[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-124":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1222883,1620,"Chapter 124: The Card Game","overthrowing-han-chapter-124",124,"\u003Cp>After a brief wait, the main gate of the Cao residence, rarely opened, swung wide once more, and then Cao Jie’s younger brother, the Elite Cavalry Captain Cao Poshi, came out personally to welcome the guest — which could be considered giving ample face to this self-proclaimed visitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Cao,” Gongsun Xun beamed like a flower, and with his plain robes, white horse, and silver saddle, had one not known the deeds he’d done these past few days, one might have taken him at a glance for a son-in-law coming to visit his in-laws. “Why trouble yourself to greet me in person? I wonder where Lord Cao is now — surely he doesn’t look down on me and wish to avoid me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, Physician Gongsun, what are you saying?” Cao Poshi stared fixedly at the short blade at the other’s waist and answered stiffly. “Ever since my elder brother was troubled by slander, resigned from the post of Grand Prolonger of Autumn, and returned his tally, he has been sitting idle at home. Even if Physician Gongsun came at midnight, he would still be able to see my elder brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then…” Gongsun Xun could not help but laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, come in!” Cao Poshi, utterly unaware that sweat had already beaded on his forehead, merely stepped aside stiffly and opened the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gongsun Xun did not stand on ceremony. He immediately led Han Dang, Wei Yue, Jia Chao, and the rest of his warriors, blades at their waists and bows in hand, straight into the Cao residence. And without needing Cao Poshi to lead the way at all, he took the lead himself, striding with outrageous arrogance straight toward the rear courtyard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, it was not that the Cao household lacked loyal retainers, nor that it lacked guests of exceptional valor, nor that no one wished to block these warriors — but when faced with opponents who were clearly military men, they still fell somewhat short, and were shoved aside in a few moves. Moreover, when they instinctively looked toward their ‘Second Master,’ they found this Elite Cavalry Captain already pale-faced, not only showing no intention of stopping them, but instead following Gongsun Xun toward the rear courtyard drenched in sweat… If the master himself did not order them stopped, then why should they meddle?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun, with his retinue of professional killers, barged straight into the rear courtyard, and from a distance saw the bare-headed, gray-haired Cao Jie under the veranda playing cards with a big-bearded scholar — the kind with three monkeys and a pig… commonly called animal cards, formally known as the Four-Season Zodiac Cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must know, this was now the most mainstream form of entertainment under heaven; even the Son of Heaven played it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, Gongsun Xun had the rest of his men remain in the courtyard while he himself stepped forward alone. He came beneath the veranda, clasped his hands behind his back, and watched the game — and after only a few glances, he could not help but laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What makes Physician Gongsun laugh?” Cao Jie asked calmly, his eyes on the ivory Four-Season Cards standing before him. “Can you tell through the backs of the cards that I am playing poorly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is only natural.” Gongsun Xun laughed even more. “When two play cards, the number of cards is fixed, so by looking at one’s own hand one can roughly deduce the opponent’s hand, and by watching how you two play, I can naturally learn a thing or two as well. Forgive my bluntness, Lord Cao, but you are advanced in years, and so you repeatedly play wildly, and play the wrong cards! However, the most pitiable one is this bearded guest in your house — so young, and clearly a clever man with a sense of proportion, so although he knows Lord Cao repeatedly plays the wrong cards, although he clearly held the winning hand long ago, he can only follow suit and play wildly as well, just to amuse Lord Cao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jie burst out laughing at these words. He first pointed a finger at Luo Mu across from him, then swept all the ivory Four-Season Cards off the low table between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems I have been a troublesome guest!” Gongsun Xun could not help but sigh with a smile. “And have spoiled Lord Cao’s enjoyment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all, not at all,” Cao Jie waved his hand repeatedly, still laughing. “I rather think Physician Gongsun has come at just the right time. You do not know — in all this long time I have been idle at home, I can only while away the days playing cards. Yet when the people of this household play cards, most of them let me win. The only one who dares not let me win is my brother Poshi, wiping sweat behind you. But that man, he is especially, especially stupid, and he only likes drawing cards to compare zodiac clashes and gamble money, gambling the whole night through, so I actually can’t be bothered to call him over… So if Physician Gongsun has nothing else to do, why not sit down and play a few rounds with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deference is no substitute for obedience!” Gongsun Xun immediately cupped his hands, then sat himself down boldly and squarely beneath the veranda.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, naturally, maidservants came forward to help shuffle, stack, deal, and arrange the cards, which saved trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From Physician Gongsun’s manner, could it be that you too are an expert hand?” Seeing the other sit down so decisively, Cao Jie grew somewhat curious. “That being the case, am I not simply courting death?