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

Chapter 46

＜ The Calm Before the Storm (3) ＞

After finishing the preparations for the expedition from Byeongju-gun.

Swish.

I immediately changed horses and rode down the road to Hanae-gun, boarding the ship that the Samaga clan had requisitioned at the dock.

Splash, splash.

The waters of the Yellow River were a bit rough, but they didn’t rage like a storm all year round.

There are many times when it is calm enough to transport horses on board, just like now, with the cavalrymen silently accompanying me on the ship, not engaging in any idle chatter.

“Cavalry Commander.”

“Yes, General.”

I wondered how long he would hold his silence, but I decided to speak first.

“You’ll need to be stationed at Maengjin Port.”

“Is that an order?”

“Yes.”

“Understood. I will comply.”

The cavalry commander displayed his usual obedience to orders.

“How long will we be stationed there?”

“Indefinitely.”

“…Continue?”

However, the cavalry commander is now a complete soldier of Byeongju.

“General. If we continue to stay here, I’m worried about the supply issues and sanitation.”

He also showed reluctance towards a long-term stay in the unsanitary conditions of Maengjin.

“It’s fine. As soon as we get down, we’ll establish a new stronghold.”

Establishing a stronghold.

For a moment, he visibly disliked the idea, but soon, when I pointed with my eyes in the direction we had come from, his expression softened.

From noble mtl dot com

With the engineering unit present, establishing a stronghold is not a big problem.

To be precise, there’s no need for me or the cavalry commander to run around giving orders on where to set up; the ‘elders’ of the engineering unit will take care of that.

“I’ll request that meat and alcohol be prepared in Luoyang as soon as we arrive, so you can rest easy.”

“If that’s the case… I understand.”

What the engineers need is meat and alcohol to enjoy after their hard work.

“General. About the military camp in Maengjin. Are we going to stay there just as a stronghold?”

“No. I’m thinking of a fortified city, not just a simple temporary tent.”

“A fortified city, you say.”

“Yes.”

If we’re going to stay long-term anyway, it’s better to create a fortress where the soldiers can reside near Maengjin Port.

“It could eventually become a stronghold.”

“Are you perhaps planning it from the very beginning…?”

“If necessary, that’s the plan.”

“Isn’t it dangerous? Building a fortress in northern Luoyang.”

“Oh, come now. It’s just a stronghold at first. If we expand later, we’ll just be laying the groundwork for a stronghold.”

“I understand.”

It’s also a good idea to create facilities, including civilian houses, so that the soldiers can stay long-term in the fortress.

“If sanitation is ensured, there will be plenty of soldiers wanting to live near Luoyang.”

“Well….”

“And now, there’s no turning back.”

I pointed below.

“Aren’t we already crossing the Yellow River?”

“That’s true, but.”

Currently, we have almost crossed the Yellow River.

With only the cavalry commander and a few soldiers accompanying me, I boarded the boat first, while Zhang Liao was to lead the cavalry and engineering units over afterward.

“When we arrive at Mengjin, we will first check the camp we established last time, and then head straight to the imperial palace. And you, as General Bi’s subordinate, will be responsible for establishing Mengjin as a fortified city.”

“Should we dismantle the temporary base we set up last time?”

“No. We will stay there while constructing the new one. Ah, after it’s built? Leave it. Let people stay there temporarily.”

“Understood, General.”

The cavalry commander isn’t completely inexperienced in construction, so while I visit the imperial palace, he will make sure the ground is well-prepared.

“General. Um, what about the water purification facilities?”

“Install them as close as possible to Mengjin Port, behind the temporary military camp.”

“Is that really acceptable? I’m not defying orders, but since the time of Governor Jeongwon, the water purification facilities…”

“I’ve heard it’s dangerous if it becomes known, but we can’t wash ourselves with dirty water, can we?”

The cavalry commander nodded vigorously.

“I will seek permission from His Majesty the Emperor. I can just tell His Majesty to keep it well hidden.”

“Rather than transporting water from the province…”

“It’s better to build new facilities here than to splash it all over the ground. Going forward… hmm?”

Hee hee hee!

Just as I was about to dock the boat at the landing site, someone with a familiar face rode up and suddenly stopped.

Upon seeing me, his expression turned to one of dismay.

Sweat was pouring down his face, and as soon as he met my gaze, he scanned the surroundings, looking for another way out.

“…….”

A faint smell of blood.

He wasn’t seriously injured, but it seemed an arrow had grazed him.

