When they departed from Xuchang, the chill of early spring still bit to the bone, cold enough to sting the young and the weak alike.
But here in Jiangdong, winter had already retreated. Spring warmth filled the air, and across the water one could even see unfamiliar waterfowl splashing and playing at leisure.
After passing Ruxukou, what unfolded before Xu Shu and the others was a place called Chungu Valley County.
It was not large, but it had everything a county ought to have.
Merchant vessels came and went without pause, lending this small riverside settlement—nestled between mountain and water—a surprising air of prosperity. Finding a place to stay posed no difficulty at all.
So what was the first thing to do?
"Freed from shackles, the heart returns to heaven and earth," Xu Shu declared with conviction. "Such a moment demands drinking!"
The proposal passed unanimously. After days of life aboard the boat—catching fish or gnawing on dried meat—Dong Jue felt his legs had nearly gone soft.
Perhaps because traveling merchants passed through so often, Chungu Valley's eateries were large and well-stocked.
They ordered steamed flatbread and noodle soup, roasted dog, pan-fried pork, boiled vegetables, preserved greens—one of everything.
To celebrate the strategist's safe journey, Dong Jue even splurged on two sweet melons.
When the shopkeeper split them open and served them, Xu Shu and Shi Tao immediately pounced. In the blink of an eye, both melons vanished, swept away like leaves in a gale.
Patting his belly in satisfaction, Xu Shu let out a heartfelt sigh.
"Thanks to Gong Xi," he said, "I live again!"
Northern winters did have fruit grown in sheltered warm plots, but the cost could never compare to the south. Such luxuries were never meant for someone like Xu Shu.
The fruit lifted his spirits further.
The three of them ate and drank slowly, savoring a rare stretch of leisure.
Another cup of wine later, fragments of conversation drifted over from the neighboring table.
"…Tao San'er was arrested the other day for privately making paper."
"Doing business in Jiangdong just keeps getting harder. Sooner or later I'll pack up and move the whole family to Jiangling."
"Move? How would you move? Better to marry into one of the great clans' daughters."
"Hush! Watch your tongue!"
"Hush my ass! Everyone knows the mulberry-paper method, but only the great clans are allowed to make paper. What kind of justice is that?"
The innkeeper hurried over, whispering reassurances until the table finally quieted down.
After that, the group changed topics.
"My cousin heard they're selling some kind of red malt sugar in Jiangling—said it's incredibly sweet. Might be good business."
A muffled voice replied, "Better if it's just average. If it were truly profitable, would it ever reach people like us?"
After being stifled twice, the group lost interest altogether, ate in silence, and left.
Xu Shu found himself intrigued.
"Gong Xi," he asked, "is trade in Jiangling truly that prosperous now?"
From what Xu Shu had heard while in Xuchang, Jiangling should have been a purely military city—high walls, deep moats, iron defenses, facing Xiangyang and Fancheng, guarding Jingnan.
That was the Jiangling he knew.
But what he'd just overheard didn't quite match that image.
Gong Xi smiled.
"Why the hurry, Strategist? Wait a little longer and see it with your own eyes."
That made sense. Xu Shu was never one to cling to worries, so he set the matter aside and continued eating and drinking.
A good meal.
A clean, comfortable night's rest.
The next day, they slept until the sun was high, ate again, and only then set out.
Unexpectedly, when they reached the docks, the area had already been sealed off by Chungu Valley's county soldiers.
Dong Jue's heart skipped, but seeing a cluster of merchants nearby wearing the same grim expressions, he quickly realized this was an unfortunate coincidence.
Their identities were sensitive—it wasn't wise to stand out. Dong Jue put on a friendly smile and went to ask around. He soon learned the cause.
"Several slave laborers escaped from nearby great households. The county commandant suspects they're hiding among the docked boats."
Xu Shu glanced over. Behind the soldiers sat a portly man sprawled on a folding stool, yawning in boredom.
So they were just waiting?
Xu Shu and the others weren't afraid. Anything important was kept on their persons; their boat was light and simple—there was nothing to find.
Sure enough, the soldiers showed no real intent to search.
Soon, someone from the merchants approached Dong Jue in hushed conversation. Xu Shu watched as Dong Jue grimaced, pulled out his money pouch, and handed over a painful portion of it.
After more murmuring among the merchants, an older man stepped forward with the collected money, bowing and scraping before the county commandant in charge of arrests.
The effect was immediate.
The commandant rose, gathered his men, and left without the slightest hesitation.
Only then did Xu Shu realize they'd been caught in pointless trouble. His hand unconsciously moved to the sword at his waist—then relaxed.
For Jiangdong's great clans, a few escaped slaves were nothing worth chasing.
But for a county commandant, it was a perfect excuse to squeeze money.
That was all.
But when Xu Shu boarded the boat and saw several terrified, ragged figures inside the cabin, he burst out laughing.
"Gong Xi," he said, "looks like your money was well spent after all."
The boat set off once more. The four slaves—now dressed in spare clothes provided by Xu Shu's group—rowed with all their might, saving the three of them a great deal of effort.
