Red Hare

“Where are you off to so early in the morning?”

I was just about to leave the palace at dawn when Yu Hyeop came out and asked. Ever since her encounter with Dong Zhuo, her fearfulness had become a real problem.

“I have a favor to handle for Dong Zhuo. It looks like I’ll be going out more often from now on. Chosun is coming, so just wait a little while.”

“So you’ve become one of Dong Zhuo’s underlings? You’re my eunuch—how can you go running errands for a man like that?”

“It’s all for Your Majesty’s sake, I keep telling you. The better I look in Dong Zhuo’s eyes, the easier it is to get information, isn’t it?”

“I know that, but…”

Yu Hyeop still looked unhappy. Well, of course—she’d heard the plan to depose the Son of Heaven and put her on the throne in his place. Even if she hated him, he was still her blood brother. Unless the Empress Dowager disappeared, she would want to protect even the older brother who had once tried to force himself on her.

“Don’t worry so much. My loyalty to Your Majesty hasn’t changed.”

“Very well. Be careful and come back safely.”

Yu Hyeop even squeezed my hand tightly, insisting I take care of myself. Back home, my parents’ endless “watch the traffic, watch the fire” lectures had been nothing but a nuisance. Dropped into this chaotic age with not a single acquaintance, though, every little worry like this felt precious.

Shashak…

I slipped out of the palace quickly and arrived at none other than the residence of the Capital Commandant where Ding Yuan was staying.

It was the mansion He Jin had given him upon inviting him to the capital, but it was far too small for the thousands of Bingzhou troops. So only the key officers stayed here and commuted to the Bingzhou army camp. That meant Lü Bu would almost certainly be here.

“Lord Lü? Where are you going?”

“Just out for a bit of air.”

Just then, from a distance, I heard someone calling Lü Bu’s name. I focused my mind and checked the stats of the famous Lü Bu Among Men.

Just as expected—combat power that surpassed even Sun Jian, plus a nickname specialized in devouring his own masters. He was one of the few beings I still couldn’t beat even with my Might maxed out.

What was unusual was how high his Charisma was. Looking at that face, though, it made a certain sense.

This guy was a truly spectacular beauty of a man.

His height was a little shorter than the towering Lu Zhi—about eight chi one cun (roughly 186 cm). Anyone who knew his history might find that blank, expressionless face a little frightening.

But somehow… those thick brows, those melancholy eyes, those hollow cheeks—they stirred an unexpectedly pure, boyish charm. If I had to compare it to a color, it would be a precarious ash-gray. Hard to approach, yet somehow carrying a hidden pain that triggered a protective instinct.

Ahh… Lord Lü Bu…

Look at every woman who passed by melting at the sight of that gloomy face. As annoying as Yuan Shao, this one.

“Hiyah!”

Lü Bu mounted his horse and began slowly riding through the streets. A shabby old mount that didn’t match his outstanding looks or peerless martial skill at all.

In that case, I ought to start tagging along.

“Hee-heeeng!”

I urged my horse forward and casually drew up beside him. Lü Bu seemed to notice someone had attached himself, yet he deliberately tried not to care.

Ohhh…

But with every gaze in the vicinity locking onto us, even he couldn’t ignore it forever. He flicked a glance sideways—and the moment his eyes landed on the horse I was riding, his pupils blew wide open.

“A fine… horse.”

And without anyone prompting him, he spoke first. I reined in for a moment and stroked the mane.

“Do you know much about horses?”

“Hard not to, in my line of work. Brought in from the Western Regions?”

“You have a good eye. This is what’s called a Ferghana blood horse. Horses of this line usually have coats soft as embroidered silk, but this one’s coat is so red that people who see the light catch on the hair often mistake it for blood.”

“Indeed it is. How far can it run?”

“A famous steed that can cover a thousand li without a single sip of water—even with two riders on its back. Mount a horse like this and no one will ever catch you; nor will you ever fail to catch anyone.”

“Remarkable. Does it have a name?”

“Red Hare.”

“Red rabbit, is it…”

Lü Bu had looked utterly uninterested in the world. Yet a man’s obsession with vehicles is a truth that transcends ages.

If the horse he was riding was some old Mercedes Ding Yuan had tossed him with a “just take it and eat it,” then the Red Hare under me was a Lamborghini-class supercar.

And when the surrounding stares focused not on him but on Red Hare, inferiority was inevitable.

“And who might you be, good sir? Your manner of speech doesn’t sound local.”

“I come from Bingzhou. I serve as Buqu Sima under the Capital Commandant. Name’s Lü Bu.”

“Do Yeop. No particular office—just a worthless fellow living off well-born parents day by day.”

“A man who rides a horse like this calling himself worthless? I can only envy you.”

“Since fate brought us together, how about talking horses a little more? There’s a tavern right over there. Anyone working under the Capital Commandant must be a rare horseman even in the Central Plains. Who knows—perhaps this horse has been waiting for the touch of someone like you.”

“Truly?”

The mere suggestion that I might let him ride Red Hare seemed to hook Lü Bu hard. We stopped at a nearby tavern, tethered the horses, and went inside.

