Chapter 46: Han Xin, the Great Man

Huaiyin County.
Outside the front gate of the Chief of Nanchang Pavilion.
A tall, robust young man with a sword at his waist was pacing back and forth.
Just as the young man was hesitating, unsure whether he should go inside or not, Shi Maoyuan, the Chief of Nanchang Pavilion, spotted him from the courtyard and immediately waved. "Han Xin, come in!"
"Hurry up and come in!"
"Someone just sent over some wine and meat today, let's share a drink!"
The young man, Han Xin, smiled, walked straight in, and said, "Maoyuan, I'm here to say goodbye today."
"Goodbye?" Hearing this, Shi Maoyuan was instantly displeased. "What goodbye?"
"Could it be that you, Han Xin, are looking down on me?"
"There's no need to leave, we're not short of a bite for you to eat."
"Xiuniang!"
"Come, bring out the food!"
At this moment, a plump, full-figured woman walked in. She cast a sideways glance at Han Xin and said, "Han Xin, the two of us can be considered to have known each other for many years."
"Hmm." Han Xin looked at the woman he had secretly harbored a crush on since childhood and nodded gently.
The woman served the wine and dishes, along with a generous amount of other food.
Looking at Han Xin again, she said, "I asked Maoyuan to find you a job as a tutor. You're no longer a child; it's time to settle down and do some honest work."
"Ever since your mother passed away, you haven't found a wife either!"
"Listen to me, it's settled."
Shi Maoyuan smiled, picked up the wine flagon, poured a cup, and said, "Han Xin, to be honest with you, your brother here isn't unable to support you."
"Even if you don't work, I can keep you clothed and fed."
"But always living like this won't do. So after Xiuniang discussed it with me, I spoke with Old Man Yu."
"Tomorrow you can go and take a look!"
Han Xin looked at the wine, then glanced at the table full of dishes.
Instantly, he lost all interest in drinking.
They were growing tired of him.
This meal must be a farewell feast, after all.
Old Man Yu's village was a dozen miles away...
Ignoring Shi Maoyuan, Han Xin looked at the woman at the doorway and said, "Xiuniang, the truth is, I came here today to say goodbye."
The woman nodded. "If you don't like teaching, doing something else is fine too."
With that, she turned around and walked away.
It seemed as though even speaking a few more words was a waste of time to her.
Han Xin opened his mouth, but the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.
He, Han Xin, came from a noble background, and so did Xiuniang; their families had once been prominent clans in these parts.
Furthermore, the two of them had been betrothed since childhood.
When they were young, they frequently played and frolicked together, even imagining the days when they would have children and raise them well...
Pity that Qin destroyed the six states, and many long-established families began to decline.
Childhood affection and warmth were shattered in the face of reality, leaving not a trace behind.
Today, he had simply become a beggar who was a nuisance to everyone...
Han Xin raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.
He stood up and said, "Thank you, Maoyuan, for your grand hospitality. My mind is made up!"
Shi Maoyuan looked a bit awkward, but still persuaded, "Han Xin, finish eating before you go!"
"So much wine and food..."
The surge of heroic spirit that had just risen in Han Xin vanished without a trace the moment his stomach let out a hungry rumble.
He sighed helplessly. "Very well!"
"I'll listen to Maoyuan; I'll finish eating before I leave!"
With that, Han Xin sat back down.
Just then, a voice muttered from another room—it was the old woman complaining: "Coming here every day to sponge off our food and drink!"
"Xiuniang, if it weren't for the bit of affection you and he share, I would have chased him off long ago."
"A grown man, and he won't do any proper work, just idling about and waiting to die."
"I heard that the butcher Zhang's son once gave him a hard time, even making him crawl between his legs, and he didn't even dare to make a sound."
"He looks handsome enough, looks like a real man, but the things he does are just like a woman's..."
Xiuniang leaned her back against the door frame, saying nothing, nor stepping back outside.
