To Luoyang — Master of a Generation

Leaving Cho-ryeon behind, I stepped out to find Wang Yeon cradling Cho-ah in her arms.

It was a sight so heartwarming it nearly stopped me in my tracks. A beauty holding such an impossibly lovely infant — the whole scene looked like a painting come to life. If only I'd had a camera. If only I could paint.

I turned toward the sole blemish on that perfect picture and approached.

"You. I'm absorbing you for now. Looks like I need to reorganize."

"Yes."

I absorbed the clone, then immediately projected Huang Lian's body as a fresh avatar and poured consciousness into it.

"That's an order. Don't touch my women. I'll be leaving around tomorrow, so make your own."

"Yes, Master."

Huang Lian — the clone — clasped her fists in a formal salute.

Scholar's robes on a five-year-old looked absurdly out of place, but with Wang Yeon's help everything was properly fitted and arranged.

"Yeon. Go help Cho-ryeon inside, and give Huang Lian some money and a guide — someone to show her around."

"Yes, Husband."

Once I'd confirmed Wang Yeon had seated Huang Lian and was heading into the resting chamber, I left the merchant-master's quarters.

I descended to the second-floor reception room and knocked.

Hohoho.

Women's laughter drifted through the door. I couldn't make out the words, but whatever they were discussing sounded thoroughly entertaining.

Knock knock.

"Enter."

Jia Xu's voice. I opened the door to find four beauties in scholar's robes and Hwang Chung in martial attire all turning to look at me.

A unique trait?

A middle-aged beauty who looked roughly the same age as No Sik sat beside a young woman of nineteen or twenty, with Hwang Chung next to them. Across from No Sik and Jia Xu, the women were studying a sheet of paper with open admiration.

The nineteen-year-old was the one carrying the unique trait. Judging by the brush in her hand, she had been writing something — and whatever it was had left everyone stunned.

"Oh, An. Come here. Behold the finest calligrapher under heaven. She'd be more than overqualified as your writing tutor."

Jia Xu smiled and beckoned. She was not a woman easily impressed, yet she kept staring at the paper with a smile that refused to leave her face.

"Yes, Teacher."

Summon Chaehyang Capsule.

I shut the door, confirming we had privacy, and started forward — only for No Sik to intercept me halfway, scoop me up, and settle me on her lap.

"This is the disciple I gained late in life. Also the grandson of Yi Ho. Yuanfang."

No Sik addressed a woman in her thirties of similar age to herself.

Yuanfang? It sounded like a courtesy name, though it wasn't one I recognized.

"Is that so? His grandson, you say. Now that I look, the resemblance is uncanny. I am Chen Ji of Yingchuan, styled Yuanfang. I was a close friend of your grandfather's."

"It is an honor to meet you. I am Lee Ian of Changshan."

"Indeed..."

A distant look filled her eyes. Chen Ji? I had no idea who she was. But if No Sik had brought her, she had to be capable.

No Sik lifted the paper from the table and spread it before my eyes.

These are the Chinese characters I know. And the calligraphy is extraordinary.

Ever since falling into the Three Kingdoms era, I'd found the written characters slightly different from the ones I knew, which had always puzzled me. The clerical script — lishu — that dominated this age was a streamlined, more horizontal simplification of seal script, still carrying something of the oracle-bone aesthetic. It felt alien next to modern hanja.

Mother, why are the characters so stretched sideways?

An-ah, they became flat like this because people tried to cram as much writing as possible onto bamboo slips.

That clerical style had been standard from the Former Han through the Later Han. And now, with paper spreading widely, the freer running script was just beginning to appear in letters and official documents.

But the writing before me most closely resembled the palace-style hanja of my own world.

Did this woman establish it?

The form of the characters alone was shocking — but the sheer mastery of the brushwork was something else entirely. The brush she held wasn't particularly fine, yet the thin strokes tapered to impossibly delicate lines, and every character thrummed with power. To be a calligrapher of this caliber in this world was a talent worthy of reverence all on its own.

"This is Zhong Yao, styled Yuanchang — soon to be your calligraphy teacher. I stopped her from entering that corrupt court and brought her here instead. What do you think?"

"Teacher, she's incredible."

The paper lowered, revealing a refined woman with clear, pure eyes who offered a gentle smile.

"Teacher. I am Lee Ian. It is an honor."

"Mm. Call me Zhong Yao, Yuanchang. Let us do well together, An."

