After the War

The joy over the great victory at the Battle of Luoyang that would go down in history was short-lived.

We continued a swift advance to Luoyang in pursuit of Cao Pi, but he had already withdrawn by then.

It must have been a measure considering that if they were besieged in Luoyang and reinforcements couldn’t come, they would face a truly inescapable situation. Thus, Luoyang returned to Han’s embrace almost without bloodshed.

Liu Bang, who occupied Chang’an, was about to indulge in pleasure, captivated by its treasures and the splendor of the imperial palace, but Liu Bei was different.

Unlike Liu Bang who was merely a hegemon, Liu Bei had already ascended to the position of emperor. Moreover, he still had the unfinished public great cause of unifying the world and the private grudge of avenging Yi Di, rather than luxury.

Though the joy of occupying Luoyang would certainly be great, he was not at a level where he would lose his sense of judgment, captivated by it.

However, Xiahou Dun, foreseeing that Liu Bei would not stop at Luoyang but continue the offensive, boldly abandoned the Luoyang area and occupied Hulao Pass to block the path to the Central Plains.

Hulao Pass, also called Huro Pass or Sishui Pass, appears as separate places in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but in fact they were the same location.

Anyway, to go from Hedong Commandery to Henei Commandery, one must cross the Taihang Mountains, and to enter Henei Commandery from Henan Prefecture and Luoyang area that we’ve just taken, one must cross the Yellow River, so he judged that blocking just the eastern gate of Hulao Pass could stop us for now.

And Xiahou Dun’s judgment was accurate.

Simply riding boats might be possible, but crossing the Yellow River with its rough currents was impossible. And returning to Hedong Commandery to embark on a long and rough expedition over the Taihang Mountains was too burdensome.

‘If Guan Yu were here, we could have left the Battle of Hulao Pass by the Three Brothers not just in the Romance but in official history as well.’

Sadly, Guan Yu was not here. However, Liu Bei’s will was full. Though Xiahou Dun hurriedly blocked Hulao Pass, Liu Bei seemed to see no small possibility of breakthrough.

He believed that in a situation like now where the gap in morale has widened to heaven and earth, they could break through even the combination of a natural stronghold and a famous general.

Unlike Liu Bei full of enthusiasm, Pang Tong saw the possibility of victory or defeat as fifty-fifty and could not easily make a judgment. I too was hesitant to oppose, knowing how advantageous a position we would occupy if we could just take Hulao Pass this time.

At this juncture, an event occurred that broke Liu Bei’s will to continue fighting. It was none other than what happened in the north.

“The General of Chariots and Cavalry was defeated by Sima Yi?”

If Luoyang was a battle of three emperors, the battle that took place in Bingzhou was a confrontation between the Generals of Chariots and Cavalry of Han and Wei, the two countries.

Ma Chao vs Sima Yi.

The lineup of both sides, representing fierce generals and strategists respectively, was also formidable. Under Ma Chao were Pang De, a fierce general almost on par with him, and Guo Bu and Wang Si of my Eight Wing Cavalry. Under Sima Yi were Zhang He and Xin Pi, who were compared to the Five Tiger Generals.

Though paling in comparison to the brilliant lineup of the Battle of Luoyang, the Battle of Bingzhou was also a famous match that many historians would pay attention to.

“Sima Yi, Sima Yi…”

Liu Bei repeated the name of the enemy who had checkmated him when he was really down to the last step.

Now that Sima Yi had succeeded in defeating Ma Chao, attacking Hulao Pass had become a distant matter. If we concentrated troops in the east, we would have an itchy back due to Sima Yi firmly holding Bingzhou.

‘I thought the battle in Bingzhou would be more of a contest of strength than tactics. Now it’s really become an era where it’s difficult to dominate the battlefield with just strength.’

Sima Yi, Zhang He, Xin Pi… all of them were famous generals capable of being responsible for one front of the battle line. Though Ma Chao and Pang De were fierce generals with tactical abilities as well, it seems they were overwhelmed in catching up with the enemy’s strategy.

Although Ma Chao was defeated by Sima Yi and retreated, the damage was relatively minor. Compared to what Wei and Wu suffered in the Battle of Luoyang, it was no more than a drop in the bucket.

“Your Majesty, though the General of Chariots and Cavalry had a hard fight, the Chancellor is safely defending Jingzhou against Lu Xun in the south, so how about taking Henan and Yingchuan in the south?”

