Chapter 60: Games of the Inner Court

“The General is here! Sister Jade, Sister Li, look, the General is here!”
In the warm chamber at the rear of the house, Feng Juan clapped her hands excitedly, peering through the window as Lord Cao rounded the corridor outside.
“He’s here, so what? We just saw him this morning. Is it really so rare?”
Zou Li cast a sidelong glance at Feng Juan. The young woman, just eighteen, was lovely and fair with a delicate face and lithe figure, but her mind was simple. Ever since the General had brought her here and favored her a few times, her thoughts were filled with nothing but him, and she would not stop talking about him even for a day.
“It is rare, it is! Sister Li, you say it isn’t, but deep down, you’re probably even more delighted than I am.”
Feng Juan pouted her rosy lips.
Zou Li set aside her book and reached out to pinch her cheek.
“Sister, help me!”
Feng Juan darted behind Jade, using Gan Yuniang as her shield.
Gan Yuniang, busy with needlework, looked up and smiled, “You never used to be this naughty. Why are you so fond of teasing Juan lately?”
“Sister, it was just the two of us at home before. How could I have teased you?”
“Haha, but you shouldn’t tease little Juan either.”
Gan Yuniang smiled gently.
“Exactly!”
Juan leaned on Jade’s shoulder, giggling.
Zou Li, face stern, reached out as if to pinch her cheek.
Creak—
Just then, Lord Cao pushed open the door and entered.
“General!”
Feng Juan ran toward him, but halfway there, she dropped into a curtsy, her face beaming with delight as she then leapt into his arms.
Cao Xin laughed heartily, half-embracing the girl, and turning to Gan Yuniang and Zou Li who were about to curtsy, he said, “Jade, Li, there’s no need for formalities at home.”
“General, showing respect to you puts my heart at ease,”
Gan Yuniang replied with a gentle smile, curtsying nonetheless, and Zou Li lazily followed suit, her rich figure drawing his appreciative gaze.
“What are you all doing? Why aren’t you playing leaves?”
Cao Xin helped Jade up and asked.
“We’re making spring clothes for the General. Sister Juan embroiders beautifully. I asked her to embroider patterns on the jacket. What kind of flowers would you like, General?”
Gan Yuniang pulled him to sit. Li brought hot tea, while Juan gently massaged his shoulder.
Cao Xin smiled, “Do flowers on a man’s robe look good?”
“They do!”
All three women replied in unison.
“General, it’s fashionable in Xuchang now to embroider patterns on clothing—symbols of good fortune and prosperity.”
Gan Yuniang smiled.
“Haha, well then, what can Juan embroider?”
Cao Xin wrapped his arm around Juan’s slim waist.
“General, I can embroider peach blossoms, plum, peony, begonia, rose, green bamboo—so many! Even what I don’t know I can learn quickly. Whatever you like, I’ll master.”
Feng Juan ticked the list off on her slender fingers, chest puffed out with pride.
“Splendid, then let’s have peonies. Big, lush, and extravagant—I like that best.”
Cao Xin looked teasingly at Zou Li, who shot him a glare.
“General, I’ll get right to the peonies,”
Feng Juan said briskly, turning to leave.
“Wait!”
Cao Xin caught her hand, laughing, “The weather is dry and cold today, and I’ve nothing to do. Why don’t the four of us play a round of leaves together?”
“Great, I’ll fetch the cards,”
Zou Li replied cheerfully, hurrying out. Of all in the household, she was most addicted to cards; just the mention of a game made her come alive with joy.
Cao Xin smiled at Jade, “Don’t be busy all the time. You must take time for leisure; don’t wear yourself out.”
Gan Yuniang laughed softly, “General, I live a life of ease and comfort, sheltered from wind and rain. I won’t tire myself. You, who fight year-round, enduring sun and blade, are the one who truly works hard and should rest.”
“Exactly!”
Feng Juan nodded emphatically.
Cao Xin burst out laughing.
“The cards are here!”
