When I woke with my back burning and throbbing, I opted to not move a muscle. There was already a chamber pot and a pot of tea in the room, what else could I desire? I had absolutely no plans to step one foot outside. Like this, the person guarding outside my door could twiddle his thumbs all day. Perfectly good labor, wasted.

Zhou Liang had some books sent in, but I didn’t want to do anything and didn’t have anything to think about. If I could sleep that would be best, but I could only sleep so long before I found myself staring at the ceiling.

For an entire day, I did just that. It was on the next day that my solitude was interrupted.

Shen Jiu visited in the morning. He probably was searching for an answer from me about yesterday. Which, although I talked back to Zhou Liang about it, I felt guilty about trying to take advantage of Shen Jiu's now.

So I turned him away, not wanting to talk to him. 

I slept a while longer.

Then Zhou Liang came in the afternoon, to which I again clearly said ‘Go away’, but he had already opened the door and entered. Half his hair was lying on his shoulders and his clothes were dazzling layers of red, suiting his tanned skin.

“Say—” he smiled, and did not care to bring up yesterday's arguement. “Now that I’ve cleaned up the mess you made and promoted a temporary officer to fill in Li Jishen's position, I’ll be holding the banquet for the victory at Feixuan pass. Want to attend?”

I only stared at him a while until eventually saying, “I am but a person of low standing. I don’t dare.”

“Speaking to me politely again?” Zhou Liang came right over to the bedside where I buried myself in quilts and raised an eyebrow. “This is my residence, so if I say you can attend, you can attend.”

I yawned. “My injuries ache, so I’ll regrettably decline.”

“…it’s been three days. The wounds should have healed over, so you don't have to stay bedridden.”

Oh, so I actually slept an entire extra day without even knowing. I closed my eyes slowly. Words were useless against him, so if I pretend Zhou Liang is not here, he might go away. For all I care he can throw me into a cold prison cell for my insolence.

“Come to the banquet. Have some good food and drink. You can talk, and you seem to like talking.”

Zhou Liang is a fly, that voice of his is the buzz. I am not here. It was silent at last.

Then my warm blanket was pulled off me.

I only wore an inner robe, and it was, indeed, the same bloodstained one from three days ago. Disheveled hair, single strands sticking up in a curl here and there, a faint smell. B-but I’m sure I still managed to look charming.

Zhou Liang didn’t seem too pleased.

Because I was still pretending to be a corpse, he sat me up and stripped down the robe from my shoulders, undoing the bandages slowly. Briefly calling a servant, ointment was brought with a new set of bandages. Zhou Liang re-bandaged my back so quickly I almost didn’t notice. Tch. Typically military personal, used to the numerous battle wounds. They could do it with their eyes closed. 

Zhou Liang slapped my shoulder. “You’ll be fine as long as you don’t run and jump.”

Run and jump, am I a child? I continued to lay motionlessly, and there was a long silence until Zhou Liang spoke again, tepidly.

“Do you want me to help dress you and brush your hair? Wash your face and clean your feet, too?”

No no no no. Inexplicably, I had the will to move again and got ready. Zhou Liang had a cyan robe with a pattern of graceful white cranes in flight, their elongated necks carefully tucked inwards and one leg raised¹What a high-ranked scholar would wear, different official ranks would wear different animal patterns. So it's like Zhou Liang is reminding FS of his previous occupation. Cranes can also represent longevity. Wow ZL, passive aggressive much?. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was in spite, but he handed it over in a such natural manner I hadn’t the opportunity to question it.

Upon wearing it, I completely transformed to appear like a sagely scholar-official.  Zhou Liang seemed to have second thoughts when he saw my elegant and undoubtedly flawless, yet weak looking figure.

"Do you need a shoulder to lean on as we go there?"

I ignored him and stepped out. It's not like my wounds hurt so much I had to depend on him. I was just trying to make up an excuse, and yet he still didn't understand that I had no intentions to be cordial with him! 

Once we made it to the second courtyard I could hear the faint sounds. The main hall was full of the clamor of soldiers and there was the scent of roasted meat wafting all the way over from the kitchen.

Zhou Liang matched my meandering pace without any complaint.

“You have a seat next to Shen Jiu,” he said. “Don’t concern yourself acting polite, have some fun.”

I paused. I hadn’t expected him to be so considerate to place with me someone I knew. Especially Shen Jiu. Was he trying to test me? Ah, but then I remembered that at any good party there’d be lots and lots wine. I would have no need to think of other matters once I started indulging my vices. So never mind that.

