Unlimited Ambition

Seeing the doctor's pale face, Cao Song's lips trembled as he asked, "What's wrong? Why is there no sound?! Where is my child?"

"I'm very sorry, Your Excellency, but your wife's health is simply too weak, so, so..." The doctor's voice trailed off.

"I didn't ask how that woman was! I was talking about my child! What happened to the child?!" Cao Song grabbed the doctor by the collar and roared.

"Very good... The child is very healthy, he is, he is a little boy, and he is asleep now." The doctor stammered, startled.

"Young master...a boy?" Cao Song was overwhelmed with joy in an instant, his tense nerves breaking down. He laughed heartily: "Ancestors above, ancestors bless us! My Cao family has an heir today!!"

Seemingly infected by Cao Song's joy, his officials also wore beaming faces and rushed forward to congratulate him. No one cared whether the child's mother was alive or not; she was nothing more than a lowly maid. How could someone of such status be qualified to be the mother of the governor's eldest son? It was better that she was dead.

Amidst the congratulatory shouts of his officials, Cao Song was overjoyed and immediately instructed the maid beside him, "Quickly, bring out my son and let everyone see him."

The maid bowed and went into the inner room, and soon came out carrying the child.

Cao Song took his son, awkwardly holding him, and beamed with joy at his son's extraordinary, exquisitely beautiful face. His officials, on the other hand, showered the infant with praise, as if he were the most unique person in the world.

And so, the governor's son was born.

※※※

A sense of unease, a huge sense of unease. I don't know why, but ever since I was old enough to understand, I've felt really bad about my name.

Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, childhood name Aman. That is my name.

It sounds pretty good, but why is there such a huge sense of incongruity?

And so, this name, carrying a great sense of incongruity, has accompanied me through six years of my life, and if nothing unexpected happens, it will stay with me for the rest of my life.

"Mengde, what are you thinking about again?" At this moment, his father's gentle voice came from beside him.

"I've never been on an airplane before, so I'm just a little curious," I replied.

"Hmm." My father nodded, acknowledging my statement. He then closed his eyes, intending to rest. After all, Harbin was quite a distance from Luoyang. My father was getting old and couldn't handle the journey.

To be honest, a high-ranking official like my father, who wields significant military and political power in a region, wouldn't easily leave his territory. However, this time, the events were far too significant. Even someone of my father's status had to set aside all important military and political duties and fly over despite the difficulties.

The emperor has passed away.

I've always found it a bit strange. Since China was founded as a federation, why did it still need the position of Emperor? Isn't that just making things difficult for itself? And this Emperor wasn't some mascot; he wielded enormous power. The so-called "eternal lineage, divine right of kings"—and believe it or not, the Chinese people buy into that. They're incredibly loyal. Ask anyone on the street, and most would be willing to die for the Emperor.

Such charm is not just empty talk. Since Qin Shi Huang unified the Central Plains, thousands of years have passed, and it has now been passed down through eighty-eight generations. The fact that nothing has gone wrong all these years is quite surprising.

Of course, another major country on this planet, Brittany, is in a similar situation. It has also been in existence for hundreds of generations. During this time, it was even driven to the New World by mainstream European society. Yet, the royal family has remained remarkably resilient, which is truly unbelievable.

However, this succession has run into problems. The old emperor, Jiang Zhongzhi, died at the age of eighty-nine. His son, Crown Prince Jiang Jingwei, predeceased him last year.

Unlike the numerous and prosperous royal family of Brittany, the Chinese royal family was of a single, unbroken line. The crown prince had just had a daughter the year he died, a case of having a son late in life, but he collapsed from joy. Now, the old emperor has also passed away. And the heir is only a two-year-old girl. What kind of situation is this?!

Do we really want a little kid who's still wearing open-crotch pants to be the head of state of this country? Even if it's just in name.

I'm not reconciled, I'm really not reconciled. Although I consider my family background to be incredibly powerful. From the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Yellow River in the south, from the Korean Peninsula in the east to the Lena River in the west, it seems there's no princeling older than me in the entire Northeast Military Region. But what about the rest of the country? At least in the Forbidden City, there's a little brat with a better life than me.

Envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Just as I was lost in thought, my father opened his eyes at some point and looked at me with a very complicated expression.

To be honest, he's quite satisfied with me. Although I'm a bit young, my mind is as mature as an adult's. And my looks are simply stunning—a completely upgraded, deluxe version of his. When I grow up, I'll definitely be a heartbreaker on par with Pan An, Wei Jie, and Song Yu. It's just that this kid is too mature, which isn't always a good thing. He tried to tease me with some candy when he had nothing to do, but ended up getting a long lecture from me instead. Sigh, what a tragedy.

However, such cleverness is perhaps a good thing. I am merely of average appearance. My appointment as Governor-General of the Northeast is entirely due to my ancestors' good fortune. In recent years, the wars against the EU have resulted in more defeats than victories. Many in the court have already begun to gossip. If it weren't for my following the path of the powerful eunuch Gao Hai, tsk tsk tsk, my future would be bleak.