"Yuanchang. Have you finished establishing the new script style?"

Hwang Chung asked, still marveling over Zhong Yao's writing on the paper. Even Jia Xu took the sheet from No Sik and studied it with open admiration. The surprising part was that Hwang Chung had been holding her own in conversation with scholars of this caliber.

"Almost. Teacher advised me that to complete the style, I should seek out Master Cai Yong. So I went to meet her and receive guidance — only to find she'd already left for her hometown."

"Liu Desheng, styled Junsi, is your master, isn't she?"

The name from Hwang Chung's lips — Liu Desheng, styled Junsi — belonged to a renowned master of running script, a calligrapher of the highest repute. Learning that the beauty before me was her disciple only deepened my interest.

"Yes."

The single word carried a weight of regret.

Then No Sik clapped her hands, her expression brightening as if something had just occurred to her.

"Bojie? Yes — of course. Send a letter of invitation to Cai Yong, styled Bojie. She's gone down to the Cai family village in Yuxian, Chenliu Commandery. The moment she receives my letter, she'll come straight to Deng County."

"Yes, Teacher."

Jia Xu offered a crisp formal salute and left the room. The moment she was gone, I crushed the Chaehyang capsule from my pocket.

A wave of fragrance bloomed outward — detectable only to me at first — and moments later I watched the three women's nostrils flare ever so slightly.

"Yuanfang here will teach you composition. Yuanchang, calligraphy. I shall handle Confucian studies, Wenhe military strategy, and Hansheng archery. A perfect faculty, wouldn't you say? Hoho. And if Water Mirror joins us as well... we might just forge a complete scholar between us, Yuanfang."

"Might my daughter study alongside him? She's the same age. Her name is Chen Qun."

Chen Qun? The name rang familiar. In situations like this, that usually meant someone important — so I nodded at once.

"Yes, Teacher. I'd love to have a friend."

"Thank you, An."

The women's faces were growing steadily flushed, their bodies shifting restlessly as if they no longer knew what to do with themselves.

"Teacher Yuanfang. I've been thinking — what if we compiled a book compressing the essential characters down to about a thousand, to make literacy easier to acquire? Drawing on ancient classics for the principles of the cosmos and the moral duties of man... for instance, beginning with Heaven and earth, dark and yellow; the universe, vast and barren. Sun and moon, waxing and waning; stars and constellations, arrayed in ranks — and ending with the grammatical particles: The so-called particles of speech: yan, zai, hu, ye."

That was as much of the Thousand Character Classic as I actually knew. The classical Chinese textbook hadn't printed the whole thing — just that opening stretch. Somehow, what I'd memorized in my third year of middle school was still lodged in my head.

"Hm? Heaven is dark and earth is yellow; the universe is vast and wild. The sun and moon wax and wane; the stars spread wide across the sky? And ending by listing the particles zai, hu, and ye..."

Chen Ji sank into thoughtful silence, but Zhong Yao edged closer with keen interest.

"Oh my. You thought of that too? I've been considering a children's primer condensed to about a thousand characters myself... Might I take that on?"

"Yes. That's as far as I got. Classical Chinese is so hard to learn — I thought gathering the most frequently used characters into a collection might help. And if the primer were published in Teacher's new script style, it would be even more readable."

I heaped praise on Zhong Yao. I'd already decided she was a woman worth acquiring — every bit as much as No Sik.

No Sik stroked my hair gently.

"You little schemer. Even this teacher of yours never thought of such a thing... Come now, what else is rattling around in that clever little head of yours? Give us one more."

"Hmm... picture books. Collecting tales of filial piety and loyalty, pairing illustrations with the written characters to capture children's interest. After all, pictures make understanding so much faster..."

"Yes. Pictures! Bojie must join us without fail."

Jia Xu happened to re-enter just then, catching the conversation, and looked at me with warm satisfaction.

"Wenhe, forgive me, but write down everything you've just heard and send another letter. The moment Bojie hears of this, she'll come running."

"Hohoho. Yes."

Jia Xu left once more. Zhong Yao was gazing at me with a face flushed scarlet and eyes full of affection. Chen Ji wore the same expression. And No Sik, no doubt, the same.

"Um... is there anything I can do?"

Hwang Chung had been fidgeting on her seat, clearly wanting in, and finally spoke up after some internal struggle.

"Calisthenics. Bare-handed exercises for children's health. We need a system of freehand exercises that builds moderate strength and keeps people healthy. Only a martial arts master or a medical authority could design something like that properly — if quacks try..."

