Victory at Buyang: Drowning in Duties
The battle, which had kicked off with a devastating strike to the rear of the Black Mountain Bandits, wrapped up as the sun dipped below the horizon. The soldiers atop Buyang Castle's walls, who had watched the fight unfold, greeted us with roaring cheers.
"Gongdae. Get the prisoners sorted and the bodies collected. Somyung, tally up our casualties. I'll hold the castle gate shut for now."
Jojo approached Buyang Castle and announced that we were the relief force. The commander still holding out inside promptly flung open the gates to welcome us.
Jingong stripped the captured prisoners of their weapons and herded them to a secure spot for easier control. I went around checking on our units, counting the dead and wounded, and arranging transport for those needing treatment.
"We've got a bit over 10,000 prisoners in total. We'll need to request space in Buyang Castle to house them."
"Our losses: 300 dead, 700 wounded. About a third of the wounded are severe—probably won't return to duty."
"The colonel holding the castle has given us permission to enter. Let's head inside and talk it over."
It was odd that a mere colonel was defending the walls, but I didn't press the issue. I had my suspicions, and that open field out there confirmed them.
"Thanks to you, we held the castle. On behalf of the surviving soldiers and people, I offer my deepest gratitude."
As we reached the gate, the gate colonel stepped out and bowed so low I thought his head might hit the dirt.
"No need for that. Let's get inside."
Jojo waved him off, straightened the man's back, and led us in. Since we'd arrived before the Black Mountain Bandits could scale the walls, there were no bodies littering the streets. Still, the chaotic evacuation had left shattered buildings and scattered belongings here and there.
A modest banquet was set up in the courtyard of the government office. With no senior Dong Commandery officers around, Jojo took the seat of honor.
"Is the Dong Commandery Governor unwell, by chance?"
"The Governor marched out with 8,000 men to crush the Black Mountain Bandits and fell in battle. Come dawn, we'll send men to recover his remains."
I'd half-expected this when I asked the colonel, and his answer matched the scouts' report. As the gate colonel was the highest-ranking Dong Commandery man left, the majors and captains must have gone down with him.
"How exactly did the Governor fall?"
Jojo questioned the colonel, who downed his cup in one gulp before recounting the tale.
"When the Black Mountain Bandits appeared right on our doorstep, the Governor led 8,000 out to meet them. Our vanguard major charged ahead with 1,000, clashed with Baek Yao's main force, and got killed."
The colonel paused, as if the words stuck in his throat.
"Without their vanguard, our front line got pinned and wiped out. The bandits counterattacked, smashed through the center, and the command structure collapsed. The wings broke and half the men fled. Those who couldn't escape were slaughtered."
Tears welled up as he finished. "Seeing so few on the walls, the bandits swarmed them. Without you, everyone here would be dead."
The Dong Commandery survivors all expressed their thanks. They owed us their lives, after all.
"If the deserters return, will you reorganize them?"
"By rights, military law demands harsh punishment, but we're short on men. We'll have to look the other way and take them back."
When Jingong brought up rallying the troops, the colonel replied with a heavy sigh. Excluding Jojo's army, Dong Commandery had fewer than 500 men left—even a cat's paw would help.
Why so few soldiers in Dong Commandery? There must've been... something.
I'd wondered why the Governor only had 10,000 troops, and now I knew. Last year, when former Dong Commandery Governor Gyo Mo died, Yuan Shao had absorbed his forces. If Yuan Shao had foreseen this mess, he'd have left them alone.
"Jo Gong. We should report the Black Mountain Bandits' defeat to the Jizhou Inspector right away."
I suggested sending the victory dispatch to Yuan Shao, and Jojo dashed it off in a flash. His way with words was always impeccable.
"What's your next move?"
Heading home after saving Dong Commandery from the bandits would leave them defenseless against even a single thief. Any kid in Buyang Castle knew that.
"It's shameless to ask, but could you garrison here until we regroup?"
No one could refuse the colonel's plea. We cited pressing reasons and agreed to stay. The feast ended triumphantly, with fine liquor and even finer offices on offer.
While Jojo's army lingered in Dong Commandery, I was swamped. As staff officer, I dispatched scouts to round up the fleeing Dong troops, handled the corpses from back-to-back battles, located the former Governor for burial, treated the wounded, wooed the prisoners, rebuilt our swelling ranks, solved supply issues from all that, networked with Yanzhou notables as Jojo's advisor, checked on the Tao Qian-Gongsun Zan alliance, monitored Yuan Shu's whims, and spread false rumors to deter Yellow Turban remnants and Black Mountain Bandits.
