A Thoughtless Snowball Rolls into an Avalanche - 3
"Good morning!"
I greeted them energetically, but people turned their heads away, avoiding eye contact with me.
I know I was harsh to Wei Yan and Han Ho at first.
But after they surrendered, I treated them well, right?
No, I think I went above and beyond with Wei Yan, surprisingly so.
'Ah... Did I look too easygoing?'
Did I treat the defeated general too favorably?
Normally, Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, or my dad should've gotten higher merits, but I praised Wei Yan, Han Ho, and Huang Zhong instead. Is that why everyone's pissed at me?'
'And... there's the fainting incident.'
People are pointing fingers at me for that, saying how can someone in charge of an army be so weak-willed.
"Relax, everyone. Just relax."
I stretched as I entered Han Xuan's former office.
The office was luxurious. Seeing some of my sculptures from Jingzhou, I realized Han Xuan had been one of my customers.
"Lord Sun Qian requests an audience."
"Let him in."
I straightened my back and sat in the seat of honor.
Having been bedridden for nearly four days due to weakness, I wanted to look sharp. I couldn't slack on military duties anymore using illness as an excuse.
"Are you feeling better, my lord?"
Sun Qian asked with a voice laced with concern.
Honestly, he should be more worried about his own health than mine.
"I'm fine after resting. You said you had something to discuss."
"Yes. A letter from Lord Liu Bei and a report on Soyang."
Soyang. Soyang...!
I'd heard its population keeps growing. The multi-level admin system might hit a limit someday.
But given how we've pissed off Cao Cao, this could be a report about him mobilizing troops.
I pressed him anxiously.
"Tell me quickly."
Reading my expression, Sun Qian calmly reported the situation.
"First... official positions are being reassigned."
"Right, that was in the works."
I'd heard about it. Things must've been moving fast.
"Lord Liu Bei has decreed to clearly separate merit and duty: Huang Zhong as Zhonglang General under General Zhao Yun; Wei Yan retains his Awen General banner under Zhao Yun; Han Ho as Tun Tian Jiao Wei, assigned to Soyang for grain management."
Awen General handles the command flag, Zhonglang is like a deputy under a general.
...Hold on.
"Assigned under Zhao Yun?"
"For merits in this battle, Zhang Liao is promoted to Paro General, Zhao Yun to Awen General."
Ah, congrats on the promotions.
The title of General is truly rare.
Actually, Liu Bei had been handing out honorary titles like candy before.
He'd petition Emperor Xian for real General positions only the emperor could grant, and until the edict arrived, they'd serve provisionally.
No responses came, of course.
So they were honorary, without the stipends like 500 or 1,000 hu.
Come to think of it, Uncle Kongming was Military Affairs General.
Dispelling my worries, Sun Qian said coolly,
"I know it's confusing. With Liu Qi and Liu Bei's lineages mixing, and you serving as Military Affairs General's office while also holding Advisor, and such."
The Military Affairs General's office means personnel authority to set up departments and assign subordinates.
Calling it that overall means I'd been handling both chief of staff and personnel chief for a while.
Now, others like Xu Shu as Military Zhonglang would handle Uncle Zhuge Liang's former grunt work. Situationally, it means I've got fully independent personnel and military command.
"But is now the time for reassigning positions?"
Sun Qian smiled faintly.
"With Soyang's situation urgent, the Military Affairs General seems to have made a move."
???
"A move?"
"He jointly petitioned Emperor Xian."
?????
Sun Qian said confidently.
"It's the Jingzhou King Petition."
???????
Military Affairs General Newly-Appointed Zhuge Liang, Forward March General Newly-Appointed Cheonma, Awen General Newly-Appointed Zhao Yun, Paro General Newly-Appointed Zhang Liao, Bien General Newly-Appointed Liu Feng, Annam General cum Separate Staff Officer Newly-Appointed Chen Soyoung, Military Zhonglang General Newly-Appointed Xu Shu, Jiangxia Zhonglang General Newly-Appointed Gan Ning, Annam Chief of Staff Newly-Appointed Ma Liang, Paro Zhonglang General Newly-Appointed Huang Zhong, Awen Newly-Appointed Wei Yan, Tun Tian Jiao Wei Newly-Appointed Han Ho, Jingzhou Public Works Newly-Appointed Shi Tao, Soyang Logistics Newly-Appointed Choi Ju-pyeong, Soyang Assistant Newly-Appointed Meng Gan, Soyang Chief of Staff Newly-Appointed Ma Su, and 80 others humbly submit...
I took the scroll from Sun Qian and felt dizzy.
Let me sort this out. At the top, division generals: Forward March General, Paro General, Awen General are division-level.
Bien General is battalion-level.
Forward March leads the vanguard. Paro engages the enemy. Awen protects. Bien is independent unit...
Military Zhonglang assists Zhuge Liang as staff officer. Jiangxia Zhonglang defends Jiangxia as battalion commander. Paro Zhonglang under Zhang Liao. Awen under Zhao Yun.
Tun Tian Jiao Wei is straight-up manager.
Annam Chief of Staff Ma Liang is my secretary chief. Jingzhou Public Works Shi Tao handles Jingzhou personnel.
The Soyang ones are direct Soyang staff... Soyang's a small command, but high ranks.
