Securing Xuzhou's Grain
After telling Tao Qian I would procure provisions for him, I headed straight back to my family estate. The home I hadn't seen in so long felt strangely comfortable yet awkward.
"Welcome back."
"As promised, I've returned safe and sound."
My wife, whom I hadn't seen in ages, greeted me with a radiant smile. She must have heard the details already, for she didn't pry into what I planned to do next.
"Papa!"
"Yes, my boy. You've grown so much."
Just-turned-two Jang Hyeon toddled around the courtyard, piping "Papa! Papa!" and showing off for us. As my wife and I watched him waddle about, my eldest brother Jang Chong and our youngest brother approached together.
"Little brother, you're back. The kid's shot up like a weed in no time."
"How have things been?"
"With you gone, the ledgers piled up—no peace for us, you rascal."
Brother was joking, of course. He'd been handling the trade caravans as usual, but now had to sort through accounts he usually ignored.
I lowered my gaze to our youngest. "No mishaps in the last half-year?"
"None."
He still eyed me warily, but not with the old cowering fear. Clutching a bamboo slip in his hand, he was clearly still studying diligently.
"How's the studying? Diligently pursuing the path of the gentleman?"
"Doing fine, so don't worry."
I teased him mischievously, and he shot back prickly as ever.
"Little brother, quit tormenting the kid."
I backed off at Brother's light rebuke.
After spending time with the family, I checked on the work I'd put off. Inspecting the compost research I hadn't touched while in Luoyang, I could now clearly see its improved efficacy. I instructed them to experiment by tweaking the most effective mix in tenth-parts.
"For the next round, try making compost without fish guts too."
We were using fish scraps as compost material now, but that wouldn't work inland. I told the servants to scout alternatives.
On the fifth day after arriving home, I sought out Jo Gwang, the Legal Clerk of Xuzhou Inspectorate. I'd greased Father's palm in advance to arrange the meeting, so I got in right away.
I waited in the promised private tea room, having ordered tea.
"I heard you wanted to see me."
Jo Gwang entered soon after, every bit the sycophant I'd heard about. His eyes slyly sized me up, a lecherous smirk playing on his lips. He seemed to don masks depending on his audience—unstable, cloying.
"I've come to pay respects to the man favored by the Inspector."
I groveled with a fawning expression. If he shot down my proposal outright, it was all over.
"Is that so? You're not here just to glimpse my face. You must have business to come all this way."
"I seek provisions from the Inspector for the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition."
Jo Gwang scowled at my words. Naturally—he was hearing someone try to squeeze grain from his superior.
"It sounds like you're demanding what's already owed. Quite unpleasant."
"Not at all. How could I harbor such ulterior motives? I'm merely warning the Inspector's chief aide in advance, lest he face hardship."
I fawned harder, even dropping "chief aide." Jo Gwang stroked his beard, feigning magnanimity as if he'd consider it. My tongue screamed to stop groveling, but I'd come too far.
"The anti-Dong Zhuo coalition now boasts countless luminaries. If so many rise for the greater good and he alone sits idle, he'll surely earn their enmity."
Even counting just the Inspectors and Governors who'd openly joined, there were over ten.
"Hah. Their cause is the greater good—how could they persecute him for staying put?"
"But who knows if they truly champion justice? Among the coalition are men close to Xuzhou like Zhu Jun, Bo Xin, Qiao Mao, and Yu Dai. If they harbor grudges and turn on us together, even the Inspector would be in peril."
Jo Gwang fell silent at that. He'd likely done similar shady deeds with his ilk.
This was the perfect moment to drive the wedge home. I dredged up scraps of classical allusions to press him, reeling him in like a fish—tug, release, prod gently. After a while, he raised the white flag.
"So, you want to claim credit with provisions. They can't regurgitate what they've eaten, after all."
"Precisely. Provisions aren't trivial, but how can they compare to elite troops? Once they've bled men fighting Dong Zhuo, they won't dare tangle with our sturdy allies later."
I argued Xuzhou could earn favor with grain while preserving troops. With minimal Yellow Turban damage, we could afford it.
"Ho, that sounds promising."
"Thus, I have a stratagem to share—one that will benefit the Legal Clerk too."
I laid out the plan I'd hashed out with Jojo.
"First, convince the Inspector by touting the prestige of aiding with provisions. Surely some sycophant will decry the chief aide then. Label the objector ignorant of the greater tide, and the Inspector will discern loyal from treacherous."
Tao Qian's "loyal" differed from true loyalty, but it didn't matter if it got us the grain.
"Fill the grain escort with my militia, so the Inspector needn't fear the coalition poaching his regulars."
Jo Gwang slapped his knee. "A brilliant scheme. But where's my gain?"
"That's next."
Militia alone wasn't enough for transport; we needed a trustworthy figure. If Jo Gwang stepped up to fulfill his duty, he'd cement Tao Qian's trust—and skim some grain en route for his cut.
