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"The peach blossoms will bloom soon this year..." Lady Ding stood in the backyard, gazing up at the peach tree.
"Mother..." A young man ran in from the front hall and saw Lady Ding standing absentmindedly beneath the peach tree. He swallowed half his greeting and walked over to her side, following her gaze up the tree—only to find nothing but a few tiny buds just beginning to sprout.
"Um, Mother, what are you looking at?" the young man asked curiously.
Lady Ding snapped out of her reverie and lowered her head. "Nothing... By the way, Zixiu, have your uncles from the Xiahou family arrived?"
"They have! Uncle Zixiao is here too!" Cao Ang replied excitedly. His father was about to undertake a great endeavor, and though he didn't fully understand it, he couldn't help but feel a strange thrill.
This Cao Zixiao had loved archery, horseback riding, and hunting since childhood. It would have been stranger if he hadn't come for such an occasion. Lady Ding nodded, then turned and patted Cao Ang's head. "Go keep your uncles company. I'll check on the kitchen—the stewed lamb should be about ready..."
Cao Ang first acknowledged her words, then protested, "Mother, stop patting my head! Didn't we just agree last time that I'm grown up now?"
Lady Ding chuckled helplessly. "Alright, alright, you're a man now. Go on, go on..."
Only then did Cao Ang cheerfully dash back to the front hall.
Lady Ding watched his retreating figure, her smile gradually stiffening before finally dissolving into a sigh. Unbidden, the verses of an old 'Tang' folk song came to mind:
"Light chariots with slender sides,
Five bands adorn the curving yoke.
The sliding rings and side straps,
The dark traces with metal tips.
The patterned mat and long axle,
Drive my dappled grays.
I think of my lord,
Gentle as jade.
In his plank house,
He troubles my heart.
"Four stallions, mighty and tall,
Six reins held firm in hand.
The piebalds in the middle,
The bays on either side.
The dragon shields united,
The metal rings on the bits.
I think of my lord,
Gentle in his city.
When will the day come?
Why must I long so?
"The team of four moves as one,
The triple-edged spears with metal caps.
The painted shields so splendid,
The tiger-skin quivers, carved bows.
Two bows set crosswise,
The bamboo cases bound with cords.
I think of my lord,
Resting, then rising.
My noble one, so serene,
His virtuous fame so orderly."
Lady Ding fell silent. Cao Cao was her lord, her noble one—and now, once again, he was about to mount his war chariot and ride into battle. But...
War, war!
War, war...
Expressionless, Lady Ding entered the kitchen, where Lady Bian, busy at work, hastily stood and bowed upon seeing her.
Lady Bian was a concubine Cao Cao had taken in a few years prior. Originally a songstress, she possessed exceptional beauty and grace. Though she had borne Cao Cao a son three years ago, her lowly status meant Lady Ding had never deigned to show her any regard.
Lady Ding first inspected the chilled chicken laid out on the side—each piece neatly arranged—then checked the lamb stew simmering on the stove. She scooped a little broth to taste and said, "It's ready. Serve it promptly." Moving to another pot, she lifted the lid, picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks, and prodded the green beans stewing inside. Frowning, she remarked, "Overcooked!"
Lady Bian trembled slightly and whispered, "Madam, the master complained yesterday that the beans were too hard, so I..."
Lady Ding's hand paused. She set down the chopsticks and cast a cold glance at Lady Bian, who stood with bowed head and folded hands. "Discard them. Prepare another pot."
"...Yes."
Of course, Lady Ding knew that softer beans would suit Cao Cao better—his heart-fire had been excessive lately, causing swollen gums that made chewing hard foods difficult.
Lady Bian had been thinking of her husband's comfort. But Lady Ding had to consider not just Cao Cao, but also their guests. While mushy beans might suit Cao Cao's current state, today's gathering included the Xiahou brothers and Cao Zixiao—all in the prime of their strength. Would they enjoy such overcooked beans?
Moreover, an unspoken measure of a man's vigor was how much and what he could eat.
With their uprising imminent, allowing others to see Cao Cao reduced to eating soft bean paste might invite unfavorable speculation...
Thus, Lady Ding ordered Lady Bian to start anew without explanation—nor did she owe her one.
Even if Cao Cao himself were to intervene, the decision would remain the same. No one understood him better than Lady Ding.
Exiting the kitchen, Lady Ding's gaze fell once more on the peach tree in the backyard, and she drifted into memory—
That spring, when the peach blossoms were in full bloom, she had married Cao Cao.
The spring breeze of Qiao County had carried the fragrance of peach blossoms everywhere.
Petals swirled through the air like rouge upon a maiden's cheeks...
Back then, Cao Cao was in the flush of youth, and Lady Ding—née Ding—was as radiant as the flowers.
She was Cao Cao's cousin, his childhood companion. That year, she had married the hero of her heart with boundless joy.
Others dismissed the young Cao Cao as wild, unruly, and unlikely to achieve greatness. But she saw the burning ambition beneath that exterior.
She adored him.
Beneath that very peach tree, he had tucked a vibrant blossom into her hair, whispering words of love—and of his aspirations: "I wish to be a governor, to enact righteous policies, to build a reputation, and to make my name known to all scholars of the land."
She believed in him.
That year, he was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt, becoming a court gentleman in Luoyang. Soon appointed Captain of the Northern District, he defied the powerful by erecting multicolored clubs—and had Jian Tu, the uncle of the influential eunuch Jian Shuo, beaten to death. Though the people cheered, he was demoted to Magistrate of Dunqiu, then dismissed altogether, returning home in disgrace.
She consoled him.
Later, when the court summoned him again, he drank and sang that night, speaking of his renewed chance to serve the empire—to oppose the Partisan Prohibitions, to protect loyal officials, and to purge corrupt villains. Yet his repeated memorials went unanswered.
She encouraged him.
During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, when many fled before the rebels, he and General Huangfu fought fearlessly, crushing the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan. For his merits, he was appointed Chancellor of Jinan. In his letters, he rejoiced at finally governing a commandery where he could realize his ambitions. Yet though he "enacted policies that brought peace and order to the land," the powerful still rejected him, forcing him to feign illness and return home once more.
She stood by him.
When Emperor Ling established the new Western Garden Army, creating the Eight Colonels, Cao Cao was summoned again as Commandant of the Established Majesty. After much hesitation, he accepted—drawn by the word "new."
But before long, he was branded a criminal and forced to flee home like a stray dog, disgraced.
She had hoped he might finally settle into peaceful domestic life. Instead, he tirelessly rallied troops, declaring, "I wish to earn a marquisate and become General Who Conquers the West, so that my tomb may bear the inscription: 'Tomb of Marquis Cao, Han Dynasty's General Who Conquers the West.' That would suffice for this life..."
Ah...
Lady Ding sighed deeply, her eyes fixed on the peach tree.
Now, another spring approached, and the peach blossoms would soon bloom again...
'Ahman... how long has it been since you last watched the blossoms with me?
Ahman... your heart holds the weight of the entire Han Empire—but is there still a sliver of space left for me?'
*
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