Each Seeks Their Own Path to Survival (4)
Everyone wants to live. No one chooses death when life is on offer; everyone does their utmost to survive. I just want to live a little more comfortably than the rest. To that end, I'm spending my youth accumulating wealth, seeking out paths that will make my life even a bit easier. One must find their own way to survive. And if they can't find it no matter what, then they ask others for help. But seeking aid from others before even trying yourself? That's utterly misguided. That's why I live by the creed of each seeks their own survival. Your path to life is yours alone to secure.
Everyone in the world sets out to find their way to live. Lü Bu, who lost his base and sought refuge in Xuzhou; Liu Bei, who took him in for reasons unknown; and me, pondering how to spin this into the next lecture—we all spend our time plotting our own paths to survival.
I owe Liu Bei a debt of gratitude.
I'd looked into the man called Liu Bei. Watching his moves, I'd uncovered something quite intriguing. Liu Bei—is he a man of benevolence and righteousness? Or a viper's nest in human form?
Interesting.
If I'd set my sights on grand ambitions, I might have lived much like him. But I lack the confidence to wander as a vagrant for over a decade, or to lead a volunteer militia against the Yellow Turbans. Unlike a mere mortal like me, he'd quietly done what needed doing, and that's how he claimed Xuzhou.
"Cao Cao must be shitting bricks."
Cao Cao had wanted Xuzhou. She'd outwardly mourned Tao Qian's death while seriously scheming how to seize it under that pretext. To claim Xuzhou, she'd first smashed it to pieces; to take it, she'd led armies there twice, pounding at Xuzhou's gates. She'd spilled blood, squandered countless supplies, and in the end, retreated in haste just to defend her home base.
And yet...
"A big-eared nobody claims Xuzhou without spilling a drop of blood. She must be wailing."
Though from an eunuch family, Cao Cao was one of the wealthiest in the Central Plains. By contrast, the penniless Liu Bei had wandered without settling anywhere properly for over a decade. And now he'd snatched Xuzhou. Rumors said he'd been a thug in some backwater village, or a mat weaver. Even I thought, He seems worse off than me? For a guy like that to waltz off with the governorship of Xuzhou? It felt off. Honestly, it pissed me off.
"Poor Liu Biao."
While others slaved under the Ten Attendants, nearly lost their heads to Dong Zhuo, got posted to connectionless Jingzhou and quelled clan rebellions through marriage alliances with the Cai family—he'd endured every hardship imaginable. And now he shared the rank of governor with some mat-weaving peddler?
"It's kinda weird, yeah."
"Why? I think it's great."
Zhuge Liang beamed every time Liu Bei's name came up.
"What's so great about Liu Bei?"
"He beat Cao Cao."
Was getting one over on Cao Cao that satisfying? Zhuge Liang's eyes sparkled with delight whenever his name arose.
"After wandering the world for a decade, he's finally seeing the light. It's heartbreaking. I hope he makes it."
She even slipped from her stiff, deliberate speech back to a girl's natural tone.
Better not poke at it.
No need to draw glares by pointing it out. And watching her sneak those smiles, I couldn't help thinking Cao Cao really was the villain. It felt far more relaxing than our first meeting. Though her hair was still streaked white.
"Liang, you like Liu Bei that much?"
"Hm, it's not that I like Liu Bei... If I had to pick someone I admire..."
Zhuge Liang fiddled with her lips. She hesitated before answering.
"...someone who knows benevolence."
"Benevolence?"
"Someone who understands human duty and works for others."
"Humans, huh."
A tough word to uphold in these chaotic times. Everyone scrambles to save themselves first, and chaos like this lays bare human selfishness.
Is that why Liu Bei is so popular in Xuzhou?
A man who shows benevolence. Who spreads virtue. Who rules with justice.
Won't last long.
Such types get devoured by the wolves of chaos. Just like Gongsun Zan in Beiping or Liu Dai in Puyang—the sensible get eaten by the monsters of unreason. But if he somehow survived and built his power from Xuzhou...
Not easy.
Could he even make it in this era? He'd effectively opposed Cao Cao in Tao Qian's place, and no one man could easily stand against her—
"......Oh ho. So that's the play."
"Pardon?"
"Liang. If you were Liu Bei, would you take in Lü Bu?"
"......."
Zhuge Liang scowled. She despised Lü Bu for serving Dong Zhuo, so she clearly wasn't thrilled he'd sought shelter with Liu Bei.
