Answering Huang Zu's Plea
Huang Zu. He's a general under Liu Biao.
So who is this Liu Biao? 'The poor guy got posted to Jingzhou, a place with no connections whatsoever.'
He took up the post of Inspector of Jingzhou last year, but there's something about this man we need to address. Liu Biao has no power base in Jingzhou at all. His predecessor had built decent relations with the local clans and gotten by just fine, but Liu Biao arrived here truly alone, without a single ally.
I focused intently on his every move. If the Inspector got along well with the prefects of each city, it would make things easier for me! So what path would Liu Biao take?
To that end, I pulled out all the stops to recruit the sons of the Guo and Cai families—the ones Liu Biao was trying to cozy up to—into Suyeon Academy. Most of the great clans wanted to send their children as disciples. But the final decision rested entirely with Sima Hui.
'If Liu Biao builds good ties with the Guo and Cai families, it'll surely benefit us too.'
Even when Sima Hui said, 'Those kids are a bit...' I persuaded her relentlessly. Hiding my true intentions, I argued that how could we turn away anyone seeking knowledge? In the end, it meant more books to prepare and a few more unwanted students, but who knows? Maybe we'd find a pearl in the mud.
That was how I tried to get indirectly close to Liu Biao through several degrees of separation. Meeting him directly risked getting dragged into official business, so I planned to offer only general direction while sucking honey from the sidelines.
And now, finally, the time had come to reap even a small harvest from the seeds I'd sown.
"I am Huang Zu. I've been appointed Prefect of Jiangxia by Governor Liu Jing Sheng, and I must drive out that vile wretch Sun Jian."
Huang Zu didn't seem eager to elaborate. But my instincts told me something: this man harbored slight dissatisfaction with Liu Biao. He looked like a subordinate, yet not quite.
Huang Zu, general under Liu Biao. I knew the background of his appointment as prefect to some extent.
Liu Biao had once attacked Sun Jian. When Sun Jian fled to Yuan Shu with the Imperial Seal in hand, Yuan Shao—fearing Yuan Shu's growing power—sent a letter to Liu Biao proposing an alliance. Liu Biao, worried about the same thing with Yuan Shu right next door, blocked Sun Jian's path.
'Hand over the seal! You seal thieves!'
'Seal? We don't have it! Get out of the way!'
If the seal wasn't with Liu Biao's side, it was their problem; if it was with Sun Jian, it was his. Fortunately(?) for Jingzhou, Sun Jian had it. So the justification lay with Jingzhou. But in chaotic times, some ignore justification and charge ahead recklessly.
"Do you know why Yuan Shu is sending Sun Jian to attack our Jingzhou now?"
"It's a complicated matter. If I dig into each detail, it'll get messy—may I give a short answer?"
"Speak."
I cleared my throat with a cough.
"One, Sun Jian's personal revenge for the ambush on his way. Two, Yuan Shu's greed to swallow Jingzhou and expand his power. Three, Yuan Shu's rage at the alliance with Yuan Shao."
"...Indeed. That's correct."
Liu Biao had allied with Yuan Shao. And in this anti-Dong Zhuo coalition, Yuan Shao—as leader—gained fame, along with Cao Cao who pursued to the end. Everyone else was just 'Oh, they joined too?'
Yuan Shu?
'That guy's so jealous of his subordinates he didn't even send grain!'
'I heard he was generous—did I get it wrong?'
'They say the rich are the stingiest.'
Yuan Shu's reputation was plummeting in real time. As the story with Sun Jian spread far and wide, he was becoming known as petty and miserly.
'Probably Yuan Shao's smear campaign.'
High chance it was Yuan Shao's handiwork. The Yuan clan of Ji Province was split between heirs Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, their infighting influencing the central plains' politics.
The ripples reached Jingzhou. Yuan Shu decided to attack Liu Biao for allying with Yuan Shao and seize his land, putting forth Sun Jian, who harbored personal grudges against Liu Biao's forces.
And...
"Jiangxia is the closest to Yuan Shu's territory. You've been ordered to lead the vanguard against Sun Jian, General Huang."
