Flowers Bloom on the Continent (3): Dong Zhuo is Dead!
Flowers were blooming across the continent. Dong Zhuo was dead! The very Dong Zhuo who had run rampant in Chang'an. No homonym—this was the real deal. They said he was truly dead. We couldn't confirm it yet. But with rumors of Dong Zhuo's death filling the streets, we had no choice but to prepare.
With Dong Zhuo—the man who shook the realm—gone, the world would surely turn upside down. So I posed different questions to my two disciples at Sukyung Hall.
"If Dong Zhuo's death is fake. If it's real. What actions should we take in each case?"
"Master, a question. Does 'we' mean Jingzhou, or Sukyung Hall?"
It was Seo Seo's question.
"Or does it include the Jojo army you hold in favor?"
"The Jojo army can handle their own affairs. I'm talking about Jingzhou. Personally, I'm adopted by the Cai family, bound by blood ties, and Sukyung Hall will be affected by Liu Biao's moves too."
"Jingzhou..."
Sima Yi stayed silent. She seemed to have her answer already but was waiting for Seo Seo to speak first.
"Yi-ya, your thoughts?"
"...I'll think on it a bit more."
"Master, I'll answer first."
She'd kept her lips sealed tight at my question, but in the end, Seo Seo spoke up.
"If Dong Zhuo faked his death to scheme something, it'll be one of two things."
"What?"
"One is luring the Central Plains warlords to unite again. Whether he thinks he's solidified Chang'an or not, he might want the Eighteen Warlords to believe he's dead and gather once more."
"Why?"
"To sweep them all away in one fell swoop!"
"To crush them all at once, you mean."
Sweep them all away. Seo Seo's take was more intriguing than expected.
"So you're saying Dong Zhuo faked his death to wipe out a second Anti-Dong Zhuo coalition? Without fighting them piecemeal?"
"If he's confident, wouldn't he? No need to bother sending armies one by one to topple them. If he has the troops."
"That's fair."
Sending troops to cities, fighting sieges, capturing fortresses—repeating that wears anyone down.
"But that's only if his army's fully prepared. It's only been about a year since he took Chang'an. Would the people there really follow him by now?"
"That's why I have another thought. Using Central Plains unrest to eliminate rear threats."
"Rear?"
"Yes. Dong Zhuo's power comes from Xiliang cavalry and Liang Province's fine steeds. But he especially fears Ma Teng and Han Sui further northwest, around Wudu."
Those beyond the lands Dong Zhuo controls, farther northwest. They hadn't joined the Anti-Dong Zhuo coalition directly, but they lurked in position to bite his back.
"Ma Teng's fierce but righteous—not one to ally with Dong Zhuo. He was even one of the Eighteen Warlords who responded to the call-up."
"If Gongsun Zan is in Beiping in the north, Ma Teng is in Xiliang. ...I heard that once, Master."
"...I see. Ma Teng. Never cared, so I didn't know."
I'd never given him a thought—his name rang zero bells.
"I've only ever been to Sayeo and Jingzhou my whole life. When would I go to the edge of Xiliang? Xiliang, huh..."
"Interested now?"
"Not really. No sign of land prices rising there. Better to buy in Jiangdong."
No interest in Xiliang. But if someone from there truly threatened Dong Zhuo enough for him to fake his death?
"If so, we'll hear more soon. Xiliang Governor Ma Teng hears of Dong Zhuo's death and rushes troops to Chang'an... only to..."
"Get ambushed by Dong Zhuo's hidden forces and crushed. Ma Teng dies, Dong Zhuo eliminates the rear threat."
"Right. With Liu Yan in Hanzhong too cautious for a northern push, Dong Zhuo can relax and march east again."
War would restart. Of course, this assumes Dong Zhuo faked it.
"But what if it's real? What if all we've discussed is pointless?"
"Nothing changes."
Sima Yi's reply sent chills down my spine.
"Nothing?"
"Yes. Dong Zhuo dead, his kin or faction takes over. Maybe a second Dong Zhuo emerges."
"We don't even know how he died. Streets say Minister Wang Yun assassinated him!"
"Even if so, nothing changes."
Sima Yi continued in a slightly mocking tone.
"Wang Yun could become the new Dong Zhuo. A loyal servant of Han, yet he bowed his head under Dong Zhuo for nearly a year."
"Wang Yun's not that type."
A somewhat stiff voice came from the door.
"Sukyung Master."
We rose to greet Sima Hui. She walked in with a dazed look and plopped down on the stairs.
"You... have you been drinking?"
"...Yes."
Thud. Drunk, Sima Hui collapsed into me. I hurriedly supported her.
"Good grief."
"Master?"
"It's absurd. So hollow. Yet so impressive."
Sukyung Master stared at me entranced.
"Wol-yeong. Kids. I know why Dong Zhuo died."
"Ah...! As expected of Sukyung Master. Your connections told you?"