Filtering: Logistics Choi Ju-pyeong oversees Soyang ops, Assistant Meng Gan handles Soyang finance/taxes, Chief of Staff Ma Su is my Soyang secretary.
Can't think of it as anything but provisional—the rest are listed as "etc."
Uncle Kongming did it, so no complaints, but petitioning now...?
And what's Annam General cum Separate Staff Officer?
Annam General means stabilize the south, literally.
General... wow.
But Separate Staff Officer is the issue. It assists the Inspector when absent—Jingzhou Inspector was Liu Biao.
My worry: Inspector absent means Staff Officer steps in.
'...So after Liu Biao's death, Liu Qi becomes Jingzhou Inspector?'
Liu Qi's in three-year mourning... Me as Separate Staff Officer?
"Haa..."
I clutched my head, stomping under the table.
Uncle Kongming, have you lost it?
Even working people hard has limits. Headaches nonstop.
Issue is admin roles. Soyang prefixed to titles like Logistics Assistant that should assist Jingzhou Inspector Liu Qi.
Probably folks like Fa Zheng (no acquaintance) or Jian Yong, Mi Zhu (somewhat known) grabbing big seats. History says creating overlapping offices for checks and balances—feels like that.
Hmm...
Might mean less work unexpectedly.
Dump Soyang on underlings.
"Read more."
"Oh my god."
...Thus, we petition to enfeoff Liu Bei as King of Jingzhou and Grand Commandant to exterminate the vile enemy.
Did Liu Bei approve this? For real?
Cao Cao's Chancellor, Uncle Zhuge Liang.
King of Jingzhou is literal... Compromise with Liu Qi?
What the hell happened in four days bedridden?
"Pretty groundbreaking, huh. Ahahaha..."
Grand Commandant? Like president.
Supreme military commander.
No, this challenges Emperor Xian's prestige.
"Why now for Uncle Kongming...?"
Sun Qian said,
"Before Cao Cao cleans up and brands Lord Liu Bei a traitor, proclaim legitimacy first. Emperor Xian showed approval..."
"Pardon?"
"Since he approved, we proceeded."
Zhang Lian reported on Emperor Xian too. Uncle Kongming found out Zhang Lian headed my Hefei spy network...
"Oh lord."
Legitimacy play on this scale...
But Sun Qian's eyes were steady.
"Before Cao Cao's fake edicts scatter the people's hearts, we set the board. Turn eyes to Lord Liu Bei, make Cao Cao's claims hollow skin—truly wondrous."
I get it logically.
Against Cao Cao holding the Son of Heaven card, our play is Liu Bei's imperial lineage legitimacy. Needed to brand it with King of Jingzhou.
Problem: Is timing right?
And my name as southern real-power holder is plastered there.
I didn't consent.
Cao Cao sees me, no cool handshake—lingering grudge.
Second, with Liu Qi gone... buried in paperwork, grim.
"Why didn't you sign, Lord Sun Qian?"
"I was absent, couldn't join."
"I don't remember signing either? Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, Cheonma are here? Xu Shu, Ma Liang too? I wasn't on travel."
Sun Qian smiled awkwardly.
"Military Affairs General said surely that child would."
Zhuge Liang, you bastard.
As I mentally chewed him out, a knock.
"May I enter?"
New secretary chief Ma Liang.
"Come in."
Something huge appeared. I doubted my eyes.
"Ugh... what's that?"
Behind Ma Liang, two burly men grunted, dragging a massive cart.
Piled on it: bamboo slips towering human-height. Moving that takes skill.
"What's behind?"
"Backlogged approvals from the four southern Jingzhou commands."
"Back... logged? Why bring to me?"
"Inspector in three-year mourning, General must proxy. Annam General duties included."
Eek. Head spinning.
"Staff should've handled what they can... dumping all on me..."
"All pulling all-nighters. Final approvals—please review."
Ma Liang smiled, placing a top scroll on my desk.
"Military Affairs General entrusted: Daughter can handle in a day."
Vision blurring. Zhuge Liang... ugh. Sigh.
"Wulingjun facility repairs. How to handle?"
World sucks. Pissed.
Averting eyes from infuriating docs, I looked at Sun Qian.
"Other matters too. Not here for Soyang?"
"Zhang He mobilized 100,000, heading to Xinyang—ominous signs."
"That's more urgent!"
No joking now.
"Cao Cao mobilized on petition news?"
"Before it arrives."
Zhang He with 100k means Cao Cao's gnashing to devour Jingzhou.
We countered with Jingzhou King wide taunt; he'll shove 100k at Soyang for sure.
I shoved the slip mountain aside.
'This can wait. Must wait.'
"Ma Liang."
"Yes, General."
"General... feels weird."
Weird, but firmly pointed at slips.
"Summarize only most urgent into one, handle rest yourselves. No time for admin games."
Ma Liang's brow twitched, but whatever now.
"Gather troops from southern four commands. Sorry, Lord Sun Qian, need you again."
Turned to Ma Liang.
"Awen General Zhao Yun, Paro General Zhang Liao, Forward March General Cheonma. Plus Paro Zhonglang Huang Zhong, Awen Wei Yan. Military Zhonglang Xu Shu, Bien General Liu Feng—all convene. Open war council."