Spring at the Academy (2): The Road to Xuzhou
Zhuge Liang boarded the carriage with her uncle, Jeokgal Hyeon.
"Liang, are you really sure about this?"
"About what?"
"Kim Taeyang is undoubtedly a fine man. No one in Sinyahyeon holds him in higher regard. He's exceptionally capable, has a good heart, and above all, in these chaotic times, no one looks after those around him quite like he does."
"And?"
"He's promiscuous."
At Jeokgal Hyeon's words, Zhuge Liang's lips curled into a sly smile.
"Is that from a Confucian perspective, or just your personal opinion, Uncle?"
"Anyone you ask would say the same."
"Why?"
"Because he's Kim Taeyang."
Kim Taeyang. The very sound carried an air of debauchery, and Zhuge Liang nodded gravely in agreement.
"I admit it. But my master isn't promiscuous at all. He's just..."
"Just?"
"...got a ton of appeal as a man."
"...Hah."
Jeokgal Hyeon covered his face with his hand. He couldn't bring himself to say more, but by the laws of the Central Plains, Zhuge Liang was already a full-fledged adult. Old enough to marry and have children without raising eyebrows. Her older sisters had already borne and raised kids nearly half her age, and Jeokgal Hyeon himself had met his current wife at an even younger age, sharing sweet moments of love.
Objectively speaking—or by Confucian standards—Zhuge Liang was of marriageable age. In fact, not tying the knot now might make it feel like she was letting her prime slip away.
"Even if it's Kim Taeyang..."
"Oh, Uncle. Didn't you already make up your mind when you decided to send me to Xuzhou?"
"Well, true enough."
Jeokgal Hyeon already knew Zhuge Liang's feelings to some extent.
"No woman in the world would travel alone with a man, even if he's her master. Especially under the pretext of joining a war."
"Heehee."
To Zhuge Liang, Jeokgal Hyeon was the sole adult in the family and a reliable ally she could count on against 'that woman.' He bore the duty of reviving the Zhuge clan, and the man his niece wished to marry met every criterion in his eyes. As another man, he even felt a twinge of envy and jealousy toward the fellow's greatness, so Jeokgal Hyeon had no reason to object to the marriage.
"But Liang, this won't be an ordinary marriage."
Only one glaring flaw loomed large.
"He's already spoken for."
"They've just exchanged proposals; no formal betrothal yet."
"The other side is the Sima clan of Henei."
"And we're the Zhuge clan."
"...You make it hard for me to argue when you put it like that."
"Of course. I have to convince you if I want to marry my master. I'm holding back as much as I can right now, just because it's you..."
Zhuge Liang fiddled with the feather of her white feather fan, grinning mischievously.
"If it weren't for you, Uncle, I'd be calling him 'husband' by now."
"...Hah. Do as you please."
"Yes. As we discussed, Uncle, there's one woman standing in the way of my marriage to my husband."
Grind.
"Sima Yi."
Whoooosh.
Was it because spring hadn't fully chased away winter's chill? A cold gust blew, sending shivers down Jeokgal Hyeon's spine.
"She thinks she's in some superior position just because she's known Master a few years longer. What a bitch."
"...Liang?"
"She's so arrogant. All brawn and no brains. Not even smarter than me."
"...I hate to say it, but is there anyone in the world as smart as you?"
"Nope. That's why she's arrogant."
"Isn't Sima Yi two years older than you?"
"If she's shoveled seven hundred more bowls of rice into her mouth, she ought to be at least that much smarter. But no, she just fills everything with those huge tits."
Jeokgal Hyeon fell silent before Zhuge Liang's genuine irritation.
"Still, thanks to you, Uncle, I got some real help. Heh, the head of the household's word can't be ignored, after all."
"...I never thought you'd straight-up bring it up to him."
"He was reasonable."
Huang Shengyan. Hwang Wol-yeong's adoptive father—though they barely saw each other once a year—had handpicked Zhuge Liang as his son's wife. She'd confronted him directly, and he'd cheerfully agreed, allowing her to formally proceed with the 'Huang clan.'
"Sigh. Every time I see the Cai clan folks, my heart sinks."
"Don't worry. Once we show them we're as great as the Simas—or greater—they'll come around quick."
"The Cai clan aside, how do you plan to convince your mother-in-law? She's already got Sima clan's kids stamped all over her heart."
Somehow, Kim Taeyang's adoptive parents were now at odds over him. Adoptive mother Cai Xuan backed Sima Yi. Adoptive father Huang Shengyan backed Zhuge Liang.
The issue wasn't 'who he should marry,' but 'who gets to be the principal wife.'