I cleared my throat and amicably replied, “If the General says so, then I’ll certainly have to do so.”

Zhou Liang’s second courtyard’s banquet hall is the largest building on his estate. When we stepped inside, there had to be at least forty or so military commanders seated around the banquet tables. The tables were made from a fine cut of wood, carved with winding clouds and tigers, yet I could hardly notice them when faced with the sprawling figures of all the military personnel.

Several men rumbled and greeted general Zhou when he stepped in. Unlike at the capital, where everyone looked at each other caution, the atmosphere was one of comrades sitting side by side, who had faced life and death together for many years.

It had only been several months since the battle at Feixian Pass ended, but Xin country was now gathering its soldiers towards the Qiang river. Like migratory birds, these men all knew it too. But these things were not my concern.

One older man leaned back in his seat when I walked by, lifting his chin. His eyes were wild, and his hair was lazily held up in a gold pin, half loose, half gray. “Hey, you made me wait! Who’s this scrawny guy?”

Zhou Liang raised an eyebrow, lips curling, and he cupped his hands at the man. “General Jia, this person is called Fang Shuren, a guest at my estate. It would be impolite if I held a banquet but did not invite him.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet the Great General Jia," I said.

I did know of Jia Lingxin, third rank general. His region was in the southeast, and he often joined in the same wars as Zhou Liang. Despite his casual appearance, his warfare methods were quite meticulous, and he had survived to an older age to prove his ability.

General Jia tapped his finger on the table and said, “How does that name sound familiar to me?” but he only thought on it for a moment, then shrugged.

I went and sat down next to Shen Jiu.

The man on the other side of me was massive and rough, and that chest of his looked specifically tailored to fit his girth. I greeted him and became enlightened that he was a colonel, Gong Zu.

Shen Jiu received a few pleasant remarks from those surrounding him about his trained steeds, it was clear the he was not regarded more highly amongst military men than as with the mansion servants. When they had finished conversation, Shen Jiu turned his head to me and spoke.

“Er…how are you these past days?”

“Good.”

“This…..your clothes s…s-uit you very well,” Shen Jiu ducked his head, not so secretly glancing.

“Thank you.”

Despite the boisterous atmosphere, I did not have much to say. Ha ha, I wouldn't give Shen Jiu any more false hopes.

My fingers played with the rosewood chopsticks set in front.

After a short wait, fragrant women with red painted lips brought out platters for the feast. Glistening duck roasted whole, aromatic, sweet and spicy braised meats, stirred tofu and vegetables.

Of most significance were those hefty jars of liquor. Bigger than a palm, it was almost better to carry one with two hands to prevent it from shaking while pouring. The female servant's soft, delicate hands contrasted against the bright red labels and black painted ceramic. Sealed lids were torn off while glasses and goblets were satiated to the brim with hollers of satisfaction. Blue Swallow reappeared—it must be favored by Zhou Liang.

Sitting casually, Zhou Liang had a beauty behind each shoulder to tend to him. One had her hair up into high loops dotted with ornaments of red plum blossoms, and the other kept it braided with cherry blossoms. Qin Fengge sat diligently in the chair beside him, although his clothes were of the same colors, he was like an upright noble with his thin brows and tapered eyes. Zhou Liang was more like a heroic bandit.

I had observed this for no reason other than that they were the first to get their drinks poured.

“Does Mister Fang like to drink?” Shen Jiu asked.

I chuckled wryly. “‘It’s more than that. The word 'like' can't describe it closely enough.”

It seemed I livened at once, so although Shen Jiu didn't quite comprehending my words, he immediately waved a girl down and poured me a cup.

Staring at it, my lethargic stupor died away. Liquor, oh, beloved liquor. I rarely tried many of the eastern brews, the smell alone was extremely tantalizing that I almost wanted to stick my nose down around the rim to sniff but resisted the urge. 

Playfully, I asked Shen Jiu, “Mister Shen, how well can you hold your drink?”

Shen Jiu thought seriously and shook his head. “I never have more than t-two or three cups…and please, would you s-simply call me Shen Jiu? You don't have to address me politely.” 

“That little, aren’t you a man?” I elbowed him, then tapped a finger on the rim of a nearby jar of Blue Swallow. “One of these is enough to make me feel light as a feather. From there, the more the better.”

