NOVEL NEXT WORLD chapter 26
Chapter 26
＜ How far does Byungju go (1) ＞
December 189.
The emperor changed the era name to Yonghan (永漢) in autumn, but then changed it back to Zhongping (中平).
The rebellion of the Ten Attendants had ended, and the chaos that had been unsettling gradually subsided.
Why did they revert to the former emperor’s era name, Zhongping?
Perhaps it was to hide the fact that the rebellion of the Ten Attendants had caused chaos in the court, and that a ‘false emperor’ had briefly ascended the throne.
It will be recorded.
That Prince Liu Bian ascended the throne.
That he was deposed due to the tyranny of Empress Dowager He.
The previous chaos has ended.
From now on, a new era will begin.
190, the era name was changed to Chuping (初平).
A new era and a new year have dawned.
* * *
[Byungju Jinyang Fortress Government Office, Byungju Governor’s Office.]
“…….”
The man who became the new governor of Byungju last autumn, Sun Yu, remained silent as he glared at the bamboo slips piled high on his desk.
Every time he saw the poorly written characters on the bamboo slips, he felt the urge to rewrite them.
One of this year’s goals is to ‘formalize’ all the documents in the Byungju government office before the spring pacification.
Formalize.
To make into a clearly written document.
The bamboo slips are already official documents, so why use the word formalize?
It’s obvious.
Because these confidential documents contain secrets, but their writing could hardly be called ‘documents.’
“Damn it.”
Sunyu slumped into his chair in frustration.
“We’ve been had.”
No matter how he thought about it, they had been deceived.
“We should have looked not only at Luoyang but also at Byungju.”
The loyal governor he saw in Luoyang was still the same, but the figure he followed to Byungju revealed a very different side.
“I think I understand why Jungwon did that.”
Mentioning the name of a traitor could cost him his head, but Sunyu casually lifted his teacup.
“What is governance (治)?”
Sunyu asked.
The question echoed emptily in the room, with only the sound of swallowing tea in response.
“The most fitting form of governance (治) is governing a country (治國), which is the duty of the emperor.”
Sunyu answered with a frown.
“Ruling the world is the emperor’s task, but realistically, the emperor cannot govern the entire world. Thus, the emperor divides the land into provinces (州) and sends his deputies to each region, who are the provincial governors and magistrates.”
Still, the only response in the room was the sound of tea being swallowed.
“So what kind of place is Byungju? Although I have spent only three months, or even less, as the governor of Byungju, I can assert this: Byungju has become a nation (國) in the distant frontier, away from Luoyang’s gaze.”
Sunyu’s voice lowered.
“The people trust and follow a single general. He controls the water by opening channels and building reservoirs, and even…”
Sunyu stood up and reached towards the floor.
“Even controls fire, the fire energy (火氣). Is he the incarnation of King Yu or the Flame Emperor Shennong?”
Sunyu laughed exaggeratedly and looked somewhere.
Drip.
“…….”
“…….”
Only the sound of water could be heard.
“Hey.”
Sunyu turned his head to the side.
“Don’t just listen, say something.”
“…….Hmm.”
Bingzhou Governor’s office.
“Weren’t you talking to yourself?”
Across from Sunyu, in the corner, a man was sitting and sipping tea continuously.
“No, I was asking you a question.”
“I’m a guest.”
“The tea you’re drinking was bought with my salary, so either pay for the tea or give me an answer.”
“Young man, you’re quite strict.”
The man bent over and pretended to pat his back.
“Oh dear. As expected of a scholar from the imperial court, your expressions are so scholarly that this nameless guest doesn’t understand what you’re asking!”
“Mr. Jia Xu. Do you think I don’t know you?”
The nameless guest, Jia Xu, fiddled with the teacup and pouted.
“…What do you know about me?”
“I heard that Dong Zhuo wanted to appoint you as Colonel Director of Retainers under the Minister of War, but you declined.”
“……Declined, such a high-sounding word.”
Jia Xu, who had been laughing meaningfully at Sunyu’s answer, giggled and took his hand off the cup.
“Let’s talk in the Bingzhou style, like people who came to Bingzhou. Concise, simple, and clear.”
“…….”
“You called me a teacher, so as the elder, I’ll speak first. Lord Sunyu.”
Jia Xu tapped the table with his finger.
“Governance… Yes. Bingzhou has a small population, but it has come to resemble a nation. This is the perception of the people of Bingzhou that I’ve heard over the years….”
“The master of Bingzhou is neither Yuan Shao nor the new Governor of Bingzhou, but Lü Bu.”
“Exactly.”
Jia Xu turned towards Sunyu as if he found it amusing.
