TKTCJ 04

Chapter 4

White-Cleaver (3)

Among the surrendered soldiers, Jung-gyeom selected those who were worth keeping.

There were 1,300 of them.

With Jeon Ye and Gongsun Gi standing at his left and right, Jung-gyeom stepped forward before the surrendered soldiers.

Several braziers were burning in the middle of the valley.

Perhaps because wet wood had been mixed in, the flames flickered low, belching out smoke.

But it was enough to push back the darkness.

Whenever the firelight trembled, the soldiers’ faces appeared red for a moment, then vanished again.

And amid it all—

Countless eyes turned toward him at once.

Jung-gyeom slowly removed his helmet, a heavy presence radiating from him.

A suffocating silence descended among the surrendered soldiers.

Then, from somewhere, a whisper slipped out.

“Could it be… the White-Cleaver?”

“…The White-Cleaver?”

“The commander who blocked our retreat and attacked us… Could he really be…?”

“Isn’t he trying to use us as scapegoats and secure a way to survive on his own?”

“That can’t be…”

The quiet whispers soon began to swell into a murmur.

Tsk.

Gongsun Gi clicked his tongue and strode one step forward.

“Silence.”

A razor-sharp killing intent instantly pressed down upon the valley.

“How dare you! Do you know where you are? Watch your tongues!”

Taking another heavy step forward, Gongsun Gi spat out the words in a low, weighty voice.

“Do you really want to die?”

The valley fell silent as though everyone had swallowed their breath.

Gongsun Gi had been Jung-gyeom’s longtime comrade and was like a brother to him, but by this point, he followed Jung-gyeom as though he were his lord.

Usually, Gongsun Gi was easygoing and mischievous, mixing freely with his subordinates without any formality. But once he stepped onto a battlefield, he was a man who could sweep across it with nothing but the savage killing intent he exuded.

Even Jeon Ye, who rampaged across the battlefield while wielding a massive battle-axe like a storm, would lower his body when Gongsun Gi truly lost his temper and glared at him.

There was no need to say more.

The valley—

Sank into silence beneath Gongsun Gi’s killing intent.

Jung-gyeom lightly raised a hand.

Gongsun Gi stopped himself before saying anything more, immediately lowered his head, and stepped back.

Then, when no one was looking, he gave Jung-gyeom a quick wink with one eye.

Judging by what he had just done—

It seemed his little performance had been meant to establish Jung-gyeom’s authority.

The corners of Jung-gyeom’s lips rose briefly before settling again.

Not bad.

Putting Gongsun Gi’s little ploy behind him, Jung-gyeom climbed onto a raised platform and called out.

“Some of you know well who I am, while others do not. Those who do know must be shouting in their hearts. A traitor.”

He drew a breath and filled his belly with air.

“But! I ask you this—who is the true traitor? Was it not Zhang Chun, the very man who deceived us beneath the banner of protecting the people? Is he not the true traitor and oath-breaker?”

Jung-gyeom’s gaze swept across the surrendered soldiers.

“Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju branded us as rebels, only to become rebels themselves and die as such. Now, tell me. Who is the true traitor?”

A few of the surrendered soldiers coughed quietly.

“Now I tell you this. Follow me. I, Jung-gyeom, stand here in accordance with the will of Lord Liu Yu, the rightful master of Youzhou.”

A justification burst forth from Jung-gyeom’s lips.

“I stand here to open a path for you to live as human beings. Follow me. I will cast off the stigma of being rebels and let you walk and breathe upon this land as heroes. I will make you a source of pride to your parents and brothers. When the day comes for you to face your ancestors, I will give you something to boast about!”

Jung-gyeom thrust his fist forward and shouted in a heavy voice.

“I will let you live as heroes and die as heroes.”

When Jung-gyeom finished his final words, a brief silence followed.

But soon—

A thunderous roar erupted from the valley.

“Waaaahhh—!”

“The White-Cleaver! The White-Cleaver!”

It was not only the surrendered soldiers.

Cheers also rang out from among the soldiers who had followed Jung-gyeom from the very beginning.

The echoes reverberated through the valley, shaking the night air.

For a while, the cheering continued.

