For the Family (3)
Cao Cao might have seemed to permit Sima Yi's bold proposal as if blessing our marriage, but subjugating the Black Mountain Bandits was no easy task.
"You've resolved to stand against Yuan Shao," Sun Uk opened the discussion first.
Sima Yi and I were holding our meeting in a room with Cao Cao's key advisors gathered.
"Strictly speaking, Henei falls within Yuan Shao's territory. If we move in first to crush the bandits he's been ignoring, it's as good as declaring we're seizing Henei for ourselves."
Sun Uk placed Cao Cao's banner on "Henei" on the map of the northern regions. Even starting from Chenliu, we'd have to cross the Yellow River and travel a considerable distance—and detouring through Luoyang would make it far too long.
"You think Yuan Shao will just sit idly by if we move our army?"
"He won't. But we can consider two possibilities."
"If Yuan Shao sends troops, and if he doesn't." All eyes turned to Sima Yi at her words.
Sima Yi gave me a light nod before stepping forward, clutching her black feather fan.
"If Yuan Shao sends troops, we simply join forces to wipe out the bandits. Our stated goal is merely to eliminate the bandits plaguing Henei—nothing about clashing with Yuan Shao right now."
Sima Yi positioned Cao Cao's advancing army merging with Yuan Shao's forces right before the bandits.
"That way, we crush them effortlessly. The Prime Minister and Yuan Shao both gain the prestige of having subdued the bandits, and Henei regains its freedom."
"Just 'freedom'? Mobilizing an army and not claiming Henei would be a huge waste."
The tallest woman there, Jeong Uk, was the first to challenge Sima Yi.
"We move first to subjugate the bandits, but if we don't get Henei, isn't the risk too high?"
"No need to worry. My clan is the most influential family in Henei. With my brother and I serving under Lord Cao Cao, how could our house not follow suit?"
"Even with Yuan Shao so close?" Jeong Uk pointed to how far Yuan Shao's banner had to travel. They could arrive three times faster than us. If we took ten days, they'd make it in three.
"All our army's movements are surely filtering back to Yuan Shao. The moment we mobilize, he'll act. He won't move openly since the goal is bandit suppression, but he won't stay completely still either."
"But what if he does nothing?"
Sima Yi smirked, sweeping Yuan Shao's army toward Ye with her fan.
"If Cao Cao's army moves and Yuan Shao's doesn't budge, what does that tell us?"
"He's treating us like his subordinates, expecting us to handle it for him?"
"You already know, don't you?"
"Know what?"
Sima Yi and Jeong Uk glared at each other for a long moment.
"Then say it outright." Jeong Uk pointed to the brush on the table and quickly wrote something on her palm.
Sima Yi looked not at Jeong Uk's hand but at me, smiling confidently.
"Guess what I wrote."
"Staged incident. Disguise. White Wave Bandits. To sum it all up simply..."
Sima Yi tied the Black Mountain Bandits' banner to Yuan Shao's army.
"Yuan Shao's forces are behind the current Black Mountain Bandits uprising."
"Correct." Jeong Uk shrugged and raised her hand. Nothing was written there.
"Just as you thought, I believe Yuan Shao's army is involved in this Black Mountain mess. What say the rest of you?"
"Agreed."
Guo Jia chimed in with Jeong Uk.
"Yuan Shao already considers Henei his land. He wouldn't just watch bandits rampage there—Ye is practically next door."
"Not dispatching troops from their most concentrated forces? It's not that it's hard to suppress—it's that they don't want to."
"One elite general would shatter them. No reason to leave them be."
Before long, Sima Yi had seamlessly joined the Cao Cao advisors' debate.
Feels familiar somehow. The scene didn't feel off to me at all.
"How should we pressure Yuan Shao's army?"
"Best not to demand they dispatch troops outright. How about saying the people of Henei petitioned the Emperor, so we're subjugating the bandits by imperial decree?"
"Wouldn't tying it to the Emperor make Yuan Shao send even more troops? Even if they're bandits, Yuan Shao would have covered his tracks without direct evidence. He could play dumb and let us handle the suppression—there's precedent."
Precedent meaning, back when Grand General He Jin was alive, they branded non-bandits as Black Mountain rebels, "suppressed" them, and claimed military merit. Yuan Shao had served under He Jin and witnessed—or perhaps participated in—such atrocities firsthand.
"Fine. Then what if the Prime Minister moves alone?"
"I doubt Yuan Shao would assist. Sounds ideal."
"We might have to fight solo without reinforcements."
"Treat it as reconnaissance. They might be Yuan Shao's real troops disguised as Black Mountain Bandits."