"Any results yet?"
Sharp kid.
"Yeah. Fresh news just arrived yesterday."
"Sigh, you want me to guess?"
"Yep. Give it a shot. Think Liu Bei took Lü Bu in?"
"Yes."
Zhuge Liang's answer was firm.
"Lü Bu's past aside, he gave Xuzhou's people a breather. Especially since he fled here after losing to Cao Cao—no less. Refusing him would brand Liu Bei as lacking benevolence in the eyes of Xuzhou folk."
"Your angle's refreshingly different."
"...From who?"
Whoops.
"From me?"
"Not you, Master. That woman."
Her title had upgraded to "that woman." She used to refuse even naming her, but studying together had thawed her enough to reference Sima Yi at least.
"What'd that woman say?"
"She said no way."
Sima Yi had vehemently opposed keeping a guy like Lü Bu around.
—How do you keep a rabid dog in the yard when the neighbor's waving a sword next door? Ah, common sense. We're trying to adapt to the absurd, but chaos doesn't play that way.
"Foolish. Accept Lü Bu, but station him on the front lines facing Cao Cao, no?"
"He handed over Xuzhou."
"......Pardon?"
"Argh, yeah. He let Lü Bu in, then made him sworn brother."
Liu Bei accepts Lü Bu.
"Rumor has it he lusted after Dong Zhuo's woman and assassinated him—and now he's milking that for life!"
Lü Bu: "I slew Dong Zhuo for the Han imperial house, yet the world seeks my death—what am I to do?!"
"Ah, Lü Bu, loyal servant of Han."
"...Impossible. He opened Xuzhou's gates and let Lü Bu's army in? Why?"
"Exactly."
Why indeed. No idea here.
"What would you do, Master?"
"Me? If it were me..."
A petty man's life follows different rules.
"I wouldn't have taken the Xuzhou governorship to begin with."
I'd have bolted from Xuzhou altogether. That's what makes me a mere mortal.
Nod.
At that moment.
The woman stood before the bronze mirror. She gathered her waist-length hair, tying it neatly with one hand. Her ponytail-like locks swayed side to side as she gave a bitter smile and picked up the item before her.
A dagger.
Snip, snip.
She sheared off her long tresses with the dagger. As if refusing to let them fall past her shoulders, she cropped her hair completely short.
Bang!
"Gongjin!!"
The door flew open. The young man grimaced at the scene inside.
"Why?!"
"This is enough."
The woman let the remaining long strands slip through her fingers.
"Cao Cao cut her hair for her father's vengeance. Same here, Uncle. For your late father's revenge. Better to present as a man than a woman outwardly."
"You didn't have to cut your hair for that, you idiot!"
"No. This is resolve. Resolve to fool Yuan Shu."
The woman—Zhou Yu—thrust her severed locks toward the youth, Sun Ce, with a resolute face.
"Let's borrow troops from Yuan Shu."
"...Think it'll work? That bastard never keeps promises. Said he'd give Yegang Castle after we took it, then appointed some weirdo as governor."
"Abandon Yegang. We're aiming further east."
"...Dongwu?"
"Yes. Target Wu region. Rally forces along the Yangtze. Using Dongwu locals as our base..."
Stab!
Zhou Yu plunged the dagger into the map. "Jingzhou" split in two.
"We'll avenge your late father."
"......If you put it like that, I can't just sit idle."
Sun Ce clutched his head.
"We'll cut it in front of Yuan Shu too. Perfect timing—Yuan Yao picked a fight with him? We'll smash Yuan Yao."
"Right. That's your path—our Sun clan's path to survival."
Sun Ce extended a fist toward Zhou Yu. She stared blankly before smirking and bumping it back.
"...What're you doing?"
"Weren't we doing this?"
"Don't you usually hook arms for this? Huh? No clue about resolve? Sigh, you've got a long way to manhood. Want me to set you up with a girl?"
"......."
Zhou Yu drove her fist into Sun Ce's solar plexus.
Late night. A guest arrived at Suyeon Academy.
"Back again, Guo Jia. What is it this—"
"Long time no see."
Guo Jia wasn't alone.
"Came to talk."
"......Still as beautiful as ever. Sun Uk."
Sun Uk, clad in her blue scholar-official robes, bowed to me with a warm smile.
"What brings you all the way from Jingzhou?"
"What else?"
Sun Uk stepped right up to me, close enough to feel her breath.
"To see you."