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

Chapter 24

＜ Responsibility (1) ＞

It was autumn, the season of harvest, with the sunset over the plains.

Although the Mengjin area was devastated by the arson incident disguised by the Black Mountain Bandits, we quickly reorganized the fields and planted crops, barely making it to the harvest season.

Our Bingzhou army learned to plow the fields with spears and harvest rice with swords.

I took the lead in mastering this method, and now everyone in the Bingzhou army is joyfully harvesting the crops together.

Is the land barren? Reclaim it.

Is the soil poor? Find fertile land.

Is there a lack of water? Dig a waterway and connect it to a water source.

If it doesn’t work, make it work.

This is the mindset of Bingzhou.

If it still doesn’t work despite everyone’s efforts, consider whether there were not enough people and strength.

This is ancient China.

The most abundant resource is none other than people.

“General.”

“Jangryo, instead of talking, cut one more.”

There are some who don’t seem to enjoy it much.

“Weren’t we supposed to be something like a militia? According to the General, the capital defense force.”

Jangryo, dressed in farmer’s clothes instead of a military uniform, pointed around.

“What are we doing with the soldiers?”

“Farming.”

“No.”

“We don’t have anything to do for a while anyway. It’s better to keep moving and training like this than lying idle.”

If bandits appear, we can just change clothes and run, and after patrol duty, what else can we do with the remaining time?

“There’s nothing better for building stamina and strength than farming.”

“Is cutting rice with a sickle training?”

“Who knows? In an emergency, we might have to cut off a person’s head with a sickle.”

I dealt with the complaining Jangryo while cutting rice.

“They say farming is the foundation of the world. Farming is the basic way humans live.”

“I’ve never heard such a saying before.”

…Oops.

It was something my father used to say before I was reincarnated, and it slipped out without me realizing it.

But it’s fine.

“My master said it, so just understand it roughly.”

The master said:

– Farming is the foundation of the world? How do you… Sigh. Fine. If you get scolded for reciting strange things again, just say I taught you.

He told me to sell him out if necessary.

“General, what kind of person was your master?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“He hid his identity until the end and told me there was no need for me to know.”

A master is just a master.

That’s what he wanted from me.

“Still, you must know some background. Like being from Byeongju.”

“…Jangryo.”

I put down the sickle and embraced the harvested rice.

The rice is much tougher than modern ones, but it still produces grains.

“Master was from the Cheongryu faction. When he was in the court, he had many disciples.”

Master didn’t completely hide his identity.

“Even after returning to his hometown, he considered raising disciples, but after saving me, he decided to focus on raising just me.”

“Did he say that directly?”

“…To be precise, he said, ‘Remember that I am spending my remaining time on you alone, instead of raising hundreds of scholars.'”

Master didn’t completely hide himself.

‘He came to Byeongju to retire in his later years.’

There were many speculations, like how he found me after coming to his hometown Byeongju, or how he had enough wealth to live comfortably in Byeongju.

And honestly.

‘I was glad to find traces.’

When I came to the capital and looked for records, I could roughly find traces of what he did.

It’s hard to say specifically what kind of traces, but I was happy to find some traces of his life.

In the capital filled with filth, he fought against evil with integrity and justice in his heart.

“Master left me with such words.”

There was a reason why Master didn’t want me to reveal that he taught me.

“The moment I reveal that I am his disciple, his other disciples will boast, ‘I am the senior disciple.'”

“…….”

“He told me not to get involved in things like seniority or lineage.”

He was worried about academic connections.

“He said that academic connections would bring me more harm than good.”

“Indeed. If he was a leader of the Cheongryu faction… those who claim to be from Cheongryu would gather around the General.”

As he predicted, the Cheongryu faction tried to push me forward.

Even from the glimpses seen during the dethronement process, if it was revealed that I was related to them?

“They would immediately try to form an anti-Dong Zhuo alliance with me as the center.”

“…….”

“Why do you ask?”

“No, something about the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition sends chills down my spine.”

“……Indeed.”

Something about it doesn’t sound right.

It’s simply a term for the political faction opposing Dong Zhuo within the court.

“Anyway, yes. Academic ties will soon be linked to political power.”

