Zheng Decides His Future

It is the end of summer and Yun was standing on the training field overwatching Zheng's training when people noticed Yun's serious expression which made many people nervous including his younger brother.

"What is wrong with Father?" asks Fang seeing the expression on his father's face which changed from serious to gentle but now it was serious again.

"I think he figured out that Zheng wasn't made to enter a battlefield," says Hua confusing Fang who looked at Zheng not seeing what the others were seeing as well.

"What do you mean by that?" asks Fang confused not understanding what Hua meant by it.

"Fang, what does your brother look like to you?" asks Hua seriously wanting Fang to see for himself what Yun was seeing at the moment.

"Well, I see my brother training seriously," says Fang confused by his uncle's question.

"What I see is a person unable to kill without a reason," says Hua seriously looking at Zheng making Fang's eyes open wide when he continues with, "Unlike you and Mulan who are ready to kill at any moment on the battlefield Zheng smiles gently after defeating his opponents stretching his hand out to them to help them up."

"This means that Zheng might be unable to kill unless he has a reason to do so and that is a fatal flaw on the battlefield and in a war where you and your opponent won't have a reason to kill one another but still have to do so," says Hua looking back at Fang before looking at Yun.

"What do you think will father do?" asks Fang now a bit nervous for his little brother.

"There are two ways he can approach this matter. The first would be to exclude Zheng from entering the Military," says Hua saying the reasonable option first since Zheng didn't need to enter Yun's army.

"And the second?" asks Fang having a bit of hope that his brother wouldn't come to harm should his father go with the first option when the aura around his uncle turned cold.

"The second one would be to take Zheng out to kill some people getting him accustomed to blood and killing which will make it easier for him," says Hua coldly knowing his brother too well.

Yun could feel every Generals' cold stare at him as they all were thinking the same thing as Hua at the moment as did Yun who wanted to take Zheng out to kill some bandits to get him adapted to killing.

Huang Zhong approached Yun wanting to talk to him about this matter but before he could open his mouth Yun says, "I know that not all of my sons have to enter the military but I won't deny him of it."

"My Lord, we both know that it will only bring him mental pain that will be irreversible once he has done the deed," says Huang Zhong worried about Zheng who was an upright honest lad who couldn't kill a fly without a reason.

"I will ask him tonight if he wants to join the military and if he is ready to pay the price he has to pay in doing so," says Yun also worried since Diao Chan wanted Zheng to become a righteous man.

"I hope the young master doesn't approach our line of work with that many out there in which he could do more," says Huang Zhong hoping that Zheng would choose another line of work.

"Lately I was hoping the same," says Yun knowing that it would break a part inside of Zheng which would never come back.

The day soon came to an end and Yun stood before an exhausted Zheng and says, "I want to see you in my office after you washed up."

Yun then leaves Zheng who was still laying on the ground after all the training. He arrived at his office and enters it finding not only Hua but also his mother.

"Hua told you?" asks Yun seriously before passing them to sit down on his chair to begin looking over the documents Pang Tong, Tang Shi, and Rong left for him.

"Zheng shouldn't be forced to become a soldi-," says Madam Su worried about her grandson when Yun interrupts her something that was rare since he would never do that.

"I would never force them to become soldiers. Fang and Mulan were so excited to finally step on a battlefield that I changed my whole strategy so they wouldn't face danger in the last campaign. Something that I won't repeat.

If Zheng wants to become a soldier I will take him out of the coming month to hunt down some bandits so he can adjust to killing," says Yun coldly surprising both his mother and brother.

"So it is Zheng's decision, not yours?" asks Madam Su nervously as Yun only nods while reading a report of bandits appearing in the west near the border to the Yu Province.

"It was always his decision even if I am teaching him my spearmanship, it is his decision that will tell us if he will become a soldier or something greater," says Yun as he laid the report to the side just in case Zheng decided to become a soldier.

Yun then looked at the door and says, "Zheng, come inside, I know that you are there."

Zheng enters the room having disappointment written all over his face thinking that he wasn't good enough like his older siblings when Yun looks at him and says, "I have a big question to ask you today and it might decide your future from today on forward. I never needed to ask your older siblings since they chose their path a long time before I could ask them this question."

"Which is?" asks Zheng worried while his grandmother and uncle were now looking at him as well.

"Do you want to be a soldier?" asks Yun looking at Zheng seriously since he needed the answer to know what to do next with Zheng.

He could still train him so he could defend himself in the future or he could travel the Empire once old enough since Yun wouldn't have to worry about him getting killed if he completes his training under him.

