32. Who Will Draw Their Sword First (4)
32. Who Will Draw Their Sword First (4)
Chen Gong, the strategist of the Cao Cao army, is a person who served as the magistrate of Zhongmou County.
She met Cao Cao while she was fleeing to Yan Province.
Having realized that Cao Cao had her own sense of justice, Chen Gong abandoned her post and became her subordinate.
Chen Gong was the most outstanding among many strategists.
Not only did she help Cao Cao, who intended to raise an army in Yan Province, create a new army, but she also did not hesitate to cooperate as her strategist so that the Cao Cao army could stand tall in Yan Province.
"Hey, kid Mengde. Do you really think you can beat Dong Zhuo?"
Chen Gong asked, spitting out the long pipe she had in her mouth.
Silver hair tied messily and sticking out in all directions.
From her loose clothes and the hem dragging on the ground, one could tell that she was a free-spirited person who didn't care about her appearance at all.
Although Cao Cao had told her to be mindful of her attire as a strategist, Chen Gong just smiled, acting as if she didn't care about Cao Cao's orders at all.
"Wang Kuang, the Governor of Henei, who raised an army without knowing his place, got crushed. Thanks to that, the morale of our Coalition Army is hitting rock bottom. Even though Wang Kuang followed up by bringing his remaining troops to join us, it would be wise to think that he won't be of any help at all."
Chen Gong sharply criticized Wang Kuang's mistake.
Even though the atmosphere in the camp was dampened because of that, Chen Gong pointed out the painful truth of the Coalition Army.
"Is that why you were against raising an army from the start?"
Cao Cao asked.
At her words, Chen Gong shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, yeah. Dong Zhuo will eventually self-destruct anyway. There's no need to go out of our way to raise an army and make those guys nervous."
Chen Gong judged that Dong Zhuo would collapse on his own someday.
Glory beyond one's station only leads to self-destruction. A man who should have been satisfied as a frontier warlord swallowed the world, so how could there not be trouble?
The world isn't something that can be swallowed easily.
It is only possible when one has a clear plan, ambition to open the future, and a cause to lead the masses.
"But Dong Zhuo has no plan, no ambition, and no cause."
"Plan. Ambition. Cause."
Cao Cao muttered, chewing on Chen Gong's words.
The three conditions to take the world.
Chen Gong was sure that Cao Cao would become a hero who would eventually seize the world. Because she is a warlord who meets all three of the above conditions.
She is weak now, but someday, surely.
She would grow into a great warlord called an Overlord who sweeps through the Central Plains.
"Hoo."
Chen Gong blew out cigarette smoke.
Then Cao Cao coughed and moved away.
"Besides, kid Mengde's friend doesn't seem interested in the coalition at all? I wonder if this coalition will be okay. Even the guy who's the leader isn't interested in Luoyang to begin with."
Chen Gong gave a bitter smile.
She pointed out the problem that Yuan Shao, who became the leader of the coalition, was pessimistic about the war.
Yuan Shao intends to open a new dynasty.
It seemed she planned to enthrone Liu Yu, the Inspector of Youzhou, as the new emperor, and open a new Han Dynasty in the north from Hebei, where her support base is located.
"They say Yan Liang and Wen Chou went to Youzhou to protect Liu Yu. Plus, I heard that the strategists of the Yuan Shao army who didn't come to the Central Plains are busy preparing in Nanpi."
Chen Gong twirled her pipe.
She was pressing her temples at the desperate fact that they have to unite with warlords while leading an army with an uncertain foundation.
"It's a fight we can't win, but there's a lot to gain. That's why I brought the troops. If it's you, I think you'll understand what I mean."
"Well, of course I do."
At Cao Cao's words, Chen Gong nodded.
Cao Cao and Chen Gong, who looked like an older sister and younger sister on the outside, understood each other perfectly.
Chen Gong is 1 year older than Cao Cao.
But unlike Chen Gong, a beauty with a slender body, Cao Cao had a petite physique and a youthful face, so they sometimes looked like sisters with a significant age gap.
"What fun story are you two talking about again?"
A large man approached.
He was wearing armor so he could go to war at any moment.
It was Cao Cao's cousin, Xiahou Dun.
He had come to tell Cao Cao and Chen Gong that the soldiers' preparations were all complete.
"You said you'd meet the warlords at Guandu again, right? Damn, looks like they're finally moving after getting beaten up by Dong Zhuo. I didn't know it would be this hard to move those heavy asses."
It is a good opportunity to destroy the Dong Zhuo army.
Unlike Cao Cao and Chen Gong, who were pessimistic about the war, Xiahou Dun and his subordinate warriors showed fighting spirit, saying it was a fight worth having.
Punish the traitor and save the world.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Coalition Army, which put up such a manifesto, is carrying the expectations of the people suffering in chaotic times on their shoulders.
"How can the world return to peace just because one big bandit dies? The world was like this even before the big bandit appeared."
Chen Gong put the pipe in her mouth.
After inhaling deeply until her cheeks bulged, she exhaled smoke again, putting Cao Cao into a state of respiratory distress.
"Hey, Master Gong-dae. Are you going to take responsibility if our Mengde doesn't grow taller because of that?"
"My apologies. If she gets any smaller here, she won't be distinguishable from the kids in Yan Province."
The shortest person in the Cao Cao army was the ruler, Cao Cao herself.
There was not a single person in the crowd smaller than her. Even young boy soldiers were taller than Cao Cao, and those smaller than Cao Cao were only children too young to even be used as boy soldiers.
