Winds of Change in Xuzhou
While the grueling stalemate in Xuzhou dragged on for weeks,
I struck a deal with Dong Zhuo.
"Mok Lan." I wiped the blood roughly from my sword and spoke to Dong Zhuo—no, Mok Lan.
"Ah. Yes, Kim Gong." Mok Lan adjusted her mask, her tone subdued and passive.
"Well..." I trailed off with a sigh.
Liu Bei had been openly trying to recruit her, and by now, Mok Lan's name was starting to circulate in Xuzhou.
It was from routing those Qing Province troops and saving the common folk in the process. Standing alone against evil like that must've stirred their sense of chivalry. Yeah, the Chinese go nuts for that righteous hero stuff. Kinda romantic in that way.
Her speech is different... her actions are different... I wondered if this was really the Dong Zhuo I knew. What the hell had happened during that time she got utterly crushed by Lu Bu and went into hiding? I was dying to know. And weirdly, picturing a bombshell beauty like Lu Bu in the context of "hiding out" felt kinda erotic. Anyway.
It might be hypocritical, but in the Romance or the Records, it actually had a convincing ring to it.
She did show some bold charisma back when she first started her military career in the northwest. There were records of her single-handedly raiding a Qiang tribe tent during a conflict, grabbing their booze and horse meat as tribute, treating them with utmost sincerity to win their hearts, and being incredibly generous to her own troops. Even a shitshow army like Dong Zhuo's must've held together thanks to that basic leadership.
Maybe she chased power, got corrupted, lost everything, and finally snapped out of it.
It's not like they swapped her out with someone else... whatever. I couldn't just send Dong Zhuo packing anyway.
1. How to explain her to Liu Bei, who was already fond of Mok Lan.
2. If Dong Zhuo latched onto another warlord and her identity leaked, that'd create its own headaches.
Thinking about those two issues gave me a migraine. Better to keep her close and manage the fallout myself—less hassle that way.
"Honestly... the crimes Dong Zhuo committed don't just vanish." As I started like that, Dong Zhuo's eyes trembled.
"But those are Dong Zhuo's crimes. Mok Lan is someone else." That was my verdict.
"What..." She looked stunned.
"Just say Dong Zhuo's dead. Start over as a new person." A reset, basically.
"Wha..." She seemed shocked that I'd let her off so easily.
Eh, it was a common reset. People burn out on relationships, cut ties, and start fresh. Or move to a new place and reinvent themselves. Just think of it that way.
"Forget Dong Zhuo. This secret stays between us two. Got it?"
"Ah... our little secret." Tears welled up in Dong Zhuo's eyes. Fuck, is this crocodile tears?
"From now on, live right. Okay?" I patted her shoulder and gazed out at the battlefield.
The Qing Province troops are thinning out. Their numbers had dropped lately. Cao Cao must be prepping to pull back. That was my hunch.
------
Not long after,
word arrived.
The troops under Cao Cao had pulled out en masse under cover of night.
"I kept it quiet from the ranks, but word is Lu Bu drove out Dong Zhuo and seized power. Now she's marching her army in league with the northern clans of Yan Province, gunning for Xu City. That's why Cao Cao yanked his forces in a hurry." Liu Bei explained kindly.
"So... does that mean Xuzhou's safe now, bro?" Zhang Fei said, yanking off Qiao Hong's golden helmet. Ever since I called it tacky, he'd been wearing it out of spite or something.
"What a relief." Guan Yu looked eased.
"Mm. But Cao Cao could return anytime. We need to prepare." Liu Bei replied.
"Mm. Xuzhou's ruins won't rebuild themselves." Zhao Yun said sadly. He'd crisscrossed the front lines and seen the devastation firsthand.
"We'll stay and help with the recovery." Liu Bei seemed to be finding an excuse to stick around Xuzhou.
He'd already cut ties completely with the Gongsun Zan faction. Without carving out a spot here, Liu Bei's army had no future.
"Lord Xuande!! Please stay and save Xuzhou! I have no shame left to beg..." Tao Qian came running up, pleading desperately with Liu Bei.
Oh. This is bad. He was straight-up addicted to Liu Bei.
Xuzhou had been on the brink of annihilation, and Liu Bei had pulled it back. Without him, Tao Qian was drowning in anxiety.
Well, Liu Bei's crew is a renowned mercenary band. Elite and manageable in small numbers, with a solid rep—who wouldn't want them?
Gong Rong had been thrilled with our work and given glowing reviews. From Tao Qian's view, they were prime talent to snag.
Of course, Tao Qian—and later Liu Biao and Liu Zhang—would all come courting Liu Bei's forces.
Liu Bei had no backup plan and needed to cling to Tao Qian's coattails, but ironically, Tao Qian was the one clinging now.
"Mm. Even a commoner bears responsibility for the realm. This Liu Xuande will lend his strength to heal Xuzhou." Liu Bei smiled warmly.
