MTLNOVEL Chapter 75 - The Rise of Warlords
Chapter 75: The Rise of Warlords
The sun rises.
The days of tyranny that seemed unending have passed, and finally, the sunlight of Chang’an has come to full bloom.
The people speak in unison.
Unryong, they say, is the hope of the Han.
As these rumors spread, testimonies of his aid spread across regions from Bing Province to Ji Province, and soon there was no one in the land who did not know his name.
“…He’s the one who defeated Dong Zhuo…”
Even in the barren land of You Province, Gongsun Zan said.
“Aman… So, in the end, you’ve chosen a different path than Yuan Shao’s, walking the road of tyranny. Do you truly intend to tread such a path?”
In Bohai, Yuan Shao said.
“Hmph, so much fuss over catching a pig.”
In Luoyang, Yuan Shu scoffed.
“…Unryong.”
And even the Tiger of Jiangdong spoke of him.
The fall of Dong Zhuo marked the decline of a great star, and the land once again faced a massive upheaval.
In January 191, Cao Cao succeeded in installing Emperor Xian.
The warlords insulted Cao Cao, saying he was no different from Dong Zhuo, a traitor, but by establishing Emperor Xian, Cao Cao solidified his power and seized control of the Guandong region.
Cao Cao, who had once been a mere General of Subjugation, now held a position equivalent to the Three Ducal Ministers, and the warlords could not remain idle.
The current King of Chenliu was a mere figurehead Emperor.
Everyone knew that, in truth, the land belonged to Dong Zhuo, and that the roots of the Han Dynasty were already withered, its great tree unable to bloom again.
The land trembles.
It moves.
It betrays.
It rises.
The first to move were Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan.
When Yuan Shao’s attempt to enthrone Liu Yu as Emperor failed, he redirected his ambitions towards Han Fu, who had once supported him and the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition.
Seizing control of Hebei would make it easier for Yuan Shao to lead his vast army.
Thus, Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao made peace, and Han Fu fell into Yuan Shao’s hands.
This happened in February 191.
Next was Yuan Shu, who had occupied Luoyang.
He sneered at the accomplishments of his brother, Yuan Shao, saying,
“Does such lowly blood think it can overthrow this Yuan Shu?”
In his hand was the Imperial Seal.
It was the treasure found by Sun Jian in the arms of a drowned woman during the burning of Luoyang.
The Imperial Seal was an object that symbolized legitimacy.
Yuan Shu declared,
“This decaying and withered land shall now be ruled by Yuan Shu!”
In truth, he already regarded himself as Emperor.
With prominent figures like Sun Jian and Sun Ce under his command, Yuan Shu’s confidence soared to the heavens.
One day, his ambition would surely be enough to establish a new dynasty.
Thus, prominent warlords like Liu Biao of Jing Province, Tao Qian of Xu Province, Ma Teng, Li Jue, and Guo Si prepared for a new era.
And here…
“…Sister, what are you really planning to do now?”
“Yide…”
Another scion of the royal bloodline, Liu Bei, also existed.
Liu Bei, who had grown her army in Pingyuan, was now under Tao Qian’s protection in Xu Province.
Xu Province was indeed a great land.
Under Tao Qian’s warm governance, the people were striving to live diligently.
However, Tao Qian too had grown old and fallen ill.
It was not a pleasant sight to see the once-vigorous Tao Qian lying bedridden.
“Brother took down Dong Zhuo.”
“Yeah.”
“And we’ve been sitting around doing nothing all this time.”
“That’s true.”
“So, are we going to keep doing nothing?”
“Yide!”
Guan Yu scolded Zhang Fei for her sarcasm.
But Zhang Fei just shook her head dismissively.
“Yun Zhang, sister, say something. Is this really okay? We’re just running errands under some petty little man whose motives we don’t even understand. Where’s our grand cause in all of this?”
At Zhang Fei’s serious tone, Guan Yu couldn’t stay angry any longer.
She simply spoke again in a quiet voice.
“I know what you’re trying to say, Yide. But didn’t we make a promise? Under the peach tree, we vowed to uphold the Han Dynasty’s loyalty, to care for the people, and to protect this Han Dynasty.”
“We did.”
Zhang Fei got up wearily, grabbed a wine bottle, and took a slow swig.
“We did…”
She slumped into her seat, drained.
“And Yide, you know what that woman Cao Cao is doing right now.”
“Yes.”
“They are ultimately following the same path as Dong Zhuo.”
“Well, I’m not sure about that woman Cao Cao. But Brother? Would he?”
“…Who knows.”
As Guan Yu hesitated, Zhang Fei scoffed.
