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Late into the night. Beneath the flowing waters of the Yellow River, at the point where it meets the capital Luoyang. This harbor, known as Mengjin Port, lay near Luoyang, yet lately its function as a port had begun to dwindle. There was simply nowhere to sail down the Yellow River. At best, it served as a departure point for crossing the river straight to Jizhou, but regrettably, the road to Jizhou was now blocked.
"All because of those damn Black Mountain Bandits. Ugh."
Zhang San, the innkeeper who had run a lodge near the harbor for three generations in Mengjin Port, gazed up at the ceiling of his inn, not even visited by flies.
"Should I leave?"
He was in business to make a living, but with no customers, there was no business.
Before boarding ships, hungry travelers should have been streaming in for a bowl of noodles and a few pieces of well-boiled pork—but they all said the same thing. Go get killed by the Black Mountain Bandits?
"Black Mountain Bandits or Black Water Bandits, who knows. If they're mountain bandits, they should stick to the mountains. Why the hell are they crossing the Yellow River and rampaging all the way near Luoyang? Ugh."
The Black Mountain Bandits had started running wild a few years back. Running an inn meant occasionally playing storyteller to guests, so he always listened closely to the tales from travelers passing through. Black Mountain Bandits. They'd only begun appearing in force around Sili Province in the last few months.
Some said they were remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebels who once rampaged across the plains, now swapping their yellow headbands for black garb. Others claimed high officials were dressing their private troops in black and letting them plunder, and the rumors twisted that into the Black Mountain Bandits.
"Ha."
Either way, they were crippling his business just the same.
"This is driving me mad."
Word even spread that the court had no intention of suppressing the bandits amid all this bandit chaos—what could be more frustrating?
"Maybe I should go."
For innkeeper Zhang San, Mengjin Port was home. The building had been passed down from his grandfather and father, and he planned to hand it to his own son someday. But if staying meant starving to death, he had to go somewhere he could at least put food on the table.
"...Bing Province."
Zhang San opened the inn's wooden window and gazed across the Yellow River.
"They say Bing Province is tough to get around in, but it's still a place where people can live decently."
Among his guests, some had packed up for Bing Province. Why head there from a spot right next to the capital Luoyang, inviting scholars and Xiongnu raiders?
To that question, they had answered:
"Because the Undefeated War God is there."
Ridiculous nonsense. No matter that innkeepers lived off rumors, he couldn't believe in an Undefeated War God. Just because he was good in a fight? No. That alone wasn't enough to buy it.
"He leads from the front in battle ahead of his soldiers, protects them all from death or injury, and grants land to the civilians he rescues."
That's standard for any official. Though vicious local lords sometimes skipped even that.
"The Undefeated War God is different."
But if that was all, he'd just think, Bing Province has a decent official.
"When there's no training, he helps with farming, chops wood with the soldiers to build log cabins, and hauls bricks himself to erect walls—what kind of superhuman is that?"
Tales of the Undefeated War God were straight out of ancient myths, utterly unbelievable. It just showed how chaotic the times were. When grim reality drowns in darkness, people yearn for a bright light to dispel it—just as these dark ages crave a hero.
No such hero existed now. Since he didn't, Zhang San had no choice but to find his own path to sustain himself and his family.
"Yeah."
Even if.
"...There'll be some way to scrape by."
Even leaving this land.
Clank.
"Hm?"
A strange noise came from in front of the inn. The moment it sounded like heavy armor dropping, the inn door swung open.
"Black Mount—!"
A band of men in black emerged from the darkness. Each wore a sword at their waist, clad in black robes with hoods pulled low over their heads.
"Ah, sirs!!"
Zhang San immediately bowed his head.
"P-Please spare me! All I have are the furnishings and kitchen tools in this inn! I-I have no money at all!"
"..."
"Sirs...?"
Having bowed low, Zhang San cautiously lifted his head.
Not just because they said nothing—
Beneath the robes. In the moonlight gleamed not the shabby shoes of bandits, but something like military boots—
Squelch.
"...Huh?"
Zhang San felt something pierce his back and embed in the floor.
"..."
His vision spun, strength drained from his body. Pain should have come, but it didn't.
"..."
"General Mu Shun. Preparations are complete."
"Shh. Not general."
In the encroaching death, amid his fading consciousness, Zhang San heard the black-clad men's voices.
"We are the Black Mountain Bandits."
"...Sorry, Chief."
"Right."
Whoosh.
"Light the fire. Make sure the flames are visible even from Luoyang."
Blurring vision. The inn turning red.
"Ah, ahh..."
Zhang San stretched his last ounce of strength toward the outside of the flame-engulfed inn.
"He...lp..."
Thud.