Since the new emperor ascended the throne, the court has been reorganized around those who can be called the ‘scholarly gentry.’

“This time, even the retired Lord Lu Zhi, who said ‘still, deposing him is a bit much,’ and the person Grand Commandant Dong brought from the provinces, are like that.”

“Are you referring to Elder Cai Yong?”

“Yes.”

Lu Zhi, Cai Yong.

They were renowned names I had heard of before coming to the court, and they had numerous disciples under them.

“As soon as Cai Yong came to the court, his disciples immediately tried to take office to help their master. Just as most of Lord Lu Zhi’s disciples resigned and filled the vacant positions.”

“That’s filial piety towards their master, to put it nicely, but isn’t it essentially a political faction?”

“Exactly.”

And those disciples became the officials under them.

“If my master were a similarly renowned figure, or even more so, his disciples would surely try to tie me to them through academic ties. That’s what my master was concerned about.”

In fact, I was worried about something else.

In martial arts terms, it was a matter of distribution.

‘The former head disciple of the previous sect leader who disappeared long ago has appeared? That would mess up the distribution.’

I asked my master again, worried that I might harm the disciples.

-It’s a bit much to criticize my other disciples, but they’re basically 20 years older than you. Do you think they’d leave you alone? They’d try to use you. And you, with your politeness, wouldn’t speak harshly to someone older than you.

My master was very concerned about preventing them from using me.

-With your nature, there will be those who try to use you, so you must be very careful not to be taken advantage of. Don’t worry about them just because they’re my disciples. You’re just a disciple of an unknown villager from Bingzhou.

So, I had no choice but to be as careful as possible, following my master’s words.

“It’s done. Keep harvesting the rice. This is all a gift to feed our families and brothers back home.”

“A gift…. Indeed, this is the real gift Bingzhou desires.”

I turn my gaze with Zhang Liao.

There, countless sacks of rice were piled up, hard to count with the eye.

“…It’s a pity we can’t take it all.”

“If we farmed it in Luoyang, we should distribute it in Luoyang.”

Although it wasn’t a bumper crop, the harvest was quite substantial considering the intermittent farming.

The land in Luoyang itself was much better for farming than Bingzhou, but the fact that the bandits didn’t steal made it a satisfactory harvest.

“Anyway, we can’t take all that with us, can we?”

Carrying several sacks of rice across the Yellow River and over the mountains to Jinyang in Bingzhou? Until all the rice is moved?

It’s good training, but even I wouldn’t train them that harshly.

“As long as there’s enough for the people of Bingzhou to share, it’s fine. It’s not like the crops in Bingzhou failed.”

“Honestly, it’s a waste.”

“Even if it’s a waste, we’ve gained a lot from other things, so it’s fine. Rather than carrying rice we can’t take, it’s better to use it in a way that helps Bingzhou.”

Most of it was to be presented to the Emperor and the royal family.

And in return, we were to receive something sufficiently satisfactory, so it wasn’t regrettable or wasteful.

If it were to be regrettable—

“Oh, right. Zhang Liao. We need to reorganize the troops. All the soldiers of Bingzhou, escort that grain to Jinyang.”

“Escort it…? General, aren’t you thinking of leaving it to the supply unit?”

“We should personally escort what we eat.”

That’s in case the bandits steal it.

“If the bandits smell the food cooking and come to steal it, we should kill them immediately.”

* * *

[Capital Luoyang, Grand Commandant’s Office.]

“Ah, I want to plunder.”

Lying on his side and chewing on a peach, Dong Zhuo muttered loudly.

“Ugh… I want to plunder!!”

What does he want to plunder?

The peeled peach in front of him?

“Plunder, arson, murder, rape… Ugh!!”

“Please restrain yourself, brother.”

A man who looked quite similar to Grand Commandant Dong Zhuo stroked his beard and chewed on a peach.

“Didn’t you secretly plunder this peach as well? Be satisfied with this.”

“I’ve risen to the position of Grand Commandant, do you think I’ll be satisfied with just a peach like this?”

Dong Zhuo picked up a piece of peach with his hand and roughly squeezed it.

“Do you think I, Dong Zhuo, came all the way to Luoyang just to grab a few peaches?”

“Weren’t you?”

“What?”