The frenzy yielded results. Deserters who'd trickled back, plus surrendered Black Mountain troops, pushed Jojo's forces past 8,000. Even without reinforcements from the main camp, it was enough to hold Dong Commandery.
Considering the tally just three days prior, 10,000 was in reach. It was hell, but at least Dong Commandery was secure.
"To find talent, work piles up; to clear work, you need talent; to find talent, work—"
I wanted to recruit Three Kingdoms heroes, but couldn't. I knew names from memory, but not where or when they appeared. Most weren't documented before enlisting anyway, so it wasn't my recall at fault.
Hunting by name alone in a sea of homonyms, without even knowing the characters? Impossible with my workload.
In this era of rampant duplicates and illiteracy, that's game over.
Delegating "find Kim in Seoul" would get resignations on the spot, flooding my desk higher.
"Teacher Jin, save me."
"Whining won't make the work vanish."
My achievements didn't heal my exhaustion. Even county-level duties felt like torment.
How did geniuses like Zhuge Liang or Xun Yu handle province-wide affairs?
"Why am I stuck with Dong Commandery busywork that has nothing to do with me?"
"Didn't you predict the Jizhou Inspector would appoint Jo Gong as Dong Commandery Governor? Now it does."
I wanted to sew my mouth shut for that blunder. Staying quiet would've halved this mess.
"Must've been nonsense."
"Then you're a liar who fooled everyone present. Back to work."
Jingong pressed relentlessly; I buried my face in my hands. Was headless ghosthood my fate?
"Speaking of, got land for the compost trials?"
Too tied to the office, I'd asked Jingong to secure fields.
"Ten maji of decent-yield soil."
"As expected, Teacher Jin. Just need materials now."
After seven years tweaking, compost gains were marginal. Now experimenting with mixes, it was time to test optimal rates here. Ten maji was plenty for crop-specific trials.
"Staff officer? Finish your tasks first."
As I edged away, Jingong caught my intent and grabbed my sleeve. Skipping meals and blinks, I'd barely wrap by midnight. Dragged back like a hog to slaughter.
Twenty days holed up in Buyang Castle, Yuan Shao appointed Jojo as Dong Commandery Governor. A covert offer came for me to head to Jizhou, but I begged off citing health. Even the spies bought it, seeing my pallor.
New Governor Jojo shifted the administrative seat from Buyang Castle 200 ri northeast to Dong Muyang.
Buyang, Dong Commandery's largest castle, was far from ideal, so some pushed keeping it there.
"Tricky, that."
"Why keep it distant from Buyang?"
"One, Buyang needs repairs— a seat there would snag things. Two, we must stay tight with the Jizhou Inspector; closer to Jizhou is better."
Jojo's explanation quelled the opposition.
From proxy colonel to governor, Jojo could now appoint subordinates. Credit to ex-Governor Wang Hong dragging everyone out only to get crushed by bandits.
The generals kept their titles but graduated from coalition temps to official governor appointees. With pay and at least 1,000 troops each, "general" fit perfectly now.
"Jingong is appointed Staff Officer. Jang Myeong, you get Chief Secretary."
I handed Staff Officer to Jingong and became Juboo—chief of administration and executive secretary rolled into one. With no Assistant Magistrate yet, I was second only to the Governor.
"Me, with so little experience, for such a heavy role?"
"Pity to waste you on just finance or military admin."
Jojo figured I could multitask. I'd rather he double up someone else and give Juboo away. But he trusted my personnel picks, so I shut up and took it.
First day as Juboo, I met the talent I'd craved. The emissary bearing Yuan Shao's commission sought to serve Jojo.
"Xun Yu, style Wenruo."
I knew Xun Yu had ditched Yuan Shao for Jojo in my past life. But Juboo shock blinded me till he named himself. He wasn't with Yuan Shao in Henei, so post-Jizhou Inspector for sure.
"I've heard much of you, Teacher Xun. Welcome aboard."
"Such a warm reception from the Chief Secretary leaves me flustered."
I clasped his hands tight. Like meeting a savior from the afterlife.
"I'd have no regrets serving in the office someday."
To avoid overwork death, Xun Yu had to come. Time to stake my claim.
"You're above me—mind the formal tone. Others might misunderstand."
"With your talent, you'll outrank me soon. Better raise my speech now than scramble later, no?"
Xun Yu rising fast would lighten my load. I'd hoist him up there, come hell or high water.