“Wait a moment.”

With only a short distance left to the shore, I gathered my things and took a running leap from the end of the boat to the land.

“!!”

The startled man turned his horse’s head, trying to escape.

“Stop right there!”

Before he could flee, I dashed forward and blocked his path.

“What?!”

The man looked flustered.

In the past, he would have noticed me and been flustered, but now the surprise at my sudden appearance was evident on his face.

“Where are you rushing off to, General?”

“That is….”

The man on horseback, ‘Cao Cao’, scans me up and down as if wary.

“You’ve even been injured. Who attacked you?”

I quickly assess him in return.

Though he wears official robes, it seems blood is flowing from somewhere on his left hand.

There are a few drops of blood smeared on the hilt of the sword sheathed at his waist.

“If you need medicine, I can lend you some.”

“…….”

His eyes reflect uncertainty, as if struggling to determine whether I am friend or foe.

I want to believe he is an ally, but if he is an enemy, it could mean an immediate threat to my life.

It’s as if—

“Are we capturing him, General?”

The cavalry commander approached from behind and asked.

“I don’t know the details, but doesn’t it look like he’s fleeing from something?”

“That’s how it appears.”

“…….”

Cao Cao glares at the cavalry commander.

Before long, the cavalry commander and nine guards dismounted their horses.

They seemed ready to chase after Cao Cao at any moment.

“Lord Cao Cao. What are you fleeing from?”

“Fleeing.”

“You are not someone who would recklessly flee like this, as far as I know.”

“Ha!”

Cao Cao scoffs.

“What do you know about me, someone like you?”

Though his voice carries a hint of edge, I know Cao Cao well.

“I know.”

“How? The grandson of a eunuch? Or perhaps the one who killed the uncle of Gan Shuo? Or are you referring to the capable minister of the current era, the cunning villain of troubled times? Have you heard my reputation from Huo Su?”

“Battle of Yeongcheon.”

“……!”

Cao Cao’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Grandson of a eunuch? What does it matter who his grandfather is? Uncle of Geonseok? I don’t know him. The only information I have about Cao Cao is one.”

I lightly touched my temple with my hand.

“Among those who distinguished themselves during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the exploits of Zhao Mengde were the most prominent.”

“……Huh.”

“He set fire to the northern fortifications of the Yellow Turbans camped on the plains, defeating the confused Yellow Turbans with fire tactics and rescuing the besieged imperial troops.”

News flows in from all directions in Bingzhou.

“I am well aware of the various heroes who made their mark during the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Those who come to Bingzhou all praise your exploits.”

Gong Sunzan, or Sun Jian.

I have also occasionally heard tales of those who played a role in defeating the Yellow Turbans through hearsay.

“Among them, you are undoubtedly the foremost.”

“……Ha.”

“Then why are you not in Luoyang, but instead running away? Is it perhaps a royal decree?”

“……Not at all.”

Cao Cao briefly looks around before fixing his gaze on me.

“Lady General. You were to receive the steed known as the Red Hare from Dong Zhuo.”

“Mm.”

“Will you become close with Dong Zhuo?”

“Absolutely not.”

I have no intention of becoming close.

“If His Majesty continues to favor him as Chancellor, I will respect him as Chancellor, but he is not someone I wish to befriend personally.”

“…Then, do you trust this Zhao Mengde?”

“I do not.”

“…….”

Whether it is Dong Zhuo or Cao Cao, I have no intention of trusting their words recklessly.

“If you truly wish to earn my trust, there is only one way.”

I thumped my chest twice and raised one hand towards the sky.

“Swear by the honor of your parents.”

“!!”

“If I am not ashamed before my parents, I will speak the truth, and you may believe it. But if you are a beast who would sell out even your parents to escape the situation, then I will not believe you.”

And while such a beast might evade that moment, I will forever think of him as a beast who would sell out even his own parents.

“What will you do?”

“……I, Cao Mengde, as the grandson of my revered grandfather Cao Deng and the son of my father Cao Song, will answer them without a shred of shame.”

Cao Cao took a blue cloth and wrapped it around his sleeves stained with red blood.

“I am currently being pursued by Dong Zhuo.”

“Why?”

“…To put it simply.”

Cao Cao let out a deep sigh and pointed towards Luoyang.

“I stabbed Dong Zhuo.”

“……?”

No way.

“You killed Dong Zhuo? It couldn’t have been easy to pierce through that layer of fat.”

