The Scholar's Banquet
While Jeong Hyeon was occupied with seeing off the three promising new talents from the Qingliu faction, a tall old man with a splendid white beard entered the residence accompanied by a small child.
“Heuk! The great man has arrived!!”
“Welcome~”
“Minister No has arrived!!”
At the servant’s shout, Jeong Hyeon turned with a face full of smiles and looked toward the entrance where the guests were arriving.
“Hehe~ Brother Jagan! You came!”
“How could I miss the sixtieth birthday of Brother Kangseong, one of the few remaining fellow disciples? Yuk-ah, come greet him quickly.”
“Master Kangseong! I sincerely congratulate you on your sixtieth birthday.”
The child, who looked about five years old, bowed with a clear, bright voice unusual for one so young. Both Jeong Hyeon and No Shik had studied under the previous great scholar Ma Yung. Among all his disciples, these two were the ones the world respected most for their integrity and upright character.
No Shik was slightly older and had entered the school earlier, so Jeong Hyeon always treated him with the utmost respect as his senior brother. Their close friendship had lasted for many years.
“So this is No Yuk. You look clever, just like your father.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Master!”
“Haha~ Senior brother, please go inside and take your seat. Wait just a moment.”
“Understood, junior brother. We’ll talk more later.”
Jeong Hyeon watched with regretful eyes as No Shik led the boy indoors.
No parent can overcome their child, it seems. Senior brother must be deeply worried about little No Yuk.
It was customary not to bring young children to gatherings attended by high ministers and members of powerful families. Yet No Shik had brought the boy despite knowing the stares it would invite.
Now approaching seventy, No Shik could feel his body—already worn down by countless hardships—growing weaker by the day. In the midst of turbulent events, he had already sent three children ahead of him to the afterlife, each of whom should have been old enough to establish their own households.
Now only the late-born No Yuk remained as his blood relative. He had brought the child here hoping that among so many gathered people, someone might look upon him with favor. If the boy could gain a worthy mentor, that person might offer him some protection after No Shik himself was gone. Knowing it was presumptuous, he had still brought his son with that desperate hope in mind.
“Captain of the Central Army Wang has arrived.”
“Lord Wang, please come in.”
This time a man who appeared slightly younger than No Shik and Jeong Hyeon—though still in his later years—approached, escorted by two guards. It was Wang Yun, the leading figure of the Qingliu faction. Jeong Hyeon and Wang Yun exchanged courteous greetings.
Wang Yun. Courtesy name Zishi. Though friction with the Ten Eunuchs had left him in the relatively low post of Captain of the Central Army, no one could disregard his career or his standing within the Qingliu faction.
“Master Kangseong, congratulations on reaching your sixtieth year.”
“I am grateful that you remembered and came to visit, Lord Wang. The men escorting you all appear quite extraordinary.”
Jeong Hyeon’s gaze settled on the two figures behind Wang Yun, sensing something unusual about them. One was tall with a smiling face and an easy manner, as if observing the world at leisure. Yet the aura he occasionally released was like a finely honed blade. Beside him stood a person whose face was mostly hidden by a cotton veil, revealing only the eyes. Even from that glimpse, one could tell this was a woman of exceptional beauty.
“This is Sa-a, who has been assisting with my protection lately. The world knows him as the Black Wolf Sword. And this is my adopted daughter, Diaochan. She is currently learning martial arts from him.”
“Haha~ Indeed, this place isn’t particularly dangerous, yet you’ve brought someone of such great renown as your escort.”
“It is safe here, but there are still many who seek my life on the roads to and from this place. I cannot afford to be careless, Master.”
Wang Yun, who still suffered occasional assassination attempts from the Ten Eunuchs’ forces, frowned briefly before smoothing his expression again. After their short exchange, he followed a servant to his assigned seat.
“What a pity. If only his mind were open to the words of others, he could become truly great…”
“Master, why do you say that? Many ministers and scholars acknowledge Lord Wang’s loyalty to His Majesty and the nation, do they not?”
“That part is certainly true…”
The Wang Yun Jeong Hyeon knew was indeed a righteous subject devoted to the emperor and the country. Yet the Wang Yun he had observed was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve what he believed was right, and who could justify any action within his own mind. If such a fanatically single-minded person ever gained real power, it would bring a harsh and terrifying era to everyone around him.
“General of the Northern Army Marquis Yu has arrived.”
“Minister of the Imperial Household Yu has arrived.”
“Grand Master Yu has arrived.”
While Jeong Hyeon was quietly sharing his assessment of Wang Yun with Son Geon, the arrival of several imperial family members who actually held active posts in Luoyang was announced. Liu Biao, Liu Yu, and Liu Yan—the three most active among the imperial relatives residing in the capital in their efforts to preserve the crumbling imperial authority.
