The Swiftly Flowing World
The world flowed swiftly. Zhongping Year 4 (187 AD), December. Taishan General’s Headquarters.
“What…?”
I was flipping through the ledger when I suddenly whipped my head around. The story So-yeon had just relayed to me was finally a piece of history I actually knew.
“That bastard Jo Jo from Jinan got appointed Colonel Who Commands the Army?”
“Yes, Lord Jang Yeon. It appears Chancellor of Jinan, Jo Gong, has been named Colonel Who Commands the Army.”
I pressed my lips tightly together, set the ledger down, and shot to my feet.
“Hahahahaha!! Yu Byeok!!! Even in this fucking dog-shit world, luck is rolling right into my lap.”
Seeing me laugh as if a rotten tooth had finally been pulled, Yu Byeok stared at me with an utterly dumbfounded expression.
“My lord… did you eat something bad?”
“It’s finally time to leave. Let’s never see each other again! Uahaha!!”
I immediately grabbed the wine jar beside me and took a long swig. This. This is why people live.
But the three people watching me all wore strange expressions.
“Doesn’t the general… get a little weird every time Jo Gong’s name comes up?” Do Eung whispered carefully to So-yeon.
So-yeon nodded, letting out a small sigh. “Definitely. It’s like all the energy drains out of him…”
“He was exactly like this when Jo Gong visited at New Year’s.”
“Hmm…”
While I rampaged around the room drunk on wine, they began a serious discussion among themselves.
That night, after shaking off the mild intoxication, I unfolded the letter once more.
“Emperor Ling created the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden, and Jo Jo is now Colonel Who Commands the Army… It’s about time I started preparing in earnest.”
I quietly spread out the map. Crude drawings of each province.
“The day Emperor Ling passes away… is not far off.”
My voice had dropped an octave. The frivolous laughter was gone; my eyes traced the map as strategies formed in my mind.
“The Ten Eunuchs, Grand General Ha Jin, the Eight Colonels, and… the warlords of every region.”
I picked up the brush. The age of survival of the fittest—where the sword defeats the pen—was fast approaching.
“I need to start using my head properly too.”
A few days later, word arrived that Do Gyeom had returned to Xuzhou. I immediately gathered the soldiers and gave quiet orders.
“Since General Do has returned… prepare yourselves. A promise is a promise.”
Yu Byeok nodded and asked, “Will you support Do Gyeom, my lord?”
I answered shortly. “I have to. I gave my word.”
But inside I was thinking something very different.
It’s about time for Do Gyeom to start tasting bitterness.
In Xuzhou, where Do Gyeom had returned, a new wind was beginning to blow.
End of Zhongping Year 4 (187 AD). Xiapi Kingdom, Xuzhou.
Do Gyeom had abandoned the rebellion in Yangzhou and come back. Behind him, three thousand Danyang soldiers—tempered like steel—quietly set foot in Xuzhou. These were the elite of the elite, men who had accumulated experience through constant battles against the northern barbarians.
Xuzhou, on the other hand, was already in ruins. The officials were all corrupt bureaucrats blinded by money, and the merchant caravans were endlessly plundered by bandits. The sighs leaking from the people’s lips no longer held anger or resistance. Only resignation.
But from the moment Do Gyeom entered Xuzhou, the situation began to change.
“I heard General Do Gyeom has returned.”
“They say he brought the Danyang soldiers back. Did you see them? I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen a real army. They’re on a completely different level from the troops the previous Inspector of Xuzhou sent.”
In truth, immediately after his return, Do Gyeom divided the Danyang soldiers and struck the bandits, Yellow Turban remnants, and barbarians all at once. He moved quickly and executed them without mercy. The Danyang soldiers hung the severed heads everywhere, but they never laid a hand on the civilians. Occasionally some soldiers broke military discipline; Do Gyeom personally beheaded them—whether common soldier or commander—and displayed their heads.
Thanks to Do Gyeom’s swift actions, public order quickly stabilized. He immediately moved on to the next step: meeting one by one with the powerful clans and influential figures of Xuzhou he had previously contacted. The meetings held beneath the surface were secretive, but the words exchanged were passionate.
“If General Do becomes Inspector of Xuzhou, we would have no further complaints.”
“Then gather your will. If you raise your voices to the court on my behalf, I will repay you sufficiently.”
“Hehe, General. These days, to receive an official post from the court…”
“I know.”
Do Gyeom smiled faintly. “That is precisely why I need your strength, is it not? If I become Inspector, I will repay you all generously.”
“Hehe, I didn’t realize General Do was so straightforward. In that case, we will gather our strength as well.”
Do Gyeom was completely different from two years ago. Back then he had won over the local powers through his own ability alone, but now he was actively drawing them to his side.
Yangzhou is already finished. Returning there now would accomplish nothing.
