The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial - Chapter 56



＜ The Dead Hua Xiong and the Living Sun Jian (1) ＞

A fierce night battle erupted east of Sasu Pass.

The surprise attack by the allied forces, taking advantage of the darkness, ended with Dong Zhuo’s return.

On the surface, it seemed like a victory for the rebel suppression army.

Several enemy generals were killed, and the plan to pass through Sasu Pass under the cover of night was completely thwarted.

First. Deception tactics.

Yuseop disguised himself as Oseop but failed to pass through.

Second. Surprise assault.

Jopyo led the Danang soldiers to knock on the city gate but failed.

In the end, the only remaining method was to break through Sasu Pass by force.

Due to the geographical characteristics of Luoyang, the only way for the army to enter from the east is through Sasu Pass.

Thus, it is sufficient to guard Sasu Pass, but from our perspective, the situation is not easy.

Even this military camp behind Sasu Pass is no exception.

Morning.

The time to start energetically, but the soldiers’ expressions are heavy.

In the eyes of those who should be celebrating their survival from the battle, despair and frustration are seeping out.

Is it because the defeat is imminent?

No, that’s not it.

Instead, it is because the death, or rather the non-death, of a certain general has spread throughout the entire camp.

The death of one general does not simply end with a temporary paralysis of the command system.

Especially if the general is reputed to be the strongest in the corps.

Thud, thud.

The footsteps are heavy.

Amidst the wounded soldiers, many Yangzhou soldiers are gathered in front of a certain barrack.

“General Bi, General Bi.”

“Step aside.”

“Yes, yes.”

The soldiers move aside.

Even before entering the barracks, the sharp smell of herbs stings my nose.

In addition, the thick smell of blood.

Rustle.

As I open the door and enter, the physician is sweating profusely, pushing aside a cloth stained with dark red blood.

So focused, he doesn’t notice me entering for a moment.

“Ahem. Excuse me.”

“Huh? Ah, General Bi.”

The physician immediately bows his head in greeting as soon as I enter.

“No need to be so flustered and scared.”

I lightly patted the shoulder of the tense physician.

“I’ve heard there are those who push away physicians when the condition is bad, but I’m not like that.”

“Th-that is….”

“Calm down. How is Hua Xiong’s condition?”

“…It’s serious.”

In response to my question, the physician pointed to Hua Xiong, who was wrapped in bandages all over his body.

“His right arm is broken, but with more than half a year of recuperation, he should be able to move.”

“I see.”

The physician is sparing with his words.

“He’s alive.”

“That….”

“He’s just alive.”

“…Yes.”

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It’s truly a miracle that he survived.

“He almost died, but thank you for saving him.”

“Th-thank you! It’s nothing.”

The physician trembles in fear.

Even though I didn’t say anything in particular, he’s this nervous not because of me, but-

“Did Grand Commandant Dong say anything…?”

Because of Dong Zhuo.

“Don’t worry. I’ll speak to the Grand Commandant separately.”

Last night, after I brought Hua Xiong back to Sasu Pass.

“I did shout to save him, but that doesn’t mean I have a reason to be angry at you.”

Dong Zhuo immediately sent someone to Luoyang to call a physician here, and he scolded the physician, saying that if Hua Xiong died, he would be severely punished.

“Do not be afraid. After all, it is Dong Zhuo’s own fault that Hua Xiong ended up like this.”

If Dong Zhuo were to take out his anger on the physician over Hua Xiong’s condition, I would punch Dong Zhuo in the face.

“Rest assured. In the meantime, please check on the other soldiers as well.”

“Ah, understood. I will take my leave now.”

The physician went outside.

Suddenly, only Hua Xiong, who had lost consciousness and was sleeping, and I were left in the tent.

“Are you awake?”

There was no answer.

He wasn’t dead, but he was barely hanging on.

‘Tough guy.’

One of his arms was cut off.

Although it was exchanged for the life of an enemy general, that was an enemy general, and Hua Xiong is one of our own.

There were countless stab wounds on his thighs and other places.

‘How is he still alive, really.’

Even in a modern intensive care unit, it would be considered impossible, but Hua Xiong is somehow alive.

‘Is it because of the drugs?’

There is a faint scent of the drugs he used in our duel on Hua Xiong’s body.

Did those drugs stop the excessive bleeding?

‘Or did he endure it with sheer willpower?’

Or did he hold on with the determination that he must not die?

