In July, the scorching heat in the countryside quickly faded, and scattered rains began to fall. In Hebei and Henan alike, travelers grew noticeably more numerous on the roads, commerce and farming rapidly recovered, and everything seemed to have returned to the timely winds and rains of years past.
Amid the cries of cicadas, a party of seven or eight riders arrived at Three Yellow Hamlet in the far northwest of Jiangling County. They found a raised stretch of ground overlooking the surrounding countryside, discussed things among themselves, filled out a table, and hurried on to Twin Yellow Hamlet.
They repeated this several times, merely viewing the flowers from horseback without even entering the villages, and rode back to Jiangling City that afternoon. First they returned their horses to the Cattle and Horse Camp three li south of the city, signed their names, and fed the animals themselves before preparing to leave.
Those bound for the city would enter it, and those bound for camp would return there.
But once they reached the main road, the middle-aged officer at their head looked around. Seeing the many newly opened taverns and general stores beside the road, then the soldiers behind him, plainly tired and hungry, he simply lowered his voice and asked the young clerk beside him, who could barely walk, "Clerk Liu, the weather's pleasant, and these brothers have spent the whole day wearing themselves out with us. Shall the two of us treat them to a drink here on the street?"
The young clerk touched the leather pouch at his waist with some embarrassment. "I'm ashamed to say I didn't bring much money."
"No matter. I have enough." The middle-aged officer laughed and patted the leather pouch at his own waist, exposing a black ribbon of office. Its two