Subjugating Jingzhou (1)
For several days, dirges echoed through the city of Suchun. Sun Jian's funeral had been conducted with the full honors due a feudal lord, at Yuan Shu's command, in grand splendor. White banners blanketed the city walls, and streams of mourners never ceased. Sun Ce and the Jiangdong generals, moved by Yuan Shu's generosity, wiped tears from their eyes and felt genuine admiration. In terms of winning their hearts, it was a resounding success.
But once the had faded, harsh reality came knocking like a debt collector.
"No... money..."
Yuan Shu groaned, slumped on the floor of his office, poring over the ledgers. The funeral costs for Sun Jian, the 50,000 elite troops of Yuan Shu's army, and now the additional 10,000 from Sun Ce's Jiangdong forces. The daily consumption of rice and meat was beyond imagination. What a 60,000-strong army devoured in three meals could feed a decent-sized town for a year.
"Hey, Seowon. Isn't there a mistake in these calculations? Yesterday alone, they slaughtered 50 cattle and 200 pigs? Have the soldiers been possessed or something?!"
"My lord," I said calmly. "The Jiangdong troops fought on empty stomachs for far too long. We must fill their bellies to earn their true loyalty. We can't skimp now."
"Loyalty be damned—I'll starve first at this rate! The warehouses are empty, how the hell are we supposed to pay Liu Biao?!"
Yuan Shu tore at his hair. It hadn't been long since we'd taken Suchun, and taxes weren't flowing in properly yet. The people's hearts were still unsteady.
"Um... couldn't we just levy some emergency taxes? Pluck a few rich merchants..."
"My lord!" I cut him off sharply, my face stern. "Levies are the worst of the worst options. Right now, Suchun's people and merchants see you as different from Dong Zhuo. If we squeeze their blood now, we'll crumble from within before we even march on Liu Biao."
I analyzed the situation coolly. "What we need isn't a few bushels of rice to tide us over. In this chaos, we must show the world that Yuan Shu's army is strong and our supplies overflow—a matter of credit. Only then will merchants from across the land bring their goods to Suchun."
"Credit comes from having rice! Right now, only rats are scampering in the warehouses!"
"That's why I told you. There's a financier and politician who can solve this in one stroke."
Yuan Shu blinked. "Oh, that... Lu Su living in Dongseong? The big merchant? I know he's loaded, but is his brain that sharp too?"
"Yes. We must recruit him. Not just for rice, but to win Suchun's hearts and the realm's talents."
I unrolled a map and pointed to Dongseong. "I'll go fetch him myself. My lord, prepare just one thing."
"What?"
"Promise him unprecedented treatment. And when I give the signal, forget dignity—welcome him with open arms."
Yuan Shu eyed me suspiciously but sighed and nodded. "Fine, fine. If you're bringing in the cash, what can't I do? But come back empty-handed, and your salary's the first to go."
Arriving in Dongseong, a bizarre sight unfolded. Hundreds of refugees snaked in a line before a grand mansion, while servants at the main gate ladled steaming porridge from massive cauldrons. And at the center, a man in silk robes with sleeves rolled up, personally wielding the ladle and sweating profusely—Lu Su himself.
The grand merchant who would one day succeed Zhou Yu as Wu's Grand Commander, the strategist who plotted the world's division and Red Cliffs alongside Zhuge Liang. A wealthy man with no greed for riches, strong in righteousness. And here he was, running a charity.
"Form a line! No pushing! The pots are still boiling, and the warehouses are full of grain!"
Lu Su's booming voice rang out. The starving masses gazed at him like a living Buddha.
I dismounted and approached. When Ju Chang moved to clear a path intimidatingly, I raised a hand to stop him. Squeezing through the crowd, mingling with their sweat—it was courtesy and politics in meeting him.
"You there, young sir! No cutting!"
Lu Su glared at me, ladle in hand. I chuckled and removed my helmet.
"I'm not here for food. I'm here to meet the man cooking it."
"Who... are you, general?"
Lu Su scanned my armor and Ju Chang's imposing figure behind me. He sensed we weren't ordinary.
"Seowon, from Suchun."
"Seowon...!"
Lu Su dropped the ladle into the pot with a clang. The undefeated general who slew Hua Xiong and repelled Lu Bu. The righteous hero who'd recently braved death to recover Sun Jian's body for loyalty's sake. His fame had reached even this backwater.
"What brings the realm's prodigy to this humble place? Do you need provisions?"
Wariness flickered in Lu Su's eyes—he'd heard Yuan Shu's army's ill repute for luxury and plunder.
I shook my head politely. "No. I've come to do business with Lord Zijing."
"Business?"
"Care to talk? I've prepared a story hotter and tastier than this porridge."
We sat in Lu Su's parlor, tea's aroma wafting gently. I cut straight to it.
"Lord Zijing. Why are you giving away rice?"
"Because it's heartbreaking to see neighbors starve. Better to fill bellies than let it rot in silos, no?"
He said it casually. Truly magnanimous. But I set down my cup and said coolly, "Admirable. Yet it's pouring water into a sieve."
His eyebrows twitched at my provocation. His mild face hardened.
"That's too much. How is giving my own rice futile?"
"It's chaos. The people you feed today will die to bandits tomorrow or starve again. When your stores run dry, they'll resent and leave. Your charity only extends lives a few days—it doesn't change their fate. That's petty righteousness at best."
The room grew heavy. I met Lu Su's gaze squarely.
"Until this chaos ends, your deeds are mere self-satisfaction. We must uproot it: exterminate bandits, halt wars, establish law and order so people farm and live on their own. That's grand righteousness."