‘This guy is a monster too.’

Living here, I have seen countless people who are not like humans.

I also almost died several times fighting bandits in my childhood, but thanks to my tenacious vitality, I survived even after falling off a cliff.

Of course, I fell into the water back then.

Hua Xiong is similar in that regard.

If he receives treatment and undergoes long-term rehabilitation in the rear, he might survive.

The problem is that he has wounds that cannot be healed with the medical technology of this era.

The human Hwa-ung survived.

But the strongest warrior of Yangju, Hwa-ung, died.

In fact, he was a warrior.

The life of the warrior Hwa-ung ended at the Sasu Hall.

“…….”

Once, I had a conversation with my master.

-How do people with broken bodies live? Do they just have to die? It’s hard to live without the help of family.

In a world where only those with intact limbs live, how should those with some inconvenience in their limbs live?

-If the body is inconvenient, one must use their head to survive. Do you know a person named Sun Bin? He lived his whole life as a cripple because his legs were disabled.

There is no law that says those with inconvenient limbs must just die.

There are people who live by eating with their mouths even without arms, and there are those who gain power by writing even if they cannot move their legs.

-You should become someone who willingly helps and assists those with inconveniences. Whether you have a lot of money, high power, or are a general who fights with his head. Sun Bin was such a person.

After hearing those words.

-Disciple, what do you think?

-I will be careful and more careful so that I don’t get hurt at all.

-That’s the right answer. Yes, make sure you don’t get hurt at all.

I was careful and more careful to avoid damaging my body as much as possible.

-If you lose that martial power, you might barely survive by talking, but you won’t be able to live by writing, so protecting your body is filial piety.

Since I don’t seem to be someone who can live by using my head, I decided to live without damaging my intact body as much as possible.

So it’s even more regrettable.

Hwa-ung is about one or two years older than me.

He has a long life ahead of him, but he has to live the rest of his life with one arm.

“It’s unfortunate. Truly.”

Since before my reincarnation, I have seen people whose bodies are often damaged-

“…Sigh.”

I can’t wash away the feeling of heaviness.

Before considering that the immediate combat power as a warrior has weakened, the fact that a person has to live as a cripple in this harsh era itself is.

Boom, boom, boom.

The sound of drums echoes outside.

It’s a signal that enemy soldiers have arrived in front of the Sasu Hall again.

‘Stay calm.’

Thoughts about the wounded soldiers can be put aside for now; there will be time to ponder them after the war is over.

Right now, we are in the midst of war.

The enemy still fills the area beyond the pass.

“Excuse me, General Lü Bu.”

“Yes?”

A soldier cautiously approached and spoke to me.

“What is it?”

“Um, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest? From Luoyang?”

“No, that’s not it…”

The soldier pointed outside the camp.

“A guest from Bingzhou…”

Though the distance was considerable, the escort and the color of the official’s robe were familiar.

“It is indeed my guest. Tell them to come in.”

“Understood, General.”

The Yangzhou soldier immediately ran to the entrance of the camp.

“Good to see you, General Lü.”

The man who entered, escorted by other soldiers, was someone I had already met.

“It’s been a while, Sima Rang. And behind you…”

“Long time no see, sir.”

The voice of the man, who had no beard and neatly arranged hair.

The rough and illiterate man I had seen before was nowhere to be found; instead, a bodyguard dispatched from some martial arts alliance stood before me.

“It’s been a while, Huo Ge…”

Though he was as neatly dressed as possible, I knew the name of this warrior.

“Ahem. How is the teacher?”

“Yes, General. The teacher instructed me to escort Sima Gong.”

Huo Ge, the bodyguard of Jia Xu.

He had come down here to escort Sima Rang instead of Jia Xu.

The disguise was likely to prevent the Yangzhou soldiers from recognizing the former bandit-like Huo Ge.

“What brings you here?”

“The teacher has sent a letter.”

“A letter? It doesn’t seem like just an ordinary letter.”

“Yes. But for now, it’s better if we…”

“This way.”

Samrang pointed around with his eyes, and I indicated a quiet tent.

“Follow me.”

“Excuse me.”

The surrounding soldiers glanced at Hogeo, but some of them just thought he looked familiar and tilted their heads in confusion.

Rustle.

There was no one inside the temporary tent.

It was originally used by Oseup, but I borrowed it for a while.

“What kind of letter did the teacher send?”

“Just a moment. The teacher instructed me to deliver different letters depending on the general’s location.”

