Chapter 62: The Autumn Winds Rise

Chapter 062: The Autumn Wind Rises—Second Update, Seeking Votes for Sanjiang!

On Yangping Mountain, the green grass quietly shifted from pale to deep green, then just as imperceptibly, was tinged yellow by the autumn wind. The rice fields in the river valley, too, had transformed into endless golden carpets without anyone quite noticing. After tens of thousands of people rushed to harvest for several days, only short stalks remained. These were soon plowed into deep furrows, planted with wheat, and left to await the coming of winter.

Spring sowing and autumn harvest brought a season of abundance to Hanzhong, and Wei Ba also welcomed the fruits of his labor. After months of rigorous training and careful guidance from Zhao Yun, the boy who half a year ago would be gasping for breath after a few steps was now brimming with vitality, able to run from the foot to the summit of the mountain in one go. If not for accommodating the little maid with the green face, he might have been even faster.

Out of respect for Zhao Yun, Dunwu and the other guards could only wait halfway up the mountain and were not permitted to witness Wei Ba’s training. Likewise, Wei Ba did not reveal a single detail to them. Thus, the only one allowed to follow him up the mountain was the little maid.

After half a year of climbing with Wei Ba, Peng Xiaoyu seemed almost a different person. In just six months, she had passed through her budding stage and stepped directly into her youth, becoming a tall and graceful... ugly girl. There was nothing to be done; her figure now had all the curves it should, her complexion was rosy and glowing, but the green mark on her face had grown as robustly as she had, ruining all sense of beauty. At first glance, one simply did not wish to look a second time.

"Young General, Young General, wait for me!" Peng Xiaoyu called out, gasping as she hurried after him.

"Hurry up," Wei Ba urged, not slowing his pace. Master Zhao Yun had told him the purpose of practicing boxing was to make every move instinctive, so when the time came, one could act naturally without thinking. Thus, even as he climbed, he stepped and punched, not so much climbing as "fighting" his way up.

Even so, Peng Xiaoyu still could not keep up.

This progress was paid for with countless sweat and losses—not least, punching a dent into his father's new armor and getting a beating for it. Yet the rewards were heartening. In single combat, not only was his younger brother Wei Wu no match for him, even his elder brother Wei Feng dared not be careless, lest he lose badly.

Rounding the slope and arriving at the giant stone, Zhao Guang appeared from the edge of the cliff, dressed in fitted clothes, grinning: "Zi Yu, you should leave some room for others. With your diligence, my brother and I feel a lot of pressure."

Wei Ba blinked, then smiled, "Zhong De, is it you? Is Master busy?"

"Yes, Father has a meeting today, so he sent me to spar with you. He said your fundamentals are solid enough that you can move to the next stage." Zhao Guang rolled up his sleeves as he spoke. "Come, let me test your skills and see if you're truly, as Father says, a prodigy who can transform the straight into the curved."

Wei Ba felt awkward. He had experience from his past life and had read countless novels and watched films, so he was much more knowledgeable than those who treasured every move as a family heirloom. When Zhao Yun taught him boxing, always emphasizing that boxing was like spear technique—focused on the central thrust—Wei Ba occasionally spoke about the principles of Taiji boxing. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yun took it seriously, and had been thinking about it ever since. But all Wei Ba could do was imitate the cloud hand gesture; he knew nothing else and so couldn't explain much to Zhao Yun. Still, Zhao Yun was full of praise, calling it ingenious and beyond ordinary understanding. He must have spoken often to Zhao Guang, who, feeling nagged, was now here to tease Wei Ba.

"Are we sparring here?" Wei Ba glanced at the giant stone, less than two yards across, feeling uneasy. What if someone slipped and fell?

"Of course. You practice here every day, so why worry about falling?" Zhao Guang teased, "Are you scared?"

"What would I be scared of? I'm afraid I'll hurt you," Wei Ba laughed boldly. He certainly didn't believe Zhao Guang would harm him; this was merely the start of a new level of practice.

"Good. Let's begin," Zhao Guang beckoned. Wei Ba approached the stone, half his body nearly over the cliff edge. After months of practice, he could be steady as a mountain when alone, but sparring today made him nervous. Yet he refused to show weakness before Zhao Guang.

Zhao Guang put away his guard stance, his face growing stern as he frowned. "Zi Yu, how did Father teach you? Did he not say that the brave are not reckless? He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. A gentleman acts naturally, not fighting for pride, nor coveting false glory."

Wei Ba paused, then felt embarrassed. He stepped inward, calming his pounding heart, and solemnly said, "Thank you, brother. Please."

Zhao Guang relaxed, turned his back to the cliff, adopted a guard stance, and the seriousness vanished from his face, replaced by a sly look of satisfaction. Wei Ba immediately understood: Zhao Guang, standing with his back to the cliff, seemed to be in danger but was actually safe, for he needn't fear pushing himself too hard and falling. He could use his full strength, while Wei Ba, facing the cliff, had to worry about rushing forward and perhaps flying off the edge, making him cautious.

