Bad News from Luling

There are two water routes from Jiangling to Jiangxia; taking the Yang River and the Han River is shorter than traveling via the Yangtze. Since the water levels were low during the first lunar month and the winds and waves were mild, Liu Bei and Lan Tian both chose the shorter path.

As the warships entered the Han River and the waterway widened, Liu Bei gazed at the breeze-swept surface and sighed, "The fiercest fighting during last year's Han River campaign must have been right around here. If not for Gan Xingba routing Jiang Qin, how panicked would Yunchang have been on the front lines? Tracing the root of it all, it is still Ziyu's contribution."

Lan Tian looked at Liu Bei with a puzzled expression. He had not helped at all in the two major theaters of war: the great battle between Jiang Qin and Gan Ning on the Han River, or the land-based interception of Guan Yu's rear by Pan Zhang and Zhu Ran.

Seeing Lan Tian's blank look, Liu Bei smiled and explained, "I mean that Gan Xingba came to join us because of you. Had he defected to Sun Quan back then, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

"So that is what Brother-in-law meant. Xingba held a blood feud against Ling Tong; he might not have achieved such success had he gone to Jiangdong. Even if Xingba had been defeated in the Han River battle, General Guan might not have necessarily been in danger—it is just that Xiangfan might not have been retaken. There was an element of luck in this outcome," Lan Tian nodded and analyzed.

"Ziyu once told me that timing, fate, and luck all play a part. It seems the Heavens are watching over us," Liu Bei said with a solemn expression.

"Where