After Liu Cheng returned, he neither fell gravely ill for three days nor hung up his seal and left outright. If he really abandoned his post during a campaign, Huan Wen, provoked all over again, really could use that as grounds to behead him. There was no need to take another risk.
Huan Wen did not punish him either. Not even any rumors emerged. Presumably Huan Chong and Xi Chao had exerted themselves and silenced even the Black-Clad Guards, as though what had happened on the wall Southeast of Chang'an that evening had been nothing more than an ordinary, if heated, remonstrance.
Everything seemed calm and peaceful. Those building Buddhist temples built their Buddhist temples, those lying around at home lay around at home, those celebrating victory celebrated victory, and those coming to surrender kept coming to surrender.
The only difference was that, a few days earlier, the one choosing to lie around at home had been Xi Chao; these past few days, it had suddenly become Duke Huan himself, who had caught a slight chill. Though he had not gone so far as to refuse visitors, he really had taken to his bed, leaving Huan Chong in overall charge, Xi Chao to handle administrative affairs on his behalf, and Wang Meng to receive Guanzhong's elders. Given his position, this naturally still caused something of a stir.
The old hands who had accompanied him from his headquarters, however, were all used to it.
This Duke Huan often took to his bed for three or four days over an unkind remark from someone else. Especially after a great victory, when he was brimming with satisfaction, someone would say something like that. This was far from the first time.
Besides, Duke Huan's intention to detach troops under his youngest brother Huan Chong