18. The Choice of Betrayal (4)
18. The Choice of Betrayal (4)
Inspector of Bing Province Ding Yuan was murdered by his subordinate, Lu Bu.
Lu Bu and Ding Yuan were in a father-daughter relationship.
Although they were not related by blood... Luoyang was engulfed in shock at the fact that the only adopted daughter had killed her adoptive father.
With this, the Ding Yuan Army of Bing Province was destroyed.
And as all the warriors of the Ding Yuan Army, including Lu Bu, surrendered to the Dong Zhuo Army, the era of Dong Zhuo accelerated in earnest.
"Geuhaha! Geuhahaha!! So Ding Yuan is dead, that damn old fart! Could there be anything more delightful?"
Dong Zhuo burst into wild laughter.
By hanging the gruesomely ruined head of Ding Yuan and the heads of the leaders who followed him on the gates of Luoyang, he announced to the whole world who the final victor was.
I won!
This Dong Zhongying, I, who came from Xiliang, won! Now, who can oppose me?
"Congratulations. Now there will be no one left to offend your mood, sir."
"Hey, Li Ru. Everything is fine, but I don't like the official title of Governor of Bing Province. It's strange that I, who possess the world, am still a frontier local official."
Dong Zhuo said with a sly grin.
Li Ru realized his lord's desire to ascend to an official position higher than others, one that he could boast about.
"First, you should ascend to the position of Grand Minister of Works. It is a position among the Three Excellencies that encompasses all the officials of the Han Dynasty. First, you must place the imperial officials under you."
"Indeed, that is how it should be! I haven't liked the attitude of those stiff-necked high-ranking officials anyway."
Official rank is a measure of power.
Dong Zhuo had already dominated Luoyang and seized absolute power. In other words, he had gained the privilege of ascending to any official position he desired.
He appointed himself Minister of Works.
Furthermore, he placed his subordinate generals, including Li Ru, in high-ranking military positions. Not only that, but he also bestowed titles upon the surrendered generals from the Ding Yuan Army.
"Brother, when are you going to cut off the head of that guy Lee Seong-hwi?"
Commandant of the Imperial Carriages Dong Min asked.
Dong Min held a grudge against Lee Seong-hwi, who had murdered Wu Kuang, a Buguo Zhang with whom he had a deep friendship.
And as a military officer of the General-in-Chief's Office reported,
he said that Lee Seong-hwi had targeted not only Wu Kuang but his own life as well.
"Geuhaha! Isn't he truly an amazing guy? If one is born a man, one must risk one's life to fight. I thought there were only cowardly and weak military officers in Luoyang, but to think there was such a gutsy guy."
Unlike Dong Min, who was shouting to kill him immediately,
Dong Zhuo, on the contrary, liked such a Lee Seong-hwi and wanted to keep him close.
What he wanted was not the brave Lu Bu.
He needed a political soldier who knew how to handle the court by his side more than anything else.
"I heard he was a guest of Minister of Education Wang Yun."
"Wang Yun's?"
Wang Yun is one of the few people Dong Zhuo highly evaluates.
He is from the frontier, Bing Province,
and he was even agile enough to lead troops himself and suppress the remnants during the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
He is different from other powerful officials who are like pushovers.
He evaluated him highly, saying that unlike the high-ranking officials who holed up in safe Luoyang and just spouted armchair theories, he knew how to see the cold reality.
"If I treat that guy well, Wang Yun will feel grateful to me, right? I was planning to fill the court with my own people anyway."
"The military is already yours, sir. If you place the court under you, who could raise a banner of rebellion against your reign?"
"Geuhahaha!"
He could accept his younger brother's insistence and kill Lee Seong-hwi right away.
However, Dong Zhuo was in a very good mood right now.
Ding Yuan, who was a worthy rival, had died, and Lu Bu, the strongest warrior of Bing Province, had entered his command.
Is that all?
