The Inseparable Bond of Blood
The ultimate embodiment of a marriage alliance is, of course, a child. Since ancient times, blood ties have symbolized the strongest alliances, ones no other bond could rival. A child signifies the complete merging of two forces. The birth of a child means Liu Biao and the Cai family are now bound in an unbreakable, inseparable relationship.
"Should I be happy about this?"
"About what?"
"Ah, Liang'er. I was just lost in thought for a moment."
I straightened the hair of Zhuge Liang, who had her feet dipped in the water by the riverbank. Her hair, turned white from the shock in Xuzhou, hadn't regained its black color even after time had passed.
"My aunt, Lady Cai, has conceived Liu Biao's child. It'll be born in ten months. No, since we only learned of the pregnancy recently, it'll probably arrive before the year is out. Haha."
"How do you make a baby?"
"……"
Zhuge Liang's eyes stared up at me innocently. Her expressionless gaze was purely childlike, innocent as a blank sheet of paper—white and pristine, so pure it felt wrong even to dip a brush in ink and mark it.
Get a grip. I'm the adult here. Zhuge Liang is the child. Adults have a duty to answer a child's questions without losing their innocence.
"It happens when a man and woman share their love."
"I see. So, love?"
"Yes."
Ten out of ten. I inwardly praised myself for the perfectly sage-like response.
"What is love?"
"……"
Love, huh. I don't know either.
The questions were chaining together. It was a headache-inducing line of inquiry, but I couldn't dodge it. A teacher must know everything. Admitting ignorance wasn't an option. If I went home and she told everyone, "Teacher Geum Taeyang didn't know this!", the parents might come demanding how someone so clueless could hold a teaching post. Pregnancy and love might pass as "kid stuff, so he brushed it off," but not everyone thinks rationally. So, "I don't know" wasn't appropriate.
I lightly ruffled Zhuge Liang's hair.
"It seems love hasn't come for Liang'er yet."
"Why do you think that?"
"Well…"
"Curious about what love is? Isn't that too advanced a question for you?"
Sima Yi came to my rescue.
"A kid who doesn't even know what love is, asking about it? You'd never understand even if it was explained."
Sima Yi, skirt hiked up and knees in the water, splashed playfully while mocking Zhuge Liang.
"As if a brat like you knows what love is."
"You probably don't know either."
"Oh? I already know love. No, I'm in love right now."
"In love? Hmph."
Zhuge Liang shot back at Sima Yi in her own way, and Sima Yi's retort made Zhuge Liang's lips twitch. Was that a smirk just now…?
"Whatever love you think you have, it's probably not the universal kind ordinary people mean. Aren't you just fantasizing alone?"
"What?"
"Lost in your own imagination, thinking someone loves you. Saying you love them doesn't guarantee they love you back. Love isn't one-sided."
"You…"
Sima Yi kicked water at Zhuge Liang with her foot.
"Pretending not to know to put Teacher in a tough spot?"
"I didn't."
"Wanna get hit?"
"Hmph."
Water droplets flew everywhere, but Zhuge Liang didn't budge an inch.
"See? When she feels cornered, she resorts to violence. Typical immature adult behavior."
"It's because a brat like you spouts nonsense. Should I smack you for real?"
"Using the stamina Teacher told you to build for farming to swing violence around? So barbaric."
"Hmph. As if you can even farm properly. While you're barely tilling one plot, I've tilled three and sown the seeds."
"Must feel great beating a sister four years younger in stamina."
"Teacher, can I hit her?"
"No."
Violence is off-limits.
"Forcing you two to get along might be awkward to say, but you can't resort to violence or hurt each other."
"Exactly. Being four years older doesn't mean you should flex your strength and swing wildly like an idiot. Teacher's words are spot on."
"Teacher, she's mentally assaulting me. What do I do? Can I really smack her now?"
"No."
Violence is absolutely no.
"Debate it out. Settle it with words. The one who wins the war of wits wins."
"We're already debating."
"Not like that. Talk about ancient tales, human ethics, or the mindset one should have in this era. Debate those."
"But we do that every day."
