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

Chapter 44

＜ The Calm Before the Storm (1) ＞

Movement is light.

Landing is even lighter.

‘Fortunately, no one knows.’

The night in Luoyang is brighter than expected.

It’s a time when people should be asleep, yet in some places, candles flicker, and there are those drinking late into the night.

However, it is not easy to notice a shadowy figure darting between buildings with eyes wide open.

Let alone if it were a country trained in this manner.

‘It’s not as difficult as I thought.’

In Byeongju Jin Yangseong, there were so many sharp-eyed individuals that I had been caught a few times, but in Nak Yangseong, there was none of that.

‘Perhaps it’s because there aren’t any in the castle of Yangju County.’

If the wolves had been glaring with their keen eyes, I would have been caught.

However, it seemed that Dongtak was hesitant to let such night-seeing wolves into the capital, so he had called in suitably trained soldiers to patrol the city.

Clack.

As I stepped on the roof, the old part of it sagged slightly.

I had tried to be as careful as possible, but the age of the structure couldn’t support my weight.

“Huh?”

“What was that sound?”

Two soldiers on patrol turned their heads left and right.

Though they were clinging to the roof of the building, they didn’t notice me.

“Hey. Didn’t you hear anything?”

“Probably just a bug. Let’s go.”

Right.

Just go.

Before trying another method.

“No, I definitely heard something! Could it be a thief?”

“A thief? Really now.”

“Could it be that assassin the Grand Commandant asked us to find?”

Such unnecessary imagination.

The problem is that because of that imagination and concern, they are determined to confirm a situation that could have been passed over.

Thud—

I lightly leap and shadow the patrolling soldiers from behind.

Thwack.

Before they could sense my presence, they were struck from behind and fell over.

Stealth.

Silent movement.

There are no witnesses.

Drip, drip, drip.

I pull the two unconscious soldiers into a corner.

Then, I gather the necessary items from each of the soldiers’ belongings and dash back into the sparse darkness.

‘They’ll probably catch on.’

I knocked out the patrolling soldiers.

Naturally, if the next shift doesn’t arrive, they’ll find it strange, and the vigilance will naturally increase.

‘But by then, I’ll already be gone.’

They won’t easily believe that the woman, Yeobong-seon, knocked out the soldiers and escaped from the city of Luoyang in the dead of night.

– The gates weren’t even opened, so where could she have fled to!

Where to?

“Ha.”

Here, to the city walls.

I’ve already crossed into the inner city.

What lies before me now is the outer city.

The moment I cross the walls, the plains of Luoyang will unfold.

Clatter.

I tightly secure the Hwa-geuk to my back.

At the same time, I check the items I secretly gathered from Wang Yun’s house before coming here.

‘Safe.’

I’ve collected treasures from Wang Yun’s house that are more valuable than anything else.

I realized how helpful it is to have intentionally sewn inner pockets into my robe for moments like this.

‘Then I should get moving soon.’

I feel a bit sorry for those who will be repairing the walls later, but as long as the outer part of the wall remains intact, it doesn’t matter if the inside is slightly, just slightly, damaged.

Swish.

I pull out the two daggers I took from the guards.

There aren’t many who use daggers, but if there aren’t many, I can just keep looking until I find some.

‘Should I bring the tools from the military camp next time?’

There were tools I often used when crossing the walls at the military camp, but unfortunately, those items are at my home now.

“Ha….”

Let me know if you need anything else!

The walls are high.

The walls of Jin Yangseong are quite tall, but especially the walls of Nak Yangseong, as befits a large city, are two to three times that height.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t be climbed.

Thud.

I drive the dagger, held in reverse grip, into the wall.

Fortunately, it’s sturdy enough to hold, so I find a gap on the opposite side and drive the other dagger down like a thrust.

Thud, thud, thud.

The pace is a bit slow, but safe.

After all, at this hour, there’s no one here to check.

‘It’s easier than Jin Yangseong.’

There’s no need to throw spears at intervals like I did at Jin Yangseong, or to toss a rope-tied spear over the wall and climb up, or to grip the gaps in the cracked bricks and crawl up like a cliff.

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Thud, thud, thud.