Zou Li returned, waving the deck.
The maids, Warm Jade and Fragrant Remnant, quickly brought tables, chairs, snacks, and tea.
“Nothing urgent today—let’s play to our hearts’ content.”
Lord Cao rolled up his sleeves and sat down.
“General, what stakes?”
Zou Li rolled up her sleeves too, revealing fair arms, earning a chiding glance from Jade. Zou Li quickly smoothed her sleeves down.
“General, sister, I don’t know the game well. Shall we play low, one or two coins each?”
Feng Juan took out a pink embroidered purse filled with her pocket money.
“One or two coins is too little—how about half a string?”
Zou Li began, but Jade’s look made her change her tune.
“Juan’s right, we’ll keep it low.”
Gan Yuniang said, “Warm Jade, sit by Juan and give her some tips. Juan, Warm Jade plays even better than Li. If you’re unsure, ask her.”
“Wonderful, thank you, sister!”
Feng Juan waved Warm Jade over, who smiled and brought her stool to sit beside her.
“Playing with an advisor? All right, let’s see,”
Zou Li shuffled the cards deftly, her long, slender fingers tipped in red, looking every bit the seasoned gambler.
Cao Xin shook his purse—just a few dozen gold beans inside. He laughed, “Whoever wins, we’ll dine in their quarters tonight—hotpot, perhaps?”
“Agreed!”
With the rules settled, they began. They played the old style of leaf cards, counting points—Heaven Nine, Earth Eight, Man Seven, Harmony Five, with special hands and multipliers. Sometimes the dealer’s luck turned and a single hand could win hundreds of coins.
Cao Xin, not especially skilled, played eight rounds but won only twice and lost nearly five gold beans.
The biggest winner was the novice, Feng Juan, whose luck, with Warm Jade’s guidance, brought her several top hands.
Flushed with excitement, Feng Juan’s face was rosy with her winnings.
Jade came in second, playing casually but luck favored her—she won once per round.
Zou Li didn’t lose much, but seeing Juan win hand after hand left her a little dispirited.
By the eleventh round, Cao Xin had lost six gold beans, nearly six strings of coins.
“Is the General just finding ways to give us money?”
Zou Li declared, claiming another big win from him.
Cao Xin shot her a mischievous look. She shivered and obediently gathered the money to shuffle again.
“General! Madam!”
Yingchun entered from outside. “The Lady of the Chancellor has arrived, with the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Young Masters and Third Miss.”
“Oh, my sister-in-law is here.”
Cao Xin and Gan Yuniang put down their cards. With Zou Li and the maids’ help, he donned a sable cloak, Jade a gold-hemmed coat, and together they went out to greet Lady Ding.
Zou Li began tidying the table, while Juan counted her winnings.
“How much did you win, Juan?”
Zou Li asked.
“Five gold beans and twelve coins,”
Juan replied, grinning from ear to ear.
“If I’d had a little more luck, all your winnings would be mine.”
Zou Li pouted.
“Well, my luck’s just good!”
Juan giggled, taking out a gold bean for Warm Jade.
“For you, Warm Jade.”
“Third Madam, I can’t accept. It was nothing,”
Warm Jade protested.
“Warm Jade, if Third Madam rewards you, just accept. No need to refuse,”
Zou Li said.
“Thank you, Third Madam,”
Warm Jade finally said, accepting the bean with a smile.

—

“Sister-in-law!”
Cao Xin and Gan Yuniang reached the front yard to greet Lady Ding and her party.
Lady Ding, wrapped in a blue satin cloak, stepped down from her carriage. Her face was round and kindly, lips curved in a gentle smile, hair pinned up simply with a wooden hairpin—her appearance was plain and unadorned.
Accompanying her were the three lively boys—Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Xiong—and Second Miss Cao Jie. All the children were bundled like cotton dumplings, their cheeks red from the cold.
“Greetings, Sixth Uncle and Aunt!”
The children all bowed to the ground.
“No need for that, get up!”
