Chapter 10

‘How peculiar.’

Jaheon recalled the face of a young man he had encountered upon entering Luoyang. It was a rather youthful face to be called a young man at all.

“At most, barely of age?”

Even so, he possessed a presence far stronger than his years. He stood out at a glance amid the crowds. It meant he was no ordinary person. Jaheon sifted through the memories of the modern Jaheon to guess the young man’s identity.

“The sort of figures who would be in Luoyang at that age are few and obvious…”

But the thought could not continue.

“Young Master Im. We have arrived.”

It was O Juk‑yeop, Wang Yun’s servant who had come to Luoyang alongside Jaheon, calling him.

At his words, Jaheon stepped down from the carriage. Because he had ridden in a carriage with translucent wheel‑skirts, a sizeable crowd had followed, drawn by his looks. When the features that had been indistinct behind the white skirts were revealed in full, a murmur of admiration flowed through the people.

Having shown his face just enough to set tongues wagging, Jaheon headed straight into the Luoyang residence Wang Yun had prepared. For a house that had stood empty for quite some time, it was tidy.

“Hah, well now.”

Jaheon’s eyes narrowed.

“He was very well prepared, wasn’t he?”

It seemed Wang Yun had long strained to make his way up to Luoyang. Jaheon could not understand why the restoration of the Han court was so important to him, but the thoroughness was, at least, commendable.

“Young Master Im!”

It was then, as Jaheon was admiring Wang Yun’s preparedness.

“……?”

O Juk‑yeop held something out to Jaheon.

“My lord instructed that this be given to you upon arriving in Luoyang.”

It was a bamboo slip.

Jaheon let out a laugh of disbelief. After all that talk in Bing Province, hadn’t they discussed everything thoroughly enough? With a twitch of his brow, he took and unrolled the slip. The writing looked like a friendly greeting.

“Jaheon. If you are reading this letter, then you have arrived safely in Luoyang. I always keep what I promise, so do not worry about Choseon.”

But Jaheon knew.

This was no mere greeting.

“Only, do not forget our understanding.”

Over the past months living with Wang Yun in Bing Province, Jaheon had realized to the bone one thing: Wang Yun was more controlling than expected.

“The day I bring Choseon up to Luoyang will be the day that stratagem has succeeded. Until then, Luoyang teems with dangers, so delay the date of…”

Thus, it was a kind of order.

If he wished to see Choseon, he was to become the Emperor’s favorite as quickly as possible. Of course, leaving Choseon to Wang Yun had been Jaheon’s intent. In the current situation, no one would be as motivated as Wang Yun to protect Choseon. Yet even when it was his own choice, a surge of irritation was unavoidable.

“Burn it.”

In the end, Jaheon tossed the slip to O Juk‑yeop without finishing it.

“…Pardon?”

“I said burn it, I have read enough.”

Flustered, O Juk‑yeop threw the bamboo slip into a nearby brazier.

Crackle—

The slip sputtered as it burned within the brazier.

That he was vexed at Wang Yun was certain. And Jaheon was not ignorant of why Wang Yun had sent him up to Luoyang first. Was it not to leave all the dirty work to Jaheon, and cut him off if matters tangled?

But there was no time to air complaints.

Not merely because Choseon was in Bing Province. Pressing his temples, Jaheon spoke.

“O Juk‑yeop.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Have people compile all the rumors spreading through Luoyang.”

One way or another, Jaheon had no time to hesitate.

“The kinds of rumors don’t matter. The content should be as detailed as possible.”

It was because the day was near when even this Han would burn to ash like that bamboo slip.

In both past and present, appearance plays a significant role in politics.

Especially so in ancient China.

From the Han official Dong Xian, who, as the Emperor’s beloved favorite, rose to the Three Excellencies at twenty‑three; to Meng Da, a general who won Cao Pi’s favor by looks alone; to Wu Baizhong of the Ming, who placed first in the examinations after ranking only twenty‑sixth, purely for his handsome face.

Thus Jaheon intended to use his looks to approach the Emperor.

“…What did you say?”

In other words, everything was part of a stratagem.

Riding into Luoyang behind white wheel‑skirts to show his face, spreading rumors beforehand in Jinyang—all were devices to pique the curiosity of the current Emperor, Liu Hong.

If only he could stir the Emperor’s curiosity—if only the Emperor summoned him—Jaheon was confident he could handle the rest.

“It’s just that…”

But the plan veered in an unexpected direction.

“It’s all right, say it again.”

When Jaheon, frowning, urged him, the hesitant O Juk‑yeop lowered his head and replied,

“…Rumor has it throughout Luoyang that you are a young lady.”

Jaheon ran a hand over his face. As if it were not enough to have the memories of the twenty‑first century suddenly resurface, now he was to have the thing between his legs disappear too. Was this even possible?

“It’s because the rumor that Lord Wang took an adopted daughter of peerless beauty has already spread in Luoyang. Then you entered, showing your face, so everyone could only think ‘Lady Im.’”