He even absorbed Ding Yuan's powerful elite corps. Thanks to this, the Dong Zhuo Army ascended to become the number one warlord force of the Han Dynasty.
"That guy Lee Seong-hwi is under Lu Bu now, right? What could I gain by killing such a guy? Warriors are gathering like clouds under my command; if I kill a surrendered general with my own hands, wouldn't it just ruin my mood for no reason?"
Since Dong Zhuo said that much, there was no way for Dong Min to insist stubbornly.
He had no choice but to suppress his frustration and nod.
His older brother Dong Zhuo is a scary person.
He showed mercy now because he was in a good mood, but if he were in a bad mood, he would have purged everyone, surrendered generals and all.
"Li Ru, give rewards and titles to the surrendered guys so they don't complain. Especially pay close attention to that guy Lee Seong-hwi. I want to watch him for a while... If it seems like I don't need him later, I can just kill him like Dong Min said."
"Understood, sir."
After delegating authority to the strategist Li Ru,
Dong Zhuo moved his heavy body and stood up from his seat.
Dong Zhuo was nearly fifty years old.
He was by no means young, but having been active on the frontier, he had a body sturdier than any young man. Even though he was well past his prime, his lust and stamina were as great as any young man's.
"Brother, I've prepared some pretty ones. There are even imperial princesses mixed in, so you will surely like them."
"Hehehe. I'll know when I see them. I just hope there aren't any boring wenches who faint after one round."
"Isn't that because you are so incredibly virile, brother?"
"Geuhahaha!"
Dong Min rubbed his hands together and fawned over him.
Perhaps not disliking his younger brother's flattery, Dong Zhuo laughed heartily and moved his steps toward the inner chamber where the imperial women were gathered.
Lu Bu was appointed Colonel of Cavalry.
It was a very sweet price for betrayal.
She had killed Ding Yuan, who was like an enemy, and obtained an official position and a rare steed called Red Hare. And since the generals who surrendered with her were all given titles, Lu Bu herself seemed very satisfied.
"Colonel of Cavalry! With this, I've become a higher-ranking superior than you, right?"
Lu Bu made an excited expression.
She showed a very satisfied reaction, saying that she had finally overtaken me.
It's good to see her looking just like her usual self.
I was worried she might feel guilty about killing her adoptive father, but instead, Lu Bu was only happy about her newly received official position.
Hmm. A magnificent daddy-slayer.
This is what makes Lu Bu, who is called the greatest degenerate of the Three Kingdoms, herself. Feeling guilty wouldn't be like our Lu Bu!
"Congratulations. You've finally become my equal. Same salary of 2,000 shi, right?"
The superiority of Han Dynasty official positions is determined by the salary.
Of course, there might be arguments regarding the interpretation of rank and role, but simply judging by salary, the Gate Guard Colonel and the Colonel of Cavalry belonged to the same level.
"I appoint Gate Guard Colonel Lee Seong-hwi as a Flying General."
However, the promotion did not stop at Flying General.
After being appointed Flying General, I was made to ascend to the military position of General of the Feathered Forest.
'What is this? Are they trying to beat me into submission with titles to recruit me?'
I turned my head and looked at Lu Bu.
After the imperial envoy dispatched by the court left, she had a sulky expression on her face because I had ascended to a higher official position than her.
The General of the Feathered Forest is an official position belonging to the Minister of the Imperial Household, one of the Nine Ministers, and can be considered a high-ranking military position responsible for the protection of the Emperor and the defense of the palace from within, and for war from without.
'Don't stay in Lu Bu's shadow and come over here... I suppose that's what it means. I thought they would just drag me away and kill me, but it seems that's not the case.'
Dong Zhuo has a personality that likes warlords.
That is why he trusted Wang Yun and Cao Cao, who were highly renowned in Luoyang, and did not suspect them even until just before he was betrayed by them.
He is a debaucher who conducts politics tyrannically and abuses the people like a beast.