“The Grand Commander’s proposal is indeed the right path. In Yingchuan, General Zhao Yun and Rear General Wei Yan are fighting against enemy generals Wen Ping, Wang Ling, Hu Zhi, and Jia Kui, so I believe helping those two generals should be the priority.”

Following Pang Tong, Li Zhao also argued that if we were to continue the war, we should attack the south rather than the northeast, so Liu Bei gave up his lingering attachment to Hulao Pass and turned his mind towards Yingchuan and Runan.

I volunteered for support, but Liu Bei did not allow it. In this war, I had acted as overall commander for the first half including the march route and the decision before Luoyang, and even had a life-and-death match with Xu Chu in the second half, so even to Liu Bei’s eyes it must have seemed like overwork.

‘I was even thinking of going all the way to Jingzhou to do something about Lu Xun…’

But Liu Bei’s dissuasion wasn’t just overprotection. I was certainly tired. It might be the most tired I’ve ever been after fighting so many wars until now.

The simple pressure was worse when I first took the position of supreme commander during the northern expedition, but this time fatigue had accumulated in a complex way, both mentally and physically.

For the same reason, the reinforcements went to Wang Ping and Zhang Yi. As they had participated in the battle latest, they had consumed less stamina compared to other units, and were unanimously chosen for the high quality of all officers and soldiers.

A total of 20,000 reinforcements were organized by adding 5,000 each from the troops under Liu Bei. Combined with Zhao Yun and Wei Yan’s armies, over 40,000 troops were dispatched to occupy Yingchuan.

Those who did not go as reinforcements were also assigned duties. These included stabilizing the counties of Henan Prefecture around Luoyang that had just been secured as our territory, and keeping Xiahou Dun at Hulao Pass in check.

I was excluded from there as well. More precisely, Luoyang was assigned as my duty station.

And Father, who had to fight against the most enemies, was also given the task of being responsible for public security in Luoyang, just like me. While Liu Bei toured the area to fully win over the public sentiment, he entrusted Father with governing Luoyang.

After the complex matters were roughly settled, there was a chance to meet Father privately. I visited Father with some nervousness. However, the first words Father uttered upon seeing me greatly missed my guess.

“Well done.”

“Pardon?”

“Did you think I would scold you? For sending me to a dangerous place?”

“…A little.”

“It’s only natural to exclude personal emotions in formulating military strategy. You devised the best strategy for victory, and entrusted me with an important task believing in me, so as a father I’m happy, how could I rebuke a daughter who has done great things?”

The conversation I had with Father afterwards was closer to a military conference than casual talk. As we exchanged conversations about the land gained this time and changes in the balance of power, before we knew it, night had fallen.

While spending such days, Liu Bei returned. The jiao sacrifice that had been prepared while he was away was performed. Not long after, news came that Wang Ping and Zhang Yi, who had gone as reinforcements, had occupied part of Yingchuan together with Zhao Yun and Wei Yan.

As the follow-up processing of the war was nearing its end, one agenda was brought before Liu Bei.

Moving the capital (遷都).

It was a memorial suggesting moving the capital from Chengdu to Chang’an.

§

In contrast to Luoyang’s palace being noisy over whether to move the capital from Chengdu to Chang’an or not, the palace in Ye, where Cao Pi had barely returned, was shrouded in silence.

It was because the condition of the palace’s master, Cao Pi, was poor.

Cao Pi had started to fall ill from when he returned after suffering a great defeat in Luoyang, and upon arriving in Ye, his condition became critical to the point where people said he might not last the day.

At an age approaching forty. It was still an early age for the upper class who took care of their health, but Cao Pi realized his lifespan had reached its end and called those he trusted most.

Below Cao Pi’s sickbed, his complexion ashen.

Four ministers were prostrated, stifling even their breathing to hear his voice.

General of Chariots and Cavalry Sima Yi.

Director of the Imperial Secretariat Chen Qun.

General of the East Cao Xiu.

General Who Guards the West Cao Zhen.

Sima Yi and Chen Qun, versed in civil and military affairs, from among the Four Assistants Cao Pi trusted most.

Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen, who showed ability in the military among those of the same surname as Cao Pi.

These were the high ministers Cao Pi had designated.