"Hohoho. All right. Then I'll create a health regimen for children — no, for everyone."

"Yes. I'm counting on you, Sister Hansheng."

"Mm."

She looked genuinely delighted to have a role. Fair enough — sitting alone with nothing to contribute would make anyone feel left out.

But No Sik's breathing, with me still on her lap, was growing increasingly ragged.

"An. The condition Hua Tuo spoke of... the wet dreams. Have they begun?"

"Yes?... Yes. They started after my birthday."

"Is that so?"

No Sik's voice brightened. Then her hand drifted down to stroke my lower abdomen — and she flinched in surprise. When I hardened under her touch, her shock only deepened.

"You little... It seems this teacher has something she needs to teach you first. Come. To the next room."

"Hold on, Zigan. I am a teacher as well."

"So am I."

"I'm the archery teacher."

The capsule's aphrodisiac effect was overwhelming. I'd only used Chaehyang alone before, which risked raising suspicion — so I'd deliberately displayed an unexpected side of myself by floating the ideas about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Thousand Character Classic and the picture books. It wasn't enough on its own to make grown women lust after a child, but it was better than nothing. Or so I'd told myself when I went through with it.

No Sik's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body trembled finely, yet she did not rush. She carried me up to the third floor, entered a chamber, and set me down on the bed.

"An. If you wish to curse this teacher of yours, then curse me. That clever little head of yours is what reduced me to this state."

The four women secured the door, then began to undress.

"Wait — surely you don't mean to... How could teachers and a student..."

"An. The arts of the bedchamber are a legitimate branch of Daoist learning. I may be a Confucian scholar, but I am not entirely ignorant of Daoist teachings."

Bedchamber arts as Daoist learning? Not entirely nonsense. The Daoist pursuit of immortality had indeed spawned sexual cultivation practices. But for Confucian scholars, intercourse between teacher and student was close to taboo.

I almost laughed aloud.

"I... I made a vow. I would only couple with my own wives. Teachers..."

I feigned panic, flushing red, refusing with timid reluctance.

"I... haah... An. Please. I need not remain your teacher. No — I shall serve you as my lord. So please..."

All four women stood pleading, the ties of their upper garments already undone. The capsule's power was staggering. But I had only eight left, and those were reserved for my revenge in the real world. Reality came first.

I smiled, pretending to deliberate. Then, drawing on my acting trait, I let my expression harden into something commanding.

A brief silence.

"Repeat after me. From this moment, you are wives and concubines. State your names and declare yourselves slaves of Lee Ian."

They flinched. The four exchanged glances — startled by my sudden change in demeanor, and all the more embarrassed for looking at one another.

Hwang Chung and Zhong Yao, the virgins, moved first. They performed deep formal bows, and only then did Chen Ji and No Sik, catching on, follow suit.

"I, Hwang Chung (Zhong Yao, Chen Ji, No Sik), am a slave of Lee Ian."

In that instant, time stopped.

Through the models I confirmed the hymens of Hwang Chung and Zhong Yao, then set them at Wife rank. Chen Ji and No Sik I designated as Slave rank.

Hwang Chung: 175 cm, 75D-36

Zhong Yao: 160 cm, 70C-35

Chen Ji: 160 cm, 70B-34

No Sik: 180 cm, 75D-37

In the end, all of them would expand to D-cups with hips reaching 39. Still — to think genuine myeong-gi were this rare even among blank-slate women. Yeon-hwa and Yeon-ji came to mind, but I shook my head.

A flash of light enveloped the four prostrate women — then faded.

I stepped down from the bed and stood before No Sik at the center.

"Zigan, Yuanfang — you two are concubines. Hwang Chung, Zhong Yao — since you're untouched virgins, Hwang Chung is my sixth wife and Zhong Yao my seventh. Zigan and Yuanfang rank at the bottom of the concubine hierarchy. Wang Yeon is First Concubine, so serve ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her with full deference. Jia Xu is the Fourth Wife — show her even greater respect. Understood?"

"Yes... Master."

"Yes, my Lord."

Being labeled a concubine was practically an insult to a renowned scholar like No Sik — yet they accepted it. In truth they were little more than property, male or female, and still the great Confucian No Sik and Chen Ji, who was clearly a scholar of equal standing, trembled with joy from the hips up.

"Hwang Chung and Zhong Yao — address me however you like. My Lord, Gaga, whatever suits you. Rise."

