The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial - Chapter 52



＜ Wolf, Tiger, and (2) ＞

[Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition, a certain camp.]

“It’s been a while, Gongsun Baekgyu.”

“…….”

Gongsun Zan stood with a sullen face in front of Yuan Shao, who had invited him late at night.

“Why are you in such a bad mood?”

“Are we the kind to chat and laugh together?”

“From now on, we can be close. Come, sit down.”

Gongsun Zan calmly sat at the table prepared by Yuan Shao.

“The vanguard is probably fighting Dong Zhuo on the battlefield right now, and yet the commander-in-chief is at a banquet.”

“A hero’s conversation should not be without wine.”

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“Ha!”

Gongsun Zan scoffed and raised his cup.

“Then let us drink.”

“As much as you like.”

“…What?”

“…Hehe.”

When Yuan Shao personally filled Gongsun Zan’s empty cup with wine, Gongsun Zan frowned deeply.

“…Did you poison it?”

“Are you afraid?”

“Hmph! The great Yuan family personally filling Gongsun Zan’s cup. The world must be turning upside down.”

“The sky has already split in half, so there’s no need to say more.”

Yuan Shao lightly raised his own cup.

“You and I are both in uncomfortable situations, aren’t we? At times like this, we should join forces.”

“The partner must be suitable.”

“Better than others. At least compared to other warlords.”

Yuan Shao smiled broadly.

“I believe that only Yuan Shao can stand as an equal and compete with the hero of Beiping, Gongsun Zan.”

“…Hmph.”

Gongsun Zan had a sullen face, but he raised his cup slightly higher and drank the wine in one gulp.

“The wine is quite good. Did you mix honey in it?”

“I raided the wine cellar in Yonan for you.”

“…You plundered Yuan Shu’s property.”

Yuan Shao shrugged lightly.

“Did you finally make all of Yonan Yuan’s property yours?”

“No. Just as you have taken control of Beiping and extended your military influence to Jizhou, but have not completely swallowed Liu Yu’s forces.”

Gongsun Zan closed his eyes for a moment.

“You say you’re going to make me emperor, but there’s nothing you can’t say.”

“Anyway, don’t you already know?”

Yuan Shao refilled his glass.

“Calling someone an emperor is just a title. In the end, the real emperor is the one who possesses the Imperial Seal.”

“The Imperial Seal.”

The Imperial Seal.

The king’s stamp.

“That thing that’s been used for hundreds of years?”

“They say it’s just a thing, but if every emperor has used it for hundreds of years, it’s a treasure.”

A treasure that only the Son of Heaven can use, a precious item used since the time of the First Emperor of Qin.

“Are you telling me that with that treasure made from the Heshibi jade, one can become emperor? Do you expect me to believe that superstition?”

“The fact that securing the Imperial Seal of Luoyang means one can decide or become the emperor itself is not just a thing. It’s a symbol.”

“……Right. If we remove Dong Zhuo and occupy Luoyang, we can obtain the Imperial Seal.”

Gongsun Zan fiddled with his empty glass and asked.

“Why. Are you planning to hand over the Imperial Seal to me?”

“That’s one way.”

“…What’s your scheme?”

“A treasure is just a thing, but a human Imperial Seal is a different story.”

“Ha!”

Gongsun Zan snorted and grabbed the bottle upside down.

“Are you saying that Lü Bu is really a black dragon that emerged from the national Imperial Seal? That’s ridiculous!”

“That’s what people say. I’m just using it. Calm down, Baekgyu.”

“Calm down?! Calm down…!! Hoo.”

Gongsun Zan gripped the bottle so hard he almost broke it, but soon he slammed it back down on the table.

“Be grateful I called you Baekgyu. Yuan Benchu. If you had mocked someone’s surname like someone else, I wouldn’t have let it slide.”

“Like Sun Wujing?”

“…That prank also started with Lü Bu.”

Gongsun Zan took a swig from the bottle.

“I don’t like it.”

“Who? Me?”

“Lu Bu and that b*stard who imitates him… I’m Gongsun Zan, not some Gong. Damn b*stard.”

Gongsun Zan cursed and grumbled.

“Playing around with people’s surnames like that. I can’t even kill him. Why did Sun Wu Jing make Lu Bu act like that… Ugh. Damn it.”

“I heard that the one who said that is your close friend?”

“Close friend… what nonsense. He’s an old acquaintance, but a stubborn one.”

Gongsun Zan continued to speak irritably.

“If it weren’t for the people behind him. Tsk.”

