The Picture of Joyful Features

"Is there truly such an extraordinary woman in this world?" Luan Yi had an epiphany. There were likely two reasons why a woman would cover her face with a veil. One possibility was that her background was unusual, and she didn't wish others to recognize her identity. The other was that she meant to pique the audience's curiosity, thereby promoting herself. If it was the latter, then this woman was certainly cunning!

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly, "Indeed! She'll perform tonight—when the time comes, you'll see for yourself."

They found a corner in Plume Garden to settle down. The madam, round as a ball, waddled over, her every step causing her flesh to ripple, and the rouge on her face seemed to flake off with each movement. Her features squeezed together into a fawning smile as she waved her handkerchief and drawled coquettishly, "Master Cao, what wind has blown you here today?"

"Nonsense! Don't I come every tenth of the month?"

Clearly, Cao Cao was a regular here. He casually pulled out a hefty pouch of coins from his sleeve and tossed it into the madam's arms, the weight of it nearly overwhelming her. "Go, I've brought esteemed guests today. Bring out the best food and drink—spare no expense."

"Yes, of course!" The madam weighed the pouch and instantly beamed with delight. She mused that Cao Cao was never this generous. What was different about today? Instinctively, her gaze drifted to the older members of Luan Yi's group—Cheng Yu, Xun Yu, and Xun You—strangers she hadn't seen before. Then she glanced at Luan Yi, Guo Jia, Shan Fu, Xi Zhicai, and Mao Jie... Wait, why did they all look so familiar?

The madam pondered for a while, then suddenly looked up and bustled away, her body undulating so wildly that Luan Yi wondered if she might lose a pound or two by running, and marveled at how someone her size could move so quickly. The sound of her footsteps pounded like a drum—"thump, thump, thump, thump"—as she disappeared into a private room, only to return just as noisily.

Somehow, she now held a painting. She unfurled the scroll, glanced at it, then at the five young men. Suddenly, realization dawned on her. She arched her pinky finger in a delicate gesture and cried out, "Good heavens! This is remarkable. You... you’re the Five Officials?"

Her exclamation caused quite a stir. The entire restaurant rose to their feet, casting suspicious and respectful glances at Luan Yi and his companions. Fortunately, the clientele here were all wealthy or noble, and carried themselves with decorum—there was none of the rowdy spectacle of the daytime crowd. Instead, they simply bowed from afar. Luan Yi and his friends returned the gesture in kind.

"Excuse me?" After the round of bows, Luan Yi asked in surprise, "Madam, how did you know we are the Five Officials?"

"Why, look!" The madam proudly displayed the painting.

Luan Yi took a look—indeed, the painting depicted the Five Officials. The background was the office at Phoenix Pavilion. In the painting, Luan Yi sat at his desk, diligently writing; Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai joked as they played chess; Shan Fu lounged with a scroll in hand; while Mao Jie, brush poised, observed his companions’ mannerisms and painted. Each figure was vividly lifelike, perfectly capturing their essence—not only their appearance, but the very spirit in their brows and eyes. Only Mao Jie’s own likeness seemed a bit off. In the upper left corner, the title read "The Joy of the Five Officials," and the artist’s signature was none other than Mao Jie himself. This explained why his own portrait was less accurate—an artist can never truly capture himself.

"How did this painting end up here?" Mao Jie was puzzled. He remembered storing it carefully at home after finishing it—he hadn't given it away.

The madam looked a bit embarrassed. "This is a replica I bought in Yingchuan. But even as a copy, it wasn't cheap. It cost a full hundred thousand strings of cash!" She darted her eyes at Mao Jie and simpered, "Master Mao, if you have time, would you consider gifting Plume Garden a painting?"

Cao Cao’s face darkened at this. "You old woman, your sums are quick enough. If a fake of Master Mao’s work is worth a hundred thousand strings, the real one could fetch a million! That’d be enough to eat here for a year. Go, don’t pester us—have the food and wine brought up."

Realizing her request was excessive, the madam laughed it off and withdrew.

In less than half a quarter hour, the food and wine arrived. Luan Yi sampled a few dishes. Though they fell short of the fare at Phoenix Pavilion, the cooking was refined enough to be considered excellent for the time.

Now that they were thirteen, it was permissible for them to have a little wine. They drank, ate, and chatted. Through their conversation, Luan Yi discerned that Cao Cao’s knowledge was vast—not only in history and the classics, but even more so in worldly affairs. His talk was witty, his manner bold and unrestrained, every word and gesture radiating a natural charisma that drew people in.

Truly, such was the demeanor of a hero in the making. Only someone with such magnetism could one day become a master of his own domain.

After several rounds of wine, the singers took the stage, crooning gentle melodies. Cao Cao tapped in time with the music and, as if casually, asked Luan Yi, "May I ask, brother, what is your view of the current Han dynasty?"

Cao Cao’s inquiry about the state of affairs made Luan Yi sit up straight. He answered humbly, "I am but a youth, not yet of age, and have little experience. How dare I comment on the world’s affairs?"

Seeing such humility, Cao Cao admired him all the more. "No need for modesty, brother. Though young, you are well learned—why not speak on the great matters of the world? Besides, tonight is just idle talk among friends. What you say will go no further than this room."

Luan Yi pondered for a moment, then said, "Since you ask, I’ll speak plainly. The Han dynasty today is like a great building about to collapse, or rotten wood soon to crumble." Anyone with discernment could see this, so Luan Yi had no fear that his words would offend Cao Cao.

