137: The Approach to the First Wave
The first moon of the twenty-second year of Da-ye gave way to the second.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past month's combined tea — the master had, by the small specific accumulating reading at Ah Chou's careful eye at the dusk of the third week of the second moon, held the *fourth winter at the cot* at the small accumulating *real-but-tiring* shape. The cough was, at the past two weeks, at the small accumulating *eleven-or-twelve-times-an-hour* shape at the worst dusks. By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two weeks — the master ate, at the small accumulating *evening meal*, perhaps half of what he had eaten at the past summer.
Ah Chou said in the small low voice at the dusk of the third week of the second moon: *Heizi-zhang. By the small specific reading at the past two weeks — the master holds. He is, by the small specific reading I am giving, at the small accumulating *real shape* of an accumulating *post-fourth-winter* old man whose accumulating combined tea has, by the small specific reading at the past four winters, been at the small accumulating *real working* shape but whose accumulating *real margin* has narrowed.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the master will, by the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk, perhaps hold to the small accumulating *summer of this year* at the small accumulating *probable* shape, perhaps to the *autumn* at the small accumulating *possible*. By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *unfound moment* will, by the small specific reading at this dusk, perhaps coincide with Pang Yu's accumulating *first* or *second wave*."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the first day of the third moon, the *Royal Regulations*' accumulating *Education chapter's response-piece* was completed at perhaps two hundred and forty characters at Heizi's accumulating bench-page.
Lao Wen at the cot — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past day's reading — had read it.
He had said in the small low voice: *yes, lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at this piece — the lad has, at twenty-seven, laid in the small accumulating *real* reading of an accumulating *new state's accumulating Education shape* at the small accumulating *first decade and second decade and third decade's distinction*. The piece is — by the small specific reading I am giving — at the small accumulating *complete enough for an accumulating senior staff-officer of an accumulating new state's accumulating early formation*.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the *Royal Regulations* is, at the small accumulating *Education chapter's response-piece*, the small accumulating *complete-enough-for-the-lad* shape. The remaining chapters of the *Royal Regulations* are, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past forty years, at the small accumulating *less-immediate* shape for an accumulating *new state's accumulating early-officer*. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay them at the small accumulating *steady reading* through the small accumulating *next two months*. By the small specific reading I am giving — the *Royal Regulations* round will, by the small specific reading I am giving, complete at the small accumulating *fifth or sixth moon* at the lad's accumulating *complete reading*."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the next chapter to lay in is the small accumulating *Royal Regulations'* accumulating *frontier and military chapter*, by the small specific reading I am giving. The chapter is — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past forty years' Sui-court reading — at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *new state's accumulating real political reading* of how an accumulating *frontier military* would, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay it in through the third and fourth moons."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the seventh day of the third moon, a runner came up the path from the cold-spring camp at a pace.
He carried the small accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating first wave's accumulating mobilization news*.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's letter at the runner's handing-over — Pang Yu had, at the past two weeks, mobilized the small accumulating *first wave* at the southern garrison. The wave was — by the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's letter — at the small accumulating *four-hundred-strong* shape Lao Wen had named at the past peddler's reading.
Pang Yu had — by the small specific accumulating reading — laid the wave at the small accumulating *senior sub-officer of his accumulating campaign-arm* (a man called *Lu Mengtai*, perhaps thirty-eight, by the small specific reading at the past peddler — a small accumulating *real-engagement Sui veteran* of perhaps fifteen years).
The wave was, at the past dawn, perhaps eight days from the southern fold's accumulating *first cut*.
The cold-spring brigade was, at this dusk, at the small accumulating *full preparation* shape. Yan Wenshu had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past day — laid the *one-hundred-and-twelve* at the small accumulating *southern fold's accumulating arrangement*: the *forty-two veterans of the winter offensive* under Geng Quan at the *first cut* (the bottlenecking proper), the *forty Li Mi reinforcements* under Wei Quchang at the *second cut* (a small accumulating fall-back point perhaps two hundred *bu* up the road), and the *thirty cold-spring original* under Yan Shaozhong at the *third cut* (the cold-spring camp's outer perimeter).
The brigade would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past four years' accumulating *moment*-teaching, lay in at the small accumulating *staggered fall-back* shape: hold the *first cut* until the *first cut's accumulating cost* reached the small accumulating *one-third-of-Geng-Quan's-forty-two*, then fall back to the *second cut*; hold the *second cut* until the small accumulating *real cost*; fall back to the *third cut* if needed.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating arithmetic — Lu Mengtai's *four hundred* would, at the small accumulating *staggered fall-back*, take the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-one-hundred-and-fifty* across the three cuts. The brigade would, by the small specific reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating arithmetic, take the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-thirty-five*. Lu Mengtai would, by the small specific reading I am giving, withdraw at the *third cut's accumulating engagement* with perhaps two hundred and fifty surviving troops at the small accumulating *defeated* shape.
The cold-spring brigade would hold.
Heizi at the small clear ground at the dusk of the seventh day of the third moon read the letter twice.
He filed it.
He went to the cot's-side at the dusk.
He said in the small low voice: *master. Pang Yu's first wave. Lu Mengtai's four hundred at eight days. Yan Wenshu's arrangement: staggered fall-back across three cuts. Cost arithmetic: brigade *thirty-five*, Sui *one-hundred-and-fifty*. The brigade holds.*
Lao Wen at the cot looked up.
He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating arithmetic — the brigade holds.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, at the small accumulating *eight days*, hold the *nineteen-and-master* at the master's hut at the small accumulating *quiet* shape. The brigade will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in the *first wave's accumulating engagement*. The master's hut will, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past three engagements, not be at the *first wave's* accumulating reach."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the *first wave* is, at this dusk, the small accumulating *expected* shape. The brigade will hold. The lad will hold. The master will hold."
He looked at Heizi.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the next moment to read is the *second wave* at perhaps seven months ahead, by the small specific accumulating reading at Pang Yu's accumulating campaign-pacing. The lad will, in the next seven months, lay in the small accumulating *frontier and military chapter* of the *Royal Regulations* and the small accumulating *Zhongyong's* fourth round and will, at the small accumulating *real moment*, be at the small accumulating *complete* apprenticeship."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
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 cold-spring brigade was, in eight days, at the small accumulating *first wave's accumulating expected engagement* shape, and whose accumulating master would, by the small specific reading at the past peddler's accumulating reading, hold beyond it.
He filed.
He sat his watch through.