The Tiger of Jiangdong Awakens
At that moment, as the Tiger of Jiangdong retreated toward his homeland, Sun Jian let out a roar with every ounce of strength in his body.
"Kuaaaaaah!!!!"
It was a bellow that nearly ruptured his dantian.
He had lost his general Han Dang, along with countless warriors of Jiangdong.
And it was all because of Sun Jian's own greed. He had groveled to Yuan Shu, hoping to forge connections in the central plains, and picked a fight he shouldn't have.
"Han Dang!!!!"
The loss of Han Dang, who had followed him since his days as a nobody, filled Sun Jian with seething hatred for the situation.
Yet through Han Dang's death, Sun Jian gained a moment of enlightenment.
His body wasn't burning with the usual rage. Instead, his mind cooled to an icy clarity under the weight of that fury—a strange state indeed.
Thanks to that cold composure, Sun Jian realized what he had to do.
"Everyone. We return to Jiangdong and regroup the army."
Sun Jian issued the command to all.
"My lord…."
Huang Gai stared at him in shock.
"And then we strike Yuan Shu."
Sun Jian named his primary enemy without hesitation.
"No more sniveling to curry favor with the central powers for protection."
Sun Jian spoke in deadly earnest, raising the sword at his waist high.
"What more do we need with brothers like these in Jiangdong!!! I'll rise from the bottom here and claim my own empire!!!"
At last, the mere warlord Sun Jian had firmly set his ambitions on their path.
"M-my lord…."
His adjutant Cheng Pu gazed at him in admiration.
"After Yuan Shu!!! I'll crush Liu Bei of Xuzhou who killed my brothers!!! Huainan, Shouchun, Xuzhou!! All will fall into Sun Jian's hands!!!"
To aim for the throne meant choosing the harder path over the easy one.
"Hurry back, everyone!! There's much to do once we reach Jiangdong!!"
"Wooooh!!!"
"Ooooh!!!"
The men of Jiangdong erupted in cheers at Sun Jian's words.
'Again, fighting… again?'
Sun Quan watched with a hint of worry. Still young and soft, she couldn't fathom why people fought so madly.
'Xuzhou…. Wonder if Kim oppa's there.'
Sun Quan sighed, thinking once more of the curly-haired man who never left her mind. If her father clashed with Kim…. She just hoped Kim wouldn't die. That was her wish.
In any case, after the defeat in the campaign against Xuzhou, it was no exaggeration to say Sun Jian had finally shattered the shell of a mere warlord and taken flight.
Was it his inferiority complex from a lack of formal education that made him overly reliant on those with prestige? It had cost him many opportunities in life. Perhaps he'd harbored illusions about a man like Yuan Shu. But the moment he realized such things meant nothing, Yuan Shu's value plummeted in his eyes.
To Sun Jian, Yuan Shu was now little more than prey—nothing more, nothing less.
He would hunt Yuan Shu. Hunt Liu Bei. Hunt anyone who stood in his way. Sun Jian's outlook on life simplified, and in doing so, grew stronger.
On that day, the stray dog of Jiangdong truly awakened as its tiger.
Daily life in Xiaopei was far more leisurely than in Xuzhou.
"Teacher Jin. Need any help?"
First things first: head to the main citadel in Xiaopei to keep an eye on Chen Gong. That was my role—surveillance.
'Surveilling Lu Bu's forces was the main mission…. But surprisingly, Lu Bu shows no ambition.'
If she were actively recruiting troops in Xiaopei with burning ambition, I'd call Liu Bei for backup immediately. But Lu Bu did none of that.
'Kim. Caught a fine deer hunting today—wanna cook and eat it together?'
'Bet you don't have one of these. Sheath made from carved animal bone—here, for you.'
She'd drop by unannounced, chat me up. Nothing else. Just "let's eat" or "let's spar," over and over.
"Ah. Kim Gong."
Chen Gong sorted documents with a weary air.
"Just finishing tax records…. Now onto land documents…. Ahem. No need. I can handle it."
Chen Gong smiled through his fatigue, revealing nothing.
'No way…. Those piles of papers? He did all that?'
Experience as a county magistrate, perhaps. He had real administrative chops.
'Impressive talent.'
Even Cao Cao had eyed him for recruitment before trying to kill him.
"Mind if I skim the documents?"
I asked Chen Gong, wondering if he might pull some scheme.
"Huhu. Be my guest."
Chen Gong chuckled.
"But…. Can you even read?"
Chen Gong inquired.
"Heh. Enough to get by."
I skimmed the papers. Thanks to one-on-one lessons from Cai Yan, I could manage.
Intelligence: 41
Just reading bumped my intelligence EXP. Even trivial reading levels it up.
Standard admin docs. Nothing military.
"Enviable. My Fang is still piecing letters together."
Chen Gong sighed.
"Ahaha…."
I laughed awkwardly and set the papers down. No signs of plotting from Chen Gong. With Lu Bu dragging her feet on command, what could he do?
"Hubby. Off to Xuzhou today?"
