That evening, Liu Cheng wrote a long letter detailing A She's background and talents, asking Awu to treat her well and make good use of her: she was neither to be treated as a mere servant nor deliberately kept in idleness.
Nothing more was said that night. The next morning-so early it could only be called the predawn hours-A She rose to inspect the horses and ask about breakfast. Learning that no help was needed, she returned to pack. She wiped down the Iron Loin Armor Liu Cheng had worn over the past few days, then, following the previous night's instructions, placed inside it the helmet in which the "official seal" had been hidden, rolled everything up, and strapped it straight onto the horse.
By then, Liu Cheng had also risen to wash and change, but he did not stop her work. He simply waited quietly until breakfast, then went out to eat with her.
Liu Huzi and the others came over as well. After the meal, Liu Acheng formally entrusted A She to Liu Huzi, asking him to look after her and, once the reinforcements arrived, send her to Jingkou by the quickest, safest route through Shouchun.
With that settled, there was nothing more to say. Liu Acheng squeezed his new bride's hand, patted his clansman's shoulder, mounted his horse, and rode west out of the city through the morning dew beneath the rising sun.
He declined Wang Qia's invitation along the way. After another day and a half of travel, he ran straight into Huan Qian's cavalry in Nanyang Commandery. Huan Qian had actually received orders to provide support and was disappointed to learn that the fighting was already over.
After talking for a while, the two headed south together. Only three days later, they met the General