The Entangled Alliances (2)
The private troops of the three princes or the warlords fought much better than Taiping Dao's peasant army, but even they were no match for Luoyang's elite.
Lu Rong and Hou Fen were precisely those troops. Several years ago, during the Dan Shi Gui war, Emperor Ling had sent most of the northern army north but had not released these.
Among them, the Hou Fen Zhong Lang Jiang who commanded Hou Fen was Yuan Shao.
Emperor Ling also knew of Yuan Shao's reputation. He had subtly asked Cao Cao about it and had heard through Cai Yong as well.
So when He Jin recommended Yuan Shao, Emperor Ling had readily appointed him as Hou Fen Zhong Lang Jiang.
It was also a veiled sneer aimed at the Qingliu faction.
‘Yuan Shao, who seems to represent the value of the Qingliu, the Qingliu who believes in such a Yuan Shao as their hope — can you really say that you won't eat each other alive?’
From Emperor Ling's perspective, Yuan Shao seemed to have clearly read his intent.
While He Jin brought Yuan Shao to Luoyang to prevent him from doing anything and took him on this journey, he carefully observed which side Yuan Shao would truly side with.
He had planted people among the ministers like Yuan Shu, the Taiwei Yang Sa, and others who could reject Yuan Shao's orders at any time.
In response, Yuan Shao had offered up the heads of Liu Chong, the Marquis of Ganjing, and several Jizhou nobles.
“Jian Shuo, this Yuan Shao is truly cunning, isn't he?”
Emperor Ling's laughter made Jian Shuo simply bow his head in agreement.
“It seems like he's saying something like ‘My reputation won't be damaged even if it drops a bit, and rather, you who have sided with the opposite side are the evil, fake Qingliu, and I will protect His Majesty the Emperor as the true Qingliu’…… Is that not the case?”
“This subject finds it difficult to guess Yuan Shao's thoughts, but what is certain is that Yuan Shao seems to have made the decision that it doesn't matter even if he turns all the Jizhou Qingliu nobles into enemies.”
“Yuan Shao's hometown is Runan Commandery. Then, the nobles of the entire Runan…… no, the entire Yuzhou could be said to be allied with Yuan Shao. With that foundation, he probably thinks it's enough and doesn't care if the Jizhou nobles die.”
“Would such a stance be of use to Your Majesty?”
“It has its uses.”
Emperor Ling stood up and stroked Jian Shuo's head. Jian Shuo bowed even lower.
“I wondered what kind of fellow was hanging around my brother-in-law, but it turned out this fellow was one of those trying to climb up. A six-year-long plot to completely capture the heart of the Qingliu. There would be many who would rely on such a Yuan Shao's reputation, but why can't I not use Yuan Shao?”
“Indeed.”
“By keeping Yuan Shao here, while we eliminate the Jizhou Qingliu, the other Qingliu will remain quiet. ‘I am different from them.’ So today it's Jizhou, tomorrow it's Yanzhou, the day after tomorrow it's Qingzhou…… finally, when we extend the blade to Yuzhou, they will then think something is wrong.”
Suddenly, Emperor Ling stopped laughing and added, “If I and the Great Virtuous Master compromise halfway, the Qingliu must also be kept in a halfway state. I haven't fully controlled Taiping Dao, and Taiping Dao can't be allowed to hold all the reins.”
Emperor Ling said this and, as if annoyed, waved his hand in the air.
“Jian Shuo, sing a song for me.”
Without any hesitation, Jian Shuo began to sing in a beautiful voice.
Emperor Ling listened to the song and fell asleep with a peaceful face, as if he had forgotten the rebel army, the politics of Luoyang, and the negotiations with Taiping Dao.
***
The situation where they were forced into a crisis and couldn't check each other became the enemies' strength instead.
The enemies had been reluctant to advance forward, calculating who would become the next emperor, only when they were about to encircle Guangzong County where Emperor Ling and Zhang Jue were stationed.
But after Yuan Shao's hand killed Liu Chong, the Marquis of Ganjing, the war became a desperate fight for them to avoid death.
On the other hand…… the negotiations between Taiping Dao, the imperial court, Zhang Jue, and Emperor Ling were not yielding any conclusion.
Just as Zhang Jue couldn't throw all his armies at once because he didn't fully trust Emperor Ling, Emperor Ling didn't trust Zhang Jue either.
“Was it the divided side that was us?”
When I sighed like that, Cao Cao sighed as well and said, “When Han Fu said to call Dong Zhuo, I told him it was dangerous, but I think I should have proposed to call him earlier instead.”
Cao Cao's face was full of fatigue.
While Emperor Ling was helping the Taiping Dao army's encampment under attack, he was alternating sending out Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shu. He wasn't releasing all the elite Hou Fen troops and wasn't sending out all three commanders at once.
Ah, right now Cao Cao was not a Yi Lang but a Qi Dao Wei.
In the original history, the official position he received when going to suppress the Yellow Turbans was now received while cooperating with the Yellow Turbans.
Anyway, the reason Cao Cao looked so tired was because he was fighting not to attack the enemy but to barely hold on to defense.
If necessary, he was also tasked with abandoning the broken encampment and escorting the Taiping Dao army out.
The soldiers commanded by the three commanders, including Hou Fen, were elite, so whenever they were deployed, they successfully repelled the enemy in that area.
But when the other parts assigned to the Taiping Dao army collapsed, the Luoyang elites had no choice but to retreat together.
The fatigue from such battles was no joke.
