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

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“…Fine, well, let me know if she finds anything interesting,” Xu Shu joked.
“I shall,” Kongming replied in all seriousness.
“…And… does your marriage… have political benefit…?” Xu Shu prompted.
“Nothing that I’ve exploited,” Kongming replied calmly. “Any job I get will be earned, not bought or granted.”
Xu Shu nodded silently, and was inwardly ashamed that he had so blatantly raised the subject.

Kongming returned to his forest-based cottage, and was greeted at the door by his younger brother Jun.
“…Any interesting news, big brother…?” Jun prompted.
“Sun Ce’s dead, Liu Bei’s meeting Liu Biao to discuss fighting Cao Cao and Sun Quan,” Kongming replied calmly as he fanned himself, and peered into the house.
“Sun Ce’s dead…?” Jun whispered.
Ignoring Jun’s pondering of the military news, Kongming asked, “How is she…?”
“Fine,” Jun insisted. “You seem glad to be home.”
“…I am,” Kongming admitted with a smile.
“So why are you loitering…?” Jun wondered. “Are you going on another long journey, big brother…?”
“… … …I am an open book,” Kongming chuckled as he made his way into the house at last, leaving his brother to carry on with his chores.
“…Welcome home, husband,” Yueying hailed as she spotted Kongming. “…So how long before you go again…?”
“…Transparent, completely transparent…!” Kongming joked as he sat down, and Yueying prepared tea for him.
“Surely one of the hired hands can get me tea…?” Kongming protested.
“They have important work,” Yueying replied. “Besides, I don’t mind.”
“…Xu Shu has got work with Liu Bei,” Kongming reported.
“Good for him,” Yueying replied.

“…He’s proffering local topography advice for an upcoming confrontation between Liu Bei and Xiahou Dun,” Kongming continued.
“…Xiahou Dun,” Yueying mused. “…‘Blind Xiahou’.”
“The very same,” Kongming applauded.
“The one-eyed general… Cao Cao’s right-hand man,” Yueying noted further.
“Cao Cao is intent on killing Liu Bei,” Kongming sighed. “Yu Jin, another of his great generals, is with Xiahou Dun. They will be backed up by veteran troops, possibly thousands…”
“…Only an ambush would suffice,” Yueying guessed as she passed tea to an impressed Kongming. “Is there anywhere that such a large ambush could be carried out…? Somewhere with flammable vegetation…?”
“…Great minds think alike,” Kongming chuckled as he received his tea gratefully. “Yes, Xu Shu and I agreed that a fire attack is best… brutal, but necessary. There are a few good locations that spring to mind… to be honest, the best place is Bowang, and Liu Bei’s men seem to be aware of the place already. But we’re going to scout and see if there are any other good places.”
“If Liu Bei’s men know of it, so will Xiahou Dun’s,” Yueying suggested.

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