Bu Zhi truly could not understand it.
No matter how he replayed the sequence in his mind, there was no explanation for how Zhang Fei had appeared here.
When news reached Lingling that Lai Gong had stormed off in anger, Marquis Sun Quan reacted immediately. The strategy was clean, efficient, ruthless:
Seize Cangwu.
Press into Nanhai.
Use force to intimidate Shi Xie.
Bu Zhi had waited years for this moment.
Born into no great clan, he had clawed his way up through reputation and learning, finally earning Sun Quan's recognition as a Recommended Talent—a Maocai, a man singled out as worth cultivating. This was his proving ground.
And everything had gone perfectly.
The appointment as Inspector.
The troop deployments.
The banquet trap for Wu Ju.
Perfect.
Until Zhang Fei descended like a thunderbolt.
Among Jiangdong's great clans, Liu Bei was discussed often—but rarely as a man. They spoke instead of his Tiger Generals.
Guan Yu, who cut down Yan Liang in a single clash.
Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei, who shattered Cao Cao's army at Changban Slope.
So bitter, Bu Zhi thought.
He dared not move as Zhang Fei calmly walked past him, pulled the jet-black spear from the stone floor, and slung it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.
"Stunned?" Zhang Fei waved a hand in front of Bu Zhi's face. "So—you're the one who wants to murder the Governor of Cangwu?"
"Not—not so!" Bu Zhi hurriedly replied. "My name is Bu Zhi, Inspector of Jiaozhou, personally appointed by Marquis Sun. I came here to—"
"What a silver-tongued dog!" Zhang Fei roared, the sound detonating in Bu Zhi's ears.
"You call yourself the Inspector of Jiaozhou?"
Bu Zhi nodded instinctively, his mind still reeling.
"Dog-talent, what nerve!" Zhang Fei cursed. "Lai Gong—my Lord's old friend—is the Inspector of Jiaozhou appointed by the Emperor himself! Loyal, righteous, blameless!"
"Marquis Sun is a fine minister of Han," Zhang Fei continued, advancing step by step. "How could he dare overstep imperial authority and appoint a dog like you? Does he disregard the Son of Heaven?!"
"And today," Zhang Fei thundered, "you even raised rebel troops to murder Governor Wu, tearing open a rift between my Lord and Marquis Sun!"
"I ought to take your head to Danthu and ask the Marquis face to face!"
"General Zhang—mercy!" Bu Zhi's courage collapsed entirely. "I swear I came only to assist Governor Wu against the Southern Barbarians!"
"Oh?" Zhang Fei smirked, resting the spear casually across Bu Zhi's shoulder. "Then I've wronged you."
"In that case," he said cheerfully, "come fight alongside me!"
The Jiangdong troops had been positioned to ambush Wu Ju.
But the moment fighting broke out, everything unraveled.
A thousand Tiger-and-Wolf soldiers surged in like a tidal wave. Their commander charged straight into the inner hall, seized Inspector Bu alive—and then emerged smiling, arm slung companionably around him.
He announced loudly that both forces would unite to strike the Southern Barbarians.
The Jiangdong soldiers followed in a daze.
One tried to speak up.
A sharper comrade slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Do you know who that commander is?"
"So what?"
"That's Zhang Fei of Dangyang Bridge."
"…I see."
"Then shut up if you want to keep your head."
Moments later, they watched in disbelief as Zhang Fei left five hundred men behind and led the other five hundred straight into two to three thousand barbarians.
The long spear—meant for horseback—moved in his hands like an embroidery needle.
Those pierced by the point lost their heads instantly.
Those struck by the shaft collapsed, twitching their last breaths away.
The barbarians had come expecting easy plunder.
Instead, they had bitten iron.
Their morale shattered. What followed was slaughter.
Watching the carnage, the sharp-eyed soldier whispered, "Looks like… we're Han troops now."
Zhang Fei slammed a barbarian sub-leader into the ground with his left hand, grabbed another with his right, twisted his waist—
Crack.
