Tiger Hunt (3)
Late at night.
"The moon is truly bright tonight."
I had brought Sima Yi up to the mountain with me. On the path north from Xinya, there was a small cabin that Sima Hui had prepared, and we slipped inside to hide for a bit.
What was there to hide from? It was just a precautionary emergency shelter. I'd earnestly begged Sima Hui to set up several such spots, just in case.
"I never imagined we'd end up using this one first."
"Then where did you think we'd use first, Master?"
"The south. Or the west. Maybe the one on the way down to the Four Commanderies of Jingnan, or the one en route to Shangyong. That's where I figured we'd flee if Dong Zhuo came down."
Logically speaking, given Dong Zhuo's tyranny, it made sense to head further south from Jingzhou. Yet here we were, visiting a shelter to the north first.
"Let's unpack our things first."
"Yes, Master."
Sima Yi sat down beside me. We settled on the wooden bed in the cabin—no blankets or anything—and caught our breath.
"I'm sorry, Yi'ya. I worry I've dragged you into this hardship for no reason. You're at that age where you should be growing, and here I am making you march through the night."
Sima Yi looked thoroughly exhausted. Even with the stamina built from farm work, it was too much for a young girl to endure a forced night march.
"I'm fine. The situation's what it is—nothing we can do about it. Worst case, Sun Jian captures Huang Zu, tortures him, and makes him spill your name."
"Right. If that happens, I'd be executed. As the strategist who nearly drove Sun Jian's army into a trap."
If Huang Zu lost and confessed under interrogation:
—Someone schemed against me with that ploy? Huang Zu? No way. Interrogate him. Find out who it was. We'll drag out whoever pulled that stunt.
Both Xun You and I would be branded as the ones who dared scheme against Sun Jian's forces and executed.
On the bright side, he might play the magnanimous lord and say, "Come work for me!" But if I refused, he'd label me a potential enemy and lop off my head.
Does Xun You realize? Maybe not. But any investigation would lead right to us.
Xun You's name might not be known in detail, but if they started probing visitors to Suyeon Academy, it could come out.
Huang Zu probably wouldn't stoop to such filial impiety, but they might grab Sima Hui too and torture her until she named us.
Anxiety.
Despite our scheme, the uncertainty gnawed at me, so I'd fled the academy with Sima Yi.
Sima Hui was hiding out with Xun You for now. If Huang Zu was caught, I'd be suspected as the schemer and hunted by Sun Jian. Xun You might get dragged in too.
—Catch them before they flee far!
And right away.
They wouldn't touch Teacher Suying—Sima Hui—but just in case, she'd entrusted herself to a reliable acquaintance from Xinya. She'd wanted to stay at the academy, but after my desperate pleas, Xun You took her somewhere else.
Did they really get away safely? What if Sima Hui's stubbornness pulled her back to the academy? The worries tangled my thoughts.
If only I could know the battle's outcome clearly. But I had no way to find out.
All I could do was pray Huang Zu beat Sun Jian. Or at least that Liu Biao stepped up if Huang Zu fell. And if Yangyang fell to Sun Jian, that he'd dismiss us as mere villagers with a chuckle: "Hah, trying to beat me with such a shallow trick? Pathetic. Ignore them."
"...I'm really not cut out for scheming."
Guilt washed over me for forcing Sima Hui, Xun You, and Sima Yi to flee the academy in anxiety because of me.
"I'm sorry to Teacher Suying, to Teacher Xun You... and especially to you."
"I don't think you need to apologize, Master."
"You're right, but it doesn't sit well with me now that things have come to this."
Scheming just wasn't my style. How could I speak of great ambitions when the uncertainty left me trembling like this?
"Human affairs aren't as fixed as equations, but in cases like this, I just wish for the right answer. My heart hurts from it."
"Are you okay? Should I support you?"
"No, it's not that bad. Just... honestly, I'm scared shitless. Haha, some master I am, acting so petty."
