The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss

Lu Lingqi and her companions disguised themselves as refugees to head north. To avoid the inspections of government troops along the way, they stuck to secluded paths, taking over twenty days to finally reach the vicinity of Xiaopei.

In the past, a fast horse could cover this distance in a single day, yet now, relying solely on their own two feet, it had taken them so long. Lu Lingqi could not help but lament the hardships of the road ahead.

When the group arrived outside Gan Family Village, they saw that the countryside was completely deserted. The cold wind was still howling; it was the coldest time of the year.

Lu Lingqi had arrived burning with anger, but the moment she reached the gate of Lan Tian's courtyard, she heard the sound of weeping from within.

Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun were both startled. What was happening? Why was Lan Tian crying?

The two walked to the gate and looked inside. In the center of the main hall stood a coffin. Before it were offerings of cooked meat, fruits, and wine, and in the midst of these sat an incense burner. Lan Tian and Gan Qian were dressed in mourning clothes, weeping before the coffin.

Hearing someone behind them, Gan Qian assumed it was another villager and turned around first.

Seeing Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun, Gan Qian felt a mix of shock, joy, and sorrow. With tears in her eyes, she said to Lan Tian, "Little Brother, look who is here."

Lan Tian turned around and saw Lu Lingqi, whose expression shifted from anger to grief. The young man and woman did not speak. After staring at each other for a long time, Lu Lingqi led Gao Shun and the others to kneel at the threshold.

Lan Tian and Gan Qian were both crying; it was clear enough who lay within that coffin.

She had not expected that the spirited old farmer would suddenly pass from this world. Lu Lingqi felt the impermanence of life. Recalling that she had never properly paid her respects to her own father, a sudden wave of sorrow overcame her, and she broke into loud, bitter sobs.

"Did you not hire a physician for your father? Why did he pass away after only a few months of separation?" Seeing Lu Lingqi crying so heart-wrenchingly, Gao Shun asked Gan Qian about the situation at home.

Gan Qian wiped away her tears and explained, "Father had already begun to recover, but his condition suddenly worsened before the New Year. He held on until three days ago before leaving us."

"Please accept my condolences," Gao Shun said, bowing his head.

"I heard that General Lu, he..." Gan Qian hesitated, leaving her sentence unfinished.

Hearing Gan Qian mention Lu Bu, the men behind Gao Shun could not help but shed tears. Lu Lingqi wept even more intensely; the lingering embers of anger in her heart gradually vanished amidst her sobbing.

Once everyone's emotions had stabilized, Gan Qian asked how they had managed to escape with their lives. Lu Lingqi explained the matter of the Sanctuary.

Gan Qian sighed, "I never imagined that my brother's Sanctuary would save you all. It is a pity, however, that as Xuande said, it cannot shield one from every blade."

Lu Lingqi felt a pang of sorrow and questioned Lan Tian, "Since you knew my father was in danger, why did you not devise a way to save him? Could it be that you have no feelings for me at all?"

Lan Tian shook his head with a bitter smile, "General Lu was almost beyond saving. Even if he had hidden in the Sanctuary like you, Cao Cao would have dug three feet into the ground to find him. Neither you nor General Gao would have been spared."

"But you could have at least let him flee! If we had secretly escaped Xiapi early, could we not have survived?" Lu Lingqi pressed.

"Flee? Where would you have him flee to? General Lu had tens of thousands of soldiers behind him; could he have become a bandit like Yang Feng? I believe General Lu would rather die with his head held high than live a life of mediocrity. From the moment he colluded with Yuan Shu, there was truly no place left for him in this world," Lan Tian sighed.

Lu Lingqi knew that Lan Tian spoke the truth, and the last shred of resentment in her heart began to dissipate. It was indeed unreasonable to blame her father's death on Lan Tian; in the end, it was Cao the Rebel who had harmed him.

Lan Tian was particularly delighted to see Gao Shun. He had feared that this stubborn man might have followed Lu Bu to the grave, but now that the outcome had changed, perhaps he could carve out a future for himself.

