Before the New Year, Liu Cheng returned to Jiangling, which was actually quite close. First, he took the crocodile hide to a leatherworker and settled the measurements with him: one saddle, one pair of boots, and all the rest made into small leather bags of the sort that could hold official documents, paper, and brushes. Then he sent the eight mounted servants of the Xi Family who had accompanied him back to rest, and headed for the general's headquarters with the four black-clad guards dispatched by the General Who Conquers the West's headquarters.
Of course, along the way, he slipped each man a small silver ingot as a token of thanks.
Whether Huan Wen paid travel allowances was anyone's guess, but Chief Clerk Liu certainly did. Besides, this had been General Huan's money to begin with. The old man had bestowed it on Xi Chao, terrified that his Jiabin might be unable to live like a pampered young master in Jingzhou, so a certain someone naturally took it, chopped it into pieces, and spent it.
This was called using public funds for public purposes.
Back at the Western Conquest General's Residence, Liu Acheng did not rush to see its master. Instead, he first went to the central courtyard of offices, found Xi Chao, sat with him awhile, and talked about his experiences on this trip. Then he went to see Xi Zaochi in the Western Registry and gave another general account, which also counted as reporting in.
Only then did he return to his own office in the farthest corner, take out the forms he had collected on this trip, and have the two Secretaries directly under him make copies.
As their immediate superior, Liu Cheng was rather disappointed in these two... because they could not keep pace with his