Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie returned home on September 13th; however, his mom fell sick on September 15th.

Her disease occurred without any symptom.

On September 14th, in case of being teased by the family members, Linda, Beverly and Fiona, who had made love with Zhang Tie overnight, got up early as usual and greeted their parents-in-law. After that, they had breakfast together. In the morning, Zhang Tie’s mom looked good. However, when they had supper at night, Zhang Tie’s mom had a poor appetite. She ate lesser than before. The family members didn’t think it was abnormal as Zhang Tie’s mom was always healthy. However, they could never believe that Zhang Tie’s mom would fall sick on the morning of September 15th. When she ate breakfast, she suddenly felt giddy. Soon after that, she sat on the ground.

Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang were both startled as the mansion became chaotic at once.

...

On the noon of September 15th, Zhang Tie, Zhang Yang and their wives were waiting quietly outside the bedroom of their parents.

The best doctor in Huaiyuan Palace was diagnosing Zhang Tie’s mom by touching her pulse. In order to not disturb the doctor, all the family members exited the bedroom for the time being, except for Zhang Tie’s dad.

Although Zhang Tie had promoted to a knight, he was not a doctor. Therefore, he was not proficient in diagnosis. Zhang Yang, as a pharmacist, knew something about medicine; however, he could not confirm the cause of his mother’s disease either; therefore, they could only invite the best doctor.

”How’s mom lately?” Zhang Tie asked Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang forced a bitter smile, ”You know, mom has always been in good health; plus mom and dad always ate all-purpose medicament these years; neither do they have to care about the affairs about the family, I don’t know how mom fell sick!”

When the two brothers talked with each other, the bedroom’s door was pushed open as Zhang Tie’s dad walked out with a grey-hair doctor and his female assistant.

”Elder Mushen...” The doctor and his assistant hurriedly cupped their hands towards Zhang Tie the moment they saw Zhang Tie. The status of clan elder could already make people suffocate.

”Mr. Sun, how’s my mom?” Zhang Tie hurriedly moved one step forward and asked anxiously.

”Hmm, erm...” The doctor stopped as he looked around.

”Let’s talk about it in the small parlor!” Zhang Yang exchanged a glance with Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie then nodded and told Linda, Beverly and Fiona, ”Go inside with my eldest sister-in-law to talk with my mom, I will be back soon!”

After exchanging a glance with each other, the 4 women entered the bedroom.

Zhang Tie, Zhang Yang, their dad Zhang Ping and Dr. Sun then came to a small parlor. Under the guidance of Zhang’s servant, Dr. Sun’s assistant was arranged to take a rest in another room for the time being.

After entering the small parlor, Dr. Sun told them the truth.

”Old madam’s disease is not physical but mental!” Dr. Sun said with a solemn look.

Dr. Sun was elder than Zhang Tie’s parents. However, as Zhang Tie was a Clan elder, who was very honorable, Dr. Sun could only call Zhang Tie’s mom old madam.

’Mental disease?’ Zhang Tie, Zhang Yang and Zhang Ping exchanged a confused glance with each other.

”Dr. Sun, can you tell me the details?” Zhang Ping asked.

”After touching old madam’s pulse, I found that her guts were healthy, except for her heart meridian, which felt sorrow. She must be worried about something all the year round!”

”Ahh? No way!” Zhang Yang’s eyebrows raised as he sprung up. Dr. Sun was evidently indicating that his mom was unhappy while being together with him. Therefore, Zhang Yang could not accept it like having been extremely insulted. He almost lost his temper, ”Dr. Sun, you know about our living conditions, my mom doesn’t need to worry about anything at home. All the daughters-in-law and grandchildren are obedient and filial to her. Nobody dares violate her intention. My mom was always smiling in front of her grandchildren in normal times. She looked very happy. How could she feel sorrowful about anything?”

”Old madam’s disease has nothing to do with living conditions because she was always worried about somebody or something. Therefore, after so many years, she finally fell sick. As a result, old madam feels weak all over and is in low spirits. Additionally, old madam’s blood meridian felt sorrow, which was not formed in a couple of years; instead, in almost 10 years. In the decade, old madam was always worried about someone or something and finally fell sick.”

After hearing this cause, Zhang Tie felt like getting a thunder strike as he became frozen at once. ’10 years? Isn’t it 10 years since I joined the Iron-Blood Camp of Norman Empire and fought in Kalur Theater of Operations on the 889th year to the present?’

Dr. Sun explained carefully. However, he didn’t notice that Zhang Tie’s face turned pale abruptly. He even turned around to ask Zhang Ping, ”Wasn’t old madam always worried about someone or something in the evening during the past 10 years? Mental disease has to be cured with mental medicine. As the heart is the master of the body, if the heart meridian was not smooth, one would be affected by many diseases. If old madam’s mental disease was not cured from the root, she might feel better in a short period due to medicine; however, her disease might aggravate in the future.”

