The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial - Chapter 50



Chapter 50

＜ The Best Path Under Heaven (2) ＞

[Late night. Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition Army camp, in a certain tent.]

“…….”

Cao Cao sat at the table in silence.

It wasn’t that he had nothing to say, but he had already said everything he needed to.

“You’ve worked hard, Aman.”

“Do you also call me Aman?”

Cao Cao sneered at the man across from him who called him by his childhood name.

“He Yu.”

“I’ve been close with Yuan Gong for a long time, but I’ve also had a friendship with you since childhood.”

The man in civil official’s attire, He Yu, quietly stood up.

“Don’t make me sever that friendship myself.”

“Have you decided to follow Yuan Shao?”

“…….”

“Indeed. Since you intend to serve Yuan Shao as your lord, you must sever ties with me, Cao Cao.”

“If you had chosen to walk the same path as our lord, this wouldn’t have happened. Of course, it’s not too late.”

He Yu warned in a low voice, pointing outside the tent.

“Don’t think about leaving. You won’t be able to leave easily. Did you really think you could just walk out of here? You, Cao Cao?”

“With my arm injured, are you telling me to get treated here? A wounded man?”

“Treatment for the wounded is possible here. If you need anything, tell the soldier outside. Please, make a wise decision.”

With those words, He Yu left the tent.

“…….”

Cao Cao clutched his aching left arm and lay down on the bed in the tent.

“Unnecessarily comfortable.”

Unlike the soldiers’ tents, this one was furnished with a luxurious bed and blankets.

“Yuan Shao, this man.”

As if it had been prepared for him from the beginning, the interior of the barracks was structured comfortably for Cao Cao.

The bed seemed to be of a size that fit him perfectly.

Or a short bed that seemed to have been cut to match his height.

“…….”

Cao Cao closed his eyes.

He had conveyed the events that happened in Luoyang as they were.

However, there were a few pieces of information he had hidden.

He Yu had tried to pry, but Cao Cao did not speak.

“…….”

Outside the door.

There were soldiers.

Soldiers left by He Yu, who would be pricking up their ears towards the inside.

“…Zhong should do well.”

Cao Cao deliberately muttered to himself.

It sounded as if he intended for someone to hear it, and indeed, he did.

“Lord Cao, do you need anything?”

“No.”

So that Yuan Shao would continue to be on guard.

As if the soldiers outside were constantly trying to monitor his movements.

“Sss….”

He wanted to organize his thoughts by talking to himself as usual, but Cao Cao had to swallow his subsequent thoughts.

There is information that should be known and information that should be hidden.

The movements of Zhong, who would be busy in the direction of his hometown and Jinliu, would only be effective if Yuan Shao paid attention, and the movements of others would only be effective if they were unknown.

“…I can only hope that Wenyang and Miaozai move well.”

In the end, Cao Cao whispered in a very small voice, so that the soldiers outside could not hear, calming his mind.

He thought he was brave, but being alone in the enemy camp was quite uncomfortable.

However, it was himself who had entered this tiger’s den.

It only had meaning if Cao Cao himself came in.

Step, step.

Just then, the reason passed near the military tent.

Because of the flickering torch beyond the thin tent, only its shadow brushed the barracks, but Cao Cao pricked up his ears without even breathing.

“The night air is cold. Please go inside.”

“Because it’s cold, I need to move my body like this.”

A voice that was unfamiliar but heard before.

Cao Cao searched his memory and immediately realized who it was.

“Baekgyu. Unlike a vigorous person like you, this old body needs to keep moving. Haha.”

Yoo Woo.

As the lord of Yuzhou, he was once appointed as the Grand Commandant but politely declined and stepped back.

“The soldiers are worried, my lord.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I know my body better.”

Why is a virtuous and respected elder, admired by many people, here?

Cao Cao thought he was not someone who should be in such a place, but-

“And now, I need to step forward with a healthy body here so that the allied forces can unite. Externally, I am being recommended as the emperor.”

Soon, he could hear the reason from the person himself.

“Yuan Shao recommended me as the emperor.”

Yuan Shao called the emperor of Luoyang a fake and wanted to enthrone a real emperor, Yoo.

If it were someone else, the soldiers would have driven him away, saying, ‘You shouldn’t talk here,’ but Yoo Woo was different.

Thanks to that, Cao Cao was able to achieve his purpose of coming here.

To distinguish who was anti-Dong Zhuo and who was saving Lü Bu.

“I tried to refuse. But I accepted. Do you know why?”

“I don’t know.”

“In the end, any Yoo, someone has to bear this burden.”

