The Bet 3

Cao Pi showed a reaction beyond expectations to my provocation.

Seeing Cao Pi trembling like Cao Zhi or Zhen Fu who had been shaking with humiliation at the recent banquet, I felt a sense of satisfaction.

Cao Pi shouted irritably:

“Forget the bamboo slips! It’s Tanqi. We started with Tanqi, so we’ll end with Tanqi!”

“Your Majesty, however…!”

“Zhongda, do you not trust me! It’s been decided as Tanqi, so Zhongda, don’t interfere any further!”

Watching Sima Yi make a dismayed expression, I inwardly sneered.

It wasn’t like I wouldn’t be wary of Sima Yi, of all people. From the moment I set foot in the Chancellor’s Office and saw Sima Yi, I had already been keeping a close eye on him.

It’s not just anyone, but the combination of that Cao Pi and Sima Yi. It would be stranger if they weren’t plotting some kind of scheme.

From the start, the fair best-of-three was suspicious. And with the decision to determine the last game by drawing lots, suspicion became close to certainty.

The seemingly fair match was bait to lure me in. It was probably designed so that Cao Pi would win somehow.

So I staked Tanqi in the second game, taking on the risk. There was a calculation that I could win, but the true aim was beyond simply winning one round, it was to block any manipulation that could be involved in the final third game.

And my intentions matched up like a picture.

All my suspicions, hypotheses, and success were proven by the cold sweat flowing down Sima Yi’s troubled face.

‘Sima Yi’s mistakes were three.’

One was not considering the possibility that I had already figured him out.

One was underestimating my potential in physical activities like Tanqi.

The last was trusting Cao Pi’s rationality too much.

The final Tanqi proceeded one-sidedly, making the close contest of the second round pale in comparison.

Me, who had completely adapted, versus Cao Pi, whose composure had crumbled and was excited. It was obvious which side would win. Even if he calmly internalized the techniques I had shown, it would be questionable if he could win, let alone charging in without reason.

I steadily shot down Cao Pi’s stones one by one, and two at a time when the angle was right, erasing Cao Pi’s white stones from the board.

Tak.

And finally, the last white stone was hit by my black stone and bounced far away.

“I have won.”

“……”

Cao Pi silently looked down at the empty board in front of him. Tanqi must have been a game he was confident in, so the shock of defeat must not be small.

“I trust you will allow the audience with the Emperor and let us see our lord’s two daughters as promised.”

Though Cao Pi is the type to easily go back on his word, being in the banquet hall became his shackles.

Even Cao Pi can’t silence everyone’s mouths and make what happened here impossible to ask about. Moreover, this bet was watched not only by Cao Pi’s subordinates but also by Zhao Yun and Pang De.

Even a rotten fish has some use, and Cao Pi pulled up his last dignity as a king to answer:

“…A king does not speak with two tongues. For the schedule, I will send someone to the envoys’ residence later.”

“I will wait and trust in that.”

Having received a firm answer, I got up without lingering. As much as I’d like to tease him all day, provoking Cao Pi further would be disadvantageous.

Given Cao Pi’s character, who drove a general to suicide and forced Xu You to drink poison, this situation was quite precarious.

The fact that Cao Pi personally liked me, and that I was an envoy sent by Liu Bei rather than from Wei, acted as shields protecting me, but Cao Pi is also the type of person who might do something crazy if things go wrong.

Sure enough, Cao Pi called out to stop me as I was about to leave the banquet hall.

“Wait a moment.”

“Do you have something more to say?”

“…No. You may go now.”

Cao Pi, as if there had been a change of heart, trailed off after calling me. Making people nervous for nothing.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

This time Cao Pi didn’t hold me back, so we left the Chancellor’s Office. It felt like entering a tiger’s den, catching the tiger, and coming out.

While feeling proud of having left behind another anecdote to be recorded in history, as well as having completed my duties as an envoy, Zhao Yun asked:

“General, did you enjoy Tanqi regularly before?”

“I had played it before, but it was my first time using such a cosmetic table.”

“Huh… Then you developed that much in just one game?”

“I had the basics, so I watched Cao Pi’s hands and tried to imitate them.”

“Imitated, you say. It sounds easy when you put it like that…”

Even Pang De stuck out his tongue, saying it was unbelievable.

My shoulders rose to touch the sky at Zhao Yun’s praise that the guts to make such an attempt in a bet where being captured by Wei was at stake was amazing in itself.

It certainly wasn’t without a reckless aspect. I made the judgment that I would win because I had the experience from my past life, but from the side, I must have looked like a complete novice.

‘From Zhao Yun and Pang De’s perspective, it must have been really nerve-wracking.’

But well, winning is what matters.

“Let’s go quickly and deliver this good news to Minister Han.”

§

After Zhang Ran came like a gale, raged like a storm, and disappeared like a gentle breeze.

Those gathered in the banquet hall were gripped by the feeling of sitting on pins and needles.