“That’s not exactly what I mean by ‘stabbed.’ No, I would have liked to stab him like that.”

Cao Cao let out a hollow laugh.

“I reported him. To be precise, I reported his son-in-law.”

* * *

[At that moment, in the Luoyang Imperial Palace.]

“Your Majesty! Please issue a warrant for the arrest of the traitor Cao Cao!!”

In the center of the palace, Dong Zhuo shouted with a voice that seemed to boil over.

Though his voice did not resonate through the palace as it had before, it was clear and distinct to the ears of the officials below, like a low rumble.

“A traitor, Cao Cao! This is absurd!”

Minister Wang Yun stepped forward, standing opposite Dong Zhuo.

He was not shouting either, but his voice was more strained than Dong Zhuo’s.

“Cao Mengde has fulfilled his duty at Your Majesty’s command! Your Majesty, you must protect him!”

“…….”

The Emperor remained silent.

As he surveyed the officials, who were trying to restrain their voices, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“Now, I will recite the memorial from General Cao Cao.”

The emperor unfolded a bamboo slip.

“I’ll keep it brief. One. It is true that Yuan Shu severely assaulted the official of the Taewi Department to the point of death, but the direct cause of the official’s death is presumed to be poisoning by the poison I used.”

“Your Majesty, that is—”

“Two.”

As the emperor interrupted Dong Zhuo and continued to recite the memorial, Dong Zhuo bit his lower lip.

It wasn’t just the emperor’s words; he felt the gazes from those around him and behind him directed at him.

“Two. The poisoning of the late emperor You and the late empress dowager, Lady Ha, is also presumed to have been carried out using the poison I employed. It is believed that the same poison was used in both cases by the same person.”

All eyes, including the emperor’s, turned toward Dong Zhuo.

“Three. The culprit is presumed to be Li Yu, the son-in-law of Dong Zhuo, who was appointed as the governor of Hongnong. Therefore, I request an investigation into Li Yu.”

“Everything is just speculation!”

Dong Zhuo knelt before the court.

“This is slander! Cao Cao, that man…!”

“There is no suspicion of you, Dong Taewi, in Cao Cao’s memorial.”

“…….”

“We are merely at the stage of presuming Li Yu as the culprit.”

They are saying Li Yu is the culprit.

But no one here is unaware that Li Yu is Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law.

“However, that presumption has been submitted as a memorial. Does that not imply there is clear evidence? Look.”

Wang Yun pointed at the kneeling Dong Zhuo with his hand.

“The fact that Dong Taewi is so flustered and trembling is the evidence.”

“What evidence! Wang Sado! No matter what, can you really tie someone up with such nonsense!”

“If not, then is it a personal deviation committed by Li Yu, the governor of Hongnong, and his associate, Wu Bo? Isn’t he also the son-in-law of the Taewi?”

“Is this man truly…!”

“The term ‘presumption’ is merely a formality; it is no different from the truth. Would one lie in a memorial submitted under their own name?”

“Do not slander a man without evidence! Wasn’t Cao Cao the one you recommended, Wang Sado?”

“It seems you have a proper understanding of people. Despite the pressure the Taewi applied, you still report so justly.”

“This…!”

“Your Majesty.”

As Dong Zhuo and Wang Yun glared at each other as if they would kill one another, Chae Ong stepped forward.

“Investigate Hongnong thoroughly. We must clearly determine whether it was Cao Cao’s conspiracy, a personal deviation by Li Yu, or an order from Dong Taewi.”

“……Dong Taewi.”

The Emperor asks.

“Did you order this?”

“This Dong Tak.”

Dong Tak shook his head firmly, pounding his chest.

“Absolutely not! Such a thing could never happen!”

“Do you truly not know that the reason Yi Jook attempted to assassinate the former Emperor was because of you?”

“That too is something that must be investigated! If my son-in-law truly committed such a heinous act, I would personally deal with him, with Yi!”

“…….”

“My son-in-law is like a son to me! Is there a father who would abandon his own child to save himself?”

Dong Tak shouted.

“This is all a scheme by that Cao Cao! He has been close with Yuan Shao for a long time, sharing the same ambitions! He may have been secretly colluding with Yuan Shao!”

“What do you mean by that….”

“Your Majesty! This is a good opportunity. This time, capture all those in the court who are closely connected with the traitors!”

“……That is.”

“Your Majesty.”

One eunuch quietly approached, bowing his head despite the presence of the ministers.

