Garden Path with Chickens
Sima looks incredibly hot, but I don't think he'll find the cock he's looking for any time soon. I'm not sure Sima understood what going to Xu Chang's market district for chickens would be like. He certainly didn't understand that we'd be walking through dirt streets on the city's outskirt under the blazing sun. Or maybe he thought that buying fowl from the farmers on the outskirts of the city was a formal occasion that merited his wearing full regalia.
Sima's already strolled ahead to one of the merchant stands and begun a surprisingly professional conversation about if they have hens and roosters, and if so would they be willing to sell a couple dozen at a discounted rate to Cao Cao's forces. The merchant gives him an incredulous look. I'm assuming this has something to do with the fact that the supposed Wei envoy is hoarse, flushed, sweat soaked with his robe unbuttoned and covered in the red colored dirt from unpaved roads. That, and Sima is a new enough addition to the Wei family that none have recognized him yet. That just mentioned fact is beginning to wear Sima down, which means I should intervene for the stall vendors' sake.
I speak up quickly as I can, trying to seem fabulously nonchalant:"Our Lord Cao Cao has begun a development project in the northern plains, so we will need these chickens quite soon."
"General Zhang He" the merchant exclaims while making a hasty bow in my direction. (This little walk about the city with Sima has made me realize I'm one of the more recognizable Wei generals.) The merchant still stands at respectful attention, facing me. And Sima looks that much more visibly annoyed at the merchant, and me. These plans all backfire on me a little too much for comfort. I quickly walk to stand behind Sima to try and focus the merchant's attention back on him. Sima seizes the opportunity to continue his resource talks. "What we really need are roosters. We already have some hens, but we have no roosters whatsoever." The merchant returns to staring at Sima incredulously before addressing him with the patience one may use for a drunken homeless man, or a very nasally-voiced child. "Sir, do you know how soon you'll need this quantity of fowl?" Sima gives a curt and harsh "the soonest possible". The vendor's response: "I'd need to see if any of the farmers I carry wares for have any fowl to spare, and then the time to transport them to the North. Three months then." The same response Sima's gotten from everyone. Sima exhales, and speaks. "As soon as you have the livestock available send a messenger to Xu Chang's administrative bureau." At least I've gotten to spend time listening to Sima Yi, a very bitchy Sima Yi.
Things feel so much fresher now in the evening, or at least you appreciate it more after having lost a day of your life drudging around buying chickens. Luckily by now we've gone back to civilization, a restaurant in a nicer district of Xu Chang. Sima sips the tea that's just been placed in front of him, uses a hand to smooth his hair (that still has some sweat and lays in disarray from earlier), then sets his gaze level to mine. The moment I break from it to get my own drink he speaks. "General He, was today what you'd wanted from me?" There is some bite to the way he says it. Softly I tell him:"Yi, I offered to help you buy chickens; my expectations really weren't that high. But what of you? What did you think of our fair city and its people?" Now there's an edge in his stare too. He scoffs, "Its people? Have you always been so ...famous Zhang He?" This man really does love leading questions. "Sima, there's nothing personal to how differently we were treated. It's just that I'm a famous Wei general and you're, well, you're a recently hired and fairly minor department worker. I mean it really isn't anyone's fault for not recognizing you." "Thank you for informing me, General." That probably wasn't the right thing to say, as Sima now seems to be trying to see if he can apply that battlefield magic of his here, on me. He may well be onto something when the waitress arrives and inadvertently breaks the proverbial ice.
She puts down a small tray with some tea and peach flavored pastries, saying they're on the house before turning to address me. "General Zhang He, thank you for coming, how are you? Well I hope." I quickly assure her things are fabulous as ever before turning to introduce my guest. "Miss Fu, This is Sima Yi, he's recently moved here to work with Wei's strategy department in...what was it again, Yi?".
"Logistics and development" he tartly answers, arms crossed. The waitress gives him puzzled look before asking him what he and Wei have been working on recently. He exhales, keeps his demeanor level, dignified and then: "chickens". I smile to myself seeing how, after all of today, he can still carry himself with such airs. He sees the light to what he says and expects others to do the same. It will be a very interesting experience to watch Sima grow on the battlefield, under duress, as an officer of Wei. I look forward to it.