Despite half a year of studying boxing and tactics with Zhao Yun, Wei Ba still showed his inexperience in real application. In choosing the battlefield, he was already outmatched by Zhao Guang.

"Brother, isn't this a bit too crafty?" Wei Ba smiled wryly. "You pretend to care, but really you just took the best position."

"War is never too deceitful. Seizing the advantageous terrain is a commander's basic knowledge. You failed to notice, that's all." Zhao Guang smiled faintly, then suddenly attacked. Wei Ba did not dare be careless and focused his attention. They exchanged blows, then separated. Zhao Guang, with no worries, could go all out, while Wei Ba, afraid of rushing off the mountain, couldn't fight freely. Their first exchange revealed the outcome; Zhao Guang struck Wei Ba with a punch, forcing him back two steps.

"Again!" Wei Ba shook his arms and shouted.

With a loud "bang," they engaged again, and Wei Ba retreated another two steps.

Wei Ba’s face flushed. He shouted and charged again. Zhao Guang, smug, stepped up to meet him. But seeing Wei Ba’s mischievous smile, he sensed danger—but it was already too late. Wei Ba was now five or six steps from the cliff, no longer needing to worry about overexertion. He fought with all his strength, faster than before. Zhao Guang, overconfident after two successes, was caught off guard and forced back two steps by Wei Ba, and though he knew he was still two steps from the edge, it startled him enough to break into a cold sweat.

"How about that?" Wei Ba winked. "My trick of luring the enemy deeper worked, didn't it?"

Zhao Guang laughed heartily, nodding repeatedly. "Excellent! You lost the initiative but didn't panic, feigned weakness, lured the enemy in, and applied military strategy to boxing without showing it—truly a prodigy!"

"Here we go again," Wei Ba blushed. What prodigy? He simply had more knowledge than Zhao Guang and the others. Just as he easily defeated Yang Yi in mathematics, not because he was smarter, but because he had a millennium more of accumulated knowledge.

"Again," Zhao Guang said without minding. So the two sparred atop the giant stone. Compared to solo practice, sparring had more variables; not only did they need to mind their own position but also every move of their opponent. They couldn't lose ground, nor could they be careless and knock the other off the mountain. The balance required forced both Wei Ba and Zhao Guang to remain fully focused, lest any accident occur.

Though they were careful, Peng Xiaoyu watching nearby was terrified, not daring even to cough loudly for fear of distracting them and causing a fall.

Just half an hour of practice left Wei Ba drenched in sweat and mentally exhausted. Zhao Guang fared a bit better but was also tired. The two sat at the cliff’s edge, enjoying the mountain breeze. Peng Xiaoyu handed over prepared wine and food. Zhao Guang took a portion, sniffed the aroma, and laughed, "Father says your boxing is excellent, your grasp of tactics is remarkable, and your pastries are exquisite. Today I finally get to taste them—not a wasted trip!"

"These were meant for Master, but you took advantage," Wei Ba said. "Will Master come tomorrow?"

"Probably not," Zhao Guang replied as he ate. He pointed to the army camps below. "The autumn harvest is over, and the provisions for the expedition are almost ready. Next, the northern campaign will truly begin."

"Really?" Wei Ba was surprised. Since his arrival in this world, the Prime Minister had planned a northern expedition, but after half a year, he was still in Hanzhong, no movement at all, and Wei Ba had nearly forgotten about it. Hearing Zhao Guang say so, he felt a bit out of place.

It turned out Prime Minister Zhuge had been preparing all along. Hanzhong's grain was insufficient to support the army, so supplies had to be transported from Chengdu—Zhuge Qiao had been busy with this task. Now, with the autumn harvest complete and provisions ready, the expedition was truly on the agenda. To Wei Ba, the army’s departure marked the beginning, but for Zhuge Liang, the northern campaign was far more than just setting out. He had countless other concerns, far more complex.

Sadly, no matter how complex his plans, it was all for naught; whether it was the first expedition to Mount Qi or the sixth, he would only fall short before achieving his goal, leaving heroes weeping.

Wei Ba suddenly remembered: after his father’s Ziwu Valley plan had been submitted to the Prime Minister via Ma Su, there had been no response, and even Wei Ba had forgotten about it. With the campaign about to start, would the Prime Minister consider the plan? If not, what would his father think?

"Zhong De, what do you think... What strategy will the Prime Minister use for the northern campaign?"

Zhao Guang blinked and smiled, "Are you testing me?"

"How would I dare?" Wei Ba chuckled. "As the saying goes, like cutting and polishing, like carving and grinding—we are brothers. If I don’t ask you, who else can I ask?"

—Seeking Sanjiang votes, recommendations, and favorites! PS: Lao Zhuang started uploading last month on the 15th; originally there were a few days left on the new book list, but this week everyone was so supportive that Lao Zhuang has held second place on the Sanjiang ranking—seems a bit... Lao Zhuang is very happy, so dropping off the list a few days early is worth it. Please continue to support, recommend, and favorite—Lao Zhuang wants it all. And of course, Sanjiang votes! Only one day left; must keep this position!