Biting and Being Bitten 3

They say the eye of a typhoon is calm.

Such was Guan Yu, standing at the center of the war between Han and Wei.

While an intense chase of pursuing and being pursued was repeating in the south, the situation of Guan Yu, who had caused this, was not urgent. It even felt somewhat leisurely.

Knowing that hastily building a pontoon bridge could lead to losing much for little gain, Guan Yu calmly waited for the river crossing preparations to be completed.

Unlike the Yangtze River, the Luo River was not very wide as a tributary. Building a pontoon bridge to cross the Luo River was a simple task for the engineering corps Guan Yu boasted of.

Guan Yu had previously renovated the walls of Jiangling Castle, built ships to rebuild the Jingzhou navy while stationed at Jiangling Castle, and made siege weapons for the northern expedition after occupying Fancheng.

If Zhang Ran’s Nanling Army was seasoned in marching through the nine provinces, it was no exaggeration to say that Guan Yu’s Grand General’s Office was proficient in making things.

In Luoyang, they couldn’t put up any significant interference even though Guan Yu was crossing the Luo River right in front of them. They felt a lack of troops as Sima Yi had left with Luoyang’s forces, and they were also hesitant in case Guan Yu might have strong crossbows or ballistas developed by Han.

Cutting the bridge crossing the Luo River in advance was the best they could do.

Guan Yu, who finished crossing, also followed the actions of Wei’s forces in Luoyang. He set fire to cut off the path so that Sima Yi, who was following behind, could not use the pontoon bridge.

For Sima Yi to reach Guan Yu, he would have to break through Yijue Pass where Guan Yu had left Xi Zhen, and then build a pontoon bridge to cross the Luo River again.

Unfortunately, no one was left separately at Guangcheng Pass, which is further down than Yijue Pass. This was because he judged it wasn’t good to split forces when there was still Yijue Pass to cross after Guangcheng Pass.

And it was also because he didn’t feel the need to touch Guangcheng Pass, which had voluntarily opened its gates. Having cooperated with Guan Yu, the soldiers of Guangcheng Pass had become collaborators with the enemy country in Wei’s eyes. Surely they wouldn’t change sides twice?

‘Guangcheng Pass, Yijue Pass, and the Luo River. How long will it take to pass these three places and arrive here? Whether I can take Luoyang within that time will be the deciding factor.’

Estimating the remaining time, Guan Yu looked at Luoyang Castle.

The Luoyang before his eyes was completely different from the last appearance left in his most recent memory. It was also quite different from the appearance of the more distant past.

Surrounded by high and solid walls, embracing the rebuilt Northern Palace, Luoyang Castle had risen prosperously to the point where one could not imagine the ruins where only ashes remained.

In Luoyang Castle, which had risen again even after being reduced to ashes, Guan Yu found the pulse of Han.

Luoyang, which Liu Bang, the founding emperor of Han, first tried to make the capital when establishing Western Han, finally became the capital when Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu re-established Eastern Han after Former Han was destroyed by Wang Mang.

Then it suffered the hardship of the entire city being burned by Dong Zhuo, a rebel comparable to Wang Mang… but look, hasn’t Luoyang stood tall again?

The Han dynasty, which had essentially been put to an end by Cao Cao’s hands, would be the same.

Like Luoyang revived from ashes, Han too would continue its history through Liu Bei.

‘Elder Brother… please wait just a little longer. This younger brother will surely present Luoyang to you.’

Though his emotions were the most intense in his lifetime, Guan Yu closed his eyes and calmed his mind.

Not yet. He was still outside Luoyang, and he was still standing on the battlefield.

Recalling the advice he always gave to Guan Ping to stay calm, Guan Yu slowly subdued his excitement.

“Father, it’s Luoyang.”

Perhaps moved by the sight of Luoyang he was seeing for the first time in his life, Guan Ping called Guan Yu “Father” instead of “Grand General”.

But this time, Guan Yu did not rebuke Guan Ping. The city of Luoyang had such charm to bewitch people. Even Guan Yu himself, if he had been just 10 years, no, 5 years younger, he would not have been able to control his emotions.

Unlike when he was rushing towards the goal of Luoyang without looking back, now that he was actually at Luoyang, Guan Yu pressed down on the floating atmosphere like a paperweight amidst the confusion of what to do.

“Ping, send an envoy to Luoyang. We should have talks first.”

It would be nice if they came over just through dialogue like Feng Hai.

Guan Yu knew well that they had placed those who would never come over at key strongpoints, with the precedent of Xiahou Mao already existing. But where is the human heart eternal and immutable?

Who knew Yu Jin would surrender, and who knew Xiahou Mao would defect?

