Chapter 48 - Father-in-Law? (2) (MTL)
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by TyrLoki
“Yuan Gonglu!?” It was Yuan Gonglu who was previously bestowed the title Rear General with a salary of 2000-shi. It was bigger than Lu Bu's title General Who Pacified the East and Xu Province Governor, but after Old Yuan proclaimed himself as emperor, the title was abolished and his reputation as third brother of Yuan family's fourth generation had been wasted.
Therefore Lu Bu can call him on a first-name basis. Moreover, Lu Bu and Yuan Shu were warlords,so their standing is the same.
"Father emperor is waiting for the honorable father-in-law arrival in the palace!" Said Yuan Yao while smiling.
TL: Da Ren: according to chinese.y abla the definition is like this: adult; grownup; title of respect toward superiors. This novel have too much Da Ren involved. So I will use Honorable when there is a Da Ren involved. Please advise me, if I am wrong. Your input is very much appreciated
”Call him General Lu!” Liu Mang's mood was very bad. Why did you call Lu Bu honorable father-in-law? Can't you just call him honorable uncle or something else?
“Heh?!”Yuan Yao himself was about to reveal his discontent to Liu Mang. Did this Lu Bu's subordinate not know how to behave? Suddenly however Lu Bu speaks.
TL: Yuan Yao is the son of Yuan Shu who wants to be married to Lu Lingqi historically, but unable to marry due to intervention of Chen Gui and Chen Deng.
”What kind of arrogance you have Yuan Gonglu!?”Lu Bu himself is also angry. Did Yuan Shu really think himself as emperor? When Lu Bu came, he did not come out and greet him himself, even sending a bullshit amount of imperial guards to announce imperial decree to himself? And now he’s waiting inside the palace waiting for him?
”Eh?!” Yuan Yao's face became full embarrassment and unconsciously said “Honorable--”, not yet Father-in-Law had spoken; Liu Mang cut him in the middle and warned him.
"Call him General Lu!"
Yuan Yao no longer can tolerate Liu Mang, but afraid of Liu Mang's stare. Glancing at Liu Mang, he shouted, “General Lu, my father emperor is sick, therefore he cannot greet General Lu, I also request forgiveness from General Lu due to this rudeness!”
“He is sick?!”Lu Bu's anger dissipated immediately. He also felt a little relieved, because who cannot be sick in heart and body, after Old Cao attacked him so severely and took over his territory. When Lu Bu lost Xu Province, he was not as sad as Yuan Shu. After all, from the very beginning, Lu Bu did not have a domain to begin with. No matter if it’s Xu Province or Yan Province, he can just snatch it away. He will Snatch Yan Province from Cao Cao, just like he will snatch Xu Province from Big-eared Liu.
Old Yuan was different; Yu Province was his base camp. Yuan family growth very flourishing there, one can say that the Yuan family is very accepted there; also Yang Province was occupied by Yuan Shu very early. With two states as his base camp, Old Yuan can definitely fulfill unification of the area south of Yellow River. But when he proclaimed himself as emperor, Old Cao hit him hard until he lost his grip of Yu Province. Yang Province also lost, with the loss of his domain, his daydream of being emperor crushed instantly. How in the world he cannot be so sad.
TL: Actually I want to write down Big-eared Liu as Big-eared asswipe. I really hate Liu Bei
”Lead the way!”said Lu Bu not commenting anything else, as he and Old Yuan both are fellow sufferers. They have been attacked by Old Cao and have been in an extremely difficult situation.
The city was very miserable, common people were missing but there were a lot of soldiers. Old Yuan is a muddleheaded person to the very end. Shouchun which was also a capital of Yang Province was Old Yuan's headquarters. If other places were miserable like this, then obviously the headquarters would also be in shambles.
However, when they arrived in the city, everything changed. There was a palace! A Pavilion! There were Paintings on the wall! Each one of them is very beautiful, but the outside had a very miserable appearance. The condition can only be compared to as heaven and hell.
