Chapter 54
Cao Cao’s entire body went cold the moment Dongbaek finished speaking. What was the meaning behind those words?
Caught off guard by Dongbaek’s sudden shift in demeanor, Cao Cao’s famously quick tongue faltered. How should he respond to this? As Cao Cao opened his mouth slightly, a pale hand suddenly thrust before his eyes.
Cao Cao stared blankly at the hand offering to help him up. The earlier pale and cold expression had vanished completely, replaced by an elegant yet quiet smile looking down at him.
Seated, he was a peony, standing, he was a peony tree in bloom—that’s what those who had seen Dongbaek’s sword dance unanimously praised about her appearance. Cao Cao agreed with that assessment. What an incredibly beautiful figure indeed.
“Let’s go.”
As if enchanted, Cao Cao took Dongbaek’s hand and stood up. He was no easy opponent. Just when he thought he could manipulate her, he ended up being the one manipulated instead.
I shouldn’t underestimate him. Perhaps due to tension, Cao Cao’s hand holding Dongbaek’s smooth white one had become damp with sweat.
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Tap, tap.
Although the buzzing conversations and lively atmosphere could be heard from beyond, like an illusion, the only sounds existing in the alley were Dongbaek and Cao Cao’s footsteps.
Cao Cao followed behind Dongbaek as she ventured deeper and deeper. Though her steps were light, they moved forward so purposefully that Cao Cao had to quicken his pace to keep up.
They arrived at the First District. This was an exclusive area where only nobles – specifically those granted free entry to the imperial palace—could live. Cao Cao’s grandfather, the former Zhong Changshi Cao Teng, had also lived here. Of course, that had been in the opposite direction from where they were heading now.
They continued walking between massive walls that seemed endless. No sound came from beyond the walls, as if there was no one managing these huge mansions.
“Come this way.”
Dongbaek suddenly stopped and gestured to Cao Cao. Looking back and forth between Dongbaek and the wall, Cao Cao gave a skeptical laugh.
“You’re saying we need to climb this? Don’t taverns have doors these days?”
“This tavern doesn’t accept those who can’t climb this much.”
Dongbaek shrugged her shoulders. As Cao Cao stood there with his neck craned back looking at the wall, an impatient Dongbaek grabbed his arm.
“What—”
Before Cao Cao could finish his question, Dongbaek swiftly lifted him and tucked him under her arm. It happened so quickly that Cao Cao couldn’t even process what was happening.
With her slender arm firmly gripping Cao Cao’s torso, Dongbaek kicked off the ground. Other than using the wall as a stepping stone once, she cleared the wall without any other support.
Cao Cao saw stars. Being forced to experience flying through the air head-first was not something he had expected. Even after crossing the wall, he remained dazed for quite a while.
Having achieved her goal, Dongbaek released her hold on Cao Cao. He fell and landed on his bottom once again.
“Ow ow ow…”
“You can’t even stand when I set you down properly. How do you expect to accomplish anything great with such weak legs?”
“I’ve never heard anyone say I have weak legs before, yet I seem to turn to jelly only in front of you.”
“How cheeky.”
Dongbaek smirked at Cao Cao’s sly retort before pulling him upright by the arm. His body rose effortlessly, like lifting a child.
“Shh, follow me quietly.”
Putting a finger to her lips to caution Cao Cao, Dongbaek crept forward somewhere, muffling her footsteps. Her steps were confident, as if this was her own home.
‘As if it’s his own home? It probably is his home. Just as I suspected… I’ve walked right into the tiger’s den.’
This was clearly Zhang Rang’s residence. A bead of cold sweat ran down Cao Cao’s forehead. The pebbles beneath his feet felt like poison needles.
“What are you waiting for?”
Dongbaek urged Cao Cao, who had momentarily stopped in his tracks. Her lips curled into a mischievous smile. This was her counterattack after noticing how Cao Cao had been testing her about her drinking capacity, taste in women, and boldness.
Cao Cao let out a wry laugh. What shame would it be to back out now? Wouldn’t people mock the great Cao Cao for being afraid of Zhang Rang?
‘This is getting quite interesting… I feel like I’m giving an inch and taking a mile, I can’t say I dislike being swept along like this.’
Back in the day, Yuan Shao used to hang around with him, but now that he’d grown older and more self-important, he acted all prim and proper. Xiahou Dun, on the other hand, was so familiar with him that there was no thrill in exchanging banter anymore. It had been a while since Cao Cao had felt this rush, like the thrilling, heartbeat-quickening days of his youth. His heart thumped loudly with excitement.