“…I heard that there are people in the barracks bigger than the spears the soldiers carry. Are they the ones?”

“Yes.”

“Are they exceptional?”

“Exceptional? Ha, you wouldn’t know, but….”

Gongsun Zan smirked and pointed outside the tent.

“They are as good as, if not better than, your two arms, Yan Liang and Wen Chou.”

“……Hmm.”

“Don’t touch them. They are my subordinates.”

“Your sub… Indeed. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Yuan Shao swallowed the words he was about to say and took another sip.

“Even if they are that strong, don’t think about stepping forward. We need to consider the situation after the coalition army’s battle, don’t we?”

“…What are you plotting?”

“Of course, preparing to applaud those who worked the hardest.”

“Not applause, but a dagger coated with poison, right?”

Gongsun Zan sneered and raised his cup.

“Who are you planning to rob?”

“First, we’ll get some military supplies from Zhang Miao of Chenliu to weaken his power, and then, let’s see… Han Fu of Jizhou?”

“What?”

Gongsun Zan frowned.

“Isn’t it enough that you took Yunnan, now you want Jizhou too?”

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down, General Gongsun. I’m not planning to take it alone.”

“Then?”

“Together.”

Yuan Shao took out another bottle of liquor and poured it into Gongsun Zan’s and his own cups.

“Let’s split it evenly. I’ll take the southern part of Ji Province, and you take the northern part. Anyway, aren’t you going to swallow up You Province with Liu Yu?”

“Hmm… Set up Liu Yu as a puppet emperor and split Ji Province in half?”

“And then we fight together against Bing Province.”

“What about Han Fu?”

“He’s someone who can be easily toppled with a little playacting. Who cares about him being the Governor of Ji Province?”

“Hmm.”

Gongsun Zan snorted.

“So, you gathered the coalition just to stab them in the back.”

“Doesn’t seem like such a bad proposal, does it?”

“Hmph.”

Gongsun Zan raised his cup with both hands.

“Let’s see how it goes.”

“Anytime.”

The two of them emptied their cups.

“Anyway, the coalition will…”

Yuan Shao extended his empty cup to the side and placed it down.

“End up like this.”

Clang.

* * *

[Near midnight, Bing Province, Jinyang City, Bing Province Governor’s Office.]

“In time, the coalition will eventually disintegrate.”

Bing Province Governor Xun Yu spoke to the two generals sitting in front of him, moving the horse figurine on the table back and forth.

“There are many reasons, but I’ll just tell you the core one. The coalition’s weakness is that their bases are all different.”

“Hmm…”

Hu Zhen frowned and rested his chin on his hand, while Xu Huang remained similarly silent.

“Why do you think this is a weakness?”

“Regional cultural differences?”

“What?”

“No, I mean…”

Huseong opened his mouth in embarrassment.

“General Yeo said that even if people grow up in different environments, they have different criteria for making judgments, even if they speak the same language.”

“General Huseong. I will add that answer.”

“Huh?”

“General Yeo’s perspective is always different from mine. General Huseong must have been greatly influenced by General Yeo.”

“Ahem.”

Huseong scratched his cheek and turned his head.

“But it’s not a clear answer. Yuan Shao can suppress that much. Seohwang, what do you think?”

“…In my hometown, when the head of the family leaves the house, always-“

“With the Bingzhou style.”

“…If those who leave their base are threatened, they will quickly try to return to their base.”

At Sunyu’s urging, Seohwang immediately responded.

“Especially the lords of the regions adjacent to Bingzhou.”

“That’s right.”

Sunyu moved the flags around.

Not near Luoyang, but the flags north of the Yellow River.

“Governor of Jizhou, Han Fu, and Prefect of Beiping, Gongsun Zan. There are those who claim to be the Prefect of Henei and Shangdang, but they are of no significance….”

“Why are they insignificant?”

“They were appointed to that position but were driven out. They hold a grudge against General Yeo and cling to the coalition army, claiming to be the real prefects.”

“Ah.”

“In the end, the significant ones are Jizhou and Youzhou.”

Sunyu moved two cavalry units from Bingzhou, placing them in front of the two cities.

“With the coalition army elevating Liu Yu as emperor, this entire area is under the influence of the fake emperor Liu Yu.”

“Both provinces?”

“Yes. Well, it’s not control, but political influence. Or should I say popularity? It’s quite complicated, but it’s better to focus on the current situation rather than why it became like this.”

Sunyu tied the two provinces together with one hand.

“Even if we send a thousand cavalry to Jizhou and Youzhou, the administrators, Han Fu and Gongsun Zan, will have no choice but to withdraw their troops immediately.”

