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

Chapter 8

＜ Spring in Luoyang (2) ＞

Late night.

Below the waterway where the Yellow River flows, at the place where it reaches the capital Luoyang.

The port named ‘Maeng Jin-hang’ is near Luoyang, but recently its function as a port has gradually started to decline.

There is nowhere to go down along the Yellow River.

At best, it served as a starting point to cross the Yellow River and head up to Jizhou, but unfortunately, the road to Jizhou is currently blocked.

“Because of those Heuksan bandits, ugh.”

Jang Sam, the innkeeper who has been running an inn near the port in Maengjin Port for three generations, looked up at the ceiling of the inn that not even flies visited.

“Should I leave?”

He was doing business to make a living, but there were no customers, so business was not going well.

Countless people who should have come in to eat a bowl of noodles and a few pieces of well-cooked pork before boarding the ship were all saying the same thing.

To die at the hands of the Heuksan bandits?

“Whether they are Heuksan or Heuksu bandits. If they are bandits, they should appear only in the mountains. Why are they crossing the Yellow River and causing chaos near Luoyang? Ugh.”

The Heuksan bandits started rampaging a few years ago.

Running an inn, sometimes he played the role of a storyteller like a jeongisu, listening to the stories of the guests who came and went.

Heuksan bandits.

They only started appearing in the Sayeju area a few months ago.

There were stories that the remnants of the Yellow Turban bandits, who rampaged in the plains in the past, had changed their yellow headbands to black clothes.

There were also stories that high-ranking officials dressed their private soldiers in black clothes and spread the rumor that they were Heuksan bandits.

“Ha.”

Either way, it was the same that they were causing extreme damage to his business.

“This is driving me crazy.”

There were even rumors that the government was not trying to suppress them, despite the chaos caused by the bandits. How frustrating it must be.

“Should I leave?”

For innkeeper Jang Sam, Maengjin Port was his hometown.

The building was inherited from his grandfather and father, and he planned to pass it on to his son someday.

But if staying here meant starving to death, he had to go somewhere he could at least make a living.

“…Bingzhou.”

Jang Sam opened the wooden window of the inn and looked across the Yellow River.

“Even though it’s hard to get to Bingzhou, they say it’s still a decent place to live.”

Among those who stayed at the inn, there were some who packed up and left for Bingzhou.

Why would they head to a place where scholars and Xiongnu invade, leaving the capital Luoyang nearby?

To that question, they had said this.

“Because there is an undefeated martial god there.”

Absurd words.

Even though the innkeeper lives off rumors, he couldn’t believe the existence of the ‘Invincible Martial God.’

Simply because he was good at fighting?

No.

That alone was not enough to believe.

“When he fights, he leads the soldiers, trying to ensure no one dies or gets hurt, and provides land to the rescued people.”

This is something most officials do.

Although there are some wicked ones in the provinces who don’t even do this.

“The Invincible Martial God is different.”

If it had ended there, he would have just thought, ‘There’s a fairly decent official in Byungju.’

“When there is no training, he helps with farming, cuts trees with the soldiers to build log houses, and personally carries bricks to build the fortress walls. Where can you find such a superhuman?”

The stories about the Invincible Martial God were truly unbelievable, like something out of an old fable.

It was a sign of how chaotic the times were.

Just as one hopes for a bright light to dispel the darkness when reality is bleak, dark times call for a hero.

That hero does not exist now.

Since he doesn’t exist, Jang Sam had no choice but to find a way to continue his and his family’s life on his own.

“Yes.”

Even if.

“…There must be a way to survive somehow.”

Even if he left this land.

Clatter.

“Huh?”

A strange sound was heard in front of the inn door.

As soon as the sound of heavy armor falling was heard, the inn door opened.

“Black Mountain…!”

A group of men in black appeared, silhouetted against the darkness.

They all wore swords at their waists, and their heads were deeply covered with black hoods.

“Oh, my! Sirs!!”

Jang Sam immediately bowed his head.

“P-please spare me! All I have are the furnishings and cooking utensils in this inn! I-I don’t have a single penny!”

