Chapter 18: None of Them Are Worthy in My Eyes

As soon as Cao Cao spoke, his expression carried that subtle look of “you know what I mean.” Liu Xie was momentarily bewildered, but then his face lit up with sudden understanding.

Previously, Liu Xie had indeed been puzzled—why was Cao Cao watching him and Guan Yu so closely at such a late hour? It seemed unusual. Now, at last, he understood: Cao Cao simply wanted to warn him not to lay a hand on Liu Bei’s two wives. Cao Cao himself had resisted, so naturally, everyone else must do the same.

The reason was left unsaid, but it was simple enough. Cao Cao felt that Liu Xie shared certain traits with himself, particularly a keen interest in women.

Cao Cao did not consider this a flaw. Liu Xie spent his days isolated in the imperial palace, enduring hardship. Indulging in women was, in Cao Cao’s eyes, far less concerning than dabbling in the intrigues of power.

“Hmph, Grand Minister, you worry too much. Those two wives of Liu Bei—does he even realize how old they are? Compared to my empress and ladies-in-waiting, they are nothing. If the lieutenant hadn’t told me this matter was at your behest, I wouldn’t have allowed Liu Bei’s women into the palace. Ultimately, it’s all for your sake.”

Liu Xie was, as before, playing coy with Cao Cao, knowing full well that this was a tactic Cao Cao responded to.

“Your Majesty is truly wise. This campaign has left me exhausted. When I return victorious, I shall find Your Majesty several more beautiful concubines, lest the palace grow too lonely.”

Such promises were not easily dismissed. Liu Xie was well aware of what had transpired in history; Cao Cao had indeed fulfilled such pledges, though instead of concubines, it had been his own daughters—years from now, as his daughter Cao Jie was still but a young girl, barely in her teens.

“Then I shall await news of your triumph, Grand Minister. Yuan Shao is a true traitor to the Han, seeking to carve out his own domain for years. Should you vanquish Yuan Shao, none could deny you the title of the foremost man of the Han!”

Cao Cao noticed that Liu Xie had grown more adept at graceful words, and after exchanging thanks, he departed with a yawn.

Cao Cao knew Liu Xie’s temperament. With this warning, he was confident that Liu Bei’s two wives would be safe at least until Guan Yu’s return.

Actually, Cao Cao understood where Guan Yu’s anxieties lay. He could have easily guaranteed the safety of the two women with a single word, without involving Liu Xie.

Yet, there was always a chance. The reason Cao Cao allowed Guan Yu to escort the women into Liu Xie’s palace, rather than intervening, was to shift responsibility for their safety onto Liu Xie. If anything went awry, Guan Yu’s resentment would be directed elsewhere.

Liu Xie watched Cao Cao’s figure recede from the hall, a faint smile playing at his lips.

Neither Cao Cao nor Guan Yu realized that their slightly selfish decisions had, unwittingly, handed Liu Xie an invisible advantage.

Upon returning to his quarters, Liu Xie found Lady Fu wearing a loose nightgown, reclining on the bed, awaiting him. She was not especially worried about Guan Yu’s visit; after all, his rank was merely that of a minor general and he had only just defected from Liu Bei.

But with Cao Cao, it was different. He rarely visited so late—his arrival surely signaled something significant.

Coupled with the ongoing, mysterious schemes between Liu Xie and her father, Lady Fu could not help but worry.

“Your Majesty? What business brings the Grand Minister here tonight?”

As Liu Xie entered, Lady Fu quickly rose from bed and approached to whisper in his ear.

“Hmph. For him, it may be a minor affair, but for me—it is a most generous gift!”

Seeing the joy gradually spread across Liu Xie’s face, Lady Fu finally felt at ease. She dared not dwell on the supposed “gift”; her sole hope was for herself and Liu Xie to leave Xuchang safely.

Liu Xie had promised her that once they reached Wu Commandery, he would be more like an emperor, and she would be more like an empress.

Though Lady Fu had carried the empress’s title for four or five years, her understanding of what it truly meant was limited to what she had gleaned from books.

She did not dare ask what surprise Liu Xie had received, for she knew she could not keep too many secrets. Liu Xie had told her before: the more one knows, the greater the danger.

The pregnant Lady Dong, locked in the cold palace, was a living example. Liu Xie had said that her fate, harsh though it was, was a mercy.

Had Lady Dong learned even a fragment of Lord Dong Cheng’s plot involving the blood-soaked decree, she would have died; if Cao Cao himself had uncovered the scheme, she would have died.

Lady Fu did not fully grasp these words, but whatever Liu Xie said now, she believed—ever since the day he deduced Dong Cheng’s conspiracy.

Her father, Fu Wan, had once told her privately that, given the chance, Liu Xie could carve out a place for himself in this chaotic world. Yet no one would give him that chance, for if he ever gained it, the warlords would have nowhere left to maneuver. Thus, Liu Xie’s opportunities must always be seized by his own hand.

And now, Liu Xie was clearly striving for such a chance. Though the process was perilous—one misstep could mean disaster—Lady Fu understood that once Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao, unification was inevitable. For her and Liu Xie, that too could spell ruin.

“Tomorrow, Empress, prepare a side hall beside your chambers. The lieutenant will bring Liu Bei’s two wives; you must watch over them closely!”

Though she did not fully understand the significance of these women, Lady Fu sensed that Liu Xie intended to use them as pieces in a grand strategy.

In the days that followed, Xuchang was unnaturally quiet. Those with any insight knew this was the calm before the storm; a great battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao was certain. The victor would become the master of the Han’s northern lands, the greatest power in the realm—a clash that would define the coming decades. Now, its hour was at hand.

Lady Gan and Lady Mi, persuaded by Guan Yu, were escorted into Liu Xie’s palace, settled in an unused side hall beside the empress’s quarters. Though they were confined, they knew at least that the palace offered a measure of safety.

Meanwhile, Sun Ce hurried back to Wu Commandery, where he began reorganizing his domain. This was only natural: having pacified all of Jiangdong, he needed a solid base, and Wu Commandery was perfectly suited for that purpose.