Ways to Survive in Turbulent Times (1)
"Booze! Bring the booze!!" The bearded man, Zhang Fei, bellowed at the top of his lungs, demanding they fetch the liquor.
"B-but General, because of the alcohol ban..."
"What? Alcohol ban? Shut up! I issued that ban! Can't I lift it?!"
The soldiers were utterly perplexed. While Liu Bei and Guan Yu were off subjugating Yuan Shu, it was none other than Zhang Fei himself who had imposed the ban to steel his own resolve. And now he wanted to drink? It was clear Zhang Fei's self-control was sorely lacking.
"Hey! Lord Zhang the General and I are gonna have a man-to-man chat—how dare you stand in our way?!"
"Uh, sir. That..."
"Out of my way! I, Zhang Chao of Xiapi, will wash away the grudges between Lord Zhang and me with drink!"
Zhang Chao, a former subordinate of Tao Qian, grimly opened the warehouse door himself.
"There've been hidden clashes between Governor Liu and us officials from Danyang. But we can't spend the rest of our lives avoiding each other! Let's share a drink, clear the air on our grudges, and move toward a constructive future!"
"Kahaha! Well said! Yeah, that's right! Damn straight! Us men'll knock back a few, forget all the bullshit fights, clean slate! Uhahaha!! Open the warehouse! Just for today—today only—then back to the ban tomorrow!"
Hooray! Zhang Fei drank with the masses. Starting with Zhang Chao of Xiapi, he raised cups with Xuzhou officials and Tao Qian's old generals, getting thoroughly sloshed.
"Ughhh, I'm wasted... Hic." Zhang Fei stepped out for a quick piss. Then a civil official sidled up beside him.
"General."
"Huh? Oh, Mi Zhu, right?!"
Mi Zhu. Xuzhou's famed rich man, whose actual name was Mi Zhu.
"How's your little sister? Not long ago, your bro... kahaha!"
"General. It's a trap."
Zhang Fei froze mid-stream at Mi Zhu's words.
"...What'd you say?"
"Lü Bu's leading troops forty li from here. He aims to seize Xiapi and conquer Xuzhou. Zhang Chao and his crew got you drunk to sneak open the gates."
"......."
Zhang Fei's face drained of color.
"...That bastard Zhang Chao betrayed us...? Damn it, that fucker...!"
"Escape first. Hurry."
"N-no, I can't. My sister-in-law's here—how could I?"
"I'll watch over her. You go to the Governor."
Mi Zhu raised a hand behind him. Three sturdy men brought Zhang Fei's weapons and handed them over.
"Run, now...!!"
"G-guh...!!"
Zhang Fei bolted from Xiapi in a panic. Mi Zhu watched his ragged retreat with a wry smile.
"Too soft for these chaotic times."
"What're you saying, brother? Who else is as vicious as Liu Bei?"
"Fang, you really see him that way?"
"Yeah. Soon as he took Xuzhou, he shut out everyone but his yes-men from discussions."
"Fair enough."
Mi Zhu waved at the fleeing Zhang Fei.
"Fang. I'm gonna make the gamble of a lifetime. I wanna invest in this Liu Xuande guy."
"Investing in a guy with a brother like that? You're doomed."
"Just watch. Land and goods take twenty years to pay off, but people? Over a hundred."
Mi Zhu gazed calmly at the night sky.
"Too damn naive for this chaos."
Zhang Chao betrays Liu Bei and opens Xiapi's gates. Lü Bu seizes Xiapi.
* * *
"While Liu Bei was off fighting Yuan Shu, Lü Bu took Xuzhou's capital... er, 'Xiapi,' they say."
Lü Bu betrays Liu Bei and claims his city. Lü Bu's actions were utterly beastly, beyond contempt in every way. Deserving of universal condemnation.
"Liang. What do you think?"
"Lü Bu's conduct spits on loyalty and righteousness—worse than a beast."
Zhuge Liang condemned Lü Bu's character.
"Defeated by Cao Cao and cast adrift, he first sought shelter with Liu Bei. There's a limit to repaying kindness with enmity—how could he stoop so low?"
Having protected Xuzhou's people from Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang already viewed Liu Bei favorably. Getting backstabbed by Lü Bu—the guy Liu Bei had always distrusted—made her outrage understandable. In truth, it mirrored nearly everyone's reaction.
"Liu Bei even mobilized to subdue Yuan Shu—the rebel scum—just to restore the Han court. How could anyone attack his city in the meantime?"
