At Tongque Tower 3

I sensed it. That Cao Pi bastard, he knows. He must have noticed that Cao Zhi harbors feelings he shouldn’t for his sister-in-law.

The forbidden love Cao Zhi harbored – those who like the Three Kingdoms would have heard of it. That he wrote “Luo Shen Fu” thinking of Zhen Fu has long been established as academic consensus.

I don’t know when, how, or to what extent Cao Pi discerned Cao Zhi’s feelings. Maybe he’s just taking a shot in the dark. If so, Cao Pi truly must be born with a talent for tormenting people and ravaging their hearts.

Cao Zhi’s face turned as pale as a corpse.

A question and answer more precarious than the Seven-Step Poem of death. It was a choice between two options, like walking on the edge of a blade.

Choosing me would mean saying to Cao Pi’s face that I’m more beautiful than Zhen Fu, his wife, while also shaming the object of his unrequited love.

Choosing Zhen Fu would mean denying Cao Zhang’s words, who had supported him in the succession competition, while also confirming Cao Pi’s suspicions about his feelings for Zhen Fu.

No matter which he chose, Cao Zhi’s face would be completely crumpled, and his heart torn apart – a cruel compulsion.

Cao Zhi trembled and moved his lips at Cao Pi’s malicious intimidation that would destroy him both externally and internally.

It wasn’t only Cao Zhi who shuddered with fear and humiliation. Zhen Fu, who became the subject of comparison, was also shaking with anger at Cao Pi’s outrageous act of treating her not as his wife and queen, but as a mere lowly woman.

‘Didn’t he kill her not long after becoming Emperor?’

Zhen Fu is killed by none other than her husband, Cao Pi, for the reason that she resented Cao Pi for favoring concubines and neglecting her.

Perhaps Cao Pi suspected Zhen Fu after learning of Cao Zhi’s unrequited love for her.

Tragedies caused by pathological jealousy are common even in modern times. For Cao Pi, who wasn’t in his right mind to begin with, it’s entirely possible he would suspect Zhen Fu and Cao Zhi’s relationship and kill her.

It feels like we’re at an execution ground rather than a banquet hall.

‘This feels absolutely awful.’

I was disgusted. Who would like being used as Cao Pi’s chess piece? Once was enough, there was no obligation to tolerate it further.

It’s fine to talk about appearances, but comparing to others and using it as material for political maneuvering is not proper.

Moreover, I’m not Cao Pi’s subject, but a guest. He chose the wrong person to use. So what I’m about to do is justified retaliation.

I suddenly stood up, glanced at Cao Zhi and Cao Pi in turn, and said:

“Since I heard a beautiful poem, I should respond in kind.”

And without giving anyone else a chance to interject, I immediately continued:

“The Queen of Flowers approaches the jade steps, all flowers look up to her.”

“Small birds come as envoys to see each other, bee ministers gather and return.”

“Sitting in an honored place, causing no disturbance, yet criticized for accomplishing nothing.”

Even after I finished speaking, the banquet hall remained silent. The condolence delegation looked at me, while the Wei people watched Cao Pi’s reaction.

There was no one so lacking in comprehension that they couldn’t tell the poem just recited was criticizing Cao Pi.

Despite hearing a poem that openly revealed its true meaning, Cao Pi remained calm. Rather than being annoyed at having his business interrupted, he smiled pleasantly as if he liked it.

‘Don’t smile like that, I might get attached.’

I feel like I’m going to get indigestion even though I’ve barely eaten a bite of food so far.

“Is that your answer?”

“How could a mere warrior be compared to the queen of a nation? The queen is far more beautiful than me, yet you keep trying to compare us. With so many people at this banquet, I can’t even raise my head.”

As I roundaboutly said that if he keeps comparing, I’ll leave the banquet and everything else behind, Cao Pi picked up his wine cup as if he had no choice.

“Hmm… I got carried away enjoying Zijian’s poem too much on my own. This banquet is to welcome the delegation, so let’s stop with the poetry. Come, everyone raise your cups. Shouldn’t we all enjoy ourselves together!”

Only then did the atmosphere in the banquet hall thaw. As everyone hurriedly raised their wine cups, Cao Pi called and urged his Four Friends, Ding Yi and Zhu Shuo.

“Kezhong, Yancai, what are my friends doing? Quickly, let the music play and call the dancers!”

“Huh? Ah, yes! Quickly play the music and dancers come back to dance!”

While Ding Yi and Zhu Shuo moved swiftly, Cao Pi waved his hand at Cao Zhi, who was still frozen like a statue in the middle of the banquet hall.

“Zijian, you may withdraw now.”

“Yes… King of Wei.”

