Enemy Phase - Prayer

At the same hour, Mengjin Port.

The inn stood empty, its keeper long since gone for the day. Yu Bi had set out a single cup of water and clasped her hands together in earnest prayer.

Ah... why has Do Yeop still not come?

Days had passed since she began waiting at Mengjin, yet no word had arrived from Do Yeop. As expected, Guan Yu's frustration at the endless, open-ended wait finally exploded.

Nor was that all—Lu Zhi herself had declared she could remain no longer. Small wonder: Yu Bi had never so much as breathed Do Yeop's name, holding her there only with talk of watching how things developed in Luoyang.

Heaven above, please grant that Do Yeop may reach Mengjin safely. And if you have any time left over, stabilize the realm as well...

She had grown weary of empty prayers. Yet more than anything she resented herself for having nothing else she could do.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ah... Lord Yuan?"

In that instant—whether dream or waking—Yuan Shao stood before her.

Yu Bi sprang to her feet in surprise. Yuan Shao smiled warmly down at her.

"The moment I arrived at Mengjin I heard word of General Lu. I came looking on the chance you might be with her, never expecting to run into you so soon."

"Ah, well... I should have crossed the river and returned to Hebei much earlier. But the situation in Luoyang kept weighing on my mind..."

"It is fortunate you are a wise person. That is how we came to meet by fate like this, is it not?"

"F-fate? That is far too grand a word!"

Yu Bi waved her hands, her ears turning bright red. But in Yuan Shao's eyes her flustered figure was as beautiful as a celestial maiden beating her wings.

"But why has Lord Yuan come here? Did you not return to Runan?"

"I meant to. But Dong Zhuo played a strange hand. He appointed me Grand Administrator of Bohai and ordered me to take up the post."

"Hah... Is that true? That is wonderful news. But surely Lord Yuan will refuse the office Dong Zhuo granted..."

"Of course I do not recognize it. I am the Colonel Director of Retainers appointed by His Majesty, and no one can replace me unless the Emperor himself revokes it. But one thing Dong Zhuo said was right. Railing against a traitor when one has no power is nothing more than shouting into empty air."

"Does that mean... Lord Yuan intends to go to Bohai and build strength to oppose Dong Zhuo?"

"It does."

With the central government paralyzed, local magnates had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long held sway. So Yuan Shao planned to enter Hebei, where regional identity ran strong, unite them all, and stand against Dong Zhuo.

"That is why I came to ask General Lu to join me."

"Ah... That is truly excellent. Master has always lamented her lack of strength even as she wished to strike Dong Zhuo, has she not?"

"Indeed. So... would you not come with me as well?"

"What do you mean..."

Whoosh!

But Yuan Shao simply seized Yu Bi in an embrace. He buried his nose in the crown of her startled head and inhaled deeply... drinking in her scent until his mind cleared.

"I heard you meant to go to your old friend Gongsun Zan. But that man is nothing but a beast who fills his private desires with a scrap of martial fame. If you truly care for the Han, would it not be better to come with me?"

"W-Lord Yuan? Please let go first..."

"I know it will be a hard journey. But whatever Gongsun Zan offers, I will give you more. You need not even achieve great merit. Simply stay by my side..."

"Ah..."

Yu Bi desperately pushed Yuan Shao away. He too realized he had gone too far and apologized.

"Forgive me. Seeing you after so long, I lost my self-control without meaning to. The world would shudder at how lightly Yuan Shao behaves. But what can I do? Your lovely form makes even a man who has observed six years of mourning lose his reason."

"Lord Yuan, why do you keep saying such things..."

"It is late today, so think on it as you sleep. Tomorrow I will formally call on General Lu."

"..."

With those words Yuan Shao left. Yu Bi could neither sit nor return to her room; she paced the tavern.

"What are you fretting over? Just go with Yuan Shao."

"Y-Yun Chang?"

But a third party no one had noticed was hiding there. Guan Yu had come down the stairs from the second floor at some point and now stood before Yu Bi.

"Why hesitate? If we follow him, we can get everything we want."

"B-but it is not a choice to make lightly. I have not even replied to Baek-gyu yet..."

"Even if that man has more for the moment, all he wants is to do something to you, Sister. Yuan Shao, by contrast, has manners and a sincere heart. You already know how he looks at you, do you not? Will you keep pretending not to notice to the end?"

"Sigh... I do not know why Lord Yuan acts this way, but he already has a wife. I want to join his cause as well, but..."

"I am not saying become a concubine—just take her place entirely. You are both of imperial blood; what is the problem?"

"S-stop it, Yun Chang!"

