Chapter 045: I Have a Gun

Chapter 45: I Have a Gun

Wei Ba could scarcely believe it—someone once elevated by the late Emperor Liu Bei as a person of great talent, promoted beyond the usual bounds, had been executed merely for uttering a single curse against Liu Bei. This was entirely at odds with the image of Liu Bei he held in his heart. Was Liu Bei not famous for honoring the virtuous, for winning the hearts of the people? How could he kill a man for just a word, and with such a heavy charge that his entire family was condemned to servitude until death? What kind of grudge would warrant such vengeance?

“You must think I am slandering the late emperor,” Peng Xiaoyu said with a mournful smile. “I owe you a great debt, Young General, and dare not implicate you further. I will never speak of these things again. But if you pay attention in the future, you’ll come to know whether my words are truth or falsehood. Are you ready? I’ll wash your feet now.”

Wei Ba gave a faint assent. Peng Xiaoyu dipped her hands into the footbath and began to knead his feet gently. Though her touch was unpracticed, she was exceedingly attentive, scrubbing every inch of skin and never missing a single acupoint he’d mentioned before. Her strength, however, was lacking, so the effect was not quite what it should have been.

But Wei Ba was still reeling from her words and scarcely noticed the service. His mind was in turmoil, and he began to doubt just how much he truly understood about this era.

Could Liu Bei really have killed a man for a single insult?

“Don’t worry too much about tomorrow,” Peng Xiaoyu continued soothingly as she washed his feet. “The Prime Minister is no ordinary man; he has little patience for empty talkers or brutish warriors. The iron spade and ledger you made are practical tools that benefit the people—he is sure to appreciate them. But you must understand the position of the Wei family. Will you continue to hold onto your power, or will you bow your head and submit to the Prime Minister?”

Wei Ba listened in silence, a touch of shame coloring his heart. As a member of the Wei family, he knew something of their fate, but his grasp of the present situation was far less clear than the young woman before him. Now, he found himself relying on her for guidance. Still, he could not wholly accept her perspective. Raised in the logistics camp, Peng Xiaoyu had suffered much; it was only natural that a certain darkness colored her worldview. As a victim in the affair of Peng Yang, she would of course speak from her own position. At the very least, Wei Ba found it hard to believe that Peng Yang had died for a single sentence.

If he wanted the truth, he would have to seek it from other sources. Listening to one side alone leads to ignorance; only by hearing all sides can one find clarity. To ignore good advice is wrong, but to swallow every word whole is no less dangerous.

…

The next morning, Wei Ba went for his usual run up the mountain. He made it halfway up in one breath, only to find someone had arrived before him. A graceful figure danced in the cool morning breeze, sword flashing, movements elegant and captivating.

Wei Ba’s eyes lit up. He jogged in place, grinning as he watched this Three Kingdoms-era sword dance. The girl moved with grace, her waist supple, her swordwork precise and sharp—a true daughter of a military house, exuding a fierce spirit. Even so near the vast army camp, her presence was singular, a rare and beautiful sight.

Suddenly, with a shout, a flash of sword light shot toward him, halting three steps away and startling him into leaping back, instinctively assuming Master Huang’s defensive stance. Dunwu, the guard at his back, remained impassive and unmoving, but his gaze toward the girl showed a hint of displeasure.

The white-robed girl couldn’t help but laugh, quickly regaining her composure as she wiped sweat from her brow with a handkerchief, a look of disdain on her face. “Flowery fists and fancy footwork,” she sneered.

Wei Ba chuckled, glancing at his own hands. “You’re quite right, miss. My skills are indeed for show, because hand-to-hand isn’t my true specialty.”

“Oh?” The girl shot him a sidelong glance, her contempt undisguised. “And what, pray tell, is your specialty? Will you enlighten me?”

“My greatest skill is with the spear,” Wei Ba replied solemnly.

“Spear?” She frowned. “And what manner of weapon is that?”

“The spear is a most wondrous weapon,” Wei Ba said, stepping closer to her. He could hear the slight quickening of her breath, catch the faint scent of her sweat—a thrill ran through him, his heart racing, though his face remained solemn. “A spear can be long or short, soft or hard. At rest, it lies coiled like a silkworm; in action, it surges like a dragon. It can decide life and death, bring a man to ecstasy or despair, even leave him longing for life or death, caught between the two.”