"Yes. I'd welcome a prefect's post anytime, but not one that throws me into war like this. I wanted Liu Biao to thrive in Jingzhou, and I'm grateful for the office he gave me, but!"
Huang Zu downed his tea in one gulp.
"I don't want to be the arrow catcher in this war, throwing out the soldiers I've trained myself!"
"Are there good odds of victory?"
"...Shameful to admit, but no."
The blustering Huang Zu hung his head.
"I know Sun Jian's strength. If we duel, he'll kill me in one exchange; against his four generals, I won't last ten bouts before dying. Funny thing? In all Jingzhou, there might be only one or two warriors stronger than me."
"......."
Who'd have thought Huang Zu would assess himself so coldly? Or that Liu Biao's army was in such dire straits.
While other places overflowed with one-man armies, Liu Biao's forces were desperately short on elite warriors.
"Liu Jing Sheng trusts me and sends me to Jiangxia, but no matter how I think, there's no way to beat that mad dog. Didn't he survive and triumph over Hua Xiong? To beat a beast, you need wisdom."
Huang Zu clasped his fists and bowed his head.
"I've heard you're exceedingly wise. Even Master Sima said you might have an answer after hearing my tale."
Sima Hui, who had been listening quietly, shot me a knowing smile over her fan. I wasn't thrilled about her meddling, but I saw it as a good opportunity and changed my mind.
I'll help. And since I'm helping, I'll do it thoroughly.
'Gotta ask for a dock near the Yangtze.'
Help him this time, win the Prefect of Jiangxia's favor, secure a dock nearby, hire people to run a business, and have them send me a cut. Perfect plan.
"Hm...."
But I frowned. I pondered deeply, lost in thought. Even furrowed my brows on purpose.
'What's for dinner tonight?'
No need to debate a settled matter, so I agonized over tougher choices to feign deep contemplation.
"Please, will you help me?"
"Help... Could I even be of use?"
"Yes. Isn't it on Master Sima's recommendation?"
The Prefect of Jiangxia—practically the commander of the front against Sun Jian—had come begging for my aid himself. I wasn't someone who could help him... well, not really, but I didn't want to step up personally either.
"General Huang, I'm no official. My talents are meager; I lack the skill or ambition to lead troops into battle. I'm just a rural scholar who reads books."
"Is that so? Ugh...."
Huang Zu showed his disappointment.
"However!"
I clasped my fists.
"Though I fled my homeland's war to come here, I consider Jingzhou my second home. How could I ignore danger to my home? As a man of Jingzhou, how can I sit idle when its prefect steps onto the battlefield himself?"
"Master...!"
Joy feels greater after deeper despair. Huang Zu's face lit up.
"But as I said, I'm no expert in military tactics. I know them in theory, but commanding soldiers for real might send them to their deaths. General, could you entrust your men to someone who's never held military authority?"
"Hm... True...."
"But! I can pair you with a strategist far superior to me. She's a master of the art of war and even held office in Luoyang."
"Oh, really?! A woman serving in Luoyang—must be an extraordinary talent!"
Huang Zu's face brightened. Just to check, I probed gently.
"No objections to a woman commanding troops?"
"A woman? Who cares?! Right now, my head's about to roll to Sun Jian... Ahem."
Huang Zu coughed and swallowed the rest.
"...If I get her help, can I survive?"
"Survive? Absolutely. Hold Jiangxia, and you'll be the true prefect—Liu Biao won't touch you lightly. Not some backwater like the Four Commanderies of Jingnan; Jiangxia stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiangling as Jingzhou's twin jewels. Appointing you there means he values you highly."
"That's if I survive."
"General, relax. In the plan she and I devise, your death isn't an option. Sun Jian's army is swift and fierce, but if you leverage Jingzhou's terrain well, victory is within reach." I emphasized my words. "You will be called Huang Zu, the man who defeated Sun Jian, conqueror of Hua Xiong."
I extended my hand to Huang Zu.
"With a stratagem as wondrous as divine ingenuity, I'll ensure your victory."
Xun You.