The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial - Chapter 70



＜ The Setting Star Over Luoyang (6) ＞

A day earlier.

So, after deciding on the strategy of ‘provoking Yuan Shao through Yuan Shu to divide the coalition forces from within.’

– It is enough to convey only the facts plainly.

– No! We must organize and proclaim each of his crimes.

– Since they are also inciting and fabricating, how about we act in the same way?

The ministers gathered in one place, and a conference that was not a conference was held.

Who can criticize Yuan Shao better?

Correction.

Who can thoroughly uncover and criticize the essence of Yuan Shao?

Criticism and blame are distinctly different words, but everyone was determined to slander Yuan Shao beyond mere blame.

When it comes to praise, one must take a moment to gather their thoughts, but when it comes to pointing out flaws, people can immediately pour them out on the spot.

But isn’t that treason?

The stage was set.

– Ministers, listen to this Wang Yun’s proposal. It is right for us to all write proclamations and choose the most refined among them.

Many ministers picked up their brushes at Wang Yun’s suggestion.

Truly, it was a swift stroke.

If a warrior on the battlefield strikes down the enemy commander with a sword.

The scholars wielding brushes and ink in the battlefield of bamboo slips and silk began to mercilessly slash at Yuan Shao with their tongues and hands.

Certainly, the knowledge and wisdom of those holding high positions in the court were exceptional.

– When Yuan Shao was in the position of the Minister of Rites, he did not recommend the right person while assisting Hanjin.

Those who would easily pass modern administrative exams, or in the Joseon era, would have been top scholars, were solely showcasing their accumulated knowledge and experience by tearing apart Yuan Shao.

– He gathered ruffians who flattered Hanjin and disturbed the court, and commanded Zhengyuan to burn Mengjin.

The truth was slightly distorted.

It was Hanjin who commanded Zhengyuan.

However, strictly speaking, it is not entirely incorrect.

If Hanjin were to be seen as a puppet manipulated by Yuan Shao.

– Although there was a justification for punishing the Ten Eunuchs, they killed innocent people and brought chaos to the capital.

Some took this opportunity to criticize Dong Zhuo.

Those who disliked Dong Zhuo claimed that Yuan Shao was the one who brought Dong Zhuo into the court, and they tried to link Yuan Shao with Dong Zhuo in their accusations.

That was censored.

It wasn’t so much that someone liked Dong Zhuo, but rather that most of the soldiers guarding Luoyang were from Yangzhou.

In terms of morality.

In terms of reality.

– Yuan Shao operated his private army near Luoyang.

Even without involving Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao had enough grounds to be criticized just by his actions.

– Yuan Shao abandoned his clan.

He was a traitor to his own family.

Yuan Shao sought to eliminate all members of the Yuan family in Luoyang to control the Yuan clan in the provinces as his own subordinates.

– By becoming a traitor himself, he led his entire clan to be branded as traitors and exterminated by the imperial court.

Parricide.

Yuan Shao committed parricide for his own survival.

– Yuan Shao abandoned his clan.

The statements written by the scholars of the Qingliu faction and the court officials regarding Yuan Shao contained various reasons, but they all clearly pointed out one common issue.

It was a kind of betrayal.

At one time, the Qingliu faction praised Yuan Shao as the “filial son born of the times” after he held mourning ceremonies twice for three years.

Some dismissed Yuan Shao as a lowborn child born from a wet nurse, but those who defended him against such insults were the Qingliu faction, saying, “How dare you insult a person based on their origins?”

Betrayal of expectations.

Could that perhaps be the “result of one who has betrayed the expectations of the people” that Chao Xian spoke of?

I felt a bit of a chill as I listened to the Qingliu scholars belittling Yuan Shao.

– Yuan Shao elevated Liu Yu to emperor, thereby mocking the legitimate imperial lineage.

In the distant future.

When historians search for materials, they might compile the slanderous writings against Yuan Shao into a book titled “Records of Slander Against Yuan Shao.”

– Is Yuan Shao the Wang Mang of this era?

A notorious traitor.

If we were to name the two treacherous ministers who have thrown this country into chaos, it would be Wang Mang and Yuan Shao, with the ‘Shao’ added to the ‘Wang Mang’ that my master mentioned before.

– May justice and truth prevail, and may Yuan Shao’s evil deeds be recorded in history, known to future generations!

Of course, if Yuan Shao were to win and completely erase that slanderous record, killing all the scholars who wrote those slanderous texts so that they couldn’t utter a word, the story would be different.

Anyway.

While I was preparing provocations against Yuan Shao by sending a separate envoy, the scholars gathered their wisdom to compile Yuan Shao’s crimes into a manifesto.

