Chapter 32
As Cao Cao was about to leave the Emperor’s quarters and step outside the palace, a familiar voice stopped him.
“Oh, if it isn’t Cao Cao. I heard you were promoted to Imperial Counselor, but I didn’t expect to run into you like this.”
“Yuan Shao.”
Cao Cao turned around with a smile. There stood his friend of ten years, Yuan Shao, with his neat, young master-like appearance and a friendly smile.
Of course, being friends didn’t mean they were close enough to bare their hearts to each other. They were merely childhood playmates who used to cause mischief together. Both were only satisfied when they could stand above the other. As they disliked being beneath each other, the distance between them grew as they matured.
Still, in a world driven by connections, it wasn’t a bad idea to maintain a relationship. Both recognized the value in knowing each other. Yuan Shao grinned and asked.
“Were you just giving counsel to the Emperor? Given that righteous personality of yours.”
“Haha, I did submit a petition, but how did you know?”
“Knowing your character, it’s obvious.”
Yuan Shao replied with a hearty laugh. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao briefly exchanged greetings about the past three years. After some conversation, Cao Cao casually brought up something that had been bothering him.
“While I was away from Luoyang, the Ten Regular Attendants’ power has grown unchecked.”
“That’s been going on for years.”
Yuan Shao smirked. The eunuchs’ monopoly on power had lasted thirty to forty years. It was rather strange to bring it up now. Seeing Yuan Shao’s questioning gaze, Cao Cao shrugged and continued.
“I didn’t know even a child had free access to the palace.”
“A child?”
“Zhang Rang’s adopted son, I hear. Someone called Dongbaek.”
“Ah, Dongbaek.”
Yuan Shao clapped his thick palms together. A child with both a memorable name and appearance. Though he wasn’t sure where Cao Cao had seen the child, it wasn’t surprising that such a noticeable person would catch Cao Cao’s attention.
Yuan Shao shared what he knew with a bitter smile.
“Zhang Rang had a convenient excuse. He claimed the boy was a playmate for the Prince. The Prince seems to adore Dongbaek. Perhaps they’re trying to groom the Prince from an early age… This means the eunuchs’ power will continue unchallenged into the next generation.”
Cao Cao raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. A playmate for the Prince? If he was just a playmate, he should only be seen around the Prince’s palace, not in the Emperor’s audience chamber. The Emperor’s welcoming attitude toward his son’s playmate was also suspicious.
“The Prince’s playmate, you say. I mistook him for being the Emperor’s male concubine.”
“His Majesty may like beautiful people, but he doesn’t have a taste for men. If he did, you would have been in danger too. After all, your looks are His Majesty’s type. You’ve benefited greatly from that face.”
Yuan Shao joked casually with Cao Cao. Having known each other since childhood, Cao Cao knew it was just playful banter and simply laughed it off.
“Don’t worry too much. He’s just a young boy.”
Yuan Shao patted Cao Cao’s shoulder, apologized for keeping him too long, and promised to meet again later to catch up properly before parting ways. Left alone, Cao Cao pondered the day’s events.
Though he had learned about the boy called Dongbaek, he felt even more confused. They say he’s just a young boy, but Cao Cao instinctively realized that this child couldn’t be defined by age alone.
‘Xiahou Dun certainly has good judgment when it comes to people.’
A boy somehow similar to himself… I should look into this further. Cao Cao left the palace with gleaming eyes and a spring in his step. His footsteps were much lighter than when he left the audience chamber, filled with inexplicable anticipation.
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Dongbaek remained composed while greeting the Emperor with a bow. In truth, she had no reason to be nervous. The Emperor showed obvious favoritism toward her.
“Your subject Dongbaek greets Your Majesty.”
“Yes, yes. Dongbaek. Come, sit here.”
The Emperor spoke in a friendly tone while patting the space beside him. The spot he indicated was right next to the Emperor. Since she couldn’t disobey the Emperor’s command, Dongbaek complied.
The Emperor smiled, pleased with Dongbaek’s obedience. Sitting formally right next to the Emperor, Dongbaek asked,
“Who was that person who just left? I don’t think I’ve seen him in the palace before.”
“That was Cao Cao, who was recently appointed as Imperial Counselor. He came to submit a petition, but…”
Emperor Ling looked at the rolled-up petition with an annoyed expression. He clearly disliked it. Then again, what work would he ever like? Dongbaek smiled slightly while recalling the face of the man she had seen earlier.
‘Cao Cao… So that’s Cao Cao.’
His phoenix eyes and sharp jawline, along with stubbornly sealed lips, were beautiful enough to draw automatic praise. He was certainly no ordinary person, given that even a passing glance made Dongbaek ask the Emperor about his identity. However, compared to what she had imagined, he seemed rather ordinary.
