Low-Point Acquisition
The place Ma Teng and his family visited after receiving the invitation for the lowest-point acquisition was not the main residence of the Yuan clan, but the Yuan family estate in Luoyang where Yuan Shu currently resided. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had already entered official service, and now that Yuan Shu had come of age, he too had taken up a post in accordance with his father's wishes. Naturally, securing even a single official position was no difficult matter for the Yuan clan, so beginning his bureaucratic career proved simple enough. Of course, the fact that it was the Luoyang residence rather than the main house did not mean the Yuan family treated him any less grandly. While the main house wielded tremendous influence, in the Later Han before the age of chaos, the highest offices and the true center of power could only be found in the capital, Luoyang. The Yuan clan extended its reach across the realm, yet precisely because of that, they poured even greater effort into asserting their influence in the capital. The lands they maintained in Luoyang were never treated lightly.
The Yuan clan of the Four Generations of Three Dukes was the most illustrious house among those standing at the very heart of power. How could such a family afford to neglect the affairs of Luoyang, the capital that was the nexus of the nation's authority? Had they been fools enough to do so, they would have collapsed long ago.
"Heh..."
The sheer opulence and might of the greatest noble house in the land were more than enough to crush the spirit of Ma Teng, who had lived in poverty on the frontier. "So this is the prestige of the Four Generations of Three Dukes I've only heard about...? Just the mansion alone makes their power obvious... Remarkable. Truly remarkable."
Pang De, who had accompanied him, was likewise awestruck. Ma Teng's wife stood stunned, while the still-young children let out pure cries of "Whoa!" Their reactions were hardly surprising. Though Ma Teng would one day become a warlord, at present he was little more than a rural patriarch whose only notable trait was brute strength. The future Ma Chao, who would shake the world, was still a child, and Pang De, who would later earn fame as the White Horse General, was at this moment nothing more than a swordsman of modest skill.
In any case, Ma Teng had received an invitation to this magnificent estate he had never expected to set foot in and now stood within its walls.
"Hahaha! My guests have finally arrived! Come in, come in! I've already ordered the wine to be prepared!"
The man who had invited them, the legitimate heir of this extraordinary house and the one all but certain to become the next head of the Yuan clan, stood before them. Yuan Shu himself. Though other high-ranking elders of the Yuan clan resided in the Luoyang estate, Yuan Shu's presence eclipsed them all. He did not flaunt it, yet he was already the center of the Luoyang branch. The legitimate heir of the Four Generations of Three Dukes, a hero who had distinguished himself through martial prowess since childhood and whom the family head had once boldly declared would become a Grand General. The man who would one day lead the Yuan clan. No one lacking in judgment would be seated in his presence.
Thanks to Yuan Shu's warm hospitality, Ma Teng felt his worries melt away. During the drinking session that followed, Yuan Shu received introductions to those who had come with Ma Teng and immediately cut to the heart of the matter.
"I've long wanted to meet the descendant of General Fubo, Ma Yuan. Now that I have, I can see you're no ordinary man. I like you. Won't you become one of my retainers? I've heard your family's fortunes have declined. Allow me to support you personally."
"Th-that is...!"
Yuan Shu, who disliked beating around the bush, had simply waited for the right moment in the drinking and then driven straight to the point. Yet his words carried weight. For men of Xiliang like Ma Teng and Pang De, such bluntness felt natural and reassuring. The harsh, barren lands of Xiliang, rife with foreign tribes, saw betrayal as commonplace, and perhaps because of that, they had little patience for flowery speech. Not all of them, of course, but enough.
Besides, it was hardly unusual for great houses like the Yuan clan to keep retainers. Had not Lord Mengchang of the Warring States era maintained thousands of retainers and once been saved by their talents? Keeping a few retainers was nothing strange at all.
"Since I invited you, I'll speak plainly. This stifling central court doesn't suit me, so once I've gained some experience, I intend to request a provincial post. When that time comes, I'd like you to assist me at my side..."
"How could I possibly refuse Young Master Yuan's kindness! This Ma Teng may be of little worth, but I swear to serve you with all my strength!"
Yuan Shu had never harbored any attachment to a central post. With the emperor colluding with the Ten Attendants and the Yellow Turban Rebellion looming on the horizon, he much preferred to head to the provinces and prepare to earn merit there. If he was to rise as a military officer, proving himself in a local post and accumulating military achievements in relative safety was not a bad path, and his father had approved the idea. Of course, the current Yuan Shu had many other options as well.
In short, Yuan Shu's offer amounted to: live comfortably as a retainer for now, and when I go to the provinces, I'll give you a proper position. Ma Teng, who had come seeking exactly this opportunity, had no reason to refuse. In their current situation, what could be more valuable than securing the patronage of the Yuan clan, and of the young hero expected to succeed it? Had Ma Teng not staked everything he owned and come with the heart of a beast to seize this chance?
...Though he had expected to work much harder, offering gifts and currying favor, to achieve this. He had never imagined things would unfold so smoothly. Of course, this was only possible because Yuan Shu had read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and could recognize talent at a glance.
'Whoa, Ma Teng alone would've been a fine catch, and later Ma Chao and Ma Dai would've been excellent too, but he even brought Pang De? This is a honey pot!'