Wang Yun collected the content, and Chae Ong wrote the manifesto in beautiful calligraphy.

Words filled with the sincerity of the geniuses and intellectuals of this era.

Just reading that would make the lords blush, and those who knew shame would lower their heads, the ministers thought.

They expected that.

Until Yuan Shu, who had been trembling in fear before climbing the city walls, saw the banner of the Yuan clan fluttering among the allied forces.

Those who strive cannot defeat the genius.

And if it is said that the genius cannot defeat the one who enjoys—

“Yuan Shao─!”

Isn’t it true that the one who enjoys cannot defeat the one who puts their heart into it?

“You are no longer Yuan Shao! Yes, just ‘Shao’! Even the elders of the Yuan clan who granted you your title will try to reclaim it when they see you!”

Yuan Shu shouted, veins bulging in his neck.

“Shao! Do not go around calling yourself a person of the Yuan clan! If anyone from the Yuan clan had known you would commit such a dreadful act, none of them would have fed you the rice of the Yuan clan!”

Yuan Shu stepped forward, trampling the manifesto.

“Your mother bowed her head so much to make you a person of the Yuan clan, and yet you are smearing her face! You have made yourself lowly, turning your mother into a lowly person, you unfilial son!”

Born of lowly origins.

One of Yuan Shao’s weaknesses.

But just as the order changes the nuance, Yuan Shu’s insults are now focused on humiliating Yuan Shao.

“Only the bloodline from the same womb is precious! Yes, that’s right! Though our father is the same, we were born from different wombs, so even if our blood is mixed, that does not make us family?! How outrageous! I am only ashamed of having once been called a half-brother to you!”

A hint of affection and resentment could be felt in his voice.

Of course, what remains now is only hatred.

“Because you have branded our Yuan clan as traitors, my biological brother Yuan Qi languished in prison and died!”

Yuan Shu has developed a grudge against his own blood.

“Though I have boasted of being the legitimate heir and acted frivolously, my brother also said, ‘You are the true successor of the Yuan clan,’ but Brother Yuan Qi also told me to cherish you!”

Who was Yuan Qi again—it’s not that I don’t know his name.

“That brother suffered cruel torture in the cold prison under the pretext of being a ‘traitor’ linked to you and passed away!!”

Taibo Yuan Qi.

An official responsible for the emperor’s entourage, whose frail body made him less noticeable, but he was Yuan Shu’s biological brother.

Died.

The lord of the Wang family in Luoyang became Yuan Shu.

“It wasn’t the guard who received Dong Zhuo’s orders that killed my brother! It was you who made him sit in that disgraceful chair!!”

No sound echoes across the battlefield.

“Do you know what happened in the palace the day you were discovered leading soldiers in Luoyang and fled!!”

What use are proclamations?

“The moment the news spread that you fled, defying the imperial decree, the elder outside the city returned, spitting blood! He realized it! You fled and defied the imperial decree, plotting to label the entire family as traitors and have them killed!”

The truth, which is devoid of any distortion, is raining down like arrows upon the coalition forces, bombarding the lost base.

“With such audacity, you deceive the world and incite people to lead an army to Luoyang?! Oh, yes! Come on, kill me! Kill me, and then kill all the people of the Wang family you abandoned!”

Yuan Shu steps forward among the soldiers, leaning his upper body over the battlement.

“Just as you tried to kill me with Dong Zhuo’s sword by branding me a traitor, this time, I dare you to shoot me with the arrows of the other warlords!”

“……?”

Beyond the battlements, a sound of movement.

“General of Bingzhou, raise your shield.”

At my command, one soldier pulls Yuan Shu back, while another raises a shield in front of him.

Whoosh!

An arrow flies.

Was the lost ox determined to suppress with force, as the archers step forward and shoot at the Holo Crown?

‘Could it be Yuan Shao?’

Is he that petty of a man?

Or did the warrior below lose his temper and shoot an arrow?

“Yikes!!”

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Yuan Shu screams and collapses.

Just a moment ago, he was ready to leap over the battlements to insult Yuan Shao, but as the arrow flew, he immediately hides behind the shields of the Bingzhou soldiers.

‘It would have been nice if he had been a bit bolder.’

Though I cannot see this side, I can perceive how it looks from the other side.

What if Yuan Shu had gritted his teeth and held on?

He would have become a hero, shouting truth and justice even in the face of the violent barrage of Yuan Shao’s arrows.

‘But I can’t force courage upon him.’

I cannot compel him to stand tall and face the arrows flying at him.

