A/N: I don't know how to do footnotes properly through the Doc Manager here... so all footnotes are noted in brackets []. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 3
In the dead of the night, a figure silently passes through the courtyards of the Cao household. The figure frequently looks to her surroundings to ensure no one would see her. It is obvious that she has done this many times before, but still, she takes precautionary measures. As she passes by the western palace where Cao Cao's bedchambers were, she hears the creaking of the door. Swiftly, she hides herself behind some bushes.
"I bid my Lord, goodnight." A female voice says.
As the figure remains hidden, she sees Xiang leave Cao Cao's bedchambers. The figure frowns as she wonders what Xiang's purpose was in her Lord's bedchambers so late at night. A moment later, she sees Jia Xu leaving as well.
"Alright, we will do it as you say. Invite the official over tomorrow morning." Cao Cao's authoritative voice says as Jia Xu leaves.
For a brief moment, she ponders what the connection is between the three people. Without any idea, she continues back on her route when the coast is clear. After passing through several more gardens, she finally comes to her destination. She looks around one last time before pushing the doors to enter the room. Unbeknownst to her, a man carrying a horsehair whip had been following her the entire time.
"You are late." A woman's shrill voice hisses at her the moment she enters the room. The woman raps her fingers on the table impatiently.
"Please forgive me, Lady Chen, the Lady Bian would not let me go."
"Hmph." Consort Chen mutters irritably. "It is because of that old crone that Lord Cao Cao refuses to visit me tonight. Instead I have to you two to keep me company." She said, referring to the petite girl that just entered her room and her own personal maid. "Tell me you have good news, Wumei."
"Yes my lady. I followed your orders and insisted to that stupid maid of Zhen Ji's, that the eastern gardens were a sight to see."Wumei replied, bowing low.
"Splendid. Now we just wait for that old crone to catch little Zhen Ji in her gardens. That old crone is so obvious. She hates her guts." She looks at Wumei and smiles cruelly at her. "Let me give you some advice Wumei; there are no such things as friends within these palace walls. You keep your enemies close so that you can destroy them. Zhen Ji is no different. Lord Cao Cao wants her, so I will give her to him. But when the time comes, I will destroy her like I did to all of the other women Lord Cao Cao fancied." Her devilish grin widens at the thought. "The old crone doesn't know how to play this game. Wumei, do you know what the difference is between me and your ugly, old mistress?"
"My lady, you are as beautiful as the moon, you are as wise as the gods, and you are as clever as a fox. There is no one who can compare to you."
Consort Chen laughs in delight. "Aren't you a smart one? Of course if you weren't, I would have no use for you."
Wumei smiles back. "I have more good news for you my lady."
"Oh?" Consort Chen's eyes sparkles with delight. "Do tell."
"Earlier tonight, Lady Bian caught Zhen Ji in her gardens sending off prayers to the dead."
"Prayers to the dead?" Consort Chen laughs wickedly again. "This is even better than I imagined! How did that old crone react?"
"She was so furious she hit Zhen Ji."
"No!" Consort Chen whispers in disbelief, but all the while savouring every word Wumei says. She giggles to herself. "Wait until Lord Cao Cao hears about this!"
"Zhen Ji was also playing funeral songs on her flute. This angered Lady Bian so much, she broke it."
Consort Chen claps her hands in joy. "Perfect. This is just too perfect. That old crone won't be lasting much longer! Hehehe! This Zhen Ji girl is making things so easy for me! I might just keep her alive a little bit longer." Consort Chen takes out a gold tael from the sleeve of her robes and hands it to the maid. "Oh Wumei, because I like you so much, this is for you." A gold tael would be more than enough for a peasant to live off of for many, many years. "Off with you now, and make sure no one knows about this. You know what will happen if even a single person suspects anything of me."
"I would never dream of it. I will take my leave now. Thank you my lady." Wumei takes the gold tael and carefully wraps it in a handkerchief and hides it in her sleeves. She bows to Consort Chen before silently leaving the room and heading towards her own. Since she is a personal maid to Lady Bian, she was fortunate enough to have her own bedroom. All the other maids and servants share a large room with each other. And because Wumei has her own room, it is a lot easier for her to sneak out and inform Consort Chen of Lady Bian's movements.
When Wumei returned to her room, she unwrapped the gold tael and pulled out one of the floorboards. Underneath the floorboard was a large box. Carefully, she opened it and revealed a box almost full of gold and silver taels she had accumulated over the years. She placed the new one on top and looked at her collection thoughtfully.
... ... ... ... ...
The following morning, Zhen Ji awoke from a restless sleep. Although Yuan Xi did not haunt her dreams that night, Zhen Ji could not rest easy without her flute. It was her only keepsake from her mother and it pained her that it was now broken. Xiang had said they would try to find it again in the morning, but Xiang hadn't come to Zhen Ji's room to help her get ready yet. Impatient, Zhen Ji was about to go by herself when the doors opened and a maid she had never seen before came into the room bringing a water basin for Zhen Ji to wash her face.
"Ah! Good morning Lady Zhen Ji!" The maid exclaimed in surprise. Normally nobles never got ready themselves. "Let me help you!"
"Where is Xiang?" Zhen Ji asked as she took the face cloth from the maid.
"She is in the servant's quarters learning the rules of the Cao Household. Consort Chen thought it was of utmost importance that Lady Zhen Ji and Xiang be well versed with the rules of the Cao Household as she says you are now family."
Zhen Ji frowned slightly. Consort Chen's hospitality was like a double-edged sword. There were unwritten rules with the upper class; either you were with them or against them. Either way, it was dangerous because if you were against them, they will openly bring trouble to you. However, if you were with them, you had to tread carefully because once you were of no use or a liability, they would find any way to dispose of you. Zhen Ji knew that Consort Chen's friendliness was no different. Her rivalry with Lady Bian was as clear as day and Zhen Ji was sure Consort Chen had ulterior motives for helping her so much.
After the maid helped her dress, Zhen Ji was left to herself. Normally, she would have gone to pay respects to Cao Cao by greeting him in the morning, but the maid had mentioned one of the city officials had come to meet with him. Zhen Ji took this opportunity to go back to the eastern gardens to find her flute. She knew it wasn't a wise decision to go into Lady Bian's gardens after what had happened last night, but the flute meant too much to her to leave behind. And since she hadn't talked to Xiang yet either, she couldn't be sure that her friend had found it.
With hastened steps, she made a beeline towards the eastern gardens. The Cao palace was massive and each area of the palace was quite a distance from her room. She made a turn into one of the smaller gardens and came upon a group of gentlemen chattering about. Amongst them, she recognized a few faces from the other night in the throne room, but could not put names to them.
"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise!" A tall slender man announced with flamboyant exuberance. His hair was long and shiny that made even Zhen Ji jealous. "A rose to match such beauty." He said as he magically pulled out a small red rose. Zhen Ji was impressed by his abilities, but before she could decline, he had already tucked the rose into her hair.
"Careful now Zhang He," A man with messy hair said as he approached Zhen Ji. "The Lady Zhen Ji might get the wrong idea from you." Although he wasn't considered big, he was very muscular. His dark brown eyes looked kind and Zhen Ji found herself smiling slightly. He bowed to her. "I am Yue Jin. It is my pleasure to meet you, Lady Zhen."
"Quite the charmer you are, Yue Jin. Moving so fast already?" An older man holding a horsehair whip said as the other men laughed.
Yue Jin made a slight grunt as he stepped away from Zhen Ji and looked away in humiliation.
Zhen Ji didn't know who this older man was, but there was something about him that made her feel uneasy. Although the other men thought his words were said jokingly, she felt there was a deeper meaning to it.
"Sima Yi, at your service." He said, not bothering to move from his seat. He then introduced the other men there, as he kept his gaze on her; Xiahou Dun, Guo Huai, and Cao Zhi.
