Followers

Since Liu Bei had few followers at the moment, the welcoming banquet was not a large affair.

Aside from the officials who had remained behind with Guan Yu to guard Xiapi, Xiaopei's civil officers included Mi Zhu, Jian Yong, Sun Qian, and Liu Yan, while its military officers included Zhang Fei, Mi Fang, and Chen Dao.

Apart from Zhang Fei and Jian Yong, whom Lan Tian knew well, everyone else was meeting him for the first time. They treated him courteously out of respect for Liu Bei, but Mi Fang seemed displeased.

Lan Tian did not enjoy the meal. He could feel that Liu Bei's warmth was merely perfunctory.

Thinking back over their conversation, Lan Tian felt he might have been too impatient. Liu Bei had not dared to swallow the drastic medicine he had offered, and so did not trust him very much.

But Lan Tian hid it well. He pretended nothing was wrong and drank with Zhang Fei, then returned to his quarters early.

After the banquet broke up, everyone staggered off, but Liu Bei remained seated, drinking alone.

Mi Zhu had gone halfway before turning back and sitting beside Liu Bei. "I've heard Lan Ziyu is quite capable. Why were you in such low spirits today, my lord?"

Liu Bei shook his head and sighed. "Though the lad has some talent, he falls far short of what I had hoped."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Mi Zhu pressed.

"Before the banquet, he offered me a plan: abandon Xu Province and seek refuge in Jing Province. Isn't that like climbing a tree to catch fish? Xu Province may be in decline, but it is still an entire province. Building a foundation is no easy task—how could I abandon it so readily?"

After giving it some thought, Mi Zhu said, "Che Zhou is one of Cao Cao's trusted men. If you kill him and seize Xu Province, Cao Cao will surely hate you. Ziyu may be worried the Rebel will return."

Liu Bei nodded. "Ziyu is, after all, a farm boy. He has never seen a mountain of blades or a sea of blood. He has a little cleverness, but lacks courage and boldness. As the saying goes, wealth and status are found in danger. Yuan Benchu's influence in Hebei is immense, and Cao Cao may not have the strength to move east."

Mi Zhu nodded. "Though Cao Cao is held in check by Yuan Shao, we must still be on our guard. I intend to go to Donghai tomorrow and persuade the local powerful families to submit to you, my lord."

"Zizhong, you've worked yourself to the bone for me. I will never let you down," Liu Bei said, moved.

"You honor me too much, my lord. Xu Province is my home as well. We must work hard to govern it and prepare for Cao Cao's return," Mi Zhu reminded him again.

Liu Bei replied with certainty, "Tomorrow I'll send Gongyou as an envoy to Hebei. I'll coordinate with Benchu from Xu Province, so Cao the Rebel will be unable to defend himself on both fronts."

"That would be excellent," Mi Zhu said.

The next morning, Liu Bei had Chen Dao escort Gan Qian, Mi Zhen, and the rest of the family to Xiapi.

When the carriage passed Gan Family Village, Lan Tian asked to return home and gather his belongings.

Gan Qian advised him, "Little brother, we have no spare money at home. Why not give our few clothes and provisions to the villagers?"

"I'm not going for clothes or food. I can't bear to abandon the seed grain I've spent the last two years cultivating. Sit in the carriage for a while, sister. I'll be right back," Lan Tian said.

Gan Qian could only shake her head. Aren't you supposed to help your husband? Why are you still thinking about those things in the dirt?

Chen Dao ordered the carriages to stop by the roadside and sent several soldiers to accompany Lan Tian.

Lan Tian returned home and packed a few clothes. He also wrapped up the millet and vegetable seeds he had newly cultivated. Once they reached Xiapi, he planned to continue his research.

The soldiers accompanying him found it strange. This young master's little brother really is an odd one. Why is he taking dirt along on the road?

Word that Lan Tian was leaving Gan Family Village had been spreading for a long time. Not a soul in the village was unaware of his abilities. It would have been a rare thing for someone like him to spend his whole life growing old in the woods.

