Cao Ang, Dead (3)
"Hey, you hear the news? Zhang Ji's widow, Lady Chu—she's supposed to be a total knockout!"
"Zhang Ji? Oh, you mean that guy. Yeah, the one who was gearing up to throw down with Li Jue and Guo Si but ended up helping sneak the Emperor out of Chang'an!"
"Right. Anyway, that's not the point. After Zhang Ji bit the dust, his wife Lady Chu ended up under the protection of her nephew Zhang Su. Then Cao Cao shows up at Wan. Everyone's thinking it's to crush Zhang Su, right? Tensions high. But turns out, our Lady Cao Cao wanted to show mercy."
"She said, 'The plundering of the people of Luoyang and Chang'an, and the unlawful seizure of Wan—these are crimes worthy of the ultimate punishment. Yet His Majesty remembers your uncle's final act of loyalty to the throne in his dying days. Thus, the Emperor holds Zhang Ji alone accountable and spares you his kin from implication.'"
"Lady Cao Cao was there as the Emperor's messenger! I mean, hate the sin, not the sinner, right? The Emperor was furious at Zhang Ji's villainy, but he still pitied Zhang Su since the guy had helped out, and all."
"What'd Zhang Su say? 'Your Majesty's boundless grace leaves me eternally grateful. Yet I am ashamed—I stood by idly while His Majesty suffered, filling my own belly. Grant me the chance to prove my loyalty here in Wan, and I shall bow toward Heodo every dawn without fail.' He accepted! Word is, he'll get the official prefect appointment soon."
"But get this—there's a juicy bit to this alliance. What? Not interested? You'll change your mind! Remember how Lady Chu was with Zhang Su? Cao Cao brought her own son along this time, and boom—love at first sight between the kid and the widow!"
"A match made in heaven! Isn't it beautiful? Everything's coming up roses for Cao Cao and Heodo. Peace is finally here! Thanks to Lady Cao Cao! Haha!"
"Your wisdom!!"
The truth was buried by the hands of a few.
"This will be your quarters from now on, young master."
"Yes..."
Cao Ang swallowed hard as he eyed his somewhat shabby new room.
"It's quite worn, isn't it?"
"...No, not at all. I was just comparing it to the new house in Heodo. Forgive me."
"You have a house in Heodo?"
Lady Chu's eyes sparkled.
"Whose name is it under?"
"Some of it's in my name..."
"Some?"
"There are three houses."
"Three!"
Lady Chu gulped. Sensing the misunderstanding, Cao Ang hurriedly reached out to her.
"Two are in my name. The other one's my younger brother's."
"Oh, you have a brother too?"
"Yes. He's not strong health-wise, but he's in the family as an adopted son like me. Smart as a whip, too."
"I see..."
Lady Chu's face soured briefly, but she quickly recovered and clung to Cao Ang.
"Young master, you're set for life. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Ha, haha..."
Cao Ang nodded with a bitter smile.
"I've greatly offended your lady mother and Lord Zhang Su."
"Oh, no worries. They understand. All's well that ends well, right?"
"Ends well..."
Cao Ang reflected on his "happy ending." One drunken night had led straight to marriage. He'd stepped forward ready to die at Zhang Su's hands, but everyone had maneuvered behind the scenes to save his skin.
Yes—the Cao army's heir, Cao Ang, was dead. Now, he was a sort of "hostage" to seal the alliance with Zhang Su's forces.
"Hee hee, you'll get used to life here soon enough. But when the elders summon us to Heodo, we'll make it official then—proper greetings and tie the knot."
"Indeed, my lady."
My lady. Cao Ang gently brushed back the hair of the beautiful woman beside him. They'd met in a drunken haze, but to him, she was the most stunning woman alive.
"We will go to Heodo, won't we?"
"...Yes."
He knew she was looking beyond him to her own future, but he'd decided to own the whole mess. No matter who else came later, Lady Chu would always be his first wife. Her actions from here on were his burden.
"Lord Zhang the Prefect will thank us for this union. It secures his post at Wan for good, strengthens ties with Cao Cao's forces, and solidifies our bond too. Hee hee."
Cao Ang swallowed again at her words.
"My lady, that—"
"Shh."
She grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.
"Before we head to Heodo, shall we make our bond even stronger?"
"Wait, my lady!"
"Now, now."
She seized both his hands.
"Stay still. We're just fortifying the alliance."
