HLCOB C14
by berryChapter 14
“The Throne would pardon Cao Cao’s offense…”
A thin voice, a smooth, beardless face—unmistakably a palace eunuch. In his hand was a golden decree scroll; precious paper affixed to it at this time, and with a dragon painted upon it, it was clearly an imperial rescript.
“How odd.”
Yet Jaheon’s mood was far from good. It had been but half a day since he confined Cao Cao in the residence, and already an imperial decree had arrived; could such a thing happen so quickly? Thinking it over, Jaheon reached out to receive the rescript.
“I accept the command.”
But the rescript did not descend into his hand.
“……?”
With brows raised at the decree not being handed over, Jaheon looked up to see the eunuch’s gaze roaming over his face. At the blatant look, Jaheon said,
“Will you not give the decree?”
“Ah, ah. Here.”
Coming to, the eunuch passed it to him, yet his eyes would not leave Jaheon’s face. Flushed bright red, the eunuch asked,
“And there is something to inquire…”
“Speak.”
At Jaheon’s jade‑like voice, the eunuch swallowed.
“Are you Young Master Im?”
“Yes.”
Hands folded neatly, the eunuch offered a jade tablet toward Jaheon.
“His Majesty commands Young Master Im to enter the palace at the hour of Chen tomorrow.”
“…His Majesty?”
Handling the jade tablet, Jaheon looked at the eunuch and asked; the eunuch’s face went blank again, though this time he gathered himself quickly.
“Ah. Yes, correct. His Majesty has summoned you. He also ordered a carriage prepared for you.”
Gathering his wits, the eunuch added to Jaheon. Jaheon replied, puzzled.
“To prepare even a carriage…”
“It is n‑nothing…! His Majesty knows your brilliance and merely wishes to see you.”
“…Understood. How could a subject not obey?”
At Jaheon’s answer, the eunuch beamed.
“Then until the hour of Chen tomorrow, Young Master Im.”
The eunuch departed.
Only after watching them out, and waiting until they were far beyond the gate, did Jaheon let his expression fall away. He then unfurled the rescript and read. Written in neat hand, it said exactly as the eunuch had stated: release Cao Cao. Yet something continued to leave Jaheon ill at ease.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
Cao Cao asked. Jaheon, frowning, answered his question.
“To ask while knowing is bad form, Young Lord Cao.”
“How unkind. Call me A‑man, at least. Does drawing the line mean business is done?”
Sighing at Cao Cao’s roguish words, Jaheon murmured,
“This was not your father’s doing.”
He was past the age of believing only what eyes saw. Jaheon was a man who had been thoroughly tumbled by the world; the fact that he had survived this long with a face coveted by all was proof. At his words, Cao Cao grinned.
“As expected—keen.”
Cao Cao’s father, Cao Song, had not survived the murderous Luoyang political field through his own prowess; the influence of Cao Cao’s grandfather Cao Teng, the schemes of retainers under Cao Song, and the merit of the eldest son Cao Cao—whom he berated as a rake yet never exiled from Luoyang—were the reasons.
“Father is not one to move so swiftly.”
“…But your grandfather would not move on such a matter.”
“You know that too? True. Grandfather will not stir unless my life is at stake.”
That narrowed the field.
The one who sent the decree was not outside the palace walls; someone within had heard that Cao Cao was in Jaheon’s hands and sent the imperial rescript. And the number of people who could learn of an incident outside the palace within half a day was vanishingly small.
The Ten Attendants, or the Emperor.
Yet the Ten Attendants had nothing to gain from quickly disposing of this matter; Zhang Rang, who ground his teeth at Cao Cao, was even involved. If anything, making a spectacle of it would shame Cao Cao, a thing the Ten Attendants would not refuse.
That left but one.
Jaheon murmured,
“…His Majesty.”
Emperor Ling, Liu Hong.
Born outside the palace, enthroned at twelve by the Empress Dowager’s faction. Liu Hong was meant to be a puppet of that faction—but he instead used the eunuch clique to purge the Dowager’s allies and became a tyrant unseen before.
In other words, at thirteen he was an emperor who seized the court in his fist.
“Is it not adorable, Attendant Zhang?”
Clad in black silk with gold‑threaded dragons, Emperor Liu Hong fed a chirping little parrot and spoke.
“Look how it gapes, as if waiting for the Throne to feed it.”
At the Emperor’s words, the eunuch called Attendant Zhang bowed his head; his voice trembled slightly.
“Y‑yes, Your Majesty.”