Sima Yi's eloquence was top among the Sukyung Hall students.
"If I bring up classics she doesn't know, my pride takes a hit. If we debate ethics, she just retorts, 'How can a human be so wicked?'"
"Don't you think you only have wicked thoughts?"
"It's not wickedness; it's human nature."
"I can't accept that human nature is evil. The wicked are just extremely vile; most people harbor goodness in their hearts."
"Really? Then even newborn babies have goodness? So crushing ants in the field with their thumbs is good behavior too?"
"That's…"
"Humans are evil beings. Filled with selfishness thinking only of themselves."
That's why I treat her as my assistant instructor—no joke—and even Teacher Sima Hui marvels at her words.
"Does that mean Teacher is evil too?"
"What?"
"Teacher isn't evil. He's kind, good-hearted. Teacher lent his land to many Xuzhou refugees. Something even great heroes hesitate to do. Oh? Denying it? That Teacher's a grand hero? How could an evil person do such a good deed?"
"No, that's…"
The problem is her rival is Zhuge Liang.
"Lending land out of selfishness, making them farm it so you can collect rent and live easy? How can you see people that way?"
"……Ah, fine. You win. Happy now?"
Sima Yi let out a deep sigh.
That's talent. Zhuge Liang knew exactly how to infuriate opponents and shut them down in debate. If she'd entered Sukyung Hall before Sima Yi or been older, she'd probably dominate in rhetoric. Objectively, Zhuge Liang edges her out in brains.
"…Since that last one touched my honor, let me ask you something else. Whoever solves my dilemma wins today."
"…Fine."
"I can't let this slide."
What was so crucial about daily victories? Yet Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang treated every contest like a fateful rivalry, staking their pride.
Prize for winning? Nothing special. Loser does chores with Seo Seo; winner takes a short walk with me. They burned with competitive fire over those walks, glaring daggers.
With that passion, they might offer real solutions to my worries.
"Liu Biao's wife, Lady Cai, is pregnant."
"Oh, really? Congrats… but awkward."
"Yeah. Liang'er, remember that young man who visited recently?"
"The kinda sickly uncle?"
"……He's younger than me, anyway. Name's Liu Qi. Liu Biao's legitimate heir."
Liu Qi. Barely past thirty. Liu Biao's son by his first wife, now watching his support erode in real time.
"A half-brother twenty years younger must feel weird."
"Hard to build brotherly bonds like that."
"Exactly. We don't know how long Liu Biao will live, but if he skips the eldest for successor, it'll be a headache."
Most inherit to the legitimate eldest son—safest. Unless like Yuan Yin and Yuan Chang dying suddenly, it goes to the firstborn. Right for family or whatever.
"…Not great for the Cai family."
"The Cai will push the newborn as Liu Biao's heir, right?"
"Obviously. If Liu Biao dies before Lady Cai's son is born, she'll act as regent."
"Or eliminate the sickly eldest."
Sima Yi's smile turned chilling. Zhuge Liang frowned at the brutal method.
"That's cruel."
"Efficient. Think assassinations are rare? Even Qin Shi Huang faced tons. Even if not Teacher, who knows what the Cai might do if crossed?"
Who knows what they'll do if crossed. No phrase captured this era better.
"Right. The Cai want a blood heir as successor. So who will Liu Biao choose? His longtime eldest from the first wife? Or the new second from elsewhere?"
"Isn't that unknown?"
"Why, Liang'er?"
"We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet."
"……"
Zhuge Liang was thinking primogeniture.
"Heh. That's why rigid folks are…"
And Sima Yi…
"No law says a daughter can't inherit family or position. Teacher's asking who Liu Biao picks between first wife's and current wife's kids."
"Ugh…"
She didn't distinguish genders much. Being a woman helped, but she pushed harder for women inheriting.
"If it were me…"
"Yi'ya."
From afar, Teacher Sima Hui rode up on horseback. Her expression grave, she alternated glances between me and Sima Yi.
"A guest has arrived."
"…A guest?"
"Yes. From Henei."
In that instant, Sima Yi dropped the hem of her skirt she'd been clutching.
"Your father has come."