"Do you know how he lost the city?"
Sima Yi cut into Zhuge Liang's rant.
"The defending general was blackout drunk. And someone with a grudge against him opened the gates. Basically bloodless entry."
Whoever it was, the guy clearly had a history of booze-fueled fuckups.
"The easy fall is a problem, sure. But Lü Bu attacking Xiapi at all? That's the real issue. Is it the stabber's fault or the guy who couldn't block the knife?"
If a drunk gets stabbed, the stabber's at fault. Liu Bei hadn't wronged Lü Bu—he'd just sheltered him.
"If Liu Bei's to blame, it's only for being too damn nice. In this chaos, clinging to righteousness like a fool is his sin."
Sima Yi dropped further jabs at Zhuge Liang's words. Logically and emotionally, she knew it'd backfire. Zhuge Liang's emphasis on benevolence, morality, and loyalty clashed with Sima Yi's nature.
"Now everyone'll think 'Lü Bu' means betrayal, and 'betrayal' means Lü Bu. Alliances won't hold without heavy hostages. Solo in this mess? Impossible without Yuan Shao-level power."
"If Lü Bu thrives from Xuzhou?"
"Anti-Lü Bu coalition reforms. He was Dong Zhuo's 'son' once."
Could Lü Bu really build massive forces? War's his only tool.
"Even if he succeeds in Xuzhou, no lord will shelter him. Who risks getting bitten next? If he's caught after defeat, execution's certain."
A bit extreme, but relatable. I thought the same.
"Let's discuss the fallout from Lü Bu's stunt. What happens to Liu Bei's army?"
"Left high and dry."
We unrolled the Xuzhou map. From Lü Bu's Xiapi to Yuan Shu's Shouchun was a haul. News of the fall reaching Liu Bei's main force? Too late, even at full gallop. In three days—no, two—Lü Bu'd rally Xiapi's gentry and solidify.
"If this makes Liu Bei and Lü Bu full enemies, Lü Bu might march on him."
"Liang, explain why."
"Lü Bu picked Yuan Shu as his political ally."
Liu Bei vs. Yuan Shu. Lü Bu bet on Yuan Shu—hence seizing Xiapi. But...
"I see it differently. Lü Bu could ditch Yuan Shu anytime."
"......."
Zhuge Liang didn't refute Sima Yi. Betraying Liu Bei for Xuzhou? If Yuan Shu turned sour or betrayal paid better, he'd do it. 'Lü Bu'd' now meant betrayed.
"From now on, Lü Bu faces every assault alone. No friends."
"Why?"
"He stole the Han-appointed Xuzhou Governor's seat while the man was away."
Han court. Liu Bei wasn't just any warlord. Before, he'd privately inherited the post from Tao Qian; now it was official.
"Ousting Liu Bei and claiming it himself defies the Han decree outright. Undermines the Emperor's authority."
"Agreed. If locals override court appointments willy-nilly, who respects the Han?"
"Chaos among the lords again. Lü Bu stole the Emperor's Xuzhou seal—if ignored, imperial prestige crashes."
Sima Yi, Zhuge Liang, and Seo Seo all nodded.
"Lü Bu vs. Cao Cao showdown's coming soon."
"Cao Cao's long seen Lü Bu as a thorn. This gives perfect pretext to crush him."
Lü Bu-Cao Cao clash. Like Gongsun Zan vs. Yuan Shao, destined. Lü Bu survives only sans Cao Cao; Cao Cao plans ahead only sans Lü Bu.
"Anyway, betrayal's what Lü Bu did."
"Inevitable once sheltering him."
"Yuan Zhi, what do you mean?"
Seo Seo pitied Liu Bei for accepting Lü Bu, but despaired at Lü Bu himself.
"Hindsight, but Liu Bei lost to him. Too optimistic about the realm."
"Optimistic. Maybe. He got played hard..."
"Living kindly isn't a crime, right?"
Seo Seo shrugged at Zhuge Liang's retort.
"Not a crime."
"But in chaos, it can be."
Kindness is sin in chaos. Relatable. But.
"It's fine. Everyone survives their way. Liu Bei's got his, Lü Bu's got his."
"Surviving? Doubt it. Zhang Fei dies, Liu Bei follows."
"Huh? Why?"
"The three swore brotherhood."
Ah—ah—the peach garden oath to die together.
"Zhang Fei dies, the other two must too."