Chapter 72: Meeting Liu Wenjing and Lady Li

Dusk descended.

Far from being deserted or bleak, the city of Jinyang only grew livelier as twilight fell. The voices of women inviting customers outside the taverns brought a splash of color to the streets.

Within the magistrate’s residence, Liu Wenjing, forty-seven, and Pei Ji, forty-three, sat together. Longtime friends, they gathered whenever leisure allowed, drinking and idly chatting in the city’s quiet.

“Master, Captain Wen and Captain Fu request an audience outside!” announced a servant, entering the room and addressing Liu Wenjing.

“Oh?” Liu Wenjing exchanged a glance with Pei Ji; both men broke into smiles.

“Invite them in,” Liu Wenjing instructed.

The servant departed, and soon Wen Dayou entered, accompanied by Fu Zihou.

“Greetings to Master Liu and Master Pei!” Wen Dayou bowed respectfully.

“Fu Zihou, greetings to Master Liu and Master Pei!” Fu Zihou followed suit.

Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji returned the salute, first to Wen Dayou, then turned their attention to Fu Zihou.

“I’ve heard that the infamous bandit Zhang Jinchen was defeated by a young man. I have long admired such valor, and now that I see you, truly you are a hero in youth!” Liu Wenjing praised Fu Zihou, exchanging another smile with Pei Ji.

“I am young, and it was but a stroke of luck,” Fu Zihou replied modestly, raising his hand again.

Liu Wenjing, observing Fu Zihou, smiled but said nothing further.

Fu Zihou noticed the Wen family servant bringing in two small chests and some silk.

“Though it is late, I have come tonight with a token of goodwill. I hope Master Liu and Master Pei will not hesitate to accept it,” said Fu Zihou.

Seeing this, Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji’s eyes changed subtly, as if something occurred to them, but they masked their thoughts with feigned curiosity and surprise.

“Zihou is the grandson-in-law of Old Li. Now that he’s arrived in Jinyang and serves as the captain in charge of East City, I hope Master Liu and Master Pei will look after him in the days to come,” Wen Dayou interjected with a smile.

“It’s quite the coincidence—I only learned of this upon leaving Eagle Command,” Wen Dayou sighed with some regret.

Eagle Command was Wen Dayou’s courtesy title.

Having explained their visit and intentions, Wen Dayou awaited Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji’s decision on whether to accept.

“East City?” Liu Wenjing frowned slightly, then gestured for Wen Dayou and Fu Zihou to be seated.

Seeing this, Wen Dayou and Fu Zihou both relaxed.

In the ensuing conversation, Wen Dayou cheerfully relayed Fu Zihou’s concerns to Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji.

“Haha! Captain Fu, you worry too much! Jinyang is a fortress—who would dare approach?” Pei Ji laughed, shaking his head at Fu Zihou.

Wen Dayou and Fu Zihou’s preparedness and the extra gifts had won Pei Ji’s favor.

“Captain Fu is new to Jinyang, perhaps unfamiliar with its defenses,” Liu Wenjing smiled, nodding.

Fu Zihou listened to Pei Ji and Liu Wenjing, embarrassed, but he raised his hand once more.

“Having witnessed the ferocity of bandits firsthand, I am uneasy. I beg Master Liu and Master Pei for permission to lead the people outside East City in digging a moat for defense,” Fu Zihou said, glancing at both, then lowering his head in feigned shyness.

Wen Dayou looked at Fu Zihou. He had not initially agreed to Fu Zihou’s plan, but seeing Fu Zihou’s persistent anxiety about Pan Changwen, he relented, unwilling to let Fu Zihou live in constant fear.

“A moat?” Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji exchanged a glance, quickly grasping the deeper intention behind Fu Zihou’s request.

Looking at the gifts and at the youthful, sixth-rank martial captain who had come late at night to seek permission, Liu Wenjing felt a sense of pride.

“Though there are no bandits now, digging a moat is a worthy endeavor. Since Captain Fu is prudent, this is a good thing. How could I refuse? Tomorrow, I will submit your request to General Pan,” Liu Wenjing said, stroking his beard.

The Wen family rarely sought favors, and since the young man was Li Gang’s grandson-in-law and had brought generous gifts, Liu Wenjing could not refuse, neither in principle nor sentiment.

“Thank you, Master Liu!” Fu Zihou rose and expressed his gratitude.

Liu Wenjing waved off the formalities, and Fu Zihou sat, listening as Wen Dayou, Liu Wenjing, and Pei Ji exchanged pleasantries.

Soon, a woman nearing forty entered and directed the servants to bring food and drink.

Fu Zihou guessed that she must be his teacher’s elder sister.

“Zihou, this is Lady Liu, the Li family matron,” Wen Dayou explained, as Lady Liu, at Liu Wenjing’s gesture, had the gifts taken away.

