Turning Point (3)
"You mad bastard!"
Cao Cao's fist slammed precisely into Cao Ang's gut. He doubled over in an instant, and she followed up by driving her elbow into his back.
"Urk, heuk…."
Her blows were vicious. Against the heartfelt violence of a woman who personally swung her blade to slay foes on the battlefield, Cao Ang could do nothing but grit his teeth and endure.
"Fine! So the booze blinds you, huh?!"
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry makes it disappear, does it?!"
And small wonder—Cao Ang had committed a colossal blunder. He'd laid hands on Widow Zhen, and the news had reached Zhang Su's ears.
"Hah, what a mess. What will Zhang Su make of this pretext? In the worst case, he could turn his blade on us this instant, and no one would bat an eye!"
"Th-that…."
Tears of injustice welled in Cao Ang's eyes.
"I didn't know she was General Zhang's widow…."
"Then? Who did you think she was?!"
"Just some local beauty around Wan. That's…."
"Hah."
Cao Cao reached for her sword but trembled, clutching the hilt and scabbard without drawing it.
"Tell me every detail."
"W-well. I was drinking and out for a stroll when I met this beauty. She called herself Lady Zhen. We chatted, and things just… happened. The alcohol wore off, and I snapped out of it, but…."
"Snapped out of it? You think that's fit to come from your mouth—"
"She dragged me in first!"
Cao Ang's indignant shout made Cao Cao's hand drift downward.
"A woman dragged you in first?"
"Yes, exactly. Of that, I'm dead certain. I had no idea she was the late General Zhang's widow. She just said she was lonely, so…."
"Anyone around see it? Witnesses?"
"Huh?"
"Guards, servants—at least someone who saw!"
"N-no, I don't think so…."
Cao Cao pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Can't keep it in your pants around any woman, can you? You're usually so diligent—what possessed you to pull this crap?!"
"S-sorry."
If there was sin, it was getting drunk. Being a man. Mindlessly falling for a woman's temptation.
Nothing more.
"My lord, it's done. The army's ready—we can retreat anytime."
"Damn it, if only I could show my face."
Cao Cao slapped her hands over her flushed face.
"That my adopted son groped a widow and forced our retreat from Wan? The world will piss itself laughing! Damn—any moves from Zhang Su's troops?"
"None yet."
Cao Cao gnawed her nails. Her clever advisors were all posted to Heodo, Chenliu, and Puyang, leaving her to salvage this solo.
"Zhang Su hasn't budged. What if they think we're cornered rats and are closing the net?"
"No way—we slipped their camp already."
"Right?"
Cao Cao had bolted from Wan in a panic. The instant Cao Ang confessed, she'd hurled aside her breakfast bowl and raced to the nearby garrison.
Had she stayed put, drunk inside Wan Castle? Someone would've died. Her sons and guards throwing their lives to buy her escape, Cao Cao slinking back to Heodo in pathetic defeat.
"Damn… did Zhang Su let me live?"
A swift night raid from Zhang Su, and Cao Cao might've perished in Wan. Like Sun Jian dying at Yangyang—just another footnote warlord, gone without a fight.
"Xiahou Dun! Truly no enemy movement?"
"Yes. Frankly… they look rattled too."
"Rattled?"
Cao Cao cocked her head at the vanguard's words.
"Basis?"
"Wall sentries are disorganized. Anxiously awaiting orders, like us. Zhang Su's lot seems frozen on a decision."
"…So their dithering saved my skin."
Cao Cao glared at Cao Ang, balling her fist.
"Cao Ang. No direct blood between us, but pre-adoption kin? Sixth cousins at least. Right?"
"Yes."
"Mother's dying charge: Our house has a lust demon in the blood—can't control the cock, sparks disasters. Should've warned you sooner."
Cao Cao eyed her sword with a wry smile.
"If this sours, we chop it off."
"What?!"
"Wandering hands on a general? Off with the wrists. This blunder's no less than a routed commander's head on a pike. 'Cao Cao retreats from Wan sans Zhang Su. Cao Ang riles him by fondling Widow Zhen.'"
Cao Cao fiddled with her blade, her smile edged like steel.
"Justification now—who's got it? Zhang Su, or us?"
"B-but it's unfair. She seduced me…."
"Dong Zhuo fell to a woman's spell in the Linked Rings Plot! Women are vixens all! Think she'll confess luring you? 'Wah, drunken Cao Ang forced himself on me! Not three years widowed!' She'll dupe the lot!"
Cao Cao barked a hollow laugh.
"Truth's irrelevant. You forced our flight from Wan—we can't return. Folks'll ask why. 'My son Cao Ang's gross discourtesy!'"
"……I'll take responsibility."
Cao Ang dropped to his knees before her.
"Responsibility? How?"
"Wh-whatever a man can…."
"Agh, this fool's still clueless! That widow that good?!"
* * *
"Best ever."
Zhang Ji's widow, Lady Zhen, tossed her head back with brazen pride.
"No, Aunt—that's not what I asked."
"Then what? Die with my husband? Mourn three years?"
"No, not that!"
"Then what? I want a new life."
Zhang Su teetered on madness. He'd painstakingly thawed ties with Cao Cao on eggshells, only for this kept lunatic to finally blow it.
"Great General's son wants to marry me—so? Good's good."
"No, er…."
"What? Wed a traitor's widow to the Great General's heir? Spitting in my face, you know."
"No, hah, really!!"
Zhang Su bellowed, venting fury. Lady Zhen gulped, eyes flicking to him—and the woman behind.
"Advisor Jia Xu, now what?"
"…Who knew it'd erupt like this on arrival."
Jia Xu merely smiled.
"Cao Cao's kin remarry often—family curse, it seems."
"Pardon?"
"Madam, truth: He clueless? You hid your past, but did he truly not know? Widow? Zhang Ji's wife."
"……"
Lady Zhen sealed her lips. Fool Zhang Su, maybe—but not sister-in-arms Jia Xu.
"Seducing noble sons for clan entry—every woman's dream. General, Chang'an proved it rampant."
"Ah, survival weddings from Li Jue and Guo Si. Tears to the Yangtze from forced daughter-grooms to dodge pillage."
"Precisely."
Jia Xu smiled on, jabbing at Lady Zhen.
"Survival drives extremes. Madam carved her path."
"Costing war with Cao Cao?"
"Heh heh, war's moot."
Jia Xu nodded past the office to the gates.
"To nab Cao Cao? Seal gates at dawn, surge troops."
"But Aunt stonewalled, sigh…!"
Zhang Su clawed his hair.
"Aunt. One thing—I'm your nephew. Why back Cao Cao over me?"
Why no march. Why spare Cao Cao at dawn.
"Seriously eyeing that Cao Ang?"
"……"
"Ahahaha!!"
Jia Xu's peal rang clear, tears beading.
"First such case. Haha—not awful."
"Amusing? Jia Xu?"
"Nope—same mind here."
"What…?"
Zhang Su and Lady Zhen both puzzled at Jia Xu's loaded words.
"Might as well seize the chance. General, dispatch me to Cao Cao's camp. This opening…."
"General!!"
A hulking brute shouldered in, rough-bearded, heaving, then knelt.
"What, Heo Jeo?"
"Cao Cao sent someone!"
"…Someone?"
Zhang Su's face crumpled gravely.
"Damn, here it comes. Declaration of war. Heo Jeo! The troops—"
"Cao Ang."
"……Who?"
"Cao Ang—solo, requests audience…."
Outside the gates. A robed youth clutched a white flag, standing lone before Wan Castle—no horse, no guards.