133: The Spring into the Summer
The spring of the twenty-first year of Da-ye gave way to the summer.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past three months at the cold-spring brigade — the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-twelve* drilled at the small accumulating *combined drilling ground* under Yan Wenshu's accumulating coordinated eye and Wei Quchang's accumulating Wagang-veteran's accumulating *moment*-teaching and Geng Quan's accumulating *six-year-rebellion-veteran* shape and Yan Shaozhong's accumulating *cold-spring-camp-original* shape.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the third week of the seventh moon — the *one-hundred-and-twelve* was at the small accumulating *seven-and-three-quarters of ten* against the Sui-veteran-shape at the small accumulating *combined* reading. The brigade was — by the small specific reading at the past three months' accumulating drilling — at the small accumulating *real seasoned brigade* shape Yan Wenshu had named at the past spring.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past three months' Yu Wenhuo's accumulating patrols, the small accumulating *southern fold's accumulating cut* had — at the past spring's accumulating *eighty-strong patrol* of the third moon — been the only major engagement. Yu Wenhuo had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months — been at the small accumulating *post-defeat-cautious* shape after his accumulating *eighty's* small accumulating *cost-of-twenty-eight*. He had not — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months — sent a small accumulating *real second patrol* through the spring or into the early summer.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler at the dusk of the first day of the seventh moon — Yu Wenhuo had been replaced at the small accumulating *Sui-court's accumulating internal-disorder* of the past two months. The new acting sub-officer at the southern garrison was — by the small specific reading at the past peddler — a man called *Pang Yu* (perhaps forty, by the small specific accumulating reading — a small accumulating *senior Yang-Tong-loyalist* of perhaps twenty years' Sui service), who had, at the past month, taken the southern command at the small accumulating *real* shape.
Pang Yu had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler at the past three weeks — been at the small accumulating *consolidation* shape at the southern garrison. He had not, in the past three weeks, sent a small accumulating patrol north toward the upper-hills. He was — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler — at the small accumulating *consolidating-the-garrison-and-reading-the-region* shape of an accumulating *new-acting-sub-officer's accumulating first three months*.
By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu would, at the small specific accumulating moment of his accumulating *first real campaign-decision*, lay in either at the small accumulating *upper-hills' accumulating master's hut* or at the small accumulating *cold-spring brigade* or at the small accumulating *both at the joint* shape.
By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler's accumulating reading of his accumulating *senior-Yang-Tong-loyalist's-twenty-year-Sui-service* shape, be at the small accumulating *real campaign* shape, not at the small accumulating *probing-patrols* shape of Yu Wenhuo's accumulating *acting-cautious*. By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler, perhaps lay in the small accumulating *real campaign* in the small accumulating *late autumn* of this year, perhaps the early winter.
By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating real campaign* was the small accumulating *next* shape of the *unfound moment*.
Heizi at the small clear ground at the dusk of the first day of the seventh moon laid the small accumulating *peddler's saying* at the cot's-side at the dusk.
Lao Wen at the cot looked up.
He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk — Pang Yu is, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler, the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *senior officer's accumulating first real campaign* against the upper-hills sub-base. By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay the small accumulating *real* numbers — perhaps three hundred at the small accumulating *first wave*, perhaps four hundred. By the small specific reading I am giving — the cold-spring brigade's accumulating *one-hundred-and-twelve* will, by the small specific reading at the past three months' accumulating arithmetic, hold against three hundred at the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-thirty-five*. They will, by the small specific reading I am giving, hold the southern fold.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu's accumulating *second wave*, if he laid it within the next year, would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler, be at the small accumulating *five-hundred-or-more* shape. The cold-spring brigade would, by the small specific reading at the past four years' accumulating reading, take the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-fifty* against five hundred and would, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps hold but at the small accumulating *real strain* shape — perhaps with the small accumulating *one of the three sub-units broken*."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu's accumulating *third wave*, if he laid it, would be at the small accumulating *seven-hundred-or-more* shape. The cold-spring brigade would not, by the small specific reading at the past four years' accumulating reading, hold at seven hundred. The brigade would — by the small specific reading I am giving — break at the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-eighty-of-one-hundred-and-twelve*."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *real moment* is, at this dusk, at the small accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating third wave* shape. The Sui-court at Luoyang under Yang Tong has, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past four months, perhaps eight months at the small accumulating *real political* shape before the small accumulating *Wagang-or-Tang* takes the eastern Mandate. Pang Yu will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in at most three waves before the Sui-court's accumulating end."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *real moment* is, at this dusk, at perhaps twelve months ahead, perhaps fifteen. By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, in the next twelve months, complete the small accumulating *Royal Regulations* and the small accumulating *Zhongyong's* fourth round and will lay in the small accumulating *complete apprenticeship* shape."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
By the small specific reading I am giving at this dusk — the small accumulating *real moment* had, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two days' Pang Yu's accumulating *senior-Yang-Tong-loyalist's-real-campaign*, become the small accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating third wave* the master named.
Twelve months. Perhaps fifteen.
Heizi went to the small wooden bench at the small clear ground.
He sat at it for a long beat.
He filed.
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 *senior sub-officer-and-apprentice* whose accumulating master had, at the dusk, named the small accumulating *real moment* at the small accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating third wave* of perhaps twelve months ahead.
The lad's accumulating *another year and a half of the cot's-side* of the past month had — by the small specific reading at this evening — become the small accumulating *another year, perhaps a little more*.
He filed.
He sat his watch through.