Chapter 14

Unlike the eventful 14th year of Jian’an, the 15th year of Jian’an passed quietly without major disturbances.

After the great battle of Chibi, which determined the fate of the world, the battles in Jing Province continued, including the first battle of Hefei where Sun Quan and Zhang Liao clashed for the first time.

The fatigue from the continuous battles was not just a story for the common people. The rulers of the forces of Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan also needed a period of rest and recovery.

Thus, the 15th year of Jian’an became a year of quietly consolidating their respective forces without friction.

However, the brief peace ended there.

With Cao Cao, who had quickly recovered from the damage of Chibi due to his vast territory and population, launching a campaign against Zhang Lu, the momentary peace came to an end.

Cao Cao’s campaign against Zhang Lu caused a chain reaction. Ma Chao and Han Sui of Xiliang, mistaking Cao Cao’s target as themselves, rebelled, and Liu Zhang of Yi Province, fearing Cao Cao’s army, invited Liu Bei following Zhang Song’s advice.

Ironically, Liu Bei, who had blocked Sun Quan’s advance into Xichuan, led his army into Yi Province.

Although Liu Bei’s entry into Yi Province was at the request of Liu Zhang, the current ruler of Yi Province, could it be that Liu Bei harbored no ambition to occupy Yi Province?

Liu Bei followed benevolence and righteousness, and indeed, unlike other warlords, he showed great concern for the people. But he was also a warlord surviving in chaotic times.

Especially the grand strategy proposed by Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei in Longzhong.

The essence of the grand strategy was to capture Chang’an and Luoyang, the old capitals of the Han Dynasty, by simultaneously advancing from Jing and Yi Provinces, thereby crushing Cao Cao’s power.

The strategy of dividing the world into three parts and advancing from Jing and Yi.

That was Zhuge Liang’s Longzhong Plan.

Despite the incredible victory at Chibi and gaining momentum by capturing Xingnan, the power gap with Cao Cao was still despairing. Not a single failure was allowed, and Liu Bei was still walking a tightrope of fate.

This was the reason why Liu Bei desperately blocked Sun Quan’s conquest of Yi Province. Without fully controlling Jing Province, if he didn’t monopolize Yi Province, he wouldn’t even get a chance to try.

Facing the fateful entry into Yi Province, what was I doing…

“The spear tip is shaking! Don’t lose focus!”

I was training with Zhang Fei.

§

“Phew…”

“Sister! Here, water.”

As I finished my training, my younger sister, who had been waiting for me to finish, ran over and handed me a cup of water. The cup, which she had been holding for who knows how long, was warmed by her body heat.

“Thank you. I’ll drink it well.”

“Mm! But sister, are you going again?”

“Huh?”

“Sister Chuk-baek said you’re going to war again. You’re not going, right?”

Her eyes, filled with tears, looked at me as if she would cry if I said I was going. I wiped the tears from my worried sister’s eyes and lightly pinched her cheek.

“I’m not going. I’ll stay here with Father. Were you scared that I might go?”

“Mm. Don’t pinch me.”

As I let go of her cheek, Yeon-yi covered her chubby cheeks with both hands as if to protect them from my mischief.

What I just said wasn’t a lie to comfort my sister. I really was staying in Jing Province.

To block any possible interference from Sun Quan, Liu Bei left his top core personnel in Jing Province.

When Sun Quan once expressed his intention to conquer Shu, Liu Bei vehemently opposed it by redeploying his troops, and this stance continued.

Therefore, our family was currently staying in Zigui County, which was west of Jiangling. Zigui County was a place where one could peek into Shu, and Liu Bei might have planned to call Zhang Fei when he seriously aimed for Yi Province.

Anyway, that wasn’t important. What was important was that I couldn’t join this entry into Yi Province.

I wasn’t just sitting still. I had expressed my desire to rejoin the army to my father and clearly stated my intention to join the entry into Yi Province.

But, well, I wasn’t the emperor. It wasn’t like I could just say I wanted to go and it would be granted. Of course, I was refused.

I was only 11 years old. After the incident with Lady Son, I had interacted with famous figures, but I was still just a child. With my father staying in Jing Province, there was no room for me to intervene.

I told my sister with a smile that I wasn’t going, but inside, I was anxious.

I had to find a way to follow the entry into Yi Province. That thought filled my mind.

This entry into Yi Province was the first step of the grand strategy, and not just for Zhuge Liang, but for me as well.

If Zhuge Liang’s Longzhong Plan for unifying the world was to obtain Jing and Yi Provinces, my plan for unifying the world was to save two people.

Pang Tong and Guan Yu.

Just saving these two would bring a great transformation to the future of Ji Han.

By saving Pang Tong, Zhuge Liang’s lifespan, which was shortened by overwork, would be extended, and by saving Guan Yu, the tragedy of the Peach Garden Oath and the Battle of Yiling, which caused the collapse of Ji Han’s pillars, could be prevented.

Perhaps, just by saving these two, the unification of the world could be achieved without my further intervention, such was the immense value of their lives.

