If not for that "Chief Clerk" business, Xun Ye knew that when he went to meet Lü Bu, his eyes would have turned into a pie chart—three parts excitement, three parts anticipation, plus four parts nervousness.
But now, without even meeting him, Lü Bu had completely rewritten his career plans, and his pie chart had updated with the times.
Excitement, anticipation, and nervousness had all vanished without a trace, leaving only ten parts of gloomy despair.
A dragon's nine sons are each different—stereotypes must be discarded, General Lü.
Had he known this would happen, he would never have said something like "if necessary, I can just disguise myself as a strategist." His elders were all genuinely talented; how could he, a mere brick, shamelessly pass himself off as a gem among them?
Hooves clattered. The cold wind of the first month blew through streets with few pedestrians, and only when they entered Yonganli, where officials predominantly resided, did the area feel somewhat livelier.
"I really told him you wanted to lead troops in battle, but he just wouldn't believe it," Zhang Liao explained dryly again. "Not only did he not believe it, he thought I was deliberately making excuses because I didn't want to let you go."
If it weren't for the fact that they hadn't seen each other in a long time and fighting would damage their friendship, the two of them might have come to blows yesterday—with him being on the receiving end of a one-sided beating.
Xun Ye's head ached from listening. "I know, I know. It's not your fault."
At home, his beautiful father called him a little chatterbox, but Zhang Wenyuan, when he got going, was even more of a chatterbox than him.
At first hearing, this situation was hard to swallow, but upon calming down and thinking it through carefully, it wasn't really a case of good intentions leading to bad results.
In this era, reputation was both valuable and worthless. Those who were utterly loyal and unyielding were extremely rare; the vast majority prioritized profit above all else. As long as one held a high position, even with the worst reputation, there would never be a shortage of people rushing to flatter them.
Factional struggles within the military weren't as clear-cut as those in the Chaotang. Even Zhang Liao only learned how dire the situation of the Bingzhoujun was after returning to the capital and meeting Lü Bu; outsiders knew even less about the internal circumstances.
Lü Bu felt suffocated being constantly tethered to Dong Zhuo's side, but in the eyes of those desperately seeking a way out, it appeared that Chancellor Dong held this extraordinarily skilled adopted son in especially high regard.
It was no exaggeration to say that more self-recommending visitors were waiting to be received at General Lü's residence than at the mansions of the Sangong.
Those who reached the rank of Sangong were all clever people, and dealing with them required too much brainpower. In comparison, General Lü, who could be tempted by Chancellor Dong with gold, silver, and fine horses, was much easier to fool.
Lü Bu had experienced plenty of conflicts in his time—even if he hadn't eaten pork, he'd at least seen pigs run. By now, he'd probably caught on and realized he was easy to fool, which was why he simply ignored all those self-recommending fellows at his doorstep.
A blanket rejection might miss out on good talent, but it also kept all risks outside the gate. He wasn't the type to humbly seek out worthy men anyway—why go looking for trouble?
Xun Ye was quite certain that if Zhang Liao hadn't been escorting him, he might not even have gotten through the gates of General Lü's residence.
So Master Zhang, please stop—quickly withdraw your divine powers.
Xun Ye's ears were about to grow calluses. To make Zhang Liao spare his ears, he resorted to countering magic with magic.
As long as his words were dense enough, Zhang Wenyuan couldn't get a word in edgewise.
The two chatterboxes made their way to Lü Zhonglangjiang Fudi. Other people went out in winter making sure they were wrapped up as tightly as possible, but the two of them walked and talked, both ending up with bellies full of wind.
Gao Shun was already waiting at the gate. After spotting Zhang Liao, whom he'd met not long ago, he had a servant lead the horses away to be groomed and fed, then directly escorted them to the main hall.
Zhang Liao knew this fellow was a man of few words, so he took it upon himself to make the introductions.
"This is Gao Shun, courtesy name Gao Fuyi. He currently serves as Zuojun Sima under General Lü's command."
"And this is Xun Ye, courtesy name Xun Mingguang. He currently serves as Jun Sima under my command, but soon he'll be one of General Lü's men as well."
A Jun Sima was the deputy general to the commanding officer. The higher the commander's status, the higher the deputy's status—two people with the same title of Jun Sima could have statuses as different as heaven and earth.
But that didn't matter. They'd all be under Lü Fengxian's command soon enough—all one family from now on.
Xun Ye greeted him cheerfully, "Brother Fuyi."
Gao Shun, courtesy name Gao Fuyi, commander of the Xianzhenying—he knew of this man. He was a loyal, upright, single-minded man of true character.