Cao Pi, who had made Cao Rui, son of Empress Guo, crown prince as soon as he returned to Ye, had these four people assist Cao Rui in managing state affairs.

Among them, Cao Pi especially entrusted foreign affairs to Sima Yi and internal affairs to Chen Qun. Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen were there to check ministers who were not of the Cao or Xiahou clans as blood relatives.

Actual power except for the rights of inspection and judiciary was divided between Sima Yi and Chen Qun.

When Cao Pi suffered a great defeat, Sima Yi’s elevated status from defeating the renowned Ma Chao and Chen Qun’s position from laying the foundation of administration with the Nine-rank system made this possible.

After leaving words of exhortation for the young crown prince and asking the high ministers to please assist the crown prince in protecting Wei’s ancestral temples and state, Cao Pi finally looked at Sima Yi.

How much time had passed since the defeat for Cao Pi’s emaciated hand to tremble pitifully. Sima Yi rushed forward on his knees and wrapped Cao Pi’s hand.

“Zhongda…”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I should have followed your strategy no matter what at that time… Because of my pride, I ruined the great cause, so I have no face to see the ancestors even after death.”

Tears flowed from Cao Pi’s eyes. He had gone out with an army of 100,000 and returned with only 40,000 soldiers, so even Cao Pi felt regret and anguish at that outrageous situation.

“Zhongda, now you are the only person left whom I can trust and entrust the country’s safety to. Shuangming is too old to be entrusted with great matters anymore, and my blood relatives cannot stop those Shu rebels. Will you protect Wei?”

To Cao Pi’s earnest plea that would remain as his last words, Sima Yi lowered his body even deeper while holding Cao Pi’s hand.

“Your Majesty, though we lost Luoyang, our country is still intact. In the north, we beheaded Kebineng and stabilized the border from the northern barbarians, and we’ve made a marriage alliance with Eastern Wu to form a blood pact, so now there’s much less reason to worry about the south!”

Even as he spoke, Sima Yi felt the strength gradually leaving Cao Pi’s hand he was holding.

He cried out, more urgently immersed:

“Your Majesty, looking back at the Warring States period, though the trend of the world had already tilted towards Qin, when Lin Xiangru, Li Mu, Zhao She, and Yue Yi supported the country, Qin dared not surpass Zhao and bare its teeth to the world. If they had not been abandoned by the country, how could Qin have unified the world!”

Cao Pi’s hand was gradually becoming stiff. While the faintly remaining consciousness slightly wiggled the fingers, Sima Yi continued speaking with a sense of mission:

“Your Majesty, our country’s Grand Commander Zhong Yao, Minister of Works Hua Xin, and Minister of Education Wang Lang are talents of the world who surpass even Zhao She or Yue Yi of Zhao and will stabilize the country, and Manchong who blocked Lu Xun of Wu is a talent comparable to Lin Xiangru. If we follow the wise policies of the Three Excellencies internally and have Manchong defend externally, the country will naturally be stable.”

Zhao She, Yue Yi, Lin Xiangru. Loyal ministers and famous ministers who supported Zhao against the powerful state of Qin. However, with the remaining one name not mentioned, it was all too obvious who that person corresponded to.

Perhaps because Sima Yi too had fought consecutive battles? Blood flowed from Sima Yi’s mouth as he shouted as if wailing with all his soul.

With the heart of spitting blood, and actually spitting blood, Sima Yi grasped Cao Pi’s hand that was growing cold.

“Your Majesty, what about those to whom Your Majesty entrusted the future? Chen Jingwen is material like the Marquis of Pingyuan, and the Crown Prince who will succeed Your Majesty’s lineage has the demeanor of the Duke of Xinping, so how could we not win against the Shu rebels if we gather the country’s talents to face them!”

Finally, Cao Pi’s hand slipped from Sima Yi’s. There was no warmth of the living left in the cold hand now.

Though he felt this, Sima Yi kowtowed towards Cao Pi’s body that had become a corpse. Thud, thud. Along with the sound of Sima Yi’s forehead striking the floor, Sima Yi’s voice that seemed about to tear resounded towards the departing one:

“This subject will now prostrate himself and dedicate his body, exert all his sincerity to strive for the country, and only stop when dead…!”

Devote oneself wholly to one’s duties until death (鞠躬盡瘁 死而後已).

That was Sima Yi’s answer of entrustment to Cao Pi.