"That's not true!"
Sima Yi snapped at me.
"Your scheme was brilliant, Master. I guarantee it. Huang Zu may lack ability, but your plan with Teacher Xun You fills that gap. Believe in it. Sun Jian will retreat."
"Are you that certain?"
"Absolutely. No 'what ifs.'"
Her eyes brimmed with an uncanny conviction. "But—"
Suddenly, she hugged me tight, pulling my face to her chest and patting my back.
"Master, am I trembling right now?"
"...No."
Her body was steady as ever—no shaking from fear or anxiety like mine. Calm and composed.
"I'm not anxious. You set the stage for Huang Zu to give his all, and Teacher Xun You's plan is feasible if his troops are well-drilled."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I've weighed everything. So don't worry. Didn't you say strategists don't plan assuming failure?"
"Haha, right. Yeah."
Perhaps it was her rock-solid confidence, but her words lifted some weight from my chest.
"...You'll be a great one someday. Braver than I could ever dream."
I reached up and stroked her hair—a thank-you for her comfort, and a declaration to myself. "Yeah. No need to fear when your disciple believes in you."
"Exactly. If you're anxious, Master, just trust me."
If even this child trusted my scheme, how could I doubt myself?
"Right. Let's believe Huang Zu wins. Who knows? He might even claim Sun Jian's head. As they say, man proposes, heaven disposes. Even if we plan, it's heaven that makes it happen..."
Huh?
"......A shooting star?"
"Pardon?"
"Why's that star falling...? Wait, Yi'ya. Hold on."
I looked up at the sky. In the dark night, the gleaming moon hung as a shooting star streaked down.
"...Yi'ya, do you believe in omens?"
"No. Frankly, I don't buy 'man proposes, heaven disposes' either. If heaven's will is set, what's the point of human struggle?"
Sima Yi grabbed my face, her expression twisted as if she might cry.
"If heaven wills Sun Jian to take Jingzhou, then you and Teacher Xun You racking your brains together means nothing."
"And if it's the opposite?"
"Pardon?"
She tilted her head, tears halting as realization dawned. My reflection in her eyes was smiling.
"If heaven wills Sun Jian's death tonight?"
"...His death wouldn't be heaven's will alone, but the convergence of many wills and efforts."
Sima Yi looked up at the night sky with me and grinned.
"If heaven helps us, no reason to refuse."
Sun Jian, receiving 5,000 troops from Yuan Shu, attacks Jiangxia.
Liu Biao, with Huang Zu defeated by Sun Jian, retreats to Yangyang, losing half his forces.
Sun Jian besieges Yangyang and requests reinforcements from Yuan Shu.
Liu Biao orders Huang Zu to break the siege and seek aid from Yuan Shao.
Liu Biao: Huang Zu breaks the siege but is pursued by Sun Jian, fleeing to Xian Hill.
Liu Biao: Huang Zu's hidden ambush hurls stones at Sun Jian.
Sun Jian falls, struck on the head by a rock from Huang Zu's soldier.
Yuan Shu withdraws his army upon hearing of Sun Jian's death.
Sun Jian, known as Lord Wen, falls in battle.
"Huang Zu actually...?"
Hearing the news, I couldn't think anything else.
"It actually worked."
Whether by united human will or heaven's aid, it ended in the ideal way I'd hoped. Relief flooded me.
"Huang Zu won?"
"Yes! He ambushed at Xian Hill, lured Sun Jian in, and killed him with a boulder toss. Sun Jian's army retreated the moment he fell."
"Not misinformation? A lure to hook us like fish?"
"No way. Goodness, such worrywart."
Liu Biao's forces repelled Sun Jian's army.
"Congratulations, Master! ...Master?"
"Huang Zu really won?"
This was why we studied military tactics.
"How the hell did he pull it off?"
A thrill shot through me, my whole body shivering with excitement.
"Ah, I get it now."
This was that electrifying "one shot" gamblers chase at the tables.