Chapter 65
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Changes
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Winter of 185.
Two months had already passed since the wedding. Outside the window in Changli Commandery, fierce winter winds howled.
The flying snow was an unfamiliar sight compared to the yellowish dust storms of Yidu County, but the bone-chilling cold felt just as familiar as Bing Province.
In the distance, on the training grounds, soldiers could be seen swinging their spears amid clouds of breath.
'Recover Juyong and Dunhuang next spring.'
The words of Yang Province Inspector Yang Biao lingered in my ears from before we left Chang'an.
He had bought his position for sixty million cash, so no wonder he was in a rush. Then again, so was I.
Changli was fine land for raising cavalry in Yang Province, but it wasn't exactly fertile or wealthy.
To persuade the Hu tribes, we were even setting up the "Changli Merchant Guild." If we didn't follow Yang Biao's lead in opening the silk road and stuffing profits into their mouths, I'd end up their slave in five years' time.
Lost in thought, I arrived at the training grounds to the hot echoes of soldiers' cheers and clashing metal—even through the skin-cutting gale.
"Uwaaaah!"
—Clang clang!
Zhang Liao and Gao Shun prowled among the ranks with sharp glares, overseeing the drills.
"Aigoo, brother! You're here!"
Wei Sok came trotting over from afar, huffing breath onto his hands. His face was red from the cold.
"No way, brother—the weather's a killer, and training at the crack of dawn? Wen Yuan's lost his mind! We've got till spring, and it's freezing my bones off. My bones!"
"Wei Prefect."
Zhang Liao's icy voice cut him off. He eyed Wei Sok with utter disdain.
"Skip training because it's cold, and the soldiers' weapons grow dull. Every drop of sweat now saves blood come spring—so quit your whining and shape up."
"The Deputy Commander's right," Gao Shun chimed in with a nod. "It'll hurt now, but rigorous training cuts casualties drastically."
I shot a glare at Wei Sok, whose nose was red as could be.
"Wei Sok, you still haven't wised up. Look at Ma Deng over there—his silent spear practice has even me itching to learn. Quit complaining and swing that thing one more time!"
"No, brother! Ma Deng's a Yang Province native—he doesn't feel the cold like us! And this isn't complaining; it's a reasonable suggestion! What if someone gets frostbite? That's a loss!"
"Move before your tongue freezes solid. Anyone short on today's quota gets my personal training!"
"Eek! Got it! I'm going—moving!"
Wei Sok let out a dying wail and plunged back into the ranks like he'd swallowed mustard paste.
His pathetic retreating figure drew an involuntary chuckle from me.
After inspecting the grounds and returning, I found Lady Chae quietly reading or sewing with the maids.
Even in Changli's harsh conditions, she never uttered a single complaint—admirable, yet heartbreaking.
Then she approached me.
"My lord, with the cold keeping everyone indoors, the women seem bored. I know a bit about weaving—shall I teach them to make cloth? It could help us through the winter."
"Weaving..."
It was something I'd never even considered.
"I didn't realize my lady thought of such things. Excellent idea. Whatever you need, just say the word. I'll provide people and materials without hesitation."
"Thank you, my lord."
A faint smile lit Lady Chae's face.
A few days later, one corner of the inner quarters filled with the whir of looms and women's chatter.
The rumor spread that Lady Chae was teaching weaving to the commandery's women.
In the meantime, I summoned a few Hu chieftains to discuss the Changli Merchant Guild.
Their eyes held their usual hint of suspicion, but when Lady Chae emerged briefly from the inner chambers, their gazes changed entirely.
"My lord! Forgive us—we didn't mean to interrupt your work—"
"No matter. You've not met them before. This is my wife—"
Before I could finish, the chieftains leaped to their feet in a frenzy.
"Lady Chae! We heard you're teaching the women weaving—so virtuous! To spread such noble lessons even in this frontier... as expected of Great Scholar Bai Gai's daughter!"
"Changli lies far from the Central Plains, full of the uncivilized who lack proper rites. The women here haven't learned their duties and virtues, yet Lady Chae teaches them herself—we scarcely know how to express our gratitude."
The Hu chieftains flattered her nearly to the ground. Whispers drifted from behind.
"That's the famous Great Scholar Bai Gai's daughter! The Governor's a frontier warrior, sure, but we can't be rude to Lady Chae! Everyone—be extra careful!"
"Shouldn't we all chip in some weaving supplies?"
"Right you are! If word gets out we slighted Bai Gai's daughter, our kids' chances in the capital are done for. Send them at once!"
Listening to their mutterings was utterly absurd.
'Hah—my spear doesn't shake them, but two characters of my father-in-law's name do?'
A laugh nearly burst out. But with the chieftains eagerly offering materials for the weaving, it was hardly a bad thing.
Thanks to Lady Chae, handling the Hu tribes had become far easier.
We used the winter downtime to begin repairs on the silk road.
