Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

It was nearly 9 PM, and Guo Yao had already applied her makeup. The bedroom was brightly lit by candlelight. Sitting in front of the bronze mirror, she repeatedly examined her makeup. She called to the maidservant serving outside the bedroom and asked:
Has His Majesty returned to the Northern Palace?

The maid answered softly, "I haven't heard of it."

"Okay, let's have someone take another look." Guo Yao wasn't in a hurry and continued to adjust the style of her hair bun.

About fifteen minutes later, the maid hurried back and said to Guo Yao in a slightly anxious tone:

"Consort Jieyu, His Majesty seems to have returned from the Southern Palace. Moreover... and there seems to be some activity in Consort Gui's palace as well. A carriage has been moved, as if it is heading to His Majesty's bedchamber."

"Is that so?" Guo Yao's face showed a slight disappointment as she stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, remaining silent.

His Majesty took her into the harem in the first year of the Taihe era, when Guo Yao was only twenty-three years old. Now, eight years have passed, and Guo Yao is thirty-one years old. She and Sun Luban, who is also thirty-one, are the only two concubines in the palace who are over thirty. Consort Mao is only twenty-nine years old now.

Moreover, Guo Yao's birthday is in February, making her almost half a year older than Sun Luban, which means she was actually the oldest concubine in the palace.

Even though the emperor once showered her with favor, several years had passed, and she was no longer a young woman in her early twenties. His Majesty returned to the palace and summoned Consort Mao again. There were twenty-seven concubines in the palace; when would it be her turn?
Guo Yao knew perfectly well that when Wen Fang, Yang Huiyu, and the other three women entered the palace several years ago, they were only sixteen or seventeen years old, and now they were barely in their early twenties. She was ten years older than them; was she too old? And having no children to rely on, would she fall out of favor if His Majesty took in more palace women…?

It can only be said that Guo Yao was a bit too insecure. For Emperor Cao, thirty-one years old was the prime of his life.

Guo Yao sat barefoot in a chair, hugging her knees, lost in thought. Seeing this, the maids around her dared not offer any advice and could only carefully retreat, continuing to wait outside.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the maid came in again from outside, and said with a rather embarrassed expression:

“Consort Jieyu, it seems there’s some activity in Consort Zhaoyi’s palace as well.”

"I understand, you can go now," Guo Yao said softly, her expression increasingly troubled.

In the palace, there was only one Noble Consort, Consort Mao, and only one Imperial Concubine, Sun Luban. Therefore, when people in the inner palace mentioned these two women, they often referred to them as Noble Consort and Imperial Concubine, without mentioning their surnames.

Before Guo Yao could even undo her hair and remove her makeup, the maid rushed in again in a panic. Finally, Guo Yao couldn't contain her anger any longer and frowned, scolding her:

"What are you doing? You have no manners whatsoever!"

The maid immediately knelt down, but still had a smile on her face: "Your Highness, His Majesty summons you to his bedchamber."

"This..." Guo Yao was momentarily stunned, but then she came to her senses and regained her usual composure. She tidied her hair in front of the mirror, stood up properly, sat in the chair, and stretched out her snow-white right foot: "Come, put on my shoes."

"Yes, ma'am." The maid smiled radiantly.

Guo Yao had experienced such a scene before. The emperor was not so chaotic as to order three women to serve him at the same time. The last time he ordered Mao Yan, Sun Luban and herself to serve him at the same time was when His Majesty wanted to talk to the three of them.

As expected, when Guo Yao entered Cao Rui's palace, Mao Yan and Sun Luban were already there.

"Yao'er has arrived too?" Cao Rui was clearly a little drunk. He smiled and pointed to the rice porridge and some snacks that had been laid out on the table: "Yan'er knew that I was having a banquet with my ministers in the Jiade Hall of the Southern Palace today, so she prepared these porridges to help me sober up. We'll eat them together when Yao'er arrives."

"Please sit down!" "Your Majesty, I am truly grateful to Consort Guo." Guo Yao smiled and nodded to Mao Yan and Sun Luban, but instead of sitting down, she walked behind Cao Rui and gently massaged his shoulders.

Cao Rui was already half drunk, and his figure was swaying a little. After patting Guo Yao's hand, he leaned back in his chair and did not move, letting Mao Yan on his left serve him porridge, while Sun Luban on his right kept wiping the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief.

It's almost completely automatic; all you need to do is swallow.

After having some hot porridge, Cao Rui sobered up a bit and started joking around with the women more.

Each of the three women understood that, as the earliest concubines to accompany the emperor, their relationship with him was different from that of the other concubines in the palace.

On the recliner, Cao Rui closed his eyes contentedly.

After a long campaign away from home, the palace in Luoyang was far more comfortable. As before, Da Hu stood behind Cao Rui, massaging his forehead and occasionally deliberately touching his head with his chest. Mao Yan massaged Cao Rui's arm on his right, their fingers intertwined, slowly circling his wrist with the composure of a first wife. Guo Yao sat on his left, tenderly massaging his legs…

These are all items that were kept in Cao Rui's palace.

Cao Rui closed his eyes and slowly said, "You all say that I have had a hard time on this expedition, and I agree. It is now the ninth year of Taihe. We have destroyed the Wu Kingdom, and the country has issued many rewards and reliefs. Tax reductions for soldiers and the people are also imminent."

"Military affairs are not the primary concern for Great Wei at present; political affairs are. For the next three years, the next ten, eleven, and twelve, I do not intend to wage war. As for when or whether to wage war after that, it will depend on the recovery of the people's livelihood in Great Wei and the accumulation of funds in the treasuries of various regions..."

"This concubine doesn't understand these court politics," Consort Mao teased from the side. "Since His Majesty doesn't plan to wage war within three years, does that mean he won't be traveling far again?"

Cao Rui smiled and nodded: "At least I have no plans to go on tours right now. I plan to spend more time in Luoyang, spend more time with you in the harem, and try to have more offspring."

When Cao Rui mentioned the word "offspring," Sun Luban leaned forward slightly, as if to remind Cao Rui that she was behind him; she knew Cao Rui enjoyed these little gestures. Cao Rui, understanding the situation, reached back and gently patted Sun Luban.

Sun Luban also asked with a smile, "It is a great matter for Your Majesty to have an heir. But if you spend too much time in the harem, won't the ministers in the court have something to say?"

Cao Rui smiled: "They'll have objections? They'll only have too many things to handle. I have far too many things for them to do. In a few days, after the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven on the first day of the first lunar month, I will make some adjustments to the Ministry of Personnel, the governors of various prefectures, and all the positions in the court..."

"I have summoned the three of you here so late tonight because it has been a long time since we last met, and it is the reason why I have missed you three the most while I was in the palace. I know that the three of you have a lot to say to me and a lot to do with me, but it is not appropriate for me to keep all three of you overnight at the same time."

"Alright then," Cao Rui clapped his hands, "If everything had to be done according to the rules, it would be too boring. The three of you can play rock-paper-scissors now. I've taught you how to do it. Whoever wins, I'll keep them first, how about that?"

"That depends on luck," Mao Yan replied with a smile.

The three women knelt down in front of Cao Rui and started playing rock-paper-scissors. The winner was quickly decided: Da Hu won first, Mao Yan won second, and Guo Yao won last.

Cao Rui laughed heartily: "In that case, I'll keep Da Hu with me tonight. You may all return to your palaces later, in this order."

The three women readily agreed. (End of Chapter)