Blood and fragments sprayed.
He spat and laughed at the fleeing survivors.
"Satisfying!"
Bu Zhi had long abandoned thoughts of escape.
He bowed deeply. "General Zhang's heavenly might is unmatched! Since the danger is resolved, I shall return to Jiangdong and explain this misunderstanding—"
"Since we're related by marriage," Zhang Fei interrupted casually, "why not visit Lady Sun in Gong'an first?"
"After that, my brother will naturally send a boat to Danthu."
"How does that sound?"
It sounded disastrous.
But Bu Zhi nodded anyway.
Afterward, Zhang Fei sat with Wu Ju, resting and talking.
"I'll soon visit Inspector Lai," Wu Ju sighed. "My conflict with him was personal. Though I forced him out, I never drew blood. His departure is my fault."
"I never imagined Marquis Sun would seize the chance like this," Wu Ju added bitterly. "He nearly wrecked Governor Liu's grand plans."
"Ziqing," Zhang Fei said seriously, "don't blame yourself. But be careful."
"Marquis Sun has long coveted Jiaozhou. Work closely with Inspector Lai—and watch for secret envoys trying to wedge you between him and Shi Xie."
Wu Ju felt the weight settle on his shoulders.
After further discussion, he smiled faintly. "General Zhang, you're as detail-minded as you were back in Jing Province."
"Heh." Zhang Fei waved it off. "Go handle your affairs. I'll rest a day or two before returning to Jiangling."
"Cao the Traitor will come again soon."
After Wu Ju left, a shifty-eyed personal guard stepped forward, fanning Zhang Fei while helping remove his armor.
"General," he whispered, "should we confiscate the Wu troops' weapons? Just to be safe?"
"Do it," Zhang Fei nodded. "You joined last year, right? Your name is… Fan Qiang?"
"Yes!"
"Go quickly."
Fan Qiang practically floated away. "Zhang Da! Zhang Da! The General's orders—come help!"
Zhang Fei chuckled to himself.
If a fake letter from that Mi family wastrel sold for three hundred gold, he thought,
then a living Bu Zhi must be worth at least five hundred.
On Jiangling's walls, Guan Yu and Huang Zhong stood watching the steady stream of people crossing the river from Gong'an.
Joy was unmistakable on their faces.
"The Military Counselor truly made the people come willingly," Guan Yu said.
Huang Zhong nodded. "Jiangling was once a major fortress. But after Cao the Traitor's invasion and Cao Ren's defense…"
"Two or three parts died. Two or three were conscripted. Two or three fled."
"Only ten to twenty percent remained."
He gestured at the land beyond the walls. "Empty houses. Untilled fields. How could the Jiang-Huai refugees not come?"
"In the end," Huang Zhong said quietly, "they want only food, clothing, and a roof that doesn't leak."
Guan Yu bowed deeply.
The two left the battlements in silence.
"Rebuilding Jiangling doesn't worry me militarily," Kongming said to Liu Bei, reviewing reports from the four commanderies. "With the new defenses, even if Cao the Traitor hears rumors, his suspicious nature will make him doubt them."
"By the Autumn Equinox," Kongming continued, "Yue Jin's temperament will force an attack."
"We should have Yunchang, Zilong, Yide, and General Hansheng strike together."
"Of course," Liu Bei said, beaming. His foundation finally felt solid.
Seeing Liu Bei idle, Kongming added dryly, "Since my Lord has time, why not help with the harvest?"
"That works," Liu Bei laughed, grabbing a bamboo hat.
Before leaving, he asked, "Kongming—you went to the fields yesterday. How is the yield?"
"3.1 dan per mu," Kongming replied calmly. "Once composting improves later this year, it will be higher."
"3.1?!" Liu Bei exclaimed. "That's rice! Even 2.8 is a great harvest!"
"The people on the light screen can reach ten," Kongming said evenly. "An increase of three-tenths is hardly worth mention."
Liu Bei burst into laughter.
"Kongming—to the people, this is an unmistakable auspicious omen!"