Xuzhou Governorate (3): Meanwhile, in Xuzhou
"...Hoo."
Liu Bei sighed as he looked over the two imperial edicts delivered to him.
One was an official decree from the court formally appointing him as the Governor of Xuzhou. The other was a secret order calling for the subjugation of Yuan Shu, the man who had insulted the Han imperial house.
Officially, the command to Liu Bei was simply to govern Xuzhou well. But the separate secret edict meant an unofficial order.
- Subduing Yuan Shu is Liu Bei's own will.
- It is not an order from the Han court to attack Yuan Shu.
This was to cover their bases in case Liu Bei lost to Yuan Shu—if Yuan Shu got hold of the command document and used it to challenge the court.
"This is tricky."
Being recognized as Xuzhou's Governor came with far too heavy a burden of duties.
"Tricky, so tricky. Yun-chang, what do you think?"
"It's not an order from the court. This is Cao Cao's doing."
Guan Yu immediately saw through the true author of the command.
"Cao Cao wants us to fight Yuan Shu so we wear each other down. Yuan Shu has invaded Xuzhou before, but we've never counterattacked. It's a cunning scheme exploiting our history with him."
"Hey, isn't this some kind of divide-and-conquer tactic?"
"Haha, Yi-de. Divide-and-conquer is for turning friends or neutrals against each other."
Liu Bei rolled up the secret edict calling for Yuan Shu's subjugation.
"Aren't we already at war with Yuan Shu?"
"Brother, have you made up your mind?"
"Made up my mind?"
"Are you really going to fight Yuan Shu?"
Liu Bei tilted his head at Guan Yu's worried question.
"Of course. Isn't it obvious? His Majesty has issued an imperial command."
"But."
"Cao Cao probably wrote it. The handwriting and phrasing are different, but it reeks of his sinister intent. Yes, I know. We're being used. But."
Liu Bei tore the secret document into tiny pieces with his hands and dissolved them in a jar of water.
"His Majesty has appointed me Governor of Xuzhou. We must follow his will. Yuan Shu has dared to challenge the court's authority, so let's subjugate him and show all under heaven that the Han dynasty has not yet fallen."
"Sigh...."
"Hmph! Worrywart. I was itching to smash that Yuan Shu bastard anyway!"
"Yuan Shu?"
"He's been looking down on us since the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition! He cut off supplies to Sun Jian, and he never sent ours on time either—forgot that?"
"Ha, haha! True. Mess with our food, and it's unforgivable."
Liu Bei placed a hand on Zhang Fei's shoulder.
"Yun-chang, you want to settle things too, right?"
"...Understood, brother."
Guan Yu stroked his beard and stood by Liu Bei's side.
"I'll show that Qi Ling who the real elite is. Last time, Lü Bu interfered before we could finish it...."
"Yeah. To outsiders, it looks like you really struggled against him, doesn't it?"
"Exactly, brother! A punk like Qi Ling would drop in one hit if he got caught by us!"
"...True enough."
Liu Bei draped an arm over Guan Yu's shoulder as well. Though slightly smaller in build than his brothers, his arms were long enough to reach.
"Alright. Let's go subjugate the traitor Yuan Shu together. Purging those who disturb the realm since the Yellow Turban Rebellion—that's our sworn brothers' specialty, isn't it? Hahaha!"
"Brother, by the way."
Zhang Fei asked with a troubled look.
"What about that guy with five dads?"
"...Why's it five now?"
"Bio dad, Liu Yuan, Dong Zhuo, plus two women's husbands—five dads."
"Yi-de. You'll end up counting all the girls' fathers too."
"Then six dads? This guy's dad count just keeps growing by the day. Kahaha!"
"......Can't argue with that."
The three brothers mulled over that one person.
"I'll take the Xuzhou Governor's seal and announce that I'm off to subjugate the traitor Yuan Shu."
Liu Bei nodded, soothing his uneasy heart.
"He wouldn't try to snatch Xuzhou while we're gone, right? We're not like Cao Cao, going around killing innocents."
"Even a monster like him wouldn't betray the kindness of those who took him in, if he has any conscience."
"Right! No real man would do that. Of course not!"
The three brothers thought it over. They'd sheltered Lü Bu after his defeat by Cao Cao—surely he wouldn't attack Xuzhou City while they were off subjugating a traitor.
"He wouldn't hold a grudge over past stuff and stab us in the back like a rat, right? After all we've done to treat him well."
"Yeah. We forgave him for getting drunk and insulting you, brother. We even sent regular supplies to Xiaopei. As for the horse...."
