Surviving as Guan Yu in the Three Kingdoms

Hude, standing next to me, chuckled and spoke to me.

“These bastards were troublesome pests that made our lives miserable when they were alive, but now that they’re dead, they look quite nice. Don’t you think?”

Then Hude patted my shoulder and laughed.

Well, this fellow is incredibly friendly.

When we first met just now, he was subtly wary of me as an outsider, but after fighting together and risking our lives in battle, he’s suddenly treating me like a friend. It’s almost ridiculous.

Some people might really dislike those who close the distance so quickly like this, but I don’t mind people like him.

Besides, the reason Guan Yu eventually died in Jing Province was partly because he became arrogant and self-absorbed, making himself hated by his subordinates, including Mi Fang.

I should practice lowering myself and showing humility as much as possible from now on.

Just because I’ve been incarnated as Guan Yu doesn’t mean I have to follow him to death.

“It does look a bit better now that they can’t bother us anymore, Uncle Hude.”

Hearing my words, Hude shook his head.

“It’s good to see the bastards who tried to rob our village dead, but that’s not all. All the weapons, armor, clothes, and goods these bastards were carrying are now ours. Thanks to them, we’ll eat well for a while. Doesn’t that make them look pretty?”

In pre-modern times, and even in modern warfare, the weapons and goods left behind by the enemy are worth a lot of money.

Especially in pre-modern societies without mechanized factories, even a single cheap piece of clothing or a shabby weapon is worth quite a bit of money.

For example, in the West, the steel armor commonly worn by knights cost about 5-6 cows even for a cheap set…

Given that a serf of that era had to spend their entire family’s annual income to buy one cow, this kind of plunder would have been like winning the lottery and claiming the prize money, with a bit of exaggeration.

The situation in the Three Kingdoms era might be different, but collecting and selling armor, weapons, and clothes one by one would still amount to an enormous sum of money.

In Korea, I would have been shocked to hear such words, but this is the world of the Three Kingdoms where human rights and such don’t exist, so I guess I have to accept these things too.

“That’s true. Selling the weapons and spoils left behind by the dead and those who fled will fetch quite a sum. But that doesn’t make these trash look pretty to me.”

Hude patted my shoulder and then pointed at the headless corpse over there, saying:

“That can’t be helped. But you’ll be getting the biggest share, right?”

I don’t have any particular desire for wealth right now.

So I wasn’t planning to take much, but why suddenly…?

“Everyone has tacitly agreed to give you, Yunchang, the body of that leader over there. With the decent armor, spear, and horse, you’ll have enough money to start a family in Xu County. And Liu Bei will give you an additional cut. Should I introduce you to a woman so you can settle down in Xu County with this opportunity?”
“I have to serve Lady Xuande, so I don’t have time for that.”

In this era, a properly trained horse is more expensive than a slave.

This time, I’ve gotten two horses, a set of armor, and weapons, so as he said, I might have enough seed money to start a family.

But I have no intention of settling down here, so it’s a meaningless thought anyway.

“I’ll buy you a drink separately later.”
“Seeing how you wielded that spear and went wild, you might become a general someday. So, am I going to get a drink from a future general?”

He’s quite good at flattery, this fellow.

Is this why Liu Bei entrusted him with leading 100 men, thinking everyone would trust and follow someone like him?

“Before that, let’s quickly gather the spoils. We should have a drink when we get back.”
“We’ll be able to fill empty carts on our way back, indeed.”

Besides Uncle Hude, other guys also approached me.

“You were really amazing this time. Cutting off the head of a mounted enemy with one swing of your crescent blade while you weren’t even on horseback.”
“If it weren’t for Brother Yunchang, we would all be dead.”

In this way, those who fought together with me would pass by, each giving a word of thanks or praise, saying how great I was.

It was a bit burdensome to have men looking at me with sparkling eyes and praising me, but it felt really good.

When I lived as Kim Woojin in Korea, I hardly ever received such recognition and praise from everyone, but here I was acknowledged like this from the very first battle.

By the time our 500 men had roughly finished organizing, a man came riding on horseback from afar, saying:

“My name is Cao Xiang, and I’ve come here on the orders of Master Zhang Shiping. The master said he will buy all those goods at a good price through the Zhang family merchant group, and that he’s waiting while preparing a feast, so hurry back.”