Zhang Ping wanted to say something; however, after exchanging a glance with Zhang Tie, he let out a sigh, ”Thanks, Mr. Sun, I got it. Please leave a prescription. We will take care of her for a few days. If there’s any problem, we will invite Dr. Sun once again!”

Dr. Sun nodded as he wrote a prescription on a swab on the desk. Zhang Yang took it and glanced at the prescription. Closely after that, he nodded.

”Zhang Yang, send Dr. Sun back!” Zhang Ping said.

After throwing a glance at Zhang Tie, Zhang Yang nodded as he sent Dr. Sun away politely.

Leaving Zhang Tie and Zhang Ping alone in the small parlor. Zhang Tie then moved his eyes on his dad as he asked in a trembled voice, ”Dad...whether...mom was always worried about me these years?”

Zhang Ping’s face changed at once, ”Although your mom doesn’t say it at ordinary times, she would always call your pet name guoguo in dreams. Sometimes, she would wake up suddenly. As you always fought outside, since you left Blackhot City and joined the war between Norman Empire and Sun Dynasty, your mom has started to be a vegetarian and bless you day by day. As it was risky on the battlefield, your mom didn’t let me tell you about that in case you got distracted. Over the past years, only when you came back home, your mom would sleep well. Last time, you had Linda, Beverly and Fiona to Huaiyuan Prefecture and got lost a few years, during that period, your mom’s pillow was always wet each morning. When you returned home two days ago and spoke of your experience in Selnes Theater of Operations and outside Upton City, your mom dropped tears once again when she went back to the bedroom. She said that if this family’s wealth had to be exchanged for your life, she preferred to sell rice brew...”

Hearing his dad’s words, Zhang Tie’s eyes turned red as tears coursed down his cheeks. Zhang Tie had not imagined that his mom was so worried about him that she didn’t even sleep well during the past decade when he left home.

’With Castle of Black Iron, I have been drawn back from the hell and dancing on the blades for so many times these years; however, I’ve not imagined about my mom’s concern about me. What a jerk!’

’My parents treat me so well; however, I’m not a qualified son.’

’As mom has lost one son, I can feel how she was worried about me and hoped me to go back to her side once again.’

’Even though I have promoted to a knight, if I could not keep the most important people in my life happy, it’s meaningless for me to fight and kill outside every day.’

At this moment, Zhang Yang’s footsteps sounded outside the door. Zhang Tie wiped off his tears and smiled towards his dad, ”Dad, don’t worry, I know what to do next. I will cure mom’s mental disease!”

Zhang Yang pushed open the door and entered. At the sight of the remaining tears on Zhang Tie’s face, he had understood what happened, ”Dr. Sun has been sent away!”

”Have you handled the affairs in the business group?” Like all the other common parents, Zhang Tie’s dad also asked Zhang Yang out of concern.

”Hmm, there’s nothing special in Jinwu Business Group today. A difference engine that we ordered a few days ago had arrived at Embracing Tiger Harbor yesterday!”

It was definitely a milestone for a business group to use a senior difference engine to help handle the complex trades and all the other information. If not being large enough, a business group would never use an expensive difference engine which required a lot of professionals to take care of.

”Elder brother. Give me the prescription. I will cook medicine for mom. Dad and I will take care of the domestic affairs, you can go handle the affairs of the business group!”

After being silent for a second, Zhang Yang gave the prescription to Zhang Tie, ”Well, you can get all the medicines in the medicine storage. As you’re home, I’m reassured. The business group that transported this difference engine here is a business group of Fan Clan in Yingzhou Province. It was escorted by a CEO of the business group. Fan Clan might be our relative in the future. Therefore, I’d better go greet them!”

”Relative?” Zhang Tie threw a glance at Zhang Yang, ”Elder brother, you’re marrying other girls?”

”It’s you, not me!” Zhang Yang smiled.

”Me?” Zhang Tie became surprised.

”Ahem...ahem...” Zhang Tie’s dad coughed twice in a bit bashful way, ”It’s preset by your mom and I in Fuhai City a few years ago. We planned to tell you in a few days. When your mom gets better, ask your mom about that. Go cook medicine now!”

As marriage was always arranged in that age, Zhang Tie didn’t ask too much about that. He then left the small parlor with the prescription.

...

Zhang Tie found the medicine and cooked them himself. Finally, he held a kettle of cooked medicine which had cooled down and served it to his mom.

”I’m always good. Don’t know why, when I got up this morning, I felt sick. I’m getting old!” Zhang Tie’s mom smiled towards Zhang Tie with a benign look after drinking up the medicine.