Most of the surrendered soldiers swore that they would follow Jung-gyeom.

But there were also quite a few soldiers who were deeply scarred by their fear of war and the stigma of being rebels.

Those who were afraid to stand on the battlefield.

Those who valued their lives more than wealth or glory.

Jung-gyeom ordered his subordinates to let them return to their hometowns.

He even gave them a reasonable amount of wealth to take with them.

That left 1,200 soldiers.

‘Yes… This is quite a haul.’

If he could now calm these men, refine them, and forge them into a powerful army—

And eventually turn them into his personal guard—

Then wherever he settled, would he not be able to establish a base of his own?

For now, that was enough.

Once the battlefield had been cleared to some extent,

Jung-gyeom hurriedly moved his forces toward Ji, the seat of government in Youzhou.

Before long, Zhuo Commandery would be occupied, and Gongsun Zan would pursue them as soon as he finished securing the city.

Jung-gyeom stationed his forces near Shimen County, about a hundred li from Ji County.

The road there was narrow and winding, making it a place where even a small earthen fortification would allow a hundred soldiers to hold off a thousand enemies. Moreover, the northern road remained open, and after moving for only a dozen or so li, they could reach the wide grasslands.

It was also an excellent location for training and making use of the cavalry they had acquired this time.

Of course, it was an even better place to conceal troops.

There was a reason Jung-gyeom had hidden his forces at Shimen County.

What would happen if he went to request a surrender while leading nearly 1,700 well-armed soldiers?

Their very presence would undoubtedly provoke unnecessary suspicion and vigilance.

For that reason, Gongsun Gi had volunteered to remain behind at Shimen County and take command of the army.

Gongsun Gi knew the battlefield well and was more than capable of handling unexpected situations, so he accepted without hesitation.

Jung-gyeom appointed Jeon Ye as his deputy and headed toward Ji County with only a suitable offering and a small number of personal guards accompanying him.

On the surface, it looked as though he was lowering himself before Liu Yu.

In truth, however, it was a move that left him with options.

Of course, he had not acted recklessly, relying on his faith in Liu Yu alone.

There was Wei You, a great local clan leader of Youzhou who had previously held a high-ranking position in Luoyang.

He was currently in Youzhou.

And not merely there—he held the crucial position of Biejia.

As it happened, Wang Jeong knew him.

Wang Jeong had been someone who shared Jung-gyeom’s cause ever since Zhuo Commandery.

That connection had now borne fruit.

Wei You.

Having only read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms once or twice when he was young, Jung-gyeom had no way of knowing who this man was.

But there was one thing he knew for certain.

Youzhou was constantly plagued by invasions from foreign enemies.

And in practice, Gongsun Zan was the only one holding them back.

But Gongsun Zan was not a man who would blindly obey every order from the seat of government.

His formidable White Horse forces and his pride were such that even if an order came from the Inspector, he would shake his head if it did not accord with his own wishes.

If so, there was one thing the seat of government clearly needed.

Even if there was no one who could replace Gongsun Zan,

they needed a general capable of supplementing him.

And so, to Biejia Wei You, Jung-gyeom could only be a welcome rain after a long drought.

If there were a general who would obey the orders of the seat of government, even if he were only half as capable as Gongsun Zan—

Jung-gyeom tightened his grip around the reins.

‘…They will never cast me aside.’

Liu Yu was in an excellent mood.

As soon as he had arrived at the seat of government, he had not only suppressed the troublesome Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju, but had also driven the Wuhuan, who had been raiding the surrounding area, beyond the Great Wall.

On top of that, Wei You, whom he had known since his days in Luoyang, happened to be serving as Biejia.

Wei You was a man of wisdom, making him well suited to handling domestic affairs.

And the Xianyu brothers possessed the military talent of generals, making them useful for defending the seat of government.

The only thing Liu Yu regretted was the lack of a suitable general to guard against threats beyond the Great Wall.

And now, just when he needed someone to fill that vacancy, a man had come rolling in to surrender.

How could he not be pleased?

Looking at Jung-gyeom, who was kneeling with his head bowed before him in the main hall, Liu Yu spoke in a dignified tone.

