Chapter 101: The Governor of Ba Commandery

Having been pursued by government troops in Badong Commandery, Zhang Chi naturally dared not venture into Yongan, the commandery seat. He had no choice but to retreat with Dark Blade back to their boats. Fortunately, there were those within the Five Pecks of Rice Sect who possessed medical skills. As the sect had been engaged in constant warfare for years, they naturally had physicians traveling with their forces, and one of them had taken on the role of a military doctor.

All three of them had sustained varying degrees of injury. Zhang Chi was the least wounded, having only been struck in the calf by an arrow; after the arrowhead was removed and some medicine applied, he was in no great danger.

Dark Blade, however, had suffered the most severe wounds. She had been pierced by spears in several places, and the blood loss alone was enough to overwhelm her, with the most critical injury being the spear wound on her chest. Had it not been for the extraordinary speed of the horse, White Snow, which allowed her to return to the boat in time for treatment, she likely would have perished on the road.

Once his own medicine was applied, Zhang Chi, leaning on the wine-serving girl for support, limped over to check on Dark Blade’s condition. The women whom Zhang Chi had rescued—who were previously destined to be cooked and eaten by the Five Pecks of Rice Sect—were now put to good use caring for the wounded. Being women of delicate sensibilities, they were naturally more meticulous and attentive than the men.

As soon as they saw Zhang Chi enter, the women stopped what they were doing and bowed to him. Having lost their own kin and owing their very lives to his rescue, they were naturally filled with gratitude. As Zhang Chi’s leg made it difficult for him to assist them, he sat down and asked the wine-serving girl to help them up.

The lead woman was helped to her feet and bowed again, saying respectfully, "Young Master, you are injured and should rest more. We will take care of this young lady with the utmost caution. Please, rest assured."

While the other women were reserved and dared not speak in Zhang Chi's presence, this one was poised and articulate. Zhang Chi remembered her from back in Kuaiji, when he had gone to assassinate a high-ranking general of the Northern Garrison Army, though the situation had been too urgent for him to ask her name. Seeing her again, he asked, "What is your name?"

"This servant is called Yu'er," the woman replied respectfully.

It was a common enough name. Zhang Chi nodded. Noticing she was holding a bowl, he asked with a smile, "What is that?"

"It is a herbal decoction to replenish her blood. This young lady has lost too much and remains unconscious; I am here to feed it to her."

Zhang Chi knew that Dark Blade kept her face veiled at all times, claiming she killed anyone who saw it. Given her eccentric nature, he figured she might actually do such a thing. To avoid future trouble, he instructed the women, "You may leave for now; I will feed her the medicine myself."

Only after he removed her veil did Zhang Chi see Dark Blade’s face for the first time. It was a complete surprise; he had assumed that a woman who remained veiled year-round would, at best, have an average appearance—after all, who would hide such beauty? Yet, as the veil fell, she proved to be a true beauty. Though her eyes remained closed, her features were delicate and exquisite, like a painting. It was impossible to imagine that an assassin could possess such stunning beauty.

"Wow," Zhang Chi exclaimed, a sentiment only a modern soul could truly express.

***

Dark Blade remained unconscious for three days and nights, only waking on the fourth day, though she remained exceptionally weak.

"I didn't die?" Dark Blade muttered, sounding disbelieving.

As she looked up and saw Zhang Chi beside her, holding a bowl of porridge, he said, "You are still wounded and cannot eat anything too greasy. Come, drink this."

"You saved me? How long have I been unconscious?" she asked coldly.

Zhang Chi knew this was her nature—she had been just as cold toward the old helmsman—so he didn't take offense and answered truthfully.

"You have been feeding me porridge all these days?"

Seeing Zhang Chi nod, Dark Blade realized her veil was gone. She suddenly gasped, "You... you took off my veil?"

Watching her startled expression, Zhang Chi wondered if this was like the plots of martial arts novels where one must either kill the person who saw their face or marry them. He had heard of such clichés but never expected to encounter one. Fortunately, Dark Blade said nothing further and silently took the bowl from him, though the look she gave him was less icy than before, carrying a hint of complexity.

After chatting for a while, Zhang Chi learned that the "corrupt official" she had intended to assassinate was the Governor of Badong. With Northern barbarians massing troops to attack the six northern commanderies, many local officials in Shu intended to defect to the enemy. They held vast armies but refused to send aid, watching as the six commanderies fell.