"Yes. I have a friend called Bang Deok-gong. He heard from someone."
Sukyung Master grabbed my face with both hands.
"First off... you, watch out for women. No matter what."
"...Pardon?"
"Got it? Say it! 'I'll be careful with women!'"
"O-of course. Always am."
Why women all of a sudden?
"Did Dong Zhuo die over a woman?"
"Yes. Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu fought over one—love rivalry."
"......Pardon?"
Did I hear wrong?
"Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu fought over one woman?"
"Yes. Over Minister Wang Yun's foster daughter, nearly came to blows. Wang Yun egged Lü Bu on to assassinate Dong Zhuo."
"...Chang'an must be chaos. So what happened? Wang Yun succeeded...?"
I sensed it from Sima Hui's face.
"He failed."
"...Dong Zhuo's subordinates, Li Jue and Guo Si, seized the army, took the Emperor hostage. Then crushed Lü Bu."
"What?! Lü Bu lost? That's like Xiang Yu losing to Liu Bang..."
"He lost."
"He did. Tsk, not impossible."
According to Sukyung Master, Lü Bu sided with Wang Yun, slew Dong Zhuo as the Emperor's general, and Dong Zhuo's men were ready to surrender. But Wang Yun tried to kill them all, so Li Jue and Guo Si went "screw it" and stormed the palace with their army. Lü Bu lost there. Rumor had it he split off to save that woman, which was his downfall. Human affairs are unpredictable.
"Even Lü Bu loses."
"Yes. Seo Seo, the one called 'Among Men, Lü Bu' is missing now. Wang Yun suicided after Lü Bu's defeat, and now..."
"Li Jue and Guo Si have taken Dong Zhuo's place."
Sima Yi's calm voice drained the blood from my face.
"......Yi, you're incredible."
"Just a good teacher, Master."
"Yes, truly."
Sometimes, she seemed smarter than me. Jealousy-inducing.
So... 'Gotta stay on her good side.' Kid? Disciple? Woman? If she rises high and supports me, I'd happily call her master.
"Yi-ya, keep growing excellently."
"Of course, Master."
"...Anyone'd think only Wol-yeong taught you."
Sima Hui grumbled jealously. Sima Yi bowed deeply to her, face stiff.
"Perish the thought! Uh, well, the mood just..."
"Hehe, kidding. You're Wol-yeong's prized disciple. Fine. Having a kid like you eases my mind. The chaos isn't over, but raising you all to serve the court later—that's my final purpose."
Sima Hui smiled bitterly, rising. Still beautiful, but her wistful smile carried unspoken regret.
"Where will this land go from here?"
"......."
The court will change. But I'm certain: emperors come and go, the common folk's lives stay the same.
The weather warmed one day. I received a woman who'd come to Xinya.
"Long time no see, Geum Teacher!"
"What brings you all the way here? Guo Teacher?"
Guo Jia, my drinking buddy in Cao Cao's army. She dismounted and hugged me.
"Wh-what...!"
"Thanks to you, I got double salary as performance bonus!"
"Whoaaa!"
I jumped around with Guo Jia.
"Congrats, Teacher!"
"Not sharing!"
Thwack. I shoved her.
"How dare a woman hug a strange man?"
"Was gonna give it all!"
"Come in, sis."
"Teacher, your mood swings are top-notch."
Guo Jia slapped my shoulder, approaching.
"...Wiped out most Black Mountain Bandits. And thanks to your advice, absorbed all the Yellow Turban remnants in Qing Province. Nearly 30,000 peasants joined our army."
"30,000!"
Huge number. Sure, call them "soldiers," but they're farmers with plows as spears—low quality. But Cao Cao has high-command generals. Without them, he couldn't have repelled the bandits with few troops and truly become Governor of Yan Province. Like Yuan Shao ruling half of Hebei, Cao Cao took Yan.
"Ahem. Geum Teacher, that land I wanted to buy from you? Cao Cao's mother's hometown."
"Mm. Why?"
"Know the name?"
"Of course. My land. Yeongcheon, Heohyeon."
Nothing special, vast surroundings. I own a large estate there.
"Just remember. Cao Cao's army will take it soon."
"......Isn't it lawless now?"
"Yep. Means our army can expand."
"Impressive. ...Not confiscating my land, right?"
"No. Hold onto it tight. Because..."
Guo Jia stretched north, grinning wide.
"Cao Cao's mother, Lady Jo Sung, who's been hiding in Xuzhou, returns to her hometown Heohyeon!"
"Ooh...!"
"And one more thing."
Guo Jia whispered close, unheard by others.
"I bought land nearby. If it booms, we're set, yeah?"
"Guo Teacher!! Thank you!!"
"Eek, kyaa, ack?!"
I hugged her without thinking.
"My treat! To my room!"
"N-no... Can't refuse free booze... Hehehe."
I drank with Guo Jia till we were smashed.
Lady Bian died.