Following Dongbaek, Cao Cao stole glances at their surroundings. The luxurious and precious shrubs growing there spoke of the owner’s influence. The exotic plants that clearly came from the Western Regions were rare specimens that he couldn’t easily find even in his own home.
‘Come to think of it, this is the second time I’m breaking into the Zhong Changshi Zhang Rang’s house.’
Long ago, he had been infatuated with a woman known for her beauty and virtue. He fell for her at first sight during a chance encounter. Though she was older than Cao Cao, it didn’t matter to him. While she lacked youthful freshness, she possessed the serenity and wisdom that comes with age.
However, she was already Zhang Rang’s woman. Though she was Zhang Rang’s abandoned concubine, withering away locked in a back room, she firmly rejected Cao Cao’s extended hand.
But Cao Cao couldn’t just stand by and watch her suffer. The day he decided to save her, he kicked down the tightly closed main gate of Zhang Rang’s mansion.
A frontal assault. How bold he had been back then.
Cao Cao pointed his sword at Zhang Rang and demanded her release. He wasn’t afraid of Zhang Rang’s private soldiers surrounding him. But the woman he tried to rescue from Zhang Rang’s grip instead slapped his cheek.
“Young master, what kind of outrageous behavior is this!”
Her thunderous rebuke cut between Cao Cao and Zhang Rang. With trembling hands, she begged Zhang Rang to forgive this ignorant child’s transgression.
‘How did I react then? What did I do?’
All he could remember was deflecting the rain of arrows that came flying and escaping from Zhang Rang’s house.
He never heard even a whisper about what happened to her afterward. So gradually, Cao Cao forgot about her.
Perhaps following Dongbaek so willingly now was heaven’s way of telling him not to forget her. That shameful memory of his past actions driven by young blood, rashness, and arrogance. His somewhat naive and provincial pride from that time, assuming she would naturally follow him.
Cao Cao smiled bitterly at the memory. But before he could sink deeper into his thoughts, Dongbaek gestured to him.
“Here we are.”
Watching Dongbaek open the window and leap into the room, Cao Cao smiled, his gloomy thoughts from earlier completely vanishing.
“You really like climbing walls. Why don’t you ever use proper doors?”
“Isn’t that all thanks to you, Yilang Cao?”
Dongbaek pulled Cao Cao’s arm, helping him enter the room. With her assistance, Cao Cao was able to step inside easily.
Dongbaek lit up the dark room with practiced ease and pointed to a chair.
“Please, sit there.”
“My, my, I might end up shortening my life just trying to get a drink.”
“Well, one wrong move after drinking and you might really shorten your lifespan. Better manage your drunken antics carefully.”
“Really, the way you talk…”
Cao Cao pouted and grumbled at Dongbaek’s sharp words. As Cao Cao slumped against the table while muttering, Dongbaek turned to head to the kitchen to fetch some wine jugs.
“My lord, you’re here?”
Just then, a butterfly hairpin decoration peeked out, blocking Dongbaek’s path. Startled by Lily’s sudden appearance, Dongbaek hesitated for a moment.
“You scared me.”
“You don’t look very scared though.”
Lily giggled at Dongbaek’s exaggerated reaction. Hidden behind Dongbaek’s back, Lily hadn’t noticed there was someone else in the room.
“I didn’t know you were coming. You didn’t use the main entrance?”
“Ah yes, I had to secretly bring a friend. I climbed the wall since Father wouldn’t be too pleased about this particular friend.”
Dongbaek subtly turned and pointed at Cao Cao, who was slumped over the table. Cao Cao raised his head unsteadily and gave Lily a flirtatious wink as greeting. Flirting with another man’s wife in front of her husband—Dongbaek’s eyebrows rose.
While an ordinary young woman might have blushed at his smooth face and skilled flirtation, Lily, hardened by her experience with Dongbaek, remained completely unfazed.
Instead, she calmly returned Cao Cao’s greeting with a polite smile before looking up at Dongbaek with admiration.
“A friend of yours, you say? Should I prepare some refreshments?”
“Lots of wine too, please. He’s quite the drinker.”
“Wait a minute, you’re the heavy drinker, not me!”
“Please wait a moment, I’ll prepare it right away!”
Though Cao Cao protested grumpily, Lily had already left the room before hearing his objection.
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