If one is not a soldier stepping onto the battlefield to fight directly.

“Well done. Come down.”

“Hi, hiik…!”

“The soldiers of the Bingzhou army are to retreat with Lord Yuan.”

Two soldiers from the Bingzhou army clung to Yuan Shu’s side.

They guarded Yuan Shu with the iron shields brought from the imperial palace, slowly making their way down the stairs to ensure that he would not be harmed by falling arrows.

“Is it our turn now?”

“General. The rain of arrows is a bit fierce. Shall we proceed anyway?”

Zhang Liao, who had been covering my eyes from the top of the city wall, asked while deflecting arrows with his dual weapons.

He swung his weapons to ensure that the blind arrows falling behind the city wall would not reach the soldiers waiting there, directing them to fall onto the wall instead.

“We must. All troops, raise the standard.”

There is no spear.

But there is something that can be wielded in place of a spear.

Whoosh.

Just then, the wind began to blow fiercely.

The enemy’s arrows, which were flying toward us, could not withstand the wind and tumbled down, while the military standard on the wall began to flap vigorously toward the direction of the allied forces.

“Raise the standard. Begin formation.”

“Bingzhou army, raise your prepared standards—!”

At Zhang Liao’s command, the flag bearers among the shield soldiers simultaneously lifted the standards that had been placed on the ground.

Flap, flap.

Like raising a signal flag, one of the military standards flapped.

Not just any standard, but a flag painted a deep yellow.

‘Thanks to Yuan Shu’s clear proclamation, even the blind soldiers could understand it.’

Yuan Shu had achieved great success.

The rest was simply to show those who had closed their ears to Yuan Shu’s shout, with a visual effect that would make them open their eyes wide.

Flap, flap.

The military standard flaps.

The only writing on the yellow standard is one word.

Yuan (袁).

However, amidst the flapping Yuan standard, a shabby wooden plank hung beside the flag spear like a banner.

Shao.

Yuan, Shao, Yuan, Shao, Yuan, Shao, Yuan, Shao.

If one were to look from over there, they would see the characters for Yuan and Shao continuously repeating above the flag.

One is the military banner of Yuan, embroidered on a splendid fabric.

The other is a makeshift banner, hastily scrawled in ink on a piece of wood that looks like it was salvaged from a dilapidated shack.

Though it is shabby, it is still a flag.

A bit more worn than one would like.

This is the proclamation prepared by our Bingzhou army.

“A hundred hearsay is not as good as one sight.”

Yuan Shu’s heartfelt and outrageous words and actions were certainly effective, but still insufficient.

“Zhang Liao. What is the condition of the enemy soldiers?”

“They are agitated. The rain of arrows has stopped, and the lords are riding forward.”

Zhang Liao, standing on the city wall, reports while looking beyond the wall among the shield soldiers.

“I see. Just wait a moment.”

I look up at the sky.

The sun is still high in the sky, but even with the sun, there are moments when darkness falls.

Very slowly, the clouds begin to obscure the sun.

“Now.”

I raise my bow.

Not to shoot at someone, but to send a signal to someone.

Whoosh.

I ignite the arrowhead wrapped in oiled cloth and shoot it upwards over the city wall while standing on the stairs.

Whoosh.

At the moment the arrow soars high into the sky, soldiers holding torches approach from behind the flag bearers.

Not the flag of Shao.

But the flag of Yuan.

“Burn it.”

Whoosh.

The soldiers set fire to the military banner inscribed with Yuan’s name.

In a way, it could be seen as an insult to the Yuan family—

“Ha ha ha!”

Without descending the city wall, Wonsul, who was peeking from the stairs, shouted in delight at the blazing military flag of Wonga.

“You’re doing well!! Ha ha! You can’t even call your father ‘father’! You are now someone unworthy of the city! Yes, you, the ‘Sungbulguja’ (Surname-less) scoundrel!”

As if cheering for someone whose insides were burning over the flaming military flag of Wonga, Wonsul clapped his hands in joy.

‘Since the head of the family permitted it.’

If this was directed at Wonsul, it would be one thing, but ultimately, the flag was fluttering not towards this side but towards the allied forces.

Whoosh.

The flag turned to ashes and fluttered towards the allied forces, leaving behind not Wonga’s banner but only a wooden plank of ‘so’.

Now what remains is just a shabby and broken wooden plank, with only someone’s name left.

“This should be enough.”

“Y-Your General!”

“Yes?”

“Let’s cut it down!”

Wonsul pointed at the waist of the soldier beside him, veins bulging in his neck.

“Behead that wooden flag!”

“…….”

“Get, the sword…!”

