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“The enormity of it,” Sun Jian confessed. “Pirates are one thing; a
popular uprising is something else altogether, and like it or not, it’s a
popular uprising. Very popular in the
north… very popular. We’d be fighting
the people.”
“But it is, nonetheless, an anarchic act of treason by a villainous
cultist that warps the minds of the weak,” Cheng Pu suggested. “It must be
ended.”
“But we two alone cannot do this, obviously,” Sun Jian said. “We need a
militia, and quickly. The ‘Yellow Turbans’ will not wait for us to sort
ourselves out.”
“Nor will Commander Zhu,” Cheng Pu replied dryly. “Forgive this
statement, Mister Sun, but I hear that he’s a bit of a pedant… I’m not too fond
of pedants.”
“No, he’s just… well, no, maybe you’re right,” Sun Jian conceded.
“Anyhow, we should get a notice up, and-”
As the two had been talking, Cheng Pu had noticed another man watching
them.
“That fellow there,” Cheng Pu interrupted. “What do you think…? He’s
built like an ox… a titan, for certain, and doubtless useful!”
Sun Jian turned to look at the tall, swarthy man that Cheng Pu had
spotted: the man immediately lowered his gaze and turned to walk away.
“Wait, wait!” Sun Jian said
as he ran to the man with no care for the etiquette of the day.
The swarthy man stopped, turned, and faced Sun Jian with humility that
contrasted with his imposing features. He bowed politely, and said, “Mister Sun
Jian, is it not.”
Sun Jian had to catch his breath and was briefly unable to reply.
“…What might your name be…?” Cheng Pu asked as he reached the two men.
“Huang Gai,” the swarthy man replied. “I mean… uh… family name,
‘Huang’-”
“You’ve no need to be so formal with us!” Sun Jian wheezed. “I must be
more tense than I thought to have been breathless just now… I’m Sun Jian, but
call me ‘Wentai’… this is Cheng Pu-”
“But you can call me ‘Demou’,” Cheng Pu interrupted.
“…I’m honoured to meet you both,” Huang Gai said as he made a low,
humble bow. “My style name, if I have a right to one, is ‘Gongfu’.”
“Your countenance is odd, if you don’t mind me saying,” Cheng Pu
prompted.
“I… am a very lucky man to be in such good company,” Huang Gai replied.
“Like the two of you, I am an official… but very, very lucky to be so.”
“Are you a local man…?” Sun Jian asked.
“No, I came here from Lingling a few days ago,” Huang Gai said.
“Ah, Lingling: all but part of Jing these days,” Cheng Pu noted. “I
don’t think you know of me, but I gather that you know of Sun Wentai.”
“Yes, I am aware of his brave exploits against the pirates,” Huang Gai
said with some reverence. “It is my hope that I can also do good service. I’ve
been loitering around this sign since it was put up, wondering how I can ever
be of help… I’ve read the military texts, but I’ve never seen a battle,
really.”
“Yet you have the countenance of a man that’s known suffering… I’ve seen
it before,” Cheng Pu suggested. “Your ‘Huang’ line… is it any relation to Huang
Zu of Jiangxia…?”
“Are we not all descended from or related to one person or other…?”
Huang Gai chuckled miserably. “But no, I’m descended from a senior
administrator in Nan County. My family moved to Lingling, but when my father
died, well…”