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

Chapter 37

＜ You cannot have two fathers under heaven (4) ＞

In Luoyang, the morning at the imperial palace is slower than in Bingzhou.

By the time the sun rises, the people of Bingzhou would have already finished their preparations to leave, but Luoyang is different.

Yet today’s morning at the imperial palace is unlike any other.

I am here.

“Your Majesty.”

“General, how is it?”

The Emperor is standing.

“Excellent.”

In full bloom.

The Emperor hit all the arrows at a target set quite far away.

“Have you already become accustomed to the bow?”

“Yes. It’s not the practice bow that you shot with before, though…”

The Emperor smiles wryly.

The practice bow the Emperor brought from Maengjin Port belonged to the deposed Emperor, so it must have been discarded as a tainted object.

“Still, your skills have improved, haven’t they?”

“Yes. At this level, shooting from horseback… should be possible in about a year.”

As a military governor, one would naturally become accustomed to mounted archery, but still, he is quite young.

“General. May I ask you something?”

“Your Majesty, before that, may I say something first?”

“Speak, General.”

“…Please, drop the honorifics.”

No matter how I am.

No matter how I am the elder.

No matter how I am the current master of archery.

“As I mentioned yesterday, Your Majesty is the parent of all the people…”

“It’s because I feel comfortable, General.”

I feel uncomfortable.

“There are only you and me here, aren’t there?”

No.

There are eunuchs nearby, and court ladies, and palace guards.

They are merely standing at a distance, but they are all eavesdropping with their ears perked up.

“If anyone dares to speak disrespectfully of the Lady General, please let me know. I will shoot them down with the archery skills I learned directly from you.”

“However…”

“Only until you reach adulthood. Until then, I will treat you this way.”

The bow held by the Emperor trembles slightly.

“Everyone sees me as a child, so isn’t the privilege of being childish something that belongs to the young?”

“…Still, please be cautious in front of others.”

“Haha, understood. Instead, I will speak comfortably only when it’s just the two of us, like now.”

The Emperor laughs.

Before leaving Byeongju, his laughter was pure and unblemished, but now there’s a hint of bitterness in that smile.

It would be right to say that the time has come.

“General.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’ve heard that you do not particularly like metaphors.”

“Please ask as you see fit, Your Majesty.”

“……Wonga.”

The Emperor draws his bow.

He aims not at the target where all the arrows are stuck, but at the yellow, round target beside it.

“Should I kill them all?”

Thwack—.

The arrow strikes the upper part of the round target.

“Both the Empress Dowager and the Grand Chancellor wish for Wonga to be completely eradicated. But I… worry that if I do so, I might incur their wrath.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Although Wonga has come to this situation, their power remains strong.”

Thwack—.

“I worry that the General might incur their wrath.”

The second arrow lands squarely in the center.

“…Perhaps the late Emperor, my father, must have pondered this dilemma countless times.”

When an Emperor surrounds himself with close aides, he must think and think again, endlessly.

“Such talk is rampant in the court. The late Emperor… Ah, for now, let’s not call him Hongnongwang.”

The Emperor mutters quietly, glancing at the eunuchs.

“Your Majesty, just a moment.”

I lightly lift one foot.

Boom—!

I stomped the ground with force.

A shockwave spreads from my toes, stirring the air, and the officials step back in confusion, one step at a time.

“Well then, General. What was that…?”

“Just a trick of the Colonel.”

“To repel people with just a single foot cloud…!”

The Emperor gazes at my foot with bright, curious eyes.

“How did you do it?”

“Gathering energy in my foot, I simply rolled it lightly.”

“Ohhh….”

As expected of a boy of his age, he shows interest in such things.

“Your Majesty, who would you like to have by your side in the court?”

“The General.”

“…….”

“I know. You wish for the General to remain in the military province. If so, I will express it this way.”

The Emperor hands me a bow.

“I wish for only people like the General to be in the court. I want such a person by my side.”

“I too hope that those like me, no, those far more capable and upright than I, will be by Your Majesty’s side.”

I hope.

