How to Survive in Turbulent Times (2)

Liu Bei and Guan Yu ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had spread out a map between them, lost in deep contemplation.

"It's a mismatch of forces, brother. This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is a problem we can't solve right now."

"I know."

"Then, brother."

"But it's an imperial edict. We have to act knowing full well what's at stake."

They had to attack Yuan Shu by imperial order, but Liu Bei's forces alone couldn't handle Yuan Shu's army.

"Shall we request reinforcements from Cao Cao?"

"Pardon? Brother, what do you mean?"

"If Cao Cao has any conscience, she'll at least send three thousand infantry for appearances' sake. No, at minimum a thousand. She told us to attack Yuan Shu, and we came out here because of that. She'll help at least a little."

"That'll be difficult. Helping us would mean openly breaking with Yuan Shu, and Cao Cao isn't the type to take a hit like that."

"Right? Sigh."

Liu Bei's worries deepened. Ever since leaving Xiabi, the troubles and anguish clouding his mind had only grown.

If he had full confidence of victory over Yuan Shu, the situation would be different.

"For now—"

"General! Big trouble!"

"What is it? Has Ji Ling brought cavalry again?"

"General Zhang!"

"......General Zhang?"

They looked at each other and jumped up from their seats, rushing out of the tent.

"Yide!!"

"Urk, ugh, big brother, brother...! Kill me, urgh, kill me...!!"

Zhang Fei's body was splattered with blood. So much that it was impossible to guess how many he'd killed—the metallic tang of blood clung thickly to him. But mixed with the blood was the unmistakable scent of alcohol.

He must have drunk a ton; even after riding from Xiabi, the booze stench still ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wafted strongly.

The moment he dismounted, he dropped to his knees and began kowtowing, forehead slamming into the dirt.

"Kill me!"

"......You bastard, don't tell me."

Guan Yu immediately pointed his Green Dragon Crescent Blade downward.

"You didn't get drunk and kill people, did you? Stop blubbering and explain clearly so there's no misunderstanding!"

"Ca, calm down, Yun Chang. Looks like a real mess. Easy now."

But Liu Bei first pushed aside the blade's shaft with his hand, then knelt on one knee to meet Zhang Fei's eyes.

"Yide. Calm down. Tell us step by step what happened. Okay? Why are you here? Did Xiabi catch fire? Or did Cao Cao circle back to Beihai and attack Xuzhou?"

"Urgh, it's bad...."

Zhang Fei, choking back sobs, explained in detail what had gone down in Xiabi.

Zhang Zhao from Xiabi had plied Zhang Fei with drink, and he'd gotten so wasted he passed out.

After that, it was simple. Lü Bu, who'd coordinated with Zhang Zhao beforehand, seized Xiabi, and Zhang Fei had fled on his horse.

He'd shaken off Lü Bu's pursuers single-handedly and barely made it here.

"......."

Liu Bei listened to Zhang Fei, his forced smile gradually fading.

Guan Yu's flushed face paled as he glanced nervously at Liu Bei.

"You... fled alone...?"

"Kill me!"

Guan Yu realized why Zhang Fei kept screaming to be killed.

Because Xiabi had fallen? That wasn't a death-worthy sin.

"Whoa, haa, no, fuck...."

Liu Bei stood, hand on his hip, turning away from Zhang Fei. His ears burned red to the tips, holding back rage even more than Guan Yu.

"Yide. Tell the truth. ...What about my wife?"

"Urgh, waaah...!"

"No crying! Speak!"

"You bastard!!"

Clang!

"Where's my wife?!"

Liu Bei drew his sword, swinging at Zhang Fei, but now Guan Yu blocked him, calming him down.

"Brother, easy. She's probably fine. Lü Bu wouldn't take her hostage or do anything vile, right?"

"That dog Lü Bu loves women! The guy who stabbed Dong Zhuo in the back over one! Even if not, taking family hostage.... Damn it!!"

Liu Bei hurled his sword to the ground.

"Huff, huff."

Zhang Fei kept kowtowing, and Guan Yu gripped his blade's shaft tightly between them, watching warily.

"......Sorry, Yide."

Surprisingly, an apology came first from Liu Bei.

"You risked your life to escape, and I only thought of myself, not you. I'm sorry, truly."

"Big brother...!"

"I should've ignored the traitor bullshit and never marched on Yuan Shu. Loyalty to the imperial house means nothing if I can't protect family first."

