"It stands shoulder to shoulder with Zuo Bo paper."
The medicinal herbs Zhang Zhongjing had wrapped for them were already piled neatly to one side. Xiahou Yuan pinched the sheet of paper the divine physician had casually torn off to bundle the medicine, examined it again and again, and finally reached that conclusion.
Zhang He sat quietly in a kneeling posture. Hearing this, he let out a soft sigh.
"Then it does not lose."
He was born in Hebei and had once heard relatives and villagers speak with envy of Donglai. That city had grown prosperous relying solely on Zuo Bo paper, and because of this, the name of Zuo Bo paper was known throughout the north.
But now, seeing how casually that divine physician used this paper without the slightest care, it became clear how little they truly understood Liu Bei.
Seen this way, what they had previously witnessed and heard might not have been false after all. After all, it was said that during the Jing and Xiang campaign, the massive ships of the Jing Province navy were indeed formidable, but even more terrifying were the giant crossbows mounted atop those vessels.
As for the fall of Wancheng, rumor had it that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had constructed towers outside the city and fired down upon the walls, stripping Wancheng of its defensive advantage. Then, with internal collaborators opening gaps, the Chancellor had been forced to flee, nearly falling into enemy hands.
If all of this were true, then Liu Bei had truly already… no, wait.
If today's news was accurate, then Lü Meng was dead, his subordinates had surrendered, and Jiangxia had likely already changed hands.
Now that the dry season had ended, the Jing Province navy that once haunted Cao Cao's thoughts could once again move freely. They could sail straight downriver and give Sun Quan a taste of equal treatment.
With this, the temporary alliance between Sun and Cao had already cracked. Jiangdong would need to pull back and defend itself. The Yangtze River would be cut in two by the Jing Province navy, leaving the two sides able to support each other only by shouting across the water.
Wait. Why am I thinking about all this?
Zhang He knocked lightly on his own head. A helpless smile with a trace of ease appeared on his face as he stood up and shook his head.
"General Miaocai should rest early."
Yet after returning to his room, Zhang He could not help but look at their current situation from another angle.
Or perhaps he should persuade General Xiahou to invite Zhang Fei over for a casual talk?
After all, the ties of kinship and enmity between the Xiahou family and Zhang Yide were hardly secrets. It was said that at Changban Slope, Zhang Fei's second son, Zhang Shao, had been lost amid the chaos and was rescued by General Xiahou, who then kept him settled in a residence in Xudu.
Did Zhang Yide know of this matter, or not?
Thinking of this also made Zhang He recall his own family living in Ye City. He sighed, turned over, and closed his eyes.
Sleep.
…
Jiangling City had not yet returned to its former splendor, but the docks had already reopened.
"This young lord, the great battle just ended, and you are already heading down to Jiangdong to trade paper and silk?"
The ship owner had just finished unloading his cargo. He wiped his sweat and took a short rest when he heard a rough voice deliberately adopting a refined tone strike up a conversation. Turning around, he could not help but praise inwardly what a robust man this was.
Behind him stood a scholar dressed in literati robes, supporting an elderly woman who had just disembarked. Around them followed more than a dozen strong men.
Although the war had only just ended, those who could travel with their families usually had something to rely on. The ship owner understood this clearly. He looked them over and shook his head.
"Jiangxia is currently sealed off. The Imperial Uncle's navy is still deterring the riffraff of Jiangdong. How could one cross over?"
"However, General Zhao has taken Jiangxia. Now we can sail west along the river to Yizhou, or cross Jiangxia and head north to Xiangfan. Many townsfolk have already moved to settle there. That place lacks everything. It is exactly the right time to do business."
Seeing the man nod thoughtfully, the ship owner returned the nod, leapt aboard, and shouted for departure.
The man returned to the scholar's side, patted his shoulder, and laughed loudly.
"Fortunately, Jiangxia did not fall while it was in Zijing's hands."
These two were none other than Lu Su and Gan Ning.
