Even though several dozen ships had split off midway toward Xuchang, the remaining cargo fleet still numbered nearly a hundred vessels.
The riverbank at Changle County was filled with noise and movement. Several temporary docks had been reinforced along the embankment, and under Gan Gui's orderly commands the ships approached one by one to unload their cargo.
From coal briquettes urgently needed for the winter, to canned fruits preserved from the south, to the sugarcane sugar that everyone welcomed with delight, to Shu brocade worth its weight in gold, and paper eagerly sought by scholars. Everything could be found.
Naturally, the largest share was still grain and provisions prepared for the recent war but left unused in considerable surplus.
Gan Gui remembered that Lord Xuande had been born in the northern lands. Previously he had spoken with him late into the night, saying that winter was the harshest season. From early autumn onward Gan Gui had been running this grain transport route precisely to move food north, hoping that fewer people in Hebei would be driven to desperation by the cold. Fewer and fewer, if possible.
Thus quite a number of people had gathered at Changle County. Many of them had once been refugees who scarcely knew where their next meal would come from. Now they had been settled here and promised grain as payment for their labor. To them, that was an offer difficult to resist.
And the one directing matters here was not only Zhang Fei.
After stepping ashore, Zhang Liao stamped his foot lightly on the snow along the bank. A strange sense of steadiness suddenly settled in his heart.
While watching General Zilong clasp arms with the burly man who must be Zhang Fei, a young man approached and gave him a respectful salute before calling out.
"Uncle."
Zhang Liao turned and examined him carefully. Judging from his features alone, he had already guessed most of it.
"Guan Ping?"
The visitor nodded.
"Father cannot move about freely in Ye City, but he has already visited Aunt and confirmed that Uncle's family is safe and unharmed."
"This time Father sent me to receive Uncle. If you are weary from travel, a place with hot water, a brazier, and rest has been prepared in Changle County. If you wish to see Aunt immediately, a carriage lined with thick felt is also ready."
Zhang Liao swayed slightly, but soon steadied himself. Rubbing his face, he smoothed away the gloom between his brows, and finally smiled.
"Let's go."
At the same time, Ma Liang crept quietly behind an old general and suddenly burst into laughter.
"I knew General Huang would certainly be here… Youchang?"
What had begun as a greeting abruptly changed tone. The junior officer speaking beside Huang Zhong was none other than his younger brother Ma Su.
Grabbing his brother's hands, Ma Liang wanted to say something, yet tears flowed first instead. This left Ma Su flustered.
"Ah, brother, brother. Earlier Lord Xuande sent word saying that elder brother would come to Ye City to present reports of merit, and asked me…"
What his brother continued to say, Ma Liang could hardly hear anymore. He only looked carefully at his brother's face, feeling that all the years of toil had been worthwhile.
Then he suddenly frowned and scolded him.
"How have you grown so fat?"
Ma Su was instantly speechless, his face full of helplessness as he instinctively glanced toward Huang Zhong.
Huang Zhong scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly.
"I'll go have a word with that Zhang Eight Hundred. You two brothers should talk."
"Jichang, remember to come find me later."
With that said, Huang Zhong strode away. Turning his head, he noticed that over there Military Advisor Pang and Military Advisor Lu were standing together in conversation.
From this angle he could clearly see Pang Tong bending down with a smiling face, speaking to the youth beside Lu Su.
"You are Kongming's clan younger brother? I am the General of Military Advisors under Lord Xuande. What I have learned may not be vast, but it is enough to teach you. Would you be willing to study under me?"
"Shiyuan," Lu Su said with a helpless smile.
Zhuge Dan rolled his eyes, and a broad smile appeared on his face.
"General Lu once spoke to me of Military Advisor Pang. He said that you understand the hearts of men and the patterns of yin and yang, that you can sit within a command tent and comprehend the world, and guard a region while stirring the winds of change."
"He also said that you and my clan elder brother are close friends. By that reckoning, Military Advisor Pang is also an elder brother to me. It would only be proper for me to serve and study at your side."
Huang Zhong stopped walking for a moment and scratched his chin. He did not catch much of the meaning, but the boy's words sounded pleasing enough to his ears.
Pang Tong, however, circled Zhuge Dan once, the smile on his face growing wider. He stepped forward and grasped Zhuge Dan's hands.
"Since we are now brothers, there happens to be an empty room at my residence in Ye City. How about coming to live with your elder brother?"
Lu Su was not in a hurry. After thinking it over, he smiled.
"Shiyuan has not seen Boyue for some time?"
Pang Tong immediately looked a little dispirited.
"That little Jiang Wei, together with Kongming's two children and Kongming's disciple named Ma Jun, arrived in Ye City half a month ago."
"The four of them joined forces and, with Kongming's guarantee, entered the Ye City academy. They debated with the scholars there and left the instructors speechless. The whole city of Ye is talking about it now."
Lu Su immediately understood. Pang Tong had most likely been unable to involve himself in the matter, which was why he felt somewhat vexed. Still, hearing of it stirred his curiosity as well.
After a brief gathering at the riverbank, Lu Su originally intended to rest for a while. But when he learned that Zhang Liao wished to depart immediately for Ye City and that a carriage had already been prepared, the group discussed briefly and decided to travel together by carriage.
Thus after a short burst of activity, they boarded the carriages and turned north again. Zhao Yun did not forget to call out to Zhang Fei, who would remain here to supervise the work.
"I will go ahead to Ye City to pay respects to Lord Xuande. In two days I shall prepare some humble wine and await Third Brother's return to the city."
Zhang Fei waved his hand carelessly and laughed loudly.
"Zilong should first make sure Second Brother does not drink himself senseless before talking of anything else."
Lu Su also turned back and called out.
"Gui'er…"
"Uncle, uncle, call me by my name!"
Gan Gui hurriedly interrupted.
"I know, I know. Once matters here are finished I will certainly go to Uncle's place and ask for lodging."
After escaping Jiangdong together, Gan Gui knew that his father and Military Advisor Lu had become as close as brothers. His father had even instructed him to treat Lu Su the same way he treated his own father.
Since his father was not here, he would spend the New Year with Uncle Lu.
After boarding the carriage, Huang Zhong briefly described the situation earlier.
"I arrived together with Military Advisor Xu. But Military Advisor Xu does not like wind and snow, so he went ahead to Ye City."
"Yan County is guarded by General Wu Yi. At Shangcai, Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, and Wang Ping all declined, so in the end only Meng Huo came to Ye City to present merit on their behalf."
Zhao Yun nodded, now holding a general understanding of the current situation.
After all, Ye City lay far away. Although they had defeated Cao Cao, it was clear that their lord's greatest concern now was how to survive the harsh winter. Thus those summoned were mostly close associates. Formal recognition of merit would probably wait until next year when they returned to Luoyang.
After all, the Han dynasty had now been restored, and the final declaration once made was to return to the old capital.
The carriage rolled across the thin snow, leaving two tracks stretching slowly northward.
Soon a great city rising from the plains pierced through the snowy veil and appeared before them.
Excitement grew on Zhang Liao's face, while Lu Su instead seemed thoughtful.
"No wonder Cao Zihuan, after being lured outside the gate and trapped, did not struggle much and simply led his troops south…"
Though he said this, Lu Su felt more grateful for the existence of the cannons. Without their deterrence, the war could never have ended so quickly. If they had needed to fight Cao's army at every city, every pass, every stronghold, many tens of thousands more souls would likely have perished.
After verifying their credentials, the carriages entered the city.
Lu Su leaned his head out, observing the northern city with interest. Suddenly he remembered something.
"I wonder how much merit Ma Mengqi has achieved by now?"