Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Three Brothers
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With departure looming, the drinking party at the official residence showed no signs of winding down.
Wei Sok's bellowing shouts and the others' cackling laughter pounded in my head.
I slipped out to escape the noisy chaos.
My aimless footsteps eventually stopped in front of a now-familiar gate.
'......Ah, this place...'
I had no intention of going inside.
I just wanted to take in the quiet beyond the gate and sort out my cluttered thoughts.
'Why am I even doing this?'
I shook my head and turned to leave.
Creak.
The heavy gate swung open with a deep groan.
Chae Yeom, looking as if insomnia had driven her out for some night air, froze at the sight of me standing there.
Deep shadows hung under her eyes.
"...Captain. What brings you here at such a late hour?"
"Ah... I just felt like breathing some night air, so I wandered aimlessly and happened to end up here. Forgive me if I've disturbed you."
"Not at all. No need for apologies. I only stepped out myself by chance."
Chae Yeom came outside the gate and stood quietly before it.
"Tomorrow, we head for Yang Province. This war... it looks like it'll drag on quite a while."
"...I've heard. I wish you the best of luck."
She replied softly, her voice laced with unmistakable worry.
"I'm just a woman, so I know little of military tactics or worldly affairs... but I doubt establishing merit is the only path for a warrior."
"......"
"Sometimes, simply returning alive is the greatest service to those left behind."
Those left behind.
The words stabbed deep into my heart. Was she speaking of my master? Or—
I forced down my emotions and replied indifferently.
"...You're right. You have to survive to seize the next opportunity. I'll keep that in mind."
A heavy silence settled in just then.
Light, pattering footsteps from inside the house shattered the quiet, followed by another voice.
"Oh my! Sister! What's this, a midnight rendezvous with a man at the gate? Ah, big brother! You came to see my sister!"
It was Chae Jeonghui, holding a small lantern.
She scurried right up to me in an instant, flashing a mischievous grin as if she'd grasped the whole situation.
"Big brother! You know my sister acts all stiff like this on the outside, but inside, she's so worried about you she can barely eat, right?"
"J-Jeonghui! What are you saying? Get back inside!"
Chae Yeom's face flushed crimson as she shouted, but I could only let out an incredulous chuckle.
I had no idea who this little brat took after to be so bold.
"So, when you head out this time, forget everything else—just promise me one thing!"
"....?"
"If you don't want my sister—who's spent her life buried in books—to end up dying alone as an old maid! No matter what, rack up some huge merit and come back alive! Got it?"
Where on earth did she pick up such brazen talk?
Chae Yeom glared at her sister with an expression on the verge of fainting.
I couldn't hold back and burst out laughing at her audacity.
"Puhaha! Got it. I promise."
"For real? It's a promise!"
Only then did Chae Jeonghui grin in satisfaction, saying, "That'll do!" before dragging her dazed sister back inside.
Thud.
The gate shut, leaving me alone again.
'...If I return from this one...'
With the moonlight at my back, I turned and walked away without hesitation.
Luoyang's gates opened, and the 30,000-strong punitive force marched northwest.
I took the lead at the front of 5,000 cavalry—my original 3,000 Bing Province horsemen plus the 2,000 more dispatched by Lord Ding Yuan.
Riding beside me was the Wuhuan cavalry led by Colonel Zhongyuan of the Wuhuan.
"Ugh..."
Wei Sok clutched his head, looking like death warmed over—the all-night binge still hadn't worn off.
Next to him, Cheng Lian and Wei Yue heaved dryly over and over.
"Urgh... My head... Brother, where's our strategist? Haven't seen hide nor hair of him."
"Didn't he say it takes time to resign his clerk position and join up? He mentioned it last night—already forgotten? Tsk tsk..."
"Urk... C-Captain, my stomach... it's churning..."
"Haa..."
I sighed in exasperation and nodded toward Zhang Liao and Gao Shun riding stock-still far ahead.
"Look at those two and learn something. We all drank the same last night, but they're fine."
"No way, that's not fair! How can you and those two hold your liquor like that? We drank the exact same amount, but they're perfectly fine—that's cheating!"
As I watched Wei Sok's indignant whining, a messenger galloped up from the front.
"Captain! Left General summons you! He orders you to the vanguard!"
"The Left General? Understood."
I followed the messenger to the head of the column. Countless soldiers' eyes fixed on me.
At the front, beside Left General Lu Zhi stood three unfamiliar warriors.
'...Hm?'
Something about them felt oddly familiar the moment I saw them.
The man in the center had a mild demeanor, but his earlobes were unusually long and drooping.