“How dare you, to approach the ministers in the presence of His Majesty…!”

“Speak.”

The Emperor gestured to the eunuch, who then whispered softly, just loud enough for the Emperor to hear.

“…Hmm.”

The Emperor’s expression relaxed considerably.

“Ministers, listen. According to Cao Cao’s memorial, if we investigate the situation in Hongnong, everything will be made clear, and he has requested the authority to conduct the investigation.”

No one among the ministers seemed to hear, but only Dong Tak gritted his teeth, trembling his fists.

“If we investigate the Hongnong area, all truths will be revealed. It was reported by the Taewi Office that he fled eastward on horseback while attempting to investigate Hongnong.”

“That’s right! He will surely pass through the eastern gateway, the Shasuguan. I will personally capture him!”

“Ha. He must have intended to capture Cao Cao with the soldiers in Hongnong….”

“Minister Wang Sado!”

“…The pursuit of Cao Cao is separate; the investigation of the Hongnong region must proceed.”

The Emperor scanned the ministers.

“Who would investigate Hongnong?”

One by one, they tried to meet each other’s gaze, but the ministers only glanced at Dong Zhuo, unable to step forward.

“King Sado. Is there anyone worthy of recommendation?”

“That is…”

To conduct an investigation, soldiers would need to be dispatched, but most of the forces in Luoyang are currently under Dong Zhuo’s command.

“…First, find General Cao Cao and have him fulfill this duty.”

“Understood.”

The Emperor closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them wide, staring at Dong Zhuo.

“The final investigation of Hongnong will be entrusted to General Lu Bu.”

“General Lu is…”

“I hear he has just arrived at Mengjin.”

“!!”

Dong Zhuo’s mouth drops open in surprise.

“How, how…? No, in the meantime…?”

“General Lu is currently on his way from Mengjin to Luoyang, so the Ministry of War should refrain from moving troops recklessly and focus on eliminating the traitors.”

The Emperor spoke firmly, gripping Cao Cao’s memorial tightly.

“Originally, Hongnong is to the west of Luoyang, and the traitors are to the east.”

“…….”

“If the traitors are not in the west, then what reason is there to move the troops? Is that not so?”

“……Of course, Your Majesty.”

* * *

On the road leading into Luoyang.

“General.”

The cavalry commander asks.

“Are you really going to let Cao Cao go just like that? He even borrowed medicine.”

“That’s not the case. It wasn’t that we let him go; it was merely a coincidence that we crossed paths.”

“Still.”

The cavalry commander is worried that I pretended not to notice Cao Cao boarding the ship.

In truth, we did encounter Cao Cao, but publicly, it will be reported that ‘Cao Cao left on a ship before we landed.’

That is the promise we made.

“Before leaving, he said. His own evaluation… about something.”

“Regarding Cao Cao, He Suo said he is a capable minister in times of peace and a cunning hero in chaotic times.”

“Right.”

A cunning hero in chaotic times. In a tumultuous era, he would become a crafty champion.

“If it’s chaotic, that may be true, but conversely, in times of peace, it means he would be a capable minister.”

A capable minister in times of peace. In a tranquil era, it must mean he would be the most outstanding and capable minister of all.

“He may possess both black and white, but if it’s true, isn’t he someone of remarkable fortitude? I don’t think I could do it so easily.”

Internal whistleblowing.

“With Dong Zhuo firmly grasping most of the court, didn’t he stab the son-in-law of Dong Zhuo? In effect, he reported Dong Zhuo.”

When all the ministers bowed their heads to Dong Zhuo and watched cautiously, only Cao Cao directly challenged Dong Zhuo and exposed him.

“It’s common for a righteous whistleblower to become corrupted when caught in absurd circumstances.”

“…….”

“General of Cavalry. Remember this. He swore on his father’s name. If that were a lie, what would happen?”

“A person can be repaired and mended until they break, but a beast may reveal its fangs at any moment, so it must be killed.”

“Right.”

This is the solution of the General of Cavalry.

If.

If one chooses to become a beast.

The capable minister Cao Cao lives, while the cunning hero Cao Cao dies.

“Dong Zhuo is no exception.”

“…….”

“I’m not siding with either Dong Zhuo or Cao Cao. I don’t trust anyone. If I were to say I trust…”

I thumped my chest.

“As a man to man, a man believes the oath he utters himself.”

＜ The Calm Before the Storm (3) ＞ End