Ninety-Two: Brotherhood

"After a long drought, one rejoices at the sweet rain; in a foreign land, one meets an old friend."

Even twenty years later, Sun Fu still could not put into words the tangled emotions that filled him when he met Luan Yi in the mountains of Xiangyang all those years ago.

Joy, excitement, gratitude... shame, timidity, heartache... He wanted to cry, and he did cry aloud; the tears were both bitter and sweet.

He clung to Luan Yi, and the two wept without restraint. They looked at one another, neither saying a word, yet all a thousand unspoken thoughts seemed to pass between them in the movement of a hand, the turn of a glance.

Their deep brotherly affection moved everyone present; even the usually rough-and-ready Zhang Fei could not help but shed tears.

"Come... let us speak inside!" Luan Yi said, gripping Sun Fu's hand tightly as he lifted the curtain and entered the room. Yet the moment he crossed the threshold, he was nearly driven back out by the musty, damp odor within. By the dim light from the window, he swept his gaze around the room. The poor dwelling held nothing at all of household comfort save for a large couch and a cooking stove.

Sun Fu's mother lay in the center of the couch, wrapped in a thick quilt. Hearing footsteps at the door, she lifted her head in instinctive curiosity; the instant she saw Luan Yi's handsome face, tears also streamed down her cheeks. "Am I dreaming? Is that Yi'er? It really is Yi'er! Yi'er... sob..."

"Aunt..." Luan Yi strode to the couch, knelt at once, and bowed to the ground, knocking his forehead until it bled. "Your nephew came too late! I have made you suffer... Your nephew deserves death..."

Sun Fu collapsed to the floor and wept with Luan Yi and his mother.

After they had cried for a good long while, the three finally regained themselves and spoke in broken voices. Luan Yi asked Sun Fu, "Brother Fu, back when we founded the Rising Phoenix Pavilion together, you held quite a share in it, and each month you would receive handsome dividends. Over time, that must have amounted to a fair fortune. Why is it that after leaving for the south, you have fallen into such poverty?"

Sun Fu let out a long sigh. "It is a long story."

When Mao Jie later accompanied Luan Miao and his son Luan Yi to their new post in Jinan, only three of the Five Officials remained in Yingchuan. Soon after, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai also departed one after another to travel and study. Of the brothers, only Sun Fu remained behind at Yingchuan Academy to care for his aged mother.

One day, Sun Fu saw a member of the noble class named Wei Zhe bullying students of humble birth, and he quarreled with him. Wei Zhe could not best Sun Fu in argument, and though he dared not act openly because Sun Fu bore the name of one of the Five Officials, he secretly grew spiteful.

That night, Wei Zhe gathered accomplices and acquaintances and lay in ambush along the road Sun Fu had to take home, intending to strike in the dark. Yet what he did not know was that Sun Fu was no ordinary man. Having long studied military books, he had already mastered a fine swordsmanship.

So when Wei Zhe suddenly sprang his assault, Sun Fu drew the treasured sword that had long been sheathed. Sword light flashed coldly; blood spilled, and the throat was sealed. Before Wei Zhe could even raise a hand, Sun Fu had already taken his life with one stroke.

The others scattered in panic, shouting that Sun Fu had killed a man.

Sun Fu stepped forward and pulled away the black cloth covering Wei Zhe's face, only then learning that the man he had killed was Wei Zhe. At once he understood that he had brought disaster upon himself.

Who was Wei Zhe? He was a member of the Wei clan. Throughout the Han realm, that clan was famous beyond need of introduction. In the reign of Emperor Wu, two celebrated figures had emerged from it: one was the great general Wei Qing, whose achievements for the dynasty were immense; the other was Empress Wei Zifu, wife of the emperor himself. One campaigned abroad, the other governed the inner palace; at that time, the Wei house stood among the highest of ministers.

Though the family had since waned over the years, a dying camel was still larger than a horse. The power in the hands of the Wei clan was far greater than that of Sun Fu, a mere commoner.

Now that one of their own had died by Sun Fu's hand, the clan would never let the matter rest. Even if Sun Fu were innocent and had merely killed in self-defense, the Wei family would still use its influence to twist right into wrong and wrong into right, and put him to death.

Sun Fu understood this all too well. That very night he returned home, packed hurriedly with his mother, and prepared to flee.