Yoo Woo said in a bitter voice.

“If I don’t step forward, Yuan Shao would have offered this position to Yoo Pyo.”

“Do you mean Yoo Pyo of Jingzhou?”

“Yes. Baekgyu, as you can see, he is a greedy person. Such a person should not enter Luoyang as the emperor.”

Cao Cao almost unknowingly answered, ‘That’s right.’

Even if Yoo Woo entered Luoyang, he would try to save the royal family of Luoyang, but other Yoos would kill everyone to truly take the emperor’s position.

“I don’t have much time left to live. Gongsun Zan, only you should know this.”

“…There may be ears listening. My lord.”

Cao Cao took a deep breath as he listened to the voice of Gongsun Zan, who was conversing with Yu.

“If you’re listening… well, let him listen. Yuan Shao already knows everything anyway, doesn’t he?”

Despite Gongsun Zan’s concerns, Yu was indifferent.

As if it didn’t matter if someone overheard, or rather, he hoped they would.

“From the moment I received this proposal, everything was to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”

“…….”

“Even if I am later branded a traitor for accepting this position, I am prepared. My family… they are all the same.”

“If the coalition is defeated, we will all be traitors.”

“Everyone will become traitors. And the real traitor will seize control of the court.”

Yu continued in a serious tone.

“Dong Zhuo. We must never let him stay in Luoyang. That’s why I asked you to come down here with me.”

“…….”

“Whatever ambition lies within you, let us do our best to face our common enemy.”

“How could I harbor any other intentions, my lord?”

There was no tremor in Gongsun Zan’s voice.

“Even now, I feel troubled as if I have taken your place, my lord. How could you say such a thing?”

“You like the position, don’t you? Haha.”

“My lord.”

Cao Cao almost felt a pang of sorrow, as if his sincerity had been misunderstood.

“How could I, like a beast, betray you and seek power for myself?”

As Yu said, Gongsun Zan had ambition.

Cao Cao had heard it from his informants and could interpret it through his actions.

“No matter what adversity comes, I will overcome it with you. You are now beyond my lord, you are the true emperor of this country.”

“…I had no choice but to accept this position, but I still cannot call myself emperor. Not until I receive abdication from the current emperor and then abdicate back to him.”

It may seem meaningless, but Cao Cao understood the stubbornness of the old men regarding procedures and formalities.

It was meaningless, but to them, the act itself held significance.

“Even if the current emperor does not abdicate to you and abdicates to another, you must do your best to assist him.”

“…….”

“You must keep Yuan Shao from becoming another Dong Zhuo.”

“I will remember that.”

I’m going to die.

Cao Cao suppressed the words that were about to burst out.

Perhaps it was because of the shadow, but the shadow of the sword that Gongsun Zan had at his waist was particularly directed towards Liu Yu.

“Baekgyu.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I hope you become someone like Lu Bu.”

“…….”

Is it a hallucination?

Cao Cao saw through the shadow of the tent, Gongsun Zan gripping the sword at his waist tightly.

“Lu Bu of Bingzhou. Gongsun Zan of Youzhou. Lu Bu repelled the Xianbei, and you repelled the Wuhuan. Of course, there is a difference in degree….”

“Do you also think that I am inferior to Lu Bu, my lord?”

“That’s not it.”

“I, Gongsun Baekgyu, and my White Horse Cavalry under my command, are by no means inferior to Lu Bu and his army. Rather, we are superior.”

“…….”

“Do you not believe it?”

“That’s not it. It’s just that the ideal warrior I envision is General Lu.”

Is he going to die now?

Cao Cao thought there might be a murder outside the tent, but he managed to suppress himself because the one listening to those words was Gongsun Zan.

“……But I, Gongsun Zan, will never become someone who, deceived by the treacherous officials of the court, does not even know what is right or wrong.”

“…Yes.”

Liu Yu raised his head and spoke.

“I, Liu Yu, accepted this position because of that reason.”

“Is it because of Lu Fengxian?”

“Yes.”

Opposing Dong Zhuo. Saving Lu Bu.

“General Lu is a truly kind person. He is so good-hearted. I kept telling him to come to Youzhou, but he stayed in Bingzhou because he thought it was more dangerous.”

“…….”

“Why do you think General Lu is in Luoyang now? Deceived? No. General Lu is not someone who can be deceived. He is just being taken advantage of because of his goodness.”

“…….”

“The emperor is too young, so General Lu cannot cut him off and is sympathizing with him. Dong Zhuo is taking advantage of General Lu’s nature, and so are the ministers in Luoyang.”

