Chapter 19
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Translator: volt
Chapter Title: The Rebel's Capture
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Commander’s tent of the Bing Province Army.
Originally, this should have been Governor Ding Yuan’s seat, but now it was where I was staying while on duty.
“Quite tidy.”
The man who called himself Li Yu clasped his hands behind his back and looked around the tent.
‘No matter how I look at it, something’s off.’
The skin texture was different.
The color of his face and the backs of his hands didn’t match at all.
Most people wouldn’t notice, but once you started paying attention, everything looked suspicious.
Like the mustache that seemed pasted on to look cunningly devious.
Or the slight lift between his chin and neck.
‘It looks like a fake face.’
In wuxia tales, there was something called a human skin mask.
A finely crafted face skin to disguise oneself as another person.
I’d never seen one in real life, but if such a thing existed with precision beyond modern technology, then maybe this guy was wearing one.
“Heh heh. Seems like you’re thinking something over.”
“Who are you, really?”
“As I said, I serve under General Dong Zhuo—Li Yu—”
“Whether Li Yu is your real name or not, I don’t know, but it’s clear this isn’t your true face.”
“...Hmm.”
The man’s—no, the fellow’s—expression changed.
“How did you know?”
“Instinct.”
“Instinct?”
“It’s like something that doesn’t seem off at first, but once you notice it, it keeps nagging at you.”
“Hmm...”
The man scanned me up and down, as if testing me.
“General, you’re truly an entertaining man. Already at the center of chaos, and getting more interesting by the minute.”
The man sat in the seat of honor and placed the edict on the table without untying it.
“Shall I read the edict first, or converse with this nameless guest?”
“The edict must be urgent enough to dismiss Governor Ding Yuan.”
“It’s urgent for Governor Ding Yuan. The content itself is nothing special. Hm...”
The man stared at me intently for a long while.
“General Lü. Stay in the capital and become the tutor to His Highness, the Prince of Chenliu.”
“...?”
“That’s the first part of the edict. I’ve delivered it, so now let’s chat with this nobody.”
“...???”
The man abruptly stood from the seat of honor, leaving the edict as is, and pointed to the spot for me.
“The formalities of delivering the imperial decree are complete. Now, as a guest come to visit General Lü, I shall pay my respects.”
“...What’s your angle?”
“No angle—just want to talk. It won’t harm you in the slightest.”
“...This is awkward.”
It really was.
“Plenty have come to Bing Province urging me to hand over my head. But you’re different from them.”
“How do I seem to you?”
“Hard to say. I judge by faces, but that skin looks like it belongs on the greatest schemer in history.”
“Face... skin.”
The man scratched his neck with a greasy smile.
“Hey, it was expensive. Don’t mind it. The mask isn’t to hide who I am—it’s so I can walk around like this.”
“...?”
“Li Yu. Son-in-law to General Dong Zhuo.”
The man patted his face.
“He fell ill and couldn’t come to the capital himself, so someone had to show this face around and make connections as Li Yu.”
“So you’re his proxy?”
“Proxy works. I’m acting as Li Yu right now. The son-in-law needs to rack up merits, but the man himself couldn’t come.”
The man was hiding his identity, but not really—merely wearing a skin mask, not concealing himself.
He even seemed eager to rip it off if he could.
“So, how am I different from the others?”
“You’re enjoying it. The situation.”
“Enjoying the situation?”
“You could pull out anytime, yet you’ve dipped your feet into the court’s chaos and are savoring it.”
“...Heh heh. Ah, damn. Laugh too hard and it’ll slip.”
The man pressed his cheeks firmly.
Less pressing cheeks, more securing the mask so it wouldn’t fall off.
“I’d love to chat with you all day, General, but the court’s situation is dire. Let’s cut to the chase.”
The man held up three fingers.
“The court currently has four factions. The remnants of Empress Dowager He and He Jin. The rising military faction led by Yuan Shao. General Dong Zhuo’s Liang Province forces.”
“You said four factions?”
“And one more. No power, but loud voices—the Pure Stream scholars.”
The man started to raise his pinky, then stopped.
“Ever met the Pure Streamers?”
“No.”
“Figures. They’re undecided too. But if you keep acting as you are, they’ll back you.”
“Why would they?”
“Because you’re the epitome of loyalty—no one in the court compares.”
“...Tch.”
Loyalty.
“I merely fulfill a soldier’s duty.”
“And?”
“With the great bandits quelled, I’d like to return to Bing Province and do just that.”
“Heh heh heh.”
“Why the sleazy grin?”
“If those Pure Stream scholars heard that, they’d dance for joy.”
The man spread four fingers, thumb tucked.
“Empress Dowager He. Yuan Shao. Dong Zhuo. And the powerless ministers. All four have their eyes on you. Especially the Pure Streamers—they adore you.”