However, as a great warlord of Xiliang, he had a bold drive that was unrivaled when it came to his desire for talent.
"It seems the day you overtake me is still far off. Well, you might catch up someday. Of course, I'll be in a higher position by then. For now, just be satisfied with the Colonel of Cavalry title and having joined the ranks of the feudal lords."
Lu Bu was appointed Marquis of Doting in return for killing Ding Yuan.
She had proudly become a feudal lord of the Han Dynasty.
Shall we say she had succeeded through a high-speed promotion for a village girl from Wuyuan Commandery in Bing Province? If she returned to her hometown, she would have more than enough to be welcomed with glory.
However, she seemed displeased.
She couldn't beat me.
She made a sulky expression because that part didn't sit well with her.
What an easy-to-read person.
Of course, I like that side of her.
"It's good that you got a title, but try not to get close to Dong Zhuo if you can help it. He's only acting friendly because he wants something from you. You remember what I said about always suspecting unprovoked goodwill, right?"
"I know."
"Then that's a relief. Work your brain hard and suspect, and suspect again. Because there are tons of guys out there in the world who want to use you."
It felt like I had become Lu Bu's private tutor.
It is something absolutely necessary for the Unrivaled Under Heaven, who records a desperate level in intelligence and politics.
What if Lu Bu became smart? If an Unrivaled Under Heaven who is capable in politics and strategy were born. She would surely become the number one figure in this chaotic era.
'But I bet my crotch that that's impossible. Plus my two balls as a bonus.'
I knew it after spending time with her.
That it is absolutely impossible for an Unrivaled Under Heaven who is capable in politics and strategy to be born.
"I acknowledge that you are capable in martial arts and brave. But you need to learn other things too. It's a chaotic era now, and we are in a situation where we are standing on the edge of a blade. If Dong Zhuo tries to kill us, we have no choice but to die just like that."
What Lu Bu has now.
She is such a pitiful woman who has nothing left except martial arts and bravery.
Her outstanding appearance and slender figure would help in capturing men's hearts. But considering her shitty personality, a honey trap is out of the question.
"Congratulations, Colonel. Oh, wait, are you not a Colonel anymore?"
Zhang Liao opened the door and entered.
I don't know where she found out that I was appointed General of the Feathered Forest, but she offered me congratulations first.
She was appointed Colonel of the Inner Army.
The other generals under her command also rose to military positions such as Commandant or Colonel in Luoyang, and they came to receive official salaries from the court.
A sweet price obtained through betrayal.
But one must not forget. That what is obtained through betrayal will someday be lost through another betrayal.
"Shall we have a meal together to celebrate our success?"
I asked Zhang Liao tentatively.
To that, Zhang Liao nodded with a bright smile.
Without knowing that I had dark intentions,
she readily accepted, showing an innocent appearance.
"You, you...! Didn't you say you were clearly in love with me?"
Lu Bu said to me as if demanding an explanation.
I nodded at her words, which were tinged with embarrassment.
"I did."
"Why are you so confident? You're extending your evil hands to Mun-won right in front of my eyes! Are you even human?!"
"Taking beautiful women is a natural instinct as a man, so are you planning to castrate my primal instincts now? Even if you became my lord... No, to be honest, you didn't become my lord. Anyway, it's a bit too much for you to try to control my instincts."
When I meet a beautiful woman, I want to hold her hand,
if I want to hold her hand, I want to hug her too. And while hugging, wanting to sleep together is a man's heart.
Anyone who denies that is, nine times out of ten, a homosexual interested in men, or a cripple who was born without a 'thing'.
I am very honest about my instincts.
Besides, isn't this the worldview of a 19+ dating sim? Not 'eating' beautiful girls even though I'm a player could be seen as an act that violates the grand laws of this worldview.
Leaving difficult words aside for a moment.......
Honestly speaking, my desire is to have three wives and four concubines made up of beautiful girls and beauties.
"You son of a bitch!"
Lu Bu swung her Painted Halberd.