To Cross A Bridge

[Zuo Ci]

A strange old man sat on the side of the great stone bridge, fishing and humming a tune. Strangely it does not seem as though he has any bait, nor does his line seem to have a hook tied, and yet his basket holds several fish. He is dressed shabbily, with one foot bare; however he seems oblivious to it all.

[Liu Xing]

It was good to be home again, Xiang Yang was familiar, the sounds the smell the people. It felt familiar as well, here he had a routine, a carefully ordered life, it made it easier for Liu Xing to relax. At least a little bit, he was high strung and more than a little paranoid. His condition not helped by the fact his step mother Liu Shi really was out to get him. In fact truth to be told he was no safer here than anywhere else. But at least he had the illusion of order and safety, for now that would have to be enough.

He had just returned from Chai Sang, where his father had dispatched him to arrange a mutual defense treaty with its governor Lady Wei Sun. He had been successful but it changed nothing. A mutual defense treaty, Zhang Jyun and his Yellow Turban rebels must be scared witlessness.....what a joke. It had in fact been a foolish waste of his time. All his father and even Wei Sun wanted to do was sit and talk and hope someone else dealt with the problem for them. It was pathetic all these lords raised up by the Han were ignoring their most sacred duty, to actually protect the Han by putting down rebels. The stupidity of it frustrated him, so it was that he was in a strange mood on this day. Annoyed by the futility of his mission yet glad at least it was over and that he was back in his home.

He had just finished reporting to his father. Now he was on the way to the army barracks at which his own troops were stationed. He wanted to drill them and make sure they were ready for action. Even if his father was going to neglect his duties, he would not make the same mistake. Along the way he had to cross the main bridge in the city. He was not paying very much attention until he spotted a man that looked very familiar. A old shabbily dressed man, seeming to be fishing over the edge of the bridge, doing quite well for himself too. Normally he did not address the common people, it seemed pointless they had nothing in common with him. Yet he could have sworn he knew this old man.

"Excuse the interruption to your fishing old man. I wonder if we might have met before?" He asked, while not a modest man he was generally polite to people until he developed a dislike for them.

[Zuo Ci]

Zuo Ci knew that Liu Xing would come this way. After their brief encounter at the Chaisang court, Zuo Ci was curious to find out more about the young man and what his true ambitions were, for Zuo Ci's was well aware of the duplicity that often lay deep within the hearts of men.

"Perhaps we have, but I cannot quite fathom how one such as I would know you, Your Excellency." Zuo Ci replied, not taking his attention away from the water. "The people call me Old Song, and I am but a medicine man of these parts."

[Liu Xing]

Liu Xing regarded the man carefully, he was almost positive he had met this man before and quite recently at that. Yet as hard as he tried he could not place the man's face. Yet the old man neither confirmed that they had or denied it. This was a little perplexing was the only man simply senile or was he trying to be evasive. The son of a powerful lord was after all usually not very forgettable. Still it seemed very likely they had met, he was not in the habit of speaking to commoners.

His usual interactions consisted only of giving orders to his men. At the barracks he was not exactly well loved as a commander, he was far to distant and cold but none of the other commanders were as well respected. In his mind it was only ability not personality that counted. No it seemed most unlikely that he should know this man. Yet his instincts insisted that he did, he was not however in the habit of trusting his instincts over his brains.

"I suppose it is of little relevance anyway." Liu Xing said thinking aloud more than anything else. He was just turning away when something at the back of his mind stop him. Almost not sure why he turned back to the old man, still positive they had met. Yet unsure how that could be possible.
"If you know something of medicine what are you doing out here catching fish, a doctor is a well paid profession is it not?" He asked the man not quite so polite this time. His tone almost challenging as if insisting to know why the man was being so illogical.

[Zuo Ci]

"Jiang Ziya once said unto King Wen that as a fisherman must wait a time with patience for the fish to bite, so must a man bide his time and know his ambitions if he expects to receive a great following." Zuo Ci replied ambiguously. Zuo Ci knew that his reply would make little sense to Liu Xing, but that was the point. Zuo Ci could sense that Liu Xing was a man of lofty ambitions, and while Liu Biao was ailing and the governorship of Jingzhou would be better suited to one of greater tenacity, Liu Xing did not yet possess the skills necessary suited to such a task. Zuo Ci would see that he would gain them.

“Instead of questioning your elders, you should be honorable and help them in their twilight years,” Zuo Ci continued in an offended tone. He motioned to Liu Xing to come closer to the side of the bridge where he pointed downwards; sitting off to the edge of the stream was an old shoe.

“Young man, be good unto me and fetch my shoe. Then place it on my foot as I am old!” Zuo Ci ordered.

[Liu Xing]

Liu Xing listened with interest to the old man history lesson. To his surprise it was actually insightful and even wise. He found he was actually in a way slightly grateful for it. It improved his mood ever so slightly.
"I think i understand, you suggest i should bide my time otherwise i will only hurt my own cause. I only wish i had the patience that seems to come with age. It is hard to sit and watch the world falling to pieces." He said venting just a little of his frustrations. He wanted to do so much but the time was not right. By pushing as he did he was indeed only making more enemies. Still it felt better than doing nothing.

Why was he even talking to this old man. He normally didn't care what any of the commoner really had to say. But then was usually because they didn't have anything worth listening too. This old man on the other had an odd sort of wisdom to him. Certainly more than his own father, although it was disloyal of him to think as much. He was still mulling it over when the old man gestured for him to come over and retrieve the shoe he had somehow lost.