“…….”

“El… Elders…?”

Jangsam, who had bowed his head deeply, cautiously lifted his head.

Although the other party hadn’t said anything-

Under the cloak.

What the moonlight revealed was not the shabby shoes worn by bandits, but something reminiscent of military boots-

Thunk.

“…Huh?”

Jangsam felt something pierce through his back and embed itself into the ground.

“…….”

His vision blurred, and strength left his entire body.

The pain, somewhere, should be felt but isn’t.

“…….”

“General Moksun. The preparations are complete.”

“Shh. Not a general.”

In the slowly approaching death, Jangsam heard the voices of the men in black through his fading consciousness.

“We are the Black Mountain Bandits.”

“…Sorry, Captain.”

“Alright.”

Crackle.

“Quickly, light the fire. Make sure the flames can be seen clearly from Luoyang.”

His vision blurred.

The inn turning red.

“Ah, ah…”

Jangsam, using his last bit of strength, reached out towards the outside of the inn engulfed in flames.

“Run… away…”

Thud.

A voice that reached no one.

Crackle.

The fire demon swept through the inn.

No, it swept through the entire Maengjin Port.

* * *

– “The Black Mountain Bandits are swarming near the capital. All officials from each region must come to the capital to eradicate the bandits!”

The order from General He Jin was issued.

If you ask why the order has suddenly changed, when previously it was said not to suppress the Black Mountain Bandits –

“Indeed, the thoughts of the Ten Attendants were wrong. Those Ten Attendants, they insisted on reforming the Black Mountain Bandits, and now look at the mess they’ve made.”

This is because of the words of Jeong Won, who is sitting in the central seat of the government building, clutching the order.

The court was divided into two factions.

The Ten Attendants. Eunuchs.

Those who advocated for a policy of tolerance towards the Black Mountain Bandits.

Their opponent, General He Jin.

The one who claimed that the Ten Attendants’ strategy was wrong and insisted on actively suppressing the Black Mountain Bandits, thus issuing orders to Bingzhou as well.

‘What a headache.’

It is impossible to immediately know the affairs of the court from Bingzhou.

If there were something like the internet, we could know the affairs of the central court overnight, but this place is not like that.

It is doubtful whether a courier would even arrive properly within a week.

The only ones who can arrive on time are the officials who travel around with the government’s flag.

“We will begin the pacification.”

Jeong Won slaps the order and scans the assembly.

“Ye Bong-seon. Except for the 3,000 defense troops, mobilize all remaining forces to march to the capital.”

“……What?”

Did I hear that wrong?

“Governor. The current number of Bingzhou troops is about ten thousand. Are you planning to mobilize seven thousand of them?”

“Indeed.”

“……You mean to suppress the Black Mountain Bandits on the way to the capital. Is that really all?”

“We might stay in the capital for a long time.”

“…….”

The atmosphere sinks.

There are several other officials besides me in the government office, but they all remain silent, focusing on the conversation between me and Jeong Won.

“Why. Is there a problem?”

“…….”

* * *

Mobilize two-thirds of the Byungju army and advance to the capital.

Advancing might sound a bit strange, so let’s say we are sending reinforcements to save the capital.

“In the past few years, the population in Byungju has increased significantly. It’s all thanks to you.”

“…….”

Has Jeongwon aged a lot?

Suddenly giving public praise in front of everyone?

“The population has increased, the military provisions have piled up, and the number of soldiers has grown considerably.”

I managed all the overall administration regarding the refugees.

I also mobilized them to reclaim the fields and fill the granaries with rice.

To boast a little, among those who fled, quite a few young men became soldiers saying, ‘I want to wield a spear for justice with the General!’

“Are you trying to drag all of them into the political arena?”

“Political arena? What a scary thing to say. We are following the imperial command. To exterminate the bandits where they swarm.”

“The bandits rampaging near the capital, in Sayeju.”

“Yet we received orders, which means the situation is that serious.”

That’s a valid point.

It cannot be refuted.

“The fault lies with the Black Mountain Bandits who burned down the Mengjin area and massacred people, and the eunuchs who let them run wild.”

