Chapter Thirty-One: Ding Yuan’s Tragedy

Sometimes things are just that strange. One moment you might think someone is a good person, and the next, you feel they are an irredeemable villain.

Li Su looked at the silent Lu Bu and decided to fan the flames one last time: "My dear brother, sometimes I even wonder—if someone with my mediocre skills can manage to secure the position of Colonel of the Tiger's Might under General Dong, then if I had your martial prowess, tsk tsk, I would have truly made something of myself... Haha, haha, just a joke, just a joke..."

"Oh, brother," Li Su called out to Lu Bu, who seemed to be in a daze, as if he hadn't heard him. "...Brother... Hey, brother!"

"Ah? What is it?"

"I was saying, since you have some wine and meat here, could you arrange some for me? It's getting late, and I'm a bit hungry."

"This..." Lu Bu was about to say that they were currently short on grain and fodder, let alone wine and meat, but when he looked down and saw the gold and silver on the table, he gritted his teeth. He grabbed several ingots, stood up, and said, "Brother, please wait a moment. I will have someone arrange it right now."

With that, Lu Bu strode out of the main tent and ordered his soldiers to hurry and purchase wine, food, and grain before the city gates closed. Tonight, the entire camp would have an extra meal!

A cheer erupted throughout the camp immediately. A dozen soldiers mounted their horses, hitched a wagon, and rode out of the camp.

***

Night fell, and the surroundings were pitch black, with only the torches on the walls of Luoyang burning stubbornly in the wind.

Suddenly, the drawbridge creaked as it was lowered, and the city gates opened. A caravan of wagons emerged from within. Every wagon seemed to be heavily laden, causing the hubs to groan under the unbearable weight.

Li Ru stood atop the walls of Luoyang, watching as this caravan slowly made its way toward Ding Yuan's camp.

The night breeze lifted the hem of his long robes. Li Ru’s eyes were deep and inscrutable, as if he were watching the caravan drift away, or perhaps looking toward a much more distant horizon.

***

It was already the second watch of the night, and Ding Yuan was awoken from his sleep, feeling quite displeased.

Why would that scoundrel from Xiliang send grain in the middle of the night? Is he trying to tell me that Luoyang is under his control—that he can open and close the gates whenever he pleases?

And what is the meaning of this letter?

He intends to promote Lu Bu to the rank of Commandant of Cavalry and is asking for my permission? Has that Xiliang brute lost his mind? Who does things like this?

The Commandant of Cavalry is a rank equivalent to two thousand shi, while I, though the imperial court once mentioned granting me a salary based on the standards of a Provincial Governor, have seen nothing but thunder without rain. My actual official salary is only six hundred shi, for heaven's sake!

If my subordinates have a higher rank and earn more than I do, how am I supposed to manage them?

Am I managing Lu Bu, or is Lu Bu managing me? Ding Yuan threw the letter onto the table in frustration.

Just then, his guards asked how to handle the delivered grain. Seeing the hunger in their eyes, Ding Yuan’s heart softened. He told them to let the camp cooks fire up the stoves and provide an extra meal tonight—but only this once, and never again.

Before long, Ding Yuan’s barracks became lively, filled with endless laughter and chatter.

Lu Bu, riding his horse, stood far away on a small hill outside Ding Yuan’s barracks. Looking at the lively scene, his face grew increasingly gloomy.

"They say in the art of war that splitting forces into two positions to support each other is a strategy—I think that’s all nonsense! No wonder I never saw them cooking during the day; it turns out they only eat at night!"

Lu Bu had taken the money Li Su brought to buy grain, wine, and meat, and he had been eating and drinking until midnight before resting. Li Su had gone to sleep, but Lu Bu couldn't stop tossing and turning. He simply decided to ride alone to Ding Yuan’s camp to take a look, never expecting to witness this scene.

With a stony face, Lu Bu spurred his horse to the camp entrance. He couldn't even bring himself to answer the soldiers who saluted him. After dismounting, he walked straight toward the storage area at the back of the camp.

