Gyeonseong Battle - Black Mountain Bandits Subjugation (Battle's End): Officially a Married Man
Results of the Gyeonseong Battle. Me, Geum Taeyang. I've officially become a married man now.
"Congratulations from the bottom of my heart, Teacher Geum. I'm thrilled for you."
"...Why are you more excited than me, A-man?"
"Because I'm sincerely happy for you."
After returning to Heodo, while Sima Yi stepped away to discuss postwar matters with the staff officers, Jo A-man came to find me.
"I'm a married man now."
"Oh? Trying to play the modest card?"
"Even so, now that I'm married, I should watch my behavior..."
"Husband!!"
Sima Yi's urgent voice rang out from outside. She burst through the door, panting heavily in her official hat, and her expression froze solid at the sight of Jo A-man.
"What's wrong? This is Lord Cao Cao's daughter, Jo A-man. You know her, right?"
"...Why are you here."
"I came to talk. Hehe, perfect timing."
Jo A-man pointed at Sima Yi with a beaming smile.
"I'd like some private time with your wife. That okay?"
"...Husband."
Sima Yi sidled up next to me.
"Teacher Xun You is looking for you. Why don't you go see her?"
"Uh, uh. R-right. I'll head out."
Suddenly, I felt like I'd been kicked out of my own house.
"...It's still daytime."
Not even night—it was broad daylight. Now that I was out, I had no idea what to do.
"...Maybe play some go."
I checked the money pouch in my pocket and set off for a stroll through Heodo.
* * *
A short while later, while Geum Taeyang was out, Jo A-man raised her hand to her head and grabbed something.
Click.
With a sharp snap, her hair shot straight up. Beneath the cascading black locks, her hidden white-streaked hair was revealed.
"My lord."
"Yeah."
"What are you doing, flirting with the husband of a subordinate who just returned victorious?"
"Throwing my hat in the ring."
Jo A-man—no, Cao Cao—showed her true colors from the start.
"How could I just stand by when a talented woman like you picked such a catch? You'd have better luck telling a sparrow to ignore an autumn field."
"He's my husband."
"That's why I'm saying this. He's not my husband."
Cao Cao reached out to Sima Yi with a serious look.
"Just let me meet Jo A-man quietly with him. Come on?"
"There are plenty of other men. Why my husband of all people?"
"I've looked at men across the land, but none seem as... delicious as yours..."
Cao Cao bowed her head briefly, then lifted it again.
"...None seem as fine as your husband."
"Anyone hearing that would think you're some experienced woman."
Sima Yi sneered, twisting her lips. It was blatant disdain for Cao Cao, but she placed a hand on her chest and boldly threw her head back.
"Ahh, of course. I, Cao Mengde, when it comes to experience—"
"General Cao Ren already spilled everything. Apparently, you have two long-time 'friends' you summon every night for those little chats."
"Y-yeah. I mean, I've got a solid two—"
"Their names wouldn't happen to be the index and middle fingers on your right hand, would they?"
Sima Yi raised her hand, hooking her index and middle fingers together and wiggling them.
"I've been in your debt plenty before. No shame in it."
"...Next time, I should give the cavalry command to Xiahou Yuan."
Cao Cao bit her lip, her face stiff. Her flushed cheeks weren't from excitement—they burned with humiliation.
"It's about go. You grip the stones with these two fingers during a match, don't you? Haha, hahaha."
"Yes. You've been playing solo games every night, I take it. I used to do the same. Now I play with my husband."
"......."
Cao Cao's fists trembled. Seeing the prime minister of a nation like this nearly made Sima Yi burst out laughing inwardly.
"...So even you, Lord Prime Minister, are just a woman after all."
"What? Can't I be? How much have I sacrificed for this country?"
"No worthy go opponents around all this time?"
"All useless. Plenty wanted to play me, but they never looked at my eyes—they just stared down here."
Cao Cao stood, untying the sash at her waist. With a few thuds, her robes loosened dramatically, and now it was Sima Yi clenching her fists tight.
"But he was different. He..."
"Didn't even glance, right?"
"Exactly. N-no, it's different. The funny thing is..."
Cao Cao's lips curled up slyly.
"When I meet him as Cao Cao, his eyes always drift downward. But as Jo A-man? He looks me straight in the eye."
"Isn't that just the difference between meeting a high lord and meeting a woman?"
"Exactly! That's why I'm asking you."
Desperation crept into Cao Cao's voice.
"Please, let me meet him as a woman. Yeah?"
"What kind of lord grants her subordinate something like this?"
"Is this a place to debate lord-vassal propriety? It's a concubine pleading with the legal wife."