“This Dongmin, every time I go out to the market, I lose sleep over what people say.”

Dongmin, Dong Zhuo’s younger brother, chuckled as he raised his glass.

“Despite his appearance, he shows a righteous and manly demeanor. They say the people of Yangzhou are rough and ferocious, no different from the Xiongnu, but it turns out they are men of great chivalry!”

“What nonsense is that.”

“That’s the perception of us spreading in Luoyang right now, brother.”

Dong Zhuo suppressed the twitching corners of his mouth.

“People judge based on what we’ve shown in Luoyang so far. And we’ve been… suppressing our true nature.”

Dongmin pointed to the clothes Dong Zhuo was wearing.

“Thanks to that, everyone now trusts and follows Grand Commandant Dong. If the Qingliu faction knew your true nature, they’d all flock to Lü Bu.”

“Even if they go under Lü Bu….”

“What if they incite Lü Bu? Is it easy to deal with Lü Bu and the Bingzhou army?”

“…What if we bring all the troops from Tianshui and Chang’an?”

“It would be mutual destruction. Not a single one left. Everyone would die, and Lü Bu would be the only one left standing.”

“Tsk. Still….”

Dong Zhuo raised his glass and grinned.

“Brother. Haven’t we endured a lot until now?”

Dong Zhuo asked his brother, Dongmin, with a serious expression.

“Don’t you think we’ve endured a lot? Hm?”

“What do you mean by enduring? Be careful not to let any unnecessary words come out of the Grand Commandant’s residence.”

“Everyone here is my people, who would dare spread the stories from here outside!”

Dong Zhuo pointed ahead.

There were a few officials working in the Grand Commandant’s residence, but they were all brought by Dong Zhuo.

“Or are you going to betray me? Like the King of Chenliu who overthrew his brother and became emperor?”

“The one who enthroned the King of Chenliu as emperor has nothing left to say. Are we the same as them? They were half-brothers, we are full brothers, aren’t we?”

“Only full brothers can talk like this.”

“Ugh. If others saw this, they’d have a fit. People are praising such a person as ‘the equal of Lü Bu’.”

“Ahem.”

Dong Zhuo fiddled with his beard, showing signs of discomfort.

“Two pillars, huh. Hehe. Yes. Someone once said, ‘Lu Bu of the North and Dong Zhuo of Xiliang. These two protect the Emperor from both sides, and this too is a blessing for the court.'”

The discomfort was not because he was compared to ‘Loyal and Righteous Lu Bu’ or who was mentioned first-

“In all my life, this is the first time I’ve heard someone call you the embodiment of patriotic loyalty, brother!”

“…Loyal Dong Zhuo. A loyal servant of Han who willingly takes on the role of the villain for the sake of the greater good… Hehe, hehe…”

It was the discomfort of a person wearing clothes that didn’t fit.

“Hahaha!!”

Dong Zhuo laughed heartily, slapping the floor with his hand.

“Isn’t it absurd! Everyone thinks of me, of us, as loyal servants!”

“We’ve all suffered, suppressing our true nature and enduring it.”

“Yes. Not because of anyone else… but because of Lu Bu.”

Dong Zhuo stood up.

“Brother.”

“Yes, brother.”

“I think it’s about time we do things our way.”

Rising with his heavy body, Dong Zhuo drew the broad sword that was lying beside him.

“What are you planning to do?”

“I heard that Lu Bu is soon going to Bingzhou.”

“……!!”

Dong Min, who was about to eat a peach, changed his posture.

“Really?”

“Yes. He said he would temporarily return his position and go to Bingzhou with a bundle of grain harvested near Luoyang.”

“Did the Emperor permit it?”

“When a soldier says he’s going to guard the border, who can stop him? Especially in autumn. When he says he’s going to save the Emperor’s people from the barbarians coming to steal the grain, how could anyone hold him back?”

“Isn’t he the Emperor’s archery teacher?”

“Does he look like someone who is loyal to a person?”

Dong Zhuo shook his head.

“No, no. He is a true soldier to the point of being rigid. We can’t handle him properly, and neither can they. He will definitely go to Bingzhou.”

Although he asked, Dong Zhuo had already made a clear decision about Lu Bu.

