HLCOB C13

Chapter 13

Cao Cao’s pursuit of beauties was nothing new.

“He said he went to see a peerless beauty?”

“Yes.”

“And he still hasn’t returned?”

“That’s right, Uncle.”

At Xiahou Dun’s words, Cao Song clicked his tongue. Cao Cao flitting about Luoyang’s rooftops over women was nothing unusual. Unfurling a bamboo slip, Cao Song asked Xiahou Dun,

“…Huh. Which brothel this time?”

But Xiahou Dun’s reaction was different from usual. Seeing Xiahou Dun hemming and hawing, Cao Song looked up, perplexed.

“It’s… not a brothel.”

Watching for a cue, Xiahou Dun answered.

“……?”

In that instant, a chill ran up Cao Song’s nape.

It was a familiar sensation. The same feeling that had struck when Cao Cao was found entangled with Zhang Rang’s wife in the inner quarters of the Ten Attendants’ leader Zhang Rang’s residence. That day, Cao Song truly thought his son would be killed by Zhang Rang. Cao Song exploded.

“Did that mad brat crawl into Zhang Rang’s residence again?!”

Kneeling before him, Xiahou Dun answered in a rush.

“It’s not Zhang Rang’s residence.”

“Then where?!”

“At Lord Wang’s residence—he is to be recommended as Remonstrance Censor.”

“Wang Yun?!”

Not a mere official. Remonstrance Censor! Wang Yun! At Xiahou Dun’s words, Cao Song clutched his neck. Without even looking, his accursed son’s thinking was obvious. He must have barged into Wang Yun’s house upon hearing the rumor of a peerless beauty that flooded Luoyang!

“Y‑you mean… A‑man entered the house of a man bound for high office?”

“Yes. He is said to be captured and confined in the residence…”

“Ah!”

Cao Song’s blood pressure spiked; he could barely form words. How could the firstborn, upon hearing street rumors, immediately rush into a minister’s residence! If his son were before him, he felt like thrashing him to death. Reeling with rising blood pressure, Cao Song quickly regained his senses.

“This is no time.”

If the matter were reported to the authorities, things would turn dire. Since that day, Zhang Rang had been watching, eyes wide, for Cao Cao to trip over the law. Cao Song fumbled out a chest from under the bed and handed it to Xiahou Dun.

“Dun.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

And managed to say,

“Send this to that house through someone, and ask them to release A‑man.”

Money is powerful. With this much silver, they should look the other way. Judging by how only the fact of his capture had been sent, perhaps his accursed son had not pulled any foolishness with that peerless “adopted daughter.” Placing faint hope on it, Cao Song sent the money. He vowed to break his son’s calves once he returned.

“They… they refused?”

Yet the money came back in full.

“Yes, my lord.”

The corner of Cao Song’s mouth twitched.

“The young master says the law must take its course, and that he will report to the authorities in the morning…”

Moreover, the servant reported the worst of what Cao Song had envisioned. With a disbelieving face, Cao Song opened the returned chest. Inside, it brimmed with silver. With this sum, one could live high on the hog in Luoyang for years. Staring dazedly at the gleaming silver, Cao Song asked numbly,

“But what’s this about a young master? Wasn’t there an adopted daughter in that house?”

“Th‑that, my lord…”

The flustered servant darted his eyes.

“In Lord Wang’s Luoyang residence, only Young Master Im, Lord Wang’s retainer, has come up to Luoyang first…”

Cao Song waved a hand and laughed.

“Young Master Im? Impossible.”

How much had Wang Yun’s name passed the lips of the Luoyang people these past days. Thanks to the “adopted daughter” of peerless beauty who entered the city. Even Cao Song, who had not seen this adopted girl, knew what sort of carriage she had ridden into Luoyang.

“They all saw a carriage with white wheel‑skirts drawn by a pair of horses—does this make any sense?”

At his words, the servant, watching for a sign, screwed his eyes shut and blurted out,

“The one who rode that carriage… was Young Master Im.”

“……?”

At the servant’s words, Cao Song leaned back in his chair.

“A man?”

“…Yes.”

“You’re saying that peerless beauty is a man?”

“Yes.”

Cao Song muttered blankly,

“Well, a man could be a peerless beauty.”

It was possible. A man could be a peerless beauty. It could be… With a placid face, pondering reality, Cao Song asked the servant,

“…Wait—then does that mean A‑man vaulted a wall after seeing a man’s face?”

The servant answered, trembling,

“T‑the young master must have been mistaken.”

“…So in your ears, my son looks like a brat who vaulted a wall to see a man’s face!”

“I deserve death, my lord!”

With the prostrate servant before him, Cao Song turned it over. The many rumors attached to his son. That Lord Cao dallies regardless of a woman’s age, that he targets only women who already have men, that he consummated with a wife at a mourning house… and now, add sodomy to the list. Cao Song could not tell whether, in the midst of this, he should be grateful that a marriage had at least been arranged for Cao Cao.

Ah.

