Beast Slaying (8)
At that moment, three of Cao Cao's advisors had gathered separately in Sun Uk's room for a grave discussion. Was it about the state of the realm? Or perhaps the recent headache of bandits plaguing Xuzhou? Or how to deal with Lü Bu and Liu Bei?
"Lately, the Lord keeps telling us to get married."
Marriage. At the mention of that invisible shackle weighing on any woman who had risen to office, Sun Uk, Xun You, and Guo Jia fell silent.
"She keeps asking when we're getting married, even though she's still unmarried herself. She says we need to secure heirs in case something happens."
"And what about the Lord? Isn't she going to marry?"
"She says she's already adopted heirs, so no problem there."
Cao Cao had Cao Ang as her successor. And another, Cao Anmin. If need be, she could adopt nephews or nieces from her siblings. This wasn't some rural village—it was perfectly reasonable for a woman who had climbed to the rank of Grand General to take in a nephew as her adopted child!
But while Cao Cao did that herself, she forbade her subordinates from doing the same.
-You all must marry!
Cao Cao's obsession with marrying off her female subordinates bordered on madness. She was an impeccable superior in every other way, but for her female underlings—especially those who were exceptionally beautiful and intelligent—she was endlessly nagging about marriage.
"The Lord definitely has some other motive. That's why she keeps calling us aside to talk about it."
"You too?"
"Yeah. Every chance she gets, she tries to set me up. Says she knows a great guy..."
"Ugh, nooo..."
Guo Jia flopped face-first onto the desk with a groan.
"Even if I wanted to marry, there are hardly any men worth my eye."
"So there are some?"
"Of course. Who else?"
Guo Jia pointed at Sun Uk and Xun You in turn.
"One, two, three."
"Eek..."
Sun Uk and Xun You averted their gazes at Guo Jia's blunt words. But Guo Jia clenched her fist triumphantly, striking a fist salute just like the famous oath Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei had sworn to each other under the peach garden.
"Didn't we swear to become sworn sisters under the red bamboo?"
"...We did say we'd go together on the same day, even if born in different years."
Sun Uk and Xun You scratched their cheeks, faces flushed with embarrassment.
"And we've actually done it plenty of times."
"Ahem. Dangerous words."
"What? We go to Jingzhou or wherever together all the time."
She meant the three of them traveling to Jingzhou together. Nothing more.
"Ahem. Let's get back to marriage. Why the Lord keeps pushing us to wed."
Xun You threw out the first real topic.
"Maybe she wants us bearing children early so their kids can serve in the army later?"
Dynastic loyalty. That would be paramount to Cao Cao.
"General Zhen Wan's son, Zhen Man, is already showing general potential and growing fast. He'll surely be a cornerstone of our forces one day. Same for the others."
"The children's generation hasn't fully emerged as talents yet, but in twenty years or so, they'll make names for themselves."
"Then... we have to have kids?"
The three sighed in unison.
"Do we have to live as officials for the army... or as mothers?"
For women in office, it was nothing but torment and anguish. They knew marriage and child-rearing were pipe dreams if serving Cao Cao's army came first—and even if they bore children, giving them true parental love might prove impossible.
"If the Lord keeps pressing marriage, maybe it's her way of telling us to take a break and have kids."
"No way. With all the dangers around? We can't rest until we've at least crushed Yuan Shu, Lü Bu... no, Yuan Shao. Otherwise, we won't sleep soundly at night."
Child-rearing wasn't easy. Doing it alongside state affairs?
"A mother's life and an official's can't coexist."
"If they could, Zhuge Liang would have married and had kids long ago."
"You know why Han Xin plotted rebellion against High Ancestor Liu Bang?"
The architect of "rabbits die, hounds are cooked." Why did Han Xin rebel against Liu Bang? Many speculated various reasons, but the most accepted—if unproven—story went like this:
-I've devoted decades to Han, yet I have no blood kin, no husband to marry!
Some called it a curse denying him natural bonds of family. Others said it was the lament of an aged spinster who remained a virgin till the end—
"Maybe it's implicit pressure: marry before you end up like Han Xin."
Don't pick fights with me in your old age—marry when I tell you to.
Whether that was Cao Cao's thinking or not, one thing was sure: if it came to that, she'd say it.
