Uneasy Skies Over Xuchang
I returned home to a city simmering with unrest.
“I’m back.”
“Welcome home, my husband.”
Words every man dreams of saying and hearing at least once in his life—greeting the woman who waited for him, and being received with warmth. Especially when my first wife, Cai Yan, rushed forward and wrapped me in a tight embrace, patting my back gently as she spoke.
“I’m sorry the family has grown again.”
“They’re the ones who came from the south of the Yangtze, right? Just in case, I prepared new rooms for them in advance.”
Cai Yan showed not the slightest hint of displeasure. She had even readied fresh quarters for the new arrivals. I pulled her closer, patting her back with even more affection, then handed her the key Cao Cao had given me earlier.
“My uncle gave me the key to a new warehouse. I think you should hold onto it.”
“Me? Are you certain?”
Whatever was inside, I left everything in her capable hands. At the very least, I wanted to treat her properly as the true mistress of the house and keep this harmonious atmosphere alive.
After Cai Yan, I went to Yuan Jing and embraced her the same way. She was the type to grow anxious the moment I was out of sight. And this time, with her own family involved in the conflict, she must have worried the most.
“Husbaaaand~”
“Did you hold up well while I was gone, Jing?”
Every time I held her and stroked her back, I felt the soft, voluptuous curves of her small yet bountiful body and caught the faint, sweet scent that told me I was truly home.
“Just as I promised, I sent your mother, your older brother, and the rest of your stepmothers safely down to the south of the Yangtze.”
“Are they… all safe?”
“They’ll stay safe at least as long as I’m alive.”
No matter how reckless Sun Ce was, even after killing Yu Xun and seizing his military authority, he wouldn’t go so far as to purge the surrendered noble clans. If he actually did, I would personally turn the upcoming clash at Guandu—not a battle for Hebei, but a total annihilation of Yangzhou.
“You must have suffered so much worrying. Remember that rainbow-colored silk you received from Uncle Zarem last time? Have a dress made in whichever color you like.”
“Purple…”
“Yes, purple it is.”
Next was Lu Ming. For her, I personally delivered the famous sword she had asked me to find—the Gojing Sword. She immediately drew the blade, inspected its edge, gave a satisfied nod, then set it down and flew straight into my arms.
“Thanks for the sword.”
“You must never wield it recklessly.”
“I won’t. It’s for protecting the house.”
I held her close and patted her back as well. She nestled perfectly against my chest, and I could feel her breathing. Of course, even then she couldn’t resist slipping in a comment about the new arrivals.
“I thought you were bringing one, but you brought two.”
“Sorry. They’re sisters.”
“Then I can just treat them as one person.”
“Don’t fight. Get along well.”
“I will—as long as they don’t cross the line first.”
Though a competitive fire burned in her heart, Lu Ming didn’t show it too openly. Instead, her possessiveness toward me seemed to have grown even stronger. She picked the sword back up, hummed a little tune, and headed to her room.
After greeting all three wives, I led the new fourth and fifth—Daqiao and Xiaoqiao—to their quarters.
“They really are wonderful people.”
“Especially the one at the front. She carries such grace and elegance.”
It seemed everyone naturally bowed their heads before Cai Yan’s gentle dignity. I showed the sisters into their new room, where a spacious bed and all kinds of elegant new furniture had already been arranged, creating a cozy bridal chamber.
“So this is our new honeymoon room~”
“Wow, it looks amazing. Living in Xuchang is going to be wonderful.”
Both girls jumped onto their beds, bouncing with joy. Seeing them like this truly made me feel that the war was finally over.
“Husband, to celebrate the new bridal chamber…”
“We’re already prepared♥”
With faces flushed as red as their hair, Daqiao and Xiaoqiao shyly tugged at my collar. Honestly, I wanted them right then and there, but I decided to hold back for today and prepared to head out. Still, from now on I’d be able to enjoy them every single day, taking turns.