Moreover, as they were pushed into defense, the enemy was tightening the siege, and the battle was becoming increasingly difficult. The damage to Hou Fen was beginning to accumulate.
Eventually, when the enemy's siege reached this Guangzong County, they would have to face the enemy's siege.
“It would be better to just throw in all the elite cleanly and defeat one king at a time.”
But in any era, politics takes precedence over war. Or, as someone said, war is an extension of politics…… so it can only be a means for politics.
Emperor Ling makes fatal judgments, but at least he was a human who could avoid the situation of releasing all Hou Fen outside the city walls and becoming Taiping Dao's scarecrow.
“It might be strange wisdom from somewhere.”
Even without me saying it, Cao Cao seemed to understand who I was referring to. He didn't answer my words but looked down at the city wall and said, “Gonglu has returned.”
I and Cao Cao descended from the city wall to meet Yuan Shu, who had returned after one battle.
Yuan Shu looked as tired as Cao Cao, but…… this time he seemed oddly exhilarated.
“Meng De! Han Fu! Look at this!”
As Yuan Shu pulled the rope, the prisoner, who had been dragged helplessly, fell to the ground face-first and collapsed.
Yuan Shu's subordinates lifted the prisoner.
Though his face and appearance were dirty, he didn't seem like just a soldier.
Well, not extremely high status, but perhaps commanding a small force.
“Hey, tell these people what I said earlier.”
“……Gong,”
Gong?
“The grain supply…… is not smooth. The supply convoy was attacked…….”
“Did you hear that!”
Yuan Shu cut off the prisoner's words and shouted loudly.
“Our army cut off the enemy's supply! The enemy's grain is running out! We will win!”
The soldiers who heard those words cheered without distinguishing whether it was the Emperor's army or the Taiping Dao army.
Some even hugged each other in the excitement of this moment.
It would be a good thing if the two armies could understand each other's hearts in this way.
“This guy, go and behead him. To offer more heads to His Majesty.”
The prisoner's face, even under the mud and blood, turned deathly pale from Yuan Shu's command.
“Y-You said you wouldn't kill me!”
“Consider it fortunate that you didn't die by being cut into pieces as a traitor but were beheaded in one stroke. Take him away and kill him.”
I stepped towards Yuan Shu.
“Wait, may I ask for a favor, the Zhong Lang Jiang?”
“Han Fu? Eh, what? You want me not to kill him? Well, I guess it's okay.”
I swallowed my bitter smile. Yuan Shu was much more likable than the one I had read in the 『Romance of the Three Kingdoms』, but the problem was that he was too impulsive in all matters.
At first, I thought I had misjudged Yuan Shu because he did good deeds without expecting any reward, but the problem was…… he did evil deeds without expecting any reward.
Like killing one prisoner now, it wouldn't be a big problem.
There was also the justification of killing a traitor, and killing one commoner wouldn't be an issue for a young master from a noble family.
But if such actions were directed at someone with some reputation or status, or someone influential, it would become a big problem.
For example, imprisoning the envoy sent to Yuan Shu from the court and then forcing him to recognize his abdication as emperor.
Seeing Yuan Shu's actions, it made people confused because they didn't match with his other good actions.
……There was a person named Liu Ze among Liu Bei's relatives in the state of Wu, who had attended Yuan Shu's banquet when he was six years old following his father Liu Zang.
At that time, Liu Ze secretly hid some oranges to take out, but was caught by Yuan Shu.
When Yuan Shu asked Liu Ze why he was taking the oranges secretly, Liu Ze replied, “My mother likes oranges, and I wanted to treat her to them.”
Impressed by the young Liu Ze's filial piety, Yuan Shu gave him a few more oranges.
I thought this anecdote was Yuan Shu's pretense, but upon experiencing it directly, it wasn't.
Yuan Shu was the kind of person who could pretend to be emperor, just like giving oranges to Liu Ze.
That is, a human who is consistent in his impulsiveness.
So, after saying he would kill the prisoner, when I tried to stop him, he asked, “Then, shall I let you live?”
“If you hand over the prisoner to me, I have something I want to interrogate more.”
Who the attacking force of the enemy's supply convoy was, and roughly what the enemy's overall situation was.
By figuring that out, we could proceed with the future war.
Yuan Shu said, with his refreshing smile as a young master from a noble family, towards both the prisoner and me.
“You, your luck is good. Han Fu of the Xiongnu, take him and do as you please.”
***
Lu Bu's Madao and the hooves of the Red Hare shattered the enemy.
Lu Bu had won a great victory, but as he advanced deep into the enemy territory, he couldn't help but frown at the gruesome sight.
It was more gruesome than the battlefield.
“Were all the men killed?”
Yellow turbans were left behind, while severed heads hung everywhere.
Lu Bu and Yufuluo's troops had crushed the small encampments of the enemy stationed everywhere.
And inside them…… corpses that were no longer human, and women who had survived but could never be said to have been lucky.
A Xiongnu cavalryman muttered while looking at the sight.
“Crazy bastards…… they said we were barbarians.”
At that time, Zhang Liao approached Lu Bu with a face trying to hold back nausea.
“Master, please allow me to use the supplies taken from the enemy's supply convoy for relief.”
“……Very well.”
As soon as Lu Bu's permission was given, Zhang Liao shouted to the Wuhuan people who were in charge of the khagan's court.
“Pound the grain and meat! Distribute food, treat wounds, and wrap them in warmth! Practice the Way of the Khan! Practice the words of Father Tengri!”