Cao Xin helped them up, turning to Lady Ding with a smile.
“Sister-in-law, my brother wants to be a model minister for the world, so he wears rags. But you don’t need to set an example—why not make some fine clothes for yourself and the children? After all, you earn your own money, and there’s no reason to care about my brother’s opinion.”
Lady Ding smiled, hands at her waist and a hint of spiritedness in her voice, “What, is your poor relation here to embarrass you?”
“Haha, not at all. It’s just seeing the boys’ cheeks so red from the cold tugs at their uncle’s heart.”
Cao Xin pinched Cao Pi’s cheek.
“It’s nothing. Outside, they wear coarse cloth, but inside, they’re warm as toast. If not for your brother’s principles, I’d dress them in furs outdoors,”
Lady Ding replied.
Cao Xin checked Cao Pi’s clothing—indeed, coarse cloth outside, but underneath, layers of cotton and fur, four or five in all. It made him laugh.
Cao Cao lived simply, prizing thriftiness. In his household, he decreed nine rules: no one in the Cao family was to wear silk or satin. He himself wore patched cloth, with coarse fabric for linings.
His officials eagerly followed suit, attending public functions in patched garments, competing over whose attire was most threadbare, believing those who wore the most patches were the most upright, while the well-dressed were suspect.
Once, Cao Xin attended a meeting at the Chancellor’s residence and found all the officials in rags, looking more like a gathering of beggars than ministers.
He’d tried to persuade them otherwise, but to no avail; Cao Cao even urged him to wear rags himself. Cao Xin politely declined and attended such gatherings less often.
“Sister-in-law, the wind’s biting—let’s go inside.”
Gan Yuniang took Cao Jie’s hand, smiling.
“Yes!”
Lady Ding glanced at Jade’s belly and, putting an arm around her, headed indoors.
Inside, the heated floors and brazier made it as warm as spring.
The maids quickly served hot tea, fruit, and an array of snacks—over a dozen varieties.
At the sight of treats, the three boys pounced, cheeks bulging with food. One of their main reasons for visiting was the delicacies at the General’s residence—things they couldn’t get elsewhere and could eat their fill of here. Whenever Lady Ding visited, she was trailed by her little band.
“Look at that—proper beggars, the lot of them,”
Lady Ding laughed, pointing at the three.
“Appetites are a blessing. The boys will grow tall and strong,”
Gan Yuniang replied, placing a plate of soft chestnut cakes by Second Miss Cao Jie and encouraging her to try one.
Cao Jie, eyeing the pretty pastries, picked one up to taste, soon joining the ranks of little hamsters.
Lady Ding smiled and explained her visit: the New Year was coming, and with Cao Ang still recovering in Wancheng, she was worried and wanted to send for him.
But Cao Cao was too busy to arrange it, so Lady Ding hoped to borrow some hands and a comfortable carriage to bring Cao Ang home.
“Sister-in-law, what a coincidence—I’ll be heading to Nanyang in a few days to handle affairs in Rangcheng. On my way back, I can fetch Cao Ang.”
“That’s wonderful! With you handling it, I can rest easy.”
Lady Ding beamed and began chatting about business with Jade.
After a while, Zou Li and Feng Juan came to greet Lady Ding. In the course of conversation, the topic of cards arose again. Zou Li, eyes twinkling, asked if Lady Ding would play.
Lady Ding agreed. They used to play at the Chancellor’s residence, but after Cao Cao returned, his disapproving glare put a stop to it. She hadn’t touched cards in ages.
Today was perfect—four people for a table.
Cao Xin went to the kitchen to prepare old duck hotpot for everyone, and after the meal, they continued their game until evening. Only when the Chancellor’s messengers came to summon them did Lady Ding reluctantly put down her cards and leave with the four children.
The next day, Cao Xin was summoned by Cao Cao for a reprimand and was told to focus on training the troops and preparing for battle, not just recreation. He was informed that next year, when they campaign against Lu Bu, he would be the vanguard. Cao Xin agreed readily.