Chapter 4: Zhao

They had been training for almost five weeks now. Shortly Chi Fu would be sending a report to his father, and then it would take another week for his father to reply. They were just waiting now.

That week, one of the men, Kai-Feng, became very ill. Shang dispatched Chi Fu to the nearest village to find a medic. A tent was set up and Kai-Feng was brought there. Chi Fu returned with the medic finally, an old man, who went in and took care of the man. Shang waited outside of the tent. After several hours the medic came out of the tent and told Shang that Kai-Feng would be alright. The fever was breaking finally and he'd given him some droughts and told him that he just needed a lot of rest. He offered to stay for the next week to look after Kai-Feng until the infection was completely gone and he was up and around. Shang thanked him and invited him to sit with him in the main tent and have dinner.

"I heard those men address you as Captain Li. Are you the son of General Li Feng?" the old man asked then.

"Yes, I am."

"I am Wang Zhao."

Shang instantly recognized his name from his father. Wang Zhao was a medic, but he had also become a well-known soldier after he was recruited as a young man to serve in battle. Zhao began to talk to him. He knew many of the other warriors who fought with his father as well. He was pleased and gratified to see that General Li's own son had already been made a captain and was proving to be as promising as the general had been. Shang smiled broadly at such a compliment and thanked the venerable old man.

They had dinner in Shang's tent and talked.

"And what are you doing now, Captain?"

"The recruits have been training very hard for over a month now. They have shaped up to be a fine troop. They are ready for battle and as soon as the report goes out to my father we will be joining him at the front," Shang told him, proudly.

"I am sure you will bring him great honor. Your father has always been a fine, courageous soldier. It is an honor to know his son."

Zhao explained that he had met his father even before he had any title. Shang enjoyed hearing stories about his father when he was his own age. In addition, Zhao knew many of the other famous warriors that he had heard stories of and had admired all his life, and told him many stories of those men from when they were young, before they were known. Shang listened with fascination and wonder as Zhao told him first-hand stories of his own experiences in battle. Zhao had not been a soldier by career, and after his bout serving the Emperor, he left the army and continued to practice medicine.

"Who are some of the recruits?" Zhao asked after a short silence. "You must have several of the sons of the men I knew in your camp now."

"Well, I didn't recognize any of the names. Oh! Except Fa."

"Fa?"

"Yes, Fa Zhou's son."

Zhao shook his head. "He must be from another Fa family."

Shang was about to tell Zhao that he had Fa Zhou's conscription notice, but Zhao was still talking and Shang knew that he wasn't supposed to interrupt an elder.

"Fa Zhou has only one child. A daughter."

The chopsticks dropped out of Shang's hand.

"What?"