Fledgling Phoenix (6)
"What a truly heartwarming sight this is."
When I made it plain that I intended to take Pang Tong into my service, Pang Degong smiled in evident satisfaction.
"Word has it that the General-in-Chief possesses a remarkably keen eye for talent. I'm glad to find the rumors were true."
Honestly, it was less a matter of keen eyesight than scavenging with foreknowledge of the future.But to people who knew nothing of that, judging me so favorably was hardly strange.
I slowly shook my head and spoke.
"There's no need for such lofty praise. I merely followed your recommendation, nothing more."
"Hahaha, why would you say such a thing?"
At my words, Pang Degong laughed heartily.
"A sacred creature never deigns to perch just anywhere, you see."
"......"
"According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the phoenix will rest against nothing but a paulownia tree, will eat nothing but bamboo seeds, and will drink nothing but water from the sweet spring."
What a picky creature.As for what a "sweet spring" is—that would be it: a legendary spring said to well up with sweet water whenever China enjoys an age of peace.
In modern times, some have argued the phoenix was a bird that actually existed, but even granting that, there was a reason it was bound to go extinct.What good is being a beautiful, sacred animal?In the end, survival belongs to the strong.
Judging by the zhen poison incident a while back, this world apparently does have zhen birds—so if I searched hard enough, wouldn't a phoenix or two turn up as well?I'd like to see one someday.
Even as I drifted into these strange musings, Pang Degong pressed on.
"The fledgling phoenix has at last found her roost. If that is not the work of the General-in-Chief's ability, then what could it be?"
"Hmm..."
When I showed no sign of conceding to his flattery, Pang Degong tried another tack.
"In that case, I shall simply have to put the question to my niece."
"M-me?"
The girl, who had only just begun to win back a sliver of her confidence, jolted in alarm. She looked for all the world like she was on pins and needles, wary of what mischief this old codger might pull next.
Pang Degong turned to his niece and asked.
"Let me ask you this. If it only meant winning an official post, could you serve any man, no matter who?"
"That is..."
Put on the spot by her uncle, Pang Tong let the end of her sentence trail away, sneaking glances at me all the while. It was a question that concerned me as well, so I met her gaze—and Pang Tong, catching my eye, opened her mouth with a bashful air.
"N-no... If they did not meet my standards, I would most likely have stepped down from office..."
Timid as the phrasing was, it was an answer of real backbone.
Pang Tong flashed me a sheepish smile, and Pang Degong looked my way as if to ask, well, what do you say to that?
People really do make things difficult for me.My own people never stop singing my praises, and now total strangers were at it too—at this rate, even I was starting to wonder whether they might be right.
I curled my lips upward and vigorously ruffled the hair of Pang Tong, who was still gazing up at me.
"Uwah?!"
Startled by the sudden contact, Pang Tong jumped all over again.
"Good. I'm grateful you think so highly of me."
"B-but I really do mean it..."
Sensing that I wasn't taking her seriously, Pang Tong murmured in a small, timid voice.
Yes, yes. I understand your feelings perfectly well.
Just as this heartwarming tableau reached its peak, Pang Degong bowed to me and declared.
"Then it is time for me to withdraw."
"Huh?"
"I do hope you will take your time and talk things over with my niece."
Look at him.He's trying to sneak off because he doesn't want to work.
I stopped Pang Degong just as he was slipping away from his seat.
"And what exactly do you think you're saying?"
"...Pardon?"
For the first time all day, the ever-genteel Pang Degong showed a flicker of panic.
Recruiting Pang Tong alone already made inviting the Pang family worthwhile, but walking away with just the one of them would be a terrible waste, wouldn't it?
"I have yet to hear a definite answer from you about entering my service."
"......"
Having grasped why I was saying this, Pang Degong's eyes trembled for an instant.
I can hear it. I can.The sound of a brain grinding away for dear life carries all the way over here.
I kept the corners of my mouth lifted as I regarded him.
"Surely you don't mean to hand everything over to a child this young and settle into a comfortable rest yourself?"
"Th-that's right! You weren't seriously planning to do such a thing, were you?!"
Following Pang Degong's lead, Pang Tong too had caught my drift and opened fire from the flank.
My, my. Who was it that called this clever girl slow?
Pang Degong put on a troubled expression.
"L-little one. Your uncle here is advanced in years, and state affairs would be a bit much for..."