To his right was a man with a flushed, red-date face and a long, magnificent beard; to the left, a sturdy build with tiger-like eyes.
'Wait... where have I seen these guys before? Somewhere...'
A chill ran down my spine for no reason. Lu Zhi spotted me and beckoned.
"Captain. These are new warriors joining for this campaign. Best get acquainted."
Lu Zhi pointed to the central man and dropped a bombshell.
"This one's a disciple I taught."
The long-eared man bowed politely to me and introduced himself.
"I've heard much about you from my master. Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande. These two are my sworn brothers."
The bearded man fixed me with a piercing gaze as he paid his respects.
"Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunchang."
Finally, the tiger-eyed man spoke in a gruff but commanding tone.
"Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide."
'..........What the hell?'
Something thudded heavily in my mind.
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei.
I couldn't hide my dismay at hearing their names, but I grudgingly returned their greetings.
"...Cavalry Captain Lu Bu Fengxian."
"I plan to assign my disciple and his sworn brothers to your unit. What say you?"
'What? Put these guys under me?'
I frowned involuntarily. Revulsion welled up from within, but I schooled my expression and spoke.
"Ahem... Wouldn't it be better to attach them directly to your main force, General, and keep them close?"
Lu Zhi shook his head at my polite refusal.
"My main body is the central army—strict on discipline and formations, not suited for mixing in outside troops. But your Bing Province cavalry is different. Surely you can make good use of them?"
"...Understood."
Liu Bei stepped forward at my reluctant reply, bowing deeply once more.
"We look forward to serving under you, Captain."
I had no choice but to nod stiffly, hiding my true feelings.
After my talk with Lu Zhi, I returned to my camp with a muddled head, dragging the three brothers and one scruffy-looking hanger-on.
'Haa... Suddenly my unit's grown.'
One seemed decent enough, but the others all looked a bit off.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Wei Sok rushed up first and blocked my path.
"Hey, brother! Who are these four? Did you pick 'em up off the street?"
I gave a brief rundown, and Wei Sok's eyes swept over the three brothers before locking onto Jian Yong at the end.
The moment their gazes met, a strange current passed between them.
"Ho?"
Wei Sok's eyes gleamed, and Jian Yong grinned back.
"You like the drink?"
"What man doesn't?!"
With that, the two clapped shoulders and hit it off instantly.
Seeing it, Cheng Lian and Wei Yue chimed in, "A guy we can talk to!" and joined right in.
'These idiots hit it off the second they meet...?'
I stared dumbfounded at the absurd scene.
On the other side, a different dynamic unfolded. Zhang Liao and Gao Shun approached Guan Yu wordlessly.
"Hm..."
No words were exchanged, but the three seemed to recognize each other with just a look.
Guan Yu nodded slightly, and Zhang Liao jerked his chin toward the spot beside him.
Guan Yu stroked his long beard thoughtfully, nodded silently, and headed over.
With the camp split into two cliques in an instant, only the hulking Zhang Fei stood awkwardly alone.
With no one left to meet his eye, he cleared his throat and quietly took up position beside Liu Bei.
As everyone settled, Liu Bei approached me.
"I heard you took the heads of Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang, Captain. A tremendous feat."
"Nothing special. Word is you routed 50,000 Yellow Turbans with just 500 volunteers. Isn't that the greater deed?"
Liu Bei gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"How could beating rabble count as a great merit? It pales beside yours, Captain."
"Hm... Even so, a feat like that should earn an official post. The General said nothing of one earlier. Mind if I ask?"
Liu Bei hesitated a moment before replying casually.
"Haha, it's no big deal. I did claim some merit against minor foes... but not enough for an office."
My voice rose unwittingly.
"What? You weren't granted a post?"
Just then, Zhang Fei—who'd been listening—couldn't hold back and grumbled.
"Even with merit, we didn't kill their leaders or bribe the eunuchs. Of course not."
Liu Bei immediately scolded him the moment he spoke.
"Yide! Mind your manners before the Captain! My apologies—my brother was rude."
"How's that rude? Just stating facts. Don't mind him."
"My master was appointed overall commander of the Yang Province suppression. He summoned us from the capital. This time...!"
Liu Bei's words burned with determination to claim merit and rise at last.
I nodded silently.
Then, a comment from Zhuo Feng before we left flashed through my mind.
The Yang Province rebels won't charge blindly like the Yellow Turbans. They'll use rugged terrain and mobility to avoid direct clashes with the punitive army, dragging it out in a war of attrition.
Men unrewarded for their merits, facing foes bent on denying even the chance.
This war looked like a headache from the start.