“Adore? Sounds creepy.”
“Fittest word there is. Want me to explain why, point by point?”
“...No need to list them out.”
I lightly tapped the table.
“Empress Dowager He needs military might to protect her son, the Emperor. Her old ties are cut, so she needs a new blade.”
He Jin was dead, his troops absorbed by Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao.
“Whether central or provincial, allying with our Bing Province Army’s might would give them a heavenly host.”
In the clash between central and provincial forces, we wielded immense influence.
“The Pure Streamers have long awaited a fierce general loyal to the throne—one who shuns power grabs, follows imperial will, and avoids luxury.”
The Pure Streamers just wanted a hero, anyone.
“In the end, they want to use me as it suits them.”
“Right to the heart. Spot on.”
“Whether the arrow flies at rebels, game, or a target for practice—they just want a sharp bow and shaft.”
“So whose bow and arrow will you be? Ah, sorry—was that too forward?”
“No offense.”
The man’s face hardened.
“I’m a soldier serving this land and its people. My arrows target bandits who pillage and kill.”
Masked though he was, his eyes were real, and through them, I gauged his heart.
“If sincere, I must say this all the more.”
“What?”
“Countless want you. Refuse to pick a side, and they’ll drag you to ruin.”
“Ruin.”
“Who breaks first is obvious, but doesn’t it irk you that others wield blades at you?”
“...Let’s hear your wisdom.”
This man.
“Is there a path where I’m not used, my soldiers from Bing Province don’t die unjustly, and Bing Province thrives with the court’s aid?”
Something told me I could trust him once.
His eyes held not exploitation, but anticipation of my choice.
“For that path, I defied Governor Ding Yuan. Soon, he’ll hold me accountable for overstepping.”
“What path did you choose, General?”
“I’d considered it, but now I must seek the Empress Dowager’s aid.”
I pointed to the edict before me.
“His Highness the Prince of Chenliu shows interest in me, and Empress Dowager Dong wishes to use me to protect him.”
The prince had come here late at night.
Impossible without her permission.
“Like the others, she’ll try to use me—but if she does, I’ll use her right back.”
“Ho. You’ve got it all planned. Using her to take down Ding Yuan, perhaps?”
“...I meant to go easy, but seeing today’s state sealed it. I respected him as an elder— no longer.”
The decision was made.
“When an old man turns crone, respect ends.”
“...”
The man clutched his face with one hand, trembling.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just... Ding Yuan chose the hardest path when the easy one was open.”
“Easy path?”
“Earn your respect, act the elder—he’d have walked the grandest flower path. Now it’s flames.”
The man clasped his fists in salute toward me.
“Though I came as Dong Zhuo’s man, this talk is as a nameless guest. I owe him a debt, so one official word.”
The man cleared his throat, changing his tone.
“General Dong Zhuo hopes General Lü joins him in a provincial warlord alliance against the court’s power holders. Will you?”
This was Li Yu’s question.
“I want to return to Bing Province.”
I raised my voice loud enough for those outside the tent to hear.
“Having quelled the nation’s great bandits, no more will arise. Thus, I wish only to return home, to protect our homes and hometowns from thieves.”
These words would spread to others.
The tent was ringed by Bing Province troops, but those scheming to use me would pry out info.
“That’s all.”
“Very well. Then this nameless guest, with private counsel... shall remove one obstacle in your path.”
This was the man’s question.
“Hear it?”
“I’m all ears.”
“Good. Simple method. It was here from the start.”
The man pointed to the edict before me.
“Open it yourself?”
“...It’s from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
“Truth is, she gave another order.”
“?”
“Don’t recite it myself—have General Lü open it personally.”
“Then what you said earlier...”
“Of course I know the contents. It’s based on info I uncovered, which she used for the decree.”
“...?”
“Open it. I penned it myself per her words—easy to grasp. Heh heh heh.”
I unfolded the edict.
“...”
Some rare characters unseen in Bing Province, but the wording was simple enough for a child the Prince’s age.
A touch of consideration in word choice.
But one irreplaceable term made me rack my brain for its meaning.
“...Tutor. Is this the word I’m thinking of?”
“Tutor?”
“One question.”
My head throbbed.
Not from ignorance of the word.
Not from the hanja my high school teacher in maroon hanbok had us memorize under threat of swats.
“Just hard to grasp if the term from my childhood tutor matches what’s written.”
Impossible to believe.
“What this edict says...”
My mind raced.
“He Jin. Secret order. Mengjin.”
Like blood rushing to my head before bandits, thoughts and memories flashed.
“Ding Yuan. Black Mountain Bandits. Arson and murder.”
I didn’t want to understand, but I did.
“So, Ding Yuan disguised as Black Mountain Bandits and burned Mengjin Wharf?”
“I hear you like three-line summaries, General. Ahem! This nobody shall oblige.”