"We are having a poetry contest." Yue Jin explained. "Master Cao Zhi here, hasn't lost a single time. He has even wagered his cherished lucky fan for someone to beat him! Perhaps you can try to best him?"
Cao Zhi smiled humbly. "Please Jin. I only win because I spend more time with scrolls than you. In comparison, I know nothing of the battlefield."
"Thank you for your invitation," Zhen Ji began. "but I fear if I join, I would only embarrass myself." Zhen Ji responded politely. Besides, she had to go find her flute.
Sima Yi chuckled. "Such modesty from the daughter of The Zhen Yi!" Zhen Ji smiled slightly, but inside she felt her stomach flip. Her father was not particularly well known, especially in this part of the country. For Sima Yi to know who her father was, he must have been digging for information about her. But why? "I bet Lady Zhen will be a tough match for you, Master Cao Zhi." He continued.
"Very well, I will take that challenge." Cao Zhi said as he flipped open his fan. It was beautiful. It was a white silk fan with a stunning painting in vibrant colours. The painting depicted a river along a tree bank and dancing on top of the waters was a celestial maiden. At the end of the painting the words "Goddess of the Luo River" [1] were etched in gold. "We should let someone else decide the topic. Uncle, can do you do the honours?"
"With pleasure." Xiahou Dun responded. "As a proud warrior, the topic should be a young warrior answering to the needs of his country."
"That hardly seems fair." Guo Huai coughed. "Lady Zhen Ji is clearly at a disadvantage."
Zhen Ji shook her head. "It is quite alright. We as woman, are warriors in our own right and we too have our duties to our country."
"Well said." Xiahou Dun clapped.
"Well then, ladies first." Cao Zhi said as he moved back slightly to give her the floor.
Zhen Ji looked around the area to find an inspiration to start the poem. When her eyes fell back on the folding fan that Cao Zhi held, she smiled slightly before beginning.
"A white horse, in a halter of gold,
Galloping swiftly to the northwest.
Ask which family's son is the rider -
A noble knight, who hails from You and Bing."
Cao Zhi fanned himself as he took a few step into the middle and added,
"He left his home in early youth, and now,
His name is known throughout the deserts.
Morning and evening he clutches his bow;
How many arrows hang at his side!"
Zhen Ji paused slightly thinking of the next verse. Cao Zhi purposely added weapons in his narrative to stump her. She didn't know much of weapons, but she knew what they were used for.
"He pulls his bow - the left hand target is pierced.
He shoots at the right and cuts it through.
Upwards his arrows seek the flying monkeys.
Downwards they destroy another object."
Without skipping a beat, Cao Zhi continued.
"His dexterity surpasses that of monkeys.
His courage that of leopard or dragon.
Alarms are heard from the frontier!
Northern tribesmen pour into the country in their thousands."
Northern tribesmen? Zhen Ji thought. But quickly added,
"Letters are sent from the north, and
Reigning his horse he clambers up the hill.
He charges Hun soldiers to the right;
Looking left he assaults the Xianbei."
Cao Zhi smiled confidently as he knew Zhen Ji was starting to struggle with the topic.
"He's staked himself on the edge of his sword;
How can he treasure his life?
Even his father and mother he puts at the back of his mind,
Let alone his children and wife."
Zhen Ji returned the smile.
"If his name is to enter the roll of the heroes.
He can't be concerns about personal matters.
Giving up his life for the sake of his country.
He looks toward death as a journey home..." [2]
Cao Zhi laughed loudly with delight in his eyes. "I concede, you have bested me. Please take this." He said as he held out his fan to her. Zhen Ji shook her head to refuse, but Zhi urged her to take it. "Please, I must honour my word."
Hesitantly, Zhen Ji took the fan and tucked it into her waistband.
"Yes!" Yue Jin shouted as he wrapped an arm around Cao Zhi's shoulders. "Someone has finally defeated you!" Yue Jin then turned to face Zhen Ji. "Thank you for showing him up! He was getting a little bit too cocky." Zhen Ji giggled slightly, causing Yue Jin to drop his arm from Zhi's shoulders. "Ah! Sincerest apologies. That is no way to speak in front of a lady." He bowed politely.
"That is quite alright. Your excitement is quite refreshing." Zhen Ji then bowed to the group of men. "Thank you gentlemen. This was quite enjoyable. If I may, please pardon my leave."
As Zhen Ji left the crowd of chattering men, she had an uneasy feeling that the mysterious Sima Yi was watching her. Without realizing it, she had quickened her pace. Just who is that man? She wondered to herself. Brushing the thought aside, she hurriedly exited the small garden. No, she didn't have time to worry about this man, she had to find her flute.
By the time she reached the oval entrance to the eastern gardens, she found herself panting slightly, with all thoughts of Sima Yi gone. Luckily for her, there was no one around to witness her enter the eastern gardens. She immediately headed towards the bush her flute had been flung into and began her search. Desperately, she moved the branches aside but to no avail. Even after a while of searching, she still could not find her beloved memento.
Perhaps Xiang has already found it! She thought to herself to keep positive. Yes, that must be it.
Despite having some doubts about it, she forced herself away from the bush and out of the eastern gardens. After all, she didn't want to risk the wrath of Lady Bian again.
Aimlessly, she wandered around the palace before stopping suddenly at the sound of a distressed meowing. She turned towards the noise, and there upon a slender branch was a little black kitten with a crooked tail stuck in the tree. Zhen Ji felt her heart ache as she watched the poor thing cry. "There, there little one." She called out as she approached the tree. "No need to cry anymore. I'll help you out of there."
Zhen Ji reached up to help the tiny creature but she could not reach. Trying to get a bit more height, she went on her tippy toes. The tips of her fingers managed to brush the little kitten, but still she could not reach. "Come on little kitty." She begged, although it was useless. Suddenly a man's arm shot up beside her and she could feel the warmth of his body behind her. The man was definitely taller than she was, as he easily picked the kitten up by the neck. Zhen Ji was too surprised to even move away from him. This feeling was familiar. This had happened before; her head begging her body to move but she was unable to will it to budge.
Slowly she turned around and when she saw the face of the man, her heart began beating faster. Wordlessly, he handed the kitten over to her. Once in her arms, the little kitten began purring. Zhen Ji, however, could not take her eyes off him. "Thank you." She somehow managed to say calmly. He merely responded with a slight grunt. Finally able to move, she gave a polite bow before heading off.
As she began walking away, she could hear him clear his throat. Turning her head back, she saw that he meant to get her attention.
"You dropped this." He said, holding out a fan.
Zhen Ji looked down at her waistband and saw the fan was missing. She walked back to him and with one hand holding the kitten, she took back the fan with the other. "Thank you again." This time, he didn't respond but he kept his gaze on her. He was thinking about something, but she didn't know what it was.
As if on cue to break what would have been a very awkward moment, a servant came running up to the two. "Master Cao Pi." The servant addressed first, bowing to the man. Cao Pi scoffed at him. "Lady Zhen Ji." He then addressed. "Lord Cao Cao would like to speak with you privately, my lady."
Zhen Ji nodded, then bowed again to Cao Pi, and then followed the servant away.
... ... ... ... ...
He had been watching her when she came upon his section of the palace. She was either lost or exploring or she got lost while exploring, but nevertheless, he was curious about her. There was something about her that drawn him to her. He had vowed to remove her from this world but had been unsuccessful. And now that it was known that she had his father's gold plate in her possession, she was practically invincible. If anyone were to kill her now, it would mean he was an enemy to Cao Cao.
Cao Pi felt torn with her. On one hand, he wanted to destroy her. But on the other, he had a strong desire to possess her. And this intense desire angered him. There was no woman he wanted more than she, but she was tainted and he would not have that. She was married to the enemy and she was, like his mother had said, a witch. He rationed that this yearning he had for her must be because of her witchcraft. There could be no other explanation for how he felt. Yet, despite all this, he continued to watch her.