"But..."
"We might neglect state affairs fussing over kids."
"This is the critical moment. Loosen the reins now, and we might never catch up."
Bear children and give your all to the nation? Absurd. If it were easy, Cao Cao would have adopted infants instead of older children and raised them herself.
"At least the husband would have to mind the kids at home."
If the woman handled outside work, one spouse had to raise the children. And in the realm, the man who could do that was...
"Him."
"...He'd do well."
"He'd be thrilled with just ten bolts of silk a day coming home, raising the kids like it was his calling."
"If it's too much alone, other women could help a bit."
"Take leave to focus on child-rearing."
The three women... finally crushed Yuan Shao and returned to Heodo like triumphant generals. Joyfully heading to Sun Manor, the man was already at the gate, waiting for them.
"Welcome home, ladies."
The man held a child in each arm. Another toddler old enough to walk clung to his pant leg.
"Greet your mothers."
"H-Hello..."
Unchildlike politeness. Having learned manners from Geum Taeyang, the children's behavior perfectly embodied the propriety Confucius preached.
"You must be tired from the long trip. I've prepared hot baths—come inside."
"D-Dear...?"
"Ah, sorry. Want to hold them?"
Geum Taeyang handed the children to the women. They burst into wails the moment they were passed over. He took them back with a troubled smile, and they quieted instantly.
"Guess they're used to Daddy's arms. Haha, they'll get accustomed. Now that the realm is at peace, it's time to tend the home. We've pacified the world—now for cultivating virtue, family, clan, and state."
Handing the kids to maids, Geum Taeyang smiled tenderly at his three wives.
"Tonight."
"Uh, ugh...!"
"Let's make up for lost time."
Geum Taeyang embraced the three women's waists and headed to the bedroom.
"...that's how it'll turn out, right?"
Xun You couldn't stop smiling, lost in the happy vision. Crushing her archrival Yuan Shao and focusing solely on official duties ahead—it filled her with overflowing joy.
A blissful fantasy.
But thoughts of bliss naturally bred worries.
"...Um, what if."
Guo Jia spoke in a heavy tone.
"Hypothetically, but if that happened... what then?"
"What do you mean?"
"We go on a long campaign, return after years... and."
"S-Stop."
Sun Uk hurriedly covered Guo Jia's mouth. But their sharp minds worked against them. Just that hint planted dark futures in Sun Uk and Xun You's heads.
Great victory!
Yuan Shao was defeated. Now only a happy future with him remained.
She received an official post directly from the Emperor, along with a massive sum of gold he'd love. Normally, Sun Uk would refuse for integrity's sake, but thinking of her husband's joy, she accepted.
Thus.
Sun Uk returned in glory to the north as the general who pacified Hebei, bearing an edict appointing her husband to a high post he'd adore.
But.
For some reason today, no servants were around. The palatial home stood utterly empty. Sun Uk checked the surroundings, heart sinking.
"Ah, ahh...!"
In the courtyard stood a familiar "carriage." Its black body accented with elegant white lines was one only she rode in Heodo.
Thud!
Sun Uk nearly tumbled forward but steadied herself and pressed on.
After marriage, pooling all assets to buy this grand house—how many years had she left it empty?
Two? Four? She didn't know. Yuan Shao proved tougher than expected; her promise of a quick return dragged across seasons.
"No way the Lord..."
Cao Cao hadn't visited. After victory over Yuan Shao, she'd tasked Sun Uk with mopping up remnants.
-Become Governor of the North and eliminate Yuan Shao's stragglers.
Sun Uk obeyed without demur—though she had qualms—bolstered by her beloved husband's support.
Yet.
Returning home.
"......."
The bed was empty.
It should have someone in it, but he was nowhere.
Thump. Sun Uk collapsed to the floor. Tears flowed unbidden.
Waaah!
A child's cry from afar. Sun Uk struggled up and went outside.
And she saw it.
A graceful black-haired woman, streaked with one white lock—her lord who had tasked her with the northern expedition.
Beside her, the golden-haired man, the only one in Heodo with such locks—her own husband.
And toddling between them, a boy with golden hair and a white patch on his right forehead.
She grinned.
Cao Cao turned to Sun Uk and simply grinned.