After the matters in Jingnan were settled, the two had originally intended to hide their achievements and quietly head north, then turn east to first return to Gan Ning's hometown and make arrangements.
Unexpectedly, Shi Hui proved far too enthusiastic. One day he spoke of several idle estates in Jiaozhou. The next, he mentioned refugee scholars with daughters awaiting marriage. The day after that, he simply dragged the two of them into long discussions about Jiaozhou's future. The meaning behind his words could not have been more obvious, forcing the two to spend considerable effort declining again and again.
Only after finally making Shi Xie's son give up his hopes and informing him that they would soon head north did Shi Hui one day cheerfully find them and inform them that he had already written a letter of recommendation on their behalf to the Jiangling Prefect, addressed to the Imperial Uncle.
In front of them both, Shi Hui spoke with great fervor.
"It is only thanks to the guidance of you two gentlemen that I have caught the Imperial Uncle's eye. How could I dare to claim credit?"
As if afraid they would still worry, Shi Hui repeatedly assured them, pounding his chest so hard it thundered.
"Please rest assured, gentlemen. That Jiangling Prefect, I know him well."
In the end, the northbound fleet and its escort were all arranged by Shi Hui. With no alternative, they could only go meet the Jiangling Prefect who was said to be on familiar terms with him.
As they traveled north toward Jiangling, bits and pieces of news gradually reached their ears.
Despite various unpleasant feelings, Lü Meng's death still made Lu Su sigh in regret and Gan Ning feel wistful.
Hearing now that Jiangxia had also changed hands, Lu Su inexplicably felt a trace of loneliness.
The household guards Shi Hui had sent to escort them did not share such complicated emotions. After arriving in Jiangling, they eagerly went to submit their calling cards and then hurried back just as eagerly.
"Master Lu, Master Gan, shall we enter the city?"
Gan Ning naturally had no objections. He even took interest in leading the way, clicking his tongue in admiration from time to time.
After all, this Jiangling was completely different from what he remembered. Inside the city, merchant houses stood in rows, residences pressed against one another, crowds brushing shoulders in ceaseless bustle. Its lively scene was entirely unlike Jianye.
The escort enthusiastically explained as they walked.
"Gentlemen, the Jiangling Prefect is busy with official matters. We will wait a few days at the relay lodge. I will make more trips on your behalf."
Gan Ning teased him.
"Did not your master say he was well acquainted with the Prefect?"
The guard replied with humor.
"The Prefect holds high office and great authority. Those acquainted with him number well over a hundred."
Gan Ning burst into laughter. Then, seeing a squad of guards appear on the street ahead, he sighed.
"It seems we will not need to wait a few days after all."
"Are you also acquainted with the Prefect, sir?"
Hearing the opposing guards call out the surnames Gan and Lu, Gan Ning laughed heartily.
"I have long admired him. How could I not be acquainted?"
The guard immediately felt deep admiration for Master Gan's composure. Then he saw the Prefectural Guards surround the area. After confirming the two gentlemen's surnames, they became even more attentive than he was, leading them straight toward the Prefect's residence.
Jiang Wan processed documents while repeatedly glancing absentmindedly toward the doorway. After several such moments, a servant finally came to report.
Before the servant could even speak, Jiang Wan threw down his brush and jumped to his feet.
"You have received them?"
"They have arrived in the main hall."
"Excellent, excellent!" Jiang Wan laughed loudly.
Thus, before the tea Gan Ning had just sat down with could even cool, a refined gentleman with a face like carved jade hurried out from the inner hall. He was already laughing before he drew near.
"Gan Xingba, Lu Zijing, you two truly made me wait!"
Without giving them any chance to deny it, he spoke swiftly and directly.
"Zijing, both Lord Xuande and Kongming wish to invite you to travel to Guanzhong."
Gan Ning asked curiously, "For what purpose?"
Jiang Wan's expression turned solemn.
"To fulfill Zijing's lifelong wish."
"To govern countless living people, and bring peace to all under Heaven."