Well, I am here again! Yay! And everyone else says nooooooooooooooo! Okay oh well. Okay chappy notes: I hope you all get the picture in the scene where he's teaching her. I am also hoping you guys are seeing something…

MSD (Mrs.SleepingDragon): hehehehehehhehehehehehehehee well…. Anyways, thanks…

Zhuge: You make me sound so evil!

I wonder why…

Zhuge: xevil grin—x

Guan: x—sigh—x yet again you are right. Oh well I am a lazy bum. Thanks… Well, I disagree but, anyways I thought what Zhuge did was funny…

WindsofEternity: lalalalalala everyone loves that letter. Lol. I dunno I liked it better the first time I read it…

Sonicwind: yah well I dunno… thanks.

Shadowwolf5889. Lol thanks. If Pang Tong wins… I swear… no I'm joking…

Chapter 14-The Art of the Zither

In April, I had known Master Liang for an entire year, but it seemed like longer. Sure enough we received word that Zhou Yu had died. The Prime Minister had never received a reply to his letter.

Zhuge Liang had requested most earnestly from Lord Liu Bei to pay his friend (or shall I say victim?) his "respects" or so called to Lord Zhou Yu. I knew he had something up his sleeve, he always did. Liu Bei wanted to make him stay, he said it would put him in too much danger, but consented after sending Zhao Yun and me with him.

When we arrived we were greeted with much contempt. I could tell no one was glad enough to accept us welcomingly. They looked as if they would kill Master Liang had Zhao Yun not been present. As we walked through we were not even privileged enough to receive a fake smile and yet Zhuge Liang remained in a jovial grin, widely smiling at the multiple scowls that crossed their faces. I could tell he was going to get into his taunting/actor mode like he had when convincing Zhou Yu to join forces for the battle of Chi Bi. The services began and Zhuge Liang stepped up to read a memorial piece he had written. It went something like this as I recall:

Zhou Yu was a learned and worthy ally in my early days of service to the realm. He, so wise and so powerful fought to his last, I am sure to restore the land of the imperial Han to its former glory. His purpose was gallant and his ways virtuous. Truly, he was a man of great inspiration. We will all miss Gonjin, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say. I only wish I had more time with him, to learn from his mistakes and his failures and his victories, whatever they may be. Alas, all in heaven is predetermined. Be it fate or circumstances all is tied to the will of the Divine. It is for no mortal to decide. I petition you now to remember the legacy Zhou Yu has left for us all.

He fell to his knees, and remaining serious for me was quite a struggle when Master Liang's acting required him to emit a few tears from his chestnut eyes. All around I heard people weeping and Lu Su, who happened to be near me, spoke quietly through his own tears.

"A man of such depth! Zhou Yu was foolish to treat him as an enemy." All who were there had been touched by Zhuge Liang's actions, however fake they may have been.

I followed Master Liang as he made chitchat with a few of the Southland's commanders. On our way home I spoke to him.

"Master Liang, what was your purpose in exasperating Zhou Yu so far as for him to die, and then pay your dues to him most mannerously as if you were, quite contrary to reality, the greatest of friends?" The familiar wicked grin crossed his face.

"Can't I have a little fun?"

"Master Liang!"

"No, Zhou Yu believed himself superior to me and underestimated whatever it was I had to offer. He tried to kill me three times! This makes it ever so fitting for my own actions to be able to destroy him. It speaks a wonder of simplicity. Simple problem solving and strategy defeated drastic measures. I had every right to do what I did today, and more."

"Yes…" Zhuge Liang sat down "It is a long journey, you should rest." He took out his zither and started in on a few notes. His melodies always played such wonderful harmonies, rising as high as his guiding star and my own, and falling as low as the depths of the ancients' graves. It was truly music that could soothe a savage beast. I lay down on the rickety makeshift cot of the lower decks of our ship. When he finished the song I fit in a question.

"Will you teach me?"

"Hmm?"

"That would take more than a few minutes but sit down, and I'll help you through a song." He leaned down and reached around my shoulders; I could feel the warmth of his body on my back. He placed my fingers on the correct notes, and held my hands, moving them to the proper places. I never knew the song but it serenaded me with a tale of love. It told of a princess fallen captive to the troubles of the land, who fell in love with a lonely village man who lived in a cottage on a hill. The song told of how the boy so weary and so full of passion for her felt as if he did not deserve her. In the end he was called to war by the princess' father and was killed in battle. She, unable to live without him stole her father's sword and stabbed herself. I recall now the last few verses:

Two eyes of jade looked up

Unto the misty sky

Her hope removed he love was gone

Before she said goodbye.

She stole the blade above her

From the sheath 'twas drawn

It was in but an instant

That all her shame was gone.

A larger tale of woe

Shan't soon be known to us

Was it truly love?

Or a tragic tale of lust.

I wondered why he would sing such a song. Truly he was doing more than I for playing as well. As he was about to begin another song Lord Liu Bei entered.

"Oh, was I interrupting something?" I rose from the chair.

"Just zither lessons."

"It is wonderful to see you my lord, I lost track of time, I did not know we were already home. We are well-prepared for our assault on Cheng Du, and the trip was…productive."

I wondered how soon such a campaign would be…