Chapter Seventy-Six: The Terrible News

"I am Jiang Wen. Greetings to Master Kongming!"

"Master has gone to visit Old Lord Huang today and is unlikely to return. Please, Sir Sacrificial Wine, you should go back."

Jiang Wen bowed to the page. "Thank you for your trouble today. I take my leave."

"Take care, Sir Sacrificial Wine."

Li Er, holding the reins, asked, "Master, it’s just an ordinary commoner. Do you want me to take some men and bring him in?"

Jiang Wen replied, "I have already sent officers to keep watch. Gongjin returned to the Zhou residence yesterday—go pay him a visit."

"Yes, sir. Hyah!"

The Zhou residence was filled with birdsong and fragrant blooms, strange rocks jutting, clear springs running, the mansion elegant and grand in all directions.

In a side hall, Zhou Yu drank in silence, his face clouded. Lü Meng sat beside him, emptying cup after cup. Zhou Yu said, "You are still wounded. You shouldn’t drink like this. You need to rest."

"For a general, wine is the best medicine," Lü Meng said gloomily. "We fought such a brilliant battle. Why must there be a reckoning?"

Zhou Yu sighed, troubled. "Old General Huang is still unconscious. Though we drove the enemy from Chibi, it seems we cannot escape blame for the vice-general’s offense. If Old General Huang could speak for me, perhaps I’d survive this disaster."

Lü Meng slammed his cup down. "Speak for you? The old general is still bedridden! I respect him as a hero, but his son made a scene in your residence just days ago."

"Why was I not told of this?" Zhou Yu asked, displeased.

"I had my men teach him a lesson. I told Yueyao not to mention it to you."

Zhou Yu frowned. "The old general risked his life in this campaign. No matter his family’s grievances, we should not have struck them—"

"He insulted Yueyao and shamed your mother."

Zhou Yu fell silent, drinking in sullen gloom.

"Master, Sir Sacrificial Wine requests an audience outside."

"Changsu? Isn’t he in Wancheng?"

"He returned a few days ago, bringing with him an old man—looks rather aged, named Zhang Zhongjing." Lü Meng took a swig and gnawed on a leg of lamb.

"Quickly, invite him in—and prepare more Dukang wine," Zhou Yu ordered.

At the gate, Jiang Wen said to Li Er, "Go back and tell Madam not to prepare my meal tonight."

The page bowed to Jiang Wen. "Sir Sacrificial Wine, the master invites you in."

Jiang Wen entered the residence, admiring the cultured elegance of the courtyard as the steward guided him.

He reached the side hall and entered.

"Gongjin, Ziming, I greet you both."

"Changsu, have you come to my home drawn by the scent of fine Dukang wine?" Zhou Yu and Lü Meng rose to return his greeting. "You must be weary from the Battle of Wancheng."

"Compared to your victory at Chibi, my efforts are nothing."

"Hahaha, come, sit."

The three knelt together, and Zhou Yu asked, "Shouldn’t you be in Wancheng, Changsu? Why have you returned to Xiangyang?"

"It concerns you, actually," Jiang Wen replied.

Zhou Yu was puzzled. "How so?"

"At the Battle of Chibi, you delayed advancing your troops and had disagreements with the other generals. To prevent trouble, the Chancellor ordered me to Xiangyang to assist Quan Zong. But now that the crisis at Chibi is over, I’m stationed here for the time being." Jiang Wen poured himself a cup and toasted the two men.

"But let’s not talk about me. Did something good happen to you yesterday, Gongjin?"

"Something good?" Zhou Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. "Quan Zong reported everything about my conduct toward Old General Huang to the Chancellor. The Chancellor praised our victory, but it’s clear he aims to eliminate dissent. There will surely be a reckoning after autumn."

"Is this not a ruse of self-injury?" Jiang Wen wondered. "Did Old General Huang lie to the Chancellor?"

"No, but the old general is lying comfortably in bed—who knows when he might pass away unexpectedly."

"Eat your meat!" Zhou Yu rebuked.

"Good fortune is often followed by disaster," Jiang Wen sighed. "We won the battle, but have given our enemies a pretext. The best outcome is probably to atone for merit with merit."

"Not a single good thing has happened lately!" Lü Meng grumbled. "I nearly lost an arm. If I see that old man again, I’ll pluck out every hair of his beard!"

A beautiful, dignified woman entered, her manner both elegant and graceful. Jiang Wen and Lü Meng rose to greet her. "Madam."

Yueyao, slightly flustered, returned the greeting. "General Ziming, Sir Sacrificial Wine—urgent news!"

"What news?" The three men grew serious at once.

Yueyao approached Zhou Yu and handed him a bamboo slip. "Husband, urgent military report from Lujiang!"

Zhou Yu scanned it quickly. His expression darkened, full of worry.

Jiang Wen stepped forward, took the letter, and read aloud: "Thirty li out, the army struck Ji Ling’s forces, killed a thousand, seized ten thousand shi of grain. At night, enemy scouts were suspected outside the camp. The Chancellor personally led a pursuit. At Yefu Mountain, he fell into ambush and was struck by three arrows. His life may be in danger..."

"Gongjin, I must take my leave."

Zhou Yu nodded, his brow deeply furrowed. "Prepare a horse for Changsu!"

Jiang Wen hurried from the Zhou residence, heart heavy with bitterness. Sun Jian, you’ve really doomed me! Huang Zu didn’t finish you off, so now it’s Ji Ling?

He rode swiftly to the Bureau of Officers.

"Greetings, my lord!"

"Brush and ink!"

Seated at his desk, Jiang Wen quickly wrote a letter. "Yan San!"

"I am here!"

"This letter—urgent dispatch, three hundred li through the night to Wancheng. Deliver it to General Bofu and instruct him to assign General Gan Ning to guard Wancheng!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Tian Wu!"

"I am here."

Jiang Wen handed him another letter. "This goes to General Zhu Ye. From this moment, he is to take command of the Xiangyang garrison. Tell him: The Chancellor is in peril. To prevent traitors from harming the emperor, increase surveillance on His Majesty!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Go!"

Jiang Wen left the Bureau of Officers and climbed into the carriage waiting at the gate. "To the Jiang residence."

At the Jiang residence, Tao’er and Diao Chan were playing xiangqi. Seeing that nothing else occupied them, Jiang Wen had taught them this game—simpler than go, easy to learn, and both enjoyed it greatly.

"Madam, Second Madam—Master has returned," a servant announced.

Jiang Wen proceeded directly to the main hall. "Li Er, fetch my official seal."

Tao’er entered the hall. "Greetings, sir."

"Grind ink for me."

Seeing Jiang Wen’s grave expression, Tao’er knew it was not a time for playful talk and began to grind ink for him.

Jiang Wen placed the bamboo slip, wrote a note, and called, "Yang Wu!"

A soldier entered and saluted. "Master!"

"Take this letter to the Ministry of Personnel."

Tao’er leaned against Jiang Wen. "Sir, has something serious happened?"

"Military news from Lujiang—the Chancellor’s life hangs by a thread."

"Ah! Then elder sister doesn’t need to obey him anymore, and sir, you could truly take sister as your own."

Jiang Wen flicked Tao’er’s forehead. "This is no trivial matter! Never speak like that!"