“Zihou, greetings to Lady Liu!” Fu Zihou rose and bowed deeply, with utmost respect.

In the hall, not only Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji, but even Wen Dayou was surprised at Fu Zihou’s earnest manners, so unlike the arrogance of youth.

“Lady, though Zihou is young, he is an imperial martial captain!” Liu Wenjing remarked, pleased by Fu Zihou’s humility, his vanity thoroughly satisfied.

“No need for such formalities!” Lady Liu, surprised that this young man held an official rank, smiled and waved off the courtesy.

Fu Zihou lowered his hand, nodded as Lady Liu kindly invited him to dine, and knelt at the table.

He gazed at Lady Liu’s aged face, and after she left, he turned his attention back to Wen Dayou and the others.

Late into the night, Fu Zihou and Wen Dayou finally departed.

After they had gone, Pei Ji turned to Liu Wenjing.

“This Fu Zihou, so young, yet awarded the martial rank. Pan Changwen dislikes him, so he digs a trench to humble himself. With the Wen family’s protection, Pan Changwen will surely not trouble him,” Pei Ji observed.

Bandits were not the real concern; both Liu Wenjing and Pei Ji saw that Fu Zihou sought to placate Pan Changwen by self-abasement.

“Indeed,” Liu Wenjing nodded, sighing deeply.

“Pan Changwen’s character is insignificant. But Zhao Wenke will likely use this chance to curry favor with Pan,” Liu Wenjing said.

He held Pan Changwen in low regard, believing that aside from his background, Pan’s talent and conduct were far inferior to his own.

Not only Pan Changwen, but also the opportunistic Zhao Wenke, Liu Wenjing found unimpressive.

——————————

The next day.

Fu Zihou, assisted by Wen family servants, packed his belongings and left the bustling West City.

He crossed the Fen River by boat.

Compared to West City, East City was much smaller, though the difference was only relative.

Yesterday, Uncle Wen had told him that East City’s walls stretched nearly eleven li, while Eagle Command’s infantry stationed there numbered just over a thousand.

With the west side bordered by the Fen River, the remaining three walls were guarded by only three or four hundred soldiers.

“Greetings, Captain!” “Greetings, Captain!”

At the city gate, the guards saw Fu Zihou’s seal and saluted promptly.

“Go inform all brigade leaders and squad captains to report to my quarters,” Fu Zihou ordered.

“Yes, sir!” The soldiers hurried into the city.

Fu Zihou entered with the Wen family servants, and at once the contrast between East and West City became clear.

East City’s streets were narrower and crowded; many ragged citizens sat in groups along the roadside—some chatted, some begged, some even sold their children.

He saw no trace of prosperity in East City, only the struggle for survival.

His residence was similar in size to that in West City—a courtyard—but unlike West City, it lacked large trees; even the firewood pile held only five or six small sticks.

Soon, six men in armor arrived and saluted.

Among them, only two commanded 250 soldiers each: Hu Jingyuan and Yin Tianzong.

The other four, responsible for fifty soldiers apiece, were Lai Bo, Zhou Xingyao, Ma Huer, and Wu Liuzi.

“Martial Captain, Fu Zihou,” Fu Zihou greeted, then looked at Hu Jingyuan and Yin Tianzong.

“Is the army short-handed? No one to fill the ranks?” Fu Zihou asked quietly.

Hu Jingyuan and Yin Tianzong exchanged glances, smiled awkwardly, but hesitated to speak.

They could hardly admit that, after a year of battling bandits and rescuing the emperor, their ranks were decimated and they had earned no merit.

If word reached General Pan, he could dispose of them with a single command.

“Reporting to Captain, there are no new assignments,” Hu Jingyuan replied tactfully.

Fu Zihou noted their fearful expressions and understood, nodding.

He was relieved to see that, apart from Hu Jingyuan who was forty, the other five were in their twenties or thirties.

“Later, follow me to the barracks. Aside from the city guards, gather all soldiers,” Fu Zihou instructed.

He had expected many officers in East City, varying in character, requiring observation and discernment. Instead, there were only six.

This first experience commanding regular troops of Eagle Command made clear to Fu Zihou how years of Yang Guang’s campaigns against Goguryeo and rampant banditry had depleted the Sui army.

“Yes, sir!” Hu Jingyuan, Yin Tianzong, and the others accepted the order.

Fu Zihou then inquired about the soldiers—their ages, families, and so forth—prompting the four squad captains to share all they knew.

Hu Jingyuan and Yin Tianzong, listening, sensed that this young captain was different from the others.

Note: The rumors concerning Fu Zihou’s deduction about Lu Mingyue in Wanqiu City have spread only among a few notable families, such as the Zhengs of Yingyang and the Weis. Other families and officials remain unaware.