As the situation was somewhat resolved, chatter and laughter could be heard again from various places.

Now the banquet hall has become a proper banquet venue. Now a full-fledged adult, I lightly tilted the wine cup placed before me.

As I was sipping from the cup, Zhao Yun approached me.

“That was reckless.”

“Isn’t that my specialty?”

I giggled and answered, having heard the same words when rescuing Ma Chao’s family members in Hanzhong.

The rest of the banquet flowed without any particular issues. It’s not like Cao Pi was openly harassing people, and there wouldn’t be any foolish lout bold enough to cause a disturbance that would lower the nation’s prestige in front of the delegation.

The martial aura openly emanated by Pang De, Zhao Yun, and myself is not something civil officials can withstand. Cao Pi is also wary of us, and with Xu Zhu firmly attached to his side, he can act as he pleases.

He Yan, Cao Zhi, Zhen Fu. Having stopped tormenting those who irritated him, Cao Pi turned his attention to me.

He asked if they really use so much candy and honey in Yizhou, and when I said yes, he demanded I make tanghulu for him, having heard about it somewhere.

He pestered me by asking if I liked hunting or if I had any other hobbies I enjoyed.

As I was half-heartedly deflecting Cao Pi’s barrage of questions, this time words I couldn’t ignore came out.

“How did you find our land after seeing it directly?”

“What do you mean?”

“No need to pretend. It’s all known anyway. You did it, didn’t you? Spying.”

“…Yes, I saw. It was indeed worthy of being called a great nation.”

So you deliberately showed me. Right, no matter how obsessed with women he might be, he wouldn’t give an opportunity to spy on the interior without any thought. I figured there must have been some scheme.

And Cao Pi’s intention was to show off.

The majesty of Chang’an and Luoyang that would overwhelm ordinary people, the products pouring out from the endless Central Plains, the disparity in military scale created by the superiority in population, which is tantamount to national power.

Indeed, Wei seemed to have recovered all the losses from the consecutive defeats in Hanzhong and Jingzhou in such a short time. I don’t know about the inside, but at least on the surface it appeared so.

“That is the latent power of our country. No matter how much you struggle, how could river water swallow seawater? It’s never shameful to know your place and bow your head. So just submit now. You are of Xiahou blood, so I will rightfully make you a duke, and grant your father Zhang Fei the title of King of Shu.”

How generous. Cao Pi was making an even more ardent proposal than Cao Cao.

Perhaps because I had just reminisced about the past with Zhao Yun, I smiled as I remembered making a similar response to a similar proposal long ago.

“You finally smile. Did you like the proposal?”

“No. I just suddenly recalled experiencing something similar in the past. I apologize.”

“Hmm, I’ll allow you to substitute that old story as an apology.”

It’s a story from the distant past. It’s been over 10 years now.

What I recalled was none other than the conversation I had with Zhou Yu. What was I thinking when I refused Zhou Yu’s proposal to become his daughter-in-law?

‘My lord said he didn’t like Sun Ce.’

At that time, I thought there couldn’t be a worse ruler than Sun Quan, but looking back now, there was one more.

‘I don’t like Sun Ce, but I dislike Cao Pi even more.’

However, I couldn’t blurt out such thoughts straightforwardly, so I repeated the same answer I gave to Zhou Yu.

Though he didn’t seem to accept and give up as cleanly as Zhou Yu, Cao Pi didn’t repeat his proposal. I’ll probably receive similar proposals a few more times in the future. But my answer will never change.

A moment later, Cao Pi seemed to decide to change his approach, and this time instead of asking directly, he inquired about me obliquely.

“Come to think of it, you also followed your father on campaign at a young age, right? Was it nine years old?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Weren’t you afraid? I too followed the late king on campaign at ten years old. Coincidentally, it was to the same Jingzhou.”

The Jing Province expedition? Cao Pi survived tenaciously in that battle where Cao Ang, Cao Cao’s eldest son and Cao Pi’s elder brother, died. I don’t know for sure, but that experience must have affected Cao Pi’s psyche.

I had my past life experience, and thanks to my father’s protection, I safely went through my first real battle, but Cao Pi faced a life-and-death crisis at a truly young age.

However, that doesn’t mean I had any intention of sympathizing with or pitying Cao Pi. His actions had crossed the line too many times to be pitied.

‘After all that, you’re telling me to submit?’

Not a chance.

Zhang Ran under Cao Pi’s command? That doesn’t exist, Cao Pi. No matter what happens, absolutely not!

So stop telling me to submit already.

The banquet ended after a test of endurance where I wanted to punch Cao Pi in the mouth.

But the delegation had only just begun in earnest.