Chapter 77

The cold expression on Cao Bi’s face twisted with displeasure as a sly smile crept up.

“What did you say?”

“I came as part of the Condolence Delegation, not to surrender to your country. I will observe proper etiquette as an envoy, but I cannot comply with excessive demands.”

“Is that so…? I see…”

Cao Bi seemed lost in thought, but even then, the way his eyes kept darting towards me felt unsettling.

Among the myriad of characters in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Bi stands out as one of the most notorious psychopaths.

He squandered the national treasury on hunting sprees and ended up holding Cao Cao’s memorial service in a commoner’s style rather than an imperial one.

He killed Xiahou Shang’s concubine and, when Xiahou Shang went mad digging up her grave, Cao Bi clicked his tongue and mocked him behind his back.

He held a grudge for not being lent money and used petty excuses to try and kill Zhao Hong, a senior statesman and founding contributor.

Cao Bi’s outrageous behavior is beyond counting.

As I subtly assessed the placement of the guard units and the distance between Cao Bi and myself, preparing for any contingencies, Cao Bi asked again.

“Then, will you ride the horse you came on?”

“If you permit it, then yes.”

“Good. Then I’ll ride a horse too.”

With that, Cao Bi abruptly stood up and stepped out of the carriage.

The sudden closing of the distance between us made me instinctively step back, as his actions were so bold.

As the King of Wei, seated in an invincible position, Cao Bi had no reason to be cautious now that he had risen to the position of Prime Minister of Han and King of Wei.

Cao Bi stroked his chin and spoke with satisfaction.

“Seeing you up close, I like you even more.”

“…Is that so?”

“Come, follow me. I will show you a true horse. It’s on a different level from anything that comes from the remote lands of Shu.”

“I have my own horse. I will ride that.”

“Enough. This is the King’s request; do not refuse again.”

Cao Bi’s tone grew rough, as if to say he wouldn’t tolerate any more refusals. For someone as short-tempered as Cao Bi, this much patience was remarkable.

Reluctantly, I followed Cao Bi. There were horses without riders, different from the ones pulling the carriage. Among them, one particularly stood out.

A horse with a sturdy build, clearly a fine steed, with long legs and yellow fur reminiscent of lightning patterns. Its coat darkened to a black hue at the forehead.

“This is Zhaohuang Feidian.”

A legendary horse said to have been ridden by Cao Cao. I thought it was only in the tales, but it seems it truly existed.

A majestic breed, different from the horses native to East Asia, undoubtedly a purebred.

As a general who knows the importance of a good horse and has a desire for one, I couldn’t help but admire Zhaohuang Feidian. My awe seemed to boost Cao Bi’s ego, as he puffed up with pride.

His actions were reminiscent of modern-day people showing off their luxury cars.

“Do you want to ride it?”

“What general wouldn’t want a fine steed?”

“Then ride it.”

What’s this? Cao Bi, who usually doesn’t take rejection well, was being unusually magnanimous.

His extravagant favor towards Meng Da, his collection of beauties like Lady Zhen and Lady Guo, and his numerous concubines.

Looking at Cao Bi’s recorded behavior, it’s not entirely out of character.

“If I ride Zhaohuang Feidian, what will you do, King of Wei?”

“Huh? Naturally, I’ll ride with you.”

He said it so confidently that I almost nodded in agreement.

“Then I must decline. You have emphasized the importance of Confucian values, so we must observe the separation of men and women.”

“Oh? You’ve studied my heart. Admirable.”

What a self-centered interpretation.

Cao Bi didn’t seem to expect me to ride with him, so he didn’t press further.

The horses Cao Bi brought were all fine steeds. Even the horse I rode, considered high-quality in Shu, paled in comparison.

‘These are horses presented to the King from the Western Regions and the northern nomadic tribes under Wei’s control.’

On the road to Ye City, I rode close to Cao Bi.

Of course, not exactly side by side; I kept my horse slightly behind to maintain the formality. The size difference between Zhaohuang Feidian and my horse made it a meaningless display.