The man held up three fingers.
One.
“He Jin secretly ordered Ding Yuan to disguise as Black Mountain Bandits and torch Mengjin Wharf. Political motives, for the record.”
Two.
“Dong Zhuo secured evidence, reported to Empress Dowager Dong, who investigated thoroughly.”
Three.
“Her Majesty’s decree.”
The man stepped forward, clasped hands politely, and bowed nearly ninety degrees.
“Lü Fengxian, assemble the Bing Province Army and arrest the traitor Ding Yuan. Crime: Disguising as bandits to massacre and plunder the people, then framing the Black Mountain Bandits for his atrocities.”
“...”
Traitor, Ding Yuan.
“This is the imperial command.”
The edict bore a larger seal, distinct from Empress Dowager Dong’s.
“No doubts on evidence authenticity. Overwhelming proof, vetted in the palace for a day...”
“That suffices.”
I’d already suspected as much.
“The man who rushed to report to Ding Yuan wore Black Mountain Bandit garb.”
“...”
The soldier who brought news of He Jin’s death.
“At first, I thought disguise to evade bandits. Urgent enough for bandit garb. ...Wanted to believe that.”
Maybe I did want to believe it.
“Guess not. It was that urgent—a real bandit brought the message.”
Common sense said otherwise.
“Tutor.”
My body was already rising.
“Where is the traitor now?”
Before the Empress Dowager’s palace.
Dozens of tents dotted the base of the grand stairs to the hall, with musicians plucking strings and palace ladies dancing to the tune—a lavish banquet.
“Heh heh...”
Ding Yuan sat next to the seat of honor, chuckling at the soldiers lined on either side.
One side: his thousand Bing Province troops who entered with him.
Opposite: country bumpkins matching their number.
They couldn’t even stand in formation like in drills. In the palace hall, they fidgeted like thugs in forced uniforms.
No matter.
Better yet—precisely what he wanted.
The more they slacked, the brighter his Bing Province Army shone.
And he, their leader, shone brightest.
“Hahaha, thank you for inviting us to this banquet, Your Majesty.”
Ding Yuan bowed deeply toward Empress Dowager Dong in the seat of honor, nearly prostrating.
“...Glad you came.”
Empress Dowager Dong turned impassive, rigid eyes to the opposite side from Ding Yuan.
“This gathering honors those who rushed from afar against court threats. Enjoy and reminisce freely.”
Ding Yuan was thrilled.
Whatever her true feelings, she’d invited him to the palace and hosted this feast.
The annoyance: that pig-thief invited too.
Without him, he’d protect the Emperor.
Ally with Empress Dowager He, the Emperor’s mother.
Regrets aside, relief washed over him.
Here, he could show who held the mightiest warlord force.
They’d come fully armed to the banquet, so he’d relaxed and attended her invitation.
The court was perilous alone, but fearless with a thousand Bing Province troops.
“General Ding Yuan. I hear Bing Province troops are mighty. Who’s the strongest warrior among them?”
The pig-thief jiggled his fat, smirking slyly.
“I, Dong Zhuo, have Hua Xiong—strongest in my camp. I’d show his prowess here. Any challenger?”
“Ha. Liang Province against Bing?”
“...Not Liang—Liang Province? No, it’s my You Province? Wait, say it right.”
Ding Yuan inwardly cheered at Dong Zhuo’s stiffening face.
Brute force in the Empress Dowager’s hall?
“Enough.”
The Empress Dowager raised her clenched left fist.
Dong Zhuo bowed stiffly; Ding Yuan just laughed.
That gesture...
Somehow like giving a signal...?
“The reason I summoned you here...”
Screeech.
“...Maybe I wasted time setting this up. Tried to stall...”
As the banquet-closed doors of the palace swung open, she reached for her cup, then chuckled dryly and set it down.
Clink.
Music halted.
Pouring maids, dancing girls—all in the banquet froze.
Thud, thud.
Only one.
A lone man who opened the palace doors himself strode down the parted path.
“Y-You...!”
Ding Yuan pointed accusingly, raising his voice.
“Insolent! How dare you enter the Empress Dowager’s hall...!”
Ding Yuan couldn’t continue.
Couldn’t speak.
“Guh—ack?!”
His view rose.
Throat squeezed, feet off the ground.
Sky turning sickly yellow.
As if seized by the collar and hoisted—
“Bing Province Army.”
Lü Bu spoke.
“Obey the command.”
At that thunderous word.
“By imperial decree.”
Thud!
“Arrest the traitor Ding Yuan.”
Like iron weights crashing, Ding Yuan’s world flipped.
“Ack!”
Collared and slammed to the banquet floor—or so it felt.
“Grrraaah...”
His head lolled down the stairs, glimpsing the inverted world awaiting him.
All thousand Bing Province troops knelt on one knee.
Toward Lü Bu.