She had stopped to help a kitten out of a tree but was a little too short. Before he knew it, he found himself right behind her, helping her reach the kitten. He didn't care about the creature, but through her witchcraft, she made him want to help her.
"Thank you." She said in her angelic voice. No. Not angelic. He tried to convince himself. She was a demon in disguise.
As she began walking away, he noticed she had dropped something on the ground. He picked it up and opened the folding fan, only to be surprised to see that it was his brother's most cherished possession. Why does she have it? He wondered. He cleared his throat to get her attention. "You dropped this." He finally said, hoping that he was wrong.
He felt a pang of disappointment when she took the fan from him, knowing it now belonged to her. Why would Zhi give her this? He asked himself. Was Zhi making his move? He wondered, and for a brief moment, he had an odd feeling he had never felt before. It was as if anger was swirling and tightening around his heart. He didn't know what emotion this was but found himself clenching his teeth and his hands had curled into fists.
Irritably, he scoffed. Fine. Zhi can have her. She's damaged goods anyway. Although he thought antagonizing her would make this odd feeling go away, he still had an itching to destroy something. This witch can infect Zhi, but I am a better man than he is. I will not let her bring me to my knees. Cao Pi would never acknowledge it, but there was a small part of him that felt hurt that she had accepted his brother and not him.
He was left standing there alone after a servant came to whisk her away. As he was about to turn and leave as well, Zhen Ji turned her head to glance at him. Catching his gaze on her, she gave a slight smile before continuing off. His heart raced in excitement before he realized what was happening. That witch! He cursed. I will not fall under her spell!
... ... ... ... ...
Zhen Ji was in no mood to take a stroll into the city. Sure, she had wanted to explore the city eventually, but after her private meeting with Cao Cao, she wanted time to think things through. Regardless of what she wanted, here she was, waiting in the main hall of the Cao Household for a personal tour of Luoyang with none other than the man she feared the most; Cao Pi. Of course, the only reason she was in this predicament was because Cao Cao insisted.
She had only been in Wei for a few short days, but so much had happened already. Cao Pi wanted to take her life; she had inadvertently insulted Lady Bian, who in turn attacked her; she had somehow gotten onto Consort Chen's radar, which Zhen Ji concluded would not bode well; Zhen Ji had also won Cao Zhi's personal fan, which if it was treasured as much as they say, she would have to find a way to return it to him lest rumours start. And then there was the mysterious Sima Yi, who knew too much of her without really knowing who she was. It was disconcerting and something she would certainly need to keep an eye on. Finally, there was the 'chat' with Cao Cao. No, it was more of an interrogation. Zhen Ji also realized that they had been purposely keeping her maid, Xiang, away from her.
Zhen Ji closed her eyes running through the conversation she had with Cao Cao as she was ordered to discuss details of every aspect of her marriage to Yuan Xi. She spoke to a small council that included Cao Cao, Jia Xu, a city official and a midwife. Everything she had said was scribed. Knowing that, she was careful in the words she used, but frightened as she wasn't sure what they were looking for. The Yuans had already been defeated, what more did they want? She knew it couldn't be a reason to kill her, because why would Cao Cao make such an effort to bring her back alive? Whatever the reason, all she knew was that they must have gotten to Xiang first. Zhen Ji knew her friend well enough to know Xiang would never say anything to compromise the two of them, but Zhen Ji worried how they might have gotten information from her. Technically, Zhen Ji was considered a noble lady and they would treat her with respect and such, but Xiang was only a mere maid- they could easily torture her and no one would question it.
"Ah, I apologize to have made you wait, Lady Zhen Ji." A male voice said, breaking her concentration.
She opened her eyes and was a little surprised to see him before her. "Master Yue Jin." She greeted to the friendly face.
"Jin is fine. Honorifics don't suit me well, I'm afraid." He said modestly.
Zhen Ji found herself smiling at him. Out of everyone she had met so far, Yue Jin felt like the most sincere and honest of them all. He had this aura about him that made her feel relaxed. For once, she didn't feel like this person had a hidden agenda, like so many others before him.
"I would like to apologize again. You must have been looking forward to Master Cao Pi escorting you into the city, but I'm afraid he has some business to attend to. Instead, I'm sorry you'll only have me to accompany you."
Zhen Ji actually felt relieved that Cao Pi wasn't going to take her, but she also knew 'business' was just the polite way of saying Cao Pi didn't want to. "No, Lor... Jin. I am grateful to have you accompany me."
"Then shall we?" He said, gesturing to the door.
Yue Jin was a great companion. As they strolled down the busy and cheerful streets of Luoyang, he told her of the history of the city. He told her about himself and how he came to be in Cao Cao's service. He spoke very highly of Cao Cao that made Zhen Ji question why the Yuans had been so against him. As they continued their walk, Yue Jin introduced her to the various merchants that she may acquaint herself to in the future, like the cloth merchant, the dress maker, and the jeweler. He told her of the great food vendors and which nobles to avoid. Lord Bao, for example, was a terrible lecher, despite having 12 wives of his own. Yue Jin also told her to avoid Flower Lily Street, because despite the innocent name, it was home to all the brothels in town.
"Why are there so many city guards there?" Zhen Ji asked, pointing to a narrow street that few people frequented.
Yue Jin hesitated to answer. "You should avoid there too." He merely said.
Zhen Ji's curiosity got the better of her as she tried to sneak a peek at what lay beyond. Yue Jin caught her peering to the street and finally told her, "That leads to the slums. They city guards patrol that area so the poor can't come in to the main street." There was something in his tone that made Zhen Ji think he did not approve of such strict enforcement.
Zhen Ji realized that this city was just like the Cao Household. On the outside, it looked perfect, but it was just a mere facade to hide the chaos within. No wonder everyone looked rich in Luoyang; it was because the poor were hidden away. Zhen Ji frowned slightly.
"Where I grew up, the poor used to come begging for food at our door steps. My mother used to feed them whenever we could. She said to appreciate life, no matter what form it took." Zhen Ji said sadly.
"That explains why you are so considerate of others." Yue Jin responded.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?"
"Your prayers to the dead." He answered. Seeing Zhen Ji's surprised look, he continued, "Gossip spreads fast." Zhen Ji looked down in humiliation. "No need to be ashamed my lady. It was very brave of you to send your prayers to them."
"I'm afraid not everyone feels the same way." Zhen Ji said, unconsciously lifting her hand to her cheek.
"Be true to who you are and you will be rewarded in your heart."
Zhen Ji smiled at his kind words and for the first time since their walk, she glanced at him. He was shorter than the other generals, but in comparison, what he lacked in height, he made up for in muscle. He had short choppy hair that framed his face. She didn't think of it much before, but he was actually quite handsome. He had a kind face and a sincere smile. He was different from every man she had met in her life and she found herself somewhat drawn to him.
"Here we are." He said, stopping in his tracks. Zhen Ji quickly looked away, hoping he hadn't caught her staring at him. When she did, she found them standing in front of an instrument shop. Confused, she looked back at him. "We have heard great things about you from Lord Cao Cao. He boasts about your exceptional musical talents. It would be a shame to silence your talents simply because you have lost your flute."
As he had mentioned earlier before, word must have gotten around what Lady Bian had done to her last night. Zhen Ji felt embarrassed and ashamed that everyone seemed to know about her business. As much as she loved playing the flute, she would not feel the same if it was not her cherished wooden flute.
"Thank you, but..." She started but was interrupted by Yue Jin.
"Please, to celebrate our new friendship, it is my gift to you."
Zhen Ji knew she should have continued to refuse, but a part of her felt a bit giddy with excitement like a little girl. In all her years of life, she had never received a gift from a man before. Keeping a calm demeanour, she smiled in acceptance. "Very well then, I thank you for such a thoughtful gift. I will cherish our new found friendship."
... ... ... ... ...
A few days later, Cao Cao had gathered everyone into the throne hall. Zhen Ji was the last to arrive and was escorted by several guards.
