Chapter 055: The Scheming Ugly Woman

Chapter 055: The Scheming Plain Girl

As soon as Wei Ba returned to camp, Wei Wu rushed over, his eyebrows dancing with delight, grabbing Wei Ba by the arm and pulling him along. “Brother, you’re amazing! You made Yang Yi so angry he spat blood. Father is thrilled—he sent me to look for you, but I had no idea where you’d gone. He told me to wait at the camp gate, and as soon as you got back, to have you see him right away…”

Wei Wu was as happy as a little sparrow, but Wei Ba couldn’t share his joy at all. What pleased Wei Yan was that he’d made Yang Yi cough blood, not pride in his skill at mathematics. Wasn’t this getting things backwards? Did he really have such a deep grudge with Yang Yi? Left speechless, Wei Ba could only follow Wei Wu to the command tent.

Inside, Wei Yan was all smiles, chatting with Cheng An, who looked thoroughly embarrassed and kept shaking his head. When he saw Wei Ba enter, Cheng An quickly rose to salute, “Young General, you’ve returned! Please explain to the General—I truly don’t deserve such credit.”

“What are you two talking about?” Wei Ba glanced in confusion from Cheng An to his father.

Wei Yan rose from his seat and in two strides was before Wei Ba, one hand gripping his shoulder, the other wagging a finger in his face, unable to hide his pride. “Boy, you’ve got some nerve—keeping secrets from your own father!”

Staring at the finger waving before his eyes, Wei Ba barely resisted the urge to snap it, blinking innocently. “Father, what are you talking about? What have I kept from you?”

“You secretly studied mathematics with Clerk Cheng, didn’t you? Planning to surprise your old man?”

Wei Ba was stunned, and at last understood why Cheng An looked so ill at ease. Wei Yan assumed his mathematical prowess came from Cheng An, while Cheng An, knowing his own limits, couldn’t believe he’d taught a student capable of besting Yang Yi, and so felt unworthy. Yet compared to Cheng An’s modesty, Father was even more certain that Wei Ba couldn’t have mastered mathematics on his own, and so insisted Cheng An must have taught him.

Wei Ba considered going along with Cheng An’s denial, but a thought struck him—perhaps this was a good opportunity. As the camp’s clerk, Cheng An was certainly familiar with mathematics, and likely skilled, or else Father wouldn’t assume he’d been Wei Ba’s tutor. Perhaps Wei Ba’s former self had indeed sought instruction from Cheng An at some point. If he accepted Cheng An as his teacher now, he’d have a ready answer if anyone ever asked about his background in mathematics, and wouldn’t need to lie.

“Father, I did consult Mr. Cheng,” Wei Ba said sincerely. “Although he only gave me a little guidance, I benefited greatly—everything became clear to me. I’m truly grateful to Mr. Cheng. There are points from our recent conversation I still haven’t fully grasped, but I can sense their depth. I hope you won’t hesitate to guide me further, sir.”

Cheng An’s eyes widened in surprise. He had indeed offered Wei Ba a few perfunctory pointers the other day, but not in mathematics—rather, it was advice on conduct and strategy. Was it possible this young man had such insight that he could glean true wisdom from a few offhand remarks? If so, he was certainly worthy of teaching. Cheng An decided that helping him in the future would be worthwhile.

Wei Ba and Cheng An, each harboring their own thoughts, maintained a silent understanding. Wei Yan, feeling vindicated in his guess, alternated between satisfaction and reproach. “Master Cheng, you kept this from me so well! I’m truly grateful that you were willing to teach my wayward son.”

Cheng An, embarrassed, hurriedly replied, “General, you’re too kind. I’m not so capable—your son simply thought highly of me and I did what little I could, but my knowledge is shallow. The young general’s success is due to his own efforts, not my doing.”

Wei Yan patted Wei Ba’s shoulder, nodding approvingly. Cheng An’s words echoed his own thoughts. Wei Ba had indeed worked hard lately—his once frail shoulders now grown sturdy from months of running. The youth before him was no longer the sickly boy who once angered him just by being seen, but a diligent and ambitious young man.

“Boy, though you’ve won a small victory, you must guard against arrogance and rashness. Continue learning from Master Cheng. If you ever get conceited or disrespect your elders, don’t blame me for being harsh.” Wei Yan raised his broad palm in warning, then turned with a sudden smile to Cheng An, adopting a courteous tone. “I was ignorant of your learning, Master Cheng, and that was my failing. I hope you’ll continue to guide my son, and I’ll remember your kindness always.”

Cheng An, a bit flustered, returned the bow awkwardly. Glancing at the smiling Wei Ba, he felt both guilty for receiving undeserved credit and curious—could Wei Ba really be such a prodigy, able to infer advanced mathematics from a few casual remarks? Why had he never noticed before?