Crunch.

“How can I stay quietly in Youzhou when they are using such a good person for their power and greed!”

Yuu gritted his teeth, but Cao Cao also barely suppressed his own grinding teeth.

“Baekgyu. Please. Help General Yeo open his eyes. Make sure he doesn’t only walk the path of goodness.”

If he gets stabbed like that, would it be a natural death or karma?

Cao Cao quietly closed his eyes and held his breath.

Thud, thud.

Others are approaching.

The size of the large shadow approaching behind Gongsun Zan was so big that it was hard to tell if it was a person or a giant.

Is it because of the shadow?

No.

The person himself is just big.

Even compared to Yuu and Gongsun Zan, the person seemed to be a head taller.

“These are your subordinates, aren’t they?”

“Greetings, elder.”

A familiar voice.

“Hyun-deok. Thank you for following me.”

Hyun-deok.

Cao Cao recalled.

The leader of the volunteer army who arrived at the Yellow Turban camp before him during the Battle of Yingchuan, as mentioned by Lu Bu.

He could never forget.

The two swords hanging at his waist, and the huge man who traveled with him as sworn brothers.

“So, have you officially joined the organization this time?”

“Unfortunately, I did not participate as an official. The position is given by the Emperor.”

“That Emperor, I don’t think he’s referring to this person.”

“Haha. It’s a matter of procedure. You can’t truly be an official until you receive an appointment letter stamped with the jade seal. For now… I followed with the help of Brother Son Chan.”

“Hey, Hyun-deok. Again with the names…!”

From noble mtl dot com

“Haha!”

Yuu burst into hearty laughter.

“Yes. They say you studied together under General Noh Sik, and you do seem close. To be so informal with Gongsun Baekgyu.”

“Thanks to Brother Son Chan, I am able to join in doing the right thing, and I am just grateful.”

“The right thing, you say. Hey, Hyun Deok.”

Hyun Deok.

Is ‘Deok’ the name of someone with the surname Hyun?

No.

Cao Cao recalled.

That man with the double swords at his waist, the leader of the volunteer army who was subduing the Yellow Turbans, his courtesy name was ‘Ja’.

“Why did the leader of the volunteer army, Liu Bei, follow us here?”

Liu Bei, courtesy name Hyun Deok.

“With your brothers and the hundreds of soldiers who follow you.”

“To do the right thing.”

Cao Cao felt that those words overlapped with someone, somewhere.

“To punish Dong Zhuo, who is rampant with tyranny, to elevate the honor of the imperial family, and to bestow virtue (德) upon all the people of this country.”

“……Right, right.”

Yoo Woo laughed, patting Liu Bei on the shoulder.

“That’s the mindset of someone with the same bloodline, the surname Yoo.”

Cao Cao perked up his ears.

“Sorry, Hyun Deok. I often forget. What is your origin again?”

“I am a descendant of King Zhongshan Jing, Liu Sheng.”

“Yes, yes! Hahaha, look at my forgetfulness. I had already confirmed it and then forgot. Hahaha.”

A bloodline of the imperial family.

Surely, when we talked on horseback after the battle of Yingchuan, he only said he was the leader of the volunteer army who took up the sword during the Yellow Turban Rebellion while weaving mats in the countryside.

Liu Bei.

Cao Cao chewed over the name that somehow kept bothering him.

And beside him.

The big men, one head taller than Liu Bei.

Especially the one among the two, standing silently with a guandao comparable to his own height.

“It’s late. We’ve talked outside for too long. Let’s continue our conversation another time.”

Yoo Woo left with Gongsun Zan, leaving only the three of them.

“…Ah, Brother! I can’t stand it anymore. That Gongsun Zan, the way he looks at us…!!”

“Calm down, Yide. He is the one who allowed us to be here together.”

“Brother Yunchang, but still!”

“Isn’t our elder brother enduring it?”

“No, ha!”

“…Yunchang. Yide.”

Yubi spoke calmly.

“It’s alright. If we keep moving along the right path, someday the sun will shine upon us.”

“It’s already been nearly ten years…!”

“We just need to do our best where we are. If we live diligently, someday someone will recognize us.”

Yubi laughed heartily.

“You never know. Among these heroes, our three brothers’ names might become known.”

“How would they become known? Brother Yunchang is a bowman, and I’m just a crossbowman.”

“Though it’s just a minor position, someday an opportunity will come.”

Yubi turned towards his two brothers and patted their shoulders.

“As you can see, there is no one who can face General Lü Bu….”

“No one.”

