The Bet

A week after arriving in Ye. Three days had passed since the banquet, but there was still no news about the audience with the Emperor that we had requested as soon as we arrived.

Although nominally Emperor, the current court was firmly controlled by Chancellor Cao Pi, so if he set his mind to it, blocking an audience wasn’t difficult at all.

It was an inevitable situation after refusing Cao Pi’s proposal. As it was expected, there wasn’t much internal turmoil within the delegation. There was only a small concern about whether we might be stuck in Wei indefinitely like this.

But if we stayed idle like this, that minor worry could turn into fear and confusion. We couldn’t just sit and wait.

We needed to either negotiate with Cao Pi or declare that we were giving up on the audience.

We needed to decisively do one of the two.

“Let’s try pushing for the audience first.”

When I suggested the direction in front of Zhao Yun, Pang De, and Han Dang, each had a different reaction.

Han Dang, who was closer to a diplomat, was positive, while Pang De, a upright military man, was somewhat negative. Zhao Yun took a neutral position, but seemed to prioritize my instructions as the leader.

Even Pang De, though not entirely pleased, had no intention of going against my authority as chief envoy, so the future course of action was quickly decided.

“Let’s go to the Chancellor’s Office.”

Cao Pi was still a person who did his job. During working hours, he stayed at the Chancellor’s Office rather than the King of Wei’s Palace to handle affairs.

Of course, he didn’t purely work, but appropriately slacked off to enjoy his hobbies or hold banquets in the Chancellor’s Office, but it wasn’t to a level that greatly hindered his work, so he wasn’t completely disqualified as a ruler.

Anyway, as we entered the Chancellor’s Office, sure enough, we could hear music and laughter rather than the sound of unrolling bamboo slips, reaching our ears over the walls as if they were enjoying a banquet.

Seeing the guard startled by our visit and hesitating, Pang De spoke like a growling beast:

“Announce us.”

“Yes sir!”

The guard, answering briskly as if addressing a direct superior, hurriedly went inside.

They should have posted someone quite resolute to guard the Chancellor’s Office door. Well, how fierce must Pang De’s aura be? Plus Zhao Yun is here too.

“He says to come in.”

The guard who had gone in came back quickly and opened the door wide. Though we were only three people, our presence was by no means inferior to all the people in the Chancellor’s Office.

Engaging in a subtle battle of wills as we entered, we soon reached the center of the banquet. There, we were greeted by Cao Pi and the Four Friends of Cao Wei. The four men who could be called Cao Pi’s closest confidants.

Ding Yi, whose head was quite good and often gave helpful advice, but whose character was rotten.

Zhu Shuo, who wasn’t particularly talented but supported Cao Pi more eagerly than anyone while assisting him.

These two weren’t really worth paying attention to. But the other two were different.

Chen Qun, who rose to the position of Minister of Works and established the Nine-Rank System for Selecting Officials, and displayed both civil and military talent by becoming Director of the Imperial Secretariat and Grand General.

And Sima Yi, who received Cao Pi’s favor along with Chen Qun, and would have gained fame as Zhuge Liang’s fated rival in the original history.

‘I didn’t see him at Tongque Tower, did they call him from the provinces to Ye?’

This banquet seemed to be welcoming Sima Yi’s return to the capital. Judging by how Cao Pi had Sima Yi seated right next to him.

Seeing me, Cao Pi rose with exaggerated movements.

“You could have sent word if you wanted to see me. How could I not invite you? Come, come up here. What are you doing? Quickly make a seat.”

As Cao Pi poked at Zhu Shuo like a punching bag, I cut him off sharply:

“There’s no need for that. The reason I’ve rudely come to see the King of Wei like this is to inquire about the audience with the Emperor, so if you give an answer, I will withdraw immediately.”

Chaotan meant having an audience with the Son of Heaven. With Cao Pi using his position as Chancellor to block between the Emperor and our delegation, his permission was tantamount to the Emperor’s approval. To see the Emperor without going through Cao Pi, we’d have to climb over walls at night.

But Cao Pi played dumb:

“Why are you asking me about that? It depends on His Majesty the Emperor’s will.”

“Everyone in the world knows that Your Majesty’s true intentions are the Emperor’s will, so how can you joke like this?”

In the original history, it would be about time to drop hints about abdication. Of course, with the loss of Jingzhou and the Battle of Yiling gone, and Liu Bei’s rapid rise, it seemed the abdication was being postponed, but how could the desire to become Emperor not exist in Cao Pi’s heart?