The eunuch’s name was Zhang Rang—chief of the Ten Attendants and the tyrant Emperor Liu Hong’s closest confidant. The dissipated‑looking emperor asked him softly,
“Why, then, did you try to stop the Throne from sending a decree?”
The Emperor’s eyes half‑lidded, fixed upon Zhang Rang; cold sweat traced down Zhang’s brow. Having heard of the incident from a plant in Cao Song’s household, Zhang Rang meant to use this chance to be rid of Cao Cao under the charge of coveting a noble’s daughter. Who could have foreseen the Emperor already knew?
“Your Majesty. This slave only found that adopted daughter of Wang Yun, who seeks to entice Your Majesty, impudent…! She could be a detriment to the Throne.”
“What detriment?”
From the golden jade throne, the Emperor asked quietly.
“Given even the garden you made for the Throne, my reputation must already be at rock bottom.”
A garden filled with beautiful women—one Zhang Rang had crafted to hoodwink the Emperor.
Thump—
At the Emperor’s words, which pierced his ploy exactly, Zhang Rang felt his heart drop. He prostrated flat.
“Please kill this slave, Your Majesty!”
Of late, Zhang had forgotten the Emperor’s nature—because the Emperor had been quiet, toying with the playthings Zhang offered.
“Kill you?”
Smiling, the Emperor asked. He did not like having his will checked. Recalling the day the Emperor used them to cruelly purge the Dowager’s faction sent a chill up Zhang’s spine.
“Before that, this slave shall kill every underling who uttered those foolish words before Your Majesty!”
Neck veins bulging, Zhang cried out,
“Only command it—that the blasphemers be slaughtered to the last…!”
The Emperor waved his hand.
“Enough. No need. Has the Throne’s name not been slandered often enough?”
“Your Majesty! Mercy ill suits now! At once…”
Zhang scrambled to change the topic, but the Emperor was not to be trifled with.
“Attendant Zhang.”
The Emperor rose.
“Has the Throne been too lenient with you?”
He stepped down beside Zhang, gripped his shoulder, and asked softly. Prostrated, Zhang cried out,
“…This slave has committed a capital offense, Your Majesty!”
“……”
“This slave has muddied Your Majesty’s sight!”
Pale as paper, Zhang began to slap his own cheeks.
Smack—
The Imperial Guards glared at him, blades bright; Zhang dared not strike himself lightly.
Smack—
He struck himself without cease. Watching, the Emperor laughed. Only when Zhang’s cheeks swelled bright red did the Emperor bid him stop.
“Attendant Zhang. That will do.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is as vast as the sea!”
At the words of the prostrate Zhang, the Emperor gave a faint smile and sank to sit before him.
“Attendant Zhang.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The Throne truly thinks of you as a father.”
The Emperor’s black eyes stared straight at Zhang, while Zhang’s—head bowed—trembled endlessly.
“So do not make the Throne kill his father.”
The Emperor whispered in Zhang’s ear,
“…That would be unfilial, would it not.”
At the words that chilled his bones, Zhang swallowed. He slammed his head into the floor and cried,
“I shall remember, Your Majesty!”
Eyes reddening, Zhang sobbed as he cried out.
“Then the Throne shall ask again.”
Seeming indifferent to Zhang’s tears, the Emperor asked,
“Rumor has it that Wang Yun’s adopted daughter is a peerless beauty, yet why did you not inform the Throne?”
“This slave feared that Your Majesty might take Wang Yun’s adopted daughter as a consort.”
“Is Attendant Zhang kin by marriage to Lady He?”
At the Emperor’s probe into his ties with the harem, Zhang swallowed. The Emperor did not, in truth, not know; he closed his eyes to it.
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Terrified, Zhang barely answered. The Emperor thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers and spoke.
“So Attendant Zhang feared the Throne would bring that adopted daughter into the harem and favor her.”
Wang Yun was a famed figure of the Pure Stream. If Wang Yun were to gain power through the harem, Zhang would not enjoy the same might as before. However much the Turbid Stream held sway in court now, it was all by the Emperor’s leave; should he change his mind, the Turbid Stream could be swept away at any time.
“Y‑yes, Your Majesty.”
Lies before the Emperor tended to be poison; with parched lips, Zhang affirmed the Emperor’s words. At that, the Emperor laughed aloud.
“Haha. What you fear shall not come to pass, so you need not worry.”
“……?”
Startled, Zhang lifted his head. Seeing his expression, the Emperor, still smiling, added softly,
“That peerless beauty cannot become the Throne’s consort.”
Footnotes:
- “Hour of Chen” is roughly 7–9 a.m. on the traditional Chinese time scale; formal summons with a carriage underscores intended favor and spectacle in court protocol.