Chapter 28: The Changing Landscape

The river flowed gently, the mountains lush and the waters clear. Jiang Wen, dressed in a straw raincoat, sat cross-legged on a rock with a fishing rod placed before him. Five elite soldiers surrounded the area, carefully surveying their surroundings.

“Li Da, come over and eat!” Tao’er took out some flatbread, filled with minced meat and perfectly seasoned. Li Da and the other soldiers accepted the bread with delight.

“Will there be fish soup tonight?” Tao’er skipped over to Jiang Wen, peering at his bamboo basket. “Master, you’ve been sitting here nearly all morning and haven’t caught a single fish?”

“The fish in these waters have sharp eyes; they don’t care for my bait.”

A soldier wearing a red headscarf stepped up behind Jiang Wen, cupped his fists, and bowed. “I greet the military advisor.”

“What news from the front?”

“Cao Cao sent troops to Xuzhou, leaving his city empty. Lü Bu, leading fifty thousand men from Hulao Pass, seized Xuchang and Chenliu in one stroke. Cao Cao fought Lü Bu and not only failed, but suffered a crushing defeat. Liu Bei, under Tao Qian, took the opportunity to capture Qiao County. Cao Cao had to retreat to Puyang and formed an alliance with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao defeated Liu Yu and Zhang Yang, taking control of Youzhou and Bingzhou, and forged an alliance with Lü Bu and Tao Qian of Xuzhou.”

“Gongsun Zan defeated Gongsun Du of Liaodong and took the territory for himself.”

“Moreover, Lü Bu’s general Zhang Liao led seventy thousand troops to Tianshui, routing Ma Teng, governor of Liangzhou, and reclaimed Tianshui along with over a dozen cities.”

Jiang Wen handed his fishing rod to Tao’er, rose, and took the bamboo slip from the soldier. It described the details of two major battles. Now, Yuan Shao’s only northern rival was Gongsun Zan, but this time, it seemed the Battle of Guandu would not be fought between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao.

Jiang Wen studied the military reports closely, his heart faintly astonished. “Has Lü Bu gone mad, or is he taking some secret medicine?”

After storing away the bamboo slip, Jiang Wen beckoned to Tao’er, who set the fishing rod aside and fetched another bamboo scroll from the nearby carriage.

Jiang Wen handed the bamboo scroll to the soldier. “This is a proclamation I’ve written for the Minister of Works to recruit the talented. Please have him, in the name of the Emperor, call forth all men of ability... Have the Colonel and the strategist returned?”

“They have not yet come back.”

“You may go.”

“This humble one takes his leave!”

After Dong Zhuo’s Xiliang army fell under Lü Bu’s command, and with Chen Gong’s assistance, he had become so formidable. The age of warlords was truly upon them, and Jiang Wen knew he must prepare himself carefully.

Now, Sun Jian controlled only half of Jingzhou, yet in terms of military strength, he feared no one.

Jiang Wen picked up his fishing rod from the ground again, lost in thought. Tao’er glanced around, then quietly sat beside him, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed absentmindedly at the river.

In the Jiang household, Jiang Wen and Tao’er sat together for a meal in his room.

The gatekeeper entered, bowing respectfully. “Master, the Chief Justice Kuai Liang requests an audience!”

“The Chief Justice? At this hour?” Jiang Wen took a bite of sweet, crisp radish. “Show him to my study.”

“Master, your food will get cold. Finish eating first,” Tao’er urged with concern.

Jiang Wen set his bowl down. “The Chief Justice is not a minor official; I can’t keep him waiting. I’ll go at once. You eat well.”

Tao’er placed her own bowl on the table and helped him change his robes. “I can’t eat without you, let me go with you.”

Jiang Wen shook his head. “This is official business. It’s not for you to hear.”

“I understand...”

Kuai Liang was perusing the books in Jiang Wen’s study when the door opened. He set the book back on the shelf. Jiang Wen bowed. “Military advisor Jiang Wen greets the Chief Justice. May I ask what brings you here under the moonlit sky?”

Kuai Liang returned the greeting. “It is a matter of urgency. I hope you can assist me.”

“If the Chief Justice seeks my help, it must be serious. Please, sit and let us discuss it thoroughly.” The two knelt on cushions, and Kuai Liang, frowning, began, “This matter is most troublesome for me, which is why I seek your counsel.”

“I am all ears.”

Kuai Liang spoke slowly, “Now that the Minister of Works controls Jingzhou, Xiangyang is his residence, and his family has been moved here as well. Today, on the main street, his family quarreled with the local gentry, the Cai clan, over a trivial matter. It escalated into violence, leaving five dead. Although the Prefect quickly suppressed the incident, how to judge this case has become a problem.”

“Were any commoners affected?”

“Of the five dead, two were innocent bystanders—a pair of waiters from the Flavorsome Pavilion.”

“How much property was lost, and what is the mood among the people?”

“All the tavern’s wares were smashed, and the Cai clan, already beloved locally thanks to Liu Biao, lost two members. The Sun family lost one. The people are somewhat resentful.”

“In that case, the Chief Justice should judge as he sees fit. Why ask my opinion?”

“If I proceed, the Minister’s family will surely suffer more. I fear...”

“You fear the Minister’s wrath?” Jiang Wen chuckled and shook his head. “When you first entered the Minister’s service, did you not hear he was a man of benevolence and righteousness? If so, why be afraid? Do as your duty requires.”

“I am a cautious man. May I make an impertinent request: would you accompany me during the trial?”

Jiang Wen gazed at Kuai Liang, this unremarkable scholar, and thought, “So the old fox wants to drag me into the water with him!”

Indeed, for Kuai Liang, with his old master Liu Biao gone and the Cai clan no longer holding him in awe, his post as Chief Justice meant little to the new lord Sun Jian. Jiang Wen narrowed his eyes, while Kuai Liang maintained an air of calm.

This was a good opportunity to gauge Sun Jian’s limits, Jiang Wen thought, so he might know how to behave in the future. He had no wish to end up like Yang Xiu—too talented and too unrestrained, only to meet a tragic end. If he ever met Yang Dezhu, he would warn him: “Chicken ribs!”

“Since you value my opinion, I will accept. Tomorrow, I shall call on you at the Justice Bureau.”

“Excellent. Please accept this small gift—a box of crisp sugar cakes.”

After seeing Kuai Liang to the door, Tao’er slipped up behind Jiang Wen. “Master, that Kuai Liang is a sly old fox! He must still resent you for your last scheme. Why agree to help him?”

“You were eavesdropping? I told you to eat!”

He flicked Tao’er’s forehead, and she stuck out her tongue. Together, they strolled along the stone bridge, gazing at the moonlit pond.

“To serve a king is to walk with a tiger. Those with imperial ambitions are the most ruthless of all. If they turn on you, no matter your merit or talent, you’ll find yourself at the point of a blade. I want to use this case to test Sun Jian’s tolerance, so I’ll know how far to go in the future.”

ps: Correction—Earlier I mistakenly wrote that Yuan Shao occupied Yuzhou, but it was actually Yuanshu who did; Yuanshao took Jizhou. The confusion was due to similar initials in my input method.