Glug…

I poured him a cup first. Lü Bu downed it straight, as if he didn’t want to look small in front of me, but showed no intention of pouring me a fresh one.

“You said you’re from Bingzhou? I’ve never set foot outside the capital region in my life, so I know nothing of it.”

“A dull place with nothing to see and nothing to do. The air’s so dry your skin cracks every day, and the sandstorms are so bad that after finishing the day’s work ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you have to wash your whole body—annoying as hell.”

He frets over his skin and bathes regularly? This guy cares about his looks as much as he has them.

“Are you married?”

“The Capital Commandant arranged a match for me, so I set up a household. I have one daughter.”

“You look young to already have a family. Your daughter must be a beauty, taking after Lord Lü.”

“Whether she is or isn’t.”

“…?”

Lü Bu had a proper wife called Lady Yan. But the moment I asked about family matters, his expression soured—so the relationship clearly wasn’t good. Probably because Ding Yuan had forced the match. I asked about his relationship with Ding Yuan.

“The Capital Commandant is truly remarkable, isn’t he? I heard the reason Dong Zhuo, who seized the imperial palace, still doesn’t move rashly is precisely because of him.”

“If you knew the reality, you wouldn’t speak so lightly.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Didn’t we come ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here to talk about horses?”

Lü Bu narrowed his eyes, asking why I kept prying into personal affairs. What a cool, bad-boy type, honestly.

But I understood perfectly what he was getting at. He was clearly resentful that Ding Yuan had disguised them as Black Mountain bandits and ordered the attack on Mengjin.

Why would a bad guy like Lü Bu hate being ordered to do bad things? How should I know what goes on inside bad guys’ heads?

“Do you play go?”

“Roughly. I lose every time, so I’m not very interested.”

“I’m about the same, so how about we talk while we play a game?”

I pulled over the go board that had been sitting at the next table. Lü Bu looked irritated that I kept dragging the conversation out, yet the desire to ride Red Hare made him accept the match.

Click… click…

I gave Lü Bu black and the first move. He seemed to have little interest in go and just placed stones however.

“The horse you’re riding now looked rather old. May I ask why the Capital Commandant’s Buqu Sima rides such a mount?”

“What was that old saying? About boiling the hunting dog once the hunt is over.”

“‘When the cunning hare is dead, the running dog is cooked’? Don’t tell me the Capital Commandant treats Lord Lü like a dog whose hunt is finished?”

“The crime of being born a man, I suppose. Even if you want to get close to your lord, there’s a limit.”

“…”

Three days ago I would have been completely lost if Lü Bu said something like that. But now I knew for certain, having heard it from Chosun.

The so-called Gun-shin-yu-hui. Because Lü Bu was a man, he could not share Ding Yuan’s bed.

In contrast, the others—presumed female officers—used their bodies to cook and soften Ding Yuan, receiving better treatment than Lü Bu himself.

“Even so, that bitch would never fall for it…”

“Whom do you mean?”

“Nothing. Why are you taking so long to place a stone?”

“S-sorry.”

Well, I was just some guy riding an absurdly fine horse. I’d only met Lü Bu less than two hours ago and was already digging too deep.

“About the horse I rode here… Perhaps because I was raised as a young master, I can’t ride it as splendidly as other people. If a good owner appeared and paid a fair price, I’d hand it over without delay.”

“What sort of… price are you thinking?”

The moment Red Hare came up, Lü Bu’s interest flared again. I immediately spread all ten fingers.

“Around a hundred taels of silver. I bought it for two hundred, and I’ve ridden it some, so I couldn’t ask for more than half.”

“A h-hundred taels of silver? For one horse?”

“It’s not just any horse, is it? It’s a Ferghana blood horse.”

“…”

Lü Bu wouldn’t have that kind of money. In short, it was a dream horse he couldn’t even dare dream of.

Heh… I have to inflate the value endlessly like this to strengthen his obsession. Then, when I hand over Red Hare in Dong Zhuo’s name, he won’t be able to refuse.

“If you put it there, you’ll get gobbled by the Ghost Valley.”

“…?”

Just then, as I was about to place a stone, a familiar, cold voice that made my ass clench rang out from somewhere.

I looked up thinking, no way—and wait, Guan Yu?

“G-Guan Yu? What on earth are you doing here…”

“Woooong! It’s Do Yeop-nim! What’re you doing here?”

But it wasn’t only Guan Yu. Zhang Fei also had her eyes round as saucers, puffing up her characteristic chubby cheeks as she greeted me. Why the hell did you two show up here?

“Ahh… Now that I look, it wasn’t blood! I stroked it just a moment ago and the fur was soft as silk… Hup! Is that not Do Yeop-nim?”

Where the younger sisters go, Yu Bi naturally follows as a set. But what did you just say you were stroking? Lü Bu caught on instantly and asked.

“Isn’t that your horse?”

“I-it does seem so, but…”

“Wooow! The red horse’s owner was Do Yeop-nim? Yide was gonna let me ride it, right?!”

The moment she learned I was Red Hare’s owner, Zhang Fei’s eyes turned into hearts as she begged to be taken for a ride. Do none of you see that I’m in the middle of a go game with a guest?