Yet he never imagined that the Wei family would move so quickly. Playing the bandit and shouting to catch the thief, they filed a complaint with the magistrate's office in Yangzhai County of Yingchuan, causing the county magistrate to dispatch officers at once to seize Sun Fu on charges of murder.

Fortunately, Magistrate Wang of Yangzhai had long dealings with the Five Officials. Risking punishment for negligence in office, he found Sun Fu and sent word to him, urging him to flee that very night.

With no other choice, Sun Fu had to carry his mother and leave home in haste, abandoning all valuables and heavy belongings behind.

That was why, after arriving in Xiangyang, he had fallen into such poverty.

Luan Yi's brows drew together. He asked sharply, "Brother Fu, why did you not come to me in Jinan after leaving Yingchuan? Do you look down on me, Luan Yi?"

Sun Fu explained, "Yi'er! Though we are not blood brothers, our bond surpasses that of flesh and bone. How could I be so formal with you? When I left Yingchuan, I had intended to go to Jinan to seek you out, or else head west to the capital in search of my mentor. But... after thinking it through carefully, I realized that such a plan would not do. The Wei family is vast and powerful, beyond what men like us can contend with. If I were to take refuge with my mentor or with you, would that not be like drawing fire upon ourselves? In the end, their fury would only be turned upon you as well. How could I rest easy?"

Luan Yi suddenly understood, and was deeply moved. He had never imagined that Sun Fu, merely to avoid bringing trouble upon him, would willingly go penniless to this unfamiliar southern land, build a humble hut in the deep mountains and woods, and endure such hardship. A pang of guilt rose in his heart. He stood, helped Sun Fu's mother down from the bed, and carried her upon his back. "Brother Fu, come with me!"

"Where to?" Sun Fu asked in alarm.

"Where to?" Luan Yi glanced around the room. Seeing nothing there worth taking, he answered, "Naturally, back to Jinan with me!"

"Yi'er, no!" Sun Fu urged. "If the Wei family learns that I have gone to Jinan with you, they will surely come looking for trouble. Then it would ruin your and Uncle's great affairs, and that would be terrible..."

"Brother Fu, say no more!" Luan Yi's face was stern with anger. "If I cannot even protect my own brother, how can I hope to stand in this world, let alone accomplish anything great? Just come back to Jinan with me. If the Wei family dares seek trouble with me, I will make them see how formidable Luan Yi can be. If trouble comes, we will meet it; if flood waters rise, we will build a dam. Rest assured. Besides, do you not already have another name now? You are Xu Shu, Xu Yuanzhi. If I do not reveal your true identity, how would the Wei family know that Sun Fu is in Jinan?"

"This..." While Sun Fu lowered his head in thought, Luan Yi pressed on, "My mind is made up. Brother Fu, say no more. Just come with me."

Without further debate, Luan Yi turned and walked out with Xu Shu's mother on his back. Helpless, Sun Fu chased after him and cried out, "Wait, Yi'er... wait for me!"

As he heard Sun Fu's words, Luan Yi suddenly seemed to remember the days of his childhood, when he had taken Guo Jia, Sun Fu, Xi Zhicai, and Mao Jie out to the town beyond Yingchuan Academy for a meal and Sun Fu had followed after them in pursuit.

Those childhood days were so beautiful. Back then, there had been no intrigue among brothers, no threat of the chaos to come... Everything had been tranquil. Life was nothing more than study and play. Even later, when they began running the Rising Phoenix Pavilion as a business, they did so while playing at work, and their days were full as well as happy...

With growth came maturity of mind. Yet when the door of the heart opened, what entered was not a riot of colors and beauty, but darkness and a gray realm divided between black and white. At such moments, pain surged into the human heart... wrapping one tightly until breath itself became difficult.

The source of pain lay in pressure, and the root of pressure lay in mankind's endless desires.

Just as now—Luan Yi, born in an age of chaos, might well have sought an earthly paradise and lived as a prosperous gentleman, content and carefree for a lifetime. Yet as a man with the soul of a modern person from the twenty-first century, he was unwilling to settle for peace and pleasure alone...

He wanted to accomplish great things, for himself, for this country, and even more for this people. He wanted to claim a place amid the turmoil of the age. He worried over the Yellow Turban uprising only months away... the invasion of the Five Barbarians... the fall of the northern frontier... world war... and many, many more...

One enormous desire after another became layer upon layer of pressure upon his shoulders. He bent beneath it, barely managing to bear the burden, but the greater the authority, the heavier the pressure, and the more he felt he was on the verge of collapse.