“Yuan Shao couldn’t stand that evaluation. To Yuan Shao, General Lü was just an illiterate warrior with only strength. He was also a young brat. How humiliating it must have been to hear that such a person was the king of Bingzhou? But what if such a brave warrior were loyal to him?”
“He thought that if Lü Bu was under him, he would become the king of Bingzhou. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Hehe. Asking when you already know everything. Jeongwon wanted to make a name for himself in the court, but he didn’t want to give up all the advantages of Byeongju.”
“So, you were trying to recommend Jangyang, that man, as the governor of Byeongju.”
Jeongwon to the court, his subordinate to Byeongju.
“He builds power in the court and sends his most trusted subordinate to Byeongju to lay the foundation for rebellion.”
If Jeongwon had secured a position in the court and risen to the same level as Dong Zhuo, the plan would have been perfect.
“The plan was perfect. Except for not being able to win over Lu Bu.”
“…….”
“And these bamboo slips also fundamentally came from General Lu.”
Gahu pointed to the scattered bamboo slips with his hand.
“I’ve reviewed the past ten years of Byeongju. You must know better since you grasped it through the accumulated documents. Just as you want to order new bamboo slips to neatly compile the haphazard records of the past ten years.”
“…….”
“Numerous failures and frustrations, attempts. But among them, there were certainly successful cases. These examples remain here. They have now become a custom. For example, if we discuss this ‘pure water’.”
Gahu tapped the ceramic bottle filled with tea water with his hand.
“No matter how much you boil it, the Yellow River water doesn’t clear up. There’s too much dirt. But General Lu, for ten years… no, even before he took office, he struggled to find clear water.”
“The method remains here… ha.”
Sunyu picked up a tattered bamboo slip.
It was so old that the string connecting the bamboo pieces was worn out, but it barely maintained its form as a bamboo slip.
“Charcoal, sand, gravel, stones, bigger stones. Filter and filter again. Then, over time, even muddy water becomes clear.”
Gahu slowly lowered his hand from top to bottom.
“No matter how dirty the water is, if you do this, it eventually becomes clean. If time is short, you just filter it again and again until it becomes clean.”
“…General Lu’s words?”
“Yes.”
Gahu pointed to the bamboo slip and continued.
“It requires a lot of time and equipment, but once you make charcoal, you can keep using it, right? The principle is just ‘keep filtering’.”
Gahu pointed outside the window.
“There are more trees than people in Byeongju, so you can get as much charcoal as you want.”
Gahu lightly shooed away a bug sitting by the window and picked up his teacup.
“It wasn’t long ago that Byeongju got such clean water. They collected rainwater in a place with little rain and filtered it as much as possible.”
It was just plain boiled water, with no tea fragrance at all.
“Probably now, if you were to pick the clearest water in the world, it would be the water here. I can guarantee it, having drunk water from the upper reaches of the Yellow River in Yangju.”
Transparent enough to see the bottom of the cup.
“Just drinking this makes you feel naturally healthier. If the elders from the court came here and drank this water, what else could it be but medicinal water?”
“…….”
“The reason the elders among the aristocrats of Bingzhou stayed here was all because of this. Staying here would extend their lifespan by at least ten years. Hehe.”
“I agree.”
“Last year. When His Majesty was still the King of Jin.”
Jia Xu carefully opened his mouth.
“His Majesty once went to General Ye’s camp to learn archery and received this medicinal water from General Ye.”
“What…!!”
“Fortunately, His Majesty just thought it was ‘good water.’ General Ye also just thought he was offering something good to His Highness who was sweating.”
“Ah, ugh….”
Xun Yu grabbed his head, looking dizzy as if he had recalled something.
“If the method of making this medicinal water had spread to Luoyang…!”
“General Ye wouldn’t have been able to cross the Yellow River back then. Whether alive or dead. Hehe.”
“……Does anyone else know?”
“No. Luckily, it passed without incident. I also drank the water diligently as a guest when I visited there. Every time I went, I drank the water, feeling the pressure. Haha!”
Xun Yu sighed in relief.
“Didn’t you tell His Majesty the meaning contained in this clear water….”
“Neither the person involved nor His Majesty knew. But the meaning contained within it is held by General Ye, and His Majesty would have realized it too.”
“How?”
“If the water gets dirty, you filter it again and again until it becomes clean. Until the last clean water comes out. Even if….”
Jia Xu pointed at Xun Yu and smiled.
“Even if it’s water that has washed away filth.”
“…….”
“In that sense, Lord Xun Yu. Let me ask you. Do you intend to present that to the court?”
Jia Xu squinted his eyes and asked.
“Although it’s a tributary, the water Bingzhou is using now is part of the Yellow River. They are using clean water from the Yellow River. General Ye probably doesn’t know what this means. Even now.”
“Indeed. If he knew…ha.”
Xun Yu put down the bamboo slip and covered his face with one hand.