“My location?”

“Yes. That is…”

Samrang took out several colored pouches from his bosom, and from one of them, he pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.

On the paper, a letter was written in brush calligraphy.

“Shall I read it aloud?”

“Please do.”

“The fact that the general is guarding Sasugwan means that Sasugwan has not yet fallen.”

It felt like I could hear Teacher Gahu’s voice…

“Wait. If it varies by location, then those pouches each…?”

I pointed to the other pouches.

“Sasugwan, Horogwan, and Luoyang, in that order.”

“Huh.”

Did he send strategies tailored to the situation?

“Impressive. Continue.”

“To be brief, there are three strategies.”

As expected of Gahu.

I understand my character well.

“Last resort. Lock the Sasu Gate. Many people will die, but if you push people in to buy time, it will be the general’s victory.”

It is indeed a last resort.

It is the average tactic of this era, but it is not the tactic of Byungju.

“Middle strategy. Just block the Horogwan. Fight while buying as much time as possible in the general’s way.”

It means to fight while retreating, buying time appropriately.

After a certain period, it means the automatic victory of the rebel suppression army.

“What is the best strategy?”

“The best strategy is… to use Empress Dowager Dong.”

“Empress Dowager Dong?”

Why suddenly talk about Empress Dowager Dong?

“Samarang. Explain in detail. You must have heard some stories from the teacher.”

Samarang briefly folded the paper with Gahu’s plan written on it.

“According to Teacher Gahu, if the funeral of the oldest member of the royal family is held, the allied forces will also stop advancing.”

Indeed.

No matter how inhumane a person is, they cannot act recklessly at a funeral.

Especially if it is the oldest member of the royal family, whose authority is immense.

‘If the allied forces truly want to enthrone a new emperor, they need Empress Dowager Dong.’

No matter who they enthrone as the new emperor after ousting the current young emperor, if Empress Dowager Dong appoints them, there will be some legitimacy.

Empress Dowager Dong would become someone who has replaced the emperor several times, but the reason the allied forces do not recognize the current emperor is because he is ‘the bloodline of the incompetent former emperor who was swayed by eunuchs.’

“……But, is this the best strategy?”

“The general asked me to add quickly, without displeasing you. Empress Dowager Dong is on her deathbed.”

“…….”

Empress Dowager Dong is old.

Not just old, but she is the ‘grandmother’ of the current emperor.

Not just any grandmother, but a grandmother with a huge age difference.

Her exact age is unclear, but she is probably older than Dong Zhuo or Wang Yun.

“But I have never heard that Empress Dowager Dong is in poor health.”

“Perhaps the general did not bother to inform you. It is not something to be announced publicly.”

“That is true.”

“Yes. You can trust the information confirmed through the Sima family’s informant in the imperial palace.”

“Hmm.”

The Sima family.

It’s fortunate that they are our allies.

“Using someone’s death might be considered against the moral code….”

But if we only consider strategic and tactical judgment, it is the most inhumane yet ‘efficient’ tactic.

And those who use such inhumane and efficient tactics sometimes act strangely towards people like me.

“Did you perhaps pressure Empress Dowager Dong by saying ‘We can only win if Her Majesty dies’?”

Doing something that crosses the line, claiming they are willing to bear the disgrace in places unknown to me.

“If that’s the case, I have no choice but to reconsider our relationship with the Sima family.”

“Then that’s a relief. According to Mr. Jia Xu’s words, we haven’t proceeded yet.”

It means they can proceed at any time.

“Shall we proceed?”

“No.”

It’s human nature to want to live even one more day, so how can we force someone to end their remaining life?

“Choose a different strategy.”

There’s no need to use someone’s death as a political strategy.

“I just need to fight harder.”

My body is still intact and full of energy, so there’s no need to use someone’s death as a troublesome political strategy.

“Fortunately, I was able to observe the enemy’s condition during last night’s battle. It would be dangerous if many like Hua Xiong attacked, but we just need to be careful to prevent that.”

I pointed outside.

“Currently, our army’s condition is serious. Although the Yangzhou army’s forces are not greatly damaged, their morale has significantly dropped to continue holding the Sishui Pass.”

Because Hua Xiong is practically dead.

“Even though Hua Xiong defeated many enemies, the Yangzhou army must have felt it themselves. The scholars of the Central Plains… are by no means weak.”

If there is a flaw in the Yangzhou army and Dong Zhuo, it is simply ‘confidence.’

