The soldiers from southern prefectures are unfamiliar with the north, and the court fears they might not win battles. Thus, they dispatched a group of northern military generals to the Northwest to lead the southern troops, and Fan Tian was among them.
Old Lady Fan, being old, feared that separating from her son might mean meeting again only in hell. So she simply followed along, saying at least they could see each other one more time before her death.
Many were moved by Old Lady Fan's motherly love, and some praised her nobility, writing petitions to the Capital, requesting the Emperor to confer honors upon Old Lady Fan.
When leaving Yongtai Prefecture, officials, wealthy families, and citizens of the whole city came out to bid farewell. It was grand and packed the large official road.
