On the second day of the third month, no word had yet come back from Zhou Shaosun, Governor of the Eastern Sea, and Liu Shi, Military Adviser to the General Who Pacifies the North, who were hunting down Yu Xi's faction. Jingkou, facing Hailing across the river, remained as peaceful as ever. At dusk, the setting sun hung slantwise over the southern end of Beigu Mountain. In the late-spring weather, grass and trees flourished, and the wind carried the fresh fragrance of growing grain. The barley was nearly ripe, the great drought had passed, and hope for life had kindled anew-
On a broad stretch of ground outside Jingkou's West Gate, several hundred expatriates had formed circles to watch pairs of men wrestling for sport, their shadows stretching long. Huan Xi, Inspector of Si Province and General Who Pacifies the North, approached on a tall horse, treading through the lingering sunlight and human shadows. Bian Dan, Assistant to the General Who Pacifies the North, Xie Yan, Chief Clerk of Si Province, and He Qian, Shen Chiqian, and the others accompanied him, while Huan Shixiu and Sun Wuzhong had left several days earlier to recruit officers and soldiers in the expatriate commanderies of Jinling-
Expatriates gathered in Jingkou, whose people were fierce, fond of valor and ruthless fighting. Every Dragon Boat Festival, they spontaneously held a grand contest of strength. This year, because the North Mansion Army was recruiting officers and soldiers, the contest had been moved forward to the fifteenth day of the third month. Huan Xi had posted proclamations announcing that squad leaders, shizhang, and tunzhang would be selected from the common people, and those of exceptional courage and strength could be appointed household troops commanders. The Jinling expatriates stirred at the news. All those with courage and strength