Chapter 16
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Translator: volt
Chapter Title: The Swindler's Plea
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Bing Province was a place I'd worked tirelessly to make as livable as possible ever since taking office, but at its core, it was still a frontier.
Literally, the boonies.
It had everything you needed, sure, but it was out in the sticks—nothing else around for miles.
And that "nothing" included any real path to advancement.
Hot-blooded young men inevitably headed to the capital, and Bing Province's youth pulled every string they had—school ties, regional connections, family links—to make their way to Luoyang.
Not everyone who chased those grand dreams in Luoyang succeeded, though.
People like Zhang Yang—who'd risen to adjutant despite surviving the Ten Attendants' chaos—were few and far between.
Some who left Bing Province lost touch entirely; others slunk back home to quietly tend fields and dig irrigation ditches.
"Long time no see, old friend!"
The rat-faced man standing before me, a guy named Li Su, was one who'd left Bing Province behind.
"C-come on, ease up on the frown. It's been ages—let's catch up!"
He spread his arms wide, his scrawny frame lunging for a hug—
"The nerve of you, you con artist."
Hou Cheng stepped in front of me, shoving Li Su's shoulder back.
"H-hey now, Hou Cheng! It's been nearly eight years! Don't be so stingy...!"
"Brother, should I kill him?"
"Eek?!"
"Calm down, Hou Cheng."
Hou Cheng was losing his temper.
"Truth be told, I'm half-tempted to do it myself, but this guy's not here as a con man—he's someone's lackey."
Truth be told, I was on the verge of losing it too, but I held back.
"First, let's clarify our relationship."
"Our... relationship?"
"I'm not your friend."
Li Su's jaw dropped at my words.
He froze like he'd been struck by lightning.
"Sure, we're from the same region, and we once pacified bandits together in Bing Province, but it didn't end well, so I wouldn't call us friends..."
"Spare me, Brother Lü!"
Li Su dropped to his knees.
Addressing me as "brother" right off the bat.
"Everyone else already thinks I'm your friend!"
His desperate cry left me momentarily stunned.
"You pulling another scam?"
"N-no, not this time! I've been watching my words and actions ever since! But then my lord asked if there was anyone from Bing Province around..."
Hah.
These ragtag regional ties, always the same.
"My 'lord' heard stories about General Lü and wanted to meet you himself, so he entrusted me with the task! Since we're from the same area..."
"Brother, this punk's obviously bragging again."
Hou Cheng's words made Li Su bow his head even lower.
"Just like how he conned refugees out of hush money by claiming he was close to you."
"Th-that's not true! I've reflected a lot since then!"
Common enough tale.
He'd lured people in with "I'm tight with so-and-so," then fleeced bribes from outsiders hoping to settle in Bing Province.
"You must've boasted big. Said you knew all about me because we're from the same place. That we shared drinks and rode together once."
"Th-that was different!"
Some who fled Bing Province for the capital had been chased out for good reason.
"I'm truly innocent! Count it as saving one poor soul—please believe me!!"
Li Su was a prime example.
"Brother! I beg you! For old times' sake in Bing Province, at least pretend to spare this nobody's life...!"
"Who sent you?"
I pulled Hou Cheng's shoulder and stepped forward.
"By whose order are you here?"
"Brother."
"Hou Cheng, it's fine."
I knew his type better than anyone.
"...He's just a glorified errand boy anyway. What's the point in wasting words on a con artist?"
Li Su hadn't shaken his old habits.
Con men always swear off the game to your face—then dive right back in.
I couldn't trust him just because it had been a while.
"Ahem. Speak, Li Su. Who sent you?"
"I come by order of General Dong Zhuo."
Li Su opened his mouth, his face tinged with resignation.
"I serve under General Dong Zhuo."
"Dong Zhuo, huh."
I'd figured someone might send a messenger soon, but Li Su? Never crossed my mind.
"Did Dong Zhuo have any message for me?"
"W-well... He's planning a banquet and hopes you'll attend..."
"That's it?"
"Y-yes! Brother Lü! Please come with me. I beg you. Otherwise, I'm dead meat!"
"Brother, how about we just beat him half to death?"
Hou Cheng kept prodding from the side.
"If you let him go out of kindness once, he'll strut around boasting of his 'success.' Dong Zhuo will keep sending him, too."
"Probably."
"Let's just shatter his legs so he never comes back. I'll do it."
Hou Cheng was already gripping his spear, itching for action.
'Hou Cheng's had it rough.'
Thanks to Li Su's screw-ups, we'd even had to appoint some ill-suited nobody on his recommendation.
-And now he wants us to keep using the guy after botching the job like that? As if!
Hou Cheng had borne the brunt of the fallout.
