Chapter 31: Could It Be Destiny?

In the city of Panyu, the group gathered for a celebratory feast. Since entering Jiaozhou, things had been going remarkably well, and now that Zhao Shaojie had returned safely, everyone was overjoyed.

Mi Fang and Xu Shu could hardly believe it. In the short time since they had entered Jiaozhou, they had gained control over the three commanderies of Nanhai, Cangwu, and Yulin. Although the remaining territories were still occupied by Shi Xie, the gifts Shi Xie had sent to Zhao Shaojie suggested that he would not be coming into conflict with them for the time being. They could finally focus on drilling their troops in preparation for future campaigns.

As for Zhao Shaojie, he suddenly remembered someone he had overlooked: Ma Su.

He did not ask about him in front of the others, choosing instead to seek out Mi Fang in private after the meal. After all, Ma Su and Mi Fang had spent time together on the road, and Mi Fang was the most likely person for him to contact.

"Zifang, is Ma Su staying with you?" Zhao Shaojie asked bluntly.

Mi Fang offered an awkward smile and remained silent.

Zhao Shaojie understood immediately. "That Ma Su," he said indignantly. "So he suffered a defeat—is that any reason to go into hiding? Take me to see him at once. I have plenty of matters to attend to; I have no time to coddle his feelings."

Seeing that his cover was blown, Mi Fang stopped trying to hide the truth and led Zhao Shaojie to his quarters.

Inside the room, Ma Su was filled with grief. In truth, he had never wanted to come to Jiaozhou; he looked down upon this desolate, barbaric land. However, Zhao Shaojie had repeatedly goaded him, calling him a man of "paper-talk" strategy. Being young and prideful, he could not endure the insult and had swallowed his prejudices to come here.

And look what had happened!

Zhao Shaojie had secured the wealthy Nanhai Commandery from Shi Xie without breaking a sweat, while he had suffered a total annihilation at the hands of a few hundred bandits. The contrast made Ma Su feel utterly incompetent. He still couldn't fathom how, when faced with the charging bandits, his mind had gone blank and he had completely lost his composure. All the military tactics he usually rattled off with ease had vanished from his memory.

He downed a cup of wine alone and muttered, "Zhao Shaojie is enjoying his glory today. All of this should have been mine!"

The more he thought, the lower his spirits sank. He had originally intended to flee all the way from Yulin to Jingzhou, but fearing the dangers of traveling alone over such a great distance, he had sought refuge with Mi Fang.

Even so, his journey had been fraught with setbacks and humiliation. First, he hadn't carried any money when he went to war. After riding for a while, he found the horse too slow, so he sold it to travel by boat. When he ran out of money, he had to trade his personal jade pendant. Once he caught up with Mi Fang in Panyu, he had hoped for a battle so he could wash away his shame, but to his dismay, no battle occurred. In the end, he had been forced to hide quietly in Mi Fang's quarters. As for what to do next, he was at his wit's end. He couldn't hide forever.

Suddenly, the door pushed open.

"Zifang, is Zhao Shaojie feeling triumphant today?" Ma Su asked bitterly.

Mi Fang did not answer.

"Triumphant, my foot," Zhao Shaojie said as he entered. "Because of your stunt, I’ve been worried sick, and Shi Ren was so frightened he hasn't been able to eat for days. You're a grown man—why are you acting like a child?"

Upon hearing the voice, Ma Su stiffened. He turned and saw Zhao Shaojie standing there. His face flushed deep red, and he glared at Mi Fang, gritting his teeth. "Mi Fang, how could you betray me?"

"I didn't betray you," Mi Fang quickly interjected. "Shaojie knew you were here the moment he arrived!"

Ma Su froze, staring at Zhao Shaojie in disbelief, as if struck by a thunderbolt. "You guessed that? You possess such... such cunning?"

Zhao Shaojie curled his lip. "It’s not 'cunning.' I just know you. Having suffered a defeat, you’d naturally be the first to look for a place to hide."

"Ah?" Ma Su was even more horrified. He looked from Zhao Shaojie to himself and couldn't help but ask, "Am I truly a man of nothing but paper-talk? Did you see right through me the first time we met?"

Ma Su felt a wave of despair. Was he really so easy to read, and was his foundation truly so pathetic?

Though impatient, Zhao Shaojie softened his tone. "Yuchang, victory and defeat are common in military life. You come from a prominent family and have been clever since childhood; you mastered all the classics of warfare before reaching adulthood. That is the mark of a genius. But at the same time, you've lived a life of luxury, which bred arrogance, and you lack real-world experience. That is why I deliberately provoked you with talk of 'paper strategy'—I wanted you to temper your arrogance, settle your heart, and perform better."

"In fact, you are already quite excellent. You are just capable of being even better."

"Besides, you are now on the path to greatness. Think about it: now that you have battle experience, you will be more cautious next time, won't you? With your knowledge of military strategy, who in the world could be your match?"

After this barrage of persuasion, Ma Su’s expression improved slightly, though he remained dejected. "Then how were you able to walk away from Shi Xie unscathed? You are even younger than I am!"

"Well, I’ve been tempered," Zhao Shaojie replied, patting his chest. "I traveled all the way south from the northern lands, matching wits with refugees—that builds character. Never underestimate anyone. No one is a fool; when faced with survival, everyone becomes a sage." He looked at Ma Su. "Trust me, if you start from the rank of a squad leader and work your way up step by step, you will surely become a great general!"

Ma Su finally calmed down, though he muttered to himself, "A squad leader? Me?" Yet, faced with the reality of his crushing defeat, he found he had no room to argue.

...

At the same time, Liu Bei received the dispatch from Mi Fang and the others.

"Oh? Is this really true?" Liu Bei stared at the silk scroll, unable to believe it. Not only was Zhao Shaojie safe, but he had also gained Shi Xie's consent to intervene in the affairs of Nanhai? Overjoyed, he turned to his advisors and said, "Could this be the will of Heaven?"

"Is Shaojie a gift sent to me to restore the Han Dynasty?"

"With him there, Jiaozhou is already secure. Wu Ju and Lai Gong have followed me, and Yulin Commandery fell without a struggle. Now, Shaojie has gone alone and actually persuaded Shi Xie to cede Nanhai Commandery!"

"Has such a thing ever happened in this world?"

Zhuge Liang and the others, who had been bewildered by Liu Bei’s sudden outbursts, now felt a sense of pleasant surprise. Three of the seven commanderies of Jiaozhou were now in their hands. This could not be better.

"This is all due to your Excellency's brilliant reputation!" the group quickly offered their congratulations.

Privately, however, they were suspicious. What was going on? When had things ever gone so smoothly for them? Could it really be as Liu Bei said—that Zhao Shaojie was a godsend for the restoration of the Han?

Amid the flattery, Liu Bei remained calm, though he soon added gravely, "Still, it is not ideal that Shaojie remains with Shi Xie."

"Kongming, write to Mi Fang and Xu Shu immediately. Tell them they must ensure Shaojie's safety. If necessary, they are authorized to trade the three commanderies, including Nanhai, to Shi Xie in exchange for his return!"

The group gasped. Liu Bei truly valued Zhao Shaojie more than the commanderies of Jiaozhou! But was that not exactly why they followed him? Far from being unhappy, they were filled with a profound sense of conviction.

"As you command," Zhuge Liang said respectfully.