Not registering the potential problem with my words, Shen Jiu appeared to be distracted by the finger I kept tapping. Maybe that sort of thing bothered him. In any case, I lifted the cup to my mouth and the drink was downed in a few swallows. I grabbed a nearby jar, and, without spilling a drop, replenished my cup, humming in happiness after finishing it again.

“Mmm…delightful,” I said. “Blue Swallow is a fitting name. The taste is dry and sweeter, but the finish bites then mellows gradually. Truly like a little swallow dipping and soaring on a gust of wind.”

Shen Jiu had a wide-eyed look. He never expected me to gulp it down tactlessly, then elegantly describe the fragrance. As though to verify my words, he sipped on his drink, not at all feeling obligated to drink the same amount as me.

My throat was so warm.

Every drink lifted my spirit higher and higher, ready to fly side by side with the swallow and make friends with it. I was enjoying myself immensely, listening into nearby conversation…

“…hah! Damned barbarians. They thought if they allied with Xin through the pass, they’d finally be able to take the upper reaches of the Qiang river.”

The Tunjik were nomadic peoples of the far eastern plains that formed a khanate²Network of chieftains in command (governmental entity). Frequent and well-coordinated light cavalry attacks were done by them as they aimed to take all land east of the Qiang river. The bordering countries of Xin and Yang support them, and in previous times of instability took the opportunity to launch an attack on the border.

Furthermore, the Tunjik were long used to horsemanship, whereas our country had only recently begun to adapt to it with the addition of light chariots that were more maneuverable. Zhou Liang's father, Zhou Gan, was originally promoted to a regional commander so he could gather and train soldiers, and was one of the first to spearhead a large force of light cavalry and chariots. He went into eternal rest after leaving some great victories against the khanate and Yang country behind him.

Once Zhou Ling had inherited command, it was now Xin country that was acting out.

At this point in the banquet, everyone had downed a few drinks and were a little less polite to each other. Colonel Gong, the one who was sitting beside me, had a boorish sneer.

“We’ve already forced the barbarians to retreat through Feixuan pass, the only important access route through the Grey Peaked Mountains,” He slapped one hand on his leg, “Now fortified, they won’t hassle us by coming down through the northernmost tip for a time!”

The next to speak was a young man with an aquiline nose, he warned, “The upper reaches are secured, but what of the lower? General Zhou knows what Xin country is up to and already sent some soldiers down the river, and hurried to grant us this brief interval to celebrate.”

“Lieutenant Bo, don’t say ominous things!” an old man slapped the younger on the shoulder with chiding.

Lieutenant Bo sighed. “This lower officer wouldn’t dare, however, this isn’t ‘ominous’, but the truth. The wars in the central plains lack cover and are always the bloodiest. That’s why the Gold plains had remained untouched since years ago, but now that there are signs of drought, the water irrigated from the Qiang river is all the more valuable.”

“Yes, yes,” I thought, taking a big swallow of liquor, “That’s exactly it.”

The real reason that Xin and Yang country like to support the barbarians is because they most care about the border between our Chong empire in regard to the great Qiang river. All these countries possess a portion of the plains, so water irrigation during dry years to keep the millet and rice crop alive and growing is important. Therefore, it was likely with recent signs of drought that our land in the lower reaches of the Qiang river would be targeted.

However, you would only know this if you carefully kept check of the climate conditions on a year to year basis. It was something the Minister of War discussed with the other astrologists up at the imperial court, so this Lieutenant Bo was quite sharp!

Nevertheless, another middle-aged man started to feel a temper at the greenhorn who was spouting things like a prophet.

“Don’t talk back to your seniors!” he reproached.

“Now, now,” said someone, “Colonel Juzhu, the General already called a war conference, who knows what he plans to discuss there.”

Gong Zu roared beside me, "Who was it that brought back the head of that damned khanate general Gen Juy Jihn? It was my little lieutenant Bo!”

Colonel Juzhu gave a disgusted look, turned and started talking to someone else. And so it went on, all the big men boasting about their achievements or underlings, discussing this and that. In my head I sung The Moon at the Fortified Pass³This is an poem by Li Po (also known as Li Bai), and details the feelings of soldiers who head off to war, knowing that not all can survive and return..

Amarathia

These are side characters that will reappear during military arc, don't really need to memorize their names or anything right now.

Well...I guess FS should be pretty wasted by now. Next chapter will just be him being drunk. lulz