“You seem busy, so I’ll take my leave.”

“L-Lord Lü? If you leave like this…”

But Lü Bu, apparently deciding he’d run into far too many people, swiftly exited the tavern. Moments later he pulled his own horse from the stable and—hiyah!—rode back to the mansion with envy-inducing skill.

“Wooow… That guy was seriously handsome?”

“What do you mean, calling just anyone handsome? Is that really your horse? How did a half-wit like you get a horse like that?”

“Haa… Aren’t you all being a bit much? I was in the middle of extremely important business—no, a deal—and you just barge in like this?”

Guan Yu, without a shred of apology, once again treated me like a half-wit. Yu Bi apologized in her place.

“Ahh… Yun Chang has a tendency to speak a little carelessly, so please understand, Do Yeop-nim. Our master was busy, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I came out to see the streets with my sisters. Yide said she’d seen a horse bleeding, so we followed and happened to meet you.”

“…”

So that was it. Riding a super-horse hadn’t only caught Lü Bu’s eye.

The three Yu-Guan-Zhang sisters from the north were among the most horse-savvy people in the capital. Of course they recognized a fine steed.

In the end, I’d practically invited this myself.

“Huu… Fine. You three enjoy your stroll. His Majesty is waiting, so I’ll head back.”

“Ahh… A-are you leaving already? Yun Chang and Yide wanted so badly to look at that horse.”

“Then I’ll ride past the front of the shop, so you can watch from here.”

“Ehyo… Why do you always try to leave the moment you meet me… G-go! How about playing a game of go with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me?”

“…”

Why would I play go with you? But since things had already turned out this way, checking how the atmosphere over there was shifting didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“All right. Do you play go much, Yu Bi-nim? I might have to give you stones, you know.”

“Ahh… I’ve only learned by watching Yun Chang play from the side. Of course, actually playing myself is a first today…”

“Then I’ll start with nine stones.”

“No! If we’re going to play, I want a fair match!”

“…”

Fine—no need to waste time on this. I’d crush her in one go and extract only the necessary information. I even gave her white and placed the first black stone myself.

“How are Lu Zhi-nim and the others doing?”

“Lord Yuan Shao and Lord Wang Yun are working hard to recover their troops, but the Son of Heaven won’t issue new appointment letters, so they’re having a hard time. Instead they said that with the Capital Commandant’s Bingzhou army, they’ll retake the imperial palace soon.”

“Come to think of it, with the emperor’s duties essentially frozen, you haven’t received a new post either, have you, Yu Bi-nim?”

“Ehyo… Actually, a friend named Jian Yong sent a letter from our hometown. Gongsun Bogui, who studied under the same master as Lu Zhi-nim, said he wants to work with me.”

“That’s good news. Gongsun Zan is called the White Horse General and is the most powerful figure in the north, isn’t he? Join him and getting an office soon would be nothing.”

“…”

Yu Bi suddenly went quiet. Wondering what was wrong, I looked up to find her lips stuck out in a pout, glaring at me with eyes that didn’t suit her at all.

“Did I say something wrong…”

“Why would you say such a thing? You and I have escaped crisis together any number of times—we are comrades. Yet Do Yeop-nim only tries to send me back to the distant north… Ehyo…”

“But you have to think of your sisters too. You can’t just keep rotting those excellent abilities as jobless freeloaders forever, can you?”

“I know that, but…”

She didn’t want to leave Luoyang, it seemed. Well, even without an office, Lu Zhi was taking warm care of them, and once you’ve tasted the capital, no one wants to go back to the provinces.

Of course the biggest reason was Yuan Shao. While that guy was still in Luoyang, she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible and was just using me as an excuse.

Click!

In that case there was nothing more to see. I placed the stone that effectively decided the match and spoke to her.

“I win. I’ll be heading back now.”

“Ahh… That is not so. If I place here like this…”

The game’s already over—what are you talking about? It’s not some simple game where you can just dump stones anywhere and win…

“…!?”

But it was real. I had been certain I’d captured every large group, yet after Yu Bi’s fierce escape maneuvers, a “large group that cannot die” was established. That single move had produced a perfect endgame.

“T-this can’t be? Yu Bi-nim, you tricked me, right? You said today was your first time playing go?”

“How could that be? Even I am seeing Unnie play go for the first time—you’re just that bad. You lost to that guy earlier by more than three points too.”

Go expert Guan Yu declared that I’d been cleaned out not only by Yu Bi but by Lü Bu as well. But that made no sense.

I’m a solid 3-dan in go! I didn’t play Lü Bu because I had nothing better to do—I played thinking of it as hospitality go.

Of course, modern 3-dan wouldn’t even get a business card out anywhere. But I thought I’d dominate ancient go with no time limits—and look at this?

I couldn’t even beat beginner Yu Bi, let alone blockhead Lü Bu.

“Wooow! Then now we go ride the horse?”

“W-what are you talking about, Zhang Fei-nim? What does losing at go have to do with riding a horse?”

“But if you lose a bet you have to grant a wish, right?”

“…”

This was a bet?