The guards had come to her room a few moments earlier and all Zhen Ji felt was dread. "Lady Zhen Ji, you are commanded into the throne hall immediately." They announced to her. Obediently, she followed them without a clue what was happening.
It had almost been a week since Zhen Ji had seen Xiang. Whenever she asked around for her maid, she was dismissively told that Xiang was learning the rules of the Cao Household. When Zhen Ji asked to see her, someone would suddenly occupy her time. A stroll into the city, a walk through the gardens, stitching with the ladies, playing the flute for Cao Cao and so on. As each day passed, the more worried Zhen Ji became. They were doing something to Xiang, that much was clear. But why and what?
As they came upon the grand doors into the throne hall, the many eyes that watched her made her feel even more uneasy. Everyone was there. From Lady Bian, to Cao Pi, to Yue Jin, and even Xiang. Zhen Ji felt a slight relief to see her friend still alive. Xiang was before Cao Cao and a city official who carried a missive. Xiang was bowing low to the ground with her head touching the floor. The silence in the room was deafening.
As the guards led her to where Xiang was, all Zhen Ji could hear was the loud beating of her heart. Even the clicking sound from her footsteps could not overpower the intense beating of her fearful heart. Still, Zhen Ji managed to maintain a demure composure and a calm expression. As she came upon the front of the hall, she too went on her knees and bowed down before Cao Cao. She wanted desperately to glance at Xiang to see if she was alright, but held strong.
"Lady Zhen Ji from Wuji County, daughter of Zhen Yi," the city official began as he unrolled the scroll he held in his hands. "After much consideration from all sources of information and a sworn statement from the midwife, it has come to our conclusion that your marriage to Yuan Xi has been falsified." Zhen Ji looked up at the Cao Cao in concern. What did this all mean? "In the sworn statement from the midwife, you, Lady Zhen Ji, have not consummated your marriage to Yuan Xi as your flower is still intact." Zhen Ji immediately dropped her head down as her face flushed a bright pink. "After great deliberation," The city official continued. "on this day, we hereby declare your marriage to Yuan Xi annulled."
All at once, Zhen Ji could hear everything again. She could hear Xiang breathe a sigh of relief, she could hear the city official roll up the scroll, and she could hear the murmurs around the throne hall. Does this really mean what I think it does? Zhen Ji dared to look up again. Cao Cao stood before her, one stroking his beard and a satisfied smile on his face. This is what he was looking for. She finally realized. I can no longer be seen as the enemy.
... ... ... ... ...
Cao Pi paced around as he waited for his mother to return from prayers. The news of Zhen Ji's annulment was on everyone's minds. His mother, in particular, became extremely angry at the sudden news. In an attempt to calm herself down, she retreated to praying. However, to Cao Pi, he felt turmoil in his heart. Had they known all along? He thought to himself as he continued to pace in the room. Zhi must have known. Why else did he give her that stupid fan of his? He slammed a fist into the table angrily. He's been playing me a fool this whole time! He knew her marriage was going to be annulled, so he made his move first! Angrily, he slammed the other fist into the table as well. He wants her as his wife. His hands still balled in fists, he hit the table a few more times.
And that Yue Jin! Cao Pi growled. He must have known as well! Gifting her a flute? He's already made his intentions clear! Another deep growl came from his throat. And her! Accepting them all like some sort of... of... trollop! Furiously, he grabbed a cup on the table and hurled it across the room just as the door opened. Seeing his mother enter, he forced himself to calm down and bow to her.
His mother stepped into the room, ignoring the broken cup. "You are a good son, Pi. Feeling such anger on your dear mother's behalf." Even after prayers, Lady Bian was still displeased. The two maids with her, Shi Shi and Wumei, quickly cleaned away the broken shards.
"Mother, how are you feeling?" Cao Pi asked as he escorted her to her seat.
She placed two fingers on her temple and closed her eyes. "It brings me little comfort to know that your father fancies that witch. She's bewitched him in a way I can't even fathom. An annulment?" Lady Bian laughed in disdain. "This is unheard of!"
Indeed, it was unheard of. In the history of Luoyang, no woman had ever gotten an annulment before. It was a great feat to accomplish for it meant that that woman was virtually a maiden. A widow could only become a man's concubine and bear him illegitimate children, but a maiden could become a wife. Her children to him could become the successors of the family estate. In the woman's world, a wife was much, much more dangerous than a concubine.
"For years, your father had been talking about this 'wonderful' Zhen Ji." She said spitefully. "And I never put much care to it, for I thought that she would never enter this world of mine. But I was wrong. Even after becoming the enemy, she has managed to weasel her way out into safety." Lady Bian began laughing in disbelief. "I have done so much over these years to maintain my power and to keep you, Pi, as heir, but she has come to destroy it all. I have completely underestimated her. She is good, that one. Even Consort Chen doesn't compare to her." Lady Bian took a deep breath to calm herself down. "It will only be a matter of time before your father takes her as a wife."
No. Cao Pi thought to himself. No one will have her but me.
... ... ... ... ...
The next day, as Xiang helped Zhen Ji prepare for the day, she noticed her hair was down instead of the usual updo she wore to symbolize her married status. With it down, it meant that she was a maiden. Zhen Ji combed through her hair with her fingers thoughtfully.
"My lady, this look suits you better." Li Xiang said happily, as she helped apply the finishing touches.
Zhen Ji took the maid's hand into hers. "Xiang," She said quietly. "Thank you for what you've done."
Xiang gave an embarrassed laugh. "I didn't do anything my lady. They only saw through to your virtue!"
Zhen Ji smiled back weakly. What her maid did certainly gave them more time, but it also brought trouble of its own. Not just in Luoyang, but in all of China, it was extremely rare for a marriage to get annulled. For many, many years it had been written in the laws that under certain circumstances, a woman can get her marriage annulled. But for years, it was as if it were a mere myth. It was an unreachable wish for women in bad marriages; simply put into law so that women would have a false sense of hope. True, it should be a happy occasion for Zhen Ji, but she knew she couldn't rest. For the troubles that this annulment brought was now within the Cao Household that she resided in. She didn't know what lay in the future for her.
"I'm sorry I could not find your mother's flute." Xiang seemed to continue talking as Zhen Ji was deep in thought. "I tried, but it was no longer there when I went." She said sadly.
Zhen Ji continued to smile weakly at her maid. "Perhaps, it is finally time to let go of the past." Zhen Ji said sadly. The flute meant a lot to her, but it would do her no good to linger on about it. "Besides, the future looks bright." Zhen Ji gently stroked a beautiful rectangular box.
Xiang smiled brightly. "I've only seen glimpses of Master Yue Jin, but he must be quite a man to leave such an impression on my lady!" She said opening the box to reveal the stunning lacquered flute. It was painted with lovely tiny flowers and looked very splendid.
"Master Yue Jin is a very good person and a much better friend." Zhen Ji emphasized. Even though her marriage had been annulled, it was much too early to think about potential suitors. And even if she did want to remarry, she knew it would not be her choice. She now lived under the Caos and since she was fatherless, it was an unspoken rule that the head of the household would be her guardian. In other words, Lord Cao Cao would be the one to decide who and when she would marry.
There was a knock at the door that interrupted the two girls. "Ah! That must be Master Yue Jin to take you to the city!" Xiang announced in excitement as she jumped towards the door.
Zhen Ji quickly glanced into her hand mirror to check her makeup one last time. As she stood up to turn to face the door, she was surprised to see Cao Pi standing her room.
"Master Cao Pi." She greeted, trying hard to contain her surprise. Xiang too quickly greeted him as she was too shocked to say anything when she opened the door.
Cao Pi's eyes darted to her makeup table and saw the flute that lay upon the table. The corner of his mouth curled in disdain before he looked back at her. "Come, I will show you around the city." He said.
"I..." Zhen Ji started, but Pi cut her off.
"What? Are you displeased to go with me?" He sounded irate.
