There Are Too Many Thieves in the World (6)
I'd boldly donned the official's hat, but until now, I'd never once stepped out in front of people. But this time, I had to. The starting point of our plan for victory was matching their numbers as best we could.
"Everyone's gathered, Master."
Zhuge Liang approached first and guided me. She'd dressed up as if mimicking court robes.
"You planning to head to the battlefield too?"
"If you won't let me go out there myself, I'll offer strategies from the rear."
"Liang, that's enough."
Zhuge Liang had already done more than her part. Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang—the two of them had cooperated for practically the first time in this endeavor. To defend Jingzhou, they'd hammered out strategies together. Sima Yi had shown consideration for Zhuge Liang in her own way, and Zhuge Liang hadn't sharpened her tongue at Sima Yi either. They'd planned every tiny detail as if scheming to divide the world in two, piecing the board together through constant discussion.
"You've both done your jobs perfectly. Now it's my turn."
My role was to grease the wheels so their carefully laid board would spin smoothly.
"I'll go persuade them."
I stepped out of Sukyung Hall—and headed to the fields where the crowd would be thickest...
Murmurs buzzed through the air—endless whispers rippling like waves.
That's... a lot.
Way too many. It felt like people had multiplied overnight.
"Liang. I specifically said only those willing to fight alongside us should stay."
"That's right, Master. They're all waiting for your words."
"......"
My legs suddenly felt weak. The official's hat on my head seemed ready to slip off.
"Me... to these people...?"
"Go on, Master."
Sima Yi gave me a shove from behind.
"Say whatever you want. Just nothing about running away."
"Don't you already have a conviction in your heart, Master? Put your sincerity into your words, and no matter what you say, it'll reach them all."
Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang cheered me on. I steadied my heart and stepped forward.
The murmurs died down, all eyes turning to me. I climbed onto the ridge between the paddies—my makeshift platform—and scanned the crowd gathered in the fields.
More than the rice plants, even.
How many? Five hundred? No, way more. A thousand? Probably double that. Heads packed the fields, nearly all sturdy men who'd swung a hoe or two. Not soldiers. Farmers, every one. Just yesterday, they'd been tilling the Cai family lands alongside me. More at home with sickles than swords, plows than spears.
And now, I had to lead these men into battle.
"......Hoo."
All gazes locked on me atop the ridge—no, the platform. Some knew me well, others by loose association, and a few had even spoken with me yesterday. But they shared one thing: they'd chosen to stay and defend this land.
"Yi. That thing."
I signaled Sima Yi for the item we'd prepared. She handed me a long, green object, and I gripped it as I stood tall on the platform.
A bamboo spear. Nothing but a sharpened tip on a long bamboo stalk.
But this bamboo spear was our—farmers'—best weapon against the thieves. Its durability was laughably low for frontline combat, but it wasn't meant for that anyway.
"No need for a long intro."
I took a short breath.
"Everyone."
I opened slowly.
"First off, how about we all shout it together: Dong Zhuo, you bastard!"
"Dong Zhuo, you bastard!!"
* * *
Zhang Je's southward march drew the fiercest reaction from Cao Cao's Ye Province forces, as expected.
"Zhang Je's band has dug in around Wan. Their numbers fall short of ten thousand, but these are survivors from Hulao Pass right up to now."
"Won't be an easy fight. Not routed remnants—these are intact Xiliang cavalry."
Cao Cao and some generals shuddered at the mere mention of Xiliang cavalry.
"Same with Gongsun Zan, same with Lü Bu—those Yang Province bastards never help our army."
"What shall we do, my lord?"
"What to do? Jo Hong, your thoughts?"
"What's the point? If they block the road to Heohyeon, it'd be a bit—no, a lot—troublesome. But their target isn't Wan; it's Jingzhou, right?"
The armored warrior with the golden helmet, Cao Hong, shrugged with a smirk.
"They won't dare hit our rear. Leave 'em be, my lord. What matters now is the Yeonam front."
Yeonam. There lurked none other than Yuan Shu, another Yuan clan warlord.
Cao Cao was currently at odds with Yuan Shu. If it was natural for Cao Cao under Yuan Shao to clash with Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu was picking fights everywhere.
"Yuan Shu in Yeonam can't contain his power, stirring up Xu Province, Dongwu, everywhere. Right now, we focus east and south. Zhang Je can wait."
"True enough. But..."
Cao Cao fiddled with her white-streaked hair, smiling bitterly.