I don’t have the climbing pickaxes I asked the blacksmiths of the garrison to make, but as long as my arms become the handles and the daggers the blades, that’s enough.

“……Huh.”

Whoosh.

The wind blows.

The walls of Nak Yangseong were higher than I expected, but the wind blew refreshingly as a result.

There are no soldiers around.

“…….”

If there are no eyes watching, isn’t it okay to act?

Inside Nak Yangseong, I had to be cautious in case someone saw me, but right now, there’s no need for concern.

“…….”

Still, it feels a bit off.

The height isn’t the problem, but I worry about the sound echoing around from the impact of falling.

‘Still lacking, I suppose.’

In martial arts, they fly through the air with ease.

If that were possible, I would have flown up here too.

Or I would have walked on water instead of crossing the Yellow River.

It’s not a lack of skill.

No matter how capable I am, there are things a human body can and cannot do.

Instead, I have no choice but to make the most of what can be done with this human body, this body.

Thud, thud, thud.

Just as I did when I ascended, I plunge the dagger down as I descend.

Step, step.

Footsteps are heard from the other side of the wall.

The sound of a soldier patrolling the ramparts, a misstep could easily lead to discovery.

‘Though the height is great, there’s nothing I can do.’

Even if I cling tightly, I could still be caught, so I lower the dagger from a suitable height.

“Ha…!”

The explosive device tied to my back is laid flat, and as I land, I quickly roll on the ground to break my fall.

“…….”

“…What was that?”

On the ramparts.

“Is it a cat?”

The soldier dismisses it casually and moves on.

“…Tsk.”

Though the dagger I couldn’t retrieve is still embedded in the wall, there’s no need for absolute stealth.

After all, my absence will be revealed by morning.

They will only need to understand that I slipped away from their ‘perception.’

Common sense dictates that soldiers will be suspicious.

Perhaps they were bribed to turn a blind eye while I escaped.

Or maybe they didn’t notice me disguised as a soldier, with their eyes glued to the ground.

Until that garden witnessed me climbing the wall, they were merely harassing their own subordinates.

“Ha.”

As long as no one knows how I got away before I’m caught, that’s all that matters.

‘Then, shall I start running?’

I may not be able to hover in mid-air, but I can certainly run at full speed.

The first step is light.

With the sensation of my entire body awakening, I send a signal to my whole being that I will ‘run’ from this moment on, and as I look ahead.

Ta-ang!

My body had already begun to run forward like an arrow.

* * *

[Dawn, Maengjin Port.]

“Ugh.”

Jang-sam, the porter who arrived at the upper reaches of Maengjin Port, clicked his tongue at the raging state of the Yellow River, just as he did every other day.

“Looks like it’s over.”

To make a living, one must climb mountains and walk on thin ice.

If only he could get a boat afloat, he could cross the Yellow River, even if it meant paying extra.

After all, the boatman is ultimately a merchant; if you offer a little extra, wouldn’t he be willing to take on some risk?

“They say money is more important than life, but when it comes down to it, the story changes when your life is on the line. Huh.”

The problem lies in the treacherous currents of this damned Yellow River.

Swoosh—!!

The current is swift.

As if the heavens are enraged, the water churns and rises in waves.

Only those who wish to end their lives or are overly reckless would dare to enter that.

“Crossing today is out of the question… huh?”

“Hmm.”

“…Huh?!”

Before he knew it, a person had appeared beside him.

“Wh-who are you?!”

“If you set out in a boat now, it would break apart in no time.”

The young man, who seemed to have a child of age to look after if he had married young, yet somehow appeared to be unmarried, made Jang-sam swallow hard.

“Of course! In this weather, if you set out in a boat, it would all be wrecked!”

“But the wreckage of that broken boat is drifting over there?”

The young man pointed at the debris on the water.

“That’s obviously what couldn’t be tied up at the dock in time!”

“Indeed. The broken pieces are floating down… hmm, hmm.”

The young man traced the drifting fragments of the boat with his hand.

His movements resembled someone sketching constellations, leaving Jang-sam bewildered by this suspicious young man’s actions.

“Hey, what are you doing—”

“Whoosh!”

The young man ran.

“What??”

He dashed forward, plunging straight into the rushing waters.