“Is this white jade for flooring?!” Liu Mang finally felt that the floor was different. This white jade color is pure white like white cloud and also there is brilliance like jade. White jade was used for floor?
This white jade, is no less than ten thousand meters, Yuan Shu had really not given up on his dream. Even Xu Du palace was not as luxurious.
These ten thousand meters white jade can form a heavy cavalry unit, if turned into grain and provisions, it can buy enough food for commoners of Huainan to eat for one year! But this was treated as a floor. Even Lu Bu who had been to Luoyang and Chang'an cannot help but think this as an act of stupidity of Old Yuan.
”Oh, Old Yuan, Old Yuan, if you have not yet perished, then there is something wrong with God's natural order!” A warlord's life can be said to be quite luxurious but not to this degree, this is beyond of one’s comprehension. If Shouchun was in shambles like this, then you can only have Old Yuan to blame, who dared to stay in a city with a voracious leader like this.
Shouchun had been broken through once, there should not be any wealth left in the city but this white jade is new.
Liu Mang and company can only shake their head.
"General Lu, my father emperor is in the imperial court hall! “Said Yuan Yao while stopping abruptly.
“Is this the imperial court hall?!” Yuan Shu's emperor daydreaming was really good. The specifications for imperial court hall were not lower when compared with previous emperors' standards. The imperial court was built by everyone in the country, but Yuan Shu only used two provinces' wealth to build his imperial court. Thus one can say, this person was a very talented person.
“Cough!” On the imperial court there is a very skinny stature, which was supported by a few maidservants, who then served him a bowl to throw his phlegm in.
Seeing some people entering the imperial palace, the skinny man ordered those two maidservants to help him sit in a well-seated position to reveal a dignified and commanding presence as much as possible.
As these are warlords, even though one is very tired or do not have any hope to live. In front of other people, one must maintain an air of superiority.
If Liu Mang did not know that the person who sat on the dragon-motived throne was Yuan Shu, perhaps he would think that he is the emperor.
"Father Emperor, General Lu has arrived! “ Yuan Yao said to Yuan Shu while walking towards the throne.
Liu Mang looked at that skinny man who sat on the throne trying to maintain a dignified presence as hard as possible and cannot help but think “If this Old Yuan is an emperor, where the hell is his civil and military officials? Where the hell are his bodyguards? Why in this big imperial court is he only attended by several maidservants?”
Lu Bu first opened his mouth when looking at this miserable person. Lu Bu somewhat cannot help but sigh with sorrow. He remembers when the 18 warlords alliance on crusade against Dong Zhuo. Yuan Shu was very dignified and high-spirited. For the vice-leader who ordered besides Yuan Shao, one can say that Yuan Shu was one of the strongest warlords at that time, but now all that was left was a very skinny old man who barely could maintain a feeble existence.
“Gonglu, I trust you have been well since our last meeting!” Lu Bu held his fist respectfully toward Yuan Shu.
“Ah, I am still well! No need for Fengxian to worry!” Yuan Shu said barely opening his mouth.The words that he spoke, in Liu Mang's view were exactly meant to be a desperate attempt to save his face. After all he had suffered a lot of hardship from one very rich warlord reduced to depend only one city which is Shouchun. How he cannot try to save his face. Imagine, from a warlord who have 2 states was reduced to a warlord who occupy one city. He who once had soldiers numbered to one hundredths of thousands, now left only with less than ten thousands. Annihilation was imminent anytime.
“What does Fengxian, a governor of Xu Province, have any business with my Yang Province?!” Yuan Shu's words in one glance looked like he was concerned about Lu Bu, but actually he is laughing at Lu Bu who had just thrown out from Xu Province.
Lu Bu was not angry; he just calmly said “I heard from Mengde that Shouchun was very good, so he came personally to meet Yuan Gonglu. I also heard, that you also let him pass through Shouchun very smoothly right?!” Lu Bu's words meant that Cao Mengde also hit Shouchun and left almost nothing of it.
Lu Bu and Yuan Shu, these two warlords of Eastern Han Dynasty whom can be considered as bad examples of warlords, looked at each other again.