“Master Jia Xu.”
“Speak.”
“The moment any of these enter Luoyang, this place will become a site of treason.”
Sun Yu pointed to the other bamboo slips.
“Everything here challenges the Emperor’s authority. The Emperor may be young and unaware, but this can be interpreted as treason. It’s like hiding the secrets of flood control.”
“Is that why Jingyuan died?”
“…….”
“Jingyuan hid this. The fact that we are seeing this here for the first time is proof. He harbored treasonous intentions. He was a true traitor.”
At Jia Xu’s words, Sun Yu closed his eyes tightly.
“If General Ye knew his actions challenged the Emperor’s authority, he would have stopped, even if it was inconvenient. Am I wrong?”
“I admit it. If General Ye knew this was disloyal and unfilial, he would have either given up on the clear water or willingly revealed it.”
“If Jingyuan had presented this to the Emperor, its interpretation would have been left to the court officials. In the history books, it would have remained as the Emperor’s benevolence, and General Ye, who found this method, would have been executed for fear of treason.”
“Indeed.”
“So, are you writing a new one to send now? Here, someone who can clean the Yellow River, which even the Emperor couldn’t control.”
“…Not at all.”
Sun Yu shook his head firmly.
“This is just being reorganized for the convenience of the Bingzhou Governor, not to show anyone. It would be better to destroy it.”
“Indeed. Jingyuan must have thought the same. If he thought someone else would enter this place, he wouldn’t have left even the bamboo slips. As far as I remember… Jingyuan, haha.”
Jia Xu lightly laughed, tapping his temple with his finger.
“Anyway, why do you think General Ye called you here? No, to be precise, why do you think he appointed you as the Bingzhou Governor?”
“…….”
“To gather everything here and spread it across the world? To become the Emperor himself? …Hmm.”
Jia Xu cleared his throat and lowered his voice as much as possible so others wouldn’t hear.
“Our General Ye isn’t that deep-minded. It’s a good thing.”
“If he was so cautious, he should be careful with the Emperor, why are you cautious when dealing with General Ye?”
“There’s a saying in Bingzhou. Birds hear the words of the day, and Lü Bu hears the words of the night.”
“…I admit he has excellent hearing. But I don’t think someone a day away would hear it.”
“What if General Ye’s people relay it? All of Bingzhou is General Ye’s people.”
“…….”
“And General Ye is a general of this country. You are also the Bingzhou Governor of this country.”
Jia Xu filled the cup with water once again.
“I don’t want to be falsely accused as a traitor and die. I want to live out my life peacefully, without suffering until the end.”
“…….”
“General Yeo is the king of Byeongju. Although General Yeo himself doesn’t think so, all the people of Byeongju follow him like a king behind his back.”
Gahu stretched out one hand.
“Some for their own safety. Some for their own benefit. Some to repay a favor. Some to help out of goodwill. Some, well… hehe.”
He folded all his fingers and pointed that hand at Sunyu.
“As a result, everyone in Byeongju now has one thing in common.”
“They must protect General Yeo from the world.”
“If it weren’t for the frontier, there would have been chaos.”
“…….”
“And conversely, because it’s the frontier, it has been possible to hide it until now. Lord Sunyu, do you know why the governance of Byeongju has not been known to Luoyang until now?”
“Because it’s the frontier?”
“Once you cross Hane County, it’s immediately Byeongju. No. It’s all because of selfishness.”
“Selfishness…?”
“Afraid of losing the clean water.”
Gahu filled his cup and emptied it in one gulp.
“Afraid that the high officials of Luoyang would take it away immediately if they knew. Afraid that they would all be accused of treason and killed. Afraid that the blood spilled in the clean water would mix, turning Byeongju into a sea of blood.”
“…….”
“Well, do you want a positive interpretation? Fine. Then let’s say it’s loyalty and righteousness to protect General Yeo, who achieved the governance of Byeongju.”
Gahu pretended to cover one eye with one hand, then dusted off his clothes and stood up.
“Hehe. Then I will take my leave. I have something to do now-“
“Teacher.”
Sunyu blocked Gahu’s way.
“Are you planning to stay here for a short time, or for a long time?”
“……Speak in Byeongju’s way.”
“Are you planning to just take the sweet water and leave, or stay in Byeongju until you die?”
“Now you sound like a true Byeongju magistrate. Hehe.”
Gahu lightly patted Sunyu’s shoulder with his hand.
“Until now, I have only seen the trees, but here, I am seeing the forest with the energy of nature as my companion.”
“…….”
“Although I only sought immediate benefits and self-preservation, now, even if I just follow someone’s back, won’t immense wealth and glory follow?”
“Sir. Then in Bingzhou-“
“But that doesn’t mean I plan to stay in Bingzhou forever. You feel the same way… don’t you?”
