42. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (3)
42. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (3)
Lu Bu and the Eight Jian Generals swept through Luoyang.
Under the pretext of being the General of the Martial Guard protecting Luoyang, they executed the Dong Zhuo soldiers who were committing murder, rape, and looting on the spot, establishing military discipline.
The Unrivaled Under Heaven began to roam.
Hearing the news, the Dong Zhuo generals were terrified of Lu Bu and called back all their soldiers, stopping the looting.
"Lu Fengxian? Why is that ignorant bitch doing this!"
"She's not even from Luoyang, what does she want acting all high and mighty!"
The Dong Zhuo generals grumbled.
Even though they had already committed every evil act imaginable, they acted as if it wasn't enough.
There was still plenty left to loot.
The generals' eyes gleamed with greed as they looked forward to Dong Zhuo punishing the Lu Bu army once he heard the news. They intended to resume looting once the Lu Bu army was gone.
"Gao Shun, how about your side?"
"Everything has been handled. We've planted our flags in the streets of Luoyang, so the Dong Zhuo army won't dare to come near."
Gao Shun replied to Lu Bu's question.
They chased away the soldiers who were looting.
Terrified by the sight of the angry soldiers, the commoners could finally let out a sigh of relief and emerge from their hiding spots.
However, their homes had been reduced to ruins.
They had lost the homes they had lived in for decades. The lamentations and sorrow of the commoners who witnessed this began to fill Luoyang.
"We've handled our side as well."
Zhang Liao approached.
She and the generals she led secured the public order of Luoyang.
The resistance from the Dong Zhuo army was not severe.
Perhaps it was because they didn't think they could defeat Lu Bu, who was famous as the Unrivaled Under Heaven, but they also seemed to believe that Dong Zhuo would severely punish Lu Bu for forcibly stopping the looting.
"Bong-seon-nim, but will it be okay?"
"What."
"The Adjutant. He went to see Dong Zhuo alone, and I'm worried about whether things will work out."
"Mun-won, you seem very worried about that guy?"
Lu Bu asked, sounding accusatory.
At that, Zhang Liao avoided answering and turned her flushed face away.
The number of rivals she had to watch out for had increased.
At Zhang Liao's lukewarm reaction, Lu Bu showed signs of wariness, thinking she might have gained a romantic rival.
"He'll figure it out. He was the one who brought it up first. If he's going to volunteer to be the Adjutant to the Unrivaled Under Heaven, he should be able to handle a predicament like this on his own. If he can't even do that, he's disqualified as the Adjutant to the Unrivaled Under Heaven."
Although Lu Bu said that, she was also deeply worried about Lee Seong-hwi, who had headed to the Prime Minister's Office alone.
He was the man who had told her he loved her, after all.
Lu Bu herself couldn't understand what he saw in such a simple-minded country girl, but... she thought she would be very sad if the man who loved her died.
"He'll do fine."
Lu Bu muttered.
With her Painted Halberd lifted onto her shoulder, she glared at the Dong Zhuo soldiers who were hiding and spying on her.
As long as I am here, you cannot make a move.
She exuded a heavy murderous intent, keeping the Dong Zhuo generals frozen in place.
Dong Zhuo drew his sword.
As the situation developed in a very ominous direction, Dong Bai spread her arms and blocked Dong Zhuo's path.
"Wait a moment, Grandfather! Let's hear what the General of the Feathered Forest has to say first! You can decide after that!"
"Move aside! I pampered him because he had some decent ability, and now he's getting cocky! How dare you kill my soldiers, Dong Zhuo's soldiers? Did you think you would survive after doing that!"
Dong Zhuo had a personality where he cherished his subordinates terribly.
He cherished his subordinates more than the commoners.
That was why this situation had occurred.
He had condoned murder and looting under the pretext of giving his subordinates generous rewards. And that was Dong Zhuo's biggest problem.
"Sir, just give the order."
Hua Xiong, gripping the hilt of his sword, said.
He looked determined, as if he would strike off Lee Seong-hwi's head in a single blow the moment the order was given.
"I killed those bandits who were running wild like ruffians for your sake, Sir."
Lee Seong-hwi opened his mouth.
At those words, Dong Zhuo actually looked dumbfounded.