How single-minded? He wouldn't turn back even after slamming into a southern wall.
After Lü Bu's defeat, Cao Cao had taken in Zhang Liao, but Gao Shun had chosen to die alongside Lü Bu and Chen Gong. His loyalty was such that even Cao Cao, a man who cherished talent, dared not keep him—"if I can't have him, no one else will."
Gao Shun wasn't good at dealing with people. Because he spoke too bluntly, his relationships with other military officers weren't great. He'd already had trouble handling the overly familiar Zhang Liao when they'd met before, and now discovering that this newcomer seemed even more familiar than Zhang Liao, he braced himself with full alertness. "Ming Guang."
Zhang Liao lagged half a step behind, imperceptibly winking at his good brother.
—What did I tell you? Gao Fuyi is a lot of fun.
Xun Ye smiled even more brightly. The two exchanged knowing glances, then flanked left and right, showcasing their enthusiasm to General Gao, whose expression grew more wooden the more nervous he became.
Gao Shun: !!
In the main hall reserved for receiving guests, General Lü remained utterly unaware of his beloved trusted general's distress, still looking forward to the arrival of the scion of the Xun Shi.
He didn't lack capable generals around him—what he lacked was a strategist with a sharp mind. If he could bring this Xun clan scion, who had traveled from afar, into his fold, then future disputes with that old scoundrel Dong Zhuo wouldn't end with him just storming back to his residence to stew in frustration.
That old bastard would scold him to his face, then gather his advisors and retainers to keep cursing him afterward. When he returned to his residence after taking the scolding, all he'd see was Gao Shun, that taciturn blockhead who couldn't even offer a word of agreement. He'd come away feeling more stifled than if he'd been scolded again.
Damn it all—comparing people really could drive a man to death.
He'd heard that the Xun clan had a reputation for integrity and uprightness, with many wise and refined members. Sikong Xun was gentle and magnanimous, able to reason calmly even before that old villain Dong Zhuo. Surely the younger generation of the clan wouldn't be much different.
Zhang Wenyuan had said the Xun clan scion who came to the capital with him was young. If nothing unexpected happened, the person about to walk in would be a mild-mannered, scholarly type much like Sikong Xun…
General Lü was considering whether to clear away the strong liquor when he looked up and saw a dashing young man whose spirited bearing was utterly different from what he'd imagined.
A wise man submits to circumstance. Xun Ye accepted reality with remarkable speed. Following Gao Shun and Zhang Liao into the main hall, he stepped forward briskly to offer his respects. "Xun Ye of Yingchuan, greeting General Lü."
After all, according to the original plan, he'd have to deal with Lü Bu anyway. Zhubu it was, then—still better than having to struggle just to get a meeting.
Lü Bu: …
"Sit."
The Grand General was a man of few words. Now that he'd seen the real person, he finally remembered what else Zhang Liao had said after praising the young man yesterday.
—Brother Mingguang excels at letters but is even more skilled in martial arts. He can wield any of the eighteen weapons the moment he picks them up, and he gets along splendidly with the brothers in the army. Truly a brilliant anomaly among the Great Clans.
A glance.
Another glance.
Good—it wasn't a mistake. This young officer, whose attire had not a trace of the scholar about it, was the Xun clan scion he'd been eagerly waiting for.
Zhang Liao and Lü Bu had known each other since their days in Bingzhou, and later served together under Ding Yuan's command. Others couldn't tell that beneath the Grand General's imposing exterior lay bewilderment and confusion—but Zhang Liao could.
He'd emphasized over and over that not all Xun clan scions were refined gentlemen of gentle demeanor—that the Xun clan also had members who favored martial prowess. But the man simply wouldn't listen.
Now look at him. Stunned, wasn't he?
Fortunately, their brother Mingguang, though fond of martial training, hadn't abandoned his studies. Handling military affairs wasn't beyond him.
Please—this was the Xun clan of Yingchuan. Letters were the foundation; martial arts were merely the garnish.
Speaking of which, what kind of life had Lü Fengxian been living these past six months? How could he not have a single subordinate capable of livening up the atmosphere? It wasn't right to leave a first-time guest talking to himself, was it?
It still fell to him, Zhang Wenyuan.
Zhang Liao shot meaningful glances several times, only to find Lü Bu sitting with a grim face and no reaction whatsoever. In the end, he shouldered the burden alone. "The situation in the capital is complicated, with many harboring ulterior motives. Though General Lü's residence sees a constant stream of visitors, capable men are hard to come by. From now on, we'll rely on Mingguang to devise strategies for the General, lest our General be outmaneuvered by schemers."
