The Halberd and the Dog

Gao Zhijian’s face was bright red. He used every ounce of his strength, trembling as he hoisted the massive halberd back onto the ox-cart.

Before he could even catch his breath, he grabbed a cloth and carefully wrapped the sharp blade.

Brother Li had told him that this halberd had to be covered up after practice. Its previous owner had been a general of the Later Shu kingdom. If anyone from Qingqiu’s official circles recognized it, there would be trouble.

Looking at the wrapped halberd, he scratched the back of his head in frustration.

He had been training for so long, and all he could still do was barely lift it. In that woman’s hands, the thing had moved like it was made of paper.

He measured it with his hands, figuring that shortening it might make it lighter. A weapon over three and a half meters long was far too long if he actually wanted to use it. The standard for cavalry lances was a zhang and two chi—unless he was a spearman in formation, it was too long for ground combat. An enemy could get inside his reach and he’d have no way to counter.

He lifted the curtain of the ox-cart and examined the heavy armor piled haphazardly inside, occasionally holding pieces up to his own body for comparison.

It could block Brother Li’s sword. Gao Zhijian understood that these plates were no ordinary things.

But that woman was much larger than him. If he wanted to wear this armor, he’d need to find a blacksmith to modify it.

And then there was the weight. This full set must weigh hundreds of jin—his strength wasn’t there yet. He still had to train.

“Hey, dummy. What are you doing? Come here, I need to talk to you. It’s good news!”

Gao Zhijian turned around with obvious reluctance, looking down at Gouwa who had spoken.

“See those women over there? A couple of them seem interested in you.”

Gao Zhijian looked up. He saw the women gathered in a small group, stealing glances at him. When they saw him notice, they quickly pulled their heads back.

“Hey, dummy. You want a wife? If you do, I, Cao Cao, will play matchmaker and pull a red string for you.”

Gao Zhijian’s face puckered into a bitter scowl. He turned back and continued fiddling with the armor, completely ignoring Gouwa.

“What, you think they’re dirty? They haven’t called you stupid yet. People like us shouldn’t be picky. Grab one now while you can. Once this chance is gone, there won’t be another.”

“Let me tell you, I’ve already got my eye on someone. Before long, you’ll be eating at my wedding feast.”

“Go… go… go away.” Gao Zhijian’s voice came out haltingly.

“Go? Okay, let’s go check them out, then.”

“Go… GO AWAY!” The volume made Gouwa jump back.

“I’m treating you like a brother! I’m trying to look out for your future! Later on, you might not even find one!”

Gao Zhijian shoved him, hard. Gouwa stumbled and fell flat on the ground.

Cursing under his breath, Gouwa got up and walked off toward Zhao Wu, who was sitting by another ox-cart.

“Psst psst psst!” Gao Zhijian made a calling sound at Mantou, who was resting under the cart.

Hearing the sound, Mantou stretched his front legs forward in a long yawn, then tucked his ears flat against his head and wobbled over to Gao Zhijian, tail wagging.

Gao Zhijian carefully picked the dog up and held it, stroking its fur over and over. Feeling the soft, smooth hair slipping through his fingers, he couldn’t help but let out a simple, pleased chuckle.

He reached into his own pocket and pulled out half a piece of hard biscuit, waving it in front of Mantou. Seeing the food, Mantou’s tail wagged even faster.

Gao Zhijian tore off a few crumbs and placed them in his palm, quietly feeling the dog’s tongue lick at his skin.

Mantou ate quickly. Soon, the half-biscuit was gone. Gao Zhijian closed his eyes and buried his face in the dog’s fur, rubbing against it.

He liked dogs. Dogs were better than people. In fact, he was thinking of asking Junior Brother Li if he could keep this one for himself.

After a while, he opened his eyes. He carefully pulled a book on military strategy from his pocket and began to read it closely.

He didn’t know why he could read the same thing over and over without ever getting bored. Some parts he couldn’t fully understand, but he still felt an odd familiarity with the words.

Gouwa, watching from a distance as Gao Zhijian hugged the dog, shook his head in exasperation. “Ah, this dummy really has no clue. There are women right here, and he’d rather play with a dog.”

“Gouwa, I’d advise you to keep it in your pants. If you try anything rough with those women, Junior Brother Li might not have time for you right now, but Xiaoman will cut you down with one swing of her sword.” Zhao Wu, holding an old abacus and inventorying supplies, spoke up to warn him.

“Hey, don’t badmouth me just because you’re not coming along. Do I have to use force just to get a wife?”

“I’m an expert with women, got it? You just watch. Before we reach Liang Guo, I’ll have one hooked for sure. What do you want to bet?”

“Fine, fine. You’re the man. Go ahead and get yourself one. Just stop bothering me. I’ve got accounts to settle here. If I don’t divvy things up right, you’ll be drinking the north wind for your next meal.”

Gouwa scratched the vitiligo patch on his face. He looked at Zhao Wu, who had one shoulder higher than the other, and kept pushing. “You really don’t want to come with me? Guys like us need to know our place. If you don’t grab a chance now, you’ll be a bachelor your whole life.”

Zhao Wu was getting annoyed. “Brother Li is wounded like that, and you’ve got time to talk about this?”

“He can grow back a severed hand. What’s there to worry about? You’re all just making trouble over nothing.”

“I’ve been following him this whole road, and I’ve figured it out. Brother Li is the man.” Gouwa stuck his thumb up high. “Don’t worry. Even if King Yanluo himself came for him, he’d be fine.”

Zhao Wu’s eyes showed a hint of worry. Thinking back on everything he had seen, he couldn’t quite agree that Brother Li seemed fine.

They all had their own flaws, their own missing pieces. But Brother Li’s flaw was the kind you couldn’t see, and that made it the worst one.

“What are you worrying about? Brother Li is practically a demigod already. He knows so many divine powers. Even if real trouble came, would we be able to help?”

“Zhao Wu, didn’t I just say it? A man needs to know his own weight. I know my limits. That’s why I’ve got the sense not to carry that burden.”

“Why don’t you have any ambition?”

“Oh, spare me. Like you’re so full of ambition. If it weren’t for Brother Li, anyone with ambition would have been killed by that scab-head back in the cave.” Gouwa’s face was full of contempt.

The clacking of the abacus stopped. Zhao Wu’s voice came out, hesitant. “Gouwa… do you think Brother Li could teach us some of those divine powers?”

As soon as the words left Zhao Wu’s mouth, Gouwa clutched his stomach and took off. “Oof, oof… my stomach is killing me. I’ve got to take a dump. Talk later.”

He had already figured it out. Those divine powers of Brother Li’s came with a price. Chun Xiaoman had used one and lost a hand on the spot. That was too terrifying.

Besides, maybe Brother Li’s madness was getting worse precisely because of those powers. He didn’t want to end up like that.