They were mad. The ancients were clearly mad. With a laugh of disbelief, Jaheon said,

“But I entered Luoyang in men’s clothing.”

“…Ahaha. Well, you know how it is. When people first see you, they don’t see clothes at all. When I first met you, too, I saw nothing but your looks…”

As he chuckled at the memory, O Juk‑yeop fell silent under Jaheon’s blade‑sharp gaze.

“…Forgive me.”

Jaheon sighed. He had expected some distortion, being rumors, but not that it would change his gender. Was it the lingering influence of the original history? Or someone’s design?

“Who would possibly benefit from a rumor like this…”

Yet for all that, there seemed to be no one who would profit from the spread of such talk. Unbelievable as it was, the situation appeared to be the mere coincidence of factors falling into place.

“Coincidence, is it…”

Originally, Jaheon had planned to attend Luoyang’s literary salons, recite some verse, and make a name. In most states founded on Confucianism, skill in composition was prized. Add to that the rumor about his looks, and it would be only a matter of time before he drew the Emperor’s interest.

“But will this rumor help?”

Jaheon felt a sudden pang behind his eyes.

“In any case, what shall we do, young master? Shouldn’t we clarify matters first? You have suddenly become a young lady…”

At O Juk‑yeop’s words, Jaheon shook his head.

“I must think on it first. Tell me the other rumors.”

At this, O Juk‑yeop recounted several tales circulating in Luoyang.

“Let’s see… There is talk that the Empress, jealous that Lady He bore a son, calls in sorcerers every night.”

“Lady He—that is General He Jin’s sister?”

“Yes.”

Most rumors in the world contain some truth.

Of course, one must not take rumors at face value, but infer the circumstances that set them moving. For example, the tale that the Empress has fallen into sorcery should be read not as the Empress being evil, but as the eunuchs preparing to remove her.

“The Empress will go next year, then.”

The current Empress had no child; her position was precarious in any case. It was unsurprising, and Jaheon spoke of it as of no great matter.

“What else?”

“There is talk that the eunuch Cao Teng is near death.”

“…Cao Teng…?”

“Yes. He is one of the few eunuchs who mediate between the scholar‑officials and the eunuch faction.”

In fact, Jaheon had not asked because he did not know the name. It was a name lodged in memory, and he asked unthinkingly. Not in the memories of the ancient Jaheon, but in those of the modern.

“Could it be…”

For confirmation, Jaheon asked O Juk‑yeop,

“Do you know the family relations of Attendant Cao?”

“But of course. Everyone in Luoyang knows the Cao household. Especially the debauchery of Young Lord Cao, the eldest grandson—his affair with Zhang Rang’s wife and all that—there’s no one in Luoyang who… ahem.”

O Juk‑yeop suddenly shut his mouth. It was guilt at mentioning a dissolute young lord before a man with an angelic face like Jaheon’s. Looking at him with exasperation, Jaheon pressed,

“…So what is that Young Lord Cao’s name?”

In any case, he was a scion of a powerful house. A mere servant could not speak his name lightly. Glancing about, O Juk‑yeop leaned to Jaheon’s ear and whispered the name.

“Cao Cao.”

At that name, Jaheon’s hand, which had been writing a letter to send to Choseon, stopped.

“Cao Cao?”

The name Cao Cao, style Mengde.

The man who laid the foundations for Wei, the strongest of the Three Kingdoms, unmatched in the art of war. Called a capable minister in times of peace and a crafty hero in times of chaos, his merits and faults were so stark he could not be called a hero unreservedly.

And a man of extreme fondness for women.

How many deeds had Cao Cao done for beautiful women? Vaulting other men’s walls was no rare thing. There were even theories that the Battle of Red Cliffs was fought for the sake of winning a beauty.

“A lover of beauties…?”

Suddenly, a stratagem flashed into Jaheon’s mind. A way to use Cao Cao to gain audience with the Emperor as swiftly as possible. If it succeeded, perhaps within this very month—no, even as soon as next week—he might meet the Emperor. In short, done well, Jaheon could drastically shorten the time needed to win the Emperor’s favor. It was worth a try. And so the decision was quick.

Tap—

Setting down his brush, Jaheon said to O Juk‑yeop,

“For the next seven days, forbid the servants from going out except when strictly necessary.”

“…Sir?”

“And muzzle the household. About my gender—no clarifications, do nothing at all.”

“…B‑but that will only deepen the misunderstanding about you!”

Cried the flustered O Juk‑yeop.

“That is precisely the point.”

Jaheon added, unperturbed,

“If Young Lord Cao likes beauties, then we must spread the rumor that there is a beauty here.”

If one would catch fish, one must set bait.

Footnotes:

1. “Wheel‑skirts” refers to the decorative white hangings over carriage wheels used to screen occupants, a common element of elite carriages that also teases glimpses of passengers.

2. “Dong Xian,” “Meng Da,” and “Wu Baizhong” are cited as examples of beauty and favor influencing advancement; the passage underscores how physical allure and courtly rumor could translate into real political access in imperial China.