After spending two years in Yangzhou suppressing the rebellions of Han Sui and Bian Zhang, Do Gyeom had finally realized the truth. This was on a completely different scale from the Yellow Turban Rebellion or the uprisings of a few barbarian tribes.
Minister of Works Zhang Wen had been appointed General of the West, and with renowned warriors like Dong Tak, Do Gyeom, and Sun Jian under him, they had temporarily driven the rebels back. But the rebel army had regrouped around Han Sui and were now sweeping through Yangzhou with a hundred-thousand-strong force. The Administrator of Longxi, Li Can, surrendered upon seeing the rebel army, while Inspector of Yangzhou, Jing Bi, fought Han Sui but was defeated and executed. Administrator of Hanyang, Fu She, led troops to stop Han Sui but was also defeated and beheaded. As Han Sui’s rebels ran rampant across Yangzhou, local officials and barbarian tribes including Ma Teng joined them, and the situation showed no signs of ending.
Do Gyeom spent his days cutting down rebels and his nights listening to the cries of the defeated. Half the imperial punitive force that had set out from Luoyang had died, and the survivors had become more beast than human. His choice of Xuzhou had not been driven by ambition for a better position, but by a far greater fear of never wanting to experience such a nightmare again.
Meanwhile, Do Gyeom’s son and Jang Yeon’s watchdog, Do Eung, sat alone in a room inside the general’s headquarters, staring out the window with a stiff expression. On the desk lay the letter his father Do Gyeom had sent him. As always, the handwriting was neat and the tone resolute. It was filled with questions about the recent situation, political movements, and the movements of the Black Mountain Army.
“…Lord Jang.”
Do Eung slowly lifted his head. He muttered Jang Yeon’s name under his breath and let out a deep sigh.
“Why… am I shaking like this?”
Following his father’s will had always been the correct answer. But over the past two years with Jang Yeon, Do Eung had seen something else. Rough and crude, yet—
“Someone who trusts me and takes all responsibility upon himself.”
Do Eung recalled the many moments when Jang Yeon had given him trust. Even when small mistakes or losses occurred, he would scold but never punish. Instead, he granted even greater authority and autonomy. Now Do Eung was even managing the entire finances of the Black Mountain Army.
“Compared to that…”
His father Do Gyeom had given him countless teachings and lessons, but never trust. He only demanded obedience as a son.
What is a true gentleman, then?
Do Eung rose from his seat. One by one, he began burning the letters on the desk.
“From now on, every letter I send to Father… will be a lie.”
The flickering flames dyed Do Eung’s face red.
I am now… Lord Jang Yeon’s man.
And Do Eung himself knew that this decision would one day create enormous waves.
Zhongping Year 5 (188 AD), January. Taishan General’s Headquarters.
The envoy who had come up from Xuzhou offered a respectful greeting, then carefully produced a single scroll.
“General Do of Xuzhou instructed me to deliver this writing to Lord Jang.”
I nodded and accepted the scroll. Breaking the seal and opening it, the content was simple.
Aid me.
One line, clean and decisive. Both the handwriting and the weight of the sentence made it obvious that Do Gyeom had written it himself. Yet a laugh escaped me.
“This man really hasn’t changed at all.”
Yu Byeok stepped forward. “My lord, is General Do still not satisfied?”
I set the letter down with a slap and stood up. Then I opened the door. Cold wind rushed refreshingly into the general’s headquarters.
“What General Do wants isn’t simply more verbal support. The words ‘Aid me’ carry many implications.”
Yu Byeok tilted his head. “What do you mean, my lord?”
“He wants me to write a memorial or lend him my influence.” I scratched my chin and muttered, “But here’s the thing. I only promised to ‘support’ him. I never said I’d write anything in my own name. Wouldn’t that be too big a loss for me?”
I looked at the envoy Do Gyeom had sent and spoke. The envoy gestured, and soon three strong men set a large box down in front of me.
I narrowed my eyes and opened the box. The moment the lid lifted, silver coins sparkled in the light. The box was packed full of them.
The envoy bowed respectfully and said, “General Do has prepared five hundred thousand coins as a token of sincerity for our alliance.”
My eyes widened. I muttered quietly to myself, Is money seriously falling from the sky?
I picked up one silver coin and rolled it between my fingers. The cold metallic texture tickled my fingertips. I looked up with a smile and said, “Very well. For the sake of a faithful alliance, how would you like me to use it?”
The envoy stepped forward and respectfully offered another letter. “General Do has prepared a draft memorial. However, he believed it would be better if it were submitted to the court under Lord Jang’s name.”
I took the letter the envoy offered and read it. The sentences were clean and the justification appropriate. They were exactly the kind of phrases Emperor Ling would like. I nodded.
“Well written. This was probably written by the man himself too.”
The envoy nodded. “Yes. General Do wrote every word personally.”
With my pockets now considerably heavier, I gave a refreshing smile and answered, “Good. With this level of sincerity, lending my name is only fair.”
