Winter City had grown to a considerable size. Built beside the mountains and water, it had truly become the Luo Clan's sheltered harbor. In Luo Palace, a group sat together as Luo Yuzhi recounted everything he had seen and heard on his journey in detail.
Luo You listened quietly. When he heard that they were unwilling to send troops, neither anger nor disappointment appeared on his face, as though he were hearing about strangers' affairs.
Of the three states relatively close to the Luo Clan, only Yan State, which stood to gain, was willing to send troops. Han State and Chu State were both absorbed in their own major affairs.
Some in the hall looked thoughtful, some were furious, and others were deeply sorrowful.
When Luo Yuzhi finished, Luo You looked around at everyone: the Luo Clan's direct descendants, close scions outside the direct line such as Luo Xiang, and the clans that had always followed the Luo Clan closely.
He said calmly, "Han State, Chu State, and Wei State are all unwilling to send troops, but do not be disheartened or angry. They are the ones who should regret this.
"There is something I would like to tell you all, an insight I have gained in my ten years as clan leader."
He coughed lightly, then said reflectively, "Looking through the histories at all the heroes and outstanding figures, which of them did not possess fortune that reached the heavens?
"Not one.
"All were people who survived great calamities.
"That is why we often say that, for a person to accomplish something, ability is not the foremost requirement. Luck is.
"The course of fortune is elusive and unfathomable. Even we cannot observe it, but we can roughly deduce it.
"The grand trend is like a rushing current, and the