Chapter 9 — After Rebirth, I Will Not Be a Widow Anymore

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Tham Tu Tam's hair is a bit messy, her face carries fatigue and worry because of the long journey. Behind her is Xuan Dao with red eyes, trying to force a smile.

“Ah sister!”

I was both happy and sad, wanted to rush forward, but seeing the eldest sister's belly protruding, my steps immediately stopped. The elder sister's eyes immediately turned red. She quickly walked over and rubbed my face.

"Why are you so skinny and even black..."

Her voice was choked. When Dung Hinh saw his eldest sister, his face changed and he quickly stepped forward to help her.

"Tu Tam, why did you come? Didn't I tell you to rest in Luong Chau city? You're still pregnant."

The elder sister gently avoided those hands and coldly looked at Dung Hinh.

"I said I wanted to visit my younger sister. Why is it not yet dawn that you are already riding your horse ahead?"

Then she turned to me, then looked at Yen Chinh next to me. Of course she saw my hand and Yen Chinh's still holding tightly, and also listened to Yen Chinh's words to protect me.

“Yen general kim an.”

The elder sister was attentive to etiquette, but there was more scrutiny for Yen Chinh. Yen Chinh held his fist and solemnly returned the favor.

"Yen Chinh pays his respects to Miss Tham."

Military camps are not suitable for pregnant women to stay for long periods of time. Yen Chinh sent someone to take us to the general's palace in Luong Chau city. As long as the elder sister stayed in Luong Chau, Yen Chinh continued to accompany her. Although Luong Chau is poor, the people are simple-minded. Yen Chinh is loved by the people. As soon as he returned to Luong Chau, the people's rice and vegetables were already piled up in the palace. Dung Hinh was also in the general's palace, but was very confused. He saw Yen Chinh like a mouse seeing a cat, every time he hid far away, his eyes filled with hatred and jealousy. He was suspicious, wanting to find an opportunity to ask me and Yen Chinh what our relationship was, whether Yen Chinh was my lover in my past life or not. But Tieu Ngu protected me very carefully. Knowing that I did not like Dung Hinh, he held a spear and did not let Dung Hinh come even half a step closer to me. Dung Hinh tried talking to the elder sister again. The elder sister ignored him, always using the excuse of being tired and pregnant to tactfully refuse. Since arriving in Liangzhou, the two of them have slept in separate rooms. I secretly asked how the current relationship between the elder sister and Dung Hinh was. The elder sister held my hand, her eyes shining.

"Thanh Uyen, when the baby is born, I want to separate with Dung Hinh."

“Is it Dung Hinh who doesn't treat you well?”

She shook her head.

"Dung Hinh and I are not on the same path. Before, I was blind and saw the wrong person."

Knowing the elder sister's decision, during that time I felt refreshed, feeling that even the dogs on the side of the road looked gentle and kind. One afternoon a few days later, the sunlight was warm. I walked with my sister in the yard. In the corner of the wall there is a cold-resistant wild apricot tree that has formed small buds. I put my arm around her and finally said what I had been thinking about for a long time.

"Sister, I don't want to go back to the capital. I want to stay in Liangzhou. I want to... join the army."

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The elder sister turned her head, but was not surprised at all, as if she had already guessed that I would say that.

"Thanh Uyen, joining the army is not a joke. It's an iron spear, the wind blows the mist, life and death are only one way."

I nodded, with unprecedented determination in my eyes.

"I know. This time I went to the North, I saw too many people lost their homes. Dai Chu suffered, people suffering. I want to report to the country, I don't want to be imprisoned in the purple tower anymore."

In the past, in the capital, I learned to embroider flowers and weave brocade, to study female rituals, to keep the three obediences and four virtues, thinking that a peaceful life was complete. But in this life, I have walked through burned land, seen people starving to death, heard the bloody cries of exiles. Only then will we understand that the moon wind in the depths of the world is just a fragile dream built on countless hardships. The elder sister was silent for a long time. When she opened her mouth again, her voice was a bit hoarse.

“With such long hair, it would be inconvenient to stay in the military camp, right?”

I was stunned and immediately understood what she meant. My heart suddenly felt sour, tears rose to the corners of my eyes.

“Um.” I nodded heavily, tried to swallow my tears, and forced out a smile. “It's too long, riding or working is a hassle.”

“Go get the scissors and come here.”

The elder sister's voice was gentle, speaking to Xuan Dao next to her. Xuan Dao wiped her tears, said "yes" and quickly left. When she returned, she carried a bronze basin and scissors in her hand. I sit on the porch. Xuan Dao untied her hair for me. Her long hair falls like a waterfall. The elder sister took the scissors and walked behind me. She used her hands to carefully comb my hair, from the top of my head to the ends, with gentle movements.

“I remember when I was little, you always criticized me for hurting my hair and not being able to sit still.”

“That's because my sister's skills are not as good as my mother's.” I mumbled in a choked voice.

“The person you said you wanted to go to the border to look for earlier was General Yen, right?”

I nodded.

“I've seen it already. He's a good person, in my eyes."

The strands of green hair kept falling, the pile in the pot was like black clouds dissolving. The back of the neck becomes lighter and lighter. A feeling of rebirth is born from falling hair. The elder sister rubbed my short hair, her voice choked but extremely proud.

“My sister has really grown up.”

“Go do what you want. There are many stories about the capital."

I looked through the tears and discovered that, without knowing when, at the door of the hospital there was a figure standing there quietly. It's Yen Chinh.