Du Chi
"Young Master Do! Something terrible has happened!"
The moment I woke that morning, Sima Lang burst in with devastating news. In the small hours before dawn, Wang Guang had cut down Hu Muban with his own hands.
"Ah... how on earth could this have come to pass?"
Yu Bi was just as stunned. She was so shaken she didn't even pick a fight about me being alone with Sima Lang first thing in the morning.
"Could Governor Wang have changed his mind, Young Master Do?"
"No chance. You saw him yesterday, Lady Sima—Wang Guang wanted Hu Muban dead about as much as we did. This is Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao gave the order himself."
"Hah... but only yesterday he clearly promised to spare Hu Muban!"
I had been right there. Yu Bi had spent a full double-hour of tea-time talking and finally managed to turn Yuan Shao around.
Still, it was hard to believe this had happened without his blessing. In the end I sent Yu Bi back to him to dig out the truth.
"Lord Benchu...? There is something I must ask of you."
"What is it so early in the morning, Lady Yu?"
I hid and watched them. Yuan Shao greeted her with perfect composure, as if nothing at all had happened in the night.
"It is only... word has reached me that Governor Wang has executed Hu Muban. Does that not strike you as strange? Yesterday Your Lordship clearly said you would spare him..."
"Ah, that? I ordered him killed."
"..."
Yu Bi was left speechless by how casually, how brazenly, he admitted it. She could only blink. Sweet Lord Yuan Shao kindly explained himself.
"Curious why I suddenly changed my mind, are you?"
"I-I simply find it a little hard to understand. Then why, yesterday..."
"Before that, I have a question of my own. Was asking me to spare Hu Muban truly your own wish, Lady Yu?"
"What do you mean? Why else would I have made such a request?"
"What I mean is—did that idea really come from your own head?"
"..."
Yu Bi dared not answer. Yuan Shao's words were digging straight into the soft places she kept hidden.
"Haa... Silence is answer enough. After you left last night, Xu You came to see me. She happened to notice that before you came to me, you spoke with Do Yeop. Is that true?"
"Hah... y-you saw that? But that was only to discuss the affairs of Yawang..."
"And the part where the two of you were holding hands?"
"...!?"
Shit. So that was where it went wrong—Xu You hadn't missed that brief moment. And it was all because of that damn Yu Bi.
If we had only talked, the excuse that we were discussing county business would have been airtight. But she had to go and whine about her stomach, and we got caught playing with each other's fingers. Of course Yuan Shao was pissed.
"Th-that is a misunderstanding on Lady Xu's part. I mentioned my stomach felt unsettled, and Lord Do Yeop was merely working my meridians."
"The man is no physician. What treatment could he give? I have never heard of kneading someone's fingers to aid digestion."
"Yet Lord Do Yeop is surprisingly well-versed in medicine. When we met Dong Zhuo before, he even treated a wound on the belly himself..."
"I saw the man that day as well, and he showed no sign of being injured. Or are you claiming he is Hua Tuo himself, able to close a stab wound in the blink of an eye?"
"..."
Yu Bi could not answer. Even she would find it hard to believe I could borrow Hua Tuo's specialty on demand.
"Haa... General Lu was right. Lady Yu, your heart is too soft and you see the world too prettily—you are ripe for men to use. If I had not told you to come to Bohai that day, Gongsun Zan would have dragged you off. And now this Do Yeop, a man of unknown origins, is trying to deceive you with a silver tongue."
"That is not so! Your Lordship knows full well that Lord Do Yeop is a loyal man who tried to assassinate Dong Zhuo!"
"That is exactly the problem—why can you not see it? Word has already spread across the realm that Do Yeop is Mengde's man. Why else, at the banquet that day, would he tear into me and Gongsun Zan and then beg Mengde for a post?"
"That cannot be. It is true Lord Do Yeop saved Cao Cao's younger sister, but he has said they have not met since. Even if Cao Cao sent him, we are all part of the same coalition—why would he try to break our army's spirit?"
"If you stay that naïve, how do you expect to survive this cruel world? Mengde is my friend, yet I never know what he is thinking. With every eye in the land fixed on me, he might simply have wanted to put a scratch on my name. Then he could claim the glory and make a name for himself."
"..."
Yu Bi had no reply. Yuan Shao's words were so artful I almost wondered if he truly suspected me of being Cao Cao's spy.
Rustle...
Yuan Shao activated his ultimate technique—skinship—and took Yu Bi's hand. With a tender expression he gazed at her and pressed his case.
"So remember this. The only person in all the realm you can truly trust, Lady Yu, is this Yuan Shao alone."
"I-I shall keep it in mind."
Feng Ji had called for him urgently, so Yuan Shao left at once. I approached the Yu Bi who remained alone.