Sun Yu swallowed momentarily.
“Bingzhou is a good place. But to embrace General Ye… no.”
Gao Hu lowered his voice more than ever.
“To embrace the Emperor, it’s too small a place.”
“…Who are you talking about?”
“Well? Isn’t it obvious I’m talking about the current Emperor?”
Gao Hu turned sideways and stepped out the door.
“Goodness. I should speak like a Bingzhou person, but I can’t break the habit of those who have tasted ink.”
“Don’t change.”
“What?”
“Because you speak like that, I serve you tea.”
Sun Yu pointed to the office with only two chairs.
“If it weren’t for you, there would only be Bingzhou people here, and it wouldn’t be fun to talk, would it?”
“Really? Then, shall I speak like a Luoyang person?”
Gao Hu closed the door and waved his hand.
“Bingzhou is good, but Luoyang is better. If Luoyang becomes as clean as Bingzhou, wouldn’t it be nice to stay in Luoyang? Hahaha!”
Creak.
The door closes.
Left alone in the office, Sun Yu quietly closed his eyes.
“……I need people.”
His slowly opened eyes gazed at the bamboo slips piled up to the floor.
“People who will stay here while sharing the grand cause.”
Was he talking to someone who had left?
Or was he talking to himself?
“Who would be good….”
Sun Yu stared intently at the seat of the Bingzhou governor where he had risen, lost in thought.
“Well, more than that….”
The empty seat of the Military Governor of Bingzhou.
“First, it’s important to know where the master of Bingzhou is.”
Sun Yu approached the desk in the office.
“I understand why Jeong Won has gone mad.”
Goo goo goo.
At the sound of the urgent soldier running, Sun Yu picked up the ceramic bottle filled with water.
“Report! General Ye…!”
“Where has she gone this time?”
“Ah, that, well.”
The messenger, who came to report, clasped his hands together, flustered by Sun Yu’s calm demeanor.
“Chasing the Baekpajeok, all the way to Hanei County in Sayeju….”
“…….”
Sun Yu lightly raised the cup and drank the water.
“Who is the deputy following the general?”
“…There is none.”
“…No one?”
“……Yes.”
“……What about General Jang Liao?”
“Well.”
The soldier closed his eyes tightly and continued.
“Before starting the construction of the mountain road leading down to Sayeju, he went out with a few cavalrymen to patrol the reservoir, and discovered the scouts of the Baekpajeok, allies of the Heuksanjeok…!”
* * *
Running, and running again.
“General, already from Bingzhou…!”
“I know!”
There are less than ten soldiers following behind, but I urged my horse and kept running.
“Don’t let them escape!”
I don’t have a bow, but I always carry my halberd.
“Aren’t they fleeing to Hanei County now!”
Front.
“Before hiding in the snow-covered winter mountains, I will catch them and find the location of Baekpagok!”
The fleeing thief.
“Stop right there––!!”
“If I stop, you’ll kill me, you mad dog of Byeongju!!”
“I’ll kill you with one stroke, so stop quietly!!”
“aaah!!”
About a few hundred.
“I’ll slice you without pain!”
We are now chasing the minions of Baekpajeok.
“We have left our jurisdiction!”
“Now!! There!! Isn’t that a thief!!”
Jurisdiction?
“Just kill them all first, then we can hand over the results!!”
It’s a matter to discuss after killing the thieves.
“Chase them! There, that guy!”
The leader of the fleeing thieves.
“Han Seom, chase that guy!!”
Han Seom.
One of the subordinates who once came under the garden.
“General! If we keep going like this, we’ll reach Hanae?!”
“Whether it’s Hadong or Hanae, isn’t all this land the Emperor’s land!”
Ahead.
There is a thief.
“There are thieves on the Emperor’s land, what does jurisdiction matter!!”
And I do not miss the thief.
“They have stolen the water to be sent to the Emperor!!”
* * *
“After the sweep, return.”
“But, it’s Sa Yeju….”
“Sa Yeju.”
Sunwoo shrugged his shoulders.
“Maybe it will be incorporated into Bingzhou, so you can rest assured.”
“…What?”
“The Emperor wants to be closer to General Yeo. Saeyejoo will be divided around the Yellow River, and Luoyang and Bingzhou will be closer across the Yellow River.”
Sunwoo pointed outside.
“It’s just a matter of order. What procedures matter in the face of the greater good?”
“…….”
“And.”
Sunwoo laughed nonchalantly.
“If you accumulate anger over such things, it will become a garden.”
“……!!”
“Tell those in the military camp to support General Yeo. Jurisdiction?”
Sunwoo shook his head while maintaining his smile.
“Where the General is, that is Bingzhou.”
＜ Where Does Bingzhou End (1) ＞ End