Crouching Dragon: The Journey of Zhuge Liang sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne

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13

“I… I don’t believe it…! …Brother… it’s Liu Xuande again…!”
Kongming looked up from his reading and looked into his brother’s eyes.
“…Seriously!” Jun insisted. “He’s back!”
“…Really…?” Kongming chuckled. “…He really does pace his visits.”

“…So you are here again, my lord,” Kongming said calmly. Liu Bei was dressed humbly once again, this time opting for a plain cloth turban to keep his hair in order.
“…I have again been to see Master Sima Hui,” Liu Bei said quietly. “Again, he named you and Young Phoenix as the men who truly understand the exigencies of the age. Again, Xu Shu has implored me to seek your counsel… so yes, Master Zhuge Kongming… I am here again, to most sincerely seek your guidance.”
“…I am humbled,” Kongming said hoarsely.
“When we last spoke, you gave me much to think about,” Liu Bei declared. “Liu Biao has, twice, asked me to go to the front in Jiangxia, where his subordinate Huang Zu expects an attack by Sun Quan’s navy at any moment. …And twice, Master, I have refused.”
“…I see,” Kongming replied calmly, all the time fanning himself slowly.
“Although none of the men that are considered my contemporaries are of good character, Sun Quan looks to be the most durable, the most flexible, the most deep-thinking,” Liu Bei continued. “Liu Biao is sickly, Liu Zhang indecisive, Zhang Lu unstable and Cao Cao irreconcilable. It can only be my hope that some accord can be struck with Sun Quan… though whether that is possible in Liu Biao’s lifetime is sadly very doubtful.”
Kongming hummed to acknowledge he was listening, and continued to fan himself slowly, taking note of Liu Bei’s posture as he spoke.

“Although I am surrounded by many dependable men, you and I have twice discussed my lack of good advisers,” Liu Bei said bluntly. “I am advancing in years… Heaven has denied me a son, so I have adopted a son born to another as my own. Heaven has denied me land, so here I am, adopting another’s land as my own, until I can establish a proper base. Heaven has denied me the chance to adopt strong counsel… which is, perhaps, why I have had a string of defeats.”
“…I beg to differ,” Kongming interrupted, “on two counts. Firstly, you now have Ma Liang, and Xu Shu, both of whom will all serve you in that capacity along with Jian Yong, who has got you this far. …I can recommend others: in fact-”
“Master Zhuge,” Liu Bei said with a voice that almost broke into a sob, “I do not want to hear any more recommendations! I have come here today to… to beg of you your support.”
With that, Liu Bei kowtowed, and said, “I humbly beg of you, before Heaven… Master Kongming, please provide me with your sagely counsel.”
Kongming froze with surprise and fear, and the fan nearly fell from his hand.
“I have now visited you three times in your thatched cottage… and by Heaven I swear, I will visit a thousand times more if I must,” Liu Bei continued as he lifted and lowered his head in repeated obeisance. “As things stand, I am on the verge of destruction: Liu Biao will not tolerate me forever, Cao Cao wants me dead, and Sun Quan will devour me if I run to him. Liu Zhang is incapable… Zhang Lu, dangerous… I have nowhere to go, yet everywhere to turn… please, Master! I need your help!”
Kongming finally unfroze, and hastily helped Liu Bei to his feet.

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