"No, not at all." Zhen Ji replied, shaking her head. "Quite the contrary. I am humbled to be in your presence. I'm afraid I was so delighted, words could not come." She lowered her head, feigning embarrassment.
Cao Pi's expression softened. He cleared his throat as if to start a clean slate. "I shall be waiting for you outside when you are ready then."
Zhen Ji sighed quietly. She really didn't want to go with him, but he left her with no choice. His wrath would be much more frightening. She followed behind him and he led her out into the city. They walked for a while in awkward silence before one of the street vendors shouted out to Cao Pi.
"My lord! My lord!" He shouted out. "A pretty hairpin for your pretty woman?" The vendor asked as he held out several gorgeous pieces.
The two of them stopped in front of the vendor. Zhen Ji looked away from the vendor and stared down the street, focusing on nothing in particular. She wanted Cao Pi to know that she was disinterested and hoped to move on. She didn't want anything to do with him and she certainly didn't want anything from him.
"Let me see your most expensive wares." He responded.
"Ah," The vendor said with delight. "Nothing but the best for my lord." The vendor put down the hair pins he held and crouched behind his stall. Lifting up the table cloth, he pulled out a large wooden box. "This, is an exquisite beauty." He explained about the contents in the box. "It was designed by the great artist Gu Kaizhi [3] and is suitable only for the most beautiful woman. I have never shown this piece to anyone, but I have never seen a woman as beautiful as she." He said gesturing to Zhen Ji. "And this piece can suit no one, but her."
As the vendor opened the box, Zhen Ji couldn't resist to take a quick peek at this marvelous item he made it be. And just as he described, the hair piece was the most extraordinary thing Zhen Ji had ever seen. It was a rather large hair piece with three porcelain white roses as the focal point. Brilliant violet feathers cascaded from behind the roses and several strings of pearls dangled seductively on the side. It was nothing like what Zhen Ji had ever seen before in her life. To make a hair piece into an art form was an understatement. The ornament itself screamed of exquisite beauty. It mattered not who wore it, because it was just absolutely stunning.
"I will take it."
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The vendor repeated happily as he was about to wrap the box.
"No." Cao Pi said, stopping the man. He took the hair piece in both hands and turned to face Zhen Ji. As he placed it into her hair, Zhen Ji could not stop staring at Cao Pi. She was shocked that he was gifting such an expensive piece to her. Just by the looks of it, she knew it must cost a fortune. A fortune that could have easily fed a family of eight for a lifetime. Who was she to receive such special attention from Cao Pi, son of Lord Cao Cao? She was only a simple girl. Her family may have been considered nobility, but only in the lowest ranks. In reality, she was actually a nobody. Why would Cao Pi, the future lord of the Cao Household, be interested in her?
Cao Pi smiled smugly as he caught her gaze on him. She quickly looked away. Even though she didn't want the gift, she couldn't even refuse it. He had forced her to accept it by placing it in her hair. "Thank you Master Cao Pi." Was all she could say.
She hurriedly began walking away as she was unsure of what to do next. All she knew was that she needed some distance away from him. Just as she headed back onto the street, a loud yell could be heard and when she looked up, a rogue horse pulling a large wagon was fast approaching her. The horse veered to the left to avoid hitting her, but the wagon it pulled snapped off and began rolling towards Zhen Ji. The world around her seemed to slow, but she could find herself to move. All she could do was stare at the wagon barrelling towards her. Her heart seemed to stop as she knew what would be coming next. Suddenly she felt a strong pull on her arm and in her slow motioned world, she felt herself twirling into the muscular arms of Cao Pi. He sheltered her with his body as the wagon narrowly missed him. As he held her in his arms, she could feel the steady beating of his heart. The world resumed its normal speed and a mixture of shouting, crashing, and yelling could be heard. Zhen Ji however, could only hear the steady beating of Cao Pi's heart. The sound of his beating heart seemed to calm her down. How did he manage to stay so composed in such a frightening situation?
"Are you unhurt?" He asked, pulling her away so that he could see her face.
As much as Zhen Ji wanted to appear calm, her uneven breaths gave it away. She nodded her head in response.
"I am relieved." He said, letting out a deep breath.
For a brief moment, she wished he would hold her into his body again. Listening to the steady beat of his heart was calming to her and she wanted to have that feeling again.
"Perhaps we should call it a day and return home."
Zhen Ji nodded, still unable to form words.
... ... ... ... ...
Upon returning to the palace, Cao Pi excused himself from Zhen Ji. He struggled with coming to terms with how he felt about her and needed to think things through. The day before, he had resolved that he would make her his, but after the events that unfolded today, he realized that like so many men before him, she had managed to bewitch him too. His goal from the very beginning was to take her life, yet just earlier, there was a chance for him to get rid of her without any fault. He could have easily let the wagon crush her and there would be no one to blame him, not even his father. It would have been a freak accident after all. If he hadn't saved her, she would no longer be able to use her magic to bring men to their knees. But he wasn't able to do it. The vixen had poisoned his soul and he couldn't bear to watch her die. His heart ached whenever she was in distress or hurt, but at the same time, it upset him when she was with other men. That is her magic. He thought to himself. She poisons the soul of men to desire her and then have them turn on each other. He sighed deeply. He had always thought of himself as a better man than every other, but it seems he was mistake. He finally admitted that he wasn't as strong as he made himself out to be. I must cleanse my soul. I cannot let that she-devil poison me any longer.
As he was heading towards the prayer room, he saw his brother Zhi hastily heading towards him. That she-devil has poisoned me so much to the point that I even thought of destroying my own brother. He thought sadly. I know now that I cannot get rid of her, because the closer I am to her, the more she infects me. If that is the case, then all I can do is distance myself.
"Pi!" Cao Zhi called out in a worried tone. "What happened in the market today?"
Confused, Cao Pi asked, "What do you mean?" He had just returned from there, how did his brother know?
"Is Zhen Ji okay? Did she get hurt?"
The feeling of anger swirling and tightening around his heart came back at his brother's words of concern to Zhen Ji. Cao Pi tried to remind himself that he would no longer bother with her affairs, forcing himself to calm down. "She is fine."
"Then come quick! Mother has been accused of attempting to murder Zhen Ji!"
"What?!" The two brothers began running towards the throne hall.
"Er niang [4] has accused mother of hiring someone to kill Zhen Ji in the market today."
As the two brothers burst into the throne room, Cao Pi could see that a makeshift trial was being held against his mother. Cao Cao sat upon his throne with a stern and agitated look. His mother was kneeling on the floor before him and his er niang, Consort Chen, sat in the chair beside his father with a haughty look upon her face.
"Pi is here!" Zhi announced, hurriedly rushing towards their father. "Pi will clear things up!"
"Pi, tell me the truth. What happened at the market today?" Cao Cao's deep voice rumbled in the hall.
Before he could even say a word, Consort Chen stepped in. "My love, that is unfair of you to put dear Pi on the spot. Surely his filial duty will beg him to protect his birth mother. Let us determine the truth from a third party." Consort Chen gestured to a guard at the door who dutiful nodded before disappearing and almost reappearing immediately when a unknown man in chains.
The guard threw the man down roughly beside Lady Bian. Lady Bian remained still and emotionless as she continued to stare at the floor.
"Speak." Consort Chen shouted to the man in chains. "Say only the truth and your punishment may be lightened."
The man began throwing his head to the floor, begging Cao Cao. "Please my lord, I was only doing as I was told. Please forgive me, I couldn't say no! Please forgive me!"
"Speak!" Cao Cao angrily bellowed out.
"Lady Bian hired me." He said as he looked at the woman kneeling beside him. She remained in her position. "She gave me a large sum of money to pay off my debts on the condition that I kill a young woman and make it look like an accident."
"Who is this young woman?" Cao Cao furiously asked.
Although there were only a few people in the throne hall witnessing this, the intensity was almost too much to bear. Even Cao Pi felt like he was suffocating in his father's anger.