‘I must have been overly worried.’
While he had exceptional vigor due to his youth, he lacked the dignity she had expected. Dongbaek felt relieved. Cao Cao too was far from reaching his prime. Her worries about being the only one lagging behind began to fade.
Dongbaek glanced sideways at Zhang Rang. His contorted expression showed no signs of easing. The petition Cao Cao submitted apparently contained content he found quite displeasing.
Though the Emperor had no interest in looking at the petition, he felt embarrassed to show such feelings in front of young Dongbaek. The Emperor cleared his throat and reached for the petition, saying words he didn’t mean.
“Shouldn’t I heed the counsel of my loyal subject for the peace of this land?”
Before the Emperor’s hand could reach the petition, Dongbaek gently placed her hand on top of his. The Emperor’s hand stopped. Dongbaek spoke with a gentle smile.
“Your Majesty is the heaven of this land, your mere existence brings peace to the earth. While I’m deeply moved by your consideration for the common people, I worry that overexerting yourself might harm your health.”
Dongbaek considered Cao Cao’s feelings in submitting the petition to such an Emperor. He must have spent days working on a petition of that length—it was truly pitiful. Thinking of Cao Cao, her pale eyes quickly filled with concern. Of course, the fact that she herself was making his petition useless wasn’t particularly important to her.
Dongbaek’s acting seemed quite sincere. The Emperor’s face broke into a broad smile, moved by Dongbaek’s seemingly genuine concern.
The Emperor repeatedly praised her while stroking her hand. If his touch had been any more persistent, it would have been unpleasant, but fortunately, it wasn’t much different from patting a child’s head, allowing Dongbaek to maintain her natural smile.
“Ah, Dongbaek, you always know just what to say. Just like your father.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty. I am but a mere child, speaking from a simple heart.”
Zhang Rang responded with a deep bow. Judging by the satisfied smile on his face, Dongbaek’s words had met his approval. And rightfully so—thanks to Dongbaek, the Emperor had instantly shed what little guilt he felt toward Cao Cao.
The Emperor clapped his hands and laughed brightly.
“Now then! Let’s have some fun conversation. What shall we discuss?”
“Shall I tell you about Prince Bian?”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. What is Bian learning these days?”
The Emperor’s already large eyes grew even rounder with interest. However, Dongbaek knew this was merely curiosity about someone he hadn’t heard about in a while, not genuine interest in Bian.
The Emperor had completely delegated everything regarding Prince Bian to Dongbaek. He had never once asked about Prince Bian of his own accord. Though Dongbaek had brought up the topic herself, she couldn’t help feeling bitter about it.
Hiding these feelings, Dongbaek detailed everything about what the Prince was currently learning, how much he had grown, and what interested him these days. She made sure to exaggerate his achievements, praising his excellent academic performance and various talents. She hoped that this might somehow help the Emperor develop some affection for his son.
Even for a child one shows little interest in, it’s natural for a parent to feel pleased hearing that their child excels above others. The Emperor grinned continuously at Dongbaek’s successive praise.
With Zhang Rang joining in—having decades of experience in matching the Emperor’s mood—the Emperor’s smile stretched from ear to ear, and he eventually insisted on holding a banquet that very night.
“Tonight, you say?”
“Yes! Let’s call the musicians and jesters and make merry all night!”
“It’s too sudden. Perhaps we should postpone it.”
Dongbaek smiled gently while trying to dissuade the Emperor. Calling musicians and jesters—the kind of banquet the Emperor desired would clearly take several days of preparation. Such things couldn’t be arranged at a moment’s notice.
Zhang Rang knew this as well as Dongbaek did. It would be problematic if a subpar banquet were to upset the Emperor’s mood. Zhang Rang skillfully made excuses for Dongbaek while persuading the Emperor.
“Though he acts mature, he’s still young and probably doesn’t care for late-night banquets.”
“Ah, true enough. He needs to sleep early and grow well. Our Dongbaek will surely grow up to be quite handsome.”
Having fallen for the father and son’s subtle manipulation, the Emperor smiled and began counting days to schedule the banquet. Dongbaek sighed in relief at the Emperor’s acquiescence. However, it was too early for her to feel at ease.
“Though even now you’re no less than any general. I’ve heard your swordsmanship is excellent.”
“You flatter me. Your Majesty truly looks upon me with great favor.”
“It’s only natural to cherish talented individuals. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you handle a sword. How about performing a sword dance for me at the next banquet?”
“Pardon?”
Why did the conversation suddenly take this turn? Cold sweat ran down Dongbaek’s spine. She might end up having to perform a sword dance in front of all the civil and military officials. Just thinking about it made her fingertips tingle with nervousness.
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Thank you for reading! ♡