"What kind of sophistry is that, you bastard! Do you intend to make excuses with that three-inch tongue of yours!"
"Luoyang is the center of the world and the capital of the Son of Heaven. Since ancient times, it has been said that the will of the people is the will of Heaven. I merely punished those who were committing murder and looting against the commoners, fearing that you, Sir, might lose that will of Heaven."
Every word was perfectly correct.
If Confucian scholars had heard this, they would have clapped their hands and shouted "100 points!"
But the opponent was Dong Zhuo.
A local official from the frontier who didn't know the first thing about Confucianism. Bringing up Confucianism to him was like playing the lute to a cow.
It might have worked on Li Ru, the Minister of the Imperial Guard, but it didn't work at all on Dong Zhuo, who had absolutely no discernment.
"Oh, Father-in-law!"
Li Ru came running in a hurry.
Seeing Dong Zhuo and Lee Seong-hwi confronting each other, Li Ru raised both arms and tried to dissuade Dong Zhuo.
"Luoyang is an important outpost for us. Even if we move the capital to Chang'an, the importance of Luoyang does not change!"
He spoke about the strategic aspect.
Since Dong Zhuo was a former general, he knew well about the importance of Luoyang, and he showed signs of easing his anger at Li Ru's persuasion.
The Dong Zhuo army must never lose Luoyang.
Even if they moved their base to Chang'an, they had to block the enemies of the Central Plains at Luoyang and its gates.
"That may be true. However, killing my soldiers is an unforgivable act!"
Dong Zhuo shouted.
Lee Seong-hwi nodded at those words.
"That is correct. I killed your soldiers, Sir. And I do not have the ability to resurrect the dead soldiers. So, take the price of the lives of the soldiers who were killed from me."
"The price of their lives?"
Lee Seong-hwi said he would take responsibility confidently.
At those words, not only Dong Zhuo but everyone gathered there could not hide their bewilderment.
Offering to pay the price of their lives instead—what kind of unheard-of sophistry was this? It was a bizarre story that no one could understand.
"To repay the price of the dead soldiers' lives... should I take it to mean that you will serve you, Sir, that much more?"
Li Ru hinted at the meaning of his words.
Lee Seong-hwi maintained his confidence to the end.
At that sight, Dong Zhuo groaned and slowly lowered the blade he had raised.
Even though he had killed his soldiers, he didn't run away, but rather came before him and revealed the truth. He wanted to commend that courage.
'Right, this guy fought on equal terms with Sun Jian, who was called the Tiger of Jiangdong. They said he survived after fighting several times over four whole days. And that was while constantly engaging in duels with Sun Jian. Even if he's a bit annoying, he's a treasure of a guy worth putting up with.'
Sun Jian is a fierce general comparable to Hua Xiong.
The battle record of fighting on equal terms with Sun Jian, who swept through Jing Province and killed the Inspector of Jing Province Wang Rui and the Administrator of Nanyang Zhang Zi. Dong Zhuo valued that record very highly.
If only he could keep a guy like this as his right-hand man.
It's a pity about the dead soldiers, but if he could get his hands on an outstanding general, the death of the soldiers was something he could sufficiently endure.
"How will you compensate me? How will you serve me, tell me."
"I will block the enemies coming from the Central Plains at the gates of Luoyang. Not a single enemy will be able to invade Sili Province."
"Ahem."
He had a record of defeating the Governor of Henei Wang Kuang.
With that, he had proven that he also excelled in military strategy. Dong Zhuo thought Lee Seong-hwi's proposal to defend Sili Province was very plausible.
If he could just defend Sili Province sufficiently, Chang'an would become an impregnable capital that would not receive attacks from any forces. It was a story that fit perfectly with Dong Zhuo's greed, as he wanted to enjoy wealth and glory for generations to come.
"What do I have to trust you with to entrust you with the gates? You killed my soldiers. Yet you're telling me I should trust you, the one who killed those soldiers."
"Then who will guard the gates?"
Lee Seong-hwi asked back instead.
It was Dong Zhuo who was left speechless by that.
He thought of Hua Xiong and Xu Rong first.
But since he planned to entrust the defense of the Jingzhaoyin and Sanfu regions to Hua Xiong and Xu Rong when he moved the capital to Chang'an, he could not entrust them with the defense of Luoyang.