When the chained man refused to speak, Consort Chen motioned towards the guard again. The guard came forward with a large wooden plank. He kicked the man from behind forcing him to fall flat on the floor. He then walked to stand beside the prisoner and looked at Cao Cao. The lord nodded his head once and the guard lifted the large wooden plank up into the air. With all of his might, he sent the wooden plank crashing down on the man's rear. A sickening thud could be heard as the guard raised up the plank once again and repeatedly hit the man. After several more bouts Cao Cao finally raised a hand and the guard stopped in his place.
"Who is this young woman?" Cao Cao repeated.
In severe pain and agony, the man mumbled something.
"Louder!" Consort Chen shouted.
"Zhen Ji." The man managed to mumble out before fainting.
"Take him away." Consort Chen waved her hand. The guard nodded and quickly dragged the chained man away.
Cao Cao now looked at his wife kneeling before him. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Lady Bian refused to speak. Disgusted by the sight before him, Cao Cao angrily stood up from his seat. "You are lucky that you are my wife. This kind of insolent act of defiance would have had your head." He seethed. "Thirty lashes!" He shouted to the guards before roughly brushing his cape back and stomping out of the throne room.
"Father, let me bear mother's punishment!" Cao Pi shouted in desperation. Last time his mother received 10 lashes for infuriating his father, she had passed out and was in pain for several weeks later. As her son, he could not bear to see her suffer like that again.
"As will I!" His second brother Zhang volunteered.
"And I!" His third brother Zhi followed.
"My dear sons..." Lady Bian muttered quietly, tears brimming at her eyes.
"If you all so desire to be punished, then shall be it. Thirty lashes to each, including the Lady Bian." Cao Cao announced as he exited the room.
Consort Chen stepped down from her seat and slowly headed towards the exit with a smirk upon her face and her maid trailing behind her. "You've lost your touch sister." Consort Chen whispered to Lady Bian as she passed by her. "Your old age is making you sloppy to be able to get caught like this."
... ... ... ... ...
To say the pain was more than a little uncomfortable was an understatement. It hurt. It was no wonder that he didn't want to sit. The thirty lashes he received on his behind was definitely bruising. In fact, he couldn`t even sleep on his back any more. And this was with the guard being extremely lenient on them. The lashes were more of beatings with the wooden plank, and the guards used only half of their strength when they punished Cao Pi, his brothers and his mother. The guards knew better than to actually give out the full punishment because if any of them had scars develop, it would certainly mean death for the ones who gave it to them. Still, Cao Pi`s bruised rear hurt.
Cao Pi didn`t think his father would actually punish them all. At worst, he thought that he and his brothers would share the burden. But for his father to the punish each of them to the full extent meant that his father was extremely displeased. And all for what? That she-devil.
There was a sudden knock on his door that interrupted his thoughts. "Master Cao Pi?" A sweet voice called out. "It is I, Zhen Ji."
The sweet tempting vixen was at his door. He couldn't let himself fall under her spell again, but he wanted to prove to himself that he could resist her charms. "Come in."
The doors creaked open slowly as Zhen Ji stepped in. She was beautiful. Her long legs took each step gingerly brushing against the form fitting qipao she wore. Her hips seemed to sway seductively with every movement and the lovely dress hugged her full bosoms in such a way that made Cao Pi unable to resist her. At that moment, he desperately wanted to take her in his arms and ravish her. Oh, by the heavens, how he wanted her so.
"Master Cao Pi, I'm sorry to intrude, but I came to see how you were doing." Zhen Ji spoke softly as she glanced around his room nervously knowing that his eyes were fixated on her. "I heard that you have been hurt..."
Her kind words snapped him out of his animal-like hunger. His eyes moved past her body and onto her face. She was a very lovely girl. Her demure expression was nothing like he remembered the first time they had met. She was just as beautiful then as she was now, but there was something about her that was a bit different. Cao Pi couldn't quite figure out.
He gestured for her to sit at the table, but she shook her head slightly. "If it is alright with you Master Cao Pi, I would much prefer to stand."
"Hmph." He replied trying hard to remain cold and distant to her.
She held out her hand towards him and held out a small container. Cao Pi looked at it questionably. "It is a ointment for your pain, Master Cao Pi." She explained. "It will help heal you quicker."
"Do you know why I took those lashes?"
Zhen Ji shook her head. "All I know is that as a son, you took your mother's burden. A man who remains true to his filial duty is most certainly a great man."
"Then do you know where I am hurt?" He asked as he placed his hand on top of hers as if taking the little container. Instead, he left his hand there holding onto hers.
She nodded, a slight pink rising to her cheeks.
"Then perhaps, you can help me apply the ointment." He leaned in to whisper into her ears.
Zhen Ji immediately pulled her hand away and took a step back. "I'm sorry, Master Cao Pi, I cannot help you with that." She said edging closer towards the door.
Cao Pi let out a laugh. "Of course not. You are an unmarried lady."
"You were teasing me?"
"Lady Zhen Ji, you have looked so forlorn of late. I just want to see you smile." Cao Pi replied. In actuality, he was half serious about his offer. If she had not refused him, he would certainly have enraptured her. There was no denying it now. As a man, he physically desired her. But it was better this way that she refused him. For perhaps, she wasn't really a harlot he had once thought her to be. Perhaps she was worthy to be his.
Zhen Ji smiled softly at him in response.
Hatred, he realized. She no longer had that hatred in her eyes that she used to. No. He thought to himself. The she-devil has gotten to me again!
... ... ... ... ...
As Zhen Ji headed back to her room. She couldn't help but think about Cao Pi. In just the past couple days, she felt like he was a completely different man. Had she been wrong about him this whole time? Little by little, she didn't feel like as frightened of him as she did the first time they met. Two days ago, he had saved her life in the marketplace and she found that her heart would beat faster whenever she thought about that moment. She wasn't sure if it was because of her near-death experience or if it might be the way she felt when he held her in his arms. No man had ever embraced her like that before and in an odd kind of way, it felt really nice. And when she found out he took beatings for his mother, she realized there was a side to him that she never knew existed. She bit her lower lip unconsciously wondering if there was more to him that she didn't know about.
"My lady." Xiang greeted her mistress as she met up with her.
"Xiang, did you hand out the ointments as I asked you to?"
"Yes, my lady. I gave one to the maid Wumei to give to Lady Bian. I also asked her to pretend it was from her otherwise Lady Bian would never accept it. I also gave one to both Master Cao Zhang and Cao Zhi. They were both very grateful and thanked my lady."
"Good. Thank you..." Zhen Ji stopped abruptly as they reached her room.
The doors to her room were wide open and some of her clothes had been tossed outside. Someone had barged into her room! Both Zhen Ji and Xiang ran to the room and saw Lady Bian, Wumei, and Shi Shi inside. The three of them had destroyed her room. Her things were thrown around, some of her garments were ripped and anything breakable was broken.
When the three woman heard Zhen Ji and Xiang come around, they all turned around to face them. Lady Bian had an extremely crossed look on her face. "You evil bitch!" She screamed. "You think you can poison me with this?!" She held up a small container that looked exactly like the one she gave Cao Pi and his brothers. "I've lived in this palace for far too long to be tricked by this simple thing!" She shouted as she hurled the small container at Zhen Ji. Xiang immediately shielded Zhen Ji and was hit in the back of the head with the container. "I will destroy you, like all the ones before you." Lady Bian hissed as she stormed past the two girls, pushing them aside.
Wumei was the last to leave and just before she stepped out, she turned and whispered to the two girls. "I'm sorry Lady Zhen Ji, Lady Bian forced me to tell her who it was from." She said in a terrified voice before following her lady.
Zhen Ji held her friend in her arms. "Xiang! Are you alright?"
Her maid grunted slightly as she removed her hand from the back of her head. Crimson red blood sat upon her hand.
