The Lightscreen had laid it out plain. Zhou Gongjin was running out of time. And Liu Bei found himself torn in two.
On one hand, who could deny the man's brilliance? He had carved out Jiangdong, then stood tall at Red Cliffs and sent Cao Cao's mighty fleet up in smoke. Talented, sharp, handsome. Truly, there was only one Zhou Lang under Heaven.
On the other hand, Zhou Yu was also his enemy. Make no mistake about it. Lu Su's secret letters made it crystal clear: Zhou Yu viewed Liu Bei in almost exactly the same light he viewed Cao Cao. Something to be managed, contained, and ideally removed. So when the Lightscreen first let slip that the great commander had not long to live, Liu Bei could not help but feel a flicker of relief. Maybe Heaven itself was clearing the path.
But then there was the other part. The heavy regret that such a hero should burn out so young.
It was not until two months ago, when he had actually met Zhou Yu face to face on the riverbank for negotiations, that Liu Bei finally understood something. Whether Zhou Yu lived or died was never going to be his choice. It was not in anyone's hands but the man's own. And the sickness eating him alive.
From what the future would call it, the condition sounded severe. An aggressive bacterial infection. Liu Bei had asked Zhang Zhongjing about it once, off to the side. The old doctor had been blunt. If the infected flesh had been cut away early, followed by months of proper rest, then maybe.
But a man like Zhou Yu? Pushing through the pain, ignoring the fever, riding and marching as if nothing was wrong? He was not fighting the sickness. He was just waiting for it to catch up.
And even if Liu Bei went and told Sun Quan all that, it would sound like a cheap trick. Slander. No one would believe it. So why bother?
Once he had accepted that, Liu Bei found himself settling. When the news arrived now, he did not feel triumph or sorrow. Just the sense that things were unfolding as they must.
Besides, if Gongjin did not fall, where would Pang Tong come from?
"Zhou Gongjin is critically ill?"
Zhuge Liang looked genuinely surprised. He unfolded the two secret letters, his eyes scanning quickly. He did not need to read every word. The picture formed instantly.
One letter came from Jiangxia. A vessel had slipped out of Jiangling under cover of night, sailing toward Chaisang.
The other came from Jiangling itself. The city's guard rotations were stretching longer and longer. The gaps were widening.
"Lu Zijing's diplomacy is bearing fruit," Zhuge Liang murmured. "Zhou Yu has gone to Chaisang to rest. And likely to press Sun Quan for permission to march into Yizhou."
He looked up, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Congratulations, my lord. Jiangling is practically sitting in our palms already."
Liu Bei thought for a moment, then gave up trying to work it out himself. "How do we play this?"
"Send another letter to Sun Quan," Zhuge Liang said smoothly. "Remind him again how fiercely Yue Jin fights at Xiangyang-Fancheng. Tell him we are willing to lead the vanguard if Zhou Yu marches west. But out of reluctance to see kinsmen shed kinsmen's blood, we would rather strike north into Hanzhong instead."
He reached into his sleeve and fished out a letter already written, sealed and ready.
"Have Mi Zifang deliver this secretly. Send both letters together. Then watch how quickly Jiangling falls into our hands."
A moment later, Mi Zhu stepped in to receive the order. He took the letter from his lord's hands, his expression a tangled mess of emotions. Shame mixed with gratitude. Frustration over his younger brother's foolishness tangled with genuine admiration for Zhuge Liang's quick, clever mind.
"Zhu will not fail you, my lord!"
---
Late May, Dantu.
Lu Su brushed road dust from his sleeves as he stepped inside. He found Sun Quan in high spirits. Unusually so.
"Come, Zijing!" Sun Quan called, raising a cup. "Drink this cup of Nine-Brew Spring wine down to the dregs!"
His cheeks were flushed, and with his distinctive jade-green eyes and reddish-purple beard, the alcohol only made him look more striking. Lu Su accepted the cup, caught the rich aroma, and downed it in one go.
"I thank you for the wine, my lord. What has the banquet in such high spirits today?"
Sun Quan snatched the empty cup back and waved for a refill. Then he laughed, loud and hearty.
"This banquet is to see Zishan off! Lai Gong of Jiaozhou has written, complaining that Wu Ju humiliated him! Zishan has volunteered to go himself. Says he needs only a thousand men to bring Jiaozhou to heel!"
Lu Su paused. Lai Gong? Had he not already submitted to Liu Bei? Why write now to complain about Wu Ju? Was he secretly turning toward Jiangdong?
He weighed the thought, then shook his head. Unlikely. Neither Lai Gong nor Wu Ju had any history with Jiangdong. Sun Quan's interest in Jiaozhou was real, though. Everyone knew that. Vast lands, scattered people. It would make far more sense to win over Shi Xie with kindness than to march an army all the way there. This felt less like a conquest and more like flexing muscles.