"Lady Yu Bi? You're not actually believing Yuan Shao, are you?"
"I do not. Only... Lord Do Yeop has never explained his true reasons to me either, has he?"
"..."
So at least the seed of doubt had been planted. Great. I couldn't exactly tell pure-hearted Yu Bi what Cao Cao had done to Lü Boshe, so what now?
"I am on the side of the Han, not Cao Cao. Naturally that means you, as a member of the imperial clan, are someone I must protect as well."
"I know that much. Yet you only say the words—you still show no intention of performing the rite of lord and vassal, so aigoo..."
"That damn rite of lord and vassal again... Anyway, I'm going to see Wang Guang."
The damage was already done; the least I could do was stop Wang Guang from going completely off the rails. I left Yu Bi behind and went to find him alone.
Clamor...
The moment I reached Wang Guang's camp I knew we were fucked. Soldiers moved in perfect order, checking weapons and hauling grain.
Even a beginner could see it—they were preparing to march. I went straight into the tent and found Wang Guang.
"Governor Wang? What exactly are you doing?"
"I might ask you the same—why are you here again? Still planning to wag that clever tongue of yours?"
Wang Guang was burning, one spark from exploding. Of course he was. Last night I had even brought Sima Lang to persuade him, and what I got in return was Yuan Shao's execution order that dragged him out of bed before dawn.
"About... how things went wrong, I truly have nothing I can say."
"Then shut your mouth and get out. I have much to do from this moment on."
"What do you have to do? You're not seriously going to fight Dong Zhuo like this? You don't even know the enemy's strength, or who's defending—"
"Out! I am no stranger to war. Dong Zhuo will think we are fixed on Hulao Pass alone. Strike him from behind now and he will fall into chaos at once."
"Governor, I think you're the one underestimating Dong Zhuo. Yes, he has bungled a few battles, but think about why he was the top man in Liang Province in the first place."
"I do not wish to hear it. I will listen to you no longer—leave at once. Or must I truly draw blood?"
Shing! Wang Guang even drew his sword and threatened me. With my combat stats minimized, I needed to get out before he actually lost it.
And so I was driven from Wang Guang's camp, able to do nothing. Why does it keep turning out like this?
How could Xu You, of all people, witness that private moment between Yu Bi and me? What kind of once-in-a-lifetime bad luck is that?
"...?"
Wait. Maybe it wasn't as forced as I thought. I hadn't forgotten Yu Bi's other name, had I?
Unlucky events occur frequently
Fuck me—this was a game system too? I had been using Yu Bi to cover for my own lack of ability, and all the while she was a walking misfortune magnet, a shrine maiden of bad luck who dragged disaster after her.
Stay calm. We failed to save Hu Muban, but it isn't over yet.
If I can just persuade Wang Guang enough to avoid total defeat, an opening will appear for me as well.
"..."
Except Wang Guang won't even look me in the face. With distrust this deep, sending anyone from Yu Bi's side—Sima Lang, Lu Zhi—is impossible.
That leaves only one person I can use.
Step, step... step, step...
A woman was hurrying out of Wang Guang's camp. She was on the short side, but her sharp, intelligent eyes and uncommon looks stood out. She had her long hair gathered in a round knot at the back, so fine stray hairs framed the pale nape of her neck—oddly charming. Her mouth was set in a tight line, yet that only made the full cheeks and the dimples that appeared when she moved all the more adorable.
She was Han Hao, Wang Guang's commandant. And the only person left who might still persuade him in my place.
"Commandant Han! Good morning!"
"..!?"
I planted myself squarely in her path and threw out a greeting. Han Hao flinched at the sudden obstruction, stopped, recognized my face—and immediately crumpled her cute features into a scowl.
"You again. What do you want?"
"Could we talk for a moment? It's really, truly important—it has to be now."
"Can you not see how busy the camp is? Get out of the way!"
"If it's that busy, where are you going, Commandant? Don't tell me you're sneaking off to meet your fiancé in the middle of all this?"
"Wh-what are you talking about? Where do you get off—"
"Won...sa?"
But she was already caught. From behind her came Du Chi's voice, calling her by her courtesy name. I turned at once and greeted him.
"Hello. I work under the magistrate of Yawang—no need for you to know my name."
"..."
Du Chi shot Han Hao a look that clearly asked what the hell was going on. Interrupting a couple's meeting was one thing; refusing to give a name was outright rudeness.
"Don't mind him. We don't get along—I have no idea why he's like this."
Han Hao immediately stepped past me to Du Chi's side. He was still watching me warily. Pressed for time, I spoke to Han Hao first.
"Commandant Han? I get wanting to enjoy some time with your boyfriend before you march out, but you should also think about what comes after."