He had trusted Ding Yuan before. When Ding Yuan said there was no grain, he believed him and never thought to check the storage area. Today, he wanted to see for himself before confronting Ding Yuan.

Upon reaching the rear camp, the cooks were busy preparing food, and several soldiers were helping to deliver meals to the various tents. Seeing Lu Bu, they all addressed him as "Chief Registrar" and offered their greetings.

Lu Bu waved his hand dismissively as if shooing away insects. "Chief Registrar," he thought—he used to find the title acceptable, but for some reason, hearing the soldiers call him that today made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

Lu Bu squinted at the mountain of grain piled up in the rear camp, ground his teeth, and turned to head toward Ding Yuan’s main tent.

Ding Yuan was brooding over the letter when he heard his guards announce Lu Bu’s arrival. He instinctively tried to put the letter down, but felt it would look suspicious, so he shoved it into his robes before ordering the guard to let Lu Bu in.

"What brings you here?"

Lu Bu didn't answer. He walked straight up to Ding Yuan and asked, "...Is there grain?"

"Ah?" Ding Yuan was stunned that this was Lu Bu's first question. He paused for a moment before replying, "...It was just delivered. You may take some back to your men."

Lu Bu sneered inwardly. Who are you trying to fool? Who delivers grain in the middle of the night? Besides, the city gates are closed—where would it come from? If not for the soldiers I sent out returning just in time, they would have been locked inside the city!

Lu Bu was silent for a long time before saying, "I wish to return to Bing Province. I hope the Inspector will grant my request." He felt a heavy weight in his heart, a sense of deep disillusionment. The events of today had dealt him a crushing blow.

People far less capable than him were living in luxury and thriving...

And the person he once thought was a good man was playing mind games at every turn...

Lu Bu truly did not want to stay here. He was just a warrior. He felt that coming to Luoyang might have been a mistake. He wanted to return to Bing Province, to a place where he only needed to kill the Xiongnu and worry about nothing else...

"Why? Absolutely not!" Ding Yuan was shocked. What was happening? Hadn't Dong Zhuo just backed down today? If Lu Bu returned to Bing Province, what would he have left to fight Dong Zhuo with?

"My mind is made up. Farewell!" Lu Bu, suppressing his fury, placed his official seal as Chief Registrar onto Ding Yuan's table and turned to leave. *I quit! Do whatever you want; I am going home!*

Ding Yuan, panicked, jumped up to grab Lu Bu. If he let Lu Bu go, wouldn't he be like a soft persimmon, to be squeezed by anyone who wished? How could he allow that?

In the struggle, the letter fell from Ding Yuan’s robes and landed right in front of Lu Bu.

Lu Bu glanced down and noticed his own name on it. Curious, he reached down to pick it up. Ding Yuan scrambled to snatch it back, but he was no match for Lu Bu’s strength. With a sharp shove of his elbow, Lu Bu sent him reeling back.

The three characters for "Commandant of Cavalry" on the letter were like three knives, stabbing deeply into Lu Bu’s eyes and piercing his heart!

Unable to contain his rage, Lu Bu turned, his face twisted with malice, and roared at Ding Yuan: "How dare you deceive me!"

Ding Yuan panicked. Seeing Lu Bu’s distorted expression, he felt a flicker of fear. Instinctively, he shouted for his guards to seize Lu Bu!

This action completely ignited Lu Bu's fury. *You scoundrel, Ding Yuan! Not only did you lie to me, but you won't even let me leave when I quit!*

The guards from outside the tent rushed in. In the chaos, it was unclear who drew their blade first, but the guards were no match for Lu Bu’s skill. Within a few breaths, they were all cut down by Lu Bu as easily as slicing vegetables.

With eyes bloodshot from the slaughter, Lu Bu stepped viciously toward Ding Yuan and raised his blade: "How dare you deceive me!"

***

On the walls of Luoyang, Li Ru stood in the night breeze, quietly watching as chaos erupted within Ding Yuan’s camp outside the city. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.