Lü Bu Subjugation Battle (8): Meanwhile, in Yangyang, Jingzhou
"When will my son come home?"
Cai Xuan, the eldest daughter of the Cai family, tilted her wine cup toward the moon. No one sat beside her, and with no special side dishes before her, she simply sipped from a single bottle.
"The moon has already made a full circuit, yet my beloved son hasn't shown his face once. Moon, have you seen my son?"
It was a melancholy sight, to be sure, but drinking while gazing at the moon was one of her few pastimes.
After her marriage, Cai Xuan often passed the time with drink. She'd imagined marriage would dramatically change her life, but nothing had changed at all.
"Like it or not, I'll serve you as my husband from now on."
"Huh? But I don't like it."
"...What did you say?"
"I don't want a marriage arranged by the family. That's what I'm saying."
The sole heir of the Huang family, married off young, had been the target of a political union. On the evening of their wedding, he'd abruptly left, claiming he had something to find.
"Are you joking right now? Or is this some ploy to win my heart?"
"Neither. I'm not interested in women over twenty."
"What? You mad...? Are you saying you hate me because I'm too old?!"
"Adults! Fifteen years old! Kiyooooot!! If the laws of the land set adulthood at fifteen, then I'll become a true man of Han!"
At first, she'd thought, 'It's a political marriage, so he must be acting out.' Later, she'd worried he might have run off with some girl he'd fallen for, abandoning his clan.
But no.
"I'm off to find true love! Haha!"
He—Huang Shengyan—was freedom incarnate. He began wandering the world, adventuring through the chaos as if it were his playground.
Family meant nothing to him. Nor did his own clan place much weight on the marriage.
"Dear, I'm sorry. That boy's too much for even us to handle."
"Our Huang line will likely end with Huang Shengyan. But forgive us this one thing, dear. Even if it means our Huang family is absorbed into the Cai, please protect our assets and our people."
And so, under the guise of marriage, the Huang family had become part of the Cai.
Had Huang Shengyan lived honorably as a proper son, the Huangs might have wielded great influence. But he rejected tradition and law.
"What's that?"
"Oh, this? A guy at the market wanted to trade booze for this weapon, so I did."
"Good lord."
Huang Shengyan had forsaken all duties as the eldest son to live free. Thus, the Huang family entrusted all their wealth to the Cai under the marriage pact, and Cai Xuan maintained her tie to him by absorbing the Huangs.
So what had her runaway husband been up to since fleeing right after the ceremony? Cai Xuan might have preferred he'd cheated with some young girl and broken their bond. But no—he just pulled off one bizarre stunt after another.
"He found a gold mine near Jingzhou."
"He held debates with local notables to crown the strongest in the region."
"He convinced a hermit blacksmith in the mountains to reenter the world."
And his list of exploits went on endlessly.
Yet he never came home to his wedded wife, never so much as touched her.
"Madman. He'll regret it someday. A beauty like me."
She was married, yet still a virgin who'd never felt a man's touch. Huang Shengyan treated her like any other Cai clansman.
When he did return from his travels, it was with weapons, rare books, treasures, and heaps of gold—but never any marital intimacy.
"...Heh."
But things were different now.
"Thank you, dear. Thanks to you, I have a son I truly love. Right?"
As the moon set and the sun rose, she savored the dawn.
Geum Taeyang, adopted into the Huang family, had brought her all sorts of joys. In every way. So much so that Cai Xuan sometimes felt...
"Phew, what am I thinking?"
She patted her flushed cheeks and poured a fresh cup. Just then, a graceful woman in elegant robes entered the Cai estate. Even Cai Xuan felt a twinge of envy at her beauty and poise—the girl had grown into someone she almost envied.
"Mother, Sima Yi greets you."
"Yes, come in. How was Yangyang?"
"A fine place. Peaceful and quiet."
Sima Yi sat across from her.
"I didn't want to meddle in official affairs, but the commoners tied to the Cai had petitions. I went with Master Sima Hui and resolved it amicably."