Because it is not so, I wish for it.

“General, are you planning to return to the military province again?”

“Yes.”

It is not because of my position that I stay in the palace.

My presence in the Empress Dowager’s quarters is as a sort of ‘guest.’

“When will you leave?”

“After I finish my work in the capital and negotiate with Dong Zhuo.”

“…I heard that someone from the Empress Dowager’s quarters called for you after I fell asleep yesterday.”

Feigning sleep, were you?

“Your Majesty, congratulations.”

“Congratulations?”

“Please keep close to you the one who conveyed the news that Lady General was called to the Empress Dowager’s quarters for the time being.”

“……!!”

The emperor’s eyes widen.

“General. That is…!”

“Whether he sincerely serves Your Majesty or seeks to use you to gain power for himself, you can use him. If Your Majesty utilizes him well, he will serve you sincerely for his own ambitions.”

From noble mtl dot com

“Utilize him….”

“I am hesitant to offer counsel to Your Majesty, but I have lived this way.”

As Yeobongseon.

“If only good people existed, it would be ideal. There would be no need for complicated thoughts. But if one is merely good, the beasts will inevitably exploit that goodness.”

Before my reincarnation, I witnessed and experienced much of that.

“Those with power are not used by others. Rather, they command those who seek to use them.”

“Command….”

“Your Majesty, there are many in the court who wish to use you. I am one of them.”

“You… wish to use me?”

The emperor looked at me with a startled expression, but soon hardened his features.

“…You are my benefactor, so you may use me as you please.”

“Your Majesty, that is not what I mean.”

“If not that, then what do you mean?”

“I hope that Your Majesty firmly maintains the position of the supreme ruler, and that a peaceful world will come to pass.”

“……!”

“You do not need to encompass everything. Why would you need ministers? They exist to be commanded where necessary.”

“But I must judge those ministers….”

“Just think of one thing.”

If I must say—

“…Your Majesty, may I speak a bit coarsely?”

“That is fine. What is it?”

“When I assess a person, I have but one criterion.”

I pointed towards the target, not the emperor.

“Is this a person, or is it a beast’s offspring?”

“…….”

“My master once said, ‘People can be reformed.'”

-My disciple, I will surely make you human.

“Anyone who is human will listen if spoken to with reason.”

– My disciple, each of your actions brings me joy. To teach ten and find joy in teaching nine again!

“If they do not listen even when ruled by a whip, they are like beasts; and even beasts can be tamed with a leash to serve as livestock.”

– Hitting me will only cause me pain; it is my fault for teaching you poorly. What good is living like this!! I must die!

“Your Majesty.”

I bowed to the Emperor.

“If Your Majesty wishes to use me as a hunting dog, I, Yeobongseon, will gladly become Your Majesty’s blade.”

“General.”

“Swing it. In all the world, only Your Majesty has the right to wield Yeobongseon.”

Conversely speaking,

it also means that no one else can grasp and wield me.

‘Make sure to convey it well.’

Whether it be a eunuch I saw passing by the Empress Dowager’s quarters last night, or a maidservant who carries the scent of Dong Zhuo.

“Ah. Then there is one more thing that the person I can use has conveyed.”

The Emperor lowers his voice.

He hesitates, as if unsure whether to speak, his expression quite serious.

“Ask me anything.”

“I heard you rejected Dong Zhuo’s granddaughter.”

“Yes, well…”

“Is it because she does not please your heart?”

“Excuse me?”

“Aside from being Dong Zhuo’s granddaughter, I think she would be acceptable—”

“Your Majesty.”

I immediately bowed my head toward the Emperor and whispered so only he could hear.

“…Do you understand?”

“…General Ye.”

The Emperor looked at me with a dazed expression.

“It is not that you shun women, but rather that there has been no woman who has caught your eye until now.”

He spoke in a whisper, just loud enough for me to hear, and clicked his tongue.

“Which woman do you wish to marry?”

“I will marry a beauty that meets my standards.”

