Chapter 192

Chang’an City. Miyang Palace.

In Liu Bei’s chamber within the palace, the lantern light still flickered late into the night.

The shadow cast by the window remained motionless, deep in thought.

Then, footsteps echoed, and only then did the shadow stir.

“Have you arrived? Come in.”

The only man who could wander into Liu Bei’s chamber deep within Miyang Palace at this late hour was now the only one left in the world.

“Your Majesty.”

“No need to be so formal in private. Aren’t we the only brothers left now?”

As Guan Yu’s coffin was buried, Liu Bei accepted that the beloved brother he cherished had left his side forever. And he transformed that sense of loss into a thirst for vengeance.

But the fiery spirit of vengeance that once burned brightly was nowhere to be felt, and Liu Bei’s demeanor was deeply somber.

Zhang Fei plopped down beside Liu Bei’s bed.

“What troubles you so, brother?”

“…Today, I saw Yi Yi’s divination.”

“Hmph, since when did you rely on such trivialities, brother?”

After they established themselves in Jing Province as independent warlords and built their system, Zhang Fei had tried to use humble speech as much as possible. But now, his tone was rough, reminiscent of the days when they were somewhere between a bandit group and warlords.

Hearing Zhang Fei’s voice, which evoked nostalgia for the past, Liu Bei smiled and shook his head.

“Of course not. I only trust myself and my people. Isn’t the will of heaven something we create ourselves?”

“Then that’s settled, isn’t it?”

Even though his own daughter was involved, Zhang Fei remained indifferent. Though Liu Bei knew Zhang Fei prioritized state affairs over family, he hadn’t expected him to be this composed.

“Aren’t you worried about Lan’er?”

“Why should I be? She seems to have surpassed even her father now. Who in the world could stop her? Lü Bu and Zhang Liao are long gone, and even Cao Cao’s beloved son died at her hands. All that’s left is Xu Huang, and he’s old now.”

“Old, you say… Yes, old. Not just Xu Huang, but all of us have grown old.”

Liu Bei looked down at his thighs.

His thighs had gained weight. His skin had lost its elasticity, and his muscles had shrunk. The days when he lamented gaining weight on his thighs during his four years at Xinye Fortress were now decades past.

Though he hadn’t secured a proper place to rest his body even as he approached fifty, in recent decades, Liu Bei had risen as the emperor who held the reins of the world.

But time hadn’t given him only gifts. It had taken his health in return.

If only he could lament just the weight on his thighs, but now even riding a horse without stirrups was difficult.

Naturally, he knew. The time left for him was not long.

“The era, our era, is coming to an end.”

The warlords who once rose across the land, declaring themselves the ones to unify the world, had disappeared one by one, leaving only three.

Yuan Shao, who once boasted the greatest power in the world, had died. Liu Biao, who entered Jing Province alone and became a warlord, had died. Even Cao Cao, one of the last three warlords, who was just one step away from unifying the world, had died.

And it wasn’t just them. Countless others had risen and fallen.

Guo Jia, Zhou Yu, Fa Zheng.

Now, Liu Bei was the only early warlord left in the world. And even Guan Yu, whom he believed would never leave before him, had closed his eyes.

Who would be next? There was no need to ponder; the answer was clear.

“Yi De.”

“Yes, brother.”

“This will likely be my last war.”

Perhaps next time, even if his heart was willing, his body wouldn’t follow.

Maybe it’s the same now. Perhaps it was only his deep love for Guan Yu that made this campaign possible.

“That’s why I’m more anxious and worried. It’s not just about Lan’er. As you said, she will overcome any adversity with her own strength. You were like that when you were young too. So I won’t worry about that anymore.”

“Brother, then what are you afraid of?”

“If I fail this time, I fear I won’t be able to personally honor Guan Yu’s spirit anymore.”

Liu Bei’s true feelings, which he couldn’t share with Pang Tong, Zhuge Liang, or anyone else.

As a ruler, he had to hide his weakness, but Liu Bei revealed his vulnerable heart to his brother.

Zhang Fei was silent for a while. Just staring at Liu Bei, he finally spoke heavily.

“Back then, during the battle for Hanzhong against Cao Cao.”

The first and last time Liu Bei faced Cao Cao alone and won.

If the Battle of Chibi was the starting point for Liu Bei to break free from the fear of Cao Cao, the Hanzhong campaign was the climax where Liu Bei finally surpassed Cao Cao and gained confidence in the grand cause of unifying the world.

“Your words from that time are still vivid in my memory.”

“What words do you remember so clearly?”

“Hanzhong is already mine. What can Cao Cao change even if he comes? That’s what you said.”

“Right. I remember now.”

“At that time, Cao Cao’s might was immense. Xu Huang, Xiahou Yuan, Guo Huai, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu. The generals Cao Cao had were numerous. But what was the result?”

