Part 6

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***

The first encounter with Yuan Shu was easily forgotten. Practising together for a punishment for a dormitory infraction had reconciled the two boys. After spending a whole week together, they became much more relaxed in socialising and even helped each other with simple chores.

Yuan Shu's arrogant attitude was dictated by his difficult and suspended state in the family. Without going into details, the intelligent child for his age narrated the attitude of his relatives. Apart from his father, the entire Yuan family despised little Shu, believing him to be a foolish mistake for being born into their great clan by misunderstanding. Despised and hated by everyone since childhood, he was forced to learn to wear various masks on his face, which helped him to manoeuvre in the intricacies of intrigues of his relatives.

The first time he spoke of his difficult life, the boy used so many archaic and unfamiliar words that Guan Yu fell asleep with his eyes open. Staring at the beige-painted wall, the captain's son replayed what his neighbour had said in his head, sinking into a meditative state. Many more times in the future, Yu would use his mate as a sleeping pill.

Towards the end of the week, the happy children left the confines of the school, which didn't give them a moment's rest. The large number of lessons in the morning and afternoon exhausted the mind, and the evening workouts exhausted the body.

Hurrying to meet his father, Guan Yu kneaded his shoulders tired from the unusual work. For five days in a row, he had hungrily copied the old books of one of the rectors. His gaunt handwriting was now stored on fifty pages, infuriating the man who punished them, for he had hoped to get at least even lines of writing.

Unlike his neighbour, Yuan Shu's punishment was simpler and more complicated for an aristocrat. While the officer's son was used to cleaning and hard work, the little bastard helped carry heavy bags to the kitchen with his tongue out. Gasping with fatigue and pain throughout his body, Shu regretted that his cousin's physical conditioning had bypassed him. Being the same weight as a bag of rice, he could have dragged it all evening without ever reaching the dining hall. But the punishment was firmly planted in his mind, warning him of further antics.

Seeing the officer's uniform, Yuu quickened his step. At full speed, the boy crashed into his father's body, wrapping his arms and legs around him. To the cheerful laughter of his parent, he began to relentlessly recount all the events that had happened to him. Stumbling and jumping from one story to another, he did not see Lee's satisfied face, that from the first seconds he threw away pointless attempts to understand the monologue of the hyperactive firstborn.

-Come on, let's get something to eat and I'll put you on the ferry, they only let me go for a couple of hours.

Nodding his head so hard that it was about to fall off, Yu grabbed his father's hand. On the road, the captain was able to properly question his son about his first impressions. Asking simple clarifying questions, he learnt more from his offspring than he could tell himself. Sitting across from Yu, Li drank the hot tea with pleasure, occasionally heating it with his magic. The pleasant aroma of unknown herbs tickled his nose and drove him into a lethargic state.

Having had enough, little Yu began to peck his nose. Slumping down on the table, he smeared the remains of his lunch on his face and drooled a little. Always collected in life, his boy gave his body complete freedom in his sleep. Remembering how the firstborn liked to make nasty noises at night and create an incredible ambergris, Lee shrugged fearfully. He had nightmares about the boy's early years, and it was hard to imagine what it had been like for his wife and parents.

-That's unfortunate for your neighbour. Once you get used to it and relax in there, you'll kick him out of the room.

Laughing anticipatively at the suffering of others, Lee noticed the boy's movements. Hearing his father's bass voice, the child sleepily uncrossed his eyes, looking around. It took him a few minutes to regain consciousness before the remnants of sleep finally left him.

-Are you rested? Good, time to go.

Seeing the ferry off, Lee stood on the shore. With his hands folded behind his back, he nostalgically recalled how he had rushed on a patrol boat on the river to catch up with his wife. The pleasant thoughts had left the officer's mind when an excited messenger ran out onto the wharf. Without faltering, the boy messenger, who was not yet twenty, froze in front of Guan Li.

-Breathe. Report.

The kind voice of a caring father was replaced by the cold ordering tone of a warrior of the Fire Nation. The eyes that looked at his son with affection and love, were now like two steel daggers, shackling the unfortunate messenger to his seat.

-General assembly, Mr Captain. -General assembly. The Twelfth Patrol has not returned to the assembly point.

-Absent, dismissed.

Smoothing his wrinkled uniform, Guan Li took a deep breath before running in. His patron and commander was a great man, but he didn't like to wait. Breaking off into an easy run, a keen eye took note of the commotion beginning in the city. Reinforced patrols were going out to their posts, and many officers were running towards headquarters, dressing as they went.

'Even pulled out of their furloughs?! Shit!'. Speeding up, Li ran into the open gates of the fortress. Showing a clay plaque claiming his identity on the run, the man ran up the stairs of the main headquarters to the very top floor without slowing down.

Upstairs, Ping was already waiting for him, along with the other junior command staff. The sergeants and petty officers from each squad were patiently waiting for their commanders until the meeting was over. Decked out in full armour and with his trusty halberd behind his back, the old friend nodded glumly and opened the doors in front of the commander, remaining outside.

Gum and noise struck the newcomer in the face. The entire command of Lu Yang and Pohai Fortress had gathered in the hall. Viceroy Tao Qin, covered in an orange plaid, nervously stroked his long grey beard, staring into the void. Next to the old man sat Prince Airo himself. Despite his temperament, the heir to the Lord of Azulon was collected and serious, something that no one present had ever seen before.

