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

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11

Months went by, and Liu Bei did not return. Kongming continued to farm by day, and study by night: Ma Liang visited less and less as his work for Liu Bei increased, but since Ma Liang’s descriptions of life in service were favourable, Kongming was generally warmed to Liu Bei more and more as time went by.

“…He’s back again,” Jun said as he looked out and saw horsemen at the bridge.
“…Who, Liu Bei…?” Yueying said with surprise.
“Yeah,” Jun replied. “Where’s Elder Brother…?”
“…I shall fetch him,” Yueying said tensely.

“…My lord,” Kongming hailed as the servants led Liu Bei to the living quarters.
“You look well, Master Zhuge Kongming,” Liu Bei hailed in response.
Liu Bei was dressed in a plain green silk robe, and wore no armour; he wore an ornate hairpiece to keep his uncut hair in place, but was otherwise underdressed for his social position as an influential warlord. Kongming, by contrast, wore Taoist-style white robes, a white cloth turban over his uncut hair, and, as always, he carried his feather fan, which he was already using to fan himself casually.
“…All is very well, my lord,” Kongming replied.
“I wish you were speaking of me as ‘My Lord’ in a more specific sense,” Liu Bei said with sadness. “To not have such a great man as my adviser… but I promised that I would not pressure you, didn’t I…!”
“…I am twenty-five,” Kongming retorted. “What can you learn from me…?”
“Enough games!” Liu Bei chuckled as he gestured that they should both sit down.
“…Why have you once again graced my humble thatched cottage with your presence…?” Kongming asked pointedly as Liu Bei sat down.

“To once again talk with you about the age we live in,” Liu Bei replied as Kongming sat down as well.
“…What would you discuss…?” Kongming asked.
“I just want to know your general viewpoint,” Liu Bei replied cagily.
Kongming knew that Liu Bei was coaxing an opinion of all the heroes of the day, including Bei himself: he smiled toothily, but remained silent.
“The Han is in danger,” Liu Bei continued. “Not since the treachery of Wang Mang of ancient times has the Han been so threatened. Wang Mang used his connections to the court to sow lies, to make his own name great, and those of his rivals meagre and untrustworthy… he manipulated the Empress Dowager, his own aunt, into deceiving the court, and eventually, he was a regent, and he ruled with a fist of evil. He poisoned the Emperor, he murdered his enemies, he taxed the people and starved them, and he brought the barbarians to the borders, lusting for his blood. Only hubris was his downfall… now, nearly two centuries later, we have had not only Dong Zhuo, but Cao Cao. …I simply wish to know your thoughts.”
“…What can I say beyond your own words…?” Kongming suggested. “Dong Zhuo was every bit the new Wang Mang; Cao Cao, the same. One can only hope, if Wang Mang is the model, that Cao will ruin himself, as Dong Zhuo did.”
“…He won’t,” Liu Bei lamented. “Cao is too clever… his followers are many, as we have discussed before… his advisers, like grains of sand. He has the Emperor’s army as his own, augmented now by the forces annexed from the four northern provinces won from Yuan Shao. …He seems unstoppable.”

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