Zhao Zuo left Jiangzhou at dawn.
That same evening, as the sun dipped low, Liu Bei stepped across the threshold of Yan Yan's residence.
"Wait here," Liu Bei said calmly.
Outside the wall, Gan Gui nodded and stayed put.
In theory, the eight hundred elite soldiers of the Embroidered Sail Guard belonged to Gan Gui personally. In practice, Gan Gui had waved his hand and declared, "Use them however the lord wishes."
So Liu Bei did not stand on ceremony. The men were temporarily reassigned to Guan Yu to train the navy.
As for the massive warship blueprints Gan Gui had brought back, they were already in Huang Yueying's hands. Once she and the shipwrights fully understood the structure, an entirely new generation of river warships would follow.
With his troops reassigned and his blueprints delivered, Gan Gui suddenly found himself… idle.
Naturally, he begged to follow Liu Bei into Yi Province.
What surprised Liu Bei was that when they passed Linjiang, Gan Gui didn't ask to return home—not even once.
"I was born in Jingzhou," Gan Gui said, gazing at Linjiang from afar.
Longing, nostalgia, hesitation—several emotions flickered across his face before hardening into resolve.
"I don't want to go back alone."
Jiangzhou's novelty wore off for Gan Gui within half a day. It was neither as lively as Dantu nor as prosperous as Gong'an. So when Liu Bei went to visit Yan Yan, Gan Gui reverted to his role as personal guard.
After giving his instructions, Liu Bei entered the small gate.
It wasn't a grand manor—just a simple courtyard.
Inside, an elderly general with graying hair was practicing with a heavy wooden staff. The weapon whistled through the air, stirring dust with each swing.
Seeing a visitor, the old general spun the staff once and slammed it into the ground with a bang, dust erupting.
"Who are you?"
Liu Bei paused. Then he realized—when he had called for surrender beneath Jiangzhou's walls, he'd been fully armored and helmeted. Yan Yan had never seen his face.
"I am Chen Dao," Liu Bei said smoothly, "a personal guard of Imperial Uncle Liu, here to invite General Yan to serve the Han."
Yan Yan burst into laughter.
"Ha! What an audacious thief!" he roared.
"Your master seized Yi Province by force, and you still dare knock on my door?"
"This place has only beheaded generals," Yan Yan shouted,
"never spineless turncoats!"
Liu Bei frowned slightly. This temper was… explosive.
Before he could speak, Gan Gui—who'd been waiting just beyond the wall—couldn't hold back anymore and charged in.
"Don't want to surrender, fine!" Gan Gui barked.
"But how dare you insult my lord!"
"I wouldn't want your old bones anyway!"
Yan Yan didn't bother replying.
He raised his staff and struck.
Gan Gui didn't hesitate either—he darted aside, snatched up another staff from the ground, and counterattacked.
The courtyard erupted.
Staffs clashed. Dust flew.
They exchanged several rounds, but Yan Yan had just finished weapon practice and was already breathing hard.
Gan Gui grinned. "Old general! See the might of the Gan family spear techniques!"
Yan Yan halted, squinting. "Gan… from Linjiang?"
Gan Gui puffed out his chest. "Exactly!"
Yan Yan's eyes sharpened. "Then your father is that river bandit—Gan Ning?"
"Embroidered Sail!" Gan Gui flushed and attacked again.
After several more exchanges, Yan Yan deliberately exposed an opening. Gan Gui struck his leg—
—but Yan Yan's staff was already at Gan Gui's chest.
He pushed lightly.
"You'd be dead, boy."
Both men froze.
Though they used staffs, the techniques were battlefield spear methods. Gan Gui understood instantly—had this been real steel, he would already be a corpse.
He dropped his staff cleanly. "Old man's got skill."
Yan Yan snorted. "Your father might be qualified to say that."
Then Yan Yan frowned, examining Gan Gui carefully.
"Gan Xingba rebelled again?"
"My father didn't betray Jiangdong," Gan Gui snapped.
"I chose my lord."
Yan Yan huffed. "And who are you?"
"You don't even know who you're entertaining?" Yan Yan scoffed.
"Linjiang's Yan Yan. Your father called me elder brother before he left Yi Province."
His gaze finally shifted to Liu Bei, who'd been watching with interest.