At the very least, she should be a woman who knows how wonderful it is not to slather on perfume like the beauties of this era, not to call tangled hair that hasn’t been washed ‘beautiful,’ and to wash her body every single day.

It’s just that such a woman doesn’t exist in this age.

If such a woman were to exist, perhaps a breath of fresh air would emerge even in this hellish stench.

“…Huh. I understand. Haha. Then….”

Is it thanks to our conversation that there’s a newfound ease?

“I have made my decision.”

The Emperor gripped his wrist tightly and nodded.

“I will personally speak with the imprisoned ministers of the Yuan family. I will determine whether they are all human or beasts.”

The Emperor had made his resolution.

“General.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will judge the ministers of the Yuan family. Will you stay by my side? Of course… it won’t take long.”

“Your Majesty, feel free to use me as you wish. A minister exists to be utilized by the Emperor.”

I knelt before the Emperor.

“Do you remember what I told you before? In times like this.”

“……General.”

The Emperor’s expression hardened, yet his eyes smiled.

“Obey my command.”

Imperial decree.

* * *

[At that moment, the Yuan family stronghold in Yeju.]

Crack!

The table splits apart.

A blood-stained sharp sword cleaves through the table, and wooden splinters scatter below.

“It’s already a matter of life and death, esteemed elders of the Yuan family.”

The one who swung the sword, splitting the table, smiled as he spoke to the upper seat.

“Dong Zhuo has branded our Yuan family as traitors. Only I barely managed to escape.”

“Do you think we would believe that!!”

One of the elderly men with thick white hair exclaimed.

“You must have run away all by yourself!”

“You should commend me for returning alive, even if alone.”

“You should have rather died! The lord and everyone were in Luoyang! You should have gone in there and died instead!”

“Ha ha ha….”

Yuan Shao drove his sword downwards.

“I cannot die. If I die like this, the name of this Yuan Benchao will be remembered as a traitor in history, won’t it?”

“Of course, you traitor! Because of you, our entire clan is on the brink of ruin!”

“Hey! Seize that unfilial wretch at once! We will capture him and present him to the Emperor!”

“Ha ha ha. It seems you still haven’t come to your senses….”

Yuan Shao raised his hand.

“We are already one body, you and I. You have no choice.”

Soon, the soldiers who had taken control of the Yuan estate drew their swords.

“Oh, there is a choice. You can either come with me to settle matters with the others and head to Jizhou….”

Swish.

“Or you can lose your life, your wealth, and the dignity of the Yuan clan to Dong Zhuo’s forces right here.”

“Y-You madman, are you trying to set fire to everything!!”

“I feel the same, elders. I am that desperate. This Yuan Benchao… has run here to the point of sweating sweetly.”

Yuan Shao wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

“As I said, my plan is simple. It starts with denying the current Emperor and ends with establishing a new one!”

“Y-You…!!”

“Any Yu family member will do. If you know any Yu around, bring them here. As long as we have a justification, we can deify him as Emperor.”

“Is it not enough to commit unfilial acts against your family, but now you wish to commit treason against the state as well!”

To change the Emperor.

A statement that should not be taken lightly, or even uttered at all.

“Treason against the state… well, that may be so. But, elders, we are out of time.”

Yuan Shao lowered his voice.

“Even now, troops are likely rushing to Luoyang. If we do not leave immediately, we will all die.”

“You brought death upon us, didn’t you!”

“Even if it weren’t me, everyone would have died using Yuan Shu as an excuse. Ha, the conversation keeps circling back….”

Yuan Shao lightly tapped the hilt of the sword he had planted in the ground.

“Now that the Dong family has seized control of the imperial court, there is only one path for our Yuan family to survive.”

“……By what power?”

An elder asked in a feeble voice.

The elders began to exchange glances, lowering their heads or casting resigned looks at one another.

“The renowned figures of the world will consider you a traitor. Even if they do not, Dong Zhuo will label you a traitor regardless.”

“Yes.”

“What power do you have to defy the court?”

“If the elders would only cooperate, if we could lean on the Yuan family, we would have a chance.”

Yuan Shao clenched his fist tightly.