“Though you once associated with the band of rebels, you ultimately turned back from the wrong path and set yourself straight. With your own hands, you pacified the rebellion and presented the heads of Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju. That is a merit sufficient to wash away your crimes and more. The Records of the Grand Historian says, ‘Those who correct their faults and return to virtue are worthy of esteem.’ You are a fitting example of those words.”

Liu Yu’s tone softened.

“From this day forward, I hope you will devote yourself wholeheartedly to this land and its people.”

Jung-gyeom was deeply moved by Liu Yu’s dignified bearing and gentle manner.

For the first time, he felt as though he was looking at a true adult—someone who actually deserved to be called a great man.

Just as history had recorded, Liu Yu was clearly a gentle and bright-hearted man.

Jung-gyeom almost wanted to confess his crime of diverting some of the wealth, as well as reveal the troops he had hidden at Shimen County.

But he soon calmed himself.

This was a place where his crimes were being covered by his merits, not a place where he should reveal every card in his hand.

A sword drawn once should only be unsheathed when the time was right.

Jung-gyeom lowered his head even further.

His heart was burning,

but his mind remained cold.

It was then.

Biejia Wei You stepped forward and spoke.

“I have heard that Jung-gyeom is on close terms with the Wuhuan chieftain Dapdon. Therefore, if Your Excellency were to appoint Jung-gyeom as Northern Route Commandant and have him station a contingent of troops at Yeongji County, he could communicate with the Wuhuan and greatly assist in stabilizing the surrounding region. I humbly ask that Your Excellency permit this.”

When Wei You finished speaking, the main hall fell silent for a moment.

Liu Yu did not answer.

He simply stared at Jung-gyeom, who remained kneeling before him.

This man is on close terms with a Wuhuan chieftain?

If that was true, it was certainly not something that could be taken lightly.

If there were even the slightest possibility that this man could pacify the Wuhuan…

Then surely the lives of the common people suffering from the invasions of foreign enemies would improve as well.

The more Liu Yu thought about it, the less likely it seemed that Wei You would have spoken without good reason.

But even so, it was difficult to simply accept the proposal without hesitation.

Whatever the circumstances, Jung-gyeom’s origins were still rooted among the rebels.

What should he do?

Would it be right to give him a chance?

Liu Yu’s fingers lightly tapped the armrest of his chair.

A brief silence.

The atmosphere in the main hall subtly sank.

“Is it true that you have ties with the Wuhuan?”

It was a short question.

But the weight behind it was anything but light.

Wei You’s gaze subtly shifted toward Jung-gyeom.

With a single answer, Jung-gyeom’s position would be decided.

How would he present himself?

After taking a moment to steady his breathing, Jung-gyeom opened his mouth in a calm voice.

“With all due respect, I dare say that the Wuhuan are not a people moved by trust. They move when there is profit to be gained, and withdraw when there is not. However, it is certainly true that I am acquainted with the Wuhuan chieftain. If Your Excellency would grant me even a minor position and command me to act, I swear I will pacify them and prevent them from crossing the Great Wall.”

When Jung-gyeom finished speaking, the main hall fell silent.

Liu Yu and Wei You were both inwardly impressed by his answer.

The manner in which he spoke was not that of some ignorant peasant from the countryside.

Wei You narrowed his eyes as he looked at Jung-gyeom.

Until a moment ago, he had thought that they had merely acquired a brave general who would make a useful pawn.

But now that he looked more closely, did this man not seem versed in both civil and military affairs?

His ability to read the situation was not something to be taken lightly, either.

‘This man… is no ordinary person.’

After studying Jung-gyeom for a moment, Wei You spoke.

“That is quite a reasonable argument for the words of a mere country bumpkin. Have you ever studied the classics?”

Jung-gyeom inwardly swallowed a sigh of relief.

Everything was proceeding exactly as he had intended.

He had already prepared his answer.

Bowing so deeply that his forehead nearly touched the floor, Jung-gyeom spoke.

“I was born into a humble family, but my father once held a minor official position in Gaomi. I learned my letters from him from a young age.”

At the mention of ‘Gaomi,’ Wei You’s eyes lit up.

“Gaomi?”