149: The Brigade's Preparation

The third moon of the twenty-third year of Da-ye gave way to the fourth.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the past month at the cold-spring camp, the brigade laid in the small accumulating *real preparation for the departure* shape Yan Wenshu had named at his accumulating letter of the past first day of the third moon.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the past month's coordinated runner-relays — the brigade's accumulating *real coordinated surrender* with Xu Shiji's accumulating *splintered remnant* at the eastern marshes had been, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past three weeks, at the small accumulating *real* shape: Xu Shiji had, at the past two weeks, received Li Yuan's accumulating *Tang's real welcome* at a small accumulating *runner-with-letter* return; the eastern marshes' accumulating *two thousand* would walk west at the small accumulating *coordinated march* at perhaps the *fifth moon's accumulating mid* shape; the cold-spring brigade's *one-hundred-and-eleven combat-shape* (the small accumulating *eighty-nine* of the past second-wave's accumulating end + the small accumulating *twenty-two non-fatal wounded* now returned to combat-shape over the past four months — though six had not, by the small specific reading at Ah Chou's accumulating salve, returned to full combat-shape and would, by the small specific reading at Ah Chou's accumulating reading, walk at the small accumulating *limited-combat shape*) would walk east at the small accumulating *fourth moon's accumulating end* and would join Xu Shiji's *two thousand* at the eastern marshes for the small accumulating *coordinated west-march*.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the fifteenth day of the fourth moon — the brigade was, at the small accumulating *real preparation* shape. The combined drilling ground was at the small accumulating *real-march-readiness* shape. The forge — Wang Er's accumulating *second bog-iron's-forge* at the small clear ground's accumulating eastern edge of the master's compound — was at the small accumulating *real preparation* shape of the small specific accumulating *spear-points-for-the-march* (perhaps four hundred new spear-points laid in at the past two months for the brigade's accumulating march and also for the *nineteen's accumulating holding* of the next moons).

By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the third week of the fourth moon, Yan Wenshu came up the path from the cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *senior sub-officer's accumulating last visit* shape.

He came at the small accumulating *single morning's walking* with two of his accumulating senior sub-officers (Geng Quan and Wei Quchang, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months' coordination).

By the small specific accumulating reading at the noon of the eighteenth day of the fourth moon — Yan Wenshu, Geng Quan, Wei Quchang, Heizi, and Wang Er sat at the small wooden bench at the small clear ground at the small specific accumulating *senior sub-officers' last coordinated meeting*.

Yan Wenshu said in the small low voice: *Heizi-zhang. By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months — the brigade departs at the small specific accumulating *fourth moon's accumulating last week*, the *twenty-fifth* day, at perhaps a six-day-pace east at the small accumulating *real march* shape. The brigade will, by the small specific reading I am giving, be at the eastern marshes at the small accumulating *first week of the fifth moon*. Xu Shiji will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay the small accumulating *combined two thousand and the brigade's one-hundred-and-eleven* at the small accumulating *real coordinated west-march* at the *fifteenth or twentieth day of the fifth moon*. The combined unit will be at the *Tang* at Chang'an — by the small specific reading at the past peddler's accumulating reading of the route — at perhaps the small accumulating *first or second moon of the small accumulating two-month march*'s accumulating end — perhaps the *seventh moon*.*

He paused.

"By the small specific accumulating reading I am giving — the cold-spring brigade will, at the small accumulating *coordinated surrender to the Tang at Chang'an*, be at the *Tang's accumulating real welcome* shape that Xu Shiji has received. By the small specific reading I am giving — the brigade's accumulating senior sub-officers will, by the small specific reading I am giving, be at the small accumulating *recognized senior sub-officers* of an accumulating *Tang's eastern wing* at perhaps the small accumulating *recognized brigade-officers* shape. The brothers will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in at the *Tang's* accumulating service."

Heizi nodded.

He filed it.

Yan Wenshu paused.

"And Heizi-zhang — by the small specific reading I am giving at this noon — the lad and the *nineteen-and-master* will, at the small specific accumulating *post-master* moment, walk at the small accumulating *separate Tang-direction* shape. By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, at that moment, find the *Tang's* accumulating recognition of the lad's accumulating *one-mark-knowing* of the master's accumulating *real political reading* and of the lad's accumulating *senior-sub-officer's accumulating real shape* at the small accumulating *real welcome of an accumulating recognized senior officer of an accumulating splintered remnant's separate path*. The brigade will, by the small specific reading I am giving, vouch for the lad at the small accumulating *real coordinated saying* through Yan Wenshu's accumulating *post-arrival reading* at the *Tang*."

He paused once more.

"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will not, at the small specific accumulating *post-master* shape, lay in at the *Tang* at the small accumulating *unknown stranger's accumulating uncertain welcome* shape. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay at the *Tang* at the small accumulating *recognized senior officer of the Wagang's accumulating splintered remnant whose accumulating master at the cot was at the late-classicist's accumulating real political reading and whose accumulating *one-mark-knowing* of the country's accumulating failure of Da-ye is at the small accumulating *complete* shape*."

Heizi nodded.

He filed it.

He said in the small low voice: *brother. By the small specific reading I am giving — yes. The *nineteen-and-master* hold the master's hut at the *separate independent shape* through the *master's accumulating end*. At the small specific accumulating *post-master* moment — by the small specific reading I am giving — the *nineteen* and I will walk to the *Tang* at the small accumulating *recognized* shape Yan Wenshu has named. We will, by the small specific reading I am giving, find the *Tang*'s accumulating welcome at the small accumulating *real* shape.*

The brothers nodded.

That dusk, the small specific accumulating *senior sub-officers' last coordinated meeting* ended.

Yan Wenshu and Geng Quan and Wei Quchang walked back down to the cold-spring camp at the small accumulating *single dusk's walking* shape.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the twenty-fifth day of the fourth moon — the cold-spring brigade departed.

The brigade walked east at the small accumulating *six-day-pace* shape with — by the small specific accumulating reading at Yan Wenshu's accumulating final saying at the past three days — the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-eleven combat-shape* (one-hundred-and-five at the small accumulating *full-combat* shape and six at the *limited-combat* shape) and — by the small specific accumulating reading — the small accumulating *one runner returning to the master's hut at the dusk of the brigade's accumulating leaving* shape with the small accumulating *brigade's accumulating last saying*.

Heizi at the small clear ground at the dusk of the twenty-fifth day filed.

He laid the small accumulating *brigade-departure* in the lighter catalog at perhaps a hundred and forty-seven items: *the small specific dusk of the twenty-fifth day of the fourth moon of the twenty-third year of Da-ye, when the cold-spring brigade departed at the *real coordinated surrender to the Tang via Xu Shiji's eastern marshes*, and the *nineteen-and-master* held the master's hut at the *separate independent shape* through the *master's accumulating end*.*

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 had — at the dusk — departed at the *real coordinated surrender to the Tang*, and whose accumulating *nineteen-and-master* held the master's hut at the small accumulating *isolated independent shape* through the small accumulating *late summer or autumn's accumulating Pang-Yu's-restored-real-moment*.

He filed.

He sat his watch through.