Yunchang replied, stroking his long beard.

“Except for me, Yide, and our elder brother.”

“…It might be difficult for me.”

“Hmph! It’s all an exaggeration. No matter how strong Lü Bu is….”

The man named Yide scoffed.

“Lü Bu, isn’t he a traitor who betrayed his master? I heard that Dong Zhuo cherished him like a son.”

“……Sigh.”

Cao Cao unknowingly clenched his fist.

“…Cough, cough.”

“Oh dear. I was too loud. My apologies, sir.”

As Cao Cao cleared his throat, Yubi bowed deeply towards the inside of the tent, not knowing who was there, and immediately left.

“My apologies.”

“Ahem.”

Yunchang and Yide disappeared.

Jojo stared at them for a while, then licked his lips shortly.

“…That insolent fellow won’t do. Tsk.”

Jojo quietly closed his eyes.

* * *

[At that moment, Nakyang Castle, Sage Wang Yoon’s mansion. Star Chamber.]

“Have you woken up.”

“…Elder.”

Chosun opened his eyes.

“The mirror…”

“Yes, here.”

Wang Yoon immediately handed a bronze mirror to Chosun.

“…Where did the glass mirror go?”

“A servant broke it.”

“No, that expensive one…?”

“So I dismissed him. Despite my specific instructions to be careful, he made such a mistake.”

Upon Wang Yoon’s words, Chosun chuckled, but soon frowned as he checked his reflection in the mirror.

“How disheveled was I?”

“You slept quite a while. Perhaps it was a significant warning from the heavens to you.”

“……”

“What did you say to the Lady General to deserve such a long punishment of fainting?”

“Lady General… Ah!!”

Chosun sprang up from his seat.

“Where is the Lady General now?”

“Haha, this lad. Did the Lady General really take a liking to you that much?”

“Really?”

“The Lady General said she would look after you. I barely managed to dissuade her from taking you as her aide.”

“…Me?”

Chosun was perplexed.

“The Lady General with me?”

“Yes. Hehehe, how pleased did you make the Lady General in the bathroom….”

“No.”

Chosun openly frowned, but Wang Yun had no intention of wiping off his twitching smile.

“Ha….”

Chosun covered her face with one hand.

“From now on, be more careful with your behavior. A woman should always be mindful of a man’s….”

“…….”

While Wang Yun was rambling on his own, Chosun rolled her eyes and glared at him through her fingers.

“…I need to meet General Yeo in person and talk to him. Where is he now?”

“At the battlefield.”

“The… battlefield?”

“Yes. While you were unconscious, the situation started to become urgent. During that time….”

Wang Yun pointed to the east and explained the situation.

“…So, the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition finally?”

“Yes. Although there were some differences from your prophecy, the overall framework did not change.”

“No, now, what do you mean….”

“Don’t go to the battlefield and bring bad luck to General Yeo. Just get yourself ready and prepare to serve General Yeo again. And don’t try to read the heavenly secrets again.”

“Did General Yeo leave any words for me or anything like that?”

“……Not really?”

Wang Yun stroked his beard and tilted his head.

“Other than saying he would like to talk to you when you wake up, nothing else.”

“Definitely.”

Chosun nodded.

“Understood. I’ll think about it after I wash up.”

“Oh. Speaking of the bathroom, a thief broke in recently.”

“A thief…?”

“Yes. Although I don’t know who it was, they left obvious traces. Fortunately, nothing was missing-“

Bang!

Chosun immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

“No way, no way.”

It can’t be.

But if he had tried to leave a signal-

“Ha ha, like a wild colt….”

Ignoring Wang Yun’s words, Chosun ran.

And Chosun saw.

Although the bathroom was tidy, and the servants had tidied it up,

In the meantime, someone else’s hand had touched a place that only ‘he himself’ could touch.

Click, click.

Chosun opened the cabinet and took out a wooden box inside.

“No way, oh, it can’t be….”

Creak.

“Wow…. With so many other treasures, they took this one.”

Chosun glanced over the silk and perfumes piled up outside the cabinet.

Without a trace of anyone touching them, only one item was missing.

“My soap…. Half of it is gone.”

The thief had stolen something precious to Chosun.

And left only traces behind.

“久人…?”

Only mysterious nail marks remained on the remaining soap.

* * *

“General. Your hair seems to be getting smoother these days?”

“Right? Zhang Liao, you might be able to achieve this someday too. Soon.”

“Is there some secret method?”

“I had a fortuitous encounter.”

“?”

“I even left an apple.”

＜ The Best Path Under Heaven (2) ＞ End