"Brother Daoze, were you just going to leave like this?"
When Xi Chao came to the ferry landing east of the city and saw Liu Bo, his tone was unexpectedly calm. "Without even coming to say goodbye to us?"
Unexpectedly, Liu Bo, who had previously shown signs of madness-or perhaps collapse-had also calmed down. Recognizing Xi Chao, whom he had met once at Qixia Tower, he rose from beneath the willow and cupped his hands in greeting. "I was too hasty. I actually forgot to thank you in person, Jiabin, for taking me in and helping me."
"What help did I give you? Still, Brother Daoze, whether you leave is your own affair, but unless you give two people a proper accounting, the world really will call you an ungrateful man." Xi Chao smiled and shook his head. "When Later Zhao collapsed into chaos, you came from the north. How many refugees simply vanished along the roads without anyone knowing what became of them? Had Duke Huan not taken you in, given you money, silk, grain, and provisions, submitted a memorial clarifying your origins, and settled the succession to your grandfather's title, who knows where your entire clan would be now? So why didn't you go to Duke Huan and take your leave in person?"
Of course Liu Bo knew what he would have to face next, but he had no recourse. His expression stiff, his eyes bloodshot, he could only force himself to cup his hands again. "You are right, Jiabin. Whatever else happened, I should have taken my leave of Duke Huan first. I was muddleheaded. Please..."
"There is someone else." Xi Chao interrupted him and continued smiling, his hands behind his back. "Like you, he is a son of the Liu Clan of Pengcheng who migrated from