"But what if you reach the coalition and can't withdraw? Got a plan?"
He was hooked now, leaning in. Right on cue for such a ploy.
I mocked his shift inwardly but continued. "Claim sudden illness before arrival—no one can detain the Legal Clerk. Return to Xuzhou with prestige for joining the cause, the Inspector's favor, and a fuller granary."
Ten days after dazzling Jo Gwang with my silver tongue, word arrived: Dong Zhuo had slain Empress Dowager He and the deposed Prince of Hongnong.
The shocking news rocked the realm. Declarations to topple the traitor Dong Zhuo proliferated, birthing the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition. Jojo's proclamation spread with the righteous cause.
Gauging the tide, Tao Qian pledged 20,000 shi of grain to the coalition—securing a pretext for aid while reserving flexibility. With the coalition likely fizzling, it was astute.
Deliver 20,000 shi of grain to the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition.
Tao Qian tasked me with delivering the 20,000 shi to the coalition, though under his name. Full militia command rested with me—a satisfactory outcome.
I joined Jo Gwang's regulars with my 500 rallied militia. His force was a meager 2,000, less than expected. Bo Xin from Jizhou would escort from the Yanzhou-Xuzhou border.
Thus, Xuzhou vicinity needed only light guard, and with few bandits, it sufficed.
"Jang Myeong, your scheme proved invaluable. You should've seen the Inspector grasp my hands in encouragement."
"But it's not all good. Skimming grain just got harder."
"Worry not. No bandits, and we'll siphon five carts nightly. Can't grab it all at once or we'll get caught—so just 1,000 shi this time."
True to word, Jo Gwang skimmed exactly 1,000 shi and withdrew. I thus linked with Bo Xin bearing 1,000 militia and 19,000 shi.
On the first day of the first month, Initial Peace Year (190 AD), the long wagon train reached Dongping Commandery in Yanzhou.
"I've brought the promised grain and militia."
"Missed you, even briefly, Little Bright."
Here I reunited with Jojo, who had led militia from Puyang to join. Self-styled General of the Gentlemen of the Household, he'd brought his nurtured force.
I pledged my 500 to his command per his orders, swelling his militia to 6,000.
"If my militia clashed with yours, I'd wager you'd win."
"How could quantity beat quality? And the Public Lord's own rallied men are no pushovers."
Jojo's force, trained nearly two years with some real combat, outclassed Yellow Turban rabble. Yet mine, drilled four years and battle-tested against them, held its own.
"All cavalry use stirrups."
"Your contribution. It let me raise horsemen swiftly."
Seeing my past tech bear fruit filled me with pride.
"Many await you besides me. Let's hold a modest gathering tonight."
"Such warm welcome leaves me at a loss."
That evening's banquet brought familiar faces amid roasting meat and fresh liquor scents.
"This Jang Something-or-other, eh?"
"Long time, no see, Lord Ziyou."
"Thanks to you, our stores are flush."
"Hey, Jang Somethin'! Down this cup first!"
"My thanks, Lord Yuanyang."
I reconnected with Hahou Don, Xiahou Yuan, Jao In, and Jo Hong. They'd risen to Adjutant, Separate Division Adjutant, Commandant, and Tooth General.
Seeing kin in key posts reminded me Jojo's favoritism wasn't distant future.
Liu Bei's sworn brothers joined too: Liu Bei as Separate Division Adjutant, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as Cavalry Commandants. No Romance-style archer post for Guan Yu—Jojo had sharper eyes.
As cups circled, egos flared to show mettle. Zhang Fei and Hahou Don arm-wrestled amid strength boasts; the table shattered before verdict, dissolving the hall in laughter.
Bound by righteous cause, all faces burned with resolve.
Next morning, Jojo summoned me to his tent.
"Little Bright, I appoint you Staff Officer."
"I obey."
He explained, mindful I couldn't lead frontline.
"Staff Officers oversee the whole army, unbound to one unit. Your elite militia I'll make guards under Ziyuan."
It rankled handing over my honed men.
"Understood."
But his logic held. If I wasn't wielding the blade, better another lead them. And I wanted no quarrels over command with Jojo, so I accepted silently.
The anti-Dong Zhuo coalition gathered at bases: Yuan Shao and Wang Kuang at Henei, others scattered. Self-appointed quartermaster Han Fu stayed at Ye, drawing ire for passivity.
In Suanzao, Yanzhou Chenliu Commandery—one key hub—Zhang Miao arrived first last December as Chenliu Governor. Qiao Mao, Yuan Yu, Yu Dai followed.
By February, Jojo and Bo Xin's 16,000 swelled the ranks, totaling some 60,000 at Suanzao.
"This force could storm Luoyang in a flash."
Jojo grinned, deeming Dong Zhuo punishable. Knowing what followed, I couldn't join his smile.