We won. Liu Bei. And it was a great victory.

“How is it now? No different from then. Xu Huang, Zhang Pei, Cao Zhen, Xiahou Shang. Cao Pi will bring others, but it’s fifty steps to a hundred. But you, brother, have changed.”

Though Guan Yu had left Liu Bei’s side, more people had gathered around him. More people supported Liu Bei now than during the Hanzhong campaign.

Guan Yu was gone, but Zhang Lan, who inherited his legacy, remained. Fa Zheng was gone, but Pang Tong still stood by Liu Bei’s side as his strategist.

Huang Zhong’s void was filled by Shang Cong, Wang Ping, Ma Chong, Zhang Yi, Zhang Jin, and others, while the civil officials managing logistics and internal affairs filled the Prime Minister’s office and the Shangshu Department.

While Wei and Wu struggled to fill their losses, only Han continued to grow.

Seeing this, feeling this, Zhang Fei spoke confidently.

“The world is already in your hands, brother. What can they change even if they join forces?”

Zhang Fei was certain. Though the harsh heavens didn’t allow the three brothers to fulfill their dreams together, they had made their brothers’ dreams their own.

With Zhang Fei’s words firmly anchoring his wavering heart, Liu Bei’s face became as clear and peaceful as a morning after the fog had lifted.

With his worries gone, Liu Bei spoke. Words to Zhang Fei, and words to himself.

“When winter passes and spring comes… I must rise. Before this body stops before my heart does. I must go and show the world the dream of our brothers.”

§

After Liu Bei summoned Zhuge Liang for another discussion, Zhuge Liang realized he couldn’t change Liu Bei’s mind and stopped gathering the anti-war faction.

If the ruler’s will was firm, forming a faction against it was unwise.

With Zhuge Liang, the leading anti-war advocate, following Liu Bei’s will, the anti-war sentiment sank beneath the surface. If it couldn’t be stopped, they had to strive to win. With this thought, Zhuge Liang became the host of the military council and gathered people.

I was also one of them.

The grand council watched by Liu Bei himself.

With Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Ma Liang, my father, me, Zhao Yun, and others attending, the military council was practically a gathering of high-ranking officials.

As Liu Bei announced the start of the meeting, Zhuge Liang, who had convened it, spoke first.

“Since Cao Pi and Sun Quan have joined forces, we must prepare to face both forces simultaneously in this war.”

Zhuge Liang’s pointer indicated Jing Province on the map.

“Thus, the battlefronts will be two main areas: the Jing Province front against Sun Quan.”

The pointer moved north to Luoyang.

“And the Luoyang front against Cao Pi.”

Listening quietly, Pang Tong added his opinion.

“Last time, Cao Cao attempted a rear infiltration through Bingzhou and Hatu. This time, we could attack Cao Cao’s Bingzhou.”

“If we coordinate with Gabi Neng, whom the Prime Minister has allied with, we can significantly disperse their forces.”

As Ma Liang supported Pang Tong’s argument, Zhuge Liang suddenly looked at me.

“I’ve thought about that too. If we rally the tribes in Hatu, we can achieve high efficiency without committing many of our troops. So, I’d like Commander Wei to take on this task.”

“Me?”

Why me? Shouldn’t Ma Chao or Pang De handle this? As I tilted my head in confusion, Zhuge Liang smiled faintly, as if to say it wasn’t what I thought.

“Of course, General Biao is suitable as the main commander for attacking the enemy’s Bingzhou. But among the tribes in Hatu, Commander Wei’s reputation is the highest. If Commander Wei gathers the tribes in Hatu, they will become our allies.”

It seems I left quite an impression on them during the battles in Hatu.

‘Well, the Tuoba and Doba tribes, who dominate Hatu now, follow me. That makes sense.’

Next was Luoyang, which would naturally be the main battlefield, with Liu Bei personally leading.

The elite of Han would gather there, with Pang Tong serving as the strategist.

Then the problem was Jing Province.

If Sun Quan led personally, there wasn’t much to fear. But if Sun Quan sent Lu Xun, we didn’t have many who could match him.

‘Yi Yan could hold a defensive line against Lu Xun, they say. If I and my father go to Luoyang, Yi Yan might be the only one.’

As I was about to recommend Yi Yan, a heated discussion broke out in the council about who to send to Jing Province. Just as I was about to speak, a statement ended the debate.

“The person to send to Jing Province has already been decided by His Majesty.”

At Zhuge Liang’s words, all eyes turned to him.

“Ah, as expected of the Prime Minister.”

“Who is the suitable person? Is it General Wu?”

“Wouldn’t General Hou be enough?”

Amid the various opinions, Zhuge Liang leisurely waved his pointer and said.

“General Zhang.”