Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Ma Teng
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Luoyang, General He Jin's office.
—Crash!
An expensive liquor bottle shattered against the wall.
"Haa, haa!"
He Jin paced the office, breathing heavily, while the servants around him cowered, stealing glances at his mood.
"Song Xiao! That mad old fool...! How dare he tarnish this Grand General's face?!"
He Jin recalled the day months ago when everything started going wrong.
The day after dealing with the former Yang Province Governor Zuo Chang, whom Luo Shi had sent under escort, when the Emperor summoned him—
The Emperor was furious.
"Grand General! What is the meaning of this! The Inspector is dead, and the Zuo Chang I appointed after taking money has been hauled off for embezzling military funds! How can there be nothing but useless fools when bandits are right in front of us?!"
The Emperor raged, but he also wanted the Yang Province rebellion quelled quickly.
"I need no bribes this time! Even rotten Qingliu scholars will do! Grand General, recommend true talent to me yourself!"
"Pardon?"
"I said no bribes! Recommend someone with real ability!"
"I... I obey Your Majesty's command!"
He Jin saw an opportunity amid the Emperor's fury.
The perfect chance to gain support from the Qingliu scholars he desperately needed to check the Ten Attendants.
He Jin immediately sought out prominent Qingliu elders and asked for talent recommendations. They all unanimously praised the great scholar Song Xiao.
"Heh, so many recommend him. Surely he's reliable."
"However, Grand General, you should meet him at least once..."
"Nonsense! If I do that, what will the Qingliu think of me?"
Despite advice to meet him first, He Jin skipped it to secure Qingliu backing.
He promptly recommended Song Xiao for Yang Province Governor. But once in post, Song Xiao proved utterly insane.
Claiming the rebellion stemmed from the people's lack of learning, he went to the front lines—where troops clashed daily with rebels—and began lecturing soldiers and civilians on the Classic of Filial Piety.
Naturally, field commander Luo Shi was stunned and tried to stop him. Enraged, Song Xiao sent a direct memorial to the Emperor.
He Jin still vividly remembered the beautiful yet deranged contents.
"...Your Majesty, the sword cuts only flesh, but the classics sever the roots of rebellion. If the people know filial piety, they cannot harbor thoughts of betraying their parental sovereign, the Son of Heaven. Grant this subject not soldiers, but brush and ink; with words alone, I shall pacify their wicked hearts and restore order to Yang Province."
"...Pfft... Heh... Hahaha!!"
The Emperor first stifled laughter upon reading it, then roared with belly laughs that shook the hall. When he stopped, he fixed He Jin with a cold stare.
"You recommended this idiot for Yang Province Governor?"
"Y-Your Majesty... I... I beg forgiveness."
"Grand General, do you have eyes for talent or not? Ha, even those who buy offices would outperform this fool!"
The Emperor shouted in disbelief.
"Guards! Send the Imperial Army at once to haul this madman here!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
He Jin trembled, recalling that humiliation.
Song Xiao was duly arrested, and He Jin's plan to win Qingliu support utterly failed.
His reputation plummeted, and he lost the Emperor's trust. Then a timid official entered and reported.
"Gr-Grand General... His Majesty has... put the Yang Province governorship up for sale again. At a higher price than before—"
At those words, He Jin lost his reason once more. "Arrrgh!" he bellowed, kicking the desk before him to splinters.
In the imperial palace audience hall, the Emperor vented his irritation.
Reports of stalemate in Yang Province as winter set in had soured his mood terribly.
The Emperor drummed his fingers on the throne armrest.
"I gave them 30,000 elite troops! Yet in half a year, they've lost 5,000—including crack cavalry—and can't even claim one rebel leader's head. Just staring each other down?!"
Thinking of the grain poured in and soldiers lost, the Emperor seethed at the wasted coin.
"Isn't this all because Luo Zagan is incompetent and can't suppress the bandits? During the Yellow Turban chaos, he only moved after I sent someone to prod him! Should I do the same now? Or replace Luo Zagan with another general?"
Qingliu officials panicked and objected.
"Your Majesty, please understand! Northern winters are brutal; troops can't maneuver, and fodder for warhorses is scarce!"
"Excuses, nothing but excuses!"
The Emperor irritably scanned the officials.
"I've heard Hedong Commandery Administrator Dong Zhuo, from Yang Province, has military talent. What about sending him?"
Tekryu faction members and some eunuchs chimed agreement.
"Your Majesty speaks wisely!"
"Dong Zhuo could sweep the bandits away!"
Just as Luo Shi's dismissal seemed certain, Chief Attendant Ye Jiang stepped forward with his signature chuckle.
"Heh heh heh... Your Majesty, why forfeit vast future gains over a momentary loss?"