This became especially clear after last year's battles... He had begun to understand that he possessed natural strength and could indeed serve as a fierce warrior, but a warrior was still only a warrior. He could fight at the front line, but he lacked the ability to plan grand strategy, arrange deployments, and devise uncommon tactics to meet an enemy. Though he knew commerce, understood innovation, and could adapt to change, he did not know military art and could never be the commander of an army.

So he had begun to miss his friends—Guo Jia and Sun Fu. He thought that if those two had been by his side, the battle at Licheng would not have been so tragic.

Thus, when Luan Yi finally found Sun Fu, his excitement was beyond words. And this time, leaving Jinan had also brought him Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Huang Zhong, three fierce generals who would surely become tremendous aid in the struggles of the future.

His heart already racing back home, Luan Yi left Sun Fu's house, now Xu Shu's house, and went straight to Xiangyang Villa. He arranged for Xu Shu's mother and Huang Zhong's son, Xun, to ride in the same carriage and asked Lady Huang to look after them.

The group set out once more on the road home, heading north into Yuzhou and passing through Runan Commandery. When they reached Yingchuan Commandery, Luan Yi split the company in two. He sent Dian Wei with Xu Shu's family around Yingchuan, through Chenliu Kingdom, and straight to Jinan. Luan Yi himself, together with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Huang Zhong, went deeper into Yingchuan to the Luan family residence outside Yangzhai County to visit his grandfather.

By then, Grandfather Luan Tao was already past fifty. Perhaps because of the blessing brought by Luan Yi, the family's reputation had grown day by day and their business had flourished, leaving him in remarkably good spirits.

When he saw Luan Yi return, Luan Tao still wore his usual stern expression, though his mouth kept asking after him with evident concern.

Luan Yi answered each question in turn.

When Luan Tao asked the reason for his return to Yingchuan, Luan Yi said, "I have come especially to invite Grandfather to travel to Jinan and see for yourself the family's enterprises there."

Luan Tao laughed and replied, "Jinan is far too distant. These old bones of mine may not survive such a long journey. Besides, the business in Jinan is managed by your father and you together, and I am entirely at ease with that. There is no need for inspection. There are still many matters here in Yingchuan that require my personal attention, so this time I shan't go with you, Yi'er!"

Luan Yi had known all along that Luan Tao would say exactly this, and he also knew that the old man was as stubborn as a mule and would never be swayed once he had made up his mind. At once he declared, "This time to Jinan, you will go whether you wish to or not! Second Brother, Third Brother, bind Grandfather for me!"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stared in astonishment, thinking: What is Fourth Brother up to now? What grandson ever ties up his own grandfather?

"What are the two of you waiting for? Bind him already!" Luan Yi had been prepared. He drew a long rope from behind his waist and personally stepped forward to pin Luan Tao down.

Luan Tao struggled with all his might, but how could he break free from Luan Yi's strength? He burst into curses at once. "You unfilial wretch, what are you doing? Why are you tying up this old man? You little brat, ow... gently... gently..."

Luan Yi felt vexed in his heart, thinking: Grandfather, this is for your own good! It is not that your grandson is unfilial; I simply cannot explain it to you. How can I tell you that in no long while the Yellow Turban uprising will break out, and that all the counties of Yingchuan will become the main battlefield between the imperial armies and the Yellow Turbans? Even if I told you, you would never believe me. And if the smoke of war truly rises and you lose your life in the chaos, then what am I to do? I am tying you up and taking you to Jinan to save you!

In the midst of the chaos, Luan Yi called again to the pair behind him. "Second Brother, Third Brother, stop standing there. Come help. I will explain everything to you afterward."

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and bowed to Luan Tao in apology. "Forgive us, elder. I, Guan Yu, have been rude!" "This old Zhang has been disrespectful!"

No matter how mighty Luan Tao might be, how could he endure being handled by the three burly men, Luan Yi, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei? In but an instant, he was wrapped up like a rice dumpling and, like a lamb awaiting slaughter, was carried onto the cart by Zhang Fei.

When Luan Fu's father, Luan Zhong, saw this scene, he could make nothing of it and rushed forward anxiously to ask, "Young master, what... are you doing? Why have you tied up the master?"

Luan Yi looked at Luan Zhong and said coldly, "Second Brother, bind this old fellow as well and take him with us to Jinan!"

"Ah?"