Sima Lang's Ambition
"Are you Yi's master?"
Sima Lang. He was shorter than me, but the eyes looking up at me were identical to Sima Yi's. With a sharp gaze that sized me up like an appraiser, he scanned me from head to toe.
"Oppa, could you read this letter first?"
"Isn't this from Father?"
"Just read it."
"Hm..."
After reading the letter.
"Pleased to meet you, Teacher. I'm Sima Lang, courtesy name Baedal. I was governing Dangyang but was summoned to Chenliu for a time."
"Ah, yes."
He switched attitudes in an instant, treating me like a close relative. His expression grew complicated as he glanced back and forth between me and Sima Yi, a pitying look crossing his face toward me each time. It felt like he was handing off a troublesome family girl, sending a chill down my spine for no reason.
"I've heard the story. You recuperated in Henei for a while before coming back to Chenliu."
"Yes. Embarrassingly, my health isn't the best. Haha..."
Sima Lang had joined Cao Cao's forces far earlier than I'd expected—selflessly recommended, not even seeking it out himself. Cao Cao had personally sought him out. Not long after Sima Yi entered Sukyung Hall, Cao Cao approached the Sima clan aggressively, wanting to employ him directly. His talents were outstanding, his character impeccable, his reputation widespread as a true talent.
That timing... Cao Cao was desperately recruiting people back then.
Sun Uk had been recommending everyone she knew to him, and Sima Lang had enlisted around then too.
"Surprising, though."
"What's surprising?"
"I figured you'd join Yuan Shao's army."
"......Haha, I did consider it."
Sima Lang gave an awkward laugh.
"Whether to choose Yuan Shao, who had seized Ye, or the rising Cao Cao... I agonized over it from every angle. Even consulted with Father. Really wrestled with it."
At the time—around when Xun You enlisted. Before Sun Jian's death, before Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan clashed at Jieqiao—he'd chosen Cao Cao. Before Yuan Shao dominated Hebei, despite the option to join him easily, he'd picked Cao Cao, who was practically penniless.
"Any special reason?"
"Working under someone with an established base makes you just another bureaucrat. But under someone in dire straits, you could aim for county prefect or higher."
"I see. Quite ambitious."
"Not ambition, per se... No, you're right. I will rise."
Sima Lang was driven.
"Rise to office so the people under my reach can live in peace."
"Just that?"
"Seeing locals exploited by corrupt officials, I thought, better I become the official and govern them myself."
Not chasing fame or status, but yearning to shoulder more responsibility, aid more people as an upright scholar-official. In short: if no one's doing it right, I'll step up.
"Baedal Gong is a fine man."
"No. I have my selfish desires too."
"How can one who wants peace for the people say that?"
"...Embarrassing to admit, but someday, when Lord Cao succeeds greatly, I hope he'll grant me the Henei governorship."
Want peace for the people—but ideally for those he knows, those close to home.
"Henei governor? Won't that look like turning Sima lands into family fiefdom?"
But for the center—Cao Cao's future core—that's no good. Like Liu Biao arriving in Jingzhou alone, central dispatches avoid local ties to prevent colluding with powerful clans into entrenched factions. I wouldn't—no, Cao Cao wouldn't—appoint the Sima head's kin to Henei.
"Haha. Then I'll prove otherwise."
But Sima Lang had a dream.
"Say it now, and my head rolls—no surprise. So from here on, I'll shine, work hard. Prove there's no selfish motive in governing Henei. Entrust it to me, and I'll rule justly. My own clan's land? All the more reason to pour my heart into serving its people."
Idealistic.
"I just want to protect my clan's home and Henei's people. That's why I chose the one who'll do it."
His choice: naturally, the "center."
"Between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, Cao Cao will protect Henei? Meaning Baedal Gong chose him?"
"Yes. Father's worried. They're allied now, but once both grow mighty and turn on each other..."
"They'll fight, surely."
What I expected—what everyone did. Cao Cao would challenge Yuan Shao eventually.
