After the Battle: Part 2
"Aaaagh!"
Choo's wife collapsed upon receiving the grim news. The man she had vowed to spend her life with returned as a corpse, his body riddled with arrows.
"......"
His nephew, Zhang Su, turned away from Jang Je's body and quietly entered the command tent. He sat down at his prepared seat with a heavy expression.
"General."
A black-haired woman—Jia Xu—pushed open the tent flap and entered quietly. Dressed in mourning clothes to honor Jang Je, she stood before Zhang Su.
"My deepest condolences."
"Thank you. But Lady Wen-Hwa, if things stay like this..."
"Don't even dream of revenge."
Zhang Su closed his eyes at Jia Xu's firm words.
"This is the perfect opportunity to realize your ambitions."
Jang Je's death. Far from a setback, it actually benefited Zhang Su.
"Use your kinsman's death to your advantage?"
"Kinsmen come in all sorts. Deep down, wasn't he a burden?"
"......"
Jia Xu's words began ruthlessly digging into Zhang Su's innermost thoughts.
"When you spoke of plundering northern Jingzhou, didn't you choose to stay here in Wan because you couldn't bear to witness the pillaging of the people?"
"Lady Wen-Hwa, I..."
"I know. You feel guilty for not stopping it. So change from now on. Zhang Su is not Jang Je. Prove it."
"...To be honest."
Zhang Su bowed his head deeply.
"I'm almost relieved. Isn't this our chance to change?"
"The perfect chance to shake off Dong Zhuo's shadow hanging over you."
Dong Zhuo's subordinate, Jang Je. But if Zhang Su changed after his death, the world would see him merely as one warlord among many.
"Though most of the army is lost, those loyal to you remain. Use them as your foundation to seize Wan Castle and make it your base. You can't keep wandering forever."
"True enough."
Those who followed only Jang Je were all dead. Drowned in the frozen river and massacred. Killed while plundering others' lands. To seek revenge with that? The world would only mock Zhang Su.
"I want to live differently from my uncle. I want to be a father my son, Cheon, can be proud of."
"You can be that already."
"What should I do? We can seize Wan, but after that? What's our army desperately need?"
"General."
Jia Xu smiled with overflowing confidence.
"How about allying with Liu Biao?"
"...What?"
"Isn't it fitting? We become the dam blocking warlords descending from the north, and receive supplies from Jingzhou's Liu Biao."
"Listen, Lady Wen-Hwa. My uncle died trying to plunder northern Jingzhou. And now an alliance? Would he accept us?"
"Liu Biao will accept."
Jia Xu pointed her thumb at herself.
"Trust me. If you command it, I, Jia Xu, will make the alliance happen."
"......After seizing Wan, take Ho-geoa with you."
"Hehe, thank you for your concern."
Jia Xu winked.
"Just explain it well to Lady Choo. Though you needn't worry too much. Women have many faces, after all."
"What?"
"Well..."
Jia Xu covered her mouth with her fan.
"I meant that as her nephew, you should take good care of the widow."
"...So, Mun Bing's five hundred defenders joined forces with Huang Zu's three thousand reinforcements to defeat the enemy."
Liu Biao neatly summarized the events in northern Jingzhou.
"Excellent."
There was no mention of the people of Sinyahyeon stepping up to aid Mun Bing in the fight. It was good news for Sinyahyeon's residents, but not so much for Liu Biao. Though encouraging as governor that his people confronted the enemy directly, the problem was their outsized role—overshadowing Mun Bing and Huang Zu's contributions. Geum Taeyang's volunteer militia couldn't outshine 'Liu Biao's subordinates.' That would sour the people's view of him.
"Appoint Mun Bing as magistrate of Sinyahyeon?"
Mun Bing had proven himself. Whether he received tactical aid or not, he and his soldiers had executed it successfully and won. Rumors said Mun Bing had single-handedly bought time against Jang Je's troops—and Jang Je himself—stabbing dozens to death with his spear while facing the enemy general. For Liu Biao, it was the arrival of a welcome talent.
What was Jingzhou's chronic issue under his rule? Martial prowess. Cai Mao of the Cai clan styled himself a general but shied from anything beyond defending Yangyang. The other Cai generals were cowardly incompetents riding family prestige. The rest were scholars who only chattered from the rear. Officials should lead soldiers, yet none volunteered reinforcements.