His words were rather blunt, as if the Grand General Lü stood utterly alone in the capital without a single person to offer counsel.
Xun Ye instinctively looked up, feeling that Zhang Wenyuan might get thrown out today for not knowing how to speak properly.
But he was worrying too early. Aside from himself, no one present found anything wrong with Zhang Liao's words. Lü Bu himself even raised his cup slowly, nodded, and said, "Wenyuan speaks truly."
He couldn't be bothered to test the loyalty of his subordinates one by one, nor did he believe that those who had come to him because of Dong Zhuo possessed anything like "loyalty."
This Xun Mingguang had a good relationship with Zhang Wenyuan, and with the reputation of the Yingchuan Xun clan preceding him, at least he didn't need to worry about this one stabbing him in the back.
As it turned out, no matter how reassuring things seemed, one still had to meet in person before talking—otherwise, awkward situations like the one just now would arise.
Xun Ye: …
Damn. Among the short, the tall stands out—it seemed he really did have potential as a strategist here.
Father! Your son has made something of himself!
From this day forward, he, Xun Mingguang, was a talent of unmatched brilliance—wielding a brush to pacify the realm in times of peace, mounting a horse to settle the world in times of war. General Lü had excellent judgment!
The meeting concluded with complete success. Young General Xun was promoted to Young Master Xun and assumed his post with all due haste.
High-ranking officials and generals typically kept advisors and subordinate officers to handle miscellaneous affairs. Lü Bu himself had once been a Zhubu, but he loathed that duty which required using one's brain. After defecting to Dong Zhuo and being enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed general, he wouldn't so much as touch a bamboo slip on ordinary days. It was Gao Shun who held multiple positions simultaneously, doing the work of several men.
Thank goodness Gao Fuyi was an honest soul—anyone else wouldn't have put up with such mistreatment.
Previously, with fewer matters to handle, Gao Shun could manage. Recently, however, Dong Zhuo, in a fit of conscience, had allocated a considerable number of troops to his "esteemed" adopted son. Zhonglangjiang Lü was finally no longer a commander without an army, but with soldiers under his command came military affairs. Even if Lü Bu himself didn't want to, he'd have to appoint a Zhubu to do the work.
Excellent—this was a win-win.
Lü Bu didn't care for roundabout schemes, but he wasn't truly ignorant either. "The coalition against Dong Zhuo is making a great show of force. If that old bastard wants me to stay by his side as his bodyguard, he'd better offer some proper benefits."
The old man relied on his martial prowess yet kept him on a tight leash, terrified that he might be lured away by someone else and then chop him down just like he had his former master Ding Yuan. If he truly valued him, he wouldn't have given him only a few thousand raw recruits and the rejects no other force wanted—he would have returned the Bingzhou army that had been broken apart and scattered.
Did he kill Ding Yuan purely for gold, silver, and fine horses? If the old man hadn't pinned him down as that so-called Zhubu and instead let him lead troops into battle, none of this would have happened.
Tsk. Hypocrite.
Still, raw recruits were better than nothing. At least that fool Zhang Liao had come back along with the new soldiers—otherwise, he wouldn't have had any way to get his people back to Jingcheng anytime soon.
Just wait. He would reclaim every last soldier of the Bingzhou forces that rightfully belonged to him.
There were no outsiders in the main hall. After the food trays were cleared away, only the four of them remained. The servants kept their distance, not daring to approach. General Lü had no fear of eavesdroppers behind the walls, so he spoke without restraint.
Zhang Liao's past six months had been just as turbulent. When the two of them got together, all they did was curse Dong Zhuo—yesterday's cursing didn't stop today's from continuing.
Xun Ye sat off to the side with Gao Shun as a listener and finally understood why Zhang Liao had been so blunt earlier.
With the common enemy, Chancellor Dong, drawing all the hatred, it was hard for their relationship not to be solid.
Also—General Lü, aren't you being a bit too straightforward?
The newly appointed Zhubu Xun wore a complicated expression.
Lu Bu wanted to lead troops into battle. Ding Yuan had promoted him to his side but wouldn't let him command soldiers, instead making him a Zhubu who handled paperwork. Zhubu Lü had reached his limit, and so, provoked by Dong Zhuo, he'd offed Ding Yuan.
He too had initially wanted to lead troops. General Lü had promoted him to his side and also made him a Zhubu who handled paperwork. If Zhubu Xun also reached his limit…
Hiss. Good thing he didn't have much objection to this post, or General Lü would be in danger.