HLCOB C41

Chapter 41

 

No one would believe it.

That the pleasure-seeking young lord, the famous playboy whom all the world still thought an immature youth—that Cao Cao—had done all this, just to keep Jaheon at his side.

“…Why should I need to come to you?”

Jaheon asked, almost murmuring.

“In Luoyang, I’m probably the only one who could be called your acquaintance,” Cao Cao replied evenly. “Everyone else is keeping you at arm’s length.”

Jaheon couldn’t help but laugh, hearing such a thing from the very person who’d orchestrated that situation.

“Cao Mengde.”

Jaheon uttered Cao Cao’s name.

Upon reflection, among men, there were sometimes those like that—men more obsessed with Jaheon than even with Choseon. Most often, their desire was rooted in base masculine conquest, a wish to dominate someone who would not easily bend.

“Sorry, but I’m not the type to owe anyone.” Jaheon was familiar with that gaze of Cao Cao’s. Why had he forgotten? Only because, with imperial favor, none had dared reveal such desire so openly in front of him for some time.

“If I owe you, who knows what you would demand in return.” Jaheon added with a sneer, recalling what he’d forgotten. “But you—did you think if you pressed me, I would plead and beg?”

Cao Cao burst out laughing. “Isn’t making a beauty cry simply a man’s desire?”

“…I didn’t know your tastes were so broad.”

“There are already rumors about us all over Luoyang—what’s the harm? I already once climbed over the wall to see you, didn’t I?” Cao Cao added, suave as ever. “If the rumors have spread so far, wouldn’t it be fine to make them true?”

Despite the “old man” remarks, Cao Cao’s face was that of a youth full of mischief.

While looking at that face, Jaheon replied, “Did you think you were the first of your kind in my life?”

“…?”

Had anyone of that type ever succeeded? If Jaheon could have been broken, he would never have ended up here—he would never have come this far if he were the sort to break so easily.

From his place on the dais, Jaheon reached out his hand toward Cao Cao’s disheveled robe.

“Gentleman Cao.”

While straightening Cao Cao’s robe, Jaheon spoke softly, “I ask you, just do one thing.”

It was a gesture that appeared gentle.

But Jaheon’s voice was sharp enough to cut. “Decide whether you desire the beauty or the talent.”

Cao Cao understood the reason. It was because the beauty before him had a younger sibling caught up in this current trouble, whom Jaheon cherished like life itself. Even in the midst of those cold eyes, Cao Cao brought his face close, as if to be fussed over by a doting wife.

“My greed is great—I can’t give up even one.” Cao Cao had no intention of retreating. “If I want both, what should I do?”

Jaheon frowned, still straightening Cao Cao’s collar, then moved his hand up. His elegant white hand slid up Cao Cao’s throat.

…

For the first time, the smile disappeared from Cao Cao’s clever face. Smiling faintly, Jaheon quietly spoke Cao Cao’s childhood name. “A-man.”

Frankly, at that moment, Jaheon wanted to crush Cao Cao’s throat. In fact, the very notion he’d ever considered joining Cao Cao, should things go wrong, seemed laughable now—especially after Cao actually dared touch Choseon. However, the man before him was destined to be the future hegemon of the Central Plains.

Thus, Jaheon chose to provoke him. For having meddled with his only family, Jaheon planned to use every inch of Cao Cao, head to toe.

“If you want to seize real power, simply holding the troops won’t be enough.” This man was still unaware of exactly how he looked in Jaheon’s eyes. But who else would be as useful in toppling the Han as this man before him?

Why not push him to want more—and sooner?

“Come back as Chancellor.”

Jaheon’s golden eyes curved gently at Cao Cao.

“That’s what would make it worth kneeling under you.”

It was only a beauty’s teasing remark.

But somehow, Jaheon already held the reins of this conversation.

Chancellor.

Since the late Han instituted the Three Excellencies system, the office of Chancellor had been abolished—its authority deemed a threat to imperial dignity.

“Chancellor…”

As he walked the corridor, Cao Cao mulled over Jaheon’s words and stopped. Why mention a position that didn’t even exist? The emergence of a Chancellor would mean the Han was collapsing.

In other words: Only when you can make the Emperor a puppet, then try to possess me.

It was an audacious challenge.

“Haha!” Cao Cao finally burst into laughter.

He was delighted. Also, something restless and strange rose up within him. The spot on his throat where Jaheon’s hand had touched him tingled.

Up until now, there had never been anything he moved for but didn’t obtain—except Jaheon. For Jaheon to add fuel to the flames by deliberately provoking him—nothing had gone to plan, but never had life been this fun.

Boring, tedious life…was suddenly interesting.

Indeed.

Even when mocked for being an eunuch’s grandson, when told he was no different from the eunuchs, Cao Cao had always taken it all in stride. Such was his empty life. But then, Jaheon appeared.

So interesting.

Cao Cao entered the office of the General of the Household.

Step—

No one stopped him, even though he entered the office of the highest-ranking Gentleman as just an ordinary Gentleman. Everyone simply watched him, waiting.

With the infighting among the gentry due to the clash between Wang Yun and Jaheon, the Cao clan absorbed dissatisfied Qingliu and surviving Turbid Stream. As the eldest son, Cao Cao was by now nearly as impossible to ignore in the palace as Jaheon himself.

Cao Cao sat ostentatiously in the general’s chair.

“Gentleman Cao.”

A eunuch who had been waiting in the office called to him.

“What is it?” The faint smile faded from Cao Cao’s lips. When that smile disappeared, all sense of gentleness vanished from him.

“Jo, Chief Attendant Jo says: what should we do now?”

At this, the eunuch trembled while delivering the message.

“Chief Attendant Jo?”

“Yes…that’s correct.”

Jo Chung. A eunuch, he was Cao Cao’s ally among the powerful eunuchs—ambitious, but so timid he always relied on stronger men like Wang Bo or Zhang Rang, and after Wang Bo’s fall he suffered as much as Wang Bo’s own clique.

“What is it Chief Attendant Jo wants from me, pestering like this?” Cao Cao sneered, sitting askew.

“The, well…” The eunuch swallowed nervously. “He wants you to take care of Yirang Im—make it definitive.”

At that, Cao Cao’s dark blue eyes turned frigid toward the eunuch. Whatever his political prowess, Cao Cao’s essence was not just that of a scholar, but a warrior. The ferocity in his eyes made the eunuch tremble like a leaf.

There was no knowing why, but Cao Cao seemed irritated. The frightened eunuch hurried to add,

“Ch-Chief Attendant Jo has said he’ll reward you well!”

…

“So, please, don’t be angry…!” But as even these words got no reply, the eunuch paled. He stammered on.

Angry?

Cao Cao tipped his chin in recognition. Now that he thought about it, all he wished was to have Jaheon fall into his hands. He had not meant to help Jo Chung get revenge. It was simply irksome to be bothered by someone who wasn’t even kin, who shared only a similar surname.

Realizing this, Cao Cao laughed.

“If he wants Yirang Im dealt with, tell him to forget targeting Yirang Im himself.”

“…?”

At present, Jaheon’s hands and feet were as good as tied by Wang Yun. If Jaheon wanted to break free and wield real power, his only card was to support Lady He for Empress—and thus become close to the Crown Prince and seize power that way.

Therefore, cutting off that hope was not a bad move.

This wasn’t really his fault.

It was Jaheon, after all, who told him to seize power.

“If Lady He is brought down, Huaseo will have nowhere left to run.”

If Jaheon was to kneel before him, then Cao Cao would see to it.