"Doctor!" Zhen Ji shouted. "Someone please call the doctor!"
... ... ... ... ...
"She is very lucky. It is just an external wound. There will be no permanent damage." The doctor said as he finished taking one last listen to her pulse. Xiang sat up in her small bed with bandage wrapped around her head.
The doctor took out a sheet of paper and quill and began writing. The doctor was a older man with thinning gray hair. He was very knowledgeable and had been the Cao Household's doctor for many years. For a renowned doctor such as himself to personally pay a visit to a person with such low status as a maid, was unheard of. But when Cao Cao had learned that Xiang had been injured as a result of protecting Zhen Ji, he insisted that she get the best treatment available.
"Here." He said, handing the sheet over to his assistant. "Have the servants prepare this medicine for her every morning for the next seven days." After which, he closed his medical box and stood up to leave. "The maid will be fine, although I would recommend her to rest for the next day or two." He said.
Zhen Ji gave a polite bow. "Thank you Doctor Hua Tuo." [5]
Just as the doctor exited, Xiang jumped out of the bed and went on her hands and knees bowing down to the Zhen Ji. "I am sorry for troubling my lady like so! Please forgive me, my lady!"
Zhen Ji quickly stopped her and smiled at her friend. "You have not troubled me at all Xiang. So there is nothing to forgive. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. For if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt."
"No," Xiang shook her head. "My life it yours. If you hadn't saved me those many years ago, I would not be alive here with you today."
Shortly after the doctor left, there was a knock before the doors opened. A worried Consort Chen stepped in with her maid holding a few packages. "Lady Zhen Ji!" She cried out. "I heard you were attacked by Lady Bian! Are you alright my dear?" Consort Chen rushed towards Zhen Ji.
"Consort Chen." Zhen Ji greeted, giving a polite bow. "Thank you for your concern, though I am well."
"I heard Doctor Hua was rushed to see you, where are you hurt?" Chen asked looking at Zhen Ji from side to side.
"The good doctor came to address Xiang's wounds." Zhen Ji said, gesturing to her maid. "Lord Cao Cao is a most generous man to send Doctor Hua to attend us." She added respectfully.
As if Consort Chen was not even aware Xiang was in the room, she glanced at her for a brief moment. Seeing her bandaged head, Consort Chen gave a slight frown before pasting on a fake smile. "Oh, goodness me!" She sighed in exaggerated relief. "I am glad you have not been harmed, Lady Zhen! Lord Cao Cao is quite fond of you and it would not do well to have you injured!" Consort Chen then gestured for her maid to come forward. The maid placed the packages on the table obediently. "I heard Lady Bian had destroyed all your belongings, so I brought you some gifts." She opened the large rectangular box on the top. "Some ginseng for you, so you can recover from this traumatizing experience," Gesturing to the rest of the packages, "and some outfits to wear while the tailor makes you new ones."
Zhen Ji bowed to Consort Chen again. "Thank you, Consort Chen. Your generosity is..."
"Now, now Lady Zhen. No need for the pleasantries between us. For one day, we may become family." She said while smiling. Zhen Ji didn't know what Consort Chen meant with her words, but decided it was better to stay quiet. Luckily, Consort Chen decided to end the conversation as well. "I should be on my way. You should get some rest Zhen Ji."
Zhen Ji bowed one last time as Consort Chen left the room.
... ... ... ... ...
She was furious. Never in her life had she been so insulted before. Not even her sister, Lady Bian had insulted her this much before! Consort Chen had maintained her friendly facade with Zhen Ji, but she could not stand it any longer. Angrily, she stomped back to her own bedchambers as her maid scurried behind her.
How could he?! She thought bitterly. It's one thing if he wants to take that stupid Zhen Ji as a wife, but her maid too?! Consort Chen had not once even given a thought of having such a low status person as a rival. Why should she? Lord Cao Cao would never stoop so low as to have an affair with a maid, but here he was, sending the best physician to attend to a maid's wellbeing. Unbelievable! She thought to herself angrily.
As she approached her bedchambers, she angrily flung the doors open only to be surprised to see Lord Cao Cao inside, waiting for her. He had a very displeased look on his face and with her sudden outburst, his mood soured even more.
"My Lord!" She exclaimed, giving him a respectful bow. Her maid followed suit before quietly closing the doors behind them.
"I am in no mood to deal with your petty outbursts." He said harshly as he poured tea for himself.
"No, but you always deal with sister Bian's outbursts." Consort Chen pouted. She knew Cao Cao was in a bad mood and that she was treading dangerous waters to start arguing with him, but she had to let him know how upset she was. But she also knew if she played it right, she could stay in Cao Cao's good graces longer.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" He spat out cruelly.
"I have been nothing but kind to Zhen Ji, and sister has publicly attacked her multiple times, yet my Lord only has time to deal with sister's problems." She responded childishly.
Cao Cao took a deep breath. "What are you saying?" He asked, his tone much calmer than moments ago.
"In the past week, how often have you come to visit me? Once! Just this time! And you're only here because sister has angered you! My heart aches for you every night, but I am a dutiful wife, so I will not complain, but my heart can stand only so much pain." Consort Chen raised her handkerchief to wipe away an imaginary tear from her eye.
Consort Chen had been playing this game for as long as she could remember. When it comes to men, it was simply a game of power. Make them feel like they're in power and they'll always come back for more. Despite unable to give Cao Cao any children, Consort Chen played the game so well that he always came back to her. If I had only been able to bear a son to Cao Cao, I would sitting on the throne as his first wife, not that old hag. She thought. Unfortunately, as well as Consort Chen knew how to play the game of power, Lady Bian also knew how to the play it too; only she played it differently. She poisoned me so that I cannot conceive. Consort Chen thought bitterly.
"And on top of that, I can bear having Zhen Ji as a sister, since she is so sweet and lovely, but I cannot stand the thought that of having her silly maid as a sister as well!"
"Again, with the nonsense!" Cao Cao said as he began rubbing his temples.
"Well, why else would you have Doctor Hua attend her? Doctor Hua is the Cao family physician!" She emphasized.
"You are starting to anger me, you foolish woman."
"I am a foolish woman! To have fallen in love with a man who treats me like so! Though I must share my husband, it does not mean it doesn't hurt me."
Cao Cao sighed loudly. His hand still rubbing his temples and his eyes now closed. "Zhen Ji is young enough to be my daughter. I have no interest in marrying her. She is much better suited for Pi, Zhang, or Zhi. She's saved my life and for that, I have to repay her back many times more, even if it extends to helping her maid."
"Oh my lord! I should never have doubted you!" Consort Chen said happily as she rushed to Cao Cao's side. "Quick Xiaomei, get the cold water!" She said, addressing her maid.
Cao Cao raised up a hand to stop her, opening his eyes again. "No need, the pain has subsided."
"Oh my lord, please forgive this foolish woman of yours." Consort Chen fell into Cao Cao's lap and placed her head on his shoulders, grinning from ear to ear.
... ... ... ... ...
The very next day, Zhen Ji was greeted by a plethora of guests; Lords, masters, generals, and servants of theirs all coming bearing gifts to her. Word had gotten out that her marriage to Yuan Xi had been annulled and Cao Cao hadn't any intention of marrying her himself. Naturally, potential suitors began arriving at the Cao Household bearing gifts for Lady Zhen Ji.
"And you said this mine to keep and I may do whatever I wish?" Zhen Ji asked.
"Yes, Lady Zhen Ji. My master Lord Bao of Luoyang hopes that this gift will please the Lady Zhen Ji." A servant responded, a little puzzled at Zhen Ji's words.
"Then please send my thanks to Lord Bao. I am very delighted to receive such an beautiful gift." She responded as she waved her hand. Xiang took the gift from the servant. The servant bowed politely before exiting the room.
