a man who wears a military uniform and pursues victory. Still a military man. Those are two completely different things. It is a soldier's duty to obey orders, and it is a soldier's duty to defend the people. I have never heard of a decent army saying that it is a soldier's duty to win. If you decide to choose a military as your career, you need to understand that you have to take on the responsibilities that come with being a soldier. If you're looking for victory, then all I can say is, don't be a soldier. That kind of mentality really doesn't fit a proper soldier. Even if you force yourself to stick to it, you will only be overwhelmed by your own thoughts. ”