‘But if I can’t even enter Yi Province, how can I save Pang Tong?’

I had no connection with Pang Tong. Even if I wanted to find him, I didn’t know where he was stationed, and later, even though I found out, it was too far to go.

I thought about exchanging letters, but that wasn’t easy either. First, there was no connection between me and Pang Tong, and shortly after I figured out his location, Liu Bei recognized Pang Tong’s abilities and made him a deputy military advisor, so I missed my chance.

After that, Pang Tong was busy with his duties as a deputy military advisor and planning the entry into Yi Province and future grand strategies, making it difficult to contact him. It kept getting postponed until the time for the entry into Yi Province came.

If I stayed like this, I might really lose Pang Tong right before my eyes. Even if I told Liu Bei or Pang Tong about the Falling Phoenix Slope, would they listen?

No matter how much superstition and divination were believed in this era, the expectation that they would follow my advice was ridiculously low.

‘I have to go myself. The Falling Phoenix Slope I know is from the novel. In reality, I don’t know when or how he dies. If I’m not by his side, Pang Tong will die.’

I’m sorry to Yeon-yi, but no matter how much I thought about it, entering Yi Province was essential.

The thought of how to enter Yi Province, even if late, continued until I played with Yeon-yi and went to bed.

Whenever I had time, I brought up the topic of entering Yi Province with my father, but there was no progress.

Time passed, and just as I was thinking of running away to secretly follow, a letter arrived for me.

[From Ban Jun, Wen You (Literary Friend) Cheng Ming]

It was from Ban Jun.

I quickly opened his letter. The content wasn’t much different from what we usually exchanged. As usual, it started with simple greetings, followed by responses to what I had sent and advice based on his experiences.

But my eyes couldn’t leave one part.

[The atmosphere in Gong’an is ominous, and I’m worried something might go wrong.]

A tingling feeling in my brain. Something seemed to be on the tip of my tongue.

‘Am I forgetting something?’

I read Ban Jun’s letter again from beginning to end, savoring every word.

And when I saw that phrase again, it struck me like lightning. The big event that happened around this time.

‘Getting Ban Jun was really the best thing I did last year!’

The incident of Lady Son’s return. In other words, the kidnapping of Liu Shan.

§

Ban Jun was, as usual, handling official duties at the official residence. Thanks to over a year of hard work to restore the system disrupted by the transitions from Liu Biao to Cao Cao and then to Liu Bei, he now had some leisure even while working.

He quietly put down his brush, coughed lightly, and looked around. Since Liu Bei had taken many officials, including Jian Yong, with him to enter Yi Province, the reduced staff was busy with their own tasks.

Ban Jun coughed lightly again and took out something he had brought with him in the morning. It was a bamboo slip. He untied the string binding the bamboo slips and unfolded the inside. A smile appeared on Ban Jun’s lips as he read the first line.

[From Chang-ran to Wen You Cheng Ming.]

Ban Jun, with a content smile, was about to read the next part when a voice came from beside him.

“Hey, Cheng Ming. What are you reading so interestingly?”

“Ah, Sun… Sun Official.”

Sun Qian. Courtesy name Gongyou. In later generations, he was mocked as “Gansunmi,” but in reality, he was a founding hero who made remarkable achievements as the diplomatic representative of Liu Bei’s forces.

Naturally, although he was also an official, he was much higher in rank than Ban Jun, and Ban Jun, caught slacking off by his superior, panicked and covered the bamboo slip.

“Hmm? This person, look at you. Ban Chengming is so startled. That’s not official business, is it?”

True to his role as a diplomat, Sun Qian was adept at reading people’s minds.

The political monster, the diplomatic master who once persuaded Yuan Shao, who was closest to unifying the world, quickly dissected Ban Jun’s inner thoughts.

“It’s that young lady. The daughter of General Zhang.”

“That is…”

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes… it is.”

“Why are you hiding it? It’s not like you’re in love. Or maybe you really are…”

“No, that’s really not it!”

Sun Qian, with his eyes narrowed, leaned back and said.

“If not, then not. Why are you shouting? It’s more suspicious. Then let’s read it together. Since you opened it in the official residence, don’t say it’s private.”

Ban Jun wanted to refute but only mumbled. Ban Jun was a talented scholar with high academic knowledge and practical abilities, but so was Sun Qian. If Ban Jun was a disciple of the great scholar Song Zhong, Sun Qian had also been recommended by the great scholar Zheng Xuan to take office.

If it were just administrative tasks or pure academic discussions, maybe, but in debates, Ban Jun had no confidence to beat Sun Qian, who was a diplomat. He was also far behind in position and justification.

Reluctantly, Ban Jun agreed to read Chang-ran’s letter with Sun Qian. Ban Jun, thinking he must apologize for this later, unfolded the letter again.

At first, they read the letter from Zhang Fei’s beloved daughter in a playful mood, but as they went on, their expressions became more serious. And when they finished reading the letter, Sun Qian felt the intuition of a diplomat.

“Good heavens…”

This letter was clearly.

[Lady Son might be trying to take A Dou with her.]

It must be true.