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

Chapter 33

＜ No Rest (2) ＞

[At that moment, inside the Samaga clan’s estate – a secret room.]

A dark space illuminated only by candlelight.

“…There is an ‘inn’ in Byeongju. You know this, right?”

“I know. It’s something like a post station that has recently started in Byeongju.”

“I will transfer the operating rights of the Hanaegun Inn to the Samaga clan.”

Gahu, a tall elder even taller than Leopo, took out a letter from his robe and unfolded it in front of Samajun.

“This is a letter personally written by Byeongju’s governor, Sunyu.”

“Mm.”

Samajun immediately opened the letter.

“A fine hand. Sunyu. His courtesy name was indeed Gungdal. The grandson of the governor of Gwangneung… if I recall correctly. The handwriting seems familiar.”

The letter was made of several sheets of expensive paper, each containing different content.

“Interesting.”

After quickly scanning all the contents, Samajun said,

“Since you come from Byeongju, treat it according to Byeongju’s customs.”

He carefully folded the paper again and placed it in a box he had taken out beside him.

“The operating rights of the inn. We will take charge. We will send someone from our clan to ensure that no one touches this inn. It will be managed much more rationally and stably than by others.”

“Thank you for your swift decision.”

“Not at all. The Samaga clan has already benefited from General Ye’s grace. The complicated calculations are already complete. All that remains is for us to smile and shake hands.”

“…….”

“Impressive, you are. To hide your true feelings behind such a smile at your age.”

“I am but a mere whelp, having lived not even half your years, sir.”

“Haha. Such humility.”

Sama Jun lightly tapped the table with his hand.

“Though the relay system has existed since the era of the Zhou dynasty, I never imagined it could be organized in this way.”

“Have you ever visited Bingzhou directly?”

“Never. I’ve only heard rumors.”

“You would be surprised to learn that there is a place to rest every few miles.”

Gahu stroked his beard and smiled faintly.

“Since General Ye was appointed, they say inns have been established everywhere.”

“Not exactly common terminology. To think even Sama Jun finds it unfamiliar. Inns.”

“I’ve heard it was a term given by General Ye’s mentor.”

“Do you know who that is?”

“Regrettably, only speculation.”

“…I see.”

Sama Jun gazed vacantly at the word ‘inn’ in the letter.

“I often use inns when I travel through Bingzhou as well. They created places for officials and travelers to rest along the way. A merchant with the surname Zhang collaborated with his peers to establish ‘Seppyeong Inn’ along the roads leading to Bingzhou.”

“Not just a simple resting place.”

Sama Jun rose from his seat.

“Perhaps a mere traveler would not know, but if officials or messengers are waiting, information would surely be transmitted much faster than now.”

Gahu flinched slightly at the imposing figure, but Sama Jun continued, sweeping his hand across the walls of the secret chamber.

“Though the current facilities are limited in terms of lodging and meals, if we expand the infrastructure, it will undoubtedly grow in scale.”

As he pulled back the curtain hanging on the wall, a map of Hanei County was spread wide before them.

“If inns are densely established, travel will become that much quicker. In many ways.”

A map that might be far more intricate than the one in the Hanei County office.

“The world will become even faster. I understand now what the core of the changes Bingzhou has shown is.”

“Yes. Above all, it is something that can only happen in Bingzhou.”

“…Because it is safe.”

Sama Jun nodded heavily.

“The funds for the inns to be established in Hanei County will be prepared by our family. Inns. Can you protect them?”

“The elite soldiers of Byeongju will guard the inn of Hanaegun. Though it is an inn, it will soon become the barracks for the sentinels. Since Hanaegun will become Byeongju.”

“Is it permissible for a military facility to engage in private commerce?”

“Surely, it cannot be the soldiers who buy and sell food, or provide lodging, can it?”

Gahu rose and clasped his hands toward Samajun.

“In Byeongju, that task was handled by the noble families of Byeongju and the refugees coming from outside.”

“Refugees?”

“They were allowed to stay at the inn and work, and they were made to till the fields around it.”

“Ah….”

Samajun chuckled with his hands behind his back.