"Brother! Honestly, wasn't Red Hare running off his fault for poor handling? It rubbed its head on your beard after carrying you! Apologize to the horse he rode against Qi Ling—it couldn't perform because it was compared to Red Hare!"
"Ahem, well...."
"Heh. Yeah. Good point."
Liu Bei smiled amiably.
"Anyone but that beast Lü Bu wouldn't do such a thing."
Liu Bei raised an army to subjugate Yuan Shu.
One thing to make crystal clear. The emperor's authority had hit rock bottom. No matter how much he claimed to be lord of all under heaven, a shattered imperial power couldn't be easily restored.
In the past, when the emperor's might pierced the heavens—like during Emperor Qin Shi Huang's reign—if he said die, you died. But now?
If the emperor demanded a meal, forget serving it—you'd smack him across the face with a rice-splattered ladle. Then say,
- Aigoo, why has Your Majesty come to this humble abode?! Kill this wretch, please!
Of course, the emperor couldn't kill the old woman. Even if he tried, what power did he have? Would she kneel and bare her neck meekly?
- Argh! A madman pretending to be emperor is trying to kill people!
No matter the emperor, when death looms, the human mind spins like mad. I could think of three ways off the top of my head.
One: Grab your stuff and flee in the night, emperor be damned. Two: Kill the mad pretender emperor and run. Three: Kill the pretender and report to the authorities, then run.
Fleeing's the baseline. Assuming he's the real emperor, even then, the Han court's collapsed authority can't be fixed easily.
So, how to restore the emperor's prestige?
"What if Lü Bu stood behind the emperor?"
"We'd have to serve him unconditionally."
Master Sima Hui placed a stone with a regretful face. Her white stones were squeezing my black ones from both sides, devouring my great horse.
"In this chaotic age, people follow the throne because of the sovereign's mighty military power. Even if Lü Bu backed the county magistrate, it'd be natural. Most humans are powerless before violence and threats to life."
"Exactly. That's how you prop up a fallen imperial authority right away."
Tang! Sima Hui slammed a stone aggressively onto my black stones. Without turns, battles would erupt in all eight directions around nine key points.
"Overwhelming force! The vassals feared the emperor in the past because they dreaded being labeled rebels and crushed by imperial troops."
"Even up to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the court's power held. Then Dong Zhuo smashed it completely."
"Yes. That's why we're in an age of warring warlords. Vassals ignore the court, fight each other with swords, and proclaim themselves generals, governors, or inspectors."
Actually, this single Go board was just one commandery. The board Sima Hui and I shared wasn't enough—we'd need dozens pieced together to truly discuss all under heaven.
"However."
Tang! Sima Hui slapped the board with her palm. As if all prior skirmishes meant nothing, she committed an overwhelming act of force.
"Now's the time for imperial authority to stand tall. Not Dong Zhuo, not Li Jue or Guo Si—Cao Cao now protects the emperor. At last, the court's prestige can be restored."
"Isn't it Cao Cao's power you fear?"
"Ha, really?"
"Of course. Commands to the vassals in the emperor's name? Cao Cao's just using them to grant 'real offices' and wield influence."
I gathered the scattered stones.
"Those scared of Cao Cao will obey for the imperial seal's sake. But those unafraid will act differently. One: Threaten Cao Cao and claim to protect the emperor themselves."
"Yuan Shao's play. But he won't."
"Why? If not now, he'll bow to Cao Cao's edicts forever."
"Yuan Shao cares more about legitimacy and honor than anyone—especially his past words. Remember when he tried crowning Liu Yu as new emperor?"
Yuan Shao had rejected the current emperor, aiming to restore a true Han in his domain. But Liu Yu was killed by Gongsun Zan, and Yuan Shao still refused the throne even a single foot soldier in support.
"If I were Yuan Shao, I'd march on Chenliu now. Bring massive troops, meet the emperor, and show Cao Cao overwhelming military might."
"What about Beiping's Gongsun Zan?"
"...Fair, his losses at Jieqiao are recovering. Given Gongsun Zan's temperament, opening new fronts against Cao Cao now would be unwise."
"Yes. Yuan Shao won't move personally. Wol-yeong, want to bet?"
Sima Hui cleared all remaining stones.
"Yuan Shao, who pacified the north, versus Cao Cao with the emperor. Who wins if they clash?"
"Hm...."
Who would win? Unclear. But one thing was certain.
"Whoever wins if they fight now...."
I nudged the edge of the Go board.
"Lü Bu will rob the empty house."