“…….”

“We are going to exterminate the bandits under the command of General Ha Jin. Isn’t that justice?”

Yes.

This is right.

But this feeling running down my spine is one I’ve felt many times before my reincarnation.

-… Mr., this is what Mr. decided to do. Ah, don’t blame me. It was decided from above, what can I say? If you really can’t do it, go to the manager and say you can’t.

The feeling of being forced into a predetermined plan.

-Come on, come on. Drink this and cheer up. Huh? Our Mr., you’re at the prime age to work! Hup, two, three! Go, go!

In a situation where the answer is already decided, I just need to nod my head.

In other words.

If I stay still, I’ll be treated like a fool, and if I just nod, I’ll be used.

“Exterminating the bandits. It’s a righteous act.”

I answered with a voice full of pride, even under the gaze of the three Songwihoos next to me.

“No matter what happens in the court, I cannot stand by and watch the people suffer from bandits.”

Jeong-won, and the expressions of the generals he had separately recruited and appointed, were quite a sight.

“However.”

Were you excited?

“Reality is cold.”

“…….”

“We cannot simply go to help those who are oppressed according to military law and duty. We need thorough preparation for the food supplies, equipment, and meal plans according to the distance of travel.”

Jeong-won’s eyebrows faintly trembled.

Next to him, Hu-seong, who was mainly in charge of supply duties, seemed to sparkle his eyes.

“Of course, it is necessary to eliminate the bandits, but does the court surely provide the necessary supplies?”

“…….”

Jeong-won did not answer.

“Can the provincial governor of Sayeju promise to compensate for the military supplies we consume? We are in a situation where we are being called to sweep up the bandits from the provinces because of the Heuksan bandits.”

“Sayeju Commander.”

Instead, he spoke as if he had caught a mistake.

“There is no provincial governor in Sayeju. It is called the Sayeju Commander.”

“Does that matter? The person who should act as the provincial governor has not done his job properly, so it is as if there is none.”

Trying to hold on to a slip of the tongue.

“Whether it’s the Sayeju Commander or whatever, this chaos happened because he did not fulfill his role.”

“…….”

“If we meet him, it wouldn’t be enough to curse him to his face. When countless people were being killed by bandits and their homes were burning, where on earth was he and what was he doing?”

“…….”

Jeong-won remained silent.

He seemed angry but was holding it in, and since the situation was unfavorable, he seemed to avoid the conversation altogether.

“Governor. Supplies are a reality. If they cannot compensate for even a part of the military supplies we consume, they must compensate in some other way.”

Here?

“I’m not saying we should already discuss rewards, but we cannot return empty-handed after leaving home and going on an expedition. That would not be respectful to our soldiers who risk their lives to go far.”

“……So what do you want to do?”

“If my soldiers and I achieve merit, I earnestly request that the court provide clear support for Byeongju.”

It was a plea disguised as a transaction.

“Whether it’s manpower or materials, anything is fine. As the number of people increases, we need officials to manage them.”

“…….”

“Can you accept that promise?”

“……Alright.”

Jeongwon nodded heavily.

“I will personally get that promise from General Ha Jin. Full support for Byeongju.”

Not for the Byeongju army, but for Byeongju.

“Alright.”

Rather than engaging in petty power struggles with such an old man.

“Major, prepare for departure immediately.”

It’s better to organize the troops so that even one more person can survive the battle.

* * *

[A while later. Jinyang Fortress Barracks.]

“Songheon, Wisok. You two stay. I’ll take Huseong as the deputy.”

“What?!”

“…….”

“As expected.”

The three reactions were different, but I pointed to the person sent by Jeongwon.

“General. Is this still open for discussion, or is it decided?”

“It’s Jeongwon’s selection.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust Huseong, but with this arrangement….”

“Jangryo is coming too.”

“Ah.”

Jangryo raised his hand lightly as if to ask for trust.

“Jeongwon doesn’t fully trust Jangryo, but he didn’t form a separate unit. It’s likely he’ll use him as his personal bodyguard.”