“Gahu. There is a blind spot in this entire plan. You are aware of it, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Answer me. If your answer is correct, I shall align with your and Sunyu’s intentions.”

“If General Yeo falls, everything will collapse.”

Clap, clap, clap.

“Exactly. If General Yeo disappears, we will return to the previous Byeongju, just as it was when Jeongwon was in charge.”

At Gahu’s response, Samajun applauded.

“When building a structure, no matter how sturdy the pillars are, it will crumble if built on sand.”

“Currently, General Yeo is supporting that structure.”

“When General Yeo is gone, is there anyone to take her place?”

“Not yet.”

“…….”

“However, as long as General Yeo is alive and continues to live, that structure will remain firm even on sand. I, Gahu, wish to prepare a rock to replace the general while she supports it.”

“The rock of Hanaegun will be you, Samaji.”

“……Heh heh.”

Gahu and Samajun’s gazes met.

“Gahu Gong.”

“Yes, elder.”

“My grandsons are quite remarkable. Especially the second one, he has the greatest ambition.”

“By second, you mean….”

“Samai. Would you consider taking him under your wing?”

“Is that the condition?”

“It’s not a demand. Hahaha.”

“…Many literati will gather in Byeongju. Governor Sunyu is sending messages everywhere. I will nurture them together with you.”

“Good. Then let’s discuss this inn a bit more….”

Tap, tap, tap.

The wall reverberates.

Gahu quietly swallowed his tea, while Samajun furrowed his white brows and trembled his hands.

“About the inn—”

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

“I told you not to interrupt when important matters are being discussed…!”

Samajun strode toward the wall and struck a wooden device hard with his hand.

“I warned you, yet you couldn’t hold back!!”

Bang—!

As the wooden block was pushed inward, the sound of the secret room’s bookshelf sliding aside followed.

“What’s all this commotion!”

“Your, your grace! It’s….!!”

Outside the door stood a man drenched in sweat.

“I told you not to disturb me while receiving guests unless it’s an incident comparable to the Ten Sangs’ Rebellion!”

“It’s that serious!”

“……?”

“Ah, this is quite something. Elder.”

Gahu quietly stood up and covered his mouth first.

“It seems there’s been another incident in the court?”

“…….”

“You decided to share a boat with Byeongju. What will you do? Should I withdraw, or….”

“Speak plainly.”

“Ha, as you wish.”

“We are their people now. No, I suppose we should say we are their people now. So speak. Quickly.”

At Samajun’s words, the servant glanced at Gahu but soon unfolded a piece of bamboo slip from his bosom.

“Oh, this morning….”

Something made not of letters, but of symbols.

“Dong Zhuo has captured and imprisoned Yuan Shu.”

* * *

Here, let’s turn back time for a moment.

To the assassination of Hanjin, the chaos of the Ten Regular Attendants, the ascension of Jik Geum-o in the garden, and Dong Zhuo’s rise to power.

There was one person who had to be mentioned in the turmoil of the imperial palace.

– What on earth was the commander of the palace guards doing?

A being that should commonly be referred to as the ‘Imperial Guard.’

– Was the palace not attacked? Did the current emperor not flee the palace during the reign of King Jin? Was there not an attempt to use someone from Bingzhou as Jik Geum-o to protect the palace?

What on earth was the leader of the army doing that the palace was attacked, and that Dong Taohou had to move to keep the emperor safe by having a military officer from Bingzhou stay in the palace?

– Where on earth was he, and what was he doing!

It’s simple.

The commander of the palace guards, who should have been protecting the palace, colluded with the forces of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, who attacked the palace.

“Graaah!!”

Here, he is.

“What are you doing! Can you not hear my words!”

A young man, trapped inside a cage, clutched the bars with his hands and shouted wildly.

“Do you not hear the words of Yuan Gonglu!! How dare you imprison me here?!”

The man, once the commander of the palace guards, had a face flushed with rage.

“To imprison me, the eldest son of the Three Dukes, Yuan Shu, here! Are you mad? Do you wish to die so desperately!!”

His red face was not solely due to being locked up here.

