Crouching Dragon: The Journey of Zhuge Liang sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“…Ah, I see,” Kongming chuckled softly. “It’s okay, brother… it seems that Lord Liu’s subordinates have different ideas about ‘paying me a visit’.”
“Oh… does that mean we’re okay then?” Jun asked warily.
“Yes, I just said so, didn’t I…?” Kongming said with a laugh. “Go on, find something to do… this is a man I need to speak to alone.”
Liu Bei was now approaching the cottage alone, having left his generals, bodyguard force and soldiers on the land past the bridge. Kongming’s servant lad greeted Liu Bei, and guided him toward the cottage slowly and cautiously. Liu Bei had discarded his cloak and hooded travelling coat, but he was still an intimidating sight: he wore a green robe emblazoned with dragons, and an elaborate golden hairpiece over his long, wound hair. He carried a sword at his side, and wore light mail under the robe: the servant boy noted all of this worriedly.
“…Master!” the lad called as he reached the door: Kongming walked to the entrance, waving his fan casually and smiling cheerfully.
“Master Crouching Dragon,” Liu Bei hailed. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Kongming replied with a low bow that conveyed deep respect: Liu Bei returned the gesture fully, and Kongming felt at ease at last.
“Please, follow me,” Kongming said as he gestured with his fan for Liu Bei to join him in his living quarters: within a short space of time, the two were sat on mats, facing each other, with a pot of tea boiling on a fire in the kitchen.
“…I have been a fool,” Liu Bei began frankly. “When Xu Yuanzhi introduced you to me at the banquet, after the battle at Bowang… I was not yet fully tempered, and failed to see your sagely presence.”
“I think you overpraise me,” Kongming said with a laugh. “When I attended that banquet, I can hardly say that I was on an equal footing with Mister Jian Yong.”
“Nonsense,” Liu Bei insisted, waving his hand dismissively. “You spoke very well, conducted yourself with dignity… Mister Jian’s teasing, Mister Sun’s loftiness and Zhang Fei’s aggressive attitude were enough to dissuade anyone from placing faith in me, and for that, I apologise.”
“No need,” Kongming retorted. “I hope that you and your followers are well…?”
“Very well,” Liu Bei replied. “Cao Cao has done little more than test us, since he has been busy fighting barbarian hordes to the north… I hear that his chief strategist, Guo Jia, is sickly, and - though I regret saying it - he will not live a long life, which will be a relief to us all, since his schemes have caused us many problems.”
“Such a man can be troublesome,” Kongming joked as he fanned himself slowly.
“…Indeed, were I in possession of such a man, I could rest easy,” Liu Bei said with a nervous laugh. “Cao Cao and I are equals in many ways: he has his Xu Chu, I have Chen Dao. He has Zhang He, I have Zilong. He has Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan as his limbs, and I have Guan Yunchang and Zhang Yide as mine. …It is his adeptness as finding other talents that separates us.”
“…True,” Kongming replied frankly. “He has, in addition to those brave generals you mentioned, many more: Li Dian, Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Zhang Liao. Furthermore, he has reliable advisers, Xun Yu and Xun You, Jia Xu… even with the death of Guo Jia. You… do have Jian Yong, yes… but sadly, little else besides. Mister Sun, Mi Zhu, Mi Fang and the others, they are courtiers, not strategists…”
“…What you say is true,” Liu Bei sighed.