Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Zhangye Commandery
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Chuping 2nd Year (185 AD), June.
After a long march, we finally arrived at Wuwei, the heart of Yang Province.
I handed command of the troops over to my subordinates and headed straight to the Governor's office to meet Yang Province Governor Yang Ang.
Governor Yang received me in his office. The moment he saw me, he greeted me with the distinctive smile of a merchant.
"Haha, come in, come in. Governor Ye. Now that you've finally been officially appointed as governor, I feel much more secure."
"It's all thanks to Your Excellency's efforts."
"What efforts did I make? It was all His Majesty's gracious approval. Enough with the pleasantries—let's get down to business."
Governor Yang immediately unrolled a map and pointed to Zhangye Commandery, my destination.
"As you know, Governor Ye, Zhangye Commandery was the stronghold of Beigong Boyu and the foreign tribes that followed him. Though the recent suppression broke much of their power, their roots remain deep and resilient."
"......Hmm."
"The court's punitive forces have all withdrawn, and I have only a handful of troops left. In the end, you'll have to build up your own army as governor and subdue them yourself. Do you have any good plans?"
I glanced at the map for a moment before speaking without hesitation.
"The method is simple. First, secure the administrative seat of Zhangye Commandery and stabilize it. Then, use that as a base to extend your influence to the surrounding areas."
"Hmm, straight out of the textbook."
"And from my experience in Bing Province, these foreign tribes bow to strength. Rather than trying to persuade them with words, we need to clearly show them who the true master of Zhangye Commandery is. In the end, we can't pacify them without spilling blood."
Governor Yang nodded at my response.
"Good. I knew I had a good eye for people. I like your straightforward approach."
"......"
"Then I won't hold back on the investment. By my authority as governor, I'll give you 4,000 regular troops and 1,000 private soldiers I've raised from my own funds. That makes 5,000 in total. Stabilize Zhangye Commandery as quickly as possible with this force."
Governor Yang revealed his true intentions.
"What I want is just one thing: the Silk Road to the Western Regions. Once that route opens, I can recoup my 60 million cash investment in no time. I have no intention of exploiting the people—that's just short-term profit. I've already ordered the governors of Wuwei, Jincheng, and Xiaping to prioritize regional stability. Once you pacify Zhangye, next come Dunhuang, Jiuquan, and Xihaijun. Understood?"
I understood what Governor Yang was after and nodded. After all, he'd even bought me the governor's position for the sake of securing the Silk Road.
"Leave it to me. I'll sweep away anyone blocking the road, no matter who they are."
"Hahaha! I look forward to your exploits, Governor Ye."
Governor Yang turned his gaze away, signaling it was time for me to leave.
After my private meeting with Governor Yang, I returned to the official residence and immediately summoned all my subordinates.
"I just met with His Excellency the Governor. We're receiving 4,000 regular troops and 1,000 of his private soldiers—a total of 5,000. We'll merge them with our forces and head to Zhangye."
"Ooooh! 5,000 troops? I heard His Excellency was a merchant by origin, but I didn't expect such generosity!"
Wei Sok cheered first. But Zhang Liao reacted completely differently.
"My lord, what about their discipline? Integrating new soldiers suddenly might make them hard to control."
"That's why I have a task for you all. Zhang Liao, Gao Shun!"
"Yes, my lord."
"You two will manage the new recruits. Mix them with our soldiers, reorganize the ranks, and instill discipline. By the time we reach Zhangye, make them indistinguishable from our own men. Understood?"
"We shall obey."
Zhang Liao and Gao Shun responded without a moment's hesitation.
As we continued issuing orders for the march to Zhangye Commandery, I noticed Jia Xu, who had been quietly standing in the corner, trying to slip away.
"Master Wenru, where are you sneaking off to so quietly? I haven't finished speaking yet."
"...Haha, Governor. My hometown is right here in Wuwei. I'll never forget the grace you've shown escorting me safely this far. So please allow me to take my leave—"
As Jia Xu forced a calm smile and tried to escape, Tian Feng interjected from the side.
"Master Wenru, where are you rushing off to? When I was Chief Clerk, I looked into it—your family circumstances aren't good, and you don't even have the means to treat your chronic illness."
Tian Feng stepped forward with a deliberately sympathetic expression.
"What? Master Yuanhao, did Master Wenru have such dire straits?"
I turned to Jia Xu and said,
"Master Wenru, I've benefited greatly from Master Yuanhao's help. He praised you highly. I'm just a newly appointed governor without much wealth, but I'd use my entire salary to help treat your illness if needed!"
At this bold proposal, Jia Xu fell silent, at a loss for words. Then, as if testing me, he posed a cunning question.
"...Why would Your Excellency rely solely on others' words and offer to spend your entire salary to help a stranger like me?"
"Once I decide to trust someone, I don't doubt them. Isn't that natural? And since Master Yuanhao, whom I trust, vouches for you and recommends you, why would I doubt you?"
"...However, not everyone always makes the right judgments or speaks truly. What if Master Yuanhao's judgment is wrong?"
I answered Jia Xu's question without hesitation.
"Then it's my fault for poor judgment, and I'll take responsibility. But I don't go back on my trust midway."
At my response, Jia Xu's eyes shook fiercely for the first time. I drove the point home.
"And I've heard the air in Zhangye is pure—perfect for treating chronic illnesses. Why not come with us?"
".....Sigh..."
Jia Xu finally realized there was no escape. With a deep sigh of resignation, he bowed his head.
"...If Your Excellency insists so strongly, it would be rude to refuse. ...I shall obey."