Lu Su fell silent. He couldn't refute it—that frustration gnawing at him as his stores dwindled daily.
"General Seowon. You're right. Utterly so. But..." He fixed me with a stare. "Can the Rear General truly achieve that grand cause? His reputation isn't good. They say he's lavish, arrogant, talentless, riding his family's name."
"True. I won't deny it. My lord has flaws: fiery temper, jealousy, occasional folly."
"Huh, you judge your master so? I heard you were loyal—unexpected."
"But he has what heroes like Cao Cao or Yuan Shao lack."
I leaned forward. "The magnanimity to know his shortcomings and delegate authority."
Lu Su's eyes widened.
"Yuan Shao seems generous but suspects talents inwardly; Cao Cao's able but treats subordinates as tools from paranoia. My lord granted me full powers: military, administration, personnel. He trusts and entrusts. Lord Zijing, if you join, he'll hand you the realm's ledgers. Will you stay a regional merchant forever?"
I struck the decisive blow. "Invest your 6,000 shi of grain in our army."
Lu Su spat tea and coughed. "Don't let that fortune rot. Invest in me, Seowon, if no one else. I'll use it as seed money and repay with peace as interest. Not as merchant Lu Su in the histories, but Prime Minister Lu Su. Not a rice-scattering rich man, but a statesman ruling the world."
Lu Su stared blankly. Long-dormant ambition stirred in his chest. Die a good rich man, or ride the wave to pacify chaos?
After agonizing, he slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. "Hahaha! I lose! You see right through me. What breadth!"
He sprang up. "Agreed! An hero like you buying my wealth—no, my dreams—is an honor. Take it all! Not a grain or coin left!"
"Excellent choice."
"One condition."
"Name it."
"Take me too. I want to see how my money's spent and that grand cause realized—with my own eyes."
I gripped his thick hand firmly. "Welcome. From now on, our treasury key is yours."
The next day, before Suchun's gates—a spectacle unfolded. Dozens of wagons led by Lu Su rolled in. 6,000 shi of provisions. Combined with our stocks, enough to conquer Jingzhou carefree.
Yuan Shu, watching from the ramparts, gaped. "Whoa! All rice? We're saved! Seowon, you did it!"
He nearly leaped down to hug the sacks. I grabbed his sleeve. "My lord. Restrain yourself. Maintain dignity."
"Why! It's my rice!"
"Now's the time to welcome the man, not the rice."
"Huh?"
"All these people and soldiers watch. Covet the rice now, and you'll hear 'greedy Yuan Shu' again. But..." I whispered in his ear. "Kick off your shoes, run down, and grasp Lu Su's hand—like Duke Huan of Qi welcoming Guan Zhong. Then talents will believe 'Yuan Shu values men over money' and flock here. This is the act that wins the world."
Yuan Shu's eyes sparkled at my political coaching. He loved the spotlight too.
"Oho! Got it! Time for another performance! Trust me!"
He flung off his ornate shoes, dashed down the ramparts in socks, thudding on the stairs. "Open the gates! Hurry!"
As they swung wide, Yuan Shu sprinted barefoot through the dirt.
"Aigoo! Lord Zijing! I've long heard your fame! You coming is like gaining a million troops!"
Lu Su, leading the wagons, blinked in shock. The famed noble Yuan Shu, Rear General, charging in socks to seize both his hands.
"R-Rear General...? Your shoes..."
"Shoes matter? For a talent like you, my soles could wear through—what's that? Sorry I didn't see it sooner! Truly grateful!"
Tears of (rice-inspired) sincerity welled in Yuan Shu's eyes. Lu Su, touched by the genuineness, was at a loss. Years of bad rumors melted away.
"My lord... such welcome... This Lu Su vows bone-crushing loyalty!"
"Of course! Come, inside! Tonight, a three-day feast for you!"
Soldiers and people murmured.
"First time seeing the Rear General like that."
"Ran out in socks. Unreal."
"Cherishes talent so—true Yuan heir. We misjudged."
Just as I'd planned. Yuan Shu's image washed from "greedy warlord" to "generous lord who treasures men."
I smiled contentedly, following behind.
With funds and provisions secured, one thing remained: justification.
With supplies solved, I rushed mobilization. Troops were fed, morale sky-high. But we couldn't just go. War needs justification sharper than swords.
Before assembled generals in the hall, I read the proclamation to the realm.
"The traitor Dong Zhuo ravaged the imperial house and fled, yet Jingzhou Governor Liu Biao didn't aid but cut our retreat. He murdered loyal Sun Jian, toppling the Han pillar—a deed no better than Dong Zhuo's!"
I raised my voice; the hall thundered.
"Thus, the Rear General draws the sword of justice to restore imperial dignity and soothe General Sun Jian's wronged spirit! We are no invaders! We march on Jingzhou as judges punishing betrayal and upholding righteousness!"
"Waaah—!"
No mere revenge—this was a "righteous war" against traitors. Sun Ce gazed at me with reddened eyes, deeply grateful for publicizing his father's death with unassailable legitimacy.
Yuan Shu puffed up too, drunk on feeling like a chaos hero, apostle of justice.
"Perfect! Justification set, bellies full! All army—advance! Target: Jiangxia! Huang Zu's head for Sun Jian's altar!"
Boom—boom—boom—!
With massive drums, the 50,000-strong army marched. Bolstered by solid supply, overwhelming might, perfect justification. Black clouds loomed over southern Jingzhou's skies.
No mere rain clouds. The overture to Yuan Shu's empire—a colossal storm.