"Well done. As expected of Taeyang's disciple."
"Heh..."
Sima Yi accepted the cup with a faint smile.
"Not just any disciple, surely?"
"Exactly. That's why I like it all the more. Heh heh."
"What's so amusing, Mother?"
Cai Xuan's smile widened as she looked Sima Yi up and down.
"Nothing, Yi."
Sima Yi. At first, Cai Xuan had seen her merely as the boy she'd raised—a disciple. She'd even worried about awkward tensions. But now she acknowledged her, viewing her as her future daughter-in-law.
One day, when Sima Yi shared the unbeatable way to win Geum Taeyang's heart, Cai Xuan knew. Sima Yi was his true match.
The clans had discussed it long ago, after all!
"It's been years since our Sima and Huang-Cai families exchanged marriage proposals."
"Yes. Just one year until the betrothal."
The Sima of Henei. The Huang-Cai of Jingzhou. Though separated by distance, no one could call the match unworthy—their statuses aligned perfectly.
After Sima Fang visited the Water Mirror Academy, the Sima had grown close to the Cai behind the Huangs. If the Sima of Henei fell into peril, they'd seek refuge in Yangyang. If the Cai of Yangyang faltered, Henei would shelter them.
In these chaotic times, the distant clans allied for survival. This was partly due to the Sima's zeal to unite Geum Taeyang—Cai Xuan's adopted son—with Sima Yi.
Above all, the parties themselves were willing.
"Are you prepared?"
"I've been ready for ages."
The exchanges of letters had stalled for years—not from reluctance, but because the heavens deemed twenty the auspicious age for such a great rite.
And now, Sima Yi was nearly twenty. The moment would come, unbound by celestial law or the pure aura that bloomed like a flower in the sky.
"I've waited since childhood for that day. The day I can face my master properly."
Sima Yi gazed at the heavens with a soft smile.
"Perhaps since the day I came to Jingzhou."
"...No way."
"Heh, who knows the heart? After all those years watching. Do you think I'd just tell you 'that method' for nothing, Mother?"
Cai Xuan pressed her lips tight at Sima Yi's loaded words. She'd benefited from her—Sima Yi's bold 'Mother' approach had won her over, thanks to that winning strategy.
"Mother, I'll arrange a drinking party soon. You, Master, and me—let's share a cup."
"Is that all right?"
"Yes. If that's what you wish..."
Sima Yi's hand reached toward Cai Xuan.
"...Should I call you 'sister' instead of Mother?"
"...Restrain yourself in public."
"Hee hee hee."
Sima Yi stepped forward and took Cai Xuan's hand.
"I can hardly wait for the wedding."
"Marry Jo Ah-man if you can't find anyone? Ha, did Cao Cao really say that?"
"Yeah. I swear, I thought my head would roll right then."
It still terrified me. I could hardly believe my neck was intact as I forced my heart to calm and steadied my breath.
"One slip, and she'd have forced a betrothal on me. Whew."
"You don't want to marry?"
"It's not that, Liang."
I sat across from Zhuge Liang.
"I don't particularly crave marriage, but if the chance arises, it doesn't sound so bad."
"Others won't look kindly on it."
"That's their problem. Some in the world must wed as their clans dictate. But not me."
"You've already got a betrothal lined up."
"True enough."
"...Perhaps."
Zhuge Liang leaned in close—nose almost brushing mine.
"Is it true you're marrying Sima Yi?"
"......Not so much 'marrying' as..."
I pinched her cheek.
"The talks are progressing, but not enough to break them off."
"I see..."
Zhuge Liang continued in a flat tone.
"What if a better match comes along?"
"Hm?"
"Cao Cao said it herself. Strictly speaking, the Cao clan outranks the Sima."
"Who knows."
I hoisted Zhuge Liang up high.
"You tell me. Who should I marry?"
"......"
Zhuge Liang.
"Me?"
Bold as ever, she proposed.
"...What?"
"Marry me."
Zhuge Liang was deadly serious.