Yuan Yaowass nervous. His father's health is not good and if Lu Bu gets really angry, then perhaps in less than two punches, Yuan Shu will be flattened.
Liu Mang was also worried with Boss Lu. “Boss Lu please be calm, do not fall to your sudden impulses. If you kill Old Yuan, the outcome will be very difficult. We cannot get out from this Shouchun palace.”
Suddenly both warlords laughed at the same time. The sound of those laughs can be likened to one of those people who have suffered mutual damage. It was the sound of friends who pity each other.
“Well, Fengxian. You have come to my Shouchun, surely there is something to ask!” Is there any person who wants or has become a warlord that can be called a fool? No, of course not, it depends on one's personal ambition which varies to each person.
“Yuan Gonglu, you are right! This time I have come to ask for grain and provisions! When I was expelled from Xu Province by Cao Mengde, I did not take enough grain and provisions; therefore I need to go to your Shouchun to request your assistance! “Lu Bu replied “You could be rest assured whatever that I, Lu Bu, borrow will be....!” Lu Bu also wanted to add a reason to convince Yuan Shu, but he did not expect that Yuan Shu to easily agree with the offer.
”Grain and provisions, is that right?!”Yuan Shu said while smiling “I cannot provide too many, but 5000-shi, I am able to lend you!”
“5000-shi!” Lu Bu thought for a moment. With these 5000-shi provisions, it should be enough for 20,000 men to arrive at Xinye.
TL: 1-shi is 100 kilograms of provisions, total is 500.000 kilograms of provisions. An ancient time measurements
Liu Mang's brow wrinkled “When did Old Yuan become so good?” Previously, did they not bear a grudge, until Boss Lu wanted to dispatch troops to hit Old Yuan?
”Many thanks, Yuan Gonglu!” Lu Bu said while holding his fist respectfully to show his thanks.
”You are too courteous; we are but one family, right? Why speak with estrangement with each other?” Yuan Shu finally shows his tail.
“One family?!” Lu Bu is confused.
”Fengxian, my son's age is not young anymore. He still does not yet have a wife, previously, the engagement that we set; due to various matters was delayed regretfully. Now we have once again met each other, we should proceed with the engagement and marry them both! “Yuan Shu said while smiling at Lu Bu.
Old Yuan's idea is very good, using 5000-shi grain and provisions in exchange for Lu Bu's daughter. In the surface, this looked like a loss, but actually it is a big profit. Lu Bu had come to borrow provisions, should Yuan Shu take the advantage and actually just gave Lu Bu those provisions or should he not accept Lu Bu's offer to borrow provisions? Yuan Shu would absolutely not agree if he only directly lent those provisions. You, Lu Bu, on what reason do you want me to extort my land's bounty and stir discontent among my people? Are your words, Lu Fengxian, have any meaning at all?
If he was not allowed to borrow, Lu Bu, who is a person that is not good at debate or argument, will definitely hit myself Yuan Gonglu pretty hard. With only 10,000 remnants soldiers, Lu Bu will surely win. But what does Lu Bu gain in the end, other than a dilapidated city?
Now, I am willing to provide you with provisions, as long as you marry your daughter to my son, so it was a win-win solution.
The one who marry Lu Bu's daughter can be considered to have gained half of Lu Bu's army, also equal to tying up the mighty Lu Bu to his own war chariot. So, giving Lu Bu provisions wasn't even equivalent to that? Also those ten thousands soldiers remnant can also be led by Lu Bu. If Yuan Gonglu had Lu Bu as his guardian, then Old Yuan can still daydream being an emperor for several more years.
“Come, Yao, my son, pay your respect to your honorable father-in-law!” Old Yuan did not wait for Lu Bu to reply his offer, and quickly called his son to greet Lu Bu.
”Yuan Yao, pays his respect to honorable father-in-law!” Yuan Yao obeyed his father's words and quickly knelt down.
Fuck you both, you wife-snatchers Liu Mang thought.