When I mentioned my plans, Yonghwa sighed and asked.
"Yeah. Lessons with Cai Yan."
In this era, constant learning and training were key to survival.
"I love how you keep growing, hubby, but watch out for women like Cai Yan or Xiao Xian."
Bu Yonghwa warned.
"Huh? Think they'll assassinate me?"
I teased lightly.
"No!! You're rising fast now! Of course you gotta watch the women!! Few great men overindulged without ruin!"
Bu Yonghwa insisted.
"Don't worry, Yonghwa. I'll tag along this time."
Guan Yu declared, Green Dragon Crescent Blade in hand.
There was a meeting in Xuzhou—Liu Bei summoning available generals. Guan Yu planned to sit in on my lessons too.
"Kim. Horse and gear ready."
Mok Lan, my unofficial Ju Chang, reported. I was bringing her along. After our recent intimacy, affection for her boiled over. She just looked prettier lately.
"Alright, off to Xuzhou. Back by tonight."
I bid Yonghwa farewell with a reminder.
"Stay clear of those Xiliang types."
Trouble if she got too close to those barbarians.
"Got it, hubby."
Yonghwa giggled and hugged me.
And so I headed to Xuzhou for lessons. Riding hours just to learn letters—kinda badass?
At that hour, Cai Yong was crafting his life's masterpiece.
He'd always written poetry, the era's literary mainstay, but Cai Yong was a genius through and through. He pondered pioneering prose—a new meta.
Considering China's prose lit meta started in the Song Dynasty, Cai Yong was ahead of his time.
Inspired by the swordsman who'd saved him without agenda, Cai Yong wove Kim's tale into an epic saga.
Material and motivation aplenty, yet his writing faced interruption.
"Sigh…."
"Hm. Kim Gong seems quite busy."
Cai Yan and Cho Seon sighed openly, spirits sunk. No Kim.
'Women in their prime are so delicate….'
Seeing his daughter bask in spring's glow brought joy and bitterness to Cai Yong. Her bestie Cho Seon seemed smitten with Kim too—would their friendship survive a man?
Then.
"Teacher Cai. I'm here."
A familiar voice from afar lit up Cai Yan and Cho Seon, banishing gloom.
"Oh!! Kim Gong!!"
They bolted to the entrance like rivals.
But their joy dimmed slightly again.
Seeing Kim's wife Guan Yu and aide Mok Lan. Glad, jealous—complicated feelings for Cai Yan and Cho Seon.
'Women's emotions shift like the wind.'
Cai Yong mused, then withdrew to the veranda with inkstone and brushes to avoid disturbing the youth.
Under Cai Yan's guidance, I repeated reading and writing from books.
Guan Yu watched, then flipped through her well-worn Spring and Autumn Annals.
Intelligence: 49
Lessons from a top teacher like Cai Yan skyrocketed my intelligence.
As I penned the final line, it hit 50.
"Hehe. Kim Gong, you're getting the hang of wielding the brush."
Cai Yan giggled, stroking my hand as she watched closely.
Zing.
Guan Yu's gaze sharpened at the flirtatious touch, but Cai Yan ignored it, twisting my fingers to correct form.
"Teacher Cai. Think I can tackle military texts now?"
Intelligence over 50. I cleared my throat and asked.
Yeah. Leveling intelligence was all for deeper strategy grasp.
"Ah, right. As a general, strategy suits you."
Cai Yan smiled and headed to the study.
Returning with a thick bundle of bamboo slips.
"Here. The foundational Art of War by Sunzi."
Cai Yan beamed.
"Yes! Exactly what I wanted!!"
Minimum intelligence 50. Readable before, but inefficient. Below 50, it was just self-help for mind-body cultivation.
Over 50 unlocked grasp of its formations.
"Can I borrow this a bit?"
I asked Cai Yan.
"Hehe. Take it."
Cai Yan blushed.
"…That innocent face is adorable."
Cho Seon murmured, fidgeting and flushing.
"Alright. Next time, I'll read this and report back."
Time to walk the civil-martial path with Sunzi.
"Yes. Come anytime for tough characters."
Cai Yan smiled, a touch reluctant.
At that time. Xiaopei citadel.
"Where's Kim?"
Lu Bu, who treated Kim's house like her own, sighed at his absence.
"Oh. Lady General Fengxian."
Bu Yonghwa was there.
"Ah…. Lady Bu."
Lu Bu's top rival. Her face twisted in jealousy.
"…."
On Bu Yonghwa's neck above her collarbone: lip marks and bite traces. Proof of Kim's favor—what Lu Bu craved madly.
"No Kim? I'll come back. Got stuff to discuss with him."
Lu Bu turned to leave.
Then Bu Yonghwa unleashed subtle pressure.
"Lady General Fengxian. Care for tea and a chat, just us?"
Bu Yonghwa smiled toward the veranda. Lips smiled; eyes didn't.
'What aura is this?'
Even Lu Bu, battlefield-hardened from youth, flinched.
"Ah. Sure."
Lu Bu nodded instinctively.