"I'll test him."
Entrust Sinyahyeon to Mun Bing. Depending on his loyalty, ability, and sincerity, if he excelled, bring him to Yangyang. He needed a 'Liu Biao man' to counter the Cai clan. He couldn't forever dance to their tune.
...Well, dancing was fine. Thinking of his beloved son made the Cai his family now, but incidents like Cai Mao's in the last emergency meeting must never repeat.
"Qi-er, Qi-er."
Liu Biao rose, opened the door, and walked the corridor. It irked him that to see his son, he had to visit his wife in another room, but each glimpse of his dear boy filled him with leaping joy.
"Ahem. Madam, may I enter?"
Liu Biao stepped inside. On the bed sat Lady Cai, cradling Liu Biao's son—Liu Zong—in her arms.
"Shh..."
Lady Cai whispered with a tired face, miming with her lips.
"I just put him to sleep."
"Haha, what does it matter with Father here!"
"......."
Lady Cai's eyes seemed to curse him, but Liu Biao chuckled and approached Liu Zong.
"Zong-er! It's Father. Haha, who does he take after?"
Liu Biao's booming voice made Liu Zong's face scrunch up. Murder glinted in Lady Cai's eyes, but Liu Biao ignored it, waving and grinning at the boy.
"Uh, waaah..."
"Yes! Yes, he recognizes Father's voice right aw—"
"Pwaaaaaaaaah!!!"
Liu Zong wailed without restraint, tiny mouth gaping as if torn, shrieking so fiercely it bordered on a scream.
"Th-this..."
"What happened?!"
A passing youth rushed in. Liu Biao masked his fluster with a stern face.
"Hey now. No need to panic."
"Zong-er! Madam, uh..."
"...Hold him a moment, Young Master."
Lady Cai handed the sobbing Liu Zong to the youth—Liu Qi. He cradled his half-brother with utmost care.
"There, there. Good boy?"
"Uh, uhn..."
Liu Qi doted on Liu Zong like his own child, his own full brother. Lady Cai's eyes softened at the sight, but soon she glared venomously at Liu Biao.
"Such needless fuss..."
A wife rebuking her husband was unthinkable, yet Liu Biao had no retort. Seeing his beloved son melted away all worries.
Yes. 'You are my new sun.'
Shining so brightly, how could he not rejoice? Liu Biao vowed someday, when the boy grew, to hug him fiercely.
Matters with Jang Je's army were mostly settled. As Sinyahyeon's new magistrate, Mun Bing recruited three thousand soldiers to defend northern Jingzhou. It strained food supplies, but Sinyahyeon had long recovered from war, its soil fertile with ample grain stores. Still, reserves weren't infinite; three thousand men would deplete them daily. Yangyang drew vast shipments from the southern commanderies, but Sinyahyeon had to be nearly self-sufficient.
—Teacher, help us!
Mun Bing sought my aid. How to farm better? How to ensure a bumper crop this year?
—Why not heed Liang's counsel?
—Pardon? Liang as in...
—Liang of the Zhuge clan. Though not yet of age, I vouch for her talent. She'll surpass even me someday.
Zhuge Liang. Recommended by Sima Hui, the Water Mirror Master.
—I see. You mentioned it before. Do it 'well.' And now even Sima Yi, who's caught Mun Bing's eye, chimes in.
—In farming and such, that girl outshines me.
Sima Yi praised Zhuge Liang's expertise. Wary but swayed by Sima Yi's precedent, Mun Bing accepted her advice.
—How can we ensure a good harvest?
—Well...
Zhuge Liang's ensuing torrent of words was too vast for me to recall fully—I zoned out midway, so heaven knows how Mun Bing fared.
—Since she's too young for office, could we frame it as the Water Mirror Master's guidance?
—Fine, perfect.
As Sima Yi had borrowed my voice for her strategies, Zhuge Liang would wield Sima Hui's to unleash her knowledge fully.
Thus, Sinyahyeon prepared to greet spring.
"Master, shall we go to Henei?"
Without Sima Yi's suggestion, it would have been an ordinary winter.