The young Lu Kang receives an old letter from Lu Fan, written to Lu Xun on behalf of Wu's Old Guard. When he faces Yang Hu, he remembers those words.
The Price
"General, congratulations on your recent promotion! You are rapidly ascending the ranks, a far cry from the boy who fought alongside Lords Sun Quan and Zhou Yu at Chi Bi.
"... And yet, as your son starts to communicate properly, it is critical for you to consider your future. Not only that of your career, but also of your conscience, of your identity as a scholar, as a strategist, as a warrior.
"There are those who will tell you that loyalty to one's lord is paramount. That, of all things, it alone should define your career, your destiny, your existence as a man of honor.
"But those are the sort who forget men like Li Ru.
"When I left Lord Yuan Shu's service and joined Sun Ce for good, people at the time questioned Master Sun's purpose and direction. They claimed that Sun Ce was little more than a bandit, and when we crushed the government-appointed Liu Yao these objections echoed throughout the land. As one of those followers who sparked his conquests, I bore much of this blame.
"But the people of Jiangdong cried for order! They lived in scattered communities, under iron-fisted lords like Wang Lang, Yan Baihu, Ou Xing, Huang Zu, and ineffectual guardians like Liu Yao. But with the guidance of men like myself, Cheng Pu, Zhou Yu, Lu Su, we managed to unite them and free them from the torment of chaos and tyranny.
"I could not have accomplished this if I listened to those who preached order over everything else. I would have served Yuan Shu and, thus, aided that tyrant in his schemes. He may have been more mild when I resigned, but clearly that was the calm before the storm.
"There are times when you, too, may be forced to question the actions of your Lord. You may be forced to reconsider your life and your career. When that happens, never forget that your duties lie with the people, with those who may potentially suffer because of what you've done.
"In the end, we strategists have a duty, a duty to use our wisdom and guidance to free the world from suffering and torment. The men of Wu have partially succeeded in this goal: this land is safe, but the war, the struggle for liberation is far from over. Your recent accomplishments demonstrate that you, too, may continue this burden of command, this duty to bring miracles for all who depend on you. Go forth, young master, and fulfill your destiny. But never forget your duty to the people... That sacred duty outweighs the laws of men and ties to a petty or cruel lord!"
Lu Kang tightened his hold on that old letter, left for him by his father, Lu Xun. Upon his death Lord Lu Fan gave Lu Xun these last words of wisdom, and the young strategist continued to teach his son the importance of such a letter.
But the years passed in Wu, and she failed to assert herself against Wei, failed to liberate many of its citizens from the fist of Cao rule. Lord Zhuge Ke plotted with his cousin Zhuge Dan, and attempted to secure Shouchun, but that ploy failed and both were dead. Master Zhuge Liang's great legacy had failed: Jiang Wei proved an inadequate successor, and so Shu was gone.
There was no way to save the people of China now.
Yet Lu Kang stood as Wu's latest guardian. He held this burden of command, this duty of a strategist to provide miracles.
Yang Hu of this new Empire, Jin, which was little more than Wei with a different name and different family holding the reigns, proved to be a better man than most.
Perhaps he could even be called friend.
How many people had died since the start of this war? How many more had to die after men like Yang Hu and Lu Kang ended their careers?
Jin had crushed Shu, but in return Shu was now free from war and, in a way, from want.
Lu Fan claimed that one's duty to the people outweighed one's duty to a corrupt and cruel Lord. Sun Hao was far worse than whatever Yuan Shu could have become.
Perhaps Sun Hao could even rival Dong Zhuo!
Without Dong Zhuo's paltry talent...
But Lu Kang was not Lu Fan. Even though Sun Hao was among the worst of men, he could not simply stand up and join a different lord.
Sima Yan did not seem that much better...
The Bane of Wu gave him orders to attack Xiangyang.
To sack the city, to destroy its resistance, to continue this war, this bloodshed, this horror all for his own personal gain.
How would sacking the city calm the pressures and torments of the people?!
Lu Fan insisted that one's loyalty to the people was paramount, and so for the sake of the people he could not attack.
He could not harm the people of Jin.
He could not bring harm to the people of Wu.
So Lu Kang remained at his post, neither advancing nor retreating nor surrendering. That would fulfill his sacred duty. His example would uphold the burden of command.
And as he fell ill from this stress and perhaps shame, Yang Hu offered help and medicine.
Yang Hu understood what was at stake. He was an honorable man.
And so, in spite of his lord's petty rage and greed, Lu Kang took his "enemy's" antidote and mantained the peace.
For that was the price of a strategist, the price all commanders paid, the price of fulfilling that sacred duty to the poeple.
The Price of Peace...
AN: Inspired by Taylor Swift / Madonna colab "Ghosttown". As I watched the vid, I kinda thought it symbolized a proud champion and a potential successor. ROTK freak that I am, I initially thought "Zhou Yu, and because the pair is about two generations removed, Lu Kang?" (Contrary to popular belief, Lu Xun is only one generation removed, but Lu Kang might actually be three-ish generations.)
Then I thought, well, Lu Kang is still several decades removed from Zhou Yu even after death, and secondly Zhou Yu interacted with too few of Wu's later generations to fit this sort of theme. Who could represent Wu's old guard? Cheng Pu and Huang Gai are WAY too old.
Then I thought of Lu Fan, who while not as prominent does count as a critical Wu officer and therefore someone who kinda fits the role. But Lu Kang was too young to properly meet him, so the rest clicked.
P.S. Noticed that Zhuge Dan didn't have that many fanfics about him. Since he was mentioned by name and Lu Kang considers the results of his work, perhaps listing him would be the right thing to do?