Quickly glancing around the hall, Guan Li saw a fellow officer waving at him. Approaching closely, the captain had no time to ask a question before the deputy commander Huang Zhong put his finger to his lips. Surrounding their commander, the officers of the city's garrison sat in straight rows as if they had swallowed the spear shafts. Frowning his bushy eyebrows, Colonel Liu Biao nodded his head sharply, pointing Li to a neighbouring seat.

A tense atmosphere surrounded his patron and those sitting next to him. Unlike the others, all the officers close to Liu Biao were silent and did not dare to utter a single sound.

Drawing everyone's attention, the powerful steel doors leading to the interior of the building opened, letting an obese man inside. A black, curly beard stuck out in all directions, and a huge nose and plump lips covered his entire face. Despite his first impression, many people knew that the commander-in-chief of the Northern Invasion Army, Dong Jo, was a strong mage and a good warrior, proving his strength in battle many times.

Standing up in the presence of the senior officer, everyone except Prince Airo and Viceroy Tao Qian bowed their heads. The latter two continued to remain in their seats in anticipation. Putting a hand under his head, the heir to the Fire Country ironically escorted the commander-in-chief with a glance before the fat Jo sat down in a special wide chair.

-Prince Airo, Viceroy, gentlemen officers. Two hours ago today, our patrol did not return to the rendezvous point. Literally just now, I received a report that another squad that was guarding the border of the Baru Forest was missing. All our forces are on alert. Patrols will be reinforced along the Ten-Ten River, and the coast guard fleet will enter the riverbed in case of emergencies.

Listening to Dong Jo's speech, Li understood the general's motives, but was unwilling to accept them. The commander-in-chief's whole tactic was to remain on the defensive and wait for further enemy action, thus abandoning all the settlements and inhabitants on the other side of the river. In the captain's eyes flashed the happy face of his son and the image of Sipa and Thomas playing with their daughter, even the grumpy drunkard Lon was dear to him, despite any altercations and complaints from the old man.

Wanting to spit on the chain of command and jump up from his seat, Lee was stopped by a firm grip on his shoulder. With a fierce look the nervous father looked into his patron's face that with his eyes alone hinted to him to calm down. Leaning down to the captain's ear, the colonel uttered a single phrase.

-Calm down before you do something stupid! You're not the only one with family on the other side,' Liu Biao nodded his head towards his colleagues and moved his eyebrows, pointing at the worried officers, 'do you really think that the relatives of all these people will be abandoned to their fate?

Realising what he had said, Li relaxed back in his chair. Taking a closer look, he saw a lot of men who, just like him, were nervously clenching their fists. Closing their eyes and trying to calm down, the soldiers were breathing heavily, trying not to think about bad things.

The hall that had fallen into silence was slowly covered with hundreds of similar whispers. The commanders were berating their subordinates for worrying about their families.

With a raised hand, Viceroy Tao Qian drew everyone's attention. Laughing ludicrously and struggling to assume a straight position, the elderly man cleared his throat before asking a question.

-What action will be taken to save the people living on the other side of the river?

Upon hearing the question, the commander-in-chief and the prince stared at the old man's face in amazement. They looked at the officers sitting in the hall with perplexed looks. Standing up from his seat, Dong Jo put his hands behind his back.

-Unfortunately, all of our forces are retreating across the river, until we know the exact number of the enemy and their plans, we will not take any action.

A stone seemed to crumble in Li's heart. With a heavy ringing in his head, he heard the warlord's words echoing repeatedly, not believing his ears. Something was happening all around him, but for the captain it all passed his consciousness. Throwing aside the hands that were shaking him, the man, along with the other junior officers, headed for the exit while the senior commanders continued to confer. The doors slammed shut, and as he stepped outside, Lee pressed his chest against his sergeant's.

Ping, who met him at the entrance, immediately smelled something wrong, his friend didn't look like himself. With shaking hands and a whitened face, he looked like a dead man or a drunk, not a combat officer.

Taking Guan Li away from human eyes, the sergeant, begging for forgiveness, gave his commander a savoury slap. The captain, who had fallen to the ground, shook his head slowly, trying to regain consciousness while his friend jumped around, threatening to give him a couple more smacks if he didn't come to his senses.

-Yeah, yeah... I'm fine. Help me stand up better.

Pulling himself up by his outstretched hand, the officer adjusted his collar and straightened his back. Blinking, trying to regain consciousness after a hard blow, the man leaned his hand on the wall.

-I'm going in there. Jo isn't going to save the inhabitants...

Without letting his friend finish, Ping grabbed the captain's right arm. Raising it to chest level, he grinned cheekily and squeezed the palm as hard as he could.

-I'm with you! Maybe I can save some pretty girl like your wife, who'll give me a bunch of sons and daughters in return.

-She'd have to be a great beauty, or she'd give birth to a bunch of other freaks like you.

-Hey! That was very hurtful.

-You shouldn't have hit your captain.

Gathering his courage, Guan Li turned to face his friend.

-Why are you standing there? Let's go quickly ...

-Wait,' putting his arm around Ping's shoulders, Li looked intently into the sergeant's eyes, 'are you sure? This is desertion, we're violating a direct order, you don't have to....

-Do you need another punch?

Grinning angrily, the junior officer threw his commander's hands aside. Glaring at his friend, Ping took a few deep breaths.

-Don't ask me anything like that again! Understood? - Without waiting for an answer, the man rushed towards the harbour - Hurry up, Captain.

Smoothing his beard and smiling warmly, Guan Li ran after his friend.