That Cao Pi, with the Tanqi he boasted so much about, suffered a come-from-behind defeat to Zhang Ran, who seemed like a novice at first.

While others couldn’t even breathe properly and maintained rigid postures prepared for apoplexy, Cao Pi opened his mouth.

“Zhongda.”

“Yes, King of Wei.”

“What happened?”

And the words that came out of his mouth were none other than shifting blame.

If they had followed Sima Yi’s original plan, they would have won the bet by taking the third game. However, it was Cao Pi himself who deviated from the course Sima Yi had laid out.

If one were to pinpoint the cause, it would be Cao Pi himself, but his appearance of blaming Sima Yi, who had provided him with the strategy, was ugly and irresponsible.

But Sima Yi, who had more than enough reason to feel wronged, prostrated himself with an apologetic face as if it really were his fault and begged for punishment.

This was because Sima Yi knew better than anyone how to deal with Cao Pi.

“All of this is due to my oversight. Please punish this humble servant!”

“Enough. How could I punish Zhongda? I’m not trying to punish you, so just tell me your opinion.”

“…In my humble view, it seems Zhang Ran did not deceive Your Majesty.”

From Sima Yi’s perspective, Zhang Ran was not a hidden Tanqi master. If she were, she could have taken both rounds consecutively and ended it there.

So it meant Zhang Ran’s skill grew at an unbelievable speed from the first round to the point of overwhelming Cao Pi…

‘Even so, how could a human be like that?’

Sima Yi, who was intelligent but had no aptitude for physical activities, couldn’t help but question whether the answer given by his cold reason was really possible.

But there was no other way to explain it. Hearing Sima Yi’s explanation, Cao Pi found it difficult to accept readily but partially understood. It was better for saving face to think Zhang Ran’s talent was unbelievably amazing rather than that he had been fooled by Zhang Ran.

“Then what does Zhongda think I should do now? This can’t be the end, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Indeed. This is why you’re Zhongda. I’d like to hear your wise opinion…”

Cao Pi’s eyes swept across the banquet hall of the Chancellor’s Office, still full of people.

“There are many ears listening.”

Understanding at a glance and acting on even unclear words, Ding Yi jumped up and shouted:

“The banquet is dismissed! Everyone return now, and servants clean up the banquet hall!”

Seeing what Ding Yi was doing, Zhu Shuo, realizing he was a step late, also rolled up his sleeves and set about cleaning the banquet hall, quickly making the Chancellor’s Office deserted.

Although only Cao Pi and the Four Friends of Cao Wei remained, as Cao Pi remained silent, Chen Qun politely bowed.

“This humble servant shall withdraw as well.”

“Th-This humble servant too!”

Ding Yi, who had been sticking to his seat blinded by greed even though he should have noticed, hurriedly stood up and followed Chen Qun, who knew when to step in and when to step back.

Only then, with just Sima Yi and Cao Pi remaining, did Cao Pi part his heavy lips.

“Now speak.”

“First, it has become difficult to postpone the audience with the Emperor now.”

“That’s right. I gave my word.”

“Then we should use the Emperor’s power as it is.”

“Use the Emperor’s power?”

As Cao Pi showed interest, Sima Yi brought out the strategy he had been considering as a second option.

“Liu Bei and his group, despite being rebels, dare to falsely claim loyalty to Han. That is a weapon that strengthens their justification, but at the same time, it is also handcuffs that restrict them.”

“Explain in detail.”

“Submit a memorial to His Majesty and have him bestow an official position on Zhang Ran. Zhang Ran, who claims to be a loyal subject of Han, will not be able to easily refuse.”

“Oh ho, bestow an official position to bind her. Then what position would be good to give?”

“Since Zhang Ran is a military general but also has knowledge in literature, Sanqi Changshi seems appropriate.”

Sanqi Changshi was a military official position close to a civil official, where one would ride in the Emperor’s carriage and offer advice. In the original history, it was also a position Cao Pi gave to Meng Da.

“Not a bad idea. Good. I will submit a memorial to the Emperor.”

Cao Pi found Sima Yi’s suggestion plausible and was satisfied, but Sima Yi believed this would not work.

‘Instead, we can recover as much as we lost in justification.’

With the scheme already having failed, this was the best Sima Yi could do. And by the time the audience with the Emperor was over, Cao Pi would regain his reason and make a rational judgment.

Sima Yi, who had somehow overcome the immediate crisis, stopped on his way back home from the Chancellor’s Office and looked towards the envoys’ residence where Zhang Ran would be staying.

“With talented people abundant under Liu Bei and Sun Quan, it will be a long time before this chaotic era ends.”

Though his tone was clearly like that of a scholar lamenting the state of the world, what was in Sima Yi’s heart was completely different from what appeared on the surface.

‘Keep rampaging more. So that I, this Sima Yi, can devour you and stand tall over the world.’