Though not to the extent of openly calling himself Chancellor of State and completely ignoring the Emperor like Dong Zhuo, Cao Pi was also showing behavior above all men, disposing of state affairs as he pleased.

‘Well, Cao Cao did that too.’

This is how scary it is to get used to something. Originally, just that much would have earned curses of being a traitor, and all sorts of righteous people would have come forward to plot assassinations or whatever, but after experiencing Cao Cao, even Cao Pi’s tyranny is overlooked.

The Han dynasty was just a corpse, only without a death sentence pronounced.

Once the somewhat unsettled political situation due to succession fully stabilizes, Cao Pi will probably bring up the Emperor’s abdication, but that’s for later.

At my pointed remark, Cao Pi no longer pretended not to know. Silently acknowledging that he was blocking the audience with Emperor Xian, Cao Pi smiled as if a good idea had occurred to him and said:

“Then let’s do this. We’ll have a bet, each staking our wishes.”

“By wishes, you mean…”

“If you win, I’ll allow the audience. But if I win, you stay here.”

It was an obvious condition. And it was also a proposal that didn’t need to be accepted.

Seeing the Emperor, well, it would be nice if it happened, but it wasn’t a mission that absolutely had to be accomplished. Well, it’s not like I’m truly a loyal subject of the Han.

“I understand Your Majesty’s intention. As I have no intention of accepting the bet, we shall take our leave now.”

As I openly turned my body to leave, Cao Pi’s voice rang out behind me:

“You’ll have to do it.”

An ominous premonition flashed. The development I had considered as the worst-case scenario surfaced above the waterline in my brain. The assumption I had tucked away in a corner, thinking even Cao Pi surely wouldn’t go this far, came back as reality.

“Your victory includes your safe return as well.”

“Are you threatening us now?”

“Threatening? Of course not. I simply worried about your long and perilous journey back.”

Who knows what might happen?

Cao Pi, adding words despicably, wore an insufferably smug smile.

Zhao Yun and Pang De, who had accompanied me, spoke:

“You mustn’t give in.”

“We can break through.”

Right. Zhao Yun and Pang De, and myself honed through continuous real battles. Because we’re an elite few, escape wouldn’t be difficult. But would everyone besides us three really be safe? Probably not.

“It’s a bluff. If they attack us, the envoys they themselves permitted, the world will condemn them. Would they really do that?”

“You know. Justification can be made up as needed.”

“General, you have the ceasefire authority granted by Cao Cao. Attacking our country first would be an act that stains Cao Cao’s prestige as well.”

I’m not so sure. When has Cao Pi ever handled things with consideration for Cao Cao? This unfilial son who casually held Cao Cao’s funeral, absorbed in his own hunting.

But Zhao Yun’s words couldn’t be ignored either. Considering the weakened authority of the Cao family compared to before, Cao Pi’s actions could be different.

Noticing that the trend was flowing towards ignoring him and leaving, Cao Pi drove in the final nail:

“Come to think of it, Liu Bei’s daughters are staying here in Ye. Even if you leave, shouldn’t you at least see their faces before going?”

Even Zhao Yun, who had been calmly analyzing the situation and persuading, lost his words at that.

Liu Bei’s two daughters who couldn’t be rescued from Changban. Zhao Yun’s hands, which had turned away from rescuing them to prioritize A’dou and Lady Gan, were clenched more tightly than ever before.

The spider web Cao Pi had laid seemed sparse, but it was meticulously thorough.

They say even a dog eats half on its own front yard, and Cao Pi was the king of a country. And a king quite capable in politics at that.

“I’ll hear about the bet.”

At my words essentially agreeing to the bet, Cao Pi said with satisfaction:

“A proper bet should have odds for both sides to win. Therefore, we will have a total of 3 rounds.”

One round with a contest chosen by Cao Pi.

One round with a contest chosen by me.

And if the outcome isn’t decided by then, we each choose one contest and draw lots to determine the final contest.

Since it’s obvious each will propose a contest they’re confident in, it was truly a 50-50 match relying on luck. There’s a possibility for an upset, but it’s extremely low.

Overall, it was a fairly fair match, uncharacteristic of Cao Pi.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

“Then I’ll choose the first contest. Yancai.”

As Cao Pi called Zhu Shuo, he quickly cleared away the food table as if he had been prepared, and brought out what looked like a vanity table and some go stones.

“It’s Tanqi.”