Biting and Being Bitten 4

“When on earth was I an imperial clansman!”

Words Guan Yu could never accept.

But Liu Ye didn’t stop there.

“Open Luoyang’s gates? You’re telling me to hand over Luoyang to you? What nonsense! You who saw Luoyang reduced to ashes that day, how can you spout such absurd words!”

Guan Yu’s eyebrows twitched.

Luoyang? Of course I saw it. How could I forget? I even remember clearly the burning smell that stung my nose.

Because he remembered that, Guan Yu felt certain that the mandate of heaven still pointed to Han when he saw Luoyang revived again.

For Liu Ye, who was just a child at the beginning of the chaotic era when Dong Zhuo wielded tyrannical power, to arrogantly speak of that time. The words of this youngster who hadn’t directly experienced it considerably irritated Guan Yu’s feelings.

However, Guan Yu silently listened to Liu Ye’s words. Rather, those escorting him reacted more strongly and burst out in anger. As Guan Yu stood still like a stone statue, Liu Ye continued speaking:

“Look! At this Luoyang! Who rebuilt Luoyang that had collapsed in the chaotic era! When chaos comes, warriors like you must be happy! Battlefields to gain fame and rise to high positions are spread all over! But the more so, the people suffer! Do you know the feelings of people trembling in fear, unable to guarantee even one day’s safety! The son sent by heaven to care for them, the parent of all people disappeared, and only profiteers pursuing their own greed filled the world! Only the former emperor looked towards a new world! He dreamed of the end of the chaotic era!”

Liu Ye, who lost his parents at 7 and became an orphan, committed his first murder at 13.

He became friends with Lu Su and discussed the world, witnessed the reality of the chaotic era under the warlord Ding Gong, and personally beheaded Ding Gong.

Because imperial blood flowed in him, he gave up the path of becoming a warlord himself, and followed Liu Xun, Governor of Lujiang, before submitting to Cao Cao. Only then did Liu Ye see the light illuminating the chaotic era.

The light that would end the chaotic era that turns humans into beasts and castrates hope and joy.

“If only you bastards hadn’t held back the former emperor’s ankles at Red Cliffs! If only you had realized the state of affairs even belatedly in Hanzhong and bowed your heads! By now, songs of great peace would be echoing throughout the world! Just as Luoyang, which had been reduced to ashes, has prospered again, the entire world that had become desolate and turned into wasteland would be singing joyfully amidst abundance!”

Liu Ye poured out his resentment with a feeling of vomiting blood.

Imperial family? Such a thing had no value whatsoever to Liu Ye.

Rather, the Liu imperial family that had opened the chaotic era with incompetence and greed was close to an object of hatred for Liu Ye.

Because Liu Ye had seen the ugliness of the world as an orphan, not in the comfort of the imperial family, to him Han remained as disgust rather than pride.

Those words of Liu Ye were perhaps no different from the cries of the people tired of the chaotic era, not just of Liu Ye alone.

Guan Yu just quietly waited for Liu Ye to spew out all his words, the resentment piled up inside.

And only when Liu Ye stopped speaking and began to catch his breath while panting did Guan Yu open his mouth.

“Are you done?”

The fact that that Guan Yu, Guan Yu who would be upset to be called second in arrogance in the world, calmly asked back after hearing Liu Ye’s outburst denying Han shocked those present.

“If you have more to say, go ahead and finish.”

It wasn’t just bravado.

Guan Yu was sincerely speaking to Liu Ye.

‘Is it true?’

Until now, Liu Ye hadn’t even considered the slightest possibility that Guan Yu had defeated Sima Yi and come. He just thought Guan Yu had somehow luckily eluded Sima Yi.

So he thought that if he just dragged out time, Sima Yi would return and easily deal with Guan Yu.

But the attitude Guan Yu was showing now before his eyes cracked Liu Ye’s firm conviction.

‘Could it be that the Governor of Henan really fell to Guan Yu? That Henan and Nanyang were pacified by Guan Yu?’

When Liu Ye fell silent in confusion, Guan Yu took that as a sign of agreement.

“Then it’s my turn to speak. I sympathize with your words. You spoke of the people’s suffering? How could I not know that? I too was just one of the common people.”

Unlike Liu Ye, it was a calm tone, but Guan Yu’s voice spread through Luoyang with a deep resonance.

Guan Yu too had not lived a smooth life. He was driven from his hometown and lived as a wanderer, and after meeting Liu Bei, he went through all sorts of hardships following him.

Only now had he risen to the prominent position of Han’s Grand General, but looking back on the process, it was by no means something that could be dismissed as lucky or easy.

“I also sympathize with your faith in Lord Cao.”

Guan Yu too had been under Cao Cao. And Guan Yu also understood that Cao Cao could be one capable of pacifying the chaotic era.

Knowing this, Guan Yu still chose Liu Bei. He did so even knowing it was a difficult path of voluntarily suffering hardships, with a significantly lower chance of victory.

Therefore, Liu Bei’s ascension now proclaimed as the trend of the world was a miracle to Guan Yu that could not be expressed merely as the mandate of heaven.

“Because I cannot deny your words following Wei, the only thing I can tell you, what I can swear to promise, is just one thing.”

It was too much for Guan Yu to deny that Han had brought about the chaotic era itself, or to deny that Cao Cao could revive the lives of the devastated people just as he had raised Luoyang again and pacified the world.