Yu Bi could listen no more and clapped her hands over her ears. Then—whoosh!—Guan Yu easily pried them free by force and continued.

"Can you not see Yi Deok growing bored? Jian Yong wrote only to me about how hard life is back home, so if you just ignore it, that is fine? You are the leader of hundreds of free companions. You have to do something, do you not?"

"I know, but..."

"Do not just know—act. What exactly do you dislike about Yuan Shao? Or... are you thinking of another man?"

"What nonsense!? I am only keeping my promise with Do Yeop... ah!"

Without meaning to, Yu Bi let slip that all of this was to keep her promise with Do Yeop. Naturally, Guan Yu's brow furrowed at once.

"You have been wasting time like this over a single empty promise that man left behind? Tomorrow, tell Yuan Shao you will go with him. Or I will tell Master and Yi Deok everything."

"..."

Guan Yu withdrew after delivering the strongest threat she could. Yu Bi had lost every card she held.

Was she truly left with no choice but to follow Yuan Shao?

The next morning, Yuan Shao came to the port at the head of his people. Lu Zhi greeted him at the pier together with the three Yu sisters.

"I heard. You accepted the office Dong Zhuo bestowed?"

"I am merely making use of it. General Lu, please join me."

"Hmm... Not a bad idea. But first I must return to my hometown. I have to see this one off, you see."

Lu Zhi pointed to Yu Bi as she spoke. Yuan Shao then revealed his other purpose.

"Then it will be a wasted trip. Because Lord Yu has already agreed to come with me."

"Is that true?"

"Ah... That is..."

Yu Bi could not answer and only fidgeted. When Guan Yu jabbed her in the side, Lu Zhi let out a sigh.

"Surely you are not so blinded by that magistrate post that you mean to go to Zan? Do you not know how much of a fuss he made just to get a hand under your skirts once?"

"I-I know that. Only... there is something I wish to ask Lord Yuan."

"What is it?"

What else? To correct the error in the words he had spoken that had not left her mind since yesterday.

"Lord Yuan said you have no intention of abandoning the Colonel Director of Retainers post the Emperor gave you. But if one looks closely, is not the current Grand Administrator of Bohai post also issued in the Emperor's name?"

"Haha! Is that what this is about? I do not recognize the King of Chenliu as Emperor. When I topple Dong Zhuo, I will restore the original and welcome back the Emperor who is in Hongnong."

"..."

Yuan Shao thus stated his position on the current imperial house. But as a member of the imperial clan, Yu Bi could neither understand nor accept the statement.

Whatever the process, Yu Hyeop reigned as Emperor. If one meant to drag that Emperor down again simply because the process was flawed, how was that any different from a traitor?

"We can talk about that later. The boat has come, so let us board."

Lu Zhi chose to remain neutral for now and board the ship. With little time left—

Yu Bi turned her head toward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Luoyang and gazed endlessly at the horizon. In the end Do Yeop had not come, and as the leader of hundreds she had to make a decision.

"I understand. Then for now I will follow Lord Yuan..."

"Wooong! Someone is running this way!"

"...?"

Thud-thud! The moment she heard Zhang Fei's words, Yu Bi sprinted to the end of the pier.

In the distance a man was galloping hard on horseback, and without realizing it a bright smile overtook her face.

Her prayer had been answered...

Neigh!

The moment Do Yeop reached the pier he leapt from his horse. Yuan Shao and Lu Zhi both went wide-eyed upon recognizing him, while Guan Yu sensed crisis and laid a hand on her sword hilt.

"Everyone is gathered here, I see? Lady Yu Bi, you were not seriously thinking of going with Yuan Shao, were you?"

"Ah... That is still..."

"It was decided long ago. Why did you suddenly show up here?"

Guan Yu immediately stepped between them and threatened Do Yeop. Unfazed, he spoke to Lu Zhi.

"Lord Lu Zhi? Do you truly think Yu Bi should follow Yuan Shao?"

"I cannot send her to Gongsun Zan, can I? Of course that would still be better than going with the likes of you."

"You still dislike me... Sorry, but Lady Yu Bi will not be going to Bohai. She will have to cross the river, though."

"What do you mean? And how did you know I was going to Bohai?"

Yuan Shao showed open hostility toward Do Yeop, who had appeared suddenly to block Yu Bi from accompanying him. But Do Yeop answered with action rather than words.

Rustle!

Out of nowhere he unfurled a sheet of paper before their eyes. The details were hard to make out, but the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seal stamped upon it was unmistakably the Emperor's own.

"..."

Do Yeop's final request to Yu Hyeop. With this, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one axis of history began to twist.