The round-faced merchant arranged a clean, quiet courtyard for Jian Yong and his men to rest.
"Honored sir, once night falls, you must not step outside the gate under any circumstances," the merchant said, his tone grave.
Jian Yong laughed. "You speak as if there are man-eating demons wandering the streets of Chang'an."
The merchant showed no trace of a smile. He turned and left. His voice, low and heavy, drifted back on the cold air.
"To eat a man… why would one need demons?"
A chill ran through Jian Yong. He found no answer.
They remained there for three days. Each morning, food was delivered without fail. Jian Yong and his men kept to themselves, passing the time in quiet seclusion, savoring a rare stretch of stillness after the long road.
On the fourth day, Jian Yong rose and pushed open the door. A thin layer of snow had settled over the courtyard.
He rubbed his hands together until they warmed, then pressed them briefly against his face. When he breathed out, a long stream of white mist hung in the air.
"The snow has come."
With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked slowly across the yard. Snow crunched softly beneath his steps. A faint smile appeared on his face.
A knock sounded at the gate. One of the guards went to answer, exchanged a few quiet words through the crack, then opened it with care. Jian Yong looked over and saw the same round, amiable man returning.
But this time, the smile was gone. Only a tired heaviness remained.
Jian Yong felt his chest tighten even before he spoke. "Many have frozen to death?"
The round-faced merchant nodded. He stepped onto the covered porch and knelt there in silence, his gaze fixed on the snow in the courtyard as if nothing lay beyond it.
Jian Yong said nothing. He walked over and sat beside him. The two leaned back against the wooden boards and looked up at the pale sky together.
From what Jian Yong remembered, each year after the first snowfall, the number of those who froze to death would rise. Now, with war sweeping across the land, the people of the north were being worn down like wild grass. They could endure, clinging to life with stubborn strength.
But famine and killing came in waves, one after another, tearing even the roots from the soil. How much longer could they last?
"Cao Cao brought his army back into the city last night. I hear they will rest for a day, then march for Ye."
The merchant spoke in a low voice.
"I have arranged matters with a fellow townsman who serves as a colonel under Cao Cao. He is not heading to Yecheng, but returning to Xuchang. I will travel under his protection. From what he later told me, Cao Cao has appointed…"
"Xiahou Yuan," Jian Yong said, cutting him off.
The merchant looked at him in surprise, then nodded. "The honored sir can grasp the course of events without leaving his door. It is indeed Xiahou Yuan who has been placed in charge of Guanzhong. Cao Cao intends to hold Chang'an. At last, there may be peace here."
Jian Yong inclined his head slightly, then spoke of his own plans. "In that case, I ask that you prepare dried provisions for my journey. Tomorrow, I will set out for Yongzhou and Liangzhou."
"The first snow has already fallen. Would the honored sir not wait a few more days?"
Jian Yong gazed westward, his voice calm and distant. "Ma Mengqi has only just been defeated. Opportunity does not wait for those who arrive late."
The round-faced merchant did not argue. He nodded and rose. "In that case, I pray the honored sir finds what he seeks."
"The clothing and provisions for Yong and Liang will be delivered tonight. As for the letter to Xuchang, I will see it placed into the proper hands myself."
They stood facing one another in the snow and exchanged a formal bow. Then the merchant turned and left without looking back.
The next morning, fine snow drifted through the air. Jian Yong waited until Cao Cao's army had fully withdrawn from the city before pulling on his leather cap and riding out through the western gate.
Within the gate passage, bodies lay in long rows along both sides of the road. Men and women, old and young, frozen where they had fallen. Snow settled upon them without melting, a thin white layer covering all alike.
Jian Yong looked once, then drew his cap down low. Without another word, he led his party west, disappearing into the wind and snow.
In Dantu of Jiangdong, Lu Su tossed aside Kongming's latest letter, his frustration plain.
The letter was filled with polite phrases and empty courtesies, no different from the ones before it. Take care of your health. Do not overexert yourself. Rest well. It was enough to grind his patience thin.
Kongming, if you would simply tell me plainly what is happening, would I have to exhaust myself like this?
Ever since Zigui had fallen earlier that year under circumstances that remained unclear, Jiangdong's grasp on Yizhou had all but vanished.
At first, out of respect for his relationship with Kongming, Lu Su chose to accept his explanations without pressing further.