Having gained Pang De as an unexpected bonus, Yuan Shu was in excellent spirits. Ma Teng was a talent who would make a name for himself as a warlord in Xiliang. His son Ma Chao would become one of the Five Tiger Generals, a peerless warrior and hero counted among the greatest in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Pang De would slay Guo Yuan, a man comparable to the Four Pillars of Hebei, and even fight Guan Yu in a duel of souls, earning recognition for his prowess despite his eventual defeat. Ma Dai was a capable officer on the level of Ji Ling. Knowing their futures, Yuan Shu had every reason to treat them well. Naturally, Ma Teng and Pang De's moods improved as well. After all, who would dislike being treated with such respect by such an extraordinary figure? No matter how bright their futures might be, at present they were nameless soldiers with nothing but their bodies to offer. And the one favoring them was none other than the legitimate heir of the greatest house in the land. There was no reason not to rejoice.
The drinking session continued in high spirits. Both Yuan Shu and Ma Teng were men of fiery temperament, and they quickly grew close.
"Ah, this one is my daughter, Ma Chao! She's still young, but she's already making the neighborhood boys cry with her looks, and when they pick fights, she knocks them flat with her strength... Heh, even if she's my daughter, her future looks bright! And this child is Ma Dai, my nephew..."
With a flushed face from the wine, Ma Teng cheerfully introduced his children and relatives.
"In truth, I've also raised horses in Liang Province. Liang horses are quite famous, after all. Upon hearing of Young Master Yuan's great reputation, I came with the desire to offer a gift..."
Though his words grew somewhat rambling from drink, Ma Teng had, through exhaustive inquiries and connections, obtained a famed Liang steed and presented it to Yuan Shu, doing everything in his power to secure the young master's favor. Thanks to Ma Teng's efforts and Yuan Shu's satisfaction, the pleasant drinking session eventually came to an end as Ma Teng and Pang De grew drunk, and Yuan Shu rose to dismiss them.
'Heh, that was easy.'
Ma Teng, the future warlord who would make his name in Xiliang. Pang De, the formidable general whose martial prowess stood out even among the greats. Ma Chao, the hero who would be counted among the Five Tiger Generals. Ma Dai, a capable officer as well. Yuan Shu had successfully acquired all of them at their lowest point with remarkable simplicity, and he rose from his seat in high spirits.
***********************
Before long, Yuan Shu, having reached adulthood, was naturally serving in an official post in Luoyang and receiving his stipend. Though, of course, the Yuan clan's wealth alone would have been more than sufficient to sustain him without any salary.
"Hmm, this horse is quite decent."
In this ancient China without carriages, one traveled by horse. Moreover, horses were exceedingly precious and expensive. Quite apart from the strength of cavalry, there was a reason they could not be fielded in the same numbers as infantry. The reason the future nomadic peoples who lived their entire lives with horses became so powerful was easy to understand from this. 'Though it's not just because they're simple cavalry either.' When Western knights donned proper armor and mounted, did they not become living siege engines that nothing in their era could easily stop?
'If battle breaks out... to match the tempo of Choe Jun-gyeong, Xiang Yu, or Richard, I'll definitely need plenty of cavalry.'
After all, these were human weapons to whom he could simply hand over cavalry and order them to charge, and they would tear the enemy apart exactly as commanded before returning with the heads of enemy commanders. Still, with three nuclear weapons already in his possession, there were more moments when his confidence simply soared.
In any case, today Yuan Shu was riding the horse gifted by Ma Teng instead of his usual mount. Thanks to the Yuan clan's influence, they naturally possessed several horses renowned as divine steeds, yet the one Ma Teng had given was in no way inferior. 'It wasn't the famous Ferghana breed, but this is more than enough.' Despite claiming to have lived in crushing poverty, the man had prepared even this. He must have truly staked everything on answering Yuan Shu's summons.
In truth, Ma Teng, who dealt in horses, had decided that since he was coming anyway, he might as well prepare a proper gift, and had scraped together every last coin to obtain this masterpiece. Even for Yuan Shu, raised in a great house, it was a horse worthy of genuine admiration. After all, it was a famed steed from Liang Province, renowned for its horses. Such an outstanding specimen was not common.
Riding Ma Teng's gift with obvious pride, Yuan Shu made his way to work. His current post was that of General of the Household, a military office commanding troops. Though his three younger siblings had been placed in the appropriate adjutant positions of Major, and he managed things accordingly, he was not particularly enthusiastic about the work. Nevertheless, he received favorable evaluations, and at the center of that was a low-ranking military officer Yuan Shu had personally brought in.
"You've already started working? You're quite the diligent one."
"I greet the General of the Household."
At a single glance, one could feel she was no ordinary person. Her face was so flawless it seemed impossible to find even a single opening, stern and expressionless. Though she was quite beautiful, not a single smile graced her features, giving her the presence of a massive boulder. So solid and impenetrable that even coldness seemed unable to settle within her, this officer was the subordinate Yuan Shu trusted enough to entrust with all his work.
"Still, don't push yourself too hard. Managing your body is also part of a warrior's skill."
"I will keep that in mind, but this much is fine."
"Heh, you and your stubbornness..."
This female general was none other than the talent whose name Yuan Shu had recognized the moment he heard it and immediately brought under his command. "Let's go in, Gao Shun."
"Yes."
Her name was Gao Shun.