"No! Brother, it's my fault for getting shitfaced like an idiot!"

"It's fine. My wife... she'll handle it right, knowing the situation. Yeah, she'll be okay...."

Liu Bei clenched his fists.

"First, we turn back. Head to Xiaopei. If Lü Bu took Xiabi, Xiaopei might be empty."

"Brother, that's...."

"Hostage or whatever, I won't forgive traitors. When the chance comes, I'll kill them."

Liu Bei pulled Zhang Fei up with a smile.

"Even if we die, we gotta get revenge on Lü Bu and Zhang Zhao first, or we'll regret it in the afterlife, right?"

"Brother. But if we go to Xiaopei, Lü Bu'll attack. We'll be sandwiched...."

"The rear... no. Guan Ong!!"

A ragged-looking man hurried over at Liu Bei's shout. Even the usually playful one was serious now.

"Speak, my lord."

"I'll write a letter. Take it to Chenliu. Then... tell Cao Cao the situation."

"Brother, allying with Cao Cao?"

"Yes. ...No. Not Cao Cao."

Liu Bei's expression was resolute.

"We entrust ourselves to the Han imperial house."

Peach Garden Oath. Beneath a peach tree, three men born on different days and places swore brotherhood with one purpose, vowing to die on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠same day and hour.

"You know a lot about this Liu Bei, Liang."

"I've looked into him personally."

I asked Zhuge Liang, who viewed Liu Bei more positively than anyone and knew him best.

"I'd heard the name Liu Hyun-deok now and then before. But he wasn't someone I paid much attention to. Liu Dai, Wang Lang, Han Fu, Kong Rong, Liu Yao, Yan Baek-ho, Liu Zhang, Ma Teng, Han Sui. There were plenty of warlords calling themselves governors or inspectors, but none rose to main players—they were too low-tier."

Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu split the land in two, with Gongsun Zan, Cao Cao, Liu Biao, and Dong Kui forming east-west alliances for their gains. That was the setup.

But Lü Bu's emergence shook the board, and unnoticed from below, Liu Bei climbed to the top.

Not the biggest, unknown to all, yet seizing Dong Kui's spot amid chaos—that was remarkable.

"Does Liu Bei have a great clan's power like Cao Cao or Yuan Shao?"

"No. Word is he sold mats and served his widowed mother. Some say local thug boss."

"Then his personal talent rivals Zhang Zhong or Evil Yi?"

"His brothers are just below Lü Bu level, but Liu Bei himself? Hard to say. Plenty of similar warlords out there."

"Yet you've paid him more attention than I thought."

Zhuge Liang knew Liu Bei's origins and background better than I did.

"Why's Liang, who ignores uninteresting fields, so curious about Liu Bei?"

"......I'm curious too."

Zhuge Liang answered me seriously.

"Frustratingly, explosively, how does someone chasing 'righteousness' survive this chaos?"

Zhuge Liang's feeling toward Liu Bei was pure curiosity.

"I investigated. From his first fame to now."

"What kind of life?"

"Stubbornly idiotic."

Liu Bei raised a volunteer army against the Yellow Turbans. Despite merits, denied credit as volunteers.

He barely got county magistrate, but ignored bribe demands, got fired, beat the tax officer, and fled.

In the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition, he and brothers beat back Lü Bu three-on-one. Boosted morale, but that's it.

Now helping Xuzhou at thirty-five, after wandering homeless. Just settling, and Lü Bu—out of pity—steals it.

"No life this cursed."

I was unlucky too, but living richly now. Liu Bei? Losing it all again.

"Liang, if you were Liu Bei now? Working for his army?"

"I'd go to Cao Cao."

Unexpected.

"Cao Cao?"

"Yes. Precisely, the imperial house. Liu Bei's only refuge now. Might reach to Chenliu for aid."

"Cao Cao who wrecked Xuzhou?"

"That's why Cao Cao."

Conviction filled Zhuge Liang's eyes.

"Only Cao Cao can save Liu Bei."

"Master!!"

Seo Seo rushed in.

"Letter from Chenliu!"

"......Chenliu?"

"Yes. From Xun You teacher...."

Seo Seo handed me the silk letter with trembling hands—unlike usual parchment.

"Another came with it."

"......Cao?"

The silk letter was from Cao Cao.

"Why me...?"

Cao Cao. She'd written asking my advice on Xuzhou affairs.