“Grrr, ugh…!”

Perhaps it was also because he had drunk too much.

“Hey! Bring me water, water…! I said I am thirsty now!!”

His drunken antics were utterly disgraceful, yet the soldiers standing outside the bars merely averted their gazes from Yuan Shu.

“You! I have my eyes on you! Yes, Dong Zhuo, you pig’s minions!!”

“Your words are too harsh, Lord Yuan.”

A bearded man standing among the soldiers spoke with his arms crossed.

“You! How dare you speak of safety in front of me!! How dare you imprison me! I will kill you all and have your heads displayed outside the city gates tomorrow! How dare you speak of safety!”

“You killed the person sent by my lord.”

“Ha! Did I kill him?! It was my subordinate who did!”

“…Since you ordered the killing, it’s as if you did it yourself.”

A bearded man stood in front of the iron bars.

“Why did you kill him? Moreover, it was by poison. The poison of the beast… the beast’s poison.”

“What nonsense! My subordinate poisoned him? Ha ha! If I wanted him dead, I would have beaten him to death, do you think I would resort to poison? I am the legitimate heir and eldest son of the Daewonga, Wonsul!”

“You’re not the eldest son, are you?”

“Shut your mouth, you b*stard!”

At the words of Lee Yu, Wonsul slammed the iron bars and shouted.

“Who says I’m not the eldest son! To call someone born of a lowly servant’s womb the eldest son of the Daewonga?! I’ll burn that beard and sew your mouth shut! The legitimate heir of the Wons is me!!”

“Well, well. You certainly have a sharp tongue.”

Lee Yu stepped back as if in shock, but a sardonic smile lingered on his lips.

“Listen, Wonsul. You have just poisoned a man from the Taewi Department.”

“Poisoned? You think I wouldn’t know that you sent someone to provoke me and set up this farce of poisoning to frame me?”

“…Heh heh heh. That’s the most absurd thing I’ve heard.”

Lee Yu covered his mouth with his hand, but his eyes, narrowed like threads, were clearly laughing.

“The important thing is that the great—magnificent heir and eldest son of the Wons family was drinking heavily in front of everyone, got into a fight, beat him half to death, and then, as if that wasn’t enough, poisoned him to finish the job. And not just any man from the Taewi, but an official working in the Taewi Department.”

“Ha! Do you think that makes any sense? Heh heh, it was you who did this, wasn’t it? It’s obvious that a fool like you would be behind it! So what? He brought it upon himself!”

Wonsul raised his head defiantly and shouted.

“How dare you compare me to the son of a concubine in front of me! He deserves to die!”

“Oh dear, oh dear. It seems that son of a concubine has more filial piety than you.”

“Shut up!! How long are you going to keep bringing up the fact that I mourned for three years twice? Even tea leaves would be begging to be put to rest by now!”

“…For a lifetime, no, even after death, it will be a topic of discussion. At that level.”

“Even if you tell me to shut up!!”

“Heh heh, I understand. But let me make one thing clear.”

Lee Yu clasped his hands behind his back and spoke.

“The moment the sun rises, Dong Taewi will accuse you. Wonsul of the Wons family has brutally beaten and poisoned a man from the Taewi Department, and for this, you will be held accountable….”

Swish.

“With your dismissal, let’s execute you to restore justice.”

“What, what did you say!!”

“The one who guards the palace attacks the palace, and as the commander of the cavalry, he drinks in the marketplace and gets into a fight. Oh dear. Why didn’t you just accept Dong Taewi’s proposal? If you had, you could have risen to the position of General and received favorable treatment.”

“Shut up, you b*stard!!”

“Haha. Still, you don’t understand? The fact that we have imprisoned Lord Yuan Shu here means… someone has already drawn their sword.”

“Ugh, ugh! Ugh…!!”

Yuan Shu lowered his head beneath the iron bars.

Something plopped down beneath him.

“Tsk. Hey, look. Lord Yuan Shu desires water. Go fetch him a glass of cold water.”

“W-w-water…!”

Yuan Shu reached out his hand.