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Cao does not know,” at this moment, the big-bearded guest, Luo Mu, hastened to say with a smile, “but these Four-Season Cards were originally created by Physician Gongsun’s own mother, and it was from his family’s trading house that they spread. Even here in Wanluo, they began to spread from Physician Gongsun’s charitable estate in Goushi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that is how it is.” Cao Jie suddenly understood, and then, seizing the moment, he pointed at Luo Mu and made an introduction to Gongsun Xun. “Speaking of which, Physician Gongsun perhaps does not know — this trusted guest of mine once received from you the grace of having his life saved!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun could not help but be taken aback, and only then realized that this big-bearded man before him was that ‘inside informant’ who had repeatedly passed on news of Wang Fu and others, yet only ever said how quiet and still Cao Jie was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Luo Mu also hurriedly performed a grand salute, calling him benefactor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And regardless, after all this fuss, the atmosphere eased considerably, and as the three of them played cards, a certain degree of enjoyment was to be had after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, were it not for the group of blade-wearing warriors standing not far away in the courtyard, it really would have looked more and more like a son-in-law coming to keep an elder company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aiya, why is Wenqi so utterly merciless?” After losing three hands in a row, Cao Jie, who had just switched to a more familiar form of address, could no longer hold back. “You must know that I am an elder — where is there someone as aggressive as you? I had a good hand this round, but you stifled me so that it all rotted in my grasp, and I couldn’t play a single card!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun laughed heartily: “Lord Cao misunderstands. How could I not wish to go easy on you? But you must know, these Four-Season Cards were originally created by my mother, and I have played with her since childhood. Yet my mother happens to be a formidable person — when playing with her, unless you charge fiercely while she is in one of her suspicious moods, it is extremely difficult to win… Over time, this habit of mine has become impossible to change!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jie nodded slightly, then asked with a smile: “Is your esteemed mother truly so formidable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive my bluntness.” Gongsun Xun fixed his gaze on the other and continued smiling. “My mother’s talent is known to all in Youzhou; even my teacher Lu Zhi admits he is no match for her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In truth, I often sigh at times.” Gongsun Xun suddenly sighed again. “If only this dynasty permitted women to hold office — were that the case, why would I need to toil so hard seeking a future in Luoyang? I would likely have been born the son of a high minister!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Cao Jie and Luo Mu could not help but grin and laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s more, at that time I might not even need to sigh over the hardships of court politics.” Gongsun Xun also continued smiling. “Because, with my mother’s ability, whatever eunuch scoundrels or petty men there were would probably have been utterly rooted out by her ten years ago. How then could there be hens turning into cocks, and earthquakes and solar eclipses occurring every few months without end?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smile on Cao Jie’s face instantly froze: “Wenqi is indeed aggressive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A trifling bit of card skill — I’ve made a fool of myself before Lord Cao.” Gongsun Xun hurriedly cupped his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wenqi has rarely come to visit me in my residence.” After a pause, for some unknown reason, Cao Jie suddenly forced a smile again. “How could I give up just because I’ve lost badly? Let us play a few more rounds — I am certain to win it back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun immediately clapped his hands and laughed heartily, then once more urged the maidservants to begin a new round. Yet for some unknown reason, after the maidservants had arranged the ivory cards for the three of them, when he moved his hand, the broken blade at his waist slipped out, and the hilt fell directly onto the low table, knocking over several cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jie could not help but frown slightly: “Playing a game of cards, why still carry a blade?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was my mistake.” Gongsun Xun could not help but shake his head with a laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite these words, when he picked up the blade, he took the opportunity to grip the hilt and draw the knife. The blade flashed, and beneath the veranda the air could not help but freeze; the courtyard likewise tensed. And Cao Poshi, who had already been standing quite far away, directly retreated several steps, on the verge of fleeing the rear courtyard entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A fine blade.” Luo Mu suddenly stroked his big beard and spoke gravely. “This is that short blade which, with a single stroke, forced Duan Jiming’s dozens of blades to remain sheathed, is it not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hear it is a relic of King Xiang?” Cao Jie also asked with slight curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is indeed.” Gongsun Xun could not help but hold the blade and sigh with emotion. “And so, for this blade, what merit is there in forcing back Duan Jiming? King Xiang held this blade to divide the realm; after Dong Zhongying obtained it, he carried it to sweep the western frontier. Yet when it came into my hands, I could only kill a few prisoners with it… I will not hide it from Lord Cao — I often feel ashamed for this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Jie shook his head repeatedly: “What is Wenqi saying? In the battle where you burned Danhan, did you not also brave blades and arrows, wielding this blade and fighting at the front? I have heard that in the thick of battle you were even struck by an arrow, yet you rose again and continued to urge the great army forward?