These six commanderies were the gateway to Shu. If they were lost, the barbarians could march directly into the plains of Shu, where there were no natural defenses left. The Cold Gate organization, formed by displaced refugees, harbored a deep blood feud against the barbarians and were outraged by the officials’ refusal to fight. They began assassinating such men, and the Governor of Badong had been one of their targets. Unfortunately, he had been prepared; the assassination failed, and the Cold Gate branch was surrounded and annihilated, with Dark Blade being the sole survivor.

Zhang Chi felt a sense of frustration. He had assumed that since Lady Wang sent him to Shu, the officials there would be remnants of the Xie family who had already paved the way for him. He had not expected the power struggles in Shu to be so complex. In the past, he might not have cared, preferring to find a safe place to drift through life, but after the death of Lady Wang and his experiences in Kuaiji, his outlook had changed. It was difficult to survive alone in these chaotic times. Since he could not protect himself in isolation, he would build a force of his own to protect the people. But now, arriving in Shu, he realized it was far from easy.

Seeing Dark Blade’s sorrow, Zhang Chi did not want to dwell on painful topics and changed the subject: "Are there any officials in Shu who advocate resisting the barbarians?"

Dark Blade snorted coldly, "Those officials only care about how much they can squeeze from the people. Why would they risk their lives on the battlefield?"

It seemed her resentment toward officialdom ran deep. Zhang Chi could only offer a bitter smile and remain silent.

As she had just regained consciousness, he felt it best to let her rest. He went out to the deck. Looking out into the wind, he realized he was in the Three Gorges. While the landscape was more magnificent than the one he remembered from his previous life, he had no heart to admire the scenery.

He was still sighing when he saw several large ships approaching from upstream, escorted by well-drilled soldiers. They headed straight for his fleet.

*Trouble,* Zhang Chi thought. Having clashed with government troops at the Cold Gate branch and rescued Dark Blade from the army, he felt a surge of panic at the sight of the official vessels.

To his surprise, the lead ship pulled ahead, and a general clad in armor stood at the prow, shouting, "Young Master Zhang! It is indeed you!"

Zhang Chi squinted and recognized Du Ximing. His heart leapt with joy.

Du Ximing quickly brought his ship alongside, boarded their small boat, and bowed, "Young Master, why have you only just arrived in Shu? You worried me and Young Master Ding to death."

Zhang Chi gave a brief account of his recent experiences and asked about their situation.

"Our journey to Shu was far more uneventful than yours—certainly nothing as earth-shattering as your single-handed capture of a general from the Northern Garrison," Du Ximing laughed. "Lady Wang made arrangements before her passing. To the east of Shu lie Ba Commandery and Badong Commandery. The Governor of Ba is a member of the Xie clan who served under Lady Wang and was my brother-in-arms on the battlefield. A year ago, Lady Wang sent him to Shu as Governor, with orders to await your arrival and follow you. We are only a short distance upriver from Ba Commandery now."

So, Lady Wang had indeed made arrangements. Zhang Chi sighed; her devotion to him was profound. Knowing the situation in Jiankang as she did, she had gambled her life. Though she had lost, she had ensured a path for him.

Ba and Badong—the name "Badong," meaning "East of Ba," made sense. Indeed, there was also a Baxi Commandery to the west of Ba.

Following the Yangtze upstream, they reached Ba Commandery before long. The commandery seat lay along the river, where the Governor, Qin Bo, was already waiting on the bank alongside Ding Yizhi.

Qin Bo was respectful, welcoming Zhang Chi into the city and settling his thousand-plus followers before escorting them to the Governor’s residence. Qin Bo had already moved out to make room for Zhang Chi.

Zhang Chi immediately waved his hand in refusal: "I cannot accept this. General Qin is the Governor of Ba. If I arrive and take your residence, would that not be like a dove seizing a magpie's nest?"

"How could it not be accepted?" Ding Yizhi said with a smile. "Brother, since you have arrived in Ba, you are the master of this land. Your destiny is to unite the three Ba commanderies and build a hero's enterprise. This was Lady Wang’s wish; please do not decline."

Ding Yizhi clearly wanted Zhang Chi to take control.

Qin Bo was equally insistent: "Lady Wang’s dying wish was for me to follow you; how could I disobey? Besides, Du Ximing and I are brothers; he was once a general of the vanguard, yet he now follows you. Today, since you have arrived, there is no longer a Governor Qin Bo—only you."

Unable to refuse further, and with Du Ximing also urging him, Zhang Chi was ushered into the main hall, where a banquet had been prepared. Having not touched wine for some time, Zhang Chi drank with them until nightfall before everyone finally withdrew.