“By the way, I heard you wear a mask, but now you’re showing your face?”

“As an envoy, it would be improper to hide my face. I only wear the mask on the battlefield.”

And even then, I rarely wear it these days. At first, soldiers would stare if I showed my face, but now most are used to it, and they follow orders well even when I’m unmasked.

Unless the Lanling Army undergoes a major overhaul, there’s no need to worry about it anymore.

However, my answer didn’t seem to please Cao Bi, as his expression subtly showed disappointment.

“Hmph, since that chatterbox Zhao Chang has been boasting about you, I thought I’d make a story or two.”

He muttered softly, but with my keen hearing, I caught every word.

Zhao Chang must have been jealous after seeing my face during our duel, where I knocked off his mask.

Well, it’s quite a tale—a female general with unparalleled spear skills, a fateful encounter, straight out of a novel.

It was the first time I had the upper hand against someone who had never been defeated, which must have boosted Zhao Chang’s reputation. Cao Bi’s envy must have been palpable.

‘But that’s not my concern.’

I’m not a story generator, and I have no reason to boost Cao Bi’s reputation.

Pretending not to hear his muttering, Cao Bi changed the subject.

“By the way, don’t you wear makeup? The women I’ve seen are all busy adorning their beauty.”

“Before being a woman, I am a general. Rouge is unnecessary, and the smell of metal from my armor replaces any perfume. That’s enough.”

“Ah, ‘Using the enemy general’s blood as rouge.’ A line from a poem exchanged with the late King.”

As a lover of literature who established the Seven Scholars of Jian’an and was earnest in his own literary pursuits, Cao Bi seemed to have memorized the poems exchanged between me and Cao Cao.

Including Kong Rong, Cao Cao’s political rival, in the Seven Scholars shows his love for literature. He must have been deeply interested in Cao Cao’s poetic talent.

“You seem quite skilled in poetry. Did you receive proper training?”

“My father enjoyed it, so I learned by watching and listening.”

Actually, I borrowed from future works, but I shamelessly played along.

The original authors are from the future, and even Cao Bi wouldn’t demand a seven-step poem from an envoy.

‘Though Cao Bi might…’

Anyway, engaging in such small talk, we entered Ye City.

If Chang’an is grand and Luoyang is splendid, Ye City is neat. Developed as a planned city by Cao Cao, Ye City is well-organized, with buildings still retaining a newness that gives it a clean and sophisticated charm.

“Do you see that? That’s Dongjagdai.”

In the distance, a tall and magnificent pavilion. Built under Cao Cao’s direct supervision, both Cao Bi and Cao Zhi wrote praises for it upon its completion.

“After my condolences, we will hold a banquet there.”

Cao Bi’s determined tone suggested he intended to make up for the festivities missed due to Cao Cao’s mourning.

While it might be necessary to showcase national prestige to the delegation, Cao Bi’s tone indicated it was more for his own satisfaction.

‘Despite Wei’s current struggles, Cao Bi remains unchanged. Well, human nature is hard to change.’

Even though Wei’s power is still the strongest, the lack of crisis awareness is concerning.

‘He must think that with the Central Plains and Hebei, recovery is always possible.’

I know Cao Bi has his abilities. While lacking in diplomacy and warfare compared to Sun Quan, his domestic governance is top-notch.

So, Cao Bi must believe that stabilizing the country and prolonging the war will allow Wei to counter the Shu-Wu alliance with the overwhelming productivity of the Central Plains and Hebei.

But that’s arrogance.

‘The enemy won’t wait for you.’

The childish belief that the world revolves around him. The complacency that Wei can fend off any attack from Shu and Wu.

I felt like I had already gained the second harvest from this condolence mission.

The first, of course, was the geographical and public sentiment insights gained on the way to Ye City.

Summarizing what I’ve learned from this mission, I became even more convinced.

‘While Cao Bi is still complacent, and before Cao Rui ascends the throne, I must seize every advantage.’

Cao Bi’s reign is the perfect opportunity for a major reversal.