Time to Think, Time to Breathe
A hand raised into the air, signaling a cease in pace. Another hand a few rows down followed suit, then another even farther down, until after a few minutes the long line of cavalry was at a standstill. Audible orders could be distinguished as the line went on, foot soldiers, relieved to catch their breath, stood at attention and awaited further orders in the mid-afternoon sunlight.
As the dust cleared, the figure who had first raised his hand dismounted his steed. He pat it lightly on the neck as he turned to address a man running to him, ready to receive his orders. A quick verbal exchange was had, words were yelled out and dispersed throughout the entourage, and horses were soon being tied to nearby trees, soldiers beginning to engage in casual conversation with each other or walking off to attend to other matters.
Lu Kang turned away from the busy scene before him, looking instead to the southeastern sky. Summer was drawing to a close; much of the tall grass around them a golden hue, the sky above clear with a few wispy clouds visible on the horizon. It would be another cold night, but the thought of home being so close helped to distract from such uncomfortable conditions for many of the companies. They were two-and-a-half days ahead of schedule, and the young general felt safe in taking the rest of the day to let the soldiers and horses relax. A river ran about two lǐ away, and Kang could see the silhouettes of fishermen on their small boats. He noted that there was a village on the other side of the river, his men out of danger of crossing too close to any crops.
He took off his helmet and slowly inhaled a soft breeze, thankful for the cool touch it brought to his face. Leading his horse to a nearby tree, the travel-weary young man tied his companion accordingly, giving the beast enough slack to easily eat surrounding vegetation and move about comfortably. He located an unoccupied log and lowered himself to sit on it restfully, content to think of things other than the events of the last few months.
Not ten minutes into his seclusion, however, a soldier quickly approached the commander with urgent news of a visitor. A concerned frown adorning his features, Youjie stood and began making his way to the reported location of their mysterious guest, thoughts of apprehension and curiosity swirling within his mind.











