By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the third week of the third moon of the twenty-first year of Da-ye, a runner came up the path with the small accumulating *eastern marshes' accumulating winter-offensive's accumulating end* news.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating letter at the runner's accumulating handing-over — Li Mi's accumulating *winter offensive* had, at the past second moon, completed its accumulating *real* objectives. The small accumulating *southern lower-country* was, by the small specific reading at the past two months' Wagang advance — at the small accumulating *real Wagang control* shape from the eastern marshes south to the *Yongqiu-line* and west to within perhaps *one-hundred-and-fifty* *li* of Luoyang itself.
Li Mi was — by the small specific reading at the past peddler — at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *eastern-rebel leader who has*, at the small accumulating *post-Yang-Guang* shape, become the small accumulating *single most-credible* claimant to the eastern Mandate.
The accumulating *fifty* of Yan Wenshu's *eighty* — committed at the past eighth moon to Li Mi's winter offensive — had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler — taken the small accumulating *cost-of-eight* across the past four months. The small accumulating *forty-two* of them were, at the past peddler, returning at the cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-fifty *li* march* shape.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's letter — the *forty-two* would arrive at the cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *first day of the fourth moon*.
The cold-spring camp would, by the small specific reading I am giving at this dusk, be — at the first day of the fourth moon — at the small accumulating *seventy-two* shape (forty-two returning + thirty at the holding).
By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating *further saying* at the same letter — Li Mi had — at the past month — laid in the small accumulating *winter offensive's accumulating reward* at the upper-hills sub-base. He had sent, by the small specific reading at Yan Wenshu's letter, an accumulating *forty further Wagang troops* from the new headquarters at Wagang-zhai — drawn from Li Mi's accumulating *personal small specific accumulating reserve* — to the cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *reinforcement of the upper-hills sub-base* shape. They would arrive — by the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's letter — at the small accumulating *third day of the fourth moon*.
The cold-spring camp would, by the small specific reading I am giving at this dusk, be — at the third day of the fourth moon — at the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-twelve* shape.
Heizi at the small clear ground at the dusk of the third week of the third moon read the letter twice.
He filed it.
The small accumulating *unfound moment* the master had named at the past two weeks at the small accumulating *late summer or early autumn of this year* was — by the small specific reading at this dusk — at the small accumulating *moved* shape. The cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-twelve* would, by the small specific reading at the past four years' accumulating *moment*-teaching, hold against any small accumulating Yu-Wenhuo patrol of accumulating *one-hundred-and-fifty* or *two-hundred*.
By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *real moment* of an accumulating Sui patrol that the cold-spring camp could not hold would, by the small specific reading I am giving, be at the small accumulating *three-hundred-or-more* shape. By the small specific reading at the past Sui-court's accumulating *Yang-Tong-loyalist's accumulating real engagement* against the Wagang and against Li Yuan's accumulating *Tang* — Yu Wenhuo would, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps not have the small accumulating *three-hundred* available for the upper-hills' campaign. He would, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps have, at the small accumulating *acting-sub-officer's accumulating budget*, the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-fifty* maximum.
By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *unfound moment* was, at this dusk, deferred again. Perhaps to the small accumulating *next year's spring*. Perhaps later.
Heizi went to the cot's-side at the dusk.
He said in the small low voice: *master. Li Mi's winter offensive ended. The *forty-two* return; Li Mi sends *forty* further. The cold-spring camp will be at *one-hundred-and-twelve*. By the small specific reading I am giving — the *real moment* is, at this dusk, deferred to perhaps next year's spring or later.*
Lao Wen at the cot looked up from the *Zhongyong*.
He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad.*
He paused.
He laid one hand briefly at the *Zhongyong's* accumulating cover.
He said in the small low voice: *by the small specific accumulating reading I am giving at this dusk — Li Mi's accumulating *forty further* is, by the small specific reading I am giving, the small accumulating *real political reading* of an accumulating *winning-leader's accumulating recognition* of the lad and the lad's accumulating *small specific upper-hills sub-base*. By the small specific reading I am giving — Li Mi has, at the past three years' accumulating correspondence, become at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *leader who has, at the small accumulating real moments, made the lad's accumulating place* at the small accumulating *new* state's accumulating early formation.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, at the small accumulating *moment after the master's accumulating end*, find the new headquarters at the small accumulating *real welcome* shape."
He paused once more.
"And by the small specific reading I am giving at this dusk — the master will, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps see another winter, perhaps two. By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *real moment* is no longer at the small accumulating *late summer or early autumn of this year*. The small accumulating *real moment* is — by the small specific reading I am giving — at the small accumulating *whichever-comes-first* of the small accumulating *winter-and-not-the-patrol* and the small accumulating *next-major-Sui-patrol-the-cold-spring-camp-cannot-hold*."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, by the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk, lay in the small accumulating *complete* apprenticeship at the next year and a half. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, finish the *Royal Regulations* at perhaps the next autumn. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, complete the small accumulating *Liji's accumulating *Zhongyong-after-Royal-Regulations*' fourth round at perhaps the spring after that. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, be — at the small accumulating *real moment* — at the small accumulating *truly complete* apprenticeship."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
He laid one hand briefly at the master's accumulating hand at the cot.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past three years' cot's-side — this was the third time the lad had laid the gesture.
He held it for one beat.
He let go.
That night Heizi at his watch sat at the small banked fire.
He listened.
The shape of the silence on this watch was — by the small specific reading at this evening — the shape of a small specific *staff-officer-and-apprentice* whose accumulating master had, by the small accumulating *Li Mi's accumulating forty further*, been at the small accumulating *another year and a half, perhaps two* shape. The accumulating *real moment* had — by the small specific reading at this dusk — moved out of the lad's accumulating clear horizon.
The lad's accumulating *unfinished* of the past dusk's watch had — by the small specific reading at this evening — become the lad's accumulating *another year and a half of the cot's-side*.
He filed.
He sat his watch through.
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