But then the spies in Jingzhou reported that troops were being sent west without pause, while grain and supplies flowed steadily from Gong'an and Jiangling into the lands beyond.
Only then did Lu Su realize that something was wrong.
Yet Zigui, little more than a checkpoint, had become an impenetrable barrier. Every agent he tried to send west was cut off there. With no other choice, Lu Su did what he could and left the rest to chance.
He sent repeated letters to Kongming, pressing for answers, and dispatched men along the Zangke Road from Jiaozhou, hoping to reach Shu from the south.
Kongming's replies came swiftly, as always. But their contents never changed. He would speak at length about Jingzhou, about Jiangdong, even offer his thoughts on Xuzhou and advise on how best to strike Hefei.
But on Yizhou, not a single word.
As for the Zangke Road, its difficulty was well known. If a messenger returned by the spring of the following year, that alone would be considered fast.
So when Lü Meng had launched his private raid, Lu Su had been furious at the insubordination.
But once the troops were already in the field, surely they would bring back something of value?
The report Lü Meng submitted could be reduced to four words: the crossbow bolts were formidable.
Had Lü Meng not been one of Sun Quan's trusted generals, and had he not returned that very night wounded, Lu Su might well have carved those words onto a wooden tablet and smashed it into his face.
The Marquis commands you to study, and this is what you bring back? Four words?
So when Bu Zhi stepped into the office, he found Lu Su in a thoroughly aggravated mood.
Lu Su's temper was clearly stirred, but Bu Zhi understood his superior well. Lu Su was not one to vent his anger on subordinates. So he delivered his message without hesitation.
"General, our lord has arrived in Dantu."
Lu Su straightened at once. "Why was I not informed?"
Bu Zhi shook his head. He had no answer.
Lu Su's thoughts raced, but there was no time to dwell on it. He quickly gathered a stack of documents, intending to have a proper discussion with the Marquis Sun.
Dantu had once served as the seat of government, and the Marquis Sun still maintained a residence there. Lu Su scarcely needed to think to know where his lord would be. In those days, he had been a constant presence within those halls.
The capital had since been moved, and the place had grown quieter. Yet the moment Lu Su saw the familiar formation of personal guards at the entrance, he knew his lord was inside.
He presented his tally, and the guards admitted him. He had barely stepped onto the stairs when he saw Lü Meng coming out from within.
Lü Meng's expression was unreadable. He gave Lu Su a slight nod, then passed by without a word.
Lu Su stood there for a moment, turning the matter over in his mind. Then a dull ache rose in his chest. For an instant, he found himself missing Zhou Gongjin with unexpected sharpness.
"Zijing!" Sun Quan burst out with a laugh and seized Lu Su by the arm. "I was just about to send someone to find you. You have arrived before the messenger."
The weariness weighed heavily on Lu Su, but he straightened and spoke directly. "Does my lord no longer trust Su?"
Sun Quan looked taken aback. "How can you say such a thing?"
"If my lord has matters to attend to, he need only inform me. I will make the necessary arrangements." Lu Su's tone was steady, measured. He was not Zhou Gongjin. He had to leave his lord room to preserve his dignity.
Sun Quan's face flushed, then hardened. "Liu Bei seized Yizhou without a word. He has already secured Jiangzhou, yet still tells us nothing. He shows no faith. Why should I treat him with righteousness?"
Lu Su remained calm. "Has Liu Bei ever been my lord's subordinate?"
Sun Quan fell silent, though the displeasure on his face did not ease.
Lu Su continued, "Then how did my lord learn that Liu Bei now firmly holds Jiangzhou?"
Sun Quan inclined his head toward the rear of the hall. Lu Su followed the gesture and picked up the letter resting on the desk.
"A fine hand," Lu Su said, and he meant it.
The contents of the letter were simple enough.
First, Jingzhou now stood empty. The main army had been fully transferred to Yizhou. Only Guan Yu remained to guard the province.
Second, Liu Bei had taken Jiangzhou. The writer urged the Marquis Sun to make his plans early.
Third, Liu Bei regularly gathered his civil and military officers to discuss critical matters. This in itself was unremarkable. But the timing of these meetings was always exactly three months apart. Not a single day's deviation.
Lu Su's first thought was of Mi Zhu's younger brother. But the handwriting did not match at all.