Zheng was struggling as everyone was watching him making him nervous since it was a big decision when he hears, 'Close your eyes.'

Zheng looked around but couldn't see who spoke those words when he closes his eyes and he sees his mother standing before his closed eyes. He wanted to say something but Diao Chan put her index finger on Zheng's lips stopping him.

'You don't need to open your mouth to talk to me and the others will think you are crazy except for your father,' says Diao Chan into her son's mind while Madam Su touches Zheng's shoulder before Yun stops her.

"Stop, don't you see, he is in a trance," says Yun stopping his mother from doing something foolish.

"This could be good or bad," says Hua seeing Zheng like that as he became a bit nervous.

Meanwhile in Zheng's head, Diao Chan looked at her son and says, 'My son, what is it that you want to achieve in your life?'

'I don't really know what I want,' says Zheng in a disappointed tone since he was undecided on what he wanted to do.

He felt happy when Yun told him that he was going to learn his spearmanship. But no he didn't know what he was going to do next. Diao Chan seeing her son like that began to ruffle his hair gently making him feel comfortable.

'Let me ask you in a simpler way, do you want to follow the same path that your father and brother are following or do you want to walk a different path altogether?' asks Diao Chan her son while moving her right hand to Zheng's left cheek.

'I want to be as strong as Dad maybe even stronger but for me to achieve that I need to become a soldier just like him,' says Zheng looking down when Diao Chan lifts his head up.

'Do you think so? There are many men and women stronger than your father and they aren't soldiers but warriors,' says Diao Chan she couldn't continue talking because of the resolute expression that appeared on Zheng's face which made her stop as she had a sad smile on her face.

'I see that I couldn't change your mind nor could your father do the same. But it seems that you have finally decided on becoming a soldier even if it means losing something important,' says Diao Chan as her hand wanders to Zheng's chest who suddenly felt warm before he felt his body burning him from the inside out.

'What is happening, Mom?' asks Zheng as he lives his right hand toward his chest.

'A parting gift which only you, I can trust with,' says Diao Chan hugging her son before saying, 'I always wanted you to be an honest and straightforward man that doesn't second-questions his actions. A man who would stand against a storm and come out of it with only some scratches.'

Zheng began to be covered in a green fire when Diao Chan begins to flame up in the same fire and she says, 'I will always be protecting you and all your siblings.'

Diao Chan then disappears in those green flames while Zheng's body was burning in the same flames outside his mind in Yun's office scaring Madam Su while Hua and Yun looked at him seriously.

"That is Fire Qi right?" asks Hua seriously while looking at the green flames covering Zheng.

"It is a variation of it just like Blue Flames or Yellow Flames. Just that they feel cold," says Yun to Hua analyzing the flames covering Zheng's body.

'Be a soldier if that is what you want to be it just remember to never second-guess yourself once walking this path or I will meet you earlier than I want,' says Diao Chan to her son disappearing leaving only ashes behind.

Zheng opens his eyes and sees everyone staring at him when he looks at his hands seeing them covered in Green Flames before forming fists which dispersed them.

"I will be a soldier," says Zheng in a resolute tone and Yun smiles since the childish face on his son's face disappeared.

"Good, inform Xu Shu and Huang Xu, you three with a small squad of ten men will go to exterminate some bandits that crossed to Xu not long ago," says Yun coldly as he was giving his son orders at the moment and not praising him for choosing to become a soldier.

"Yes, sir," says Zheng following his father's tone when he feels Yun's hands on his shoulders.

"I am happy that you have finally decided the path you will take but keep in mind that a soldier's life is a short one," says Yun in a happy tone which changed to a worried one coming to the end of his sentence.

"I won't disappoint you nor Mom," says Zheng in a happy tone making a smile appear on his face.

"Good, then go, you have your orders," says Yun letting go of his son before returning to his chair.

"So the trance..." says Hua looking at Yun still a bit confused.

"It must have been she who gave Zheng his Green Flames," says Yun going over the remaining documents.

"So he has her blessing to become a soldier?" asks Madam Su still being in the room.

"He never needed our blessing. He just needed to become serious and begin to walk on his own path instead of following a path that was already been walked on half-heartedly. It seems that she is still better at it than I am," says Yun before sighing and saying, "I need to continue working. Do you have something else to tell me?"

"Nope, nothing from my side," says Hua leaving while dragging their mother with him since Yun needed to finish what he was doing leaving Yun alone in his office to finish going over the reports.