Fortunately, I have a smart son.

That said, this emperor was a woman, and not much younger than Mengde. If… I mean, if…

Of course, I had no idea about the filthy thoughts in my father's mind. The novelty of my first airplane flight quickly wore off. I just found the view outside the window—just sky and clouds—utterly boring. So I yawned, reclined my seat, and fell asleep.

He's still a child, so it's okay for him to sleep more.

※※※

"The technology these days is truly amazing," I thought to myself as I stepped off the plane with my father. "I just took a nap, and when I opened my eyes again, I was thousands of kilometers away."

At the airport, although the welcoming ceremony looked quite lively, Father's expression was rather unpleasant. This was mostly because the official who came to greet him was of relatively low rank. Father was, after all, a duke with real power; even if he was busy with the affairs of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, sending a deputy as a token gesture would have been perfectly acceptable. But now… a deputy minister of health? Was that even remotely significant?!

As he shook hands with each of the greeters, my father's expression grew increasingly gentle. But the anger in his eyes was impossible to conceal. Outsiders might not have noticed, but I saw it very clearly.

It seems that my father doesn't hold a very high position in the eyes of the officials in the capital...

I maintained this forced smile the whole way, and when the welcoming procession reached its end, I looked away, ready to board the car with my father. Unexpectedly, at that moment, I noticed my father's eyes light up, and his previous anger vanished instantly. His forced smile was now tinged with sincerity.

I looked over with some curiosity. At the same time, my father introduced him to the official: "This is my son, Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde."

The official smiled kindly and praised, "Indeed, a handsome man."

This is the first time my father has pushed me out of line today. It didn't happen when he shook hands with that Vice Minister of Health. Could this guy hold a very high position? But if he does, why is he at the end of the line? Is he just bored?

Looking at that official again, he was indeed handsome, but the effeminate air about him was impossible to hide. His eyebrows and nose were painted with red pigment, making him look like a clown…

eunuch?

Hey!

Chapter Two: The Emperor's Funeral

However, I am true to myself, and I quickly adjusted my mindset, a perfectly appropriate, neither humble nor arrogant smile appeared on my face, and I performed the courtesy of a junior to an elder towards the eunuch.

"What a good child." The eunuch covered his mouth with his sleeve and chuckled as he saw how sensible I was.

"You flatter me." The father nodded, then exchanged a glance with the eunuch. He then got into the luxury car prepared by the Northeast Military Region's Luoyang office and drove to his hotel.

"Is that a family ally?" I asked my father as I sat in the car.

The father nodded: "Yes, Mengde is precocious. It's alright to tell you this. Although our Cao family holds a high position and great power within the Federation, our origins are not good. Our great-grandfather was originally surnamed Xiahou, but was later adopted by the Cao family, which was a powerful family of eunuchs in the court. It was with the help of these eunuchs that our Cao family was able to establish itself in the Northeast. Later, our Cao family produced many outstanding talents, and our strength grew stronger and stronger. Now, we have become the de facto kings of the Northeast."

However, it was precisely because of this damned lineage that those self-righteous aristocratic families looked down on us, yet resented the power we held. Therefore, few associated with the Cao family. And in order to have someone to speak for us in the central government, the Cao family had no choice but to ally with the eunuchs. The eunuchs were also pleased to have an ally like the Cao family outside the capital. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides.

I nodded slowly, then shook my head: "It's not good for your reputation."

The father gave a bitter laugh: "There's nothing we can do about it. Fortunately, my Cao family has been operating in the Northeast for over a thousand years. We're safe there."

This time, I simply nodded and didn't voice my true thoughts.

too small.

Was my father's vision limited to only Northeast China?

It's way too small.

※※※

The hotel was supposedly a seven-star establishment, specially catering to high-ranking officials from out of town visiting Luoyang. My father's position was high enough, and his influence strong enough, to be able to book an entire floor of rooms at a time like this. However, while the hotel was nice, it wasn't as comfortable as home. Being away from home, I was already starting to miss it.

The old emperor's funeral was a grand affair. China, after all, is a superpower with a history spanning thousands of years. Although it has declined somewhat in recent years, its foundation remains solid. It certainly looked impressive. However, the expenditure was shockingly high. It made my teeth ache. I thought to myself, that much money could have been used to build twenty special armored divisions. Damn it, they spent it all on a dead man! What a bunch of spendthrifts!

After the funeral came the new emperor's enthronement ceremony. The two events, a week apart, gave my father some breathing room, as a trip to the capital was no easy feat. Although we could meet via video call, it couldn't compare to the warmth of a face-to-face conversation. So, after attending the welcoming banquet hosted by the eunuch leader Gao Hai on the first day, my father took me to visit each family, fostering closer relationships.

The adults from both families chatted about their relationship, boasted about each other's achievements, and exchanged promises. Naturally, they also arranged for their children to meet, to plan for their future. If there were any women of marriageable age in either family, they would certainly consider whether they could join the Cao family through marriage. Even if a woman's family background wasn't ideal for her to become the principal wife, a secondary wife would suffice. And if all else failed, even a concubine would be acceptable.