“Who knows? Brother probably isn’t thinking about anything. All he’s ever thinking about is his wandering heroism. He’s not much different from us. Do you think he’s after power? Ridiculous. It’s truly a farce.”
Zhang Fei kept gulping down her drink.
Eventually, Liu Bei gently grabbed Zhang Fei’s arm.
“My dear Yide, I worry that you’ll suffer again if you end up drinking too much.”
“Let it be. I feel like drinking.”
“Does your sister seem pathetic to you, Yide?”
“…I’ve never thought that, so don’t say such things.”
“Even with Dong Zhuo dead, the Han remains in chaos.”
“I know. I know it very well.”
“The warlords have started to carve out their own territories.”
“…I know that too.”
“So, you’re right, Yide.”
Liu Bei’s words caused Zhang Fei to raise her head.
“Huh?”
“We can’t just stay idle like this. If we hide in someone’s shadow without revealing ourselves, this land will never find peace.”
Liu Bei’s dark eyes deepened.
Liu Bei always wore a smile.
Even in this moment, she was smiling.
There was no other reason for her smile.
She smiled.
Smiling, to give her subordinates even a little peace and calm.
That, Liu Bei believed, was the posture that a warlord should maintain.
But now, her dear brother…
“…We must move too.”
Liu Bei stood up.
“How?”
Zhang Fei asked, and Liu Bei smiled.
“I’ve already thought of something.”
Even after thinking it over, Xu Province was indeed a great land.
***
The warlords established their power and created their own territories.
This was the so-called Rise of the Warlords.
The land was rapidly changing.
And rapid change accelerates the passage of time.
This story takes place just before that great upheaval.
When Unryong had yet to fully recover his body, had not yet been given an official title by the Emperor, and still had no territory of his own.
In a prison where criminals were held, a red-haired woman woke up.
Her entire body ached, and the pungent smell at her lips wasn’t pleasant, but she managed to get up.
‘…I lost, didn’t I?’
Lü Bu looked down at her body with blurry eyes.
There was no unscathed part. Her entire body was literally drenched in blood.
‘No, I should’ve died back there…’
Yes, Lü Bu should have died a long time ago.
Her power was crushed miserably by the man’s sword, and now she was nothing more than a fragile woman without any worth.
A person with no value deserves to die.
In a world governed by survival of the fittest, that was the proper rule.
Yet, she was still alive.
Just as Lü Bu was lost in her solitary thoughts…
“You’re awake, Lady Yeo.”
At the sudden voice, Lü Bu flinched and threw herself against the wall behind her.
“Oh my, still quick as ever. I almost died again because of you.”
“…Unryong.”
Between the iron bars, she saw the man, seated calmly in a lotus position with his eyes closed.
They had once fought fiercely to kill each other, and yet now they were having a polite conversation with just these thin bars between them.
It was truly surreal.
“Why did you let me live?”
“That’s what I want to ask you. Why did you help me?”
Ah, that matter.
It was a question she couldn’t easily answer.
Even Lü Bu herself couldn’t clearly articulate it.
She simply thought it was the right thing at that moment.
No, it wasn’t the right thing.
It was just that everything had become dull.
After all, Lü Bu had already lost to Unryong.
Her life was one that should have ended.
What worth was there in living such a life?
She could only be Lü Bu when she was Peerless Under Heaven.
Lü Bu had to remain undefeated to be etched into the world as who she was.
“…Well, is there really a need for a reason? I am Lü Bu.”
Thus, simply stating her name was explanation enough.
After all, Lü Bu was a ticking time bomb that could betray anyone at any moment.
“But…”
Lü Bu continued.
“That silly little tale you spoke of… I wonder how long you’ll uphold that conviction.”
“Quite the romantic, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Lü Bu scoffed.
“When’s the execution?”
“Execution?”
“Why ask such a stupid question? Aren’t you going to kill me? Shouldn’t I at least know when my death is scheduled?”
“You say it so easily.”
Indeed.
She had feared death so much, yet now she found herself able to accept it without much trouble.
She had faced it all.
And ultimately, she couldn’t deny the man’s existence.
Now, there was no Peerless Under Heaven.
So, Lü Bu’s existence should also vanish accordingly.
That was all there was to it.
However, the man did not answer.
He merely rose to his feet.
“…Hey, hey! Where are you going, you bastard! Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“What answer? I’m just here for some qi circulation. I thought this place suited me.”
“Stop with the nonsense, you bastard!”
Even as Lü Bu shouted, the man silently went on his way.
Lü Bu felt drained, her body losing all strength.
Tch, such a rude man.
It would have been better not to see that annoying face of his until the very end.
With those thoughts, Lü Bu lay back down.
And the next day.
“…What now?”
“Be quiet. I need to focus.”
Once again, Unryong visited Lü Bu.