“Add honey to it…! Boil it, and bring it warm enough for a sip…!”

* * *

“Teacher Gahu? The person next to you is….”

“Lord Samabang’s father, Elder Samajun.”

“Ah, nice to-“

“General. Report. Urgent news. Dong Zhuo has captured Yuan Shu.”

“…There’s no time to leisurely sip tea.”

I set down the warm tea I had brewed.

“Dong Zhuo has taken hold of someone named Yuan Shu.”

Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu.

A name I recognize.

Certainly a person from the Yuan family, one of those who had criticized Yuan Shao for the hardships faced by Empress Dong during the Incident of the Ten Regular Attendants.

“Not Yuan Shao? Yuan Shu… was he Yuan Shao’s younger brother…?”

“To be precise, they are half-brothers.”

Samajun replied, pressing his fingers against his temples.

“Yuan Shao is older but the son of a concubine, while Yuan Shu is younger but the son of the legitimate wife.”

“The son of a concubine is the elder, and the legitimate son is the younger? Quite tangled.”

“Indeed. Moreover, in terms of external power, Yuan Shao is currently more dominant.”

“But why would such a person be captured by Dong Zhuo….”

I can guess.

“To weaken Yuan Shao’s power by capturing his half-brother—”

But this isn’t the right place to discuss it.

Beneath Samarang, the children had not yet left their seats.

“Thank you, Elder Sama, for sharing valuable information with this Yeop.”

I bowed to the elder, Sama Jun, who had promptly informed me of the news from the court.

“Haha, you don’t need to go that far.”

Even if I were to send the children away, courtesy comes first.

It’s the first time I’ve seen someone taller than me in the Central Plains.

Yet, this elder has surely surpassed seventy this year?

Even if he claims to relay events from the court, he is a powerful figure with a network capable of delivering news within a day?

He shared information with me that even those in Byeongju have yet to grasp?

“I will not forget the favor shown by the Sama family.”

He must have informed me quickly, hoping I would act on the information, but I am simply grateful for the high-level intelligence he provided.

“Favor, you say. Haha. If every time something like this happens, you call it a favor, how could I ever repay it all? Since we have decided to go together, it is only right that we do what must be done. My son.”

“Yes, Father.”

Sama Jun reached out to the head of the family, Sama Bang, who was conversing with me.

“We will share our network of information with General Ye.”

“Father…!”

“The decision of General Ye will soon be the decision of Byeongju, and it will be the decision of our family. General Ye.”

Sama Jun clasped his hands together and bowed his head.

“I have already spoken with Lord Gahu, but I will cut to the chase and ask you just one thing.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“If the Sama family stands with General Ye, will you protect the Sama family?”

The news from Luoyang is undoubtedly urgent.

Yet, Sama Jun is a family elder.

Having lived through many years, the time given to the elder is exceedingly short.

Which side is urgent?

At least in this moment, the priority is clear.

“Since a young man from the Sama family has already been appointed to work in Byeongju, he will receive the treatment he deserves.”

“As he deserves.”

Sama Jun smiled broadly.

“Good. As long as we demonstrate our capabilities, you won’t say a word about enjoying power, will you?”

“Ability and performance must be accompanied by appropriate results.”

Sama Jun hopes that the Sama clan will continue to enjoy wealth and honor in Byeongju.

Even after his death, he wishes for the prestige of the Sama clan to be passed down to future generations.

“Haha. What if our Sama clan becomes not just a mere county official, but a higher-ranking official altogether?”

“Whether it’s the provincial governor or the provincial magistrate, or even beyond that, what does it matter if one has the ability and achieves results?”

Even a viper can be tamed.

As much as the noble families desire to enjoy wealth and honor, I, who have already dealt with many noble families, cannot be at a loss.

“If one is not a beast that harbors treachery, seeks to overturn the world, plunders the people, and commits evil, then anyone, as a human, can widely showcase their abilities for the sake of others.”

“What if the purpose is not to benevolently care for the people?”

“If the actions reflect that, then it doesn’t matter whether the purpose is wealth and honor or personal advancement.”

“……I understand.”

Sama Jun nodded vigorously and scanned the room.

