My Little Xinye (2)
"Indeed... Thank you for the detailed explanation. You've worked hard, General."
"Haha, it's nothing. I've long heard of your esteemed name, General Hwang."
While Liu Fan was away briefly, Huang Zhong, as the representative of the relief force, sat face-to-face with Mun Bing. The gap in rank between a regional prefect and a mere general was clear, but Mun Bing, who knew Huang Zhong well, wanted to sit with him as an equal. Whether it was respect for a senior or an attempt to match him regardless of age, only Mun Bing knew. Fortunately, Huang Zhong didn't think that way, nor did Mun Bing. They were warriors, after all.
"When Prefect Liu first said no reinforcements were needed, I was quite shocked. I thought we still had to send them. But now... I feel like coming was unnecessary."
"Not at all. It's fortunate we held them off more easily than expected. Without reinforcements, we couldn't have fought directly with peace of mind."
"Haha, is that so..."
Huang Zhong set down his cup and glanced around. Thankfully, no one was nearby, so he cautiously opened his mouth.
"I've heard your story before. A northern garrison commander rising to prefect of Xinye—it's made you quite famous among our soldiers."
"...I was lucky."
"Who could call it mere luck? It's all your skill."
"...I can't claim it was purely my skill. Even in this battle, without their help, we'd have suffered far greater losses. At least three thousand dead, at minimum."
"The scholars from Suyeon Academy, you mean."
Mun Bing nodded at Huang Zhong's words.
"I have one request, General. Please don't spread this publicly. I'm worried it might stir bad rumors in Yangyang."
"What? That women commanded the army? Haha, don't worry. That's the talk of immature fools. Does gender matter in leading troops? Only ability does."
Huang Zhong sipped his tea, twisting his lips into a smirk.
"Man or woman, as long as subordinates don't slit their commander's throat mid-battle, it doesn't matter who the general is."
"...You've been through quite a lot, General Hwang."
"Living fifty years, you see all sorts. But... I've never seen anything like this before."
Huang Zhong's voice dropped even lower.
"So many have risen to fame with Geum Taeyang's aid, they say. The Huang family down in Jiangxia, and you too."
"......I can't deny it. Does General Hwang perhaps covet the prefect position in Xinye...?"
"What? Hahaha! Are you worried I might take the post here? No need. I don't want to be prefect of Xinye. I just..."
Huang Zhong gave a wry smile.
"Want to make a name for myself like you all. Eh? Look at Huang Zu. As Sun Bo pacifies Jiangdong, Huang Zu's name rises again. How did Huang Zu kill Sun Jian?"
"A name..."
"Have you met Prefect Liu in person?"
"Yes. I saw him once in Yangyang when I received my appointment."
"I've seen him for years since he took this post."
Huang Zhong bowed his head briefly, sighing.
"The Prefect is a good man. Born in peaceful times, he could've governed not just Jingzhou, but two or three provinces in harmony."
"...These aren't peaceful times."
"True. That's why he can't escape beyond Jingzhou... Ahem, never mind."
Huang Zhong cleared his throat and looked out the window.
"It's good that warriors like us can make our mark, but peace is still best. Hm."
"But as a warrior born in these times, don't you want to leave your name for posterity?"
"...My heart burns for it, and my body's still spry, but if the era doesn't call me, what can I do? I can't betray Prefect Liu and go elsewhere. Haha, a rookie general at my age."
Mun Bing couldn't respond to Huang Zhong's self-mockery. Come to Xinye. That would mean handing over the prefect's seat to him. With just Geum Taeyang and his disciples' accounts, he'd be famed as the brilliant commander who crushed ten thousand with a thousand sacrifices. ...How could he easily yield that role? As fellow ambitious warriors, Mun Bing couldn't bring himself to speak.
"...I'll discuss your matter with my teacher once."
"...I see. Thank you for passing it on. Time's up, so I'll take my leave."
"I'll see you out."
They couldn't talk forever. Huang Zhong and Mun Bing rose and headed outside. As they left the government office, watching the orderly soldiers, Huang Zhong hesitated to depart.
"Hm... Shame to leave without a look. Mind if I tour the camp?"
"You're welcome. I'll guide you."
Before preparations to leave, Huang Zhong wanted to visit the camp to see the brave soldiers who felled Yuan Shu's bandits.
"They're resting well."
The relief troops were taking breaks in the camp, some clustered together.
"...Hm?"