“What the…!!”

They say that if you get swept away by this current, even a corpse cannot be found—

“Whoosh!”

Just as he was about to speak, the young man stepped onto the wreckage of a ship and leaped high into the air.

“What now—”

“Whoa—!”

With a strange shout, the young man kept running.

His movements surged forward with a momentum that surpassed even the currents of the Yellow River.

Was the wreck heavier than he expected?

Or was it that the wreckage couldn’t bear his weight and sank before he could even push off the water?

“…Is he a deity?”

The young man’s figure grew distant.

He was already nearing the end of the Yellow River, his body preparing to land on solid ground.

Thud.

The young man stopped.

Then, without looking back, he began to walk slowly forward, gradually picking up speed until he was running.

“…….”

Can a human cross the Yellow River with just their body?

Yes.

A master swimmer could make it across if they were willing to risk their life.

But even that has its limits; to leap across without falling into the water amidst such a raging torrent?

“……What did I just see?”

Dawn.

“…Am I just sleep-deprived?”

He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, gazing at the Yellow River.

“……!!”

Swish—

The current gradually settles.

As if the turbulent Yellow River had calmed down thanks to someone stepping on it, the rapids slowly began to ease, and the flow started to slow.

“Ah…”

Jang-sam recalled.

If there was a characteristic of the young man he hadn’t properly seen, it was the silken hair that danced in the wind as he ran forward.

“Could it truly be that he is an immortal?”

Jang-sam clasped his hands together.

“Thank you, O Immortal! For allowing this Jang to conduct business today!!”

Thud.

A grasshopper leaped out in front of Jang-sam, its antennae twitching.

Jang-sam bowed his head as if to prostrate himself before the antennae of that grasshopper, which resembled hair fluttering somewhere.

* * *

[Morning, Bingzhou, Jinyang.]

Who is the master of Bingzhou?

In response to that question, the governor of Bingzhou, Sun Yu, could answer succinctly.

Liu Bei is the master.

Although Liu Bei had gone to Hanan after the Battle of Baipa, and then immediately to Luoyang, effectively being unable to return, even in his absence, Liu Bei exerted a formidable influence over Bingzhou in many ways.

Even in Liu Bei’s absence, his presence loomed large.

This was something Sun Yu, the governor of Bingzhou, understood all too well.

The people of Bingzhou tended to see him not as the new governor, but rather as a mere representative managing Bingzhou while Liu Bei was away in Luoyang.

It wasn’t a bad thing.

They treated him with a certain respect as their governor, and the trio of Song, Hou, and Wei assisted him at Liu Bei’s command, allowing him to accomplish much in his role.

And he had come to understand.

The true nature of Bingzhou.

The dangers that lay within it.

He had discovered why Zhengyuan had made such a choice, the reason behind it.

So he thought.

Once Liu Bei returned, he would discuss with him the dangers that Bingzhou harbored—matters that the world did not yet fully understand, but which could cause great alarm when they eventually came to light.

It was a matter that Liu Bei would need to address upon his return to Bingzhou, to make decisions and set a course.

No matter how much the Samas family operated a spy organization, this issue had to be handled within the confines of Byeongju Jin Yangseong.

When face to face, there was so much to discuss.

So many things: inns, post stations, military officials, academies, rehabilitation training centers, factories, and countless others.

There was indeed a lot.

“Did you say that the Byeongju army should be stationed in Luoyang?”

“That’s right.”

From the cart led by soldiers since morning, Yeopoh answered while lying down.

As someone from Byeongju, to put it in Byeongju terms, he had been brought in a cart used for transporting goods operated by the So-Sang Post.

“What on earth happened in Luoyang…?”

“We need the elite among the Byeongju army.”

As soon as Sunyu heard Yeopoh’s words, he pushed all the questions swirling in his mind to one side.

“Ah, I feel like I can breathe again.”

Not only did he drink cool water, but he even poured it over his head.

The thought of wasting water didn’t cross his mind, likely because Sunyu had become so immersed in Byeongju.

“General. Will you change your clothes and come? There’s so much to discuss.”

“It’s urgent. I need to return to Luoyang.”

“……How urgent is it?”