Watching these geniuses volley ideas felt oddly natural. It was eerily like the discussions back at Suyeon Academy with the kids. Gave me chills.
Pang Tong, Seo Seo. What are you two?
Sima Yi holding her own with Cao Cao's top advisors was impressive enough, but Pang Tong and Seo Seo—who could match her without crumbling, even if they fell short—were on another level. And Zhuge Liang, who beat Sima Yi routinely and earned higher praise from Xun You?
Lucky she's my wife. If she were an enemy, I'd be a puppet dancing in her palm. Her foes were just toys on hers, though.
"...Then let's wrap it up. Inform Yuan Shao that the Prime Minister is mobilizing, and we form a subjugation force independently. Any objections?"
"None."
While I was lost in thought, they'd already settled it.
"Teacher Geum, anything troubling you?"
"Not troubled exactly... Well, there is one thing."
I gestured to everyone else.
"Who decides the subjugation force's personnel?"
****
Prime Minister's Office
"Zixiao, you go."
"No."
Cao Cao shot up from her seat at Cao Ren's stubborn refusal.
"Daring to defy your lord's command? I'll handle you under military law!"
"You said we were talking as kin, not lord and vassal."
"Ah, that depends on the situation."
Cao Ren nearly clutched his neck at Cao Cao's words.
"Convenient when it suits you, 'lord' when it doesn't?"
"Yeah."
"Ha, really. Isn't that too much?"
"That's Cao Mengde for you. Haha. So, will you go or not? If not you, it'll have to be Miaocai."
Cao Ren was dumbfounded by Cao Cao's antics but had no choice but to comply.
"One question. I'm overall commander, with Yejin as deputy, right?"
"Yes. And we'll attach Xu Huang too."
"Cavalry-focused formation, then."
"Exactly. Three thousand per cavalry unit."
"Three thousand..."
Cao Ren swallowed hard. When was the last time he'd led cavalry in real action? Last year charging Lü Bu had been thrilling, but lately it was just training.
Cao Ren yearned to ride. As a cavalry commander.
But.
"Is it true a certain Sima clan's girl—Sima Yi's sister—is attaching as advisor?"
"Yes."
"And some mere scholar's tagging along too?"
"Yes."
"And you're planning to... do that with that scholar?"
"Do what!"
Cao Cao flushed and yelled.
"You know my aspirations!"
"Yes, yes. Seeking consequence-free pleasure. Something you've never even tried."
"That's why I'm trying it this time. You know I've already sent a marriage proposal to him as Lady Cao."
"Oh..."
Cao Ren made a disgusted face—hardly fitting for facing his lord, but he couldn't hide his feelings.
"He's not even past forty yet, and you're taking him as a young consort?"
"I'm not marrying him or anything—just want to enjoy a man for once. What's wrong with that?"
"Anyone hearing would think you're some loose woman. You've never even held a man's hand, pure as snow."
"Wh-what...!"
Cao Cao's face turned beet red in an instant.
"That's an insult to the Prime Minister!"
"Punish me under military law. Before my head rolls, I'll shout to the Prime Minister that she's a virgin."
"You bastard!"
Cao Cao clenched her fist, trembling.
"The head of the Cao clan just wants to hook up with a guy for some fun, and you can't even help?!"
"I pity that Geum Taeyang fellow—and his wife."
"His wife's coming as advisor on this subjugation force."
"...I truly can't comprehend."
Cao Ren sighed deeply.
"Is he that exceptional a warrior?"
"Not a warrior. More an advisor, if anything."
"Then why?"
"He recommended Xun You and Sun Uk to me."
"...Ho."
Cao Ren started showing interest.
"Sun Uk called him a true master of the king's throne."
"Does the Prime Minister aspire to be king?"
"Not quite king, but the power that comes with it. Listen well—I wasn't going to say this, but..."
Cao Cao leaned in and whispered to Cao Ren.
"I'm assigning four thousand Ho Biao Qi to this subjugation force."
"Prime Minister! This Cao Zixiao vows with his life to crush the bandits!"
Cao Ren flipped his attitude instantly. He mouthed "Ho Biao Qi" repeatedly, smacking his lips.
"Yes. When I told Sima Yi I'd appoint you overall commander, she said our army's strongest cavalry leader deserves our strongest cavalry."
"......"
Cao Ren clenched his fists.
Cao Cao appoints Cao Ren as overall commander for the Henei bandit subjugation force.
Overall commander: Cao Ren.
Deputy: Yejin. Xu Huang.
Advisor: Sima Yi.
And...
"What's my role?"
"Sima Yi's attendant...?"
Guest advisor: Geum Taeyang.