When he returned that day to pack his belongings, the village tenant Li Yang quietly came to his home.

"Young Manor Master, are you leaving now?" Li Yang asked reluctantly.

"Yes. Since I've decided to help General Liu, I can't stay here and farm," Lan Tian replied.

Li Yang grew despondent. If the young man before him had not taught them how to farm and build a Sanctuary, Gan Family Village would never have become what it was. He himself would either have starved to death or died in battle.

Seeing Li Yang hesitate to speak, Lan Tian had the soldiers accompanying him carry several bundles of seeds and soil to the carriage.

"Little Li, is there something you want to say?" Lan Tian asked curiously.

Li Yang suddenly dropped to his knees. "Young Manor Master, I want to go with you."

"Little Li, I'm all alone now, and I'm going to Xiapi mainly to protect my sister. What would you do following me?" Lan Tian said helplessly.

"I can do anything," Li Yang insisted.

"If you want to enlist, I can recommend you," Lan Tian thought. I have nothing at all. I can't exactly recruit a whole bunch of followers, too. That would draw far too much attention.

Li Yang shook his head. "After two years of learning to farm from you, I've picked up a few things. I don't want to go back to fighting on the battlefield. I just want to stay by your side. It makes life feel so steady. There are many people in the village who feel the same way."

Lan Tian felt a headache coming on. It seemed that a good reputation really did count for something in this age. He might not be well-known among the gentry, but he had quite a reputation among the farmers of Xiaopei.

Li Yang was utterly sincere, and Lan Tian could not bear to turn the young man away. After thinking it over, he said, "Xu Province isn't somewhere I'll stay for long. If you truly want to follow me, you could go to Jing Province ahead of me. I expect to arrive there in two or three years, and then we can meet again."

"Jing Province?"

"Yes, Xinye County in Nanyang Commandery, in northern Jing Province."

Li Yang scratched his head. "But we have nothing to our names. What would we do in Xinye County?"

Lan Tian smiled. "You know how to farm. You can make a living anywhere, can't you?"

Li Yang chuckled. "That's because you taught us so well, Young Manor Master. There are forty or fifty people in the village who feel the same way I do. I'll go back and talk it over with them."

"Think it through carefully. You'd be leaving your home behind, so don't force yourselves. And don't show off these modest skills in front of others. As they say, the tallest tree catches the wind; you don't want to bring trouble upon yourselves," Lan Tian cautioned.

"Don't worry. You know you can trust Little Li," Li Yang said with a smile.

Satisfied, Li Yang left. Lan Tian hurried toward the village entrance, thinking, If these fellows really do go to Xinye, I won't have to teach them everything by hand when I get there.

Lan Tian had come to join Liu Bei, but he had not stayed in Xiaopei to serve. This puzzled Guan Yu.

From their past dealings, Guan Yu thought Lan Tian was quite capable, and his strategies had proven effective. Could it be because of the Mi Family's interference?

Only after reading the secret letter Chen Dao had brought did Guan Yu learn Liu Bei's true thinking. In the letter, Liu Bei had said Lan Tian was still young. Though he had some clever plans, he was too ambitious. Liu Bei had told Guan Yu to keep him close, observe him, and give him no important post for now.

Guan Yu had a good impression of Lan Tian. After settling the two madams and their families, he sought Lan Tian out and said, "It's truly fortunate that Ziyu has come to help my elder brother. Xiapi has only just been pacified, and we're in need of capable people. What are you skilled at, Ziyu? I can arrange something for you."

Lan Tian replied, "It's all the same to me. I once promised my adoptive father that I would protect my sister. I'd be content even if you made me a guard, General."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and laughed. "You know martial arts too, Ziyu? Truly, you can't judge a person by appearances. I know you're well-versed in farming. Why not take a post in the Household Bureau? You could encourage agriculture and sericulture."

"That sounds good."