“Whew~”
I changed into fresh clothes and stepped out into the streets of Xuchang with a light heart. Today was just a casual stroll. Every time I returned from war, something unsettling always seemed to happen in my absence. I wondered if it would be the same this time.
Besides, this particular campaign had been meant to secure the rear before the great battle looming in Hebei. The military funds involved had also been a controversial sum, so I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
“And Uncle Zixiao and Uncle Yuhuang are still in Xuzhou? It shouldn’t be taking them this long…”
Muttering to myself, I wandered into the marketplace. Since I was already out, I decided to buy gifts for my wives—nice hair ornaments, mirrors, cosmetics, and the like. Before long my arms were full. I snacked on street food as I strolled leisurely through the city.
Ding-ling. Ding-ling.
The clear sound of bells caught my attention. A hexagonal bronze mirror was being carried at the front of a funeral procession, followed by a long line of coffins. The pallbearers scattered ashes of fragrant incense before the mirror-bearer and passed by while chanting mourning songs.
“How many people died? That’s more than just one or two coffins.”
Had an epidemic broken out? Or was this the mass burial of everyone executed at once by the Daerisi?
I immediately followed the procession toward the northern gate of Xuchang.
“Halt. Who goes there?”
“It’s the Gate Colonel.”
“Ah! Colonel!”
Even though I had been walking around in civilian clothes since returning from the war, as the officer responsible for all the gates of Xuchang, it was only natural for me to inspect something like this.
“What’s going on? What are all these funeral biers?”
“While you, Lord Colonel, were away on the northern expedition beyond the Yangtze with the Left General and the General of the Side, these are the individuals who confessed their crimes during interrogation by the Daerisi. They were beheaded, displayed in the marketplace for five days, and are only now being taken for proper burial.”
“Aigoo~”
So a purge had indeed taken place while I was gone. The officer in charge reported everything to me and mentioned that the related documents were already at the Gate Colonel’s office. I’d have to review them properly tomorrow.
“Understood. Once I return to duty officially, I’ll examine everything one by one. Carry on with your duties today.”
“Yes, Colonel.”
Watching the long line of funeral biers heading north for burial left a heavy feeling in my chest. From a warrior’s perspective, killing enemies in battle was one thing, but seeing people die like this in political struggles was another.
“I thought I might find the Gate Colonel here.”
“Hm? Oh, isn’t this Sir Munyak?”
It was Xun Yu, who had also come out to watch the funeral procession heading north. He nodded with his usual gentle expression, took my arm, and gestured.
“I have a villa nearby. It used to belong to my nephew, but I’ve been using it while he is away from Xuchang.”
“Are you inviting me there?”
“Since we’ve met like this, how about sharing a cup of tea?”
It seemed he had quite a lot to tell me. So I followed Xun Yu. As we walked, a faint, elegant fragrance drifted from him. He must have been using particularly fine incense.
In the villa that Xun You had left vacant, Xun Yu welcomed his guest by first lighting incense. It was the same elegant fragrance that had clung to him earlier—one that would make an excellent room scent for our home as well.
Xun Yu had his servants bring out fine tea and served it to me.
“The incense is truly excellent.”
“I’m told Chancellor Wei obtained it from the Ba-Shu region. When you leave, I’ll give you some sticks along with the incense. Please enjoy it at home.”
“Thank you, Sir Xun.”
With a calm smile, Xun Yu brought up a heavy topic.
“While you and the Chancellor’s family were away, quite a lot happened in Xuchang.”
“What was the biggest incident?”
Xun Yu handed me a wooden slip.
“It is a letter from Sir Gongwen of Qingzhou.”
“Ah!”
Kong Rong? Come to think of it, I had meant to deal with him together with Mi Heng but had forgotten. He was the one behind the troupe of clowns who had mocked Yuan Jing and Lu Ming when they were walking through the marketplace.
Expecting the worst, I opened the slip. The contents were completely unexpected.