"I would like to hear more," Cao Cao said eagerly, sensing a discussion of statecraft.

"Now, eunuchs corrupt the court, the government is rotten, and local gentry are as fierce as wolves and tigers, annexing land and impoverishing the people. Ordinary folk suffer, unable to bear the hardship. The contradictions between officials, aristocrats, and the farmers, artisans, and merchants grow ever sharper. If this continues, great chaos is inevitable."

"Indeed," Cao Cao nodded, then asked worriedly, "But how can decay be transformed into vitality?"

At this, Luan Yi smiled inwardly. At this moment, Cao Cao was not yet the Grand Chancellor with authority second only to the emperor; he still harbored a love for the Han dynasty and the ambition to be a 'capable minister in times of order.'

Licking his lips, Luan Yi replied, "As Guan Zi said: 'To govern a country, one must first enrich the people.' Therefore, to strengthen a nation, one must first enrich its people. And as is also said, 'Food is the heaven of the people.' To enrich the populace, one must first ensure their basic needs—clothing and food. With enough to eat and wear, people learn shame and honor; with a sense of shame, they seek self-improvement; when education flourishes, sages emerge; with sages, government runs smoothly; with good governance, granaries fill; and with full granaries, there is abundance. Thus, the cycle perpetuates, and the nation prospers. So, if the Han wishes to reverse its decline and save itself from collapse, it must first ensure the people's livelihood. To do so, cultivators must have their own land, artisans their own work; then improve skills, clarify the division of labor, and refine tools—wealth will follow. Yet, who would willingly return land to the people? If things go on like this, the country will plunge into turmoil." Luan Yi finished with a sigh.

"Alas..." Cao Cao sighed as well. "Is there truly no cure for the Han?"

Luan Yi sighed again. "After great chaos comes great order."

At these words, everyone present fell silent, lost in thought.

Cao Cao was the first to break the uneasy quiet. "Let’s not dwell on such disheartening matters. May I ask, brother, what is meant by 'division of labor'? What are its benefits?"

Luan Yi sipped his wine and continued, "Have you ever seen those who make needles? If one person, unskilled, tries to do everything alone, he may spend an entire day and manage to make only one needle. To make twenty would be impossible. But if the work is divided, with each worker specializing in a single task—pulling the wire, cutting, grinding, sharpening, polishing the tip, drilling the eye, tempering, plating, selecting, boxing—altogether, seventeen or eighteen steps, handled either by hand or machine, never by the same person—then in a single day, eighty-six thousand needles can be produced, or even more. With eighteen people, that's forty-eight hundred needles per person per day. Without division of labor, even the most diligent worker could not make twenty in a day, but with it, four thousand come easily. Thus, division of labor increases productivity by more than two hundred times. What holds for needles can be applied to other crafts as well. This is why, to increase power, one must first divide labor." (In essence, he described how specialization and the assembly line raise productivity.)

Cao Cao was astonished—division of labor? He had never heard such a novel theory. Surely, it was not something taught by others—was this youth truly a prodigy sent from heaven? He thought to test him further. Feigning impatience, Cao Cao said, "The way of craftsmen is a petty path, hardly worth discussing."

Had it been anyone else, Luan Yi would not have been surprised. Disdain for commerce and industry was deeply ingrained, and he’d heard such arguments often enough in academy debates. Yet, coming from Cao Cao, it was surprising—history records that he encouraged industry and commerce, and, true to his principle of valuing talent, recruited numerous artisans such as Pu Yuan, Zheng Hun, Hua Tuo, and Chai Yu.

"So, then, brother, what is the 'great path'?" Luan Yi asked with a smile.

Cao Cao silently approved—so young, yet so calm and poised. "The way of rites and music, the art of governance, the way of the gentleman—these are the great path!"

"Well said! In my view, the art of governance lies in enriching the nation and strengthening the people. The crafts serve this by making plows and clothing to provide for the people; by making bamboo slips and ink to spread the words of the sages; by forging arms and building warships to preserve peace for generations. Yet, people today scorn these pursuits—how lamentable! If statecraft is the root of a nation’s prosperity, why look down on any trade? I often heard my mother say, 'A black cat or a white cat, whichever catches mice is a good cat!' Even a woman knows this truth—why can’t the scholars of the world see it?" Luan Yi shook his head in sorrow.

Cao Cao seemed to have resolved some inner confusion. He stood and paced, muttering repeatedly, "A black cat or a white cat, whichever catches mice is a good cat." After a while, he collected himself and said, "Just now, I wondered how you could be so learned at your age; now I see it is your mother’s teaching. 'A black cat or a white cat, whichever catches mice is a good cat'—this is a true maxim for the ages. Your mother is a Mencius’ mother reborn."

"Mother?" Luan Yi was thirteen, but as people in the Han married early, his mother was only twenty-nine. He didn’t know exactly how old Cao Cao was, but he must have been in his thirties at least—older than his own mother. The idea of Cao Cao calling her 'Auntie' amused him greatly. It was far more entertaining than calling Xun Yu 'Uncle.' Out loud, he said, "You flatter me, brother. Knowledge knows no bounds—I cannot accept such praise. Any wisdom I have comes only from my parents’ teaching and a bit of cleverness."

"The sea of learning knows no bounds? Wonderful!" With that, Cao Cao bowed deeply to Luan Yi and said respectfully, "Thank you for your instruction. I shall remember it all my life."