"Thank you so much!!! I'll see to it that your families have proper quarters!" Tao Qian grabbed Liu Bei's hand, beaming.
"To treat a humble villager like me so kindly leaves me at a loss." Liu Bei kept a subtle smile, masking his expression masterfully.
Framing it like he'd been begged to stay reluctantly? Liu Bei was on another level...
"Ahahat!! The city walls are trashed, but Xuzhou's still bountiful. Rest up, enjoy yourselves!" Tao Qian gazed at Liu Bei earnestly, his desperation showing through a strained smile. He was dead set on keeping him.
-------
As if the word was already out among Xuzhou's elites, an unused mansion was prepared for the entire Liu Bei force.
"Xuzhou..." It was wrecked by Cao Cao's invasion, but still livable enough.
Should I set up our first home here? With the cash I'd saved and Zhang Jue's unclaimed treasure, buying a house was feasible.
A nice spot to raise the kid with Yong-hwa.
Maybe bring Guan Yu along too. Picturing life with two gorgeous wives made me grin dopily.
"Alright!! Let's drink till our noses twist off tonight!!" Zhang Fei bellowed, rounding up the crew.
"Hubby, go have fun." I figured Bu Yong-hwa would nag, but she pushed my back instead.
"A man building bonds— a woman can't stand in the way." She glanced at Guan Yu.
"I'm the proper wife, so I can't join, but make sure to watch over him, Sister Guan. Our hubby's a lightweight." Bu Yong-hwa said to Guan Yu. The main wife openly endorsing the office wife... head-spinning. Was this ancient China?
"Mm. Fine." Guan Yu bristled a bit at the blatant main-wife claim but seemed somewhat pleased overall.
"Let's go, Kim." Guan Yu hooked her arm through mine triumphantly, grinning ear to ear. Just being by my side made her happy. Seeing that warmed my heart.
Anyway, we were all set to eat and drink together tonight.
-------
And so, at the booze-fueled bash.
"Urgh? I smell Kim somewhere—prime drinking buddy!" Dodging Zhang Fei on the prowl, I stepped out for fresh air.
Check out that liver. Zhang Fei's capacity was legitimately monstrous.
As I breathed the night air, someone approached.
"Hey, Kim Gong." A downcast figure emerged.
"Ah, Zhao Yun." The black-haired beauty. It was Zhao Yun.
He's pretty. A bit quirky, but under the moonlight, standing wistfully, he cut a striking figure. That slightly sullen expression made him even more appealing.
"Kim Gong, I have a worry." He switched straight to consultation mode.
"Uh... sure." This feels like trouble.
"I've lived in the mountains so long... I don't know worldly customs or etiquette." Zhao Yun looked glum.
"Ah, yeah." His chopstick work was awkward as hell. He'd mimicked others just to get by. But picking it up after a few watches showed real talent.
He'd gawk at new dishes like they'd never existed—"ooh!"—then copy whoever was eating. Kinda fascinating.
Like watching a wild man discover civilization.
"The Zhao clan of Mount Shang has secluded in the mountains for generations, honing martial arts. We lived isolated until the right time to emerge, so the world is foreign to us." Zhao Yun said apologetically.
Ah, right. The Mount Shang Zhao quest in the game covered it.
To prepare for the coming chaos, become the hero's sword to end it. That was their clan motto. Apparently, an ancestor got a prophecy. They lived self-sufficiently in the woods, training lifelong.
They're all beasts. Every last one of those wood-chopping, farming Zhaos was ridiculously strong.
Raising affinity with Zhao Yun unlocks Mount Shang martial arts. Worth trekking to Shang. Called the Mount Shang National Sword, but you had to swear brotherhood with him—tricky, but versatile. Spear-focused, but covered swords, axes, clubs, halberds, bows—everything. No Taiji Sword cheat code, but master it and you're a multi-weapon expert.
Anyway, later for that. Bond with Zhao Yun first.
"Having trouble adjusting?"
"Yes. I'll serve Lord Liu Xuande as a general now... If I bungle worldly manners, won't I embarrass my lord?" That bugged him.
"You've traveled everywhere, Kim Gong, and know the ways of the world. Won't you walk the markets with me, show me how folks live?" That was his request.
"Worldly stuff, huh... I don't know that much."
"Just stroll the streets, browse stalls, people-watch." Zhao Yun flashed a friendly grin.
"Mm. Why not." Good chance to bond, and inside meant Zhang Fei force-feeding me shots. Guan Yu was already tanking for me and passed out. I'd join her soon enough.
"Great!! Night market it is!!" I clapped his shoulder, laughing.
This post-apocalyptic late Han was blood-soaked everywhere, but market-gazing was fun in any era.
"Heh. Thanks." Zhao Yun smiled like a blooming flower and fell in step beside me.
Thus began our night market adventure with Zhao Yun.