"Oh? What do you mean, Chief Attendant?"
Intrigued, the Emperor prompted him. Ye Jiang continued.
"Your Majesty, Yang Province has long filled imperial coffers through western trade routes. But rebels have blocked them for years. Thanks to the Left General's standoff buying time, all the disloyal hiding in Yang Province have crawled out."
He lowered his voice to a whisper.
"If we seize this chance to exterminate the bandits and secure the routes fully... Do you know the revenue Yang Province trade once brought the throne?"
Citing old ledgers, Ye Jiang quoted a rough figure. The Emperor swallowed hard.
"Ho... that much?!"
"Indeed. Better to wait till spring, send reinforcements, annihilate the bandits, and reclaim the routes—securing eternal profit for ten thousand generations—than rashly swap generals now and risk the war effort over minor savings!"
The Emperor was fully convinced.
"As expected, the Chief Attendant understands my heart! Everyone, learn from him!"
With that, he ended court. Ye Jiang smiled faintly.
'Heh heh... That repays one debt to that young man.'
He recalled Lu Bu yielding all credit for his sake.
White breath hung in the freezing snowy wasteland, cold enough to freeze on exhalation.
I severed the neck of a Beigong Boyu cavalryman blocking my path. Hot blood sprayed across the snow.
Behind me, Wei Sok shivered and grumbled.
"These lunatics—why charge out in this cold? Wuhuan in Bing Province hole up tight all winter!"
Yet he didn't forget to stab his blade into a still-breathing foe's neck.
"Less griping, more killing. Keep slacking, and I'll extend your punishment."
"Brother! Mercy, please! I won't act up anymore!"
After nearly dying tangling with Yan Xing, I'd punished Wei Sok: "Step 300 paces from me, and I'll snap your neck."
He even had to report for bathroom breaks.
'Hmm. As Zhan Feng said, just hold till this tribe...'
After Wuyi victory and winter's onset, Zhan Feng finally joined me, abandoning his Si'e post.
He insisted from the start: avoid major battles till spring.
"Wuyi win has Yang Province tribes watching both sides. Protect them from Beigong Boyu raids this winter to win them over. Come spring, muster their forces too and crush the rebels in one stroke."
Thus, even in this bitter cold, we sent small cavalry units to clash with Beigong Boyu's frontier raiders.
Battle over, warriors—even women and children—from the saved tribe rushed out to cheer us.
"＠■◇!!"
Some barbarians didn't speak Han, so communication faltered. But their expressions and tones conveyed the mood.
Wei Sok grinned ear-to-ear at the foreign women, forgetting the cold.
"Well, this isn't bad."
Several sidled up, linking arms and smiling coyly.
But most women gazed at me with burning eyes. I ignored them.
Wei Sok, already being led off by women, shouted back.
"Brother! You really fancy that one?!"
"Not letting you go today?"
He panicked, waving no.
"I'll head out then!"
Not just him; several riders slipped back with women.
I watched briefly, then entered the largest ger amid the apparent chieftain's welcome.
I entered the ger the chieftain guided me to.
Unlike the outer freeze, inside was toasty from roaring hearthfire and beast pelts.
Bows and swords hung on walls; roasted mutton and sour liquor scents filled the air.
The chieftain seated me at the head and spoke halting Han.
"Brave... Han warrior. You... save us. Thank... you."
He jabbered eagerly, but I caught only fragments. Hard to guess alone.
Frustrated, he bellowed outside. Soon, the flap parted; a man entered.
Taller than our average soldier, bronze-skinned like barbarians, but clearly Han-featured.
Broad shoulders, solid muscle—he screamed frontier-hardened.
He bantered fluently with the chieftain in barbarian tongue, then bowed to me.
"Thank you for saving our tribe. May I ask the benefactor's name?"
Amazed at his fluent Han, I asked:
"You're Han Chinese?"
"Yes."
I sized him up. Weathered face hinted at backstory, but no need to pry.
"I'm Cavalry Captain of the court-sent subjugation army. Lu Bu."
His eyes widened at my name.
"Eh!? The Lu Bu who beheaded Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang in the Yellow Turban Rebellion?"
I nodded; he whirled, rapidly shouting to the chieftain.
Chieftain and tribesfolk gaped; the ger buzzed instantly.
Their commotion aside, this man piqued my interest more.
"Who are you? No name yet."
He waved it off.
"No one special. Just a poor soul drifted here. Found a wife too. Name's Ma Teng, courtesy name Su Cheng, Captain."
'Ma Teng...?'
Rang a bell somewhere.
It teased my memory. I shelved it, eyeing him again.
'Well, doesn't look the backstabbing type.'
Always watch your back, wherever you go.