Yet shortly after, tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks and dampening her fair neck...
Clatter—
At that exact moment, the front gate was pushed open, seemingly with considerable force.
Shi Maoyuan stood up and shouted, "Who's there?"
"It's me, Wu Neng!"
Hearing this, Shi Maoyuan's expression shifted slightly. He hurriedly stood up and walked toward the entrance, saying, "Town Magistrate Wu, what wind blew you here!"
"Quickly, please come in!"
"Right on time, we've prepared some food and wine, let's eat together!"
Wu De glanced inside the room, seeing that there was indeed good wine and meat, and nodded. "Just in time, I'm hungry too."
"Let's eat before we take care of business!"
Having said that, Wu De looked at the sturdy man beside him and asked, "How does your lordship find this arrangement?"
Imperial Guard Xu Biao glanced at Han Xin inside the room, then nodded. "We haven't eaten after traveling all this way."
"Then we shall intrude upon Pavilion Chief Shi!"
Realizing this was a person of great importance, Shi Maoyuan immediately called out, "Xiuniang, add a few more dishes!"
"Bring out all my treasured aged wine!"
"Coming right up!" Xiuniang wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and hurried off to busy herself.
Imperial Guard Xu Biao walked into the room and asked, "Have we reached the borders of Huaiyin County by now?"
Wu De immediately spoke up respectfully, "We have, we have!"
"This right here is the Chief of Nanchang Pavilion you were looking for, Shi Maoyuan!"
Shi Maoyuan was startled. They were looking for *him*?
Xu Biao carefully sized up Shi Maoyuan, smiled, and said, "No rush, let's eat first!"
"After the meal, I have someone I'd like to ask you about!"
Shi Maoyuan immediately began playing the gracious host, not daring to show the slightest negligence.
Han Xin merely sat inside eating, paying no mind to these people at all.
He had an obnoxious flaw: the more noble a person's status was, the less Han Xin would take them seriously.
Shi Maoyuan didn't mention that Han Xin lacked manners, and naturally, Wu De wouldn't either.
And so, the group took their seats and began to eat.
During the meal, Xiuniang served several more dishes and brought out several jars of fine wine that Han Xin had never even laid eyes on before.
Without a shred of politeness, Han Xin grabbed a jar and began drinking on his own.
Seeing that Han Xin possessed an extraordinary bearing, Imperial Guard Xu Biao let it slide.
He had come from Xianyang City on a mission this time.
As long as matters were unrelated to his mission, he cared little about them.
Thus, after finishing their meal and drinks, Han Xin stood up to leave.
As he neared the doorway, Wu De could no longer hold back his disgust, stood up, and snapped, "Brother, aren't you lacking in manners just a bit too much?"
Shi Maoyuan quickly intervened, "Forget it, forget it. He's a relative of mine, my lord, please don't take offense, just let him be."
Fuming, Wu De sat back down and continued drinking and eating.
Outside.
Just as Han Xin was about to reach the gate, Xiuniang hurried over and shoved a bundle forcefully into his arms.
"Get your act together... be a man!"
With that, as if terrified that others might see, she rushed back into her own room.
Inside the bundle were some dried rations and a few pieces of shattered silver.
Holding the bundle, Han Xin stood at the threshold, a myriad of complex emotions washing over him, leaving a bitter taste in his heart.
After a long while, he forcibly suppressed the rolling waves of emotion in his chest and walked out of the pavilion chief's home.
Inside the house.
Xu Biao had eaten his fill, wiped his mouth, and said, "Pavilion Chief Shi, let me ask you about someone!"
"My lord, please speak. This humble one will tell you everything he knows without holding anything back!"
Xu Biao smiled and nodded. "Our Huaiyin County is a place of outstanding people and abundant talents. I wonder if there is someone here named Han Xin?"
Han Xin??
Shi Maoyuan's expression froze as the chopsticks in his hand dropped to the floor.