Just because desiring the end of the chaotic era was one thing that was no different for both Liu Ye and Guan Yu.

Guan Yu answered:

“If you open the gates, it will not be opening the gates of Luoyang, but opening the era of great peace.”

Cao Cao’s chance to open a new era had disappeared.

The aspiration for unifying the world that was frustrated at Red Cliffs had even the faint embers remaining in Hanzhong extinguished.

So now we can only expect the next turn.

The turn of Liu Bei.

Liu Ye’s two pupils shook violently.

Just as Guan Yu could not deny Liu Ye’s words, Liu Ye too could not deny Guan Yu’s words.

If he opens Luoyang’s gates and accepts Guan Yu.

Guan Yu’s tens of thousands of troops, several times more than the Wei forces remaining in Luoyang, would instantly occupy Luoyang Castle and hold out until Han reinforcements following arrive.

Luoyang Castle’s walls are thick, Guan Yu’s soldiers are elite, and the supplies stored in the castle are abundant. They can endure until Han’s rescue army comes.

And if Liu Bei really sends reinforcements and Han occupies Luoyang Castle, the fall of Wei and Wu would become as natural as water flowing from river to sea.

If that happens, the world would finally escape the long chaos and regain order once again.

‘The end of the chaotic era…’

Liu Ye shuddered at the realization that the future he might create with his own hands had a very high possibility.

A whirlpool of conflict arose in Liu Ye’s heart. His hands trembled subtly. Liu Ye quickly hid his hands in his sleeves, but there were eyes that didn’t miss it.

And the one who saw this immediately snatched a bow from a nearby soldier and drew the string.

Aiming an arrow at Guan Yu, he shouted:

“You’ve grown old and your tongue has only gotten longer! Your past of being called the God of War That All Fear under the former emperor is in vain! The soldiers and people of Luoyang will block you bastards prepared to die! Don’t spout such bewitching nonsense and get lost!!”

And he actually released the string, shooting the arrow.

Although it was merely a warning shot falling in front of Guan Yu’s feet, not meant to hit him, with this the dialogue plunged into catastrophe.

“No! General Zhengnan, what on earth are you doing!”

Liu Ye cried out in alarm towards the one who shot the arrow, Xiahou Shang.

At one time, due to Xiahou Mao’s defection, all the people of the Xiahou clan were transferred to the north or Sun Quan’s Huainan area, but Xiahou Shang, who was closest to Cao Pi, was reinstated not long after.

Xiahou Shang was not only Cao Pi’s closest blood relative, but also had a marriage alliance by marrying Princess Deyang, Cao Cao’s niece, but the same was true for Xiahou Mao.

Xiahou Shang’s return wasn’t achieved by relying on such connections. Cao Pi sent Xiahou Shang back to Luoyang for three reasons:

One was that he was reluctant to completely allow military power to his subjects.

Another was that Xiahou Shang’s abilities were too valuable to be tucked away on the northern front.

And the last one was that he had a perfect means to control him.

It was Xiahou Shang’s concubine. Despite having Princess Deyang as his main wife, Xiahou Shang loved his concubine more.

In the original history, Cao Pi commits the act of killing the concubine, resenting that Xiahou Shang dared to cherish a concubine who wasn’t a Cao more. Xiahou Shang becomes completely ruined by this, digs up the grave, holds the corpse of his beloved concubine and wails, and eventually dies of illness.

However, knowing that the current situation was not easy, Cao Pi decided to use Xiahou Shang’s concubine as a hostage instead of killing her.

Therefore, Xiahou Shang’s concubine remained in Yecheng, and Xiahou Shang was sent to Luoyang to assist and monitor Sima Yi.

Sima Yi was uncomfortable with Xiahou Shang and left him in Luoyang, handing over full authority to Liu Ye, but Xiahou Shang intervened without hesitation when he saw Liu Ye showing signs of wavering.

After briefly looking at the angry Liu Ye, Xiahou Shang instead took an even stronger stance.

“Adviser An, please escort Lord Liu back to the inner castle. It seems Lord Liu is mentally struggling, having no experience in direct command. I will manage Luoyang Castle for the time being.”

An Bi, who was sent along with Liu Ye and Xiahou Shang to help Sima Yi manage Luoyang Castle and Henan Commandery, sided with Xiahou Shang.

An Bi, who remained in history as a famous prefect along with Chang Zi, Wei’s representative famous prefect, was a person with the decisiveness resembling Cao Cao of the past when he beat his uncle Ding Xian to death.

An Bi immediately approached Liu Ye.

“It seems best for you to rest in the inner castle for a while.”

Xiahou Shang and An Bi.

When Xiahou Shang, who had been recognized with part of the military authority from Cao Pi, and An Bi, who was practically managing Henan Commandery here, stepped forward, Liu Ye had no choice but to hand over command.

Xiahou Shang, who secured full authority over Luoyang, immediately issued military orders to the entire army.

“It is said that if one is determined to die, one will live. We will defend Luoyang prepared to die. If we do so, the Governor of Henan will surely return.”

Xiahou Shang stared at Guan Yu’s receding back while steeling his resolve.

‘I am different from the likes of Xiahou Mao. Guan Yu, you will never set foot in Luoyang.’

To revive the fallen prestige of the Xiahou clan, and to remove Cao Pi’s suspicious gaze towards the entire Xiahou clan, Xiahou Shang prepared for battle.