“Well, that is…”

Yeopoh was explaining.

Sunyu listened quietly to the situation in Luoyang.

“Indeed. I understand. The rebels will form an alliance centered around Yuan Shao, and Dong Zhuo, lurking behind, is a dangerous figure who could strike at any moment.”

“That’s correct.”

“How many from the Byeongju army do you need?”

“At least five thousand.”

Not a small number, but a short one.

“So, you need five thousand immediately, and potentially ten thousand or more in the long run.”

“That’s right.”

“Are you anticipating a prolonged conflict?”

“Rather than a prolonged conflict, it may be that the Byeongju army will need to remain stationed in Luoyang for an extended period.”

Sunyu looked in the direction of Yeopoh’s gaze.

“I didn’t want to stay in Luoyang, but if I have no choice but to stay, then it can’t be helped.”

It was just the floor, but Lü Bu’s eyes were not merely looking at the ground.

“Dong Zhuo would point his sword at me if I did not follow him. If he couldn’t overpower me, he would try to restrain me by taking hostages.”

Sun Yu could see it.

Where Lü Bu’s gaze fell, the land of Luoyang was already unfolding beneath them.

“I need three troops. Those who will take the place of the army stationed in the imperial palace. Those who will be permanently stationed at Mengjin Port. And….”

“The Hanei Army has already been deployed, General.”

“Oh.”

Lü Bu raised his head.

“Already?”

“I thought it would be necessary. Immediately after the Battle of Baikpagok, I deployed troops to the Hanei Army. Fortunately, the order for the administrative restructuring arrived at the same time as your command.”

Sun Yu took out a brush and pointed the tip toward the northern part of Luoyang that Lü Bu had envisioned with his eyes.

“There are three thousand soldiers on standby in the Hanei Army of Bingzhou. The ones managing this are Song Heon, Wei Suk, and Cheng Liang.”

“What about Hou Cheng?”

“He is currently staying in Zhenyang Fortress. That.”

Though the situation in Luoyang was urgent, it was also related to the circumstances in Luoyang.

“I was going to send the three to Hanei, but they all insisted that it absolutely cannot be done.”

One point that had to be resolved directly with Lü Bu while in Bingzhou.

“Song Heon, Wei Suk, and Hou Cheng. They all said that one of them must remain in Zhenyang Fortress. They did not provide details, but they refused to tell me, citing your orders as the reason.”

“Um. That is.”

“It’s fine. Considering your temperament, you probably intended to tell me after I became a complete Bingzhou person.”

Sun Yu pulled out a large wooden box and unfolded something wide made of leather.

Leather inscribed with characters in a scabbard, either sheep or horse hide.

“Is this the reason?”

“Yes.”

Lü Bu readily admitted it.

He wore an expression that seemed to say he had been ‘caught,’ but Sun Yu felt rather relieved by it.

“For some, this may appear as terrible evidence of treason.”

“…That would be so.”

“But conversely, one could say that the majesty of the Son of Heaven has spread even to that grassland.”

“Yes.”

At the word “prairie,” Yeopoo closed his eyes tightly.

“Song Hoo-wi, is the reason one of the three must remain in Jin Yang-seong to stop them?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Are they not the enemy?”

“The enemy has died and died again for over ten years. Those who remain… have either given up on being enemies or chosen to live as ‘friends’ instead.”

Soo-yu clenched his fists tightly.

“…Is it because one of the three must always be present to call upon them whenever needed? One of the generals who has made their acquaintance must be there.”

“That’s the case, yes. Originally—”

“The dealings and discussions with them were handled by Jeong-won. Of course, they only treated Jeong-won as their own, but they knew better than anyone who the true master of Byeongju was.”

“Mm.”

Yeopoo made a sour face.

“Are you going to report this?”

“Report?”

A gaze filled with concern for something other than himself.

“Jeong-won has secretly allowed these foreign people to remain in Byeongju.”

Soo-yu couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his gaze momentarily drifting outside the office.

“General. If even Jeong-won did not do that, how could I?”

“Teacher.”

“…As for those who have infiltrated Byeongju, we will follow the previous methods. Those who are suspiciously good at raising horses, or those who suspiciously bring salt and goods from afar.”

