At the break of dawn, Gan Jiu arrived at the gates of the Governor's residence, waiting for his leader.
The day before, he had followed Gan Ning to the Governor's residence, where the newly appointed Governor Liu had taken his leader away, leaving Gan Jiu to wait in a side room.
After some time, a young man had come out and informed him that his leader would not be returning that night. The young man asked Gan Jiu to do him a favor and return home to inform Gan Ning's mother so that the old woman wouldn't worry.
Gan Jiu obeyed without question—he had always done exactly as his leader commanded.
By the time the sky began to brighten, he could wait no longer and hurried back to the Governor's residence. The brothers back in Ba Commandery were counting on him to bring their leader home. This time, he carried the hopes of over twelve hundred men—there was no time to waste. He needed to bring Gan Ning back as soon as possible.
If he returned alone again, he feared his brothers would stab him full of holes with their spears, chop him into mincemeat with their ring-pommeled swords, and finally toss his remains into the Dangqu River to feed the fish.
This was already his third trip to Shu Commandery. As the saying went, three strikes and you're out.
As usual, he was led to the side room, where he waited restlessly.
The sun slowly rose, its light creeping up the steps of the side room before finally spilling over the threshold.
Gan Jiu grew anxious. What time is it already? Why hasn't the leader come out yet?
Just then, a figure stepped into the sunlight at the doorway. But it wasn't the leader he longed to see—it was the same young man from yesterday, carrying a bowl of meat porridge and some cooked rice.
Gan Jiu ignored the fine food and seized the opportunity to ask, "Young master, has my family's head awakened yet?" He avoided calling Gan Ning by his title of Qushuai—such a term was best left unused within the Governor's residence.
Hearing himself addressed as young master, Pang Que—the boy Liu Zhang had instructed to treat Gan Jiu well—smiled faintly and answered, "My name is Pang Que, styled Ziman. You can just call me Ziman. Your family's head is still asleep. I reckon you'll have to wait a while longer."
Gan Jiu couldn't suppress his impatience, his rough nature surfacing. "It's already this late! Who's he sleeping with? How can he still be asleep?"
"Brother Ziman, could you wake him up for me? Or I could go and do it myself." His tone was urgent.
Pang Que's eyes flickered. He set down the porridge and rice, then waved his hand dismissively. "Your family's head is sharing a bed with Governor Liu. I wouldn't dare disturb them."
Gan Jiu froze. His impatience scattered like leaves in a gale, replaced by stunned disbelief. He steadied himself and cautiously confirmed, "With… with Governor Liu? Sharing a bed?"
"Indeed. With Governor Liu," Pang Que affirmed, then added reassuringly, "Perhaps they stayed up late last night, so they're still resting. No need to worry—I'll inform you if anything changes. For now, please eat."
Gan Jiu nodded and saw Pang Que out, but his mind was in turmoil. How in the world did our leader end up sleeping with Governor Liu?
Then, a pang of envy struck him. Damn it, I've known the leader longer, and I've never even slept in the same room as him!
It wasn't until noon, when the sun hung directly overhead, that Gan Jiu finally saw his leader again.
Gan Ning emerged looking refreshed and radiant.
Gan Jiu stepped forward and blurted out his burning question. "Qushuai, is it true you slept in the same bed as Governor Liu last night?" He still found it hard to believe. A nobleman like Liu Zhang sharing a bed with a wandering warrior like them? That wasn't how high-born gentlemen behaved.
"Would I lie about that?" Gan Ning replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh, and don't call me Qushuai anymore. Call me Colonel." He wanted to hear how it felt to be addressed by a military title.
"Colonel?" Gan Jiu was stunned. From the sound of it, his leader had been granted the rank of Colonel. Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. He couldn't wrap his head around it.
"Did Liu Jiyu appoint you as a Colonel?" Gan Jiu pressed.
Instead of answering, Gan Ning straightened his posture and spoke sternly. "Ah-Jiu, do not refer to our lord by his given name in my presence. You will address him as Lord."
Lord? Gan Jiu was dumbfounded. Overnight, the man who had once scoffed at Liu Zhang just as he had now seemed to have become the Inspector's most ardent supporter.
What in the world happened in that one night to make the leader change his tune so completely?
Did Liu Jiyu use some kind of sorcery to bewitch him?
Gan Jiu studied Gan Ning from the side. Bathed in sunlight, his leader's face was brighter than he had ever seen it.
——
After sharing a midday meal with Gan Ning and sending him off to resign from his post as the Commandery Administrator, Liu Zhang strolled alone through the rear courtyard of the Governor's residence to clear his mind.
The sun was warm, the sky clear—a perfect reflection of his mood. Early summer had brought lush greenery to the garden, painting a scene of vibrant life and boundless vitality.
He settled into a pavilion by the pond, where lotus buds had just begun to peek above the water's surface. Liu Zhang couldn't help but sigh. Life is truly wonderful.
Only a few days into his time in the late Eastern Han dynasty, he had already befriended and secured the loyalty of the legendary warrior Gan Ning. The sense of accomplishment was exhilarating.
"My lord, the imperial decree has arrived."
Just as Liu Zhang was savoring the moment, a youthful voice interrupted his thoughts.
Liu Zhang shook his head and watched as Pang Que hurried toward him. "Ziman, don't spin tales. By all accounts, the messenger should still be in Hanzhong at this point."
The roads to Shu are harder to travel than the road to heaven. Imperial envoys didn't move quickly—unless it was an emergency dispatch, they prioritized dignity over speed.
"The messenger hasn't arrived yet, but the contents of the decree have already leaked. A fast horse just delivered the news."
"Father sent me to inform you immediately."
"Care to guess what the decree says?" The young Pang Que wore a mischievous grin, daring to jest with the Governor of Yi Province himself.
Liu Zhang studied the playful youth before him. At just sixteen, Pang Que had been serving him since his arrival in Yi Province. Liu Zhang's gentle nature and Pang Que's lively personality had blurred the lines of hierarchy between them. Sometimes, they bantered like brothers.
It reminded Liu Zhang of the young Runtu from The New Year's Sacrifice—carefree and close in childhood, only to become distant in adulthood, with Runtu eventually addressing his childhood friend as master. Similarly, Pang Que's father treated Liu Zhang with utmost respect, but their relationship lacked the same warmth.
Pang Que had challenged him to guess the decree's contents, but his grin gave it away. Young men were terrible at keeping secrets.
Moreover, since Pang Que's father, Pang Jing, had sent him to deliver the news, it had to be good. Otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered.
Most importantly, Liu Zhang had read the Records of the Three Kingdoms. Kid, you're trying to test someone with cheat codes?
"What else could the decree possibly say? It's just confirming my appointment as Governor of Yi Province."
Pang Que's jaw dropped. His face was an open book. "My lord, how did you know the court would agree?"
Though Pang Que had hoped for Liu Zhang's success, he had been skeptical. Liu Zhang's reputation wasn't stellar—he had assumed the court would reject the appointment.
At the question, Liu Zhang decided to be honest. He pointed at himself.
"Why did the court agree? Because, my boy, I'm a coward."