"If that's how it is, I'll tell the whole family!"
"Ahem...!"
Now she had resorted to outright blackmail.
And she had a point. If word got out that he had pushed his young niece into office and then slipped away scot-free, how would everyone around him look at him?His own family knew exactly what sort of man Pang Degong was, so if Pang Tong ever reported him, I doubted he would receive many kind looks.
—However reluctant he may be to take office, how could he do such a thing to a child so young...
Whisper, whisper.
—He must have something weighing on his conscience, to behave the way he does...
Murmur, murmur.
A touch of embellishment, perhaps, but it would probably run along those lines.
Pang Degong must have found the scene just as easy to picture, because a single bead of cold sweat—the first I had seen from him—trickled down his cheek.
Yet even then, Pang Degong, refusing to abandon his dream of a life content in poverty and devoted to the Way, spoke up.
"G-General-in-Chief. Forgive my presumption, but I am old, and my health is far from good."
"Hmm... Is that so?"
"It is!"
Convinced his excuse had landed, Pang Degong's face brightened.
I looked at him and said, in a tone of mild puzzlement.
"But that is strange."
"...Pardon?"
"I heard that in your days in Jing Province, you climbed Mount Lumen every single day to gather medicinal herbs."
"......"
"If I recall, it was even said that you till the fields at your own residence with your own two hands."
As I murmured this in a tone that plainly asked, aren't you still in fine fettle?, Pang Degong found himself unable to open his mouth.
I looked him square in the eye.
"Judging by all that, I'd say you are still hale and hearty. Am I wrong?"
"W-well..."
There was something delightful about the sight of Pang Degong drenched in cold sweat, unable to advance or retreat.
I said with a smile.
"And worry not. Do I look like so petty a man that I would grudge a single dose of medicine to a talented retainer?"
Supplying Zhou Yu with physicians and every rare medicinal ingredient under heaven, all so that she would live long and well, was one such instance.Ever since, I had noticed that the look in Zhou Yu's eyes whenever she gazed at me had grown... peculiar, though I could never quite pin down what emotion it carried.
She had presumably intuited that she was about to be buried beneath a mountain of work.Even I would react rather ambiguously to a boss who hands me a tonic brew while telling me to keep at it for years to come.
I ought to pay Hua Tuo a visit before long and ask her to give Zhou Yu a health examination as well.For reasons unknown, Hua Tuo, having lately settled in Luoyang, showed not the slightest intention of moving on.Word around town had it she was the sort who once drifted across the whole world, living as rootless as the wind, so I couldn't begin to guess what had changed.Well, it's not as if Luoyang lacks for people who fall ill, so it suits me fine...
"...Ah!"
Just then, Pang Tong cried out as though she had suddenly remembered something.
"C-come to think of it, if this is how it turns out, then my allowance..."
Allowance?What allowance?
Pang Tong shot Pang Degong a look of desperate pleading, but it was already far too late.
Pang Degong was not feeling merciful enough to grant a favor to the niece who had just sided with me against him.
"......"
"Uwaaa..."
He coolly ignored his niece's mournful gaze, and at the sight, Pang Tong let out a hollow, deflated sound.
...I had no idea what exactly was going on, but it seemed to be a matter of allowance?
I put the question to Pang Tong, who had abruptly begun stealing glances at Pang Degong.
"Pang Tong."
"...?"
"I don't know what passed between you and Pang Degong, but did you lose your allowance or something?"
At my question, Pang Tong glanced around nervously for a moment before answering in a tiny voice.
"Y-yes. A whole half year's worth of my allowance..."
"And here I thought it was something serious."
I snorted with laughter.
"In that case, I shall give you twice what he does. Will that settle it?"
"...!"
Pang Tong's face lit up as though she had laid eyes on a savior.
"Thank you!"
Having cried out with fresh vigor, she immediately rounded on Pang Degong.
"Uncle! A man this benevolent is sure to win your approval as well!"
"...Aigoo..."
Pang Degong pressed a hand to his brow in visible agony.
I said, smiling.
"There is plenty of time. The banquet has only just begun—why not take a seat and talk at your leisure?"
Cornered from every side by Pang Tong and me, Pang Degong finally closed his eyes in surrender.
"...Very well."
Good.With this, I had acquired a man whose eye for talent rivaled even Sa Ma-hwi's.