He'd ripped into everyone Li Su vouched for so harshly that I'd cringed just listening—and in the end, the guy had slunk off elsewhere.
Anyway.
"Cool it. Tell General Dong Zhuo I can't meet for at least three days."
"B-brother! Don't be so formal... Three days?"
"Yes."
I treated Li Su formally, holding up three fingers.
"I'm swamped."
"But the banquet General Dong Zhuo prepared..."
"It's not that I don't want to meet—I've got prior engagements lined up for the next three days solid."
"Prior engagements...?"
"Yeah. You should've come an hour earlier."
An hour ago, someone else—not Li Su—had shown up wanting to see me.
"For whatever reason, you're not the only one after a meeting with me right now—General Dong Zhuo isn't alone in that."
[Meanwhile, at the Yuan clan estate in Luoyang.]
Ding Yuan was in high spirits.
He'd met with various officials over the past few days, but today he was set to see someone truly extraordinary.
"Welcome, Lord Inspector of the Capital Guards, Ding Yuan."
"Heh, how'd you know I got promoted to Inspector already?"
"Word travels fast around here, haha."
Inspector of the Capital Guards.
Head of the palace guard—effectively, the city garrison commander.
Ding Yuan had ascended to the post just yesterday.
He hadn't quit as Governor of Bing Province, though—at least not until he could slot one of his own into the spot.
"General Yuan is waiting. This way, please."
"Alright."
Following the servant's lead, Ding Yuan swept through the main gate, his robes billowing.
A mansion incomparable to any building back in Bing Province—pure opulence.
"Truly befitting one of the Four Great Clans, heh."
"The Yuan estates dot the land far and wide. Our lord hopes you'll visit the main household someday."
"Heh, much obliged. Ah... there's the man of the hour."
Ding Yuan spotted a handsome young man among those heading to the banquet hall and approached with clasped hands in salute.
"If it isn't the loyal minister who quelled the Ten Attendants' rebellion—Lord Yuan Benchu himself?"
"Governor Ding Yuan."
Yuan Shao returned the salute with a slight bow but quickly scanned behind Ding Yuan.
"Where's General Lü Bu?"
"Ha, haha."
Ding Yuan's lips twitched at Yuan Shao asking for Lü Bu before even exchanging greetings—properly invited to the Yuan estate and all—but he quickly schooled his expression.
"General Lü is off suppressing the Black Mountain Bandits around Mangjin right now."
"Hmm... One moment."
Yuan Shao whispered something to a servant, who bowed and hurried off.
Yuan Shao then gestured deeper into the banquet hall.
"This way. I'll escort you personally from here."
"Ah, very well. Heh heh heh."
Ding Yuan followed Yuan Shao inside, beaming.
Every neatly arranged table overflowed with delicacies from land and sea; the aroma of fine wine—far beyond Bing Province's crude brews—tickled his nose.
The ladies' perfumes, especially, had him standing ramrod straight.
"Heh. Feels like a victory feast."
"A fine day indeed. The court is finally rid of those eunuch shadows that plagued it for so long."
"True. Heh. All thanks to your decisive action, my lord—the geldings all tumbled."
"......"
Yuan Shao accepted a cup from a servant and downed it standing.
Not exactly banquet protocol, but seeing Yuan Shao drain it so hastily left Ding Yuan a touch flustered.
"Heh, heh heh. Something urgent come up?"
"Where is General Lü Bu?"
"......Why do you keep asking for Lü Bu?"
"Well."
Yuan Shao inclined his head with a smile, sensing Ding Yuan's irritation.
"Lord Yuanwei himself ordered me to relay a message to General Lü Bu in person."
"Tell me, then. I'll pass it on."
"Haha. It's a clan matter of grave import."
"Grave import?"
Yuan Shao fell silent a moment, then spoke as if with no choice.
"I'm aware General Lü hasn't married yet."
"Mm. True enough."
Ding Yuan's eyes narrowed.
"The Yuan clan wishes to offer him a match?"
"My own sister is already betrothed, but the Yuan household has no shortage of eligible ladies."
"Then I'll convey it. Shall we head inside?"
"General Ding."
"If it's about marriage..."
Ding Yuan swallowed hard, pointing ahead.
"I'm like a father to General Lü, so it'd be proper to discuss it with me! Heh heh heh."
"......News to me."
"He doesn't care for such talk publicly."
"Hmm. I see."
Yuan Shao turned, gesturing to the banquet hall.
"Understood. This way. We've prepared 'Yaojiu' from Beiyang—should suit your tastes."
"Heh, short and sweet name for a brew."
"Does fine wine on a fine day need flowery words?"
"Hahaha! Indeed! Spot on!"