“Only the room and the hall remain….”

“Grandfather!”

Before Sama Jun could say anything, a delicately featured boy raised his hand.

“I want to listen too!”

“You are too young.”

“However! I understand the situation!”

The way he spoke to his grandfather, who was also the family elder, was quite audacious.

“Well, first….”

“Grandfather! Though my body is small, my mind—”

“Children should not interrupt when adults are speaking.”

So I tried to grab the boy’s head and turn his body—

“…Huh.”

“Ahhh!! Ah, ah!!”

From noble mtl dot com

Like a scene from a horror movie, where a broken doll can only turn its head, his neck twisted backward while his body remained intact.

“It hurts, ahhh!”

“I’m sorry. It turned more than I expected.”

“Ugh, cough, huff…!”

The boy clutched the back of his neck in agony.

“Ugh…!”

“The adults have asked you to step back out of consideration. A child should grow up seeing only clean things until they become an adult; they shouldn’t be exposed to this filthy adult world too early.”

“……Then.”

The boy, the second son of the Sima family, defiantly raises his head at me.

“Does that mean once I become an adult, I can wade into that filthy adult world?”

“Indeed!”

“As much as you want. If you are prepared for it, that is.”

In this world, there are many beasts wearing the guise of humans, and when you strike down those beasts, you are bound to get dirty.

“To clean up the filth, someone must endure the stench.”

“……Understood, General.”

Sima Yi bowed, hands clasped together as if in prayer.

“I will take my leave now.”

Once Sima Yi departed, only then did the younger siblings leave their seats in hurried steps.

“I apologize, General. The second son is quite audacious…”

“It’s alright, Head of the Family.”

Sima Fang was flustered and at a loss, but isn’t that how children of that age tend to be?

‘They are at that age of growth.’

Everyone goes through a tempestuous phase in their youth.

How one navigates that time can determine whether they become a true adult or merely a child in adult’s clothing.

“Then, we must head to Bingzhou… No, to Luoyang.”

In this situation.

“If Dong Zhuo aligns with Yuan Shao, there will be bloodshed in Luoyang once again.”

I openly provoked them.

“Even if Yuan Shao tries to protect Yuan Shu, he will be compelled to fight, and even if he seeks to eliminate Yuan Shu this time… that doesn’t align with his public image.”

Just as the Sima family harbors hidden fangs for their clan, Yuan Shao is someone who works for the Yuan family.

“Dong Zhuo’s capture of Yuan Shu is aimed at striking the Yuan family. Master Guo, am I correct?”

“Yes. Perhaps… the preparations have been secretly underway since the moment you went to Baipao Valley, General.”

“Sigh…”

While dealing with the bandits.

“Is he truly going to go so far as to monopolize that paltry power? Ha.”

Dong Zhuo has committed a grave act.

“Master, what do you think will happen to the court if the troops from Bingzhou move now?”

“We could prevent a battle, but the troops from Bingzhou have no justification to move.”

“Please restrain yourself. While it may be necessary, having 7,000 troops move without an imperial decree could be seen as treason.”

“Father, if it comes to that, Dong Zhuo could easily sway public opinion. Even if he has no intention of doing so, those around him will incite it.”

“…….”

Previously, there was the command of General Ha Jin.

Now, neither Ha Jin nor any general to issue such commands exists for us.

“Using the Heuksan bandits as a pretext…”

“It’s winter. How often do troops move in winter? Unless it’s a situation where one must raise soldiers regardless of the cold, like treason or rebellion.”

“……Then.”

There’s no other choice.

“This Lu Bu, I suppose I must become a filial son.”

To prevent the turmoil in the court from reaching its worst.

“What justification is needed for a son to visit his father? Isn’t that right, Master?”

“That is indeed a wise statement.”

“Exactly.”

I just need to head to Luoyang.

Children may hesitate at unexpected visits from their parents, but…

“Master Gahu, I entrust you with the follow-up.”

Parents, even if surprised by an unannounced visit from their child, do not shy away.

“I will head to Luoyang at once.”

＜ No Rest (2) ＞ End