That night, Madame Zhou watched Zhou Yu’s face closely under the lamplight, patting his head as she sighed. “The Sun family sent an envoy to me with the news, which is the only reason Mom was able to sleep these past few days.”
Zhou Yu described his voyage to Luoyang to her.
As he spoke, she seemed to remember something. “The Qiao family sent someone asking after your well-being and whether you had returned from Luoyang. It seems like Prefect Qiao was very worried.”
Zhou Yu nodded, and for a time, the mother and son did not speak.
A long while later, Madame Zhou rose, watching the rain fall outside beyond the corridor. “We truly cannot repay the kindness the Sun family has shown us this time. Bofu is a good child, and ever since he came to our house years ago, your dad thought well of him. General Sun has also cared for us…”
“Bofu wouldn’t hear anything of debts,” Zhou Yu said, sipping a mouthful of warm tea. “Mother, I made him a promise. It’s about time I head to Shouchun.”
“You did exactly as you should have,” Madame Zhou replied. “In these two years, Mom always worried over you, but I can finally relax after hearing your words. I do not worry that no one out there will take care of you, but I did worry you would waste your youth looking after the family. I was concerned you would lead a life without any achievements and let your potential slip through your fingers.”
“Mother.” Zhou Yu’s eyes grew wet.
Madame Zhou smiled wanly, sitting down again. “When your father was alive, he and General Sun were good friends. Now his son is grown, as is mine. Though my son may not show more promise than General Sun’s, he still understands what he should do and has his own ambitions. In these years, Mom saw how you acted at home. Although you claim you are running the business and taking care of family matters because someone has to, Mom knows you are not doing what you actually want to do. Isn’t that right?”
“But I can’t help worrying about you,” Zhou Yu replied. “I do not even know if the Changsha prefect will remain in Shouchun for long.”
“Go wherever you wish, even to the ends of the earth. If you aren’t able to stop worrying about me, then when the time comes, I will sell off the store and go with you, a roll of bedding under my arm. Your father was a good man, and my son will achieve something great as well. Haven’t you heard what they say? Every man has two people who believe, without a shred of doubt, that he is an incredible person. The first is his mother, the second his wife.”
Zhou Yu was so tickled by that he began to chuckle.
“All right. Tomorrow I will set off, but while I’m here…”
“No need to worry,” Madame Zhou said. “When you are out there, make sure you are a good person and diligently do what you set out to do. Mom is happy to stay at home and hear about your adventures, though I will always look forward to seeing you. When I eventually arrive in Shouchun, it would be nice to hear people praising your name. Isn’t that how it should be?”
Zhou Yu’s eyes welled with tears, and he nodded, watching her.
Madame Zhou patted Zhou Yu’s head, then pulled him into a hug.
✦ ✦ ✦
Originally Zhou Yu planned to set off to Shouchun the next day, but the cold claimed him. He only held out so long through sheer willpower and the medicine keeping it suppressed. Now that he finally had a moment to catch his breath, he grew feverish that very night, and he fell horribly ill.
The next day Madame Zhou couldn’t wake him, and his forehead sizzled with heat. She knew this was not to be taken lightly and hurried to send for a renowned doctor to treat him. The estate bustled with activity for days. When Lu Su heard that Zhou Yu had returned home, he came to visit but was immediately sent up the mountain for the master monk. A flurry of doctors came and went, prescribing medicines and performing acupuncture, and only after exhausting a great deal of their skills did they manage to reduce the severity of Zhou Yu’s condition.
But even as he was so sick he was barely aware of what was happening around him, Zhou Yu was still thinking of how he had promised to meet Sun Ce one month later. He was afraid he would miss the date, and several times he attempted to get up and leave. Lu Su was forced to knock him flat with a solid punch to settle him down.
✦ ✦ ✦
“How gone are you on Sun Bofu?” Lu Su asked, sitting at Zhou Yu’s bedside, chopping up a piece of ginseng.
Zhou Yu shot him an angry glare, all bark but no bite. His throat ached with a fiery pain, and his nose was stuffy. He didn’t have the energy to taunt him back.
“What position did the Sun family promise you?” Lu Su asked.
Zhou Yu didn’t respond.
“How much food?”
Zhou Yu didn’t make a sound.
“Marquis over how many households?” Lu Su continued.
Zhou Yu blinked.
“You think you’re Xiao He, the hero of the Han Dynasty?” Lu Su asked. “Is a bit of sweet-talking all you need to throw your lot in with him?”
Zhou Yu responded, “Can’t you be quieter? Be careful not to cut your hand.”
Lu Su chuckled to himself. “If the Sun family is the type to go ahead and declare themselves king, do you think you’re the kind who can see through their motives and use them to further your goals instead? You think you’re Li Si, Han Fei, Huo Qubing, Bai Qi, Han Xin, or Lu Buwei, those famous founders of the Qin Dynasty?”
Zhou Yu frowned. “Lu Zijing, your tongue seems to be a little sharp these days,” he replied weakly.
Lu Su didn’t speak, instead moving to cut the ginseng. Zhou Yu stared up at the canopy of his bed, mind wandering.
A moment later, Lu Su continued. “If they aren’t power-hungry pretenders to the throne, then what are you joining them for?”
“Sun Bofu is not like that.”
Lu Su smiled. “I’ll bestow upon you a saying: Be wary and protect yourself.”
“Thanks,” Zhou Yu responded. “Though your words are unpleasant, I know you’re saying them for my good.”
Primly and properly, Lu Su placed the ginseng slices into the teapot and set it to brew. As night fell, he climbed onto the bed, falling asleep next to Zhou Yu.
Early the next morning, Zhou Yu drank the ginseng soup and gathered up his travel funds. His face was still pale from his lingering illness, but he was afraid of waking his mother, so he’d decided earlier to take his leave of the fog-shrouded valleys of Shu County alone.
“I’m leaving. Take care of yourself,” Zhou Yu said.
“Be careful on the road,” Lu Su said. “If anything happens, send us a message.”
Lu Su moved into Zhou Yu’s house that day. After Madame Zhou rose in the morning, it was Lu Su who greeted her. That was how Madame Zhou came to find her son had left on his journey, despite his illness, and she could only accept it.
“He hadn’t recovered fully,” Lu Su said, “but I couldn’t persuade him to stay.”
“Ah well. Let him go,” Madame Zhou replied. “He has the same temperament as his father. Such an explosive, fiery temper. Oh well, oh well…”
Lu Su slowly smiled.