Brothers by Name, Deng and Jiang

"Third General, are you missing country cooking?" Deng Ai guessed cautiously.

Zhang Fei shook his head and pursed his lips. "Speaking of country cooking, it still has to be Deng Family Village in Shizai's hometown. Those old flavors remain fresh in my memory even now. Later, I ate it several times in Jing Province, but none of it measured up to what we had in Xinye."

"Uh... Teacher once said that even good things become tiresome if eaten every day. Conditions are much better now than they were then, and Third General has eaten far too many fine things," Deng Ai explained.

"I came looking for you today because I need Shizai's help. His name is Jiang Wei, Jiang Boyue, a talent Ziyu introduced to me. I've been busy in Liang Province for two years and only recently managed to bring him back. How about placing him in Mianyang to learn garrison farming from you?" Zhang Fei's tone brooked no refusal.

"Ah, this... this..."

Deng Ai did not know how to respond, but the confusion in Jiang Wei's heart was resolved. So Zhang Fei wanted me to learn garrison farming from Deng Ai. That really would conceal me from others.

"Why has your old ailment acted up again? I remember the two divine physicians cured it together, didn't they?" Zhang Fei asked, utterly perplexed.

"It truly was cured back then. I was merely a little nervous just now. Teacher recommended Boyue to you—does he truly mean for Boyue to study garrison farming under me? Could Third General have misunderstood?" Deng Ai asked carefully.

Zhang Fei shook his head. "I was just complaining that while you were developing garrison farms in Hanzhong, Wenchang and Mengqi could both provide for themselves, yet the troops I've stationed in Wudu have to rely on