"Are you serious old man." He asked his pride wounded that the old man would make such a request. Still he didn't refuse out of hand. Had not Han Xin the great Han general done as much for his soldiers during a campaign. People were watching after all, if he refused it would not help his reputation. Logically he should be thinking about that not his pride. Still he thought a great deal of himself, it was not as easy a choice as most he made. His eyes flickered to the shoe and back to the old man, he was clearly torn. After almost a minute thinking about it he decided to help the old man. Not because of any sympathy he had for him, for he was nearly incapable of that emotion. Simply because logically it made sense, the old man was after all looked incapable and their was his reputation to consider. If he only expected others to act logically and not himself, he would become a hypercritic and that was not something he could condone of himself.

"Oh very well, but in future take better care of your footwear, if you are incapable to fetching it back yourself." He warned the old man. He didn't really appreciate the man's tone either, he was unused to be ordered around by anyone but his father. He started looking for a way down.

[Zuo Ci]

Zuo Ci could not help but smile to himself. This young man had pride, but he did have potential to become a great leader. Zuo Ci knew it was hard for Liu Xing to balance his own dignity with the menial task of fetching a shoe for an old man, especially one who he hardly knew. Yet Liu Xing would slowly learn a lesson that would be crucial to all great heroes---that those who do not humble themselves are often vulnerable.

"Young man, when you placed the shoe on my foot I shall give you certain knowledge that will expand your domain." Zuo Ci said strangely, as he observed Liu Xing down on the muddy river's edge. "You are most kind to help the elderly. You must be a most filial and upright son."

[Liu Xing]

It was hard nearly physically painful for Liu Xing to swallow his pride. Of all his duties those that were humbling were always the hardest. Yet they often yielded the best results. As a noble he was used to dealing with important men. Act's of humility while difficult for him had often proved rewarding in the past. Just as long it was efficient he could live with it. After all he didn't care what anyone else thought about him, that was what true pride meant.

"I have always tried to help my father, even if he does not always appreciate the advice i give me." Liu Xing admitted hinting at the feuds he often had with his father. A man was far more devoted to peace than his son, but also unwilling to see beyond his own borders. They argued quite often. Reaching the river bank he picked up the old man shoe before climbing back up onto the bridge. Instead of placing it on the old man's foot however he placed into the old man's hand.

"I don't expect to have to dress you however." He said seeing no reason the old man could not do that himself. He was doing him a favor he didn't not want to become his servant. If the old man was not even capable of that he was not worth helping, at leaving in Xing's opinion. He turned away thinking the matter settled.

[Zuo Ci]

The relatively simple approach of fetching a shoe for an elder did not have the prescribed effect upon Liu Xing that Zuo Ci had been hoping for, therefore he realized he had to come at the young man from a much harder angle.

"Hmm...It seems you leave me no choice. I had hoped I would not have to do this, but if you are to face the trials to come, you must know yourself..." Zuo Ci uttered in a soft, serious tone, more to himself than his young companion. A strong breeze picked up, but it seemed to only surround the bridge. In a flash Zuo Ci was gone, but much had more had changed...

"My son!" cried Liu Biao, fast appraching with a cadre of ministers. This was not the same Liu Biao that everyone had heard about. This Liu Biao was of robust health, with color in his cheeks and purpose in his step. Standing slightly more than eight feet in height, Liu Biao was known for having a strong frame and a handsome face.

Liu Biao took Liu Xing by the shoulders and shook him meerily, as though to rouse him a day-dream. "Why this look of face, my boy? You seem as though you have seen the dead come back to life!" As Liu Biao laughed, so did the other ministers. In this illusion created by Zuo Ci, Liu Biao was far from sickly, and ignorant of an illnesses himself. Would this please Liu Xing, or would this upset him? Zuo Ci observed all of this with anticipation and an impish grin.

"Now then, now then....tell me of Wei Sun and Chaisang. What did she say?" the Illusionary Liu Biao asked, putting a strong arm around his son and pulling him close.

[Liu Xing]

The old man said something to him that Liu Xing thought sounded more like a riddle than anything else. Perhaps the sort of thing his scholarly friends might say....but only when they were to sound smarter than they in fact were. There was little point in saying something unless you yourself understood it after all. "How can one not know thyself." He asked the old man confused. Then a moment later the old man was gone, like he had never been there. A logical man, Liu Xing was quite perplexed...what had just happened exactly?

Yet before he could figure it out, something perhaps even more amazing happened. His father appeared, looking in better shape than he had in...well frankly years. What was perhaps even more surprising was when he took him by the shoulder and shook him gently. A sign of affection, one they had not shared in a good long time if truth be told.

His relationship with his father had always been difficult. He had been stubborn even as a child, always insisting on doing things his own unique way. Which had not sat well with the old man. Still even then his father had been proud of him, for his talents as a scholar and a strategist were evident even from the age of 10. Then he had began to challenge the way his father did things. Calling his policies "half measures...along with "meek." and "ill-advised.". His father was famous for loving scholar he liked to listen to advice but not it seemed from his own son. It had been a long standing cause of contention between them. Then his father had married Lady Cai...a women who had tried to have him killed on no less than 8 occasion to date. When he had protested to his father, he had refused to even hear him out.

Still despite their difference, despite how little Liu Xing seemed to care about the well being of almost anyone else. Despite the fact he protested he was a man of almost no emotion. This was not quite true. He felt love and he felt hate...both very strongly. It simply took a lot less provocation to bring out his dark side, than it took affection to win his love. Still on seeing his father both in such good spirits and in good health. He could not help but smile, what was for him a very rare event.

"Father you look so well." He said, surprised but pleased. Then his training snapped back into place and he returned to the question he had been asked. "I suggested she sign a mutual defense treaty with us, she accepted naturally as i had predicted. Here is a signed copy of the agreement." He said rummaging threw his pockets. He decided tactfully not to mention what had been said about his father during the meeting. It would only hurt his father feelings to know how little Wei Sun thought of him.

[Chancellor, Simon]

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