A voice that reached no one.
Roar.
The conflagration swept the inn. No—the entire Mengjin Port.
Suppress the Black Mountain Bandits swarming near the capital! All local officials, come to the capital and eliminate the bandits!
Grand General He Jin's order had come down. If asked why he suddenly changed from refusing to suppress them before—
"As expected, the Ten Attendants were wrong. Those Ten Attendant bastards preached reforming the Black Mountain Bandits, and look what happened."
It was because of what Governor Ding Yuan said, gripping the order as he sat in the central seat of the government office here. The court was divided into two factions. The Ten Attendants. The eunuchs. Those advocating a conciliatory policy toward the Black Mountain Bandits.
Their opponent, Grand General He Jin. Claiming the Ten Attendants' scheme had failed, he insisted on actively suppressing the bandits—thus issuing orders even to Bing Province.
What a headache.
Events in the court weren't instantly known in Bing Province. If there were internet or something, he'd know the central court's happenings overnight, but this wasn't that world. Even couriers might not arrive properly in a week. The only ones arriving on time were officials traveling under official banners.
"We shall begin the campaign."
Ding Yuan tossed the order aside and scanned the room.
"Lü Fengxian. Leave 3,000 garrison troops and march the rest to the capital."
"...Pardon?"
Did I hear that wrong?
"Governor. The Bing Province Army numbers about 10,000 now. You're mobilizing 7,000?"
"Indeed."
"...And suppress the Black Mountain Bandits on the way to the capital. Is that truly the end of it?"
"We may stay in the capital long-term."
"..."
The mood sank. Besides me, several other officials filled the office, but all kept silent, focused on the exchange between me and Ding Yuan.
"What? Any issues?"
"..."
Mobilizing two-thirds of the Bing Province Army to advance on the capital. Advance sounded off—better to say we're reinforcing the capital as relief forces for the bandit suppression.
"Bing Province's population has grown greatly these past years. That's all thanks to you."
"..."
Has Ding Yuan gotten that old? Sudden praise in front of everyone?
"Population up, grain stocks ample, soldiers greatly increased."
I handled overall refugee management. I mobilized them to open fields, stacking rice in the granaries. To boast a bit, plenty of those refugee youths said, "I want to wield a spear for justice alongside the general!" and enlisted.
"You're dragging them all into the court's political games?"
"Political games? Such a scary term. We're just following the imperial edict. Going to suppress bandits where they swarm."
"The bandits rampaging in Sili Province near the capital."
"Yet the order came to us, so the situation must be dire."
Irrefutable logic. No countering it.
"The fault lies with the Black Mountain Bandits who torched Mengjin and massacred people, and the eunuch clique who let them run wild."
"..."
"We're going at Grand General He Jin's command to suppress the bandits. Isn't that justice itself?"
Yes. This is right. But this chill running down my spine was one I'd felt countless times before reincarnation.
Damn it, this is what was decided. Ah, don't blame me. That's what they settled upstairs—what can I say? If you really can't, go tell the director yourself you refuse.
A scripted play, forced onto the stage.
Come on, drink this and cool off. Yeah? You're in your prime working years now! Cheers, two, three! Down it goes!
In a situation where the answer was set, I just had to nod. In other words. Stay quiet and get treated like a fool—nod, and I'd just get used.
"Suppressing bandits is righteous, of course."
I responded to the gazes of the three lieutenant generals beside me with a voice full of pride.
"No matter the court's affairs, we can't stand by while the people suffer under bandits."
The faces of Ding Yuan and the generals he personally recruited were a sight.
"However."
Got your hopes up?
"Reality is cold."
"..."
"We can't rush to aid the oppressed solely by military law and duty. We need meticulous plans for rations en route, equipment, meals during march."
Ding Yuan's eyebrow twitched faintly. I felt Hou Cheng, who handled logistics, perk up beside me.
"Suppressing bandits is natural, but will the court surely provide what's needed?"
"..."
Ding Yuan didn't answer.
"Can Sili Province's governor compensate for our consumed grain? They're telling us to suppress locals on the way up because of the Black Mountain Bandits."
"Sili Colonel."
Instead, he seized on it.
"Sili Province has no governor. It's the Sili Colonel."
"Does that matter? If the one meant to act as governor fails at his role, it's as good as none."
Trying to nitpick my slip.
"Sili Colonel or whatever, his failure caused this mess."
"..."
"If I meet him, I'd curse him to his face and it wouldn't suffice. While countless people were slaughtered and their homes burned by bandits, where the hell was he?"
"..."
Ding Yuan fell silent. Angry but holding back, or avoiding disadvantageous talk.
"Governor. Logistics are reality. If they can't even compensate part of our grain, we'll need alternatives."