Upon his departure, Xiang brought the gift into a separate room in Zhen Ji's new bedchambers and placed it among the other dozens of gifts she had already received. After Lady Bian had made a mess of her old bedchambers, Cao Cao had given Zhen Ji a new one that was also much bigger. In the Yuan household, as the first wife of Yuan Xi, Zhen Ji was given one of the best bedchambers there, but that wasn't even comparable to how extravagant this one was. In comparison, everything with the Caos was bigger and better. Her new bedchamber had three rooms; the reception room where she could meet guests or have tea with them, the study room which housed a small desk and various arts and scrolls, and her bedroom. There was even a small private garden just outside her bedchambers.
"I don't mean to question you, my lady, but is it wise to be accepting every gift you receive?" Xiang asked when she returned back to her mistress. It was clear that the men that came bearing gifts to her were looking for her hand in marriage, and to accept a gift was to let them know a woman was seriously considering his offer of marriage. Even though some of the gifts were from men she had never heard of or seen, Zhen Ji knew exactly why they wanted her as their wife. Since Cao Cao had no intention of marrying her and she was living under his household, people saw her as his 'adoptive daughter'; meaning, if they wanted some sort of alliance or better status, Zhen Ji was a way in.
"No, but it would be worse to refuse their gifts and insult them."
Xiang didn't quite understand what her mistress meant, but she nodded. Xiang motioned to the Cao servant by the door, letting him know to allow the next guest in.
... ... ... ... ...
A week had passed since the time Cao Pi had last seen Zhen Ji. He was a little more than perturbed with her and as a result, he didn't bother seeking her out. Not like she made an effort to see him either, which also annoyed him. Just when he decided he would pursue her, she goes on being overly friendly with every man that throws himself at her feet. Cao Pi continued to believe he was not like every man and he would not bring himself down so low as to do such a thing. He once again decided that she was not worthy of him. Sure she may still have her flower intact, but to accept every man's gifts to court her so callously, could only mean she lived for the attention and gifts. Or so, Cao Pi assumed.
Although Cao Pi had yet again believed that Zhen Ji meant nothing to him, he had been venting out his frustrations every day for the past week by the Luo River. Something about practicing his swordplay by the river seemed to calm him down. At least until the next time something reminded him of her. It was all he could do without lashing out at someone. As much as he denied it, deep down, he knew that he would never be the same as he was before that fateful day he met her.
He had managed to remove her from his thoughts after a few hours of swordplay and was returning back home. As usual, he walked through Golden Happiness Street where the middle to lower-class citizens of Luoyang lived. The streets were dirtier than the main street where the higher-class citizens resided, like himself, but it was certainly not as bad as the slums. Some of the middle class people that walked by him would politely greet or bow to him in respect. He simply walked past them without acknowledging them. He was the son of Cao Cao after all, it would be beneath him to acknowledge the poor.
As Cao Pi was about to take another step, a man in dirty clothes darted from an alleyway and ran across him to greet a fat man down the street. Despite Cao Pi not caring about the poor, he was offended that this man would choose to greet someone else rather than his distinguished self.
"Lord Bao, thank you, thank you!" The dirty man said as he bowed to the fat man on his hands and knees.
The fat man looked disgusted at the sight before him. "Why thank me? I didn't do anything." He said repulsively.
"You and the many lords in the city have been generous to us!" He said, referring to the poor. "We have been wrong about you and the other lords. The shoes you all gave us certainly proves that!"
"Shoes? What shoes?"
The dirty man pointed to the straw shoes he wore. "Lady Zhen Ji came by earlier handing out straw shoes to all of us. She said the shoes were a gift from the many lords in the city. She said the path that we walk on is very difficult, but with a little help we can all persevere through the difficult times. When we all thanked her, she said, 'It is not I that you should be thanking. This is the generosity of the lords in the city. They are the ones who donated gold to buy these straw shoes for you to walk on.' And then she listed all the lords who donated gold. There was you, Official Chen, Hu, Tan, He, Deng, merchant Ma, Kong, Pan, Yu, Duke Lin, Zheng, Liang, Luo, Kuang, Lord Mao, Liao, Hu, Deng, Yang, Gao, ..." the man continued to list many more high classed men.
Cao Pi brought a hand to his face to cover a rare smile that formed. In just that moment, he developed a new found respect for Zhen Ji once again. Zhen Ji, he realized, was an intelligent woman. How she thought of the idea, he wasn't sure, but he knew he had to see her again. That woman was clever enough to reject every man that wanted to court her without insulting a single one. He thought to himself as he walked passed Lord Bao and the dirty man. She accepted every gift so as not to insult them, but must have sold all the gifts and gave it to the poor. By publicly letting them know it was all the lords that donated the gold through the gifts sold, she's also letting each man know that she has rejected them. And by giving it back to the poor, who so profusely thank them, they have no right to feel insulted by it. Cao Pi stifled a chuckle before wondering if she might have sold his gift to her too.
... ... ... ... ...
It wasn't long before Cao Pi returned back to the Cao Household. He could only think of Zhen Ji the rest of the way back and kept wondering if she got rid of his gift to her as well. As he neared the central courtyard, he could hear music coming from the gardens. The music was a beautiful tranquil tune and he could not help but feel calm and at peace. Curious, he followed the sound and was led to the plum blossoms in the main garden. A slender figure stood beneath the biggest tree by the pond and he was delighted to see the brilliant violet plumage in the figure's hair. She was playing music from a lovely flute and not wanting to disturb her, Cao Pi watched her from a short distance away.
The song ended too soon and Cao Pi found himself approaching her. "That was very lovely."
Although slightly startled, Zhen Ji gave a slight nod and smile. "Master Cao Pi, I didn't realize you were listening."
"I didn't want to disturb you." He admitted. "I just came back from the city." He added. "It was very considerate of the many lords to present gifts to poor."
"Yes, it certainly was." Zhen Ji replied, looking away in embarrassment.
"Hold still." Cao Pi said as he reached over to remove a leaf that had fallen into her hair. He purposely lingered a bit longer to cherish the intimacy between them. "The hair pin suits you." He finally said when he moved away.
"Thank you..." A slight flush of pink rose to her cheeks.
"Would you play another song for me?"
Zhen Ji nodded and brought the flute to her mouth. She wasn't sure why, but her heart was beating a little faster than normal.
... ... ... ... ...
That night, as Xiang was helping Zhen Ji prepare for bed, sat in front of her mirror staring at her reflection. Her gaze was on the beautiful hair piece that Cao Pi had gifted her. She couldn't help but think back to her brief encounter with him earlier in the day.
As Xiang helped her take off the hair piece, she noticed her mistress staring. "My lady, your feelings for Master Cao Pi have changed." She commented.
"What? What do you mean?"
"I think you have feelings for him, my lady."
Zhen Ji shook her head. "No. Not anymore than I have for anyone in the Cao family."
"Yet out of all the gifts you've received since we've arrived, you kept his." She said as she placed the hair piece gently into its decorated box.
"I've also kept Yue Jin's gift as well." Zhen Ji retorted, pointing at the flute that lay on the table nearby.
"Yes, but the flute lets you play music again. What does the hair pin do for you?" She asked with a girlish grin on her face.
Zhen Ji looked back at the reflection in the mirror. Is it true? She asked herself. Do I have feelings for him...?
1 Goddess of the Luo River or Nymph of the Luo River is a famous painting by Gu Kaiszhi (344-406) which illustrates a poem of the same name written by Cao Zhi (192-232). Technically, at this point in time in the story, both the poem and the painting does not exist yet.
2 Cao Zhi. (2014, August 19). Retrieved October 26, 2014, from entry/Cao_Zhi#Poetry
3 In reality, the artist Gu Kaizhi lived between c. 344-406, over a hundred years after Zhen Ji and Cao Pi's time.
4 Literal translation from mandarin is "second mother".
5 Hua Tuo is a famous Chinese physician in c. 140-208. Cao Cao was his best known patient who he applied advanced medical techniques to ease Cao Cao's chronic headaches.