I picked up the document and added, “This is what a true alliance that helps each other looks like.”
The envoy silently prostrated himself at my words. Watching him, I slowly returned to my seat and began preparing to submit the memorial.
Do Gyeom, this guy… As expected of a military man, he doesn’t waste words. I like it.
End of January, Zhongping Year 5 (188 AD). Luoyang Court.
Inside the palace where white snow had settled, the court was boiling with a heat it had never known before. Inside the main audience hall, all the major figures had gathered: Grand General Ha Jin, Minister of Works Xu Xiang, Grand Commandant Cao Song, Prefect of the Masters of Writing Liu Yu, Minister of Ceremonies Liu Yan, Regular Palace Attendant Zhang Rang, and others.
A secretary knelt and slowly presented a single memorial.
“A memorial from Jianyi General Jang Yeon of Taishan.”
The beginning of the memorial was grand, but the content was simple. It recommended Do Gyeom, who had stabilized public order in Xuzhou and won the hearts of the people, as Inspector of Xuzhou. At the bottom of the memorial, Jang Yeon’s name was clearly written.
…(omitted)… Your servant, Jianyi General Jang Yeon, has gathered the voices of the people and the powerful clans and dares to report: Do Gyeom of Xuzhou has pacified the rebels, comforted the people, and now possesses the full qualifications to lead Xuzhou completely as its Inspector.
The main audience hall fell into silence. The eyebrows of Grand General Ha Jin, leader of the Qingliu faction, twitched.
“Hmph, a man holding an honorary post dares to recommend an Inspector? Furthermore, how dare a former bandit submit a memorial to the throne?!”
Some Qingliu faction officials on both sides nodded in agreement.
“Jang Yeon was originally a bandit. How can he possibly have any right to comment on the appointment of an Inspector?”
However, the responses from the Turbid Current faction—especially the eunuch faction—were completely different. Regular Palace Attendant Zhang Rang quietly chuckled as he accepted Jang Yeon’s memorial and spoke.
“Whether he was a bandit or not, who is the man who has currently pacified the rebels in Xuzhou and won the hearts of the people?”
At Zhang Rang’s words, another of the Ten Eunuchs and General Who Conquers the West, Zhao Zhong, put on a deliberately neutral expression and added, “Moreover… you gentlemen may not know this, but even before this memorial arrived, His Majesty had already taken great interest in Xuzhou.”
All eyes turned toward Emperor Ling seated upon the dragon throne. Emperor Ling already knew the content of the memorial. But his eyes were fixed not on the memorial itself, but on the wealth the nobles of Xuzhou and Do Gyeom had offered through the eunuchs.
Emperor Ling slowly, very slowly, raised his head.
“Jang Yeon… that man was originally a bandit, yet he follows righteousness of his own accord and leads troops in accordance with Our command. We have also heard that hunger has decreased in Taishan and the people praise him. Furthermore, Do Gyeom raised his name by fighting for many years in Yangzhou, and the moment he entered Xuzhou he suppressed rebellion and won the people’s hearts.”
Emperor Ling slowly curved the corners of his mouth upward.
“With all this, what reason would We have to reject the memorial? If the people and scholars of Xuzhou all desire it, We have no reason to refuse.”
And then came Emperor Ling’s declaration.
We appoint Do Gyeom as Inspector of Xuzhou!
The hall stirred. Some fell into despair while others quietly wore satisfied smiles.
It was then that Minister of Ceremonies Liu Yan stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, I dare to speak. Cases like today’s Xuzhou will inevitably repeat in the future. The people follow Your Majesty as they would their parents, yet the Inspectors of each province lack sufficient authority, creating holes in security and defense. The current Inspector system is limited merely to administration and supervision. To suppress such rebellions in advance, you must grant military authority to the Inspectors.”
Emperor Ling’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that, Minister of Ceremonies?”
Liu Yan took a deep breath and looked at Emperor Ling as he spoke.
“Your Majesty, we must reintroduce the ‘Provincial Governor’ system that the former Emperor established! The current Inspectors are tasked with administration and supervision and thus lack the authority to suppress rebels. However, a Provincial Governor can control the military authority of an entire province as well. In this current chaos, Provincial Governors possessing such strong military power are absolutely necessary.”
Emperor Ling turned his head and looked at the eunuchs, Ha Jin, and the ministers.
“We hear Yangzhou is still in turmoil. And… news of yet more rebels reaches Us, so Our heart is truly troubled. The Minister of Ceremonies has offered good advice.”
At those words, the ministers realized what answer Emperor Ling would give and tightly closed their eyes.
Finally, Emperor Ling raised his hand and spoke quietly.
“Therefore, from this day forward, We shall revive the Provincial Governor system.”
The sudden proposal by Minister of Ceremonies Liu Yan to revive the Provincial Governor system once again threw the court into an uproar.