Ding Yuan chuckled as he stepped inside.
"Lord Yuan Shao. A word, if I may."
"We're in the midst of a banquet. Urgent?"
"It'll be brief."
"Got it. Lord Ding Yuan, one moment."
"Ah, go ahead! Haha!"
Ding Yuan, grinning ear-to-ear amid the flanking courtesans as he approached a table, didn't notice.
"A father, is it."
The expression on Yuan Shao's face—blank, idly toying with an empty cup—as he heard the servant's report.
"Ruining my buzz."
"Eek...!"
Li Su trembled violently at Dong Zhuo's words, the massive man sprawled on his bed.
"Enough. He says he'll come in four days, so we can talk then. Out."
"My thanks, my lord!"
Li Su sprang up, bowing deeply.
Then backed out step by step—like some eunuch.
"Tch."
Dong Zhuo clicked his tongue from his reclined position, reaching for the table before him.
"Useful in a pinch with no one else around, but maybe I should've sent someone else..."
"He'd have gotten nowhere otherwise."
A bearded man in scholar's robes approached Dong Zhuo and saluted.
"Well, if it isn't Scholar Li Yu! Hahaha."
Dong Zhuo waved lazily from his bed.
Had he been standing, it'd have been a bear hug welcome.
"Calling this humble one 'scholar' again?"
"Thanks to your cunning, I lounge here in Luoyang like a king—how could I not call you scholar!"
"I was never at the Imperial Academy or held an official scholar post, though..."
The man scratched his neck, shrugging lightly.
"As your bag of tricks, I'll aid you as far as I can. In place of those who couldn't make the trip."
The man lightly covered his face and smiled faintly.
"So, how'd it go?"
"Just as you predicted. Li Su's no friend of his; Lü Bu will come in four days."
"Excellent. Now we can 'pinpoint' his disposition."
"Pinpoint?"
"Dark on the inside, but Lü Bu distanced himself from Li Su. He's as white as they come."
"Mm..."
Dong Zhuo groaned, withdrawing his hand from the table.
"Tricky. If he's the total opposite of Li Su, won't he clash with me too?"
"Opposites attract—or clash. You're gray at best, leaning black, aren't you?"
"What to do?"
"You can't wash the black out no matter how white the coat. Dye him black instead. No regional ties? Use school ties. No school ties? Blood ties."
The man clasped his hands.
"The surest path is adoption, but my intel says he doesn't even call Ding Yuan 'foster father.'"
"He doesn't?"
Dong Zhuo cocked his head.
"Word was Ding Yuan goes around calling Lü Bu his son?"
"That's why it's good news."
"......?"
"We can exploit that mismatch and uncover the rift between them."
The man chuckled lowly, amused.
"I'll sow discord. But we'll need intel first."
"What do you need from me?"
"Just relax for three days. Oh, one crucial thing."
The man stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"No looting, arson, murder. Nothing 'black' at all."
"......"
"Act like you did in Yang Province, and the Bing Province troops become your enemies."
"Can't?"
Dong Zhuo smacked his lips, genuinely disappointed.
"Really can't?"
"No."
"For real?"
Dong Zhuo pouted like a sulky child, but the man shook his head firmly.
"Indulge in wine and women for three days instead."
"Nngh..."
"I'll keep the men in line. They're elite troops rushed from the capital, so they won't break discipline lightly."
"What about the reserves?"
"If you mean Li Jue and Guo Si's forces at Chensui... I'll warn them too. General, you're at a crossroads: make the White Mountain Army your foe, or at least a neutral ally—not yours, but not enemies."
"Not allies?"
"You're oil and water with him. Can't mix, but you can share a jar, each keeping to your nature."
"Oil and water."
Dong Zhuo smacked his lips again.
"First guy's ever this obsessed with purity. Plenty preach justice, but none with his strength."
"Want to cut him down?"
"What about you? If you were in my shoes."
"I couldn't be."
The man merely shrugged lightly.
"This one's just out to live long and thin till the end."
"And yet you look thrilled right now."
"...Guess even I can't resist the fun in a place like this."
The man chuckled lowly, scratching his neck again.
"I'll have a plan to drive a wedge between Ding Yuan and Lü Bu within three days. That settles all the favors you've granted me."
"Good. At least tidy him up for me, even if he doesn't join my side."
Dong Zhuo laughed ferociously.
"No one gets him till I do."
"......"
The man said nothing, merely smiling in reply.
Late into the night.
Another guest arrived at the camp.
"I-I...!"
"......"
"General Lü!!"
A very young one—a child.
"Your Highness."
"Be my master!"
"......?"
"N-no, please! Be my master!!"
The little guest—the Prince of Chenliu—stood before me, bow in hand.