The four women rose carefully. Their faces held a strange mixture of shame and delight. Only Hwang Chung and Zhong Yao wore expressions of pure happiness.

"And for children — daughters may take my surname, sons may take yours. As you wish."

"Thank you, Master."

I had no doubts about Hwang Chung's abilities. She had been one of the Five Tiger Generals, after all — and she carried a unique trait. The others' scholarly talents were equally certain. Whether they'd serve as strategists remained to be seen, but with just these three, I was confident we could handle the administration of an entire commandery. That thought alone filled me with genuine pleasure.

No Sik's reputation as a Confucian scholar was so immense that opening an academy would draw students not merely from neighboring regions but from distant lands. At the very least, I no longer needed to worry about finding talent for administrative posts.

"Zigan. Once we go down, Water Mirror will be placed under you. The two of you are to cultivate scholars skilled in administration and strategy at the Water Mirror Academy. Yuanfang and Zhong Yao — you as well. Zhong Yao will effectively become head of the academy, so learn well from them."

"Yes, my Lord."

Zhong Yao gazed into empty air with hazy eyes, a foolish little grin on her face. She looked as if a screw had come loose — and even that was lovely.

"Hwang Chung — Wang Yeon and Lee Jin are both masters of the bow. Exchange techniques with them, and teaching me well is your highest priority."

"Yes, my Lord."

Hwang Chung's face flushed deep red. She was the greatest beauty here — on par with Jia Xu.

"Now strip completely and lie side by side on the bed. I want to taste each of you once."

"Yes."

Blushing with embarrassment, they climbed onto the bed and turned their backs. They were peeling off their clothes one piece at a time when a knock sounded from outside.

"It's Wenhe, my Lord."

"Hm? Come in."

The women flinched at the mention of Jia Xu entering — but since I'd already declared her my wife, they kept undressing.

"Hohoho. The power of my Lord's charm... Enter."

The door opened, and a beautiful woman stepped inside. In pure looks she rivaled Jia Xu. No unique trait was visible, and she carried no muscle to speak of.

"Who is she?"

"A woman Huang Lian bought in the marketplace. She was selling herself for medicine money to cure her father's illness... so Huang Lian got into a brawl with some military officer from Liang Province named Zhang Ji."

"Ugh. And she won?"

"Apparently one punch sent this Zhang Ji fellow flying. Hoho."

Jia Xu smiled faintly, clearly picturing the scene. Fair enough — no ordinary man could withstand Huang Lian's fist.

"That girl. She keeps her promises. Bringing me a beauty like this. What's your name?"

A beauty on Hye-yun's level — and if she was a virgin, the clone had followed my orders to the letter: bring any such woman and offer her up.

She stared at five-year-old me in shock, then stared again at the naked women turned away on the bed.

"Zou Ying, Master."

"Zou Ying. Repeat after me. 'I, Zou Ying, am a slave of Lee Ian.'"

Jia Xu whispered into Zou Ying's ear. Zou Ying acquired the Tiger's Agility, and Jia Xu left the room.

"Hmm. You're a concubine too. Rank below Chen Ji — go to the left side and strip as well."

"Yes, Master."

A familiar name. Zhang Ji? Zou Ying? The Zou clan?

Damn it.

Cao Cao's eldest son was no longer going to die. That meant the succession would stabilize. Even the anime had shown it — the eldest son's death threw the line of succession into chaos, and Cao Pi's power struggles with his brothers grew vicious.

Only then did the connection click, tying Jia Xu into it: the national beauty Cao Cao had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fallen for — Lady Zou, wife of Zhang Ji. Cao Cao would never lay hands on Lady Zou now, and Zhang Ji's nephew would never fly into a rage and attack him. That meant Cao Cao would take Wan that much more easily.

Wait... so does that make Cao Cao gay? A ridiculous thought wandered in and I shook it off.

The unification of the Three Kingdoms might come faster than expected.

A task for Jia Xu occurred to me: devise a scheme to delay the war between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. Other warlords might expand their power in the meantime, but that war needed to be postponed as long as possible.

I sank into thought for a moment, then looked back.

Five beautiful bodies lay side by side on the bed. In looks, Hwang Chung and Zou Ying led; in the luminous spirit behind the eyes, Zhong Yao was foremost.

My practical concerns — Cao Cao, Yuan Shao — evaporated before the naked forms in front of me.

Haah... but five of them? That's quietly intimidating. Is this a sixtosome?