Even without a command unit, it’s reassuring to have a warrior who can step in if necessary.

“That…probably isn’t the case.”

“Hmm?”

“General. General Jeongwon is quite old, but he values his dignity that much.”

“That’s true.”

“This is just my opinion….”

Jangryo cautiously pointed alternately at me and the fire spear.

“Even if we go separately, there’s a high possibility that he’ll move with the general in front of others.”

“Me?”

“Yes. The magistrate of Byeongju is me. The undefeated warrior of Byeongju-“

“Don’t say that.”

“…I’m trying to take Yeobongseon around like this as if he’s my subordinate. Wouldn’t he want to make it look that way to others?”

“Indeed.”

I understood.

‘Is he talking about a show window couple?’

That was the first word that came to mind, but it was quite unpleasant to associate Jeongwon and me with a show window couple.

‘But the logic is sound.’

There’s no time to think of another word.

As long as the meaning is conveyed, isn’t that enough?

The problem is, if I were to replace it with an appropriate word-

“…He’s trying to set me up as a folding screen.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

A folding screen.

Yes. It’s the perfect analogy.

“…But will he trust me?”

I made a gesture of cutting my own throat.

“He might stab me in the back at any time.”

“Just as the general judges Jeongwon’s character from the time he’s seen him, he must have judged the general from his experience so far.”

“Well. You can know the depths of a thousand-foot well, but you can’t know the depths of a person.”

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind. I’ll go along with it. For now, Jeongwon is sincere about the expedition.”

Seven thousand troops.

Most of them are soldiers trained by me and my lieutenants, but training isn’t something only I do.

“Jeongwon’s lieutenants are coming along too, right?”

“Yes. Yangchu, Moksun, and Hanseom are coming along.”

“Han Seom? …I think I’ve heard that name before.”

When was it?

I think I heard from a refugee who came to Bingju during the Yellow Turban Rebellion that there was such a person among the Yellow Turbans.

“There are rumors that he is from the Yellow Turbans, although he adamantly denies it.”

“Hmm….”

“General. Shall we try to get close to him?”

“No, there’s no need for that. I just want you to experience various aspects of people. Good people, helpful people, and people you shouldn’t keep close. I’ll leave the judgment to you. And….”

Jang Won considers Jang Liao as his own person, but Jang Liao is just gaining social experience.

“We’ll see what Jang Won’s intentions are by how he deals with the Black Mountain Bandits during the journey. At least….”

I moved the nameplates with names written on them.

“Song Heon, Wi Sok. Considering that you two are entrusted with the defense of Bingju Fortress.”

Jang Won’s family is also in Bingju Fortress.

“It’s an important expedition as he is taking all the people he has brought in. And it’s an important expedition for us too.”

“General. What are you thinking about?”

“The governor of Bingju.”

“No way….”

“To find someone to do the job.”

“…….”

Jang Won.

His age has surpassed fifty.

“You should retire.”

If compared to the age before reincarnation, he would be almost over seventy years old.

“Let’s go. To Luoyang. To find our governor who will work in Bingju until he dies.”

Bingju already has some military power, so it needs people with intelligence and political skills.

“If we go, there will be at least one person.”

Bingju needs more slaves-

Correction.

It needs talent.

* * *

[At that time, in Luoyang.]

“…….”

A man in a purple robe walks through the garden.

With a handsome face and neatly trimmed beard, he appears to be someone who takes good care of himself.

He walks along the garden corridor and bows to a man waiting in a pavilion on one side of the garden.

“Nice to meet you, Commander Yuan Shao of the Central Army of the Eight Guards.”

“Welcome, Minister of the Yellow Gate.”

“…….”

The man called the Minister of the Yellow Gate.

He showed a displeased expression at Yuan Shao’s invitation, but Yuan Shao did not lose his smile.

“The ink on the official seal has not yet dried.”

“Haha. Ink dries over time, doesn’t it? Thank you for accepting my invitation.”

Yuan Shao clasped his hands together in a polite manner.

“Lord Shunyu.”

＜ The Spring of Luoyang (2) ＞ End