I put Cheng Lian and Wei Yue in charge of supervision, with Zhuan Feng handling overall management. But a few days later, inspecting the site, progress was glacial.
Amid lightly falling snow and the biting northern winds, the conscripted locals and foreigners shivered, shoveling half-heartedly.
"The weather's part of it, but their morale is rock-bottom."
Zhuan Feng reported, looking troubled. Lady Chae, who had accompanied me to the site, approached quietly.
"My lord, did you see their eyes?"
"Their eyes? What do you mean, my lady?"
"They obey your prowess and carry out orders, but it's not from the heart."
She chose her words carefully, then quoted an ancient tale.
"I heard King Yu personally carried earth to tame the Yellow River and won the people's hearts. This is the frontier—hierarchy isn't as rigid as the Central Plains. People revere strength, but they truly follow leaders who labor alongside them. What if my lord set aside the prefect's dignity for a time and sweated with them? The bond between ruler and subject isn't forged by profit alone—winning hearts is key."
"Hm, me doing manual labor with them..."
A Commandery Administrator doing grunt work felt awkward at first. But pondering her words, she wasn't wrong.
"...My lady is right. I'll give it a try."
The next day, I showed up at the site in simple clothes instead of armor, and everyone froze mid-task.
Cheng Lian and Wei Yue's eyes bulged, and sure enough, Zhuan Feng rushed over to block me.
"My lord! How can you stoop to such menial work? It undermines the Commandery Administrator's dignity! Please—"
"Advisor Zhuan."
Lady Chae cut him off.
"Your concerns are well-founded. But this is no Central Plains post—it's the frontier. Winning hearts matters most. Foreigners especially respect deeds over words, example over rank. For my lord to lead thus doesn't diminish dignity; it cements him as a true leader in their eyes."
Zhuan Feng fell silent at her logical words, glancing at me.
I nodded wordlessly. He let out a deep sigh but raised no further objection.
"Out of the way, all! This is how it's done!"
"Eh? Governor?"
"The Governor's doing...?"
Ignoring the stares, I hefted the massive hammer for breaking frozen ground.
"What're you gawking at? It's cold—hurry and finish so we can rest! I'll take the lead; don't dawdle!"
—Bang! Crack!
The thick ice that would've taken several men grunting shattered under a few swings. As the ground emerged, I headed for a cart loaded with gravel.
"Wh-whoa... alone? It's moving?"
"The Governor's strength..."
Hauling a cart that needed at least five men drew gasps of awe.
"Ahem... M-my lord..."
"Hey! What're you lot doing? The Governor's working himself!"
Cheng Lian and Wei Yue started flustered, then flushed red and drove the laborers harder.
They even stripped off their armor and joined me at the work.
In the distance, Zhuan Feng wore a complicated expression but nodded more often.
"Come on! Move it! Finish quick and warm up with some hot turbid wine, eh?"
"Haha! Lord's treating?"
"Cheng Lian! You've gotten cheeky! Fine—special today: turbid wine on me after we finish!"
"Ooooooh!! Governor promised turbid wine! Break that ice, fast!"
With me shouting and leading, the initially awkward locals and foreigners gradually put their backs into it.
The pace picked up visibly, and life returned to the frozen site.
As we labored together, their gazes shifted from mere fear to mingled respect and admiration.
"Hoo... Whew. Tougher than it looks."
At sunset, after grueling work, I stretched and surveyed the road I'd helped pave and the sweaty workers.
"Hahaha! All thanks to the Governor—we finished way faster!"
"Now let's warm up with that turbid wine!"
The locals and foreigners smacked their lips, eager.
They'd started wary of me, but shared labor had won their genuine acceptance.
'Not bad at all.'
Seeing Cheng Lian and Wei Yue wiping sweat while rallying the crew, I resolved to set the example more often.
Changli's winter remained brutal, but the faces of folks passing through Yidu County's market were markedly different.
They were still cautious under the Governor's prestige, but the suffocating terror of before was gone.
Among stall-keeping merchants and crowds around fires, cautious talk flowed.
"Heard it? Yesterday the Governor showed up at the road site again."
"No kidding? Did manual labor on that awful ground?"
The neighbor sounded incredulous.
"Yeah. Plenty saw him smashing ice with a hammer themselves. Before, one glare from the walls buckled my knees."
"Law's still iron-sharp... but feels more livable now. That lawsuit the other day—he heard the poor guy's plight and lightened the sentence."
"All thanks to Lady Chae. Having a noble Central Plains lady at his side's changed him."
The crowd nodded. Lu Bu—martial might piercing the heavens, temper like fire.
Since his arrival, law was strict, foreigners subdued. Yet many still feared his name.
But two months back.
After wedding a stunning noble-born wife, a clear change had come over the Governor.
"Lady Chae teaches women weaving and proper virtues. Remarkable, no?"
"Damn right—my wife's eased up on nagging me."
"Haha, yours needs more. Tsk tsk, turn into a dog every time you drink."
The people passed the cold hours chatting about Lu Bu and Lady Chae.