“So, while Lu Bu is away, let’s prepare to fill our pockets, which we haven’t been able to do.”

“…Finally, are we returning to that time? The scoundrels of Tianshui?”

“I’ve been sharpening my sword while being extorted by Empress Dowager Ha for the past few months. Tsk tsk. Watching her extort was just unbelievable.”

“Are you finally going to show your true colors?”

“Yes. First… let’s start with Hongnong, where the deposed emperor and empress dowager are.”

Dong Zhuo’s eyes sparkled as he fiddled with his broad sword.

“I need to show them what it means to extort.”

Lick.

“I need to show them clearly what taxation is.”

“How much are you planning to extort?”

“Since Empress Dowager Ha demanded half of my stipend, from the residents of Hongnong….”

Dong Zhuo raised one finger.

“Shall we start lightly, with this much?”

“One-tenth? Haha, brother. If someone saw this, they’d think you were ‘Lu Bu’. Did you perhaps catch that chivalrous spirit from the loyalist Lu Bu? Are you Lu Bu’s father?”

“Is chivalry some kind of contagious disease? Catch it. Haha, Dong Min, it seems you caught that disease yourself.”

The two brothers looked at each other and smiled.

“Brother. As expected….”

“Leave only one-tenth, and extort everything else.”

“As expected of you, brother. I was worried I might have to arrange your funeral. When people start doing things they never did before in old age, they say it’s a sign they’re close to death, don’t they?”

“Hahaha! This ras… ahem.”

Dong Zhuo cleared his throat and patted his chest.

“No, no. The loyalist Dong Zhuo can’t be spewing vulgarities like those lowly creatures. That won’t do. At least… not now.”

Dong Zhuo swallowed his saliva.

“Since Lu Bu is still in Luoyang.”

“…….”

“Jia Xu told me before he left. Lu Bu is a white color that can never be easily dyed with my color.”

“…….”

“But even white paper eventually turns yellow over time, and in the end, it gets stained with ink and becomes dirty. How can a human be without greed? Whether it’s material greed or s*xual desire.”

“Well, he seems to lack s*xual desire….”

“No, no. With such a strong build, how could that be! He’s just holding it all back.”

Dong Zhuo laughed as he tapped his own forearm with his hand.

“He’s a man with such strong loyalty that he suppresses even his desires as a man. Honestly, I want to make him my son.”

“That is….”

“I’m sorry for my dead son, but sometimes I wish Lü Bu was really my son.”

“Do you want to be like Yuan Shu?”

“Ha ha ha!!”

Dong Zhuo laughed, pounding the wall.

“A father doesn’t necessarily have to be an adoptive father!”

“……What are you thinking?”

“Being tied as a family doesn’t necessarily mean being an adoptive father and son. There are more certain ways.”

“No, brother. Surely not….”

“Let’s see, now…tsk, only one?”

Dong Zhuo folded and unfolded his fingers as if counting something, then soon smiled broadly and nodded.

“Next time we meet, I’ll make sure you can call him ‘grandson-in-law’.”

“If you reveal your true colors in Luoyang, you’ll be swinging your halberd, not calling him grandson-in-law, but sending him next to Yuan Shu.”

“Hehe. Brother. As I always say….”

“If you don’t get caught, it’s fine?”

“Exactly!”

Clank.

“Even if you do get caught…our Dong Bai will take care of it, won’t she?”

Dong Zhuo wiped the peach juice off his hand with his mouth and smiled slyly.

“Is he the kind of man who would abandon or kill a woman he impregnated? If it works out, I would be like a father-in-law!”

* * *

Court.

“General Lü to be the Left Generalㅡㅡㅡ!!”

“No, to be the Grand Generalㅡㅡㅡ!!”

It was chaos.

“After setting our hearts on fire, how can you try to leave for Bingzhou!!”

“…….”

“If you really intend to leave for Bingzhou, trample over us and go!!”

“…….”

“General Lü.”

If only the ministers of the Cheongryu faction would run wild, I would trample them with the weight of a thousand pounds and fly away lightly.

“Is it not possible…?”

“…….”

“This humble disciple, no, I, humbly ask you.”

I was caught by the ankle.

“Master. Are you really going to Byeongju…?”

＜ Responsibility (1) ＞ End