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Cao manages ten thousand affairs daily, yet can still know of such minor matters from the front lines?” Gongsun Xun asked gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heroic feats will naturally be praised by men — how could what one hears be determined by the position one holds?” Cao Jie grew even more solemn. “But Wenqi, I have a word that I cannot hold back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Cao, please speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the army, where friend and foe are clearly divided, it is natural to personally ride and grip a blade, to be a model for the troops in all things.” Cao Jie did not flinch at all from the blade’s gleam within their line of sight, and advised calmly. “But here in Luoyang, everything is entangled and intertwined, and the relations between men can by no means be fully expressed by the two words ‘friend’ and ‘foe.’ At such a time, to carry a blade and go slashing about everywhere every day — it may look awe-inspiring, and all may fear you for a time, but in truth, is that not simply severing all your own paths of retreat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun stared at Cao Jie for a moment, then nodded slightly as well: “Lord Cao’s instruction is most correct. It is my youthful pride and intemperate conduct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he immediately turned his head and beckoned Han Dang forward, then handed the blade to him for safekeeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how is this stalwart warrior called?” Cao Jie asked, visibly relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is my fellow townsman, Han Dang, Han Yigong.” Gongsun Xun naturally took the chance to praise his trusted subordinate. “Not only has he followed me the longest, his skill with bow and horse is also exceptional. It was he who shot Ke Zuitan dead with a single arrow at the Battle of Liucheng, and it was also he who first crossed the Chuochou River at the Battle of Danhan Mountain…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a hero — what post does he currently hold?” Luo Mu at the side could not help but press the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before we marched beyond the frontier, he had already risen to the rank of Company Commander. However, when the rewards were bestowed after the battle, he declined his military post, and is now my household retainer, holding no official rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pity.” Cao Jie shook his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed,” Gongsun Xun sighed in the same manner. “I, too, often feel that I have wronged him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is Young Lord saying?” Just as Cao Jie was about to continue speaking, Han Dang, having received the blade, immediately frowned. “Dang is nothing more than a common soldier in the army! And among all the soldiers under heaven, if they had all fought shoulder to shoulder with Young Lord as I have, how many would not be won over by Young Lord’s bearing? If Dang can follow Young Lord throughout this life and never fall behind, I believe that will surely be enough to console my entire existence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Han Dang immediately withdrew, holding the blade, and stood motionless in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And hearing this, Cao Jie sighed with even deeper emotion: “Among the figures of this world, to excel in even one aspect is already extraordinary. This Han Yigong is both brave and loyal — Wenqi is truly blessed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun raised his hand and pointed at the big-bearded Luo Mu: “And what of one who is both loyal and wise? Why must Lord Cao favor one over the other?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Cao Jie first started, then finally joined Gongsun Xun in laughing heartily once more… After that, the two men spoke no more idle words, but simply chatted about domestic trifles while earnestly playing their card game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And by evening, Gongsun Xun formally took his leave. Cao Jie actually took him by the hand personally, then opened the central gate wide to see him off, and even promised at the gate to seek out a few cats from the homes of Luoyang's noble families to send over, so that the other man would not continue to grow estranged from his wife over such a trifling matter... This was truly astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———————I am the dividing line of exquisite card skills———————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grand Ancestor of this dynasty once played cards with his clan elder brother Gongsun Zan. The Grand Ancestor's skill was refined, and he defeated him repeatedly. Zan, having lost repeatedly, grew furious, his expression fierce, and hurled the cards onto the table, breaking the wooden cards. His clan younger brother Gongsun Yue was at his side and witnessed it; he then went out and said: Seeing my clan elder brother vent his anger, I now understand the value of Yanzi's equanimity.\" — *A New Account of the Tales of the World*, Chapter on Wrath and Impatience\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: There is also a book friend group 684558115, everyone can join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2772,"2026-06-04T19:42:03.441Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","cd76e36778967bb3cd5920c69bc9760a4e4d7948263757cfb14dea77e27bf093","overthrowing-han-chapter-125","overthrowing-han-chapter-123",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]