38. A Reputation That Shakes the World (3)
38. A Reputation That Shakes the World (3)
Lee Seong-hwi defeated Sun Jian.
Cao Cao, upon hearing this, felt a surge of joy so great that she clenched her fist, even though she knew she wasn't in a position or status to be happy about it.
That person won.
He started to make a name for himself by defeating the [Tiger of Jiangdong].
Women in love are truly simple.
Just hearing the name of the person they love makes their heart swell. Even though it wasn't her own achievement, and even though his actions actually put her at a disadvantage, she couldn't stop the secret joy bubbling up inside.
"His lips... they were so soft..."
It was her first time kissing a man.
Was it weird?
Was it too forward for an unmarried maiden to make the first move?
The day she headed to [Yan Province], Cao Cao had to scream into her pillow for days because she couldn't sleep properly due to her rash actions.
She spent sleepless nights worrying if she had appeared as an impatient woman to Lee Seong-hwi, to the point where it wasn't just a day or two.
"Aaaack!"
Cao Cao screamed.
Even though the [Coalition Army] was on the verge of collapse, the young girl's wavering heart couldn't help but be in this state ever since she heard the news about Lee Seong-hwi.
"Ahem! Mengde, what are you doing?"
Xiahou Dun walked in without hesitation.
Annoyed that Xiahou Dun had entered the maiden's tent without even making a sound, Cao Cao threw the pillow she had been clutching tightly.
"Grak!"
It hit Xiahou Dun square in the face.
Xiahou Dun muttered, "What if I end up one-eyed because of this..." and quietly put the pillow down.
"Like you said, it seems this war was hopeless from the start. Of course, it's a joyous thing that our army created a justification for raising an army in that we sought to strike down the traitor Dong Zhuo, but..."
With this, the warlords who raised armies in the Central Plains gained justification for their actions.
We raised an army to strike down a traitor.
Even if this war ended empty-handed, it clearly had significance for the warlords. That significance was the establishment of the spheres of influence they had built in the Central Plains.
"We raised an army to strike down the traitor and protect the [Han Dynasty] imperial family. Won-yang, the people will praise us as an army that moves with [Benevolence and Righteousness]."
Dong Zhuo lost control of the Central Plains.
None of the warlords recognize Dong Zhuo.
The [Coalition Army] was the proof of that will. Even if the war ended in failure, it would serve as the starting point for local officials and powerful clans in the Central Plains to become independent from the central government's control.
"Dong Zhuo only gained [Sili Province]. And [Xiliang], which he already controlled. It's a very ridiculous result considering he took the Emperor and the imperial family."
The entire Central Plains turned their backs on Dong Zhuo's army.
The reason is simple.
It's because Dong Zhuo is a traitor who deceived the [Han Dynasty] and is leading a foreign army from the borderlands.
They branded him with the stigma of a traitor and a barbarian.
The warlords used that stigma to thoroughly isolate Dong Zhuo's army in [Sili Province], and by refusing to have any relations with Dong Zhuo's army, they blockaded the entire [Sili Province].
"Very excellent. Dong Zhuo won't be able to look toward the Central Plains. Even if he tries to occupy it by force, it will take a tremendous amount of time and effort. In the meantime, we can quietly build up our strength in [Yan Province] and plan for the future."
"No one would want the rule of a tyrant who associates with barbarians. Not the warlords, not the local officials, and not the people. Everyone in the Central Plains has become hostile to Dong Zhuo."
Xiahou Dun nodded, seemingly convinced.
With the appearance of Dong Zhuo, the era of warlords began.
And warlords like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao used Dong Zhuo's tyranny as an opportunity to raise their armies.
What remained was to gradually expand their power.
With the justification of punishing a traitor, the warlords would justify their raising of armies and expansion of their spheres of influence, gradually growing into warlords.
"Warlords, huh..."
"Think positively, Won-yang. We have many talented people and plenty of time. If we use that, we can expand beyond [Yan Province] to the surrounding areas in a short period."
"I hope it goes that easily."
"Benchu is on our side. If Yuan Shao expands his sphere of influence in [Hebei], and I expand mine in [Yu Province], the opportunity to strike Dong Zhuo will come again someday."
Just because we failed this time doesn't mean the next opportunity will disappear forever.
'It's actually better that it ended in failure. Even if we occupied [Luoyang] and killed Dong Zhuo, the chaotic times wouldn't end. Instead, we'd just see the warlords fighting each other, scrambling to take the empty throne.'
Dong Zhuo, the public enemy.
For Cao Cao, this must be a welcome situation.
The justification of facing a public enemy;
With that justification, she could form alliances with the warlords, and while eliminating them one by one, she could build her power even more firmly.
"But Lee Seong-hwi, what is that guy planning to do? It'll be hard to shake off the stigma of being a traitor who associates with Dong Zhuo. From what I've seen, I don't think he's that oblivious. I can't understand why he's under Dong Zhuo."
Xiahou Dun scratched his head vigorously.
He still couldn't understand why he was entrusting his body to Dong Zhuo's army.
The stigma of being a traitor would work against him.
Even if he received high official positions and wealth from the imperial court, wasn't it dirty glory received from a traitor? In the coming era of warlords, that glory would actually work as a disadvantage.
"In my opinion..."
Cao Cao paused for a moment.
Then, as if she had gained certainty, she stated her thoughts.
"I think that person will be the one to drop Dong Zhuo's head."
"What?!"
Xiahou Dun said, greatly surprised.
The 'that person' Cao Cao brought up.
It must surely be Lee Seong-hwi. Xiahou Dun reacted as if it were hard to believe Cao Cao's prediction that Lee Seong-hwi would eventually execute Dong Zhuo.