"Cao Cao vs. Yuan Shao, odds slim..."
Sima Lang winked at Sima Yi.
"That's where I'm the insurance. If things go south, take good care of Yi."
"Don't worry. I've got my disciples' futures all planned."
Whatever path Sima Yi chose, I'd respect and support it.
"Baedal Gong, may I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"What the hell does that letter say?"
"......."
Sima Lang paled. He glanced at Sima Yi beside me; I circled behind her.
Swoosh.
"T-Teacher?!"
"Go ahead."
I plugged Sima Yi's ears with my thumbs, covered her eyes with my other fingers. Blocked out, she wouldn't catch it. Seeing her meek like that, Sima Lang's face stiffened again.
"Good lord..."
"What exactly was in the letter?"
"...Well, not that scandalous."
Sima Lang cupped his fists and bowed.
"Since you're the one taking my wild rascal of a daughter, don't cause any offense..."
"Wild rascal?"
I couldn't help laughing.
"Yi, a rascal? Where's a more sensible, well-behaved girl?"
"......."
"Yi's so good-hearted. Childhood mischief? Maybe, but not now. I've never seen a kinder soul."
Sima Lang's face soured. Still, he had to speak.
"Yi's no rascal."
* * *
"He's smitten. Bad."
"Pardon?"
"Me."
Cao Cao sighed deeply at the bamboo slips piled before her. All addressed to her; she'd checked and rechecked, but none sat right.
"I trusted my people too much. Causing rifts among advisors over this."
"Advisors thrive on biting each other. That's why we draw salaries—don't fret."
Sun Uk sat across, scanning slips too. Cao Cao's top strategists and generals pushed their views; each unfurled slip drew heavy sighs.
"Wenyeok, your thoughts on the Well-Field system?"
Well-Field: divide land into nine well-shaped squares; eight families farm the edges, communal center as tax.
"Well-Field."
Sun Uk traced the "well" character, tapped the center.
"Doomed to fail."
"Why?"
"Someone I know said humans are greedy. Keep what's yours; the shared bit? Tax. So he'll surely..."
"Skimp on the tax plot."
Cao Cao noted the proposer.
"Sima Lang. Still chasing ideals over reality."
"Not bad. Steady enough."
"Steady, but no fix for the hundreds of thousands of farmers in Yan and Qing right now."
Cao Cao set the slip aside.
"Better ideas? Military farms fall short. Soldiers barely train as is."
"Lord."
Sun Uk smiled faintly at her.
"The answer's set, isn't it?"
"It is."
She'd gathered advisors' views, but her policy was fixed in mind.
Tuntian. Civilian tuntian. Land reclamation. Long-term use.
—Human greed knows no bounds. Who'd farm diligently if they keep less than half their yield?
"Sun Uk. Even unspoken, his words echo in my ears."
"......."
"We're trading slips—with your okay, sure—but his voice haunts me. Over-tax, and tuntian fails. Minimal grain levy only, or forced civilian farms collapse."
"Tricky all around. Needs massive grain upfront, payoff years out."
They grumbled, then unfurled one.
"...Found it."
Among generals, the sole tuntian advocate: Han Ho.
"Finally, someone for tuntian. Hah."
Cao Cao stretched, stood. Sun Uk pocketed Han Ho's proposal and followed.
"Luoyang won't do, right?"
"Yes. Soil poisoned by corpses. Needs a decade fallow minimum to farm."
"No go then."
Cao Cao smacked her lips, gazing out the window.
"Need a trigger..."
"General! Urgent report!"
"What?"
"Yang Feng and Han Xian lead troops, claiming to protect His Majesty—attacking!"
"......Oh ho."
Fire lit Cao Cao's eyes.
"Can't hold them here easily."
Her gaze shifted to the map's other spots.
"To the Son of Heaven. Time to leave Luoyang. Heh heh heh."
Cao Cao escorted the emperor from Luoyang.