"Concubine..."
Sima Yi toyed with her lips with her fingers, smirking.
"How strange. To the whole Central Plains, it's lord and vassal. But inside my husband's estate, the roles reverse."
"I'm begging you."
"...Why my husband, of all people?"
"You already know without asking, don't you?"
"I want to hear it anyway."
"W-well. Truth is..."
Cao Cao fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke.
"I've seen him play go at night."
"......."
"Against Xun Yu, Xun You, Guo Jia—one after another. I got genuinely curious. It was like a whole world I didn't know unfolding there."
"Go's just a game anyone can play, isn't it?"
"Ha. Nonsense. Absurd!"
Cao Cao shook her head firmly. Sima Yi swallowed hard under the immense pressure.
"No man can just step up as Cao Cao's first go opponent!"
"...Sigh. Having a husband who's too skilled is a curse. Or maybe I picked the wrong lord."
"Saying that right in front of the man himself. Hehe, but you're cute. You didn't choose me for your beloved husband—you chose me because of him, right?"
"......."
Sima Yi glared at Cao Cao with cold eyes. Cao Cao just flashed a sly grin and lifted her teacup toward her.
"Since your husband likes high-ranking women, you're climbing the ladder to live large and keep him fed. And the fastest way is following me, Cao Mengde."
"Get to the point."
"Let me meet Jo A-man often. In return, I'll grant what you desire. Say, if I ever take Jingzhou..."
Cao Cao leaned in close, pulling her chair nearer. Their knees nearly touched.
"How about governor of Jingzhou, then rising to Grand Marshal over Jingzhou and beyond? Solves all your worries."
"Handling state affairs while staying in Jingzhou...?"
"Yes. If we target the north, the Marshal over Hebei won't be Yuan Shao—it'll be you. And..."
"I can bring my husband to Henei—or even Ye—to live there."
"Exactly. And the biggest gain from allowing my relationship with Jo A-man."
"What is it?"
Cao Cao gripped Sima Yi's hands tightly.
"With Jo A-man claiming concubine status herself, what woman in our army would dare challenge the legal wife?"
"Ah...!"
"What do you say?"
"...Are you planning to crush the dreams of the women who trust and follow you for your own ambitions?"
"Crush is a strong word. This is just between us. So? My offer. Refuse, and..."
Cao Cao fixed Sima Yi with a cold stare.
"I'll take him by force."
"...I won't let him go easily."
"That's why I'm trying to talk it out nicely. I don't want to lose you. Or your husband. Thanks to him, from Xun Yu on, talents have flocked to me. Why would I make a foolish choice?"
"...Then I have a condition."
Whisper whisper.
Cao Cao pulled back in shock at Sima Yi's words.
"...For real?"
"Yes, completely serious."
Cao Cao's eyes darted side to side at Sima Yi's boldness. Heat rose to her face again, ears turning red. She forced a smile and reached out.
"...S-surely not your first game in front of everyone...?"
"If you don't like it, forget it."
"......No, ask for the Grand Commandant position instead. Yeah?"
"Oh my."
Sima Yi's smile only deepened.
"Wasn't this a conversation between women? Feeling shy? Worried your go skills are lacking?"
"A-as if! Not just me, Cao Mengde, but even Jo A-man...!"
"Ah, about that."
Sima Yi reached out to Cao Cao, toying with her white-streaked hair as she whispered.
"How about a bet? One game as Cao Cao, one as Jo A-man—against my husband."
"......!!"
"If he figures out you're the same person through the games, I win."
"...Deceive to the end, huh."
"No, no. I'm confident. Whether Cao Cao or Cao Mengde, your go style is the same."
Cao Cao froze under Sima Yi's touch.
"No matter how hard you hide it for life, my husband will see through it."
"...And if he doesn't?"
"Hm."
Sima Yi grinned, like drawing a blade prepared from the start.
"A hero has three wives and four concubines. The third wife spot's open."
"Third?"
"Yes. There's another wife in Jingzhou, younger than me."
"Another... wife? Not some childhood friend without talent who chased his tail while you were away?"
"She did chase while I was gone, but she's more talented than me in some ways."
"What...!"
Cao Cao licked her lips again.
"You, who could've matched me if born twenty years earlier, and an even more talented wife—both chose the same husband? Hah, I can't stand it...!"
Cao Cao ran her tongue over her lips.
"...Doubly delicious."
"......."
"...I'll at least ask the other wife."
"Convince her well. Otherwise, we'll meet in secret. Surely you won't begrudge your sky-like husband seeing another woman? Right? Yeah?"
"......."
Sima Yi nearly blacked out from the dizziness.