"Then you mean he's intentionally staying in his embrace to strike Dong Zhuo... is that what you're saying, Mengde?"
"Yeah."
"He would have had chances to aim for his neck from up close. Why didn't he do it? If it were Lee Seong-hwi's position, there would have been several opportunities to pierce Dong Zhuo's flesh with a sharp blade."
Cao Cao shook her head at Xiahou Dun's words.
She remembers.
The time when she, unable to overcome her hot-bloodedness, tried to stab Dong Zhuo with the [Seven-Star Sword].
At first, she resented Lee Seong-hwi for stopping her.
Why are you stopping the chance to save the [Han Dynasty] imperial family, why are you, who must hate Dong Zhuo more than anyone, stopping the assassination?
But she soon realized.
Glory obtained by sacrificing one's own life is not true glory. It was nothing more than a clown act to do good for others, something she only realized after raising her army in [Yan Province].
"You only have the qualification to enjoy glory if you survive. The past me was stupidly unaware of that. Because I thought it was a worthy enough thing if I could establish justice by sacrificing my life."
Cao Cao closed her eyes softly.
She smiled, thinking of the time Lee Seong-hwi stopped her when she was holding the [Seven-Star Sword].
She owed him her life.
That's why she wants to repay him.
To prove that the life of hers that he saved with his own hands is more valuable than anything else in this world.
That's why she wants to prove it to him.
How far she climbs, how far she can go.
She will prove it in front of him.
The Dong Zhuo army and the [Coalition Army] continued to clash.
But in the end, it stopped in a situation where there was no conclusion. The Dong Zhuo army, with Hua Xiong and Lu Bu at the forefront, seemed to refrain from intercepting the [Coalition Army] that had set up camp outside [Sishui Pass], perhaps because they didn't want to take a dangerous gamble.
You guys handle the Central Plains yourselves.
I will live satisfied with the wealth and power I obtained in [Luoyang].
Dong Zhuo is a political soldier with outstanding talent.
But he had no goals for the future. The fact that he didn't engage in an all-out war with the [Coalition Army] despite having the upper hand in the war is proof of that.
"We should have just wiped them all out...!"
Lu Bu ground her teeth in frustration.
Meanwhile, Lee Seong-hwi, watching her reaction, shrugged, saying it was a not-so-bad conclusion.
"We've clashed several times, but overall, the number of casualties on both sides is very minor. If we had truly fought to destroy each other, dozens of times the number of current casualties would have fallen. It's a good thing it ended like this."
Lee Seong-hwi said with a wry smile.
Is this really a 'good conclusion'?
That is a question even for Lee Seong-hwi. Because the fact that deaths occurred in the war could be a sorrow and a tragedy for someone from the start.
People live by sucking on the pain of others.
Dong Zhuo, and the warlords. And the generals and soldiers loyal to them. They must all be that kind of people.
"So calm down."
Lee Seong-hwi smiled faintly.
At that smile, Lu Bu blushed and nodded.
It sounded like the right thing to say.
Like a beast listening well to its trainer, Lu Bu's fighting spirit vanished in an instant like snow melting at Lee Seong-hwi's words.
"What are you going to do now? Like you said, we protected [Luoyang]. Then what's next? What should we do next?"
Lu Bu asked.
Lee Seong-hwi shrugged.
Is Lee Seong-hwi the real lord of the Lu Bu army?
Although Lee Seong-hwi had Lu Bu as his lord on the surface, Lu Bu always asked for Lee Seong-hwi's opinion and acted only as he told her.
Because he had shown enough trust until now.
Lee Seong-hwi is currently in a position to uphold Lu Bu as his lord. Therefore, Lu Bu's skill, [Rebellious Bone], does not activate. Because nominally, Lu Bu was the lord, and Lee Seong-hwi was her subordinate.
'Lu Bu believes my words exactly as they are. Because I've fought for her risking my life until now. And I've built up enough trust between us, even reaching a level of favorability close to a romantic relationship.'
Everything up to here is according to plan.
He led from behind so that he could come this far smoothly for Lu Bu, the person he loves.
And what remains is...
"Kill Dong Zhuo."
Lee Seong-hwi distorted his face.
He spoke about the Lu Bu army's next plan.
It was the first time he had directly mentioned killing Dong Zhuo. Therefore, Lu Bu looked quite surprised at Lee Seong-hwi's words.
"That's why I bowed my head to Dong Zhuo and built a close relationship with the Dong Zhuo army. Thanks to this war, our army will gain the right to enter the important heart of the Dong Zhuo army."
"Are you going to assassinate Dong Zhuo now?"
Lu Bu asked.
Lee Seong-hwi shook his head.
"An assassination for the [Unrivaled Under Heaven] army, that's absurd."
Assassination cannot succeed.
Even if it did, he would meet a miserable end surrounded by the aides around Dong Zhuo.
What Lee Seong-hwi wanted was different from that.
He must survive and enjoy wealth and honor.
Dying literally means the end. What good is the glory obtained after death? True glory must be enjoyed while alive and with dignity.
More solid honor and glory.
The most important thing is 'survival'. To survive until the end in this chaotic era where human lives disappear like flies.
"We are plotting a revolution in [Luoyang]."
If it fails, it will just end as a rebellion.
But what if he could finish off Dong Zhuo and make [Luoyang] belong to the [Han Dynasty] imperial family?
Then the Lu Bu army would be known as the force that achieved the revolution that the warlords failed to do. Lee Seong-hwi's goal was to make Lu Bu stand tall above the warlords of the world with the [Han Dynasty] Emperor Liu Xie in her hands.
[Holding the Emperor to command the warlords].
That would be the most certain shortcut to becoming the ruler of the world.