“Won’t the other coalition lords step in to help?”

“They say they share the same intention, but fundamentally, it’s someone else’s business. Even if the puppet emperor asks for help, they won’t step in.”

“Hmm….”

“That way, the alliance will collapse.”

The dozen or so warhorses gathered around Yuan Shao hurried back to their homes, and some of them quietly retreated from the battlefield.

“The reality of the allied forces is that if you fight first and lose your troops, you become a fool. While the brave and righteous fight and die at the front, the cowards who hide behind to save their own lives survive and benefit.”

“Hmm….”

“That’s how they are. Not a disease, but.”

Sun Yu placed a black-painted warhorse at the gate leading to Luoyang.

“The rest just need to guard Hulao Pass. The news of the fall of Sasu Pass will be immediately conveyed to us through the Sima family, so we can sortie immediately when the situation arises.”

“Understood, Governor.”

“Then, do we move separately?”

Xu Huang alternated between pointing at Hou Cheng and himself.

“No. We will take charge of Youzhou.”

“Then who will take Jizhou…?”

“The closer one should go. Mr. Jia Xu in Henei County will send General Song Xian.”

“Simultaneous rear disruption in two places.”

“That’s right. This way… the alliance will naturally collapse.”

Sun Yu lightly raised both hands.

“This will be Bingzhou’s victory. The war will be prolonged, though.”

“Bingzhou’s…?”

“Even if part of the allied forces’ strength is lost and the soldiers decrease, Dong Zhuo might not try to completely subdue the allied forces.”

Sun Yu pointed outside the map, to the west of the map.

“According to the information from the Sima family, and the information I grasped when I was in the court, three-tenths of Dong Zhuo’s forces are still in Yangzhou.”

“What?”

“Tianshui, An Ding, Chang’an. They are waiting in this area.”

“Is that… possible?”

“Of course. The wolf left all the wild wolves in the wilderness to wag its tail like a dog. …Ahem.”

Sun Yu shook his head.

“In conclusion, only relatively good soldiers were brought to Luoyang. The patient ones.”

“Ah. Most of the soldiers who engage in slaughter, looting, and arson were left in the main camp?”

“That’s right. This is largely due to General Ye.”

“…If such people were brought into Luoyang, General Ye would have personally cut them down.”

“Yes. But now the situation has changed.”

Sun Yu pointed to the gray horse statue facing the allied forces.

“Dong Zhuo must go all out. From Dong Zhuo’s perspective, it’s actually a good thing. It’s the best environment for the rough soldiers guarding Yangzhou to rampage.”

“Then isn’t it dangerous? General Ye.”

“General Ye is not in danger. Luoyang is in danger. Didn’t I tell you? In the end, Bingzhou will win.”

Sun Yu smiled bitterly.

“I can’t believe I’m here thinking about the victory of Bingzhou and General Ye. It’s disloyalty to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…….”

Hu Seong and Xu Huang smiled awkwardly at each other without saying a word.

“Anyway, get ready. It’s not just about supplying the general, but also being able to strike Youzhou at any time to chill Gongsun Zan’s heart.”

“I will follow your orders, Governor.”

“The rest depends on how long General Ye can hold out….”

“Oh, you can rest assured about that.”

Hu Seong smiled broadly and pointed to the gate.

“General Ye is the best at defensive battles.”

* * *

[East of Luoyang City, Sasu Pass Wall.]

“I thought you’d be sitting behind with a solemn face, but what brings you here?”

As soon as I arrived at Sasu Pass, Hua Xiong greeted me with a sullen face, looking me up and down.

“Did you come to give advice?”

“Of course not.”

“Then? You didn’t come to help, did you?”

“Halfway.”

“Halfway?”

Hua Xiong pointed to the soldiers I brought with a still doubtful look.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’ll help defend Sasu Pass, but I don’t think we need to open the gate and go outside.”

“…You’re helping in a very subtle way. Thanks for the help, but aren’t those cavalry?”

Hua Xiong pointed to the horses of Bingzhou tied under the gate.

“…If you’re not going to use them as cavalry, can we ride them?”

“Well, you sure know how to talk. Where are you going at this late hour?”

“Can I ride during the day?”

“Every horse has an owner. If you can fight and win against the owner of that horse.”

“…What?”

Hwa-ung’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Are all of them private horses?”

“Rather than private horses, each warhorse has its own handler.”

“Doesn’t that mean there are at least ten handlers?”

“Something like that. In our Byungjugun combat unit, they are considered the elite.”

