Night lay over the Prince's Residence, where lanterns flickered along the covered walkways.
Deep inside the painted hall, Li Jingxuan piled rice into mountains and scattered beans into forests, laying out a terrain map on a long table.
Just then, the Prince of Badong approached with Kong Changyu. Li Jingxuan quickly set down the rice grains in his hand and bowed to the prince.
The Prince of Badong asked with a genial smile, "Gongyu, how is it coming along?"
"Only one last stretch remains. Please give me a moment, Your Highness."
Looking at the map, the Prince of Badong replied, "Mm, good. No hurry. Take your time."
Hearing that the Prince of Badong seemed to be in a good mood, Li Jingxuan's spirits lifted, and he hurried on with the map.
The Prince of Badong gave a curious murmur. "This silk ribbon is..."
"The Ju River," Li Jingxuan answered as he placed more rice grains.
The Prince of Badong frowned, then walked to the eastern side of the table. Everything suddenly became clear, and he said with a smile:
"Gongyu, with this map of yours, the whole region around Wenyang and the middle reaches of the Ju River is as clear as the palm of my hand. Master Kong, my Zhang Liang is rather good, wouldn't you say?"
Kong Changyu cupped his hands in congratulation:
"When Emperor Guangwu campaigned against Wei Xiao, his plans were still unsettled. Ma Yuan piled rice into mountains and valleys before the emperor, pointing out the terrain and its strategic implications. The emperor said, 'The enemy lies before my eyes.' What happened then, we have witnessed again today."
Kong Changyu's words delighted both the Prince of Badong and Li Jingxuan. The prince roared with laughter. "I could hardly compare to Emperor Guangwu!"
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