Standing at the stern, Xu Shu admired Jiangdong's scenery. Waterwheels slowly turned by the riverbanks; squat houses clustered beside them. Everything felt fresh and new to him.
Dong Jue, however, glanced once and lost interest.
"Strategist," he said, "the waterwheels of Jiangdong are worlds apart from Jingzhou's hydraulic workshops."
Xu Shu had heard Dong Jue speak of Jingzhou's changes before, but he'd only been away for less than four years.
Even if Kongming possessed talent like a sleeping dragon, how much could really have changed?
Seeing Xu Shu's expression, Dong Jue smiled and turned to one of the rowing slaves.
"Tell me," he asked, "how much does it cost to use Jiangdong's waterwheels?"
The slave nodded respectfully.
"In Jiangdong, tenant farmers pay five parts in ten as land tax. If they use the waterwheel, it becomes six."
Without being prompted, he continued, emboldened by their gentle demeanor.
"But everyone knows Liu Governor of Jingzhou is benevolent. Using the hydraulic workshops costs only twenty coins each time—called a maintenance fee."
Xu Shu silently calculated the difference.
The gap was staggering.
Encouraged, the slave added, "We were planning to flee to Jiangling ourselves. Meeting the three benefactors was like meeting Liu Governor himself—so kind and merciful!"
Xu Shu smiled, his curiosity about Jiangling deepening further.
The boat traveled upstream. More and more vessels appeared, and the roads along the river filled with people.
At Pengli Marsh, hundreds of boats stood side by side.
Across Dongting Lake, a thousand sails raced one another.
After crossing Dongting, they continued north along the river.
That day, Dong Jue shouted from the bow, "Strategist—Jiangling is in sight!"
Xu Shu bent low and emerged from the cabin, only to be dazzled.
In the distance stood two massive fortified cities, side by side.
Above them flew a great banner bearing a single character:
Han.
Beneath the flag, enormous crossbow emplacements were stationed at regular intervals along the walls, radiating killing intent.
Soldiers and officers patrolled with heads held high.
Below the walls, commoners and merchants flowed like a tide.
At Jiangling's docks, thousands of traders crowded together, goods piled by the tens of thousands.
Finely woven textiles shimmered like stars.
Raw minerals awaited processing, stacked higher than low walls.
Pedestrians wore bright clothing—enough to put even Xuchang to shame.
Carriages and sedan chairs jammed the streets, evoking memories of Luoyang in its prime.
Cries of hawkers clashed like boiling cauldrons; calls to customers harmonized like music.
With just one glance, Xu Shu nearly lost himself.
"This… is Jiangling?" he murmured. "A military stronghold?"
He couldn't help wondering: If Cao Bandit attacked…
Dong Jue laughed. "With ships everywhere, how hard could it be to withdraw?"
"And General Guan built twin cities—enough to hold nearly a million people."
Xu Shu quickly calculated and shook his head.
General Yunchang was probably already worrying about the city's capacity.
Xu Shu gazed far into the distance, almost imagining a bearded general atop the walls, stroking his beard proudly as he watched the bustling scene below.
He knew it was likely just longing born of separation.
They didn't dock at the main harbor. Dong Jue had written orders, so he directed the former Jiangdong craftsmen to row north, entering through Jiangling's northern water gate.
As the boat turned, Xu Shu's eyes widened in disbelief.
Across the river south of Jiangling lay Gong'an County. Along the banks stood countless waterwheels—larger and more refined than those in Jiangdong.
Iron and wooden components were arranged with exquisite precision. As the river turned the wheels, power was transmitted outward in all directions.
Wooden-bolted belt mechanisms ran north to south, one end linked to massive wheels, the other extending deep into Gong'an City.
Square wooden buckets hung from the belts.
Xu Shu watched as a ship laden with ore docked carefully at a designated spot. The buckets swung down, scooped up ore, then rose naturally, carried back into the city.
Several such mechanisms operated at once.
At a glance, Xu Shu calculated that unloading a full ship required only three overseers and less than half an hour—no hired labor, no carts, no beasts.
Even after stepping onto Jiangling soil, the image lingered in his mind.
He didn't fully understand it, but he remembered Kongming mentioning in a letter that his wife had devoted herself to such studies and achieved breakthroughs.
Kongming had called it—
"How powerful the Department of Craft truly is!" Xu Shu exclaimed.
"She prefers to call it engineering," a voice replied. "Or science."
Xu Shu looked up—and froze in delight.
"General Yunchang!"
"Yuan Zhi!" Guan Yu said warmly. "Who would've thought that after parting in Jingbei, we'd meet again only after so many years!"
He then laughed heartily and clapped Dong Jue on the shoulder.
"Gong Xi risked life and limb to save the strategist—no less a merit than slaying generals and seizing banners!"
Dong Jue smiled modestly and returned the salute.
To him, reuniting old friends was reward enough.
After brief reminiscence, Guan Yu impatiently pulled Xu Shu along.
"Strategist Xu—come! See the Jiangling City that Guan has built!"