'Li Jue and Guo Si? No, those guys are excellent in bravery and martial arts, but they lack brains. They would definitely get crushed by those cunning warlords. Then I'd have to entrust it to Niu Fu and Zhang Ji...'
Should he entrust it to his younger brother Dong Min?
No. Dong Min is the type to dump everything on the generals and hold banquets day and night, neglecting the battle lines.
There was a lack of generals to entrust with the battle lines.
Even though he possessed an army of 100,000, there was no talent he could call an outstanding general other than Hua Xiong and Xu Rong.
"First, please calm your anger, Sir. I don't think this is a matter to be dealt with emotionally. It is appropriate to make a disposition in a calm state. However, it is clear that the General of the Feathered Forest killed your soldiers, so to establish military discipline, you should lock the General of the Feathered Forest in prison."
Li Ru hinted to Dong Zhuo.
He stepped in as a mediator for a point of agreement that both sides could accept.
Dong Zhuo nodded.
Then, the guards who were watching the situation grabbed Lee Seong-hwi by both arms.
"Will you feed me?"
Lee Seong-hwi asked.
To that, Li Ru said to the guards.
"Drag him away."
He was dragged out of the Prime Minister's Office just like that.
At the sight of Lee Seong-hwi being escorted by the guards, Dong Bai followed behind him with a pitiful expression.
Lee Seong-hwi did not head to prison.
As soon as they left the Prime Minister's Office, Dong Bai threw a tantrum, and the guards, finding themselves in a difficult position, checked the mood and released him only after attaching the condition that Dong Bai would take responsibility.
"It's my palace. How is it? Do you like it?"
Dong Bai guided him to her palace.
He didn't know which royal family member had used this palace, but its immense size and grandeur were enough to make one click their tongue in awe.
There were numerous pavilions boasting splendor.
Perhaps it was the most splendid place in the Luoyang Imperial Palace. Since Dong Zhuo, the power holder of Luoyang, doted on his granddaughter terribly, it seemed highly likely.
"You stole it."
"Either way, it's mine."
It was still dawn before the sun had risen.
Lee Seong-hwi headed to the pavilion assigned as his sleeping quarters, saying he wanted to get at least some sleep.
Dong Bai followed him in.
The mischievous child who possessed both cuteness and cruelty tilted her head as she looked at Lee Seong-hwi, who was lying on the bed indifferently.
"You're incredibly laid back. Do you know that you would have died if I hadn't stepped in?"
"I've almost died dozens of times before. If I had died there, then I would just be a guy who ended there."
Whether to call him bold, or to call him reckless.
Either way, Dong Bai, who was already completely infatuated, blushed, saying she liked even that side of Lee Seong-hwi.
"Are those commoners worth risking your life for? They're just the ruled class who pay us taxes and provide the price of labor anyway. Don't do that next time. You are a much more valuable person than those kinds of commoners, Mister."
He frowned at the title "Mister."
And he felt something creepy in what Dong Bai said, as she thought nothing of the commoners.
This child was Dong Zhuo's flesh and blood.
Sure enough, even though she was a girl with an angelically cute appearance, Dong Zhuo's madness could be felt.
"There are over a hundred court ladies who serve me. Among the court ladies, I only kept the ones with beautiful and pretty appearances. Because I like pretty people."
"So?"
"What do you mean, 'so'? If you just marry me, I won't care what you do with those court ladies. If I become your main wife, I can tolerate you satisfying your lust with the court ladies with a broad mind. The court ladies are things to be used and thrown away anyway."
Lowly things not even worth being jealous of.
The reason Dong Bai readily said he could have an affair with the court ladies was simply because she thought of them as consumables.
About the level of a tissue used to blow one's nose.
Does any wife get jealous because her husband masturbates and wipes his semen with a tissue? No. To Dong Bai, the court ladies were treated just like tissues.
"I'm going to sleep."
Lee Seong-hwi tried to avoid getting involved as much as possible.
It was because he didn't think anything good would come out of talking to this woman.
Am I really having a conversation with a child?
Lee Seong-hwi thought that the girl named Dong Bai was born with a malignant nature that was different from normal people from birth.