The Cat of Xinye (1)
"Yuan Shu's come right up to our doorstep, they say. What in the world are we to do?"
"No one could come up with any countermeasures!"
Liu Biao stormed into his home and vented his rage. Normally, Cai Xuan would have given him an earful, but she knew the gravity of the situation and kept her mouth shut.
"Why Yeonam, of all places? There are so many other spots he could have gone to!"
"Calm down. We can't just chase him off now that he's already there."
"Grr... Should I have sent troops after all?" Liu Biao gnawed at his nails to soothe his fury. "Even that nobody Liu Bei took five thousand soldiers, and here I sat idle with ten times that number."
"He didn't come here because you stayed put."
Liu Biao's face flushed crimson at Cai Xuan's words. "To the north, there's Cao Cao and Liu Bei; northeast, Lü Bu; southeast, Sun Bo. That's why he came to Yeonam, close to Jingzhou."
"So why come at us? He should be going after Sun Bo!"
"Well..."
Cai Xuan couldn't finish her thought. The reason was simple: we're the easy target.
"What about requesting aid from the four commanderies in the south? They must have at least ten thousand troops trained up."
"Doubtful they'd even scrape together ten thousand combined. Wuling, Lingling, Guiyang—the three commanderies' forces total five thousand at best, and Jiangxia's the only one with that many. What could we squeeze out of them?"
Jingzhou's southern reaches were bandit-free, peaceful farmland akin to the province's breadbasket—far more backward than even distant Dongwu. Untouched by the Yellow Turban chaos, it lacked bandits but also any real progress beyond stockpiling grain. No one bothered venturing there, so no one with ambition took the posts. In the end, Liu Biao had appointed men of dubious talent who wouldn't flee at the sight of five hundred bandits.
They tried their best to govern in their own way, but not enough to throw into the tens-of-thousands-scale wars of the central plains. Liu Biao would have to handle this himself.
"No one spoke up. Some muttered we should strike Yuan Shu first, but no one stepped forward."
"Was that your brother-in-law?"
"Yes."
"...I have no face left."
Cai Mao had run his mouth again. "I'll give my brother a talking-to later. How can he wear a general's rank and tall hat without acting the part?"
"Madam...!"
Liu Biao was touched by her support.
"Truly the mother of us all. Hmph, standing before my generals, I feel like I have no allies—it's heartbreaking."
"Don't cry. A true man weeps but three times in life. Shedding tears over this would tarnish Lord Liu Jing Sheng's name."
Cai Xuan soothed him. "Yuan Shu's a defeated fugitive. His followers stick with him out of necessity, unable to flee elsewhere. He'll wither away in time. Uprooted and cast aside—how could he survive?"
"What if he clings on and takes root?"
"He was raised in luxury; he can't hack it in wastelands or wild hills. And after daring to claim emperorship, he'll squander his assets just to keep up appearances. Dear, petition the court."
She whispered sweetly into Liu Biao's ear. "As Jingzhou's Inspector Liu Jing Sheng, vow to subjugate the rebel Yuan Shu. Explain that accepting his last edict was no insult to the throne. Now that he's turned his back on us, we'll stab him from behind."
"Hm..." Liu Biao let out a deep groan. "Will that really work?"
"Don't worry. Why not invoke our old alliance for this?"
"Alliance?"
"Yes. Use Zhang Su."
"Zhang Su!" Liu Biao clapped his hands. "Right! Even he couldn't ignore a direct imperial command—or one from Cao Cao. And besides..."
"If we fight alongside him, this could mend fences with Zhang Su's faction, stemming from Zhang Ji's death."
Jia Xu had hinted at reconciliation last time. No need to cross blades forever.
"You get it, don't you? If you truly aspire to supremacy, you must strike down those who dare question your seat. Even if you don't capture them yourself, show the realm Liu Biao isn't just taking hits lying down."
"...Right! No reason for Liu Jing Sheng to endure forever."
Liu Biao's fighting spirit blazed—then fizzled just as quick.
"...Who do I send?"
Personnel was always Liu Biao's Achilles' heel.
"Madam... your brother, perhaps?"
"I'll speak to him. But as you know, I'm family outsider now—he might not heed me. So let's pick a backup."
"Backup?"
"Yes. There are men nearby, just standing guard around Yeonam. Arm them."
Liu Biao nodded gravely at Cai Xuan's words. "...Yes. Him."
His gaze turned east. Cai Xuan patted him reassuringly, sighing inwardly with relief. Her eyes drifted north.
* * *
"Did you meet Cai Xuan well?"
"Yes, Lady Sima Hui."
I shared a private drink with Sima Hui.
"Through her, you've pushed Liu Biao into war with Yuan Shu. You've truly dipped your toes into the world now."
"I've been in it for a while."
I refilled our cups. "The days of debating whether to wade in are gone. Zhang Je taught me staying put won't work. Lie idle, and Yuan Shu sends troops to plunder Xinye."
"He did some plundering before, when holed up in Wan—raiding northern Jingzhou repeatedly."
"...Really?"
"You were busy with academy duties then. Teaching kids, raising 'em. Heh."
"Hm..."
"Raising" felt off, but yeah—I'd been too focused on Suyeon Academy to notice the world.
Now was different. I'd chosen battlefields, nudged Liu Biao from behind.
"So, ready to enter service?"
"No."
No official post for me. "Instead, I'll ask those in service to protect what's mine."
"And if none are?"
"I'll lean on personal ties—school, region, blood."
"You've grown bolder. 'Rivers and mountains change in a decade,' they say—and you've spent nearly that here, transforming."
"Not quite a decade... but yes, changed plenty."
From a guy planning to farm rice and buy honey water, now scheming to eliminate threats.
"Saw it with Liu Biao. Can't live like that fool. Imagine if he'd sent troops when Cao Cao petitioned—like Liu Bei with five thousand, or ten with my skills. Beautiful picture."
Cao Cao would've hyped Liu Biao's aid to the throne.
"Liu Bei's name reached the emperor with just five thousand. Word is, the court is investigating if he's truly Zhongshan Jingwang's heir. He might earn true imperial blood this time."
Sometimes fools win heaven's favor with idiotic moves.
"Liu Biao? Powerful but inert—a fool. Stay passive, and Jingzhou looks weak to other lords. With Yuan Shu down, we must show he can bite back."
"Who? Sun Bo?"
"Yes."
If Sun Bo wipes Yuan Shu's remnants from Jiangdong and Xuzhou, with Yuan Shu gone between them... Sun Bo turns on Jingzhou.
"Worried about Sun Bo ultimately?"
"Partly. But mainly, Yuan Shu's eyeing Xinye now. We strike first."
I sent letters everywhere.
To Cao Cao in Heodo—via Sun Uk—suggest Liu Biao move, negotiate rewards.
To Zhang Su in Wan: Form alliance army for Cao Cao's alliance and mending with Liu Biao.
Met Cai Xuan privately in Yangyang, shared my scheme. Yuan Shu next door irks her too—interests align perfectly. Liu Biao mobilizes soon.
And two more: one to Xinye commandery. The other to Gangha Fortress.
"Lady Sima Hui. This battle might go unrecorded, yield nothing. But."
"Show cats have claws too. How far are you preparing?"
"How far?"
I spread the map, letting Sima Hui review my plan.
"All the way, naturally."
Operations staff: Hwang Wol-yeong, Seo Seo, Sima Yi.
Left flank: Xinye Prefect Mun Bing.
Right flank: Gangha subordinate Gan Ning.
Overall commander: Gangha Governor Huang Zu.