"…Liu Xuande?"
Liu Bei clasped his hands. "General Yan's might is as famed as ever."
Yan Yan opened his mouth—
—but Liu Bei spoke first.
"General Yan," Liu Bei said evenly,
"are you loyal to the Han, or loyal to a Liu Zhang who abandons this land?"
"If you say Liu Zhang," Liu Bei continued,
"I will turn and leave at once."
Yan Yan hesitated.
Finally, he said hoarsely, "I am a servant of the Han."
Liu Bei smiled.
In one stride, he seized Yan Yan's hands.
"Then I beg the old general—help me purge traitors and restore the Han."
"Uncle!" Gan Gui added eagerly.
Yan Yan's resolve softened. Slowly, he nodded.
Liu Bei laughed, gripping his hands firmly.
Gan Gui grinned. "Uncle, I swear I heard you say 'beheaded general' earlier."
Yan Yan's face darkened instantly. He grabbed his staff and gave chase.
"Today I'll discipline the Gan family for good—don't run, brat!"
By mid-July, Zhao A was squatting on a field ridge, counting accounts with his rear in the air.
To be precise—he wasn't counting anything.
He was staring happily at a pile of circles and crosses.
Master Li had calculated it for him. What each symbol meant? Zhao A forgot. How much more he'd earned than last year? Also forgotten.
Zhao A only knew one thing.
Under his bed was a clay jar.
Inside it—yellow, shining copper coins.
Last year, that jar had held only ten wuzhu coins. They barely covered the bottom.
He couldn't bring himself to wipe the marks away. Instead, he covered them with stones, planning to admire them again tomorrow.
So what now?
Normally, July was consumed by threshing grain. But now there was a water-powered mill. Pay a little, and the work was done.
For the first time in his life, Zhao A had a free July.
One thought filled his mind.
I want to see Jiangling.
He ran to the river. A small pier stood there. Downstream led straight to Jingzhou.
Clutching his coin pouch tightly, Zhao A boarded a boat.
For the first time in his life, Zigui shrank behind him.
A new world unfolded.
The scenery raced past. Voices filled the air.
"Did you hear? Chengdu's fighting again."
"Again? Didn't Zhao Wei rebel years ago?"
"This time it's a General Pang—fighting Liu Yizhou."
"Bah!" someone spat.
"Better let Imperial Uncle Liu be governor!"
"Hey! Don't spit in my boat!" the boatman yelled.
"Where's the Imperial Uncle now?"
"Jiangzhou."
"Where's that?"
"No idea. Far, probably."
Half an hour later, Zhao A clung to the railing, pale-faced.
I'll walk back next time, he swore.
But before noon, a massive city appeared.
Jiangling.
When he disembarked, Zhao A's head spun.
So many people. So many smells. So many voices.
He wandered—silk he couldn't afford, meat he couldn't carry, paper he couldn't read, iron tools he almost bought.
Finally—food.
While hesitating—
BAM.
He collided with someone.
He looked up.
First thought: What a magnificent beard.
Second thought: What a fearsome general.
"Are you hurt?" the man asked.
"I—I'm fine!" Zhao A scrambled up.
After watching the bearded general leave, Zhao A ducked into a noodle shop.
"I'll take a big bowl of lamb soup noodles!"
He slapped his coin pouch confidently.
Guan Yu continued walking, speaking to Zhao Lei.
"The navy's training should continue as is."
Zhao Lei nodded. "The Embroidered Sail Guard suggests building a shipyard in Jiangzhou."
Guan Yu shook his head. "For Chengdu alone, giant ships are unnecessary. Within three months, Chengdu will surrender."
Zhao Lei smiled. "They just want to build a grand ship and return home in glory."
Guan Yu sighed. "Tell them—one more foolish proposal, and they'll escort grain convoys to Jiangzhou."
Zhao Lei recorded it, amused.
As Guan Yu strolled Jiangling, he recalled images from the light-screen—and another white-haired 'General Guan'.
"This city," he murmured,
"should bear my name someday."
"General?" Zhao Lei asked.
Guan Yu shook his head. "Any news from Jiangdong?"
"Last month they argued endlessly over your western advance," Zhao Lei said.
"This month—silence."
Guan Yu stroked his beard.
"The Jiangdong rats," he said calmly,
"are coming."