“Sir Munyak, this is…”
“I had planned to deliver it to you tomorrow, but since we met today…”
It was essentially Kong Rong making excuses to Xun Yu.
“It is true that I am close with Mi Heng, and I only later heard that strange events occurred within Xuchang.”
“I have been told that a regrettable incident occurred in which a troupe of clowns insulted Chancellor Cao’s household. I knew nothing of it.”
“If I had done such a thing, I would have insulted the man himself, not his women.”
“Since you, Sir Xun, are close with Lord Zayeol, please convey to him that this matter truly has nothing to do with me.”
“When I eventually come to Xuchang, I have no desire to make enemies of Chancellor Cao’s family.”
He had written at great length. Rather than sending it directly to me, he had gone through Xun Yu, hoping Xun Yu would mediate between us.
“When you were away, a man named Mi Heng came to Xuchang. He behaved with extreme arrogance, so I immediately expelled him from the city and sent him to Jingzhou.”
“How could you… I needed to capture that bastard myself.”
“That is precisely why I removed him so quickly. If you had killed him on the spot for insulting your wives, it would have damaged your reputation.”
“Reputation? He insulted my entire household.”
“I am well aware. That is why I sent him away quietly—to handle the matter discreetly.”
Though he spoke gently, Xun Yu’s true meaning was clear: ‘Mi Heng came to Xuchang. If you had known, you would have killed him immediately, so I sent him away. But do not worry—he will die miserably there as well.’
“Was this my uncle’s will?”
At my question, Xun Yu quietly nodded. In the end, although I felt regret that I couldn’t kill him myself, Xun Yu was saying that Mi Heng was fated to die a pathetic death anyway, so I should let it go.
I lifted my teacup and asked about something else.
“Let’s set that matter aside for now. Sir Xun, I wanted to ask about the funeral procession at the northern gate.”
Xun Yu nodded.
“After investigating the Chancellor’s household, we conducted a large-scale inquiry into all the prominent clans and powerful families within Xuchang. A considerable amount of corruption was uncovered.”
“Exactly how many people were implicated?”
Xun Yu spread all five fingers.
It couldn’t possibly be just five people. Then the minimum was…
“Fifty people? That is an astonishing number.”
If fifty people had been purged for political reasons, that was an incredibly thorough cleansing. But that wasn’t it.
“Lord Zayeol, it is fifty clans.”
“…!!!”
I almost cursed out loud in front of Xun Yu. Fifty people was already a lot, but fifty entire clans?
“Not only Xuchang, but all the renowned noble families and powerful clans across the Central Plains were thoroughly investigated. Countless individuals within those families were found guilty of corruption. The Chancellor listed every single one of their clans and submitted a memorial to the Emperor. His Majesty approved it.”
“Then what about His Excellency the Grand Tutor?”
This was far too excessive. Even Cao Song should have tried to stop it.
“For the sake of the family, the Grand Tutor naturally supported the Chancellor.”
“But fifty clans… How will you handle the aftermath…”
“It was the minimum necessary.”
“!?”
“Thanks to you securing the southern border of the Yangtze so thoroughly, the only force that can now threaten Xuchang is Hebei. This was a preemptive stabilization of the rear before Yuan Shao in Hebei tries anything foolish.”
“So that’s why you struck the remnants south of Shuchun.”
“Stabilizing the rear is just as important in politics as it is on the battlefield.”
A man gentler than anyone else, yet utterly ruthless and cold when it came to political struggle. And yet he still called this the ‘minimum’ and claimed it reduced the bloodshed of political conflict.
“Even if they fight with words and influence rather than swords, if you cut them down too brutally, they will only become more desperate…”
“That is why you, Lord Zayeol, must perform your duties as Gate Colonel well from now on. The great war between Hebei and the Central Plains will break out in as little as one year, or two at the latest.”
So this was why Xun Yu had called me here—to make sure I understood. The decisive battle against Yuan Shao’s forces in Hebei. But before that, it seemed another bloody wind would blow through the capital.