After enduring his father’s effusive praise, Wei Ba returned to his tent, feeling the weight on his shoulders had grown heavier. He even wondered if his father’s excitement had nearly bruised him. Yet, thinking of how his father, who’d always looked down on clerks like Cheng An, had treated him so politely today, he felt genuinely pleased.

“Miss Peng, come rub my shoulders for me!” Wei Ba called out, clutching his aching shoulders as he entered the tent, not even bothering to sit down.

“You’ve returned, young general?” Peng Xiaoyu walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. At the sight of Wei Ba, she instinctively hid her hands behind her back. Wei Ba didn’t notice, but flopped into a chair and pointed to his shoulder. “Come on, give me a massage.”

Peng Xiaoyu smiled and moved behind him, her hands working at his shoulders as she teased, “You were so impressive—making Yang Yi cough blood?”

“You’ve heard already?”

“I have. As soon as your guards brought word, the whole Wei camp knew. The general said it’s a cause for celebration—he wants everyone informed, and a feast held.”

Wei Ba’s face fell. He’d been thinking of ways to smooth things over, but his father’s actions would only make things worse.

Peng Xiaoyu seemed to sense his discomfort from the slightest shifts in his body. After a pause, she said softly, “Are you worried, young general?”

Wei Ba nodded mutely. Worried was an understatement—he was afraid.

“There’s really no need to be too concerned.” Though Peng Xiaoyu’s massage was awkward, sometimes pressing too hard and making him wince, her gentle explanations soon made him forget her clumsy fingers and listen intently. Though her views often leaned toward the cynical, Wei Ba had to admit that her insights were often of great value.

“Yang Yi was the first to go too far; you were forced to respond, and then you were the one to back down. In any case, you did nothing wrong. Even if the Prime Minister is displeased, he won’t blame you. You’re both natives of Jing and Xiang; he won’t want to escalate things. He’ll definitely find a way to mend the relationship between you two.”

“How?” Wei Ba asked.

“By helping you both in some way,” Peng Xiaoyu replied, her hands pausing briefly before resuming their work. “I think the Prime Minister will arrange for you to join his office. That way, Yang Yi’s promise to you is fulfilled, and you gain face—everyone’s happy. If Yang Yi is willing to let things go, you might even be assigned to work under him. If not, the Prime Minister might place you under someone else, like Zhuge Qiao or Assistant Military Advisor Fei.”

Wei Ba was taken aback. “Why Fei Yi, not Ma Su?”

“Young general, Adviser Ma is a close confidant of the Prime Minister, in charge of military affairs. You’re just entering the Prime Minister’s office; how could you be given such an important role?” Peng Xiaoyu laughed softly. “Besides, you’re not versed in military matters, but in mathematics. If you’re not assigned to logistics with Yang Yi, you certainly won’t be with Adviser Ma.”

Wei Ba fell silent, understanding her implication. Ma Su, as Zhuge Liang’s closest confidant and head of military operations, held a position far too critical to be entrusted to someone like him—not yet part of the Prime Minister’s inner circle. At least for now, he was not qualified.

There was likely another layer to Peng Xiaoyu’s meaning. With the Wei family holding military power, it made sense that his role in the Prime Minister’s office would be largely honorary—a way to balance power, not a position of real authority. Whether or not this was her intent, Wei Ba was certain Zhuge Liang would think so.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Zhuge Liang, but in the traditional art of Chinese politics, preventing any subordinate from becoming too powerful was a basic rule, especially when it came to military men—an unspoken but ironclad principle. And his father was certainly the type to invite suspicion.

“Xiaoyu, do you think…I should go?” Wei Ba asked, his tone suddenly solemn.

Peng Xiaoyu was startled. “Are you asking my opinion, young general?”

“Yes. Other than you, I have no one to ask. Cheng An only humors me—don’t think I can’t tell.”

Peng Xiaoyu smiled, lips pressed together. “It’s not that Cheng An is brushing you off, but that you haven’t built trust yet. To speak too freely with someone you don’t know well is dangerous—of course he can’t say much. If you want more help from him, you must first make him feel you’re worth trusting and teaching. He must know that teaching you brings him benefit, not harm.”

“I’d never harm him, but I have nothing to offer him now, so I can’t count on him for the time being—only you.” Wei Ba grinned. “Since you’re willing to be my maid, I suppose even if there’s no benefit, you don’t want to see me get played to death.”

“If you really want my advice…” Peng Xiaoyu’s hands slowed. “I hope you’ll advance by retreat, conserve your strength, and prepare for a greater leap ahead. The Prime Minister’s office is full of hidden talents, and you’ve already made an enemy of Yang Yi. Entering now might not be wise.”

Wei Ba smiled silently. The girl might be plain, but she was certainly clever—the daughter of Peng Yang, and much smarter than Miss Ma.

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