After all, although the Cao family has a bad reputation, their strength is unparalleled. And I am the only son of the Cao family. They might as well rely on their future son-in-law for the rest of their lives.

Therefore, on the faces of those damned bastards, I saw feigned kindness, but in their eyes, I saw only naked desire.

So disgusting.

At least, I wouldn't be interested in those short, snotty-nosed kids who wear open-crotch pants, are missing teeth, and cry all the time.

As for the slightly older ones, they were either affected, arrogant, seductive and lewd, or vulgar and unbearable. None of them appealed to me—besides, they were all older than me!

"Mengde, your standards are too high. Aren't all kids like this? I do think there are a few good ones... uh, okay, never mind, don't look at me like that."

So, my father, who was about to persuade me to be a little more serious, gave up before he could even finish a single sentence.

Whatever. Once I reach a certain age, I'll just find any decent-looking woman, have a child, and that'll be my mission accomplished. It would be even better if that woman's family could offer me some assistance. If not, it doesn't matter. You can certainly rely on my help, but the reward can't be less than a penny. As for love and all that, heh.

"Perhaps it's because Mengde is still young. Maybe things will be different after he matures in a few years," the father comforted himself.

Let him do as he pleases. I've made up my mind anyway. After I've seen that spectacle of an infant ascending the throne, I'll go back to the Northeast. Forget about going on blind dates again. I'd rather use that time to study military strategy or practice swordsmanship.

Speaking of which, I feel a little proud. As the son of the Governor-General of the Northeast, I naturally didn't go to school with ordinary people. Instead, I received an elite education alongside the children of high-ranking officials in the Northeast Military Region.

However, in my opinion, apart from a few promising individuals, most of these children of high-ranking officials are quite mediocre—not that they are not hardworking enough, but rather that they lack talent. The difference in talent makes it as if these guys are listening to lecturers imparting various professional knowledge in a foreign language.

But I was different. I absorbed all the knowledge the lecturers imparted, and in addition, I also dabbled in all sorts of military books and battle manuals. From the oldest military treatise, Taigong's Art of War, to the most common army drill manuals, and even the latest special mecha combat examples, I read them all.

When I got tired of reading, I practiced swordsmanship, just like reading books. I studied everything from the oldest Warring States period swords, like the Yuan Gong sword, to the most practical ones, from the Japanese sword techniques compiled by Yu Dayou hundreds of years ago, to the latest swordsmanship guides. Although I didn't have any famous teachers to guide me, and my practice was a bit shabby, I wasn't worried. It was just for physical fitness and relaxation. Even on the battlefield, I wouldn't need to use a sword to kill people. Bayonet tactics have been outdated for hundreds of years. (Of course, I didn't expect that future battlefields would actually be mostly melee combat with cold weapons.)

However, this wasn't without its advantages. When others learned how hard I worked, whether sincerely or not, they would all praise me, saying, "Like father, like son." Even though my father himself was quite unskilled.

Just as I had finished reading a day's worth of military books and was about to go to the gym on this floor to practice, my father walked into my room.

"The coronation ceremony was held a day earlier than expected," my father told me.

"Why?" I asked.

The father snorted coldly: "It's all because of those bastards in the EU, who actually wanted to take advantage of the funeral to attack the north. Our spies sent word, so we hurriedly moved out."

Is that so? Those European barbarians are as barbaric as ever. I shook my head, expressing my helplessness.

“What a bunch of barbarians.” It seemed my father shared the same opinion as me. After I agreed with him, my father brought up another matter: “Since you want to participate in the coronation ceremony, there are some rules you must follow. I will tell you them now.”

I nodded. Perhaps the longer a country has been passed down through generations, the more rules it has. That's what I thought. Then I listened attentively to my father's explanation of the various tedious and boring rules.

However, when my father mentioned kneeling and bowing, my expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

“I don’t want to,” I said.

"What do you mean you don't want to?" My father clearly didn't understand what I meant.

"I mean, I don't want to kneel."

"Unwilling to kneel? Didn't you kneel at the funeral a few days ago?" the father asked, somewhat puzzled.

I shook my head. "What I mean is, I'm not willing to kneel before a mere child—no, she's practically an infant—especially a woman. I'm not willing to kneel before her." After saying that, I thought for a moment and added, "The old emperor, however, could barely accept my bow; after all, the dead should be respected."

My father, listening to my words, felt as if the old emperor was only accepting my kneeling bow because he was already dead. He couldn't help but feel a little amused and exasperated.

I must say, my father was very accommodating to me—of course, it's more likely because he never had another child after me.

Seeing my reaction, my father didn't say anything, but just smiled tolerantly: "If you don't want to go, then don't go. But if you don't go, you won't be able to see this good show."

I shrugged. It doesn't matter. It's like a snack; it's really good to eat, but it doesn't matter if you don't.

"That's settled then," the father said, and then turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, Father. I have something to discuss with you." I called out to him at that moment.