Cao Song could bear it no longer.

The more he tried to deny it, the clearer the facts became. The wretched son even loved men. Loved men. Loved… Cao Song’s pupils contracted.

Tok‑tok—

In the end, Cao Song’s sanity snapped.

“My lord, my lord!”

It was half a day since Cao Cao had been taken by Jaheon.

“What’s the matter?”

Jaheon asked, for Cao Cao had suddenly stopped his chopsticks mid‑meal.

After a moment’s thought, Cao Cao answered,

“It seems my father has collapsed.”

“…? And that is detected remotely now?”

“Well, it’s a scapegrace son’s intuition.”

“Not a filial son, then.”

“Unfilial, yes. Wait… what’s ‘remotely’?”

This was why clever men were a bother. They gnawed on things that could be let pass. Eating, Jaheon answered with a cursory dodge,

“It means being able to communicate quickly from afar.”

“…Hmm. That would be convenient on the battlefield.”

“It shows you like military texts.”

Cao Cao stared fixedly at Jaheon. Then, with a roguish smile, he asked,

“When did you learn I like military texts? You must have looked into me?”

Jaheon, his face plainly showing annoyance, answered,

“Means of communication are not needed only in war. But you thought first of war, so it’s only natural you like military treatises.”

It was also because the modern Jaheon knew Cao Cao was fond of such books. Pondering, Cao Cao asked at Jaheon’s words,

“Then, besides war, in what on earth do you think one needs means to communicate quickly from afar?”

No matter that it was Cao Cao, he was still an ancient man. With a sigh, Jaheon answered,

“Even this, our talk now, is a kind of communication.”

“……”

“Wouldn’t common folk, too, want to speak thus with their families who have fled?”

“It would be costly.”

“Make the cost low, and sell many.”

“Information is power. Are you saying to share power?”

“If power is shared, there will be fewer cases of men like the Ten Attendants seizing it.”

“…Because power diminishes by being shared?”

“Yes.”

After a silence, Cao Cao leaned in closer to Jaheon’s side. Taking in Jaheon’s beautiful face, Cao Cao said,

“You’re surely as extraordinary as your looks. Your thinking differs from common men.”

“All living things are bound to be buried in earth. Before death, you and I are naught but common men.”

“Those who live must die…”

At that, pouring water into his cup, Cao Cao said,

“Here’s a word of advice.”

“What advice?”

“Mind your tongue from now on. It’s best never to let such talk as we’ve had slip out anywhere.”

“The advice is gratefully received.”

“Hmm, thinking on it, it seems I’ve lost much.”

Jaheon looked at the grumbling Cao Cao.

“You’ve lost nothing in particular, have you?”

“Now that’s harsh.”

Cao Cao’s reputation was already ruined; adding sodomy did little further harm. Yet it was true Cao Cao had been more cooperative than expected, and so Jaheon asked,

“Is there something you want from me?”

“Not yet.”

“Then why say it?”

“Leaving it be feels unfair.”

“Hmm…”

At Cao Cao’s words, Jaheon pulled a fitting term from the memories of the 21st century.

“Then let’s call it a wish token.”

“A wish token?”

In any case, there was nothing to be gained by souring things with Cao Cao. In the distant future, should all plans go awry, help might be had from him. After all, the final victor of the Three Kingdoms was Cao Cao.

There was no harm in staying in his good graces.

“Just once, I will grant you any request.”

“…And if I ask for your life?”

“Are you the sort of man to do that?”

Giving Cao Cao a once‑over, Jaheon spoke. It was a half‑penny’s worth of trust, but Cao Cao, who had not received trust in a long time, smiled.

“Good. I’ll take that wish token.”

“…With one condition attached.”

“A condition?”

Cao Cao’s eyebrow twitched.

“You call it a wish token, then tack on a condition—rather much, isn’t it?”

Ignoring Cao Cao’s words, Jaheon said,

“Anything concerning my sister is off the table.”

“Your sister?”

Over half a day, Cao Cao had spoken at length with Jaheon. He had realized how fiercely Jaheon cherished his sister, Choseon. He had also learned that Choseon was quite young.

“…Wait, didn’t you say your sister is thirteen?”

“That’s right.”

Cao Cao realized. Jaheon took him for an irredeemable rake.

“You see me as that sort of trash?”

“Do I not?”

“Didn’t I explain? That the rumors around me are false, and that I rather prefer older…!”

“From the sound of it, there was a kernel of truth.”

It was at that moment—when Cao Cao, flustered, hastened to explain.

“Young master! Young master!”

Came O Juk‑yeop’s panicked voice.

“……?”

Jaheon summoned O Juk‑yeop into the room and asked,

“What is it?”

“It’s…!”

O Juk‑yeop cried out in shock,

“An eunuch has come, bearing an imperial rescript!”

Footnotes:

1. “Remonstrance Censor” denotes a high court office charged with admonishing the throne; proposing marriage alliances or accepting bribes would be especially sensitive around such officials.