Wonsul tried to snatch the sword from the soldier protecting him, but the soldier from the military stepped back, guarding his sword.

“Y-You! Do you know who I am! Of the Great Wonga…!”

“Wonsul.”

“Hii, hiiik…?!”

When I called Wonsul, he immediately shrank back and looked at me.

“…Just one thing.”

I pointed to the wooden plank of the ‘Soboncho’ that was right in the center from the perspective of the allied forces.

“If you are going to cut it, you should go and do it in front of everyone.”

“……!!”

“Hand me the sword.”

At my command, the soldier handed his sword, scabbard and all, to Wonsul.

“Th-Thank you. I will use it well.”

Wonsul bowed his head to me, then received the sword from the soldier and immediately climbed up the city wall.

“Hey, you worthless scoundrel─!!”

Wonsul raised his sword high with both hands, and I signaled to the soldiers.

Swish.

The moment the board came down with the spear.

“I will behead you, and offer your soul to the spirits of the Wonga family, who were wrongfully accused of treason because of you─!!”

Rustle.

With Wonsul’s strike, the board split cleanly in half.

That diagonal cut was as precise as if it were severing Wonso’s neck, neatly splitting the letters apart.

“Hmm.”

“Haah, haah.”

“You did well.”

Wonsul came down, panting.

“Is, is this enough?”

“For now.”

“F-for now? Are you saying this isn’t enough?”

“If they were the type to be provoked into chaos by a challenge, I would have mocked them myself.”

I know a thing or two about outrageous insults.

“Don’t worry. This is just the beginning.”

It should be about time.

“The lords’ backs must be feeling a bit sore, so we just need to quietly guard the Horogwan.”

“I may have been fierce, but Wonso will deceive the people again….”

“Not that kind of back.”

“?”

* * *

“Fire! Kill that fool spouting nonsense!!”

As a rain of arrows poured toward the Horogwan.

“Calm down, Anlyang.”

Wonso reached out his hand toward Anlyang, who was shouting at the soldiers.

“It’s a challenge.”

“However, my lord!!”

Anlyang’s face turned crimson as if he had been insulted, pointing towards the city wall.

“How dare that ignorant fool utter such blasphemies that shouldn’t even be spoken of in front of the Lord!”

“That’s true. Haha.”

Yuan Sha burst into a hearty laugh.

“A castrated man. Seeing him insult me in jest, it seems they are getting desperate.”

“Lord…!”

“Feudal lords.”

Yuan Sha scanned the surroundings with a relaxed expression.

“It seems that Yuan Shu has crawled under Dong Zhuo’s legs to beg for his life. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to come out like this and commit such outrageous and unfilial acts.”

“Th-that is….”

“There is a line for people, and there is a degree to insults. How can one trample on another’s parents, and how can one reduce a person to a petty and small-minded piece of trash?”

The feudal lords, receiving Yuan Sha’s gaze as he smiled, cleared their throats and turned their heads away.

“The fact that they are provoking to such an extent means they are cornered.”

“Lord Yuan.”

“This is the opportunity. Just in time, the siege tower prepared by Lord Zhang has arrived at the defensive point, so let us escort the siege tower….”

“Messenger—!!”

A messenger adorned with military insignia rushed urgently towards the feudal lords.

The messenger was not wearing the armor of a military officer but the attire of a civil official.

“Lord!”

“…Shin Ping?”

The one who recognized the messenger, Shin Ping, was the governor of Jizhou, Han Bok.

“This is serious! Th-they are—”

The moment Shin Ping was about to speak.

“First, calm down. What is the matter, Lord Shin Ping?”

Yuan Sha stepped forward to soothe Shin Ping.

As if trying to prevent him from saying something.

“Wipe your sweat first, and take a moment to rest—”

“The fortress is under attack!”

Shin Ping shouted towards Han Bok, his master.

“The fortress is being defended by Lord Zhang He, but the enemy is raiding the armory, moving around Tang Yin, Han Dan, and Ge Lu…!!”

“Wh-what are you talking about! Shinpyeong, who on earth?!”

“It’s Byeongju-gun!”

“……!!”

Byeongju-gun, the attack on Giju.

“I can’t say for sure, but soldiers are heading south along the Yellow River…!”

The lords exchanged glances, slowly retreating.

“Ma-Maengju!”

Hanbok shouted urgently.

“My soldiers will return to Giju immediately!”

Crack.

Someone stepped back and crushed a wooden plank that had rolled across the floor, and the plank, trampled under military boots, shattered into pieces in an instant.

Shattered.

The flag of the allied forces, fluttering in the wind, drooped helplessly as the wind died down.