If we pretend to have defeated Sima Yi and returned, and deceive the enemy by feigning composure, they might acknowledge that the tide has turned and surrender.

The envoy sent with slight expectations returned with an answer that was neither positive nor negative.

The answer was that they would accept talks if Guan Yu came near the castle gate, not them coming out of Luoyang Castle.

“They’re trying to test me.”

Guan Yu snorted and said. Privately, it was to test his courage, and on a larger scale, it was an attempt to infer from his attitude whether Guan Yu had really defeated Sima Yi and come.

It was a condition with obvious intentions. And Guan Yu did not back down even knowing this.

“Very well. Prepare my horse.”

“Grand General, wouldn’t it be better to take an escort?”

Zhao Lei asked, seeing Guan Yu about to rush off alone. Guan Yu shook his head and said:

“No. Now is the time to show confidence. I will keep the escorts to a minimum.”

“It must not be!”

At such a resolute denial, rather Zhao Lei was startled and looked for the one who had voiced the opposing opinion.

Who could speak so decisively towards Guan Yu, who had become almost absolute in the Han military upon becoming Grand General? It was impossible even for Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Zhang Ran whom Guan Yu acknowledged.

Only Liu Bei was capable of such an attitude, but now there was another showing such a stance.

The person in question, Guan Ping, continued speaking without stopping:

“Grand General, you are currently the pillar of our army. This place is enemy territory of enemy territories. Our army is effectively in an isolated and helpless state now. Our army has come this far only trusting and following you alone, Grand General. If something happens to you here, our army will not be able to endure any longer.”

“Soft words. Who would dare harm me?”

“Have you forgotten? The surgery to scrape your bone due to arrow poison. Grand General, no, Father… please take care of yourself.”

As a general, and as a son.

The earnest plea of his eldest son worrying about him with sincerity shook even Guan Yu’s stubbornness.

And Guan Ping’s words were right.

At first, Guan Yu thought Wei’s forces in Luoyang would not be able to attack him. Just Guan Yu’s arrival alone would be stirring up the people’s hearts in Luoyang. He judged that in such a situation, they would not commit the cowardly act of losing the people’s hearts.

But a cornered rat will bite the cat. If they pretended to be crazy and came at him with a do-or-die attitude, even Guan Yu couldn’t guarantee he would be safe.

“…Still, showing our might is important.”

“But…!”

“So. Reduce the numbers as much as possible.”

Everyone could tell that this was bending his decision to follow Guan Ping’s wishes.

Guan Yu had broken his own stubbornness and followed Guan Ping’s words.

Guan Ping’s face lit up brightly as he shouted energetically:

“Yes, Grand General! I will select them right away!”

Full of enthusiasm, Guan Ping organized an escort in less than a shichen. And Guan Ping himself took the lead as the captain of the escort. It was decided that Zhao Lei would manage the army as governor while Guan Yu was briefly away, and Guan Yu approached Luoyang Castle.

The walls were high. It was a height rivaling Chang’an Castle. But it was not too difficult to make out the faces of those standing on top of the walls.

Though it was unpleasant to be looked down upon, Guan Yu hid his inner thoughts and examined their appearances. No particularly familiar faces were visible.

“Who is in charge!”

Unlike with Feng Hai, Guan Yu opened with a somewhat forceful tone.

In response, a sturdy man wearing scholar’s attire but with armor over it stepped forward.

“I, Liu Ye, have been entrusted with the responsibility of defending Luoyang from the Governor of Henan!”

Liu Ye. Even if he didn’t know the face, there was no way he couldn’t know the name.

Because he had been appointed by Cao Cao even later than when Guan Yu was under Cao Cao, there was no acquaintance, but Liu Ye was a person of concern who was a collateral imperial clansman and had predicted the course of Han better than anyone else.

The fact that Liu Ye, with much thicker imperial blood than Liu Bei, was active under the Cao clan who had destroyed Han, had greatly irritated Guan Yu’s feelings.

But now, such a background of Liu Ye was welcome to Guan Yu.

“I see. So that man is Liu Ye.”

Although he was someone who had entered under Cao Cao, if you look at it that way, even Guan Yu had once been under Cao Cao, and even Liu Bei had been under Cao Cao at one point.

Guan Yu broke free from his preconceptions about Liu Ye and secretly placed his hopes on him.

Thinking that Liu Ye, being an imperial clansman, might recognize the legitimacy of the current Han that proclaimed succession to Western Han and open Luoyang’s gates following the trend.

Therefore, Guan Yu spoke to Liu Ye in a much softer tone. Telling him as a Liu imperial clansman to return once again to the embrace of the Han imperial family and join in the revival of Han.

And Liu Ye answered.