At those words, everyone here cheered.

And then all these people who had been exhausted from fighting a war and dealing with corpses until just now, upon hearing the word ‘feast’…

They all rushed out with shining eyes.

“It’s a free feast provided by Master Zhang!”

I hurried along with them, but my mind was on something else rather than the feast.

Zhang Shiping and Cao Xiang, come to think of it, these people were the ones who provided the initial capital when Liu Bei first raised a volunteer army to suppress the Yellow Turbans.

In the Romance or official histories, it only says they gave money, but had there been this kind of relationship from before?

Then what should I do from now on…?

As I was pondering in my own way, Liu Bei looked at me from afar, smiled brightly, and waved her hand.

She’s probably telling me to come quickly. Well, I guess it’s okay to enjoy myself without thinking too deeply for now.

It’s not that urgent yet.

**

As Cao Xiang had said, there was a feast prepared in Xu County with enough food for everyone here to eat and have leftovers.

We, who had just fought a fierce battle and traveled a long distance, started eating and drinking frantically as soon as we saw the meat and alcohol, as if our eyes had rolled back.

Because of that, there were even some guys who had lain down on the ground here and there in the Xu County market square, saying they couldn’t eat anymore.

“Ugh, I can’t eat anymore… I feel like I’m going to die…”

There were also guys who had lost their senses from being drunk and were staggering around.

“Hic, I’m not drunk!! Alcohol! Bring more free alcohol!”

The guy who was making a fuss demanding more alcohol with a bright red face was, of course, dragged home by others.

“Free alcohol or whatever, you’ll end up with a twisted mouth and die. Let’s go home.”

Looking at this incredibly peaceful scene, a smile naturally formed on my lips.

I’ve eaten so much that I wonder how it all fit in my stomach, and I’m starting to feel sleepy, so I should go to bed…

Logically, since I’m in a position to serve Liu Bei, I should sleep at Liu Bei’s house, but no matter how much I’m Guan Yu, if a man in his prime sleeps at the house of a beauty like Liu Bei.

Who knows what might happen, and even if I don’t have that intention, it would be uncomfortable for both of us.

‘It would feel like shooting some romance drama for both of us.’

Moreover, since both Liu Bei and I are drunk right now, it’s even more dangerous.

“Uncle Hude, is it okay if I impose on you just for today?”
“Just for today? You can stay as long as you want until you get your own place.”

This uncle’s friendliness might not be the best in the world, but wouldn’t it be in the top five?

Even though we fought together, I’m still an unknown outsider, yet he’s willing to let me stay at his place continuously.

“Thank you.”

As I was about to go to Uncle Hude’s house to impose on him, Zhang Fei, with a flushed face, called out to me.

“Do you have a moment?”

As a Three Kingdoms fan incarnated as Guan Yu, I should make time for Zhang Fei even if I don’t have any, but right now I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone.

Thanks to my sturdy body, even though I’ve drunk a lot, my head doesn’t hurt and I’m not dizzy, but I’m dying of sleepiness due to the intense battle and being drunk.

“I think it would be difficult to have a proper conversation right now because I’m quite drunk. So how about we talk tomorrow after sobering up?”

I tried to politely refuse, but Zhang Fei grabbed my arm and pulled me, saying:

“I have something I really want to talk about. Is that not okay?”

I’m dying of sleepiness, but it doesn’t feel right to refuse when it’s Zhang Fei, of all people, saying she has something important to say.

Let’s use this opportunity to steer my relationship with Zhang Fei in a good direction.

We’ll have to swear the Peach Garden Oath and all that, right?

“Please keep it as short as possible then.”

At those words, Zhang Fei smiled brightly like a dog welcoming its owner.

“Really? Thanks. Since it’s something I don’t want others to hear, let’s go over there to talk.”

Zhang Fei hit my back hard a few times and then pulled me to walk to a somewhat secluded place.

There was no one else at the place we arrived except for me and Zhang Fei.

There, Zhang Fei, unlike the Zhang Fei I knew from the Three Kingdoms, chewed her lips a few times in contemplation before speaking.

“Um, I’m sorry for saying that you were just after sister’s body when we first met…”

It seems this conversation might go on for a while.