As Jia Xu gave his reluctant answer, Tian Feng and I exchanged glances.
'It's done, my lord!'
His eyes seemed to say.
In the Tianshan Tribe of the Qiang people, located in Zhangye Commandery.
Inside the largest ger among dozens, the chieftains of various tribes had gathered, but the atmosphere was grim.
The tribes that had joined Beigong Boyu's rebellion barely escaped with their lives when Han Sui delivered Li Wenhou's head. But when word spread that the new Zhangye Governor was none other than 'Lu Bu,' the ger filled with a mix of rage and fear.
Myagon, the young and hot-blooded chieftain of the Blue Wolf Tribe, was the first to erupt in fury.
"Lu Bu! That bastard dares become our governor? Kneel at the feet of the man who slaughtered our brothers and plundered our herds?!"
"But Myagon... the king is already dead. How can we defy the Han's orders?"
Another chieftain spoke up, but Myagon's anger didn't subside.
"Does that mean we just sit idly by? If that bastard brings the northern winter cold early this year, can we even survive it properly?!"
"He's right!"
"The young chieftain speaks true!"
As several young chieftains echoed Myagon's agitation, making the ger noisy, an elderly chieftain quietly asked,
"...Then what, Myagon? Are you saying you'll fight him?"
"....."
That single question silenced Myagon and all the chieftains, who had been so spirited moments before.
No one could answer readily.
They had all witnessed it: Lu Bu's valor and might as he crushed 50,000 troops head-on. And the rumors of how their king Beigong Boyu met his end had spread throughout Yang Province.
As silence fell, Takya, the eldest and chieftain of the Tianshan Tribe, spoke softly.
"When fierce winds blow across the steppe, even the strongest warrior bows his head and waits for them to pass."
"But how do we know if he's just a passing gust or a great tree that will take root here? If he puts down roots, we'll spend our lives groveling under that Han bastard!"
The ger sank into heavy silence again at Myagon's near-scream. Then Takya said something unexpected.
"There's a steppe proverb: If you can't defeat a strong enemy, make him family instead."
"Family? What do you—"
Takya smiled meaningfully as he surveyed the chieftains in the ger.
"Don't you all have daughters of marriageable age to send off?"
".....Hmm..."
"I've heard the new Governor Ye isn't married yet. If we give him our most precious treasure... how could he treat us as enemies? Han or whatever, once he's family, that's that, isn't it?"
The chieftains' eyes began to gleam at Takya's words.
Cunning calculations and ambition soon filled eyes that had burned with rage and vengeance.
Myagon, who had led the denunciations, completely changed his tune and muttered,
"Ahem, my daughter... she's the greatest beauty on this steppe..."
"Hey now! Chieftain Mya, what are you saying? The Qiang of Jinshi are—"
"Look at your face first. Tsk tsk tsk, with a father like that..."
"What?! You bastard!"
As the chieftains suddenly began eyeing each other warily, Takya clicked his tongue.
Our destination finally came into view.
A city surrounded by walls, improbably standing amid the barren steppe and sandstorms.
It was Yiwu County, the administrative seat of Zhangye Commandery.
As we arrived, the gates opened, and a few officials and commoners came out to greet us.
"We've finally arrived!"
Hearing the soldiers' cheers, I looked up at the tattered 'Han' banner fluttering atop the walls.
'This place... is my territory now.'
I immediately turned to Tian Feng and Jia Xu.
"Master Zhuan, Master Jia. Now that we're here, what should I do next?"
Tian Feng answered first.
"My lord, the urgent matter is to establish the laws firmly. You've just beheaded Beigong Boyu, so they all fear your might. This is the perfect time to reimpose order and punish any dissenters harshly to solidify your authority."
Tian Feng's words sounded right on the surface, but they felt somewhat mismatched with the local situation.
'Hmm, whether Bing or Yang Province, foreigners make up the majority... Will shoving Han laws down their throats work?'
I turned to Jia Xu, who spoke quietly.
"What do you think, Master Jia?"
"...I've heard Your Excellency earned merits suppressing the Yellow Turbans."
"Hm? Why bring that up suddenly?"
"I merely recalled how the court quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion and thought there might be lessons to learn."
I furrowed my brow briefly, and Tian Feng pondered the meaning as well.
'The Yellow Turban Rebellion... It erupted because the corrupt court strictly enforced laws on the people and squeezed them with taxes.'
I caught on to what Jia Xu meant.
"...Hmm, so you're saying not to come on too strong?"
Jia Xu smiled faintly at my words.
"Your Excellency has already displayed ample might across Yang Province, so the foreigners fear you. However, Zhangye has mostly Qiang, but also Xiongnu, Di, Xianbei, and Yuezhi mixed in. If you try to suppress them solely by force and rule only by Han laws, how can they submit sincerely?"
"But Master Wenru! If we don't establish laws firmly upon arrival and instead cater to them, who will respect my lord's dignity and obey?"
As Tian Feng countered, Jia Xu nodded.
"Master Yuanhao is absolutely right. But how exactly would Your Excellency cater to them?"
"..........?"
"If Your Excellency wishes to stabilize Zhangye quickly... taking the chieftains' daughters as wives—"
The moment Jia Xu finished, he saw my expression harden and received a glance from Tian Feng. He quickly changed tack.
"Ahem... Alternatively, forging alliances with a few powerful tribes and treating Han and foreigners without discrimination should suffice to govern them."
"Just that much will do?"
At my question, Tian Feng looked at me as if I'd said something absurd.
'Did I misspeak or something?'