"Liu Bei has no eye for talent," Sun Quan said, a faint, measured smile on his lips. "It is only natural that capable men would turn toward Jiangdong." After a pause, he asked, "What does Zijing think? Can Liu Bei take Yizhou?"
Lu Su answered without hesitation. "Liu Jiyu is no match for Liu Xuande. And yet…"
He searched his memory, recalling the intelligence Zhou Gongjin had once gathered on the region, then slowly shook his head. "Liu Jiyu is shortsighted and mild by nature. He lacks strong generals, but he commands ample troops. If driven into a corner, he may still join forces with Zhang Lu."
Sun Quan nodded. He himself had not formed any detailed judgment. He simply believed Liu Zhang to be a man without substance. Both had inherited the foundations laid by their fathers. I, Sun Zhongmou, forged alliances, broke them, pacified Jiangdong, and stood against the bandit Cao. And you, Liu Jiyu? You thought only of selling yourself to the bandit Cao for a price.
"Then in Zijing's view, how long will Liu Xuande need to pacify Yizhou?"
"There are fortified cities throughout Shu. For Liu Jingzhou to come from afar and attempt to swallow them is like a great snake devouring an elephant. It will take time. The conquest of Yizhou cannot be completed in less than a year."
Lu Su spoke with complete certainty. Then he stepped forward, and his tone changed.
"Did General Ziming advise my lord to mobilize the full army and strike Jiangling?"
Sun Quan shifted slightly, his gaze drifting to the decorative hangings on the wall as if they had suddenly become worthy of study. "Does Zijing think it should not be done?"
"It absolutely must not be done." Lu Su's voice turned hard. "If we strike at Jiangling and cut the road through Zigui, Liu Bei's soldiers are all still inside Yizhou with their strength intact. We will have created a great enemy for nothing."
"And if our aim is to contend for the realm, then our first target must be Cao Cao. To defeat him, we must still rely on Zhang Fei's valor and Zhuge Liang's strategy. If we break the alliance, would we not be cutting ourselves off from the world?"
Sun Quan kept his gaze on the view beyond the window and did not turn toward Lu Su. In his mind, he weighed Lü Meng's warnings about Guan Yu's river forces again and again, then set them aside for the moment.
"The iron-smelting methods of Jingzhou," Sun Quan said at last. "They would greatly benefit Jiangdong."
Lu Su understood at once. So this had been Lü Meng's true aim in launching that private raid. Now that the purpose was clear, it could be dealt with.
"Before the end of the first month of the new year, Su will place those methods in my lord's hands."
Sun Quan studied him for a long moment, then gave a slight nod.
Lu Su withdrew from the hall with his usual composed manner. Yet his fingers brushed against Lü Meng's report still tucked within his sleeve, and a trace of weariness showed at his brow.
He did not dismiss Lü Ziming's caution. The concern was valid. But why pursue short-term gain with such haste?
Back in his office, Bu Zhi stepped forward with a letter. "A message from General Guan Yunchang of Jingzhou."
Lu Su broke the seal and read. His brows lifted.
"Prepare a reply. Inform him I accept. We will meet in a single-blade parley."
In the darkness, Mi Fang was the first to crack under the silence. He let out a low and mocking laugh. "Ma Deserter, if you are going to run, now is the time. Hide yourself under the bed boards. Once the army marches out, you can slip away back to the rear. Safest way there is."
Ma Su could not be bothered to do more than click his tongue into the darkness.
Mi Fang pressed on. "Back outside Baishui Pass, you grabbed that damn stick and nearly soaked your trousers in terror. I saw it clearly enough."
Ma Su's anger flared. "You have an elder brother. So do I. At least I never wrote begging letters to my own brother whining for mercy."
In the darkness, Mi Fang's face flooded red. He had never received a single reply. The silence stretched, and then something seemed to drain out of him.
"If I died on the battlefield," he said, the words carrying a worn and hollow edge, "my elder brother would probably breathe a sigh of relief."
Liu Feng frowned. The noise was grating on him. "Are you two finished? Save your strength."
A brief silence settled over the dark. Then Ma Su spoke again. "Is the Young Master still unwilling to say why he ended up here?"
Liu Feng's reply came short and hard. "I only know one thing. Take enemy heads. Claim merit. That is what makes a true man."
Ma Su said nothing further.
From outside, a voice rang through the cold air.
"Assemble at the drill field. The army marches for Hanzhong."