Huang Zhong and Mun Bing approached the gathered soldiers. In the center, a bearded soldier wielded a spear dramatically, telling a tale.
"So I said, 'Why retreat now? I could kill more!' But our teacher said nothing. He just watched calmly and ordered retreat. And do you know what happened? The moment we fell back, arrows rained on where we'd stood!"
"Ho ho."
Huang Zhong focused on the bearded soldier's story.
"Is this the mounted archery tale you mentioned?"
"Yes. Geum Teacher led the charge himself. That soldier... was one who rode out for volley fire with him."
"...A soldier? I thought he was a general."
"Yes. I even made him a century commander in the cavalry with Geum Teacher... Sigh."
Mun Bing shook his head.
"Geum Teacher said he seemed capable but ill-tempered and poor with people."
"What do you think?"
"I've known him a long time, but he's a rough one."
"...Hmm, really?"
Huang Zhong approached the soldiers. Spotting the generals, the listening troops scrambled up and stood at attention.
"At ease."
Who could relax when a general said to? The soldiers gulped, eyeing each other nervously.
"So, you were the star, eh?"
"Y-Yes! Over a hundred bandits fell to my hand! Hahaha!"
"Impressive. But stay humble. There's always a sky above a sky."
"...Who are you, old man, to lecture me?"
Crack.
Huang Zhong ground his teeth at the insolent bearded soldier.
"Heh heh, sorry. You look about thirty, so I, an old fool, overstepped with your youthful vigor."
"Ha! Thirty? Do I look thirty?! Old man, I'm in my spry twenties! Not even fifty yet! No matter how old you get, how dare you call a young man in his twenties thirty?!"
"......"
Huang Zhong paused.
"I'm fifty, you brat."
Whack!!
He smacked the back of the bearded soldier's head. The soldier instantly realized.
"How's an old man so strong...?"
The man before him was far stronger.
* * *
"We need a strong warrior."
After chatting with Zhen Jun while sucking honey in the kitchen, I realized we desperately needed a powerful fighter.
"Even Liang admits this. What do you think, Seo Seo?"
"I agree. No strategy holds against overwhelming force."
Seo Seo, my disciple most interested in martial prowess, grasped my point immediately.
"If strategy alone subdued all those elites, Go and Liu Bang's pieces wouldn't have been Chu and Han."
"Right. Xiang Yu beat their countless schemes time and again. Poor plans? Lacking wits? No."
Lack of might. And this "might" is always relative.
"Like Mun Bing slicing that thunderbolt, but even he could lose his head to someone. You know Guan Yu and Zhang Fei? Right behind Lü Bu in strength."
I'd witnessed Guan Yu and Zhang Fei fight during Lü Bu's subjugation. Unrestrained by protecting Liu Bei, they became Spear and Halberd Guan and Zhang, overwhelming Lü Bu's routed army.
"No need to look far—think of Gan Ning. If we had three like him, would we have needed volley fire to lure and kill?"
"Teacher. Strategists have a set play for that."
"What?"
"Advance, charge, crush."
"Exactly. Like Mun Bing against Yuan Shu's army."
Troop morale. Training. Weapon condition. Leadership. Mun Bing ordered the charge, under Zhuge Liang's command. But with three Gan Nings, even she'd say, "Do as you like."
Because they could. But Jingzhou lacks such talent. Or we haven't found them.
"We need a new approach. How to recruit someone with exceptional personal skill?"
Waaah—!
Near the academy, kids swung wooden swords playfully.
"Come at me—I'm Xinye's Lü Bu!"
"Hmph, if you're Lü Bu, I'm Xiang Yu!"
"I'm Bai Qi reborn! Behold the essence of martial arts!"
"They play well."
I couldn't help smiling at the kids boasting supremacy.
"Is Jingzhou scholar country? Surely a true powerhouse lurks."
"How about a tournament?"
"Tournament?"
"Yes. Host one in Xinye. Or in Yangyang with Cai family help."
"Funds?"
"The consultation fee from last time. Use it as prize money?"
"......"
Cold sweat trickled at Seo Seo's words.
"W-Well."
"...Why? You spent it... all of it. Even after saying it's communal."
"......"
Silence despite a mouth. Ten mouths, no words.
"Sigh. Where'd you spend it? Not on academy donations. Honey water?"
"N-No, not that."
Would she rage at me spending communal funds arbitrarily, or marvel at the use?
"...Keep this between us."
Most of Cao Cao's consultation fee.
"You know the 'Xinye Development Fund,' right?"