Soo-yu clasped his hands together and bowed his head.

“Nothing will change from before. The only change is that one of the Byeongju officials is working hard in the general’s way.”

“Teacher.”

“However, calling them for this battle—”

“They will not be called.”

“Excuse me?”

“The elite of Byeongju are not them. From the beginning, they are merely wanderers of the prairie, not formally incorporated into the military of Byeongju.”

What could Yeopoo be saying?

Soo-yu found himself unable to understand for a moment.

“True elite soldiers of Byeongju are different.”

“…Are you saying that there are already those who have been incorporated into the army?”

“That’s just a little over a hundred. They’ve already mingled with the cavalry.”

“Then you are referring to the likes of Seo Hwang and the old Baekpa faction?”

“Not them either.”

“Then…?”

“Seon-yu, perhaps this is the unit you can handle best.”

Me?

Seon-yu was momentarily baffled by the smiling behavior of Lu Bu.

“Follow me. I will show you what true elite soldiers are like.”

* * *

To be honest, I was genuinely worried.

It was true that I had invited the least concerning person as the Byeongju governor, but still, it was difficult to make a rash judgment about those in the northwest.

‘It was wise to leave Song Hu-wei behind.’

The three of them must have worked hard to persuade Seon-yu.

Ultimately, it could be said that ‘the Byeongju governor has gathered them.’

Until ten years ago, ‘barbarians’ like scholars or Xiongnu were rampant in Byeongju.

Now?

Just like Seo Hwang and others chose the path of humanity over banditry to blend into Byeongju.

Among them, there are those who have chosen trade and barter instead of plunder and slaughter.

Though they are but a tiny minority.

Still, that is not why I came to fetch them.

“Seon-yu, before coming to you, I had already given instructions to Hu-seong.”

“That’s fine.”

Seon-yu followed with a look that said he would understand and accept whatever I had to say.

“You summoned elite soldiers, didn’t you? Who are they? Are they perhaps just the cavalry of the Seonbi tribe? Or are they hundreds of warriors, each worth a hundred men, even if not as good as General Song Hu-wei?”

“Not at all.”

It seemed that when I mentioned ‘elite soldiers,’ Seon-yu was thinking of those boasting tremendous combat power.

“The elite soldiers I need in Luoyang are not them, but rather these.”

“……Hmm?”

Soo-yu was taken aback to see the true essence of the elite soldiers not in the training grounds, but elsewhere.

“Who are these…?”

“Soo-yu, do you understand why I call them the finest of our military?”

In a certain place in Jin-yang, men stood haphazardly.

“These are the very foundation that can make our military the strongest.”

They were not lined up like soldiers in neat rows.

They were not dressed in armor or military garb.

Among those gathered, there were even middle-aged men with injured eyes or ears, and elderly men with hunched backs, some missing an arm.

“The commander rejected my request to formally enlist them as soldiers. He said, how can those who cannot fight be soldiers?”

“General. These are….”

“Artisans.”

Some are skilled with wood, some with metal, and others with water.

And some are remarkably adept at laying roads.

“Once, there were those who fought alongside me on the plains against invaders, and though they cannot wield a sword, there are captains among them who excel in leadership.”

All of them have been the ones who transformed the military over the past decade alongside me.

They are the technicians who systematically reorganized and refined the facilities I had somehow created in my mind.

“If I were to formally integrate them, I would call them ‘engineers.'”

It’s not that there are no engineers at all.

But there are no formally organized—though not yet—specialized engineers like these.

The commander was more focused on cultivating cavalry than on these men.

“If we mobilize the labor of the regular soldiers under their direction, we could establish fortifications at least twice as fast.”

“Twice…!”

“It could even be more than that.”

Just because one eats from a sword does not mean they fight.

Those who eat sawdust, those who are covered in dust and splattered with molten metal, are also the ones who fight on the battlefield.

“What do you intend to do through them?”

“Nothing much. If I were to express it in a grand way.”

I pointed to the ground.

“The transformation of the military on the battlefield.”

“…….”

“On the land of Nakyang, we will establish facilities where our soldiers can fight with all their might.”

＜ The Calm Before the Storm (1) ＞ End