Both Jangryo and the cavalry commander, along with the 200 cavalrymen following them, are by no means weak.

“But they are cavalry. Didn’t you say they wouldn’t go out?”

“Come on. Just because they came on horseback doesn’t mean they have to go out and fight on horseback.”

I moved next to the grumbling Hwa-ung and approached the soldier standing on the wall.

“Bow.”

“Yes?”

“Hand it over.”

“Uh, well…”

“Is Hwa-ung’s rank higher, or is mine as a deputy general higher?”

“This guy…”

Hwa-ung approached me with a wry smile.

“You could just ask for the bow, do you have to flaunt your rank like that?”

“This bow looks the best.”

“…Good grief. So, you came as an archer, not a cavalryman?”

“Just me.”

“?????”

Hwa-ung’s expression grew increasingly perplexed, but I took the bow handed to me by the soldier.

“It’s a good bow. It won’t break after just one shot.”

“Am I really having a proper conversation right now?”

“Of course. Rest assured. Compared to any archer… huh?”

In the distance, a sound could be heard.

From the east, not the west.

“Someone seems to be coming.”

“……Raise the torch.”

The soldiers on the wall immediately raised their torches at Hwa-ung’s command.

Soon, about 50 cavalrymen hurriedly rode up and stopped in front of the gate.

“General Hwa-ung! Open the gate!”

“……?”

Hwa-ung tilted his head.

The voice shouting towards Hwa-ung sounded hoarse, as if injured.

“What are you doing?”

“No, I mean.”

“Don’t you have the password?”

“……That’s why I was confused.”

At my natural question, Hwa-ung nodded as if it was obvious.

“Who are you…. Who is it!!”

“Commander Dong urgently sent me! I am Osup!”

“Osup?”

Hwa-ung frowned.

“Why is your voice like that?”

“I was hit by the enemy’s arrow!”

The man named Osup pointed to his neck.

Indeed, there was a cloth stained with red blood wrapped around it.

“Commander Dong has defeated the enemy vanguard Sun Jian and is advancing towards the enemy camp! He ordered to send the head of Sun Jian, one of the eighteen warlords, to Luoyang!”

When Osup reached back, there was a wooden box.

Just the right size to fit a severed head.

“Hmm….”

Hwa-ung kept tilting his head as if something was still unclear.

“First, get closer….”

“Hwa-ung.”

I approached the torch stand.

“Is the man called Osup the same warrior I faced before? When we had consecutive duels back then.”

“There is indeed a general named Osup. If General Dong entrusted the head to report, it would be his deputy. But… that man is the deputy of Kwak Sa…”

“It seems too dark to see clearly.”

I took out an arrow, broke the arrowhead, and then fed the burning flame from the torch to the arrow’s end.

“I will give you certainty.”

Fwoosh.

“Hey, General Ye. What are you doing right now-“

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Crack.

As I pulled the bow sideways, it made a loud sound.

Target.

The man called Osup.

Before Hwaung approached me, I aimed the flaming arrowhead at him.

Twang.

The moment I released it, the arrow with the sparkling flame grazed Osup’s helmet.

Precisely, by the width of a finger.

“Ugh, aaargh!!”

“…Hmm?”

As Osup screamed and fell off his horse, Hwaung frowned.

“…Huh?”

“Usually, it’s one of two things.”

If it’s dark, you light a fire.

Fortunately, the ground is not grassland but wasteland, so there is no risk of fire even if I shoot a flaming arrow.

“Either a high-ranking officer who forgot the password and is asking to open the gate.”

“That is….”

“Or an enemy disguised as such.”

“…He’s not Osup.”

Hwaung chuckled and pointed below the fortress.

“From this distance, you could see that?”

“Clearly.”

“What if you couldn’t?”

“So I aimed to graze the helmet. Just to see the face. See? He’s not dead, right?”

The one who was Osup fell off the horse and hit the ground.

Naturally, he is alive and urgently tries to put on his helmet.

“If I shoot to kill, of course, he would die. But if I shoot not to kill, he won’t die. Look, he’s not dead over there.”

“…….”

There’s no way the arrow I aimed to graze his head would miss and hit his forehead.

“I’ve hit the helmets of several captains in the garden with this so far.”

They were all guys worth aiming and shooting at.

“I don’t do this to just anyone. Not to just anyone.”

I only shoot at those who deserve it.

“By the way.”

I pointed to the fake Osup who couldn’t get up after falling off the horse.

“How did that guy know the name of the one called Osup?”

＜ Wolf, Tiger, and (2) ＞ End

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