The household servants were puzzled when they heard. The war looked to be nearly over, so why did their young master want to flee from disaster now?
What disaster?
Seeing their confusion, Pei Shiju said, "If Mother asks, tell her the fighting in Henan is going badly. The Zhou Kingdom won't let it rest. They'll send massive reinforcements, and this war won't end anytime soon!"
The war unfolded just as Pei Shiju had predicted.
Though the Zhou Kingdom was losing ground on the Henan front, it did not lower its banners or still its drums. Instead, it sent out more troops than ever and intensified its offensive in Hedong as well.
Word was that Yuwen Hu had raised an army of thirty thousand and was marching on Hedong in person!
Hedong fell into chaos.
But by the time those thirty thousand Zhou soldiers entered Hedong and attacked along the Great River, Pei Shiju and his family were already aboard a large boat, bound for Luo Prefecture to join their relatives in Luoyang.
They traveled not only with close uncles and nephews from the clan, but also with the families of several friends they often saw.
When these people heard that Yuwen Hu, Duke of Jin of the Zhou Kingdom, was personally leading the attack on Hedong, they shuddered at what might have been. Recalling how Pei Shiju had foreseen it, they all felt fortunate.
"Gentleman Pei truly saw it coming."
"Indeed. We owe our safety to him."
"Thank goodness we listened to his analysis. But how did you know?"
Pei Shiju said, "There were many examples in ancient times. The present follows the past, so I could foresee it. It's a pity that I'm only one man. I can keep myself safe, but I cannot save the people of Hedong.