His eldest son was now in his twenties, and he had received a letter two years ago announcing the birth of his first grandson. Both his eldest and second daughters were already married, and his third daughter was fifteen or sixteen, of an age suitable for marriage. As for his younger sons, they were still children; one was twelve or thirteen—only two or three years old when Hu Yeyuan had sent his family back to the Capital—while the other was just seven, born while Hu Yeyuan was back in the Capital to report on his duties.
At that moment, Hu Yeyuan pondered to himself, "Should I request to resign my post now that I have returned to the Capital?" He knew he was getting on in years, and years of life on the battlefield had left him both physically and mentally exhausted. He longed to return home, to be with his wife and children, to enjoy the warmth of family life, and to spend his twilight years in peace and happiness. Yet, he realized all too clearly that this wish would likely remain a mere fantasy.
The current Emperor placed an unimaginable level of importance on the border, determined to hold that land at all costs and brook no intrusion from any enemy. For Hu Yeyuan, this was undoubtedly a crushing pressure. Despite his advancing age, in the eyes of the Emperor, he remained the only man fit to guard the frontier. As long as the Emperor had not found a more suitable candidate to replace him, he would never be able to shed this responsibility, let alone resign and retire.
Chapter 241