"Liang, there's an order to seniority, as Confucius said..."
"Confucius and Mencius have been dead and turned to dust for ages. Why bring that up now? This era rewards the capable, not empty traditions."
"Sima Yi's twice as strong as you, from what I hear. She even spars with the generals."
"That doesn't make her a one-against-a-thousand, does it? At best, she can protect herself."
Zhuge Liang thumped her chest proudly with a grin.
"My husband already recognizes me as his principal wife."
"When?"
"If he didn't, he'd have told me never to call myself principal wife or whatever. He didn't, right? That's him subtly acknowledging me as his official principal wife."
"......."
Jeokgal Hyeon said nothing. He wanted to refute her miraculous logic, but green sticks to green, the crab favors the shrimp, and the arm bends inward.
"Good thing you're my niece. If you were my daughter, I'd have smacked you."
"Why? Marrying into a more powerful clan to boost the family is common, isn't it?"
"Hah, I give up. Do what you want. ...You're already doing that."
Clunk.
The carriage finally neared its destination.
"But Liang, one thing I've been dying to know."
"What?"
"Why him, of all people? Your master?"
"......."
Zhuge Liang fell silent at Jeokgal Hyeon's question.
"There are stronger men out there. Smarter ones. Richer ones. Better teachers, better lineage. The world is full of men, and a good one to your liking was bound to be out there. Why him?"
"You won't get it if I say I fell for him."
"Exactly. You're all reason over emotion. ...Like how you were the first to say we had to flee Xuzhou."
"Yes. Simple affection wouldn't sway my resolve. But..."
Zhuge Liang stroked her white feather fan and continued.
"He answered the one question that truly puzzled me."
"...What was it?"
"A secret. Or maybe not, since you know now? Heh."
Zhuge Liang leaned back in the carriage, beaming.
"My husband taught me about the world."
"...How?"
"That's the real secret."
She held the fan to her lips.
"It's my little secret, one even my husband doesn't know."
"...But you said you learned about the world through Kim Taeyang? Didn't he tell you?"
"He did. But he doesn't realize it. Because..."
Clunk.
"...he showed me. With his own body."
* * *
"Rawr!"
Clang.
The shovel sank deep into the dry soil. I pointed at the parched earth with my finger.
"Pour it here."
"Uh, okay."
Zhen Jun carefully poured water from the wooden bucket onto the dirt. The water—
"Whoa! Don't pour from that height!!"
Because it fell from waist level, the water splashed everywhere across the ground.
"When watering plants or soil, do it low!"
"R-right. Hold on. Low..."
Whoosh.
Zhen Jun dumped the water. So forcefully that my feet were about to get soaked.
"...Low, and slowly. Let the ground absorb it."
"Ah, uh..."
Zhen Jun's face flushed crimson as she fidgeted. Mortified by her mistake, she just stole glances at me, wishing for a hole to hide in.
"You're gonna wear me out at this rate."
Sima Yi, who'd come to watch, pointed at the sky. It was already lunchtime, so I shook off my wet shoes as best I could.
"Come on out for now. We can talk on the way."
"......."
Zhen Jun clutched her skirt and climbed out of the field. She faced the three women waiting on the ridge with a complicated expression.
"Th-that's..."
"Sister Zhen Jun, what are you good at, exactly?"
"Don't be too harsh, Pang Tong. Someone like her wouldn't be called incompetent anywhere else."
"......."
Zhen Jun glanced back and forth between Pang Tong and Seo Seo with troubled eyes. Her greatest strength was undoubtedly her intellect... but.
"Think Sister Seo Seo can handle sorting her out?"
"Pang Tong, watch your mouth. You can't just say that."
"Ugh, it's true though."
"It was just mock battles."
"Losing ten out of ten in mock battles? That's not 'just' anything."
Oh, Zhen Jun. Your pride is shattering. A Suyeon Academy exclusive: after ten straight losses in mock battles, she'd set out to find her place here. She was competent enough. But the academy was overflowing with people even better. Her one edge over the other three? Hard-earned experience.
"Looks like Teacher Zhen Jun's best suited for official work. Not academy stuff."
"...I came here to work at the academy."
"Come on, no need for empty words."
Zhen Jun's face paled. I extended a hand to her and pointed toward the distant walls.
"Let's go. I've got a job that suits you."
"...What?"
"Eating the nation's rice. Protecting the people."
I pointed to Mun Bing, the prefect of Sinyahyeon, approaching from afar.
"I'm trying to develop this town once and for all. Care to help?"
My land in Sinyahyeon. I'd raise its value myself.