“This fight is not just between Dong Zhuo and the Yuan family; it is a struggle between the central authority and the provinces.”

“The provinces.”

“Yuan Shao, you are thinking of involving the warlords now. Under what pretext?”

“Listen to me.”

Yuan Shao knelt on one knee and bowed his head to the elders.

“What do the provincial warlords fear the most? The central power reaching into the provinces. And now… the central authority has gained strength.”

“Dong Zhuo and… Lü Bu?”

“Yes. Those who have ruled like kings in the provinces until now will soon begin to tremble one by one. And Dong Zhuo is… preparing for a major restructuring of the provinces soon.”

“……!!”

The elders exchanged glances.

In this very place, even in Yezhou, how did most of the local officials obtain their positions?

“They bought them with money.”

“But what if suddenly the young emperor ascends the throne, and someone from a remote village in Xiliang takes the position of the provincial governor?”

“…….”

The expressions of the elders began to turn grave.

One by one, they started to fidget as if they could no longer sit still on their cushions.

“They have already appointed a governor of Bingzhou who has no connection to Bingzhou at all. He was someone from the outskirts of the Qingliu faction. Of course, Bingzhou is a special case, but what about the newly appointed governor of Henei? He is set to be incorporated into Bingzhou entirely, isn’t he?”

“Ugh….”

“What if Dong Zhuo’s subordinates come to the newly appointed governor of Yannan and try to seize our Yuan family’s wealth? Even if we expose his corruption, will the central court intervene?”

“Yuan Shao.”

One elder called out to Yuan Shao in a low voice.

“With just the power of the Yuan family, it is not easy to defeat the court.”

“The Yuan family is merely a focal point, Elder.”

“What, pray tell, is the foundation of your confidence in victory?”

The elder inquires.

“Greed.”

“Your greed?”

“No. What I believe in is the greed of the local warlords and lords.”

Yuan Shao tapped his temple with his hand.

“Even when thinking rationally, it is unbearable. I felt the same way. Setting aside the illness, did not a mere villager from Xiliang fortuitously arrive at the imperial palace first and become the Grand Chancellor?”

“……That is true.”

“Moreover, the emperor obtained in such a manner claimed his own deposition. He ousted the emperor under any pretext. If it was difficult once, would it be difficult twice?”

Yuan Shao pointed north.

“That Dong Zhuo fellow also became Grand Chancellor; is there any reason a local nobody cannot do the same?”

One by one, the elders slowly nodded in agreement.

“First, let us go to Jizhou together. I have arranged a position in the Jizhou Balhae army for several years now.”

“Mm….”

“Those who wish to stay may do so. However, if you all wish to become the new ministers of this country….”

Yuan Shao rose to his feet.

“Let us go to Jizhou together. Of course, it need not be Jizhou. We can gather the lords anywhere and strike at Luoyang.”

“To oust the emperor and establish a new one?”

“To be precise, to establish the current ‘false emperor,’ disrupt the ancestral temple and the state, and to eliminate Dong Zhuo and his faction, who seek to label our Yuan family as traitors and kill us all.”

Yuan Shao clasped his hands together and bowed deeply toward the elders.

“The day a rightful emperor is enthroned, all of you present here will ascend to the Three Dukes and the Three Excellencies.”

“And you?”

“I merely wish to hold a position that protects the imperial family.”

“…Very well. At the very least, since you have ended the eunuchs’ dominance, I shall listen to your plan as we go.”

“Elder.”

“However.”

The elder asks again.

“What shall we do about He Bongsun?”

“…….”

“He is a hero.”

At the mention of Yeobongseon, Wonso clenched his fist tightly.

“Do you think Yeobongseon would stand with you? Do you think people would consider Yeobongseon an enemy?”

“There are ways to make that happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s simple.”

Wonso covered one of his eyes with his hand.

“The treacherous Dongtak’s minions seduce the hero of patriotism, clouding his eyes and ears.”

“…Heroes, rise and go save General Ye!”

“Yes.”

Clap, clap, clap.