"It's about time they showed."
"My lord!"
"I expected Xun Yu or Xun You, but here comes Guo Jia."
Cao Cao welcomed Guo Jia warmly.
"So, what's up?"
"Were you planning to send troops to Jingzhou, by any chance?"
"What's your take?"
"You absolutely mustn't."
Unexpected. Cao Cao and Cao Hong's eyes widened.
"I figured you'd say to intercept Zhang Je."
"Why?"
"Because northern Jingzhou..."
"We must separate public from private. What time is this? The south's too cold for much honey harvest, and you're saying go after thieves who stole our honey while some madman eyes Xu Province?"
The so-called honey water revenge.
"Where'd that honey thief vanish to, anyway?"
"Who knows."
Of course, Guo Jia's jest.
"Lord Guo Jia's jokes are a delight! Haha. Who starts wars over honey in this world? It's all their selfish ambitions. Yuan Shu's always been greedy and self-centered. He'll pay for it later."
"The problem is Yuan Shu's power growing daily."
Cao Cao unrolled a map.
"Word is, from Nanyang, he's smashing the Ho clans in Dongwu one by one. That son of Sun Jian, right?"
"You mean Sun Bo?"
"Yeah! Father's tiger dead, so send the son. Wolf or jackal, we'll see."
Cao Cao chuckled, crossing her legs.
"If I were Sun Bo, I'd conquer all Dongwu and break from Yuan Shu. Who knows? That young pup might stab Yuan Shu in the back."
Yuan Shu truly had enemies everywhere.
"Right, Guo Jia. I get your point—ignore Zhang Je for now because of Yuan Shu. But what about Xun Yu and Xun You?"
"Yes. Both Lady Xun Yu and Lady Xun You said the same. No need to worry about Jingzhou."
"Huh? Isn't that dangerous?"
Cao Cao traced her lips with a finger, smirking slyly. Cao Hong sighed, and Guo Jia grinned awkwardly.
"If I may be bold, my lord—he's far more capable than you imagine. Since Sun Bo came up: do you know how Sun Jian died?"
"Attacking Liu Biao, hit by a blind arrow, right? I heard he introduced Xun You to Huang Zu."
"Exactly. More precisely..."
Guo Jia laid out the full backstory.
"...He set the stage? Interesting. Even without Xun You, it'd have played out the same?"
"Yes. They said..."
Guo Jia continued gravely.
"A cat of a man—flees threats easily, but if you touch his home, he bares claws like a tiger."
* * *
We are the people. We live day by day, raising children, laughing with neighbors.
But what of these times? Bastards itching to steal our lives are everywhere. Ignore them, and they trample us; flee, and they mock us.
This land is ours. We tilled it. Its grain fills our hungry bellies—not the mouths of those murdering scum!
I fled to Jingzhou from the chaos. When my family died to the Yellow Turbans, I was a helpless infant, not even able to hold a brush. Fleeing Dong Zhuo's tyranny, I was a boy who couldn't wield a spear.
But now? I can't fight like a soldier, but I've grown to defend my land with bamboo spear and plow.
Flee like this? Retreat? No. I'll fight those thieves.
Lord Liu Biao in Yangyang knows our peril—he'll send soldiers. Hide till they arrive, then return? Watch our lands, homes, yesterday's fields ravaged?
No! I won't tolerate my home stolen!
This land is ours! Lose it, and they'll come for the next. Thieves are filthily greedy, never satisfied. Killing satisfies them; looting lives satisfies them.
Stay, and die. Flee, and death pursues.
Of course, I'm scared. If tens of thousands turn this to ash, I'd run too. But they're mere thousands! Frostbitten stragglers from Chang'an.
We're over a thousand here, knowing every inch of this terrain. Outnumbered, yes. But we have the prefecture guards defending Jingzhou, reinforcements from Yangyang.
Take up spears! With Jingzhou's defenders, protect our land!
We won't just lose and live! For our families! Our land! Our lives—we seize spears!
When they breach the fences, stab their throats. When they enter our homes to harm kin, stab their backs!
This isn't murder! How can thieves who steal lives and goods be called human?!
They're Dong Zhuo's dead minions! Ghosts of Luoyang and Chang'an, now slinking to Jingzhou to plunder—beasts possessed!
We'll fight for our homes! Shove bamboo spears down the throats of wolf cubs eyeing our mothers, wives, children!
Everyone—shout it!