Here and now?
"I'm not haggling rewards yet, but we can't return empty-handed after leaving home on expedition. That disrespects our Bing Province soldiers risking their lives far from home."
"...So what do you want?"
"If I and the soldiers establish merits, petition the court for clear support to Bing Province."
A deal phrased as a plea.
"Manpower, supplies—anything. With population growth, we need officials to manage them."
"..."
"Can you promise that?"
"...Fine."
Ding Yuan nodded heavily.
"I'll personally secure that promise from Grand General He Jin. Full support for Bing Province."
For Bing Province, not the army.
"Good."
Better than petty power plays with an old man.
"I'll begin mobilization preparations immediately."
Readying the troops to save even one more life in battle was preferable.
A short while later. Jinyang Fortress barracks.
"Song Xian, Wei Xu—you two stay. Taking Hou Cheng as deputy."
"Yes?!"
"..."
"As expected."
The three reacted differently, but I pointed to the man Ding Yuan sent.
"General. Is the discussion still open, or is it decided?"
"Ding Yuan's picks."
"Not that I distrust Hou Cheng, but this lineup..."
"Zhang Liao comes too."
"Ah."
Zhang Liao lightly raised a hand, as if to say trust me.
"Ding Yuan doesn't fully trust Zhang Liao yet, but he hasn't formed a separate unit. Likely using him as personal guard."
No command unit, but having a capable warrior ready to step in was reassuring.
"That... probably not."
"Hm?"
"General. Ding Yuan may be old, but he values face greatly."
"True."
"Just my thought, but..."
Zhang Liao cautiously pointed between me and my Fangtian Halberd.
"He might travel separately, but in public, he'll likely move with you at his side."
"Me?"
"Yes. I'm Bing Province's governor. Bing Province's Undefeated War—"
"Skip that."
"...He wants to parade Lü Fengxian as his subordinate. To show others that."
"I see."
Got it. A fake relationship just for show? First term that popped up, but pairing Ding Yuan and me as a fake couple for the public eye felt deeply unpleasant.
Logic holds, though.
No time for other words. Meaning matters, phrasing secondary. Problem was substituting aptly—
"...Using me as a decorative screen."
"Yes, exactly."
Screen. Yes. Perfect metaphor.
"...But will he trust me?"
I mimed slitting my throat.
"What if I stab him in the back anytime?"
"Just as you've judged Ding Yuan by his character over time, he'll judge you by his experience with you."
"Maybe. You never know what's in a deep well or a man's heart."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind. I'll play along. For now, Ding Yuan's serious about the expedition."
7,000 troops. Most trained by me and the deputies, but training wasn't solely mine.
"Ding Yuan's deputies coming too?"
"Yes. Yang Chu, Mu Shun, Han Xian."
"Han Xian? ...Sounds familiar."
When was it. Heard from a refugee during the Yellow Turban chaos that there was such a man among them.
"Not confirmed, but rumors say he's ex-Yellow Turban. He denies it vehemently."
"Hm..."
"General. Shall we befriend him?"
"No need. I just want you to experience all kinds—good people, helpful ones, those to keep distant. Judgment's yours. And..."
Ding Yuan treated Zhang Liao like his own, but Zhang Liao was just gaining social experience.
"We'll see Ding Yuan's true intentions by how he handles the Black Mountain Bandits en route. At least..."
I shifted the name plaques.
"Entrusting you two, Song Xian and Wei Xu, with Jinyang's defense says it."
Ding Yuan's family was in Jinyang.
"Taking all his own men means it's a crucial expedition. Crucial for us too."
"General. What are you thinking?"
"Bing Province governor."
"No way..."
"Time to find one."
"..."
Ding Yuan. His age surpassed heavenly mandate. By pre-reincarnation standards, pushing seventy.
"He should retire."
"Let's go. To Luoyang. To find our governor who'll serve Bing Province till death."
Bing Province already had martial strength; it needed intellect and political talent.
"Once there, someone's bound to turn up."
Bing Province needed more talent.
At that time, in Luoyang.
"..."
A man in purple civilian robes strolled the garden. Handsome features, neatly trimmed beard—he looked the type who took good care of himself. He walked the garden path to a pavilion on one side, where a waiting man received his courtesy.
"Pleased to meet Colonel of the Central Army of the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden, Lord Yuan Shao."
"Welcome, Palace Attendant."
"..."
The man called Palace Attendant. He frowned at Yuan Shao's invitation, but Yuan Shao kept smiling.
"My official ink hasn't even dried yet."
"Ha ha. Ink dries with time, doesn't it? Thank you for accepting my invitation."
Yuan Shao courteously clasped his hands to the man.
"Lord Xun Yu."