"Ngh...!"
Cao Cao forms alliance with Zhang Su.
"End of days, end of days."
I couldn't believe the news that Zhang Su had been officially appointed prefect of Wan.
"What about Jingzhou?"
Zhang Su had allied with Liu Biao's forces arguing that Cao Cao might go full berserker and hit both Wan and Jingzhou at once. But then he pretended to surrender to Cao Cao, married off one of her sons, and slipped right under her banner.
By shoving Cao Ang into the marriage grave, Cao Cao had secured her alliance with Zhang Su.
My condolences to the poor guy wedding a widow.
But that didn't change my own sticky situation.
Did I meddle too much?
I'd helped Jia Xu prop up Zhang Su. I'd guided Cao Cao to save Cao Ang. In the process, Liu Biao—who'd jumped into an alliance with Zhang Su out of fear—was left hanging.
I'd pushed Jia Xu to meet Liu Biao by putting myself out there, but now Zhang Su had effectively joined Cao Cao's camp and snagged Wan.
"This is awkward."
Liu Biao's glare was gonna burn holes through me. He'd trusted my word and allied with Zhang Su, only for the diplomacy to flip overnight!
Liu Biao had two paths now: Join the court and Cao Cao's faction like Zhang Su, or hold his own as a warlord south of the Yangtze, playing Yuan Shao's game.
For Jingzhou's people, the first was best. But Liu Biao personally eyed the second—hell, he might even dream of declaring himself emperor if push came to shove.
So this secret alliance looking like absorption into Cao Cao's crew? Especially at Wan, the straight shot from Xinye to Heodo? It had to sting. And for Liu Biao, who'd been breeding cavalry lately? No way he wasn't disappointed.
He's raising cavalry. In southern Jingzhou, where they're useless? That pointed to wide plains up north.
"Liu Biao wants to march north."
Plain and simple—I'd dumped a load on his chance to expand northward. If I'd let Cao Ang die without helping Cao Cao, she'd have clashed hard with Zhang Su, letting Liu Biao fish in troubled waters big time.
Nobody knew I'd helped Cao Cao yet. I'd aided Sun Uk, but if my suggestions through her played out perfectly, it was as good as direct aid.
Can't keep meddling in Cao Cao's business like this.
What was this feeling—like graduating from country bumpkin to shadowy player in Jingzhou? Next thing, I'd wield huge sway over Cao Cao's crew, Liu Biao finds out, brands me a spy, and executes me.
Not looking for that kinda risky life.
How'd it come to this? All 'cause I tried saving Cao Ang. If I'd just let the idiot die for screwing up under his dad, none of this. But that encounter with Cao Ang via Jia Aman had me caring.
Marriages seal alliances.
-Might as well lean into their love-at-first-sight vibe.
-Women don't seduce first without motive, so play along, pretend to fall for it, and grab the gains.
-Sucks losing a good card like Cao Ang, but he owns the screw-up that nearly wrecked everything in enemy turf.
-He'll atone with marriage.
I'd proposed this in letters to Sun Uk and Cao Cao. And Cao Cao accepted.
But this plan needed buy-in from Zhang Su's side too—not impossible only if they thought the same.
Claps need two hands.
Here she comes.
Sure enough, as I stood out in the open, a woman on horseback approached Sukyung Hall.
"You visit too damn often."
Jia Xu.
"Visit? I'm here to clean up your mess."
"That's a given. How're you fixing it?"
"Gonna make me stand and chat?"
"Business first. Inviting you in depends on what I hear."
"Why so grumpy?"
"Grumpy? Well..."
Jia Xu dismounted and faced me.
"...With my bad blood toward Zhang Ji, I'm a tad worried his widow might climb high."
"Don't sweat it. Lady Chu hated the dead bastard too."
"...Huh?"
"Know how she avoided Li Jue and Guo Si's plundering in Chang'an? Married another power player."
"......Ah. So she married for survival?"
"Yup. Hell, she'd thank you for offing Zhang Ji."
"...Ahem."
Women are terrifying. Poor Cao Ang, hitched to one.
"Alright, spill. How do we reframe Liu Biao and Zhang Su's alliance?"
"Simple. Expand it to non-aggression. And if Liu Biao wants land elsewhere, I've got a prime spot to suggest."
"Elsewhere?"
"Yeah."
Jia Xu pointed east with a genuine sneer.
"Yuan Shu. Says he's gonna be emperor."