"Wh-what did you just say? I only came because Du Chi said he had something to tell me—"
"I'm not criticizing two people in love. But are you really fine marching out like this? Do you honestly believe you can launch a preemptive strike on Dong Zhuo with zero preparation and come back in one piece?"
"Shut up! What do you know of strategy that you dare jinx us before the fight even begins?"
"More than you do, Commandant. Or have you forgotten I took the Henei commandery seat with only thirteen riders?"
"..."
And you were the one taken prisoner in that fight. Of course, needling her like that only made her angrier.
"Then you also know how much I despise you. I don't know what you came to say, but I will hear no more of it. Step aside or I will draw blood."
Shing!
Just like Wang Guang, Han Hao drew her sword and leveled it at me. If I hadn't dumped everything into Leadership because of those damn Black Mountain bandits, I wouldn't be flinching from her like this.
"You're really marching out... is that true?"
"...?"
Then something unexpected happened. Du Chi asked about the sortie with genuine worry on his face.
"Y-yes. The governor was tricked by Dong Zhuo's schemes and had to kill his own brother-in-law with his own hands. To avenge that grudge, we have no choice but to strike Dong Zhuo."
"But this man is right. If you charge at Dong Zhuo without proper preparation and something happens to Wonsa..."
"What are you saying, Du Chi? This is the business of the realm. The moment I resolved to remove a traitor, I already placed my life in Heaven's hands."
"Of course I understand. Your resolve even unto death is so noble it makes me fall for you all over again. But... rushing out like this helps no one, does it? If you're going to strike a traitor, shouldn't you do it without losing yourself as well?"
"Wonsa..."
Well, look at that. Honestly I had come to persuade Han Hao out of pure desperation.
My Intelligence was nowhere near hers; lies wouldn't work. Even trying to persuade her with facts, my Charm was too low.
And. Yet. Here was Du Chi, maxed-out affinity with her, helping me. From the complicated look on Han Hao's face, she was actually thinking it over seriously.
Grasp!
As a last resort Du Chi took her hand. Even with a third party watching, he was putting his body on the line to sway her.
"Please... try to persuade the governor. There will be a better chance, a better day. Crush Dong Zhuo properly first—then we can walk into Luoyang with our heads high and hold our wedding."
"Du Chi... I..."
Han Hao was badly shaken. The records said she was a brave woman who had raised volunteer troops more than once to fight bandits.
Yet in front of a man she still went soft. She lowered her head and answered in a dying voice.
"All right. I'll speak to the governor once."
I had gotten what I wanted without lifting a finger. I immediately shadowed Han Hao and slipped around behind Wang Guang's tent.
"Are the preparations going well?"
Wang Guang's voice itself was edged; he had grown quite high-strung. Han Hao knew her superior's state of mind, so she chose her words carefully.
"Why no answer?"
"It's just... I know you will be disappointed if I say this before we even fight. But... would it not be better to learn more about the enemy before we march?"
"..."
Wang Guang turned his head without a word and fixed his eyes on her. Completely stripped of confidence, she tried hard to avoid that gaze.
"Did Du Chi put you up to this?"
"What? N-no, absolutely not—how could I let my fiancé's words overturn the governor's decision? I only hoped to raise our chances of victory even a little..."
Thud!
Without speaking, Wang Guang tossed a letter at her feet. A question mark practically floated over Han Hao's head as she picked it up.
"What... is this?"
"It was originally a letter for you. I had a bad feeling and opened it first."
"What do you mean? Even as governor, how can you open a private letter addressed to me—"
"It came from Luoyang. I don't know how Dong Zhuo managed it, but he has taken Du Yang into custody."
"..."
The color drained from Han Hao's face the instant she heard it. At the same time a single thought flashed through my mind.
Du Yang... Du Chi?
Du Chi's father. Dong Zhuo was trying to turn Han Hao the exact same way he had used Hu Muban.
"Du Chi must have heard the news first. Wanting to save his father's life, he asked you to delay the march. Am I wrong?"
"I-I didn't know. I only thought his words made more sense than I expected..."
"Foolish... Do you still not understand why I shed tears and cut down my own brother-in-law? That is exactly what Dong Zhuo wants! To seize the soft place in your heart, shake it, and collapse us from within. Hah! Enough. I never expected a soft little woman like you to achieve great things anyway."
"That is not true! How can the governor insult me with such words? If you truly cannot trust me, then I will prove my resolve myself."
"And how, exactly?"
Yeah—how, exactly? Don't tell me you're about to walk the same road Wang Guang just took.
But Han Hao's pride in herself was no lie. Rather than let anyone doubt her steel, she was the kind of woman who would cut her own flesh and dig out the pus.
"I will cut down Du Chi myself."