”Mom, why do you say that? I was told that only with some ailment occasionally could one not be affected by a disease. The doc said you’re okay. You just had a poor sleep quality lately. You must be thinking too much. Just take a rest for a few days at home, you will recover!” Zhang Tie said with a relaxed look as he put away the wares, ”As I’ve been back, I will not leave soon. I will have a lot of free time to accompany you at home. I’m waiting for your rice brew when you recover. As I was outside these years, I was always dreaming about your rice brew! Previously, I would not eat rice brew in case of cost; however, now, as a clan elder, I cannot buy one bowl of rice brew that could match with that made by my mom even at the cost of hundreds of gold coins. How poor I am!”

Zhang Tie pretended to let out a sigh with a sorrowful look.

Zhang Tie’s elder sisters-in-law all burst out into laughter after hearing Zhang Tie’s words, making the atmosphere in the room much more relaxed.

Zhang Tie’s mom also smiled with a brilliance in her eyes. She sat up and gazed at Zhang Tie, ”You won’t leave this time?”

”Unless mom chases me away, I will not leave. I will definitely eat up your rice brew for the compensation that I wandered outside these years!” Zhang Tie grinned.

”Are you cheating me?” Zhang Tie’s mom asked seriously.

Zhang Tie shrugged, ”As Taixia is as solid as rocks, the entire country is safe without any warfare. Waii Sub-continent has long become a deserted land. Where else am I going to? I’ve been fed up with fighting outside these years. If anyone wants to fight demons, just let them go there, I will not go there anymore. The world doesn’t belong to me. I don’t need to worry about it so much. If the heavens collapse, taller guys will be the pillars. It’s none of my business. After all, we don’t lack anything now. I will just be a leisure clan elder in Huaiyuan Palace. When I’m free, I will help my elder brother take care of Jinwu Business Group, what do you think, mom?”

”Fine, fine, of course fine, of course fine...” Zhang Tie’s mom revealed a smile. Perhaps due to the effect of the medicine, her face had turned a bit red only after a few minutes. She looked a bit spirited, ”You and Linda are both young, you can give birth to more babies. Look at your elder brother’s family, how boisterous it is with so many babies!”

”Mom, trust me, you will definitely be the head of Zhang’s kindergarten. Elder brother has 7 babies now. I swear to catch up with him; otherwise, I will lose my face. Isn’t it? Darling? Don’t be lazy at night!”

After hearing Zhang Tie’s words, Linda, Beverly and Fiona turned red. Over the past two nights, they were too diligent instead of being lazy. They didn’t let Zhang Tie’s mummy be free at all.

The mating affair on the bed was always a secret in the public. Linda, Beverly and Fiona had not imagined that Zhang Tie the bad thing could expose it in the public; since they could not explain, they could only blush.

After hearing Zhang Tie’s blue joke, even Zhang Tie’s three elder sisters-in-law blushed a bit; however, they all forgot about Zhang Tie’s supreme status as a clan elder and felt him being an intimate younger brother-in-law.

Zhang Tie’s mom flicked at Zhang Tie’s head with one finger before throwing a tragicomical glance at him, ”Thankfully, the kids were not here. Otherwise, even the kids would be spoiled in such a way!”

”Yes, yes, yes. I will watch out later on. Mom, you’re flicking at a knight’s head; however, speaking of the battle force, you could not even match a demon general!” Zhang Tie grinned cheekily for forgiveness.

Zhang Tie’s mom might not remember Zhang Tie’s another status until then. After being quiet for a second, all the women in the room burst into laughter...

As the medicine calmed the nerves. After taking it a few more minutes and chatting with Zhang Tie for a while, his mom had felt sleepy and gradually closed her eyes.

”Elder sisters-in-law. You can go back with Linda, Beverly and Fiona for a rest. Don’t call me at supper time. I will just stay here with mom...” Zhang Tie turned around and told those women after covering the blanket for his mom.

After exchanging a glance with each other, those women then walked out of the bedroom quietly.

Zhang Tie then held his mom’s hands which were still coarse even now after working hard for dozens of years. Watching the silver hair at her mom’s ears, Zhang Tie dropped off tears...

Zhang Tie felt that it was more meaningful than anything else to hold his mom’s hand and watch her sleep safe and sound...

’Holy war, earth-element realm, demons, Three-eye Association, f*ck you...’

...

Although Taixia Country was still as solid as rocks, it was definitely not peaceful as there were all sorts of hidden evil forces across the country. As Youzhou Province was far away from the prosperous heartland of Taixia Country, it was not peaceful either...

On 17th September, a majestic dragon-shaped golden airboat over 500 m in length flew by Gaozhou Province and arrived at Youzhou Province...