Three Kingdoms: Prince of the Great Wei, Prime Minister Cao

Chapter 13: Cao Ju – Cao Pi, my elder brother, how do you kneel so proficiently, so proficient that it’s heart-wrenching!

In front of the study, Cao Ju awaited his father Cao Cao’s summons, keeping an eye on Xun You as he left. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Although Xun You appeared nonchalant, Cao Ju sensitively perceived the fleeting gaze Xun You cast upon them, a momentary pause on him. His actions in Shou Chun undoubtedly drew the attention of Cao Cao’s chief strategist, Xun You. As for why goodwill wasn’t released at the moment, Cao Ju speculated it was probably because Xun You was still observing.

The more brilliant one was, the more cautious they became and the less willing they were to take risks. In this regard, especially in the past year, the elusive toxic scholar Jia Xu, who had visited him without being welcomed, served as a poignant example. Suddenly, Cao Ju felt a gentle tug on his clothes. He turned and saw his elder brother Cao Pi silently looking at him.

“Younger brother Ju, don’t space out,” Cao Pi said. “Father is calling us inside.”

Upon Cao Pi’s reminder, Cao Ju noticed that Xu Chu, waiting outside the door, had already opened it and gestured for them to enter. Seeing this, Cao Ju nodded to indicate his understanding to Cao Pi and took a deep breath, feeling deep emotions in his heart.

For the past year since his time travel, he had been quietly “enduring” and growing, and now he was finally going to confront the “Warlord Cao Cao.” To say that he didn’t feel the slightest bit nervous would be a lie. This meeting was unlike any previous encounter between father and son. More accurately, it was a clash between the “Emperor Warlord of Wei” and the “Imperial Prince of Cao Wei.”

Cao Ju stepped into the study with a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and nervousness.

As he entered, his gaze fell upon Cao Cao, seated behind the long table. Coincidentally, Cao Cao scrutinized his three sons as they entered the room. However, unlike the nervousness and reverence his sons felt in his presence, his gaze upon them showed neither pleasure nor anger. His hand forcefully landed on the table before they could speak to Cao Cao.

“Bang!” Cao Cao’s stern command followed, “Kneel!”

Upon hearing this, Cao Ju was startled. How could he not understand? The command to kneel was directed at him.

He hesitated, swayed by contemporary notions about whether to forsake a thousand taels of gold and bow before Cao Cao.

“Thud!” Next to him, someone had knelt even faster, firmer, and more decisively than him.

This puzzled him, and he glanced sideways.

Huh? Why was his elder brother, Cao Pi, so adept at kneeling?

So skilled. Um! It was truly heartening.

Could it be… Had he grown accustomed to kneeling before their father, Cao Cao?

Unintentionally, Cao Ju thought of the three major quips about Cao Cao that future generations often brought up: marrying another’s wife, admiring Guan Yu, and frightening Cao Pi. Observing his elder brother Cao Pi’s almost ingrained fear of their father, Cao Cao, it seemed these quips were not without basis. Not only was Cao Ju surprised, but the reactions of both Cao Zhang and Cao Cao were also less than favorable.

Cao Zhang had initially not intended to kneel because he knew perfectly well whom their father wanted to have kneel. However, when Cao Zhang saw his elder brother, Cao Pi, already kneeling. Feeling weary in his heart and a touch of irritation, he too, knelt beside Cao Pi. He had no choice but to kneel. If he remained standing while Cao Ju, the eighth son, knelt, he would stand out too much.

“Thud!” Cao Zhang knelt on the ground.

As he angrily knelt, he cast an annoyed glance at Cao Pi. He thought to himself, I didn’t need to kneel in the first place. Cao Zhang inwardly protested.

With Cao Pi and Cao Zhang kneeling in front, Cao Ju, hesitating due to the gold beneath his manhood, found no reason to hesitate anymore. Since others were kneeling, he didn’t want to be flashy by standing in the main seat. Cao Cao’s eye twitched as he gazed at his three kneeling sons. The words he had intended to say suddenly got caught in his throat.

Should he scold just one of them? Or should he scold both the innocent Cao Pi and Cao Zhang together?

As he contemplated this, Cao Cao glared fiercely at Cao Pi, who had knelt first. If only this troublesome son hadn’t knelt so promptly, cleanly, and abruptly. Then he wouldn’t have been left in such a dilemma. As for Cao Pi, he realized he had made a foolish move at this moment.

However, a saying goes, “If you’ve come, you might as well see it through.”

So, with that in mind, Cao Pi had already knelt. He couldn’t possibly stand up again under his father’s displeased gaze. If he did… Cao Pi felt that if he did so, he would likely end up in a situation similar to the eighth son being questioned, and he would not fare any better.