They had enough skill to be confident.

However, they lacked respect and recognition for the enemy.

“Although the Bingzhou army is exceptionally outstanding, they are also people who have defended their region since the Yellow Turban Rebellion.”

Always be wary that the enemy can be similar to or stronger than us.

“The Yangzhou army’s mental strength has not recovered enough to fight right now. So, I just need to fight harder.”

“…As expected.”

“Why is that?”

Samrang smiled as if moved, and Hogeo stuck out his tongue.

“Master Gahu said to say this according to the general’s response. ‘I knew you would say that, General.’”

“…You predicted my answer?”

“Yes. Additionally, he also predicted the ‘special plan’ if you chose the ‘middle plan’ instead of the ‘best plan’.”

“Special plan?”

“Yes. Specifically, it is the ‘best plan’ that only the general can execute.”

A special strategy that only I can execute.

“That is.”

* * *

A moment later.

After sending Samrang and Hogeo to our engineering unit in the fortress, I immediately went to see Dongtak.

“…I told you we have to do it!”

I hadn’t even entered yet, but a rough voice leaked out from outside the barracks.

The atmosphere was extremely tense, and the content was somewhat unpleasant to me as well.

“We must abandon Sasugwan and retreat! Isn’t Horogwan still left?”

“Hmm….”

That voice, it seemed to be Dongtak’s brother, Dongmin.

“Are Ligak and Gwaksa still not here?”

“No. They should have crossed Hamgokgwan by now, but it seems to be taking some time.”

“Sigh…. There’s no way those guys would be this late.”

Dongtak grumbled in a puzzled voice.

It seemed that the reserve troops left in Yangju were delayed in coming here.

“Could they be harboring other thoughts….”

“Sir Taiwei. General Bi is here to see you.”

A soldier who spotted me from afar entered the barracks and reported my visit.

“Why, why is Lu Bu here now?!”

“…Let him in.”

Do they know?

It wasn’t a building, just a barrack, so the sound echoed loudly, and I could hear the voice even before I entered.

“Excuse me.”

I entered Dong Zhuo’s barrack.

Inside, armed men with numerous wounds were sitting on either side of Dong Zhuo, looking at me with complicated expressions.

“I have a strategy to defend Sasu Pass.”

“W-What is it?”

“A duel.”

Before the troops push in, we must fight as many generals as possible one-on-one.

“The enemy will push in anyway. If we want to buy some time, the answer is to delay them with duels as much as possible.”

“A duel….”

Dong Zhuo muttered lowly, and everyone’s gaze briefly swept over him-

“Will you go out?”

He looked at me.

“Yes.”

“……!!”

Dong Zhuo and the other generals looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Why…?”

“Why, you ask.”

It’s an obvious story.

“Defending Sasu Pass is defending this country. Does a soldier need a reason to do his best for his country?”

“……!”

“But.”

One thing.

“Since we need to buy time, I, Yeobongseon, cannot go out myself.”

“Ah.”

The expressions of the generals hardened.

They glanced at each other, sending looks that said ‘You should go.’

Especially Isuk, who was sitting at the very end, was completely pale.

“So, I have one proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes.”

I covered my face with one hand.

“Please lend me Hua Xiong’s Mi Cheom Do. The military flag, the horse, and the armor too.”

“What? Military merit?”

“I don’t need it.”

Everyone’s mouths dropped open at my words.

“…But, does it have any meaning?”

Dong Zhuo frowned.

“Even if you hide a sword in your pocket, eventually that sword will be revealed.”

“But isn’t there always a fool who rushes in without knowing there’s a sword, and gets stabbed?”

“……!”

“Even if my identity is revealed while fighting, no one will know until then. It doesn’t have to be Hua Xiong.”

“Hide that it’s Lü Bu.”

“There was a time in Bingzhou when I faced bandits. When they heard Lü Bu was guarding, they always ran away….”

I feel sorry for them.

“When I said my subordinates were guarding, they would rush in to rob us.”

“And Lü Bu was there?”

Yes, kill those who think it’s Hua Xiong first.

“Rest assured. No one knows that I fought disguised as a soldier. They’re all dead.”

I tied my flowing hair back and pressed down my helmet.

“It’s just the most basic disguise tactic.”

Fight honorably in a duel.

In war, be thorough.

＜ The Dead Hua Xiong and the Living Sun Jian (1) ＞ End

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