Lu Lingqi wept as she embraced Gan Qian; the two daughters who had lost their fathers were now in sync.

Seeing this, Lan Tian led Gao Shun and the others out of the mourning hall. Men could be sorrowful, but they could not remain so for long, for they still needed to support the women in their lives.

Though Gan Ji and Lu Bu were dead, Gan Qian and Lu Lingqi were still alive, so Lan Tian could not afford to remain in grief forever.

Lan Tian took Gao Shun's hand and asked, "Are these eighteen men all that remain of the General's troops?"

"Eighteen men are enough to protect our Mistress," Gao Shun said confidently.

"Mistress?" Lan Tian asked, puzzled.

"The others and I have acknowledged the Young Lady as our master. From this day forward, we shall go through fire and water for her without hesitation," Gao Shun declared heroically.

Lan Tian nodded and said, "General Gao is truly a man of loyalty. Do you have any plans?"

"Naturally, we wish to avenge our former master, which is why we have come here to seek counsel from you, sir," Gao Shun said, cupping his hands.

Lan Tian shook his head, "Don't say you only have eighteen men; even with eighteen thousand, you might not be able to kill Cao Cao. Do not act impulsively; this matter must be considered carefully."

Lan Tian worried that this group would attempt a desperate act, sneaking into Xudu to assassinate Cao Cao. With the personal guard Xu Chu by Cao Cao's side, such a move would be nearly impossible to pull off.

"Your foster father has passed away, sir. What are your plans for the future?" Gao Shun asked in return.

"I intend to assist my brother-in-law," Lan Tian said firmly.

When Lan Tian mentioned Liu Bei, Gao Shun fell silent.

"Then how do you intend to settle my Mistress?" Gao Shun's meaning was clear: the Young Lady had deep ties to you, and today she came to your very door and wept before your foster father's spirit—you cannot simply ignore her.

Lan Tian was quick-witted and immediately understood Gao Shun's intent. After a moment of thought, he said, "Xu Province is currently weak in resources and is no place to establish a foundation. A great battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in the north is inevitable. In this world, only Jing Province remains relatively peaceful. I intend to persuade my brother-in-law to go to Jing Province; you may head there first."

"Jing Province? To defect to Liu Biao? When will you go, sir?" Gao Shun pressed.

Lan Tian calculated that Liu Bei would still come to seize Xu Province, and it would take time to persuade him to make a strategic shift. Thus, he said conservatively, "In the short term, one year; at the latest, two or three."

"That long? But Jing Province is vast; where should we wait for you?" Gao Shun continued.

"North of Jing Province, in Xinye County of Nanyang Commandery," Lan Tian said with certainty.

"Very well, I will persuade our Mistress to go first." Seeing Lan Tian so resolute, Gao Shun felt there must be a deep meaning behind such an arrangement. With the help of such a great talent, Liu Bei would surely rise, and perhaps they would truly have a chance to avenge themselves against Cao the Rebel.

Lu Lingqi and her group stayed for half a month, helping the siblings lay Gan Ji to rest before following Lan Tian's advice to head toward Jing Province.

Before parting, Lan Tian gifted a beautiful jade bracelet to Lu Lingqi as a token of their affection.

This jade bracelet had originally been a gift from Liu Bei to Gan Qian, which Gan Qian had then passed on to Lan Tian. Now that Lu Lingqi's father was no longer in this world, she felt there were no more obstacles between the two young people, though she did not understand why Lan Tian wanted her to go so far away to Jing Province.

In the days that followed, Gan Family Village began its spring plowing. Lan Tian guided the villagers in their farming while waiting for Liu Bei's return.

Liu Bei was currently in Xudu, where Cao Cao had memorialized him as the General of the Left (the position formerly held by Lu Bu). The two rode in the same carriage and sat at the same table, appearing to be on the closest of terms.

The more generously Cao Cao treated him, the more anxious Liu Bei became.

A dragon hidden in the abyss, Liu Bei could not be trapped in the pond of Xudu forever, until one day, the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Dong Cheng, came knocking at his door.

It has begun.