Although her physique is small, she has a very youthful face.
Someday she will be grateful for her features, but not being able to see further than others was a big disadvantage for Cao Cao.
"I'll give the order to march. Won-yang, call the generals."
"They're already gathered. You guys just need to come."
Cao Cao nodded.
Eventually, she headed to the military tent with Chen Gong to discuss the advance route of the friendly forces.
Warlords gathered like clouds from all sides.
Although they were warlords who had tasted a bitter defeat in Dong Zhuo's massive surprise attack on Yan Province, they gathered again to execute the traitor Dong Zhuo.
"Looks like about 100,000."
Lee Seong-hwi, riding a horse, arrived on a hill.
He saw the armies spread beyond the horizon and realized that the power of the Coalition Army was no joke.
Surely Cao Cao is among those troops.
He vividly remembers the kiss she gave as a farewell gift. Thanks to that, he had to sweat to appease a very sulky Lu Bu.
But now they are enemies.
Just because he was helped a little in the past, he can't loosen his guard on the battlefield.
"If we get any closer, we'll be spotted by the enemy scouts."
Wei Xu warned.
At her words, Lee Seong-hwi nodded and looked at the enemy army.
Countless flags were visible.
Colorful flags fluttering in the wind filled the ground along with the commander flags inscribed with the names and ranks of the warlords.
Coalition forces gathered from all over the Central Plains.
Truly a spectacle. They were nothing more than a group of egoists gathered according to their own calculations, but the majesty and solemn atmosphere were excellent.
"They'll start from Guandu, go through Zhongmou and Xingyang, and reach Sishui Pass. I guess that means they'll come straight from the front."
Lee Seong-hwi nodded at Zhang Liao's explanation.
She is right.
The Coalition Army intends to use it as propaganda, showing off their majesty to the world while marching imposingly to strike the traitor Dong Zhuo.
"100,000 troops coming to Luoyang."
"Looks like a big fight is going to break out. It would be nice if the court gave us a generous hazard pay."
The military officers from Bingzhou swallowed dry saliva at the sight of the 100,000 troops.
Yet they tried to act calm.
Even for them, who had been through many battlefields, it was a scale of army they were seeing for the first time, but the Lu Bu army bluffed to show they weren't scared of any enemy.
"We have the Unrivaled Under Heaven."
Muttering that to soothe themselves.
To drive away the hesitation born of fear and dread, they calmed their hearts by thinking of Lu Bu.
Get a grip, you are the adjutant of the Unrivaled Under Heaven.
If you show a pathetic appearance, an ugly crack will form in the name of the Unrivaled Under Heaven.
Even though he wanted to groan, Lee Seong-hwi decided to accept the reality of fighting the 18 warlords while trying to put on a bold smile.
"The Adjutant really likes Bong-seon-nim."
Zhang Liao said with a smirk.
Even while making a mischievous expression, she showed trust that she strongly believed in Lee Seong-hwi.
Women are weak to men who are single-minded.
He envies Lu Bu, who became the object of such blind love that he would risk his life. Zhang Liao suddenly thought she envied Lu Bu.
"I'm really envious."
Then Zhang Liao turned her head.
She didn't want to show Lee Seong-hwi that her face had turned red for no reason.
She was an older sister figure who always showed a relaxed appearance, but lately, she often showed signs of being shy whenever she saw Lee Seong-hwi.
"It's okay, Noona. Lu Bu is in my heart, but there's still an empty room next to her. A room for you, Noona."
"Hehe, I'll take that as a joke for now."
That's not a joke.
Lee Seong-hwi looked disappointed at Zhang Liao's attempt to dismiss it as a joke.
"Let's go back."
Lee Seong-hwi turned his horse's head.
He saw enough of the enemy's scale.
The Guandong Coalition Army far exceeding 100,000. The only stronghold that can block them is Sishui Pass. Must block them at Sishui Pass, any soldier who saw the warlords' army would think so.
"Then will we also join in at Sishui Pass?"
Zhang Liao asked on the way to Luoyang.
Sishui Pass, which will block the enemy's large army.
She seemed lost in thought about whether they would also be involved in that front.
"I don't think there will be a place for us to step in."
Lee Seong-hwi said.
He explained that Sishui Pass will be filled with Commander Hua Xiong and his legion, so the Lu Bu army won't be directly in charge of Sishui Pass.
Some of Dong Zhuo's generals still distrusted the Lu Bu army. Especially Dong Min, Dong Zhuo's younger brother appointed as General of the Left and Marquis of Hu, even thought of Lee Seong-hwi as a political enemy who must be eliminated.
If Sishui Pass is breached, everything is over.
Knowing that, the Dong Zhuo army's leadership will try to compose the Sishui Pass front only with elite troops they can trust.
"Then that means we just have to watch our allies fight from the rear."
"No, that's not it."
Dong Zhuo's army and the Coalition Army will have a fierce fight at the Sishui Pass front.
But that is a fight between main forces.
Sishui Pass is just where a large army can move smoothly among the paths from Guandong to Luoyang, it doesn't mean Sishui Pass is the only path to Luoyang.
In other words, it means one of the warlords could attack Luoyang through a side path.
'Sun Jian will cut down Commander Hua Xiong at the Battle of Yangren and achieve a great victory. Unless the warlords are idiots, they won't dump all their supplies at Sishui Pass. There is a high probability that Sun Jian will come to Yangren.'
The area the Lu Bu army will be in charge of.
That area will be Yangren, where the Sun Jian army will launch an attack.