“Right now, General Ye is being brainwashed by the false emperor and Dongtak. This is a revolution to save both this country and… General Ye.”

“So, the court officials and Dongtak are using the hero Yeopoh for their own ends, and we should kill Dongtak to save the hero?”

“The campaign against Dongtak. The anti-Dongtak alliance. Good. But that’s not enough. So.”

Wonso smiled as he spoke.

“The rescue mission for Yeopoh.”

“Huh.”

“We are going to save Yeopoh.”

* * *

A day has passed.

I am now—

‘I feel like I’m going to die.’

It feels as if I will be pierced through by gazes.

‘If a person could be pierced through by mere gazes, I would have already become a dolharubang.’

This room is filled with those who send fervent glances my way.

The emperor, seated in the high place, looks at me with a gaze that seems to convey trust.

What is the situation right now?

Could it be that Dongtak is hiding armed warriors at a drinking party, saying, “How dare you insult my granddaughter!”?

Broad daylight.

In the imperial palace’s private chamber, several ministers sat to the left and right of the emperor, who occupied the main seat.

“Your Majesty. We are deeply grateful for your invitation to this glorious gathering.”

“The grace is overwhelming.”

The emperor had hosted a banquet.

“Haha. Is there really any grace to speak of? It’s merely a matter of setting out some refreshments during our usual lessons, enjoying tea, and having a conversation.”

It wasn’t a grand banquet with court musicians summoned; in truth, he had simply invited me to his lesson.

Yes.

A lesson.

‘I was told to make use of it, but I never imagined it would be like this.’

The emperor bringing me along to his lesson wasn’t because he thought, “You’re ignorant, so learn to read.”

“Minister Sado, Chijung.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Please, speak.”

The two ministers seated across from me bowed their heads.

One was a familiar face, a cantankerous old man, while the other appeared to be a kind scholar.

“By the way, General Ye. Have you formally spoken with Minister Sado and Chijung?”

“Minister Sado… I have met with Minister Wang Yun briefly before.”

Minister Sado, Wang Yun.

“But…”

“Allow me to introduce myself, General Ye.”

Then, the other scholar-like old man clasped his hands in greeting.

“I have come at Your Majesty’s summons from the provinces to serve you. I am Chijung, Chae Ong.”

Chae Ong.

I had heard of him.

He was said to be a renowned figure brought in by Dong Zhuo to dominate the court’s reformist faction.

From previous information alone, it seemed awkward for him to be here, but—

‘Why does that man keep glaring at me?’

Minister Wang Yun was sending me a complicated gaze, while Chijung Chae Ong directed a dangerous look my way.

As if to say.

-My disciple. You truly ignite a desire to teach.

Like a master.

– Whenever I go to the court, I tell you to be wary of the Cheongryu faction, but among them, there are madmen. Among those, there is one you must be most cautious of, a man with the surname Chae and the name ‘Ong.’ That guy is the craziest of them all.

Chae Ong.

– To him, you will appear like the most seductive woman.

At that moment, I said to my master, “You must be joking.”

– Me? Am I crazy? No.

The master replied.

– Those of his kind will go mad when they see you. You will also go mad trying to figure out how to deal with them.

Had it not been for that warning, I would have fallen victim to that gaze.

“Though this Chae Ong has lived twenty years longer than General Ye, I have admired her while listening to tales of her. Ha ha.”

Innocent and pure, the eyes of a madman filled with conviction.

Like the eyes of a philosophy professor I once passed by at university, encountering him while he was leading graduate students to the lab.

“I have many, many questions about General Ye’s loyalty and filial piety.”

– When a madman, brimming with a sense of justice, charges at you, how will you respond?

“General Ye’s words are rough and direct, but the meaning contained within is akin to a discipline of its own. I, Chae Ong, wish to organize General Ye’s filial piety and engage in discourse with my disciples about what it means to be filial. Hehehe! So….”

– Surely, you would ask like this?

“This Chae Ong seeks to learn from General Ye about loyalty and filial piety.”

＜ You cannot have two fathers under heaven (4) ＞ End