That was the night Zhou Yu slept most soundly. He knew they were going to leave Shouchun soon, and he could finally release the heavy burden weighing on him. By the time he woke the next morning, Sun Ce was deep into his staff technique practice routine in the yard. Filled to the brim with energy, Zhou Yu packed away his bedding, only to find an actual envelope under his pillow.
Zhou Yu couldn’t resist chuckling. The envelope was pretty hefty. He figured it was silver taels, but when he opened it, he froze in shock.
Instead of money, in his hand sat a wooden waist tally cut from golden-veined nanmu wood, carved with the line of words: The Jianwei General of the Household, Zhou.
When he flipped it over, the back showed Sun Jian’s carven seal as prefect of Changsha, as well as Sun Ce’s seal as general.
The door to the room opened, and Zhou Yu, sword and human as one, shot out with an accompanying gust of wind. Sun Ce’s arms and torso were bare as he practiced his staff techniques, and shouted “Good!” as the two of them began to spar in the courtyard.
With a sweep of his foot, Zhou Yu sent the snow on the ground flying into the air, flurries of snow and plum blossoms mixing in the sky. His sword style relied on hard strength and his moves were majestic, while Sun Ce’s staff techniques were like a fierce, raging wave. One staff became ten, ten became a hundred, and the sky filled with afterimages of staves, sweeping forward like the raging sea, then standing firm like the bulk of Mount Tai.
Zhou Yu’s expression did not change. The Chijun Sword spun through the air, and no matter how Sun Ce tried to beat him down, his sword was like a lone boat made of a single leaf floating in a vengeful ocean, floating untouched from shore to shore.
“Good!” Zhao Yun’s voice called from one side.
Seeing that Zhao Yun intended to enter, Zhou Yu sheathed his sword and backed away, while Zhao Yun twirled his spear and leaped forward, his spear clashing with Sun Ce’s staff. At times it was like a falcon capturing a rabbit, and at others like a butterfly weaving through flowers; the two leaped into the air, carrying a flurry of plum blossoms along with them.
The display completely dazzled Cao Pi. Both used polearms, and with every action, the staff and spear darted out and drew back in grand whirling gestures, extremely handsomely. Sun Ce shouted, exerting all his effort, and the hail of afterimages of his staff forced Zhao Yun into a corner. Trapped, Zhao Yun could not fend him off any longer, and as his spear gave off a clear whistle, it shot out against that tide!
With a clang, the staff and spear collided. Sun Ce flipped and leaped away, and the two of them stopped.
Sun Ce was dripping with sweat, his chest heavy with breath. He had practiced alone for almost half an hour before sparring with Zhou Yu and then Zhao Yun. Now he was absolutely exhausted.
“Good moves,” Zhao Yun said, smiling. “Maybe Zilong’s interference was not necessary that day.”
“How could that be?” Zhou Yu responded. “If it wasn’t for General Zhao coming to the rescue, we two would have fallen to Lü Bu.”
Zhao Yun smiled, but he didn’t say anything. When he and Sun Ce crossed weapons, Zhou Yu noticed his hands were still steady, and he wasn’t even short of breath; it was clear his martial prowess was well above theirs. He had done nothing more than test their skills just now.
Sun Ce went inside to change.
Zhao Yun asked Zhou Yu, “Where did Xiandi learn these sword techniques? May I take a look at that sword?”
Zhou Yu handed the sword over to him with both hands. Though he and Lü Bu inspected the sword similarly, Zhao Yun was clearly more humble than the swaggering Lü Bu, so Zhou Yu explained to him, “What I used just now was not a sword style of the Central Plains, but rather the Sixteen Techniques of the Vast Sea. I learned it from an overseas master four years ago.”
Zhao Yun nodded, studying the Chijun Sword.
“The style Xiandi uses is focused entirely on the element of water. It possesses the power of rivers and seas and the might of thousands of crashing waves. Very impressive, indeed. Zilong did not ask for a chance himself, instead choosing to steal a peek at a few moves. I hope that Xiandi will not take this to heart.”
With Zhao Yun’s abilities, he naturally would not need to “steal” sword techniques. After a moment of pondering, Zhao Yun returned the long sword to Zhou Yu.
“My former master taught me a few sword techniques named Seeing the Dragon in the Fields. Would Xiandi be willing to exchange a few blows with Yu-xiong?”
Zhou Yu twitched; the offer of exchanging blows was a cover. Zhao Yun wanted to teach him a few techniques. Thus, Zhou Yu put all his effort into learning. After only five minutes, Zhao Yun taught Zhou Yu the three moves of Seeing the Dragon and also pointed out the elements comprising each of them.
“Seeing the Dragon in the Fields requires you to attain the recognition of the heavens. This technique requires the use of concealment, hiding, and secrecy as the main focus before finally ‘revealing.’”
“Yes,” Zhou Yu said earnestly. “I am endlessly grateful for Zhao-xiong’s pointers.”
Sun Ce brushed by him, already changed, and Zhao Yun entered the room, sitting down with Cao Pi.
“How are the matters General Zhao is dealing with?” Sun Ce asked, pleased.
Zhao Yun shook his head helplessly. It was clear that though he had come under Gongsun Zan’s orders, he hadn’t accomplished anything, and his belly was full of suppressed rage.
“However many men you need, count on me to provide them,” Sun Ce said easily. “What are Lord Gongsun’s plans afterward?”
Zhao Yun hurried to rise and thank Sun Ce. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was at a loss for words. You haven’t even taken care of yourself yet, and here you are busying yourself with the affairs of others? You’re not afraid of Zhao Yun laughing at you?
But Zhao Yun was touched by this, and he replied earnestly, “Yu-xiong will remember Bofu-xiandi’s goodwill, but your honored father’s troops are still stationed at the foot of Hangu Pass. You must act for the greater good. If you and your father can keep Dong Zhuo under control, then you are serving all the lives in Hebei. If, because of a selfish wish of Zilong’s, I let Xiandi dispatch his troops and hence cause the Central Plains to lose their last defenses, how would I be able to rest easy?”
Sun Ce’s expression grew solemn. “Zhao-dage speaks truly. It was I who was too hasty in offering. Please, sit.”
Zhao Yun sighed. “Last night, I kept turning it about in my mind, again and again, and finally decided leaving now is for the best. Great General Yuan, however, seems to have other plans, and said that when the third month comes, Yuan Shao will send a letter to my liege, and we will commence with the plan at that time.”
Zhou Yu thought, He isn’t planning on dragging Zhao Yun down as well, right? Though he did not know what Yuan Shao planned for Hebei, the truth was that Ji Province27 was his territory… At that, as if sharing a thought, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce exchanged a glance.
“During these next few days,” Zhao Yun said, “I will find a way to leave first.”
“Should Yuan Shao pursue you to capture, the journey from here back to the western part of Liaoning is thousands of miles,” Cao Pi remarked unhappily. “How will you be able to escape?”
“Even if I cannot escape, I must go,” Zhao Yun said. “I cannot drag it out any longer. If my stay continues, the situation may change. My purpose in coming here today was to bid farewell to Sun-xiongdi and Zhou-xiongdi.”
Zhou Yu held up his hands to indicate the two of them should wait for a moment, and he pulled out a tally, placing it on the table.
“I’ve thought it through,” Zhou Yu said. “The night of the Shangyuan Festival, we’ll leave together. We’ll split up into three, and I will lead Yuan Shu’s troops away so you all can escape.”
Zhao Yun’s gaze fell onto the tally that gave its bearer the right of passage out of the city, before leveling on Zhou Yu, then Sun Ce.