"My lord, who exactly is Ma Zhong?"
That was Pang Tong's first question.
He was not someone with perfect recall, yet after spending nearly a year as Zhou Yu's close attendant, he knew the officials and generals of Jiangdong quite well. At the very least, anyone worth noting should have left some impression.
He ran through his memory once.
Nothing.
He ran through it again, slower this time.
Still nothing.
After a third pass with no result, Pang Tong finally gave up and turned to Liu Bei for an answer.
"Ma Zhong may serve under Pan Zhang as a gate commandant, but he possesses great talent and carries loyalty to the Han within his heart." Liu Bei spoke with clear interest. "Shun rose from the fields, and Baili Xi was lifted from servitude. A worthy man reduced to a mere soldier is truly a waste."
Pang Tong studied Liu Bei's expression, trying to detect even the slightest trace of exaggeration or fabrication, but found none. That only made things stranger.
A mere gate officer… a great talent?
Something about that did not sit right.
But then his thoughts shifted.
Compared to the other mourners, Liu Bei had shown neither deep grief nor hidden delight. Even when he looked back at the mourning hall after paying respects, there had only been a fleeting hint of regret, gone in an instant.
And he had arrived early. Among the first.
Pang Tong's heart tightened.
The conclusion formed almost on its own.
The lord already knew Zhou Gongjin would not live long.
But how could that be possible?
Zhou Yu's condition had been tightly sealed. Pang Tong himself had ensured that. Even Lu Su did not know the full truth.
His eyes widened.
Kongming.
Only that man could pierce through layers of confusion and glimpse the truth from afar, sitting in Jing Province yet seeing clearly into Jiangdong.
Was it deduction from scattered information, patiently pieced together, or had he planted informants close to Zhou Yu?
Either way, the result was terrifying.
For a brief moment, Pang Tong felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. He had not even met Zhuge Liang again, yet he could already imagine that calm, almost careless handsome face, smiling as if everything was already understood.
That pressure forced him to act at once.
"If that is the case, I am willing to invite Ma Zhong on my lord's behalf." Pang Tong leaned forward slightly, then added, "Yesterday my lord arrived together with Bu Zhi. Was that for designs upon Jiaozhou?"
Without waiting for Liu Bei to ask, he explained.
"Bu Zishan is a trusted confidant of Marquis Sun. He holds the nominal title of Inspector of Jiaozhou and has been appointed Conquering South General. His intentions toward Jiaozhou are obvious."
"But yesterday, when I saw him leave the residence of Marquis Sun, his face was full of dejection. It seems my lord has already disrupted that plan."
"I offer my congratulations. However, does my lord intend to seize Jiaozhou?"
Ah. That feeling again.
Liu Bei shifted into a more comfortable position, letting his mind relax completely as he smiled.
"What do you think, Shiyuan?"
Pang Tong considered carefully before answering.
"Jiaozhou is vast but sparsely populated. The southern tribes are difficult to control, and Shi Xie is cautious by nature. With only the four commanderies of Jing Province, even if my lord seeks it, it would be difficult to eliminate Shi Xie's wavering loyalties."
"It would be better to secretly support Shi Xie and prevent him from falling into the hands of Marquis Sun. Then take Yi Province, advance into Hanzhong, seize Guanzhong, and strike at Cao Cao. Once that is achieved, Shi Xie will naturally become an ally rather than an enemy."
Liu Bei nodded in satisfaction.
"As expected of Shiyuan. Your plan aligns closely with Kongming's."
The faint excitement that had just surfaced on Pang Tong's face vanished instantly.
The young phoenix rose to his feet.
"I will go seek out Ma Zhong at once."
Watching Pang Tong's diligent figure depart, Liu Bei could not help but sigh inwardly in admiration.
So this is the Young Phoenix.
And as Pang Tong walked through the mourning-white streets of Dantu, he let out a quiet sigh of his own.
So this is the Sleeping Dragon.
He quickened his pace, recalling Pan Zhang along the way.
A gambler. A drinker. Poor, yet greedy.
He shook his head.
A man like that had a hidden talent under him? Then it must be taken.
Before Liu Bei could fully settle into the joy of gaining Pang Tong, a servant arrived with another report.