The girl eyed him skeptically. “Is there truly such a marvelous weapon in this world?”

“There are many things you don’t know.” Wei Ba shrugged, casting a final, appreciative glance at her graceful figure. He sighed inwardly—if only Peng Xiaoyu were half as pretty as this girl, he would have made his move long ago. Fate was cruel: the ones he wanted were out of reach, and the ones within reach were plain as a block of wood. Suppressing his wayward thoughts, he turned to leave. “Don’t spend all your time on horseback or practicing swordplay. Take a moment to read a book—broaden your horizons.”

The girl bit her lip, pondering for a moment. As she saw him about to descend the mountain, she couldn’t resist calling out, “Wei Ba, you talk a good game, but are you just bragging? If you really have such a miraculous weapon, would you dare show it to me in a contest?”

Wei Ba barely stifled a laugh and stopped, turning back with a slight frown. “Are we so well acquainted that I’d reveal such a treasure to you?”

“Hmph. I knew you were all talk.” She shook her sword defiantly. “If you truly have such skill, why not test yourself against me now? Let me see this marvel for myself.”

Wei Ba glanced at her heaving chest and smacked his lips, thinking, I’d love to spar with you, but I doubt you’d agree. And if you ruined my divine spear with a single stroke, I’d be no better than an old crone.

“If you truly wish to see, perhaps there’ll be a chance in the future. But for now, it’s too soon.”

“Too soon? Well, there’s a gathering today—many of our peers will be competing, and those who excel may be chosen for the Prime Minister’s household. Since you claim such skill, will you hide your talent and deny us a glimpse?”

“As for them…” Wei Ba frowned. “They’re even less qualified. To be honest, among the tens of thousands in this camp, perhaps only you are worthy to witness my skill. As for the others…” He shook his head. “I won’t even let them know it exists.”

With that, Wei Ba strode away. The girl was left speechless, unsure whether to call him back or let him go. Watching his figure recede down the mountain, she curled her lips, wrinkled her nose, and muttered, “All talk. With that petty Wei family temperament, if he truly had such a weapon, he’d flaunt it to the heavens, not keep it hidden.”

“Miss, I think so too,” her maid said, stepping forward to take the sword and frowning as she looked down the mountain after Wei Ba. “But I feel as if he’s trying to make peace with you—his words seem meant to flatter.”

“Nonsense!” the girl replied, feigning anger. “I won’t forgive him just because he tries to please me—unless he apologizes, I’ll never accept it.”

“But—”

“There’s no ‘but’!” the girl stomped her foot in annoyance. “Do you like him so much you’re taking his side?”

The maid hurriedly shook her head. “Of course not, miss. I only have your best interests at heart. That fellow may lack martial skill, but his hands are ruthless, and his bodyguard even more so. Liu Yu was thrown down by him and hasn’t gotten up since—the physician says he may be crippled for life. He dared strike the Rear General and Staff Officer Yang; do you think he’d fear our Ma family? Do you want to end up like the Rear General, sent back to Chengdu by the Prime Minister?”

The girl fell silent, her face taut as she watched Wei Ba reach the foot of the mountain. After a while, she sighed in frustration. “It’s hard to understand why the Prime Minister treats the Wei family so favorably. Does he really want Wei Yan to command an army alone? If we’re to fight Cao Wei, surely our Ma family is the best choice for the vanguard. Who else has the strength to stand against their cavalry?”

The maid pouted. “Miss, you mustn’t speak that way. The Wei family and the Prime Minister are both from Jingxiang; of course he’d rather give them the opportunity. Who would think of the Ma family?”

“So our Ma family will never rise?” the girl retorted angrily.

The maid stuck out her tongue, uncertain how to answer such a question. It seemed, in truth, that the Ma family had little hope of advancement. The girl understood this better than her maid—her complaints were merely the overflow of frustration, a desire for comfort, however fruitless. The maid was no true confidante, but who else could she confide in?

She glanced down the mountain at Wei Ba’s now ant-like figure, recalling his earlier words of obvious flattery. A faint, mischievous smile touched her lips, her gaze both wandering and triumphant. She lifted her head and squared her shoulders, proud as a little hen, even as her voice dripped with disdain. “That braggart—his only talent is his tongue. One day, I’ll force him to show off that so-called miraculous spear he boasts about. When I beat him soundly, let’s see if he ever dares talk big again.”

———

[Author’s note omitted per instructions.]