Whether their actions were truly for the emperor and the nation or merely for their own status as members of the imperial clan remained to be seen.
After the three imperial kinsmen were shown in, members of the Yang and Yuan families—the most powerful clans in the Han—entered one after another: Yang Biao the Minister of War, Yuan Wei the Rear General, Yuan Ji the Grand Herald, Yuan Shu the Governor of Henan, and more.
Even a scholar of Jeong Hyeon’s stature could not treat these people lightly, for they stood behind the greatest powers in the land.
“I am truly grateful that such renowned figures have not forgotten the birthday of a humble man living in the countryside like myself.”
“It is only natural to come and celebrate Master Kangseong’s sixtieth birthday.”
“General of the Central Army Yuan Shao has arrived.”
During the brief exchange of greetings, the announcer’s voice informed them of Yuan Shao’s arrival. At the announcement, the faces of the three Yuan family members already present tightened slightly.
“The son of a concubine comes without considering whether this is a place for him to be!”
Though spoken in a low voice, Yuan Shu’s words were loud enough for everyone present to hear.
“Now, now, Gonglu. This is a gathering of elders—restrain yourself.”
Though Yuan Ji, Yuan Shu’s older brother, spoke as if scolding him, the rebuke lacked real force. It was clearly an act meant only for the eyes of those around them.
“Master Kangseong, I sincerely congratulate you on your sixtieth birthday.”
Yuan Shao, whose appearance was neat and rather handsome, approached the group around Jeong Hyeon with two large guards. He bowed first to Jeong Hyeon.
“Minister Yang, I hope you have been well. Uncle, older cousin, and younger brother Gonglu arrived before me, I see.”
Yuan Shao greeted Yang Biao first, then bowed with a bright smile to the three Yuan men despite their stiff expressions. Yet none of those present noticed the cold glint hidden in his eyes beneath that lowered head.
“So many illustrious figures have come that I hardly know where to put myself.”
More people came than I expected. If things go well, I may be able to discuss the matter I’ve been considering.
The matter Jeong Hyeon had in mind was the elimination of the Ten Eunuchs’ faction and the restoration of proper order to the nation. Since everyone who had arrived so far represented the Qingliu faction, this was an excellent opportunity to speak with them, share ideas, and consult together.
Most of the guests he had invited to his sixtieth birthday banquet had now arrived, so Jeong Hyeon turned to enter the house together with Yang Biao and the Yuan family—
“Grand Commandant Jo and Gentleman Jo have arrived.”
“What? Grand Commandant Jo? Gongwu, did you send an invitation to the Jo family as well?”
“No. We did not send an invitation to the Jo family.”
“Yet they still came?”
While Jeong Hyeon was confirming with Son Geon whether there had been any mistake with the invitations, Cao Song—with his kindly face—and Cao Cao—with his sharp features—approached, accompanied by two men who appeared to be their escorts.
The members of the Yang and Yuan families, apparently unwilling to become entangled with the Jo clan, moved to their assigned seats without so much as a greeting the moment the newcomers drew near.
“Master Kangseong, knowing it was your sixtieth birthday, I could not simply ignore it. Even though we are uninvited guests, I hope you will not treat us too harshly for coming anyway.”
“Not at all. Since we have had little interaction, I did not think to send you an invitation. That you came anyway leaves me deeply moved. I also heard you were recently promoted to Grand Commandant. Congratulations, Lord Geogo.”
He could not turn away guests who had come in humility, especially when Cao Song approached so deferentially. Jeong Hyeon welcomed the Jo family with a smiling face.
He congratulated Cao Song on his recent appointment as Grand Commandant. Those familiar with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms knew this was the pinnacle of the sale of offices. Cao Song had purchased the position for one hundred million coins only days earlier.
“Please, come inside.”
As they were being led in, Cao Cao drew close to his father’s side.
“Father, is it really appropriate to come here and endure such disrespect?”
“You foolish boy, Aman. I am the son of a eunuch; I have almost no reputation left to lose. As long as I can use our wealth to establish a proper foundation for our family, I can overlook slights like this without difficulty. But for our house to stand as a true powerful clan in your generation, we must earn recognition from many people in the world. And that recognition can only be built gradually—by interacting properly with scholar-officials and Confucian scholars, slowly shaping public opinion.”
“Hmm… Father, my young blood made me short-sighted. I apologize.”
In truth, while many who attended Jeong Hyeon’s sixtieth birthday banquet came to offer congratulations, just as many saw it as an opportunity to promote themselves among the Qingliu figures and strengthen their own positions.
Those attuned to the times could sense it. With the emperor’s health failing more each day, a period of drastic political change was approaching. Whoever stepped forward first to lead that change would likely seize power in the next era.
Yet in the original history, Dong Zhuo had stolen that power through the fisherman’s advantage. This time, with Seo Jun’s appearance, no one could yet predict how history would unfold.