"My lord, a visitor seeks audience. He claims to be a merchant from Xuzhou, an old acquaintance."
Liu Bei immediately broke into a wide grin and went out to greet him. The moment he saw the man, he stepped forward and clasped his hands.
"Zizhong!"
"My lord." Mi Zhu withdrew his hand and bowed in greeting.
"Come inside, we will talk."
He practically dragged Mi Zhu into the room and had him seated, then looked at his face with concern.
"You have been overworking yourself of late."
"The fault of my younger brother lies with me…"
"Zifang has long come of age," Liu Bei cut him off, unwilling to dwell on it. "Before coming to Jiangdong, I ordered Chen Dao to assign men to watch over him. He will be safe."
"Have you encountered any difficulties here?"
Mi Zhu suppressed his gratitude and pulled out a hidden slip of paper from within his robes.
"One thousand two hundred rolls of Zhuge Paper have been sold. Please review."
As Liu Bei unfolded the document, Mi Zhu continued.
"As for the person my lord instructed me to find… Lu Xun… there is still no trace."
The slip was filled with figures. Liu Bei read through it slowly, struggling somewhat with the accounting, but the final profit was unmistakable.
Over a million coins.
He read that number several times, unable to hide the smile spreading across his face.
Then, at Mi Zhu's words, his brows lifted.
"No such name?"
Mi Zhu nodded.
"The Lu clan is a prominent family in Jiangdong, but after suffering under Yuan Shu, their numbers are few."
"Lu Jun, styled Xiucai, once served as Commandant of Jiujiang."
"Lu Kang, styled Gongji, served as Assistant Clerk and later as Administrator of Yulin. His son is Lu Yi, styled Boyan, currently serving as Colonel of Establishing Might."
"Lu Mao, styled Zizhang, younger brother of Lu Yi, serves as Commandant of Agricultural Colonies."
"Lu Gongji has two sons, Lu Hong and Lu Rui, with the eldest not yet seven years old."
Mi Zhu produced another slip, where everything was neatly listed.
Liu Bei read it, feeling a growing sense of frustration.
The Lu clan in Jiangdong now consisted of only these two branches. Everything was clear at a glance.
Except for the one name he wanted most.
Lu Xun was nowhere to be found.
I should have asked Shiyuan earlier.
Liu Bei felt a twinge of regret, but still pressed on.
"You are certain nothing was missed?"
"I spent a full month traveling while selling paper. The Lu clan has few descendants. All are recorded here."
Mi Zhu spoke with confidence. This was not something he would get wrong.
"Could it be someone changed his name to Lu Xun, or perhaps later generations made an error?" Mi Zhu offered.
Liu Bei had considered that possibility as well, but it led to another question.
"Why would a prominent young man of a great Jiangdong clan change his name?"
Name changes were usually done to avoid taboos, but the Light Screen had clearly shown that Marquis Sun would live for many years.
If it were for avoidance, the name would have been changed long ago. Why wait?
Liu Bei scratched his head, growing irritated, then suddenly proposed a bold idea.
"What if we visit them one by one?"
"Impossible." Mi Zhu could not help but laugh. "Zhou Gongjin's funeral is ongoing. Even Marquis Sun's own subordinates must avoid suspicion. Your status is far too sensitive…"
Liu Bei understood and could only put the list away with a reluctant click of his tongue.
"Then what about Lü Meng? Is he truly just a reckless warrior with courage but no strategy?"
"That is something I also wished to report…" Mi Zhu hesitated slightly.
"From what I have heard in Dantu, Lü Meng is indeed fierce, prone to violence, and quick to kill. However, since last year, his household has been continuously purchasing classics and texts."
"For his sons' education?"
Mi Zhu shook his head.
"His two sons, Lü Cong and Lü Ba, are already thirteen or fourteen. They have long passed the age of basic learning."
"That is interesting." Liu Bei chuckled. "A man of thirty suddenly turning to study. Who would have thought that a reckless killer could one day become the Grand Commander of Jiangdong?"
But starting now…
It is too late.
Fu Shiren has been reassigned, Mi Fang is already under watch, and Jiangling is fortifying double walls.
Let us see how you plan to cross the river in white robes this time.