Bu Zhi stepped over with a cup, greeting Lu Su warmly.
"And Zishan's new post?" Lu Su asked.
"Inspector of Jiaozhou," Sun Quan said, clapping Bu Zhi firmly on the shoulder. He was clearly pleased.
"And that is not all!" He raised his refilled cup again. "Liu Bei has written! Says if Gongjin marches into Yizhou, he will strike Hanzhong instead. Pretends he cannot bear to see kinsmen fight kinsmen! Hah!"
He took another long drink, then let out a small, unrefined hiccup.
"Such cheap tricks! So obvious! He wants to swallow Hanzhong the same way he swallowed the four commanderies of Jingzhou! Does he think he is Emperor Gaozu reborn?"
Lu Su glanced at Bu Zhi, who tactfully smiled, bowed, and withdrew, claiming the wine was going to his head. Then Lu Su stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"The Grand Commander received a secret letter from Gong'an recently," he said. "It claims Liu Bei has grown overconfident. Brags openly that Guan Yunchang has no equal under Heaven, and that the four commanderies are unbreakable."
"Also, Cao Cao has Yue Jin stationed at Xiangyang-Fancheng. That man leads from the front. I fear come the seventh month, he will move first. Straight for Jiangling."
"In my view, we should hand Jiangling over to Liu Bei. Let us see who is truly stronger: Yue Jin or Guan Yu."
Sun Quan's eyes cleared. He considered for a long moment.
"Where did this secret letter come from?"
"Mi Zhu's younger brother," Lu Su said. "He has expensive tastes and a short temper. Mi Zhu poured the family fortune into Liu Bei's pirate ship, and the brother has been simmering with resentment ever since."
"Can we trust him?" Sun Quan asked. That was always the real question.
Lu Su smoothly shifted gears. "Lady Sun's attendants also report that a papermaking workshop has gone up in Gong'an. They say Mi Zhu paid a fortune to smuggle the technique out of Cao Cao's territory. Capable of making Zuo Bo paper. Liu Bei intends to fund his armies by selling it."
"Your man claims he has stolen part of the method," Lu Su continued. "Wants to sell it to the Grand Commander for three hundred gold."
"Three hundred gold?!"
Sun Quan had just picked up a brush to practice some calligraphy and sober up. Hearing this, his hand jerked. The brush skidded across the page, ruining a perfectly fine sheet of, ironically, Zuo Bo paper. He stared, equal parts shocked and pained.
"Has he lost his mind? One hundred... no! Ten gold! Take it or leave it. And if he refuses, send the whole story to Liu Bei!"
"The Grand Commander has already paid," Lu Su said, looking a little awkward. "He thought even a fragment could help test whether the man is reliable. And having a transaction on paper binds him tighter for future messages."
"Fine. What a grasping little villain." Sun Quan scowled. "Has anyone checked if it is real?"
"Craftsmen in Chaisang have looked it over," Lu Su said. "Most think it is genuine. Though actually making Zuo Bo paper will take time and plenty of resources."
"Never mind." Sun Quan made up his mind. "Send word. Tell Liu Bei to move into Jiangling. When Gongjin recovers and marches on Yizhou, we will press Liu Bei to lead the way. And if things go wrong? Everything in Gong'an will fall right into my hands."
He narrowed his eyes.
"When this is all over, find that wretch who charged three hundred gold. And have him executed."
He turned to Lu Su. "What do you think, Zijing?"
Lu Su bowed, his expression perfectly pleased. "Your decision is excellent, my lord."
---
"So this is Jiangling?" Zhang Fei's face fell. He looked around, thoroughly underwhelmed. "This is the mighty fortress everyone is talking about?"
"Easy now, Yide," Huang Zhong said, riding up beside him with a chuckle. "If Jiangling is going to become that fortress, it will be because Yunchang built it up. Right now it is just a major city in Nan Commandery."
Guan Yu rode ahead, saying nothing. He watched the city rise up before them, his expression calm. But anyone who knew him well would have seen the spark in his eyes.
In this life, the Jiangling I build with my own hands will shake the world. To merely inherit it under another man's name? That would be a tragedy.
Further still ahead rode Liu Bei, alone in thought.
"Big Brother," Guan Yu asked, pulling up beside him. "Why is Kongming not with us?"
He admired the strategy. Truly. Forging Mi Fang's handwriting, playing Sun Quan and Zhou Yu against each other, even getting paid for the privilege. They had secured Jiangling a full year ahead of what the Lightscreen had shown. That was no small thing. So why was Kongming not here to see it?
"Kongming..." Liu Bei's voice dropped, heavy with concern. "A messenger arrived from Wu Ziqing. There may be trouble brewing in Jiaozhou."